Discover Your Talent~Do What You Love®: Recent Episodes
Don Hutcheson
What do highly successful people actually do to succeed? For 45 years as entrepreneur, inventor, and author, Don Hutcheson has studied the proven career-building strategies that people around the world have used for decades to create lives of success, satisfaction and freedom. Every Tuesday he interviews individuals from around the world who share their real-world experiences and insights—what worked, what didn’t and why—and any advice they might offer to help you jump-start your life and career to the next level. On Fridays, a highly accomplished woman or man from one of the most popular or interesting occupations and professions gives listeners an up-close-and-personal look at what it’s truly like to do what they do every day in “A Day in the Life.” Select recorded interviews here: http://www.DiscoverYourTalentPodcast.com/podcast. Interview Don on your podcast, radio show or other media: don@DYTpodcast.com
Orlando J. Gomez is the founder of the video production company Stellar Lense Productions, a video strategy expert specializing in visual storytelling for business, and the online video marketplace COOPT. Orlando has worked with companies like Uber, Dove, and Samsung, as well as small businesses across America to create video campaigns as engaging as your favorite Netflix shows. He is known for a storytelling approach that has successfully established local and national brands, ultimately leading to a higher ROI, brand awareness, and overall success.
"That's the stuff that I really enjoy doing for businesses–creating that story-driven scripted content. We still do tons and tons of every other type of video and explainer videos, tutorial videos and training videos. Anything a business needs video related, we do it. But I feel like our real bread and butter, where we excel, is storytelling, where we create content that is engaging and connects deeply with people and ultimately drives them to the businesses that we are trying to market."
Ward Rinehart is an American who lives and works in the Jura Mountains of France. He co-manages Jura Editorial Services, a small business editing and writing English-language publications for international organizations in nearby Geneva, Switzerland, and for clients worldwide. Prior to moving to France, he worked in international health communication for 30 years at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health in Baltimore, MD.
"Working as a reporter for a newspaper in Springfield, Massachusetts, I learned what was satisfying to me, was to learn something and then be able to use that to help other people understand issues they faced or the concerns they might want to get involved in, and issues that were going to affect their lives."
Guest Dr. Veronique Desaulniers: "I'm increasingly excited about the program that we launched in 2023 and have been expanding ever since: Conquering Breast Cancer with Conventional Treatments and Natural Remedies. The reason I added this aspect of healing breast cancer and supporting women is, because we realized after many years of working with women around the world, along with medical and integrative doctors, that there comes a time in a woman's journey that she may need more support than traditional medicine alone."
Dr. Véronique Desaulniers, better known as Dr. V, is the founder of Breast Cancer Conqueror® and creator of the 7 Essentials System®. Her signature process has empowered thousands of women in over 65 countries. Dr. V has personally conquered breast cancer twice, which gives her an empathetic perspective to understand other women facing a healing journey.
Her first book, Heal Breast Cancer Naturally, was a #1 Amazon Best Seller in 10 categories. In late 2025 she and Dr. Michael Karlfeldt released Breast Cancer Breakthrough: Integrating Conventional & Natural Medicine for True Healing. This combines their decades of clinical experience and dedication to integrative breast cancer healing to transform women's health, mindset and bodies.
Matt J. Louis is one of the nation's leading experts in career transition for members of the military community. He coaches individuals on their transition efforts and advises employers on hiring programs designed to successfully assimilate this valuable talent pool. He is the author of the award-winning and best-selling HarperCollins book, Mission Transition, a practical guide for veterans in career transition, their families, and their employers. His second book, Hiring Veterans, is a practical guide for organizational leaders on how to build programs to successfully assimilate veterans and military spouses. He is a Member of Louis Advisors LLC, a veteran-owned small business, was President of Purepost, Inc. and spent 17+ years at Deloitte where he became a Senior Manager and Practice Leader. Matt is a retired officer, US Army Active Duty and Reserve, 1991 to 2012. He graduated from the Military Academy at West Point and received his MBA at Indiana University – Kelly School of Business. Matt in discussion with Don Hutcheson: "On average, today's transitioning veterans will be unemployed for 22 weeks before they find a job. And when they do, they are simply looking to replace a revenue source. They'll take a job to get any job – and it is usually not the right one. They'll rotate out of that job within the first year and a half, and they'll continue to job hop and job hop and job hop. So much so that by their sixth post-military job, 50 percent, yes, half of transitioning veterans are still not in their optimal career field. I would peg that their sixth job is between three to five years from when they re-entered civilian life. That's alarming." "Why would I raise my right hand and enlist if today's service members are not finding full-time employment? And suicide rates continue to be at unacceptable levels. There is a direct correlation with all of these things."
"One of the many wonderful things about working as a speech language pathologist is that you can structure the work that you do based on your circumstances at any turning point of your life. The setting you work in, the kinds of clients your work with, the specific modalities that you offer, can all be created by you. When my son was born I wanted to be home every evening and on weekends, so I structured my private practice to make that happen. Earlier in my career my schedule and client base was quite different, which was ideal for that time in my life. But whatever the structure of my work, the thing that I really love about practicing speech language pathology is my one-on-one time with kids--there's something beautiful that happens in those moments when I am able to use my passion and expertise to help kids that stutter become happy, healthy, effective communicators and help families better understand how to best support their loved one who stutters."
Susie Harder, M.A., CCC-SLP is an experienced, licensed speech-language pathologist and Director of Central Valley Stuttering Center in Clovis, CA. She devotes much of her passion to working with children who stutter. She works in private practice and with schools to help support children and provides workshops and consulting-based support to families and school districts. She is also the founder and CEO of Authorable, a program that turns third through sixth graders into authors, creators, and leaders through real book-making experiences.
Guest: Spann Cordle
"What I'd love to do is public speaking. Sure I've been a spokesman. Sure I've made inroads. But I want to get on-stage. I want to travel. I want to speak. I want to show people that if you are determined and you persevere, there is nothing you cannot do–whether you are disabled or able-bodied. It is a mindset. A lot of individuals who are disabled don't have the opportunity to express themselves. I would like to show them how to do it!"
Sixty-eight years ago, Spann Cordle's parents made a decision that was ahead of their time. They chose to treat Spann as any other child and equip him to face life's challenges. Born with a disability, he went to elementary school riding a tricycle to strengthen his legs, learned to swim, took driver's ed in high school, and was on the drama team. After being a state probation officer for several years, in 2007 he became a full-time employee at Walmart in northwest Georgia. He has found it to be an excellent opportunity to spread disability awareness by demonstrating his workplace dedication and winning attitude day after day. Walmart has recognized his contributions by making him their spokesperson at other Walmart locations across the country. His hometown of Summerville, Georgia, held a celebration for him and dedicated a new art installation for disability awareness. But the best recognition is from the Walmart customers who stop to talk and tell him that he always provides them with encouragement. Spann strives to do the same for all of the disabled community.
"It was really sort of a Blitzkrieg assault approach where I wrote many, many scripts and emailed everybody I knew, and entered scripts into screenwriting competitions.
"While I was living in New York I paid for a pitch fest in L.A. I flew out there to this event where you had five minutes to pitch different companies, like Lionsgate Motion Pictures. It was like speed dating for screenwriters. Eventually, I got one of my scripts into the hands of The Asylum and that eventually became 'Born Bad,' which was a made-for Lifetime TV movie. When they told me they liked that script and they wanted me, well, that was amazing!"
Jared Cohn is a film/TV director, writer, and producer based in Los Angeles, CA. He has directed over 50 films that have been produced and distributed by major studios and distributed by major studios and production companies such as Netflix, Hulu, Showtime, Syfy, Lifetime, and many more.
His book, 50 Movies Made: Lessons Learned on a Filmmaker's Journey, chronicles his life through the Hollywood trenches and how he achieved his lifelong dream on the other side. In the book, he discusses all areas of the movie making process, from screenwriting and preproduction to production, post-production and distribution.
This May 2026 airing of Jared Cohn was originally aired in December 2024. Be sure to visit his website to see what he has been working on recently.
Dr. Cara Lee Barker is an international keynote speaker and visionary artist. She served as an Army nurse during the Vietnam era at Walter Reed Hospital. She has a Master's degree in nursing from the University of Washington and a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Union Institute and University in Ohio. Her post-doctoral work was completed in Zurich as an International Diplomat and a Jungian Analyst. She was a columnist for HuffPost for five years and is the author of three books: World Weary Woman; The Love Project; and her latest release, Nightlight: My Soul Calling, Body Listening, Heart Speaking.
"After I completed my PhD in clinical psychology, I began working in the so called 'human potential movement.' People wanted to dig deeper into who they really are on every level: spiritual, emotional, intellectual, physical and social. I loved doing that work and would have done it for free! I did my post-doctoral work in Zurich as an International Diplomat and Jungian Analyst. After reading Carl Jung's book–The Symbolic Life–I quickly realized the vital importance of dreams in helping people discover their inborn talents. I continue to work with clients, which uses my best talents, while I devote an increasing amount of time writing. My favorite life lesson from my very supportive parents: 'Lean into the thing you are trying to resist. Always lean in.'"
"The most powerful lesson I've learned is that self-discovery—learning your strengths and weaknesses–is foundational, followed by a strong education. Be open and ready for opportunities and be willing to take risks. Don't be afraid to dream because dreams do come true."
This encore episode is in memory of Delano Lewis, a guest on this podcast in 2015. He was an amazing person with an unforgettable life story. He passed away in 2023. We are taking this opportunity to spread his inspiring story to all our current listeners.
Delano Lewis, a former U.S. Ambassador to South Africa, rose from segregation-era Kansas to prominence in government, business, and the not-for-profit world. His bestselling memoir, "It All Begins with Self," affirms his belief in the value of family, education, hard work, perseverance, mentors and supporters. His trailblazing career includes top positions at National Public Radio and the Peace Corps.
Ted Dintersmith is a best-selling author, education advocate, and former venture capitalist who believes math has been weaponized—and it's time to set things right.
His professional career has been immersed in the world of technology-driven education, giving him a ringside seat to the advances of integrated circuits, robotics, and Artificial Intelligence.
For the past fifteen years, he has focused on the world of education, forming an education non-profit, authoring best seller books, and setting a mission to help catalyze and accelerate progress in our schools and equip our children with skills and mindsets that are essential in a world defined by rapidly-advancing innovation.
Ted graduated from the College of William and Mary with High Honors in English and Physics and then got a PhD in Engineering from Stanford. In 2012, he was appointed by President Obama to represent the U.S. at the United Nations General Assembly, where he focused on education and youth entrepreneurship.
"I was recognized by one of the trade publications as one of the top-ranked venture capitalists in the country for 1995 to 1999 – which were good years to be good at it. I loved every day. But as I got further into it, I realized that a lot of the companies we backed were developing products and solutions to make customers far more productive. And that seems to be a really good thing.
"But at a certain point, I realized that if you make a few people really productive, you may be laying off a bunch of others, which gets me to AI and why I am so focused on things today.
"As I looked back on my business career, every day was really fun, but I didn't feel a sense of purpose. Now, every day, I feel a deep sense of purpose by fighting for different priorities in schools and fighting for helping kids find their strengths – instead of putting students on the narrow conveyor belt that leads right into the jaws of AI."
Recommendation to listeners: "Find the things you love to do. Be resourceful in terms of connecting your passions with ways to support yourself financially. Take chances and be bold. And leverage technology. You will never look back and you are going to be in great shape."
Scott Robison, a retired U.S. Army Special Forces veteran with 23 years of service, is a founding partner of Kingswood Defense Group and Cadet Holdings and the founder of Camp Cowboy, a nonprofit supporting veterans with the use of equine therapy.
Scott specializes in consulting for military and commercial sectors, leveraging deep expertise in emerging technologies and defense strategy, and managing rapid acquisition initiatives.
When he retired from the Army, he decided that he wanted to do something for those who struggle with issues from military and public service. That resulted in creating Camp Cowboy in Kemper, Texas. It is operated by veterans to provide FREE Equine Assisted Growth Programs to Service members, Veterans, First Responders, Family members and Gold Star Family members. Through equine-based experience, education, and knowledge, they help participants navigate and overcome stressors and a vast multitude of "life's scars," allowing for a reconnected, well-balanced life change for those in need.
His military career highlights include leading the Special Weapons Testing Task Force at Fort Cavazos and overseeing over 300 major defense acquisition programs. He has also led counterterrorism efforts in Iraq and counter-drug operations with federal agencies.
Robison holds degrees from the New Mexico Military Institute and University of Colorado and certifications from Defense Acquisitions University.
Kahlil Wyche became disillusioned with the restaurant industry when he found himself handling all the responsibilities of a store manager but the chain was only paying him assistant manager wages. "I've always liked money and numbers, so I looked into an entry level position at a bank," Kahlil recalls. "I knew God has His hand on me about 40 days in. I overheard a co-worker who was frustrated with her computer. During my military time and after I'd been certified in some Microsoft software and taken some courses." Kahlil offered to take a look at her computer. He fixed it. The next morning, she offered him a job in the information technology (I.T.) department. He received steady promotions. On weekends he developed a catering business which eventually developed into Catering to Your Whims. He had come full circle back to entrepreneurship and the food business.
Kahlil Wyche is an entrepreneur, local marketing and social media expert who has been connecting people and products through technology for 19 years. As founder of Catering to Your Whims, Inc., and KGW Enterprises, he draws on his experience in marketing, sales and business development to create a platform for professionals to promote their work, share their expertise and interact with consumers.
Liz Chism has been an entrepreneur for over 11 years. She started out her entrepreneurial journey by starting a craft brewery with her husband and being the COO and Head Brewer. After that journey ended, she started Systems into Freedom where she is a business operations coach who strategizes with business about how to organize and streamline their operations so they can create freedom through their business.
Liz seamlessly fits coaching around helping her husband in his real estate business, running the house, raising their three children, and homeschooling.
"It wasn't until my husband and I decided to start a craft beer brewery that I found my passion for organizing, streamlining and strategizing how to go from point A to Point B in the fastest way possible.
"My husband and I fell in love with brewing, the science and the art mixture. And we fell in love with the community aspect that it brought, the ability to bring people together. What's interesting is that most people didn't think that I would be the brewer. They always put the male as the brewer and the female as the admin/marketing person. It turned out I had more talent for organizing and operations, repeating success and creating the recipes. In the end I was the brewer and did all the operations. My husband's talents were more of that CEO mentality, that visionary, and he handled the business side.
"We ran it for almost five years but ended up closing down in 2018 and filing bankruptcy in 2019. And that's actually when we pivoted. There's a lot of things about the brewery that we liked, but some aspects weren't a match for where we wanted to be and what we wanted to do with life. It was actually a moment where we could redesign our life however we wanted to.
"Based on what my husband and I learned while building the brewery, I started a coaching business called Systems into Freedom. It is designed to really help business owners put the systems in place so they will not get burned out. Those systems need to be incorporated into the culture of the business and leverage their employees to become leaders."
Karina Anderson’s story–from a violent upbringing in Denmark to finding her true purpose in South Africa–is a testament to resilience, spiritual enlightenment, and the power of trusting one's journey.
“More and more I realized that if I can do this, maybe more can do this. And I started writing down the first pieces of my story, which is about how you navigate challenge and how you turn.
“That's why I say I am an alchemist. I'm an alchemist in my own journey, turning lead to gold, regardless of how tough it looks. This is the moment you want that challenge. This is where heroes and heroines are born.
“Everything I've achieved on this journey has been because I've listened. I have shown up. I've been called to go. And, I've learned to trust the process. I know this because I do it every day and I've done it since I arrived here in South Africa.”
Intuitive Depth Coach, Alchemist and Change Specialist, Karina Anderson goes to places where most do not dare venture. Together with her Team of Change Agents, she helps switch on lights in some of the darkest corners of the human experience. Her work has taken her from prisons to boardrooms. As the Founder of SmilingOne and Circles of Change Academy, she has spent 17+ years honing a unique change recipe in the homeland of her heart–South Africa, and turning personal adversity into impactful change.
Otto E. Stallworth, Jr, MD, MBA, an anesthesiologist and then a cosmetic surgeon, was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama during the 1940s, fifties and sixties. He crossed the Alabama state line for the first time at sixteen to attend college and was the first college graduate in his family. This was followed by a medical degree at 24 and later an MBA outside of medicine.
He has had several businesses, including Oh Yes! Management and Hollywood Fries Restaurant. In 2022, he began the Stallworth Oh Yes! Foundation, which has awarded four-year full scholarships to students at Howard University and Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee, his alma maters. He published his memoir in 2023. Look soon for his first murder mystery.
"When I got into med school, it was even better than anything I could imagine. Every day was a new adventure because you learn about all these different diseases and study the human body. Studying all of this was very intriguing. As a child I just wanted to have this skill to be able to help people. You see someone that is sick and think about if you could cure them or help them get cured or give them the right advice–that seemed like an amazing and very powerful thing."
Sarah Ohanesian is a keynote speaker, productivity strategist, and former Chief Marketing Officer who now helps high-performing professionals and teams do their most important work…without burning out. Her keynotes and workshops leave audiences energized and equipped to eliminate busywork, prioritize high-impact tasks, and make real impact.
Sarah is the co-founder of Super Productive, a neuro-inclusive productivity consulting company, where she helps teams cut through the chaos by building clear workflows, organizing projects in tools like Asana, and making sure everyone knows what to do and when to do it–so the most important work actually gets done. You’ll walk away from this episode with a truly fresh perspective.
“I had been thinking about Productivity. I have been a student of productivity. I love productivity. I do podcasts about productivity. I read about productivity. I just love it so much. And at the same time, everyone I was talking to, when I would say ‘Hi. How are you?’ they would answer, ‘I'm busy. I'm stressed out. I'm burned out. I'm overwhelmed.’ It was like every person I'm talking to is feeling this way. So what can I do about it? And I had this idea, maybe I should start a productivity company. I had no idea what that actually meant. I just thought I have an idea. And a few people said to me, it's a good one. And I had one person say to me, ‘What if you did?’ I will say that moment changed everything.”
Courtney Bagby Lupinin, CEO and Founder of Little Red Management, is the go-to talent manager for reality TV stars from shows on ABC, CBS, MTV and Netflix including The Bachelor Franchise, Big Brother, Love is Blind, and the Circle. She began her career in the corporate sector at Oracle in San Francisco, managing internal communications and events. A yearning for the celebrity side of influencer marketing led her to Los Angeles where she volunteered her time and built relationships within the reality TV world before taking the leap to launch Little Red Management in 2019 at the age of 25. Courtney has also activated partnerships for huge brands including Disney, FOX, Hallmark, Nike, Adidas, Amazon, and more.
“I don't remember who told me this, and I wish I did because I feel like it was the best advice I've ever learned. It was to figure out how you can help those people who you want to work with and bring something to the table for them, but don't expect something back.
“At this time I wanted to do side things that would help me meet people and build my resume. One thing I did was volunteer for a nonprofit event called Reality Rally, which is held every year and all the reality TV stars come to that event to support their cause. I tweeted some of the stars from Survivor, Big Brother and other reality TV shows and volunteered to manage their social media in the off-season. And people accepted. That was super helpful because then when the event came along, I could meet them in person and they knew who I was.
“Another thing I did was to go after a contestant on The Bachelor who I really wanted as a client. I would tweet at her every time I was in L.A. and ask her to get brunch with me. She would always respond, telling me that she couldn't do it–but she would still respond. One time I left her a message to meet me at The Grove that day, which is a fancy mall in L.A. She didn't respond to that, but I ended up running into her there that afternoon. She totally knew who I was from the emails and tweets I had sent her. We sat down together and I asked her all sorts of questions.
“I had tried to reach out to some talent agencies and even social media agencies at the time, but no one would respond to me. So, it turned out for me that my best way of learning was from the talent themselves!
“Nowadays I own my own talent management business, and I always respond to anyone who wants career advice and tips on how to get into the business because I know what it is like to be so hungry for industry information.”
Cassie Petrey is the woman behind some of the most iconic artists’ social media marketing including Backstreet Boys, Camila Cabello and Britney Spears. She is the co-founder of Crowd Surf, a leading marketing and music management firm. She’s a fan girl whose admiration for the Backstreet Boys led her at age 12 to create a newsletter that reached fans worldwide — then years later she helped seal the band’s decades-long superstardom by re-introducing them to next-generation fans.
Cassie is a social media and artist management Hollywood powerhouse. She and her co-founder of Crowd Surf, Jade Driver, have been named to power lists in Variety, Billboard, and Forbes’ annual “30 Under 30” feature.
In 2022, the company launched its non-profit Career Development Program — a first-of-its-kind, no-cost educational series for people aspiring to work in the music business.
“I worked fulltime the whole time I was at Middle Tennessee State University studying Music Business. I had been fortunate enough to get a job as a college rep at Warner Music Group my freshman year. I was doing that when, a couple months into college, I discovered a website called MySpace. I went to my boss and said, ‘Hey, why don't big bands use MySpace? You only see small, local and college bands using it. I think major label artists should use it, too.’ And she said, ‘I don't really know what that means, but pick an artist. I'll connect you with their manager, and we'll figure out how you can manage their MySpace page.’
“I was scared to ask her if I could do that or not, but I'm really glad I did because if I didn't, I wouldn't have been one of the first to market in this lane that has become so huge. I thought social media was going to be big, but I didn't think it was going to get to where it is now!
“Looking back on it, it didn't seem such a big deal to me at the time, but a record label vice president, letting an 18-year-old come in and do all this work for their clients on MySpace and more? That's taking a certain level of risk, and I appreciate her taking that risk on me.”
Dr. Sonia Palleck: “I love dentistry. I love working with my hands. It's quite artistic and very challenging. It also requires you to have a lot of compassion and good communication skills. I felt it tapped into a lot of things that I was gifted with.
“The reason I went into dentistry was to become an orthodontist. My siblings and I all had braces. We had terrible crooked teeth. What the orthodontist did for me was really life changing. It gave me a lot of confidence. It gave me the ability to smile, to show up, and to speak my mind without fear or self-consciousness. I thought this was an amazing thing to do for people, and that's what I chose.
“Orthodontics is an amazing profession. It is possibly the best of the 10 areas of dentistry. I'm biased, but I absolutely adore what I do. I feel like I change people's lives on a daily basis. I get to interact with people of all ages, but especially young people, which is invigorating and rejuvenating. And I get to problem solve and use my mind. That is just a beautiful way to spend each day.”
Sonia Palleck was born and raised in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. She went to school at Western in London, Ontario and graduated from Dentistry in '93 and Orthodontics in '99. She pioneered the use of digital orthodontics in practice and has lectured all over the world to share her knowledge with others.
Sonia has written the “Leave the Little Light On” book series, designing and painting all the book covers, and editing and self-publishing her contribution to the world. Through these books she is a special advocate for love.
Paval Stuchlik, also known as Noa Aon, also known as Pavel Aeon, is a professional cyclist turned serial seven-figure entrepreneur and investor. Pavel made his first million before the age of 21 and has successfully launched, scaled, franchised and exited many brands, including significantly growing Orangetheory Fitness in seven areas of the U.S.
Through all of this, his mission always has been to bring people back to their center, in union with others. He has been able to do this most recently through his NOA AON movement. His methods blend ancient wisdom, modern science, and quantum principles to achieve deep personal transformation.
In March 2025 Pavel expanded this with the founding of “Upper AEON.” Pavel is now an internationally conscious DJ and EDM producer who is healing people worldwide by delivering transformational experiences at immersive workshops and retreats, providing digital learning and community, and using science-backed transformation tools.
He has been featured in The New York Times, TIME, ELLE & TATLER.
“At 14 I had a bet with my friend to both make it into the top ten in a local cycling race that was on TV once a year. I ended up coming in fourth and I think he was 11th. I love that freedom of cycling, the freedom of your mind. And I love the connection to nature. I knew I wanted to become a professional cyclist.
“When I was 17 my dad gave me a choice: ‘You either go to school and your life is paid for, or you don't go to school and you are going to do your little cycling thing which you are going to have to figure out yourself.’
“I did make it to pro cycling. I was racing around the world and stationed anywhere from Holland to Asia to South America. It was amazing. I loved it. But at the same time, I knew I needed to support myself. I had started my first company to supply a product cyclists needed. So whenever we would go into different countries to race, I would walk into local bike stores and I’d say, ‘Hey, you guys should have your own custom bike frames.’ And I did well with that business.
“But when I was 20, I completely broke down in a Czech national race. And when I say ‘broke down,’ I mean my body completely shut off and I woke up in the hospital. I literally developed chronic fatigue. I did still race for a time, but instead of me resting and recovering, I was on calls with the factories and with customers.
“This is how I found health. I literally had to quit cycling unfortunately, and lose my identity of what I thought was important at that time. I wanted to do the Tour de France and I wanted do all of the biggest races, but my health did not allow me to. Before I quit, I fell into a deep depression. It was really a tough life because I wasn’t able to deliver on what I was hoping to do. I had to shave off my identity because I was not going to be a pro cyclist anymore.
“I was, however, always self-driven. I knew I was really not inspired by the traditional societal norm. I wasn't inspired by being in a box and being told what to do, when to do it, and how to do it. So through education and through all of these courses and books and workshops I started attending, and trying various jobs, I ended up molding what my life should be about.”
Major General (ret) Dustin "Dusty" Shultz is a highly accomplished senior military leader, renowned for her expertise in Army Cyber, Intelligence, and Space operations both in the U.S. and Latin America. Throughout her distinguished career, she has often been hand-picked for key leadership roles supporting the Department of Defense. In these roles, Dusty has developed strategic solutions to complex challenges, drawing on her extensive experience in international collaboration to achieve equitable outcomes. After years of dedicated government service, Dusty retired (2025) from her final role as Director of Intelligence at U.S. Southern Command. Now in her own busines, she is using her expertise, abilities, and interests to collaborate strategically with organizations to address intricate challenges and shape a secure and sustainable future, with special interest in security challenges across the Americas. She holds multiple degrees in strategy and is committed to lifelong learning. Outside of her professional endeavors, she enjoys spending time with her husband, David, their two children, and five grandchildren. Her hobbies include cooking and equestrian activities.
“On one assignment an Admiral said to me, ‘You've got the skills. You are going to do this. I'm going to advocate for you, and I'm going to also hold you accountable for doing it.’ Having leaders like him has been fundamental. I do not want to receive anything because I'm entitled or special. I want to receive it because I have worked hard to get where I am and because my skills are better than my peers’.
“I laugh when I think of my first day with my first unit. It was a field artillery drill sergeant unit, and when I walked in, they literally looked at me and, although they were polite, they directly said something like, ‘Where's Dustin?’
“I am Dustin.’
“ ‘No. Where's the male, Dustin?’
‘Oh my gosh. I am the female Dustin. Here are the orders.’ And, they didn't even have female restrooms.
Later in my career, my XO’s name was Hollis. My name was Dustin. So people always deferred to the fact that we were men. And then they would be shocked when we'd show up. We responded that we're fit, we're prepared, we're capable. We're going to do our job and we're going to do it well. And then we’d do just that.
“So I went all the way from these experiences to taking a battalion to Iraq, where over one-third of the organization was females including almost all of my seniors, minus my command Sergeant Major."
Dr. Christopher Smith is a Board-Certified practicing physician who completed his residency and fellowship at the world-renowned Johns Hopkins Hospital. Dr. Smith currently lives in Pennsylvania and is a partner with Quantum Imaging and Therapeutic Associates. He dedicates time and resources to raising awareness of homeless children and finding solutions to help them overcome their situation.
“Around the age of four, there was a big turning point in my life. My father lost his job at the steel mill. After that my parents struggled financially for the rest of my teenage years. We really had difficulty maintaining housing and lived for months at a time without basic utilities like heat or electricity.
“By the time I was 16, my family and I had moved at least a couple dozen times. That year my family got evicted one more time and we had nowhere to go. It was my senior year of high school. My parents and 6 of my siblings stayed in a small motel room. I slept in the truck the entire year, and this was in Utah. It was so cold in winter that sometimes my hair would actually freeze at night.
“But I had decided that there was no shortcut in life. I had to work through it and through all these difficult circumstances. I was willing to take risks. I made mistakes. I failed. But that was okay. I kept trying. That's part of the experience, the process and the idea of not quitting when you fail.
"A lot of years of my life were very difficult, but I always tried to maintain a positive outlook on my life. I still always try to see potential, the good in the world now.
“The statistical odds of me going from sleeping in a truck as a teenager to completing my medical degree at Johns Hopkins Hospital are so astronomically high that I personally think there was some intervention in my life, somebody looking out for me with the purpose of helping me view my past in a different light and of being able to share that with other people, inspiring them to learn from my past. That was my ultimate reason for writing the book Homeless to Hopkins and a children's version because children in poverty are often the most invisible homeless people of all.”
Guest Elizabeth Bachman: “Having been one of the earliest female stage directors as an opera director, I have a wealth of knowledge to share. I now work with corporate women to help them break through the glass ceiling. What I’m really excited about is that I lead groups of women called ‘Visible and Valued Masterminds.’ We spend three to six months together, online and in-person, talking and discussing the issue--how do you be seen as the person that you want to be seen as? How do you present yourself in a manner that you are taken seriously if you happen to be in a position where you are not taken seriously? It is some of the most deeply satisfying work I have ever done and I’ve always been blessed to use my talents to make the world a better place.” Elizabeth Bachman is the go-to person for advanced level training in Speaking, Presentation Skills, Sales, and Leadership. With a lifetime spent perfecting the art of presenting, she helps high-level clients master a message that brings: the Funding they need the Allies they want and the Recognition they deserve. She describes her work as: Strategic Speaking for Results * When you want to make a difference, not just a point! A sought-after speaker and strategist in Silicon Valley, nationally and internationally, Elizabeth works with leaders and influencers who need to become concise and compelling presenters. She helps them present as smart, down-to-earth, loose, friendly even funny and still be taken seriously. Elizabeth has directed such luminaries as Luciano Pavarotti & Placido Domingo in more than 50 operas around the world, giving her a wealth of tools to help business professionals become respected presenters. Fluent in 5 languages, she is adept at working with presenters from many countries, bringing her global experience to her clients.
“There are so many more opportunities today for pharmacists that we haven't even dreamed of. In the future, pharmacists are going to provide more direct patient care, like pharmacogenomics, such as point of care testing for influenza and strep throat, and collaborative practice agreements that allow us, through a physician sign-off or medical practice sign-off, to manage and monitor medications."
Steven Simenson, BPharm, FAPhA, FACA, DPNAP is the CEO and Managing Partner of Goodrich Pharmacy, Inc., with five community pharmacies in Minnesota. He is a graduate of the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy along with his wife, Wendy, also a Pharmacist. Steve was the 2013-2014 President of the American Pharmacist’s Association and is on the Board of Directors of Pharmacists Mutual Insurance Companies and the Community Pharmacy Foundation. He is actively advocating for the pursuit of Patient Access to and Coverage for Pharmacist Patient Care Services. Steven is at his best taking care of patients.
Howie Zales is an Emmy Awarded camera operator who started his career at the NFL Network and NBC Sports. His passion for broadcasting led him to found Viridity Entertainment Services (VES), a streaming and professionally-recorded in-house productions service offering TV-quality livestream to corporations. Their clients include T Mobile, Capital One, The Food Network, hip hop group Salt-N-Pepa, and more. His other company, which he founded and has operated for over 24 years, is HJC Productions, Inc., a nationwide television crewing company for sports, entertainment and studio productions.
Howie also mentors the next generation of freelance technicians through his mentoring program The Broadcast Sports Course.
Howie Zales: “ Growing up I was super into sports, baseball being my favorite. Like any kid or friend my age, I wanted to play professional sports as my job.
"I knew I was headed for sports. I just didn't know where or how.
“ In 11th grade, I needed one class to fill out my course selection. There was an elective that was a TV production class. The description was: a trip to New York City to tour NBC studios and 30 Rockefeller Center, and watching a TV show being taped. I thought ‘how bad could it be!’
“I ended up loving the class. I loved my teacher, Mrs. Jason, and her husband was a field producer for Good Morning America who spoke to the class on a lot of occasions.
“I already had a love of sports, and now I had this new passion for TV. I also knew I needed a backup to my professional baseball plan. BOOM! Now I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I was going to get into sports TV”.
Sal Hanna is a houseparent at Milton Hershey School, a cost-free residential school for children from low-income backgrounds. At the school, students are given everything they need to remove barriers to education, including meals, clothing and health services. Students live in small groups of 10-12 in on-campus houses, and each house is overseen by a houseparent couple. After working as a camp director, Sal began his career at Milton Hershey School as a houseparent before working to recruit new houseparents. He and his wife, Melissa, loved and missed houseparenting so much that they returned to the role in the summer of 2022.
“When I was working at a large kids’ camp in Michigan, I learned about Milton Hershey School and the houseparent role and was instantly sold on the idea. I looked at the requirements on their website and my wife and I made the decision to postpone applying for family reasons, but I knew it was a job of a lifetime. Instead I took a position at the Michigan camp to oversee a team of people who were in charge of guest relations. It was a promotion, but my interactions and relationships with students was lessened. I did that for about five years and was then offered another promotion which would include moving into a beautiful lake house with my wife and two daughters. But that promotion would take me even further away from working directly with children, which is where my talents and my passion really lie. I told my wife I wanted to say no to the promotion to pursue the houseparent position at Milton Hershey School. We ended up going through the hiring process and were selected to be houseparents. In 2013, we moved everything to Hershey, Pennsylvania and began our life at the school. There are roughly 2,100 students now across three schools–an elementary school, a middle school and a high school all spread out over 10,000 acres. In total, we have 180 student homes and 180 houseparent couples that live in residence on our campus. My wife and I can see doing this until we retire because when you use your talents in a way that impacts the lives of others, it is really a beautiful thing.”
Allegra Huston is the author of "Love Child: A Memoir of Family Lost and Found", the novels "A Stolen Summer" and "Say My Name," and many screenplays including the award-winning short film "Good Luck, Mr. Gorski," which she also produced. In 2019 she published how-to books on “the stuff nobody teaches you,” including "How to Read for an Audience" by Allegra and "How to Edit and Be Edited" by Allegra and James Navé. Allegra's and James' most recent collaboration is a book for authors, "Write What You Don't Know."
"At major turning points in our lives, the circumstances are rarely perfect for us to make the next move or decision about what to do next. The obstacles may be vast, but it’s at this point that you 'throw your hat over the fence,' or in other words, 'just go for it!'
“In my experience, most people don’t know what they are good at—what they are naturally good at. So sometimes you have to find one or kind of create one for yourself. You have got to put food on the table and send your kid to school. So, there are those reasons. I think if we are good girls or boys, we try to fulfill the expectations that are inevitably held for us. If we're bad girls and bad boys, we're fighting against those expectations. But in either case, we're still being driven by other people's expectations. It often takes time, maturity, mistakes and even unhappiness to lead you to what you really want to do–to start to find what it is that makes you excited in the morning, that makes you want to be doing whatever it is that you want to do.”
Sally Loftis is the Managing Director at Loftis Partners, a 100% woman-owned human resources consulting firm located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Sally works at the intersection of human resources, organization development, and social justice. Loftis Partners specializes in strategy, people, facilitation, and pay justice. Since launching in August 2020, Sally and her firm have worked with 54 clients across 3 continents. She completed her master's thesis on pay equity in nonprofits. She was published in the Journal for Applied Behavioral Sciences (“Building Trust Through Action Learning in An Uncertain Transorganizational Context”).
"I had I kept joking with people that it was a little bit like trying to figure out what you want to do when you grow up–but in your forties. I had worked in human resources for 20 years at that point.
“Human resources is a really broad practice area. So part of it was trying to figure out what parts of human resources I wanted to work in. Two things were really helpful in narrowing it down. One is that I had just finished my graduate degree in Organization Development. I was really interested in that field because it is systems change in corporations, nonprofits or government. I had always worked on the strategic end of HR about how the people related to the strategy, so I knew that was a passion. And then I had done my thesis on pay equity, so I knew I had that, too.
“Then the second thing was some great advice I got early on from a friend who said, ‘You should do some volunteer gigs if you can't get paying work immediately. That can help you kind of figure out what you do and don't want to do, and then also can give you some immediate feedback.’ Since this was early 2020, the beginning of the pandemic, I was able to do some virtual volunteering. That really helped me in my decision making.”
Guest Sean Sessel: “I got to a really dark place because I felt like I had to make that choice: That I could either be financially successful but I could only do so if I sell my soul, sell my values─or, I could be broke. Neither one of those options was acceptable to me.”
Sean Sessel is a voracious learner with a fervent belief in the ability of the individual to better himself or herself. After an epiphany that he derived intrinsic enjoyment from continual learning and the sharing of knowledge with others, he decided to make a career of it and started the Oculus Institute. Sean developed a unique system called psychohacking and helps individuals escape burnout jobs and craft careers that truly inspire AND pay well. He works with people to prevent self-sabotage, dissolve stress, and discover their personal power and value.
Tony Greer founded T.G. Macro in 2016, an independent market analysis company, where he could combine 25 years in trading and 15 years of writing a daily newsletter into one analytical platform. He provides fundamental, technical, and behavioral analysis of global markets to nearly 1,000 individuals in his institutional client and personal subscriber base.
After graduating from Cornell University in 1990, Tony traded currencies and precious metals in the Treasury Departments of Sumitomo Bank and the Union Bank of Switzerland, followed by six years at Goldman Sachs running the Goldman Sachs Commodities Index and spot gold trading. Tony then began a career as an equity sales trader, educating his clients in the natural resources space, until he started T.G. Macro and introduced the Morning Navigator newsletter.
”Goldman Sachs was one of my big clients and I always tried to give them the most competitive price that I could in the FX markets. Through the broker market, I wound up meeting at a dinner the trader who was on the other end of the phone at Goldman Sachs. He was grateful that I quoted him such competitive prices and wanted to say thanks. He asked if I was interested in speaking to some people on their desk. It was the kind of thing that can happen in a career where you get to know the people that work at a competitor and wind up getting a job offer from them because they liked your style and thought that you could help their operation.”
An experienced, accredited college admissions consultant and essay coach, Kate Stone received her B.S. in Communications and a minor in Creative Writing at New York University. She continued as a Princeton University teaching fellow in Asia shortly before starting University Gurus. She transformed her passion for creative writing and storytelling into actionable strategies for the college admissions process, essays, and the application as a whole. Through her program she coaches students to develop and strategize their most powerful narratives based on their individual ideas and achievements.
“What we learned from the Harvard admissions scandal a few years back–I looked through all the transcripts out of curiosity–was top schools really value a personal development journey. Elite colleges cannot rely on grades and test scores only. They really want to understand a student's character, drive, engagement, impact and their dreams. As you know, with artificial intelligence, Chat GBT allows a student to plug in some prompts and it delivers a college essay that's pretty good, maybe even better than what they could write themselves. The schools and the admissions people are talking about making their essays much more creative and much more personal. That’s where storytelling is going to be even more important. Students have to identify their own focusing lens or thread to hang their content hat on, getting really creative to the degree that AI can't generate an application essay. That’s where personal storytelling is going to be even more important. Students will need to ask themselves if they are skilled enough as a writer to best express their values, what’s important to them, obstacles that get in their way around those values, are they allowing their true self to emerge, etc. If not, they will need to find support on how to express and differentiate themselves. I don’t do the work for my students. I usually spend two to four months helping them dig into themselves and craft their own college entry essays.”
"I always say that family and love should come first, and no matter what, set your priorities straight because it's not all about the money. We have to decide our priorities as soon as possible to avoid any regrets later on in life."
Ula Tinsley is a passionate autism advocate, featured writer at www.icare4autism.org and a talk show host on Autism Mama Bear Talk. She’s been raising autism awareness on a local and national level since 2010, when her son was diagnosed with a regressive form of autism. After gaining more experience and knowledge about different ways of treating ASD, she’s been supporting and consulting other families living with autism. Her latest project, Autism Mama Bear Talk, is a fast-paced interview show bringing informative and everyday inspiring stories from leading autism advocates, self-advocates, parents and medical experts.
John Timothy Brewer is an Army Special Forces veteran with more than 10 years of experience enabling those who act to defend life, family, and country. Knowing firsthand the importance of self-reliance, John has made it his mission to enable and empower others so they may live healthy, thriving lives.
His book, “Fight for Your Best Life” is the step-by-step Self-Defense Guide to personal empowerment, protecting your loved ones, and living fearless. John’s company is Mind, Shield, and Spear Consulting Group, LLC. With their dedicated team of experts, their clients receive guidance and mentorship in not just the physical techniques, but also the mental strategies to navigate challenging situations with confidence.
He considers his main areas of expertise to be safety and security, personal development, and military operations.
Steve Orrin offers three decades of extraordinary success in a series of high-level roles at top-tier companies that include Intel Corporation, Sarvega, Watchfire Inc., Sanctum Inc., First Genetic Trust Inc., Lockstar Inc., and SynData Technologies Inc. He has recently had the honor of being nominated as a Fellow at the Tortora Brayda Institute for AI & Cybersecurity. The Tortora Brayda Institute for AI & Cybersecurity is an International Think Tank dedicated to tackling big challenges within cybersecurity and AI. It engages private and public sector thought leaders worldwide to reshape and develop collaboration and partnering practices to improve business and economies.
He has developed a reputation as an industry leader, leveraging a history of delivering results in Innovation, Intrapreneurship, and Entrepreneurship. He is a Tech-enabled business professional who has launched and scaled companies and brought innovative industry-leading products to market. As Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and Senior PE for Intel Corporation, Steve orchestrates and executes customer engagements in the federal space, overseeing the development of federal solution architectures to address challenges in government enterprise, national security, and other federal areas of focus.
“My high school mathematics teacher, Mr. Miller, had a unique way of making mathematics look interesting and exciting. I thrived in math under him, took advanced placement calculus and other courses, which helped me in my later life and career much more than it did in college. My appetite for mathematics and the idea that you didn’t have to rigidly stick to the textbooks, that math was much more than memorizing multiplication tables or cosigns, but that you could research and investigate the many other facets and the broader applications of math--what it was really about and how it permeates all dimensions of our world--was a powerful and positive influence on my life and career from that point forward.”
“My daughter was required to be vaccinated at the end of her fifth grade school year at the age of 11 before she could move on to middle school. For the following couple of years, she deteriorated medically, physically, and emotionally at a very frightening level. And in the end, the diagnosis included autism, sensory processing disorder, ADHD, and obsessive compulsive disorder. She had systemic rashes, and severe environmental and food allergies. The sensory processing disorder would make her shut down for up to five days, unable to walk or talk. The list could go on and on, but in the journey to get her to recovery I learned through an occupational therapist about craniosacral therapy and I had never heard of it before. It’s a light touch therapy that improves brain and nervous system functioning. And through that therapy and sensory integration therapy and biomedical supports, my daughter–against all odds–got to a degree of functioning recovery that was literally unheard of.”
Tami Goldstein is Diplomate certified in Upledger Craniosacral Therapy (U-CST), Board Certified and an approved continuing education provider through The National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork. She is a Wisconsin licensed massage therapist. In 2004 she opened A Therapeutic Touch by Tami, LLC. She offers services as a therapist, advocate, international speaker and educator of bodywork specializing in individuals on the autism spectrum and other neurodevelopment disorders. She’s the international award-winning author of “Coming Through the Fog,” an autism recovery journey, a contributing author in a Cutting-Edge Therapies for Autism, and other books & publications. Ms. Goldstein is a 2018 World Massage Festival Hall of Fame inductee, 2019 Teacher of the Year recipient at World Massage Festival, the founder of Wisconsin for Vaccine Choice and the parent of an individual with functioning recovery from autism.
”It was really sort of a Blitzkrieg assault approach where I wrote many, many scripts and emailed everybody I knew, and entered scripts into screenwriting competitions.
“While I was living in New York I paid for a pitch fest in L.A. I flew out there to this event where you had five minutes to pitch different companies, like Lionsgate Motion Pictures. It was like speed dating for screenwriters. Eventually, I got one of my scripts into the hands of The Asylum and that eventually became ‘Born Bad,’ which was a made-for Lifetime TV movie. When they told me they liked that script and they wanted me, well, that was amazing!”
Jared Cohn is a film/TV director, writer, and producer based in Los Angeles, CA. He has directed over 50 films that have been produced and distributed by major studios and distributed by major studios and production companies such as Netflix, Hulu, Showtime, Syfy, Lifetime, and many more.
His new book, 50 Movies Made: Lessons Learned on a Filmmaker’s Journey, chronicles his life through the Hollywood trenches and how he achieved his lifelong dream on the other side. In the book, he discusses all areas of the movie making process, from screenwriting and preproduction to production, post-production and distribution.
“One thing that is unique about my background is that my clients, who are tech entrepreneurs and CEOs, value that I came from a business background, a finance background, and a tech investing background. So they know that not only can I provide a tactical strategy, but I can also address the underlying issues that are behind those challenges for them.”
Victoria Song is a leadership advisor to visionary founders and CEOs of the fastest growing technology companies in Silicon Valley, and celebrities with power, platform and influence. A Forbes 30 Under 30 investor, Yale College and Harvard Business School alumna, Victoria has helped her clients achieve multi-billion dollar exits, write patents in 24 hours, and more. She is the author of "Bending Reality: How to Make the Impossible Probable." The book is designed to help readers tap into their hidden potential, so they can access extraordinary (seemingly supernatural) abilities they didn’t even know they had.
“I applied to and started the TV program at Haslett High School near Lansing, Michigan and taught TV production there for 13 years. Then at age 38, I began telling my wife that I was not having as much fun at my job any more. This had been my only job. I wanted to do something bigger. I wanted to do something different but still creative. She encouraged me to go for it.
“I resigned from the school on a Friday and got an office at an incubator on Monday. In the beginning I had no idea what I was doing. But I did know that we needed to work on our brand and get our brand messaging out there, networking as much as we possibly could. We talked a lot about how important that creative piece is to our brand. Knowing that was a big help for us to figure out who we were early on.
“I still say this to my staff all the time: ‘I think we're all creative here at Michigan Creative even if, for example, you wouldn't want me doing your graphic design. But I love to write, I love to shoot videos. A lot of people don't have that creative piece of their brain and we shouldn’t take our creative abilities for granted.’
“Now we're also helping other companies establish who they are and how they go out into the world. As I think you know, in today's world it's more important than ever to establish a brand and brand message.”
Brian Town is an author, speaker, educator, and the founder of Michigan Creative, an award-winning branding and marketing agency specializing in web development, video, branding, and social media marketing, designed to help businesses systematize their lead generation and scale their profits.
As a fractional CEO, Brian works with dozens of clients who want to scale without building out an entire marketing department so that they can stay focused on their areas of expertise and serve their clients and customers.
In his forthcoming book, "The Lonely CEO," Brian shares his insights and best strategies for avoiding resistance, solidifying your belief in yourself as the right person to run your company, and systematizing your marketing and hiring processes to grow and scale a sustainable business.
“I went to law school at age 49 at Washington University School of Law, which is an Ivy League-level law school. I graduated with a 4.0, the highest GPA in my class. When people ask me how I did that while doing all this other stuff at the same time, I like to joke and say ‘I cheated.’ At Orientation they told us we should spend four hours per class per week preparing for lectures. I spent eight hours preparing. Most people say, that’s not cheating. Yes, but nobody does it. If you want to be the smartest person in the room, you have to be the most prepared person in the room. See, there’s nothing extra-ordinary about me. I was a below average student in high school. I just start with the conviction that failure is not an option and I cannot be outworked. Then I move on to: ‘I’m going to out prepare everyone.’ You see, the harder you work, the luckier you get.”
Stephen Nalley is the owner and Managing Partner of Black Briar Advisors, which is a Small Business Administration and Veteran’s Affairs Certified-Disabled Service-Connected Veteran-Owned Company. He has owned and operated over 200 hotels across the United States and has managed over $2 billion in Hotel & Resort Assets. He is the author of "Relentless Pursuit," where he describes the secret to success as knowing what you want and having a compelling reason why and the discipline to sacrifice what we want right now for what we really want later.
“We ended up with over 2,000 recruiting firms buying our training model. But after 2 years, I was just bored out of my mind! Once a month we were doing the exact same 5-day training. I missed doing the executive searches myself. That’s just what my passion was, that’s what I loved doing and where my talent was. So, we ended up re-acquiring our old company. I think one of the goals every human should have is to find something they sincerely love doing, and then doing it well enough that they can make a living from it. I found that! I found that in the executive search business.”
Gene Rice’s business career includes working for a Fortune 100 firm–where he was promoted 5 times in 7 years–to co-founding Rice Cohen International, a successful executive search firm. He has placed over 1,000 C-level executives while mentoring many young professionals. In 2008, Gene and his wife started a nonprofit charity, The Plant a Seed Inspire a Dream Foundation, which has enabled over 800 children from low-income households to pursue their passions. Gene and his daughter, a teacher, have recently co-authored the book “Grad to Grown-Up.”
Guest James Cloud: "I guess you could say I might unconsciously have developed a mission that I hope that my books will help throw light onto the question of how did the Holocaust happen in a developed, civilized country like Germany.”
James Cloud is a retired educator with more than 30 years of experience. He was born and brought up in Las Vegas, New Mexico, shortly before the outbreak of World War II. In 1942, he entered Miss Cone's first grade class, a Jewish teacher that would spark his interest in the war and understanding the people struggling on both sides.
As a young adult, he traveled to Germany, learned the language, and was accepted into the Institute of Arts in West Berlin. While living in Germany, he worked as an interpreter for the British military mission during the Cold War years and developed an intimate knowledge of both East and West Berlin.
He began writing his first novel, Brandenburg, A Story of Berlin, at the age of 80, bringing together his impressions gained over a lifetime of teaching and interacting with many nationalities and cultures, most especially with German Jewish people. The second novel, Brandenburg II, The Ninth Circle of Hell, came shortly after, and he is currently (2024) working on his third novel in the series.
Guest Dawn Cook Causey: “Empathy, which is the key dimension of EQ–emotional intelligence–has been until quite recently so dramatically underutilized in our day-to-day communications, in spite of the fact that it is the root cause of so many communications issues. With almost every client I have worked with over the many years I have been coaching, I find that I spend a large amount of time helping them understand and then improve their capacity for empathy. A while back I even coined the idea, ‘Empathy is the difference between compliance and commitment.’ I truly believe that. If you are unable to meet somebody half-way during a discussion or debate, you will find it exceptionally difficult to influence them.”
Dawn Cook Causey is an ICF certified professional executive coach with six certifications in emotional intelligence. Her mission in life is to raise the bar on emotional intelligence in leaders around the world. She likes to say she is in the polishing business, helping leaders and teams shine their brightest by making the best choices every moment of every day. Her personal motto is, it’s your choice, so make it count.
"The challenge for most people is figuring out where is the intersection of 1) what they love to do, 2) what they are also really good at doing, and 3) what will people legitimately pay for."
Jennifer Allwood has built her business in phases into what she considers a dream life. It all began with her fascination with HGTV, her love of decorating, and a trip to a Home Show. And yes, from being laid off her job as a software analyst. A passionate cheerleader of women, she adds biblical truth to the modern day “dream big” mantra. Her no-nonsense approach to doing things you are scared to do and saying yes to God is helping women everywhere build the life and business of their dreams. When she’s not coaching her nearly 3,000 clients each month, she’s living the dream in Kansas City with Mr. Magic (her husband, Jason) and their four wild kiddos—Noah, Easton, Ava Grace, and Ariana. Oh, and their Goldendoodles, Stella and Lola, the best dogs on earth.
"The New York office asked me if I’d like to transfer there as supervisor and a pay raise that was literally three times greater than what I was earning at the time as a 25-year-old ‘newbie' in the world of advertising. My immediate response was: 'No thank you, I want to make movies.' Soon thereafter I accepted a job as a production assistant on a TV show called 'Dream On' which was featured on HBO, for a tiny fraction of the salary I was offered in the ad business. My gut told me that if I took that high-paying job, I would be shackled by the proverbial ‘golden handcuffs’ and never be able to pursue my passion for the film and TV industry. My gut was spot on and I have been creating a career that I love every day ever since.” Tim Tortora has spent his impressive career in the entertainment industry garnering extensive financial and producing experience before releasing his second book “An Effective Guide to Build Your Path in The Film and TV Industry.” His latest book and companion Community guides aspiring filmmakers through the black box that is building a durable network in film and TV production.
Anthony Schembri is a distinguished former police commissioner with a background in homicide and forensic evidence. He has held several leadership positions in law enforcement. Schembri’s dynamic career and accolades include an Innovations in Government award from Harvard. He is a Fulbright scholar and the author of several books on criminal law and leadership. His first novel, In Russia: A Brooklyn Solution, follows Lieutenant Anthony Migali of the NYPD on an international web of deceit and murder as he is tasked with solving Moscow’s first-ever serial killer case. The book is full of Schembri's real life adventures.
A Few More Interesting Facts
- Anthony Schembri was a NYC police commissioner for almost 15 years.
- ABC’s 1990s crime drama “The Commish” is based on his life. He wrote several episodes for the series. (The first season of the TV show is available through Amazon.)
- He took a professorship at the University of Florida to teach courses on serial crime.
- Governor Bush asked him to take the job of Secretary of the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice (the juvenile prison system) where at that time they admitted 128,000 juveniles a year. His responsibilities also included 26 detention centers, 1,400 probation officers, and 164 prevention programs.
“It’s just not easy to find what we love, let alone do what we love and being financially rewarded for that. It does require a ton of courage. It takes us out of our safety zone. A job is giving us the most basic need on the hierarchy of needs, which is to feel safe, to survive. For a successful entrepreneurship or doing what we truly love, we just have to get okay with uncertainty and going out of that safety zone. Our brain is not designed to do that. The change is not easy.”
Born in Slovakia, Lenka Lutonska moved to the UK at the age of 19 with a dream to “change the world.” From humble beginnings working for McDonald’s, she is now an international business and mindset strategist for women entrepreneurs, an international trainer of NLP, a professional speaker and a passionate believer in every woman’s right to have the life and business she truly loves. Author of “Energetic Selling and Marketing,” Lenka has also been featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur and other international business publications and has been described by many as deeply knowledgeable and an inspirational trainer and coach.
“I love to go out there speaking and educating–on top of the franchising. It’s a great time to be exploring franchising. Our placements year-to-date are up over 50%, which was up 50% over the previous year. Whether you are thinking of switching careers or getting a side hustle going or looking at expanding your investment portfolio, I just think the time is ripe. A lot of people coming out of Covid have said, ‘Now’s the time to have a little more control of my life. I’ve always thought about business ownership, but it is risky.’ The fact is, working for somebody may be even riskier. There has definitely been a large shake-up out there. I often give talks to investors about franchising as an asset. There are tax benefits and all kinds of benefits that come from business ownership. I love being able to help others and later hear them tell their success stories.”
Jon Ostenson is a certified franchise consultant, owner/investor, author and international speaker specializing in the area of non-food franchising. He draws on his experience as both the President of an Inc. 500 franchise system and as a multi-brand franchisee in serving clients across these capacities. He serves as CEO of FranBridge Consulting where he helps clients understand all aspects of non-food franchising in the process of introducing them to opportunities from the over 300 high growth brands that he represents. Additionally, Jon oversees FranBridge Capital where he and his partners own 17 territories across 5 property service franchises.
Several years into a successful chiropractic practice, Mitchell Mays puzzled over the patients who kept returning with recurring conditions, no matter what he tried. Then, he had an “ah-ha!” moment that took his practice in a whole new direction.
Dr. Mays is the #1 best-selling author of MIND GATE: Demolish Fear, Overcome Anxiety and Create the Life You Want. He’s been a licensed chiropractor since 1978 and is a certified master hypnotist and hypnotherapist employing functional medicine, biofeedback, nutrition, guided imagery and hypnosis for chronic anxiety, stress and pain. He and his wife Terry, also a hypnotherapist and mind/body practitioner, maintain a busy practice in northern California.
Morgan Gist MacDonald began her career in academia, as a Sociologist, but soon found the entrepreneurial pull to take her skills as a researcher, writer, teacher, and leader into building a publishing company, from the ground up.
She is an author, speaker, and the founder of Paper Raven Books, an innovative publishing company designed to help first-time and experienced authors alike through the writing, publishing, and marketing process so they can get their books published and build a loyal readership and a long-term career as an author.
Morgan believes that even an unknown debut author with no connections, platform, or following truly can sell tens of thousands of copies of a book, gather thousands of reviews, and attract fans of their work that will come back for more, year-over-year.
"You have to be open to unexpected opportunities to grow your audience. When the Olympics came to Atlanta in July of 1996, a photographer friend of mine was offered a space to curate her own show. She asked me and a few other artists to exhibit as well. I created 13 new works in the span of a month after my day job in a frame shop. I sold all my paintings and that launched my art career in Atlanta."
Jennifer J L Jones is an American artist known for her elegant multi-layered glazed abstract paintings inspired by nature. Her work is exhibited and sought after worldwide by private and public collectors. Jones was born in 1971 in Alexandria, Virginia, and received her BFA from the prestigious School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She works full time as an exhibiting artist going on 21 years. After living in cities growing her career, Jones now resides in Port Royal, SC. When Jennifer recorded this interview, she was working on her second coffee table book, memoir and preparing for several upcoming shows.
Captain Maria Yturria, at the time of this original recording, rose to Deputy Chief of the Professional Development Unit of the Richmond County Police Department in 2022. She is an FBI National Academy graduate. She has been in law enforcement since 2003, before that serving in the U.S. Army. Her assignments have included uniform patrol deputy, investigator, victim services, and Public Information Officer for the Richland County Sheriff’s Department (RCSD). She has served on the Deputy Advisory Council and been the team leader of the Crisis Management Team. Maria has worked with federal, state, and local agencies on illegal immigration, drug prevention and human trafficking. Her certifications include Hostage/Crisis Negotiator, Statewide Peer Support Team Leader, Self Defense Instructor and board member for the AUSA SC Palmetto Chapter. She’s received numerous awards throughout her career.
“I think that, number one, we are in a customer service role. Over 95% of our interaction with people requires the highest possible communications skills. That's what you're there for. You're there to communicate and find out what they're scared of, what they need, what their wants are, what their likes are, how you can help them. But without being able to communicate, how do you connect with people? This is foundational to our occupation.”
“I have always been very vocal about sharing my black experience with my friends and family members, and as I’ve mentioned, I have been a natural leader in bringing people together. So, I decided to go public with my own video about what it's like raising black boys in this country, and what some of the experiences are that we go through, as well as the talks I have to have with my boys to keep them safe. That video ended up with 20,000 views within two days on Facebook–all organic. It was just off the cuff: I set up my phone and started speaking. Lieutenant Governor Cox, who was then running for governor of Utah, got wind of the video. His campaign reached out and said he and his running mate for Lieutenant Governor, Henderson, had seen my video and wanted to come chat. They came over, along with now First Lady Cox, and I was very frank with them. I said, ‘I know you are a politician and I’m sure that you have an angle–I’m not here to play that game. However, if you are going to help get the message out in a good way, that I can get behind. I began sharing some of the stories and experiences of my family and we ended up with this deep connection and became very good friends. Once they won the election, they commissioned me to serve on Project Gateway: Equity and Opportunity Commission for Utah.”
Aundrea DeMille is the author of “Is It Racism? How to Heal the Human Divide.” She's an International Keynote Speaker, Trainer, and Podcast Host of The Wake Up Stories. She is a business owner with years of study in diversity and inclusion and has a degree in community health and human services. She has been appointed to serve on Project Gateway: Equity and Opportunity Commission for Utah. Aundrea is a maker of men (she has 5 boys), lover of peanut butter and hater of chocolate. She feels most like herself when she is barefoot and connected to nature.
“The Milton Hershey School is unlike any other school in the world, and I have been exposed to many other schools in the course of my career. To be here at this critical point when we are redesigning our Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs and adding new offerings, revamping…looking to create a ‘gold standard’ for CTE and a model for other educators to look to for guidance–this is a very inspiring and exciting time!”
Rachael Mann is the Director of Career and Technical Education at Milton Hershey School, a cost-free, private residential school for boys and girls from low-income families. Rachael is well-known in the education community as a speaker, author, and thought leader—with expertise in STEM, classroom innovation, and CTE professional learning. She is a founding member of the Council on the Future of Education. Rachael will lead the CTE program at MHS, which combines tailor-made instruction and hands-on learning with the ability to gain certifications and real-life experience through internships, co-ops, and pre-apprenticeships. Rachael holds an MA in educational leadership and has 14 years of classroom teaching experience in a range of subjects, including child development, science, technology, and culinary arts. Her experience includes work as the Network to Transform Teaching State Director, the Professional Learning Director of STEM, and the Arizona State Director for Educators Rising. She is also an author of several childrens' books about careers and business books about STEM and AI in education.
Tom Harrison has spent his career in the world of finance, traversing the four corners of the United States and beyond. Currently he is the owner of a thriving consulting firm, where he continues to channel his rich experiences into assisting others.
He is also an author with a passion for weaving captivating narratives. Born and raised amidst the vibrant rhythms of Memphis, his deep-rooted connection to the South shapes his unique storytelling style. His new book, From Punishment to Peace, Road Trips to Forgiveness, is a thought-provoking, philosophical memoir full of raw, spiritual insights and the healing of deep emotional and physical traumas.
"Because of my struggles in my youth and the fact that I wanted to please my father, all of my successes were measured by nothing other than how much money I made. I became obsessed with that and with what that money could acquire. I had everything in life that money could give me, and I wanted more. There wasn’t a reason why I wanted more–other than to prove my father wrong about my ability to be successful. I had to cut that cord somewhere, somehow.”
Sean Harper is the co-founder and CEO of Kin, an insurance company built from scratch on modern tech to make it easier and more affordable to insure a home. Kin is a tech-based insurance agency and has grown to a fully licensed home insurance carrier With a focus on world-class customer service, insurance literacy, and smart coverage, Sean and his team are changing the way insurance is done.
Jason “Jay” Zimmerman is a native of Appalachia and a US Army Combat Veteran, serving as a Combat Medic with the 1st /505th Parachute Brigade. He has served for the last seventeen years plus as a Peer in the VA Healthcare System and is working currently as a Supervisory Peer Specialist with the Peer Support Outreach Center (PSOC)/Veterans Crisis Line (VCL). Jay is a nationally respected speaker regarding improving the understanding of Veterans' experiences and care needs.
Gregg F. Martin, PhD, Major General, US Army (Retired), served on active duty for 36 years, until May 2015. He is a combat veteran, Bipolar Survivor, Airborne-Ranger-Engineer qualified soldier, and Army Strategist. Through all of his military career, his bipolar disorder went undiagnosed. It is just in the past few years that he has been able to share his story to help stop the stigma around mental illness, promote recovery, and save lives.
Yaron Engler delivers one-on-one and group coaching programs to men who are entrepreneurs or work in leadership roles. His direct, playful and honest approach inspires and motivates his clients and audience to create simple positive changes that lead to growth and well-being. He is also a professional drummer who has performed for people all around the world, and he is a Summa Cum Laude graduate from Berklee College of Music.
Ian O’Connor is a retired US Air Force Colonel and a recognized expert in the field of national security management. This background serves him well as the foundation for his novels. He is the author of “The Seventh Seal” and “The Barbarossa Covenant,” both thrillers. His new novel, “The Pegasus Directive,” focuses on who really killed President John F. Kennedy and all the fiendish machinations behind the assassination. The 3 novels make up the beginning of his Justin Scott Thrillers series.
Daniel E. Kennedy is a healthcare executive, counselor, author, and filmmaker. His passion for disease prevention was ignited professionally while working with thousands of cancer patients at Oasis of Hope Hospital, and personally, by witnessing cancer and heart disease-related deaths in his family. His philosophy is simple: it’s not good enough to live a long sick life when there’s the opportunity to live a healthy long life. He has now ccompled a 8-episode Healthy Long Life documentary series.
Chuck Cooper is the Founder of WhiteWater Consulting. He sets the Mission, Vision and Values for the company. His passion is to help enable employers and HR practitioners to drive their organization to: realize an improved company culture; enhance employee engagement; grow revenues; control expenses; maximize profits and all the while taking care of the greatest asset: their people.
Brian Collins got the fever to be his own boss and has not looked back. He started four businesses, all in very different business sectors, with zero experience in any of those fields. Today, Brian spends his time growing his gold mine business in Nevada, CA, he is at the gym three times a week, and he is always on the hunt for the next challenge in an arena he has not tackled before.
Joe Hart began his career as an attorney. After taking a Dale Carnegie Course, he rethought his career path, leaving the practice of law and going to work for a real estate company, and then founding an e-learning company called InfoAlly. After selling that business, Joe became the president of Asset Health before becoming the President and CEO of Dale Carnegie in 2015. Founded in 1912, Dale Carnegie is a workplace training organization with operations in 75 countries and delivers solutions in 29 languages.
Lisa Phillips helps African American Professionals build profitable rental property portfolios by investing in minority neighborhoods. After her own home foreclosure, she was left with a $35k condo and enough money to renovate the place doing the work herself. Learning the ways of real estate investing in rural, inner-city, and mid-sized city properties, she is now focused on doing what she loves: showing how anyone with a little ingenuity can affordably start real estate investing for high profits and cash flow.
James Harris a.k.a. Dewey Da Don is an entrepreneur and multi-dimensional hip hop artist with a unique sound and style. Dewey's music is street and raw with catchy hooks and metaphors that incorporate west coast production with a mid-west flow. He is often compared to the great Nipsey Hussle not only for his talented delivery of gangsta rap but because his influence has been the streets and he has always been one to give back. Dewey Da Don raps to break the deadly cycle of the streets.
Aurora Winter believes that if you determine how to bring the most value to others, you can be successful. She is a bestselling author, TV-producer, media coach, ghostwriter, and successful serial entrepreneur. She uses her film-making expertise and neuroscience training to help people communicate more effectively and get results. And if you have ever wanted to write a book or become an in-demand speaker, Aurora has the expertise and insights to help you achieve your goals.
Kam Majd is an Edgar® Award-nominated author of edge-of-your-seat suspense novels. Kam was an airline pilot for 44 years, including 35 with American Airlines. Born in Iran and educated around the world in his early years, he graduated high school and attended university in Texas. His new book, “High Wire,” which has achieved Amazon Bestseller status as #2 in the “Terrorism” category, follows airline pilot Captain Kate Gallagher who finds herself under scrutiny in the aftermath of a plane crash.
Orlando J. Gomez is the founder of the video production company Stellar Lense Productions, a video strategy expert specializing in visual storytelling for business, and the online video marketplace COOPT. Orlando has worked with companies like Uber, Dove, and Samsung, as well as small businesses across America to create video campaigns as engaging as your favorite Netflix shows. He is known for a storytelling approach that has successfully established local and national brands.
Dr. Véronique Desaulniers, better known as Dr. V, is the founder of BreastCancer Conqueror® and the 7 Essentials System®. Her signature process has empowered thousands of women in over 60 countries around the world. Her mission is to “change lives, one breast at a time.” Dr. V has personally conquered breast cancer twice, which gives her an empathetic perspective to understand other women facing a healing journey. Her signature book, Heal Breast Cancer Naturally, is a #1 Amazon Best Seller in 10 categories.
Serial entrepreneur Lauren Cohen is an International Lawyer, Realtor and Cross-Border Expert. She is also an author, sought-after speaker, and podcaster. After her then-husband’s deportation on the return trip from their honeymoon, Lauren was devastated. She felt compelled to find solutions for herself and others, so she turned to the ever-changing world of immigration and international law and has served as a concierge quarterback in the field ever since. Today, Lauren and her turnkey team believe in overcoming obstacles.
Mark Sloan has published a number of books including the number one international bestseller Red Light Therapy: Miracle Medicine and two monumental works on cancer called The Cancer Industry, and Cancer: The Metabolic Disease. Mark has been researching health for over 15 years and has many unique evidence-based insights to share with the world. He believes the goal of ending all diseases is not only possible, but it's only a matter of time before his message becomes universally known throughout the world.
Kimberly Falker is the founder of The Falker Group Real Estate company in Safety Harbor, Florida. With a background as a prosecuting attorney in Boston, an elementary school teacher in Florida, and a mother of two, she brings a unique level of professionalism and service to the real estate industry, which she has been actively working in since 2004. Kimberly graduated from Florida State University in Elementary Education and the Cumberland School of Law in Trial Advocacy.
Bradley Schurman is an expert on demographic change and how it disrupts social, cultural, political, and economic norms. His deep understanding of population shifts, coupled with his grasp of emerging trends, makes him an authoritative voice on the future of our world. He’s the author of THE SUPER AGE: DECODING OUR DEMOGRAPHIC DESTINY and the founder and CEO of the global research and advisory firm, The Super Age. He’s written for Newsweek, been quoted by The Wall Street Journal, New York Times.
General David H. Petraeus (U.S. Army, Retired) is a Partner in the global investment firm KKR and Chairman of the KKR Global Institute, which he established in mid-2013. He is also a personal venture investor, engaged in various academic endeavors, and co-author with Andrew Roberts of the forthcoming book titled Conflict: The Evolution of Warfare from 1945 to Ukraine. Prior to joining KKR, General Petraeus served over 37 years in the U.S. military, with six consecutive commands as a general officer.
Ernie L. Vecchio is a mentor, spiritual teacher, and trauma psychologist. During his 30+ years career, he has treated over 10,000+ patients who suffered severe trauma that ranged from amputation, head injury, sexual assault, and paralysis. Vecchio is a Licensed Clinical & Rehabilitation Psychologist who has written four books including his latest release, Feelings & Reason: Activating Your Heart as Compass Despite the Ego’s Interference, an international best-seller in four self-help categories.
Leigh McCloskey is a modern Renaissance man, an artist, author, well-known actor and visual philosopher. His highly creative life has been devoted to exploring the symbolic, archetypal and hidden aspects of the psyche and inner self through his art, scholarship, books and experiences as a professional actor for many years. He wants to inspire people to understand that their creativity is their intimate key for self-discovery and a way of asking questions that cannot be asked with words.
Jason Matias is a contemporary photographer and the author of NakedThoughts who lives and works in the Greater Seattle Area. His work focuses on the ideas of isolation and introspection, with photographs of nature from locations around the globe. Jason began exploring photography as a medium of expression during his service in the United States Air Force. His artwork has been shown in exhibitions in the US including Art BaselWeek and Art Expo New York and has been featured in National Geographic.
Darren Reinke founded Group Sixty, an executive coaching and training company based in San Diego, to transform leaders, their teams, and their organizations. Group Sixty works with leaders and teams at Fortune 500’s, mid-market companies, fast-growing startups, visionary non-profits, and transitioning military special forces. Darren fundamentally believes there is greatness within each one of us. His mission is to unleash the inner lion within leaders so that they can lead more authentic and joyful lives.
Thomas Tierney says, “I’m happy to report that my career as a business litigator has proven to be everything I hoped it would be. I cannot imagine a more gratifying career.” After attending law school at the University of California, Hastings College of Law to graduate cum laude in 1992, he worked at litigation boutique law firms in San Diego for 8 years. He then moved to Vero Beach, Florida and began working at the Rossway Swan firm, where he is now a Member and Chair of Civil Litigation Department.
Dr. Allen Lycka has been acknowledged as one of the leading cosmetic dermatologists globally for decades. A pioneer in cosmetic surgery, he helped develop laser-assisted tumescent liposuction, an advanced body sculpture technique and Mohs Micrographic Surgery, an advanced means of removing skin cancer. He has lived and practiced in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada since 1989. He’s written 17 books and hosted the number one internet radio show in the world on cosmetic surgery: Inside Cosmetic Surgery Today.
Mark M. Hanna grew up in Inglewood, California adjacent to the Hollywood Park horse track. This is where his love of horses began and he pursued his passion to become an Arabian horse breeder and imported horses from Europe. His compassion and spiritual bond with horses led him to become “The Horse Listener.” Hanna can help people with the fundamental and proper way to be with your horse, a lifetime partnership. Hanna shares his life story in “The Horse Listener,” the first book of an anticipated trilogy.
David W. Smith is a visiting scientist at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital of Neurosurgery. He founded commercial companies – Xennovate Medical LLC, TBI Innovations LLC, and Delta Chase LLC. He was a consultant to GENTEX Corp (manufacturer of USAF helmets) and Materials Modification Inc., nano materials and coating pioneer to the military complex. David also discovered “SLOSH Theory,” which represents the basis of the first and only FDA-cleared device for claims against Traumatic Brain Injury, The Q-Collar.
Laura Noel, as a Certified Proctor Gallagher Coach and 27-year military leader, helps high-performers live empowered, fulfilling lives all while achieving their highest potential. Knowing that leaders are being pulled in multiple directions with zero time left for themselves, she helps them focus on what really matters so they can stop feeling out-of-control, become more effective with their time, and spend more time discovering what they love doing.
Rachael Mann is the new Director of Career and Technical Education at Milton Hershey School. Rachael is well-known in the education community as a speaker, author, and thought leader—with expertise in STEM, classroom innovation, and CTE professional learning. She is a founding member of the Council on the Future of Education. Rachael will lead the CTE program at MHS, which combines tailor-made instruction and hands-on learning.
Kate Stone is an experienced, accredited college admissions consultant and essay coach, having transformed her passion for creative writing and storytelling into actionable strategies for the college admissions process, essays, and the application as a whole. Through her program she coaches students to develop and strategize their most powerful narratives based on their individual ideas and achievements. She received her B.S. in Communications and a minor in Creative Writing at New York University.
Dr. Troy Podell, Coordinator of Career Readiness of the Downingtown Area School District, is a disruptor and thought-leader in the education space. He creates innovative programs for career exploration and soft-skills education for the Downingtown Area School District, is the Academic Director of two rigorous pre-college summer programs, and serves on multiple non-profit boards. Dr. Podell is recognized as a leader in curriculum, instruction, and the application of people analytics to education.
Brian Morra has spent his career in intelligence and national security beginning with his time as a decorated Air Force Intelligence officer and through his many years as a senior executive in the aerospace and defense industry. He was encouraged to write the story of The Able Archers by many friends who convinced him that his unique, personal insight could bring the story to life of how humanity narrowly avoided extinction in the fall of 1983.
Jeffrey Madoff’s first career was as a fashion designer. He was chosen one of the top 10 designers in the U.S. Switching careers to film production, he has directed award winning commercials, documentaries and web content around the world for clients such as Ralph Lauren, Victoria’s Secret, and Tiffany. His book, “Creative Careers: Making a Living with Your Ideas,” is an Amazon Bestseller based on the class he teaches at Parsons School of Design in NYC. Madoff’s play, “Personality: The Lloyd Price Musical,” about the life of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame legend Lloyd Price, had its world premiere in 2022.
Jess Stuart was raised by a Marine Corps pilot on a cattle operation in the mountains and learned the keys to running an entrepreneurial company from the ground up. Grit, hard work and getting things done the right way were infused in her. She started a software-based company from her kitchen table and learned how to assemble a company and leadership team that operated on world-class systems. Today, she brings tools and long-term resources to help leadership teams run better businesses and live better lives.
Dr. Cara Lee Barker is an international keynote speaker and visionary artist. She served as an Army nurse during the Vietnam era at Walter Reed Hospital. She has a Master’s degree in nursing and a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. Her post-doctoral work was completed in Zurich as an International Diplomat and a Jungian Analyst. She is the author of three books: World Weary Woman; The Love Project; and her latest release, Nightlight: My Soul Calling, Body Listening, Heart Speaking.
Jimmy Jenkins, before writing stories and books, earned his law degree and undertook a commitment to public service by becoming a NYC criminal prosecutor. He wrote Green Rush Fever because he felt a need to tell the story about how his family’s small farming operation entered the nascent Florida hemp industry in 2019. Aside from his analysis about growing hemp, in his book he also writes about his family’s strong conviction in their faith and a tenacious belief in the power of having the support of family.
Elizabeth Shick graduated summa cum laude from the University of Georgia with a degree in Scientific Illustration, then went on to study Medical Illustration at the Medical College of Georgia. She was the senior medical illustrator at MLI before opening her own company, Medical Visions, Inc., in 1991. She is one of the top medical legal illustrators in the country with extensive experience, personally producing over 15,000 exhibits. "You can't just have a degree in art to be a medical illustrator. You have to have half art and half science. And that's difficult because a lot of artists don't like math or science. We don't like the technical aspect of things. And a lot of scientists have problems with visual communication. So we're kind of a rare breed because we've got to be good at both."Elizabeth’s motto is: “Do what you love and delegate everything else.”
Kevin N Lawrence is a strategic advisor and coach to CEOs and executive teams across North America and internationally. "Entering community college was a life changing experience. It was all group work, and I thrived. I found that working in teams in a collaborative environment under high pressure was the absolute best thing for me.” Now he is driven by a relentless passion to help business leaders get what they really want, in business and life.
Norwegian-born Unni Turrettini is the author of The Mystery of the Lone Wolf Killer. She is also the author of Betraying the Nobel on the Nobel Peace Prize. Through writing and speaking, she is on a mission to restore trust in leadership by encouraging women to fully step into their true feminine power. She also works as a coach for high-achieving women. She has law degrees from Norway, France, and the United States. She worked numerous years in law and finance before she began writing.
Patrick Greenwood is an avid cyclist, author, coffee brand creator, veteran and advocate for kids in Vietnam. After a long career in the military, Patrick embarked on a 25-year career in information technology. A true believer in listening to one’s passion, Patrick began writing in early 2020 based on several trips he made while cycling in various countries. In his first novel, Sunrise in Saigon, Patrick draws upon several non-fictional events that happened in Vietnam.
Kathy Goughenour, after finding the courage to say "bye-bye" to her corporate marketing career, built a 6-figure virtual assistant business from her tiny house in the middle of a forest. Today she teaches professional women how to create their own work-at-home VA businesses so they can enjoy the freedom, flexibility, and financial security they desire and deserve. Kathy also offers VA Matchmaking sessions to business owners interested in working with Expert VAs® and Virtual Experts®.
Mickey Batsell is an experienced industry professional specializing in long-term care, retirement planning and surrounding issues. With over 40 years of experience, Mickey understands the challenges his clients face. As a protector of people’s independence and dignity, he currently represents industry-leading, financially sound companies and assists families, groups, and associations throughout the U.S. He is a retired USAFR Lt. Colonel and served in the USAF Special Operations on active duty.
Kelly S. Frindell, PhD, began her career helping students prepare for college entrance tests for over 20 years. She has assisted students in achieving testing success, providing them with tools to get into the schools of their dreams. She has more recently extended her practice to help younger students prepare for boarding and private school entrance exams. Her love and passion for helping students exceed their expectations is the driving force behind her company–InHouse Test Prep–and her success.
Robin Cogan, MEd, RN, is a Nationally Certified School Nurse with more than 20 years as a school nurse. She serves on several national boards and is the Legislative Co-Chair for the New Jersey State School Nurses Association. She serves as faculty in the School Nurse Certificate Program at Rutgers University-Camden School of Nursing, "I would suggest talking to as many nurses as you can, looking at the different areas of nursing based on what your interests are. There are so many areas to explore, today you need a guide and mentor.”
Guest Joanna Kleinman: “It took many, many years–my twenties, my thirties and even some of my forties–where I had all of these goals and dreams that I wanted to accomplish. And I accomplished most of them. And still, no matter how many accomplishments I had and how many successes I had in my life, there was still this underlying feeling that I just wasn’t good enough." Joanna is a licensed psychotherapist, life and corporate coach, author, motivational speaker, and the founder of Dethroning Your Inner Critic. She has developed a system to discover who you are, separate from the critical voice in your mind.
Guest Chris Cathcart: “I am proud of my career in the industry trade groups, serving with people who were saying, ‘We’ve got to find where the common ground is–with the lead environmental groups, the thought leaders. Let’s see if we can find the way forward.’ We were able to do that together by asking them across a table, ‘What’s on your mind? What is it you are trying to get done?’ Having that frame of mind to say ‘Yes, we can do it’ has carried through for years on so many issues that we worked on."
Marina Barayeva is an international photographer, speaker and a host of the popular podcast: Marketing for Creatives. She is a known authority in helping entrepreneurs become influencers in their niche. Marina is a TEDx speaker, has presented to audiences in Asia and North America, and has been featured in such media as ArtPeople, CCTV, China Radio International, and others.
Susie Harder is an experienced clinician who devotes much of her passion to working with children who stutter. She works in private practice and the school setting to help support children and provides workshops and consulting-based support to school districts. She recently created the Junior Authors Program. This community project engages students around the world in collaboratively writing a children’s book to raise funds for families who lost their home in the Central California Creek Fire last fall.
Penn Clarke, the author of “Dolphins & Penn: Tacking Through Life,” is passionate about dolphins, sailing, and travel. Penn is the founder of the non-profit Dolphin Relief and Research. His volunteer efforts include work with scientists studying the health of dolphins. Tacking through life with its joys and trials is made better by the dolphins Penn encounters while living aboard his sailboats for 15 years and traveling around the world four times.
“Is there a big demand for voice coaching? Because of the prevalence of video, podcasting, Facebook Live, YouTube and the ways that this pandemic has forced most everyone to do their business on Zoom or Skype, we’re having to use our voices in different ways than ever before. So yes the demand for voice coaches has increased dramatically. To learn more, study the masters--Lesak, Skinner and Rodenburg--their concepts, methodologies and frameworks. Today it’s easier than ever to access their books and videos, and find out if this field is one you want to learn more about and pursue.”
Tracy Goodwin has taught thousands of celebrities, professionals, and entrepreneurs, how to transform their lives and the lives of their listeners with their voice by stepping into the power of their natural voice so they amplify their authority and captivate the room. Tracy’s unique approach, Psychology of the Voice gets to the core of limiting voice habits and transforms voices from the inside out. People all over the world seek her out for her expertise to free voice barriers and get them to the next level in their business and life. Her game-changing voice training teaches you how to captivate the room, no matter the message, the venue, or the size of the audience.
Sal Hanna is a houseparent at Milton Hershey School, a cost-free residential school for children from low-income backgrounds. Students live in small groups of 10-12 in on-campus houses, and each house is overseen by a houseparent couple. After working as a camp counselor, Sal began his career at Milton Hershey School as a houseparent before working to recruit new houseparents. He and his wife, Melissa, loved and missed houseparenting so much that they returned to the role in summer of 2022.
Kim Daly is one of America’s Top Franchise Consultants who has helped thousands of people explore franchise opportunities. For over 20 years, she has traveled the country as a keynote speaker and business break out leader and has hosted her own live events educating, motivating and inspiring Americans to the dream of small business ownership through the proven systems of a franchise.
Eric Holsapple has a PhD in Economics, has been a real estate CEO and developer for nearly 40 years, lectured real estate at Colorado State University for 20 years, and has practiced yoga and meditation for 30 years. He has a unique perspective on how merging business and mindfulness can be a catalyst in changing lives. Eric is the Founder of Living In The Gap. His popular workshops teach CEOs and professionals a different way to operate mindfully while improving the bottom line.
Carine Montbertrand is a professional actor, teacher, and audiobook narrator based in New York City. She was born in France but grew up in the US with an American mother and French father . As a theatre actor, she has performed off-Broadway and throughout most of the United States. She's the award winning narrator of more than 80 audiobooks for companies such as Recorded Books, Penguin Random House, and Audible. As a teacher, she specializes in physical theatre and mask work, as well as Voice and Speech.
Jennifer Spivak is the CEO of The AdGirls Agency, an all-female Facebook Ads agency. She has helped hundreds of businesses generate millions of dollars on Facebook & Instagram, with many seeing a 1000%+ return on their ad campaigns. Her all-female team enjoys crunching data, helping women-owned businesses, and breaking the rules when it comes to Facebook ads. Jennifer has been featured in Forbes & The New York Times and is an adjunct professor of digital marketing at The City College of New York.
Dr. Stanley Berry has been a Maternal-Fetal Medicine specialist and provided care to women with high-risk pregnancies for 38 years. “A Fight For Full Disclosure” is his debut novel. His professional musician father and social worker mother, passed to him a love of music, reading, and a respect for hard work. Dr. Berry never lost his passion for creative writing or his goal of communicating his ideas about the world of medicine and medical research through the medium of fiction.
Cammie Wolf Rice is a mother, an advocate, an author and an agent for change. She has personal experience dealing with the dangers of opioid misuse through her own son’s battle from childhood through his passing at 32. Cammie has transferred her pain into purpose. She has made it her mission to raise awareness about the opioid epidemic and alternative pain management strategies.
Major General Tom Mullikin chairs the South Carolina Floodwater Commission. An energy-environmental attorney and a university professor, Tom is a former U.S. Army officer and retired commanding general of the South Carolina State Guard who has spent the last four decades leading expeditions to many of the most remote regions in the world, traversing every continent on earth, climbing mountain ranges of the world’s seven tallest peaks—and logging scuba dives in all the world’s oceans
Ryan Cote is the Director of Digital Services and Partner at The Ballantine Corporation, a third-generation family-owned direct mail and digital marketing company based out of Fairfield, NJ. With them since 2003, Ryan manages the digital marketing division, including account management, sales and strategy, and founded The Morning Upgrade Podcast.
Dr. Ann Kulze has distinguished herself as a nutrition and wellness expert. She received her undergraduate degree in Food Science and Human Nutrition from Clemson University and her medical degree from the Medical University of South Carolina. She's the Founder and CEO of the wellness education firm Just Wellness LLC and the author of six books, including her bestselling Eat Right for Life series. She's been featured in national media outlets, including the Dr. Oz Show, Oprah, Time Magazine, and others.
Ken Kladouris is an esteemed wealth advisor and author of “Get There! Chart Your Course to Financial Abundance and Live the Life You Desire.” He believes life should be lived, by design. Charting his own course in the wealth management industry, he earned the respect of his peers and the trust of his clientele. Most recently, he developed an online course entitled “Stillness to Success” which provides a valuable resource for individuals who are ready to create real change in their lives.
Jonathan Salmond offers two decades of success in a series of high-level roles as an Inspirational Speaker and as a Fire Captain. His expertise and broad business range have powered a history of developing successful process improvements that drive productivity, reliability, and client satisfaction. Upon beginning his career as an Inspirational Speaker, Jonathan has the innate ability to inspire people to do their best with their most valuable asset: action.
Audrey Eger Thompson, MS, is a Certified Leadership Coach with Just Mind Counseling. Her lessons in coaching go back as far as the age of 10 when she was a competitive swimmer and was specifically coached to compete against herself. Today, that simple, yet powerful philosophy is at the core of her coaching practice. Audrey’s goal in coaching is to help you be your best–not in a way
Steve Robertson, at the time of this recording, was the CEO of Julian Krinsky Camps & Programs, an organization specializing in youth-to-adult programming that turns curiosity into passion and skill. His primary responsibility was to cultivate a culture that resulted in memories lasting a lifetime. Steve is an expert on youth development and education as well as understanding and adapting to youth. He is now, in 2022, CEO of Bold Education.
Robbin Steed is the owner of Robbin Stead and Associates, while serving as Director of Strategic Partnerships providing business, civic and philanthropic leadership for the broadcast and digital properties at the Networks of 11Alive/ NBC Atlanta/TEGNA Media. Additionally, she manages the TEGNA Foundation for the Atlanta market. She is a purpose-driven marketing, sales and communications leader and a cum laude graduate of the Henry Grady School of Journalism at the University of Georgia.
Caroline Stokes leads an executive search and emotional intelligence coaching company for successful leaders and global technology organizations to move forward together. Her entire approach to executive search, the employer brand, the candidate and employee experience is included in her business book "Elephants Before Unicorns: Emotionally Intelligent HR Strategies To Save Your Company", published by Entrepreneur Press (2019).
Tony Wall is the founder and president of Noesis, a non-profit that’s dedicated to human education and the elimination of perpetual conflict. He spent most of his career in the financial services industry but continually found himself drawn back to the study of humankind. In 2019, he established Noesis and created a series of educational videos to explain his concept of the human injury and how primitive instincts drive today’s human interactions.
Sean Sessel is a voracious learner with a fervent belief in the ability of the individual to better themself. After an epiphany that he derived intrinsic enjoyment from, continual learning and the sharing of knowledge with others, he decided to make a career of it and started the Oculus Institute. Sean developed a unique system called psychohacking and helps individuals escape burnout jobs and craft careers that truly inspire AND pay well.
Stephen Kalhorn is a husband, father of three, inventor and a professor of neurosurgery at the Medical University of South Carolina. He deals with adult patients with conditions that affect the brain, spinal cord and vertebral column including brain and spinal tumors, degenerative conditions and traumatic injuries. He has a particular interest in minimally invasive, complex and adult spinal deformity surgery.
Rhonda Barrymore, founder and president of Help Me Rhonda@, Inc., is a worldwide provider of physical appearance products and services. She has worked locally and globally to make up and style some of the most well-known and prestigious people in the world. Some of her services include beauty and special effects makeup, as well as skincare, hair styling, wardrobe styling, prop styling and her extensive skin care and makeup product line.
Robert Mallon was a successful executive in the restaurant and software industries for 25 years. In 2002, he became a professional speaker and business coach and now has conducted nearly 2,000 full-day seminars and inspired thousands. In 2013, he and business partner created the Rusty Lion Academy to work with businessmen and key leaders, between the ages of 30 and 49, who haven’t yet realized their full potential and who feel as if they’ve lost their freedom to their work lives.
Karen Ballou has been a leader and innovator in the skincare and wellness space her entire career. Most recently, she is the founder and CEO of Immunocologie, an all-natural skincare brand focused on skin health and immune protection as well as co-founder of LB Equity, a growth equity fund investing in emerging brands in beauty, wellness and personal care. She is also a licensed esthetician, has founded and owned day spas around the country and authored curriculum for the American Esthetician Association.
Lily Tang Williams was a law school assistant professor in Fudan University, Shanghai, China who became an American entrepreneur, an educator and a motivational speaker. Born to illiterate working-class parents in China, she grew up in poor living conditions, social chaos and Communist indoctrination. Today, she has her own businesses and relishes the freedom, independence, and prosperity she found in America. She travels in the U.S. to share the story of her American Dream and about horrors of Communism.
Tim Tortora has spent his impressive career in the entertainment industry garnering extensive financial and producing experience before releasing his latest book which guides aspiring filmmakers through the black box that is building a durable network in film and TV production. During his varied career, he’s worn many hats on all kinds of TV programs and major feature films–from PA, through unit production manager, to line producer–all the way to executive in charge of production, and now CFO.
Sonja "Dynamo" Price is a Top Career Strategist, Salary Advisor, Leadership Coach and the author of 2 books, “The Pivot Point System” and “The Infinite Leader.” She has helped many professionals understand how to find meaningful work, earn more money, and to land their dream job with prestigious organizations such as Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Meta, Starbucks, AT&T, Nordstrom, and many other large and small organizations.
Gene Rice’s business career includes working for a Fortune 100 firm–where he was promoted 5 times in 7 years–to co-founding Rice Cohen International, a successful executive search firm. In 2008, Gene and his wife started a nonprofit charity, The Plant a Seed Inspire a Dream Foundation, which has enabled over 800 children from low-income households to pursue their passions. Gene and his daughter, a teacher, have recently co-authored the book “Grad to Grown.”
Dr. Michael “Gabe” Hillegass is a board-certified interventional pain management physician and anesthesiologist. He is medical director of the Chronic Pain Clinic and an associate professor within the College of Medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) in Charleston, SC. He is dedicated to educating his patients and their loved ones as well as rotating medical students and residents on safe and effective comprehensive pain management strategies.
Mort Fertel tells us, “The real riches of life come in two places and in two places only. They come in our relationships, which don't take money, and they come in the way we use our life to contribute to the progression of the world.” He is the creator of Marriage Fitness, a relationship renewal system that's been used by millions of people in marital crisis. People from all over the world schedule private tele-sessions with him by joining the Marriage Fitness tele-bootcamp.
David Selinger was an early employee at Amazon, working directly under Jeff Bezos. He led the R&D arm of Amazon’s data-mining and personalization team. He co-founded Redfin (now a multi-billion-dollar real estate company) and founded Rich Relevance, a company that offers personalized shopping experiences for large retail brands, including Macy's, Barneys New York, Office Depot and others. He is now inventing the next BIG thing in home security.
Lora DeVore is a writer and catalyst for change for individuals and systems. Her wisdom comes from the field of psychology, transpersonal development and spiritual psychology. Most importantly, it comes from facing the darkest aspects of human experience. She has experienced trauma that once lay secreted in a dark inner world. Lora is a survivor of abuse, sex trafficking, illegal pharmaceutical drug research, and institutional abuse. Lora can show those who've experienced trauma the way through the dark.
Abby Smith is a Professional Soccer Player in the National Women’s Soccer League based in the U.S. She is in her 5th overall season and her third with the Utah Royals FC located in Salt Lake City, Utah. Abby grew up in Dallas, Texas playing for the Dallas Texans Soccer Club. In her youth and into her professional career, Abby has been able to participate in the United States National Team at all levels, including U15-U23 and most recently with the Senior National team.
Laurie Warren, a Master of Science in Nutrition, realized that if she wanted to help people with their physical problems, she had to start talking about things like their belief systems, how they talk to themselves, and how they're managing stress. She is a change agent for empowered well-being in body, mind, and spirit. She works as a corporate consultant, wellness clinician, sought after speaker and is author of the new book, “Wild World, Joyful Heart: Unlock Your Power to Create Health and Joy.”
Professor Tom Banks grew up in Brooklyn NY and has lived in OR, MA, CA, NJ, GA and Israel. He was determined to be a theoretical physicist since high school and is a founding member of the New High Energy Theory Center at Rutgers, a Fellow of the American Physical Society and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He works in particle physics, cosmology, condensed matter physics and the attempt to quantize Einstein's theory of gravity. He's still active in research at the age of 71.
Gary Frey is a connector, “MacGyver,” and confidant for CEOs. He has served as president of four successful companies, including Bizjournals.com, a business news portal which he helped transform from a three-person organization to a $100 million company. He has done two turnarounds and held executive positions in two Fortune 100 companies. Gary currently leads business growth coaching and business development efforts for a regional CPA firm that serves privately held businesses and their owners.
Martha Dunagin Saunders is the sixth president of the University of West Florida. In her 30-plus years in higher education, Dr. Saunders has served in academic and leadership roles at universities in Florida, Georgia, Wisconsin and Mississippi. Her area of academic expertise is in public relations and crisis communication for which she has won numerous awards.
Matthew Stewart is co-founder and CEO of National Service Group (NSG, which operates College Works Painting, Empire Community Construction, Home Genius Exteriors, and SMJJ Investments. Over 28 years, NSG has grown from a small California-based business into an international company. Matt serves on the board of directors for multiple organizations and is past chairman of the global board for the Entrepreneur’s Organization (EO).
Drew Smith is an RIAA-Gold award-winning professional songwriter and country artist based in Nashville, TN. He is the owner of Gray Sound Recording LLC, working as a producer and senior mixing engineer and the creator of “The Before You Record Course” for new artists. Drew’s work has been recorded in many countries by legends like Merle Haggard, Nashville powerhouse Randy Houser, Rob Snyder, Jason Charles Miller, Kevin Denny and Australian-Canadian country singer, Gord Bamford.
Audrey Eger Thompson, MS, is a Certified Leadership Coach with Just Mind Counseling. Her lessons in coaching go back as far as the age of 10 when she was a competitive swimmer and was specifically coached to compete against herself. Today, that simple, yet powerful philosophy is at the core of her coaching practice. Audrey’s goal in coaching is to help you be your best–not in a way that glorifies perfection, but by giving you the tools, insights, and clarity to grow.
Hilde Larsen is the owner and founder of Inspired by Hilde. She is a certified Health and Mindset Coach, an author, and a certified Detox Specialist. She is also an inspirational keynote speaker and has her own YouTube channel. She is the author of three published books: From HELL to Inspired, Know The Truth and Get Healthy, and No More Bull____. She also creates online video programs and has her own membership site Inspired Members. Hilde works with those who are ready to heal their health and life.
As president of Comcast’s West Division for 11 years, Steve White created a culture defined by the philosophy of Working Together to Win Together. Driven by continuous learning, radical responsibility, and an unwavering commitment to excellence, Steve was responsible for all Comcast Cable operations in the Western U.S. Today, Steve applies the same winning philosophy to his new post as president and special counsel to the CEO of Comcast Cable.
Carol Fromhagen is a Wealth Management Advisor and Founding Partner of CLF Financial, LLC in Atlanta, Georgia. She focuses on helping high net worth individuals and retirees manage all aspects of their financial lives. She begins planning-based discussions around a client's financial needs, their short and long-term objectives, their time horizons, and risk tolerance. Recommendations can include investing in stocks and bonds, while also addressing wills, taxes, education funding, and business continuation.
Sarah Wirth has over 20 years of experience in leadership development and executive coaching, as well as a J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School. Sarah joined EcSell Institute in 2011 as VP of Client Service. In 2019 she was promoted to President, and now leads the company in all aspects of its operations. Sarah is co-author of “The Coaching Effect.” She is also a sought-after presenter, sharing her common-sense insights with executives from organizations such as Mercedes Benz and Ritz-Carlton.
Shawn T. Kelly is a licensed, practicing Landscape Architect, Principal of Kelly Design Group, LLC, a design bid firm in Williams Bay, Wisconsin. He opened his firm 25 years ago. He is also a full time faculty member and Distinguished Faculty Associate in the Department of Planning and Landscape Architecture at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is a Fellow and Past President of the American Society of Landscape Architects, having completed his Presidency in 2019.
Jinny Uppal, originally from Mumbai, is no stranger to driving contrary and innovative thinking. Her years of driving transformational growth by challenging existing norms in business is key to her success working with Fortune 500 telecom, ecommerce and retail companies. As a business and tech growth strategist, board advisor and thought leader, she continues to pave innovative paths to progress and success. Jinny is a graduate of Florida International University and Harvard Business School.
Steve H. Lawton holds a BS and MS degree in Mechanical Engineering from Texas A&M University. He holds two US Patents, is an author and TEDx speaker. Steve has been with Dell for 23 years and served in a variety of leadership roles across the company. Steve’s inspirational story about how his attitude literally saved his life from a near fatal skiing accident in 2014 became the acclaimed book “Head First! A Crash Course in Positivity.” Intertwined in the story is the science behind the power of mindset.
Dr. Rachel Wellner was drawn to medicine at a young age, inspired by her father’s work in the medical field. From founding several international medical programs, to providing free breast cancer screenings and services to the underserved and uninsured, she embodies the values of her oath. She is the author of the Doctoroo children’s series, where Doctoroo the Kangaroo and her friends teach children the importance of staying healthy.
Nicole Tetreault is a neuroscientist, writer, meditation teacher, and speaker. She specializes in neurodevelopment and neurodegenerative disorders and translates the promise of neuroscience and positive psychology for individuals to live the best quality of life. She is dedicated to enhancing lives through a holistic approach that integrates development of positive thought processes, cultivation of self-compassion and awareness of bodily sensations with our environment.
Penelope McPhee is an author, journalist and philanthropic executive. She is President Emeritus of The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, where she served as president from 2004 until her retirement in 2021. Penny also has had a distinguished career as an author and television producer. One of her books about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was recognized in 1980 as one of the “Best Books of the Decade” by the American Library Association. Her PBS documentaries and performance programs have also won many awards.
“One key reason for the increasingly high rates of worker dissatisfaction and turnover is that individuals typically do not take the time to slow down and reflect on how their careers have a profound impact on their lives. Our priority is to ensure that as many people as possible are able to deploy not only their skills, but the many other dimensions of themselves that have for many decades been proven to directly impact their job performance, collaboration and personal satisfaction.”
Sravan Ankaraju’s twenty-five years in the field of data science and innovation provided him with a robust understanding of the intersections between technology and the economy. In 2015, Sravan co-founded Divergence Academy, where is he responsible for the vision and business development for industry-focused technology education. Divergence Academy offers immersive programs in data science, cybersecurity, and cloud computing.
Scott Novis is the founder of Bravous, a company that helps businesses with remote teams increase retention by hosting video workshops that improve culture and team-health. Scott comes from an eclectic background of professional influences: he has two engineering degrees, spent decades as a video game executive, and worked as a Disney executive before leaving to found GameTruck, the leading national franchise company best known for its video game birthday parties.
Rob Kosberg is a Wall Street Journal and USA Today Best Selling author and the founder of Best Seller Publishing. Through his trademarked Publish. Promote. Profit. program, Rob helps his clients to create their own professional, best-selling book (guaranteed) and then teaches them how to use that book to grow their income and impact via speaking engagements, free PR and media and cutting-edge lead generation strategies. Rob’s latest book, Publish. Promote. Profit., was the number one business book on Amazon.
Donna Serdula pioneered the concept of LinkedIn profile optimization, realizing that the LinkedIn profile was so much more than just an online resume. In 2009, she walked away from her successful sales career and founded Vision Board Media and LinkedIn-Makeover.com. Donna and her team of over 40 writers have helped thousands of executives, entrepreneurs, and business leaders worldwide create professionally branded LinkedIn profiles.
Elizabeth Bachman is the go-to person for advanced level training in Speaking, Presentation Skills, Sales, and Leadership. With a lifetime spent perfecting the art of presenting, she helps high-level clients master a message that brings the Funding they need, the Allies they want, and the Recognition they deserve. A sought-after speaker and strategist in Silicon Valley, nationally and internationally, Elizabeth works with leaders and influencers who need to become concise and compelling presenters.
Aundrea DeMille is the author of “Is It Racism? How to Heal the Human Divide.” She's an International Keynote Speaker, Trainer, and Podcast Host of The Wake Up Stories. She is a business owner with years of study in diversity and inclusion and a degree in community health and human services. She has been appointed to serve on Project Gateway: Equity and Opportunity Commission for Utah.
Kurt Nelson is a recognized leader in human motivation and behavior change. For 20 years, he has worked with global companies to apply behavioral science principles to drive change in their organizations. He is founder and president of The Lantern Group, a behavioral design and communication agency. All his work focuses on understanding ways to positively influence how people behave.
Becca Ribbing is the author of The Clarity Journal and has been a coach for over a decade. She's on a mission to help people break out of the cycles of uncertainty and struggle that hold them back. Although she has both men and women as clients, in particular she helps women going back and forth with the seemingly endless question of what to do next—so they can finally figure out what they truly want and create the clarity and momentum they crave.
Dr. Shirag Shemmassian is the Founder of Shemmassian Academic Consulting and one of the world's foremost experts on medical school admissions. For nearly 20 years, he and his team have helped thousands of students get into medical school and top colleges using his systematic and proprietary approach. His admissions expertise has been featured in various media outlets and he has been invited to speak at Yale, Stanford and other prestigious institutions about various aspects of the admissions process.
Sam Sorbo is an accomplished actress, author, radio host, and international model. Her acting career spans films such as Bonfire of the Vanities and television with recurring roles in such shows as Chicago Hope and Andromeda. And now, having taken on home schooling her three children, she also spends her energy inspiring parents to home educate their children by way of her writing, acting and speaking. Her books include They’re YOUR Kids: An Inspirational Journey from Self-Doubter to Home School Advocate.
Dawn Cook Causey is an ICF certified professional executive coach with six certifications in emotional intelligence. Her mission in life is to raise the bar on emotional intelligence in leaders around the world. She likes to say she is in the polishing business, helping leaders and teams shine their brightest by making the best choices every moment of every day. Her personal motto is, it’s your choice, so make it count.
Jeremy Brown began his entrepreneurial journey as a single dad at age 19 because of his motivation to spend as much time with his son as possible. As his business development and sales expertise grew, he decided to write his first book in order to establish authority, generate leads, and increase his credibility. The result? Jeremy found his calling: empowering leaders to share their stories.
Phil Taub, since joining Nixon Peabody more than 27 years ago, has been advising investors, middle-market private companies, large public companies, entrepreneurs, and C-level executives in many different kinds of corporate transactions all over the world. He was born in Southern Africa and finished his secondary education in the United States. His love of family, travel, outdoor adventure, and community permeates everything he does.
Barbara Turley is an investor, entrepreneur and Founder & CEO of The Virtual Hub—a business she started by accident that exploded in the space of 12 months to become one of the leading companies that recruits, trains and manages virtual assistants for businesses who need to free up time and energy so they can go to the next level. Barbara is also Mum to her gorgeous daughter Ruby, wife to her best friend Eti and an adventure lover with a passion for horses, skiing, tennis and time out in nature.
Edna Keep is a real estate entrepreneur and real estate investment advisor, coach and trainer. With $60 million in real estate assets built since 2007, primarily with “Other People’s Money,” she feels like she is exactly where she is meant to be: coaching and training people in all the skills that she has acquired throughout her life.
David Towner is an American entrepreneur, comedian, writer and filmmaker. Prior to pursuing his business and entertainment ventures, he served as a US Army Paratrooper with missions in Somalia, Haiti and Cuba. Towner is most known for his feature film, Our Scripted Life, which was downloaded half a million times in the first three months. David is also the Creator and Head Writer for the graphic novel series, “Aztec Warrior God,” which has gained millions of fans around the world.
John Donegan, in the spring of 1978, received the news that he had sufficient credits to graduate from the university of Florida with a BA in history. While many would be thrilled to graduate in three years, he was terrified. The job market was wretched, and inflation was rampant. Due to some sage advice from a trusted professor, John applied to the college of education for their one-year teacher certification program. Today, John continues to enjoy a career as a social studies teacher.
Marc Miller’s career journey includes multiple jobs over 22 years at IBM, several thriving tech startups, a stint as a high school math teacher, and a gig raising funds. Often repeating the same mistakes taught him his most crucial lesson: Most people don’t really know what makes them happy at their core, what fulfills them. Marc’s latest endeavor “Career Pivot” uses his extensive experience to help others—especially Baby Boomers and GenXers—find careers they can grow into for the decades ahead.
Benjamin R. Case is a professional fundraising consultant, who has served in the nonprofit sector for 41 years. He has personally been involved in the successful solicitation of over $1.1 billion in gifts and worked for and been engaged by organizations that have raised $4.8 billion. He recently launched an online learning webinar "The Daily Dozen: Habits of Highly Successful Fundraisers." He is the author of 21 Tips for Highly Successful Fundraisers, an international best-seller.
Gay Thomas Wilson launched two successful international careers as a trained method actor, model and cover girl and then as a trained method actor. Motivated by her sister’s diagnosis of schizophrenia, she has been an advocate for changing the stigma of mental health. Gay’s journey has given her the skill set to become a coach and mentor to business professionals, entrepreneurs and creative talent.
Dr. April Kapu is president of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners®. She is a certified acute care nurse practitioner who holds both a master’s and doctoral degree in nursing from Vanderbilt University School of Nursing. She has served as associate chief nursing officer for advance practice nursing at Vanderbilt and has established innovative, high-quality health care services and resources, and provided professional practice support for more than 1,400 advanced practice nurses.
Erik Seversen has forged a path filled with extreme adventure and success, ranging from hitchhiking from London to central Africa, living with a remote Amazon tribe, to building and selling businesses. His new book, “Ordinary to Extraordinary,” reveals his personal search for meaning, highlighting how anyone can create a life of purpose and success. Erik’s focus is on business development and English language training. He believes helping others is the best way to create success and fulfillment in life.
Hans van der Maarel is a professional cartographer from The Netherlands. He runs his own business, Red Geographics, and is a partner in another company, One Stop Map. Red Geographics focuses on map production for a wide range of international clients as well as reselling and supporting software products for the cartographic market. This also involves developing production workflows for clients and offering consultancy and training courses.
Chris Hull is the Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer of Otus, a Chicago-based edtech company. After 13 years as an educator, Chris wanted to minimize the chaos of disconnected edtech tools for K-12 administrators, educators, students, and their families. Otus is one system to teach, grade, analyze, and plan. With Otus, school leaders can focus on student learning, not technology.
Susan Miner is the founder of Beauty From the Inside Out. As a supermodel, Susan graced the covers of Vogue, Elle, Marie Claire, Self, Bazaar, and more! Some of her beauty campaigns were L'Oreal, Maybelline, Revlon, and Nivea. She followed this up by becoming a Professor of Psychology and a therapist. Her company now combines both of her careers as a model and a therapist. Collaboration with other models is a fun part of her work as she lends her face and intelligence to projects.
James S. Fell, MA, MBA, has bylines in the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, the Guardian, TIME Magazine, and many other publications. His blog, BodyForWife.com, has millions of readers and he is the author of two books: “The Holy S**t Moment: How Lasting Change Can Happen in an Instant” (St. Martin’s Press, 2019), and “Lose it Right: A Brutally Honest 3-Stage Program to Help You Get Fit and Lose Weight Without Losing Your Mind” (Random House Canada, 2014).
Bob Yari is the producer of over 40 motion pictures. Some of these include Best Picture Oscar winner Crash and The Illusionist. He recently completed his second directorial effort with Papa: Hemingway in Cuba. He is currently executive producing the hit cable series “Yellowstone.” Bob is CEO of the production company Yari Film Group and is the founder and board member of 101 Studios. Drawing on life lessons, he just published his first book, The Human Condition: A Pathway to Peace and Fulfillment.
Angela Ferrari is a painter and children's book author/illustrator based in Portland, Maine. Her picture book titles include: Digger’s Daily Routine, An Extraordinary Book, The Shape Escape, What Do You See? and Lawrence the Lighthouse. Most recently Angela has launched “Story Spectacular,” a children’s story podcast. The show features original stories and classic retellings.
Ron Kamen is CEO of EarthKind Energy Consulting and host of The AWESome EarthKind Podcast. His life mission is to empower everyday people to make clean energy transitions to reduce their carbon footprint and save them money. For more than three decades, Ron has energized communities, governments, non-profits, and businesses to take their next step to increase energy efficiency and use renewable energy. He’s now building an online community of AWESome EarthKind people ready to “Go Clean and $ave Green.”
Chris Cathcart joined the Consumer Specialty Products Association (CSPA) as its president in January 2000–retiring January 2017. During his tenure he initiated Product Care®, the industry’s product stewardship program; and Alliance for Consumer Education. From 1981 to 1999, he held leadership roles with other national trade associations in the chemical manufacturing sector. Chris earned his B.S. from the United States Military Academy at West Point, and went on to earn a M.A. and complete postgraduate work.
Alexis Davis Smith is the president and CEO of PRecise Communications, an award-winning marketing communications firm. With more than 20 years of experience and a reputation as a trusted communications strategist, Alexis is a leader in Atlanta’s public relations industry and a national voice for multicultural marketing. She is responsible for creating breakthrough, strategic communications programs for major consumer brands, including Coca-Cola, Toyota and Pfizer. She is a graduate of Florida A&M.
Dr. Lara Fielding is a Los Angeles based clinical psychologist and author of Mastering Adulthood: Go Beyond Adulting to Become an Emotional Grownup. She specializes in teaching science-based mindfulness skills to young adults, who are working through the challenges of the transitioning roles of adulthood. She studied psycho-physiology of stress and emotions at UCLA and Harvard, and received her doctorate at Pepperdine, Graduate School of Education and Psychology.
Habiba Jessica Zaman has over 15 years of experience working in the counseling field, including advocacy, guidance, and education. She believes that as a person becomes more aware of their fears, perceptions, desires and strengths, they can make successful life changes. She is the author of 13 publications and 7 books, including the new release, Beautifully Bare, Undeniably You. She has also been featured in Forbes Magazine.
Steven Simenson is the CEO and Managing Partner of Goodrich Pharmacy, Inc., with five community pharmacies in Minnesota. He is a graduate of the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy. Steve was the 2013-2014 President of the American Pharmacist’s Association and is on the Board of Directors of Pharmacists Mutual Insurance Companies. He is actively advocating for the pursuit of Patient Access to and Coverage for Pharmacist Patient Care Services. Steven is at his best taking care of patients.
Jon Ostenson is a consultant, investor, author, and international speaker specializing in the area of non-food franchising. He serves as CEO of FranBridge Consulting where he helps clients understand all aspects of non-food franchising in the process of introducing them to opportunities from the over 300 high growth brands that he represents. Additionally, he oversees FranBridge Capital where he and his partners own 17 territories across 5 property service franchises.
Parish Kohanim, a self-taught photographer with a degree in film, started his career by photographing advertising campaigns for major clients around the world. His paradigm and commitment for his personal life and career is “To stay original, diverse, timeless and unique while capturing beauty. I feel privileged and fortunate to be able to spend time capturing the infinite and sublime beauty of creation. A gift that humbles and centers me, letting me escape from the excessive noise in our world.”
Blake Cohen began his career in the field of substance abuse treatment, fueled by passion and gratitude for having overcome his own battles with addiction. His two-fold goal is to combat the stigma surrounding the disease of addiction and educate those who are in the dark about it. He is the co-founder of Next Level Recovery Association, is the author of “I Love You More, Short Stories of Addiction, Recovery and Loss from the Family's Perspective," and the host of The Overcoming Adversity podcast.
Todd Brown is considered the #1 authority on engineering profitable customer acquisition campaigns, and the creator of the renowned E5 Method. He is one of the most sought-after marketing experts that other experts go to when they need help with their own business. With clients in over 64 different countries, operating in over 71 different mass and niche markets, Todd has helped his students engineer more six and seven-figure marketing campaigns than any other expert online today.
Cindy Ashton, by age three, was already wearing sequins, singing classics and dancing around her living room to her growing audience of fans. Since then she has worked with countless others, gracing thousands of stages as a singer and entertainer and became the TV host of her own show, Cindy Uncorked on e360tv. She has also received awards from former president Obama and Queen Elizabeth II for her lifetime of volunteerism.
Richard Lettieri, PhD, is a forensic neuropsychologist and psychoanalyst with 25 years of experience. Whether privately retained or appointed by the court, he is frequently called upon to assess individuals for a number of reasons, including competency to stand trial and insanity, and to evaluate individuals accused of sex crimes and violent offenses. Dr. Lettieri received his PhD from the University of Southern California and is a member of the Expert Witness Panels of Orange County.
Stacy L. Pearsall got her start as an Air Force photographer at the age of 17. During her time in service she traveled to over 41 countries. During three combat tours, she earned the Bronze Star and Air Force Commendation with Valor for combat actions in Iraq. Though disabled and retired from military service she continues to work worldwide as an independent photographer and founder of the Veterans Portrait Project. Her work has been exhibited at The Pentagon and Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery.
Dr. Donna Brown (Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa) grew up on the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation in Belcourt, North Dakota. Her professional life has been devoted to education, diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice. She is currently the President of Turtle Mountain Community College (TMCC), a tribal college located in Belcourt, North Dakota. Dr. Brown is committed to service to Indian Country and Education on a local, regional and national level.
Scout Sobel is the founder of Scout's Agency, co-host of the popular Okay Sis Podcast, and the host of SCOUT Podcast. She started Scout’s Agency with an emphasis in podcast PR for women entrepreneurs, podcasters, and brands. Scout has also lived with bipolar disorder for the last 15 years. She was once unable to function in society, but after finding entrepreneurship and taking radical responsibility over her emotions, she is now able to live a life of purpose. She has just released her first book, The Emotional Entrepreneur.
Jane Frederick, FAIA, was the 96th President of The American Institute of Architects. She is a principal at Frederick + Frederick Architects, which received AIA South Carolina’s 2017 Firm Award and Southern Living magazine’s Best Renovation of 2009. The Beaufort, SC firm specializes in custom residences and has earned over 20 design awards. Jane has served AIA in many roles, at-large director on the national Board of Directors, chair of the AIA Small Firm Round Table, and president of AIA South Carolina.
What do highly successful people actually do to succeed? For 45 years as entrepreneur, inventor, and author, Don Hutcheson has studied the proven career-building strategies that people around the world have used for decades to create lives of success, satisfaction and freedom. Every Tuesday he interviews individuals from around the world who share their real-world experiences and insights—what worked, what didn’t and why—and any advice they might offer to help you jump-start your life and career to the next level. On Fridays, a highly accomplished woman or man from one of the post popular or interesting occupations and professions gives listeners an up-close-and-personal look at what it’s truly like to do what they do every day in “A Day in the Life.” Select recorded interviews here: http://www.DiscoverYourTalentPodcast.com/podcast. Interview Don on your podcast, radio show or other media: don@DYTpodcast.com
Dr. John Robb is a respected Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Connecticut. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California at Davis in 1981 and his DVM from that same institution in 1985. Dr. Robb started the Protect The Pets movement in 2006 to bring morals back into veterinary medicine. This has helped clients by establishing pet safe hospitals and veterinarians by giving them the opportunity to live their oath.
For 25-years Jim Kukral has been writing books (10), keynote speaking (150+), and building successful lifestyle businesses as a marketing entrepreneur. But the pandemic and a near-death diagnosis of colon cancer changed everything for Jim in 2020, so he threw away all his past success to start something completely different, a new brand called Life Apocalypse. As an almost fifty-year-old successful businessman, husband, and father of two, Jim realized that he needed to spend his remaining days on this planet helping people figure out how to live a life of significance, impact, and purpose.
Arnie Herz is a lawyer, mediator and speaker. He has delivered over 100 programs and keynotes on topics related to the attorney-client relationship, negotiation, conflict resolution and work-life balance. His work has been covered in numerous publications and he has received a host of acknowledgements and awards from his colleagues
Dr. Paul Kaloostian is a Los Angeles neurosurgeon who, aside from saving lives every day, is an avid writer. He wishes to improve the importance of building compassionate relationships between doctors and patients, something he feels is too often lost nowadays. His main goal is to break the stigma that doctors are rigid, book smart people who lack a creative and artistic side. He wrote a poetry book with case studies to share with people in order to show that doctors are not all about science.
Edray Herber Goins is Professor of Mathematics at Pomona College. He has taught at both Caltech and Purdue. Professor Goins has published over 20 journal articles in areas such as applied mathematics, graph theory, number theory, and representation theory; and on topics such as Diophantine equations, elliptic curves, and African Americans in mathematics. He has acted as a referee for 20 different journals in mathematics and has given more than 150 invited addresses on his research.
Victoria Song has unique credentials that her entrepreneur and CEO clients value: she has a background in business, finance and tech investing. She is a leadership advisor to visionary founders and CEOs of the fastest growing technology companies in Silicon Valley and celebrities with platform and influence. She is the author of the new book, Bending Reality: How to Make the Impossible Probable.
Dr. Bill Lampton, after earning his Ph.D. in communication, taught at the University of Georgia and then spent two decades in management at the vice-presidential level. Since 1997--through his company Championship Communication--he has served as a speaker/consultant/coach for top-tier clients, such as Gillette, Procter and Gamble, Oceania Cruises, Missouri Bar and the Ritz-Carlton Cancun. Bill has written two books and hundreds of articles. He produces instructional videos about business communication.
James Irving spent two years employed as a private detective pursuing wayward spouses, locating skips, and handling criminal investigations. Then, after getting his law degree, he started his career practicing criminal law. With his investigative experience and trial work, and becoming a member of the bars of Virginia, Maryland, the District of Columbia and Massachusetts, he finally decided he was ready to write a fictional book series.
J. Michael Collins has worked with some of the biggest companies, brands, sports leagues, and organizations on the planet. In addition to his work in the classic, agency-based world of voice over, J. Michael has established himself as a leading authority in the online casting marketplace and has become recognized as an industry leading voice talent coach and demo producer as well. J. Michael is a 38 time Voice Arts Award winner as a voice actor, demo producer, script writer, and casting director.
Nicola Grace—the mission mentor––who has gone from surviving cancer to making history by saving a billion dollar industry from ruin, is an award winning strategist and best-selling author. She helps entrepreneurs and visionaries clarify and monetize their life’s big mission so they can make a bigger impact, transform the world and build their legacy. Nicola’s intuitive, visionary strategy skills have made her the secret weapon of politicians, business owners, social entrepreneurs and thought leaders around the world.
Barton Scott is a chemical engineer, nutritionist, and the founder of Upgraded Formulas. Barton is passionate about helping people combat the stressors of daily life, the toxicity of the modern world, the utter lack of nutrients, and the mineral absorption issues that we all face, and he has made it his mission to reduce suffering by increasing the public’s understanding of the human body’s interrelationships.
Stephen Nalley is the owner and Managing Partner of Black Briar Advisors, which is a small business administration and Veteran’s Affairs Certified-Disabled Service-Connected Veteran-Owned Company. He has owned and operated over 200 hotels across the United States and has managed over $2 billion in Hotel & Resort assets. He is the author of the book, Relentless Pursuit.
Mark Deutschmann is an entrepreneur and community builder who has worked with neighbors, city leaders and social profits for 30+ years to help shape Nashville development, revitalizing its most sought-after neighborhoods. He is founder/chair emeritus of Village Real Estate Services and president of Core Development Services. His Village Fund and CoreFund nonprofits have granted millions to organizations helping to enrich and strengthen Nashville. Deutschmann is the author of One-Mile Radius–Building Community from the Core.
Phil Randazzo is an MBA professional, leveraging multiple sustainability disciplines within health care, financial planning and education industries of civilians, veterans, and current military individuals. He’s the founder of American Dream U. and Clarity Council. His organizations bring the world’s top entrepreneurs together to help those making potentially difficult transitions. He was given the key to the city of Las Vegas in 2003 and testified in front of the U.S. Congress.
Chuck Cooper is the Founder of WhiteWater Consulting. He sets the Mission, Vision and Values for the company. Over the past twenty-five years, he has had the experience of starting, acquiring, building, and selling businesses in multiple industries. His passion for WhiteWater Consulting is to help enable employers and HR practitioners to drive their organization to: realize an improved company culture; enhance employee engagement; grow revenues; control expenses; maximize profits; and all the while taking care of the greatest asset: their people.
Kevin Newell is a retired C-Suite executive of a Fortune 500 and Dow 30 Company. He began his career in the advertising industry in Chicago before joining McDonald’s Corporation where he spent 27 years, rising to the position of Division President and Global Chief Brand Officer. Upon retirement in 2016 he became the Executive Advisor for tech company HubKonnect. He also serves on the boards of the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago, the Off The Street Club and Louis Carr Internship Foundation.
Nina Jackel is an activist and journalist affecting change for animals through her non-profit media organization, Lady Freethinker, dedicated to exposing and stopping the suffering of animals, humans, and the planet. Nina believes that humans can evolve for the better through reason and compassion and feels that the issue of animal rights is among the most important social justice issues of our time, one that is centuries behind and overdue for advancement.
Scott Sunderland found himself going from a 35-year-old athletic father, husband, and business owner to lying in a hospital bed unable to move in 2001. Using visualization techniques over the course of a year, Scott was able to heal himself. However, limiting beliefs, past traumas, and disempowering mental habits came back to haunt him when, in 2012, he saw his best friend drown. Blaming himself, he was broken once again. He knew he had to make some drastic changes in his life, but what?
Louis Carr has been with BET Networks for 35 years, serving as the President of Media Sales for the last 19 years. During his tenure with the company, he has transformed the multicultural space for some of the world's biggest brands. He also founded the Louis Carr Internship Foundation (LCIF) 18 years ago to help improve diversity in corporate America through paid internships. The foundation has provided 188 paid internships, in which 50 alumni now have full-time jobs within the industry.
Tami Simon is the founder of Sounds True, one of the world’s leading
wisdom-based multimedia companies whose mission is to wake up the
world. Sounds True publishes groundbreaking authors and teachers
with topics ranging from mindfulness, neuroscience, psychology, trauma
therapy and more. She also founded The Inner MBA, a collaborative
effort between Sounds True, LinkedIn, Wisdom 2.0 and MindfulNYU to
train conscious business leaders on the inner skills required for success in today’s environment.
Eli Marcus Smith founded and runs successful businesses in construction and real estate development with offices in Washington, DC, and Syracuse, NY. A committed and energetic entrepreneur, he is following in the footsteps of his parents who were successful business owners for over 40 years. Eli has been recognized by Governor Cuomo for his entrepreneurial spirit and achievement in contracting. He continues to give back to his community by mentoring students at area high schools and colleges.
Aurora Winter believes that if you determine how to bring the most value to others, you can be successful. She is a bestselling author, TV-producer, media coach, ghostwriter, and successful serial entrepreneur. She uses her film-making expertise and neuroscience training to help people communicate more effectively and get results. And if you have ever wanted to write a book or become an in-demand speaker, Aurora has the expertise and insights to help you achieve your goals.
Dr John H. Wilson also known as The-Entre-Professor, is an entrepreneur, intrapreneur, scholar, and public speaker with more than twenty years of experience in the technology industry. Recently, he left Corporate America to pursue a full-time faculty position at Drexel University as a teaching professor in the Charles D. Close School of Entrepreneurship and to launch Strategic Collisions International LLC, a development consultancy dedicated to helping entrepreneurs to launch, grow, and thrive.
Katherine Frankstone’s father taught her to bake at an early age—and she developed a life-long passion for it. After being a banker, becoming a mother to 3 children, co-founding a children’s museum, and going back to law school, she decided to turn her passion into a business, and Grey Ghost Bakery was born. Grey Ghost Bakery produces made-from-scratch cookies in ten delicious flavors using Southern family recipes and are found in over 300 stores in 32 states.
Keegan Federal became a lawyer at 22, a judge at 33, and, after 55 years, he is still practicing law, specializing in high-dollar catastrophic injury cases throughout the Southeast. He also mediates and arbitrates cases for other lawyers and assists other judges by serving as a Special Master presiding over their more complicated and time-consuming cases. Judge Federal is an honors graduate of Emory University, a Vietnam veteran with a Bronze Star.
Maxwell Adekoje is a native of war-torn Nigeria. A survivor of numerous adversities and crises, he moved to the United States to get a better life. A 20-year veteran in the airline industry, he moved up the corporate ladder and became airport supervisor at Dulles International Airport in Washington D.C. Today he is the CEO and Founder of Higher is Calling. He’s a motivational speaker, online marketing training coach, and author of three books. His current release is an international bestseller.
Steve Orrin offers three decades of extraordinary success in a series of high-level roles at top-tier companies that include Intel Corporation, Sarvega, Watchfire Inc., Sanctum Inc., First Genetic Trust Inc., Lockstar Inc., and SynData Technologies Inc. He has developed a reputation as an industry leader, leveraging a history of delivering results in Innovation, Intrapreneurship, and Entrepreneurship. He is a Tech-enabled business professional who has launched and scaled companies and brought innovative industry-leading products to market. As Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and Senior PE for Intel Corporation, Steve orchestrates and executes customer engagements in the federal space, overseeing the development of federal solution architectures to address challenges in government enterprise, national security, and other federal areas of focus. Mr. Orrin has dedicated himself and his vision as a leader who engages in projects with an “All-In” attitude.
Melissa Dobbins could do seventh grade math in third grade, but she couldn’t read. She was ridiculed by students and even teachers, who told her in so many ways, “Your best is only ever going to be so-so.” But with advice from her 6th grade teacher, she shifted her attitude from “I can't do it” to “No, I'm going to show you.” And she has continued to show everybody for years, including forming Career.Place, an anonymous candidate evaluation solution that removes bias from the screening process.
Jamie Turner is an internationally recognized author, university professor, and management consultant who speaks about leadership, persuasion, and marketing at events and conferences around the globe. You may have seen Jamie in Inc., Entrepreneur, Business Insider, or Forbes. He's also a regular guest on CNN and HLN, where he delivers segments on marketing, persuasion, and leadership. Jamie is the co-author of several essential business books, including How to Make Money with Social Media and Go Mobile.
Marco Ambrosio is a transformation expert, a serial intrapreneur, and the VP of Expert Engineering at LivePerson (Nasdaq: LPSN), the leading Conversational AI company in the world. In this custom role, Marco focuses on Growth Mindset, Strategy, and Innovation helping reimagine the company for its future.
Major General Robert W. Mixon, Jr. has achieved over three decades of extraordinary leadership success in diverse organizations, including the United States Army where he commanded the 7th Infantry Division in Fort Carson, Colorado prior to his retirement in 2007. Subsequently, he served in executive leadership positions in both for-profit and not-for-profit companies prior to starting his own leadership company, Level Five Associates, in 2014.
Donny Hamilton is a husband, father and former army captain who was deployed to the Middle East and later a deputy sheriff. His roller coaster life included growing up in a broken home and joining the Army at age 19 in search of a better life. Perseverance to conquer childhood fears led him to become a better man, successful entrepreneur and COO of Vigilant Tiger Security, a veteran-founded security business. He wrote the bestselling book, “A Tiger's Fury: How to Start Overcoming Your Fears Right Now.”
Ernie L. Vecchio is a mentor, spiritual teacher, and trauma psychologist. During his 30+ years career, he has treated over 10,000+ patients who suffered severe trauma that ranged from amputation, head injury, sexual assault, and paralysis. Vecchio is a Licensed Clinical & Rehabilitation Psychologist who has written four books including his latest release, Feelings & Reason: Activating Your Heart as Compass Despite the Ego’s Interference, an international best-seller in four self-help categories.
Julie Young was implementing a half-million-dollar technology program in her school, and loving it. Then her husband got a promotion and transfer. Starting over in a bare-bones country school, where none of the furniture even matched, she knew she would have to ask for a computer, a request she never regretted. Today, she is a leading voice for revolutionizing K-12 online education on the global stage. She is vice-president of Education Outreach and Student Services for Arizona State University, and Managing Director of ASU Prep Academy and ASU Prep Digital.
A.J. Mizes is a talent and human potential aficionado with over a decade of experience in Career Coaching and Human Resources. He has been featured in NBC, CBS, FOX, The International Business Times, and Yahoo! News. Most recently, he left Facebook as a Global HR Leader. Currently, A.J. serves as the CEO of The Human Reach, a human potential institute guiding high-achieving professionals to land their dream careers in record time, and coaching Silicon Valley leaders to be thoughtful, effective leaders.
Darren Reinke founded Group Sixty, an executive coaching and training company based in San Diego, to transform leaders, their teams, and their organizations. Group Sixty works with leaders and teams at Fortune 500’s, mid-market companies, fast-growing startups, visionary non-profits, and transitioning military special forces. Darren fundamentally believes there is greatness within each one of us. His mission is to unleash the inner lion within leaders so that they can lead more authentic and joyful lives.
Thomas Tierney grew up in Minneapolis. He attended the University of Notre Dame and graduated with high honors in 1987. He attended law school in San Francisco at the University of California, Hastings College of Law and graduated cum laude in 1992. He worked at litigation boutique law firms in San Diego from 1992 to 2000. In 2000, he moved to Vero Beach, Florida and began working at the Rossway Swan firm, became a partner in 2003, and continues to work there today.
Kathy Goughenour, after finding the courage to say "bye-bye" to her corporate marketing career, built a 6-figure virtual assistant business from her tiny house in the middle of a forest. Today she teaches professional women how to create their own work-at-home VA businesses so they can enjoy the freedom, flexibility, and financial security they desire and deserve. Kathy also offers VA Matchmaking sessions to business owners interested in working with Expert VAs® and Virtual Experts®.
Martha Saunders is the sixth president of the University of West Florida. In her 30-plus years in higher education, Dr. Saunders has served in academic and leadership roles at universities in Florida, Georgia, Wisconsin and Mississippi. Her area of academic expertise is in public relations and crisis communication for which she has won numerous awards.
Cindy Klement’s mother advised her, "'Honey, you haven't got the brains to be a doctor. You need to stay home, get married and have children.’ It wasn't until I was 53 that I attended college and ultimately got my masters in nutrition.” Cindy has shared her nutrition and herbal medicine expertise with thousands of people for over 40 years. She is a board-certified nutritionist and a certified Master Health Educator, an Adjunct Professor, a long-time health program writer, a speaker, and yes, a mother.
Raymond Giese helps people align their purpose, their passions, and their paycheck to achieve financial freedom. After a corporate career of 30+ years, he has devoted his "encore career" to help people realize their dreams. Ray earned a Master of Science Degree in Personal Finance from Kansas State University and provides coaching and education services to individuals and families as a Certified Financial Planner Professional, Certified Career Services Provider, and a Highlands Certified Consultant.
Laura Noel, as a Certified Proctor Gallagher Coach and 27-year military leader, helps high-performers live empowered, fulfilling lives all while achieving their highest potential. Knowing that leaders are being pulled in multiple directions with zero time left for themselves, she helps them focus on what really matters so they can stop feeling out-of-control, become more effective with their time, and spend more time discovering what they love doing.
Kevin Stacey, MBA, is a productivity and effectiveness expert, author, and former brain imaging specialist who removes barriers to performance, boosts resiliency, and accelerates results, no matter what. He combines his military background, management training, experience as a healthcare clinician, and successful manager at the nation’s largest managed care company to be a catalyst for workplace improvement. He works with organizations and leaders to help them become more effective, productive and profitable.
Mark M. Hanna grew up in Inglewood, California adjacent to the Hollywood Park horse track. This is where his love of horses began and he pursued his passion to become an Arabian horse breeder and imported horses from Europe. His compassion and spiritual bond with horses led him to become “The Horse Listener.” Hanna can help people with the fundamental and proper way to be with your horse, a lifetime partnership. Hanna shares his life story in “The Horse Listener,” the first book of an anticipated trilogy.
Dr. Allen Lycka has been acknowledged as one of the leading cosmetic dermatologists globally for decades. A pioneer in cosmetic surgery, he helped develop laser-assisted tumescent liposuction, an advanced body sculpture technique and Mohs Micrographic Surgery, an advanced means of removing skin cancer. He has lived and practiced in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada since 1989. He’s written 17 books and hosted the number one internet radio show in the world on cosmetic surgery: Inside Cosmetic Surgery Today.
Joanna Kleinman is a licensed psychotherapist, life and corporate coach, author, podcaster, motivational speaker, and the founder of Dethroning Your Inner Critic. She is an unconventional therapist and developed the M.I.N.D Method, a time tested, proven system that brings together practical psychology, neuroscience and the power of intention to discover who you are, separate from the critical voice in your mind.
Dr. Troy Podell, Coordinator of Career Readiness of the Downingtown Area School District, is a disruptor and thought-leader in the education space. He creates innovative programs for career exploration and soft-skills education for the Downingtown Area School District, is the Academic Director of two rigorous pre-college summer programs, and serves on multiple non-profit boards. Dr. Podell is recognized as a leader in curriculum, instruction, and the application of people analytics to education.
Cory Lee was trained by the leadership expert, John Maxwell, and is now an executive director with The John Maxwell Team. Within 5 years of opening their first business, a physical therapy clinic, he and his wife were billing over $2 million annually and had opened and successfully sold 2 physical therapy clinics and 4 gyms. He helps companies develop a culture of leadership and provides individual leaders with opportunities to maximize their own growth through one-on-one coaching and mastermind groups.
Hilde Larsen is the owner and founder of Inspired by Hilde. She is a certified Health and Mindset Coach, an author, and a certified Detox Specialist. She is also an inspirational keynote speaker and has her own YouTube channel. She is the author of three published books: From HELL to Inspired, Know The Truth and Get Healthy, and No More Bullshit. She also creates online video programs and has her own membership site Inspired Members. Hilde works with those who are ready to heal their health and life.
David Pereira, a Navy Combat Veteran and Purple Heart Recipient, is the owner of FENIX, a high-end personal training facility, and the creator of the Beyond Fitness program. He is passionate about helping successful people develop a mental toughness mindset that allows them to shift their perspectives and excel in more aspects of their lives. He enjoys helping his clients excel in fitness and in business and in helping to translate what they do in their careers over to their health goals.
Susie Harder is an experienced clinician who devotes much of her passion to working with children who stutter. She works in private practice and the school setting to help support children and provides workshops and consulting-based support to school districts. She recently created the Junior Authors Program. This community project engages students around the world in collaboratively writing a children’s book to raise funds for families who lost their home in the Central California Creek Fire last fall.
Samuel P. N. Cook is the founder and creative director of James Cook media, a documentary filmmaking marketing agency. He's also the creator of the story funnel software, which helps business owners tell their story online. A graduate of West Point, he served two tours of duty in Iraq and has taught history at West Point and New York University.
Kim Daly is one of America’s Top Franchise Consultants who has helped thousands of people explore franchise opportunities. For over 20 years, she has traveled the country as a keynote speaker and business break out leader and has hosted her own live events educating, motivating and inspiring Americans to the dream of small business ownership through the proven systems of a franchise.
Jack Stafford is a singer-songwriter on a mission to serve others and help people overcome the materialistic message that is distorting modern society. His new album, “Deeper,” is a series of self-help songs that will help people get perspective on the current crises plaguing our world. The songs are inspired by his own life experiences and mental struggles. Jack lives in southern Italy, and when he is not making music, he is practicing yoga, teaching meditation, gardening, cycling, or studying metaphysics.
Joel Solomon is a Founding Partner of Renewal Funds, Canada's largest mission venture capital firm, at $240 million assets under management. Investing in organic food and climate tech in Canada and the USA, Renewal Funds is GIIRS-rated. Joel is a frequent public speaker, board member of the University of British Columbia, co-producer of the Integrated Capital Institute with RSF Social Finance, and co-author of “The Clean Money Revolution: Re-Inventing Power, Purpose & Capitalism.”
Allegra Huston is the author of Love Child: A Memoir of Family Lost and Found, the novel A Stolen Summer (paperback 2019), and many screenplays including the award-winning short film Good Luck, Mr. Gorski, which she also produced. In 2019 she co-founded Twice 5 Miles, to publish how-to books on “the stuff nobody teaches you.” The first two titles are How to Read for an Audience by Allegra and How to Edit and Be Edited by Allegra and James Nave’ – both are the only books available on these subjects.
Tracy Goodwin has taught thousands of celebrities, professionals, and entrepreneurs how to transform their lives and the lives of their listeners with their voice by stepping into the power of their natural voice. Tracy’s unique approach, Psychology of the Voice, gets to the core of limiting voice habits and transforms voices from the inside out. People all over the world seek her out for her expertise to free voice barriers and to get to the next level in their business and life.
B. Jeffrey Madoff’s first career was as a fashion designer. He was chosen one of the top 10 designers in the U.S. Switching careers to film production, he has directed award winning commercials, documentaries and web content for clients such as Victoria’s Secret. His book, “Creative Careers: Making a Living with Your Ideas,” is a bestseller based on what he teaches at Parsons School of Design. His play about the life of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame legend Lloyd Price will premiere in NYC in early 2022.
Ron Kamen is CEO of EarthKind Energy Consulting and host of The AWESome EarthKind Podcast. His life mission is to empower everyday people to make clean energy transitions to reduce their carbon footprint and save them money. For more than three decades, Ron has energized communities, governments, non-profits, and businesses to take their next step to increase energy efficiency and use renewable energy. He’s now building an online community of AWESome EarthKind people ready to “Go Clean and $ave Green.”
Otakara Klettke is a coach and international bestselling author of “Hear Your Body Whisper, How to Unlock Your Self-Healing Mechanism,” and newly released” Hear Your Brain Whisper, How to Unlock Your Mind’s Potential.” Otakara’s passion for the human body and the self-healing mechanism we all possess has earned her the nickname Body Whisperer. Besides our brains and bodies, Otakara is enthusiastic about anything from nature.
Dr. Bill Lampton, after earning his Ph.D. in communication, taught at the University of Georgia and then spent two decades in management at the vice-presidential level. Since 1997--through his company Championship Communication--he has served as a speaker/consultant/coach for top-tier clients, such as Gillette, Procter and Gamble, Oceania Cruises, Missouri Bar and the Ritz-Carlton Cancun. Bill has written two books and hundreds of articles. He produces instructional videos about business communication.
Robbin Steed is the Director of Strategic Partnerships responsible for providing business, sales and marketing and philanthropic leadership for TEGNA Media, Atlanta’s broadcast and digital properties which include WXIA-TV (Eleven Alive/NBC), WATL-TV, and TEGNA Marketing Services. Additionally, she manages the TEGNA Foundation for the Atlanta market. She is a purpose-driven marketing, sales and communications leader and a cum laude graduate of the Henry Grady School of Journalism at the University of Georgia.
Arnie Herz is a lawyer, mediator and speaker. He has delivered over 100 programs and keynotes on topics related to the attorney-client relationship, negotiation, conflict resolution and work-life balance. His work has been covered in numerous publications and he has received a host of acknowledgements and awards from his colleagues.
Jessie Owen is an adventurous, spirited person whose path was interrupted in 2012 when a tree fell on her family car while on vacation. She lost both her parents and became a quadriplegic. After the accident, she began the long journey to figure out where she fit in again. For two years she focused solely on her body and regaining as much function as she could. But Jessie wanted to be more than just a broken vessel in constant need of maintenance. She wanted a life, and she set out to create one.
Vince Kramer is a thirty-seven year airline and military pilot with over 20,000 hours in aircraft and flight simulators. He flew seven different models of the Boeing -135 aircraft, as well as, the T-37 and T-38 aircraft as an Air Force pilot, instructor and evaluator. He is a combat veteran with over one hundred combat hours during Desert Storm. Vince has flown for United Airlines and American Airlines as an airline transport pilot. He type rated in the Airbus 319/320 aircraft and the Boeing 737. Vince held positions in management and as an instructor/evaluator at United Airlines. He is currently an active pilot at United Airlines
Daniel E. Kennedy is a healthcare executive, counselor, author, and filmmaker. His passion for disease prevention was ignited professionally while working with thousands of cancer patients at Oasis of Hope Hospital, and personally, by witnessing cancer and heart disease-related deaths of his grandmother, uncle, aunt, and father. His philosophy is simple: its not good enough to live a long sick life when there’s the opportunity to live a healthy long life. Through the process of writing and ghostwriting 12 books on cancer and heart health, Daniel honed the skills necessary to create, write, and direct the 8-episode Healthy Long Life documentary series. His relationships with researchers and clinicians, developed over the last three decades, has given him access to the world’s top experts on healthy life expectancy.
Brian Kurtz has been a serial direct marketer for the past 40+ years. He’s never met a medium he didn’t like, and he spent the first 34 years of his career helping Boardroom, Inc., become a state-of-the-art direct marketing and publishing company. As founder of Titans Marketing, he now advises many of the most admired direct marketers in the world and writes and speaks regularly on direct marketing.
Tim Rhode has done all they teach in 1Life Fully Lived and Gobundance about creating one’s best life. He has come from a humble beginning and crafted a life few could dream of–living in the mountains skiing, hiking and biking pretty much daily, all of his family nearby, financially free by forty, and now helping thousands of others strive to create their own 1Life Fully Lived.
Dr. Jeanette Kern is a nationally recognized expert in the fields of cosmetic and restorative dentistry. In 2018 Dr. Kern sold her successful dental practice in Monterey. She created the Profitable Dental Academy. Armed with over 40 years in the dental industry experienced as a dental hygienist, associate dentist and as a practice owner, she shares her knowledge by consulting with other dentists as a Dental Success Coach. She is very happy and honored to continue being an active dental professional.
Kaia Alexander is an award-winning author and filmmaker. Her novel, WRITTEN IN THE ASHES, is the untold story about the burning of the Great Library of Alexandria, Egypt, and the life of Hypatia, the world’s first female mathematician/philosopher. Kaia’s new documentary feature film CHALICE: WOMEN LEADERS RISE, explores how and why women were written out of history, how this has influenced the treatment of women globally, and the exciting rise of women leaders today.
Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott leads one of the largest sheriff’s departments in the Southeastern U.S., and is one of the regularly featured law-enforcement agencies on A&E’s television series LIVE PD. In 2010, Lott traveled to Iraq at the invitation of the Iraqi government to help that country establish its first-ever female police academy. Under Lott’s leadership, RCSD was the first LE agency in the nation to establish a pre-PTSD conditioning program for deputies.
Carey Gillam is a veteran investigative journalist with more than 25 years of experience covering corporate news, including 17 years as a senior correspondent for Reuters international news service. She is the author of “Whitewash—The Story of a Weed Killer, Cancer and the Corruption of Science,” an expose of corporate corruption in agriculture. The book won the coveted Rachel Carson Book Award. Gillam works now as Research Director for the non-profit U.S. Right to Know.
Pamela Peeters is an environmental economist and sustainability strategist. She consults with companies globally and develops educational programs for youth with her “Eco Hero” program now established in nine countries. An author, filmmaker, and educator, she was on the marketing team of the U. S. Partnerships for the UNESCO Decade for Sustainable Education. She's also a former Research Fellow in Economics from Columbia University and current Fellow of the Explorers Club.
Norwegian-born Unni Turrettini is the author of The Mystery of the Lone Wolf Killer. She is also the author of Betraying the Nobel on the Nobel Peace Prize. Through writing and speaking, she is on a mission to restore trust in leadership by encouraging women to fully step into their true feminine power. She also works as a coach for high-achieving women. She has law degrees from Norway, France, and the United States. She worked numerous years in law and finance before she began writing.
Dr. Michael “Gabe” Hillegass is a board-certified interventional pain management physician and anesthesiologist. He is medical director of the Chronic Pain Clinic and an associate professor within the College of Medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) in Charleston, SC. He is dedicated to educating his patients and their loved ones, as well as rotating medical students and residents, on safe and effective comprehensive pain management strategies.
Yaron Engler delivers one-on-one and group coaching programs to men who are entrepreneurs or work in leadership roles. His direct, playful and honest approach inspires and motivates his clients and audience to create simple positive changes that lead to growth and well-being. He is also a professional drummer who has performed for over 500,000 people all around the world, and he is a Summa Cum Laude graduate from Berklee College of Music.
Professor Tom Banks grew up in Brooklyn NY and has lived in OR, MA, CA, NJ, GA and Israel. He was determined to be a theoretical physicist since high school and is a founding member of the New High Energy Theory Center at Rutgers, a Fellow of the American Physical Society and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He works in particle physics, cosmology, condensed matter physics and the attempt to quantize Einstein's theory of gravity. He's still active in research at the age of 71.
S.M. Kelly is a New York-based writer from Tokyo via Los Angeles with 20 years’ experience. She has written five ghostwritten books and more than 3,500 articles for numerous industries. Her freelance clients include Google, L’Oréal Paris, Paramount Studios, Marvel Comics, Warner Bros., TheWeek.com, Prevention.com, LendingUSA.com, and Mamapedia.com. “Here’s Your Pill, Kitten!“ is her first non-ghostwritten book.
Josh Steed is the founder of Steed Properties Construction and Renovation, LTD. He has been in the home building, renovation, historic preservation and real estate development business for more than 35 years and has built, renovated and restored more than 300 homes and buildings all across Atlanta and North Georgia. Josh is a graduate of Vanderbilt University and is married to Robbin. They have three adult children and live in Sharpsburg, Georgia.
Deepa Natarajan, founder of Meet My Potential, is a leader in the field of personal and professional change. She has a wealth of knowledge about leadership and brings humanity to the center of the workplace in organizations. She communicates with her soul, putting your mind, heart and gut at peace. She is Indian and today lives in Toulouse in southern France and brings with her a mix of eastern and western philosophy.
Tom Shepards’s job is the most rewarding role ever–to be in a coaching and mentorship role and to celebrate others’ success. "It's one thing to be in the room and be doing it, and that was exciting. But it's actually even more rewarding to see the team succeed." Tom is one of the three founders of Rethink, a creative agency in Canada. Rethink has just celebrated its 20th anniversary and was named Agency of the Year.
Ben Ivey believes there are too many people who are waiting to get to a certain place in order to live life. “That is such a shame that they are missing out on the 99% of life that is the journey.” Ben is CEO and founder of The Entrepreneur Lifestyle, an international speaker, mentor and podcaster. He specializes in helping successful entrepreneurs reduce stress and overwhelm to improve their efficiency in business whilst living a lifestyle they enjoy. He is also the founder of the Lifestyle Coach Academy.
Elizabeth Shick is originally from Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, but has lived in Atlanta, Georgia since 1988. She graduated summa cum laude from the University of Georgia with a degree in Scientific Illustration, then went on to study Medical Illustration at the Medical College of Georgia. She was the senior medical illustrator at MLI before opening her own company, Medical Visions, Inc., in 1991. She is one of the top medical legal illustrators in the country with extensive experience, personally producing over 15,000 exhibits. Elizabeth’s motto is “Do what you love & delegate everything else.” She also creates original Sci-Fi paintings.
Sean Harper is the co-founder and CEO of Kin, an insurance company built from scratch on modern tech to make it easier and more affordable to insure a home, especially in areas prone to extreme weather. A self-proclaimed tech geek, Sean has spent his career developing apps to revolutionize antiquated industries. With a focus on world class customer service, insurance literacy, and smart coverage, he has grown it to a fully licensed home insurance carrier supported by a team of over 100 employees.
Dr. Erica Blank realized after practicing medicine for 18 years that all she had ever been taught in medical school and in residency was how to treat diseases. She had never learned how to keep people healthy. Her patients all had diabetes, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol and they may have had a heart attack in the past. She knew it didn't have to be that way. Erika became board-certified in Lifestyle Medicine in 2017 and changed her medical practice into a career she loves.
Natasha McCreesh is a joy bringer, cultural explorer, and humanitarian. She walked away from a 20-year corporate career with no plan other than to only do work that brings her joy. Six years later, her life is more satisfying than she imagined. Collaborating with people of passion and purpose, she coaches and mentors leaders and teams to get the most out of their life and work. She takes groups to Liberia, west Africa, to demonstrate the connection between powerful service and transformational leaders.
Natalie Creeden is a Certified Meditation and Yoga Instructor. She is also a Kundalini and Khalsa Way PreNatal Yoga Teacher and Reiki Master. She teaches in a way that honors tradition and encompasses today’s need for mind, body, and spirit integration by sharing the power of ancient traditions in a modern, accessible and empowering format. Natalie believes meditation, mindfulness and yoga are our greatest tools for reducing stress and living our brightest, happiest, healthiest life.
Robert Glazer realized that, while he loved working with high growth companies and the challenges that came with it, there were a lot of things that weren't attractive to him. So he built a company that worked with those companies, but built his company in a very different way that was more aligned with his kind of vision and values and with the type of flexibility and diversity that he wanted. He is the founder and CEO of Acceleration Partners, a global partner marketing agency, author and speaker.
Micah Knapp, at age 8, saved up $500 and bought his first video camera, making home movies with his brothers. This evolved overtime into a company that produced commercials, music videos, and documentaries, expanding into the Seattle film market. Micah has worked as a Producer and Director on commercials, Indie films, MTV’s “The Real World,” IMAX documentaries, and more. His latest work is his first directorial feature, called “11:11”, currently in post-production.
Sharon Cully is the owner and founder of Simply Processes. With over 15 years of experience working with leading global brands like Coca-Cola, Diageo and GlaxoSmithKline, she has successfully helped companies around the world increase performance and minimize costs, while meeting customer objectives. She has gone from corporate jobs using her Masters in math, to contract work in similar roles, to owning her own business.
Shann Christen is a Beverly Hills-based celebrity stylist with 20+ years of hair care experience. He’s certified in Trichology from CTB, which is Scuola di Comunicazione e Tecnica in Torino, Italy, where he conducted 12 years of trichological research and study. He’s also the developer and creator of the revolutionary BioMethod line of hair care products.
David J. Greer is an entrepreneurial coach, author, and professional speaker. He is the catalyst who gets you to fully live your dreams now. Spend one hour reading his book, “Wind In Your Sails,” attend a one-hour talk with him, or get one hour of 1-to-1 coaching, and you will have three concrete action items that will shift and accelerate your business within 90 days. David, his wife Karalee and their three children, live in Vancouver, Canada.
Major General Tom Mullikin chairs the South Carolina Floodwater Commission. An energy-environmental attorney and a university professor, Tom is a former U.S. Army officer and retired commanding general of the South Carolina State Guard who has spent the last four decades leading expeditions to many of the most remote regions in the world, traversing every continent on earth, climbing mountain ranges of the world’s seven tallest peaks—and logging scuba dives in all the world’s oceans.
Todd Palmer is an executive coach, keynote speaker, renowned thought leader, author, and CEO who is committed to helping business owners tackle their obstacles and clear their path to success. As an entrepreneur and active CEO, Todd knows the struggles business owners face regarding people, cash, strategy & execution. He took his company from being $600,000 in debt, to making the INC 5,000 as one of America’s fastest-growing companies (an astounding 6 times)!
Abby Smith is a Professional Soccer Player in the National Women’s Soccer League based in the U.S. She is in her 5th overall season and her third with the Utah Royals FC located in Salt Lake City, Utah. Abby grew up in Dallas, Texas, playing for the Dallas Texans Soccer Club. In her youth and into her professional career, Abby has been able to participate in the United States National Team at all levels, including U15, U23 and most recently with the Senior National team.
David Hassell is a business columnist, speaker and entrepreneur who believes that when leaders institute practices that support each person in becoming their best self, high performance and uncommon loyalty naturally result. He is co-founder and CEO of 15Five whose team developed industry leading performance management software and he co-created the science-inspired Best-Self Management methodology that helps leaders address hidden factors that stimulate sustainable growth and development.
Jennifer J. L. Jones is an American artist known for her elegant multi-layered glazed abstract paintings inspired by nature. Her work is exhibited and sought after worldwide by private and public collectors. Jones was born in 1971 in Alexandria, Virginia, and received her BFA from the prestigious School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She works full time as an exhibiting artist going on 21 years. After living in cities growing her career, Jones now resides in Port Royal, S.C.
Victor Stringer is 78-years-old and started playing golf 30 years ago. At one point he had a 3 handicap. When Victor incorporated yoga into his life, this helped him emotionally, mentally and physically on and off the golf course. He is the author of “Yogi on the Green,” a #1 international best-selling book. Customs broker and freight forwarder, he is the owner and president of the global company, VR Camelot, Inc.
Eldonna Fernandez is a retired Air Force Veteran with 23 years of honorable military service. She is a contracts management, leadership and negotiation expert. Eldonna also works with women in a slum in Kitale, Kenya. She created Baskets and Beads to market their beautiful hand-crafted products. She is author of Think Like A Negotiator and the GoPINK Rules of Engagement, and co-author in eight books.
Blake Brandes loved his dissertation topic—hip-hop and global youth cultures—but was stuck in writing a crucial paper toward earning his Ph.D. His advisor suggested he create a rap album as a last chapter, so he did. A review committee member wrote on his paper that he had never before had the pleasure of reviewing a dissertation that you could dance to. Dr. Brandes is co-founder of the personal development company, Motivational Millennial, and co-host of the Motivational Millennial Podcast. He also runs a hip-hop motivational speaking business in assemblies and workshops to help students “Remix Your Reality.”
Dr. Karen Tedeschi is a healer, chiropractor and teacher. She is the owner of Advanced Wellness of Atlanta, an interdisciplinary healing clinic, which brings together like-minded practitioners. She has studied Reiki, Chiropractic, Applied Kinesiology, Brimhall technique, TBM, Cranial-Sacral Therapy, Nutrition, Blood Work, and Pranic Healing. Karen is dedicated to reducing the pain and suffering in the world and teaching people at all levels about health and healing.
What do highly successful people actually do to succeed? For Erica Duran is an international Business Coach and Lifestyle Mentor for entrepreneurs and influencers on the rise. But she spent the first half of her career in hotel management and was very happy–until she wasn’t. Determined not to put off until retirement what she wanted from life now, she got training in several fields, mixed and matched them, and reinvented herself and her life.
Mickey Batsell is an experienced industry professional, specializing in long-term care, retirement planning and surrounding issues. With over 40 years of professional, and personal family experiences, Mickey has an in-depth understanding of the challenges his clients face. As a protector of people’s independence and dignity, he currently represents industry-leading, financially sound companies and assists families, groups, and associations throughout the United States.
Angelo Poli is a transformation specialist and founder of MetPro, the advanced methodology that analyzes an individual’s specific response to diet and activity, and adjusts based on their personal needs and goals. With a high-profile client list that includes Olympic Athletes, NFL MVPs, physique models, and business leaders, Angelo and his highly-respected team have the ability to strategically redirect each of their clients toward achieving their greatest results.
Captain Maria Yturria is an FBI National Academy graduate. She has been in law enforcement since 2003, before that serving in the U.S. Army. Her assignments have included uniform patrol deputy, investigator, victim services and now Public Information Officer for the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. She serves on the Deputy Advisory Council and as team leader of the Crisis Management Team. She works with Federal, State, and local agencies on illegal immigration, drug prevention and human trafficking.
Tracy Maxfield is a nurse, stop bullying/mental health advocate, and educator. In 2015, she experienced an acute depressive episode due to work place bullying and she plummeted down the rabbit hole. Her book, “Escaping the Rabbit Hole: My Life with Depression,” documents her journey. Her philosophy is to Engage children and teenagers, to Educate them about mental illness/
bullying and to Empower them to develop confidence and skills to continue to move ahead in their own life journey.
Kimberly Falker is the founder of The Falker Group Real Estate company in Safety Harbor, Florida. With a background as a prosecuting attorney in Boston, an elementary school teacher in Florida, and a mother of two, she brings a unique level of professionalism and service to the real estate industry, which she has been actively working in since 2004. Kimberly graduated from Florida State University in Elementary Education and the Cumberland School of Law in Trial Advocacy.
Lenka Lutonska, born in Slovakia, moved to the UK at the age of 19 with a dream to ‘change the world.’ From humble beginnings working for McDonald’s, she is now an international business and mindset strategist for women entrepreneurs, an international trainer of NLP, a professional speaker, an author, and a passionate believer in every woman’s right to have the life and business she truly loves.
Robin Cogan, MEd, RN, NCSN is a Nationally Certified School Nurse, currently entering her 20th year as a school nurse in Camden, NJ. She serves on several national boards and is the Legislative Co-Chair for the New Jersey State School Nurses Association. Robin is the honored recipient of multiple awards for her work in school nursing. She serves as faculty in the School Nurse Certificate Program at Rutgers University-Camden School of Nursing, where she teaches the next generation of school nurses.
Jack Gibson knew from an early age that punching time clocks and working for someone else wasn’t enough for him, which is what drove him into building businesses and being his own boss. While still in college, he built his first company that coached clients on effective nutrition and fitness strategies. Today, he dedicates his time to mentoring other entrepreneurs, building his real estate investment portfolio, and helping other investors to build a brighter future through passive real estate income.
Carine Montbertrand is a professional actor, teacher, and audiobook narrator based in New York City. She was born in France but grew up in the U.S. with an American mother and French father. As a theatre actor, she has performed off-Broadway and throughout most of the United States. She's the award winning narrator of more than 80 audio books for companies such as Recorded Books, Penguin Random House, and Audible. As a teacher she specializes in physical theatre and mask work, as well as Voice and Speech.
Andrea Adler is referred to as the Metaphysical Marketer. She pioneered holistic marketing in the early 80's and has written award-winning books on marketing, as well as her novel—Pushing Upward. A successful actor for many years, she is a screenwriter, and her novel, “Pushing Upward” is now being pitched as a film. She also works with people to help them dive into their soul's destiny to share their stories via their websites, Tedx Talks, and one-person shows
Laura De La Cruz is a teacher, a dog trainer and judge, and an international best-selling author of over 400 herding and dog training books and journals. Laura has been herding for 15 years and has trained, trialed and/or titled a variety of dogs. She also trains and competes in Trick Dog, Rally/Obedience, Scentwork and Barn Hunt. She is a CGC Evaluator and Trick Dog Evaluator for AKC. She is also a Certified Trick Dog Instructor and Evaluator for Do More With Your Dog, as well as a Stunt Dog Judge.
Jim Harshaw, Jr. is an NCAA Division I All American athlete, former NCAA head coach, internationally recognized TEDx speaker, and personal performance coach. He has impacted thousands of lives across the world by helping clients and audiences increase resilience, maximize potential, and build high performing teams. His clients include CEOs, entrepreneurs, and leaders from global companies as well as current and former athletes from the NFL, UFC, NCAA, and the Olympics.
John Donegan, in the spring of 1978, received the news that he had sufficient credits to graduate from the university of Florida with a BA in history. While many would be thrilled to graduate in three years, he was terrified. The job market was wretched, and inflation was rampant. Due to some sage advice from a trusted professor, John applied to the college of education for their one-year teacher certification program. Today, John continues to enjoy a career as a social studies teacher.
Adri Kyser is an international wellness expert who has spent the past 15 years helping highly-driven women stop feeling stressed and overwhelmed and start living a happier, healthier and more fulfilling life. She’s helped thousands of women worldwide achieve everything from reduced pain and stress to increased confidence and productivity. She is also a co-author of the book “Overcoming Adversity in Entrepreneurship: We Did It, and So Can You!.”
Kurt Nelson is a recognized leader in human motivation and behavior change. For 20 years, he has worked with global companies to apply behavioral science principles to drive change in their organizations. He is founder of The Lantern Group, a behavioral design and communication agency, and also co-founder, with Tim Houlihan, of the Behavioral Grooves podcast, where they interview leading business executives from around the world and explore how they apply behavioral science to their work and lives.
D.L. Byron moved to NYC in 1971 at age 18 to pursue a music career, with 200 and some odd dollars in his pocket, a week's worth of clothing, and a guitar. Through hard work, luck and people willing to help him, he made his way from a job in a record store to a song in the top 5 on the charts. He still works daily on his music.
Mark Sloan has published a number of books including the number one international bestseller Red Light Therapy: Miracle Medicine and two monumental works on cancer called The Cancer Industry, and Cancer: The Metabolic Disease. Mark has been researching health for over 15 years and has many unique evidence-based insights to share with the world. He believes the goal of ending all diseases is not only possible, but it's only a matter of time before his message becomes universally known throughout the world.
Andrea Fryrear is the world's leading authority on agile marketing and a co-founder of AgileSherpas. She is co-author of the ICAgile Certified Professional in Agile Marketing curriculum, author of “Death of a Marketer,” and an internationally sought-after speaker and trainer. She holds numerous Agile certifications.Nothing makes her happier than seeing a marketing team move from high stress to high performance.
Court Creeden is a business owner, entrepreneur and author. He runs Parent Financial, Connection Coin, and Blue Goat Life. He was recently named one of the "Top 40 under 40 Business Leaders" by the Charlotte Business Journal and has been interviewed by The Wall Street Journal, MSN Money, Dow Jones, and countless magazines and blogs. Court is a contributor for “Thrive Global.” When not working he is an avid paddleboarder, surfer, meditator and loves competing in Spartan Races.
Cindy Klement’s mother advised her, "Honey, you haven't got the brains to be a doctor. You need to stay home, get married and have children." It wasn't until she was 53 that she attended college and ultimately got her masters in nutrition.” Cindy has shared her nutrition and herbal medicine expertise with thousands of people for over 40 years. She is a board-certified nutritionist and a certified Master Health Educator, an Adjunct Professor, a long-time health program writer, a speaker, and yes, a mother.
Edray Herber Goins is Professor of Mathematics at
Pomona College. He has taught at both Caltech and Purdue. Professor Goins has published over 20 journal articles in areas such as applied mathematics, graph theory, number theory, and representation theory; and on topics such as Diophantine equations, elliptic curves, and African Americans in mathematics. He has acted as a referee for 20 different journals in mathematics and has given more than 150 invited addresses on his research.
Kevin Lawrence is a strategic advisor and coach to CEOs and executive teams across North America and internationally. “I feel like I'm a child on the playground every day. I love my work. I have unbelievable clients that I get to work with every day and 97% of the time I'm having a great time.” Driven by a relentless passion to help business leaders get what they really want, in business and life, Kevin has coached clients across a wide range of industries during the past 20 years.
Jane Frederick, FAIA, is the 96th President of The American Institute of Architects. She is a principal at Frederick + Frederick Architects, which received AIA South Carolina’s 2017 Firm Award and Southern Living magazine’s Best Renovation of 2009. The Beaufort, SC firm specializes in custom residences and has earned over 20 design awards. Jane has served AIA in many roles, at-large director on the national Board of Directors, chair of the AIA Small Firm Round Table, and president of AIA South Carolina.
Melissa Dobbins could do seventh grade math in third grade, but she couldn’t read. She was ridiculed by students and even teachers, who told her in so many ways, “Your best is only ever going to be so-so.” But with advice from her 6th grade teacher, she shifted her attitude from “I can't do it” to “No, I'm going to show you.” And she has continued to show everybody for years, including forming Career.Place, an anonymous candidate evaluation solution that removes bias from the screening process.
Dr. Ann Kulze has distinguished herself as a nutrition and wellness expert. She received her undergraduate degree in Food Science and Human Nutrition from Clemson University and her medical degree from the Medical University of South Carolina. She's the Founder and CEO of the wellness education firm Just Wellness LLC and the author of six books, including her bestselling Eat Right for Life series. She's been featured in national media outlets, including the Dr. Oz Show, Oprah, Time Magazine, and others.
Ken Coleman is a number one national bestselling author, career expert, and a nationally syndicated radio host of The Ken Coleman Show. Pulling from his own personal struggles, missed opportunities and career successes, he helps people discover what they were born to do and provides practical steps to make their dream job a reality. His second book, The Proximity Principle: The Proven Strategy That Will Lead to the Career You Love, was released in May 2019.
Caroline Stokes leads an executive search and emotional intelligence coaching company for successful leaders and global technology organizations to move forward together. Her entire approach to executive search, the employer brand, the candidate and employee experience is included in her business book "Elephants Before Unicorns: Emotionally Intelligent HR Strategies To Save Your Company," published by Entrepreneur Press (2019).
Benjamin R. Case is a professional fundraising consultant, who has served in the nonprofit sector for 41 years as an advancement professional, senior manager and leader. He has personally been involved in the successful solicitation of over $1.1 billion in gifts and worked for and been engaged by organizations that have raised $4.8 billion. His fundraising experience includes working with The Metropolitan Opera in New York, Duke University and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, among others.
Alexis Davis Smith is the president and CEO of PRecise Communications, an award-winning marketing communications firm. With more than 20 years of experience and a reputation as a trusted communications strategist, Alexis is a leader in Atlanta’s public relations industry and a national voice for multicultural marketing. She is responsible for creating breakthrough, strategic communications programs for major consumer brands, including Coca-Cola, Toyota and Pfizer. She is a graduate of Florida A&M
Lisa Phillips lost her job and then her home to foreclosure during the recession of 2009. She was left with a $35,000 condo and only enough money to renovate the place doing the work herself. She clearly had reached the bottom. She came upon a strategy of owning inexpensive rental properties for cash flow that was possible, even when a traditional mortgage was not. As her strategy started to show consistent results, she started teaching others about it on her platform, Affordable Real Estate Investments.
Shawn T. Kelly is a licensed, practicing Landscape Architect, Principal of Kelly Design Group, LLC, a design bid firm in Williams Bay, Wisconsin. He opened his firm 25 years ago. He is also a full time faculty member and Distinguished Faculty Associate in the Department of Planning and Landscape Architecture at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is a Fellow of the American Society of Landscape Architects, and is currently the Immediate Past President, having completed his Presidency in 2019.
Kevin Van Eekeren is currently the CEO of Fulcrum Investing, but he started his career training SWAT teams nationwide. Recognizing a gap in the market in 2008, Kevin started Fulcrum Tactical, a realistic tactical training charity available to law enforcement only. When the time was right, he took it for-profit. In 2014 he sold the company to start Fulcrum Investing. The process Fulcrum Investing uses to vet startups is very entrepreneur-focused, with over 50 investments nationwide.career, careers
Keith Freund is a self-taught coder and freelance web developer based in New York City. His work receives over 70 million hits a year and includes projects for such clients as Switzerland’s Department of Tourism, American Express, IMG Talent, and Harvard University. He focuses on the WordPress platform, which powers 35% of the web.
Frances Castelli always dreamed of working with children, traveling, being a teacher, an artist and an author, and already she has accomplished all of these–although not in a traditional sense. With 3 children with anaphylactic food allergies, her kitchen became one big science experiment on what she could feed each child. This interview and her book “The Kitchen Alchemist,” share her family’s journey and her book is filled with delicious, allergy-safe recipes perfect for those living with food allergies.
Rob Kosberg is a Wall Street Journal and USA Today Best Selling author and the founder of Best Seller Publishing. Through his trademarked Publish. Promote. Profit. program, Rob helps his clients to create their own professional, best-selling book (guaranteed) and then teaches them how to use that book to grow their income and impact via speaking engagements, free PR and media and cutting-edge lead generation strategies. Rob’s latest book, Publish. Promote. Profit., was the number one business book on Amazon.
Leigh McCloskey is a modern Renaissance man, an artist, author, well-known actor and visual philosopher. His highly creative life has been devoted to exploring the symbolic, archetypal and hidden aspects of the psyche and inner self through his art, scholarship, books and experiences as a professional actor for many years. He wants to inspire people to understand that their creativity is their intimate key for self-discovery and a way of asking questions that cannot be asked with words.
Tami Goldstein is Diplomate-certified in Upledger Craniosacral Therapy, an approved continuing education provider, and a Wisconsin licensed massage therapist. In 2004 she opened A Therapeutic Touch by Tami, LLC. She offers services as a therapist, advocate, international speaker and educator of bodywork, specializing in individuals on the autism spectrum and other neurodevelopment disorders. She’s the international award-winning author of “Coming Through the Fog.”
Jennifer Allwood has built her business in phases into what she considers a dream life. It all began with her fascination with HGTV, her love of decorating, and a trip to a Home Show. And yes, from being laid off her job as a software analyst. She is a passionate cheerleader of women, adding biblical truth to the modern day “dream big” mantra. Her no-nonsense approach to doing things you are scared to do and saying yes to God is helping women everywhere build the life and business of their dreams.
Dr. Lara Fielding is a Los Angeles based clinical psychologist and author of "Mastering Adulthood: Go Beyond Adulting to Become an Emotional Grownup." She specializes in teaching science-based mindfulness skills to young adults, who are working through the challenges of the transitioning roles of adulthood. She studied psycho-physiology of stress and emotions at UCLA and Harvard, and received her doctorate at Pepperdine, Graduate School of Education and Psychology.
Laurie Warren, a Master of Science in Nutrition, realized that
if she wanted to help people with their physical problems, she
had to start talking about things like their belief systems, how they
talk to themselves, and how they're managing stress. She is a change agent for empowered well-being in body, mind, and spirit. She works as a corporate consultant, wellness clinician, sought after speaker and is author of the new book, “Wild World, Joyful Heart: Unlock Your Power to Create Health and Joy.”
Hans van der Maarel is a professional cartographer from The Netherlands. He runs his own business, Red Geographics, and is a partner in another company, One Stop Map. Red Geographics focuses on map production for a wide range of international clients as well as reselling and supporting software products for the cartographic market. This also involves developing production workflows for clients and offering consultancy and training courses.
Mort Fertel tells us, “The real riches of life come in two places and in two places only. They come in our relationships, which don't take money, and they come in the way we use our life to contribute to the progression of the world.” He is the creator of Marriage Fitness, a relationship renewal system that's been used by millions of people in marital crisis. People from all over the world schedule private tele-sessions with him by joining the Marriage Fitness tele-bootcamp.
Stephen Kalhorn is a husband, father of three, inventor and a professor of neurosurgery at the Medical University of South Carolina. He deals with conditions that affect the brain, spinal cord and vertebral column including brain and spinal tumors, degenerative conditions, and traumatic injuries. He has a particular interest in minimally invasive, complex and adult spinal deformity surgery.
Liz Kislik is a problem-solver. “Every six months I was promoted into a new job because I would do the job before I was promoted to it. I, like nature, abhor a vacuum. There were always other things that needed to be done, so I would just start doing whatever wasn't working right. And then the management would promote me.” She rose to Executive Vice President by age 29 in a telemarketing firm, but she quit that job at 30–without a plan of what she would do next. A few days later, her phone began to ring.
Steven Simenson is the CEO and Managing Partner of Goodrich Pharmacy, Inc., with five community pharmacies in Minnesota. He is a graduate of the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy. Steve was the 2013-2014 President of the American Pharmacist’s Association and is on the Board of Directors of Pharmacists Mutual Insurance Companies. He is actively advocating for the pursuit of Patient Access to and Coverage for Pharmacist Patient Care Services. Steve is at his best taking care of patients.
Sean Sessel is a voracious learner with a fervent belief in the ability of the individual to better himself or herself. After an epiphany that he derived intrinsic enjoyment from, continual learning and the sharing of knowledge with others, he decided to make a career of it and started the Oculus Institute. Sean developed a unique system called psychohacking and helps individuals escape burnout jobs and craft careers that truly inspire AND pay well.
Benjamin R. Case is a professional fundraising consultant, who has served in the nonprofit sector for 41 years. He has personally been involved in the successful solicitation of over $1.1 billion in gifts and worked for and been engaged by organizations that have raised $4.8 billion. He recently launched an online learning webinar "The Daily Dozen: Habits of Highly Successful Fundraisers." He is the author of 21 Tips for Highly Successful Fundraisers, an international best-seller.
Blake Cohen, having overcome years of addiction and finding recovery at the age of 25, found a life beyond his wildest dreams. Throughout recovery, he had to learn to live life and make an impact without the use of substances. He has a career in the substance abuse field at a treatment center, Recovery Unplugged, travels the U.S. to speak to children about his story of addiction, teaching them how being cool is being yourself, and is a bestselling author with a book to help families living with addiction.
Edna Keep is a real estate entrepreneur and real estate investment advisor, coach and trainer. With $60 million in real estate assets built since 2007, primarily with “other people’s money,” she feels like she is exactly where she is meant to be: coaching and training people in all the skills that she has acquired throughout her life.
Jeannette Bessinger realized that she was spending a huge amount of time with kids who, for all kinds of different reasons, hadn’t had the parenting that they really needed…but at the expense of her own son’s parenting. It was a big ‘aha’ moment. Designer of a long running and successful hospital-based lifestyle change program and countless transformational workshops, Jeanette has helped thousands of people make lasting changes to deeply entrenched habits that no longer serve them.
Parish Kohanim, a self-taught photographer with a degree in film, started his career by photographing advertising campaigns for major clients around the world. His paradigm and commitment for his personal life and career is “To stay original, diverse, timeless and unique while capturing beauty. I feel privileged and fortunate to be able to spend time capturing the infinite and sublime beauty of creation. A gift that humbles and centers me, letting me escape from the excessive noise in our world.”
Todd Palmer is an executive coach, keynote speaker, renowned thought leader, author, and CEO who is committed to helping business owners tackle their obstacles and clear their path to success. As an entrepreneur and active CEO, Todd knows the struggles business owners face regarding people, cash, strategy & execution. He took his company from being $600,000 in debt, to making the INC 5,000 as one of America’s fastest-growing companies (an astounding 6 times!
Dr. John Robb is a respected Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Connecticut. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California at Davis in 1981 and his DVM from that same institution in 1985. Dr. Robb started the Protect The Pets movement in 2006 to bring morals back into veterinary medicine. This has helped clients by establishing pet safe hospitals and veterinarians by giving them the opportunity to live their oath.
Allegra Huston worries that "we try to fulfill the expectations that are inevitably held for us, or we're fighting against those expectations. But in either case, we're still being driven by other people's expectations." Allegra is the author of Love Child: A Memoir of Family Lost and Found, the novel "A Stolen Summer," and many more books and screenplays, including the award-winning short film "Good Luck, Mr. Gorski."
Rhonda Barrymore is the founder and President of Help Me Rhonda®, Inc., a worldwide provider of physical appearance products and services. Rhonda has worked locally and globally to make up and style some of the most well-known and prestigious people in the world. Some of her services include beauty and special effects makeup, as well as, skincare, hair styling, wardrobe styling, prop styling and her extensive skin care and makeup product line for all branches of the media and personal use.
When Dave Conley worked for AOL, he introduced 32 million people to the internet for the first time. Now, he introduces people to themselves. Dave specializes in coaching, programs and talks for life changing journeys in weight loss, self-care and bereavement. Formerly weighing in at 330 pounds, he now weighs in to help people architect their health, wellness and future.
Susan Miner is the founder of Beauty From the Inside Out. As a supermodel, Susan graced the covers of Vogue, Elle, Marie Claire, Self, Bazaar, and more! Some of her beauty campaigns were L'Oreal, Maybelline, Revlon, and Nivea. She followed this up by becoming a Professor of Psychology and a therapist. Her company now combines both of her careers as a model and a therapist. Collaboration with other models is a fun part of her work as she lends her face and intelligence to projects.
Gay Thomas Wilson launched two successful international careers as a trained method actor, model and cover girl. Motivated by her sister’s diagnosis of schizophrenia, she has been an advocate for changing the stigma of mental health. Gay’s journey has given her the skillset to become a coach and mentor to business professionals, entrepreneurs and creative talent.
Carey Gillam is a veteran investigative journalist with more than 25 years of experience covering corporate news. She is the author of “Whitewash: The Story of a Weed Killer, Cancer and the Corruption of Science,” an exposé of corporate corruption in agriculture. The book won the coveted Rachel Carson Book Award from the Society of Environmental Journalists. Gillam works now as Research Director for the non-profit U.S. Right to Know and a columnist for The Guardian.
Stanley T. Funches, Sr. is a Certified Financial Planner practitioner specializing in assisting business owners, professionals, and retirees with their retirement goals and savings. He is the owner of INTELUS Wealth Management with over 20 years of financial planning experience and is committed to assisting his clients create, build, and protect their legacy. He has just published his first book the Amazon Best-Seller, “The Quest for Financial Independence: 10 Areas of Your Planning You Should Not Ignore.”
Arnie Herz is a lawyer, mediator and speaker. He has delivered over 100 programs and keynotes on topics related to the attorney-client relationship, negotiation, conflict resolution and work-life balance. His work has been covered in numerous publications and he has received a host of acknowledgements and awards from his colleagues.
Jessie Owen is an adventurous, spirited person whose path was interrupted in 2012 when a tree fell on her family car while on vacation. She lost both her parents and became a quadriplegic. After the accident, Jessie began the long journey to figure out where she fit in again. For two years she focused solely on her body and regaining as much function as she could. But Jessie wanted to be more than just a broken vessel in constant need of maintenance. She wanted a life, and set out to create one.
Vince Kramer is a transformation and human potential expert. It is Vince’s passion to partner with individuals, parents and groups in finding lasting empowerment, purpose and passion in creating businesses, relationships and lives by their design. He brings a unique combination of experience, education and research in presenting workshops and online training in finding happiness and success in living life by your design.
Erik Seversen has forged a path filled with extreme adventure and success, ranging from hitchhiking from London to central Africa, living with a remote Amazon tribe, to building and selling businesses. His new book, “Ordinary to Extraordinary,” reveals his personal search for meaning, highlighting how anyone can create a life of purpose and success. Erik’s focus is on business development and English language training. He believes helping others is the best way to create success and fulfillment in life.
Judy Robinett saw other people were getting further ahead, making more money. She read an article on five ways to become financially independent: Become a doctor, a lawyer, inherit or marry. Number 5 was start a business. “How hard could it be? I got a $1.3 million S.B.A. loan and opened a franchise restaurant.” Judy has now led both public and private companies as CEO and served in management positions at Fortune 500 companies. She sits on several virtual capital boards and is an advisor to Springboard.
Larry Minnix, a leader in the non-profit aging services field since 1973, served as CEO at Wesley Woods Center of Emory University and at Leading Age, which represents 6,000-plus non-profits. A minister, author, and speaker, he consults widely on long-term care issues. He has received numerous national awards for leadership from the National Council on Aging and others. Leading Age named their leadership academy after Larry to honor his 1917 retirement.
Dr. Steve Taubman is a bestselling author, physician, magician, hypnotist, and mindfulness coach who brings deep wisdom, entertaining insights and a unique perspective to sales professionals, entrepreneurs and small business owners. His reprogramming-your-mind-for-success audio, UnHypnosis for Entrepreneurs, was voted one of the Top 25 Must-Have Products for his industry. Steve has performed for and coached top celebrities and movie stars and has shared the stage with legendary motivational speakers like the late Zig Ziglar.
Laura Gassner Otting is a professional motivational keynote speaker and the founder of Limitless Possibility, where she empowers innovators, idealists, and iconoclasts to get “unstuck” in their thinking, push past their limiting beliefs, and achieve extraordinary results. Laura’s new book Limitless is like a high-energy master class and brainstorming session all in one, with actionable tips to transform your vision for your career and do work with purpose.
Pamela Peeters is an environmental economist and sustainability strategist. She consults with companies globally and develops educational programs for youth with her “Eco Hero” program now established in nine countries. An author, filmmaker, and educator, she was on the marketing team of the U. S. Partnerships for the UNESCO Decade for Sustainable Education. She's also a former Research Fellow in Economics from Columbia University and current Fellow of the Explorers Club.
Scott Wilhite was in a corporate job he hated, with a mindset he called “grumpaholic.” Feeling miserable, he ran a fantasy jackpot scenario in his head, and asked himself, “If I win the Powerball and $32 million, what will I do?” After quickly imagining his first seven days as a millionaire, he began to suspect lack of money was not his problem. He set out to discover what was missing. Scott has since created the Feed Your Happy app, authored a mindset course on the 7 Core Skills of Everyday Happiness, and founded nCOURAGE.LIFE.
Laura De La Cruz was learning about dog obedience and agility while teaching at a university. A colleague advised, “Get a Border Collie.” But the breeder Laura contacted said, “No way am I going to sell you one. You have no idea how to handle this dog!” A teacher, dog trainer and herding judge, Laura started Leash Up Dog Training as an alternative to the "pack" mentality, focusing on people who consider their dogs to be part of the family. Best-selling author of more than 80 books and journals, she has trained herding dogs and their people for over ten years.
Steve Robertson is the CEO of Julian Krinsky Camps & Programs (JKCP), an organization specializing in youth-to-adult programming that turns curiosity into passion and skill. Steve has been with the company for 20 years. In this role, his primary responsibility is to cultivate a culture that results in memories lasting a lifetime. Steve is an expert on youth development and education as well as understanding and adapting to youth.
Jeremy Barnhart experienced a successful career in finance, but he worked long hours and travelled extensively. Frankly, he wasn’t passionate about the work. He “retired” and started a company for something he cared about–assisting schools in fundraising. Now Jeremy has time to coach his 3 sons’ basketball, football and baseball teams. He is a co-owner and vice president of franchise development at Apex Leadership Co., originally Apex Fun Run, a healthy and safe alternative to school fundraising. The company partners with schools to raise funds for campus needs. The concept incorporates a two-week character building and leadership program for students that culminates with a student “run” to raise donations for schools.
Gini Dietrich had her sights set on law school and becoming a sports agent. Then her mother needed her help to overcome a life-threatening illness, so she took an entry level position at a public relations agency. Passing out samples of cranberry juice at PR events was an unexpected detour on her career path. Gini is the founder and CEO of Arment Dietrich, an integrated marketing communications firm.
Vince Kramer is a thirty-seven-year airline and military pilot with over 200,000 hours in aircraft and flight simulators. In the U.S. Air Force he was a pilot, instructor & evaluator. He is a combat veteran with over one hundred combat hours during Desert Storm. He has flown for United Airlines and American Airlines as an airline transport pilot, has held positions in management and as an instructor/evaluator at United Airlines, and currently is an active pilot at United Airlines.
Jake Ballentine was already on academic suspension by the end of his first college semester. He was tempted to say, “I didn’t really care about college anyway!” Self-consciousness about his dyslexia, he believed he was only good at sports and music, but his life was about to be transformed. Jake is a national award-winning motivational speaker and musician who inspiries audiences with his unique brand of motivation, music and positivity.
PJ Jonas faced criticism when she left an engineering job to be a stay-at-home mom. Soon her problem-solving skills and creativity were fully put to use. As an undergrad at the University of Virginia, stuff made from goat’s milk was nowhere in her plans. What started out as a means of getting good milk for her children produced a wide range of unanticipated discoveries, and a thriving family business.
Brian Kurtz has been a serial direct marketer for the past 40+ years. He’s never met a medium he didn’t like, and he spent the first 34 years of his career helping Boardroom, Inc., become a state-of-the-art direct marketing and publishing company. As founder of Titans Marketing, he now advises many of the most admired direct marketers in the world and writes and speaks regularly on direct marketing.
Erica Reiner is a former environmental science professor using her expertise in sustainability and green living to transform spaces and the interior design field using her cleaner, greener Method. 4 years ago she started Eco Method Interiors making people feel happier, healthier, less stressed and more confident at home or work. When she's not working she's planning her next trip down under with her Australian husband, or at the dog park with Hank, her mutt.
Jay Block’s credentials include not knowing what he wanted to be when he grew up and being fired by his best friend at age 39. Soon after this humiliating event, he began working harder on himself than anything else. And it was this single transformation that would forever change his life and his career. Today, Jay is recognized as America’s #1 motivational career and rapid employment expert. He is a best-selling McGraw-Hill author of 12 titles, including 5 Steps to Rapid Employment, and has helped tens of thousands of people achieve workplace success and fulfillment over the past 26 years.
Sheriff Leon Lott, Richland County, leads one of the largest sheriff’s departments in the Southeastern U.S., and is one of the regularly featured law-enforcement agencies on A&E’s television series LIVE PD. In 2010, Lott traveled to Iraq at the invitation of the Iraqi government to help that country establish its first-ever female police academy. Under Lott’s leadership, RCSD was the first law enforcement agency in the nation to establish a pre-PTSD conditioning program for deputies.
Kaia Alexander is an award-winning author and filmmaker. Her novel, WRITTEN IN THE ASHES, is the untold story about the burning of the Great Library of Alexandria, Egypt, and the life of Hypatia, the world’s first female mathematician/philosopher. Kaia’s new documentary feature film CHALICE: WOMEN LEADERS RISE, explores how and why women were written out of history, how this has influenced the treatment of women globally, and the exciting rise of women leaders today.
Tommy Baker helps dreamers, visionaries, and entrepreneurs bring those dreams to life and create a life they can't wait to wake up for. He’s the author of UnResolution: How to Ditch Resolutions Forever, Live Life by Design, and Achieve Your Dreams; The One Percent Rule; and The Leap of Your Life: How to Redefine Risk, Quit Waiting For 'Someday,' and Live Boldly. Tommy believes living up to your potential is what we're here for. His podcast spreads the message of his Resist Average Academy.
Tom Shepansky is one of the three Founders of Rethink, a creative agency in Canada. Rethink has just celebrated its 20th anniversary and was named Agency of the Year. Tom is transitioning to a governance role with the company, allowing the business to remain independent. He’s also active in the community on two non-profit boards. Tom loves cycling, hiking, skiing and has recently taken up bass guitar. He plays in a band called “Never Too Late.” Tom lives with his wife Roxanne on the North Shore of Vancouver.
Carey Gillam is a veteran investigative journalist with more than 25 years of experience covering corporate news, including 17 years as a senior correspondent for Reuters international news service. She is the author of “Whitewash—The Story of a Weed Killer, Cancer and the Corruption of Science,” an expose of corporate corruption in agriculture. The book won the coveted Rachel Carson Book Award. Gillam works now as Research Director for the non-profit U.S. Right to Know.
Kirk Deis has been featured on Forbes and podcasts and radio shows throughout the United States. He is CEO and founder of two companies, Treehouse 51, a digital agency based in Newport Beach, California, and The Bug Squasher, a universal web app that helps you diagnose website issues. Driven by an early passion to write screenplays, he found his own creative niche and brought together creative people he met along the way.
Dr. Erica Blank graduated from medical school at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx in 1996. She then completed a residency in internal medicine at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York. She moved to New Hampshire in 2012 where she worked at Exeter Hospital and developed an interest in Lifestyle Medicine. She realized that all of her training in medicine up to that point was about treating disease and she never learned how to promote health. Erika became board-certified in Lifestyle Medicine in 2017.
Robin Gordon is a Certified Public Accountant and a Personal Financial Specialist whose passion is educating and empowering her clients in all things financial. She helps people achieve financial goals by working with them to minimize taxes, protect and grow assets, and transfer wealth responsibly. She has an Amazon best seller book: “Living the Best Life You Can with the Money You Have, Create a Financial Plan that Works for You.” Robin was born in San Francisco and now lives in Richmond, Virginia.
Scott Reib is known as America’s Legal Coach. He’s a Zig Ziglar Legacy Certified Trainer, and he has over 20-years of experience as an attorney. For the last two decades, Scott has been helping business owners, entrepreneurs, coaches, and service providers “shatterproof” their businesses and succeed in the professional world. Scott believes that seeking legal advice doesn’t have to be intimidating or expensive if we treat lawyers like primary care doctors instead of ER doctors..
Dr. Carolyn Jerdan has been in the educational field for over 20 years serving as a teacher, counselor and school administrator. She has worked in private and public schools, ranging from preschool to adults. She is presently the School Counselor at the Atlanta Classical Academy. As a school counselor she works with students K-12 and helps with academic, social and emotional issues. Carolyn also works with the College Counselor and guides high school students through the college application process.
Cédric Bollag is an aspiring venture capitalist. He just graduated with his Master’s degree in Accounting and Finance at the prestigious University of St. Gallen in Switzerland. The motivation for starting GlobalTechBox.com came from a deep passion for Startups & Venture Capital. Cédric is frequently invited as a keynote speaker related to topics around Startups and Venture Capital.
Lisa Broderick is an accomplished senior executive whose career has been defined by how communication impacts society and changes behavior. From her early days at Apple Computer to helping launch some of the first e-commerce companies on the Internet, Lisa has been at the forefront of using communication to transform people and social behavior. Today, Lisa works on socially impactful initiatives like Police2Peace. Lisa earned a BA in Economics from Stanford University and an MBA from Duke University.
Judge Anne Elizabeth Barnes won election in 1998 to the Georgia Court of Appeals and took office January 1, 1999. She was re-elected without opposition to a second term in 2004. In 2010, she was elected to a third term by getting more votes than any other candidate in the state of Georgia. She earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Georgia in 1983, and her Master of Laws in the Judicial Process from the University of Virginia in 2004.
Kirk Mote believes "as human beings we are here to find our purpose and be as productive as we can using our talents and gifts. In my view, too many individuals choose comfort over change and settle for far less than they are capable of." Several years ago while attending a presentation about the Holocaust, Kirk saw an older gentleman get up from his chair, shuffle to the door and suddenly collapse, like he was having a heart attack. Kirk’s training in CPR saved a life that day and changed his forever.
Cameron Cegala is co-founder of AdKaddy, a mobile app that helps you manage all the brands you love by giving you a new email address and platform to use for all your consumer needs. AdKaddy creates a personalized and hyper-organized inbox for you, where you can direct email communications from your favorite brands. Prior to AdKaddy, Cameron spent her corporate career working in sales and client management at Procter & Gamble and two smaller CPG companies.
Dr. Karen Tedeschi is a healer, chiropractor and teacher. She is the owner of Advanced Wellness of Atlanta, an interdisciplinary healing clinic, which brings together like-minded practitioners. She has studied Reiki, Chiropractic, Applied Kinesiology, Brimhall technique, TBM, Cranial-Sacral Therapy, Nutrition, Blood Work, and Pranic Healing. Karen is dedicated to reducing the pain and suffering in the world and teaching people at all levels about health and healing.
Ryan Cote is the Director of Digital Services and Partner at Ballantine, a third-generation family-owned direct mail and digital marketing company based out of Fairfield, NJ. With Ballantine since 2003, a family-owned business started in 1966 by his great-uncle, Ryan now manages the growing digital marketing division.
Diana Wu David is the author of “Future Proof: Reinventing Work in the Age of Acceleration,” a book about how to adopt more agile mindsets and practices to prepare yourself for success in a fast-changing world. Diana is an adjunct professor of leadership at Columbia Business School's EMBA Global Asia and for the Financial Times Non-Executive Director Diploma for independent board directors. Her company, Sarana Labs, helps companies and senior leaders build competitive, future-forward organizations.
Jennifer J L Jones is an American artist known for her elegant multi-layered glazed abstract paintings inspired by nature. Her work is exhibited and sought after worldwide by private and public collectors. Jones was born in 1971 in Alexandria, Virginia, and received her BFA from the prestigious School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She works full time as an exhibiting artist going on 21 years. After living in large cities growing her career, Jones now resides in Port Royal, S.C.
Thane Marcus Ringler is a former pro golfer turned speaker, author, coach, and entrepreneur living in Los Angeles, California. After competing for nearly four years as a professional, he transitioned out of the world of golf into his current endeavorsThane's mission is to help others live and work better. He is passionate about speaking to the journey from the journey, and is striving to empower this generation to take ownership of their lives and never settle for less than they are capable of.
Tracy Timm is a career strategy expert. She has dedicated her career to helping people come to LIFE at work. Tracy and her team work with high-potential professionals through her proven career clarity program, The Nth Degree®, She also advises businesses on how to attract, engage, and retain top talent. Tracy leverages her psychology degree from Yale and time spent traveling the world to provide effective career solutions for companies and employees alike.
Dr. Jeanette Kern is a nationally recognized expert in the fields of cosmetic and restorative dentistry. In 2018 Dr. Kern sold her successful dental practice in Monterey, CA. She created the Profitable Dental Academy. Armed with over 40 years in the dental industry experienced as a dental hygienist, associate dentist and as a practice owner, she shares her knowledge by consulting with other dentists as a Dental Success Coach. She is very happy and honored to continue being an active dental professional.
Matthew J. Louis is one of the nation’s leading experts in career transition for veterans and public service professionals. He coaches individuals on their transition efforts and advises employers on hiring programs designed to successfully assimilate these valuable talent pools. He is the author of the forthcoming HarperCollins book “Mission Transition: a practical guide for veterans in transition and their employers.”
Marina Barayeva is an international photographer, speaker and a host of the popular podcast: Marketing for Creatives. She is a known authority in helping entrepreneurs become influencers in their niche. Marina is a TEDx speaker, has presented to audiences in Asia and North America, and has been featured in such media as ArtPeople, CCTV, China Radio International, and others.
Andrea S. Kramer (Andie) and Alton B. Harris (Al) are distinguished attorneys, married to each other, and nationally recognized for their work in helping women advance in their careers. They are the authors of Breaking Through Bias: Communication Techniques for Women to Succeed at Work (2016), and It’s Not You, It’s the Workplace: Women’s Conflict at Work at the Bias that Built It (2019). They speak frequently about promoting gender diversity, inclusion, and overcoming stereotypes and biases.
Anton Kraly is the founder of Drop Ship Lifestyle & eCommerce Lifestyle. He focuses on empowering people through eCommerce and better marketing. After 4 years, he has taught over 5,000 students how to build their own drop shipping stores, allowing them to live their ideal lifestyles through eCommerce.
Laura Gassner Otting is a professional motivational keynote speaker and the founder of Limitless Possibility, where she empowers innovators, idealists, and iconoclasts to get “unstuck” in their thinking, push past their limiting beliefs, and achieve extraordinary results. Laura’s new book Limitless is like a high-energy master class and brainstorming session all in one, with actionable tips to transform your vision for your career and do work with purpose.
Blaine Bartlett is CEO and President of Avatar Resources, a global leadership development firm. He has delivered training programs to over a quarter of a million individuals and has authored four books. “Leadership for most people is an objective process. In my experience with those who are particularly successful in the role of a leader, there is far more subjectivity that comes into play. And that's where the notion of ‘the hidden laws of leadership’ start to emerge.”
Kerry Anderson is Chief Family Officer at Whole Life Entrepreneurship. She left her career as a pediatric nurse to be a stay-at-home mom when her husband Adam began spending more time traveling for work. This lifestyle quickly took its toll on their relationship. Kerry and Adam sought counseling. Today they’re on a mission to share what they’ve learned, supporting other entrepreneurial couples as they navigate the chaotic world of marriage and entrepreneurship.
Ralph Sanchez is the author of "The Diabetic Brain in Alzheimer’s Disease," and "The Improved MIND Diet." Inspired by his own risk for dementia, Ralph has spent the last two decades in research on the prime risk factors and related causes of Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia, and the complex, genetic, biochemical and metabolic underpinnings that are linked to these disorders. Ralph’s passion is to share his insights on the Alzheimer’s pandemic that is drawn from his in-depth review of the research.
Pete Leibman is a consultant, speaker, and bestselling author who has been featured on Fox News, CBS Radio, and CNNMoney.com. He's the creator of StrongerHabits.com, and his latest book is an Amazon bestseller: "Work Stronger; Habits for More Energy, Less Stress, and Higher Performance at Work." Pete worked as an executive recruiter at Heidrick & Struggles, one of the world’s premier executive search firms. In his free time, he teaches one of the largest group exercise classes in the Washington, DC area.
Melanie Curtis is the life coach for people who do not like life coaches. She went from investment banking to professional skydiving to life coaching, and learned a lot along the way. She now helps people overcome fear and employ courage while actually making the torture of personal growth fun and funny.
Rocky Rosen, known as The Cigarette Whisperer, is considered by many to be America's foremost expert on getting people free from nicotine. Rocky was a 30 + cigarettes a day smoker for 20 years, and had tried numerous ways to stop smoking. Although he was able to get some time off of cigarettes, eventually the urge to smoke would reappear. Rocky's innovative teaching will quickly show you how to confront and address your urges to smoke, rather than always trying to deny, ignore, fight, or fear your urges.
Susan Peppercorn is a thought leader in career management. She is the author of the best-selling, Ditch Your Inner Critic at Work: Evidence-Based Strategies to Thrive in Your Career, and is a contributor to Harvard Business Review and Fast Company. Her coaching and talks are based on the principles of positive psychology—how the resilient, creative and fulfilling aspects of living can be learned and applied. She is accredited by the International Coaching Federation.
Bea Wray has dazzled audiences for 20 years speaking on entrepreneurship, leadership, and women in business. At 27, she was CEO of a $5M Silicon Valley company, and launched several others. In 2018 she wrote, "What Harvard Taught Me But My Children Made Me Learn," drawing from her six years off on a resort island to focus on raising her three children. She holds an MBA with distinction from Harvard Business School and graduated summa cum laude from Emory University. She serves as a founder, mentor, investor, and board member to several companies. She's also served as the executive director of the entrepreneurial non-profit, The Creative Coast, and was the Chair of the Forbes Books Entrepreneurship Practice Group.
Nigel Bennett was shocked at a young age to witness the real impact of oil spills on our natural world. After almost being shot down by FARC guerrillas on the Venezuela-Colombia border and being forced to escape Egypt while working for his father's oil spill contingency planning company, he decided to break away and start Aqua-Guard Spill Response. Aqua-Guard now provides equipment and services that protect water in 104 countries. His new book: "Take That Leap - Risking it all for what really matters."
C.J. McClanahan is a speaker, author and executive coach. A few years after starting his coaching firm, he noticed that no matter how much success his clients achieved, few every seemed to truly enjoy the journey. It didn’t matter if they doubled their income or become CEO–it never seemed to be enough. CJ’s latest book, The Overachiever’s Dilemma, lays out a proven strategy to help overachievers get more satisfaction and joy in their lives while still achieving all their professional goals.
Dr. Ann Kulze is a one-of-a-kind real-world nutrition and wellness expert. With a degree in food science and human nutrition, she earned her medical degree from the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), where she graduated as valedictorian. Founder and CEO of Just Wellness, LLC, she's the author of six books, including her best-selling Eat Right for Life series. Featured on the Dr. Oz Show, Oprah and Time Magazine. She lives the wellness she teaches with her family in Charleston, South Carolina.
James S. Fell, MA, MBA, has bylines in the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, the Guardian, TIME Magazine, and many other publications. His blog, BodyForWife.com, has millions of readers and he is the author of two books: “The Holy S**t Moment: How Lasting Change Can Happen in an Instant” (St. Martin’s Press, 2019), and “Lose it Right: A Brutally Honest 3-Stage Program to Help You Get Fit and Lose Weight Without Losing Your Mind” (Random House Canada, 2014).
David Burkus is a best-selling author, a sought after speaker, and associate professor of leadership and innovation at Oral Roberts University. His newest book, Friend of a Friend, offers readers a new perspective on how to grow their networks and build key connections—one based on the science of human behavior, not rote networking advice. He shares some of his findings n this interview about how to use networking. He’s delivered keynotes to the leaders of Fortune 500 companies and the future leaders of the United TED talk has been viewed over 1.9 million times.
Barbara Turley is an investor, entrepreneur and Founder & CEO of The Virtual Hub—a business she started by accident that exploded in the space of 12 months to become one of the leading companies that recruits, trains and manages virtual assistants for businesses who need to free up time and energy so they can go to the next level. Barbara is also Mum to her gorgeous daughter Ruby, wife to her best friend Eti and an adventure lover with a passion for horses, skiing, tennis and time out in nature.
Jay Resio is the founder and CEO of BackerNation, a digital health and wellness platform developing innovative products and services to empower people with information, tools, and resources to overcome their back pain and spine conditions. Jay started BackerNation due to his own back pain journey. He has herniated his one disc four times, which led to four surgeries with the last being an artificial disc replacement. He feels amazing now and his mission is to help others destroy back pain.
Malcolm and Simone Collins, founders of the Pragmatist Foundation and co-CEOs of Travelmax, a corporate travel management company, authored the bestselling Pragmatist's Guide to Life, a book intended to encourage critical thought and intentional living.
Karen Brown had never run a marathon or ridden a road bike, and was a terrible swimmer. And yet, she had “a big, gargantuan, hairy, scary, outrageous personal dream” to participate in the IRONMAN World Championship at age 44.
Vince Kramer helps you uncover and share your authentic self to live your mission on purpose. He has brought spirituality and science together in a way that opens you to discovering your own path to living the life you are meant to live. He is co-founder of Imagine Miracles and the host of The Miracle U podcast. He developed the Create Model and Your Unique Purpose Formula and uses them to produce breakthrough results in unlocking the hidden parts of you to Discover, Create and Live Your Miracle Life.
Chris Butsch is a best-selling author, speaker, consultant, and globally-recognized authority on the Millennial generation. Known for his storytelling ability, high-energy stage presence, and immediately-actionable advice, he helps business leaders understand his generation and maximize the world's most unique generation. “I'm all about arming the generations—Millennials and Baby Boomers—with the tools and the information they need to solve their biggest problems working together.”
Julie Young was implementing a half-million-dollar technology program in her school, and loving it. Then, her husband got a promotion and transfer. Starting over in a bare-bones country school, she asked for a computer, a decision she never regretted. Today, she is a leading voice for revolutionizing K-12 online education on the global stage. She is deputy vice-president of education outreach and student services for Arizona State University, and the CEO of ASU Prep Digital High School.
Jeff Hall started working at age 7 doing door-to-door candy sales to help support his family. The company he founded in 1995 at age 15—Overflow Café—to help companies grow their websites, is thriving 23 years later. He has supported over 200 successful Kickstarter projects and has helped build 14 orphanages around the world. In his spare time he loves watching Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead and having a good cup of tea. You’ll find him working hard, and sometimes goofing around, in Toronto, Canada.
Austin Belcak is the founder of Cultivated Culture where he helps people leverage unconventional strategies to land jobs they love without connections, without "traditional" experience, and without applying online. His strategies have been featured in places like Forbes, Business Insider and Fast Company and he has helped people get hired at Google, Apple, Amazon, Facebook, Microsoft and many more.
Cindra Kamphoff had just reached a personal best in the 2013 Boston Marathon. Exhausted but feeling on top of the world, she walked slowly back to her hotel. Suddenly her mind began racing as she started asking core questions about her life focus. As a mental performance consultant, popular keynote speaker and author, she works with professional athletes, executives and championship teams around the nation. She is the author of “Beyond Grit: Ten Powerful Practices to Gain the High Performance Edge.”
Jay Lucas—accomplished businessman, author, leader and philanthropist—believes in the power of positivity, patriotism, and community engagement. His bestselling book is “American Sunshine: Rays of Hope and Opportunity.” He earned his MBA from Harvard Business School, and his Law degree from Harvard Law School. He is now the Chairman and Managing Partner of The Lucas Group, focusing on the specialized needs of private equity investors and their portfolio companies.
Paula Brown Stafford and Lisa T. Grimes are two former competitors who discovered how well they complement each other. In a rare dual guest interview, they explain: Complementing Beats Competing—Women Supporting Women in the Workplace. Fierce competitors 20 years ago, Paula and Lisa eventually formed a friendship and now, as a team, speak to corporations and women’s groups on a number of topics including Complementing Beats Competing and The Juggling Act.
Brannon Beliso rebelled against his father by intentionally losing 17 martial arts matches in a row. He wanted to pursue his creativity. A hard punch in the face turned him around. Playing the hand life dealt him, he became a champion, first in martials arts, then in creating a life he wanted. He is dedicated to helping people live their best lives by helping them and businesses reach their full potential. He teaches leadership by example, by always being a student and never considering himself a master.
Delani Gianna is a young entrepreneur residing in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. She comes from a long history of chefs, cooks, and restaurateurs. For the four years prior to this interview, she had dedicated her energy to creating Hecho Con Amor, a catering and private chef service that provides beautiful food and quality personalized service. Hecho Con Amor translates to "Made With Love,” and she continues to take tremendous pride her work.
Chef Charles Carroll is an author, speaker and recipient of over 80 national and international awards. Competing on eight U.S. Culinary Olympic Teams, he travels the world sharing with chefs, culinary students, industry leaders and military personnel. He produced seven Vegas Style shows for troops in Afghanistan. Chef Charles recently published his third book, a culinary parable entitled, “The Recipe: A Story of Loss, Love, and the Ingredients of Greatness,” which he co-authored with John David Mann.
Adam Anderson felt right at home on computers at age six. He wanted to make them talk to each other so he could play games with friends. “Without knowing it, I was teaching myself the fundamentals of computer science and information technology. They just didn't call it that at the time.” Today he is a serial entrepreneur, author and founder of Palmetto Security Group (PSG), an IBM Premier Cyber Security Business Partner. He recently launched Element Security Group.
Lori B. Duff thought she would be the voters’ obvious choice for probate court judge. She had a decade’s experience with a major metropolitan court, and her opponent wasn’t even a lawyer. Her unexpected loss was a stiff rebuke. At 42, she brushed herself off and found renewed life as a ghost writer, editor, and a best-selling author of 3 memoirs. She recently won a gold medal in the 2017 eLit awards. She has a series of memoir writing classes designed to give people a head start on writing their stories.
Dorie Clark is the author of Entrepreneurial You, Reinventing You and Stand Out, which was named the #1 Leadership Book of 2015 by Inc. magazine. A former presidential campaign spokeswoman, she teaches at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business, and is a consultant and speaker for clients such as Google, Morgan Stanley, and the World Bank.
Justin Shelby felt his campus interview with a Fortune 500 company had gone well. When he didn’t get a call from them, he made a friend inside the company and kept calling back–for 30 days. His persistence paid off, and he spent the next 9 years at Black & Decker. Today, he is CEO and founder of Artichoke, a complete business solution for the rapidly growing community of freelancers, independent practitioners, and moonlighters operating in the U.S.
Helene Segura had a clear plan as she left L.A.—to be a dual athlete playing soccer and softball for Texas A&M. “My plan got shot to heck when I was cut from the softball team.” If she was not going to be Helene, the Athlete anymore, she had to figure out who else she could be. Today, as author of two best-sellers, she shares her mind-bending framework for decreasing interruptions, distractions and procrastination so that companies can spend more time generating revenue.
Derek Champagne is founder and CEO of a full-service marketing agency The Artist Evolution and author of the bestselling book, “Don’t Buy a Duck.” Through his work, he has reviewed more than 1,000 brand audits and identified five commonalities found anything from start-ups to household brands. Any one of the five can lead to bad business decisions, but when solved, lead to meaningful traction and growth. The good news is they are easy to fix, if you know how.
Kristen Ivy was a good student, but when her grades dropped, a teacher looked her in the eye and asked “Are you okay?” It was the first time someone was really seeing her. That instilled in her the need to see the whole person at any given moment.
Michael McDonnell surprised everyone with his love of sports and active life, despite a disabling condition. “My parents saw that I was going to try everything.” At 16, a coach offered him an opportunity to coach tennis, which made perfect sense. “It was an easy choice for me to take that road.” Still a young man, he has gone from managing cystic fibrosis and diabetes to using the lessons learned to help people with their mindset and strategies to leave their job and run their own businesses full time.
Mark Villareal tells us “the lessons we learn growing up relate to us in adulthood and can be correlated to being a leader in business,” as he talks about “Leadership Lessons from Mom.” For 35-plus years he has been building teams within organizations, establishing the right culture and leadership for long term success.
Katie Cline never saw herself as an entrepreneur. But when the real estate bubble burst right after she earned her MBA, she learned from personal experience how to spot a need and fill it. She also learned how to live out her values with each new venture.
Emma Nichols bought a medical dictionary with her own money as a teenager in London. “I don’t know where that idea came from. There were no doctors in my family. Back then, I didn’t even know medical writing was a thing.” She also knew she wasn’t somebody who could be told what to do. “That’s a trait that has stuck with me, probably to my advantage.” Dr. Nichols has worked in medical writing and communications for 16 years since graduating with a Ph.D. in Nutrition and Health Sciences from Emory University.
Andy Molinsky, professor of international management and psychology at Brandeis University and author, knows that stepping outside of one’s comfort zone, both personally and culturally, is one of the hardest things people have to do. “But, you are probably going to have to, if you want to grow, learn, develop—to achieve your goals.” That is what his work is about: helping people understand the challenges, what holds them back, how they might be avoiding it, and what they can do to be more successful.
Thomas Dixon lost most of his abilities to remember his own life because of a car injury. Rather than accept suffering, he decided there had to be a digital solution to his loss. He envisioned an artificial mobile memory app and enlisted technical help to build it. “ME.mory” now provides him and an increasing number of users around the world with rapidly-searchable, artificial memories.
Pamela Gold is a Yale University graduate, so she knows her way around books and learning. But it was a book that literally fell at her feet off a bookstore shelf that set her on a different path in life, a Path With Heart. In her current life's work, she teaches inner peace as the key to our greatest evolution and ultimately, world peace. She founded Gold Evolution and released her first book, “Find More Strength: 5 Pillars to Unlock Unlimited Power and Happiness” in 2017.
JJ Flizanes vividly reminds us that the word ‘fitness’ is not just about the state of one’s physical body, but also the factors which determine a person’s overall well-being. And, for JJ, the key components in all these areas are ‘invisible’ — balanced support structures of nutrition, emotional centeredness and health. For her clients & followers, JJ designs customized coaching programs and unique, versatile approaches that harmonize the emotional, the mental and the spiritual.
Regan Hillyer invested thousands of dollars in personal growth seminars, diligently applying what she learned. But change just wasn’t happening. When her mentor asked her, “What are you doing to rewire yourself to succeed,” she found herself staring back at him blankly. Today, as founder of Regan Hillyer International, she’s dedicated to helping experts uncover their true message and launch powerful personal brands, to make a big impact and build a legacy.
London Porter’s stutter, lisp and habit of talking too fast did not help his acceptance as a street kid in Yonkers, NY. But his speech therapist did not give up on him. “Your voice is a gift.” She became the first of many who helped him see his potential. He teaches entrepreneurs how to earn a better income, create a better career and live a better life. London’s a three-time author, a former professional athlete, a public speaker and has spent much of his career in human resources.
Terry Brock believes, “There is so much NEW all the time that we begin to think, ‘I can’t handle it!’ We need to learn to be able to overcome that feeling of being overwhelmed, and learn principles that will work—and that won’t work—to help us overcome the sense of being overwhelmed. Often, we are overwhelmed with technology and information. Using a few key principles, we can regain control of our lives and be able to do what we need to do.”
Carolin Soldo knew she had hit a tipping point. “I looked in the mirror and didn’t recognize myself! I didn’t feel like a woman anymore and just wanted to have myself back again. As with everything else in my life, I knew I had to do this all or nothing.” She is the founder of Brand Your Passions®, From Passion to Profits®, and The Powerhouse Coach®. She specializes in helping passion-driven women bring their skills to the world and launch thriving online coaching businesses with international reach, make an impact, and create free and abundant lives.
Gary Kinder knows how few writers and artists succeed. Some say it’s as low as 1%. But he’s up at 5 a.m. every day writing his screenplay, before plunging into the editing software he’s creating. Asked why he does it, he says, “I’m doing what I love!” He has taught over 1,000 writing programs and has appeared on the Today Show and Good Morning America. He is also creator and founder of WordRake, editing software, which is used widely in law firms, government agencies, corporations and universities.
Jeff McManus grows things. As the Director of Landscape Services at the University of Mississippi, he grows plants, people and ideas. Faced with a multimillion-dollar landscape beautification project, a demand for excellence, high productivity and a stagnant budget, Jeff knew that growing the people was critical to growing the plants. Understanding that all humans either have or strive for the innate elements of greatness, resiliency, opportunity and wisdom, Jeff developed his GROW Theory into an impactful management and professional development leadership program.
Danny Iny compares the crash of his dream start-up to the painful breakup of a relationship. “As an entrepreneur, your identity is deeply invested in your work.” In hindsight, he can say, “Sometimes the rebound turns out to be the one.” He sees the irony of being a high school dropout who is passionate about providing business education. He has a soft spot for helping entrepreneurs succeed. Together, his acclaimed Audience Business Masterclass and Course Builder’s Laboratory training programs have graduated more than 5,000 value-driven online entrepreneurs.
Katherine Denton had accomplished her goal of working as an ad agency account executive by age 25. She was a respected team member with all the perks of success—an office with windows, bonuses, free parking. But she was so miserable that she quit. She turned to a temp agency and was given a one-day assignment that opened the door to her current 22-year career as owner of My Friend, Katherine, a service devoted to helping people meet their personal, professional, financial and relationship goals.
Sarah E. Brown has had several careers, all of which she says took her full circle to what she originally set out to do right out of college: teaching, writing, and researching. Along the way, she has learned what she believes makes for a happy, successful work experience. She is married and lives in Wilmington, Delaware. When she is not working, she can be found rowing on the Christina River or romping through the woods with her standard poodle, Maharani.
Lauren McLaughlin was delighted to take six years off to be a full-time mom. But as soon as her son went to school, Lauren plunged back into a career. So far, it spans public relations for the Red Cross, newspaper publishing, politics, real estate, and now a ministry. She's a writer, speaker, teacher, retreat coordinator, keynote speaker, counselor, ordained Unity minister and professional student. Lauren is always seeking to learn about people and new ideas.
Jeremy Paris’ teenage rebellion might have led him into a surly adulthood, as just another guy with a chip on his shoulder. But a high school teacher saw beyond his “in-your-face” art project and praised his originality and courage. That changed Jeremy from that point forward. After a career in the military and as a defense contractor, he started the Veteran Resource Podcast to inform veterans about the many organizations, programs and opportunities available to veterans and their family members.
Alison Cardy, author of “Career Grease: How to Get Unstuck and Pivot Your Career,” is a certified career coach who has guided hundreds of people at career crossroads to find innovative and functional career solutions. She encourages people to get clarity by self-analysis, but just as important, by taking action. In this interview she shares why people get stuck at crossroads and recommends steps to get unstuck. Alison’s work has been featured on Monster, Forbes, the Huffington Post, and the Chicago Tribune.
Claudia Penningtonand her husband were reflecting on their past 10 years together and realized they had been living the daily grind without goals, a budget or a plan, and a vague desire to help people. They decided to tackle some massive changes in their lives, starting with eliminating their debt. Claudia is a digital marketing consultant and trainer of side hustlers, freelancers, and small business owners in the fundamentals of digital marketing and SEO.
Tanner Gers thought his life was over when he lost his eyesight at 21. Then, he discovered a game changer–where there were no disadvantages, where everybody was on an even playing field. His sight did not return, but he regained a vision and enthusiasm for life. Since that day in 2004, Tanner has influenced the world as host of the podcast, "The Creative Success Show", and on his health and fitness blog, ABSolutelyLean.com, and as a professional speaker, author, and Paralympian.
Dr. Don McDonald has spent 17 years in the health and wellness industry as a chiropractor. It was from his position at the adjusting table that he noticed a common frustration developing into a major stressor in the lives of many patients. He identified it as ‘the Underdog Curse,’ and his chiropractic patients seemed unable to break out of it. It stopped people from living their best lives, and often stripped them of true happiness.
Ivy LaClair always thought of herself as a shy person, but when she joined her college Student Activities Council, she quickly had to learn how to put herself “out there.” A couple of years later she became president of the Council and had “a goosebump moment” when she realized who she had become. Co-founder of the personal development company, Motivational Millennial, Ivy is an expert on change, transformation and millennial success.
Ellen Antonelli was at a ballet with her parents at the age of 10 and witnessed a dance that portrayed inexplicable violence against women. It both angered and puzzled her. Her mother could not answer her questions about what she felt. In hindsight, she realizes how this moment has driven her career and passion for more than a quarter of a century. Her life’s work has been about empowering students and women and speaking out against violence and oppression.
Craig Ballantyne helps people get more done, make more money, and still get home on time for dinner. He offers five templates for creating rules of life that can be personalized. They act like the operating system for our lives. His templates are built on a foundation of Five Pillars of Success, which encompass time-tested principles such as professional accountability and a "Big Deadline." A co-owner of EarlyToRise.com, he is also the creator of the home workout system, Turbulence Training.
Seth Buechley experienced towering success in building a cellular network. He saw and experienced towering success in building a cellular network. He saw the upside, then the downside, of ambition. His Golden Touch became a reverse Midas Touch for a while. He tells how gratitude and humility turned him around.
Amel Derragui headed to a meeting on her university campus in France to brush up on her English-speaking skills. She soon realized she had stumbled into a meeting for recruiting students to sell encyclopedias in the U.S. Was this the “something exciting” she had been looking for? Today she is a business and marketing coach and the founder of Tandem Nomads, an entrepreneurship platform designed to empower expat partners and help global nomads turn their challenges into successful portable businesses.
Debby Stone, after 16 years practicing law, is an executive coach and keynote speaker and the author of "The Art of Self-Promotion: Tell Your Story, Transform Your Career." “In a Twitter, soundbite world, attention spans are short. Telling your story and doing it in a confident, authentic and graceful way is the key difference between the people who make it to where they want to be and those who struggle to move forward.”
Swati Lodha was born to loving—and enlightened—parents in a traditional culture in Rajasthan, India. She realized how fortunate she was to be encouraged to think for herself. As a college student, she heard a speaker talk about paradigm shifts, and in a split-second she knew what her career would be. With a doctorate in Women Entrepreneurship, she is the founder of Life Lemonade, a training organization for life transformation, women empowerment, leadership and parenting.
Paul Lamar Hunter had a good job at Chrysler. When he heard the plant was closing. At age 40, he wondered where he would go next. Then, his union rep gave him some great news that totally changed the outlook for him and his entire extended family. Paul beat the odds against poor kids being less likely to obtain a college education. As the 19th child out of 21 natural children, he became the first in his family to graduate from college. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from Upper Iowa University in 2012.
Dr. Tom Tavantzis offers his expert view of the power of knowing your talent early in life – through high school, college and beyond. Research shows personality and natural abilities are largely formed by age three. These key traits are hard-wired at birth. Self-knowledge gained while young can guide choices about education, career and life planning best suited to natural abilities.
Delano Lewis, a former U.S. Ambassador to South Africa, rose from segregation-era Kansas to prominence in government, business, and the not-for-profit world. His bestselling memoir, “It All Begins with Self,” affirms his belief in the value of family, education, hard work, perseverance, mentors and supporters. His trailblazing career includes top positions at National Public Radio and the Peace Corps.
Kristina Rhoades learned early in life that her wheelchair did not have to hold her back. The spinal cord injury sustained in her infancy challenged her to discover her gifts and share them as coach, mom, leader and advocate. “We aren't told enough, by people we believe, that we can follow our passions, that we can have a career that blends with life, and we can do things that we love. It’s so important, and it’s something we need to model for our children.”
Simon Crowe is a master in the field of personal growth, who specializes in connecting the successful with their deepest purpose. As a qualified coach for over 12 years, he has guidAdd new Ad ‹ Discover Your Talent Podcast — WordPress ed hundreds of courageous individuals in achieving greater self-expression and fulfillment and experiencing deeper meaning in their lives. He works exclusively with high-performing, self-starters who have mastered conventional success and who are hungry to reappraise their life in honor of their unique gifts.
Erik Weihenmayer was shattered when at 14 a genetic illness left him totally blind. But, in 2001 Erik Weihenmayer became the first blind person to reach the summit of Mt. Everest. Since then he completed the Seven Summits. Erik’s latest book, “No Barriers,” is an inspirational story about kayaking the entire 277 miles of the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. Erik’s triumphs fueled his aspiration to help others shatter barriers in their lives. His motto is “What’s within you is stronger than what’s in your way.”
Kim Ades was 15 years into building a family and a business with her husband. When her marriage dissolved, so did her shares in the company. A tool she used to deal with her loss—“it was like my oxygen”—is now the core of her thriving business. She is the president and founder of Frame of Mind Coaching and JournalEngine™ Software. She is recognized as one of North America’s foremost experts on performance through thought mastery.
Brian Kurtz, a serial direct marketer for the past 35+ years, says he never met a medium he didn't like. He spent the first 34 years of his career helping Boardroom Inc. become a state-of-the-art direct marketing and publishing company and is now sharing and teaching all he learned doing that. His expert message today: Marketing isn’t everything. It’s the ONLY thing.
Linda Singh was thrown out of her home at 16, through no fault of her own. A high school dropout, working at a pretzel shop to survive, a display table in the mall for the U.S. Army caught her eye. That led to a conversation that changed the trajectory of her life. She became a Major General in the Army and now is helping people of all ages discover their inner strengths, passions and talents and match them to careers that will make them happy.
Steve H. Lawton, after careening into a tree at 45 miles per hour and suffering a major brain injury, believes every interaction with another person is a bonus that might never have happened. “It's a powerful way to live.” He is the author of “Head First! A Crash Course in Positivity,” a story about how his attitude literally saved his life from a near fatal skiing accident. Steve helps others by sharing his story and practical advice on how to create a positive mindset, lead with positivity, and achieve better outcomes for individuals and organizations.
John David Mann and some friends started their own high school when in their teens. It was quite successful for a number of years. He is now an award-winning author whose books have sold more than two million copies, including the bestselling classic “The Go-Giver.” His book “Take the Lead” was named by Tom Peters and the Washington Post “Best Leadership Book of 2011.” His latest book, a culinary parable, is called, “THE RECIPE.”
When Marcelle and her husband decided he should accept a job as a foreign service officer in Uzbekistan, she knew she’d have to give up the job she loved. What she needed now was a “Portable Career” that could travel wherever her husband was posted. After 10 years of strategic communications consulting, Marcelle Yeager changed course to enable people to get to the next level of their careers. She recently co-founded ServingTalent, the first recruiting agency for military and foreign service spouses.
Lynn Marie Morski, MD, Esq. had recently co-founded a health tech startup on medical tourism. “All of my cylinders were firing at the same time. But the sinking feeling in my stomach told me something wasn’t right.” She faced the hardest “quit” of her life. Her goal is to de-stigmatize quitting and illustrate what a useful tool it can be. Through her Quitting by Design website, she helps people carve out successful lives through strategic quitting. She is a physician and an adjunct professor of health law.
Shellee Howard is the owner and president of College Ready and a Certified Educational Planner. She has a son who graduated from Harvard in 2016–debt free! She has traveled around the world helping students plan for their “perfect match” college. She knows what it takes to compete for entry into Ivy League schools to small town colleges. She believes that no two students are the same, and that each has a gift/talent and a passion that will set him or her apart from their competition.
Amy Smalarz had been in a consulting position she enjoyed for 10 years. One day the staff was called together and told that their division president had just been fired. It was the nudge she needed to step out on her own. She quickly discovered she had a lot to learn. As a women’s empowerment coach, author, podcaster and freelance writer, she now provides women the information and experience that helps them uncover and rediscover their truest, best selves, and bring that to everything they do in life.
Lindsay Kinder returned from France filled with a knowledge of cuisine from farm to table. But she did not yet know how she would use it. She needed time. Would she be lulled back into the comfort of a 9-to-five job? She had left a stable career in life insurance to pursue her lifelong dream of learning to cook in France. She spent six months backpacking solo on a quest to discover where great food comes from, and what to do with it. She now lives in San Francisco, teaching sold out French macaroon workshops, private cheffing and dreaming up new recipes for her blog Food-La-La.
Steve Robertson is the CEO of Julian Krinsky Camps & Programs, an organization specializing in youth-to-adult programming that turns curiosity into passion and skill. He is a fan of the Gen Zs “because they are innovative, thoughtful, collaborative and motivated.” Generation Z is already impacting every facet of life: the workplace, how businesses present and sell products, and even what products businesses present and sell. In Steve’s opinion, “It is probably going be the greatest generation we’ve seen.”
Mali Phonpadith’s father escaped a re-education camp, and her family fled war-torn Laos. Arriving in the U.S. at age five, she learned English from watching the TV show Sesame Street. Later, her teacher said Mali’s journal showed she was a poet–even though she didn’t know what poetry was. Mali Phonpadith is the founder and CEO of the SOAR Community Network, as well as an author, speaker and podcaster. SOAR stands for See, Own, Articulate and Release and is based uncovering your greatest gifts and talents.
Stephanie Weeks was so dead-set on a career in law, she had no Plan B. Everything she had done in college and work had pointed her toward that goal. Then, after graduation, she received the news that totally changed her path. It turned out, there was a better option. As a mortgage lender, she has closed thousands of loans totaling hundreds of millions of dollars in volume, but the real joy in her career comes from the smile that she sees from buyers and sellers during a smooth and on time closing.
Dr. Carolyn Jerdan has served in education for 20+ years as a teacher, counselor and school administrator, both in private and public schools, with students ranging from preschool to adult. She earned an MBA at Northwestern University, and Ph.D. in school psychology at the University of Maryland. At Johnson Ferry Christian Academy she guides students through their college search process. Her passion is to help students realize their uniqueness and God-given talents so they can better plan for their future.
Erica is a former environmental science professor using her expertise in sustainability and green living to transform spaces and the interior design field using her cleaner, greener Method. Four years ago she started Eco Method Interiors to help people feel happier, healthier, less stressed and more confident at home or work. When she is not working she is planning her next trip down under with her Australian husband, or is at the dog park with Hank, her mutt.
Sayan Sarkar is an entrepreneur and founder of InvigorateNOW Health Sciences, an innovative health supplement brand. He is also the creator of Sark Media Direct, a direct marketing consultancy in the health and e-commerce industries. He’s worked with Martha Stewart, Organifi, Zenith Labs, and more. Through his consulting, he has helped entrepreneurs scale from zero to six and seven figures. Also an investor, Sayan has stakes in three health supplement brands in addition to businesses he started from nothing.
Simon Crowe is a master in the field of personal growth, who specializes in connecting the successful with their deepest purpose. As a qualified coach for over 12 years, he has guided hundreds of courageous individuals in achieving greater self-expression and fulfillment and experiencing deeper meaning in their lives. He works exclusively with high-performing, self-starters who have mastered conventional success and who are hungry to reappraise their life in honor of their unique gifts.
Devarajan Venkat is the CEO of Archis Management Advisors, LLP, a private equity and strategic advisory firm headquartered in Mumbai, India. He is also the author of the fast-selling corporate thriller, “Entruppted.” He's a mentor to many entrepreneurs around the globe and investor in select companies. His past experience includes being CFO at two of the leading media companies of India, Reliance Group and Balaji Telefilm.
Kendra Dahlstrom is a Christian business strategy and life coach, trainer, and speaker who helps women of faith live fully into their God-given calling, transforming it into a profitable legacy. She started her faith-based business to transition from the corporate world toward a life she loves, sharing her passion for Jesus Christ by helping others find and fulfill their callings. Using life coaching techniques through a Biblical lens, she helps clients live their calling to Him the way He envisioned.
Jon DeWaal is the executive director and learning facilitator at Liminal Space, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping others find the courage to navigate major life transitions. He spends his days guiding one-on-one transition sessions, leading transition groups, and facilitating learning workshops that teach transition skills at The PIER Learning Center at Liminal Space. Jon is the host of a podcast called, Life Through Transitions, which aims to help listeners navigate life’s biggest changes.
Erik Seversen has forged a path filled with extreme adventure and success, ranging from hitchhiking from London to central Africa, living with a remote Amazon tribe, to building and selling businesses. His new book, “Ordinary to Extraordinary,” reveals his personal search for meaning, highlighting how anyone can create a life of purpose and success. Erik’s focus is on business development and English language training. He believes helping others is the best way to create success and fulfillment in life.
Monika Jansen is head copywriter and strategist at Jansen Communications, a boutique marketing agency specializing in copywriting and social media marketing. Most clients are small to midsize companies you have never heard of, but past clients have included Groupon and web.com. Named marketing influencer on Twitter by Libris, she is an Amazon bestseller for a book she coauthored with a client. When she is not working, she hangs out with her husband and kids, travels, snowboards and laughs as much as possible.
Cynthia Trevino works with purpose-driven entrepreneurs who urgently want to speak their ideal clients’ language, earn more income, and have more impact. She created the Client Clarity to Cash Flow Signature Program and is the author of the #1 bestselling book, "She Markets, A Guide for Women Entrepreneurs: 5 Simple Steps to Attract More Clients, Make More Money and Have More Impact." Cynthia has helped companies big and small reach clients, fulfill visions, and make income goals for over 30 years.
Tommy Baker helps dreamers, visionaries, and entrepreneurs bring those dreams to life and create a life they can't wait to wake up for. He’s the author of “UnResolution: How to Ditch Resolutions Forever, Live Life by Design, and Achieve Your Dreams,” “The One Percent Rule,” and “The Leap of Your Life: How to Redefine Risk, Quit Waiting For 'Someday,' and Live Boldly.” Tommy believes living up to your potential is what we're here for. His podcast spreads the message of his Resist Average Academy.
Cayla Craft is an emergency room nurse turned network marketing millionaire. After building multiple businesses, including the Mommy Millionaire brand, she is passionate about seeing women be ambitious about pursuing their dreams. She serves entrepreneurs with the Mommy Millionaire podcast three times a week, coaches women to build sustainable businesses and teaches brand growth within her online community. She recently released her best-selling book, “The Habit of Leading Yourself.”
Dev Aujla is the CEO of Catalog, a recruiting firm that has provided talent and strategy to some of the world's most innovative companies including BMW, GOOD Magazine, Change.org, and Planned Parenthood. His writing and work have been featured in dozens of media outlets including the New York Times, Glamour, MSNBC, CBC and The Globe and Mail. He is the author of “50 Ways to Get a Job: An Unconventional Guide to Finding Work on Your Terms.”
Kirk Deis has been featured on Forbes and podcasts and radio shows throughout the United States. He is CEO and founder of two companies, Treehouse 51, a digital agency based in Newport Beach, California, and The Bug Squasher, a universal web app that helps you diagnose site issues. Driven by an early passion to write screenplays, he found his own creative niche and brought together creative people he met along the way.
Erin Wathen is a holistic health coach, food abuse counselor and author of “Why Can't I Stick To My Diet? How To End The Food Drama.” A graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, she understands the science behind health. As a certified spinning instructor, Vinyasa Yoga instructor, and classical Pilates instructor, she understands how to explain the mechanics of health in everyday talk. Her philosophy: health is not a number on a scale or how often we exercise, but our lives as a whole.
Kelly Resendez is a mom, business executive, bestselling author and influencer. She loves helping others with strategies to overcome self-sabotage and find more joy. Author of the book “Big Voices,” she is also founder of the movement the book is named for, Big Voices, a women empowered network. Kelly is passionate about helping people increase joy, reduce suffering, and learn to think differently. Her own journey has helped her create the strategies and tools that she shares throughout her books.
Samuel P. N. Cook is the founder and creative director of James Cook media, a documentary film making marketing agency. He's also the creator of the story funnel software, which helps business owners tell their story online. A graduate of West Point, he served two tours of duty in Iraq and has taught history at West Point and New York University.
Silja Litvin was born in Germany, but moved to California as a child. Exposed to many diverse cultures, she developed an insatiable curiosity for psychology. In 17 years of international modeling, she also pursued a master's and PhD in clinical psychology. Now she’s venturing into artificial intelligence, gamification, and chatbots to find ways to help people help themselves, including launching EQ: The Emotional Fitness Game.
Kim Ades is the President and Founder of Frame of Mind Coaching™ and JournalEngine™ Software. Author, speaker, entrepreneur, coach, and mother of five, Kim is recognized as one of North America's foremost experts on performance through thought mastery. Using her unique philosophy and quirky coaching style, she helps her clients shift their thinking in order to yield extraordinary results and personal transformation.
Donny Hamilton is a husband, father and former army captain who was deployed to the Middle East and later as a deputy sheriff. His rollercoaster life included growing up in a broken home and joining the Army at age 19 in search of a better life. Perseverance to conquer childhood fears led him to become a better man, successful entrepreneur and COO of Vigilant Tiger Security, a veteran-founded security business. He wrote the bestselling book, “A Tiger's Fury: How to Start Overcoming Your Fears Right Now!”
Natasha McCreesh is a joy bringer, cultural explorer, and humanitarian. She walked away from a 20-year corporate career with no plan other than to only do work that brings her joy. Four years later, her life is more satisfying than she imagined. Collaborating with people of passion and purpose, she coaches and mentors leaders and teams to get the most out of their life and work. She takes groups to Liberia, west Africa, to demonstrate the connection between powerful service and transformational leaders.
Bernie Taylor is an independent naturalist and author whose research explores the mythological connections and biological knowledge among prehistoric, indigenous and ancient peoples. His works in these areas include "Biological Time" (2004) and "Before Orion: Finding the Face of the Hero" (2017). Taylor proposes that select cave paintings are fundamental pieces in the human journey to self-realization, the foundation of written language, and a record of biological knowledge that irrevocably impacted some of the artistic styles, religious practices, and stories that are still with us.
Will Little grew up in the inner city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in a broken home. Growing up poor and fatherless he ventured out onto the streets as a teenager—robbing, stealing, selling drugs and carrying guns until he killed a young man in a shootout. Now 19, Will was charged and sentenced to 20 years in prison. During his incarceration, he made a conscious choice to change his life around. After 10 years, he was released to the same Philly community where he became a community activist and mentor.
Paulette Gaines Wood has been known as a teller of stories all her life. She was seventy when she had her “now or never” moment and despite being dyslexic, decided to write and publish her first book. "The Noble Anthony and His Lady Cleopatra" became a #1 International Best Seller on Amazon. With the completion of her second book, “The Noble Anthony and His Lady Cleopatra Return Home,” she reminds people that it is never too late to follow your dreams and experience the joy and excitement that comes from it.
Terri Mays is an Advanced Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) practitioner. She loves teaching students and educators how to raise their emotional tone—mind state—utilizing EFT tapping. It allows you to master your fears and experience new freedom and possibilities. She has been a healer and intuitive for over 30 years and is the founder and CEO of the HOPEnUp Foundation, helping students in all areas of life challenges realize their full potential, self-acceptance and self-esteem with EFT tapping.
Kaia Alexander is an award-winning author and filmmaker. Her novel, “Written in the Ashes,” is the untold story about the burning of the Great Library of Alexandria, Egypt, and the life of Hypatia, the world’s first female mathematician/philosopher. Kaia’s new documentary feature film, “Chalice: Women Leaders Rise,” explores how and why women were written out of history, how this has influenced the treatment of women globally, and the exciting rise of women leaders today.
Carey Gillam is a veteran investigative journalist with more than 25 years of experience covering corporate news, including 17 years as a senior correspondent for Reuters international news service. She is the author of “Whitewash—The Story of a Weed Killer, Cancer and the Corruption of Science,” an expose of corporate corruption in agriculture. The book won the coveted Rachel Carson Book Award. Gillam works now as Research Director for the non-profit U.S. Right to Know.
Ross Wehner is an internationally featured career performance coach who changed careers to live his purpose and improve his own well-being. He is a former engineer and Fortune 100 recruiter who now fulfills his purpose by empowering individuals to accelerate their career growth, magnify their impacts, and discover meaningful work that they love. Ross brings out the best in his clients by relighting their fires, aligning their work with their values, and equipping each of them to reach their full potential.
Colonel Christopher D. Kolenda is an internationally renowned combat leader, strategist, author and entrepreneur, having spent a career in the military, including being a professor at West Point, before launching his consulting business. As the founder of the Strategic Leaders Academy, he helps nonprofits and small businesses to grow sustainably by working with them to get the big things right—leadership, culture and strategy.
Laura Sandefer had no plans to start a school, much less turn education on its head. But as she looks back, she has vivid memories of a pre-dawn chat with her father on the morning she left for college. His advice, “Be curious,” has become a consistent thread in her life’s journey. As co-founder of Acton Academy, her school has sparked a global awakening in education. Her book, "Courage to Grow,” documents the journey to pursue the big questions around learning and unleashing human potential.
Joel Solomon believes that although financial success and power can have great value, it is most important to learn to be successful as human beings. Solomon chairs Renewal Funds, a $98 million mission venture capital firm, delivering above market returns while catalyzing positive social and environmental change. He is also the author of the book, “The Clean Money Revolution: Reinventing Power, Purpose, and Capitalism.”
Pamela Gold is a Yale University graduate, so she knows her way around books and learning. But it was a book that literally fell at her feet off a bookstore shelf that set her on a different path in life, a Path With Heart. In her current life's work, she teaches inner peace as the key to our greatest evolution and ultimately, world peace. She founded Gold Evolution and released her first book, “Find More Strength: 5 Pillars to Unlock Unlimited Power and Happiness” in 2017.
Arnie Herz knew he was heading to law school, but he took an indirect path that surprised everyone. A brush with his own mortality in college turned his life upside down and sent him on a global search for meaning that changed everything. As a lawyer, mediator and speaker, he often speaks on negotiation, conflict resolution, work-life balance and the attorney-client relationship. Covered in numerous publications, Arnie has received a host of acknowledgements and awards from his colleagues.
Court Creeden has seen the impact of social media, societal pressures, and the need to keep up with “The Joneses” in working in finance for over a decade. This led him to write his book “Blue Goat.” Court now uses his background in finance and love of personal connection to help people design a life they want to be living. He was recognized as one of the top 40 under 40 Business Leaders in Charlotte. He has been interviewed by The Wall Street Journal, MSN Money, Dow Jones, and many others.
Marie Incontrera is a speaker, marketing consultant, author, avant-garde musician and fitness enthusiast. Her consulting services include: social media and online branding services, media bookings and book launch services. Her speaker clients have booked TEDx conferences across the country. Her media clients have been booked on popular podcasts and radio stations such as The World’s Most Amazing People and more. She is the author of the Amazon best seller, “Social Your Book Launch.”
Diego Corzo is a 28-year-old entrepreneur, born in Peru and now living in Austin, TX. He started working in corporate America and soon discovered that he was destined for more. He decided to pursue a career in real estate. Now, he is a realtor for Keller Williams alongside an incredible team, and currently owns 12 rental properties. Diego is on a path to financial freedom and aspires to help others, especially millennials, become financially free and reach their full potential.
Melanie Curtis is the life coach for people who don't like life coaches. She went from investment banking to professional skydiving to life coaching. Now she helps people overcome fear while actually making the torture of that growth fun and funny. Working with Melanie is not for the faint of heart, but the skills you learn change everything.
Virginia Brown, LCSW, is a therapist in private practice serving individuals and families addressing healthy family dynamics. Following the death of her daughter at a self-help retreat in 2009, she founded SEEK SAFELY Inc., a 501©3 charity to educate the public about self-help and promote safe and ethical practices in the self-help industry. As a result of this tragedy that created international coverage, she has been involved in numerous interviews and media productions in the US and UK.
Wade Lightheart, 3-Time Canadian Natural Bodybuilding Champion, is one of the world's premier authorities on Natural Nutrition and Training Methods. Having majored in Sports Science at the University of New Brunswick, he has authored numerous books on health, nutrition and exercise, which have sold in over 80 countries. Wade is sought out by athletes and high-performance- oriented individuals worldwide for his advice on how to optimize their health and fitness levels.
John Mitchell's 12-minutes-a-day technique is recognized today as the "Top Practical Application in the World" of the legendary book “Think & Grow Rich.” "Today the differentiator between the mega-successful and the moderately successful is control of self and focus, says John Mitchell. His technique gives that to you. John currently teaches his 12-minute-a-day technique at the University of Texas at Austin, and to entrepreneurs tired of making 6 figures a year, who want to make over $1 million a year.
Thomas M. Hewlett grew up in Los Angeles reading science fiction, fantasy, and all things paranormal. His plan was always to be a writer, but he strayed from the path and into drugs and alcohol addiction. In 2011 he hit rock bottom and ended up in rehab. He rediscovered the power of writing and started his first novel; “One Death at a Time." Writing saved Thomas’s life and became his way of telling a new story about himself.
Angela Ferrari is an a painter, children's book author/illustrator based in Portland Maine. Her picture book titles include: “Digger’s Daily Routine,” “An Extraordinary Book,” “The Shape Escape,” “What Do You See?” and “Lawrence the Lighthouse.” Most recently Angela has launched “Story Spectacular,” a children’s story podcast. The show features original stories and classic retellings.
Eric B. Horn is the Founder of Eric B. Horn Career & Business Solutions, LLC, which is a career and business development firm that provides coaching, consulting, and training for ambitious professionals to equip them with marketplace savvy to accomplish their goals and dreams. He is a four-time author, speaker, trainer, and business strategist with a unique passion for helping entrepreneurs create a signature product or experience to gain more visibility, influence, and income for their business.
Jay Lucas—accomplished businessman, author, leader and philanthropist—believes in the power of positivity, patriotism, and community engagement. His bestselling book is “American Sunshine: Rays of Hope and Opportunity.” He earned his MBA from Harvard Business School, and his Law degree from Harvard Law School. He is now the Chairman and Managing Partner of The Lucas Group, focusing on the specialized needs of private equity investors and their portfolio companies.
Tamara Celeste is a lawyer, real estate broker and author. She wrote her first book––Buy Homes Not Shoes—A First-Time Homebuyer's Guide for Women to empower women in their quest to purchase real estate, enabling them to build wealth and increase their net worth so that it has a direct, positive financial impact on their lives. Tamara considers herself both mentor and mentee. She believes that you should always give of yourself and at the same time continue to push yourself and never stop learning.
Ana Melikian has a PhD in psychology, is CEO of AMAZE Coaching and is host of the Mindset Zone podcast. “Our mindset is the collection of thoughts and beliefs that shape the way we see the world. It’s like a pair of glasses, if you will, that we see the world through. We are not aware that we are wearing the glasses because we are so used to them, because they have become an integral part of us and importantly how we interpret our day-to-day world.”
Michael Giannulis’ story began in an average family where he had to work for everything he had. As a guy who started his working life stocking shelves at Walmart, he has seen the spectrum. Now Mike grows and scales companies using real-world experience to make this happen. In 2012 he appeared on the ABC television show, Extreme Weight Loss, and lost 255 pound over one year. He has gone from the bottom of the corporate ladder to the top of the mountain and loves helping others do the same.
Emily Marquis is a Career & Life Coach, Celebrant and Yoga Instructor. She has been coaching clients since 2011 and has a previous background in Human Resources and recruitment. Emily works with each client uniquely by helping them identify their core values and celebrate strengths to use as a compass for their career path. She also helps clients find balance and time management skills with a mindfulness philosophy.
Dan Schawbel is a New York Times bestselling author, Partner and Research Director at Future Workplace, and the Founder of both Millennial Branding and WorkplaceTrends.com. He is the bestselling author of two career books: "Promote Yourself" and "Me 2.0." Dan's third book, “Back to Human: How Great Leaders Create Connection in the Age of Isolation,” was published by Hachette on November 13, 2018. He has been recognized in Inc. Magazine’s “30 Under 30,” and Forbes Magazine’s “30 Under 30.”
Forrest Alton has been in the nonprofit sector for more than 15 years. After 10 years in the C-Suite, Forrest stepped down in 2016 to focus his energy on his new enterprise—1000 Feathers. His goal: to help make the nonprofit, social and philanthropic sectors stronger by training and developing leaders, helping organizations think and act more strategically, posing difficult questions organizations are typically afraid to ask and encouraging big, bold courageous conversations.
Stacy L. Pearsall got her start as an Air Force photographer at the age of 17. During her time in service she traveled to over 41 countries, and during three combat tours, she earned the Bronze Star and Air Force Commendation with Valor for combat actions in Iraq. Though disabled and retired from military service, she continues to work worldwide as an independent photographer and founder of the Veterans Portrait Project. Her work has been exhibited at The Pentagon and Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery.
Dr. Ann Kulze is a best-selling author, physician, and speaker in the areas of nutrition, healthy living and disease prevention. With formal training in both nutrition and medicine, along with extensive "hands-on" experience, Dr. Ann has distinguished herself as a one-of-a-kind "real world" nutrition and wellness expert. She is the Founder and CEO of the wellness education firm, Just Wellness LLC. Dr. Ann is the author of six books including her best-selling Eat Right for Life series (WELCOA).
Scott Anthony Barlow is the founder and CEO of Happen to Your Career. He has been featured on CNBC, Yahoo, Career Builder, Fast Company, Huffington Post and various colleges and universities as an expert on career happiness. He and his team run two of the top career change podcasts on iTunes. He lives with his wife and three kids in Moses Lake, Washington and sometimes Paris or London. He gets excited about careers, coffee, parkour, not necessarily in that order.
Courtney Blair started her business out of necessity. When she was pregnant and desperate for work, she began contacting everyone she knew for work she could do from home. Lo-and-behold her dad had his own online business in the psychology realm, and wanted to be featured on podcasts. Fast forward 3 years, and Zippy Content was born. She now represents almost 100 entrepreneurs, authors, coaches, and consultants from across the globe, and finds them interviews with the coolest podcasters on earth.
Erica Ormsby has been a wellness and business entrepreneur for 18 years and is also an author. She believes it is your responsibility and a great act of service, if you make sure that you align with your truest nature and do something that you love. She has created and sold several successful companies and is the founder and CEO of Erica Ormsby International as well as Soaring Mastermind.
Raana Zia is a corporate finance executive turned spiritual, self-help author. She has spent her career holding executive level leadership roles in large Fortune 500 retail companies. Her realizations and personal experiences compelled her to write the book, "Your Hidden Light: A Personal Guide to Creating Your Desired Life," in order to share with others what she believes is the most direct and efficient path to achieving your desires and living a life of happiness, continued growth, and fulfillment.
Amani Roberts is a Washington DC born and bred creative who has been a DJ since 2008. Amani’s hospitality career has spanned over 25 years. He is the Chief Musical Curator for his company, The Amani Experience, which specializes in providing music for events, creating original music for commercials or videos, team building activities, creating remixes and teaching students of all ages how DJ. Amani also hosts a weekly podcast called “The Amani Experience Podcast.”
Marisa Murray is a Certified Executive Coach, Author and Speaker focused on unlocking executives’ leadership potential to yield superior business results. Her book, “Work Smart: Your Formula for Unprecedented Professional Success” reveals 50 techniques to accelerate your success as a leader while creating more ease and enjoyment in your work-rejecting the notion that working harder is the answer.
Natalie Creeden has been practicing and studying the art of mindfulness, meditation and yoga since 2002. These modalities improved her life so much that she decided to study for over 18 months to share the power of these practices with others. Natalie trained as a Primordial Sound Meditation Instructor with Deepak Chopra at the Chopra Center for Well-Being in Southern California. She is also a certified Kundalini Yoga and Meditation teacher.
Jeff Hall started working at age 7 doing door-to-door candy sales to help support his family. The company he founded in 1995 at age 15—Overflow Café—to help companies grow their websites, is thriving 23 years later. He has supported over 200 successful Kickstarter projects and has helped build 14 orphanages around the world. In his spare time he loves watching Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead and having a good cup of tea. You’ll find him working hard, and sometimes goofing around, in Toronto, Canada.
Dr. Chris Kolenda, founder of Strategic Leader Academy, helps non-profits and Small businesses to get the big things right: leadership, culture and strategy. He shares the importance of company leaders knowing themselves and their own natural strengths first, and applying that knowledge to who that leader chooses tp surround him or her in order to achieve success.
Natalia Castillo’s passion for fashion began at Macy’s department store, where she worked for 10 years before leaving to start her own business. Realizing that it was important to control her own destiny, she decided to launch an apparel brand, where she could further pursue her love of fashion, travel and business. In 2009 she created Escapada Living’s first collection of vibrant, effortless apparel. Her mission is to inspire happiness in women of all ages through building a timeless, global lifestyle brand.
In the last 17 years Billy Keels has had the opportunity to work in 86 countries and learn to speak 5 languages fluently. With myriad personal growth experiences he has also developed professionally by leading multi-disciplined teams and managing businesses in the application software sector. Billy has earned his stripes as a true problem-solver, a skill he has carried into his new entrepreneurial life. He is also a long-distance real estate entrepreneur, author, coach, public speaker and mentor.
Jordan Harbinger will tell you the only reason he’s still alive and kicking is because of his ability to talk his way into (and out of) just about any situation. He has always had an affinity for social influence, interpersonal dynamics and social engineering, helping private companies test the security of their communications systems and working with law enforcement agencies before he was old enough to drive. He has spent years abroad in Europe and the developing world and speaks several languages.
Ryan Boyle is a silver medal winner of the 2018 U.S. Paralympics Cycling Team and the author of the book, When the Lights Go Out: A Boy Given a Second Chance. After suffering a traumatic brain injury as a child, and given almost no hope of recovery by his doctors, Ryan woke up after two months in a coma and began his hard battle to recovery. His goal is to become a public speaker one day, in order to help people overcome life’s obstacles.
Terri Mays is an Advanced Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) practitioner, certified Jack Canfield Methodology Success Trainer, and Radical Forgiveness Life Coach. She loves teaching students and educators how raising your emotional tone—mind state—utilizing EFT tapping, allows you to master your fears and experience new freedom and possibilities. She has been a healer and intuitive for over 30 years and is the founder and CEO of the HOPEnUp Foundation.
Dr. Gladys Ato is a former university president and clinical psychologist, speaker, and author of “The Good Goodbye: How to Navigate Change and Loss in Life, Love, and Work.” “A lot of the messages in the world talk about being fearless or just pushing fear to the side. The problem with that is we do not get a chance to understand that fear is actually a great ally for us. Trying to get rid of something that is actually very necessary for our survival will keep us getting frustrated by a pattern of fear."
From surviving cancer to making history by saving a billion dollar industry from ruin, award winning strategist and best-selling author Nicola Grace—the mission mentor—helps entrepreneurs and visionaries clarify and monetize their life’s big mission so they can make a bigger impact, transform the world and build their legacy. Nicola’s intuitive, visionary strategy skills have made her the secret weapon of politicians, business owners, social entrepreneurs and thought leaders around the world.
Dr. Brian Keating is a professor of physics at the Center for Astrophysics and Space Sciences in the Department of Physics at the University of California, San Diego. He is an inventor, author and expert in the study of the universe’s oldest light, the cosmic microwave background (CMB), using it to learn about the origin and evolution of the universe after the Big Bang. His book—Losing the Nobel Prize: A Story of Cosmology, Ambition and the Perils of Science’s Highest Honor.
Andy Molinsky, professor at Brandeis, believes stepping outside your personal and cultural comfort zone is one of the hardest things you have to do. He focuses on helping others understand the challenges and what they can do to be more successful.
Christopher D. Kolenda is an internationally renowned combat leader, strategist, author, and entrepreneur, having spent a career in the military, including being a professor at West Point, before launching his consulting business. As the founder of the Strategic Leaders Academy, he helps nonprofits and small businesses to grow sustainably by working with them to get the big things right—Leadership, culture and strategy. An Chris spent a career in the military before launching his consulting business.
Katherine Frankstone never got that Easy-Bake Oven she wanted when she was 6. Instead, her father taught her to bake in the real thing–and she got a life-long passion instead. After working as a banker, becoming a mother to three sons, cofounding EdVenture Children’s Museum in Columbia, South Carolina, and going back to law school at 40, she decided to turn her passion into a business and Grey Ghost Bakery was born using from-scratch Southern family recipes and are found in over 300 stores in 32 states.
Tim Fulton has worked with hundreds of small business owners and has coached and trained on several thousand for over 15 years. One of the things that he has found most interesting is the shared misbeliefs or the myths that many small business owners have about not only starting their enterprise, but also growing it. In this interview, he shares a good number of relevant myths and how understanding the truth can set you on the path to success in your business.
Mikael Dia is a digital marketing expert and founder of Funnelytics, a software company helping entrepreneurs and marketers convert traffic into profit. A serial entrepreneur who scaled several businesses to seven figures and beyond, he is passionate about helping entrepreneurs understand their numbers so that they can get better results from their marketing efforts.
Victoria Crandall is a firm believer that, once you finish your university studies, the years that follow are vitally important in shaping who you are as a person and figuring out what kind of life you want. She certainly has been exploring her options, moving from the U.S. to study or work in Syria, Dubai, Egypt, Morocco, and the Ivory Coast, where she has stayed since 2013. She now enjoys working with young African entrepreneurs and interviewing successful African entrepreneurs for her own podcast.
Paul Murphy shares amazing career stories and advice from 100 graduates he recently interviewed at ten years after they finished college or university. Most got into the career they choose as students, and too many of them found the jobs in their field were not what they had expected. Learn the twists and turns they took and what they recommend others do to find their way much earlier.
Dr. John Robb is transforming veterinary medicine, making the pets’ well-being the goal by bringing morality back into the profession. His organization, Protect-the-Pets, has become the leading organization that the pet-owning public recognizes as their source for trustworthy information on pet care. He lives his oath to do no harm, and other vets are standing up as well by educating the pet-owning public.
Melanie Curtis is the life coach for people who do not like life coaches. She went from investment banking to professional skydiving to life coaching, and learned a lot along the way. She now helps people overcome fear and employ courage while actually making the torture of personal growth fun and funny.
Andy Proctor, the founder of the More Happy Life online school and podcast, speaks of the Happiness Advantage: “A lot of research is coming out around the science of happiness and it shows that happiness does not just make you feel better, but it also boosts your energy, your creativity, your immune system. It improves your relationships. And it makes you more productive at work and even leads to a longer life.” Andy helps people discover their unique life mission and empowers them with online skills to share it with the world.
Rob Harsh has traveled extensively throughout the world on climbing, kayaking, mountain biking, and multisport expeditions along the way. He's climbed mountains on five continents and participated in over 50 of the world's toughest adventure racing and ultra running endurance events. He's a professional coach and expert in supporting people making positive shifts in their lives. Two years ago he was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer with a four percent chance of survival. Within a year he was cured and now gives back to others through inspiration and adventure.
Ula Tinsley is a passionate autism advocate, writer and talk show host on Autism Mama Bear Talk. She has been raising autism awareness on a local and national level since 2010, when her son was diagnosed with a regressive form of autism. She has been supporting and consulting other families living with autism. Her latest project, Autism Mama Bear Talk, is an interview show bringing informative and everyday inspiring stories from leading autism advocates, self-advocates, parents and medical experts.
Tommy Baker tells listeners: How to Reverse Engineer Your Success. He is a writer, speaker, author, and coach and host of the Resist Average Academy. After starting and running Tommy Baker Fitness, he has continued to follow his passion for learning, teaching, sharing, and experiencing. Tommy wrote "The 1% Rule," in which he outlines the process of integrating breakthroughs in our lives to allow consistent growth to achieve our dreams.
Cloris Kyle, marketing MBA, helps coaches, authors and skilled practitioners to build authority and attract the right clients to create a business that creates positive impact and growing revenue. A sought-after speaker, trainer and author, Cloris has been featured on various television and radio shows, including the number one podcast for entrepreneurs, Entrepreneur on Fire. Her motto is, "Reveal your magnificence," because she wants you to remember that your talent and ideas must be shared with the world.
Corey Poirier went to his interview in green sneakers–to match his green dress pants be bought at Value Village. On his second interview he wore purple dress shoes and purple dress pants. And they hired him anyway! Corey is a TEDx, MoMondays and PMx speaker and host of the top-rated “Conversations with PASSION” Radio Show. He is founder of The Speaking Program, a columnist with Entrepreneur and Forbes, and has been featured on CBS, CTV, NBC, and ABC. He has interviewed over 4,000 of the world’s top thought leaders.
Craig Filek developed Purpose Mapping® to bring his own life into alignment, walking away from a 7-figure business and what he thought would be his ideal life. Now, he guides high-achievers to realize their full potential by clarifying their purpose, aligning with their flow state, and making a meaningful contribution every day. Executives, entrepreneurs, investors and professionals around the world seek Craig’s guidance when making life-changing decisions.
Alison Smith is a parenting coach and consultant from Canada, a voice of reason and support for parents who question if they’re doing the right thing for their child. Founder of an online parent-learning community, co-founder of Thought Leaders in Parenting and Positive Parenting Movement, she wrote the Gentle Parenting Manifesto. Combining her background in education, psychology, and personal development, she supports parents in developing themselves while discovering strategies that fit for their family.
Court Creeden's life was forever changed after seeing the truth of the lives people are really living. Years of experience as the founder of a financial firm led him to write his book, “Blue Goat.” Now, he uses his coaching skills, background in finance, and love of personal connection to help people design a life they actually want to be living. He has been featured on The Wall Street Journal, MSN Money, Dow Jones, Time, and numerous parenting sites and other podcasts.
Lauren Robertson is a Hay House author of the bestseller, “The Medium in Manolos: A Life-Affirming Guide to Modern Mediumship,” which helps readers overcome the fear of death in all its forms, and brings Spirit communication for millennial spiritual seekers. She has toured the world speaking as a medium and a coach. She educates female entrepreneurs and coaches to become amazing speakers, and to elegantly sell their products and services from the stage, while changing lives in the process.
Mary Shores is a best-selling Hay House personal development author, and a businesswoman who discovered a roadmap for how to get in control of your own life. As the owner and CEO of what has been called one of the most unique collection agencies in the country, her philosophy of maintaining a positive approach to life and to debt collection has re-framed her entire organization and the lives of those she has trained.
Cedric Bertelli is an expert in emotional regulation. He is the first and only person certified to teach the revolutionary emotional healing technique—Tipi –in the United States. Tipi uses the body's sensory memory to permanently heal deeply rooted traumas and emotional conditions such as depression, PTSD, anxiety, anger, and grief. He comes to this work from a distinguished, high stress career in cuisine and hospitality with Ritz-Carlton in the U.S. and Europe.
Austin Belcak is the founder of Cultivated Culture where he helps people leverage unconventional strategies to land jobs they love without connections, without "traditional" experience, and without applying online. His strategies have been featured in places like Forbes, Business Insider and Fast Company and he has helped people get hired at Google, Apple, Amazon, Facebook, Microsoft and many more.
Dr. Ann Kulze is a one-of-a-kind real-world nutrition and wellness expert. With a degree in food science and human nutrition, she earned her medical degree from the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), where she graduated as valedictorian. Founder and CEO of Just Wellness, LLC, she's the author of six books, including her best-selling Eat Right for Life series. Featured on the Dr. Oz Show, Oprah and Time Magazine. She lives the wellness she teaches with her family in Charleston, South Carolina.
Craig Speck's books, the “How To Learn Not To Crash and Burn” series, teach travel group decision makers how to travel safer, avoid scams, crashes and lawsuits, and gain absolute confidence in one of the most dangerous activities they will ever engage in. That would be defined as arranging, negotiating, and hiring ground transportation for their traveling group and then getting in those vehicles and driving down the road. He is a featured author in “Conversations with Elite Business Leaders.”
Dr. Terry McCoskey, a chiropractor, and Lisa McCoskey, a nutritional consultant, toxin-free lifestyle coach, team up to help patients learn how to use their health to build a better life, starting by learning how to let patients’ bodies heal themselves. Their complementary approach starts by using state-of-the-art tools to measure structural and neurological imbalance. Then, they guide patients toward health through healthy food and lifestyle choices. Their advice: start where you, but start.
Rohan Kale is a video specialist born in India. An IT job left him frustrated with life, landing him in the world of gambling, losing all his savings. Then, he took his last gamble—an education loan. He went to Germany, earned an MBA and landed a job in a top automotive company. He paid his debt within 2 years. It was his love for storytelling and cartoons that inspired him to start an animation company. Now he helps businesses all over the world with his Behavioral Lead Journey system and a team of 15 people.
Bea Wray has dazzled audiences for 20 years speaking on entrepreneurship, leadership, and women in business. At 27, she was CEO of a $5M Silicon Valley company, and launched several others. She recently wrote, What Harvard Taught Me But My Children Made Me Learn, drawing from her six years off on a resort island to focus on raising her three children. She holds an MBA with distinction from Harvard Business School and graduated summa cum laude from Emory University. She serves as a founder, mentor, investor, and board member to several companies. She's also served as the executive director of the entrepreneurial non-profit, The Creative Coast, and was the Chair of the ForbesBooks Entrepreneurship Practice Group.
Chad Free is an entrepreneur who took two companies to a seven-figure market. He's the owner of The Free Group, LLC, and author of “Wake Up Your Retirement: A Guide to Make Your Financial Dreams a Reality. As a wealth strategist, he provides strategies that focus on the client's concerns about increasing taxes, market volatility and out- living their money. He understands the burden and pressure that come from handling finances. to give individuals hope and confidence that they can increase their wealth.
Bernie Swain had started his dream job as athletic director at a major university, when he and his wife discovered a major opportunity in an entirely new field. His wife convinced him to quit his dream job and start a lecture agency, with their headquarters being a friend’s large office closet. Nine years later their Washington Speakers Bureau lecture agency became the largest in the world.
Jen Lumanlan never thought she’d be a parent, but she is one now—by choice, not by accident. When she realized she had no parenting intuition, but great research skills, she decided to get a Master’s in Child Development to figure out how to be the kind of parent she wanted to be. She realized others were hungry for this information and started Your Parenting Mojo podcast to share it with others. Earning a Master’s in Education, she is creating online courses to help parents support their child’s learning.
Rosanne Lindsay is an N.D, a naturopathic doctor, writer, health freedom activist and author of the book, “The Nature of Healing: Heal the Body, Heal the Planet.” She came to healing through her own journey of reversing profound hypothyroidism naturally, from which she discovered her gifts as a healer. Her mission is to guide others on their journey to heal themselves. She has a new book, “Free Your Voice, Heal Your Thyroid: Reverse Thyroid Disease Naturally.”
Gordon Huether is a public artist who has created diverse art installations throughout the world. He has completed more than 250 art commissions during his career of 30+ years. His work has been exhibited at museums and galleries, and is in private collections throughout the United States and Europe. His highly skilled team of administrators, fabricators and technicians collaborates from initial design through final installation. Gordon Huether Studio is located in a 15,000 square foot facility in Napa, CA.
Maura Sweeney was being groomed for a law career she never wanted. She made a choice to grow up happy and free. She left law school mid-stream, and pioneered her own path, pulling from her earliest desires to publish ideas and focus on inclusive leadership. After time as a corporate manager, a home schooling mom, and eclectic life experiences, she launched her ultimate vocation, which included living happy from the inside out.
Minal Joshi Jaeckli tackles the challenge: How To Hire For Optimal Engagement. She’s the founder and CEO of Open Elevator, a data-driven platform for hiring for engagement to increase profitability and growth for companies and deliver job satisfaction and a sense of contribution for employees. Minal’s mission is to arm companies with an easy tool for hiring for engagement, so they benefit from the powerful impact of engagement on their company’s results and employee’s quality of life.
Doberman Dan Gallapoo is a 30-year serial entrepreneur and direct response copywriter. He has worked in a variety of niches, but his specialty has been the health, fitness and bodybuilding markets. He's started four of his own nutritional supplement businesses and sold three of them. Publishing The Doberman Dan Letter since 2011, his subscribers include many influential marketers. He's also written successful ads, direct mail packages, websites, e-mail marketing campaigns and feature articles.
Dr. Hayley R. Adams has over 20 years of experience in wildlife veterinary medicine, conservation, and issues related to One Health in Africa, and has worked with a variety of domestic and wild animals over the years. In 2010, she created a charitable organization, Silent Heroes Foundation, as a way to contribute to conservation in Africa. A veterinarian with a Ph.D. in wildlife epidemiology and virology, she currently teaches conservation medicine and related courses at the University of Florida. She's a Certified Meditation Instructor and is also certified as a Compassion Fatigue Therapist. Her first book, “Conscious Conservation: Less Doing, More Being,” is available now.
Karla Nelson has built several businesses since her early 20s and learned that in business and in life relationships are everything. Now, she’s put it all in a form that's easy to learn and apply. Karla and her team have trained the Who-Do Method to 20-plus of the Fortune 100, and hundreds of mid-market companies and startups. Typically, companies cut 50 to 80 percent off cycle time and produce better results, with happier people.
Nigel Green builds businesses. He was aware at a young age that if he did what he was told, “go get a good job,” he would end up lacking a sense of independence and autonomy, not really having a sense of fulfillment. So, he made his own path. He currently is on the executive team of Relode, an aggressively growing healthcare staffing platform and is the CEO of Find Evergreen, which helps companies create an effective, efficient sales organization.
Dr. Cilla Whatcott is a board certified classical homeopath. Author of “There is a Choice: Homeoprophylaxis,” and co-author of “The Solution: Homeoprophylaxis,” she’s undertaking evidence-based research in the field as executive director of WorldwideChoice.org. She is the producer and director of “Real Immunity,” a film about the intelligence of life and how we can overcome fear and access the resources we need to build real immunity.
Cindra Kamphoff, Ph.D., is a certified mental performance consultant, keynote speaker and author who works with professional athletes, executives and championship teams around the United States. She is the author of “Beyond Grit: 10 Powerful Practices to Gain the High-Performance Edge.” Her work has been featured in Sports Illustrated, the New York Times, ESPN magazine, USA Today and Runner's World. She has run 15 marathons, including the Boston Marathon five times. In 2012, she won the Omaha Marathon.
Tanya Conner-Green was in her mid-20s, already bringing her company more business than any other employee. One day, just before she was to give a big presentation, the CEO called her into his office and told her she had brought in too much business–and was making her senior co-workers look bad. That was the final straw. She has been coaching female entrepreneurs since 2015 and is keenly aware of how important it is for her clients to succeed in their business and not go back to a soul-sucking 9 to 5 job.
Tony Gnau knew his passion for storytelling early on. Journalism school, and probably sports writing, would be his path. Along the way, he learned the importance of life experience in focusing and fine-tuning a passion. A three-time Emmy-winning journalist with a career spanning 20 years, he founded T60 Productions and is its chief storytelling officer. The video production company has won 13 Telly Awards for its work.
Colby B. Jubenville, PhD, is a speaker, professor, business advisor, entrepreneur and author of Me: “How To Sell Who You Are,” “What You Do & Why You Matter to the World,” and “Zebras & Cheetahs: Look Different and Stay Agile to Survive the Business Jungle,”
which teaches how to compete on unique value, resulting in getting paid for the value you deliver you deliver.
Minal Joshi Jaeckli brings her heritage. as the third consecutive generation to be a first-generation immigrant, to her passion for engagement and finding just the right fit. She sees careers—and all of life—from myriad perspectives. She’s the founder and CEO of OpenElevator, a data-driven platform for hiring for engagement to increase profitability and growth for companies and deliver job satisfaction and a sense of contribution for employees.
Tom Rubens was fearless, constantly getting into fights with classmates and always fighting authority. That’s why a job on the Options Exchange in Chicago appealed to him: tons of action, screaming, and jumping. But what he needed was to be his own boss. After over 40 years of owning and operating his own businesses, Tom is keenly aware of challenges small business owners face. His coaching practice, The Accountability Factor, helps them increase revenue, manage relationships and live harmonious lives.
Jeff Sandefer is an entrepreneur and socratic teacher. He started his first company at 16, and his latest venture grew to several billion dollars in assets. The Economist magazine named him one of the world’s top 15 business school professors. Now, he’s a full-time teacher at Acton Academy, a cutting-edge K-12 school whose one-room school house for the 21-century model is spreading across the globe, with over 80 affiliates and over 8,000 applications from parent entrepreneurs who want to launch a school.
Mindy Tatz Chernoff was in her early 30s. Her children were in school all day, and she realized something important was missing in her life. She loved her children dearly, but she needed more. The ache of wanting to make a difference brought her back to her first love. From her horse farm outside Philadelphia, she facilitates workshops, retreats, one-on-one sessions, and the ever-popular horse circles. She has a dual masters in holistic spirituality and spiritual direction.
Brannon Beliso rebelled against his father by intentionally losing 17 martial arts matches in a row. He wanted to pursue his creativity. A hard punch in the face turned him around. Playing the hand life dealt him, he became a champion, first in martials arts, then in creating a life he wanted. He is dedicated to helping people live their best lives by helping them and businesses reach their full potential. He teaches leadership by example, by always being a student and never considering himself a master.
Catherine Rains is an MBTI certification trainer—the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator—and master practitioner, with over 25 years of organizational development experience using the personality tool to support individuals and raise their self-awareness about what comes easy and natural to them. She currently works as a private consultant, certifying individuals on the Myers-Briggs and the Strong Interest Inventory across the U.S., while also pursuing her passion for art, managing a thriving art business.
Suzelle returned to London from Texas at 26. She had turned down a position teaching dance because she thought she was getting old and needed to focus on her own dance career. Little did she know, one day she’d still be dancing at 77 years young Today she is a professional ballet soloist of classical Ballet. Since 2003, she has taught and performed for the Royale Ballet Dance Academy in Dallas, and taught for nine years the advanced children Divertissements for the Moscow Ballet Nutcracker.
Bryan was recruited for a challenging job where he solved problems all day. Suddenly, he had to solve one at home that he could not face. After a few attempts at false bravado and denial, he saw the fear in his little boy’s face. That is when he realized he had a crucial decision to make. Today, he’s a life and executive coach, public speaker, C-level executive, and the best-selling author of “Do A Day” in which he teaches how to overcome challenges and achieve goals.
Pamela Gold founded West Village Parents and tapped her passion for fitness and wellness by founding Fulfill Fitness before returning to the business world to run a behavioral therapy-based food and weight center. She is also the author of Find More Strength: 5 Pillars to Unlock Unlimited Power and Happiness, a guide to developing the inner strength to achieve our greatest outward potential through mind, body and spirit.
Cindra Kamphoff, PhD, is a certified mental performance consultant, keynote speaker and author who works with professional athletes, executives and championship teams around the United States. She is the author of “Beyond Grit: 10 Powerful Practices to Gain the High-Performance Edge.” Her work has been featured in Sports Illustrated, the New York Times, ESPN magazine, USA Today and Runner's World. She has run 15 marathons, including the Boston Marathon five times. In 2012, she won the Omaha Marathon.
Joe Fingerhut knew that connecting with an audience got his juices going. Just as strongly, he knew life is short. The 9-to-5 job was not in his DNA. He craved work that would be fun and exciting, but he did not know what that magic combination would look like. Now, as an author and international speaker, he regularly rocks audiences at leadership events and high schools in America and overseas, sharing lessons from his adventures in travel, language, and stage skills in magic and music.
Kamila Gornia, as a young girl in Poland, was into Japanese comics and art class. When she discovered the internet, she knew she wanted to put her creativity there. Exactly how she would do that, make money, and enjoy her work was the challenge. As founder of the Heart Behind Hustle® brand, she is a business and marketing strategist for coaches and experts who want to increase scalable offers, while having fun. She also is offering coaching and e-courses to grow small businesses’ fans, followers and funds.
Ron Carucci is co-founder and managing partner at Navalent, working with CEOs and executives pursuing transformational change for their organizations. He has a 30-year track record helping some of the world's most influential executives tackle challenges of strategy, organization and leadership. He's is a regular contributor to HBR and Forbes, and has been featured in Fortune, CEO Magazine, BusinessInsider, and many others.
Dr. Jeffrey L. Gurian knew at age 12 he wanted to be a healer, probably a dentist. At the same time, he already loved writing comedy. He asked himself, how could he possibly do both? Who ever heard of a comic dentist? After a successful career as a cosmetic dentist and clinical professor at NYU—doing comedy on the side— he practices spiritual healing and energy work. A nationally known comedy writer, comic, and author, he has written for stars like Rodney Dangerfield, Joan Rivers, and Jerry Lewis.
Christie Garcia had a great career, but she noticed how many of her clients put all their eggs in the career basket. She saw the same tendency in herself and decided to find ways to create a life of balance, both for herself and her clients. As a leadership coach and founder of Mindful Choice Coaching, she helps fast growing companies maximize the impact of their management teams. Her latest project is programs, masterminds and adventure retreats to help men step up their leadership, improve their relationships and live a more successful life.
Chris Butsch is a best-selling author, speaker, consultant, and globally-recognized authority on the Millennial generation. Known for his storytelling ability, high-energy stage presence, and immediately-actionable advice, he helps business leaders understand his generation and maximize the world's most unique generation. “I'm all about arming the generations—Millennials and Baby Boomers—with the tools and the information they need to solve their biggest problems working together.”
John Lee Dumas was succeeding in real estate in southern California, hustling and creating a profitable system. Spending so much time in his car, he quickly got tired of listening to talk radio. That’s when switched on iTunes and discovered the opportunity of a lifetime. He founded and hosted Entrepreneurs On Fire, an award-winning podcast featuring over 2000 interviews, 1.3 million monthly listens and annual revenues of over seven figures. He says he is just getting started on his entrepreneurial journey.
Cindra Kamphoff had just reached a personal best in the 2013 Boston Marathon. Exhausted but feeling on top of the world, she walked slowily back to her hotel. Suddenly her mind began racing as she started asking core questions about her life focus. As a mental performance consultant, popular keynote speaker and author, she works with professional athletes, executives and championship teams around the nation. She is the author of “Beyond Grit: Ten Powerful Practices to Gain the High Performance Edge.”
Paula Brown Stafford and Lisa T. Grimes are two former competitors who discovered how well they complement each other. In a dual guest interview, they explain how women can support each other in the workplace rather than competing. Fierce competitors 20 years ago, Paula and Lisa eventually formed a friendship and now, as a team, speak to corporations and women’s groups on a number of topics including Complementing Beats Competing and The Juggling Act.
When Clayton Morris left Fox and Friends Weekend, everyone thought he was nuts. Leaving one of the best broadcast jobs in the industry, when he had the number one cable news show? But he realized it was mostly fear and ego that was keeping him there. He achieved financial freedom through his real estate company, Morris Invest and now devotes himself to helping others buy their first rental property and build passive income to achieve their own financial freedom.
Stephynie Malik has been 100 percent self-reliant since she was in her mid-teens when she became legally emancipated. Looking back at her dynamic career accomplishments and life choices, she finds her teenage decisions explain a lot. From entry-level sales fresh out of college to one of the youngest directors in Silicon Valley at a company now publicly held, to the CEO of a 500+ person software integrator at the age of 28, Stephynie has amassed tremendous experience and a track record of success.
John Vespasian is the author of nine books about rational living. He has turned his international background and his personal interest in history into a breed of personal-development books that emphasize rationality, resilience, and learning from real-life examples. His latest books are On Becoming Unbreakable, Thriving in Difficult Times, and Sequentiality: The Amazing Power of Finding the Right Sequence of Steps, which came out in 2017.
Amber Baker saw the early signs of what she would like to do in her future through being in a peer counseling leadership group as a teen. But when she found herself writing a fan email to a neuroscience textbook author, she knew she was crazy for psychology. A clinical psychologist today in private practice and the host of the Go Friend Your Self podcast, her goal is to help people improve their relationship with themselves, investing energy in being their own best friend instead of worst critic.
Richard Maddox was working 16-hour days–often seven days a week– marketing Silicon Valley start-ups. But through it all he did one thing consistently every day since 1975, which gave him a story to tell hard-charging Westerners about finding enlightenment. His 9-part novel, “Remembering Eternity” and “The Whisper of a Saint” are double international Amazon bestselling enlightenment novels.
Greg Centineo has followed the entrepreneurial path for three decades, mastering the art and psychology of what moves people to believe in an idea, invest in it and commit their time and energy to help create the idea. His ground-breaking animation project, “Legends of Oz, Dorothy Returns,” illustrated his skills to raise $122 million through 1,300 investors in the midst of a recession, and to engage thousands of people to believe in and invest their energy in creating the dream.
Laura Sandefer had no plans to start a school, much less turn education on its head. But as she looks back, she has vivid memories of a pre-dawn chat with her father on the morning she left for college. His advice, “Be curious,” has become a consistent thread in her life’s journey. As co-founder of Acton Academy, her school has sparked a global awakening in education. Her book, "Courage to Grow,” documents the journey to pursue the big questions around learning and unleashing human potential.
Jake Carlson was in a career that was mostly satisfying. When his tightly scheduled life made him miss his daughter’s gymnastic tournament, he realized he and his career were not in sync. After 11 years as a tax attorney, he took his three kids out of school for the adventure of a lifetime. They spent a year living in 12 countries. What he had not expected was to observe the need for strong leadership everywhere he went.
Joel Solomon believes that although financial success and power can have great value, it is most important to learn to be successful as human beings. Solomon chairs Renewal Funds, a $98 million mission venture capital firm, delivering above market returns while catalyzing positive social and environmental change. He is also the author of the book, “The Clean Money Revolution: Reinventing Power, Purpose, and Capitalism.”
Emily Pereira played by the rules, giving her highly competitive job 110%. She had proven to others that she could excel in whatever she put her mind to. But when a personal crisis began to crush her, she needed a more radical way to be responsible for herself. A women’s love coach, yoga teacher and international retreat leader, she lives at the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica with her beloved and baby girl. Together they are building the Spirit Nature Retreat and Wellness Center.
Arnie Herz knew he was heading to law school, but he took an indirect path that surprised everyone. A brush with his own mortality in college turned his life upside down and sent him on a global search for meaning that changed everything. As a lawyer, mediator and speaker, he often speaks on negotiation, conflict resolution, work-life balance and the attorney-client relationship. Covered in numerous publications, Arnie has received a host of acknowledgements and awards from his colleagues.
Dustin Peterson is the author of "RESET: How to Get Paid and Love What You Do," founder and CEO at Proof Leadership Group, and a career coach. After working an unfulfilling job in public relations, he set out to find his passion and live it, learning along the way the steps to identify purpose and articulate talents. He now dedicates his time to helping others discover their best-fit career.
Julie Young was implementing a half-million-dollar technology program in her school, and loving it. Then, her husband got a promotion and transfer. Starting over in a bare-bones country school, she asked for a computer, a decision she never regretted. Today, she is a leading voice for revolutionizing K-12 online education on the global stage. She is deputy vice-president of education outreach and student services for Arizona State University, and the CEO of ASU Prep Digital High School.
David demonstrated his talent again and again in challenging sales and sales management jobs. But as much as he loved sales, he finally admitted to himself he was not very good at working for others. So, he quit–with no plan whatsoever on what to do next.
As a speaker, coach and best-selling author, he builds on 20 years’ experience as an entrepreneur and sales professional to combine nuanced strategy and real-world tactics. His goal: to help professionals become more effective, efficient, and happy.
Cindy Ashton is CEO of Speaker Stardom Booking Agency, an elite-level presentation strategist, speaker, singer, and national TV host of Cindy Uncorked! She’s an authority on presentation, voice, body language, delivery, and leadership presence. Canadian-born, Cindy lives in the USA, with a green card for a person of “extraordinary ability.” In the top 1% in her field of training, speaking, and performing, she has received awards from former President Obama and Queen Elizabeth II.
Catherine Rains realized, after a particularly overwhelming day at work, she must find a new way to relieve stress. She was convinced she did not have an artistic bone in her body, but she decided to take on collage as a hobby. “Who can't rip up paper and put it back together!” In 2015, Catherine decided to integrate her job with her art and set up an art studio in every hotel where her job took her, and created a ton of art as she traveled. In January 2018, she returned full time to her greatest passion—ART.
Tony Guerra struggled to pay attention in school. His test scores were high, but his grades lagged behind. He felt misunderstood. Understanding those feelings from his youth was a prescription for being happy in his job today as a community college professor of pharmacology and chemistry. He’s also a pharmacist, entrepreneur, host of the Pharmacy Leaders Podcast and father of triplet 6-year-old girls. His book, “Memorizing Pharmacology: A Relaxed Approach,” has sold over 10,000 copies on Audible.com.
Dr. Diane Hamilton is a certified emotional intelligence and Myers Briggs instructor and the author of several books including “It’s Not You, It’s Your Personality.” The former MBA Program Chair at Forbes School of Business, she has taught more than 1,000 business courses. Top companies, including Forbes, have hired her to speak to improve employee relationships, increase engagement, improve productivity, and reduce conflict.
Josh Haynam was creating websites with a friend in college–an easy way to make some money. Clients often had random requests like, could you make a quiz about what kind of salesperson you are? There was nothing he liked better than an interesting problem. That led to him co-founding and self-funding Interact, a quiz software used by 40,000 brands including The American Red Cross, Forbes, and Home Depot. Interact is one of the fastest-growing marketing software firms in the world.
Aimee Teesdale was pursuing her new career in psychology, when she began to feel trapped by the expectations of others. She needed to experience life on her own terms. She needed to break free! By following one of her hobbies fulltime, she began a transformational journey of personal growth. Today, she is a successful transformational life and mindset coach, using her education and experience in psychology and personal development to help people committed to significantly changing parts of their lives.
Caroline Stokes founded The Emotionally Intelligent Recruiter training platform and podcast to help recruiters, leaders who hire, and HR execs adapt their human strategies to the age of artificial intelligence (AI). She’s an executive headhunter, certified executive coach, and EQ.2.0 trainer serving leaders in global technology and entertainment innovation. Her clients have included Microsoft, Disney, Amazon and Google. Widely published, she blogs for The Huffington Post, Thrive Global, LinkedIn and Medium.
Justin Devonshire was full of confidence as he left Wales to begin a new life in Cyprus. He thought, “I'm such an experienced marshal arts trainer, people will just throw their credit cards at me.” But that is not how things turned out at all. He has since consulted some of the top names in coaching on how to attract consistent leads, widen profits and scale a business quickly. Today he helps coaches, consultants and professionals to create businesses that provide freedom and scalability.
Milana Perepyolkina arrived in the U.S. and was absolutely delighted. She decided to become 100 percent Western, leaving behind her Romani culture and spirituality. For years, it worked very well. Then, a sudden accident thrust her onto a different path. Reconnecting with the energetic world she’d glimpsed in her past allowed her to heal and live a happy, fulfilled life. She saw that the simplest techniques could transform the lives of others. She wrote Gypsy Energy Secrets to share her valuable knowledge.
Holly Worton helps women entrepreneurs dissolve their visibility blocks and limiting beliefs about money and success so they can take easy, inspired action and grow their business to new heights. Using a unique process called Heart-Centered Energy Work®, and drawing on her 18+ years of business experience, she is able to quickly cut through the noise and go straight to the heart of feelings of being stuck or overwhelmed, frustration, doubt, and whatever comes up when business is not going as well as you would like.
Patrick Ney is a British film maker and storyteller living in Warsaw, Poland. His provocative and inspiring social media movies drew more than 25 million views in the past year alone. Driven by a passion for his adopted land, Patrick is on a one-man mission to bring the tragic, heroic story of Poland's history to the wider world through viral online videos. In his day job, he's director at the digital marketing agency, James Cook Media, building end-to-end digital sales and marketing systems for global clients.
Dana Pharant was at a low point, announcing a fire sale: “Who wants to buy a million-dollar company for $15,000?” Two buyers came forware but bailed at the last minute. The third offer made her angry. But it opened her eyes, unexpectedly, to the perfect way out. She is now a master healer and life strategist. Formerly she was a dominatrix and past CEO of a 7-figure business. She helps people get out of their own way and live—with no excuses, no apologies—their most powerful, connected and fun-filled lives.
Chris Salem has a passion for empowering people to take their business and life to another level by operating in the solution rather than the problem. “The impact of mindfulness, practiced daily, can be profound in its effects on your life and business. You'll be able to see things more clearly, be more decisive, and be able to follow through with action.” He is an author, including a book he co-authored with Jack Canfield, and is host of a weekly radio show, Sustainable Success.
Shane and his wife thought they had grasped how to sell digital products online, but the first months went by and nothing was selling. Then, it hit them: start with what you know, and match it with what you know people need. And be prepared to work hard. Soon, their sales were replacing their salaries. They went on to quit their full-time teaching jobs, make millions online and build the life of their dreams. Now, they’re helping others control their own destiny through faith and hard work.
Cindy Ashton learned as a little girl that the cards were stacked against her. Casts on her legs, scars and pain drove home the point. But somewhere inside, she knew one day the world would hear her roar. After over 20 years as a singer and entertainer, she’s now the TV host of Cindy Uncorked on e360tv, syndicated worldwide on 186 million screens.
Maddy Niebauer, founder and CEO of vChief, helps overwhelmed leaders spend time where they can have the most impact. Her virtual chief of staff service supports leaders from all sectors who are looking for high-level strategic support on a part-time basis. Maddy became an expert in the chief of staff role in her five years as a chief of staff at Teach for America, and has used this expertise to build a network of talented chiefs of staff who work with vChief clients.
Christine McAlister was living a life of joy, success and service. Awaiting the birth of her first child, she suffered the kind of devastating blow psychiatrists rank among the worst. Gradually, she found and harnessed a fierceness she’d never known. Her company, Life With Passion, helps women start and grow online businesses out of their passions, to do the work they were created to do, replace their incomes and quit or stay out of 9-to-5 for good. She’s also been a professor and career counselor.
Ray Matz learned to be quick on his feet as a street kid in Philly. As the 2008 real estate collapse approached, he knew how to change his playing field and follow his passion. Instead of running from challenges, he figured out how to skate right through. Dedicated to motivating and encouraging husbands and fathers to lead, love, and live, Ray is pursuing his passion of coaching and developing mastermind groups. He also is the author of the book, “Game Changing Dads: Get Off The Bench and Into The Game!”
Thomas Blackwell travels the world as a high demand speaker, inspiring people to become their best. He has given more than 1,000 talks and presentations to corporations, executives, entrepreneurs, sales teams, athletes, and students. He has owned and operated a successful seven-figure insurance agency with over 100 agents in three different locations. In today’s interview, he shares from his recent book, “The Liberty of Our Language Revealed: We Bring About What We Talk About.”
Regan Hillyer invested thousands of dollars in personal growth seminars, diligently applying what she learned. But change just was not happening. When her mentor asked her, “What are you doing to rewire yourself to succeed,” she found herself staring back at him blankly. Today, as founder of Regan Hillyer International, she is dedicated to helping experts uncover their true message and launch powerful personal brands, to make a big impact and build a legacy.
Jesse Cole brought a new college summer baseball franchise to Savannah with high hopes. But people stayed away in droves. In a city with a pro ball team for 90-plus years, he had to do something very different—something bananas—to get their attention. Today, as the P.T. Barnum of Baseball, he has been a performer and showman for the past decade. His Fans First Entertainment owns and operates the Gastonia Grizzlies and Savannah Bananas. His teams have welcomed more than a million fans to their ballparks.
Andy Molinsky, professor of international management and psychology at Brandeis University and author, knows that stepping outside of one’s comfort zone, both personally and culturally, is one of the hardest things people have to do. “But, you are probably going to have to step outside your comfort zone if you want to grow, learn, develop—to achieve your goals.” That is what his work is about: helping people understand the challenges, what holds them back, how they might be avoiding it, and what they can do to be more successful.
Amel headed to a meeting on her university campus in Lyon, France, to start brushing up on her English-speaking skills. She soon realized she had stumbled into a meeting for recruiting students to sell encyclopedias in the U.S. Was this the “something exciting” she had been looking for? Today, Amel is a business and marketing coach, a speaker and the founder of Tandem Nomads, a podcast show and entrepreneurship platform designed to empower expat partners and help global nomads turn their career challenges into successful portable businesses.
Thomas Dixon lost most of his abilities to remember his own life because of a car injury. Rather than accept suffering, he decided there had to be a digital solution to his loss. He envisioned an artificial mobile memory app and enlisted technical help to build it. “ME.mory” now provides him and an increasing number of users around the world with rapidly-searchable, artificial memories.
Scott Alan Turner went from being a money moron at 22 to self-made millionaire 13 years later. An early retiree, he has been debt-free since 2009. He now helps others become financial rock stars through his best-selling book, talk radio show and podcast. He's been quoted in Forbes, Money Magazine, US News & World Report and more. His books are “99-Minute Millionaire” and “Money A to Z for Children.”
Pamela Gold is a Yale University graduate, so she knows her way around books and learning. But it was a book that literally fell at her feet off a bookstore shelf that set her on a different path in life, a Path With Heart. In her current life's work, she teaches inner peace as the key to our greatest evolution and ultimately, world peace. She founded Gold Evolution and released her first book, “Find More Strength: 5 Pillars to Unlock Unlimited Power and Happiness” in 2017.
Henare Hona O’Brien was at a turning point and decided to attend a personal growth seminar. The speaker was dynamic, caring, inspirational and happy. It was clear he had achieved success, yet he was still helping people. Henare said to himself, “OK, that's my next step!” Today, he’s an intuitive coach, spiritual teacher and breakthrough trainer. He and his wife, Kate, are a top transformational couple. They produce the world’s biggest personal development summit with today’s leading thought leaders.
Jeffrey Shaw says a keen eye is not just for what one sees. It’s also for what one senses. A sought-after portrait photographer for 30+ years, he uses his honed intuition to teach entrepreneurs how to attract their ideal customers by speaking their Secret Language. He hosts the popular business podcast Creative Warriors, is a business coach for entrepreneurs, and author of the book, “LINGO: Discover Your Ideal Customer’s Secret Language and Make Your Business Irresistible.”
Katie Cline never saw herself as an entrepreneur. But when the real estate bubble burst, right after she finished her MBA, she learned from personal experience how to spot a need and fill it. And she learned how to live out her values with each new successful venture. She began her career at Lockheed Martin Aerospace in communications and business development, and then in project management overseeing $15-million projects. An embryo donor, she co-created Prebornkids.com, matching donors to adoptive parents.
Simon Crowe had an early academic career that was anything but stellar. One Headmaster said he was “a bit of a waste of space.” But when an admissions counselor saw his potential, it was absolutely fundamental to how his life shaped up after that. Seeing potential in others is the driving force of his life today. Has been taking leaders on life-changing adventures into their heart and soul for nearly 15 years, helping them connect with their deepest purpose. Today he is building a school in West Africa.
Derek Champagne is founder and CEO of a full-service marketing agency The Artist Evolution and author of the bestselling book, “Don’t Buy a Duck.” Through his work, he has reviewed more than 1,000 brand audits and identified five commonalities found anything from start-ups to household brands. Any one of the five can lead to bad business decisions, but when solved, lead to meaningful traction and growth. The good news is they are easy to fix, if you know how.
Emma Nichols bought a medical dictionary with her own money as a teenager in London. “I don’t know where that idea came from. There were no doctors in my family. Back then, I didn’t even know medical writing was a thing.” She also knew she wasn’t somebody who could be told what to do. “That’s a trait that has stuck with me, probably to my advantage.” Dr. Nichols has worked in medical writing and communications for 16 years since graduating with a Ph.D. in Nutrition and Health Sciences from Emory University in Atlanta, GA
Bernie Swain had started his dream job as athletic director at a major university, when he and his wife discovered a major opportunity in an entirely new field. His wife convinced him to quit his dream job and start a lecture agency, with their headquarters being a friend’s large office closet. Nine years later The Washington Speakers Bureau lecture agency became the largest in the world.
Mark Villareal is an International best-selling author, public speaker, business coach and expert guest on talk shows. He mentors clients through professional development plans and focused coaching. He's recently launched Speaker Stardom, which books qualified elite speakers for speaking engagements. Their membership program provides tools and resources to help speakers hone their craft and skills.
Elinor Stutz heard all the reasons other girls hear about why they couldn’t do this or why it was dangerous for girls to do that. Early in life, she decided her best reply would be, “It doesn’t have to be like that!” Her achievements through ignoring negativity include writing her international best-selling book, “Nice Girls DO Get the Sale: Relationship Building that Gets Results.”
Ryan Stewman had served his time for a state crime in the 1990, and was succeeding on the straight and narrow. Or so he thought. Unbeknownst to him, a new federal law would ensnare him and pull him off course. Today, his Hardcore Closer and Break Free Academy help Type-A business owners rapidly grow their sales through strong marketing and advertising. His no BS, ‘take action’ approach helps high income and high net worth performers make changes that unleash windfall profits for their businesses.
Teresa McCloy, a REALIFE™ speaker and coach, partners with clients to help them stop being productive and start doing what matters most to them. A recovering workaholic who was addicted to all the latest apps, software, and bestselling books on productivity, she's now passionate about helping business leaders and entrepreneurs assess their habits and execute a REALIFE™ process to take their everyday, ordinary life to something extraordinary.
Naomi Hattaway knew about being an outsider. As a home-schooled child of a bi-racial couple—before it was socially acceptable—she had to learn how to make connections, form communities and discover the unique gifts and talents she could offer. She founded I Am a Triangle, an online community with thousands of globally located members with one thing in common: they've lived around the world away from their passport countries. There are currently in-person gatherings in over 80 cities around the globe.
Michael McDonnell surprised everyone with his love of sports and active life, despite a disabling condition. “My parents saw that I was going to try everything.” At 16, a coach offered him an opportunity to coach tennisthat made perfect sense. “It was an easy choice for me to take that road.” Still a young man, he has gone from managing cystic fibrosis and diabetes to using the lessons learned to help people with their mindset and strategies to leave their job and run their own businesses full-time.
Mark Villareal tells us “the lessons we learn growing up relate to us in adulthood and can be correlated to being a leader in business,” as he talks about “Leadership Lessons from Mom.” For 35-plus years he has been building teams within organizations, establishing the right culture and leadership for long term success.
Joel Solomon grew up in a family devoted to making the world better, but it was at his dying father’s side that Joel made a crucial first step onto his own pathway toward a life that matters to future generations. Author of “The Clean Money Revolution: Reinventing Power, Purpose, and Capitalism,” chairs Renewal Funds, a $98-million mission venture capital firm that invests in early growth-stage companies, delivering above market returns while catalyzing positive social and environmental change.
Kristen Ivy was a good student, but when her grades dropped, a teacher looked her in the eye and asked “Are you okay?” It was the first time someone was really seeing her. That instilled in her the need to see the whole person at any given moment. As executive director of messaging at Orange and the director of The Phase Project, and using child development research, she educates parents and equips them with immediately applicable, easy ways to connect with their kids, based on age and developmental phase.
Mali Phonpadith’s father escaped a re-education camp and her family fled war-torn Laos. Arriving in the U.S. at age five, she learned English from watching the TV show Sesame Street. Later, her teacher said Mali’s journal showed she was a poet even though she did not know what poetry was. Her writing formed the nucleus of a project she named SOAR—See, Own, Articulate and Release—a process to help people uncover their greatest gifts and talents. SOAR now includes a community support network, a podcast and more.
Phil Randazzo applied for a commission-only job selling fire extinguishers. The interviewer asked him the last personal development book he’d read. When he couldn’t think of one, the man threw a Jim Rohn cassette at him and said, “Get out of my office and don’t come back until you learn to work on yourself!” Years later, he owns Text Safe Teens, an app to prevent people from using cell phones while driving. His online, nonprofit American Dream U helps transitioning military find their dream job or start a business.
Steve Lawton, after careening headlong into a tree at 45 miles per hour and suffering a major brain injury, believes every interaction with another person is a bonus that might never have happened. He credits his positive attitude with literally saving his life. He is the author of “Head First! A Crash Course in Positivity,” and is his role at Dell, he helps co-workers learn to harness their own power of intention and positive thinking to change the direction of their lives.
Anna Cragin was halfway to her Ph.D. in Cognitive Neuroscience, with visions of pursuing two great loves—teaching and figuring things out. Then, reality set in. Far too many graduate students were chasing far too few jobs. Anna faced the pivot point of her life. Now, as the Productivity Advisor at Freeficiency, she is teaching online entrepreneurs how to improve mindset, reduce anxiety, and design their ideal life through effective time management. She applies her research to design ways to work with and around our brains to reach our goals in business and in life.
Blake Brandes loved his dissertation topic—hip-hop and global youth cultures—but was stuck in writing this crucial paper toward earning his Ph.D. His advisor suggested he create a rap album as a last chapter, so he did. A review committee member wrote on his paper that he had never before had the pleasure of reviewing a dissertation that you could dance to. Dr. Brandes is co-founder of the personal development company, Motivational Millennial, and co-host of the Motivational Millennial Podcast. He also runs a hip-hop motivational speaking business in assemblies and workshops to help students “Remix Your Reality.”
Mary Hyatt was like millions of others, struggling with her weight and juggling prescription medications. Even switching to organic, locally grown foods did not solve her health issues. It was time she got brutally honest with herself and found a long-term solution. Mary believes every person has the ability to create the life that they love. She is on a quest to live a life full of gratitude, joy, authenticity and abundance in body, mind and soul.
Frank Cottle is CEO of Alliance Virtual Offices and chairman of the Alliance Business Centers Network. With his unique global perspective, he is a recognized expert on flexible working, the virtual office movement, and third-place working. Prior to creating the Alliance brand, Frank successfully operated his own portfolio of business centers in multiple locations across North America. He has worked with tens of thousands of business owners and become the go-to authority on flexible and remote work
Adam Anderson felt right at home on computers at age six. He wanted to make them talk to each other so he could play games with friends. “Without knowing it, I was teaching myself the fundamentals of computer science and information technology. They just didn't call it that at the time.” Today he is a serial entrepreneur, author and founder of Palmetto Security Group (PSG), an IBM Premier Cyber Security Business Partner. He recently launched Element Security Group.
Ava Kaufman, while trying to recuperate from a heart transplant, became acutely aware of the need for information and support for heart transplant patients and families. Knowing nothing about fundraising or foundations, she decided, “Sometimes you just have to jump in and do it your own way.” A 67-year-old woman with a transplanted heart from a 17-year-old boy, she founded Ava's Heart Foundation and is helping hundreds of families through the transplant process with resources, case management and hope.
Bernie Swain’s wife, Paula, convinced him to quit his dream job and start a lecture agency with her. With no experience, plan or money, they did. Nine years later, their agency, The Washington Speakers Bureau, became the largest in the world. Clients included President Reagan, Alex Haley, Tom Brokaw, Condoleezza Rice, General Colin Powell and Doris Kearns Goodwin. “Through the successful, accomplished people I represented, I came to understand what turning points are all about.”
London Porter’s stutter, lisp and habit of talking too fast did not help his acceptance as a street kid in Yonkers, NY. But his speech therapist did not give up on him. “Your voice is a gift.” She became the first of many who helped him see his potential. He teaches entrepreneurs how to earn a better income, create a better career and live a better life. London’s a three-time author, a former professional athlete, and hosts the popular podcast, Interview Better Live Better.
Tamara Thompson was still reeling from a hit-and-run accident and the loss of her first love. She slipped into depression and gained 85 pounds, not a plus for her fitness career. Then, she discovered YouTube. What began as a hobby changed her direction. As CEO of Serious Take Productions, she is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and director who has found her niche with inspiring storytelling through high quality video production. She’s produced for corporate clients such as Microsoft and Starbucks.
Chef Charles Carroll is an author, speaker and recipient of over 80 national and international awards. Competing on eight U.S. Culinary Olympic Teams, he travels the world sharing with chefs, culinary students, industry leaders and military personnel. He produced seven Vegas Style shows for troops in Afghanistan. Chef Charles recently published his third book, a culinary parable entitled, “The Recipe: A Story of Loss, Love, and the Ingredients of Greatness,” which he co-authored with John David Mann.
Justin Shelby felt his campus interview with a Fortune 500 company had gone well. When he didn’t get a call from them, he made a friend inside the company and kept calling back–for 30 days. His persistence paid off, and he spent the next 9 years at Black & Decker. Today, he is CEO and founder of Artichoke, a complete business solution for the rapidly growing community of freelancers, independent practitioners, and moonlighters operating in the U.S.
Lori B. Duff thought she would be the voters’ obvious choice for probate court judge. She had a decade’s experience with a major metropolitan court, and her opponent wasn’t even a lawyer. Her unexpected loss was a stiff rebuke. At 42, she brushed herself off and found renewed life as a ghost writer, editor, and a best-selling author of 3 memoirs. She recently won a gold medal in the 2017 eLit awards. She has a series of memoir writing classes designed to give people a head start on writing their stories.
Akshay Nanavati is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, author, speaker and entrepreneur. Through his new book, “Fearvana,” his coaching and life experiences, he helps people reframe fear so they can accomplish their goals. “We do not control what first shows up in our brain. If I am on the edge of a cliff and my brain feels fear, it is a natural response that is keeping me alive. The problem is that we judge ourselves negatively for having fears, instead of learning how to harness them for our own good.”
Erik Weihenmayer was shattered when at 14 a genetic illness left him totally blind. Soon, he connected with an organization that gave him new opportunities, like rock climbing. He recalls running his hand along his bedroom wall thinking, “Who would be crazy enough to take a blind kid rock climbing?” Today he helps thousands of people with challenges face adversity and live with no barriers. He is the author of several books, including “No Barriers.”
Sarah Mastriani-Levi finished high school at 15 and began dual study in pre-med and international business. Three years in, she saw the flaws in conventional medicine. Moving to Israel, then to China, then back to the U.S., she radically shifted her focus, learning Chinese medicine, nutritional healing and lifestyle coaching. Most recently she has learned to read raw DNA to create highly individualized wellness protocols for her clients. She serves as an International Holistic Health and Lifestyle Coach.
Dorie Clark is the author of Entrepreneurial You, Reinventing You and Stand Out, which was named the #1 Leadership Book of 2015 by Inc. magazine. A former presidential campaign spokeswoman, she teaches at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business, and is a consultant and speaker for clients such as Google, Morgan Stanley, and the World Bank.
Damion created several businesses from his college dorm room. When one of his startups began to put the campus bookstore out of business, the college invited him to leave. Soon it dawned on him, “Hey, I’m supposed to be creating my own career path here.” Today, he runs an Austin, Texas-based financial technology company dedicated to getting people off the Wall Street roller coaster and in control of their money and financial future. He has written five books, with two more being released in late 2017.
Gini Dietrich had her sights set on law school and becoming a sports agent. Then her mother needed her help to overcome a life-threatening illness, so she took an entry position at a public relations agency. Passing out samples of juice at publicity events seemed an unexpected detour on her career path. But now she is the founder and CEO of Arment Dietrich, an integrated marketing communications firm, author of “Spin Sucks,” co-host of Inside PR, lead blogger at Spin Sucks and founder of Spin Sucks Pro.
Emery Ellinger is CEO of Aberdeen Advisors, which he founded after having built and sold his own successful companies. Every Aberdeen staffer has owned, operated and sold a business, bringing this perspective and business acumen to every client. “Business owners reach a point in life where they realize their son or daughter doesn’t want to take it over. Or, they may simply decide they want to do something else. They’re faced with the decision: What do I want to do with my company? And where do I begin?”
Antar "the Navigator" Jannah was convicted at age 20 and sent to federal prison. Although he continued to think with “a criminal mind,” he did accept a book from a prison counselor. “I was totally transformed in one night. I can’t remember his name, but that counselor was an angel in my life!” He is now a published author. And, for the past 35 years, he has been traveling, enlightening and uplifting his audiences with his insightful message and formula for not just material success, but success in every aspect of life.
Helene Segura had a clear plan as she left L.A.—to be a dual athlete playing soccer and softball for Texas A&M. “My plan got shot to heck when I was cut from the softball team.” If she was not going to be Helene, the Athlete anymore, she had to figure out who else she could be. Today, as author of two best-sellers, she shares her mind-bending framework for decreasing interruptions, distractions and procrastination so that companies can spend more time generating revenue.
Sandy Slovack, M.A., a clinical counselor, trainer and speaker, helps people deal with trauma within the mental health and addictions fields. In 2016, after publishing her first book, "Hello, You're Fabulous!: Build Your Self-Esteem for Life" and seeing it rise to a #1 international bestseller, she learned she had to have a second brain tumor surgery. She first underwent surgery three years before.
Carissa Hill had built a chain of beauty salons on her own. Their growth was fast and steady. Then in her mid-twenties, she had a breakdown moment. She questioned what she was doing and why. One day a customer asked her a couple of questions that would change her life. An entrepreneur, author, speaker and business coach today, Carissa specializes in helping women business owners scale their businesses to six figures and beyond, releasing their limiting beliefs.
Amir Baluch was a shoo-in for medical school, or so he had always thought. He would follow his father and become a doctor. But when he was rejected, he asked himself, “Can I do anything else? Maybe this is a sign.” Later, Dr. Baluch founded FundingNest to provide investment opportunities to investors and physician colleagues around the globe. In addition to being a successful real estate investor, he is also a realtor, business owner, holds a securities license and is a board-certified Anesthesiologist.
Larry Minnix, a leader in the non-profit aging services field since 1973, served as CEO at Wesley Woods Center of Emory University and at Leading Age, which represents 6,000-plus non-profits. A minister, author, and speaker, he consults widely on long-term care issues. He has received numerous national awards for leadership from the National Council on Aging and others. Leading Age named their leadership academy after Larry to honor his retirement.
Kim Ades was 15 years into building a family and a business with her husband. When her marriage dissolved, so did her shares in the company. A tool she used to deal with her loss—she says, “it was like my oxygen”—is now the core of her thriving business. As president and founder of Frame of Mind Coaching and JournalEngineTM Software, she’s an author, speaker, entrepreneur, coach, and mother of five. Kim helps clients shift their thinking to yield extraordinary results and personal transformation.
Pat McDaniel’s 10-year success in building a faith-based community for single people led him to take his family and his commitment to help others to the West Coast. Nothing he tried there worked. For a time, he felt angry at God. He faced some hard choices. Later he founded WiseInsights.net, a site dedicated to helping motivated but weary achievers keep making progress toward their goals and dreams. He uses a blend of research-backed insights and time-tested wisdom to offer smart, sure paths toward greater success.
Ilan Ferdman is co-founder of Satori Prime. A life coach, entrepreneur and motivational speaker, he is fiercely dedicated to your success, helping thousands of people around the world to connect with their inner passion and transform their lives. His training shows how you can have it all—the ideal job, relationship, and abundant bank account. Your greatest life is just on the other side of your greatest fear. He shows how to reprogram your brain's fear response to see the challenges as growth experiences.
Shirley Piccarreto was working at Eastman Kodak—in its heyday, the place to be in Rochester, New York. “But I was horribly bored! I needed a do-over! I sold my fancy Camaro, got an old Toyota pickup truck, and my girlfriend and I took off for Texas.” Dr. Shirley has been in the health, wellness and alternative medicine field for over 30 years. She was a area corporate fitness director for Bally’s Fitness and is now a Doctor of Naturopathy and a certified herbalist and instructor.
Steve was a solid athlete in school, but no scholar, especially at math. Then, in the tenth grade an inspiring teacher changed all that. More importantly, he came to understand that reshaping an attitude can change a person’s life dramatically. Today, as CEO of Julian Krinsky Camps & Programs (JKCP), he specializes in youth-to-adult programming to foster a culture that creates memories that last a lifetime. He’s an expert on youth development and education, and understanding and adapting to youth.
Pete Mockaitis is an award-winning trainer who helps brilliant professionals perform optimally at work. He’s delivered 1-on-1 coaching to more than 700 clients hailing from organizations such as Google, McKinsey & Company, the United Nations, Goldman Sachs, and Apple, in 50 countries, and at every Ivy League school. He began his career at Bain & Company and currently hosts the podcast, How to be Awesome at your Job.
Chelsea Fournier was only 28, waking up with anxiety attacks so severe she could not breathe. It was not that her law career was so awful, but somehow she had lost touch with her creative side. Finally, she decided this was just not acceptable.” She now helps entrepreneurs thrive in the digital economy, and helps people launch home-based businesses. She lives a life of geographic freedom and loves traveling the world meeting and helping new people.
Michael Sacca created a successful product to help clients manage their brand assets. “Customer feedback was great, but we quickly realized we had no idea what we were doing!” So, he started a podcast to open doors to the experts whose brains he needed to pick. It led to a whole new gig. He joined Crew two years ago as head of partnerships and has now taken over as president. Companies have trusted Crew to source freelancers for more than $30 million in design and development products.
Helene Segura has been the featured organizational expert in more than 150 media interviews. Listen to her tips for managing time to your benefit as she zeroes in on time leaks and plots that prevent us from successfully managing time to our benefit. Helene is the author of two Amazon Best Sellers. Her newest book is "The Inefficiency Assassin: Time Management Tactics for Working Smarter, Not Longer."
Laura De La Cruz was learning about dog obedience and agility. A colleague advised, “Get a Border Collie.” But the breeder Laura contacted said, “No way am I going to sell you one. You have no idea how to handle this dog!” A teacher, dog trainer and herding judge, Laura started Leash Up Dog Training as an alternative to the "pack" mentality, focusing on people who consider their dogs to be part of the family. Best-selling author of more than 80 books and journals, she has trained herding dogs and their people for over ten years.
Robert Williscroft built a telescope and looked to the stars as a teenager, dreaming of becoming an astronaut. When that couldn’t happen, he swapped his telescope for a submariner’s periscope, and began the life of an adventurer. He spent 22 months underwater, a year in the equatorial Pacific, 3 years in the Arctic, and a year at the Geographic South Pole. He is a retired submariner, diver, scientist, businessman, author and adventurer. He is also a prolific hard science fiction writer.
Sheila Cash is an international teacher, author, and speaker in the fields of human potential and conscious evolution. Using an integrated blend of modalities from science, psychology and philosophy, she helps people answer the big questions: why are we here? what is our purpose? what is life really all about? She's also the bestselling author of “Evolve Your Life.”
Janét Aizenstros watched her father abuse her mother until she was 15. Then she had enough and called the police, who made him leave. By observing her mother turn her life around, she learned she could choose what she wanted out of life and could get it. Today she is the founder and chief executive officer of Ahava Media Group. Selected as one of the Top 100 Inspiring Women in Canada, she was ranked as one of the Top 50 women in social media in 2012. In 2016, Janét was awarded by the City of Guelph as one of Canada's Top 40 under 40.
Mark Goblowsky’s immigrant family had a hard, sometimes violent edge. Like countless of other pre-teens, he was mesmerized every week by the TV show, Kung Fu. Years later, he would begin to understand and live out the values stirred by that 1970s hit. Today, he is a martial arts professional, entrepreneur, podcaster with Strength Through Your Struggle. Mark believes the capacity of the human spirit is powerful enough to overcome any challenge in life. He’s here to help others discover not just how, but that they too have what it takes to overcome adversity.
Thor Conklin is an entrepreneur, profitability consultant and host of Peak Performers Podcast. 2017 is his 18th year as an entrepreneur. His consulting firm, Peak Performance Group, trains business leaders around the world to be peak performers. In his “8 Steps to Achieving Anything You Want,” Thor shares a map to guide listeners to achievement. “We've got to know what we’re after, have a plan, and go after it.”
Stephanie Weeks was so dead-set on a career in law, she had no Plan B. Everything she’d done in college and work had pointed her toward that goal. Then, after graduation, she received the news that totally changed her path. It turned out, there was a better option. For more than 13 years, she has been a mortgage lender Little did she know that this would become her passion. She has closed thousands of loans, but the real joy in her career comes from the smiles she sees during a smooth and on time closing. Her mission is to change the world one loan at a time.
Michael Cooper joined his father’s business after finishing his tour of duty in the U.S. Navy. He loved providing service to people because he genuinely loved people. His challenge was how to learn from the many positive traits he admired in his dad, while distancing himself from the negative qualities he did not want to emulate. Michael is now a life performance coach and consultant who specializes in mental training for leaders and athletes. His company, Human Performance Mentors, helps individuals evolve from what they think they are to what they are truly capable of becoming.
Steve Robertson is an expert on youth development and education, as well as understanding and adapting to youth. He is the CEO of Julian Krinsky Camps & Programs, an organization specializing in youth-to-adult programming that turns curiosity into passion and skill. In this role, his primary responsibility is to cultivate a culture that results in memories lasting a lifetime. He has also become an expert on Gen Z, the generation of the majority of those who attend the camps.
Aaron Hunnel worked hard on the speech he had been asked to give before running the Boston Marathon. But the man who spoke first started his speech with the same story Aaron was going to use. More nervous than ever, he had 2 choices: let the fear overcome him or find his courage. Aaron is a US Army veteran, award-winning wellness consultant, author, and now, a national speaker. After returning home from two deployments, he hit rock bottom, failing in his personal and professional life. But he began moving upwards again once he realized and harnessed his personal power through endurance racing.
Trudi Pavlovsky’s teacher told her, “You're just like the rest of your family–useless. You're never going to be anything.” Today, she says, “Sometimes I think I'm living a fairy tale; not a traditional fairy tale, but I wouldn't change it! I feel lucky, but I know it wasn't luck. I was willing to do the work and I'm now in a place where my soul feels satisfied.” A quirky, creative woman, she’s on a mission to help everyday people share their message. She is able to connect with people across the business ownership spectrum, specializing in mentoring coaches and creating courses and events.
Shellee Howard is the owner and president of College Ready and a Certified Educational Planner. She has a son who recently graduated from Harvard in the spring of 2016 debt free! She has traveled around the world helping other students plan for their "perfect match" college. She knows what it takes to compete in the Ivy schools, as well as how to find the best fit for a B student. In College Ready, she believes no two students are the same. Each has a talent and a passion that will set him or her apart from their competition.
Aaron Hendon never got his photography studio off the ground. He was waiting tables in New Mexico because, “That’s what you do with a fine arts degree.” Then his entrepreneurial gene kicked in, and he was up to his elbows in bagel dough. A real estate investor, author, educator and speaker, he is managing partner of Christine & Company, a Seattle Magazine awarded, 5-Star Real Estate Agent, winning team for the past 5 years and individual Rising Star in Seattle Real Estate winner this year.
JJ Flizanes passed the test to be a certified physical trainer. But she knew how much she did not know, like how to use the exercise equipment. She looked at other trainers and said, “I want to know what that feels like, not just what it looks like!” Today JJ is an empowerment strategist and host of The Fit 2 Love Podcast Show. She is the Director of Invisible Fitness and an Amazon best-selling author of “Fit 2 Love: How to Get Physically, Emotionally, and Spiritually Fit to Attract the Love of Your Life.” She has appeared on NBC, CBS and KTLA.
John David Mann is an award-winning author whose books have sold more than two million copies, including the bestselling classic, "The Go-Giver,” which was rejected 22 times by publishers in New York. Not until its 23rd submission was the book published. “A lot of my books that I love the most have never found large audiences. Even on this path of writing that has worked out so well for me, I keep thinking I'm finished with failure. But failure is apparently not finished with me because it keeps happening.”
Phil worked with people’s vision for more than 20 years as an optometrist. Although the medical side of his life never harnessed his passion, he had an eye and heart for relationships that changed the path of his career. Today he is a nationally certified marriage coach, the director of Renegade Gentlemen Men’s Ministry, and author of “Habits of Heroic Husbands.” At a marriage retreat 10 years ago, he discovered his view of his relationship and his wife’s view were miles apart. He decided to begin fighting for his marriage. He left an unfulfilling career to help other men in similar situations.
Lindsay Kinder returned from France filled with a knowledge of cuisine from farm to table. But she did not yet know how she would use it. She needed time. Would she be lulled back into the comfort of a 9-to-5 job? She had left a stable career in life insurance to pursue her lifelong dream of learning to cook in France. She spent six months backpacking solo on a quest to discover where great food comes from, and what to do with it. She now lives in San Francisco, teaching sold out French macaroon workshops, private cheffing, and dreaming up new recipes for her blog Food-La-La.
Michael Hahn is a culture expert, leadership speaker, and author of his new book, Hero Habits: The Guide to Thriving in Corporate America and in Life. “There is a polarity inside each person, with the hero on one end and the villain on the other,” he explains. Recently featured in INC Magazine, Chicago Business Journal and Startup Magazine, Michael has led the culture movement for Allstate Insurance and also won the PRSA award for Brand Management and Reputation in 2015. He's a master storyteller, multiple degree black belt and Superdaddy, who loves to unleash the hero in individuals, teams and organizations.
Lou Diamond was doing well on Wall Street, working in the fixed income area to bring stability back to the 2008-2009 market. But something was missing that he couldn’t put a finger on. Could his teenage memories of a jewelry store in Brooklyn point to an answer? He has been a top producer at every firm where he’s ever worked, led sales teams at Accenture, Deloitte, Omnicom, Merrill Lynch and Bank of America, and achieved record revenues year after year. Now He is CEO and founder of THRIVE, a leading consulting and coaching firm focused on making the most incredible leaders and top performers even more amazing.
Lynn Marie Morski had recently co-founded a health tech startup on medical tourism. “All of my cylinders were firing at the same time. But the sinking feeling in my stomach told me something wasn’t right.” She faced the hardest quit of her life. Today she is a physician, attorney and lifelong quitter. Through her "Quitting by Design" website, she helps people carve out successful lives through strategic quitting. Her goal is to de-stigmatize quitting and illustrate what a useful tool it can be in creating a fulfilling life.
Mark Villareal is an international best-selling author, keynote and motivational speaker, coach and consultant. He is an expert on leadership, culture, business development and strategy and mentors leaders, aspiring leaders and managers in development, management and business teams. He has more than 35 years of experience in building teams and achieving C-Level status. He also hosts and teaches webinars and seminars on organizational culture and leadership. Establishing the right culture and leadership is the foundation for long term success.
David Itkow faced a crossroads at age 50. His trusting nature turned to gullibility, costing him his investment of $350,000. His choice: stay stuck and shut down, or use it as an opportunity to catapult himself forward. Some difficult days lay ahead, but using his natural ability to connect people, David embraced network marketing to showcase cutting edge products such as Healthy Socks and Superior Non-GMO Superfoods. His playful attitude, zest for life and youthful looks are a testament to his lifestyle and a metaphor for his signature tagline 'Squeezing the Juice' (out of Life).
Zev Halpern helps couples refresh their marriage by learning to explore, experiment and play again. A licensed psychotherapist and marriage coach for over 25 years in Brookeville, Maryland, he also coaches couples online across the United States and the world. He is the host of the TV Show and Podcast “The Raw Marriage Show” on The Montgomery Channel and on YouTube, iTunes and iHeartRadio.
Bobby Albert had just graduated from college at age 20 when his father died suddenly, leaving him the family business and $70,000 of debt. But advice his father had given him in junior high taught him lessons that paid off sooner than he had expected. As president of Values-Driven Leadership, LLC, his passion is to help other leaders build inspiring workplace cultures through values-driven leadership. Grounded in values and powered by the twin engine of enhancing relationships and driving for results, he helps leaders chart a path to extraordinary results.
Carrie Wilkerson, daughter of a pastor, sang in her father’s church almost every week. At age 10, her dad told her, “It’s time for you to introduce your song and tell a story, not just sing and sit down. It's time for you to stop performing and time for you to start leading.” She protested. “I’m a singer, not a talker on stage!” Today she leads with her words as a best-selling author and speaker, showing people how to transform their lives, relationships and bank accounts through core values and goal-setting. Her book, “The Barefoot Executive,” is a best-seller.
J.J. Flizanes is an empowerment strategist and the host of The Fit 2 Love Podcast. She is the director of Invisible Fitness, and an Amazon best-selling author of "Fit 2 Love: How to Get Physically, Emotionally, and Spiritually Fit to Attract the Love of Your Life," and author of "Knack Absolute Abs: Routines for a Fit and Firm Core." She was named Best Personal Trainer in Los Angeles for 2007 by Elite Traveler magazine. She has been featured in many national magazines as well as appeared on NBC, CBS, Fox 11 and KTLA.
Adam Hudson was on top of the world when he took his company public. But the economic slide of 2008 hit hard and he eventually found himself selling text services to small businesses door-to-door. He wondered if he would ever have the courage to be an entrepreneur again. Adam has built several multi-million dollar companies in Australia and the United States. He owns an Amazon marketing service firm that sells in more than 30 countries, and Reliable Education, an online education company which teaches people how to build profitable Amazon businesses which generate reliable income streams.
Evangelia Leclaire was only 13 when her parents separated, each one struggling with mental disabilities. She faced a choice: act out some typical teenage foolishness or chart a course toward her own health and wellness. She chose wisely and became career coach at The Muse and founder of Career Ready Set Rock, consultancy for millennial women and moms who want more meaning in their lives and careers. At a start-up called Dream Career, she spent nearly 15 years helping clients pursue their career dreams. She believes the greatest blessings and lessons come from being present, surrendering and having faith.
Tim Sanders spent most of his early career on the cutting edge of innovation and change. His hands-on study shows the awesome power of collaborative success through wise inclusion. “It's not about how many bodies are in the room; it's about how many perspectives.” He was an early-stage member of Mark Cuban's Broadcast.com, which had the largest opening day initial public offering (IPO) in history. He founded Deeper Media, which provides consulting services for leading brands. Today, he is one of the top-rated speakers on the lecture circuit.
Jayne Warrilow’s company was succeeding, but she wasn’t happy. Then, a health crisis nearly killed her. “I’d reached the limit of medical knowledge, but it didn't have to be the end of my story.” Her healing would reshape her approach to work and life. She founded JW International, a global coaching and development company with a focus on resonance as the key driver of individual and organizational success. Her clients are by invitation and referral only, people who simply want to make a difference.
Phil Randazzo applied for a commission-only job selling fire extinguishers. The interviewer startled him by asking the last personal development book he’d read. When he couldn’t think of one, the man threw a Jim Rohn cassette at him and said, “Get out of my office and don’t come back until you learn to work on yourself!” Years later, he owns Text Safe Teens, an app to prevent people from using cell phones while driving. His online, nonprofit American Dream U helps transitioning military find their dream job or start a business. They have reached over 20,000 vets and their families.
Terra Winston, Ringleader of inTerractions, has dedicated her life to helping clients navigate successful careers that drive fulfilling lives. She’s a leadership consultant and executive coach with more than 20 years of consulting experience. She creates results for companies and individuals, from boardrooms to plant floors. As a coach, she helps leaders make meaningful impact on their organizations. A sought-after speaker, Terra delivers presentations that do more than entertain; they give attendees the tools to change behavior.
Betty Rae had musical talent and a voice like Julie Andrews, but her true passion was teaching. She also knew early on she had a special spiritual gift, but it couldn’t flourish until a strong negative force was out of her life. An artist, best-selling author, speaker, teacher, and mystic, she has an ability to communicate with angels. She taught vocal music and English for nearly 30 years. After retirement, she shifted her focus to her work with angels. She has written several inspirational books and is now working on the second in the series of "Soul Mates & Angels".
James Miller had earned a psychology degree and taken an assignment in a psychiatric hospital. He soon found himself in exactly the spot where he had vowed at age 17 to help teenagers get the best care possible. It was a prophetic dream coming true! A licensed psychotherapist for 20 years and a piano composer, he is pursuing the next chapter of his life by creating James Miller Lifeology, where he helps people simplify and transform their spirit, mind, and body. He uses his international radio show to help people learn valuable life lessons and overcome obstacles they may face.
Lynn Marie Morski is a physician, attorney and lifelong quitter. Her “Quitting by Design” website helps people carve out successful lives through strategic quitting. Her goal: to destigmatize quitting and show what a useful tool it can be. When not helping people to and through their quits, she's a doctor at the Veterans Administration, an adjunct professor of health law at Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego, California. Outside of medicine and law, she trains the Brazilian martial art of capoeira, plays the guitar and bass, and does volunteer work in election reform.
Marcella Yeager and her husband decided he should accept a job as a foreign service officer, starting in Uzbekistan. She knew she’d have to give up the job she loved. Looking at the bright side, she saw this as an opportunity to start her own business. What she needed now was a “Portable Career” that could travel wherever her husband would be posted. Her company, Career Valet, helps mid- to senior-level professionals secure new roles. She recently co-founded ServingTalent, the first recruiting agency for military and foreign service spouses.
David Ralph was a successful financial trainer in London for 20 years. He delivered big results for his clients and life was good. But, the inside story was very different. He hadn't been present in his family's life. He was living under the belief that he was delivering what they wanted—nice holidays, a nice home and nice cars—when actually they had never asked for any of that. But they did ask, “Could you take me to dance classes tonight?” or, “Will you come see me in the school play?”–which he never did. Starting fresh, putting his family at the forefront, his life has never been better.
Bob Stromberg is in a small group of elite artists who have stayed prolific and profitably busy for more than 40 years by “Mastering the Craft of Creativity.” Online, he shares three disciplines that create a rich, personal reservoir of original ideas. From his home in St. Paul, Minnesota, he travels continually performing his unique blend of original story, stand up and shtick. His work has left lasting impressions on Fortune 500 companies, raised multiple millions for non-profits, garnered literary and theater awards and broken box-office records in the United States and Europe.
Amy Smalarz had been in a consulting position she enjoyed for years. One day the staff was called together and told their division president had been fired. It was the nudge she needed to step out on her own. She quickly discovered she had a lot to learn. Four years later, she is a women's empowerment coach and author of “Living Intentionally: How to Bring Balance to You and Your Family.” She hosts the podcast, Living Intentionally, and is a speaker, teacher and contributor to the Huffington Post. Her core values: helping people learn to live intentionally and empowering them in their personal lives and business.
Steve Lawton, after careening headlong into a tree at 45 miles per hour and suffering a major brain injury, believes every interaction with another person is a bonus that might never have happened. He credits his positive attitude with literally saving his life. He is the author of “Head First! A Crash Course in Positivity,” and is his role at Dell, he helps co-workers learn to harness their own power of intention and positive thinking to change the direction of their lives.
Phil Potts found himself at a marriage retreat a decade ago, ranking his marriage on a 1-10 scale. When he compared his number with his wife’s, they were miles apart. He decided to set aside his career as an optometrist, fight for his marriage and help other men do likewise. Today he is a nationally certified marriage coach, the director of Renegade Gentlemen Men’s Ministry, and the author of Habits of Heroic Husbands.
Megan Peterson long had a vision for a better, more client-friendly way of matching chemically dependent people with appropriate caregivers but had resisted taking it to the marketplace. Finally her husband gave her the nudge she needed to put her concept—and herself—to the test. After working in the addiction field for more than 15 years as a counselor and pharmaceutical representative, she took action and started 2nd Chance Counseling Service. Her passion is to help patients who need that second, third and tenth chance.
Moustafa Hamwi knew his fast-lane, materially successful life was leaving him empty. He went to India, searching for his passion and purpose in life. When a swami asked him what he was thirsty for, he realized he did not have a clue. “If you do not know what you are thirsty for, you cannot quench your thirst,” the swami said. An award-winning author and speaker today, he is one of the world’s leading experts on the topic of passion and is often called, “The Passion Guy.”
VICTORIA PYNCHON, After laboring for 25 years in the field of high-stakes business litigation, took a mediation course that changed her business and her life. Nearly a decade after receiving her degree in conflict resolution, Victoria has built a prosperous business called She Negotiates. She provides consulting and training and, importantly, is helping women close their own personal gender wage gap. “If you haven’t negotiated an increase that’s more than 2% or 3%, then you’re being underpaid. “If you are a high-performing employee and you are being undercompensated, then do something about it.”
Maryam Webster was coming into her own. At 28, with grad school behind her, a promising career in psychology and marketing lay ahead. Then, a drunk driver on a London street turned her into a paraplegic. Doctors told her she would never walk again. She regained her mobility in nine years and turned a 30-year career into a joyous new business. “Every Woman Changes” empowers mission-driven women entrepreneurs with a healing and helping focus to "Be the Change" they want to see in the world by permanently transforming inner limitations, and creating profitable movements for social good.
Jay Block’s credentials include not knowing what he wanted to be when he grew up and being fired by his best friend at age 39. Soon after this humiliating event, he began working harder on himself than anything else. And it was this single transformation that would forever change his life and his career. Today, Jay is recognized as America’s #1 motivational career and rapid employment expert. He is a best-selling McGraw-Hill author of 12 titles, including 5 Steps to Rapid Employment, and has helped tens of thousands of people achieve workplace success and fulfillment over the past 26 years.
Lin Eleoff is an internet business lawyer who shows women how to turn a coaching practice into a business that not only makes them money but makes them happy. And it starts when they finally “woman up.” Lin calls starting your own business an AFGO, another freaking growth opportunity, “because it throws everything at us. The question is, are we up for that challenge? I tell my coaching clients: this isn't just a plaything. If you are serious about this, you are going to have to ‘woman up.’ That means becoming a businesswoman as well as being a coach.”
Carolin Soldo knew she had hit a tipping point. “I looked in the mirror and did not recognize myself! I didn’t feel like a woman anymore and I just wanted to have myself back again. As with everything else in my life, I knew I had to do this all or nothing.” She is the founder of Brand Your Passions®, From Passion to Profits®, and The Powerhouse Coach®. She specializes in helping passion-driven women bring their skills to the world and launch thriving online coaching businesses with international reach, make an impact, and create free and abundant lives.
Mark Podolsky ventured out of his native Midwest and took a chance on a new landscape he loved: Scottsdale, Arizona. His new investment banking job paid him well, but he hated everything else about it. In fact, Mark says, “It was hurting my soul.” So, now that he knew what he didn’t want, what would he do next? Now he is known as the Land Geek, and is widely considered the foremost authority on buying and selling raw, undeveloped land within the United States. Actively investing in real estate and raw land since 2001, he has completed over 5,000 unique transactions.
Steve Lawton says you don’t have to ski into a tree at 45 mph to learn how to grow through a crisis. After his near-death experience, he views each day of life as a bonus. Key to his recovery is his unrelentingly positive attitude, and 8 proven practices. He shares insights into neuroplasticity and our ability to shape the patterns of our brains through our consistently practiced attitudes. He’s the author of "Head First: A Crash Course in Positivity," a story about his attitude that literally saved his life
Anna Cragin was halfway to her Ph.D. in Cognitive Neuroscience, with visions of pursuing two great loves—teaching and figuring things out. Then, reality set in. Far too many graduate students were chasing far too few jobs. Anna faced the pivot point of her life. Now, as the Productivity Advisor at Freeficiency, she is teaching online entrepreneurs how to improve mindset, reduce anxiety, and design their ideal life through effective time management. She applies her research to design ways to work with and around our brains to reach our goals in business and in life.
Jake Ballentine was on academic suspension at the end of his first semester at college. He was tempted to say, “I didn’t really care about college anyway!” Self-consciousness about his dyslexia, he believed he was only good at sports and music. Then, on a mission to the Pacific Northwest, his outlook brightened, and he said to himself, “Hey, I can really DO this!” His life was about to be transformed. Today he is an award-winning motivational speaker, especially with high school students, a musician, the author of "Your Number One Goal," and a contributing author in Jack Canfield's "Living the Success Principles."
Dr. David Almeida’s best-selling book, “Decision Procrastinations: Seven Antidotes to Decision Procrastination,” blends the spheres of medicine, science, business and leadership to present new concepts and strategies for successful decision making. “It's a hybridization of medical, surgical and business techniques in a framework you can apply to both professional and personal decision making.” Today, he shares his PACT plan with listeners.
Alma Abreu knew a rigid classroom learning style didn’t suit her. Her attention-deficit disorder was no help. Following her creativity and love of language and communication, she found a way to make her A.D.D. an asset. Founder of 360 Content Pro, a content marketing service specializing in Spanish language advertising, blogging and social media, she helps businesses reach new customers in Latin America and around the world. Her experience also includes project management consulting and she uses those skills to manage her team of writers for her own business.
Gary Kinder knows only a tiny percentage of writers and artists succeed. Some say it’s as low as 1%. But he’s up at 5 a.m. every day writing his screenplay, before plunging into the editing software he’s upgrading. Asked why he does it, he replies, “I’m doing what I love!” Gary writes narrative nonfiction, and is the author of three books. He has taught over 1,000 writing programs to law firms, corporations, universities, and writers conferences. He is also creator and founder of WordRake, editing software, which is used widely in law firms, government agencies, corporations and universities.
Terry Brock believes you can overcome overwhelm by using basic principles that really help overcome the sense of overwhelm. “To begin, define what’s important to you, to determine where you should focus your attention. Recognize you can’t grasp it all.” Terry works with organizations to connect with customers and build relationships using practical technology, and increase profitability. He's a member of the professional speaker Hall of Fame and is an expert on making technology practical for business.
Julian Mather was not interested in school, but that did not mean he was not willing to learn. When he got out of school, without prodding from anyone, he took himself to the library where he began a lifelong commitment to self-education and learning how to turn his obsessions into his professions. From high school failure to Army sniper to globe-trotting TV cameraman to kids’ entertainer to online entrepreneur, he really has not felt he has worked a day in his life. At age 55 he says he is just beginning to hit his straps.
Katherine Denton had reached her career goal at 25, working as an account executive at an Atlanta advertising agency. She was a respected team member with all the perks of success: an office with windows, bonuses, free parking and health insurance to name a few. But she was so miserable that she quit. Katherine turned to a temp agency and was given a one-day assignment that opened the door to her future career. Twenty-two years later, she owns My Friend, a service devoted to helping people meet their personal, professional, financial and relationship goals.
Lee Caraher is the author of “Millennials & Management” a book based on her experience of failing, then succeeding, at retaining millennials. She describes a big change in terms of the employer brand to a focus on becoming a place where great people work. Lee is the CEO of Double Forte PR & Digital Marketing and is known for her practical solutions to big problems.
Nathan Hirsch and his business partner, Connor, took a long overdue vacation, leaving their business in good hands. On Day 1, they learned they had lost a major vendor. The same day, his CPA called to tell him his identity had been stolen and a false tax return had been filed in his name. But putting his life and business back together was not going to stand in his way. He is a serial entrepreneur and expert in remote hiring and e-commerce. Now the founder and CEO of FreeeUp.com and co-founder and COO of Portlight, he started his online career on Amazon’s Marketplace.
Claudia Pennington and her husband were reflecting on their past 10 years together and realized they had been living the daily grind without goals, a budget or a plan, and a vague desire to help people. They decided to tackle some massive changes in their lives, starting with eliminating their debt. Claudia is a digital marketing consultant training side hustlers, freelancers and small business owners in the fundamentals of digital marketing and SEO.
Aaron Walker is unquestionably a veteran entrepreneur. Starting his first business at 18 and selling it to a Fortune 500 company, he started, bought and sold 12 others over the past 37 years. Committed to personal development, he has been in a weekly mastermind group for nearly two decades, with Dave Ramsey, Dan Miller, Ken Abraham and 7 other notable Nashvillians. Today, as president and founder of A View from the Top, a premier life and business coaching resource, he spends the majority of his time helping men grow in success and significance.
From an early age, Marc was good at math and chess. It was no wonder everyone told him he should be an engineer. After getting a degree in computer science, what he learned about himself on the job was he is a “geek who can speak”–an unusual combination that for 22 years let him change jobs every few year, all within the walls of his first employer. Marc’s latest endeavor “Career Pivot” uses his extensive training experience to help others—especially Baby Boomers—find careers they can grow into for the decades that lie ahead.
Kate Maree O’Brien saw the hospital job posting for a project manager, she admitted to herself it was a long shot. With a confidence she had developed during hard times—and search results from Google—she convinced the hospital to give her a try. It would be a year before she learned why she had been chosen for the job. A visionary global voice for boldness and truth, she has fought for her life twice and knows firsthand what a personal transformation looks like. She’s worked with Jack Canfield, Brendon Burchard and others.
Lolly Daskal’s proprietary leadership program, Lead from Within, is based on a mixture of modern philosophy, science and 30 years coaching top executives. It is engineered to be a catalyst for leaders who want to enhance performance and make a meaningful difference in their companies, their lives, and the world. Lolly was designated a top 50 Leadership and Management Expert by Inc magazine. The Huffington Post honored her with the title “the most inspiring woman in the world.” Lolly was designated a top 50 leadership and management expert by Inc magazine. Huffington Post honored her with the title, the most inspiring woman in the world.
Matt Ruedlinger wanted to be his own boss from the day he started trading baseball cards in his make-believe, backyard store. But it was the 10 years working in sales for someone else that first taught him how to succeed by walking in his customers’ shoes. He is now a serial entrepreneur: the founder and CEO of the marketing firm, Triple R Marketing; president of Jones Caramels; and founder and a founding partner and president of the app, FanVius, which allows fans to order food and merchandise from their seats at sports and event venues.
Lisa Tarves talked to angels as a child. Not until years later did she learn generations of her family members shared similar gifts. In fact, her father had learned to harness his own gifts to rise through the ranks of a major corporation. Could she accept and use her gifts in adulthood and the workplace? As co-founder of Writestream Radio and Writestream Publishing, she is a bestselling author of a book about her life, “Just Believe: Commonsense Spirituality for the 21st Century.” At Writestream Publishing, she helps other people realize their dreams of becoming a published author and telling their own stories.
Jeff McManus grows things. As the Director of Landscape Services at the University of Mississippi, he grows plants, people and ideas. Faced with a multimillion dollar landscape beautification project, a demand for excellence, high productivity and a stagnant budget, Jeff knew that growing the people was critical to growing the plants. Understanding that all humans either have or strive for the innate elements of greatness, resiliency, opportunity and wisdom, Jeff developed his GROW Theory into an impactful management and professional development leadership program.
Danny Iny compares the crash of his dream start-up to the painful breakup of a relationship. “As an entrepreneur, your identity is deeply invested in your work.” In hindsight, he can say, “Sometimes the rebound turns out to be the one.” He sees the irony of being a high school dropout who is passionate about providing business education. He has a soft spot for helping entrepreneurs succeed. Together, his acclaimed Audience Business Masterclass and Course Builder’s Laboratory training programs have graduated more than 5,000 value-driven online entrepreneurs.
Meghan Toups found her life as a professional counselor mostly gratifying and rewarding, but she could also sense burnout approaching. By caring for herself first, she opened doors to a whole new life of service and joy. Self-healing led the way. “People feel better, faster when they begin to heal utilizing a whole person approach.” This led her to focus on teaching others how to balance mood, stress, anxiety, energy and overall health with food, mindfulness and other positive self-care practices. Today she has a holistic health and wellness business in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband and brother.
Steve Olsher, a 25-year entrepreneur, is the chairman and founder of liquor.com. He's also a New York Times bestselling author of “What is Your What? Discover the One Amazing Thing You Were Born to Do.” Steve is the author of the business technology book of the year, “Internet Profits: The World's Leading Experts Reveal How to Profit Online,” host of the number one rated radio show, Podcast Reinvention Radio, and he is an international keynote speaker who has appeared on CNN, The Huffington Post, Entrepreneur on Fire, and other media outlets.
Vanessa Gaboleiro was sitting on her couch in Lisbon, Portugal, when she looked closely at her life. “It seemed amazing, from the outside. I had everything I needed, but I had nothing.” Later, she would see that moment as the second major turning point in her life. Today she is a transformation mentor who works with positive and empowered women in their 20s and 30s in recreating their lives after divorce. After her own divorce almost six years ago, and with her own transformation and learnings, she now helps women thrive in their own post-divorce lives.
Steve Ozanich learned for himself that chronic and acute pain can take over a sufferer’s life and leave him demoralized. He hit rock bottom with back pain and multiple symptoms that kept returning. Bedridden, he read a book that helped him banished his pain and profoundly changed the direction of his entire career. Over the past 16 years, drawing on his own experiences, the work of John E. Sarno, MD, and 10 years of research, he has helped teach thousands of people how to heal themselves through his lectures, books, articles and interviews.
Damion Lupo is dedicated to disrupting Wall Street by getting people off the stock market roller coaster and in control of their own financial future. An entrepreneur at heart, Damion started his first business at age 11, and has started 30 more since. He is the founder of his own martial art, Yokido ™, and holder of three other black belts. He has also written five books with two more being released in 2017.
Tracey Minutolo, like many young people, brought her college loans and credit card debt with her as she headed for new work on the west coast. When her employer reduced everyone’s salary by 20%, she took charge and entered a debt management program. Three years later, finally coming out of debt, she vowed not to slide backwards. Today she is a financial freedom fighter and side hustle coach. She helps motivated nine-to-fivers to choose, launch, and grow side businesses that they love. When she's not coaching, she's probably playing with microorganisms at her day job.
Paul Lamar Hunter had a good job at Chrysler. Then he heard the plant was closing. At age 40, he wondered where he would go next. His union rep gave him some great news that totally changed the outlook for him and his entire extended family. Paul beat the odds against poor kids being less likely to obtain a college education. As the 19th child out of 21 natural children, he became the first in his family to graduate from college. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from Upper Iowa University in 2012.
Anna Cragin is the Productivity Advisor at Freeficiency. She teaches online entrepreneurs how to improve their mindset, reduce anxiety, and design their ideal life through effective time management. Anna has a Ph.D. in cognitive neuroscience, and applies brain and behavior research to design ways to work with and around our brains to reach our goals in business and in life.
Edna Keep never thought just talking to people was a natural talent. “I thought, since it was so easy for me, everybody must be good at it.” Learning how her natural talents distinguish her has been the key to success after success. As a real estate entrepreneur, investment advisor, coach and trainer, she helps people create passive income. With $47MM in real estate assets—built in eight years primarily with “other people’s money”—she finally feels like she is exactly where she is meant to be: coaching and training people in all the skills she has acquired throughout her life.
Blake Brandes loved his dissertation topic—hip-hop and global youth cultures—but was stuck in writing this crucial paper toward earning his Ph.D. His advisor suggested he create a rap album as a last chapter, so he did. A review committee member wrote on his paper that he had never before had the pleasure of reviewing a dissertation that you could dance to. Dr. Brandes is co-founder of the personal development company, Motivational Millennial, and co-host of the Motivational Millennial Podcast. He also runs a hip-hop motivational speaking business in assemblies and workshops to help students “Remix Your Reality.”
Cloris Kylie, Marketing MBA, helps coaches, speakers, consultants, authors, and skilled practitioners to build authority and attract the right clients so that they create a business that produces positive impact and growing revenue. She focuses on carefully selecting influencers who are compatible with your values and goals, then building relationships with them and adding value. “That doesn't mean you have to connect with Oprah to sell your book! It means you connect with people who have access to an audience or a resource that will benefit your business or your career.”
Susan Peirce Thompson had been a straight-A student who wanted to go to Harvard, when she found herself in a crack house, where she’d been for four days. “I had a moment of clarity, when I saw who and where I was. I knew if I didn't get out of there—right then—that's all I was ever going to be.” A Ph.D. today, she is a psychology professor, a brain and cognitive scientist, and an expert in the psychology of eating. Her program uses cutting-edge research to explain how the brain blocks weight loss and how to undo that damage so people can live happy, thin, and free.
Alex Charfen had felt like an outsider as far back as he could remember. There was no shortage of diagnoses and labels to add to Alex’s feelings of not fitting in. But one of his traits led him to dig deeply into history and into the biographies of other outsiders. Not only was he not alone, he discovered he was part of a tribe that is uniquely gifted to change the world, starting with his own.
Dr. Tom Tavantzis offers his expert view of the power of knowing your talent early in life – through high school, college and beyond. Research shows personality and natural abilities are largely formed by age three. These key traits are hard-wired at birth. Self-knowledge gained while young can guide choices about education, career and life planning best suited to natural abilities.
Mary Hyatt was like millions of others, struggling with her weight and juggling prescription medications. Even switching to organic, locally grown foods did not solve her health issues. It was time she got brutally honest with herself and found a long-term solution. Mary believes every person has the ability to create the life that they love. She is on a quest to live a life full of gratitude, joy, authenticity and abundance in body, mind and soul.
Rob Skrob quickly saw life as a CPA was not for him, even though it offered the job security his parents wanted for him. Still, he had to support himself, so he took a job as a bookkeeper. Little did he imagine that this job would open up a whole new world that he didn’t even know existed. The company’s owner taught him a new way to view customers and clients, and Rob built a career on those principles. Today he helps clients understand how to find and retain members and subscribers by learning what their customers need and want.
Jessica Olmon offers expert insights into why facing your fears will propel your business to the next level. A business attorney, she founded Vero Law Group as a garage home business in 2011 and grew it to a Santa Monica ocean-view operation, servicing over 400 clients. Her passion is to help entrepreneurs find success and freedom through their business and she does this through her law firm, as a mentor and through her entrepreneur success program, Course Corrected.
Kristina Rhoades learned early in life that her wheelchair did not have to hold her back. The spinal cord injury sustained in her infancy challenged her to discover her gifts and share them as coach, mom, leader and advocate. “We aren't told enough, by people we believe, that we can follow our passions, that we can have a career that blends with life, and we can do things that we love. It’s so important, and it’s something we need to model for our children.”
TJ Jones’ wife took his face in her hands, tears in her eyes. "You are so unhappy! You aren't yourself anymore." Then she said the four words that knocked him for a loop: “Be who you are!” TJ recalls, “Frankly, that led me to jumping off the high dive and changing my life.” TJ recently published "The Caring Warrior: Awaken your Power to Lead, Influence, and Inspire." He believes that each of us can awaken an inner, caring and strong warrior who brings our best self to life and to work.
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Kim Lim is a bio-medical CEO, mother of two and best-selling author. Kim knows firsthand the struggle of balancing the role of boss and mom. But what she didn't expect is that the same skills she uses in the boardroom can also be used to wrangle her two boys at home. “You can find a balance between work and home life. Being a working parent—especially doing it solo—means double the responsibilities, but you can achieve harmony and success.”
Anna Balkan tediously unraveled her sweater, using the yarn to knit a new one. But she learned both resourcefulness and creativity. Leaving the Ukraine behind, Leaving the Ukraine behind and moving to the United States, she eventually built a thriving career at Accenture. But she also held onto her artistic side. Now, she’s well into a new frontier. Anna started Anna Balkan Jewelry, then opened Anna Balkan Design Jewelry Gallery in 2010. She is personally committed to giving back to her local community through her hiring and business practices.
Terry Gremaux learned a strong work ethic from his parents, as he demonstrated in his years working as an underground gold miner. But a life changing event and the guidance of mentors, set him on a path no one in his family even understood. Today Terry is an entrepreneurial leader who trains business owners worldwide how to use free social media strategies to grow their businesses.
Lauren McLaughlin has had a long, varied career which led her to love and learn about people and what makes them do what they do. “Often around age 40, people recognize they are not happy and take responsibility for their dissatisfaction. They decide to let go of their excuses and to stop blaming others. Letting go is difficult, but holding on is what hurts.”
Joshua Latimer threw in the towel when none of the side gigs he tried worked out. He went down a traditional career path: banking. He was very driven and focused, and so he succeeded. But he was far from happy building someone else’s dream. He wanted his children to see that if you attempt to do things, it's going to be okay. If you try to influence the world and live a better life than average, you can do it. That would require he take a big risk.
Lisa Bloom, as the daughter of an Irish storyteller, had the gift of gab, but she knew the taboo topics in Ireland: money, religion and sex. Then, she settled in Israel, and that was all they talked about! But it was in a U.S. government job that she learned the true power of storytelling and how people are so motivated by their inner stories. Lisa is a professional Storyteller, accredited coach, author, mentor and leadership expert. She is also the author of "Cinderella and the Coach-the Power of Storytelling for Coaching Success!" and the creator of “Stories That Sell & Certified Story Coach Programs.”
Cynthia Zhai is a voice coach, speaker, trainer, and author of the book "Influence through Voice." She helps top executives from global corporations and the government to speak with confidence, credibility and conviction. She inspires people to embrace change and take action. Her experience, professionalism and effectiveness bring tangible results for clients, both in the way they project an influential, convincing voice, and in leading teams and negotiating with customers. Her clients from 36 countries over five continents include the Singapore Tourism Board, Barclay’s Bank, and Google.
Seth Buechley experienced towering success in building a cellular network. He saw the upside, then the downside, of ambition. His Golden Touch became a reverse Midas Touch for a while. He tells how gratitude and humility turned him around. His perspective, which began in a commune in the woods and led him to financial success, shines through his insights into the advantages and disadvantages of ambition. He illustrates the essential value of gratitude in leadership with lasting impact.
Diana Dorell sometimes would blurt out a vision or premonition she’d had when she was with friends growing up. “They looked at me like I had three heads, so I learned to lock it down.” Finally she came to understand that she had to start listening to herself and not worry what others thought. As a third-generation medicine woman, healer and coach she helps her clients release negative self-talk, trust their intuition and find love and confidence again, starting within themselves. She is a co-author of “The Dating Mirror: Trust Again, Love Again” on Amazon.
Erik Newton surfed through a mischievous youth, feeling truly alive. Then, adulthood and responsibility happened. Remembering a teacher who had urged him to reach out and create what he wanted in life, he found himself at a major turning point. Leaving his divorce-focused law practice behind, he still believed in love. Today, he has a unique, real-world comprehension of what makes one marriage thrive and another fall apart. Ultimately, his calling to help couples build healthy relationships superseded his legal career, and he is now podcasting and publishing an online magazine about relationships.
Lori Saitz recalls how her teachers would write on her report cards, “Lori is a very bright student but she needs to learn to speak up more in class." She finally took those words to heart and faced her shyness head-on. In the process, she discovered her superpower. Through Zen Rabbit Baking Company, she introduced the Gratitude Cookie to help clients say thank you to customers, strengthen relationships and increase their lifetime value. Today, she’s The Quiet Girls’ Guide, helping women who are terrified to walk into a room full of people they don’t know, become comfortable starting conversations with strangers.
Dr. Don McDonald has spent 17 years in the health and wellness industry as a chiropractor. It was from his position at the adjusting table that he noticed a common frustration developing into a major stressor in the lives of many patients. He identified it as ‘the Underdog Curse,’ and is chiropractic patients seemed unable to break out of it. It stopped people from living their best lives, and often stripped them of true happiness. Dr. Don is now a life coach and motivational speaker who dedicates his time to empowering people with the new, inspiring information regarding success, health, and his first love, neurology.
Connor Cranston didn’t fully understand what it meant when he learned he and his twin brother were being adopted. “In Vietnam we’d heard of the American Dream, but little did we know we were in for a wild ride!” He calls himself “a miracle child,” and loves teaching, educating, and speaking to people. He started out his entrepreneur journey at age 12, selling things in his school, at garage sales, and online. At 17, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps to get girls. Now he speaks and trains business people and individuals all over the globe. He owns and operates three businesses.
Maia Aziz’’s parents were asking her “where do you want to do volunteer work this summer,” while her friends were off doing kids’ things. “It was just what they expected of me,” she recalls. “I didn't know how to exist without that core value of the importance of helping others.” Today she is a Certified Humor Professional (CHP) and contributing writer to The Positive Psychology People. She hosts a weekly talk radio show, Morning Moments with Maia… Conversations of Love and Laughter, where she shares heartfelt and often hilarious conversations about love, laughter, leadership and life.
Justin Constantine survived a gunshot wound to the head while serving as a Marine in Iraq. For his entire life he had been a focused and highly motivated individual. Returning home, he developed an even deeper understanding of adversity. How he is dealing with these new challenges is impacting thousands of his fellow veterans and the companies that want to help them. Justin is an attorney, inspirational speaker and author, and an expert in leadership, overcoming adversity and Veteran employment.
Jessica Olmon felt trapped in a prestigious law firm she had methodically pursued at the beginning of her career. From the outside, it looked like the perfect situation—great pay, brilliant colleagues, an office with a beautiful view —but after five years she knew something was missing. She knew she needed a dramatic change in her mindset. Today, her passion is to help entrepreneurs find success and freedom through their business, and she does this through her law firm as a mentor, and through her entrepreneur success program, Course Corrected.
Sarah E. Brown, former managing partner of Accenture, explains how your personality can be a clue to finding a job that will make you happy. Using her expertise and a respected personality assessment, she creates an individualized “Book of You” for her clients, which can be like having a career and life coach in a book. Sarah has had several careers, all of which she says took her full circle to what she originally set out to do right out of college: teaching; writing; and researching. Along the way, she has learned what she believes makes for a happy, successful work experience.
Malcolm Saunders tried an idealistic, teenage flirtation with vegetarianism. It involved little more than dropping the meat from his meat, potatoes and junk food diet. Today he has a whole new relationship with food—and with all of life. With nearly 20 years in food and nutrition, he is the owner of The Light Cellar. An intuitive chef specializing in the alchemy of superfoods and super herbs, his desire is to inspire others to live and eat from a space that honors the sacredness of all life, illuminating the power our food choices have on ourselves, other beings, and the planet we live on.
Lauren McLaughlin was delighted to take six years off to be a full-time mom. But as soon as her son went to school, Lauren plunged back into a career. So far, it spans public relations for the Red Cross, newspaper publishing, politics, real estate, and now a ministry. She's a writer, speaker, teacher, retreat coordinator, keynote speaker, counselor, ordained Unity minister and professional student. Lauren is always seeking to learn about people and new ideas.
Justin Deese performed just well enough in academics to be allowed to participate in the sports he loved. But one coach, in particular, opened the door to personal growth and development. Years later, it was no surprise when he stepped into a coaching role in other people’s lives. Today, he is a highly sought-after business strategist, visionary, and lifelong entrepreneur. He simultaneously built three flourishing in-home service companies in multiple states and is an expert at helping fellow business owners structure and manage their companies for maximum profitability.
Ann Reynolds endured fruitless job interview after interview, new teaching credentials in hand. A native of California’s Napa Valley, she gave her surroundings a second look. Little did she know what a temporary harvest season job at a winery would bring. Today, she has more than 20 years in the wine industry. Her experiences include wine retail and wine making. Since 1989 she has poured wine in tasting rooms, run a winery laboratory, worked in winery cellars, and assembled entire winery compliance systems at several Napa wineries. In 2006, she began offering courses in winery compliance.
Alison Cardy, author of “Career Grease: How to Get Unstuck and Pivot Your Career,” is a certified career coach who has guided hundreds of people at career crossroads to find innovative and functional career solutions. Both realistic and optimistic, Alison encourages people to get clarity by self-analysis, but just as important, by taking action. In this interview, she shares why people get stuck at crossroads and recommends steps to get unstuck. Alison’s work has been featured on Monster, Forbes, LearnVest, the Huffington Post, and the Chicago Tribune.
Don McDonald had grown so accustomed to being an underdog on his basketball team that he didn’t know how to cope when a transfer to a new team made him a top dog. The idea that people expected him to always succeed was more stress than he could handle. He began to sabotage his own sports career. Dr. Don has spent 17 years in the health and wellness industry as a chiropractor. He is now a life coach and motivational speaker who dedicates his time to empowering people with the new, inspiring information regarding success, health and his first love, neurology. He is also the author of “The Underdog Curse.”
Ivy LaClair always thought of herself as a shy person, but when she joined her college Student Activities Council, she quickly had to learn how to put herself “out there.” A couple of years later she became president of the Council and had “a goosebump moment” when she realized who she had become. Co-founder of the personal development company, Motivational Millennial, Ivy is an expert on change, transformation and millennial success. She is co-host of the Motivational Millennial Podcast, a seasoned facilitator, and author of the personal transformation guide, "Motivating Your Millennial Mind."
Jeremy Paris’ teenage rebellion might have led him into a surly adulthood, as just another guy with a chip on his shoulder. But a high school teacher saw beyond his “in-your-face” art project and praised his originality and courage. That changed Jeremy from that point forward. After a career in the military and as a defense contractor, he started the Veteran Resource Podcast to inform veterans about the many organizations, programs and opportunities available to veterans and their family members.
Ellen Antonelli was at a ballet with her parents at the age of 10 and witnessed a dance that portrayed inexplicable violence against women. It both angered and puzzled her. Her mother could not answer her questions about what she felt. In hindsight, she realizes how this moment has driven her career and passion for more than a quarter of a century. Her life’s work has been about empowering students and women and speaking out against violence and oppression.
Brian Kurtz, a serial direct marketer for the past 35+ years, says he never met a medium he didn't like. He spent the first 34 years of his career helping Boardroom Inc. become a state-of-the-art direct marketing and publishing company and is now sharing and teaching all he learned doing that. His expert message today: Marketing isn’t everything. It’s the ONLY thing.
Tanner Gers thought his life was over when he lost his eyesight at 21. Then, he discovered a game changer–where there were no disadvantages, where everybody was on an even playing field. His sight did not return, but he regained a vision and enthusiasm for life.
Katie Allen was delighted to be a broadcast journalist, with visions of hosting Good Morning America one day. She noticed her health was suffering. And at 25, her hair started to fall out. “I couldn't sacrifice my health for a job, even though I loved it.” Today she leads viaONEHOPE, a business and a community of more than 1,200 cause entrepreneurs. A brand with a mission to celebrate and serve the world through thoughtfully crafted products, the work at viaONEHOPE makes a measurable impact for specific charitable causes
Tim Collins stood before an eager London audience, awaiting his presentation. Suddenly, he was shaking, sweating profusely. He thought he was having a heart attack. Only later did he learn he was having his first full-blown panic attack. What could have been a career-ender, however, opened the door to a new life of service.
Kim Lim’s parents wanted the best for her. They were sure that meant becoming a doctor. Kim chose another career path that uses her talent for science and education as a bio-engineer to improve and save lives. The founder and CEO of Ultimate Laboratory, a quality control lab for medicines, therapeutics, medical devices and other medical products, Kim balances work life and being the mother of two, as well as being the best-selling author of “Inoculate Your Biotech: Protecting and Boosting Your Product-to-Market Process.” She also finds time to help other parents create a successful work-life balance.
Mark Halpert and his wife Mira are helping children achieve success in reading and learning by 3rd grade, or sooner. “We work with the 65% who don’t learn the way they are being taught. We call them ‘GOLD students’ because they are Gifted, Operating with a Learning Difference. That’s a concept totally different from labeling them dyslexic or learning disabled.”
Ron Malhotra immigrated from India to Australia as a 13-year-old. He quickly identified with the local Western culture more than with his own. He was fascinated by money, and his first job was at a bank. He soon realized he was more interested in people than selling financial services. This launched him on a journey of self-discovery. He founded 'The Successful Male,” a global movement specializing in the holistic development of men and focusing on areas traditionally neglected by the educational system and the workplace. A thought leader, entrepreneur, speaker and coach, he is also an award-winning wealth planner, leadership trainer, radio host and a #1 best-selling author.
Ariane Tavakol will never forget the sound of the Iraqi bombs falling near her childhood home in Tehran, Iran. Moving to Paris with her mother at age seven, she adapted to the culture shock. Later, at 19, she decided to face another migration, alone this time. “It's really up to us to adapt to the mysteries of life by diving into each new day and turning its twists and turns into an unforgettable experience.”
Frank Gibson’s first and lifelong passion was jazz music. He played it through high school, a college music scholarship and after. “I love music, but not the business of music.” How would he navigate the business world and still follow his passion? How would his passion play out over time? Now in his fourth career, Dr. Gibson declares, “I’ve never done anything better in my life than what I’m doing right now.”
Alison Cardy could see that her mother’s career change from teaching to accounting had been perfect for her, but Alison was just going through the motions at her own accounting job. “I knew it wasn't the right path for me, but I struggled for a couple of years.” Then, volunteering for a crisis and suicide hotline changed her life. Today, she is the author of “Career Grease: How to Get Unstuck and Pivot Your Career.” As a career coach, she has guided hundreds of people to innovative and functional career solutions.
Gregg Burkhalter, “The LinkedIn Guy," is a recognized authority on LinkedIn.com and personal and professional branding. He offers proven tips on how to develop a powerful LinkedIn profile and professional brand, and how to avoid the pitfalls of newbies on the influential site. He warns about the line you should never cross over. Gregg’s “3-D” approach to creating a winning strategy will help you rise above the competition.
Jeremy Barnhart experienced a successful career in finance, but he worked long hours and travelled extensively. Frankly, he wasn’t passionate about the work. He “retired” and started a company for something he cared about–assisting schools in fundraising. Now Jeremy has time to coach his 3 sons’ basketball, football and baseball teams. He is a co-owner and vice president of franchise development at Apex Fun Run, a healthy and safe alternative to school fundraising. The company partners with schools to raise funds for campus needs. The concept incorporates a two-week character building and leadership program for students that culminates with a student “run” to raise donations for schools. His company has also opened the door for 80 franchisees in 21 states.
Sarah E. Brown loves working on big, historic projects and doing things that haven’t been done before. Her career, spanning three major corporations during times of decisive change, gave her opportunities to do just that. Today she is putting that expertise to work to help individuals navigate change in their careers and relationships. She combines her research and analytical skills with her life experiences—and a dose of Dr. Seuss—to create personalized wisdom and memorable insights for her clients.
Bedros Keuilian, the son of an Armenian political refugee, was an angry outsider with a chip on his shoulder. Fed up with his disruptive behavior, a high school teacher grabbed him by the collar and slammed him against a wall. She shouted something at him that turned his life around. Determined to prove her wrong, he learned to reframe his adversities as dumbbells, and use them to build emotional and mental muscles.
Linda Singh was thrown out of her home at 16, through no fault of her own. A high school dropout, working at a pretzel shop to survive, a display table in the mall for the U.S. Army caught her eye. That led to a conversation that changed the trajectory of her life. She became a Major General in the Army and now is helping people of all ages discover their inner strengths, passions and talents and match them to careers that will make them happy.
Debby Stone, after 16 years practicing law, is an executive coach and keynote speaker. The author of "The Art of Self-Promotion: Tell Your Story, Transform Your Career," she contends you have about 20 seconds to capture a listener’s attention and begin a conversation about the brand that is you. “In a Twitter, soundbite world, attention spans are short. Telling your story and doing it in a confident, authentic and graceful way is the key difference
Justin Stenstrom can still feel the panic attack that seized him in high school years ago. His determined quest since then for wholeness and success prepared him to help others find a way out…and up. A nationally-acclaimed life coach, author, entrepreneur, and speaker, he is the founder of EliteManMagazine.com and the host of the Elite Man Podcast on iTunes.
Cassie Howard was never a fan of school, so she convinced her mom to let her drop out in 10th grade to start her own business. But she also knew she loved to teach. How could a high school drop-out and entrepreneur make that dream come true? Drawing on her successes as a female serial entrepreneur, she found a way, and she’s helping other women reach dreams of their own.
Marty McDonald’s future business partner came into his office a few years ago and said, “I’m tired of doing this. I have an idea and want to start a new business.” Marty was intrigued. He told him, "If you come up with a really cool name, I'm in." Bad Rhino was the winning name. Social media and digital marketing is its game. Marty explains how launching the successful full service agency was largely the result of trusting his instincts.
Dana Malstaff credits three parents—a mom, a dad and a stepdad—for nurturing the skills she uses today to help other moms find a balance between parenting and their entrepreneurial careers. The author of "Boss Mom: The Ultimate Guide to Raising a Business & Nurturing Your Family Like a Pro", and “Confessions of a Boss Mom: A Guide to Knowing You Are Not Alone”, she serves women who yearn for more time and less guilt when in building their business and raising their family, by providing the tools they need to get more out of their content and business, without sacrificing their family goals.
Ellie Laks couldn’t sit still for the service at her family’s Orthodox Jewish temple. As a five-year-old, it felt like torture to her. Faking a trip to the restroom, she slipped out the temple door. Suddenly, she was covered head to toe in Monarch butterflies. At seven, she defiantly told her parents, “You’ll see! When I grow up I’ll have a huge place full of animals! And I’ll show the world how beautiful they are!” Today she cares for hundreds of unwanted animals at her childhood dream, The Gentle Barn.
Expert Brad Axelrad sees fears as a dragon. “Facing your dragon is understanding how to find, face and ride your dragon; very simply, it’s about how to train your dragon. My approach is based on the quote, ‘The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.’ Our greatest fear is possibly our greatest gift and our money-maker. I challenge folks to look at what they're most afraid of.” Based in Costa Rica, Brad is a consultant, speaker and spiritual adventure tour facilitator. He supports coaches and consultants to leverage their fear, freeing them to create the lifestyle they desire.
Nora Riva Bergman's career journey takes her from musician to lawyer to bar association executive director to a coach for lawyers. “Ampersands” is her term for life passages and turning points. Death of the “Auntie Mame” figure in her life jolted her to rethink her relationship to the law profession. As a practice advisor at Atticus, Nora founded Real Life Practice, teaching attorneys work-life balance and how to gain self-knowledge, to help lawyers become better lawyers, and better people. Self-knowledge is key, she tells her clients.
Eric Dailey, founder of Dailey Training, was a professional basketball player, a stand-out on major teams in Europe, Asia and South America. Without an agent he successfully negotiated contracts, managed travel arrangements and conducted try-outs. While playing for Real Madrid in Spain—a top tier team in Europe—Eric learned he could negotiate better for his own best interests than an agent in the U.S. Building relationships with general managers globally, he learned the intricacies of corporate business. Eric is now president of two international companies, Dailey Training International (basketball) and Global Cup World Championships (youth basketball).
Melissa Cohen, LCSW, wrote the bestselling Parent Knowledgy, a simple guide to surviving your teen. She is dedicated to helping individuals find their own identity while managing their need for independence. Whether it is anxiety, conflict resolution, communication, self-esteem or managing expectations, Melissa tailors her approach to each unique situation. "I think it takes a long time to build up (the) courage, to move forward with what we want. I had found what I loved to do earlier in life, I just hadn't found a way to make it my own. It took all these years to do that.”
Ashley Cooper underwent intense bullying as a child. The depression that followed left her virtually without hope. At 25, halfway around the world in Thailand, she questioned her own sanity as she began a 21-day vow of silence. Today, she is on a "soul mission" to helping others see their divine nature and understand that anything is possible, if they just believe. A yoga instructor, mindfulness coach, she’s the founder of The 6A Method from Pain to Power™ and co-founder of ABC Charity™- a global art project based on kids helping kids.
Otakara Klettke learned to listen to her body and nurture her health as she grew from being a sickly child to a personal fitness trainer, adventurer, TV reporter and mom. In her book, “Hear Your Body Whisper,” Otakara tells how to unlock your body’s self-healing mechanism. More than ever, she contends, it’s crucial we learn how to bring our human consciousness and awareness to the task of keeping ourselves healthy. The body has its own, natural self-healing mechanism and we can listen to it and even learn to guide it.
Stephen Christopher’s fortunes after the crash of 2008 were lower than he’d ever imagined—just short of living on the streets and going without food. So, when he urges aspiring entrepreneurs to set aside fear—and asks the question, “What’s the worst that could happen?”—they know he is speaking from experience. Far from being disillusioned and defeated, he is helping people grow their businesses, through his firm, Seequs Digital Marketing, and his podcast, Business Revolution
Laura Pennington's only half joking that her new career started with the Google search: How to become a freelance writer.” Professors in college had nurtured her writing, even though she wasn’t in a writing field. As she queried Google, she thought, “Well, at least I’m not a BAD writer.” Today, with a full roster of writing gigs, she’s helping other aspiring writers craft a freelance lifestyle that suits them.
Kwame Christian was offering free seminars on negotiation strategies as a sideline to get clients for his law firm. He noticed he was loving it more than anything he was getting paid to do. Then it hit him: I could be doing this for a living!”
Dr. Lori Shemek counseled clients struggling with health and lifestyle issues for years. Repeatedly, she saw how simple changes could alter the dynamics of a whole family for the better. In her late 30s, she began imagining: How powerful would it be to marry psychological insights with nutritional wisdom? Today she is the best-selling author of “How To Fight FATflammation!” and “Fire-Up Your Fat Burn!” She has made it her mission to help clients lose weight and educate the public on the toxic effects of certain foods and lifestyle choices. The Huffington Post has recognized Dr. Shemek twice as one of the top 16 health and nutrition experts alongside such names as Dr. Oz.
Dirk Van Loon cites two main reasons people fail to exert influence. Drawing on his leadership experiences in companies such as Nike, Atlas Copco, Bare International, he offers six factors crucial to gaining influence and exercising it effectively. The Belgium-based entrepreneur, coach, and transformation expert and his team have guided and supported countless individuals and organizations through the challenges posed by ever-growing global competition and the increasing pressure to perform. His expertise lies in multiple fields, including conflict resolution and transition management.
Dan Sheedy died twice in one day 20 years ago. The first time was when his vehicle was hit from the side; then again in the E.R. Resuscitated twice and recovering miraculously, he returned to his job as a hedge fund manager. But he also began to consider some dramatic changes.
Aimée Lissantheia talks to the bees, and says they listen to her. “We had this lovely conversation,” she recalls, talking about a chat at a café with a honey bee that nestled between her fingers. An odd story, perhaps—and an unlikely relationship—but one that led to an award-winning children’s book about a bee’s-eye view of the natural world entitled, “The Amazing Adventures of Melissa Bee.”
Scott Wilhite was in a corporate job he hated, with a mindset he called “grumpaholic.” Feeling miserable, he ran a fantasy jackpot scenario in his head, and asked himself, “If I win the Powerball and $32 million, what will I do?” After quickly imagining his first seven days as a millionaire, he began to suspect lack of money was not his problem. He set out to discover what was missing. Scott has since created the Feed Your Happy app, authored a mindset course on the 7 Core Skills of Everyday Happiness, and founded nCOURAGE.LIFE.
Mira Halpert saw her daughter’s passion for becoming a teacher at a young age. When the school said her daughter was not college material, Mira was heartbroken. But it also turned Mira into a “mom on a mission” and spurred her husband to leave his corporate job. They now have helped more than 2,000 students and are working to help thousands more.
Craig Ballantyne helps people get more done, make more money, and still get home on time for dinner. He offers five templates for creating rules of life that can be personalized by each individual. They act like the operating system for our lives. His templates are built on a foundation of Five Pillars of Success, which encompass time-tested principles such as planning and preparation, professional accountability, positive social support, a meaningful incentive, and a "Big Deadline." A co-owner of EarlyToRise.com, he is also the creator of the home workout system, Turbulence Training.
Brad Finkeldei was a smart guy who figured out early in life how to use his intelligence to get things done. But by the time he thought he should be enjoying his accomplishments, he realized he just wasn’t happy. Could he learn to slow down and understand the meaning of “be present? Soon, he left a lucrative $90,000 a year job in the tech industry to pursue his passion of helping others.
Otakara Klettke was born in Czech Republic and very sickly from an early age. Because of that, she spent more time reading great literature in her mother's library and visiting doctors than playing with children her own age. Now she lives on a ranch in the mountains of Oregon and travels every chance she gets. If it wasn't the doctors who turned around her life, what did she know that they did not?
Mac Prichard was disillusioned with college. Carrying a mediocre grade point average, he was about to drop out after his sophomore year. Although he barely knew his academic advisor, he decided to have a talk with him before reaching a decision. “He was a nice enough guy, and he made some suggestions I decided to follow.” Mac recalls. “He probably does not recall that conversation. But for me it was life changing.” Today, Mac is the publisher of Mac’s List, an online community for people looking for rewarding careers, doing creative and meaningful work, with 80,000 visitors each month.
Debbie Lazinsky’s doctor asked her, “Do you realize you weigh 318 pounds?” A question flashed across her brain: “How am I going to lose 200 pounds? I can't wrap my brain around losing what much!” Just the same, Debbie began to lose–five pounds at a time. And now she maintains her weight-loss naturally. Debbie specializes in giving practical advice to busy women on eating real food and lose weight permanently. Her before and after photos were featured in the January 2014 issue of People magazine.
Cole Hatter believes live events matter in creating thriving businesses and strong relationships. An entrepreneur, investor, author and acclaimed speaker, his Thrive: Make Money Matter annual conference teaches entrepreneurs how to dominate in business and in life while making the world a better place. His greatest passion is providing a platform to educate and empower entrepreneurs to live their lives and run their companies in a way that makes a measurable difference in the world.
Douglas Heikkinen was in the hyper-driven financial world of the 1980s, in its heyday, with a powerful mentor who demanded his best. He loved it. But after 13 years, changes in the firm—and in himself—he knew the time had come for him to move on. The firm had become too corporate for his liking. An uncertain world of high risk and potentially great reward lay before him. He was thinking like an entrepreneur.
Sharon Livingston’s focus group of moms was discussing a popular sugary kids’ drink and a healthier alternative as part of a research study. But then the tears came as moms expressed deep feelings. It was not a typical focus group, and certainly not a typical moderator. From an early age, “Dr. Sharon” learned how to help people open up. She built on those childhood insights through undergraduate and post-graduate studies in psychology, and has interviewed over 62,000 people.
Gregg Burkhalter’s career in radio broadcasting, music marketing and distribution suddenly came to an end. There he was with no job, no brand, no network, not even a social media presence. Could he possibly build new relationships online the way he made friends in person? Could he possibly build relationships On LinkedIn the way he made them in person and become The LinkedIn Guy? He had to try.
Sandy Weiner felt coaching totally suited her nature, but the exhilaration she felt in much of her life did not extend to her dating relationships. To her surprise, helping her divorced friends polish their profiles for dating apps and websites led her to use her talents in a brand new way. As founder of Last First Date, she devotes herself to helping women over 40 achieve healthy, off-the-charts love.
Laura K. Meier, Esq. is a family trust attorney, best-selling author, and mother of four. Her mission is to help every mom and dad in America protect their children through a proper family estate plan. Laura is the author of the #1 best-seller “Good Parents Worry, Great Parents Plan,” a guide for parents that helps them understand the legal and practical steps they must take to protect their children. Her work has been featured by NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX, the Fiscal Times, Worth, Investopedia, Wall Street Select and more.
Rabbi Aryeh Weinstein had trained to be a rabbi to lead people through his gift of speaking, but often on the way to synagogue, his childhood shyness would return, and he would pray for a miracle that would keep him from having to speak. His miracle eventually did come, but not in the way he’d envisioned it. Today, he is a recognized expert in the science of Jewish spirituality. He is the host and creator of the Beginning Within podcast and the website, beginningwithin.com.
Abhrekha Jain was well into a career in software engineering for a multinational company when her first child was born. Most women in India would have given up their careers, but Abhrekha valued both her motherhood and her job. Her decision would have far-reaching consequences. Born into a traditional culture in India to parents who gave her every opportunity, she found a creative option that worked for her and opens doors for others.
Rob Dial knew he had greatness inside, even as a teen delivering pizzas and working at PetSmart. He just didn’t know how or where to let it out. Then while working in the cruelling job of selling Cutco knives door-to-door, it dawned on him where his inborn talents really were. Promoted to run a franchise with the company at 21, he grew it to a multi-million-dollar business. Today he runs a motivational podcast, MWF Motivation, alongside a coaching practice and an e-commerce business.
Colby Rebel was four when her grandfather visited her with a message for her mom. She didn’t know he’d died the week before. And this was just the beginning of many experiences like this. An internationally recognized psychic medium, master teacher, radio host and author, she spends much of her time helping others understand how to build a business of spirituality. She has recently launched her book, “Leap of Faith: How to Build Your Spiritual Business.”
Mac Prichard tells how to hack the hidden job market, using strategic, practical steps. As publisher of Mac’s List, an online community for people looking for rewarding, creative, and meaningful work, his site receives more than 80,000 visits a month. It includes, among other resources, a job board, a blog, a free video “How to Wow and Woo Employers on Line,” plus information on his newest course, Hack the Hidden Job Market.” Mac also hosts a weekly podcast, “Find Your Dream Job.”
Craig Cody was on a steady upward career path at the New York Police Department when he hit a wall. Ready for the next test to be offered—his only path to another promotion—he kept waiting and waiting. Finally, he took a big risk on a totally new venture. His early fascination with Wall Street and economics led him to launch a new career as a certified tax coach and financial planner.
Amber Beam achieved a slew of early career promotions and became a victim of her own success. She reached the top of the mountain and felt as if there was an obstruction. She couldn’t even see the view from the top. It was time to try a “side hustle.” It wasn’t that she no longer loved her job, she just knew she wanted something more. She launched The Art of Personal Growth Podcast, and began her Self-Help Crash Test Dummy experiment – testing inspiring ideas from gurus in her own “real life” and sharing her results with listeners.
John Dwyer, returning to Australian after meeting with his client, Disney, was greeted with the news that there had been “a printing error” in his absence. With those words, he knew he had just lost millions of dollars. With only a few weeks before the bank would close his doors, he turned up the heat on a prime new client opportunity, calling the prospect every day. When the phone call came, the man on the line started with “We’ve made a decision on the 5 companies pitching us,” and ended with “Never ring me again for the rest of your life!”
WendyY Bailey has been called a “Force of Nature” and trendsetter in coaching because of her fearless approach to innovation. She is a sought-after sales coach for her fierce and dynamic dedication that inspires individuals, groups and organizations to create extraordinary results.
Marty McDonald knows about social media career strategy from the perspective of an internet marketer and a headhunter who uses social media in his searches. Online job hunting is marketing yourself, and your profile and footprint are vital elements. He is a co-founder and CEO of Bad Rhino Inc., a full service social media and digital marketing agency based in West Chester, Pennsylvania. He has used social media and internet marketing strategies to build online marketing businesses for more than 13 years.
Craig Ballantyne, reflecting on his life, quotes Steve Jobs: “You cannot connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking back.” Connecting the dots in his own life, Craig observes, “If you had told me when I was 18 what I’d be doing at 40, I would have looked at you as if you had two heads! Helping people on the internet, making workout videos and sharing them online, writing web articles about the science of exercise – none of these options existed a generation ago.” Today they’re how he makes his living.
Sadie Mitchell, Ph.D., recalls her early days as a nursing student on clinical rotations. One of her patients could neither talk nor swallow. She asked his permission to pray with him and he nodded O.K. The next day, he could swallow. Soon, he could eat again. Sadie has developed her belief in the importance of the spiritual dimension in health and healing. Today she trains fellow believers how to minister to homebound senior adults.
Barry Demp, after 12 years of rewarding job assignments with a large pharmaceutical company, unexpectedly found himself no longer looking forward to his future, or even wanting to go to work the next day. He kept at the job, but enrolled in adult education courses, too. It was there that he found what he was meant to do…for the rest of his professional life.
Deborah Rosenberg was like many children whose love of animals began with a family pet. Learning about animal cruelty, she questioned humans’ relationships to the animal world. Then, seeing a video about leather imported from China, made from dog skin, she committed to becoming a vegan and 100% cruelty-free. She is now a leader in cruelty-free and wellness design and has been a featured designer on the TLC cable network and appeared on The Today Show. Deborah lectures and writes articles on humane and wellness design.
Susan Miner explains how anxiety is at the core of our compulsions and problem behaviors, but the solution is not what you think. Our internal perspectives, spirituality, bodywork, and coping skills govern how we feel, not our outer circumstances. After traveling the world as a super-model, Susan devoted the past 15 years to helping clients and students naturally reduce their anxiety and increase their confidence. A workshop facilitator, author, and counselor, she wrote “Beautiful Energy: Exercising to Reveal Your Inner Peace.”
Jim Beran reflected on his own life experiences and began writing them down. He became convinced that everyone has a story to tell, and everyone’s life has inherent value. Reading a lifetime of letters his father wrote by hand to his mother, he discovered a hero’s journey. Now Jim is retelling the story in his book, "The Biggest Short Guy: The Amazing Untold Story of Walter Beran, the CPA Who Changed L.A.," because not only was his father his hero, he was the greatest man he ever knew.
Laura Meier was a young lawyer at 24. She was finding her way, doing her best, but knew she had a lot to learn. Then, in a meeting with her managing partner and the Mayor, she was shocked when the mayor said, “Our city attorney just quit. We want Laura to have the job.” She was even more surprised to hear her boss’ reply. She learned the lesson early in her career: when opportunities come your way, say yes, and then do whatever it takes to meet the challenge. Don't say no. If it's meant to be, just say yes and go with it.”
Jeff Ryan was blessed with a good family, a keen mind, and a successful business. While he was on a routine visit to a worksite, a pipe, carrying pressurized concrete, exploded. For nearly 10 minutes, he appeared to be dead. Since the accident, he has been pursuing his goal of empowering people around the world to reach their full potential, beginning with people facing humanitarian crises and natural disasters.
Jessica Fabrizi loved meeting new people on holidays during her childhood. She always got their addresses. Many people promise to write, but Jessica actually did, cultivating relationships through her letter writing, first in her native Italian, then in seven other languages. This passion for connecting with people has stayed with her and is now a critical part of her newest business, One Degree to Connect
Meredith Bell explains how replacing an old, established way of doing things with a “new and improved” way can seem unnatural and inconvenient. Time, commitment and effort are key. In business since 1982, she helps companies develop the people side of their business. Her software company’s programs are used by consultants, coaches and HR professionals to help managers become more effective leaders. She and her business partners have worked together for 25 years. Many of their clients have used their products for 20 years.
Brendan Ridings was adrift after college at age 24. A client he was training at the gym told him about his trips to Haiti and later invited Brendan to join him on a trip. Brandon said yes. What he would see and experience would reshape his life forever. This included developing a product to help alleviate back pain, which he built into a company, and now he helps fund a school in Haiti, and has partnered with the Make in India initiative to develop and implement advanced wound care for underprivileged populations.
Michelle McQuaid was at a high point in her successful career, living in New York, the city of her dreams, when she suddenly felt she was living a life of “grays and blahs.” She started asking herself, “Why am I not enjoying myself? Is this what being a grown-up looks like?” Then, an interview on The Daily Show with Jon Steward totally changed her direction. Harvard professor Tel Ben-Shahar was describing on the science of positive psychology on a television show, the idea that we can measure human flourishing and create interventions to improve it. He said we can actually teach people to be happier. Soon she was commuting from Australia to Pennsylvania to learn the science that was energizing her.
Drew Taddia was captain of winning high school teams in three different in Canada, but his hundreds of letters to U.S. college coaches were coming back, “Not interested.” So, he targeted four states with warm climates, packed his bags and just showed up at a California college. The coach looked at him like he was crazy when this unknown player told him, “I’m going to play for you,” but Drew made it into the tryouts and onto the team. Knowing he had work to do, he taught himself nutrition and fitness. “Soon I became the go-to guy of how to design a fitness program.”
Regina Partain and her husband built a $4-million staffing firm and a 44-year marriage. Then came the recession. But helping others achieve their dreams was still her passion. “No spring chicken,” she set about finding a new way to empower others. Using her life wisdom, she learned coaching and internet marketing. Remarried now, her practice includes helping couples build their marriages and their businesses.
Hilde Larsen is a certified health and wellness coach and detox specialist with a burning passion for life and the power we all hold within. She has overcome severe illness, pain and suffering through natural healing methods, and is now helping others find their true health and passion, to go from surviving to thriving. She has spent the last 10 years studying health and healing on all levels. Her strength is her firsthand experience of the subject. She is currently writing a series of five books, which will include her own journey from "Hell to Inspired,” detoxification, nature's ability to heal, and raw food living.
Dan Kuschell, a serial entrepreneur, was building five companies simultaneously when his son was born. Only two weeks later, after morning chest pains, he was lying in a hospital bed facing a frightening prognosis and writing his will. He did go home in four days, but his life would never be the same. Now, with his health scare behind him, he spends his time working on fun projects, including helping Joe Polish and his GeniusNetwork.com grow, and coaching clients in how to have a greater impact and expanded contribution. In addition to his “To Do” list, he also keeps a “Not-To-Do” list.
Kim Martin was in a job interview to be the manager of a fitness club. She had some management skills, but was a total newbie in the health and fitness world. Added to that, she had struggled with weight issues all her life. But something dawned on her, and she knew there was nothing random about her being there at Curves Fitness that day. “This could be the opportunity for me to take control of my life, get healthy, and use it as a motivator,” she thought. “If this works for me, I really believe I can inspire a lot of women.”
Parish Kohanim was born into the lush, natural beauty of the wine country of southern Iran, into a loving family that savored their times together absorbing nature. Would this 17-year-old want to leave it all behind for the U.S., and with only $300? Parish had a love for the United States and all things American, strong enough to convince his parents to let him go. He believes his lifelong love of visual beauty was recorded in his subconscious during his childhood with his parents and siblings in the Iranian countryside.
Deborah Maragopoulos knew early on she had a gift for healing. Her gifted grandmother saw it in her as a young child. First, she tried to suppress her gift, then to justify her healing abilities by getting a university degree. Reaching the perfect healing path has been her life-long challenge. Through clinical research and two decades of collecting empirical data, Deborah developed a unique holistic healthcare model blending naturopathic and allopathic therapies, as well as developing a promising nutraceutical product.
Bob Burg shares how his popular Go-Giver principles can be used to build principled leadership. Bob is an advocate, supporter, and vendor of the free-enterprise system, believing that the amount of money one makes is directly proportional to how many people they serve. A sought-after speaker at leadership and sales conferences, he is the author of several books on sales, marketing, and influence, with sales well over a million copies. He was named by the American Management Association as one of the Top 30 Most Influential Thought Leaders in Business for 2014.
Steve Garchow was tasked with completing a half-billion-dollar project, but members of his multi-disciplinary team might as well have been speaking different languages. Poor group dynamics made matters worse. He knew he had to find a way to make all the parts work together. Could he craft a process that would work before things fell apart? “Creating this method led to what I am doing today, teaching companies to use this lean strategic decision model.” Steve’s passion is working with companies to improve their strategic decision-making.
Caroline Greene is a recovering lawyer, chronic overachiever, and two-time Amazon best-selling author of MATTER: How to Find Meaningful Work That’s Right for You and Your Family and NEXT: How to Start a Successful Business That’s Right for You and Your Family. As a life and business coach, Caroline helps determined moms build businesses and whole lives that truly matter to them.
Mitchell Mays was several years into a successful chiropractic practice, when he noticed the patients who kept returning with recurring conditions, no matter what he tried. Then, he had an “ah-ha!” moment that took his practice in a whole new direction. Today, he is the #1 best-selling author of MIND GATE: Demolish Fear, Overcome Anxiety and Create the Life You Want. A certified master hypnotist and hypnotherapist, he employs functional medicine, biofeedback, nutrition, guided imagery and hypnosis for chronic anxiety, stress and pain.
Meredith Bell knew early in her career as a classroom teacher and administrator, that she had a knack for helping people build relationships. When politics and bureaucracy began to bog her down, she decided to start her own company. But there was one problem: she had zero experience in business. That was in 1982. She has been an entrepreneur since then. An expert in helping companies develop the people side of their business, her software company’s programs are used by consultants, coaches and human resources professionals to help managers become more effective leaders.
Michelle McQuaid is passionate about translating cutting-edge research from positive psychology and neuroscience into practical strategies for health, happiness, and business success. She offers actionable insights into how to do more of what you do best, beginning by identifying your true strengths and using them in a balanced way. She is a best-selling author, workplace well-being teacher and playful change activator and has more than a decade of senior leadership experience in large organizations around the world.
Angus Nelson had spent his 20s traveling the world, working with young people, doing good. At the nonprofit organization he formed, he began to burn out. “The harder I worked, the more difficult it got,” he recalls. In those dark days, the words of an author spoke deeply to him. Despite his self-doubts, somehow he knew: he was headed for Alabama to meet that man and see what he could learn from him. He gave himself a year.
P.J. Jonas—like many educated women—faced criticism when she left engineering to be a stay-at-home mom. Soon her problem-solving skills and creativity would be put to the test. After all, she was planning to homeschool her eight children. And raise goats. As an undergrad at the University of Virginia, making things from goat’s milk was nowhere in her plans. What started out simply as a means of getting good milk for her children produced a wide range of unanticipated discoveries—and a thriving family business called Goat Milk Stuff.
Paul Maskill set out for Chicago and the American dream in 2007, bolstered by his degree in finance from the University of Michigan. Stuck in a cube farm as the worst recession in decades rolled in—watching his co-workers being laid off—he knew he had to change his vision of the right career for him – and NOW!” He faced the question, “What’s the worst that could happen if I leave my corporate job?”
Vasavi Kumar was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at age 20, a student at Boston College. Instead of taking it as the death knell of her career, she wondered, might there be some similarities between bipolar peaks and valleys and the roller-coaster ride most entrepreneurs experience? From a potential stigma and curse, she found opportunities to transmute into a blessing, both in her own life and in the lives of her future clients.
Matthew Pollard knows about rapid growth in business from personal experience. With five multimillion-dollar success stories to his credit before age 30, and a Young Achiever award, he is a true differentiation, niche marketing and sales powerhouse. His holistic strategy to obtain rapid growth starts with a focus on what you care passionately about. What is your deepest purpose, what are your goals, and what do you want to achieve?”
Brad Burton was a directionless young man in Manchester, England, believing the teachers who said he’d never amount to anything might be right. Two bullet holes through his window made him rethink what was really important. Resettled in Somerset, kicking a can alone down a street, he had no idea he’d be where he is today: the highest rated and reviewed business author in the United Kingdom, firing up people from all walks of life. Brad gives people the permission to do the very thing they know they should be doing. His goal is to change the entire personal development world in the U.K.
Cynthia Zhai arrived in Singapore from her native China, without knowing a soul. In a matter of months, she created a circle of new friends, launched her own business, and found a global market on the internet, helping clients find and use their voice. Today, she is a voice coach, speaker and author of the book, Influence Through Voice, published by McGraw-Hill. She has helped senior executives and professionals with their speeches, to enable them to speak with impact and conviction.
Alex Hofeldt shared an awe-inspiring image of deep outer space from the Hubble Telescope with his class, intending to say just a few words about it. His inspired talk consumed the entire class period, greeted by enthusiastic applause from his students. In that moment, he realized he had a gift, a passion and a message to share. Today he hosts his podcast, Beautiful Dust Specks, and has set his sights on becoming a motivational speaker.
Nicole Holland was effective in getting through to children in trouble. “I understand angry kids because I was one, too.” But working within a bureaucracy left her disillusioned and frustrated, so she quit her government job. “I didn’t know where to start, but I knew I would figure it out.” She fell in love with podcasting and now coaches both podcasters and their guests in finding a perfect fit.
Rob Kosberg is a #1 best-selling author and founder Best Seller Publishing. He has guided thousands of prospective authors through the process of publishing, promoting and profiting from their own books. Along the way, he helps them gain celebrity status in their chosen fields and establish their own authority. Rather than criticize celebrities, Rob urges his clients to embrace celebrity as a part of becoming a recognized authority.
Phil Carson, Ph.D., was doing well with his innovative natural pharmacy and health businesses, offering an alternative to modern medicine’s a-pill-for-every-ailment approach. Then the global economic crash hit hard. “I told people that I locked the door on my dream in December 2009.” With a wife and five kids to support and two kids in college, he lost everything but his home. For awhile, he even thought he’d lost his dream.
Denise Brosseau was ready for a shift in her career. Considering enrolling in Stanford Business School, she was hesitating about the hefty tuition. “If you were a guy, we wouldn't be having this conversation,” a friend told her. “Guys invest in themselves." She went straight home and wrote the check to Stanford.
Chris McCluskey had built the largest Christian psychotherapy practice in the Tampa Bay, Florida area, but when he arrived at home one day and found his pregnant wife and kids—“the five people I loved the most”— snuggled together and sleeping in the living room, all he could feel was how much of their lives he was missing. He knew he had to make a change.
Marsha Lecour devoted her education and 30-year counseling and teaching career to helping students create blueprints for living. Then, when Hepatitis-C—and the brutal therapies intended to cure it—knocked her down for four years, she created a new blueprint to get her life back from the often-fatal virus. Helping Hep-C sufferers shift from surviving to thriving is her new life focus.
Bob Littell warns that millions of jobs will disappear because of technology. Old style networking is largely ineffective and unsustainable in identifying jobs that will last. He created NetWeaving, which has proven over the past 17 years that it can help people develop the “soft skills” needed to thrive in the emerging workforce. It works by building trusted, mutually supportive relationships through empathetic listening and creatively sharing resources and contacts. It is a business world application of author Catherine Ryan Hyde’s concept of Pay It Forward.
Timothy Lawson guarded U.S. embassies around the world as a Marine. Like many returning veterans, his re-entry to civilian life was rocky. He floundered awhile. With a ten-dollar microphone, a laptop and stories to tell, he decided to give podcasting a try. Today, he hosts Fuel for Warriors, Follow Your Spirit, and the 1, 2, Many: Veteran Suicide podcast. Known for his efforts inside the veteran community as a content creator and advocate for veterans’ issues, Tim was recently recruited by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, based on his extensive work.
Teresa Marinelli was on yet another business flight in a successful but demanding fashion career. She knew something was out of balance. An article in an in-flight magazine on Feng Shui caught her eye. She wondered, could something that sounded like a take-out menu item, with a little furniture rearrangement mixed in, really make a difference? Pursuing that question led her to answers she now shares with top executives, small business owners and other people looking for a more expansive paradigm for living.
Christopher Kai’s parochial school teachers used to make him write, “I will not talk in class” hundreds of times. Neither they nor Chris likely imagined that one day he would become an international success talking to fascinated audiences around the world. His core message is that if you want to build a successful business you have to understand the art and science of relationship building. He just published his third book, Big Game Hunting: Networking with Billionaires, Executives and Celebrities. Inc. magazine has referred to him as “the billionaire networker.”
Sierra Campbell had already begun to value her experiences as a volunteer caregiver to senior adults at age 16. Two years later, when an auto accident fractured all her cervical vertebrae, she was suddenly on the receiving end of care and rehabilitation. With a major convalescence and rehabilitation ahead of her, she wondered, how could she possibly repay those who nurtured her back to health? Nurtureco.co was her answer.
Dr. Lampton explains a tool he uses with his clients to help them understand their natural, predominant communication styles and the styles they have adapted to fit the particular needs of their lives, including at their workplaces. It is known as the DISC personality profile for the four major styles of communication and orientation toward life, and it measures dominance, influencing, steadiness and compliance. As president of Championship Communication, Bill helps leaders speak confidently, clearly, and convincingly. His interview coaching enables applicants to excel in job searches.
Michael Weinberger is a successful entrepreneur, husband and father of two. He is also bipolar. Michael has learned how to find happiness and manage his illness through mindfulness practices and medication. His skills as a comedian help him find humor in his story and he is guaranteed to entertain. His website, APlanForLiving.com, helps individuals–from all types of backgrounds–achieve happiness through mindfulness, spirituality and gratitude.
AnneMarie Rossi realized having epileptic seizures was not the pathway to popularity in school. But the side-effects of the powerful anti-seizure drugs made her feel she had no life at all. She was ready to take a risk–almost any risk– to get her life back. The path she chose expanded her life in ways she had never imagined possible. She believes we change the world one mind at a time, that an internal evolution is required for a collective revolution. Her research and practice are demonstrating how to hasten that evolution.
Clem Harrod experienced culture shock when his mom, a single parent, pulled up their roots in Maryland and he landed in an unfamiliar middle school in Miami. He felt like an alien. But something about her courage to leave a secure job she hated to pursue her passion gave him a picture of his own possibilities. How could he know how important vision would become in his future life?
Allyson Byrd was a high school drop-out at age 15, feeling disengaged from life. She could see herself becoming little more than a statistic, an average. But even in the midst of mediocrity, flipping burgers at McDonald's, somewhere inside her was an audacity to be amazing. “The greatest theme I've seen in my life is that regardless of how many times I’ve tried to de-select goodness, greatness and extraordinary possibility, and almost surrendered to just being average, everything inside me has caused me to break through my fears, step beyond uncertainty and embrace the next level.”
Dr. Mitchell Mays teaches how to remove fear and anxiety so you can make the best decisions and get on with the rest of your life. It is possible—and crucial—that we learn how to be fully present, and teach our brain how to escape fear. Best-selling author of Mind Gate: Demolish Fear, Overcome Anxiety and Create the Life You Want, he’s been a licensed chiropractor since 1978 and is a certified master hypnotist and hypnotherapist. In his busy practice in northern California, he employs functional medicine, biofeedback, nutrition, guided imagery and hypnosis for chronic anxiety, stress and pain.
Jared Rosen was living in a rundown railroad flat in New York City, with a bathtub in his kitchen. In his sink in the morning there were dishes, toothpaste and paint brushes. What began as a romance with the world of Keith Haring, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Andy Warhol came to feel like a world without a soul. He turned to yoga, then joined Alberto Villoldo on a trip to Peru to learn from a shaman. It was the first of many spiritual shifts toward an inner journey.
Emily Eldredge’s results on an aptitude test were a blessing and a curse: natural talents in an exceptionally high number of areas. Her father told her, “Find the principle that will integrate all your gifts and talents.” That was easier said than done. Her struggle to find that integrating principle led her to face her inner demons and embrace all parts of herself. In the process, she discovered principles she shares with clients every day, helping them permanently remove inner blocks, triggers, and blind spots.
Meny Hoffman’s business was growing. He was doing everything himself, and doing it well, and hiring people who did likewise. But he knew he had to change when he found himself blaming employees because the company's growth was not meeting his expectations. He shifted his focus to growing his business by growing people. A lifelong entrepreneur, Meny is passionate about collaborating with growing businesses to create winning strategies that yield results.
Jennifer Bradley Franklin already had a byline in a new national magazine under her belt at age 19, and visions of a career as a professional writer. Then, she watched as the planes hit the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001. As a result of the economic downturn, her job at Teen People magazine crumbled. Journalism jobs were nowhere to be found. Yet her passion for writing would not go away. Today, one of her greatest joys has been immersing herself in some of the biggest concerns facing young people—poverty, hunger and human trafficking—through the research and co-authorship of her book, Make It Zero, published in 2016.
Denise Brosseau believes becoming the go-to thought leader in your niche is the very best career insurance around. She asks, “Are you ready to be a thought leader?” and offers listeners the steps to become one. As CEO of the Thought Leadership Lab and a lecturer at the Stanford Business School, Denise loves working with entrepreneurs and executives, particularly women, on their journey from leader to thought leader.
Jason Treu was finishing law school. Interviews with prospective firms were beginning. When asked, “Do you have any questions for us," he tossed out what surely would be a softball question, “Are you happy?” One by one, the responses threw him a curve, and pointed him toward Silicon Valley. Today, he helps his clients get unstuck, find their purpose and take their careers to the highest levels. He has worked with well-known CEOs such as Steve Jobs and Mark Hurd at Hewlett-Packard. He's helped his clients meet influencers such as Tim Cook, Bill Gates, Richard Branson and others.
Alyssa Addison had veered away from her first love—drama—to pay the bills. She’d been easing back into theater with several churches’ drama programs, nursing hopes of going back to her native California, where her love of theater had blossomed. Then, her husband’s job took them to Knoxville, TN, and she remembers thinking, “How will I find any acting opportunities here?” The move was fortuitous. She made connections that led to an independent film production of her screenplay, Laughing at the Moon, opening in theaters in select cities, starting September 9, 2016.
Cole Hatter had landed his dream job as a firefighter and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) at 19. He looked ahead with confidence to a 30-year career serving others. Two years into the job, a car crash threw him onto the freeway at 80 miles an hour. He was not expected to live. Years later, recovered, he knows he’s living on borrowed time. He is the founder of Thrive: Make Money Matter, an annual conference designed to teach entrepreneurs how to dominate in business and in life, while making the world a better place. Cole is a husband, father and philanthropist who strives to give back.
Molly Fletcher was a Big Ten tennis player with a Communications degree from Michigan State University. She knew she wanted a job in the business end of sports, but wasn’t sure what that would look like. She hit the job market and quickly discovered, “When you ask for a job, you get advice.” Then, she found the way to a job was to ask for advice, and to leave each interview with a handful of names. Now a CEO, she shares the unconventional, unique techniques that made her one of the first female sports agents in the high stakes, big ego world of professional sports and now a successful entrepreneur.
Dr. Susan Bernstein delves into three key principles to make your resume stand out: 1) Start with a strategy; 2) Think of your resume as your own promotional story; and 3) Don't plan to use just your resume; plan to connect with real people. With tools like LinkedIn.com and online job hunting, many people have lost the art of conversation. They’re intimidated by the thought of meeting people face-to-face. Using her 20+ years of career and executive coaching, she gives practical tips for adding the human element back into the process.
Marshall Titus was a child who loved to draw. In school he was the one they asked to paint murals. Everyone expected him to become a visual artist. Then, he had an epiphany. For reasons he couldn’t explain, he could never pick up a pencil to sketch again. Years later, he is a multi-dimensional artist best known for his voice, music and stage performances. With his songs, he urges his listeners to “send a little love.”
Winnie Anderson had valued her intelligence and mystery-solving mind since childhood. A severe brain injury showed her just how much of her self-identity was tied to her belief that she was smart. How could she ever be herself again? Against the odds and contrary to prognoses, she decided to stop worrying about what she had lost, and to recover by rediscovering her talents and unique gifts.
Robert Mallon had climbed to a significant position over a 20-plus-year career in a leading restaurant chain. One typical Friday, his boss called to schedule a Saturday meeting at precisely the same time as his son’s basketball game. He hung up the phone, turned to his wife and said, “Today was my last day working with them.” He became a professional speaker and business coach, leading nearly 2,000 full-day seminars. He has inspired thousands of men between the ages of 30 to 49 to realize their full potential without losing their freedom to their work lives.
A Friday in February started out like any other day, as Gail’s father dropped her off at her suburban New Jersey school. “I love you. Have a good day.” Hours later there was a chasm in her life’s road–“my life before, my life after.” Gail began to looking into philosophy and was asking basic questions about life, such as, “Why are things the way they are?"
Kathleen Brady, a certified career/life management coach, offers specific tips to new hires to help them ease their way into a new job. Her advice applies to recent graduates and to veterans of the workforce who are stepping into new responsibilities. An educator with 25-plus years of experience helping students and professionals identify and integrate their personal and professional goals, she is the author of GET A JOB! 10 Steps to Career Success. Kathleen is on the adjunct faculty and serves as Executive Director of Career Services at Georgian Court University.
Mohamed Omar felt the pressure from his parents to go to college, but his passion was his music, and his rock band. He played in front of audiences numbering in the thousands. Then, through no fault of his own, his music career ended abruptly. Now living in Tucson, Arizona, running a CPA firm of his own, he is pursuing his second passion, spirituality. He created a podcast called Intentional Beings and the Seven Simple Steps: The Natural Path to Co-Creation and Self-Realization. He's also in the process of publishing a book (2016) with the same title.
Gabrielle Baumeyer was good at math since childhood and was practical and analytical. Civil engineering looked like a logical pathway to certain employment. Then she realized a career in engineering was not for her. She had to find a way to make the numbers work, both for herself and for others. As president and co-founder of Reason2Race, she supports companies, organizations and individuals to reach big goals while making a profound difference in the community. As an athlete herself, she knows what it takes to strive for and turn dreams into reality.
Daniel Houtman discovered as a young child that he could sense people’s feelings, especially their pain and sadness. An adult might say to him, ‘I’m feeling good,’ but Daniel somehow knew they were not. When a family member had a headache, he could touch or rub the pain and it would go away. What does a child do with that kind of gift?
Swati Lodha was born to loving—and enlightened—parents in a traditional culture in Rajasthan, India. She realized how fortunate she was to be encouraged to think for herself. As a college student, she heard a speaker talk about paradigm shifts, and in a split-second she knew what her career would be. She is the founder of Life Lemonade, a training organization for life transformation, women empowerment, leadership and parenting. With a doctorate in Women Entrepreneurship, she is an Amazon No. 1 bestselling author of Don't Raise Your Children, Raise Yourself, and other bestselling books.
Frank Bria helps entrepreneurs “fire themselves” from the daily operations of their businesses and, by productizing their expertise, avoid getting trapped in just another job. His experience includes helping some of the largest corporations on four continents grow their businesses by making a real impact on their customers. He now turns that experience to the small business sector. He is author of the book Scale: How to Grow Your Business by Working Less.
Chris Quigley had earned a degree in chemistry, with a minor in business, and was waiting tables at a local restaurant. One day he asked a regular customer, “So, Dr. Bill, tell me about being a chiropractor.” The passion in his answer got Chris exploring new career directions. Today, Dr. Quigley has been a chiropractor for 26 years, helping patients heal and advocating for them when insurance companies short-change them. He shares what he has learned in his book, After the Crash: A Comprehensive Guide for Victims and Attorneys to Recover Your Health and Protect Your Rights.
Joan Sotkin’s life wasn’t making much sense to her 40 years ago. She decided to give away everything she owned and just start listening to her inner voice. With no visible means of support, she began a deep, lifelong spiritual journey. Today, as the founder of ProsperityPlace.com and host of The Prosperity Show Podcast, she’s the author of the award-winning book "Build Your Money Muscles." She is known for her insightful understanding of the connection between money and emotions and how family-of-origin experiences affect a person's ability to succeed in business and financially.
Joshua Rivedal dealt with personal and family turmoil in the wake of his father’s suicide. He found some release in writing and performing a one-man play exploring the family dynamics of depression. It raised the question, if heredity really was a factor, was he destined to follow in his father’s footsteps? Today he is the founder of The i'Mpossible Project. He is an author, actor, playwright, and international public speaker who has spoken about suicide prevention, mental health awareness and diversity in more than 100 locations throughout the world.
Michelle Evans reached the top four percent of executives in Microsoft in just a few years. As one of its high potential staffers, the company assigned her a coach to help chart her path. So, what made her quit one day and start her very own business that night? Now she shows experts and entrepreneurs how to stand out. Her clients' biggest challenge is that they're really good at what they do but feel like they're the best-kept secret around. She shows them how to go from being best-kept secrets to a sold-out success, customizing a visibility strategy to attract clients to grow their business.
Josh Doody didn't negotiate his salary at his first few jobs, but quickly realized he had left a lot of money on the table. He began negotiating and doubled his salary in three years. He took everything he learned, began helping others. An author and consultant, he wrote Fearless Salary Negotiation, a number one bestseller on Amazon. Since then, he's helped many more people negotiate tens of thousands more dollars. “A lot of people are very intimidated by the negotiation process and can be scared of it. I'm trying to help you overcome that fear and actually negotiate.”
Dr. Chad Edwards returned to the Army as an active duty physician, equipped with a solid medical education. A commander came in complaining of elbow pain and requesting prolotherapy—a procedure he’d never heard of—he began digging into the literature. What he found totally changed his medical practice from that day forward. Today, as an osteopathic physician in Tulsa, Oklahoma, he practices functional medicine using holistic approaches. He optimizes health using nutrition, exercise, rest, herbals, medications, acupuncture, chiropractic, and any other means available as deemed appropriate.
Beth Dodson saw the corporate layoffs and turmoil all around her in the early ‘90s. Rather than wring her hands, she decided to act as if her own layoff was a fait accompli. Looking back, she concludes, “Sometimes when one door closes, three doors open—not necessarily a bad thing.” Earning an MBA and trusting her instincts, she took a risk on a start-up. Her career reflects adapting to change, from a corporate job to joining an early stage startup that grew to a successful acquisition, to recently starting her own company.
Aaron Walker had already amassed a fortune at age 27, selling his pawn shops for an asking price he was sure the buyer would consider outrageous. Headed to the office one day, an elderly man stepped onto the four-lane highway right in front of Aaron’s car, killing the pedestrian and forever changing Aaron’s life. The tragedy turned Aaron’s attention to his legacy and life purpose. Today he is a veteran entrepreneur as well as a life and business coach in Nashville, Tennessee. He spends most of his time helping men grow in success and significance as president and founder of View from the Top.
Debby Stone loved working alongside brilliant consultants from top-notch schools, but poring over numbers was just not her thing. Crafting legal documents—dotting I's and crossing T's—wasn’t doing it for her either. But when a friend said, “Get off your you-know-what and DO it!” she started training for her new career within one week. Now, an executive coach and keynote speaker, she's the author of The Art of Self-Promotion: Tell Your Story, Transform Your Career. “I'm a big believer in being able to honor my core values. You suffer when they are being compromised.”
Joanie Connell explains how “helicopter parenting”—hovering over and doing too many things for your kids, protecting them, and not letting them learn those skills themselves—is leading to problems when they get older and enter the workplace. In her executive coaching work, Dr. Connell often hears complaints about younger people coming into the workplace lacking some of the basic life skills that are necessary to succeed, like being independent, resilient, having good communication skills, and creativity. She offers solutions in her book, Flying Without a Helicopter.
Michael Roderick was a freshman in college, a nobody, studying drama and education. But when he became assistant director of a play his friend was directing at her high school, he recalls, “I was that kid who was in college already.” He quickly went from nobody to awesome. Today, his company, Small Pond Enterprises, specializes in helping individuals extend and leverage their networks, sharing what he learned on his own journey from high school English teacher to Broadway producer in less than two years. Michael is also the founder of ConnectorCon, a conference for connectors.
Margaret Gearing was fresh out of Florida State University with a degree in Mass Communications. Driving to Miami with her boyfriend, who was heading there to go to medical school. Margaret recalls saying, "I've got to think about what I'm going to do!" And he said, "Well, why don't you go into advertising?" "Hmm, that's interesting. Maybe I'll do that." she remarked. In the advertising and marketing industry for the past 25 years, she recently helped organize the Mobil X Conference at Georgia Tech's Schuller College of Business. Her new working title is Wild Blue Yonder, No Borders, No Barriers.
John Bodrozic’s two top college picks, both in his native California, had turned him down…twice. Notre Dame was a fine school, but it still felt like a consolation prize. He could not have imagined the doors that would open in the wake of those two rejections. Today he is a co-founder of Homezada, his second startup, a digital home management internet platform that empowers consumers to manage their largest financial asset, their home. His previous successful startup resulted in a successful multi-million dollar sale to a public company.
Laura Coe helped her father, a gifted professor who had developed a method for preventing the recurrence of kidney stones, to build a successful healthcare company, learning the field from the ground up. “I did love the entrepreneurship piece,” she recalls, “I just didn't like the subject matter.” She knew she needed to find something she truly loved to do. Today she is an entrepreneur, author, and certified life coach working to help clients find fulfillment one day at a time through daily emotional workout routines, emotional nutrition, and other tools and insights.
Bob Lancer has been on the path of his talents for all of his adult life. He made the decision in his 20s that he was going to rely on his gifts, talents and inspiration to make his living and live life to the fullest. He has kept to that commitment for four decades. Through thick and thin, Bob has persevered in connecting with and sharing the inspiration that lights up his life with businesses, schools and individuals worldwide. Recently he distilled his wisdom about inner peace into a dramatically powerful 10-minute tool he calls, “The Method.”
Bob Whipple retired from a 30-year corporate career, where he honed his understanding of leadership. When he shares insights with top executives, he tells them they might well be the cause of a culture where trust is low. Some point him straight to the exit. But lots of executives get it. His company, Leadergrow, Inc., is dedicated to improving leadership in organizations. He has earned the title of “Trust Ambassador.”
Dr. Lana Marconi had enjoyed being a therapist for more than 10 years, counseling individual clients and couples. Then, she hit her own ceiling. She knew she needed to grow. Then, two talents from her childhood surfaced and collided—storytelling and creativity—and today she’s a documentary filmmaker. Her three consciousness raising feature films are: The Wellness Story, The Resonance, and New Human, New Earth, New Humanity. Her topics range from health to UFOs, paranormal phenomena and beyond.
Bob Vanourek was a Young Turk, an MBA from the top of his class at Harvard Business School, flying all over the U.S., firing people for a living. “Frankly, it was turning my stomach,” he recalls. He was dashing to meet his wife and two young children for Christmas in Chicago when he couldn’t ignore his inner voice any longer. He quit his job at the hot IPO and set out on a life-long quest to create better models of leadership. Now an award-winning author and popular speaker on ethical leadership, his latest book is "Leadership Wisdom: Lessons from Poetry, Prose, and Curious Verse."
Jodi Flynn, as an assistant vice president, was loving her job, building quality by inspiring the company’s staff to do their best, making them feel like they were working with friends and family. Then, after a second acquisition, the culture totally changed. A one-on-one consultation morphed into being an employee number on a faceless hotline call. Jodi embark on a new adventure: a coaching business of her own. Today she specializes in partnering with women, who experience self-doubt, to help them overcome stress, get organized, and start creating the business and the lifestyle they’ve dreamed of having.
Deborah Goldstein sums up strategic dining as Peter Drucker meets Anthony Bourdain meets Miss Manners. Executives often fail to plan appropriately for the business meal. With planning, “you can be more present, and can exude your executive presence more readily.” Deborah is the founder of two companies to help professionals maximize their careers. Goldie’s Table Matters (GTM) helps professionals maximize networking opportunities and business development. DRIVEN Professionals (DRIVEN) provides businesses the opportunity to increase employee retention and productivity in the modern workplace.
Chris Haddon and his future business partner, both in their 20s, had soaked up all they could learn at their banking jobs about finance and real estate. They took the plunge in late 2007, opening Hard Money Bankers, a commercial lending company. Then, in 2008, the real estate bubble burst and the economy tanked. Focusing the business “person-by-person, day by day,” they toughed out the recession. HMB grew to $25-million in loan volume and seven-figure revenues, using web marketing to disrupt the old school market. Chris also co-authored "The Whiteboard," an Amazon #1 Bestseller.
Kathryn Samuels was doing fine in her career in financial planning and banking, approaching middle age. But when her family moved to Florida, she realized she was at a crossroads. “I just was not happy with what I was doing.” She asked herself, “What am I doing now for free that I could turn into a viable career?” At age 47, she’s now a fitness professional who believes in total wellness – a balanced life addressing mind, body and spirit. She believes that total wellness is achieved through healthy eating, exercise, stress reduction, meditation and reflection
Jason Shurgot had two key ingredients for success: a passion to be an entrepreneur and 30 of his grandmother's wildly popular bakery recipes. But he had no collateral for a bank loan to capitalize his new venture. One year out of college, he thought, "Maybe my hopes and dreams just have to go away." Since then, he has started and deployed several businesses. A published author, he has led the creation of over 40 mobile apps, and he routinely works with Fortune 500 companies to redesign struggling departments. However, Jason's greatest passion is coaching both men and women to living their dream life.
Ashley Cooper underwent intense bullying as a child. The depression that followed left her virtually without hope. At 25, halfway around the world in Thailand, she questioned her own sanity as she began a 21-day vow of silence. Today, she is on a "soul mission" to helping others see their divine nature and understand that anything is possible, if they just believe. A yoga instructor, mindfulness coach, she’s the founder of The 6A Method from Pain to Power™ and co-founder of ABC Charity™- a global art project based on kids helping kids.
Rob B. Lowe uses the acronym DRAMA to mean, “Doing Repetitive And Meaningless Actions. This drama cycle is when you feel like you’re in the movie Groundhog Day with Bill Murray. The goal is to switch to positive drama, Doing Resourceful And Meaningful Actions. We're not saying you can live your life without drama. Positive drama is actually good, productive and challenging. It's those repetitive, meaningless actions that are just not serving you. Life coaches can offer skills, tools and knowledge to help make a positive drama cycle that is resourceful and meaningful for you.”
David Taylor II loved and admired his father, a successful African American small business owner, but knew his father’s dream was not his own. Then, at age 12 or so, his father succumbed to several strokes. A business he didn’t love fell squarely on David's shoulders. “It took me some time to come back around to realize where my strength and my desire really was, and what I was born to do. I went back to school for music, which is what I had always wanted to do.” Today he’s a best-selling author, award winning playwright, Top Ten music producer and songwriter.
Astrid’s path toward her passion was circuitous, but her desire to follow her heart remained strong. She combined some formal education with internships and a variety of entrepreneurial attempts, learning with each step. “I found a different strategy.” Today she is a creative serial solopreneur with a background in branding and design. She loves helping women business owners through online training programs, including the Astrid Mueller Brand Academy. Originally from Switzerland, she lives on beautiful Kodiak Island, Alaska, from where she connects and empowers women around the world.
Steve Taubman’s mom was a lover of Broadway musicals, amassing a collection of recordings. In his early teens, he knew he wasn’t one of the cool kids, but one vinyl album in particular awakened his sense of wonder and possibility. Years later as a trained hypnotist, his coaching and writing help clients wake up from their trances and discover a sense of possibility for themselves.
Stacey J. Hentschel was acting on her childhood yearning to contribute to the world by touching people in ways that would bring them joy. Then, she was seized by a fatigue so intense she barely remembered her high-energy self. Her recovery deepened her compassion and empathy and taught her about the inner strength everyone has at a heart level. Since then, she has worked with thousands of people for over 25 years in developing visionary businesses and leaders and creating empowering relationships. She also facilitates the building of consciousness and sustainable organizations.
Barry Selby is a passionate champion for the divine feminine. He helps strong, successful, single women stop short-changing their love-life. When women get manipulated and hurt it really ignites his passion to help them become wise and smart in their dating choices. He is passionate about women being honored and respected in love. “In new relationships, we tend to be attracted to what we see externally. Who we are, really, is often well below the surface, like the iceberg, maybe, five percent of the story. Be willing to take the time to explore and learn about the person in real interaction.”
Joe Calloway was in his early twenties when two roads diverged in front of him: working for the President of the United States or leaving politics altogether, moving to the Pacific Northwest to help his brother-in-law start a real estate company. Today he is a leading performance expert with a client list that reads like a Who's Who in business. He is the Executive in Residence for Belmont University’s Center for Entrepreneurship, and is the author of six critically acclaimed books on business success, including “Becoming A Category of One.” He is an investor and advisor to a range of start-ups.
Rhonda Barrymore was divorced, with two kids at a young age. She had to get a job. She started working as a make-up artist and one of her first clients was Diane von Furstenberg, who had recently introduced a cosmetic line. From then on, she says, “I became known as a celebrity make-up artist.” Self-taught as a make-up artist and stylist, she went on to work with Presidents and First Ladies, and with TV networks at Olympic Games since 1996.
Steve Cockram was well into a teaching career he loved. “I thought I would be there forever.” Then, he felt a call to be a pastor. His three years of ministerial training included many practical field placements. Not one of them prepared him to run a nightclub. Today he runs a global transformational consultancy that works with leaders, teams and organizations. He is a charismatic public speaker and recognized expert in the fields of personality, communication, apprenticeship and driving team performance. He is fiercely practical and committed to “Applied Leadership Learning.”
Joanie Connell always liked making things and solving problems and was fascinated by the math and science behind how things work. With her electrical engineering degree from Harvard, Silicon Valley seemed like the perfect place to launch her career. After staying up into the wee hours of the morning debugging circuitry, for days on end, however, she had to face the hard truth…. She earned a doctorate in psychology from UC Berkeley and now specializes in leadership assessment, development and retention for all levels. She is also an executive coach and the author of "Flying Without a Helicopter: How to Prepare Young People for Work and Life."
T. Allen Hanes has a passion for helping entrepreneurs, business owners, authors, speakers and coaches to be bold and position themselves as the go-to person and the authority in their niche. He and his team have created over 600 bestselling authors to date. A retired U.S. Navy photographer and video producer and bestselling author, he loves teaching entrepreneurs and corporate refugees around the globe how to awaken and claim their expertise through publishing and media. He's been widely featured on mainstream media, including CNN, CBS, NBC, Fox and ABC.
Rye Taylor was sitting on a porch swing, listening to complaints about Aunt Eunice’s bunions. His childhood adventures in Africa’s Zambesi River Valley were a distant memory. He realized he’d made a terrible mistake in the trajectory toward his life’s passion. Something had to change. Years later, his motto is: "Build a better business by telling a better story." When he isn’t helping others craft amazing stories, he can be found speaking about storytelling in business and creating his own unforgettable audio at www.ryetaylor.com.
Susan Weeks competed with 2,000 applicants for a coveted programming job at a new Nissan factory in Sunderland, UK. She won one of only two positions offered. The work was challenging but she felt like a square peg in a round hole. When a new start-up hit town, new vistas suddenly emerged. Today she is a busy online implementation specialist, podcast producer and video marketer who helps entrepreneurs create clarity, simplify strategy and tame technology. A single mum, she’s happily settled in a small seaside town on the East Yorkshire Coast of England.
Tom Schwab had completed four years at the U.S. Naval Academy, an outstanding education paid for in full by Uncle Sam. Then, in his senior year he found out that he wasn’t physically qualified to be in the military at all. “My path only makes sense in the rearview mirror.” Today he helps clients break through the noisy digital world to get more web traffic, leads and customer fans. An inbound marketing engineer, his refreshingly different approach focuses on supercharging time-tested strategies.
Melinda Chen loved the world of international sales, dealing with different cultures, wearing elegant business suits into corporate offices. Then she got an opportunity to leave the corporate world and venture out on her own. She had a crucial decision to make. Her decision to become an entrepreneur equipped her with experiences to share with other women. A sales coach today, her company, Women Making Big Sales, allows female entrepreneurs to start connecting and sell to big clients. Her vision is to really inspire female entrepreneurs to dream big, and make their business as big as possible.
Jim Gregory, marketing expert, explains how marketers are caught in a Catch 22 situation: they know the tremendous value of branding but face a gap created by generally accepted accounting practices (GAAP) that simply don’t take this into consideration. Much has dramatically changed in the concepts and methods of valuation since 1975, but accounting methods have not kept up. A leading expert on measuring the power of corporate brands and their impact on financial performance, Jim has written five books on branding, including Powerhouse – The Secrets of Corporate Branding.
Ryan Magdziarz won a scholarship and got into the private high school of his dreams in Melbourne, Australia. He was a nervous and shy 13-year-old, but hardworking. Then, one morning he awakened to hear his father shouting into the phone, “What do you mean you’re not coming back?” Ryan Magdziarz is now an entrepreneur, speaker, author, and founder of Winning International, which he scaled to seven figures at the age of 21. Ryan’s company helps coaches take their business to seven figures and beyond, creating an amazing impact on many people’s lives
Ellie Laks couldn’t sit still for the service at her family’s Orthodox Jewish temple. As a five-year-old, it felt like torture to her. Faking a trip to the restroom, she slipped out the temple door. Suddenly, she was covered head to toe in Monarch butterflies. At seven, she defiantly told her parents, “You’ll see! When I grow up I’ll have a huge place full of animals! And I’ll show the world how beautiful they are!” Today she cares for hundreds of unwanted animals at her childhood dream, The Gentle Barn.
Barry Friedman was five when his parents divorced. Suddenly everything was up in the air, and he and his brothers were facing uncertainty. When his grandmother sent him to summer camp, he faced two choices, and one involved a “hot, smelly box of a room in San Fernando Valley.” He opted for juggling because it was taught by the pool, but he took to it immediately. “I never put those balls down at the end of that summer camp!" He and another camper did a little show together. People were laughing and applauding. He knew his life would never be the same.
Rachel Flower was going through university, studying physics, always trying to perform well, hoping somehow to make the world right. She was putting out a lot of effort, getting straight A's, but inside she struggled. In hindsight, she saw she was not living her passion. Depression followed, which led her to make a 180-degree turn when she earned her degree. Today, she coaches artists and entrepreneurs and uses a precise system of spiritual numerology called soul contract reading to help people get to the core of their purpose and passion.
Dr. Thomas O’Grady, an economist, walks listeners through rethinking retirement and prospering long after 50. Life expectancy is approaching 90. Many active years ahead offer opportunities for pursuing new careers and interests. “Approach the new reality from an optimistic standpoint,” economist O’Grady advises. “You can learn and do new things. Think of the kinds of careers that will be available in the future. You may be doing something full-time now and decide on some new or other work you will do on the side. Or, you may decide to start your own business.”
Jason Thelen was a top corporate sales guy, making what he called “an embarrassing amount of money.” He had all the trappings that went with it—the watches, cars, suits, and the things. But the more money he made, the more money he needed. And he needed it faster than he was bringing it in. With those days behind him, Jason is the founder and chief adventure officer of Argo Adventure Labs. He has devoted the last 20 years of his life to pursuing adventure, while continuously striving to learn ways to support the integration of mind, body and spirit, which is vital to sustaining high performance.
Jo Hausman knew she wanted more when she was a single mom in her early 20s. For starters, she wanted to see some places other than her native South Dakota. But with a toddler two and a half years old, there was no shortage of people telling her she was crazy. Today she holds an MBA in Business with Entrepreneurship from the University of Sioux Falls. She owns several small businesses and is a real estate investor and city council alderwoman. She is the author of Go For It! A Woman’s Guide to Perseverance.
Josh Doody was in a job he liked, doing work he enjoyed. But as he sized up the company and the prospects it offered, the 30-year upward trajectory, ending with a retirement party, didn’t spark his imagination. Instead, he just felt antsy. So, he took everything he’d learned, began helping others, and went out on his own. He wrote Fearless Salary Negotiation, a number one Best Seller on Amazon.com, and created online courses to help people learn how to negotiate like a pro and improve their own lives.
Christie Mims looked at the people around her on the DC Metro. They looked like they had died years before but their bodies were still doing the daily commute. A voice inside her said, “This can NOT be my life!” So, she created The Revolutionary Club, the number one destination for smart women who are unwilling to settle for anything less than career happiness. She coaches smart women how to build networks as career safety nets.
Dr. Steve Taubman, today’s expert, tells how to reprogram your subconscious mind for success, and how to wake up from the hypnotic state of which you may be unaware. He is a physician, hypnotist, magician, mindfulness coach and the best-selling author of Unhypnosis: How to Wake Up, Start Over, and Create the Life You're Meant to Live. Dr. Steve has performed for and coached top celebrities and movie stars, and has shared the stage with legendary motivational speakers like the late Zig Ziglar.
Corey Gladwell already owned a restaurant and a nightclub at 23. For a high school drop-out, this was success. Two years into the business, standing on the balcony of his nightclub late at night, he felt empty and unfulfilled. Everything started to crumble. He began a practice of deep meditation for almost four years and wrote the insights and realizations that came to him. Rebuilding his life from the inside out, he is now in the top seven percent in his industry. He got back ten times the material things he had lost, but more importantly he is enjoying deep, loving relationships in his life.
Deborah Goldstein owned a thriving and critically acclaimed restaurant at age 32, fulfilling a dream she’d nurtured since she was 10. But she realized her life was one-dimensional. To find the balance her heart cried out for, she made a bold decision. She founded two companies to help professionals maximize their careers: Goldie’s Table Matters (GTM) and DRIVEN Professionals. GTM focuses on networking and business development. DRIVEN helps businesses with employee retention and productivity, using a holistic approach in a three-part development cycle: professional, business and personal.
Benjamin Allen saw the oncoming car speeding straight toward him at deadly speed. As his head crashed into the windshield—for a split-second—he felt indescribable peace. It was an out-of-body, near-death experience. He was 20 years old. Decades later, he’s still dealing with life and death. His life was devastated by the death of his wife and two children from HIV through a blood transfusion. Today he helps people learn to grieve and live life after loss.
Susan Drumm was sure NBC television would be a good fit. She had a strong passion for drama, theater and entertainment, and solid consulting credentials. She quickly learned, "You may have the best process in the world, but if the culture doesn't accept it, you're dead in the water." Today she is a CEO advisor and leadership coach. For 20-plus years she’s been teaching companies like Viacom, Cisco, L’Oreal and KPMG to harness the power of leadership teams for multi-million-dollar growth. She has degrees from Harvard Law, Carnegie Mellon and a Master’s in Drama from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.
Expert Brad Axelrad sees fears as a dragon. “Facing your dragon is understanding how to find, face and ride your dragon; very simply, it’s about how to train your dragon. My approach is based on the quote, ‘The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.’ Our greatest fear is possibly our greatest gift and our money-maker. I challenge folks to look at what they're most afraid of.” Based in Costa Rica, Brad is a consultant, speaker and spiritual adventure tour facilitator. He supports coaches and consultants to leverage their fear, freeing them to create the lifestyle they desire.
Greg Thredgold occasionally talks to old friends from school. “They'll say, ‘Boy, I wish I could go back to those days,’ and I say, ‘Not me. I hated school.’ Starting at age seven, I was molested, abused and even tortured. I'm sure that's where my mental illness came from.” Although his life has been filled with challenges, loneliness and pain—including the death of his son in 2014—he’s become an expert in surviving severe depression, panic attacks and anxiety. An international award-winning photographer and author, he is a sought after speaker and business owner.
Debbie McIntosh recalls her new life in Manchester, England, as “a fabulous time.” She was pursuing her passions in singing and acting. Then, things started unraveling: her marriage broke up, her father died tragically, and she was spiraling downward into a deep depression. She woke up one morning with an empty wine bottle in her hand and her son asleep in another room. Finally, she realized she needed help. Through personal development techniques and behavioral therapy, she learned about the mask she was wearing, and how to remove it, and now she helps individuals around the world.
Jim Gregory and his wife had rocked along in their ad agency on Madison Avenue for 20 years, enjoying the creative work and their clients, but they suffered from lack of differentiation from competitors. After much thought, they decided it was time to apply to their own business the best advice they gave their clients. Today as chairman of Tenet Partners, a global brand strategy and marketing firm based in New York City, Jim is a leading expert on measuring the power of corporate brands and their impact on financial performance. He has written 5 books on branding.
Jillian Theorgood knew in childhood she loved helping people, so much that her mother was often concerned for her safety. But at college, she decided to follow her father’s footsteps into information technology. Soon, her passion for people guided her to a career in the human resources field for more than 20 years. When her son was born with congenital heart disease, she turned her frustration with the healthcare maze toward creating a tool to ease the way for parents of children facing similar circumstances.
Eldonna Fernandez, an expert contract negotiator says, “Whether it's a multi-million-dollar deal or getting your kids to do their homework, it’s negotiation. Mastering those skills will make you better in business, at work, and in your personal life.” She is a retired Air Force veteran with 23 years of honorable military service. She is a negotiation and contracts expert with more than 30 years of leadership, contracts management and negotiation experience and has negotiated contracts from $1 million to over $100 million, both stateside and internationally.
Frank Bria knew it was time to rethink his career path when, along the way to his doctorate, he asked the question, "What's the next step after you get a Ph.D. in mathematics?” The answer: "Go to a large city, live in a basement apartment with your family, make $25,000 a year and get a post-doctorate.” After academia, Frank Bria began as an entrepreneur in financial services technology. He worked with start-ups, some selling for hundreds of millions of dollars, and some crashing in flames. He has helped some of the largest corporations on four continents grow their businesses by improving their customers’ experiences.
Sachiko Komagata was grateful as a child growing up in Japan that her parents had not pressured her into a particular career, as many children’s parents did, but during her college undergraduate years the options ahead of her were limited to a few traditional occupations for women. In the U.S., her doctoral research explored a holistic approach to patient care in physical therapy. Since 2004, she has chaired the Department of Holistic Health Studies and Exercise Science at Georgian Court University in Lakewood, New Jersey.
Raffaele Di Giorgio had wanted to be a police officer, but that didn’t quite do it for him. Military service and being an EMT and a security officer left him longing for something more. He found a need and a niche in shaping the ways emergency medical care and security services are provided worldwide. He is a mentor, instructor, a field operations specialist and an author. When not actively engaged in teaching, Raffaele stays active in the field at various operational levels, providing government agencies with protection and medical services throughout the world.
Tamara Dorris' confidence was high after healing herself after doctors told her nothing could be done. She took the lessons she had learned in self-healing and prepared to apply them to selling houses. Then, the real estate market crashed, ushering in the worst economy since the Great Depression. Tamara is now a best-selling author, adjunct professor, radio host, and longtime real estate professional who says she has “gone crazy selling houses, loves yoga, and is addicted to personal and spiritual development.”
Susan Drumm, a CEO advisor and leadership coach for executives, their teams and entrepreneurs, believes "It's more important than ever to work strategically, which is about doing the things that only you can do.” Susan has spent over two decades teaching companies like Viacom, Cisco, L’Oreal and KPMG how to harness the power of leadership to launch their teams towards multi-million-dollar growth. Now, she brings her best tools and training to help entrepreneurs do the same. Susan has degrees from Harvard Law, Carnegie Mellon and a Master’s in Drama from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.
Barry Selby was a high school-aged teenager in England when he noticed that the girls always seemed to be dating guys who weren’t right for them. They were getting hurt, repeatedly, by their bad choices. He felt frustrated. Why couldn’t they see what he saw? Today, Barry is a passionate champion for the divine feminine. He helps strong, successful, single women stop short-changing their love-life. When women get manipulated and hurt it really ignites his passion to help them become wise and smart in their dating choices. He is passionate about women being honored and respected in love.
Pamela Peeters’ family moved from Holland to the Belgian countryside. “I began observing the space around me, sharing the love I had for nature.” By age 12, she was already finding ways to help the environment by creating a magazine. Pursuing her passion, she became an environmental economist. With two Masters Degrees under her belt and two theses on sustainable development, she moved to the U.S. in 1999. She created Our Planet TV show, the Sustainable Planet Film Festival and Sustainability Week NYC and Belgium, and a weekly radio show, Our Sustainable Planet, on local National Public Radio.
Rob B. Lowe was sitting in class at age 13, suddenly drippingsweat. He recalls “an organ-boiling fever” of 106 degreesFahrenheit, the severe onset of malaria. In his hospital bed, hisfamily far away, the Australian teen faced a surreal experience. Inrecent years, the process of becoming a life coach,certified inneurolinguistic programming, has given him tools for understandinghis life story. He recognizes the lifelong survival mode that wasevident in his response to malaria. He uses his newfound energy toreach up and out, and give people an opportunity to build their ownbest versions of themselves.
Eldonna Lewis Fernandez was working a dead-end job at a soon-to-be-defunct discount store. Arriving home one day, she found an eviction notice on the door and no sign of her father. She had no idea what to do next. An Air Force recruiting message changed her life. Today, looking back on her 23-year career in the U.S. Air Force, she says, “I ended up with two Associate’s degrees, a Bachelor's degree, and then in the contracting career field as a contract specialist.” Those skills and experiences form the basis of her company, Dynamic Vision International, Inc.
Dr. Susan Bernstein advises job seekers How to Be Your True Self in an Interview in this Expert Interview. Dr. Bernstein has delivered career and executive coaching for smart, high-performing professionals seeking to boost their career satisfaction for over 20 years. She guides her clients to create work that fits, on their terms. Her deep understanding of the workplace and career transformation comes from her pioneering research, as well as from her own radical career re-invention from management consulting to executive coaching.
Thomas O’Grady, Ph.D., endured bias and ridicule from teachers,counselors and other students—and was almost fast-tracked to the slow lane—simply because he didn't look like everyone else. Now successful in a range of fields, he had helped a wide range of businesses and people, including Lee Iacocca and Alan Greenspan.
Tula Coomes returned home at age 15 from boarding school in the United Kingdom to Zimbabwe, Africa, to discover that her grandmother–the woman who was her mother, her father, who was everything to her–did not even know who Tula was. Something had to change. She used her own trauma as she became a mental health nurse. Today, as a transformational coach, she helps others find their purpose in life through her coaching, counseling and her e-book, Transformational Starter Kit: 6 Secrets You Need to Unlock Your Life and Never Look Back.
T. Allen Hanes excelled in the U.S. Navy most of his adult life, becoming an accomplished photographer, sailing the globe, training new recruits. Not until 1998, facing civilian life, did he truly experience “dropping into a big blue ocean.” A video producer and bestselling author, he teaches entrepreneurs how to awaken and claim their authority through publishing and media. Featured on CNN, CBS, NBC, Fox and ABC, he has a passion for helping business owners, authors, speakers and coaches be the go-to person in their niche. He and his teams have created over 600 bestselling authors to date.
Jewels Muller wanted to be like the cruise director on TV Show The Love Boat, but her parents and counselors steered her on a different course. There were complications and pitfalls in not following her passion, and she had to get honest about who she was hurting. Now a wife and a mother of twin boys, she and her family have been traveling the U.S. in a motor home for the last four years, sharing the Women's Mastermind Movement. Jewels has a passion for life and helping others reach their dreams. She is the founder and CEO of Chicks Connect.
Ben Green, author of The Global Superstar, advises, “Square one is to just understand there are great threats and great opportunities posed by global competition. The threat: competing against seven billion people. Boil it down: for good-paying jobs, you're competing against three billion people. You have to be very competitive to get the pick of the litter for job opportunities, especially since the recession of 2008. It’s important to have a clear end in mind, and work backwards to get the education you’ll need.”
Steve Akinboro was cleaning bathrooms and mopping floors in a London McDonald's, a long way from selling things on the streets of Lagos, Nigeria. Struggling to understand the Cockney spoken by his neighbors, a successful career seemed far in the distance. Today, he is a widely accomplished global senior operations executive in the highly competitive retail food service industry. He was instrumental in turning around Domino's Pizza and putting multiple McDonald's regions on the path to unprecedented growth and profitability.
Kay Lathrop ignored the subtle messages that it was time for a change in her life. The little feather tickle became a brick. When she returned home to find her penthouse condo flooded, it felt like she’d been hit by a Mack truck. It got her attention and brought major life changes.
Steve Rohr was standing on the carpet on the morning of the Oscars, having handled worldwide publicity for the massive global event with 900 million viewers—a life and career defining moment. Most of the work was done when he received an email unrelated to the show. It was from a former student, and it turned out to be the highlight of his day. A public relations expert, educator, and author, Steve has taught public relations and communication at several colleges. His first book is out this month. It’s called Scared Speechless: Nine Ways to Overcome Your Fears and Captivate Your Audience.
Jen MacQuarrie was armed with a degree in psychology and a desire to help others discover their passions. She faced the reality of college loans and a job at Pizza Hut. Today she is a habit success coach and founder of a coaching practice, Bright Habits. She helps people achieve their biggest life goals step by step, one habit at a time. Jen understands the power of habits because she turned her own life around by creating a 5 A.M. wake-up habit for daily exercise and personal development. She also created time for her music passion as a guitarist and lead vocalist in a local band, Magnetic.
Sharon Frame believes women and men have much to learn from each other in building a better workplace and improving the bottom line. The former CNN anchor says it comes from being heart-centered, authentic leaders, willing to share their unique gifts. The founder of LeadHERship™, her passion is to help women find their authentic voice, step into their space, and lead their lives and their business with power, purpose and productivity. “We can move toward inclusiveness and parity, and it doesn’t have to take 79 years to do it!”
Seb Webber grew up with dyslexia on an asparagus farm outside London. He loved music but didn’t think he was all that talented. Trusting his gut—and his love of Indie music and the artists who make it—took him through dingy clubs and places he never imagined. The British, Los Angeles-based, music industry executive was named one of Billboard's "30 Under 30" in 2010. He was creative director of TIDAL, an online music platform bringing indie artists and their fans closer together, giving musicians a larger share of revenue, and co-created an app that gives Ticketmaster a run for its money.
Kathryn Morgan began studying ballet at age three. By age eight she knew she wanted to be a professional dancer. At age eleven she beat out much older dancers in a heated competition at the New York City Ballet. She won the coveted role of Aurora in Sleeping Beauty at 21. Then, overnight, this gifted performer could no longer physically endure even one hour a day of practice. Promoted to soloist in 2009, Kathryn was stricken with an autoimmune illness in 2012 and left the company. Her health restored, she performs again and also reaches out to others through YouTube and social media.
Cole Smith reveals the priorities behind his school safety software in terms of juggling. “Your business and your hobbies are like rubber balls, but your key relationships and family are a glass ball. Drop the first two and they bounce right back up. Let that glass ball drop and it shatters to pieces.” Founder of Tresit Group, a company that specializes in proactive solutions to help schools manage emergencies in real-time. Protecting others as a member of the U.S. military and Department of State, now he is giving teachers and law enforcement the right tools to keep safe those that matter most.
As a 20-something Southern model in Manhattan, Janet Arneau practiced her “person-in-the-street” reports in Times Square. Microphone in hand, camera man in tow, she approached total strangers and asked them questions for unseen producers. Quickly, she learned the popular New York greeting: “WHAT’S YOUR PROBLEM?!” Her career in the entertainment business began at age 5 on the local Romper Room in Charleston, South Carolina. Her acting credits include appearing in 16 films, 40 theatrical productions, television commercials and roles on hit TV programs such as the FX channel’s “RESCUE ME”.
Rosanne Lindsay warns that too many Americans are putting their health at risk by following myths and misconceptions. She learned this truth when she faced profound hypothyroidism head on, turning her back on the wisdom of so-called experts. Rosanne came to healing through her own journey of reversing her illness naturally, from which she discovered her gifts as a healer. Her mission as a naturopath, writer, health freedom activist, and author is to guide others on their journey to heal themselves.
Matt Miller found something that gives him the same rush he felt when flying supersonic T-38 fighter jets. And, he does it with both feet on the ground. After 9 years as an Air Force pilot and flight instructor, his career soared as a top performer in the corporate world. Soon, he developed a passion for teaching other people how to succeed and build a passive income, from the ground up.
Sheevaun Moran’s husband died suddenly. A misdiagnosis brought her own near-death experience. Learning to focus energy, she developed techniques to bring rapid holistic growth and recovery to herself, other individuals and companies. Today, as a business advisor, master coach, quantum energy thought leader and the founder of Energetic Solutions, she has worked with over 15,000 entrepreneurs. She combines her corporate experience, rapid growth expertise and unique approach using energetic techniques and principles to help small businesses grow into big conglomerates.
Brian Kurtz resisted parental pressure to go into a profession. He became an English major instead. Later, faced with a choice between a writing position at Boardroom, Inc. or a branch of marketing few even knew existed, he had to look deep inside himself. A serial direct marketer for almost 35 years, he says he never met a medium he didn't like. Recently, he left his beloved Boardroom Inc., where he was responsible for the mailing of close to 2 billion pieces of direct mail. As founder of Titans Marketing LLC, his mission is to be the bridge between the eternal truths of direct response marketing and state-of-the-art direct response marketing today.
Jenn Scalia was facing a mountain of debt, divorce, and single parenthood—with some depression thrown in for good measure—when she launched her business. Failure was a distinct possibility. Working for one of the largest casinos in Atlantic City, she also knew something about risk. What she learned from fear and adversity determined how she targeted her audience and shaped her style. Today she is a visibility strategist for entrepreneurs who want to make an impact. Known for her tough love, no-B.S. style, she went from rock bottom to creating a six-figure business.
Cultivating and connecting a team of people is a lot like growing a garden, says landscape specialist Jeff McManus. Once the vegetable falls off the plant, it starts to rot. If it's not attached and growing, it's rotting.” At Ole Miss, the people who care for the plants are showing the importance of cultivating each other. The creator of Weeders to Leaders, Jeff is director of landscape services at the University of Mississippi, affectionately known as “Ole Miss.” The program sprang from his love of growing plants, but quickly came to be about growing the people that grow the plants.
Robert Hartline learned to turn his shyness and isolation into door-openers. He was an only child in a town with only one TV station, and no Internet. Fear factors into his success in a major way. So do “Don’t interrupt” and “Don’t talk to strangers”, but not as you might think. The founder of the app, Call Proof, and a serial entrepreneur, he built his businesses to where today they generate $24 Million in total revenue. His expertise (around sales and automating follow up sequences) has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs and sales people, contributing to millions of dollars in additional sales.
Kat Loterzo was a voracious reader from the time she was a child, and an academic all-star whose parents told her she could do anything she set her mind to. Becoming a lawyer was her goal. But something unexpected happened her first semester at university. Now, as a business coach, bestselling author and speaker, she mentors revolutionary leaders who want it all, on their terms. Having built a successful online fitness business, she draws on that experience when she mentors her coaching students how to create their own successful businesses online.
Sidelined by a serious injury in his 20s, Duane Cummings’ promising professional soccer career suddenly looked bleak. But sage advice by a mentor and coach dramatically transformed the setback into an unexpected career decision. Today, he lives with a single purpose, “To aid others, act on ideas, and achieve sensational results.” A trusted advisor to organizations and individuals around the world in professional and personal development, he is an author, entrepreneur, coach, and consultant. He speaks regularly on entrepreneurship, leadership, communication, sales, and finding your purpose.
At age 14, Carine Montbertrand recalls, “I remember watching a dance performance and it was so exciting. I said to myself, ‘This is what I want to do.’ I did the conventional going to college and stuff like that, which I'm glad I did. But, ever since then, even if people in my family didn't want me to do it, I still knew, deep inside, that’s what I was going to do, whether I said it out loud or not.” As a professional actress, she has performed off Broadway and throughout the U.S. She is an award winning narrator of audiobooks and is an acting teacher specializing in Commedia dell'Arte. Carine has also donated her time at New York City’s Rikers Island as part of an outreach program of the Stella Adler Studio School of Acting.
Only 1% of entrepreneurs’ pitches to angel investors or venture capitalists ever get funded. When John Livesay and his partner Judy Robinett figured out all of that unsuccessful 99% were making the same mistake in their money seeking efforts, they knew they had a viable service to offer. Funding strategist John Livesay helps CEOs craft a compelling pitch that engages investors in a way that inspires them to join a startup’s team. He hosts The Successful Pitch podcast with investors from around the world and partners with Judy Robinett at Crack The Funding Code to help founders get funded.
Matthew Pollard’s childhood dyslexia diagnosis was wrong, but by the time that got straightened out, he was already in high school. He had to learn to read all over again. “I had a face full of acne, braces, and I was ridiculously introverted and shy. I was reading at a sixth-grade level. My only job option was as a commission-only door-to-door salesperson.“ Now he specializes in helping organizations create meteoric growth. He calls himself the Rapid Growth Guy.
As a little girl and a budding musician, Bree Noble used to sing along to the radio. Now she has her own online radio show and podcasts, helping women in Indie music find an audience and practice their art as a viable business. Striking that balance between music and marketing, and teaching it to entrepreneurial women of substance is her fulltime passion. As an entrepreneur, musician and speaker, she founded Women of Substance Radio & Podcast to promote quality female artists in all genres. Her podcast, Female Entrepreneur Musician features successful female Indie artists and industry pros.
Andrew Lock was named the top student in his school for business studies at age 15. At graduation, he recalls, “I didn't have a clear path as to what I wanted to do, but my biggest passion was for video production. I didn't go to college or university because I felt I could learn what I needed to learn on my own.” He spent hours and hours in the library, soaking up all he could…. Andrew is now the creator and host of “Help My Business!”–a free, weekly Web TV show that helps entrepreneurs and small business owners build a better business and stand out from the crowd.
From an early age Anissa Holmes knew she had the heart of an entrepreneur. But because there were no entrepreneurs in her family she thought the only path to success would mean becoming a dentist, doctor or lawyer. She built a highly successful dental practice for 13 years, but the entrepreneurial voice inside her would not abate. Living in Jamaica, Anissa has now mastered the skill of using social media to build her cosmetic dentistry practice and help dentists around the world build their own practices.
Hilde Larsen’s health began a dramatic decline at age 38. Diagnosed with severe rheumatoid arthritis and Lyme Disease, her symptoms were many and lingered for years. Finally taking her health into her own hands, she stopped taking all her meds and started searching, studying and reading everything she could find. Hilde Larsen became passionate about detoxification after using it to pull her health back from the abyss. A certified health and wellness coach and detox specialist, she helps others find the health and passion to go from merely surviving to thriving.
Dusty Porter is a content creator at heart. At 18 or 19, while working a day job, he started making and posting YouTube videos, and more or less forgetting about them. Then one day he heard from YouTube, asking if he would like to be a YouTube partner. “I didn’t really know what that meant, so I did some research,” he said. "I began to realize, maybe there is something there."
Trina Felber was seven weeks pregnant when she glanced at the ingredient label on her “organic and natural” moisturizer. “There were carcinogens, endocrine disrupters, things like that. They were not just harming me but also the little one growing inside me at that time.” Having already experienced one miscarriage, she knew something had to change. Trina founded Primal Life Organics Paleo Skincare Company and has created 100 food-based skincare solutions to feed the skin.
Joseph J. Balliro, Jr. has practiced criminal defense and civil law for the past 29 years in Massachusetts and nationwide, and is the son of the dean of the defense bar, Joseph J. Balliro, Sr., who has practiced criminal defense for over 65 years. As he approached his third decade as a criminal defense attorney, he wanted to find a way to help people steer clear of that one wrong turn that could land them in jail. He created the podcast Killer Legal Reality Radio, in which he features both the insights of top attorneys and offenders who have made life changes, even if they’re locked up.
Susan Miner, M.A., went from posing as a model to serving as a psychology professor and counselor. As an international supermodel, Susan represented such powerhouses as Vogue, Elle, Revlon and L’Oreal. As president of Beauty from the Inside Out, Susan is a workshop facilitator and counselor. Her expertise as a supermodel and therapist merged into one passion: To raise your inner peace and beauty. Susan's unique approach combines energy healing and traditional psychological techniques. “We do all have a purpose, and mine is to help people emotionally.”
Slava Gorovoy is recognized as one of the most valued experts in business and leadership coaching in Asia and Pacific. He draws his expertise from over 15 years of experience working with professionals and businesses across military, corporate and small business sectors. Slava has helped hundreds of people to unlock their career, business and life potentials, so they can experience the ultimate joy of living. “We live in one of the best times in human history. If we don't utilize the time for getting that work-life balance right now, when is it going to happen?”
Kavit Haria started his first online business in 2005 selling marketing education to musicians. After repeated failures, he built a thriving online business using intricate, automated sales and marketing funnels. Using those tools, he built an email list of more than 100,000 musicians and generated over a million dollars in sales per year. In 2008 he founded Insider Internet Success, helping people discover profitable business ideas and set up automated sales funnels. He blogs weekly at InsiderInternet.com and writes an inspiring daily email to 15,000 business owners.
Michelle Powell is the author of the bestselling book The Mastery of Wellness and has been in the health industry since 2003. She is internationally qualified as a holistic health practitioner and inner wellness specialist. Michelle calls upon her personal and professional experiences to help each individual to reclaim their wellbeing and happiness. She firmly believes that one size does not fit all, and coaches each individual with careful attention to their unique needs, circumstances and goals. “You’ve got to find what it is that makes you passionate and excited every day.”
Todd Herman is the founder of The Peak Athlete, a mental toughness training and sports research company, advising pro and Olympic athletes for over 18 years. He’s also creator of 'The 90 Day Year' program, a goal achievement system used by athletes, entrepreneurs and high profile companies, as well as government agencies around the world. “I agree, working smart is important. But there is no substitute for working hard. I can't take someone who is fundamentally lazy and turn them into someone successful.”
Delani Gianna is a young entrepreneur residing in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. She comes from a long history of chefs, cooks, and restaurateurs. For the last four years, she has dedicated her energy to creating Hecho Con Amor, a catering and private chef service that provides beautiful food and quality personalized service. Hecho Con Amor translates to "Made With Love". She takes tremendous pride in her work. Every dish begins with passion, gratitude, and love. She offers services in San Miguel de Allende and Sayulita, Mexico.
Louise Armstrong is on a mission to help women have a bright future making the second half of their lives the BETTER half! She achieves this through her online coaching business and seeing clients face-to-face using a simple, logical program that gives the client a positive outlook on life, removing destructive beliefs so that her clients are able to move forward using their intuition and achieving their goals. By incorporating these steps into their daily lives, results become permanent and people start to live life with grace and ease.
Kahlil Wyche is an entrepreneur, local marketing and social media expert who has been connecting people and products through technology for 19 years. As founder of Catering to Your Whims, Inc., and KGW Enterprises, he draws on his experience in marketing, sales and business development to create a platform for professionals to promote their work, share their expertise and interact with consumers. Kahlil and Elena, his wife of 21 years, reside in southern New Jersey with their two teenage children.
Mimika Cooney began building her reputation as the go-to video expert in her native South Africa. Today she is also a skilled videographer, photographer, TV host, author, speaker and coach. Her passion is helping entrepreneurs build their businesses with video, branding and online marketing strategies. Now based in Charlotte, North Carolina, she has run four successful businesses in three countries and is the host of her own web show Mimika TV. She is the founder of "Video Creators Hub” a membership platform that teaches entrepreneurs how to harness the power of video.
GuruMeher means “compassionate teacher”. He has taught Kundalini Yoga and trained teachers for 35 years. He is a professional life coach and author of Senses of the Soul, a book and complete system of training in emotional self-therapy for personal strength, healing and inner guidance. He offers private and group coaching, live workshops and web courses at SensesOfTheSoul.com. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and two children.
Phyllis Gillis is the founder and CEO of FoodPaths®, Inc., serial storytelling connecting farmers with families at the crossroads of food. An award-winning writer and photojournalist, Phyllis brings behind-the-scenes authenticity to the stories of people who grow our food, and what we eat. Her diverse and successful career spans the worlds of journalism, wines, and the culinary arts. She is formerly a contributing editor of Parents Magazine, and the author of 3 books.
William R. (Bill) Seagraves, president and founder of CatchFire Funding, of Parker, CO, is the author of the Penguin Random House book, Be Your Best Boss: Reinvent Yourself From Employee to Entrepreneur, released in February 2016. Himself a serial entrepreneur, Bill has been dubbed the “Mid-Career Entrepreneur Expert” and has helped more than 1,500 aspiring business owners in mid-career on the best route to successful entrepreneurship. Bill’s new book shares information about wealth building with funding and financing strategies, and best practices for building a business.
Kim Barrett is the founder of Your Social Voice, an online marketing and lead generation agency serving experts and small business owners. Kim got his start in the field of marketing ten years ago and has worked in accounting firms, IT companies and grain trading companies, where he focused on growing the businesses' profitability through better marketing strategies. Using his expertise with Facebook ads and other online lead generation methods, Kim took his agency from zero to $100,000 per month in sales in under a year.
PollyEsther was born in the Netherlands in 1966. After immigrating to Australia in 1995, she went through a stressful year of adjusting to a new lifestyle which was the beginning of the road to self-development, health and happiness. Along the way she discovered that health and happiness are not caused by circumstances, something or someone, but can be found inside ourselves. Her autobiographic book “Looking @ Life” is now available on Amazon.
Jim Auchmutey is a writer in Atlanta, Georgia. He worked as a reporter and editor with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for 29 years. His book, “The Class of '65: A Student, a Divided Town and the Long Road to Forgiveness,” is a tale of race, religion and reconciliation set at Koinonia, the communal farm in Georgia that gave birth to Habitat for Humanity. His next book will be a history of barbecue. “Find what’s at the heart of what you love—instead of a position, salary, or job. It gives you a built-in flexibility to go with your passion, instead of going with the office.”
Melinda Ennis is board chair of GunSense Georgia which advocates for common sense policies that assure public safety and reduce gun violence, and the Executive Director of Family Connection, Glynn County, a collaborative that works to advocate for children and families. Prior to that she was the Executive Director of Georgia’s WIN List, a political action committee for women candidates. “I had to channel my passion and energy into something that was meaningful to me.” Melinda’s earlier career was as a senior level marketing executive for several corporations and advertising agencies.
Vicky Murgatroyd coaches female entrepreneurs to dramatic mindset transformations that empower them for success. She explains, “Creating an unstoppable mindset is your seat of absolute freedom. Whatever you’ve got running through your mind—whatever habits of thinking and feeling you’ve created—is what you’re ultimately going to create in your life. The first step is just to become aware of how and what you’re thinking. Then you can choose to create a new, unstoppable mindset to reach your goals.”
Casey Zeman has built a 7-figure company using live video and webinars, and now he is passionate about bringing these media to you. He’s figured out what works and what doesn't in webinars, live broadcasts, video and what makes a truly engaged audience. Casey is the bestselling author of Build Your Audience with Live Video, founder of the webinar platform, EasyWebinar (software that does both live and automated webinars) and the new Periscope analytic and marketing software Fullscope.Tv.
Teresa Wallace was training sharp shooters in the Army when she recognized she has a knack for teaching and coaching. Today she strategizes with the best and brightest in their fields, helping achievers strengthen self-confidence and hit their targets. She is the President of Agility Leadership Coaching and the Sunday Serenity Leadership Coach. In her work with leaders, Teresa uses a three-step process—Aware, Act, Achieve—to help her clients learn new skills to address new challenges and get their confidence and peak performance back, so they can REST instead STRESS on Sunday nights.
After 40 years as a marketing professor and consultant, last year Larry Rosenberg turned his joy of singing into a new career, at the age of 71. He launched The Larry Show – inspirational entertainment to help people heal, grow and share, as he has done with his life. He created two one-man musical shows, based on his life story, and performed them in the U.S. and overseas. He found his life dream, passion and purpose. “My message is, it's never too late to follow your dream. It's your life—not anybody else's—so go out and find your passion and follow your purpose.”
Susan Bernstein helps people transform their careers by taking control of their innate power—whether they're sensitive, emotional, or just plain stuck—and using it to claim the next rung on their personal success ladder. She does this with a blend of MBA sensibilities and 20 years of corporate experience, plus the ability to zero in and support people in their core issues through her Ph.D. in Mind/Body Psychology. “The intellect is great, but it's more of the tool. The driver is really how we want to feel in the world. Our impulses and instincts can help guide us. They're signposts.”
Megan Kent has spent much of her career working for the world’s top advertising agencies. shaping brand strategies for many of the world’s most influential brands (BMW, Coca-Cola, New York Times, Microsoft, Brand USA.) Her passion for understanding people’s relationships with brands drove her to study not only WHAT people think, but HOW. Distilling her learning in this area—combining it with 20+ years in marketing—has led her to create Brain-Friendly Branding® - 8 essential principles for creating brands a brain can love. It’s a proprietary system for helping brands connect more powerfully with people.
Joel Boggess is the go-to guy for clarity, confidence and direction. He’s the guy people call when they’re feeling stuck, under-challenged or overwhelmed. As a syndicated radio host, bestselling author, and life coach, Joel teaches people how to relaunch their lives and start over with confidence. His podcast, ReLaunch, was named by Podcasters’ Paradise as the “Most Inspirational” and “Best Overall” podcast of 2015, and has recently passed the one million listens mark. “One thing I've come to understand is that people want to be challenged. But you’ve got to challenge them in the right way.”
Dorie Clark is the author of Reinventing You and Stand Out, which was named the #1 Leadership Book of 2015 by Inc. magazine. A former presidential campaign spokeswoman, she teaches at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business, and is a consultant and speaker for clients such as Google, Morgan Stanley, and the World Bank. For those making career transitions, she advises, “I am very much an advocate of people doing things in a measured and responsible way, with a clear strategy.”
Kevin Williams comes from upper levels of corporate America and now helps downsized and outsourced individuals become entrepreneurs, finding unique opportunities outside of the standard job market. He owns a master office license of a company that allows him to work directly with executives as a liaison to candidates seeking franchise opportunities. As the world began going digital—and as Kodak was not changing with the times—Kevin knew it was time to leave Kodak. Witnessing major lay-offs and downsizing, he set his sights on helping casualties of the old economy find places as entrepreneurs.
Judy Graybill helps stressed-out stepfamilies to argue less and relax more. As a certified stepfamily coach, speaker, educator, and writer, Judy falls into the 70% of step-couples who split up. Her pain and the heartache of still being in love when her relationship ended propelled her to find answers. Through books, interviews, classes, and spiritual development, she complemented her formal degrees in sociology and psychology. Her clients praise her for giving them “peace of mind”, “empowerment”, and “real world solutions”.
Dr. Paul White is a psychologist, speaker, and consultant who makes work relationships work. Co-author of Rising Above a Toxic Workplace, The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace, and Sync or Swim, Dr. White’s expertise has been cited in Bloomberg’s Businessweek, Entrepreneur.com, FastCompany, FoxBusiness.com, U.S. News & World Report, Yahoo! Finance, and numerous other publications. His clients include Fortune 250 companies, federal government agencies, international non-profit organizations, numerous medical institutions, and over 250 colleges and universities.
Andreas A. Jones is an international best-selling author, coach, speaker and trainer. Serving in the US Army shaped Andreas’s life and tested his endurance, faith and fortitude. He describes it as “a trial by fire” and remains profoundly grateful for it. Since leaving the Army, he has applied lessons learned there to his career, continuing to learn new ones. He describes how each new job or new position helped him grow into the successful individual he is today. In his coaching and speaking, he shares the core concepts of leadership, integrity, and discipline.
Heather Ann Havenwood is a serial entrepreneur regarded as a top authority on internet marketing and business strategist since marketing her first online business in 1999, and is author of Sexy Boss and The Game of Dating. After multiple corporate jobs Heather realized her true destiny was to be an entrepreneur. Ironically, she was a shy child who needed speech therapy twice a week for several years. “Now I speak, coach, communicate and write. I also failed writing in English class but have published two books!”
Perry Marshall is an author, speaker, engineer, and business consultant in Chicago. With a decade of research, he brings a fresh perspective to the 150-year-old evolution debate. His book, Evolution 2.0, harnesses a communication engineer’s outsider perspective to reveal a century of unrecognized scientific research and discoveries. Drawing on his expertise in digital communications, control systems, acoustics, and e-commerce, Perry brings practical insight to questions about nature and science.
Perry Marshall is an author, speaker, engineer, and business consultant in Chicago. With a decade of research, he brings a fresh perspective to the 150-year-old evolution debate. His book, Evolution 2.0, harnesses a communication engineer’s outsider perspective to reveal a century of unrecognized scientific research and discoveries. Drawing on his expertise in digital communications, control systems, acoustics, and e-commerce, Perry brings practical insight to questions about nature and science.
Anita Bruzzese is an award-winning journalist, specializing in workplace and career issues. Author of two career books, she has appeared on the Today show and been quoted in O, The Oprah Magazine, Glamour, BusinessWeek and USA Today. Her website, 45 Things, was named a top 100 website for women by Forbes magazine. "Good journalistic principles still matter, whatever the medium. There are people online who call themselves journalists who really are not. They’re not following the path that journalists are trained to do – which is to stick to the facts and put out impartial information.”
Dr. Rachel M. Elahee, fondly known as Dr. Rae, is a psychologist, certified professional coach, and author of Choose You!: Reignite Your Passion for Life. An entrepreneur, wife and mother of four, she has a passion for supporting women leading busy lives, inspiring them with practical and tangible skills to achieve greater life satisfaction, professional productivity and peace of mind. Her media appearances include Good Day Atlanta, CBS Radio, NPR Boston, HLN, and US News & World Report. “It's critical to put yourself first because that lays the foundation for everything else that you touch."
Mike Dieterich is the bestselling author of Renew and Sustain, and an award winning producer and filmmaker. As an environmental scientist accredited by Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) with experience in sustainable development, he has managed energy and environmental projects for a range of organizations and corporations. “After building McMansions awhile, seeing environmental issues ‘from the other side of the fence,’ I needed to figure out how to balance the built environment with the environmental science I know, and make a living doing it. So I started my own business.”
Barbara York McDaniel is the author of the bestselling book, “My God is in the Healing Business,” a book filled with amazing true stories of God’s healing grace in her family. An inspirational speaker, a faith coach, she is a national certified personnel consultant, and the former owner of Healthcare Resources of America, an executive search firm. At 30, her life as a wife and mom was turned upside down when her husband told her he wanted a divorce. Dealing with the devastation, she began developing skills in resiliency and a faith that carried her through later health and personal crises.
Geoff Woods, after hearing the Jim Rohn quote—“you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with”—set out to surround himself with high level CEOs and successful entrepreneurs. After being mentored by these heavy hitters, he was able to quit his six-figure corporate sales job and go full time as an entrepreneur in less than 10 months. Featured in Entrepreneur.com, Geoff publishes the actual conversations with his mentors on his business podcast, The Mentee.
Jenny Larsen is a master career specialist, global career development facilitator, and owner of 2:10 Consulting, a career coaching practice she founded in 2011 to help individuals find purposeful, satisfying career paths through certified aptitude testing and career development coaching with a holistic approach. She works with clients throughout the U.S., setting them up for success and equipping them to move forward with confidence, so they can live successful lives of purpose and passion. “Aptitude testing had a huge impact on my life to really understand what my natural abilities were.”
Teresa Wallace is the president of Agility Leadership Coaching and the Sunday Serenity Leadership Coach. She works with top performing leaders when new challenges threaten their long track records of success. Teresa uses a three-step process–Aware. Act. Achieve—to help her clients learn new skills to address the new challenges and get their confidence and peak performance back, so they can REST instead STRESS on Sunday nights. The stress leaders feel when their confidence is shaken, it must be addressed to regain their mastery. It can be helpful to have guidance in self-assessment and re-evaluation.
J.V. Crum explains Conscious World Day and interviews the Scholarship Winner and Finalists of the Conscious World Project Competition, who share their visions on how to create a Conscious World and what that means as seen through their eyes. Conscious World Day honors youth around the globe who are doing projects that uplift humanity. The focus of the global event is to highlight young people, aged 18 to 25, who embody the principle of Triple Win – you, others, and society winning together.
Adam Boyd, a partner at Market Sense, Inc. in Austin, Texas, is a sales and management development expert. He works with owners, CEOs, presidents, VPs of sales and salespeople to help them overachieve in their sales production. Typical clients are frustrated with not hitting forecasts, deals taking too long to close, and insufficient sales pipelines. He also has a passion for coaching football. “The joy comes when we press through our comfort zone, develop skill, and become adept at something. But there's no growth without some discomfort and pain."
Leslie Reichert—hailed as the "Martha Stewart of Green Cleaning"—uses her sparkling personality, sense of humor and contagious passion to encourage her fans and followers to think differently about their cleaning products. “Changing the world one spray bottle at a time," Leslie is a frequent guest on Martha Stewart Living Radio and is Kmart’s Cleaning Expert. Author of The Joy of Green Cleaning, a handbook for DIY cleaners, she works with Dr. Oz, Better Homes and Gardens, Real Simple, Today.com and other national publications. “The work I did earlier in life prepared me for the work I’m doing now.”
Russ Ruffino, founder of Clients on Demand™, helps experts build reliable marketing and sales processes that attract 5-10 new potential clients a day, scaling to six-figures per month. Active in the group almost daily, Russ helps members get their offer, marketing and sales positioned so they can make high ticket sales. It's also a community to network. Russ says it’s not enough to launch a website, dominate social media or kill yourself writing killer blog posts. “People don't give you money so you can have a great business, they give you money so you can solve a problem that they have.”
Hilde Larsen is a certified health and wellness coach and detox specialist, with a passion for life and the power we hold within. Having gone through severe illness, pain and suffering, she is now helping others go from surviving to thriving. She has spent the past 10 years studying health and healing on all levels. Her upcoming five-book series will share her journey "from hell to inspired," and explore detoxification, nature's ability to heal, and raw food living. “Our body is designed to heal and clean itself, but now we need detoxification, and guidelines on what to eat."
Sam Horn, Intrigue Expert and TEDx speaker, helps people create one-of-a-kind communications that scale their impact for good. Her books POP!, Tongue Fu! and Got Your Attention? have been featured in Forbes, Fast Company and New York Times, and her speaking clients include major firms. In an age of “Infobesity,” the folks who win the competition are those who can raise their listeners’ eyebrows in seconds. “Using the old approach—telling them what we're going to tell them, then telling them, then reviewing what we just told them—just makes us a bore, chore and a snore. Instead, we engage them!”
Todd Schnick, co-founder of the intrepidNOW Media Network, is a media and business strategist and talk show host and producer. He is a former marketing strategist, national political operative, and lobbyist. Todd has published five books and writes a business and lifestyle column. A distance runner, he lives in Brookhaven, Georgia with his wife Stephanie and family. “Today I'm doing what I want to do. I'm engaged in the things that I want to be doing, and doing them on my terms.” It he can’t honestly say, “Hell, yeah! That would be amazing! Absolutely!” to a new commitment, he just says no.
Judith Webb is executive vice president of the U.S. Green Building Council, a non-profit that advocates for healthier, more sustainable buildings and communities. Throughout her 40-year career, she has been a sought-after strategic thinker in marketing and public policy strategies for organizations and the executive teams that drive them. Her portfolio of experience includes corporate, non-profit and four agency engagements, specializing in helping companies become fluent in the new grammar of higher value benefits sustainability, human health and employee engagement.
Phil Brangers is the Director of Events for the Embassy Suites and North Charleston Convention Center with PDA Productions Associates. He spent over 15 years as a freelance events production hand, trying to find a way to integrate the work he loves with family life. After adopting a son, he spent the last year moving from a life of on-location events that required long days and nights and a lot of travel, to an attempted work-life balance. “I think it's important every couple of years to pause and look back. If I’d looked back earlier, I would have seen other stepping stones.”
Judge Anne Elizabeth Barnes won election in 1998 to the Georgia Court of Appeals and was re-elected without opposition to a second term in 2004. In 2010 she was re-elected with more votes than any other candidate in the state of Georgia. She earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Georgia and her Master of Laws in the Judicial Process from the University of Virginia. “I wasn't encouraged to run for judge on the Court of Appeals by the powers that be in 1996. The husband of my friend asked, ‘Why don't you run anyway?’ So I did! Without anyone’s backing in my social group, I almost won my first statewide race with 48.2% of the vote.”
Lee Ellis explains, “When I think about career planning, it really is about career management and the person that you are managing—yourself. So, everything always starts with self-awareness, because you can't manage what you don't know and understand. And the more management information you have, the better you can manage. So that's always a starting point, because every person is unique and to manage this unique entity—that’s you—you really have to have that good self-awareness, that good management information. That would include things like your strengths, your struggles, your values, and priorities.”
Bruce Langford has been an entrepreneur and musician all his adult life. He quit his day job in 2005, to become focused full time on the prevention of bullying. Working as a presenter and program creator in the bullying field, led Bruce to become a mindfulness coach and teacher. He believes when we focus on respect, bullying will decline. Bruce also hosts the Mindfulness Mode Podcast, where he shares the concept of mindfulness with the mainstream world.
Louise Armstrong is on a mission to help women in their midlife years have a bright future—making the second half of their lives the better half. She achieves this through her online coaching business and seeing clients face to face, using a simple, logical program: Giving the client a positive outlook on life, removing destructive beliefs so that her clients are able to move forward, using their intuition and achieving their goals by incorporating the steps into their daily lives. Results become permanent and people start to live life with grace and ease.
Brian Thompson is founder of The Corporate Kid Organization, a nonprofit agency providing a unique mentoring program for “at risk” youth in urban centers of the United States. Too many teens, even very talented teens, are being lost to the neighborhood. Many do not have successful role models to help guide them to be the best they can be. “I'm an assistant scoutmaster in the Boy Scouts in the inner city. We just took a bunch of kids out to their first camping trip last week. We have to show these kids what life is about so they can ‘live life’ and not be merely ‘fans of life.’ That's what Corporate Kids is about. I want to show them what they can achieve so they can be in the game of life and playing the game of life.”
Scott Hay is a youth and life coach, trainer/facilitator with over 16 years of experience. Recently he launched Journal.Life, an online Kickstarter project and virtual community to help people achieve their goals through journaling. Scott describes the team of two young entrepreneurs and himself as, “Three heart-centered individuals who share a passion for helping people live happy, purposeful lives.” New Year’s resolutions and goals are seldom achieved because people need a foundation and support for success. "Clearly, we need a kickstart in reaching our goals!"
Eric S. Smith is the director and producer of “We Are Sarah Jones,” a documentary about the tragic death of a 27-year-old camera assistant. He has worked on narrative, documentary and reality shows for studios, networks and production companies. He was director and director of photography for Boston's Finest (TNT). A member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, The Producers Guild of America and the Society of Camera Operators. “You have to be adept at finding the right people to help you accomplish your goals. You may be the best director, but even they are nothing without the people around them.”
Since preschool Karen Repoli has loved reading, writing and storytelling. Since 2007 her company, HIT Virtual, helps entrepreneurs meet their goals via content marketing. She’s authored several books, eBooks and white papers and blogs on Examiner.com, which reaches 37 million unique visitors a month. “I got my B.S. in recreational therapy and for 3 years worked with emotionally disturbed children. The work was gratifying but utterly stressful. Out of the blue a friend asked me if I’d help manage the office of his small company. I had no direct experience but I had the skills for the work.”
Bill Lampton, Ph.D., President of Championship Communication, helps leaders speak confidently, clearly, and convincingly. His interview coaching enables applicants to excel in job searches. Bill’s client list includes Gillette, Procter and Gamble, Duracell, British Columbia Legal Management System, Missouri Bar, and the Ritz-Carlton Cancun. Prior to establishing his company, he taught at the University of Georgia, then served as vice president of three colleges and a medical center. He has hosted many radio talk shows.
Marjorie Alexander is an environmental sustainability activist, media producer and host of the podcast, A Sustainable Mind. She seeks to inspire a new generation of environmental change-makers, using skills learned in 10 years of film production. After college, with a dual major in anthropology and film studies, Marjorie honed her skills on 175 films, TV shows, commercials and music videos. But when family and friends asked, “Have you done anything I might have seen,” her answer was always, “No.” She decided it was time to think of her legacy.
Richard Scott at Mynd.Works Therapy, combines psychology, Neuro-Linquistic Programming, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and hypnosis to deliver highly successful solutions. His coaching and therapy clients are from 30 countries and include celebrities, sports champions and royalty. “Helping everyone is uniquely satisfying and that's why I love my job. Achieving your goals is definitely possible as you take a SMART approach, set clear and measurable steps, and recognize the process takes time. Jumping from step one to step ten is a setup for disappointment. Get a clear vision of where you want to go, and be patient with yourself.”
Bolaji Oyejide, author of the bestselling Brave Little Heroes books, uses stories to help kids discover “their own super powers.” His Bravepreneur Parents Academy podcast helps parents create unforgettable moments with their kids. “I didn't go to top schools to learn to make comic books or write about super heroes. Both my parents are medical doctors who lifted our family out of poverty in Nigeria. I actually enjoyed my corporate career and was good at it, but I never really felt fulfilled until now.”
BAER, at 22, is a multi-cultural R&B, hip-hop, and pop singer/songwriter. Born as Sabrina Chang in Taiwan, BAER’s work reflects a wide variety of musical influences. After studying music production and engineering at Berklee College of Music, she moved to Los Angeles, CA, and worked with vocal producer David Quiñones, D.Q. Sabrina did well academically at her international high school. Both parents were successful doctors and assumed she would pursue a profession. “My parents were not happy doing what they were doing, and I had to insist that they let me pursue my passion and go to music school.”
Brian Tannebaum’s clients are lawyers trying to remain lawyers, law students trying to become lawyers or those facing state or federal criminal charges. His book, The Practice: Brutal Truths About Lawyers and Lawyering, is a best seller. He is a former columnist for Above the Law, and a certified sommelier. “At every turn in my professional life, where I decided what to do, somebody was there with 20 to 30 years of experience saying to me, 'Looking at you, this is what I think you should do and I'm going to help you get there.'" So, Brian’s career guidance is always to consult mentors.
Shanda Sumpter, founder of Heartcore Business, has created countless opportunities for business owners, enlightening them about ways of doing business that create more profits and free time. Hers is one of the fastest growing coaching companies, reaching seven figure revenue in only five years in business. I didn't have a direct calling, I got a nudge to follow my calling. I just made a decision to connect with someone who could partner with me to move forward. He agreed. A year later I left my job and put my efforts into growing Heartcore Business, which is now a thriving company.
Kevin Williams has held high-level corporate positions in major companies. His global experience includes dealing with the world's largest retailers. Through his firm, Executive Advantage, Inc., he helps others achieve their dreams of becoming entrepreneurs. The workplace is changing dramatically, explains Kevin Williams. “Most jobs last under three years. Just looking for another job may not be the best answer.” Executive Advantage, Inc. works with franchisors and prospective franchisees to help secure creative financing for start-ups, as well as match prospects to the best franchisor.
Stephen Parker, a poet, singer/songwriter/guitarist/producer and performer since 1976, has written over 200 songs. He also coaches men’s and women’s tennis at Cabrini College in Radnor, Pennsylvania. "As a creative artist, you have to keep on moving forward, though you're not always sure that's what's happening. You follow the next gig, your next goal. There will be bumps in the road. It's a journey. If you're following your muse, you're committed to following it where it's going to take you." Married for 28 years, he has a 24-year-old son living in California, studying to be an anthropologist.
Natalie Gold Pepper has been in roles throughout her life that involved teaching and helping people. She learned that her real love was working with people to help them discover their natural talents, and find jobs and career satisfaction–which she has been doing for the past 21 years at The Highlands Company. “I love helping people realistically understand their own strengths and how they can use their natural abilities. It gives people a real ‘Aha!’ to learn about who they are, why they like doing what they're doing, and then to be able to articulate their strengths and speak for themselves.”
Robert DeLaurentis, “Zen Pilot,” recently completed a solo flight around the world. A Navy Gulf War veteran, author, real estate entrepreneur, philanthropist and pilot, his book, Flying Thru Life, is an Amazon Top Seller. "Flying Through Life, the title of my book, means that purpose and passion are in alignment with spirit. I don't think my purpose was ever the Navy or accounting. I do believe what I'm doing now is very much in alignment with my purpose, bringing together business, spirituality and flying for philanthropic reasons.”
Esther Kiss is the producer and host of the podcast Born to Influence: The Marketing Show, interviewing highly successful entrepreneurs and NY Times bestselling authors about their marketing and PR strategies. She has interviewed guests such as Gary Vaynerchuk, Perry Marshall, Joe Pulizzi, Jay Baer and more. “There's a fine line between being persistent and realizing something is just not working, and you have to pivot. This is what I've found in my life with many people I've worked with. It's a little like a treasure hunt, going from clue to clue, getting feedback to see what's working.”
Susan Bernstein helps people transform their careers by taking control of their innate power, using it to claim the next rung on their personal success ladder. Her approaches blend left-brain logic honed in corporate America with right-brain creative movement from research in mind-body psychology. “We want to be wise, smart and savvy at work. That's great, nothing wrong with that. But when we're dealing with the stress, anxiety, change and chaos at work, and need to be our most resilient and flexible, we actually need to learn to use what's below the neck.”
Dr. Stephen Kalhorn is a husband, father of two, inventor, and an associate professor of Neurosurgery at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). He deals with conditions that affect the brain, spinal cord, and vertebral column. He has a particular interest in minimally invasive, complex, and adult spinal deformity surgery. “The earliest memories I have about my formation and guidance are of my Dad tucking me into bed, saying prayers, and every single night telling me, ‘You can do anything you want in your life.’ I remember him for the ways I was gently pushed along the way.”
Michelle Dutro, a veteran of the military and the fire department, was determined to pursue her own dreams, which now focus on helping others to do the same. Her 15 years in preventative medicine, have spurred her to emphasize good health as she works to motivate others to pursue their passions in life. “My turning points always involved coming to the realization that my purpose in life is to make you have the faith, the belief and the understanding that whatever it is you want to do, you've got it. You really do! Whatever it is, that's the common theme.”
Will Ketchum, President and CEO of Burdette Ketchum, is a 26-year veteran of the marketing communications field. Joining the Jacksonville, Florida, firm in 1999, he rose to the top in 2011. The proud father of Kaiden, 17, and Ben, 15, Will has been married for 20 years to Missy Ketchum. “You can't find the perfect job unless you can find out what you're really meant to do. There are tools that can help you figure that out. When you have that clarity, it changes everything: the way you search for a career and find your own career sweet spot.”
Julie Fleming is an author, speaker, and caregiver for her father, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2011. Learning about caring for her father through trial and error and extensive research, she created Alzheimer’s Caregiver Minute to share her experiences to help other caregivers. “The biggest benefit is having a sense of purpose, whether practicing law, coaching, or trying to get the word out about Alzheimer's. It's not fun and games all day long, but I so thoroughly enjoy the parts that are fun! What's better than doing something that's fun AND has a purpose behind it?”
Judy Robinett, “the woman with the titanium digital Rolodex,” was profiled as a “super connector” in Fast Company, Forbes, Huffington Post, and Bloomberg Businessweek. She served as a director of Golden Seeds Angel Network, one of the largest in the U.S., and in several venture capital firms. “Many investors are frantically trying to find good deals to fund, while company founders are frantically searching for funders. They don't understand how the ecosystem works, or the difference between angel investors and venture capitalists. Often, entrepreneurs are just in the wrong room.”
Steve Koonin became CEO of the Atlanta Hawks in April 2014. In his first full season, the Hawks led the NBA in attendance increase, setting franchise records for retail sales, sellouts and season ticket memberships, plus a 500% jump in season tickets. Steve’s late-day cold call to Coca-Cola’s marketing director in 1986 opened doors to 13 different positions in 14 years, including running Coke’s worldwide sports and entertainment marketing, and responsibilities that he never imagined. A call to a friend at Turner Broadcasting led to the top position at TNT for 14 years.
Brandie Weikle, founder and editor of thenewfamily.com and host of The New Family Podcast, is a 15-year veteran of parenting journalism. She has been the Editor-in-Chief of Canadian Family magazine and held senior positions at a number of other parenting publications on and offline. Her website's 1,000 Families Project explores the variety of modern families. “It's very easy for people, especially women, to stay where they are in a job if it's comfortable. But I have advised every young woman I've mentored to be willing to move around. You need to do that sometimes to advance yourself.”
Marv Henberg, for seven years the president of The College of Idaho, a liberal arts college in Caldwell, is beginning an active retirement with plans “to engage in my other great passion, conservation.” An international and a local conservation organization are considering him for their boards.” Marv’s impressive academic life took him to Washington and Lee University and Oxford, as a Rhodes Scholar. “Early on I developed an interest in environmental philosophy. My Ph.D. thesis was on theories of justice. It combined my personal passion for the environment and my academic passion together.”
Corena Bahr is the owner of YourWebinarGuru, a consulting company that trains experts how to create exceptional webinar training programs that ensure learning and profitability. With more than 15 years with companies such as Citrix and Comerica Bank, she has a unique blend of expertise in instructional design and virtual learning. “Follow what excites you. You have to remember that you are the captain of you ship, the one who gets to steer the ship and go where you want to go. Networking is also important, meeting people, telling them what you need, or looking for people who can learn from.”
Kathleen Brady, a certified career/life coach, author and speaker, has helped people identify goals and embrace their dreams for 25 years. Director of career development at Georgian Court University, she is head of Brady & Associates Career Planners, LLC. How well you distinguish between your own definition of success and society’s definition—aligning your inner desires with their outward expression—makes all the difference between deep satisfaction and drudgery. Gaining clarity and self-knowledge requires plenty of quiet time for reflection and stepping away from day-to-day pressures.
Chris Burnham is a lifelong learner and teacher of Lean Management systems and Continuous Improvement. Understanding that leadership is the difference between success and failure, Chris uses The Lean Leadership Podcast to teach, equip, and motivate others on using their gifts and talents to improve their own lives and others around them. Chris came to see how skills learned in his criminal justice studies were transferable. He saw that his talents that meshed with one field could be engaged in another.
Pia Gronning was runner-up Miss Denmark in 1969, landing leading roles in several Scandinavian movies. Discovered by famed modeling agency executive Eileen Ford in 1973, she moved to New York City and modelled for 13 years for print and broadcast ads, traveling worldwide. Now, at 65, she is a globetrotting model once again. Earlier, feeling pressure from her father to get “a real job,” Pia enrolled in college. Modeling agencies were enticing her with offers. Pulled in two directions, she took some gigs. “After filming all day, I’d go to my hotel room and I study to be a school teacher.”
Chip Franks is the founder of The Real Estate MarketPlace, with 16 realtors, and a property management company in Harker Heights, TX. His passion project, Joe Volunteer, is an Uber-like mobile app that connects organizations and volunteers on demand. The goal: increase volunteering 10-fold globally and help millions of people worldwide. "A formal education can make you a living, but a self-education will make you a fortune. What's great about business is that the act of creating something is fantastic. It is a mirror, good or bad, of the skills and talents that you bring to the table."
Julienne Burleson spent five years in an Ecuadorian prison because her so-called friends set her up with hidden cocaine. Featured on "60 Minutes" with Mike Wallace, she now speaks and writes about her inspirational story. Her bestselling book, "Surviving Camp Inca," was released in July 2015. In prison, she reviewed the many small decisions that led up to her imprisonment, strengthened her faith, and taught herself a trade, the energy work of reflexology. “No matter what you’ve been through in your life, it is possible to move past it, learn and grow from it, and become a better person.”
Col. Bill DeMarco has a passion for leadership and helping others lead organizations to amazing results. He has commanded at the squadron, group, and wing (equivalent) level. His teaching posts include USAF’s Air University. To earn his three masters degrees he studied at Stanford University, Cambridge’s Business School, and works with Harvard’s National Preparedness Leadership Initiative. “Some of us were born to be the hero of a story of epic proportions, but others are perhaps a hero of one small child, it could be your own or a child across an ocean, but both require a hero's soul, and a hero's call.”
Lee Phoenix has taken his passion for helping people reach a better point in their lives by using his knowledge of nutrition counseling, life coaching, and bodybuilding. Through his business, Rise Brand New Fitness, he plans to reach people around the world, enriching the quality of their lifestyles. “When I went out on my own—building rapport with people, working on myself—someone asked me if I was a life coach. I began to see I am good at motivating people through what I say and do. I began to see that I have something of value to offer.”
Judi Cohen is an attorney and law professor who founded Warrior One and its nationally-acclaimed Essential Mindfulness for Lawyers® trainings, helping thousands of lawyers, law students and conflict-resolution professionals integrate the tool of mindfulness into their practices and lives, to reduce stress, increase effectiveness, and positively influence wellbeing and outcomes. The practice of mindfulness—as a practice of life—can be useful to anyone. If you are surrounded by conflict, the practice of mindfulness can allow you to open your heart and mind and get through it.
Dr. George Moricz has taken on the medical establishment with his proprietary youthful blueprint system. As a thought-leader in anti-aging, Dr. Moricz has integrated hormonal balancing, weight management, and control over fatigue. In his 30s he began to suffer sleeplessness, fatigue and acute exhaustion. Though he loved his practice, he could not keep up the pace. As a patient, he thought of pinball machines as he was bounced from specialist to specialist. This experience led him to rethink medicine and develop a new approach.
Jeneen Barlow is a results-producing presenter and clarity coach. A successful K-16 educator and administrator, she and husband Omar co-created The Destiny Statement Process and the Custom Cash-Generating Curriculum. Jeneen is the author of Don't Be Scared, Bespeak, and co-author of triple bestseller, Don't Be Scared, Live on Purpose. “What really matters is living life on purpose. I was there when both my parents drew their last breath, and I’m so clear about this. I'm happy to be able to do what I love every day, and even happier there is tangible evidence my work enriches the lives of others.”
Bill Lampton, Ph.D., helps leaders speak confidently, clearly and convincingly. His interview coaching enables applicants to excel in job searches. Founder of Championship Communication, Bill’s clients include major corporations and entrepreneurs. He taught at the University of Georgia, then served as vice president of three colleges and a medical center. He has hosted many radio talk shows. Fear of public speaking holds many talented people back. Many people in management won’t seek higher levels because they know they will have more speaking responsibilities. My experience and education convince me coaching can help.
Gareth Young is an author, radio show host, podcaster, blogger and speaker. His passion is challenging preconceptions and helping people transform and grow into authenticity, happiness, purpose and sense of fulfillment without sacrificing worldly and career success—topics often featured on his podcast, A New Business Mindset. He is also a successful businessman. “When I transformed my own life from a traditional corporate career and family life to an integrated life of independent business livelihood, I gained richer personal relationships, and deeper community involvement, all filled with a sense of meaning and purpose. Perhaps most importantly I have learned a new way of being with people.”
Latisha Robb seized her own destiny when she found herself homeless with four children, abandoned by her husband. This led her into self-discovery through New Age and Eastern religion. Less than seven years later, she is a self-made woman in real estate with a global clientele, a philanthropist and leader in business and spiritual thought. The turning points in our lives—good or bad—are there for a reason. I’ve learned that your pain is your purpose and it creates who you are. When we look at what we've been through with different eyes, we realize how our experiences can benefit others.
Rob Scott coaches from authentic wisdom gained through failures, massive successes and fundamental shifts in thinking. “I have a really sound—not ‘woo-woo’—and actionable way to help people get past their biggest limits, get connected to their biggest purpose, and make a permanent and profound change in their life. I had the advantage of a horrible childhood. That led me to having certain courage or durability in the corporate world.” After a descent into addiction, homelessness and cancer, Rob had a fundamental shift in the way he thought about things, a sense of "I'm going to succeed no matter what."
Erin Colleen Geraghty is a certified life and weight loss coach, and yoga therapist. She specializes in working with men and women who struggle with perfectionism, are seeking spirituality, and want to learn how to pursue their passions with vigor and determination. Her techniques include ways of releasing faulty belief systems. “Once you use your power to manage your mind, you're really limitless. Once you understand your dark and your doubts—from that place of love, understanding and acceptance—then you can really rise up. Your purpose becomes clear. Questions fall away as answers come organically."
Steven J. Chen, Ph.D., is an organizational psychologist, consultant and author who has worked with individuals and companies for over 25 years. His knowledge of human behavior and of what works in practice allow him to quickly diagnose issues and problems and create unique and long lasting solutions. “Many people choose careers and life paths without a clear understanding of who they are as individuals, then wonder why they feel so deeply disconnected and dissatisfied. Going through some professional assessment work, to better understand who they really are, is vitally important for a good fit.
Sam Porritt knows how to revitalize once-prominent brands, making them relevant again. His recovery from a spinal injury turned him into a leading advocate for full coverage for rehabilitation. Through his marketing consulting practice, Full Circle Branding, and Falling Forward Foundation, he takes up the cause of nonprofits. Earning an MBA from the University of Chicago and succeeding in a corporate career, Sam never considered the nonprofit sector. “For me it was all about making money. Suddenly, I'm working with nonprofit folks and realize, it isn't all about making money. It's about making the world a better place.”
Christina DeBusk dreamed of writing, even as she enjoyed her 15 year career in law enforcement. A recent opportunity to move cross-country from Michigan to California was the perfect time to make that dream a reality. She has been writing full-time ever since, looking to add motivational speaking to her portfolio soon. In law enforcement, “Sometimes you're dealing with people right when they’re in their pit of despair. It took me awhile to see how writing could fit into my desire to help. That changed when people read some of my writing and would say, "I really needed to read that today!"
Marc Mawhinney is on a mission to help coaches build stronger businesses. A lifelong entrepreneur, he achieves this with his daily podcast, “Natural Born Coaches” and his programs for coaches, including the 6-week intensive “Seize Your Niche” program. The real estate crash, which hit Marc’s agency in Canada in 2009, knocked the wind out of him, but he never considered ending his entrepreneurial life. Harsh news stories stung him badly, but they also caught the attention of a fellow entrepreneur, who reached out to him and became his coach and friend.
Liz Nierzwicki is an entrepreneur, motivational speaker, author, and health and fitness expert. Founder of Solace Yoga Studio in Mishawaka, Indiana, the studio’s tagline is: Soothe Your Soul. Her mission: “To help people love their lives, create a future they’re excited about, and know that yoga leads to peace.” A broken back from a childhood sledding accident at age seven, led her through a long recovery. “I learned I had to squeeze the muscles of my core before doing any other movement. Looking back, it’s no surprise I eventually became a personal trainer, then a yoga practitioner and instructor.”
Sara Caputo says she, “helps you rock your day and use your brain the right way!” A dynamic productivity coach, consultant, and trainer based in Santa Barbara, California, she is the founder of Radiant Organizing+Productivity and author of the e-book, The Productivity Puzzle: What's Your Missing Piece? “Up to 85 to 90 percent of what we file, we’ll never look at again. The first step in getting organized is to identify what you need to keep, and for how long. Then, integrating a maintenance plan is one of the smartest things you can do with your paper.
Mike Daciuk is a Functional Medicine Practitioner and personal trainer in Whitby, Ontario, Canada. He spent the first 15 years of his career at IBM before transitioning to his true purpose in life—changing lives and helping people live to their fullest potential. He is blessed with a beautiful wife and four children. “People spend their whole life chasing money and career success, going up the corporate ladder, sacrificing their health. At the end of the day they'll give back the money they earned in their upward climb to get their health back. It's a dichotomy, an inverse relationship. Unbelievable!”
Adley Stump kick-started her music career on Season 2 of NBC's "The Voice"/Team Blake (Shelton). Featured as one of 12 celebrities who have made it independently in the book “How They Sell Music," Adley’s story inspires others to follow their dreams and make a living with their music. As a broke college senior, Adley decided to be a Jeopardy contestant. The deadline had passed, but her Karaoke friends dared her to audition for The Voice—and she made it. She credits her 15 years of cheerleading, from kindergarten to college, for the courage to appear live on America’s top-rated reality show.
Curtis “Zeal” Ingram, also known as the Vegan Warrior, declares, “I will be 7 years old on Thanksgiving Day 2015. That is the day I chose to live ‘cruelty free,’ a conscious lifestyle for my health, literally doing no harm to animals and the planet, to the best of my ability.” At his son’s high school graduation—“the day that was supposed to be my happiest, I was actually the saddest”—Curtis could barely carry his 369 pounds across the parking lot and climb the stadium steps to his seat. He decided that day he had to change everything about his life.
Samantha Riley, author of The Heart of Entrepreneurship, made her first million by her mid-20s and built several successful businesses over the decades. She is creator of The Accelerant Group, where she helps business owners amplify their message so that they can make a bigger impact and charge higher fees. “We're brought up to believe there's a certain way to do things. Maybe no one has said, ‘There is another way. Maybe we don't all need to fit into a box.’ I’m all about getting the message out that there is another way to think, that we do have options.”
Lisa Gates is an executive coach, negotiation consultant and co-founder of She Negotiates, an organization committed to closing the income and leadership gaps for women. “Women face persistent challenges at work and a repetitive media loop of things women should do or change. My feeling is, to move past all those pressures, we have to be super clear about who we are, what we want, and why we want it. Then, to be willing to build an ‘influence posse’ to help us navigate those challenges and achieve our goals. We need other people.”
Michael Palma has had five careers, each one building toward the next. “I'm a headhunter, rainmaker and matchmaker for creative people, agencies and brands. I work with top talent, the best agencies and brands.” Previously he was a Parade Magazine All American basketball player and a Division 1 college basketball coach. Mike approaches his work as a calling. He maintains the mindset of a student, constantly learning. “Once I start thinking I'm an expert, or give into the temptation of not valuing everybody's importance, that could hold me back. The only real obstacle to my continued success is me.”
Cynthia Bathurst, Ph.D., believes you can't have a safe neighborhood if it's not humane for its humans and animal residents. As head of Safe Humane Chicago and co-founder of D.A.W.G. (Dog Advisory Work Group), she started in her Lincoln Park neighborhood, with a global vision for humane communities worldwide. “I grew up with animals, friends and a loving family, knowing that animals, compassion and helping others was crucial to everyone's life. On a Chicago community policing ride-along, Cynthia witnessed a former neighbor die. The transformative experience drove her to organize to address the violence, abuse and neglect of humans and animals.
Les Gold is an old school pawnbroker at heart, with a passion for collecting and a nose for deals and people. Known worldwide through his TruTV show, Hardcore Pawn, he authored the bestselling For What It’s Worth: Business Wisdom from a Pawnbroker. Les built American Jewelry and Loan from the ground up. From early childhood, Les had a sharp eye for spotting opportunities and finding ways of doing things better. Whether he was leveraging his pizza, selling it by the slice, brokering a better deal or adding new services, his lifelong drive has been a passion for improvement and productivity.
Sarah Daniels joined RealArcade in 2005 sourcing and producing video games. Ten years later, with dozens of titles as producer, designer and creative director, she’s making games for the whole family. In January 2015, she left Seattle in a renovated “Skoolie” bus. Her mission: to unplug, reconnect, and challenge her status quo. In a life filled with rich, diverse experiences, Sarah has honed a guiding pragmatism: “For earning a living, I made the mercenary's choice—I want to do what I love, and I have to pay my bills. The key is to get clear on what it means to be creative.”
Victoria Pynchon took a mediation course that changed her business and her life, after having labored 25 years in contentious high stakes business litigation. Earning a degree in conflict resolution from the Strauss Institute, her business, SheNegotiates, prospers as it helps individual women close their own personal gender wage gap. “You can't be a bully or an asshole alone in your room. Both exist only in a relationship. We all have the opportunity to stop, talk, de-escalate. This can heal relationships. We fear having the conversations necessary to heal relationships because we are afraid of being shamed, or of making ourselves just a little bit vulnerable.”
Oraynab Jwayyed, consultant and founder of Business Interludes, LLC, helps women learn to manage their money and organize their financial lives. The latest of her two e-books, released on amazon.com October 2015, is "Starting Over: A Practical Guide for Women After a Money Crisis.” It is already a best seller. After marrying young and raising a family, I went back to school to study business. I was surprised by the many women—often well educated—who were amazed that I understood finance and accounting. They were frightened, facing divorce or money crises, and desperately needed practical financial guidance.
Rohit Gandrakota is a supply chain professional and part time podcaster. He moved to the US from India in 2008 to earn his Master’s degree in Industrial Engineering. An avid podcast listener, he channeled his passion into his own podcast, Breaking the Borders, which features immigrant entrepreneurs. Learning from podcasts, Rohit “was blown away by how much you can learn from others’ experiences.” A light bulb went on when a comment on one of his favorite shows said, “When you interview a guest from my part of the world, I feel more connected.” His Breaking the Borders podcast was born.
Kristina MacBury is a high school principal, mother of 11, and bestselling author of The Principal Pro, a collection of real life case studies based on her decades of educational experience. She is co-founder of Educate 4 Hope, an organization with a strong passion for coaching future leaders and supporting students. “I was so lucky to have had great teachers and role models. People go into education for two reasons: they had poor teachers and poor counselors, or they had excellent, amazing teachers. Not a lot of people go into education who had mediocre teachers.”
Lisa Manyon created a 3-step marketing and copywriting model for messages with integrity: challenge, solution, invitation. Recipient of the People's Choice Award at the 29th California Women's Conference and creator of training for small business development centers. “Not everyone shares all the pieces of the online marketing puzzle. Sometimes people are only selling pieces of the dream, selling hope. I bust through all that and let people know what the truth of the matter is. I understand that for true success I have to stand by my brand promise.”
Ida Abbott has been helping employers develop, manage and retain legal talent since 1995, following a long career as a trial lawyer. A mentor and coach to high achieving individuals, she is a co-founder of the Professional Development Consortium and the Hastings Leadership Academy for Women. Much of her current work focuses on advancing women. It's crucial to have a champion for your career and professional advancement, someone who becomes actively engaged on your behalf. Not every mentor will do this. A champion will not only advise you but will actually make things happen for you. This is the highest form of mentoring.
Paul Kirch’s BOSS Academy and Radio is helping entrepreneurs and small business owners build successful, sustainable businesses. Paul’s firm, Actus Sales Intelligence, helps clients sell smarter and creates a synergy for BOSS clients. “Throughout my career, whenever I've given the most, I've received the most. When I've volunteered and given back, supported people, mentored college students, it's amazing how this really pays off. On the other hand, when I'm focused on just trying to make money, I’m losing sight of the big picture.”
Nina Pak’s photographic career spans more than 30 years. “Out of necessity,” she developed her skills as a wardrobe stylist, set designer and hair stylist. Published in international magazines, book and magazine covers and editorial spreads, Nina’s artwork appears in anthologies including Spectrum Best Contemporary Fantasy Art, and books about the digital process. “There's no way to skip the basics. My advice is to first learn the tools. If you're doing digital photography, master Photoshop. If you're painting, learn how to mix colors. After hours of practice, finally, you will be good at it.”
Clay Clark, founder of Thrive15.com and SBA Entrepreneur of the Year, is described by Yahoo as the "Jim Carey of Entrepreneurship." Through his tireless tenacity and honey badger work ethic, he has founded and co-founded a string of successful companies including DJ Connection and Elephant in the Room Men's Grooming Lounge. Recognizing that his failures and subsequent successes could benefit others who are poor “like I used to be,” he created Thrive15.com, an online business school experience he describes as “nine to ten times better than the average business school, but at 1% of the cost: $50 per month—with a 30-day free trial.”
Lori Patrice Robinson is the founder of Corporate Moxie, the premier destination for women who don’t apologize for having big dreams. Born out of a desire to see women encourage other career women, Corporate Moxie provides the tools for climbing the career ladder of success while embracing the “moxie” within. For any change in life, you have to: 1) believe in yourself, and 2) understand that it's going to take work. Be honest with yourself. If you're in a career you are no longer happy with, and if you see something that you would love to do, you need to make that step.
Rob Scott is known for rewiring limiting beliefs and bringing complete transformation. A master level coach, he creates digital products and training programs for world changers that help people break through their deepest limits. Rob’s “Identity Shifting Mastermind” reprograms people’s mindsets, and connects them to their deepest purpose. “I'm here to tell people that you can actually go in and rewire that self-sabotaging stuff so you have confidence, feel aligned with that next step and so you can completely move toward the change you desire.”
Judy DeRango Wicks brought her PR skills to technology, launching early fax machines, online banking and bill pay. Her career included “safe sex” campaigns in the 1980s, and campaigns on fighting fraud. An expert in consumer behavior change, she based award-winning campaigns on solid research, media and influencer relations. As a pioneer of the movement for women in the workplace, Judy learned the value of courage and speaking up, and enjoyed “a really wonderful career path” as a result. “Sometimes you have to summon courage and say this is the ethical way to go. If you don’t, nobody else will.”
Janet McKim knew from the age of five that she wanted to “make the animals well.” Despite gender bias in the field, she obtained her doctor of veterinary medicine degree from Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine. After 35 years, she still wakes up happy and excited to go to work. Janet can't remember ever not wanting to be a vet. In elementary school, when someone found baby bird on the playground, a teacher came to her classroom to find her because everyone knew her as "the person who takes care of baby birds." “That was my first experience of getting a referral," she recalls fondly.
Steve Nygren sums up his 50-year career as a renowned restaurateur and now the developer of a sustainable wellness community as being “all about place-making”—a place at a table at one of his 34 critically acclaimed Peasant restaurants, or a place in his Serenbe community minutes away from downtown Atlanta. “Really dig down into your heart and your gut, not just your head. Listen with your heart or your gut to what you intuitively feel, and then have the courage to follow that intuition. When we go strictly by logic we will end up in situations we're not passionate about.”
Tami A. Goldstein is a certified massage therapist, with 10+ years of experience facilitating Upledger Craniosacral therapy to individuals with autism. A national advocate and educator for autism, she is the award winning author of “Coming Through the Fog.” When her infant daughter began displaying disturbing symptoms after vaccinations, Tami began educating herself. As her daughter’s conditions worsened, culminating in an autism diagnosis at age 13, she quit her job to pursue appropriate therapy full time, encountering a shocking range of reactions from unresponsive to overtly hostile.
Dr. Enaka Yembe, a physician and founder of American Stat-Care centers, opened her clinic from her sick bed and grew it to 7-figures in 8 months. A bestselling author, speaker, coach and mentor, she has appeared on local and network TV. She believes each person has the God-given ability to be successful. Did you know you can double your productivity just by doing a few simple disciplines throughout your day? In her brief interview, Dr. Yembe tells specifically how you can reach your highest level of success using effective, proven strategies.
Rick Karlsruher chased a dream—getting his life story told in a film—across three continents, becoming bait for an IRS/FBI sting. He saw the horrors of apartheid in South Africa and the glitz of Monte Carlo. A Story Almost Told puts the reader in the action. Trying to produce a film about his life adventures showed Rick a need to create a platform for new and undiscovered writers. Noveltunity® has attracted over 4.4 million page views and members from over two dozen countries. Rick sees it as the world’s first e-book book club that exclusively features new or undiscovered writers.”
Lori Cheek is an architect turned entrepreneur. Her mobile dating app, Cheekd, reimagines online dating using Bluetooth, making missed connections obsolete. Now her blueprints create relationships instead of buildings. A veteran of TV’s “Shark Tank,” she was recently listed as "One of the Top 10 CEOs to Watch" and “The Digital Dating Disruptor.” Even before architecture school, Lori knew she had an entrepreneurial itch and a lifelong creative streak. “Through my corporate experience as an architect, I always felt something was missing. My heart and soul were not into it.”
Joshua Schukman is founder of Social Change Nation. His mission and passion is to provide startup social entrepreneurs the best tools for growing their ventures. On his podcast he interviews leading change agents, creating online content to help make a dollar and a difference. "Make people feel like they can become part of something greater than themselves, and they’ll love you for it," Josh said while chatting with social entrepreneurs around the world. “One thing that makes successful social entrepreneurs stand out is their ability to bring people into causes bigger than any one person.”
Dr. Véronique Desaulniers (“Dr. V.”) “retired” after 30 years of bioenergetics chiropractic practice to share her personal, non-toxic healing journey as a breast cancer conqueror. Her book “Heal Breast Cancer Naturally” is a #1 Best Seller on Amazon. Her step-by-step coaching program, “The 7 Essentials ™,” is based on decades of her own research. My passion is to inspire, support, and connect women all around the globe to live their best life through healing of body, mind, and soul. The 7 Essentials ™ empowers women to reclaim their health. Cancer does NOT run your life – you do!
Bob Burg is a sought-after speaker at company leadership and sales conferences. He has shared the platform with today’s top thought leaders, broadcast personalities, Olympic athletes and political leaders including a former United States President. Shifting your focus from getting to giving (“giving” meaning constantly and consistently providing value to others) is not only personally fulfilling; it’s also the most financially profitable way of doing business. This “Go-Giver” methodology has accounted for dramatic changes for the better in the lives of thousands of businesses and individuals.
Red Katz is a businessman, author and motivational speaker who teaches entrepreneurs the necessary tools required to build resiliency and fuel growth in their businesses. His new book, Live Your YOUlogy, is an inspirational guide to learning how to unleash genuine passion and unlock lasting business success. “Living an unconscious life, without examining your own life’s meaning, ultimately will not work. I want people to face it, know that it's OK, and see what it's like on the other side. That's what I like to do, to open the door so at least they can see it.”
Kemi Egan is a bestseller author and top rated podcaster of New World, Real Estate. Homeless in her early 20s, she dove into studying wealth and success. In a year she raised $1 million and built a multi-million dollar portfolio, while still homeless. Defying the pull of inter-generational poverty in England, Kemi put herself through college to become a physical therapist, then opened a community clinic to fill gaps in care of the National Health Service. Lack of business experience, and the 2008 financial crash, brought bankruptcy, then a passion to conquer poverty.
Josh Trent, founder of WellnessForce.com, host of Wellness Force Radio Podcast, was awarded “Top 50 Digital Health Influencers 2015″ by Onalytica. A corrective exercise specialist, quantified-self enthusiast and expert in fitness technology, Josh is online and on iTunes. His mission is to empower wellness in over one million lives through technology. His motivation to help thousands to wellness is deeply rooted in a childhood and adolescence marked by weight and health struggles. A partier at age 22, he had a dramatic mind change. “I refuse to live this mediocre life,” he declared, and launched into the self-education about nutrition which he continues to this day.
Giorgia Rossi is the co-founder of LookBooker, New York City’s premier hair and beauty appointment aggregator bringing together customers looking for salon, spa and barbershop appointments with salon owners looking for customers. People can book their appointments online, anytime, anywhere. Sick of trying to book a bikini wax from the middle of an iron ore mine, Giorgia co-created an entrepreneurial solution. Leaving a budding career as a management consultant in Australia, she launched LookBooker in Singapore, where it is Southeast Asia’s top hair and beauty aggregator, then took on New York.
Adèle McLay is a business and personal success strategist, coaching her entrepreneur clients around the world for more than 20 years toward her vision of “Soulful Vitality.” She declares, “Each of us should be sizzling in business and life, but too many of us are only simmering. It concerns me whenever I hear someone say, ‘I’ll be happy when...or if,’ because when they get it, they just go on to want the next thing. They're never happy. My view is, we create happiness in the moment, in the now. If we choose happiness now, everything will change.”
Jason Zinzilieta has been in broadcasting for nearly 30 years. He's the general manager of two radio stations, KYCA-AM and KAHM-FM, in Prescott, AZ. He also hosts The Victorious Writer Daily Podcast, and writes The Victorious Writer Blog at www.thevictoriouswriter.com. Jason is 45 years old, married, with two children. In radio, developing a podcast, blogging and life in general, Jason has been guided by “three simple words: be not afraid. When we take chances, even if we fail, it does not necessarily mean our complete downfall. Most people don't understand the talents they do have, and they DO have a lot.”
Sonia Ross is a therapist and a licensed clinical social worker in the Washington, DC area. Author of the Amazon bestseller, "The Journey Within: Healing Our Hearts and Minds through A Course in Miracles,” her practice focuses on helping others find the barriers to the peace that exists within us all. “When you are able to go into your own pain, hold it, look at it and not be afraid of it, you can be with other people, see their pain and help them through it. I love having in-depth conversations with people, lifting people up, connecting with them on a soul level.”
Alex Harris is an award winning web designer, best-selling author and founder of AlexDesigns.com. He hosts the top ranked podcast, MarketingOptimization.tv. PPC Hero named him the "#4 Top Influential Conversion Rate Optimization Expert of 2014.” His latest book, Small Business Big Money Online, became an Amazon #1 Best Seller. Alex got online in 2000, designing web pages. He quickly learned about internet marketing, developing landing pages to drive email traffic to websites. Freelancing, he soon was #1 in Google for keyword "landing page design." “I got a lot of work from that.”
Queenie Kawabe has been teaching Chinese and Japanese to people from all walks of life in a variety of settings since 2006. A qualified online language and secondary school teacher, she is based in Fukuoka, Japan. Teaching English speakers to expand their world with language, using techniques that are fun and easy, is her dream. “In my (Asian) society we follow what the parents say, and kids are getting stuck. Don't get stuck just because everyone else is doing something. My friends sometimes say, 'You do what you love and it's great. How do you it?" I say, “You just have to believe in yourself.”
Dr. Nicoline Ambe has taught in schools and universities across the U.S. for two decades, teaching parents effective strategies to help their children excel in school and prepare for a successful future. She is an educational trainer and consultant, bestselling author, speaker and entrepreneur. “Start early to give your children the WHY behind going to school. Talk to them consistently about how they can use their talents, their smarts, the unique gifts they have to create something wonderful for their life in the future. Consistently talk with them about their passion, purpose and meaning.”
Delano Lewis, former U.S. Ambassador to South Africa, rose from segregation-era Kansas to prominence in government, business, and the not-for-profit world. His memoir, “It All Begins with Self,” affirms his belief in family, education, hard work, perseverance, mentors and supporters. His career includes top positions at National Public Radio and the Peace Corps. As a full time law student, working 44 hours a week at the renowned Menninger Clinic to support his family, Delano was tapped for the new Honors Program at Robert F. Kennedy’s Department of Justice. His whirlwind initiation exposed him to espionage and criminal cases, and whetted his appetite for government service.
Deatra Harris left a global management position in 2012 to pursue her passion in film. With a master’s in marketing weeks away, she is already an award-winning independent filmmaker. Her films have screened worldwide. She recently wrapped production on a web-based design show. A divorce triggered Deatra to use her lifelong love of writing, but, instead of journaling, she gravitated toward creative writing, enrolling in courses at Atlanta’s Alliance Theater and writing for stage. Attending a film festival in Miami introduced her to Spike Lee’s workshops and a love of the visual storytelling of film.
Mitch Russo co-founded Timeslips Corporation, the largest time tracking software company in the world. He pioneered the virtual organization with Chet Holmes and Tony Robbins, co-creating Business Breakthroughs International, with nearly 300 people and about $25M in sales. In 2013 he wrote the bestseller, “The Invisible Organization,” a guide for fully virtual organizations. As an applications engineer right after college, Mitch noticed the sales reps were earning three times as much as he was. He asked his boss about going into sales and was told, “Great salesmen are born, not made.” Mitch thought, “I’ll show you,” and proceeded to build a $10 million company.
Krysta Youngs is an artist with a true voice, whose career spans songwriter rounds in Nashville, Tennessee, and the gritty, inspiring streets of Los Angeles. Her creative collaborations include The Writing Camp’s David Quinones (“DQ”), Christina Aguilera, Cee-Lo, Rihanna and others. A graduate of Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA. “Stay focused on what your goal is. I always say I don't like to have a back-up plan because I don't want to back up… I would say 90 percent of my opportunities and successes came from the honest, true and real relationships that I've built. They’re what life is all about.”
Melissa Cohen, LCSW, wrote the bestselling ParentKnowledgy, A (Simple) Guide to Surviving Your Teen. She is dedicated to helping individuals find their own identity while managing their need for independence. Whether it is anxiety, conflict resolution, communication, self-esteem or managing expectations, Melissa tailors her approach to each unique situation. "I think it takes a long time to build up (the) courage to move forward with what we want. I had found what I loved to do earlier in life. I just hadn't found a way to make it my own. It took all these years to do that.”
Kevin Crane began his career as a U.S. Special Agent in 1985 with the Defense Investigative Service, conducting thousands of investigations for U.S. government security clearances. Through his bestselling book, Access Granted, he helps job seekers and others gain clearance for government jobs. Increasingly, jobs in government and business require security clearances. While helping young people and others navigate the process, he realized how much he loves being of service. In active retirement, he continues to share his expertise and has branched out into many new areas of service with children, youth and community.
Diane Whitney’s passion is focused on improving the lives of dogs and their owners through humane, force-free behavior modification dog training methods. In her nearly 20 years as a canine behavior specialist and a pet dog training instructor, she has taught nearly 2,000 group classes and hundreds of private clients, using basic classical and operant conditioning. “When there's something inside of you that says, ‘I would really like to do that, but…,’ that’s where we start, with the ‘but.’ You have to stoke your own fire. Yes, we do need support from our friends and family, but we also need to be our own spark.”
Dahlan Foah, president of Visioneering® International, Inc. is a pioneer in the audiovisual/multimedia industry. As a principal audiovisual consultant to the U.N., he brought his diverse skills to exhibitions, Visitors’ Centers. World’s Fair pavilions, installations for corporate clients. Born into a highly artistic family, which included Enrico Leide, founder of the first Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, he was steeped in music and art appreciation from childhood. Being a photographer in a documentary at the United Nations for an independent producer opened doors for his future collaborations with U.N. agencies worldwide.
Mercedes Guzman recalls her childhood self in war-torn El Salvador as, “a dreamer with a passion that could never be defeated.” Rising above the civil war, she moved to the United States. Today she helps people heal their childhood wounds from the inside-out. Know “that your thoughts become your reality. What you say consciously, daily, creates your reality. I learned to observe what I am thinking, feeling and saying, because that will create my reality. It's not the government, not the economy. It is what you are consistently thinking and saying that creates your reality.”
Prue Batten writes award winning historical fantasy and fiction from her farm in Tasmania in her native Australia. After working as a journalist/researcher for Australian Broadcasting Corporation and raising a family, she writes novels and farms with her husband in a cropping and grazing operation. Dissatisfied with a librarian job, she walked up the street. At the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, she thought “I'll go in there and ask for a job.” Hired on the spot for a human resources slot, she was a researcher three months later. “It was the best job of all time. I loved it.”
Hugh Massie, president and founder of DNA Behavior International, is a behavioral management strategist and entrepreneur with 28 years of diverse international experience. His goal: to make behavioral intelligence practically usable on a scalable basis to “Know, Engage and Grow” every employee and client online. As an accountant, Hugh created a financial services business. It was lucrative, but he felt miserable. He started seeing how people’s decisions and behavior were often “hard-wired.” The light bulb came on. “I could re-invent financial services to be human-centered and educational, not just a transaction and commission.”
Marjorie Hope Rothstein, founder of Living the 5 Star Life...without limits, is a spa trends specialist and new aging/boomer expert focused on becoming ageless. As a “Boomer Babe” with her finger on the pulse of the latest leading edge breakthroughs in beauty and preventative health and wellness, she is passionate about finding and sharing her discoveries of the fountain of youth with you. "I've always been passionate about beauty as an art form, and in all forms: nature, sculptures, stone carving, and of being a feminine woman in a world of very conflicting messages."
Marshall Chiles is a comedian with the heart of an entrepreneur. His current venture, Humor Wins, offers corporate comedy roasts, executive humor coaching and applying self-deprecation. Why? Because, as Inc. Magazine said, “Leaders who laugh at themselves appear more likable, trusting, and caring to their people.” “My mindset is that you're not in business to make money. Money is just something that comes along from doing the right stuff. It’s always been whatever's best for comedy,” Marshall declares. Because of that approach, he has a good reputation with comedians, including many famous comics.
Deedra Determan helped make KOKI-TV a top Fox affiliate in the U.S. As “the wife of one and mother of two,” she used her 20+ years of marketing savvy, and her parenting knowledge, to create several websites attracting 100,000 moms each month. To continue using her entrepreneurial skills and simultaneously be close to her family, Deedra shifted her focus to D2 Branding, her innovative marketing communications firm, igniting brands to be the market leader in their industry. Recently she became an online mentor and youtube instructor at Thrive15.com, which offers affordable business education.
Dr. Paul White specializes in the language of authentic appreciation, and how to express it meaningfully to others. Co-author of three books and the Motivating by Appreciation Inventory, used by corporations, colleges and universities, medical facilities, schools, non-profit organizations, and government agencies. Feelings of being unappreciated are cited by 79% of people that leave an organization voluntarily. Companies have responded by creating employee recognition programs. “The problem is, they're largely viewed as inauthentic and disingenuous, just sort of going through the motions,” Dr. White explains. The key: learning the language of appreciation.
Anthony Gucciardi is a natural health and self-development author, speaker, and activist whose writings have appeared in USA Today and Wall Street Journal Best-Selling books and top 100 websites. After creating the website NaturalSociety.com in 2010, Anthony's writings on health and wellness have reached tens of millions of readers worldwide. Diagnosed with Lyme disease seven or eight years ago, Anthony followed his doctor’s orders until the megadoses of steroids “made me feel 100 times worse than before.” He passionately plunged into a search for natural remedies. Soon he felt “radically better,” and he launched his deep dive into natural health.
As Jane Dever, Ph.D., approaches retirement, she’s back at the cotton project she started 32 years ago after college, still excited about helping west Texas farmers boost the quality of the fiber in their cotton crops, to be more competitive in the global market. She knows cotton from genes to jeans. After her years in the corporate sector, being a public breeder enabled Jane to focus on underserved stakeholders. This led to a project funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture through Catholic Relief Services in Burkina Faso, West Africa, where growers face the same issues as U.S. growers.
Eric Dailey, founder of Dailey Training, was a professional basketball player, a stand-out on major teams in Europe, Asia and South America. Without an agent he successfully negotiated contracts, managed travel arrangements and conducted try-outs. While playing for Real Madrid in Spain—a top tier team in Europe—Eric learned he could negotiate better for his own best interests than an agent in the U.S. Building relationships with general managers globally, he learned the intricacies of corporate business. Currently he is under contract with ESPN Wide World of Sports and The Walt Disney Company.
Tatiana Franklin is a certified professional life coach and energy leadership index master practitioner. At age 17 she left her native Peru, learned English, and pursued her studies in the U.S. Her mission is to help people realize that living successfully is not a dream but a purpose to be lived every day. After working several years in market research in Peru and the U.S., and at a U.S. digital advertising agency, Tatiana realized the job was not “fulfilling her soul.” Her search led her to earn the credentials to fulfill her dream as a certified professional life coach.
Dawn Cook polishes leaders until they shine. With 25 years of demonstrated excellence in leadership development, she now has four certifications in Emotional Intelligence (EQ) and 10 years as a certified coach. She has worked with executives and teams at companies such as Cox Communications and Southern Company in both personal and professional skills development. “EQ is the ability and the choice to be smart with your emotions, and it really is a choice. Research, which has been replicated many times, has proven that EQ is two to three times as important to your success in business as both IQ and technical skills combined.
Zacchary Falconer-Barfield is the “first gentleman” of The Perfect Gentleman, a venture to make the world more respectful, stylish and gentlemanly. An entrepreneur since age 19, he is an online publisher, author and consultant and has worked in industries as diverse as security, bars, films, tech and more. Having spent 70% of his childhood quite ill, Zacchary was despondent. At age 12, he contemplated suicide. Perched several floors above ground in the latest house his mother had bought to flip and resell, he convinced himself, "No, I'm not going to do that. I'm going to change my life." And he did.
Dr. Taghreed M. Al-Saraj, bestselling author of The Anxious Language Learner, is a global researcher in applied linguistics. Her personal experiences and struggles led to her become a leadership coach, helping hundreds overcome anxieties of learning a foreign language. Even now, as a post-doctoral fellow at UC Berkeley and founder of EducateRight.com, her childhood empathy about language anxiety motivated her to learn yet another language, Turkish, while researching her latest book. Writing to a non-academic audience, she wanted to experience afresh the fears she was exploring for her readers.
Dr. Randy Ross, founder and CEO (Chief Enthusiasm Officer) of Remarkable!, is a “craftsman of culture and a catalytic coach.” A master of cultural transformation, his unique understanding of employee engagement offers practical solutions for increasing the morale and performance of teams. His two-fold approach teaches: first, we are all designed to create value in life. When we create value, life is full and satisfying. The second is that all the good things we want in life are the result of value creation. As we create value for others, we experience that same happiness we bring to them.
Christy Haussler left a 6-figure corporate job to follow her dream: moving to Key West, Florida. In 10 months she replaced her income, earning more than she ever did working for someone else. Outside her comfort zone, she’s where she wants to be, doing her heart’s desire. On her daily 85-mile commutes, she listened to all the audiobooks in her local library, then discovered podcasting. Becoming a “super consumer” of podcasts, she created Brick and Mortar Reporter podcast, spotlighting local businesses suffering from online competition and the economic downturn. Podcasting offered a way out.
Dr. Tom Tavantzis asserts people can be taught to identify and work with their strengths. “I believe deeply in the power within each of us to harness our natural abilities as well as develop our own career and life vision, so that we can live lives that are satisfying to ourselves and others.” Coaching managers to “be in the here and now and really listen is vital for understanding problems,” Tavantzis explains. “When people talk about situations, they're also making comments about the relationship that exists between you and them.” Helping people through their relationships helps a manager deal with the team in a different way.
Brown's Guides develops and publishes high-quality editorial content about a wide variety of where-to-go, what-to-do topics through multiple channels and platforms, explains publisher Fred Brown. “I have been involved with all aspects of print and online publishing, writing, editing, promotion and sales for over 35 years. It’s what I love to do.” Fred was recruited by the editor of his college newspaper, although he’d never considered journalism. Editing the newspaper “convinced me journalism was my calling. I’ve never been able to escape it. Although I've tried on numerous occasions, I always come back to it.”
Helen Duffy, as a bilingual court interpreter based in her hometown of Providence, Rhode Island, uses the fluency in Spanish which she developed in Managua, Nicaragua while teaching English to university students in the war-torn country. Born to activist parents, she learned early how to navigate controversy and dissent. Armed with only a B.S. degree in English, Helen plunged herself into learning Spanish on the job in Nicaragua. The nation was engaged in a major literacy campaign, and there was also a thirst among college students for learning English. She spent 20 years teaching English as a second language.
Ward Rinehart, as co-manager of Jura Editorial Services, is an American who lives and works in the Jura mountains of France. The firm edits and writes English-language publications for the international organizations in nearby Geneva, Switzerland, and for clients worldwide. He worked in communications at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health in Baltimore for 30 years. At age 6, Ward recalls creating “a little neighborhood newspaper” with a friend, an early indication that writing might be in his blood. Years later, he was in Paris in 1968 during the student uprising. Returning home to Middletown, CT, he edited a newspaper covering the student strikes in 1969.
Dr. Nicoline Ambe, founder of Nicoline Ambe International, an educational training and consulting company, is a #1 bestselling author, speaker and entrepreneur, teaching parents how to help children excel in school and prepare for a successful future. Proving her belief in the life-changing power of reading, Nicoline came to Canada and the U.S. on scholarships and earned her undergraduate degree, two master’s degrees and a doctorate, entirely on scholarships. Her initiative, belief in herself and hard work paved the path to forming her own company. She has been an educator nearly 20 years.
For 30 years, Bob Lancer has helped clients toward authentic living. Clients include Fortune 500 corporations, small businesses, associations, schools, community service organizations and coaching clients. He also teaches parents and childcare professionals to raise children to reach their full potential. Success must begin with the question, asked early and often: “What is the point of my life?” Using geometric terms, Bob describes “the point” as the first of several forms in nature that guide and help us understand our success journey, including the line, the wave, the circle, and the spiral.
Alf Nucifora, MBA (Harvard) is founder and chair of The Luxury Marketing Council chapter in Northern California, a global organization representing 1000+ leading consumer luxury brands. A native of Brisbane, Australia, his career in advertising and marketing spans corporate and agency work. After earning a B.A. from the University of Queensland, he worked for Fortune 500 companies in Australia and the United States. Leaving the corporate side to move into agency management, he settled in the San Francisco area in 2005, where he says the quality of life is incomparable.
Helena Hötzl, Swedish painter and illustrator, spent much of her childhood in pain, enduring many surgeries, using her dreams and art to satiate a hunger for escape. London’s Saatchi Gallery helped her art go international with her first exhibition in Budapest in 2008. Her career focus is on empowering girls and women. Even if it’s tough, and life is really bad, it always changes in some way, if you really want to follow your dreams. Have faith, believe in yourself, even though it's a battle every day. I've learned that every time I thought I had failed, something better came.
Keith Freund is trained as a music production engineer but spends most of his time as a web entrepreneur who hates to be bored. His first company, Fix Your Mix, has been providing audio mixing and mastering services over the internet since 2008. Fix Your Mix is not a recording studio, but manages engineers who perform these services remotely. “I'm willing to live with financial stress to do what I love to do,” Keith says. “I hate being bored more than anything else. Security is good but, I'm more afraid of being ordinary.” Now that he’s doing what he loves, he adds, “I haven't been bored for many years.”
Kalpana Murthy, a therapist certified in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), uses brain science-based approaches to help clients achieve their goals by identifying and resolving root causes of present day problems. She works as a Licensed Professional Counselor and Career Coach in her private practice Genuine Connection®, in Atlanta, Georgia. “Too many people get into a mindset that says, ‘I’m too old to make a radical change.’ I believe you have a psychological imperative to grow, and that your soul is going to push you to keep redefining yourself. It’s a choice between growth and comfortable, stable misery.”
Lee Ellis, founder and president of Leadership Freedom® LLC, guides the consulting firm focused on leadership and team development. Soon after retiring from his military career, Lee established and led the Career and Life Pathways Division of Crown Ministry, developing career assessment materials used globally by more than 200,000. Life and career decisions should be based on the uniqueness of each person, Lee explains. “Begin with this understanding: ‘I am made this way for a purpose.’ In my work, helping the person align their passion and their purpose becomes the challenge, but a really fun one.”
Bill Lowe, gallery owner for almost 30 years, has viewed art as a means of delivering a heightened consciousness and a higher frequency into the viewer’s heart, soul and energy field. “Art is a mechanism for psychic surgery that can bring about spiritual and emotional healing. As a boy, Bill was fascinated with understanding metaphysics, perception, energy fields, frequencies and wavelengths. It persisted through a successful career in radio ad sales in his 20s and provided a conceptual framework for his move into the art world. He says, “An art object is a microchip of consciousness.”
Andrea Lakes' company Delinquent Distribution owned merchandise sales rights on mega-brands Minecraft, World of Warcraft, Call of Duty, Walking Dead, The Hobbit, etc. As CEO of Lessons.biz and Co-Founder of Mentor Mojo, Andrea founded 14 companies such as StickerJunkie.com. With the early success of Rhythm Sticks she knew she was a real business person, not a hobbyist. Heartsick when PBS stores placed an order for 50,000 which she could not fill in time, she learned about scalability, finding items to produce quickly in vast quantities.
For 30 years Bob Lancer has helped people follow their unique path of inspired living. Clients include Fortune 500 corporations, small businesses, associations, schools and community organizations. He teaches parenting and provides individual life coaching. Author of numerous books, he hosted a radio show for 15 years. “Your calling, inspiration and talents all converge along the true life path for you. On that path, when your main goal is the betterment of humankind, you'll always be provided for as abundantly as you desire, as long as you work for the fulfillment of a higher purpose in life.”
“I am your Dream Accelerator,” Lorelei Robbins explains. Using her diverse skills as an astrologer, counselor, interviewer and minister she helps people allow their dreams to come true by surrendering to Divine timing and dropping whatever is in the way of reaching their dreams. “Each of us has within us a cast of characters, though few people are acquainted with them. For much of my life I didn't even understand my own cast of characters. I have a fiercely independent side with a gentle, compassionate side. Lorelei helps individuals listen to the voices of all those inner characters.
A certified career/life management coach, author and motivational speaker, Kathleen Brady brings 25 years of experience to helping people identify their goals and embrace their dreams. She is Director and Instructor of Career Development at Georgian Court University and head of Brady & Associates CareerPlanners, LLC. When people start looking for a job, “They ‘should’ all over themselves,” explains Kathleen Brady. They go to what “makes sense. My dad is an accountant so I should be an accountant. “I always try to get them to put that ‘should’ aside and start by asking, "What's my dream?"
During his 40-plus years in advertising, Brent Kuhn brought 30-minute infomercials to the mainstream, greatly expanding direct response advertising. Before founding Bennett, Kuhn, Varner (BKV), he worked for leading ad shops McCann-Erickson and Tatham-Laird & Kudner. Now in active retirement, he continues to pitch new clients as Vice Chairman of BKV. Bolstered by the confidence he gained as a 10-year-old watching his father prepare for business meetings, Brent says he learned how to do well in interviews. Self-assurance overcame his academic background and landed him a job at an ad agency that typically only recruited from top-notch schools.
An entrepreneurial spirit has helped Jeanne Rivard adapt to new interests and career opportunities—including advertising, real estate, construction, food and entertainment, to alternative healing. At each new venture she added skills and explored new talents. Now she’s writing a book on chronic illness and practicing acupuncture-related Tong Ren. Learning to trust her instincts has rewarded Jeanne richly. Mentioning her interest in real estate, to her employer, the president of the company listed his house with her. When it quickly sold, word of mouth referrals followed, leading her to a 20-year successful career in real estate.
Calling himself a serial innovator, Mike O'Horo’s current venture is Varsidee, software that reimagines the broken hiring process, relying on concrete demonstrations of capability. This eliminates screening bias completely, opening opportunity to all. It eliminates all but qualified, genuinely interested candidates. After college, a top advertising executive told him he’d “end up living under a bridge” if he held out for an ad job during the recession, Mike set his eyes on precious gems, loving it. Unwittingly, he created a manager training program that eventually paved his way into a career coaching executives.
Practicing yoga for 25 years, Sarah Boler has been teaching it for one. She is also a certified health coach and teacher, using yoga and meditation to help her through some difficult times. Sarah is passionate about sharing yoga with as many people as possible. At 22, she tried yoga, loved it, and found it compatible with her athleticism. Moving to Australia at 23, she continued practicing and learning, as she worked full time as a dental hygienist. Taking a teaching job in the U.S., she began teaching yoga to fellow teachers, viewing it holistically.
With a passion for understanding people, Tom Tavantzis, Ed.D., has helped thousands develop their strengths in his 35-year career. A top leadership psychologist and career development expert, his workshop participants and students call him a transformational leader. You can't truly “know thyself” without other people helping you, Dr. Tom explains. His methods blend self-examination with agenda-free feedback from people on a similar journey of discovery. Freed from the influence of family or unconscious expectations, clients often discover things they already sensed, but at a profound new level.
Woodworking artist Arthur J. Stevens, has loved “making stuff” since kindergarten. His shop does full service woodworking and exhibit fabrication, finely crafted furniture exhibits and woodwork, specializing in bent laminate veneer and vacuum press marquetry. Connecting with the American Craft Council Shows, the Philly Fine Furniture and Providence Fine Furniture Show in the early '90s, Art says, “It was just interesting to see people making a living ‘making stuff’.” Seeing his work displayed alongside that of “people with actual qualifications was a fantastic experience.”
Diagnosed with hypothyroidism in 2009, Rosanne Lindsay set out to heal herself naturally. Delving into her own healing for lessons, she is working with others and seeing the same reversals when they can really embrace the idea that they are their own healers. “My biggest turning point happened between ages 40 to 44. I began to question why I was where I was, to explore my interests in natural health and our connection to the planet. I could see from the perspective of my own kids how important that was,” Rosanne explains. “People are afraid of thinking with their own minds. They give up their power to somebody else.”
Ever since clerking for a small, business immigration firm during his time at Tulane Law School, Russell C. Ford loved the idea of being an entrepreneurial lawyer in a practice focused on helping people. Controlling his own destiny while helping others has consistently motivated his career, he recalls. Working at a large law firm’s immigration practice, Russell connected with four like-minded colleagues who shared a sense that there had to be a different, better way than just racking up billable hours and selling. “Working together really wasn't like work. Our similar mentality has just worked out for us.”
Living and working in Subiaco, a small town near Rome, Italy, Maria Grazia Spila has taught English to Italian teenagers for more than 20 years and “loves everything British.” Her favorite hobby is blogging in English, which has changed her life in recent years, opening doors around the world. Using social media, especially Facebook, she formed new friendships and opportunities for collaboration. This led to more travel, while also exposing her students to a wider view of the world. Her passions include classic literature, books, costume movies, period drama series, art and traveling.
Business and success strategist Adele McLay coaches her global clients to achieve greater success in their businesses and lives. An entrepreneur herself, she has been coaching clients for over 20 years. She coaches people to achieve the success they dream about in their lives. Many people don’t achieve their dreams because they lack profound clarity about what they really want. Adele teaches seven powerful steps she calls seductive clarity, magical mindfulness, a daring dream, vivid values, passionate purpose, magnificent motivation, and vibrant visualization. She even breaks down “dream” into actionable items.
A web series about infamous Boston gangster Whitey Bulger came about through personal sacrifices learned early in his life, says Jeff Hennessy, who wrote, directs, produces and acts in Whitey. Bulger was caught in Santa Monica, California, after 16 years on the run. Jeff’s life turned upside down in 1971 when both parents died in a plane crash. At 15, the “silver spoon” son of a prosperous family in Wellesley, MA, Jeff had to dig deep inside for determination to carry on. He learned the value of sacrifice and persistence in reaching his goals.
Texture and precision are her passion, hair is her outlet, barbering is her profession, education is her gift. Laura VanderMoere started her career behind the chair and worked her way to become Director of Education for the world's leading manufacturer of clippers, Wahl Clipper Corporation. Enjoying her love for the creative, hands-on part of her work deepened her sense of using her talent. Relationships with people and being able to make them feel better about themselves and their hair than they did when they came in gave her instant gratification. “I felt I was creating.”
Doing all things voice related, Neil Scott-Barbour thrives as an announcer, narrator, Emcee and actor. But as a 12-year old in England, he felt plagued by a thick Yorkshire accent he sorely wanted to lose. Today he’s in great voice on the U.S. side of the pond. He cites interpersonal relationships as key to career advancement. “I believe strongly that the best way to get forward in life is to build relationships. I have never gotten a job by means of a resume or a letter. All the things I've done in my whole life have been done through relationships and connections I’ve formed,” he said.
In the late 1970s, Mary Brown started a pioneering company to set up corporate childcare centers at the workplace. Work-life balance was a novel idea. Over 38 years, her company kept on innovating as Mary followed her love for people. In 1977, there were no hard data available to build a business case for on-site childcare. Occasionally advocates were tossed out of boardrooms—sometimes labelled socialists—but Mary and colleagues gradually convinced progressive employers the plan would be good for employee morale and business, building her own profitable business along the way.
Psychologist Steven J. Chen, an organizational consultant and author, has worked with individuals and companies for 25+ years. His knowledge of human behavior and what works in practice allow him to quickly diagnose issues and create unique, long lasting solutions. Verbal and nonverbal communication are at the core of helping people understand themselves. Effective listening and communicating are very helpful in moving relationships forward. Ineffective communication can be damaging and ultimately very hurtful. Everyone benefits from understanding each other and listening openly and deeply.
Currently painting real people and situations using oils on canvas, artist William Cain recalls, “I’ve been a model, actor and fashion illustrator lucky enough to travel around world. I hope you get both a sense of déjà vu and joyfulness when viewing my artwork,” he tells host Don Hutcheson. Wanting to get away from judging people by their looks, growing tired of the Hollywood "casting couch" mentality, he dropped out for awhile. Approaching his 40s, thinking about aging, he took a corporate art job, but found it “soul crushing”. Before work, he would get up early in the morning to paint.
After her e-book languished a year on Amazon.com, Michelle Kulp focused her legal researcher skills on finding out why. “A year later, I published a book called, Never Work Again: Six Secrets to Earning a Playcheck Instead of a Paycheck. In one day I had 2,128 downloads of that book.” Plunging into a 24-month learning period, Michelle continued her research and worked with a coach. She put everything she’d learned into creating a six-week online course. Half her students got their books to the bestseller list. The other half read the course work but decided it was too much work.
An internationally-recognized author, Jamie Turner is the CEO of 60 Second Communications, a marketing agency specializing in ROI-based marketing campaigns. He has been profiled in the world's best-selling advertising textbook and is a regular guest on CNN and HLN on the topics of mobile, social and marketing in general. “A smart phone is not necessarily a phone as much as it is a remote control for your life,” Turner says. “For every success, an entrepreneur experiences numerous failures. People see and remember your successes, not your failures, so leverage the hell out of every success.”
Working to save Africa’s big cats, Drew Abrahamson founded Captured In Africa out of a pure love and passion for them and the African bush. Growing up around rangers and wildlife veterinarians, Drew had many close encounters with wild animals, and has cultivated a deep love, understanding and mutual respect for all living things. Her passion for lions began early in life, but she detoured several years to become a hairdresser and a mom. She got back on track by connecting with the dynamic Louise Joubert, director of San Wildlife Sanctuary, volunteering in fundraising and public awareness.
Setting goals and achieving them is paramount for everybody, advises Dorothy Neddermeyer, Ph.D., regardless of where they are or what they want to achieve. Most people are not taught to write a strategy with specific steps—including how, when and in what order—so they don't reach their goals. Many people rarely accomplish their goals. Only 8% of people accomplish their new year's resolutions. Many don't set goals that are realistic, for which they have the requisite abilities or can enlist the help they need to be successful. They need a specific plan for each step toward their goals.
The "Hippie Jedi” and “Freedom-Preneur” Justin Verrengia innovates in marketing, social media, and in how society lives. He went from barely being able to afford his rent to a seven-figure income in two years. With his wife D, his top-ranked Weird Entrepreneurs podcast inspires listeners worldwide to live their dreams. After teaching in China, Justin and D settled in their dream location, Costa Rica. Their comfortable network marketing income was suddenly slashed by 75 percent. Believing in divine purpose, he found a new company and created an income of $26,000/month in 30 days.
Founder and CEO Susan Cartier Liebel of Solo Practice University, heads the only online educational and professional networking community for lawyers and law students who want to create and grow their solo/small firm practices. She's a wife, mother, mentor, avid traveler and all around curious about life and the planet we inhabit. With ten years in business before law school, Susan noticed her school’s complete lack of support for the 50 percent who would likely become solo practitioners. Law is the one license that allows you to be self-employed, yet students are being taught how to be employees.
Lee Ellis knew his passion and talents early in life. After college he pursued his dream, becoming an Air Force fighter pilot, and a leader and manager of officer development programs. Later he developed career and leadership assessments that led to his role as leadership consultant, executive coach, author, and speaker. As a fighter pilot, he was shot down and held 5 ½ years as a P.O.W. in the infamous Hanoi Hilton. He returned home more mature, diligent in performing the duties he didn’t like. Always good about work he liked to do, he’d never been as motivated to do those things he didn't like to do.
A lover of life, Adèle McLay is a mother, wife, great friend, dancer, vegetarian foodie and traveler, coaching entrepreneurs worldwide to achieve greater success in their businesses for 20+ years, and a life coach. She has six books being published by 2016. Leaving investment banking, Adèle bought into a consulting firm, working with New Zealand's biggest corporations, midsize companies and charities, helping them to be more successful. In many ways it was a precursor to her current coaching practice. She still uses her financial skills in property acquisition and management with her husband.
NetWeaving takes traditional networking—“how can you help me?”—and flips it to resemble a combination of the Golden Rule and Pay it Forward. Creator Bob Littell developed NetWeaving 16 years ago. He’s been teaching others around the world how it can be a powerful tool for building trusted relationships. NetWeaving amps up traditional networking by teaching three practical skill sets: 1) how to be a better connector of others; 2) how to be a gratuitous resource; and 3) how to be constantly on the lookout for exceptional people to know and to recommend to others to benefit all concerned.
“Val-Unique” is the term Chip R. Bell uses to describe his unique elaboration on the value-added concept, adding elements that surprise the customer in ways that delight them. A world renowned keynote speaker and founder of the Chip Bell Group, Dr. Bell is the author of several national best-selling books. Discovering what he loves, what gets him up in the morning, changed his life. “I think the degree to which you have the opportunity—and that's a key part—to pursue (what you love) can be important. I learned it early and made it my deliberate effort.
An L.A. Times bestselling author and blogger for Psychology Today, Cathy Scott left a secretarial job and broke into journalism. She wrote eleven books and taught journalism at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Her work has appeared in the New York Times Magazine. Recent TV appearances include Dateline and the Today Show. A line of dialog in the film, An Officer and a Gentleman, crystallized her motivation: “If you want something, go get it!” She recalls, “That just resonated with me. You have to go with your gut. That's what I went with. And it was hard.”
With 20+ years’ experience, Alexis Davis Smith is a solid communications strategist, a leader in Atlanta’s public relations industry. She is responsible for creating breakthrough and strategic communications programs for all Precise Communications clients, including leading global companies such as Coca-Cola and Toyota. “I’ve learned that I don’t have to be afraid, and shouldn’t be shy about expressing my strengths, and good work generates referrals. My first client was Coca-Cola Company, working on Super Bowl 34. Coke has been with us 15 years. Most of our current clients come from referrals.”
Through his podcast, the ConsciousMillionaire.com, J.V. Crum III, teaches how to achieve wealth—with a high purpose. He helps entrepreneurs make a positive impact and bigger profits. A mastery of psychology, law, and an MBA enrich his top-ranked podcast. Two new podcasts and a Conscious World Movement top his plans for the future. To succeed, he had to drop two childhood misconceptions: 1) “Wealthy” doesn’t mean you did something wrong to get rich; and 2) Business is not the place you go to lose money. With a conscious approach, “You're doing it from a conscious desire to uplift other people.”
Most Americans don’t negotiate their level of compensation, explains expert Victoria Pynchon, of SheNegotiates.com. Although she specializes in reducing the gender pay gap between women and men, few clients of either gender know the market value of their work. A well-researched strategy can yield enviable results. With hard data about market payscales, and an openness to employer’s concerns, an employee or job-seeker can formulate a negotiating strategy for a win-win situation. Knowing market values helps depersonalize the issue, increasing the prospects for greater personal compensation.
Best-selling author Rob Kosberg, founder of www.BestSellerPublishing.org, teaches entrepreneurs how to stop hunting clients and position themselves as the hunted. His program—Publish. Promote. Profit.—helps clients create their own guaranteed best seller, and grow their income via speaking engagements, free publicity and lead generation strategies. “There are passions and people you're led to have an impact on their lives. You have to do the work internally to discover that and figure it out. When you do, you find a flow where you feel like you're not working at all, and can do amazing things.”
EntrepreneurOnFire.com’s Kate Erickson is Content Creator and Community Leader for, one of the fastest growing podcasts in the world. She blogs, inspires, encourages entrepreneurs and manages marketing campaigns. She leads mastermind Tribe and Podcasters' Paradise, offering support and focused engagement to the Fire Nation community, both online and in person. Getting passed over for a corporate promotion strengthened her entrepreneurial resolve. “…it's one of the best things that have ever happened to me. Nobody else could give what I wanted to me. I could only create and give that to myself.
“Coaching is what I really love doing,” declares Sandy Vilas, owner of CoachInc.com, operator of Coach U and Corporate Coach U. “I love supporting entrepreneurs and professionals in dramatically increasing their business and enhancing the quality of their lives.” He coaches clients from all over the world. “The moment I decided to become a fulltime coach, I noticed this sense of peace and fulfillment washing over me. I was having so much fun. I was so passionate, so excited to use knowledge, wisdom and experience that I'd accumulated over 50 years to help others avoid the mistakes I’d made.
Living and painting in Atlanta, Georgia, Jennifer J L Jones has been creating art for 16 years full time, loving it all. A graduate of the prestigious School of The Art Institute of Chicago, her work is represented in galleries and included in public and private collections worldwide. “Hearing from random people after the disaster of 9/11 that they had seen my artwork and it made them feel better was a huge turning point! I realized my art had a healing effect on other people, not just on me. I felt I was starting to contribute something.”
In creating "NetWeaving"—building trusted relationships by helping others—Bob Littell drew on principles learned from building his own career and company, and by showcasing others who had been “NetWeaving”—before he coined the term over 16 years ago. Learning and living out Netweaving principles continues to enrich Bob’s life. He stays busy sharing them worldwide and enacting the two mottos of NetWeaving: 1) Good things happen to people who make good things happen; 2) When you open the door for someone else, you never know who you will meet as a result.
At The Bee Colony, founder Julie Salisbury helps clients unearth their unique story to blend communications with communities of support and engagement, creating social and cultural movements that support a purpose, belief or brand platform. Her work synthesizes traditional and emerging media to build brands with sustainable social currency. At age 26, she was working at an ad agency that was going downhill. Two clients leaving the agency offered to go with her if she set up shop. Despite never having started a firm, the story of The Little Engine That Could inspired her to take the leap.
Master-protégé relationships have guided James Moore throughout his life, including his transition to his current life as an oil painter from an early analytical career. He captures beauty with a brushstroke, like a musical note, using paint as his music. After the business world stopped being fun. James applied his motto: Move away from things you don’t like, go toward what you do.” He found a master and plunged into his art, foregoing art school. “I could afford to study with an Elvis rather than sit in a classroom. It was essential to overcome feelings of intimidation and fear.”
Her empowerment coaching finds Karina Andersen working with inmates in a South African prison. She takes her Circles of Change work and authentic leadership training wherever she perceives she is led to go. She shares her journey individually and in small groups. “This prison work found me in 2007, because my journey had prepared and molded me,” she tells podcast host Don Hutcheson. “We begin to understand we have imprisoned ourselves in our minds. It doesn't have to be that way. It doesn't mean that I am coming in and telling people what to do. Love is my Essence. Guidance my Passion!”
Mickey Batsell is a leading authority on long-term care planning and related issues, with 40+ years professional experience in helping individuals and families navigate the path of preparing for the devastating cost of a long-term care event. While working with traditional insurance policies in the mid-1970s, his employer introduced a new product called long-term care insurance. Around that time, he began to be faced with aging relatives who would likely need this kind of help. He set about learning everything I could in this relatively new field.
As creative director and co-founder Cara Barineau of Blue Marble Media, a video and motion graphics agency is celebrating 20 years of award-winning creative and production services for companies like Georgia-Pacific, Verizon, McKesson, Ariba, SAP, Sonoco and many others. Starting out in journalism, Cara soon found she could use more of her creativity in advertising. As agency work was becoming increasingly cut-throat, she knew she faced a life-changing career decision to make. Listen as she describes her “fork in the road” that led to video to Don Hutcheson, host of DiscoverTalentPodcast.com.
The dynamic founder of the Media Buyer Association, Charles Kirkland is aiming high: helping one million entrepreneurs, small businesses, and advertising agencies create successful paid media campaigns through advanced training and resources that are developed from real world experiences. Charles brings the “real world experience.” Surviving and thriving through peaks and valleys, Charles persisted in following his passion. Now, he says, “I’ve been broke and successful so many times, I just want to help other people to avoid the roller-coaster—and enjoy the climb.”
After 25 years in high stakes business litigation, Victoria Pynchon took a mediation course that changed her life. Nearly a decade after receiving her degree in conflict resolution from the world-famous Straus Institute, her business, She Negotiates Consulting and Training is prospering by helping individual women close their own personal gender wage gap. Going out on her own she discovered how hard it was to attract business. She introduced herself online. “Now, everything I do is sourced in social media, blogging and networking on the internet, and my business is international.”
A creative adman with a circus in his past, and humor at his side, Patrick Scullin describes himself as an adman, "wordsmitty," philosopher king, blogger, ex-circus advance man and almost-novelist. Currently Executive Creative Director and managing partner for Ames Scullin O'Haire, he uses his blog TheLintScreen as another of his creative outlets. “Writers don’t make much money, but I discovered some ad writers do, if they’re good at it.” Finding the circus job “too lonely an existence,” he re-connected with an ad agency. “Once I was around creative people, my talents blossomed.”
She sees herself as “the new family doctor.”
In her practice in Atlanta, Georgia, chiropractor Karen Tedeschi offers natural treatments—typically a combination of therapies like massage and chiropractic—as well as home health solutions. “I emphasize education and empowerment for people to be responsible for their health. In massage school, rooming with two chiropractic students, “I began to see how I could incorporate those two disciplines, along with other hands-on practices into my own approach.” She tells host Don Hutcheson, “Consistent gratitude will totally change your inner landscape."
At his ‘forced’ chaplaincy internship in seminary, Larry Minnix faced a turning point. His decision set him on a 45-year career path of service and advocacy for aging and mentally ill persons. As President and CEO of the Washington, DC-based nonprofit, LeadingAge, his advocacy work is at the nexus of public policy and money. He traces his career trajectory to a Methodist summer camp in his mid-teens, where he felt a call to minister. “The key is to relate to many different kinds of people,” he tells Don Hutcheson, host of DiscoverTalentPodcast.com.
An artist finds healing in upcycled, recycled and found objects of her collage creations. A self-taught mixed media collage artist, Jennifer DeSantis began her creative journey about five years ago as a form of self-therapy. It remains so to this day, even as her following has grown, especially through social media and online markets. “I keep creating not only for my own fulfillment, but now in hopes that I can reach others by utilizing creative expression for inner healing,” she tells Don Hutcheson, host of DiscoverTalentPodcast.com.
From TV news anchor to super-salesperson to motivator, Bob Burg learned that to sell is to serve. Co-author of the parable of the “Go-Giver,” He learned from masters including Benjamin Franklin that gratitude and serving others is the key to success in life. “Systematically face your Negative traits—change them!” Shifting his focus from making money to serving others brought a huge change in his life. Early in his sales career, a mentor told him, “Don't have ‘making money’ as your goal. The target is serving others,” Burg tells Don Hutcheson, host of the Discover Your Talent, Do What You Love podcast.
He brings a lifetime of practical legal experience to aspiring lawyers at the College of Law at Georgia State University. Along with traditional tax law, Cassady V. Brewer explores the law of emerging hybrid business forms known as social enterprise. Like his own life, the evolving area of law is all about combining business and the world of work with a social mission. Partners in his former law practice could see his gift for teaching before he did, he tells Don Hutcheson, host of the Discover Your Talent, Do What You Love podcast.
Her career journey takes her from musician to lawyer to bar association executive director to a coach for lawyers.
As a practice advisor at Atticus, Nora Riva Bergman founded Real Life Practice, teaching attorneys work-life balance and how to gain self-knowledge, to help lawyers become better lawyers, and better people. “Ampersands” is her term for life passages and turning points. Death of the “Auntie Mame” figure in her life jolted her to rethink her relationship to the law profession. Self-knowledge is key, she tells Don Hutcheson, host of podcast Discover Your Talent, Do What You Love.