Shock Your Potential

The Next Measurable Step - Tim Fitzpatrick

“The quality of your relationships is it has a direct correlation to the results that you end up seeing.” Tim Fitzpatrick
The journey of entrepreneurship primarily entails building strong and meaningful relationships with different stakeholders. Among all the different factors that interplay to ensure success, strong relationships in business remain central to building a sustainable business. This is according to our guest today Tim Fitzpatrick, who further reiterates the importance of taking time to understand and laydown foundational principles that are necessary for businesses to achieve long-term success. 
Tim is an entrepreneur/business owner with expertise in marketing and business growth. He has 20+ years of entrepreneurial experience with a passion for developing and growing businesses. That passion served him well in operating and managing a wholesale distribution company he co-owned for nine years. The company grew an average of 60% a year before being acquired in 2005.
Since then, he’s had failures and successes that have been valuable learning experiences. He started Rialto Marketing in 2013 and has been helping service businesses simplify marketing so they can grow with less stress. Tim believes that most people overcomplicate marketing yet doesn't have to be that way.
In today’s episode, Tim talks about how he got into entrepreneurship, relationships in business and why facing the uncomfortable challenges fearlessly is the key to growth in business.
Listen in!
Social Links:
http://www.twitter.com/rialtomarketing
https://www.facebook.com/rialtomarketing/
https://www.pinterest.com/rialtomarketing/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/rialto-marketing
https://www.linkedin.com/in/timpfitzpatrick
I grew up in Northern California in the Bay Area and my wife and I moved to the Denver area in 2008. [2:34]
From a business standpoint, realtor marketing is my current business. [2:51]
When I initially started that business, we were actually focused specifically on selling mobile applications into the K12 education space. [2:57]
My entrepreneurial journey has not been a straight path where I have had multiple shifts due to changes in the app market. [3:07]
What we're doing today is working primarily with service based businesses so they can grow with less stress. [3:28]
We help them create an implemented plan to communicate the right message to the right people. [3:39]
Many people are just battling information overload when it comes to marketing due to the many different channels, and tactics within those channels. [3:51]
I think the reason we overcomplicate marketing is because we skip the fundamentals and that's what we help people really get in place. [6:38]
When I communicate what the fundamentals are and why they're so important, most people understand it. [7:04]
I fell into entrepreneurship after I graduated from college and went to help my father manage his distribution company on a day to day basis. [7:40]
The biggest driver in our success in that business was the quality of the relationships that we had which a lot of those relationships my dad had been building for years. [9:11]
The quality of your relationships has a direct correlation to the results that you end up seeing. [9:42]
With long term thinking, you don't build relationships overnight but have to have that patience, and discipline to what you need to do to build those relationships. [10:36]
I've gotten to a place from a sales standpoint where I look to understand the problem you have first before taking that next step. [12:31]
Commercial break [13:20]
I transitioned into residential real estate for about three years ago and one of the things that real estate really pushed me to do was get outside of my comfort zone on a daily basis. [14:39]
If you are going to be successful long term, you have to be comfortable getting outside your comfort zone because it helps you to continue to grow and embrace change. [15:31]
I feel fortunate that I've never really shied away from change all that much but rather I tend to embrace it. [17:05]
The information you need to be successful is already there and you do not need to start from ground zero, you just need to know where to go to get that information. [19:06]
Entrepreneurs need to focus on the next measurable step and break the larger things down into the small steps that they can really focus on. [22:52]
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Thank you to our December sponsor!  KukuaBiz can provide dedicated and affordable talent from Kenya to help you grow and scale your business. Virtual employees are skilled in administrative functions, sales, podcast management, video editing, marketing, social media marketing, website design and management, and more.
Learn more: https://www.kukuabiz.com

Cultivating Empathy -Alison Tedford

"If we don't have the competency to actually be able to serve folks with different experiences, then it can actually be more harmful than closing the door to somebody.” Alison Tedford
Everyone, regardless of their differences and abilities, desire to feel welcome and valued wherever they go. By creating a positive work environment that is inclusive, businesses position themselves for greater success. Our guest today, Alison Tedford, helps business be more inclusive and says that it is all about cultivating empathy and matching what businesses communicate with their actions.
Alison Tedford is an author, business consultant in inclusive communications and Indigenous mother from Abbotsford, BC, Canada. She has written five books and advocates on issues of disability and Indigenous rights. 
In today’s episode, Alison talks about her career journey and how it prepared her for the work she currently does of helping business be more inclusive and cohesive.
Listen in!
Social media handles: 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alisontedford
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alisontedford
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/alliespins 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alison-tedford-4a064793/ 
I started my career working for the Canadian federal government where I worked on indigenous issues within residential school claims, and then moving into the prison system. [2:20]
I moved into the private sector and moved that big government experience into the private sector to help small businesses. [3:08]
Diversity is about cultivating empathy and creating experiences where people feel welcome and valued. [4:38]
A lot of people tend to shy away from having those conversations because they feel they don’t want to get political. [5:22]
The ultimate message is about letting people know that I care about what they're going through and what happens to them. [5:35]
Politics will influence things and the decisions that are made impact different people in different ways. [6:25]
It is just understanding that people are all having different experiences, and things are impacting them on different levels. [6:40]
Often people come to me because they want to make a statement about something that's happened. [7:25]
We always want to make it clear that we care about what's happening and that we're an inclusive business welcoming all sorts of people. [7:35]
We have to look at how we make the experience match with what's in our hearts and what we want to say. [8:04]
It's really about creating checks and balances so that your message is cohesive. [8:26]
I don't have the same budget like Amazon or Google to implement some big initiative, but we can start from where we are instead and look at what we can do with the budget we have. [9:52]
I try to encourage folks that it's okay to focus on an area that you're passionate about. [10:49]
Just because you care about things doesn't mean you have to care about all the things all the time, you still have to leave room for yourself and to serve your clients. [11:15]
The reality is that we need to welcome people that we're ready to serve. [11:35]
If we don't have the competency to actually be able to serve folks with different experiences, then it can actually be more harmful than closing the door to somebody. [11:42]
We don't have to be everything for everybody but we want to be intentional about having respect, care and concern for all people. [12:28]
Commercial break [14:10]
I try to keep things as simple as possible where I create systems that enable me do things consistently. [14:42
I try to make sure that I'm taking time to take care of myself as much as possible. [17:52]
If you're going to spend the time and the energy and take the risks, it should be for something that means something to you. [18:14]
I really make sure that what I do matters to me, and it's something that I feel like is consistent with what I want to see in the world. [18:50]
I took a lot of time to experiment and find what I liked and finding the best environments. [20:39]
There's so much abundance of opportunity and we really have to be judicious about what we decide to invest in. [21:02]
If you're looking to make your business more inclusive, but you're feeling inadequate, remember Brene Brown’s quote that say ‘Daring leaders are never silent about hard things. [21:52]
If you're a business owner, you're daring leader meaning you're already qualified to speak on hard things. [22:09]
You innovate every single day, and so you can innovate the way you work with people too. [22:18]
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Thank you to our December sponsor!  KukuaBiz can provide dedicated and affordable talent from Kenya to help you grow and scale your business. Virtual employees are skilled in administrative functions, sales, podcast management, video editing, marketing, social media marketing, website design and management, and more.
Learn more: https://www.kukuabiz.com

We Give Your Business A Voice - John C. Morley

“What I've learned is everything happens in life to help us become better versions of ourselves.” John C. Morley
The entrepreneurial journey is filled with numerous learning opportunities that are sometimes pleasant and most of the time difficult and unpleasant. The attitude towards these learning opportunities is often central to how successful entrepreneurs turn out to be. Our guest today, John Morley has been through many of such instances and attributes his success to persistence and having an attitude of gratitude.
John C. Morley started his first company just about 30 years ago and as a passionate serial entrepreneur, he didn't stop there.  He later went on to build his own marketing and full print publication production center. Today he gets people more quality connections on LinkedIn by telling their stories in a unique way.
John is a serial entrepreneur, engineer and marketing expert with a personality that you will want on your show. His diverse experience from serving small business to enterprise environments make him someone that just doesn't understand technology but lives it. Two of our world's largest international banks have chosen John's company because they know that he is the mastermind of the company's operations.
Since the inception of John's tech company, he had one of NY's largest marketing and advertiser companies working for him. Several years ago he realized they were not making the progress they should. So he decided to fire them; John knew that no-one would know his company as well as he did. He researched the concept of starting his own full in-house digital and print production company. The first few years John made lots of mistakes but quickly realized how to reach his clients and the right way to do so. Later on, he concluded that there was a void in the market place and that he knew how to market companies to get their message out to the world. Thus John trademarked the phrase "We Give your Business a Voice"™.John Morley
John’s Specialties include : CEO, Technology leader, Innovator, Thought Leader, Engineer & Marketer
In today’s episode, John recounts his journey to becoming an entrepreneur as well as the events that led him to starting his company.
Listen in!
Social Media
https://www.linkedin.com/in/johncmorleyiv/
http://jmor.com
https://www.instagram.com/gosocialjmor/?hl=en
The company started off when I was in college around 1993 so the company is about 32 years young. [2:42]
When I was in college, and I still am today, I liked to help other people and being a first responder. [3:22]
While in college, I knew that there was a void in the technology market and people weren't doing the right things which led me to start a company. [3:57]
I learned you could make a certain amount of money before you had to get formal. [4:43]
I went through a lot of accounting programs, and I found a lot of them out there which were very expensive and left you indebted to them. [8:29]
I had this marketing advertising company who gave us a discount at the time but my business was not going anywhere. [8:53]
After college I went back and got my certification, Hypnosis, NLP neuro linguistic programming and also I got my Reiki level two certification. [9:56]
I remember creating my first mp3 and I was so happy I made my first subliminal hypnosis program, and I would listen to it every night. [10:20]
I got a loan from the bank and started a print business where we struggled for the first couple years and then after that, we build a full print production graphic, medium Digital Design Center. [11:38]
I then decided to go for my lungs and build a new center with a video production center, a photo center and next year, we'll be launching our own green screen studio. [17:54]
A lot of these superstores have the equipment but not the greatest equipment, and they don't have the right knowledge. [18:31]
I have the knowledge of better equipment and we've been doing videos religiously for over a year. [18:37]
I run an internship school where I have about five interns now working with me. [19:37]
My biggest thing is teaching people how to network where it is usually all about you. [20:08]
I'm also the leading host of the J Moore tech talk show a national talk show and we just became a TV show about seven months ago in Princeton. [20:47]
I just love to have conversations with people and understand what their challenges are. [21:59]
The agenda that I have is to help everyone become better versions of themselves. [22:15]
What I've learned is everything happens in life to help us become better versions of ourselves. [24:03]
Commercial break. [24:50]
If everybody likes you in this world, then you're not bringing your A game. [28:22]
Another lesson I've learned in the entrepreneurial world is that you can be or have anything you want but you have to realize that your inner voice runs your subconscious. [28:50]
Look at the things you're doing and realize that no one in life has the right to make you feel inferior about yourself, except one person. [28:29]
You have to know when to say no. [30:13]
When we change the way we look at things, the things we look at change. [32:07]
My advice to you is to document appropriately with whatever authority wherever you have to document things, because people will try to rain on your parade every single day. [32:29]
Realize that your inner team is the one you want with you while you keep other people outside your circle. [33:49]
If you have a vision, and it's clear in your head, be very descriptive and make sure you know every little detail about it. [34:51]
The universe will unfold that to you, if you are persistent and have a good attitude, and make sure that you maintain an attitude of gratitude. [35:08]
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Thank you to our December sponsor!  KukuaBiz can provide dedicated and affordable talent from Kenya to help you grow and scale your business. Virtual employees are skilled in administrative functions, sales, podcast management, video editing, marketing, social media marketing, website design and management, and more.
Learn more: https://www.kukuabiz.com

Keepin‘ It Country - Richard Lynch

“Music can actually act as a bridge between a complete different upbringing or a whole complete difference mindset of people.” Richard Lynch
The opportunity for entrepreneurs to use their abilities and talents to build a business that gives back to the society is phenomenal. This was a chance of a life time for our guest today, Richard Lynch, who was able to build a foundation through his talent of writing and singing country music, thus expressing his love and passion for country and veterans.
Upholding the traditions set forth by artists like Haggard, Strait, Jackson, Jennings and other legends, Richard Lynch has been flying the flag for this brand of country music for the past 30+ years.  Residing in Waynesville, OH, Lynch not only sings about country music, he lives it. As the owner of Keepin’ It Country Farm with his wife, Donna, Richard knows the meaning of a day’s hard work.
As the co-founder of the Love Tattoo Foundation, which assists with veteran programs, Lynch understands the sacrifices of our service men and women and the importance of giving back to your community.  In fact, his farm plays host to fundraising benefits for the organization featuring some of the biggest names in traditional country music.  Richard also cherishes his love and respect for God, family, and his fellow hard-working Americans. The words of his songs speak to his values, values that his fans and lovers of country music everywhere hold dear.
Over the past 3 decades, Richard Lynch has compiled a long list of country hits and chart-toppers on both domestic and international sales and radio airplay charts, including two #1 iTunes chart singles, multiple #1 New Music Weekly radio songs, #1 IndieWorld and Roots Music Report chart tracks and a Christian Music Weekly Top 20 single.  Richard has been in Billboard Magazine, Taste Of Country, The Boot, CCM Magazine, Country Music People, and countless others. He has also appeared on WSM Radio Nashville, RFD TV, Fox TV and more.  He has recorded popular duets with legendary artists like Ronnie McDowell and Leona Williams, as well as Grammy Winner, Rhonda Vincent.  Richard Lynch is a proud member of the Ohio Country Music Hall of Fame and the Independent Country Music Hall of Fame.
On February 12th, 2021, Richard Lynch released his brand new album, “My Guitar Drips Country” featuring 12 songs written or co-written by Richard, including his touching tribute to the late Doug Supernaw.
In today’s episode, Richard will talk about his love for country music and living, and the motivation to start the Love Tattoo Foundation that caters for veterans.
Listen in!
Social Media and Contacts
https://www.reverbnation.com/richardlynchband
https://www.facebook.com/RichardLynchBand
http://www.twittyoutuer.com/richardlynchbnd
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Lynch_(musician)
michael@mtsmanagementgroup.com
I was born into country music and my dad was an incredible singer entertainer. [3:11]
At the ripe old age of eight years old, I got to watch my dad perform for the first time with this guy that we watched on television every Saturday night. [4:03]
He called me to perform with him on stage where I did an old buck on the song ‘I've got a tiger by the tail’ and I was bit right then and there by the Country Music bug. [4:29]
I want to make sure that everybody felt comfortable because the music is one thing, but when you make that connection with people, it doesn't matter what you do. [6:04]
Country music can be relevant for all forms of life and if I wrote it from the heart, and it connects with that person, I have fulfilled what I need to be doing. [7:17]
Sometimes I'll write a song with a thought or a direction in mind, and someone will come to me with a completely different take on how I wrote it, but it fits their life completely. [10:00]
The older I get, the more I realize we're all in this old world together and we are never all going to totally agree, but there's a whole lot more room for agreeing and disagreeing. [10:12]
Music can actually act as a bridge between a complete different upbringing or a whole complete difference mindset of people. [10:26]
I love the music but I also love my country upbringing. [11:32]
I learned to accept life as it comes especially when we had the COVID-19 which restricted our music so much. [12:19]
I missed and the camaraderie with people but on the other hand, it gave me an opportunity to really dive in and write some good music. [12:34]
A lot of times I realize that you make your life by your own decisions and hopefully you make the right decision. [13:19]
I am thankful that I'm fortunate enough to be in a situation where I can do what I want and make a living with what I want. [13:39]
Commercial break. [14:03]
The love tattoo Foundation was started by me and my wife, and we both have a huge appreciation and admiration for men and women who have served our country. [15:26]
I was sent a poem from a gentleman who really liked my music and I was absolutely blown away and we came up with the song from the poem. [15:39]
We decided right then and there that if there was a nickel or a million dollars to be made off of this particular song, we're going to give it all to a foundation. [16:46]
We found this place in northern Michigan called the whirlwind Lodge which is a place for these folks to get away. [16:54]
We want to make all the awareness we can for our guys and girls who serve our country to where there is help. [17:22]
Surround yourself with people that believe in you because you can waste an awful lot of time with people that don't necessarily want to see you succeed. [20:12]
If you surround yourself with people that believe in you and genuinely want you to have a successful career, it's amazing how fast you'll get there. [20:26]
Keep it country. [22:13]
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Thank you to our December sponsor!  KukuaBiz can provide dedicated and affordable talent from Kenya to help you grow and scale your business. Virtual employees are skilled in administrative functions, sales, podcast management, video editing, marketing, social media marketing, website design and management, and more.
Learn more: https://www.kukuabiz.com

Planet Subaru - Jeff Morill

“There are all these Win-Win situations, if you're intentional about looking for them and building that into your culture and operating philosophy.” Jeff Morill
The most successful and sustainable business often have their strengths anchored in the fundamental values rather than products. These values dictate how these business relate with both their employees and customers. This is according to our guest today, Jeff Morill, who believes that once established and entrenched in the business culture, positive values will remain alive and serve your business a great deal.
Jeff Morill’s first business was Planet Subaru, perhaps the world’s first ethical car dealership. He co-founded Planet Subaru, “your undealership,” in 1998, and built it into one of the most successful privately-held car dealerships in the United States. He later started other businesses in automotive retail, real estate, telecommunications, and insurance that generate over $100,000,000 in annual revenue. His achievements in building profitable and ethical companies have been featured in a variety of national media including USA Today, Entrepreneur Magazine, Automotive News, The Boston Globe, and others.
After Jeff nearly killed himself in an accident, he wrote a book to pass along the unusual things he had learned about how to sell a lot without selling out your integrity. The book comes out February 28th and is titled ‘Profit Wise: How to Make More Money in Business by Doing the Right Thing.’ Learn more at www.jeffmorrill.com (I’m donating all author royalties to charity.)
Jeff reveals things about the car business, but prefers to speak thoughtfully about personal development and entrepreneurship. For example, He developed a straightforward hiring process that makes a lot more sense than what most businesses are using (if they have any process at all).
In today’s episode, Jeff discusses how he was able to form a highly profitable company based that was anchored on ethical practices and superior customer experiences.
Listen in!
Social media handles:
https://www.jeffmorrill.com/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC59FdefHNgM1pxwNSipQOqw
When we opened our business, we saw an opportunity to differentiate ourselves from the terrible state of the showroom experience. [3:03]
My brother who is the co- founder business partner, and I grew up under very modest conditions. [3:42]
We knew from the beginning that we wanted our lives to be about a lot more than just moving iron and making profits. [4:16]
Other businesses that we've bought have put us in a position to do some pretty neat things in terms of giving back and serving the community. [4:26]
I think it's important to understand that with all the success we've had, we've had some struggles too. [5:32]
I guess I look at it like a garden, that is growing and it has its own energy and we have to go in and make sure that we're providing it with all the resources it needs. [6:19]
It's a ton of focus on making sure that the stated values that you started the company with are actually alive in it every day. [6:44]
One of the things that has really made us successful relative to competition is our ability to hire people. [7:29]
A lot of businesses though, if you lose the interest in making those investments, the withdrawals happen sort of automatically. [10:13]
What I want to do is articulate this vision and hopefully inspire other entrepreneurs to think about it the way I do. [11:38]
One of the things I'm really proud of at the Subaru dealership, we've hired many female technicians which supports their families and their communities. [12:18]
There are all these Win-Win situations, if you're intentional about looking for them and building that into your culture and operating philosophy. [13:56]
The most conspicuous thing we see from having more women in our team is that the men felt like they needed to act a little more professionally. [15:48]
Commercial break [18:05]
I think I have a very high pain threshold, which has served me very well and another thing that I'm really proud of is my communication ability [19:48]
I was very scared for many years that we were going to lose it all because we're very lightly capitalized, highly leveraged. [23:55]
If I could write myself a letter back to when I was starting a business, I would tell myself to make sure I enjoy it along the way and that it was going to turn out fine. [24:22]
One of the things I did do well is I started the business with love in the model. [24:54]
Human institutions ultimately need to be there for the benefit of people, and to serve others and to benefit the earth in some way. [26:06]
If all your business does is pad your pockets, you've failed regardless of how rich you are, that's where I'm coming from. [26:20]
If you're going to succeed in business, just make sure that you're doing it for the right reasons and that you're taking care of people. [26:26]
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Thank you to our December sponsor!  KukuaBiz can provide dedicated and affordable talent from Kenya to help you grow and scale your business. Virtual employees are skilled in administrative functions, sales, podcast management, video editing, marketing, social media marketing, website design and management, and more.
Learn more: https://www.kukuabiz.com

The Corporate Introvert - Steve Friedman

“I have finally realized, to be happy I don’t need to change myself, I just need to be myself.” -Steve Friedman
Being authentic is the best strategy to approach life with, both personally and professionally. This is because authenticity enables people to bring out their best and unique capabilities with the least effort. This is according to our guest today, Steve Fried man, who says that it all starts with learning and understanding our personalities, then accepting ourselves for who we really are.
When he wrote his memoir, In Search of Courage, Steve realized that the common thread of introversion which he thought was a curse all his life was actually a blessing. For years, Steve wore a mask at work and coped with my stress by acting the role at work and over drinking at business trips and socials. Now he embraces his own introversion as a path to become a happier version of himself. 
Steve believes that his purpose is to help other introverts to accelerate their own journey to discover their strengths and how to apply them at home and at work to overcome past obstacles and find joy, pride, and confidence in life.
Steve is retired from corporate America and enjoys sharing articles, books, quizzes, and resources through his website, BeyondIntroversion.com. He is excited to share his new leadership book, The Corporate Introvert: How to Lead and Thrive with Confidence, due out the fall of 2021. 
In today’s episode, Steve will talk about his journey towards the discovery the different phases of being introvert.  He will also provide insights on how people can embody the best version of themselves through self -discovery.
Listen in!
Social Media
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SteveFr25166808
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/steve-friedman-1295a5a2
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BeyondIntroversion
I have found that introversion is not a state of being, it's a journey. [3:09]
In the course of my life, I realized that in my first 20 years of life, I was in the first of the stages that introversion presents which I call unaware. [3:55]
In my early 20s it led into the second stage, which I call uninformed where I heard the term introversion that sounded like me, but I didn't really learn a lot about it. [4:31]
It was in my mid-career that I moved to the third phase, which I call enlightenment which happened after primarily reading Susan Kane's book quiet. [5:44]
It really changed things around and it started to make me realize that everybody is different in the world. [6:07]
It started me on the path of learning and that realized it's not all gloom and doom, but there's exciting opportunities for us to do well. [6:23]
The fourth phase is contentment which entails getting our head around that and being happy with who you are. [6:52]
The fifth phase, which some introverts don't approach and others do is what I call flourishing. [7:10]
That journey has helped me and is what drives me today to do what I'm doing. [7:46]
If through my books and in my discussions, I can help people accelerate their journey to find their true peace and ambitions at a much earlier age, then that's just a blessing for me. [8:08]
We all have our challenges but part of it is learning about ourselves, and then it's also sharing them with others. [12:22]
One of the things I talk about in the book is to gain confidence in who you are and to learn about it. [12:30]
My introversion and my sense of discomfort and low self-esteem started when I was a little kid and even if personalities are formed in formative years, it doesn't mean that it can't be changed. [12:56]
I think introversion is part of the diversity and inclusion wave where we are part of that diverse mindset at work. [13:35]
We need to be around the meeting tables and the board rooms and things like that to help companies and teams develop well thought out and balanced approaches. [13:42]
It is harder for extroverted leaders to connect with introverts, and oftentimes, they might just not even feel comfortable to engage with them to create a strong bond and a strong team. [16:00]
Sometimes it is just incumbent upon ourselves as introverts to raise that issue and have conversations with the relevant. [16:25]
Commercial break. [17:35]
I spent 30 years in corporate America and had great experience as well as difficult challenges. [18:42]
It's not about changing ourselves but about being ourselves. [19:37]
I realized that I was able to change the way I managed people and the way I led teams and motivated them by the way I connected with them. [19:41]
When I had the opportunity to start writing this book, I felt like it was an opportunity to share my experience and also experiences for many other people. [19:59]
It starts first and foremost with learning about ourselves and being confident in who we are authentically. [20:25]
I'm finding the audience of the book to be people who are veterans of corporate America but they've struggled with stereotypes and cultures that they worked in for decades. [21:12]
Others are new leaders, or aspiring leaders, or college graduates that know that they're an introvert and concerned about coming into the corporate workforce, and how they can remain authentic. [21:24]
I came a long way when I was in corporate America, but when I left, and started writing, and working on a website to connect with other people, I found that it's a completely different world. [23:25]
Connecting one on one with people was very new for me so I was able to lean on the learnings that I had later in my work career which has really helped me. [23:51]
If I've learned anything over the last period of time, it is that I need to do it my way, or else I'm going down the same path that I went down when I was in corporate America. [25:09]
I was going to do things that I felt comfortable with, and that I felt developed the relationship I wanted to have with readers and the people online. [25:30]
It is a balance of being confident in who we are, and also stretching a little bit to try new things. [27:12]
Part of all of our journey is just to continue to stretch, but give ourselves permission to kind of redefine where we're comfortable. [27:52]
Introverts can do all anything, they just need to help themselves along on a journey to learn. [29:17]
We're all learning and growing as we go through life, and this is a great opportunity to change some of our perspective. [29:22]
There's a continuum of introverts and extroverts and we float along that based on certain circumstances that people are in various different spots. [30:42]
We all have at least a tinge of introversion and extraversion and once we understand that, and accept that it gives us another opportunity to learn more. [31:05]
Think about your energy level and plan and make preparations on how you can use your strengths to do engage in productive activities. [31:27]
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Thank you to our December sponsor!  KukuaBiz can provide dedicated and affordable talent from Kenya to help you grow and scale your business. Virtual employees are skilled in administrative functions, sales, podcast management, video editing, marketing, social media marketing, website design and management, and more.
Learn more: https://www.kukuabiz.com

GovCon Winners - Kizzy Marie Parks

“It's easy to always come up with excuses or roadblocks but everything literally is possible and so whatever you're thinking about trying, you should just do it.” Kizzy Parks
 As people act their way into the life that they desire, often they find that they get more clarity of what their passions and strengths are. This is no different from what our guest today, Kizzy Parks, experienced in the course of her studies. According to Parks, you gain more clarity of purpose once you stop thinking and start acting.
As a kid, Kizzy would clean golf balls located in an alley behind her friend's house and resell them through a fence to golfers. She used the money to buy FUNYUNS® and Nutty Bars. Kizzy always knew that she would become an entrepreneur and earn an advanced degree in psychology. Her entrepreneurial spirit meshed well with her inquisitive nature as an adopted child who always wanted to, and then met, her birth family. Driven to be the successful business owner she always knew she would be, she went on to earn a Ph.D. and establish KPC over a decade ago.
Today, Kizzy owns and operates multiple businesses and have over $50 million in government contract awards. Through GovCon Winners, she helps service-based small business owners learn HOW to win profitable federal government contracts through the powerful CTC technique to grow their bottom line.
In today’s episode, Kizzy will talk about how her journey towards earning PhD led her to becoming the entrepreneur that she is today.
Listen in!
Social Media Handles-
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kizzy/
https://www.instagram.com/kizzymparks/?hl=en
When I was younger, I knew I was going to get a PhD and I knew I was going to be an entrepreneur, it was just something that I felt. [3:02]
When I was in graduate school, to earn extra money, I would provide different services by consulting for companies. [3:21]
I thought to myself that once I earned my PhD, I would go on to work for a company, and then start a business later on in life or maybe teach for a university and consult on the side. [3:47]
There was a graduate research fellowship available at now Patrick Space Force which I took it up. [4:24]
At the end of my dissertation journey, the director of research said that he would like for me to stay on as a contractor. [5:07]
That is what started Kay parks consulting, my first of three government contracting companies and it all just started out from that graduate research fellowship, and my desire to be an entrepreneur. [5:55]
We provide a variety of services primarily to the federal government. [6:06]
My desire wasn't just any 40-hour position but was something I really was passionate about. [6:23]
I had no idea about government contracting or how to run a business and so I found people to help me and they broke it down which was really helpful. [8:19]
I've always been super creative and inquisitive and that's what led me to doing different things. [10:38]
Commercial break. [11:39]
On the government side we help our clients just with that shot to get to their potential through making their life easier. [12:42]
What is important is by someone saying that they need help and need someone who's dependable, and who is going to really understand us. [13:04]
It helps them because then they're able to focus on their jobs or their positions in the military. [13:50]
When I first got started I had no idea and I spent so much time just even trying to figure out how to understand an RFP. [15:47]
Everything is possible and It's easy to always come up with excuses or roadblocks but everything literally is possible and so whatever you're thinking about trying, you should just do it. [19:55]
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Thank you to our December sponsor!  KukuaBiz can provide dedicated and affordable talent from Kenya to help you grow and scale your business. Virtual employees are skilled in administrative functions, sales, podcast management, video editing, marketing, social media marketing, website design and management, and more.
Learn more: https://www.kukuabiz.com

It‘s Hard to Hate Close Up - Nydia Han

“Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly and I could not agree more with that.” Nydia Hahn
Sharing experiences and information goes along way into humanizing people, and is effective when it comes to sensitizing people on social injustices. This is according to Nydia Hahn, who after going through racism took up the role to inform and educate others against social injustice.
Nydia Han is an Emmy award winning television journalist, TEDx speaker, and creator of #ThisIsAmerica, a provocative three-part documentary series about racism and the diverse American experience. Nydia co-anchors 6abc Action News Sundays and is the station’s consumer investigative reporter. She gets real results for Action News viewers by troubleshooting issues and exposing scams as well as dangerous products.
Nydia is also committed to using her platform to uplift, empower, and give voice to traditionally underrepresented, marginalized groups. She is the recipient of the Pearl S. Buck International Woman of Influence award, NAAAP Inspire Award, and Global Voice Award from the World Woman Summit.  She was also named "Outstanding Ally" of Diversity and Inclusion by the Philadelphia Inquirer.  
She graduated from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University and her career has taken her to television stations in Idaho, Oklahoma City, and Texas. Nydia is on the community advisory board for the Asian American Women’s Coalition. She is also passionate about raising awareness and desperately needed funds for lung cancer research in memory of her mother. She enjoys good food, wine, and most of all a good laugh. And she is trying really, really hard to teach her two young children to speak Korean.
In today’s episode, Nydia will talk about her journey to becoming who she is today. She is also discusses on the importance of moving in to share in other people’s experiences.
Listen in!
 
Social media
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nydiahan/
Three factors really compelled me to pursue journalism and first, I've always loved to write. [3:40]
My parents instilled in me the importance of a life of service, and I believe strongly that we as journalists really serve our communities. [3:47]
Number three, I've always been passionate about justice and particularly racial justice. [3:53]
I originally wanted to write long form magazine pieces but then I did an internship at a television station and ended up catching the TV bug. [4:22]
I was mesmerized by the power of moving pictures and sound and the immediacy of television news, because this was at a time when you had to wait overnight to get your news and print. [4:31]
I was in Pocatello in south eastern Idaho and it was a great learning experience where those things that I learned have really stuck with me and helped me become the journalist that I am today. [5:26]
When I'm writing, I am thinking about the pictures that we have, how our editor will be able to piece this together and cover what I'm saying. [7:44]
People have no idea how much happens behind the scenes and I have great respect for our producers, editors or photographers. [8:56]
Commercial break. [10:12]
I have always been a proud Asian American so my mission is to amplify our experience and share what it means to be an Asian American. [12:01]
When I was a little girl, very few people looked like me in my neighborhood and I was proud to share the culture and traditions and foods of my ancestors with my friends and people I knew. [12:13]
As I got older, I started noticing discrimination and I became able to identify and label racism for what it was. [13:06]
My desire to amplify the Asian American experience and change the AAPI stereotype and the ways in which we are very much wrongly perceived really grew. [13:15]
My professional work to combat anti Asian hate began when a driver yelled “this is America at me”, and I responded to her in a live Facebook video that went viral. [13:25]
That sent me on a path to really speak out and stand up for Asian Americans where I really just wanted to tell stories in the hopes that we can be seen for who we are. [13:53]
The anti Asian hate we've seen amid the pandemic has made it crystal clear to the wider public how important this work is. [14:19]
This is not just about Asian Americans, it is about how we as humans default to hate anytime we're afraid or uncertain and that really hurts our entire society. [14:31]
I think that my response to her taught me something about myself where I also realized that I have some of my own work to do. [15:41]
If I'm going to challenge people to look at themselves, I needed to sort of confront some of the biases that I myself have. [15:40]
I am so happy with all of the shows and movies and podcasts that are coming out that help us all move in. [18:23]
The more we can do to move in to get to know each other’s experiences so that we don’t see people as generalizations or stereotypes but just as individual human beings. [18:39]
This not just about being Asian American, I really try to do this for every group that I think is traditionally unknown or misunderstood. [18:54]
A lot of people are familiar with that Martin Luther King Jr. Quote, injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. [19:11]
In this age we have all these ways to connect yet we seem more disconnected than ever before. [20:40]
I just ask people to share their knowledge and share who they are to help others move in. [20:48]
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Thank you to our December sponsor!  KukuaBiz can provide dedicated and affordable talent from Kenya to help you grow and scale your business. Virtual employees are skilled in administrative functions, sales, podcast management, video editing, marketing, social media marketing, website design and management, and more.
Learn more: https://www.kukuabiz.com

The TRIP Technique - Keith Renninson

“You start to inspire people by them relating to what they can see in themselves from what you've experienced.” Keith Renninson
The most rewarding times in life are those that challenge us the most. Those that force us get deep inside ourselves and discover some of the strengths that we never knew existed within. Our guest today, Keith Renninson, went through such an experience when he got lost while in a hiking trip and it ended up changing his life for the better.
Keith is a Colorado native obtaining his CFP from the College for Financial Planning in 1989.  His education was spread out over several decades with two years in the Army with a tour in the Vietnam War.
His new award-winning book “Tenacity: You Don’t Have to Get Lost in Nepal to Find Yourself, But it Helps!” is based on the second trip when he traveled alone and got lost for a few days in the Himalayas. He developed his TRIP Technique System from his book and has been giving in-person, virtual & hybrid meetings to excited audiences since.  Recently, Keith developed his TRIP Technique Assessment which scores individuals on their strengths and weaknesses at tenacity, resilience, imagination, and purpose (TRIP)
Keith has been well known for his car & bike racing, love of skiing and as an amateur photographer.  He began his speaking career in 2013 in Toastmasters, then joined his local chapter of the National Speaking Association where he served as the Secretary/ VP of Operations for four years.
In today’s episode, Keith will talk about his journey in the military and how one hiking trip changed his life forever.
Listen in!
 
Contacts
www.thetriptechnique.com
I was drafted in 1969 and I went to basic training in Fort Lewis Washington, where I took a whole battery of tests like everybody does to figure out what your military occupation is going to be. [3:24]
I was posted to Fort Hood, Texas to work on civilian made weapons which I did testing in the prairies of Texas, before they actually released them out into the military. [3:37]
I ended up going to Vietnam after about seven months and once again in the top secret clearance facility where I was gathering information. [4:54]
My two years in the service taught me a multitude of things which included working within a team and rising to leadership. [5:30]
Once I got out of the army, I wanted to be a leader with whatever I did, which was sometimes pushy and sometimes it was fun. [5:56]
The army also taught me really good communication skills, because you've got to be very accurate in what you talk about in the military. [6:11]
I was an insurance agent and a financial planner for 42 years and that's where I guess I gained all of that tenacity to be an independent person and have my own business. [6:27]
I got my trekking permit in Katmandu canceled due to unfavorable weather and I had to redesign the trip. [8:46]
I ended up going into an area that I had not researched and within about four or five hours of starting that trek, my equipment stopped working and I got lost. [9:08]
I meditated and journaled each day and I started to looking at my life and writing what I wanted to do when I got home. [9:34]
After I retired, I started to do what I wrote down I'm now doing exactly what I wrote down in my journal while I was lost, which was become an author and a public speaker. [9:52]
I love telling stories and I can see them going through my head as I'm telling them and reliving them and the excitement builds back up inside of me. [11:35]
I probably exude that from the stage and it's just one of those things where you start to inspire people by them relating to what they can see in themselves from what you've experienced. [11:43]
I researched and came up with how I could take my speaking to the next level and what I could do that was different. [14:19]
Trip technique assessment helps people learn their strengths and weaknesses in tenacity, resilience, imagination and purpose. [14:47]
Commercial Break. [15:34]
The military teaches you discipline, having a hierarchy and understanding how the ranks work and how you could work with them. [17:07]
I came home in the 1971 and the hippie era was still going on and I ended up for a while being a disc jockey at night and a discotheque. [17:50]
It was a lot of fun to be able to work during the day as a banker during the daytime and a disc jockey at night. [18:05]
I wanted to be able to be disciplined enough to have those areas of my life very distinctly purposed, and do them on purpose so that I could really come out with what I wanted on the other end. [18:25]
Both jobs ironically prepared me for what I doing now. [18:36]
It was a tough time to come back from Vietnam because we were not liked as soldiers in those days. [20:22]
We were proud of our service and what we had accomplished and so it was something I came home with and felt good about it but I couldn't feel good about it publicly. [20:41]
I had my own kind of problems that came out of it and I had a long battle with hyperventilating whenever I got in a stressful situation and I actually went sought some help out. [22:07]
Be kind to your soldiers as they come home and as they suffer now a little bit because of the feelings left after Afghanistan. [23:59]
We need to recognize that that tour of duty that they all did and the results that we all were blessed with. [24:16]
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Thank you to our November Sponsor: Entrepreneur’s Guide to Financial Well-Being or Wayne Titus
Imagine starting a long journey without a map…or even a clear idea of the obstacles ahead. That’s exactly what it’s like for entrepreneurs who start companies with a lot of passion, but without the financial expertise to grow and scale their businesses and create long-term wealth for their families.
 Wayne Titus shows you how to find a financial adviser who can help you map a better journey. In his book, The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Financial Well-Being.  With the right adviser at your side, you’ll have the freedom to focus on what really matters to you.
Get The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Financial Well-Being at Amazon.com and in the virtual bookstore on the Shock Your Potential app.

Hero Media Group - Adam Bird

“Every good leader is a good follower and every good leader listens to their people.” Adam Bird
Often people are faced with circumstances where they have to make tough decisions that have profound effect on their lives and the lives of those around them. As our guest today, Adam Bird says, such decisions are never easy to make, having been faced with the question of whether to stay working in the military or leave to be a dad to his son.  According to Adam, the ability to identify the right decision within a given time and it’s outcomes in the long term is very important not only career wise, but also in business.   
Adam Bird, founder and CEO of Heroes Media Group LLC, is a seasoned, serial entrepreneur and leader in building companies, educating, training and mentoring and empowering teams to success. Bird's career has been centered around serving America's Community Heroes for more than a decade, including Military, Veterans, Firefighters, First Responders, Law Enforcement, Educators, Medical Professionals, and Clergy.
While he has primarily focused his attention on HMG's media platforms, he saw an opportunity to expand into the beverage market this year. For the past two years HMG had a coffee blend called Heroes United. When he saw an opportunity to leverage these products as a way to give back, he took that opportunity to launch an entirely new business venture. HMG Beverage LLC launched in November 2020, the week of Thanksgiving. He started with five blends, and soon will be offering other beverage options, with a portion of every purchase donated to charity.
In today’s episode, Adam will talk about his journey being in the military and how his experiences have helped him in his entrepreneurial journey.
Listen in!
Social Media Links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mradambird/ 
https://www.heroesmediagroup.com 
https://hmgbeverage.com 
https://www.facebook.com/heroesmediagrp 
https://www.instagram.com/heroesmediagrp/ 
https://www.instagram.com/hmgbeverage 
I started in the military where I joined the Army National Guard out of high school. [2:17]
I did join the National Guard and did that for about nine years and had several jobs in between that I was primarily a truck driver. [2:30]
In 2003 my unit got deployed for the initial push into Iraq and I spent some time overseas and got out of the military in 2007. [3:03]
It was it was a hard decision but the best decision I made and I absolutely loved my time with the military. [3:41]
The things that I learned gave me confidence that I could really do anything I put my mind to. [3:57]
Being in the National Guard opened up a lot of other opportunities for me where I worked with the guard for several years and also got to see the world. [5:46]
For me, being in the guard meant I got to enjoy the best of both world and nothing like the fulltime active duty. [6:32]
I'm a serial entrepreneur where I got to have my hands on a lot of different things. [7:29]
I started a company called Heroes Media Group which we are celebrating our six years under this brand. [7:44]
Prior to that I had another business that was focusing just on vets and from the response, I decided to create a company that focused on veterans. [7:52]
Three and a half years later, we decided go our separate ways and I created what is now Heroes Media Group. [8:34]
It wasn't just focusing on Veterans, but I wanted to create a thing for community heroes as a whole and now we help people start their podcasts as well as manage for them. [8:41]
We started a publishing arm a couple years ago and so now we also do audio books and we help people publish their manuscripts into self published books as well. [9:06]
We have a transcription department that we work with a lot of clients across the country as well. [9:19]
Last year, I decided to start a beverage company because that just seemed like a really good idea at the time. [9:33]
I had a coffee blend for many years with a roaster who was good friend of mine who called me up and asked if I wanted to expand my line and now we have six different blends. [10:05]
We have also expanded into the alcohol business and now have three spirits, two Bourbons, a gin, and then we're working on a couple other that I cannot mention right now. [10:46]
Commercial break. [11:33]
I think the biggest thing that service helped me is with my confidence and leadership as well as how to work with people from all different backgrounds. [12:41]
More importantly, it has taught me that I don't have to be the one to get me to where I want to go, I can put people in those places that do it better than me. [13:34]
Every good leader is a good follower and every good leader listens to their people. [15:01]
As I was growing my companies I didn't go out and get sponsors because I kind of wanted to do this on my own and for the longest time my pride did get in the way. [15:08]
I'm growing something that I want to last and I want to find the people that want to see the vision and want to be a part of that and eventually take over my job. [15:30]
I wanted to do an old prohibition brandy and we're still working on that maybe someday. [18:49]
We just started the gin line this past January in we've already sold out our first 160 bottles of gin that we had and we got another 1200 that are getting ready to be bottled. [19:44]
We had a straight bourbon whiskey that we only do 100 bottles a year, very limited edition and then we have a bourbon blend that's getting ready to come out [19:59]
Those of you that are out there that have thought about doing something and creating your own business and for some reason haven’t, take that first step. [21:14]
You're going to fall and get hurt, bumps and bruises, but you will be happy that you took that first step. [21:33]
…………………………………….
Thank you to our November Sponsor: Entrepreneur’s Guide to Financial Well-Being or Wayne Titus
Imagine starting a long journey without a map…or even a clear idea of the obstacles ahead. That’s exactly what it’s like for entrepreneurs who start companies with a lot of passion, but without the financial expertise to grow and scale their businesses and create long-term wealth for their families.
 Wayne Titus shows you how to find a financial adviser who can help you map a better journey. In his book, The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Financial Well-Being.  With the right adviser at your side, you’ll have the freedom to focus on what really matters to you.
Get The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Financial Well-Being at Amazon.com and in the virtual bookstore on the Shock Your Potential app.