Shock Your Potential

Get Your Swag On! - Jeremy Parker

“If you build something that people want, you're going to get paid for it.” Jeremy Parker
There is no straight path to success, especially not in entrepreneurship. And as he navigated through the entrepreneurial path, Jeremy Parker discovered something else of importance— that success follows action which is focused on bringing value to people.
Jeremy is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and serial entrepreneur.  He is the Co-founder and CEO of Swag.com (Acquired by Custom Ink, Nov 2021).  Swag.com is the best place for companies to buy and distribute quality promotional products that you'll actually want to keep.  They work with 5,000+ companies including Facebook, Google, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, Spotify and Tik Tok.  Swag.com was listed as the #218 on the Inc 500 (2020) and #368 (2021) - fastest-growing private companies.  Jeremy was also named by CrainsNY as one of the 40Under40
In today’s episode, Jeremy talks about his journey in entrepreneurship, and why it is important to embrace failure as a part of the entrepreneurial journey.
Listen in!
Media Handles
https://swag.com/ 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyianparker/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/swag.com/
I went to Boston University, and became a documentary filmmaker, and I thought that that might be my passion.
I was always fascinated and interested in business, and started a T Shirt Company which helped me learn all the different aspects of business through that.
When the recession hit, we lost our customers because they had to close up shop, and I ended up writing an article to Mark Cuban that was shred on his blog for inspiration.
I met the CEO of NV sport, we became friends and we hit it off, and ultimately ended up starting a business underneath in the sport umbrella called Vote For Art.
I was always so interested in the promotional product space still, and realized that the industry was only getting bigger.
We went ahead and built the right platform for today's buyer who are millennials, understood the customer and made it the right experience for them.
We have sold over 30 million this year, and are on track to over 60 million, doing over 100% growth since we launched.
We're just really trying to help companies make the experience of buying quality swag, and then allowing them to actually distribute the swag to all customers.
We hold the inventory for them, manage it and give them the experience to connect.
I started swag because I had this love of promotional products from my early career, plus this new knowledge of how to build something in the right way that I thought was sustainable.
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I am motivated internally to build things, and I think if you do a really good job of giving value to your customers, you'll ultimately get there.
If you build something that people want, you're going to get paid for it.
When the pandemic hit, we put all of our attention to building up the most robust platform for individualized distribution which allowed us to not only survive but to thrive.
As an entrepreneur, you have to be okay with failure because that's a constant when you're building a business.
When somebody doesn't want to work with you, it is a stepping point and a way for you to get better.
When I thought of swag and I started the business, it was all about offering stuff that people actually wanted to keep.
It's powerful when you get someone picks up a high quality product that has your logo in it, and have them get those impressions every single day.
A lot entrepreneurs starting off have a vision which makes them obsessed with the details of the product, and get the fear of launching it because it's not perfect.
With swag, I didn't build anything until I really understood the customer, why they're buying, why we were different and how we positioned ourselves.
We then started building the right platform and it made it such a better experience because we were focusing on the right buyer and we had the right solution for them.
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Thank you to our August Sponsor: Dial in Your Destiny Challenge or Moira Ní Ghallachóir
Are you a coach or Consultant? Do you want to get premium value clients using speaking, and create a lifestyle of freedom and impact? Then the dial in your destiny challenge is for you.
Over the last seven years, Moira has been learning everything she could about speaking and what it takes to make offers that people take action on fast.  Moira invites coaches and consultants to learn how they can use speaking to fill their business with clients and create an amazing lifestyle, in the dial in your destiny challenge.
Moira will share with you the exact same strategies that she used to make multiple six figures. There are two ways you can join this challenge as well, not just one. The first one is free, and the second is the VIP experience, and you will be able to walk away from this challenge with strategies that you can start implementing in your business right away.
To sign up, click this link: https://www.speakmoremakemorechallenge.com/registration

The Power of Intent - April Martini

“You have to be brave enough to walk away when it's not right, and to also tell clients when it's not right for them.” April Martini
Cultivating honest and meaningful relationships in business is something that our guest today takes seriously. In her line of work, April Martini has seen the benefits of networking and what it means for the success of any business, and believes that for a relationship to have meaning, it has to be intentional and respectful.
April spent the first 15 years of her career exploring all the ins and outs of agency life. A firm believer that learning never stops and that experience is what equips us to face life’s many challenges, April built her broad and varied career accordingly. With a design and MBA foundation, followed by years at agencies focused on everything including branding, design, CPG, advertising and production, April spent her days doing much more than the work. She knows how to deal with tension, manage people and personalities, and how to choose the right work for the right clients, which is what really matters in business.
She brings her expertise to help others do it even better, especially when it comes to building new capabilities and the teams to support them. April believes that intentional and quality networking is fundamental to success in business, because building and maintaining strong relationships is what opens doors and moves businesses forward. 
In this episode, April talks about how her company helps businesses get ahead through marketing and branding.
Listen in!
Media Handles
https://www.forthright-people.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/april-martini-3197644/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/forthright-people/
https://www.instagram.com/forthrightpeople/?igshid=YzAyZWRlMzg%3D
https://www.facebook.com/forthrightpeople.marketingagency/
Podcast Link: https://www.forthright-people.com/podcast
Throughout my career, I learned early on never to burn a bridge.
My initial model was born out of the desire to focus on what was meaningful to the client's business, and give them the best of the best when it came to talent.
At Forthright people, it is about making sure that we take care of our clients, and building respectful relationships.
With regards to intentionality, I always encourage people to go tap for the next thing.
We have clients that we're supporting to build whatever marketing function that they are in need of.
We also have the training piece where we do a combination of support and training as well as doing the traditional marketing agency work for the business.
Our very first conversation with clients revolves around peeling back the layers to understand where they are and their why.
We have seen too many businesses struggle by just doing the marketing things, instead of really finding partners that can help them achieve goals through marketing as a support function.
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Initial conversations help us get to know the fundamentals of who they are and where they're coming from, as well as ascertain whether or not they're ready for the opportunity.
You have to be brave enough to walk away when it's not right, or to tell clients that it's not right for them at this point in time.
We work with clients to educate them and help them understand their business, as well as bring them out of the weeds of their business, so that they can see the bigger horizon.
Always take your vacation and take time for yourself.
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Thank you to our August Sponsor: Dial in Your Destiny Challenge or Moira Ní Ghallachóir
Are you a coach or Consultant? Do you want to get premium value clients using speaking, and create a lifestyle of freedom and impact? Then the dial in your destiny challenge is for you.
Over the last seven years, Moira has been learning everything she could about speaking and what it takes to make offers that people take action on fast.  Moira invites coaches and consultants to learn how they can use speaking to fill their business with clients and create an amazing lifestyle.
Moira will share with you the exact same strategies that she used to make multiple six figures. There are two ways you can join this challenge as well, not just one. The first one is free, and the second is the VIP experience, and you will be able to walk away from this challenge with strategies that you can start implementing in your business right away.
To sign up, click this link: https://www.speakmoremakemorechallenge.com/registration

Brand Love - Anne Candido

“Brand love, in essence is all about creating those emotional connections that transcend your basic product offering.” Anne Candido
Until the world is run by robots, there will always be a person on the other side of the sale. Which means a brand’s ability to transform life in order to create an authentic relationship that they alone own will continue to be paramount for growth. This, according to our guest today, Anne Candido, is Brand-Love, and it helps companies create tangible value that makes customers stick with them.
Anne grew up at P&G - but don’t let that fool you - her path was anything but traditional. She spent her first decade in R&D and Product Development and her second in Brand Marketing and Communications. Through this, Anne learned (sometimes the hard way) the imperative role brand building plays to cultivate successful individuals and businesses.
Anne’s mission is to help all businesses and the individuals within them realize their Brand-Love potential. Because it doesn’t matter the size of your business, how long you have been around, the number of people you have or the amount of money you make, forming Brand-Love connections is possible and should be a focus at EVERY STEP on the business journey. It is how commodities become brands and brands become franchises.
Media Handles
https://www.forthright-people.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-candido-5156929/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/forthright-people/
https://www.instagram.com/forthrightpeople/?igshid=YzAyZWRlMzg%3D
https://www.facebook.com/forthrightpeople.marketingagency/
Podcast Link: https://www.forthright-people.com/podcast
Book: The Super- Highway of Relevancy: Getting More People to Choose Your Brand, More Often, Indefinitely
As I progressed through my career, I decided I wanted to get close to the decision making process, which led me into brand communications and marketing.
I got my education on branding and marketing through a lot of experience and understanding how everything works.
The idea of brand love is a fundamental way to really grow brands.
You have to build an emotional connection to your brand in different ways, in order to continue to grow your brand.
What we now do as part of forthright people, is to help small and medium sized businesses understand what their potential is in order to scale and grow their business and brands.
Branding and marketing is about consistency and a philosophy which is about putting brand first, thinking about your business from a standpoint of it being a tangible thing.
When your brand has life, it starts to take on these emotional connections with people and helps it to mean something to people beyond just the thing that you're selling.
The thing that you're actually selling is an emotional connection that people are going to take away from the experience that they're having either through your product, service or through you.
We see our personal brand in three different ways which include your characteristics, your appearance, and your behaviors and actions.
Making that switch of cultivating your personal brand outside your corporate environment, is the biggest transition you're going to have to make as an entrepreneur.
You have to put yourself in the perception and mindset of other people that are going to be a potential targets and start to re-calibrate based on that.
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Brand love, in essence is all about creating those emotional connections that transcend your basic product offering.
It's those emotional connections that create that tangible value, which without it, you're basically just a commodity competing on price.
A brand answers three questions including; who am I? how am I different? and why do you want me?
What we really appreciate about human interaction and human relationship, and what we believe is fundamentally needed in marketing and branding is the truth.
Our whole way, our brand character, the way that we behave, and the way that we interact with others is to always be forthright, but respectful.
A lot of times we develop the product that we want, and then try to make it fit somewhere versus thinking about it from the lens of who we actually want to like us.
Embrace the fact that your stories and your personal brand are unique.
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Thank you to our August Sponsor: Dial in Your Destiny Challenge or Moira Ní Ghallachóir
Are you a coach or Consultant? Do you want to get premium value clients using speaking, and create a lifestyle of freedom and impact? Then the Dial In Your Destiny Challenge is for you.
Over the last seven years, Moira has been learning everything she could about speaking and what it takes to make offers that people take action on fast.  Moira invites coaches and consultants to learn how they can use speaking to fill their business with clients and create an amazing lifestyle.
Moira will share with you the exact same strategies that she used to make multiple six figures. There are two ways you can join this challenge as well, not just one. The first one is free, and the second is the VIP experience, and you will be able to walk away from this challenge with strategies that you can start implementing in your business right away.
To sign up, click this link: https://www.speakmoremakemorechallenge.com/registration

Digital Surgeons - Pete Sena

“Marketing and branding isn't magic, but a great brand is magnetic.” Pete Sena
In this era of technology, business continue to look for ways to draw on rich customer insights in order to enhance their products and services. Similarly, the business environment continues to become more competitive pushing businesses to find ways in which they can remain sustainable and thrive. Pete sena helps businesses translate their marketing plans into action, and highlights the importance of data when planning for marketing.  
Pete is a design-led entrepreneur who loves to partner with future-forward founders, entrepreneurs, and business leaders to unlock new possibilities and growth.  Pete co-founded Digital Surgeons, a forward-obsessed brand experience consultancy. He is a dedicated collaborator who uses creativity to mix visual branding, storytelling, and user experience to deliver results-driven, future-forward growth marketing.
By combining the unique power of human creativity and curiosity with leading-edge analytics and technology, Pete empowers fellow founders and forward-thinking business leaders to uncover transformative possibilities, paving the way to unconventional paths to growth. For nearly 20 years, Pete has built and led cross-functional teams that have delivered a number of successful multi-channel programs and activations, ranging in scale from venture-backed startups to Fortune 50 organizations.
In today’s episode, Pete talks about marketing and why it is important for businesses to understand how they can tell their story to customers.
Listen in!
Media Handles
pete@digitalsurgeons.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/petersena/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/digital-surgeons-llc/
https://twitter.com/petesena
https://www.instagram.com/digitalsurgeons/?hl=en
https://www.youtube.com/c/petersena
Podcast Link: https://lp.digitalsurgeons.com/forwardobsessed/
We are a demand design consultancy and we help businesses design growth.
Through branding perspective or messaging, we help clients with tactics like websites and different marketing channels that help their businesses to thrive.
One big thing that all of our most successful clients have in common is their ability to listen and take on and try new things.
We only want to work with companies that we can help to demonstrate the ROI, because we're not in the business of just making things pretty.
Data is important, and is not just necessarily looking at spreadsheets and analytics data, but qualitative as well.
We came up with this framework that we call the Four Green Lights, which are team satisfaction, customer satisfaction, driving business impact and profit.
Since we're in the people business, the talent that we're able to attract and retain is ultimately what enables us to do the best work for our clients.
I really believe that a lot of companies don't measure success the right way.
One of the first things we do when we come in is we understand how you know when you're successful.
If you're not clear with your organization about what you stand for, and what you're trying to deliver against, it's really easy to have competing commitments.
Commercial Break
The first thing that I always like to make sure that the leadership of my clients understand is what makes them different, and what makes them better.
When the leadership can say what makes them different and better, and then their customers say the same thing, then the overlap of that Venn diagram is where the magic happens.
The greatest way to do that is to understand how to tell your story.
Marketing and branding isn't magic, but a great brand is magnetic.
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Thank you to our August Sponsor: Dial in Your Destiny Challenge or Moira Ní Ghallachóir
Are you a coach or consultant? Do you want to get premium value clients using speaking, and create a lifestyle of freedom and impact? Then the Dial in Your Destiny Challenge is for you.
Over the last seven years, Moira has been learning everything she could about speaking and what it takes to make offers that people take action on fast.  Moira invites coaches and consultants to learn how they can use speaking to fill their business with clients and create an amazing lifestyle.
Moira will share with you the exact same strategies that she used to make multiple six figures. There are two ways you can join this challenge as well, not just one. The first one is free, and the second is the VIP experience, and you will be able to walk away from this challenge with strategies that you can start implementing in your business right away.
To sign up, click this link: https://www.speakmoremakemorechallenge.com/registration

Kick Start Your Marketing - Chris Pistorius

“Find something that you're excited about and take action.” Chris Pistorius
Every business regardless of the industry it operates, needs good marketing in order to thrive and remain sustainable. Chris Pistorius has been helping businesses promote their businesses using online marketing, and says that it is important for businesses to understand their target audience before going out to do marketing.
Chris Pistorius is the founder of KickStart Dental Marketing. While Chris specializes in dental marketing, other medical professionals, marketers, entrepreneurs, and businesses can learn from his digital marketing experience of over 15 years.  Chris has worked with countless local business owners in all industries across multiple facets of marketing, consulting, and coaching. Chris has been able to build his local digital marketing agency into one of the top marketing agencies in the country, as listed on UpCity, SEO For Growth, DesignRush, Expertise & AgencyVista.
He shares his expertise by giving marketing seminars across the country and hosting a weekly marketing podcast. Before starting his marketing agency in 2009, Chris worked for online marketing giants AOL, Time Warner, Dex & MapQuest. He holds several online marketing certifications and is trained by Google on how businesses can get the most out of their marketing efforts. He’s also the author of “The Ultimate Guide to Internet Marketing for Dentists.”
Chris resides in the Denver, CO area with his wife Michele, and two kids, Kaitlyn & Brody.
In today’s episode, Chris talks about his business and how he helps his clients with their online marketing. He also talks about his book and his motivation behind putting the book out.
Listen in!
Social Media Handles
www.kickstartdental.com 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/pistorius/
https://twitter.com/KickStartDental
https://www.facebook.com/kickstartdentalmarketing
Book: The Ultimate Guide to Internet Marketing for Dentists: All You Need to Know to Effectively Market Your Dental Practice Online. 
Internet marketing has stabilized over the years, but the problem now is that there's so many choices especially for local marketing, which creates such a complex marketing environment.
I started my company to try and untangle the web for local businesses, and help them understand how to promote their businesses using online marketing.
I started way back and learned a lot about what to do what not to do, and then created a company that I've owned now for 13 years, that helps dentists figure out the best way to promote their practices.
When I started the agency, at first we took on anybody that would pay us, but we later found out that it's hard to effectively market businesses that we don’t know about.
We narrowed down our focus to market for dentists and this has really helped us and quite frankly, our clients.
The first two things that you have to do to capitalize your market place, no matter what kind of business you are in, is to first identify your new customer avatar and put it on paper.
You also need to identify your unique selling proposition and what makes you different from your competition.
When you have those two things, that's when you can identify the mediums or what advertising platforms are going to work best based on who you are trying to attract.
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I felt that if I wrote a book about what I was doing, it would help make me a market expert about it.
Once I got to writing it, I realized that it was going to help a lot of people in business that were struggling and that needed a little push in the right direction.
I found that when you write a book, you have to do a lot of research, and in that process, I learned a lot of new things.
We get a lot of questions from our clients around time, fear of the unknown and money.
There are a lot of people that want the information, get excited about it, and then don't really do anything with it.
Find something that you're excited about and take action. It's okay to fail, just fail fast, learn from it and move on.
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Do you want to be a go to expert that news reporters, anchors and media producers turn to? Are you a media professional looking for credible, reliable and timely guests? Shock Your Media Potential is here for you.
Shock Your Media Potential is a one of a kind platform that connects vetted experts with news professionals around the globe.
As part of the launch of the platform, CEO Michael Sherlock, along with co-host Eddie Luisi, stage manager for Good Morning America, have interviewed 25 media personalities and professionals to ask them the questions you need to know the answers to in order to become more newsworthy, pitch your story better, and get invited back again and again, and much more. Some of their guests are household names, with exceptional on-camera careers. Others are award-winning directors, producers, camera operators, audio engineers, celebrity hair and makeup professionals, and so much more.
To learn more about our platform and our conference today, go to https://www.shockyourmediapotential.com

Shake It Off Leadership - Betsy Cerulo

“Sometimes something tragic can shake us all up and shock our potential to see what we're capable of.” Betsy Cerulo
Regardless of what you have gone through professionally or personally, there is always another opportunity to shake off the dust and get back on the path that leads to success. Betsy Cerulo has been guiding people to overcome adversities and believes that, it is the action that we take that leads us to the quality of life that we seek.
In 1990, Betsy Cerulo founded AdNet/AccountNet, Inc., a Baltimore based company with a powerful mission of being “Advocates for Workplace Excellence & Equality”. AdNet is a Professional Staffing & Executive Search firm focused on providing exemplary Human Capital Management services to government and corporate clients throughout the United States. AdNet places subject matter experts with Accounting/Finance, Human Resources and Legal expertise.
Since 2011, AdNet excels at identifying and managing teams of individuals who provide Equal Employment Opportunity Compliance Services, as well as Reasonable Accommodation assistants who handle administrative tasks for government and corporate employees who are blind or deaf. The company is 8a, LGBTE and WBE certified.
Betsy is the Co-Founder and Past President of the Maryland LGBT Chamber of Commerce, which successfully launched in 2017 and was awarded Rising Star Chamber in 2018 by the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce. In 2021, Betsy and eight community leaders founded the Maryland LGBT Foundation, which is a 501c3/non-profit entity, working in partnership with the Maryland LGBT Chamber. Betsy serves as the Board President. The Foundation generates resources and works to activate, educate and mobilize the LGBTQ+ community to access opportunity and wealth generation. She also serves on the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce certification committee, which verifies that eligible businesses are majority owned by LGBT individuals. This certified LGBT Business Enterprise designation allows businesses to better compete for corporate contracts.
Betsy is a member of the Women’s President’s Organization, which is a global peer advisory group for female CEO’s. Betsy is a passionate activist pushing for equity and equal rights for women and all diverse groups. Betsy is the author of Shake It Off Leadership-Achieving Success Through the Eyes of our Labels and a children’s book, Miss Crabapple and Her Magical Violin, which tells a story of how the quietest child in a group can light up dreams when we ask questions. She is also a contributing author of two compilations Women Living Consciously and Keys to Conscious Business Growth.
In today’s episode, Betsy talks about how she helps people bring out the best in them and showcase their potential during interviews. She also talks about her books and the motivation behind writing them.
Listen in!
Social Media Handles
www.betsycerulo.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/betsycerulo/
https://www.instagram.com/betsy_cerulo/
https://www.facebook.com/bcerulo
Books: 
Shake It Off Leadership-Achieving Success Through the Eyes of our Labels
 Miss Crabapple and Her Magical Violin 
A lot of times when we're working with people and with companies to identify talent, we interview people in a way that's helping them bring out the best in them.
We're all taking a deeper dive into what work looks like, and discovering that we can do business differently.
There are ways that people can ask the probing questions that may not put somebody on the defensive.
It takes confidence to ask questions because if you have someone that's afraid, no matter what the venue is, they're still going to be afraid to ask some questions.
With the way the workplace is, we have to take some more risks as leaders.
It takes years and a lot of work to develop a great company culture.
It is important to handle problems as they arise otherwise they will explode.
Commercial break
There needed to be more books written by women on leadership on the shelves, whatever shelf it is.
If this world is going to change, we have to give the up and coming generations the roadmap.
The world is setting itself up where the younger generations are actually at the forefront making change.
By writing this book, I wanted to share my journey and let people learn from my mistakes.
I also wanted to teach people that when they are looking for their coaches or mentors, not everyone's a good fit.
From the very beginning of my professional life, I had amazing men and women who guided me to my success.
With Covid-19 pandemic, there was an increased level of focus again with being remote and it expanded a lot of possibilities for us.
Sometimes something tragic can shake us all up and shock our potential to see what we're capable of.
Miss Crab Apples came out of a Saturday night story to my granddaughter when she was six years old.
I love to write for children because when you do that you just get to be in that incredible imagination game which is a great place to be.
By putting more books like that out there, our grandkids get to have a chance to see what a good conversation is.
Shake it off, be good to yourself, pat yourself on the back, and never ever give up.
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Do you want to be a go to expert that news reporters, anchors and media producers turn to? Are you a media professional looking for credible, reliable and timely guests? Shock Your Media Potential is here for you.
Shock Your Media Potential is a one of a kind platform that connects vetted experts with news professionals around the globe.
As part of the launch of the platform, CEO Michael Sherlock, along with co-host Eddie Luisi, stage manager for Good Morning America, have interviewed 25 media personalities and professionals to ask them the questions you need to know the answers to in order to become more newsworthy, pitch your story better, and get invited back again and again, and much more. Some of their guests are household names, with exceptional on-camera careers. Others are award-winning directors, producers, camera operators, audio engineers, celebrity hair and makeup professionals, and so much more.
To learn more about our platform and our conference today, go to https://www.shockyourmediapotential.com

The Power of Stories in Business - Annette Simmons

“The potential for creating novel brilliant solutions is not going to be found at one ivory tower or the other but in the middle, and we have to destigmatize what it looks like to be in the middle.” Annette Simmons
Working with each other, rather than against each other, is what the world needs especially in times of conflict. While competition is inherently human, it can as well be divisive and cause people to pull towards different directions instead of working towards achieving a common goal. Annette Simmons is passionate about having collaborative narratives, and believes that storytelling is a tool that can enable people to see the bigger picture.
 Annette Simmons is a successful consultant and author of five books including her most recent, Drinking From a Different Well: How Women’s Stories Change What Power Means in Action 
 (2021) 
Simmons’ solo career started in 1997 with the success of her first book Territorial Games: Understanding and Ending Turf Wars at Work (AMACOM, 1997) a deep examination of the micro-behaviors that discourage truth telling, information sharing and resource re-allocation.  As a follow up Annette developed a facilitation guide called, A Safe Place for Dangerous Truths:Using Dialogue to Overcome Fear and Distrust at Work (AMACOM, 1998), full of tips for sharing truth in a safe way as well as principles and tools to shift the “truth telling” norms for one-on-one conversations and meetings. Her book about storytelling, The Story Factor (Basic Books, 3rd ed. 2019) introduced the business use of storytelling and was named one of The 100 Best Business Books of All Time (Penguin, 2009). She followed it with a workbook designed to develop a reader's “six stories” titled Whoever Tells the Best Story Wins: How to Use Your Own Stories to Communicate with Power and Impact (AMACOM, 2nd ed. 2015) 
She started out with a marketing degree from Louisiana State University (1983) and a move to Australia that provided ten years of international business experience with Ericsson and J. Walter Thompson. Annette returned to the USA to earn a Masters Degree in social psychology and adult education at North Carolina State University in 1994. 
Annette has been featured on CNBC’s Power Lunch, NPR’s Market Watch, talk radio programs, quoted in Fortune, Working Woman, Harvard Business Review, The Chicago Tribune, Washington Post, and dozens of other respected publications.  In addition to English her books have been published in Spanish, Portuguese, Turkish, Chinese, Taiwanese, Japanese, Korean, Swedish, Norwegian, German and Russian.
In today’s episode, Annette talks about the power of storytelling, and why it is important to have collaborative narratives when looking for solutions to shared problems.   
Listen in!
Books by Annette;
Drinking From a Different Well: How Women’s Stories Change What Power Means in Action 
Territorial Games: Understanding and Ending Turf Wars at Work
A Safe Place for Dangerous Truths:Using Dialogue to Overcome Fear and Distrust at Work
Whoever Tells the Best Story Wins: How to Use Your Own Stories to Communicate with Power and Impact 
Social Media Handles
https://annettesimmons.com/  
https://differentwell.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/annettesimmonsstory/
https://twitter.com/thestoryfactor?lang=en
https://www.facebook.com/Annette.Simmons.StoryFactor
At an early age, I read books that started me on this lifelong quest of believing that if you just work hard enough, you can figure it out.
I facilitated this form of dialogue, and then eventually realized that storytelling was the magic tool to help someone to see a situation through another's eyes.
When we're trying to maximize our potential, we need to be able to combine somebody else's narrative with our narrative into a bigger picture that includes us both.
If we don't learn how to tell our story, and take someone on a little field trip about what we've seen, they can't see it.
I help people learn how to create collaborative narratives, and work together and find opportunities that they just can't see when they're in silos.
As long as people are arguing from these polar opposites, they are wasting the time that they could be creating solutions.
The potential for creating novel brilliant solutions is not going to be found at one ivory tower or the other but in the middle, and we have to destigmatize what it looks like to be in the middle.
We've optimized this idea that you can solve metrically, and therefore have scored badly in solving the things that just can't be measured.
Creating potential is almost always a function of building collaborative relationships with other people.
Commercial break
The first four books that I wrote were really kind of power with strategies instead of power over strategies.
One of the things that I'm finding is that people with the collaborative narrative don't just want to win, but they want to protect.
One of the problems with a strictly competitive is that it makes us think that harm is just the cost of doing business.
This particular book takes you through the stories that women tell that men don't, and takes you through the idea that moral wins actually undercut competitive wins.
We need to do is we need to re-define harm avoidance, as something other than risk avoidance.
We've got to learn how to redesign the way we keep track of who we are, and how successful we are, and women have a talent for it.
It is time to redesign what power means in terms of the logistical design of systems so that women will be more attracted to these top jobs.
Companies are going to have to provide the opportunity to do good as well as to do well, if they're going to attract women.
My hope for this new book is I want women to not feel like they have to suck up to the guys in charge, but to feel like they have an opportunity to educate the guys in charge.
Women have to start believing that they can see things that are invisible from a competitive narrative.
Start trusting yourself, and start taking people on a field trip about what you know is true.
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Do you want to be a go to expert that news reporters, anchors and media producers turn to? Are you a media professional looking for credible, reliable and timely guests? Shock Your Media Potential is here for you.
Shock Your Media Potential is a one of a kind platform that connects vetted experts with news professionals around the globe.
As part of the launch of the platform, CEO Michael Sherlock, along with co-host Eddie Luisi, stage manager for Good Morning America, have interviewed 25 media personalities and professionals to ask them the questions you need to know the answers to in order to become more newsworthy, pitch your story better, and get invited back again and again, and much more. Some of their guests are household names, with exceptional on-camera careers. Others are award-winning directors, producers, camera operators, audio engineers, celebrity hair and makeup professionals, and so much more.
To learn more about our platform and our conference today, go to https://www.shockyourmediapotential.com

The Accidental Attorney Turned Writer - Mark Shaiken

“There are many things you can do and it is your job to identify what they are, and how you would pursue them.”  Mark Shaiken
Regardless of the profession, people have their own unique stories to put out into the world. When embraced and done rightly, writing can be a powerful tool that any person can use to tell their story. Mark Shaiken shifted his career to become an author and it all started with identifying the things that he could do that brought meaning to his life, and pursuing them.  
Mark Shaiken is the author of the legal thriller (print and audio book), "Fresh Start." He's also written "And . . . Just Like That – Essays on a Life Before, During and After the Law" and “Automatic Stay (3J Mystery),” a legal thriller as well. He's an Indie Author learning the ways of publishing and self-marketing and regularly shares tips and mistakes to avoid as an author.
In today’s episode, Mark talks about his journey being an attorney and how he transitioned into being an author. He also gives a sneak peek into his book series and what is to come.
Listen in!
Books:
Automatic Stay (3J Mystery) 
Fresh Start (3J Mystery) 
.. Just Like That: Essays on a Life Before, During and After The Law
Social Media Handles
markshaikenauthor.com 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/markshaikenauthor/
https://twitter.com/MarkShaiken
While in law school I worked as a clerk for a local bankruptcy judge, and 38 years later, I'm still working in that field.
I had always wanted to write, and I always figured that I’d circle back to that dream.
I struggled with the question of who I was for some time, but ultimately, I put together a plan that I would exit the practice of law and move into other things that I had passion for.
Considering what I am doing now, I like that I can get to measure a little bit better for the next phase of my life when I'm giving.
When I left the practice of law in 2019, I learnt a lot about myself and I am getting better at writing, which is a good thing.
I've been doing book clubs and I really am enjoying the discussions with these different groups.
The first book after retiring from practice was titled A Memoir of a Not Famous Lawyer, and it detailed my path into, during and then out of the law practice.
The book traces my journey in a whole bunch of essays about different aspects of my background, getting into law school, practicing bankruptcy, and then what the exit was like.
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The book series is a bankruptcy, legal thriller and all three of the titles come from bankruptcy code; Fresh Start, Automatic Stay and Unfair Discrimination.
I wanted to make it approachable and not too legal where the only people who would read it would be lawyers.  
I like to have some historical aspect in the books as well.
It was important to have as much diversity as I could in the books and capture the trials and tribulations of making it through a large law firm as a black woman.
Don't let anyone convince you that there's only one thing you can do, because there's many things you can do and it is your job to identify what they are, and how you would pursue them.
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Do you want to be a go to expert that news reporters, anchors and media producers turn to? Are you a media professional looking for credible, reliable and timely guests? Shock Your Media Potential is here for you.
Shock Your Media Potential is a one of a kind platform that connects vetted experts with news professionals around the globe.
As part of the launch of the platform, CEO Michael Sherlock, along with co-host Eddie Luisi, stage manager for Good Morning America, have interviewed 25 media personalities and professionals to ask them the questions you need to know the answers to in order to become more newsworthy, pitch your story better, and get invited back again and again, and much more. Some of their guests are household names, with exceptional on-camera careers. Others are award-winning directors, producers, camera operators, audio engineers, celebrity hair and makeup professionals, and so much more.
To learn more about our platform and our conference today, go to https://www.shockyourmediapotential.com

My New Book! - Cathy Fyock

“The spoken word is wonderful, but the written word just has the staying power that is hard to beat.” Cathy Fyock
Do you have a gut feeling that you should write a book but do not know where to begin?
Whatever reasons you may have to want to write a book, it is important that you get to do it right as it could be life changing not only to you, but to your audience as well. According to our guest today, Cathy Fyock, anyone can learn to write a book, and is one way in which people can use to leave a mark in their respective spaces.
Cathy Fyock, CSP, SPHR, SHRM-SCP is The Business Book Strategist and works with professionals and thought leaders who want to write a book as a business development strategy. She is the author of eleven books, including—On Your Mark: From First Word to First Draft in Six Weeks, Blog2Book: Repurposing Content to Discover the Book You’ve Already Written, and with coauthor Lois Creamer, The Speaker Author: Sell More Books and Book More Speeches. Her book, Authority, is an anthology about the power of authorship and was a Wall Street Journal bestseller. Her newest book is My New Book: The Upcoming Message that will Change the World.
Since beginning her business in 2014, she has helped over 200 professionals become published authors. She believes that we all have a purpose, and that our stories are the way in which we share our truth with others. She is certain that authors can and do change the world, one word at a time.
In today’s episode, Cathy talks about her passion for helping people who want to be authors go through the process seamlessly. She also talks about her guide book for authors and the motivation behind writing it.
Listen in!
Social Media Handles
https://www.cathyfyock.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathy-fyock-973b735/
https://twitter.com/cathyfyock
https://www.facebook.com/TheBusinessBookStrategist/
Books
1. My New Book: The Upcoming Message That Will Change The World
2. Blog2Book: Repurposing Content to Discover The Book You’ve Already Written
3. Authority: Strategic Conceptes from 15 International Thought Leaders to Create Influence, Credibility and a Competitive edge for you and your Business
4. The Speaker Author: Sell More Books and Book More Speeches
5. On Your Mark: From First Word to First Draft in Six Weeks 
6. Humans@Work 
7. Compassion@Work: Creating Work Places That Engage the Human Spirit
8. Hallellujah!: An Anthem For Purposeful Work 
9. You@Work: Unlocking Human Potential in the Workplace
I’m a big believer in the power of a book.
Writing a book is hard and a lot of work because it means distilling all of your thought leadership into something that's cohesive, focused and really sharp.
When I started as an HR consultant, speaker and trainer, I wrote to establish my thought leadership and differentiate myself from the pack to grow my business.
A book can absolutely move you into new territory, help you claim your thought leadership in an area that you hadn't been able to claim before.
I have a group coaching component which gives people writing exercises, the camaraderie and community.
I also have a one on one coaching program that goes for six months which guides folks through the process of writing.
I also have writing retreats, which is a great way for super busy people to have dedicated writing time, and has community elements, direction and guidance.
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I've learned is that there are going to be people out there who all they need is the book, but there are others who will need extra level of guidance after reading my book.
I work with the people that need to work with me, and then the rest can find the secret sauce in my book.
I believe that the process of writing actually changes you and that you become a different person where you step into more of who you were meant to be.
As a book coach I don't just write books randomly and just hope that they do something for the business, I always have to be very strategic.
I use my work book now with my new coaching clients, and has therefore become an integral part of my business.
The spoken word is wonderful, but the written word just has the staying power that is hard to beat.
Go out there and make your mark, I really believe that you will make your mark when you write your book.
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Do you want to be a go to expert that news reporters, anchors and media producers turn to? Are you a media professional looking for credible, reliable and timely guests? Shock Your Media Potential is here for you.
Shock Your Media Potential is a one of a kind platform that connects vetted experts with news professionals around the globe.
As part of the launch of the platform, CEO Michael Sherlock, along with co-host Eddie Luisi, stage manager for Good Morning America, have interviewed 25 media personalities and professionals to ask them the questions you need to know the answers to in order to become more newsworthy, pitch your story better, and get invited back again and again, and much more. Some of their guests are household names, with exceptional on-camera careers. Others are award-winning directors, producers, camera operators, audio engineers, celebrity hair and makeup professionals, and so much more.
To learn more about our platform and our conference today, go to https://www.shockyourmediapotential.com

Brand Chemistry - Laura Beauparlant

“Figure out what makes you different, and embrace that knowing that the right people will be attracted to your energy.” Laura Beauparlant
Regardless of the path you choose as an entrepreneur, it is important to find out your goal and always align it with who you are as a person. Laura Beauparlant helps clients get clarity on why they do what they do, and says that it is important for entrepreneurs to step into their authentic selves for them to attract the right clients.
Laura Beauparlant is the founder of Lab Creative, the author of Brand Chemistry: How to Attract the Right Clients and Keep Them,  and the creator of Brand Camp. She is also an award-winning international speaker. 
An entrepreneur for the past 18 years, Laura leverages her creativity, experience and unique process to help ambitious, growth-minded entrepreneurs understand – and embrace – their magic. The results are aligned brands that stand out from the crowd, magnetize the right clients and produce explosive results.
In today’s episode, Laura talks about transitioning to branding and how she helps her clients create businesses that connect with their clients. She also talks about her book and her motivation to write it.
Listen in!
Social Media Handles
https://www.labcreative.ca/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-beauparlant-4304381/
https://www.instagram.com/LabCreativeInc/
https://www.facebook.com/labcreativeinc/
https://www.youtube.com/c/LabCreativeInc
Book: Brand Chemistry: How to Attract the Right Clients and Keep Them 
I created Lab Creative and reinvented myself with this new business where I stepped into a new version of myself.
I allow people to see their magic and create chemistry with their audience as well as create a business and brand that aligns with them.
My mission is to create a world filled with ambitious, fulfilled, prosperous and happy entrepreneurs.
I help my clients to step into their genius by leveraging my magic to find their magic and then bring it to the world so everyone can see it.
When working with my clients at brand camp, we do the deep work first that entails thinking, and then we design.
I often tell my clients that I'm designing and creating a brand for their business for the future.
Brand camp is my methodology, and is the process I take all of our clients through before we design anything.
It is really about all of the messaging and really understanding how your brand show up in the world, and how you are going to distinguish yourself from everybody else in your space.
I've combined my background and design with these newer skills, which I had to embrace and step into.
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My book is based on brand camp, and it walks you through the entire process of creating your brand. 
I wrote the book because I knew that I could only help us a certain amount of people through working with me one on one.
I saw my book to be a great way to elevate my personal brand, bring more business into my business, and to get me more speaking engagements.
For me getting really clear on why I was writing a book made me find my unique factor which was having a design background.
When you get to fully step into who you are, and get crystal clear on that, the right people will be drawn to you like a magnet, and that's what brand chemistry is all about.
…………………………………………………
Do you want to be a go to expert that news reporters, anchors and media producers turn to? Are you a media professional looking for credible, reliable and timely guests? Shock Your Media Potential is here for you.
Shock Your Media Potential is a one of a kind platform that connects vetted experts with news professionals around the globe.
As part of the launch of the platform, CEO Michael Sherlock, along with co-host Eddie Luisi, stage manager for Good Morning America, have interviewed 25 media personalities and professionals to ask them the questions you need to know the answers to in order to become more newsworthy, pitch your story better, and get invited back again and again, and much more. Some of their guests are household names, with exceptional on-camera careers. Others are award-winning directors, producers, camera operators, audio engineers, celebrity hair and makeup professionals, and so much more.
To learn more about our platform and our conference today, go to https://www.shockyourmediapotential.com