Today’s guest is the entrepreneur behind 3 multi-million dollar companies, having founded and sold two of them before reaching his 35th birthday.
He is a former small business journalist for The Wall Street Journal, and he is the author of “Profit First,” “The Pumpkin Plan,” and “The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur,” which BusinessWeek deemed “the entrepreneur’s cult classic.” His books have been translated into over 10 different languages.
A popular keynote speaker, he travels the globe as an entrepreneurial advocate, is an active partner in multiple companies, including an American manufacturer, a business growth consultancy, an augmented reality tech firm, and a certification organization for accountants, bookkeepers, and business coaching.
He also created the Profit First Formula, a way for businesses large and small to ensure profitability from their very next deposit forward.
Please join me in welcoming Mike Michalowicz.
In this episode we discuss:
Listen, subscribe and read show notes at www.OnTheSchmooze.com.
Today’s guest has found a way to marry her knowledge of the law with her experience working with influencers to create Hashtag Legal, a law firm dedicated to helping businesses succeed in a digital world. As technology created new opportunities for business owners, the legal industry did not keep up with the times. Hashtag Legal fills that void. Their clients are influencer networks, CEOs of digital empires, online entrepreneurs, creatives, and small business owners.
Previously, she was Director of Operations and Chief Counsel at Type-A Parent, the world’s premier conference, influencer network and community for mom bloggers, dad bloggers, and the marketers who want to connect with them.
She has been a practicing lawyer for over 10 years and has worked for a large, international law firm in New York City on complex commercial matters and for a Federal District Judge on both civil and criminal federal cases. She is also an adjunct professor at Seton Hall Law School.
Please join me in welcoming Jamie Lieberman.
In this episode we discuss:
Listen, subscribe and read show notes at www.OnTheSchmooze.com.
Today’s guest is a best-selling author, sought-after speaker, and associate professor of leadership and innovation at Oral Roberts University.
He has written several books, his first was “The Myths of Creativity: The Truth About How Innovative Companies and People Generate Great Ideas” and then he wrote “Under New Management: How Leading Organizations Are Upending Business as Usual,” which challenges traditional principles of business management and argues that many of them are outdated, outmoded, or simply don’t work.
His latest book,“Friend of a Friend,” takes a look at the science of human behavior and offers readers a new perspective on how to grow networks and build key connections.
His TED Talk, “Why you should know how much your coworkers get paid,” has been viewed over 1.8 million times. When he is not speaking or writing, he is in the classroom teaching students about organizational behavior, creativity and innovation, and strategic leadership.
Please join me in welcoming David Burkus
In this episode we discuss:
Listen, subscribe and read show notes at www.OnTheSchmooze.com.
Today’s guest is an award-winning executive coach with more than 25 years of team management, business development, and sales leadership experience. Early in her career, she was recognized for her ability to negotiate multimillion-dollar contracts with senior executives of numerous Fortune 500 companies. Having mastered the art of high-ticket sales, she went on to mentor, coach, and develop some of the highest paid, most elite, sales professionals in the country who have sold well over 1 billion dollars and counting.
Every successful executive can cite a mentor or advisor who helped them bridge the gap from middle management to C-level leadership. Every business owner has relied on a trusted guide to make the jump from breaking even to breaking profit records.
Having successfully navigated each stop on the journey to elite executive status, my guest’s passion is in helping business owners, sales leaders and seasoned executives achieve the success they desire.
Please join me in welcoming Stephanie Chung.
In this episode we discuss:
Listen, subscribe and read show notes at www.OnTheSchmooze.com.
On this encore episode, our guest went from high school English teacher to Broadway producer in under two years. How? Relationships. He is a social catalyst who believes in the power of making meaningful connections for others.
His success led him to develop a methodology that he teaches through his company Small Pond Enterprises which specializes in relationship design for founders, authors, and speakers interested in playing a bigger game. He works with thought leaders to curate, extend, and leverage their existing networks.
He cemented his reputation as a connector by founding ConnectorCon, a conference for a powerful community of thoughtful connectors who recognize the power of living in a world of abundance rather than scarcity -- and he co-hosts the Access to Anyone podcast.
Please join me in welcoming Michael Roderick.
In this episode we discuss:
Listen, subscribe and read show notes at www.OnTheSchmooze.com.
In this encore episode, our guest is an immigrant who went from incredible poverty to founding a multi-million dollar business.
She was born in an orphanage in Mexico and her first shot out of poverty was an opportunity to play basketball for the Mexican National Team - a shot she missed because she had broken her collarbone. Undeterred, she managed to immigrate to the United States on a basketball scholarship.
With a college degree in hand, but no job to be found, she found herself living on the streets during a snowy winter. A condition that was so familiar that she didn’t realize she was homeless. A friend saw her and gave her a place to stay.
Weeks later, she entered a Fresh Salsa competition, won unanimously, and received $800 to start a natural salsa and dips company. Which she grew into a multi-million dollar business within four years, with products distributed across 38 states to major supermarkets like Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club, Whole Foods, and many more.
At the height of its success in 2015, she sold her company to Campbell’s and then went to Mexico and rescued 31 orphaned children from a drug cartel.
Please join me in welcoming Magie Cook.
In this episode we discuss:
Listen, subscribe and read show notes at www.OnTheSchmooze.com.
Today’s guest is not self-made… he’s Community Made.
He has a strong desire to "rise the tide" for everyone and is passionate about supporting community builders who focus their energy on under-resourced communities.
Named one of Forbes “Top Networkers to Watch” he founded one of the world’s most exclusive communities for entrepreneurs. With just shy of 19,500 applications since its inception in 2013, the invite-only MastermindTalks Community has a lower acceptance rate than Harvard University. MMT Community brings together brilliant minds from various industries for curated networking, targeted troubleshooting, and custom live and virtual events.
His work has been featured in Entrepreneur Magazine, Forbes, Lifehacker, Business Insider, and in Tim Ferriss's New York Times bestseller, “Tools of Titans.” He is also the founder and host of Community Made, a top-rated business podcast on Apple Podcasts.
Please join me in welcoming Jayson Gaignard.
In this episode we discuss:
Listen, subscribe and read show notes at www.OnTheSchmooze.com - episode 251.
This week's On the Schmooze episode is the 250th episode – wow.
That means I’ve produced 50 episodes a year for five years. I almost gave this all up three years ago and I’m so grateful I stuck with it. The show has only gotten better since then and I learned it’s not about just meeting but surpassing milestones to experience my full impact on the world.
For this special episode, my virtual assistant Peya Robbins interviews ME. That’s right, the tables were turned so you can learn about the host behind the mic.
Please join me in welcoming today’s guest host Peya Robbins.
In this episode we discuss:
Listen, subscribe and read show notes at www.OnTheSchmooze.com - episode 250.
Today’s guest wants women to live their most epic life every day.
She is a master facilitator, leadership trainer, joy instigator, and community strategist who first fell in love with transformational leadership as a camp counselor. Two degrees and 15 years of facilitation training later, she decided to give herself permission to be the Professional Camp Counselor she knew she was born to be.
She is the founder of The Magnetic Leader™ Collective, where she trains leaders and speakers to connect powerfully with their audience through creating EPIC and engaging meetings, workshops, and events. Her mission is to empower, inspire, and motivate leaders to cultivate confidence and create transformational experiences that change people's lives.
Please join me in welcoming Marli Williams.
In this episode we discuss:
Listen, subscribe and read show notes at www.OnTheSchmooze.com - episode 249.
I have a special treat for you this week. This is only the second time I’ve had a guest back on the show. Today’s guest is a super-connector who brings brilliant minds together.
You can read a long list of his accolades in the intro for episode 67, I’ll put a link in today’s show notes. For instance, he spoke at a TED@IBM event the day before his 20th birthday, was a delegate to President Obama's 2013 Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Malaysia, and has been featured in Forbes, TIME, Harvard Business Review, and Fortune.
His latest company, Meeting of the Minds, brings together "super-connectors" and subject matter experts at invite-only events. Members of the MOTM network include CEOs of 7, 8, and 9-figure businesses, creators of globally-recognized brands and social movements, New York Times bestselling authors, founders of pre-IPO tech unicorns, and c-suite execs from Fortune 500 companies.
He has written multiple books including the "#1 Entrepreneurship Book of 2015.” I’ve invited him back because he just released his latest book “How To Build A World-Class Network In Record Time.”
Please join me in welcoming Jared Kleinert.
In this episode we discuss:
Listen, subscribe and read show notes at www.OnTheSchmooze.com - episode 248.
Today’s guest believes that the sensible and practical side of life meshes perfectly with the woo-woo side of life.
As the Chief Technology Therapist at Sensible Woo, she teaches highly sensitive & neuro-divergent online business owners how to replace technological chaos with a harmonious technology system. Through programs like Digital Feng Shui, her clients optimize their business foundation from an emotional and intuitive perspective so that they can delegate and automate without wasting time, money, or energy.
She is an accredited librarian with a Master of Science in Information and set the foundation of her career as the first digital archivist for Disney Animation Studios. From there, she has worked with marketing agencies, entertainment technology companies, public libraries, fundraising organizations, and technology start-ups.
Please join me in welcoming Mary Williams.
In this episode we discuss:
Listen, subscribe and read show notes at www.OnTheSchmooze.com - episode 247.
Today’s guest helps leaders and organizations thrive with disruption as an expert on digital transformation and leadership.
For the past two decades, she has been helping people see the future. She is the Founder and Senior Fellow at Altimeter, a disruptive analyst firm acquired in 2015 by Prophet. She was named one of the Top 50 Leadership Innovators by Inc., and one of the most creative people in business by Fast Company.
Her work includes consulting and serving on boards, including the regional board for YPO, a global network of CEOs. She is a sought-after public speaker and has appeared at events ranging from TED and the World Business Forum to SXSW. She has appeared on 60 Minutes and PBS NewsHour and is frequently quoted by The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, USA Today, and The Associated Press.
She’s the author of six books, including the New York Times bestseller, “Open Leadership” and co-author of the critically acclaimed book, “Groundswell”. Her latest book is the bestseller “The Disruption Mindset.”
Please join me in welcoming Charlene Li.
In this episode we discuss:
Listen, subscribe and read show notes at www.OnTheSchmooze.com - episode 246.
Today’s guest can help anyone make networking an art, not an accident.
He is a principal consultant at Contacts Count, a global training and development firm that has developed 8 specific competencies, a mix of skills, behaviors, tools, and strategies, to teach individuals and organizations the value of networking.
He has worked with individuals in almost every profession and industry to improve their ability to build mutually beneficial trust-based relationships. Relationships that can help his clients improve their performance on the job, advance their career, and add value to their organization. These skills are also critical to success when seeking new employment opportunities.
An accomplished human resources professional, he has worked for over 25 years at organizations as diverse as Dunkin Donuts and the American Chemistry Council.
Please join me in welcoming Vern Schellenger.
In this episode we discuss:
Listen, subscribe and read show notes at www.OnTheSchmooze.com - episode 245.
Today’s guest helps ambitious people expand their capacity to handle more growth, wealth, and success.
For more than ten years, she has helped entrepreneurs, corporate executives, Academy Award nominees, and Nobel Prize organization candidates break through boundaries that have been holding them back from their next level. Her signature approach enables clients to reach their highest level of impact.
She has addressed thousands of people both on stage as a keynote speaker and as a podcast guest. She's also been featured on CNN, Yahoo! News, and The Huffington Post. She is the author of “Love Cartography”, a new kind of personal development book for soul leaders that uses daily rituals to reconnect you to your internal wisdom, explore the beauty within you, and remind you of who you really are.
Please join me in welcoming Lisa Fabrega.
In this episode we discuss:
Listen, subscribe and read show notes at www.OnTheSchmooze.com - episode 244.
Today’s guest helps entrepreneurs tell economic stories that make dollars...and sense.
After nearly a decade in investment banking and having worked with Goldman, Lehman, and CSFB on over $5 billion of transactions, she rode the high tech startup rollercoaster in Europe, complete with angels, venture capitalists, and the coveted exit to a publicly traded company.
She then founded Finance-Ability, which upends traditional capital raising methods by providing entrepreneurs with the knowledge, tools, and self-awareness to find the right kind of funding for their business. She has educated and mentored hundreds of entrepreneurs across three continents and has helped her clients raise over $30 million dollars in early stage capital.
She is the host of “What's Your Ask?” podcast where she talks to investors and entrepreneurs about the different ways they've asked and been asked for money, references, introductions and more. She is also the author of “Funding Your Business Without Selling Your Soul”.
Please join me in welcoming Stephanie Sims.
In this episode we discuss:
Listen, subscribe and read show notes at www.OnTheSchmooze.com - episode 243.
Today’s guest believes collaboration happens when conversations turn into action.
He is the creator of Idea Climbing™, the result of his 21-year case study interviewing and researching successful people and companies about collaboration and mentoring. He works with business owners and marketers to increase communication with their current clients while attracting new ones faster through interview content, virtual events, interactive media, and mentoring programs.
Along the way, he stumbled into the world of improv and discovered that improv ISN’T about being funny; it’s about collaboration. It’s an art, a science, and a lifestyle. Since then, he’s integrated improv rules into his business presentations and everyday life - it’s shifted his worldview.
Please join me in welcoming Mark J. Carter.
In this episode we discuss:
Listen, subscribe and read show notes at www.OnTheSchmooze.com - episode 242.
Today’s guest is on a mission to provide institutional financial support to the world’s most gender impactful strategies and entities, thereby enabling them to deliver value for the world’s women and girls.
She is the Founder and CEO of Women of the World Endowment, a global endowment focused on investing in and through women as drivers of solutions to today’s pressing challenges. She has made strategic large-scale contributions to the growth of the gender lens investing market, and is widely recognized for driving innovation and building sustainable global investment programs, with a focus on both profit and impact. She actively drives forward a capital system more inclusive of women and girls, and one that is racially diverse.
Please join me in welcoming Patience Marime-Ball.
In this episode we discuss:
Listen, subscribe and read show notes at www.OnTheSchmooze.com - episode 241.
Today’s guest is the leading expert on how to leverage podcast guesting for increased brand awareness, more leads, and higher profits.
She created the podcast booking industry in 2013 when she founded Interview Connections, recently named the Best Speciality Podcast Guest Booking Agency of 2021 by Corporate Vision Magazine. Along with her business partner, she has quickly scaled Interview Connections to multiple 7 figures in annual revenue by leveraging the power of podcast guesting. Their team of in-house booking agents is the powerhouse behind many successful entrepreneurs and businesses including Ali Brown, Perry Marshall, AWeber, USA Financial, and more.
She has done hundreds of podcast interviews both as a guest and co-host of Monetize the Mic. She is the co-author of the upcoming book, “Monetize the Mic: Transform Your Business with Visibility and Strategy” and has been a featured speaker at Podfest Multimedia Expo and FinCon.
Please join me in welcoming Jessica Rhodes.
In this episode we discuss:
Listen, subscribe and read show notes at www.OnTheSchmooze.com - episode 240.
Today’s guest empowers people who feel disconnected with the tools to start meaningful conversations and find their people. He creates tools and transformational experiences, so leaders and teams can feel heard, seen and valued, and create a culture of authenticity, trust and belonging.
He is the creator of ASK DEEP QUESTIONS, which started out as a deck of cards to help his friends connect on a camping trip, and is now being used to facilitate meaningful conversations through sharing personal and vulnerable stories on every continent around the globe.
His mission is to help people feel less alone. Through his workshops and programs he is fueling the movement for deeper human connection. His work has been featured on TEDx, CBC News, Breakfast TV, Cityline, and HuffPost. He is currently building a community of facilitators that design MAGICAL HUMAN MOMENTS online.
Please join me in welcoming Jan Keck.
In this episode we discuss:
Listen, subscribe and read show notes at www.OnTheSchmooze.com - episode 239.
Today’s guest believes everyone can use their voice to impact the world. She’s found that to be true for her own career as an award-winning international professional speaker and as a publisher who helps experts become authors.
She has written several books and compiled compelling stories for several additional books. These include “REAL TALK: What Other Experts Won't Tell You About How to Make Presentations That Sizzle,” “A Collective Breath: Stories of Being Black in America and Visions of Change,” and her newest book “Upward: Leadership Lessons for Women on the Rise.”
She has served as a faculty member for the Texas A&M University System, a Certified Advanced Facilitator and faculty trainer for the University of Phoenix, and a professional development consultant. She has presented for companies and organizations such as Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), Vanguard Investments, and Kentucky Fried Chicken.
Please join me in welcoming Bridgett McGowen-Hawkins.
In this episode we discuss:
Listen, subscribe and read show notes at www.OnTheSchmooze.com - episode 238.
Today’s guest brings a wealth of first-hand knowledge to growing tech firms using more than 30 years of experience as an entrepreneur, business leader, and angel investor.
She played principal roles in pioneering several B2B technology firms. As co-founder of SpaceWorks, an eCommerce software company, she facilitated its startup and growth to nearly $25 million in revenue; at America Online, she designed the PR program and investor roadshow for the IPO; at United Press International, she facilitated a turn-around strategy; and for LEXIS/NEXIS, she was instrumental in the creation and successful launch of a new division.
Since founding Best Marketing LLC in 2001, she has consulted with more than 90 early-stage and growth-stage tech companies on their go-to-market strategies. In 2018, she was appointed Chair of the National Women's Business Council, a federal agency that advocates for female founders. She is immediate past Board Chair of the Dingman Center of Entrepreneurship at the University of Maryland.
Please join me in welcoming Liz Sara.
In this episode we discuss:
Listen, subscribe and read show notes at www.OnTheSchmooze.com - episode 237.
Today’s guest is passionate about direct marketing. He believes that marketing isn’t everything--it’s the only thing.
For 34 years, he has followed a specific set of direct marketing principles that helped him build Boardroom Inc. into an iconic publishing company. During that time, he was mentored by, and worked with, a who's who of marketing legends and he worked side-by-side with the most prolific copywriters who have ever lived.
That experience led to him founding Titans Marketing, a direct marketing educational and coaching company, where he passes on these timeless fundamentals to the next generation of great direct response marketers through masterminds and master classes.
He is the author of two books, the most recent being “Overdeliver: Build a Business for a Lifetime Playing the Long Game in Direct Response Marketing”.
Please join me in welcoming Brian Kurtz.
In this episode we discuss:
Listen, subscribe and read show notes at www.OnTheSchmooze.com - episode 236.
Today’s guest believes everyone deserves to do what sets their souls ablaze and it’s her mission to help them do just that while not burning out.
She is a keynote speaker and virtual emcee aimed at helping people love their work, succeed on their own terms, and live a life they love. Her clients range from Fortune 500s to non-profit associations, with her keynotes focused on boosting success and happiness. Teams that want their profits to grow alongside their personal fulfillment and authenticity are drawn to her energy, style, and actionable takeaways.
She is a Certified Professional Behavior Analyst which means she pairs her executive leadership and sales experience with behavioral science to understand what makes people trust, buy and connect. That coveted knowledge is a powerful and often lucrative competitive advantage for her clients.
She knows happy people are successful people and is on a mission to help individuals become their own joy generators.
Please join me in welcoming Rachel Sheerin.
In this episode we discuss:
Listen, subscribe and read show notes at www.OnTheSchmooze.com - episode 235.
Today’s guest believes that most stress is avoidable and that there is always a reason to be optimistic and have hope during tough times.
She is the author of “Married My Mom Birthed A Dog: How to be Resilient When Life Sucks” a book that teaches us how to fight back and win. She is a speaker and coach that believes people need to shift their relationship with challenge and change.
She's spoken for Fortune 500 companies since 2006 and coaches small business owners who are stuck and feel overwhelmed. To help others get out of their own way and step into their brilliance she created the Ultimate Resilience Program.
Please join me in welcoming Allison Graham.
In this episode we discuss:
Listen, subscribe and read show notes at www.OnTheSchmooze.com - episode 234.
Today’s guest is a digital futurist keynote speaker who translates the trends of tomorrow to inspire change today. He has a gift for bringing people together online and offline.
Prior to speaking, he worked for the Department of Defense where he managed a global team that deployed collaboration and cybersecurity solutions across all branches of the military. He then pursued his dream job helping companies embrace the rate of change and new ways to innovate.
As the Founder of iSocialFanz, he has helped launch digital and influencer strategies with the world’s most iconic brands like Dell, EMC, Adobe, IBM, and UFC. He has worked in 76 countries, highlighting his passion for change, collaboration, and technology.
He has been recognized as a Top 20 Digital Transformation Influencer; a Top 50 Most-Mentioned User by CMOs on Twitter, and a Top 25 Social Business Leader of the Future by The Economist. His followers on social media and podcast downloads rank in the hundreds of thousands, resulting in Brian being an influencer for 19 of the Fortune 100 companies.
Please join me in welcoming Brian Fanzo.
In this episode we discuss:
Listen, subscribe and read show notes at www.OnTheSchmooze.com - episode 233.