S5E13: Happy Holidays

"Being curious is one of the most important things. I think it is so important for people to stay curious so they evolve and become a better person, the kind of person they're supposed to be." Step into the unexpected journey of a podcaster's farewell. But what if this goodbye was just the beginning of something even more remarkable? Find out how a dyslexia journey and a passion for storytelling led to a surprising career transformation. Stay tuned for the extraordinary twist that will leave you inspired and wanting more. In this episode, you will be able to: Mastering the Art of Transition: Unlock Your Potential in Corporate Communications. Defying the Odds: Managing Dyslexia and Thriving in Professional Development. Unleash the Power of Personal Stories: Elevate Your Brand's Growth. Embracing the Journey: Finding Creative Passion in Midlife. The Magic of Storytelling: Elevating Your Business Marketing Game.

Entrepreneurs are those kinds of people that ask questions. The more questions you ask, the more power you have. - Shari Behar-Hotis If you're feeling stuck in your business, constantly questioning your next move and feeling a lack of connection, then you are not alone! Are you tired of going through the motions and not seeing the results you desire? It's time to ask the right questions and change your trajectory. Let's unlock the power of curiosity and transform your business! In this episode, you will be able to: Unleash the potential of your passions and turn them into a thriving business venture. Master the art of networking and discover how it can skyrocket your entrepreneurial success. Implement powerful strategies to boost your business visibility and stand out in a crowded market. Harness the benefits of asking the right questions and propel your business towards growth and innovation. Navigate career transitions with confidence and learn how they can fuel your entrepreneurial journey. My special guest is Shari Behar-Hotis. Shari Behar-Hotis, an accomplished entrepreneur with over 25 years of experience, is the founder of Aura Merchandising. With a background in brand marketing, Shari has successfully translated her passion into a thriving business. In this episode, she offers valuable insights into the importance of networking in entrepreneurship, strategies for increasing business visibility, and the benefits of asking questions for business growth. With her extensive expertise, Shari provides practical advice for entrepreneurs looking to navigate career changes while implementing strategies for professional and personal growth.

"The more we can infuse parts of our personality into our professional message, the more likely we are to find the right clients, the right roles, the right organizations." - Danielle Hughes Uncover the unexpected truth behind the power of personality in marketing. You'll be amazed at the impact it has on your success. But there's more to it than meets the eye... Stay tuned to discover the hidden gem that'll transform your approach to branding and client connection. Are you ready to unlock the secret to authentic marketing? Let's dive in and explore the game-changing strategy that'll take your business to the next level. In this episode, you will be able to: Uncover the secrets to turning your passion into a thriving business. Elevate your personal brand as an entrepreneur with powerful strategies. Discover the benefits of infusing your unique personality into your marketing efforts. Navigate the journey from corporate life to successful entrepreneurship. Master the art of crafting effective and compelling professional messaging. My special guest is Danielle Hughes. As the Chief Personality Officer of More Than Words Marketing, Danielle Hughes is the creator of the Personality Brand. She teaches clients how to bring more of themselves into their professional message so they feel comfortable expressing their career narrative and can convey what makes them different from their competition, attracting the right audience and repelling the wrong one. Danielle's client list is long and storied, so since she's showing off, it includes companies like Google, PwC, eBay, Discovery Channel, Capital One, Gap, TD Bank, SEO, Columbia University and The Jed Foundation among others. Often referred to as a magician with words, while she can't pull a rabbit out of her hat, she can hone your brand message and deadlift you or your employees, but not at the same time. That's just irresponsible. (note: Danielle is available for office party tricks and accepts payment in bottles of Bordeaux.)

Find your pallet, because if you gave me a basketball or a microphone, I'm not going to change the world like LeBron or Beyoncé. And if I gave them a pallet, they're not going to change the world. But it takes finding that thing that itches, that part in your soul that makes you come alive and help other people and bring light to the world. - Ike Wynter If you're feeling stuck in a job that doesn't fulfill you, then you are not alone! The pressure to find your true calling can be overwhelming, but what if I told you there's an opportunity in every curiosity? Imagine turning someone else's trash into a meaningful piece of art and brightening their day. It's not about New Year's resolutions, it's about living with intention and finding your palette in life. Your next stop could be the start of a whole new journey. In this episode, you will be able to: Unleash your potential by turning your passion into a fulfilling career. Discover the transformative impact of art on mental well-being. Cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset and unleash your creativity for success. Explore the possibilities of finding fulfillment beyond the constraints of 9 to 5 jobs. Elevate your personal growth by understanding the importance of self-awareness. My special guest is Ike Wynter. Ike Wynter is an eco-sustainable wood artist born & raised in Milwaukee, WI. His claim to fame in the wood art world is that he uses 100% reclaimed wood but furthermore has never stained or painted a piece of wood in his life - creating an additional challenge within his work to find all the colors he uses in his pieces. He gathered the attention of numerous celebrities and brands early on with his story, and now has curated a very dedicated fanbase of 300,000 followers on social media who have watched his journey of knowing nothing about the art world to now making pieces of art for people like Mike Tyson, Mrs. Meyers Brands, Kyle Walker, and many others. His relentless passion for his craft and "delusionally optimistic" spirit is seen daily within his content, and he inspires millions around the world to not only pursue the greatest versions of themselves but the simple daily reminders of just waking up with gratitude & optimism everyday. All of his work is made exclusively in Milwaukee and crafted from things that the community throws out, and he also has a huge initiative to build up the awareness of our city globally through his art and live events.  

Hope everyone has been having a wonderful holiday together with their loved ones. I'm extremely excited to continue with Season 5 in this new year and I'm thrilled to keep bringing you stories about people who have followed their passion and turned it into a business. I appreciate you always tuning in and hope this show brings you value and motivation to push forward in your own journey. Here's to an awesome 2025!

"I don't want women in middle age to feel like they're dying just because they're having all these weird and like, crazy symptoms or feel like they're literally going crazy, which kind of happens a lot of the time." - Deborah Lightstone Discover the shocking truth about the overlooked symptoms of perimenopause and menopause. Uncover the surprising impact of anemia on your energy levels and mental health. Join Deborah Lightstone as she sheds light on the hidden struggles of middle-aged women and reveals the holistic approach to navigating this transformative phase. Stay tuned for a deep dive into the unexpected connections between hormones, iron levels, and overall well-being. Don't miss this eye-opening discussion that could change the way you view menopause and its related health challenges. In this episode, you will be able to: Understand the diverse symptoms of perimenopause and menopause for personalized health management. Discover the benefits of naturopathic medicine tailored for middle-aged women's well-being. Explore the integration of nutrition in naturopathic practice to support overall health during menopause. Learn effective strategies for managing ADHD and anxiety with alternative medicine approaches. Transition seamlessly to virtual naturopathic consultations for convenient and comprehensive menopause support. My special guest is Deborah Lightstone. As a Naturopathic Doctor, Deborah Lightstone delves into the root causes of disease, striving to understand and address imbalances by viewing the patient as a whole. After completing a degree in Nutritional Science at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, she went on to study Naturopathic Medicine at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine. She is passionate about food and nutrition and believes in the importance of educating and empowering patients about health and wellness. Deborah encourages her patients to take an active role in their own health care. Her practice is centered on providing individualized, integrative, and preventative care to restore and optimize health and quality of life. Over the last 20 years, Deborah's practice has grown and evolved, cultivating a strong interest in women's health. She is particularly focused on helping women understand and navigate hormonal changes in their 30s, 40s, and 50s. Dedicated to guiding women through various life stages with enhanced support, knowledge, and confidence, Deborah aims to equip women with the tools and insights they need to thrive and lead healthier, more empowered lives.

"Keep positive, put energy and enthusiasm into everything you do, and you will always have more power than you think." - Michele Phillips If you're feeling overwhelmed by negative emotions and struggling to navigate life's challenges, then you are not alone! If you find yourself constantly jumping from one negative emotion to another, feeling stuck and unable to find positivity, then you are not alone! If you're struggling to manage your emotions and find yourself constantly chasing the next source of relief, then you are not alone! If you're looking for a way to climb the emotional ladder one rung at a time and regain control of your emotions, then you are not alone! In this episode, you will learn about: Mastering emotions for personal growth: Uncover the secret to emotional resilience and personal development. Boosting productivity through positive habits: Discover how positivity breeds productivity. The impact of communication in corporate success: Learn the power of effective communication in achieving corporate success. Strategies for coping with grief and loss: Explore effective coping strategies for navigating grief and loss. Building a personal brand as an author and speaker: Unveil the key strategies for author and speaker branding success. Michele Phillips, President of Key Performance, boasts a triumphant 25-year entrepreneurial voyage that has etched an enduring mark on the corporate world. Her acclaimed book 'Happiness is a Habit' – Simple Daily Rituals That Increase Energy, Improve Well-being, and Add Joy to Every Day still ranks on Amazon today, ten years after Cedar Fort Publishing published it. Beyond titles, Michele's power lies in personal connections. A corporate workshop leader and private coach, she defies categorization, bridging personal and corporate spheres. With 20+ years of experience, Michele has guided Fortune 500 giants worldwide, including TAG Heuer, Pfizer, Verizon, Schott, Nomura, Barclays, and The PGA, to name a few. A happiness and performance expert, she blends neuroscience, habits, and positive psychology, offering an actionable formula for success.

"When people reject you, you just have to say, 'okay, it wasn't for them, and it's not a personal indictment against me' and just carry on. Which is easier said than done. But you have to learn how to do it." - Brooklyn Quintana Brooklyn Quintana is a Florida-based author who received her Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing from the University of Central Florida. A lifelong creative, Brooklyn always knew she wanted to tell wild and fantastical stories. From art pieces exploding with color, to bombastic piano recitals, to the first few stumbling steps into fiction as a young adolescent, the drive to create something unique was always there. As an early acolyte of the strange and unusual, Brooklyn found herself drawn to films by Tim Burton and Guillermo del Toro, as well as art by Salvador Dali and Caravaggio. She was always inexplicably drawn to the dark, macabre, and wondrously weird things that life has to offer. Fortunately, as she grew up, that fascination with the twisted, surreal, and whimsical never went away. Brooklyn's debut novel, Fynneas Fog: Nine of Swords, is the initial installment of a planned series consisting of nine books. Embarking on the adventure of a lifetime and beyond, young Prince Fynneas experiences life, death, and every bizarre realm in between. The sequel, Fynneas Fog: Blood in the Water, expounds upon Fynn's fantastical world and introduces all new mysteries and beloved characters. In this episode, you will be able to: Unleash your creativity by turning your passion into a captivating book series that keeps readers coming back for more. Discover effective marketing strategies that will help you build a loyal fanbase for your fantasy book series. Overcome the challenges of dyslexia as an author and learn how to thrive in the fantasy book genre. Dive into the world of fantasy book series and learn the secrets to crafting compelling and realistic characters that resonate with readers. Explore the transition from a corporate job to authorship and uncover the key steps to making your fantasy book series a success.

"I've messed up in every aspect of my life in every way possible, and I've learned from it. And hopefully someone takes that and they can learn something and then make their own mistakes, too." - Erika Ayers Badan   Do you want to discover the secret to turning your passion into a successful business? Get ready to unlock the key to transforming your passion into a thriving business. In this episode, you will be able to: Unleash the power of your passion and turn it into a thriving business venture. Discover the key to navigating career transitions and finding genuine happiness in your work life. Unlock the hidden benefits of diverse work experiences and how they can elevate your professional journey. Master the art of building a captivating personal brand on social media to stand out in the digital world. Explore effective strategies for achieving a harmonious work-life balance and reclaiming your time and energy. Erika Ayers Badan is a digital innovator, disruptor, and seasoned executive on the cutting edge of content creation, distribution, and monetization of premier and culturally relevant content. As an early adopter of internet culture, Ayers has always been interested in what's next, driving digital entrepreneurship and large-scale revenue growth within companies.   Ayers Badan was recently named CEO of Food52 after serving as a board member and advisor since 2019.   Ayers Badan currently serves on the boards of the Premier Lacrosse League, and global public safety technology leader Axon Enterprise (AXON).   She is also the author of the book "Nobody Cares About Your Career: Why Failure is Good, The Great Ones Play Hurt and Other Hard Truths" which was released in July of 2024. Intertwined with anecdotes from her own career, Ayers Badan shares inspiring insight into how work really works, and how you can get it to work for you.   As the first-ever CEO of media magnate Barstool Sports, Ayers Badan led the company through explosive growth (+5000% in revenue and significantly more in audience), expanding the company from a regional blog to a national powerhouse brand and media company. During her 9 years steering the company, Barstool became a top ten podcasting publisher in the US, with the world's #1 sports, hockey, golf, and music podcasts, and a top 6 brand globally on TikTok. Ayers Badan has launched over 35 brands, including breakout franchises like Pat McAfee and Call Her Daddy.   Following Barstool's exponential growth, Fast Company named Ayers Badan as one of its "Most Creative People in Business" in 2018, citing Barstool Sports' expansion into multimedia and merchandising during her tenure. That same year, Forbes ranked her 25th on its "Most Powerful Women in U.S. Sports." In 2019, she was ranked #19 on The Big Lead's list of "The 75 Most Powerful People in the Sports Media Business." That year, she was also included on Crain's New York's "Notable Women in the Business of Sports." Adweek named Ayers Badan as one of its "Most Powerful Women in Sports" in 2017 and 2020.   Ayers Badan has also held several senior roles at influential media and technology organizations, including President of BKSTG, CMO for AOL, VP of Branding at Yahoo! and Senior Director of MSN Branded Experiences for Microsoft.

As a dyslexic, I can see from the creative, to the manufacturing, to the economic, to the distribution, to the end result in a blink of an eye. And I can tell you where there is a discord. I might not be able to tell you right away why, but I can tell you for sure that's where it is. - Gil Gershoni Discover the surprising journey of Gil Gershoni, a dyslexic entrepreneur who turned a childhood passion for magic tricks into a thriving creative agency. Embracing dyslexia as a superpower, Gil's radical collaboration approach has redefined the way we solve problems and foster inclusivity. But here's the unexpected twist: Gil's dyslexic design thinking has not only led to groundbreaking creative solutions but has also sparked a global movement through the "Dear Dyslexia" postcard project. Want to know how dyslexia can unlock creativity and resilience in the business world? Get ready to be inspired and join the conversation. Stay tuned for more insights and surprises. In this episode, you will be able to: Unleash your passion and turn it into a thriving business. Harness the power of dyslexic design thinking for creative problem-solving. Overcome dyslexia-related challenges in education and thrive. Start and grow a successful creative agency from the ground up. Discover the meaningful impact of the "Dear Dyslexia" postcard project. My special guest is Gil Gershoni. For over 30 years, Gil Gershoni has been bringing together cutting edge ideas and keeping brands like Google, Apple, Spotify, and Nike ahead of the curve. After immigrating to the United States from Israel and supporting himself through a brief stint as a magician, Gershoni founded Gershoni Creative, a San Francisco-based creative agency, in 1996.  As the agency expanded, Gil realized that his dyslexia had benefits within the creative process that helped his team and clients innovate and thrive. Through his work and advocacy, Gershoni is helping others discover something he's long known: there's a little bit of magic in dyslexic thinking.  In 2017, Gil founded Dyslexic Design Thinking, a program that teaches people how to leverage strategies that come naturally to dyslexics to enhance how they work, think, create, and problem-solve. His mission is to educate people about dyslexia and move away from the traditional – and incomplete – perception of the condition as a debilitating limitation. For Gil, dyslexia is a hyper-ability, not just a disability. Dyslexics are often able to make surprising connections and find solutions in unexpected places – and Dyslexic Design Thinking can help linear thinkers unlock their creative potential.  Dyslexic Design Thinking has grown to include the Dyslexic Design Thinking podcast and The Bigger Picture with Amazing Dyslexics, a virtual salon series that explores how dyslexics and non-dyslexics alike can use big-picture thinking to create and innovate across different fields. In October of 2022, Gil executive produced Dyslexic Dictionary, an exhibit in San Francisco showcasing works by dyslexic artists and leaders, including California Governor Gavin Newsom and Twitter logo designer Martin Grasser.