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:

• his thoughts on leadership: “leadership is about reciprocity.
• It is truly about the fact that we will get out of others what we put into others.”
• how he believes everyone can be a leader and that they just need to embrace who they actually are and lean into it.
• how humor and being the class clown grew him into the successful author he is.
• his journey from writing a book with no sales on the launch day, to an author whose book was named the “entrepreneurs cult classic” by BusinessWeek.
• his methods for maintaining connections with his readers and fellow authors and colleagues.
• how he works to create diversity among people who serve his core listeners.

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:

• how she defines leadership: “Surrounding yourself with people who do things better than you & being able to bring the best in them out.”
• the benefits of being the only lawyer in the room
  the important step to take before launching a business, especially a niche within a traditional industry
• building a team to complement your strengths and shore up your weaknesses
• her conference strategy to make great connections before, during, and even after the event

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:

• his thoughts on leadership: “Leadership is influencing people to move toward a mutually desired objective.”
• how his attraction to leadership roles grew as he matured and became more self-aware.
• his advice for managing your job while also building a business, requiring you to do both until one gets in the way of the other.
• how he uses a combination of an app and a strategy to grow his network.
• his belief that the lack of diversity is a networking problem, and how you can overcome it.
• his strategy for connecting with people who are different from him.

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:

• how she defines leadership: “One word describes leadership – influence.”
• her experience being a “professional new kid” and moving every two years taught her the importance of being adaptable and influenced her style of leadership
• how her c-level executive clients have, by all outside measures achieved success, but still, strive to reach their full potential. Stephanie says, “It’s no longer about success, it’s about significance.”
• challenges of being a woman and a minority in upper management in private aviation, which she moved through with her motto, “No excuse. Just produce.”
• the steps she takes to recharge and replenish. “In order to give my best, I need to be my best.”her belief that networking is about being in service as she cultivates relationships. “At some point, the law of reciprocity will kick in.”

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:

• how being a teacher taught him the art of truly understanding what another person is going through, and
• how important it is to offer empathy before focusing on your own wants and needs.
• his mnemonic device for adding value to other people’s lives: RISE-UP.
• his thoughts on diversity: “there are no diversity problems in interests.” If you connect with people around shared interests you can broaden the diversity of your network.
• how he separates his work environment from his home environment by not ever bringing his work stuff into the non-work areas of his house.
• his process for being a superconnector: how he uses a spreadsheet and analyzes conversations to help connect people who will bring value to each other’s lives.
• his views on connections, and how people often keep draining people in their lives for fear of hurting someone’s feelings. However, “we have complete control over who we have in our lives,” and when we let go of the ones who don’t fit, we make room for others who do.

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:

• her thoughts on leadership: “The secret to great leadership is great empathy. When you can be empathetic over people and really care about them, they really respond differently.”
• some of her experiences growing up in an orphanage in Mexico, and how a basketball scholarship to the United States began her journey to a new life.
• her experience with homelessness and how winning $800 in a random salsa competition catapulted her to significant business success.
• the mindsets she has adopted that make her an incredible inspiration.
• the aha moment she experienced in her salsa business.
• how she built her business on her own and now helps other people, even competitors because she values collaboration.
• how she got into speaking, what she has learned, and where she is going with it.
• the correlation between sex trafficking, supply and demand, forgiveness, and collaboration.

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:

• his thoughts on leadership: “Leadership is creating an alignment of strengths that make weaknesses irrelevant.”
• how he didn’t consider himself a leader until the pandemic.
• his capacity for empathy and why he considers that a unique ability.
• how finding his mentor at 18 helped guide him down his current path.
• how academics did not play a huge part in his development.
  the importance of surrounding himself with people who think bigger than him.
• his start as a personal concierge being everything to everyone.
• his start in a product-based business sourcing and selling tickets to concerts and sporting events.
• how attending a Seth Godin event about connecting value changed his trajectory after his business failed (aka he burned it to the ground).
• how his first conference, which was planned more like a wedding, led to the present day MMT Community.
• how resourcefulness plays a huge role in his success.
• how he nurtures and sustains the outer layers of his network.

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:

• his thoughts on leadership: “Leadership is showing up and adding value. It’s about moving forward.”
• how and why Robbie hired Peya in February 2020.
• how saying yes to something smaller can create opportunities for something bigger.
• Robbie’s definition of success.
• Robbie’s realization that he is actually an Emcee (and Peya’s shock that he did not know that before).
• learn about how professional speakers abdicate their authority while speaking.
• how Robbie’s ideal clients found him.
• his experience with coaching and how he had the opportunity to work with a wide range of entrepreneurs on their pilot offer.
• one of the biggest lessons during the pandemic.
• why Robbie shares his knowledge and experience generously.
• how hosting is his answer to how he nurtures and sustains his network.

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:

• her thoughts on leadership: “Leadership is making something happen that wouldn’t already be happening. It is seeing what’s possible.”
• her ability to bring people together, host, and build community as a kiddo on the playground.
• her inclination to always be involved in school.
• her 50-day experiment to find herself and how that led her to change directions and study Outdoor Education.
• her path to grad school and how she incorporated getting outside with building community for incoming students.
• how she decided on entrepreneurship.
• how immersing herself into entrepreneurship and attending events led to her moving to Portland to be around her newfound colleagues.
• her passion for helping women live in their power to share their gifts with the world.
• how she nurtures and sustains the outer layers of her network and community.

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:

• his thoughts on leadership: “Leadership is being a super connector. It is someone well connected and well regarded in their industry. It’s someone who shares value in any industry.”
• his positive and negative experiences getting started in entrepreneurship in his teens.
• how he planned for his business during the pandemic.
• how he explored and deepened his current connections.
• the importance of your network to gather information and learn new things.
• the mindfulness he keeps about his clients, customers, and relationships and how that changes how he networks in certain situations.
• how he builds his network.
• his new lifestyle business venture and a sneak peak into his new book.
• how he nurtures and sustains the outer layers of his network.

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:

• her thoughts on leadership: “True leadership is the ability to say ‘I don’t know’. Real leaders are willing to admit there are things they don’t know yet.”
• how her librarian background is the root to how she looks at business.
• how living overseas during her early school years changed
• how she looked at her introverted nature.
• how being elected as a student council president inspired
• her to want to make a difference in the world.
• her brief stint as a standup comic and how much that taught her about addressing her doubts.
• her experience of being in 1st grade in Taiwan, coming back to the US for 2nd grade, and how her teacher, Ms. Harman, held space for her during that transition.
• her move to LA and her aspiration to be an actor or comedian.
• how much she learned about business while working at Disney and how she compares it to getting a Master’s.
• how she sees the pandemic as a gift.
• her experience as a long time tarot reader.
• how the woo woo fits into her business practices.
• how she nurtures and sustains her network.

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:

• her thoughts on leadership: “Leadership is the ability to create change and bring people together to make that change.”
• how she dropped pre-med in college to align with her desire to be a leader and make change.
• her fearlessness in school as the only person of color instead of letting it make her a wallflower.
• her college experience of entering Harvard as a sophomore (thanks to AP and summer credits) and declaring a major that didn’t exist (Neurobiology).
• her exposure to racism and misogyny and how her parents tried to talk her out of going into the business world.
• how she started her business during the recession and what her family looked like then.
• her evaluation of the internet to determine where the change would be.
• her reaction to being asked “How do you serve the world?”
• how she rallied during the pandemic and how she still tried to serve others through that disruption.
• her advice for a million dollar business.
• how to get people that are clinging to the old idea of the world to embrace the new world idea.
• the level of intimacy that living and working through a pandemic brought to the table.
• her definition of success.
• how she nurtures and sustains her network.

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:

• his thoughts on leadership: “Leadership is servant leadership. The dignity and respect around listening to people and having empathy. There is no leadership without followers.”
• his first experience in management while working as a baker at Dunkin’ Donuts and how that led to a 25 year career with them.
• how he discovered networking during a job search.
• his journey through multiple job searches with resources from New Directions and learning about networking.
• his experience of leading a group through Georgetown Law School to help the participants embrace the concept of networking.
• how he includes networking in everyday conversations and offers to not only teach but give.
• a quick tip to how to weave networking into everyday conversations.
• how he made it possible for one of his colleagues to “visit Mars”.
• how he nurtures and sustains the outer layers of his network.

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:

• her thoughts on leadership: “Leadership consists of 4 things to impact people positively, the 4 pillars of capacity; discernment, sovereignty, equanimity, and boundaries.”
• how growing up in a dictatorship affected how she grew up mediating within her family.
• how her excelling in school often led teachers to question her about cheating which caused a bit of anxiety around the thought of being successful.
• the impact the pandemic had on her business and the businesses in her network.
• her time as an actor and wanting to explore and work in a creative field.
• her love of Oprah and her thoughts of “wanting to do something like that”.
• how reading Tim Ferriss’ book made her realize she was undervalued at her job and lit her passion to want to change that.
• her career starting as a health coach and how she discovered the coaching industry.
• the memory of one client’s journey to pay for one of her early coaching programs.
• her theory of Embodiment Capacity.
• the first year of her business and how she was considered “high-end” at that time charging $200/month.
• how she nurtures and sustains the outer levels of her network by showing up consistently by supporting and cheering people on.

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:

• her thoughts on leadership: “Leadership is equal parts inspiration and risks/action-taking.”
• how a bad decision by some students in her high school led her to organize an event for her graduating class and set her on a leadership path.
• her history of getting involved in school and using that as an opportunity to learn more.
• her initial dream of being a doctor and how a class in her summer camp saved her 10 years of her life and changed her career trajectory.
• her keen observation skills while choosing a path in her career.
• how her parents selling their business opened her eyes to launching a new business.
• her observations about how people pivot and jump on opportunities during the pandemic.
• how she encourages people to shift their mindset from “I’m going to take a risk” to “I’m going to run an experiment”.
• how having multiple revenue streams serves entrepreneurs.
• how she nurtures and sustains the outer layers of her network.

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:

• his thoughts on leadership: “Leadership is creating a shared goal that aligns with a personal goal. It’s bringing people up.”
• the clubs he created in 4th and 5th grades for his friends, ID cards and all.
• when he discovered he could be a successful entrepreneur.
• how Tony Robbins influenced him as a young adult.
• his early years of cold calling high schools hoping to be hired to speak to their students.
• his pivot from speaking to thoughtfully mentoring.
• how he set up mentoring video meetings through agendas focused on advice, support, and connections.
• his plan to reach out to people who talked about networking and relationships to lead to referrals = a business was born!
• the importance of showing a genuine interest in people beyond just trying to get an ask fulfilled.
• his strategy for networking with the different levels of his network including the format for his excel sheet.

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:

• her thoughts on leadership: “Leadership embodies 3 things; living your full potential (self-work), influencing others (multiply effect), and building an ecosystem (sharing with others).”
• her internal conflict of being a gregarious child and not following her cultural path growing up in Zimbabwe.
• how her grandfather saw as much potential in his daughters as he did in his sons and how he nurtured their paths and encouraged them all to live to their full potential with purpose.
• her thoughts behind collaboration and how to essentially ‘find your people’ and share resources.
• how being a voracious reader opened her mind to bigger ideas in the world.
• the impact her mother’s experiences had on her.
• her experience at law school and how one summer changed her trajectory during her higher education.
• the creation of Women of the World Endowment.
• how being intentionally uncomfortable is necessary to build an ecosystem and how that has helped her have an impact in the spaces she is a part of.
• that leadership evolves from connecting your mind with your heart.
• how she nurtures and sustains her network of people by being intentional and trying to make deep connections.

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:

• her thoughts on leadership: “Leadership is in me. To be a leader, you focus on your inner drive to achieve your highest potential and want to lead others to do the same. A leader is someone who leads by example.”
• how she did her own thing as a kid and being the “odd kid out” helped develop her leadership skills.
• how she draws inspiration from watching her parents be servant leaders.
• her vision of wanting to be a star on Broadway and her memories of finding a home in theatre groups in school.
• how her dad inspired her to launch her career with him being on a podcast and introducing her to the online space.
• her start in podcasting inspired by her dad and Jerod Morris.
• the importance of women investing in their visibility.
• the importance of talking about money, especially with your children.

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:

• his thoughts on leadership: “Leadership is inspiring and encouraging others to learn new things and supporting them through that process.”
• how attending summer camp as a kid in Germany inspired him to want to lead.
• that good leadership is giving followers a good start.
  his time abroad in Australia for one year and how it shaped his life.
• his love for doing the uncomfortable thing in order to propel himself into his goals.
• the beginning of his “Ask Deep Questions” deck of cards.
• what “The Campfire Formula” is and the story behind it.
  his process of playtesting the cards and categorizing their depth and validity in the deck across different situations.
• his initial run of the cards and his Kickstarter campaign.
• his goal of creating a culture of being top of mind within your network.
• how he nurtures and sustains his network including the outer two layers that doesn’t necessarily add to your life and may actually be draining you.

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:

• her thoughts on leadership: “Leadership is the three H’s. Head, hands, and heart. Your followers know the objectives from your heads, have the tools you provided in their hands, and believe what is in your heart and are built up by your leadership.”
• her early childhood days of having her nose in a book, copying definitions from a dictionary, and thinking her peers were lame.
• her dream of being a news anchor and the passionate reason why that was her goal as a child.
• her beginning of teaching professionals how to teach and how that evolved into being a professional speaker.
• how publishing a book has helped to grow her network.
• how knowing what people need and being able to deliver that can create new opportunities.
• how she nurtures and sustains her network by pouring into others and sharing knowledge.

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:

• her thoughts on leadership: “Leadership is about seizing an opportunity. It’s filling a need or solving a problem. A true leader has excitement about their idea, product, or solution.”
• her theory about 1st born children being predisposed to being leaders.
• how one book in the 80s changed the trajectory of her life.
• the realization that as entrepreneurs we never really plan the next step of our journey.
• her desire to be in new emerging markets and help people in those spaces excel.
• her advice for current college students and how they can take advantage of upcoming trends.
• how she nurtures and sustains her network by blocking time in her calendar every week to do outreach via email or the telephone.

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:

• his thoughts on leadership: “Leadership is walking around on the inside with your colleagues and on the outside with your customers to see and know where everything is.”
• how to get ideas from all areas of your organization.
• the 100-0 concept of how to add value to those around you.
• how important it is to be interested and not just interesting.
• his theory about direct marketing scaling everywhere regardless of the product being sold.
• how to create a living legacy by compounding interest in your current relationships.
• the importance of the words we use and how that can impact our business.
• how he nurtures and sustains his network.

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:

• her thoughts on leadership: “Leadership is very self-focused. It’s not about the others, it has to start with me. Leadership is a verb - having a title is not being a leader. Leadership is a journey.”
• her love of being spontaneous
• her acceptance that she could be many things and how that multifacetedness helped her become an entrepreneur.
  her passion for bringing people together and celebrating moments.
• her history of working for small businesses and how that has changed and helped evolve her own business.
  the link between finding one’s joy and making that money generating.
• her theory about sales and how it’s more about advocacy than actual sales.
• how quitting her last job changed her and led her into a spiral of guilt and shame but also helped her find her true calling.
• when she knew she had made it by believing in her rebrand.
  her tips for nurturing and sustaining the outer levels of her network.
• her boomerang tip for happy marriages. ;)
• her mission of living the three C’s: when you see someone you Celebrate with them, Congratulate them on the good things, and Console them.

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:

• her thoughts on leadership: “Leadership is self-leadership. How do you choose your path and use that to lead others? Leadership starts from within.”
• the importance of resiliency when leading yourself and others.
• how she would downplay her intelligence at school to be accepted by her classmates.
• how to share your joy humbly and how that resilience can inspire others.
• the power we have to inspire others not only with our highs but with our lows.
• her longing to be part of something bigger while still beating herself up and having fear to do what she dreamed.
• a conversation with a former boss and how that changed her career trajectory.
• her tips for nurturing your network and having deep conversations with your connections.
• how opening a Zoom room for an hour at noon has helped others connect.
• her thoughts on Clubhouse.

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:

• his thoughts on leadership: “Leadership is sacrificing for the greater good while shepherding people towards a direction they may not even know they need to go.”
• how having to accept an award for outstanding leadership was the first time he considered himself a leader.
• his journey of self-awareness and learning that being an extrovert and being confident does not equal self-awareness.
• the emotions when he quit his job at the height of his career.
• how he became self-aware about his own strengths and weaknesses as an entrepreneur.
• how meeting Jay Baer transformed his life as a speaker.
• how he landed an Adobe sponsorship after being told he wasn’t ready to launch his podcast.
• how he nurtures the different levels of his network by using a system he developed in 2005.

Listen, subscribe and read show notes at www.OnTheSchmooze.com - episode 233.