Shock Your Potential

An Optimist’s Approach to Leadership - Colonel Rob Campbell, Retired

In today’s episode, Rob talks to us about his career, overcoming organizational challenges and bringing about change. His goal is to help people be optimistic and be positive about their lives.  Listen in as he walks us through his successes, failures, and lessons that he has learned along the way. 
Rob Campbell is a husband, father, author, and entrepreneur.  Rob began a career in the Army as an infantry officer in 1990.  He served in a variety of command and staff positions in a career spanning 27 years.  His culminating assignment was command of an infantry brigade in the 101st Airborne Division. 
Rob retired in 2016, wrote a book on leadership and founded his own speaking and consulting business. 
Read Rob’s books;
It’s Personal, Not Personnel: Leadership Lessons For The Battlefield And The Boardroom (https://amzn.to/3dLzMLH)
At Ease: Enjoying The Freedom You Fought For -- A Soldier's Story And Perspectives On The Journey To An Encore Life And Career(https://amzn.to/3gdBQ0u)
 
More on Rob on his website https://www.robcampbellleadership.com
His social handles;
https://www.facebook.com/robcampbellleadership/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-campbell-361757b6/
https://www.instagram.com/robcampbell_leadership/

Being Open to Mental Health - Jon McLane

Our guest today shares his compelling story of transition from the Army to homelessness and now to his true calling as the Founder of Veteran Rescue Mission.
 
Paster Jon McLane joined the Army at 18, right after 9/11, and was sent directly to Iraq. As a 4th generation military member, Jon felt that he initially transitioned easily from military to civilian life. But 5 years later he experienced a mental break which lead to homelessness, and in those years, he also found that he could help other vets while also helping himself.
 
Today Jon runs a tiny house village and transition center for veterans to help connect them with housing. Listen in to his story today!
 
Listen In!!
Find Jon on his Social Media 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-mclane-29497b30/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/OccupyOurLand
FB: https://www.facebook.com/Jon.McLane.for.Tucson  
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jonmclane/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/OccupyPublicLand  
 

Reinvent U - Demika Jackson

Would you give up 3 full-ride scholarships to pursue a career in the military? Demika Jackson did just that. When an Army recruiter came by to talk with a family member who wasn’t home yet, Demika talked to him instead, and ended up changing her life trajectory dramatically.
The military had its tough times, especially being one of only 2 women in her unit while stationed in Kuwait, but it also afforded her many blessings, including the ability to raise her daughter and 3 sisters, and learning incredible skills like computer hacking!
A US Army War Veteran and now Chief Executive Officer of ReInVentU, LLC, Demika assists veteran and nonprofit organizations with strategic planning, organizational development, professional and grant writing services to increase sustainability. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Armstrong Atlantic State University and currently pursuing her Masters in Business Administration and Masters in Psychology. She is a certified trainer within a variety of disciplines to include over 15+ years of experience within nonprofit, military operations, leadership development and training, sexual assault prevention, mental health and program development. 
Her background includes working within diverse populations to include the military and multicultural communities. She has experience in providing education as a Dean of Students, advocacy as a Sexual Assault Response Coordinator and Department of Defense Mobile Training Consultant, mental health services as a Clinical Program Coordinator and additional programs to assist communities in thriving. She serves on several boards to include the Mayor’s Commission on the Status of Women, Mayor’s Hispanic American Advisory Board, The Mission Continues, the Annie Ruth Foundation to name a few and several veteran organizations.
Learn More:
https://reinventullc.org

The Honor In Pitching a Tent - Maceo Jourdan

Is there honor in putting up a tent? Our guest today says, absolutely. When you put forth your very best effort, no matter the job, you have truly shocked your potential.
Maceo Jourdan began his career at 17 in the army, with high hopes of becoming a Green Beret. Although that goal was left unrealized, his experiences in the military shaped his tenacity and zeal for his professional goals, personally, and for his clients. In this episode he shares numerous life lessons from his time in the military, with humor, respect, and reflection.
Today Maceo is a serial entrepreneur with two decades of building businesses by creating great products and great marketing. His experience spans a wildly eclectic mix of practical real-world experience from the US Army to the cut-throat world of electronic trading. An early pioneer in computerized trading, Maceo built one of the earliest high-frequency trading systems for the S&P 500. When "pay per click" marketing platforms burst on the scene he translated his work into massively successful automated systems for Google and, later, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Learn more about Maceo today
WWW.MACEOJOURDAN.COM
HTTP://LINKEDIN.COM/IN/MACEOJOURDAN

#BeAsBuilt - Ricky Higby

Building respect and resilience through oration is what our guest today is all about. Ricky Higby spent 26 years in the Air Force, and today his goal is to obliterate behaviors such as suicide, bullying, domestic violence, sexual assault, sexual harassment, self-harm, inequality, & discrimination while enabling individuals to be their best self, to #BeAsBuilt. 
In today’s episode Ricky talks about the privilege of selfless service in the military, the opportunities of traveling the world and having adventures such as hang gliding in the Swiss Alps, and the importance of being intentional in all that you do. Ricky also shares a deeply personal and tragic story of loss of his first wife to suicide and how that fuels his work today. But through it all he found unwavering community in the military and is honored to have served.
Ricky has 24 years of leadership experience with over 10 of those years consisting of teaching and writing on the art and science of leadership.  He is a John Maxwell Certified Speaker, Trainer and Coach, a Violence Prevention Educator, a Resilience Trainer and a Temperament Discovery Facilitator.  He has been speaking, teaching and training for over 15 years from Africa and Brazil to Germany and Japan as well as throughout the US.
Listen in!
 
You can follow Ricky on social media; 
www.linkedin.com/in/ricky-higby
https://www.facebook.com/BeAsBuilt/
https://www.facebook.com/rehigby/
https://twitter.com/rehigby 
www.instagram.com/rehigby/
http://beasbuilt.business.site/
https://beasbuilt.blogspot.com/
http://rehigby.wordpress.com
https://www.speakersbase.com/ricky-higby
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDcxMV1gpUse4savXc2rw9w
 

It's Fine. I'm Fine. Everything is Fine. - Jessica Manfre

She might not have known what the Coast Guard was when she met her future husband, but 16 years, 9 moves and 2 children later, she does now. Our guest today is Jessica Manfre, spouse to an active-duty Coast Guardsman.
In today’s episode Jessica shares the joys, stresses, and pride of being a military spouse, talking especially about how she keeps connected to friends around the globe no matter where she and her husband are stationed. She also gives us important insight the struggles of military spouses regarding unemployment and under-employment.
Jessica Manfre is an author and freelance writer for multiple publications, provides telehealth therapy for children and families for a small nonprofit, and is the co-founder and CFO of Inspire Up, a 501c3 nonprofit promoting global generosity and kindness through education, empowerment and community building.
Listen in:
Social media handles:
Facebook: @JessicaManfreLMSW
Instagram: @Jess_Manfre
Twitter: @JessicaManfre
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jessicamanfre
http://www.inspireupfoundation.org
 

From Army Sergeant to Sales Trainer - Bill Kurzeja

Bill Kurzeja began his career in the United States Army where he learned discipline and the importance of strict attention to detail. Over the next 8 years he made his way up the ranks to sergeant where he learned not only leadership, but also the importance of clear, effective communication in training. This made his next move as he transitioned out of the military in 2001 obvious; he would enter the retail automotive industry.
Beginning as a salesperson, Bill quickly rose through the ranks through finance, into sales manager, and finally into the GSM and GM positions.
Today Bill is the Owner and Founder of Professional Success South, a professional sales training and business consulting firm. Bill now follows his passion in training and coaching, specializing in the basics of communication and how paying attention to details will build a strong foundation. He is always working to bring knowledge to as many people as possible whether through his clients, on social media, or through his weekly Podcast, Get Focused with Bill K and Gina Faye.
Currently, Bill has begun training to become a triathlete and is on a mission to become the number one ranked member of his age group despite not knowing how to swim when he first began training!
Listen in as Bill talks about what he loved and learned in his military career as well as the challenges he and his family faced when he transitioned into civilian life. His open and honest discussion will strike a chord with listeners, reminding us about the important lessons in life that got us all to where we are today.
Find more about Bill:
Get In Touch With Bill:
Website: https://professionalsuccesssouth.com/
Phone: 310-213-5093
Email: billk@professionalsuccesssouth.comLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-kurzeja/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/billk95
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bill.kurzeja.3

100 Years of DAV - Rob Lougee

Join us today as we kick off a month-long series honoring and learning from American Veterans and their families. We begin by speaking with long-term Shock Your Potential friend, Rob Lougee, Assistant National Employment Director for DAV (Disabled American Veterans).
 
Rob E. Lougee, a service-connected disabled veteran of the Persian Gulf War, was appointed Assistant National Employment Director for the more than 1 million-member DAV in March 21, 2016. From the DAV National Headquarters located in Cold Spring, Kentucky, Mr. Lougee manages special employment initiatives and works with private and public sector entities to develop and build partnerships to address joblessness and underemployment, as well as facilitate job fairs and lead efforts to connect veterans and transitioning service members to employers.
 
A Boston native, Mr. Lougee enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1983 and served until 1992 in the First Armored and First Calvary Divisions, attaining the rank of specialist. His awards included the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Southwest Asia Medal with three bronze stars and the Kuwait Liberation Medal.
Today we talk about the amazing 100 years of DAV, some of the milestones during those first 100 years, and the many resources this dedicated organization offers its members.
 
Learn More:
https://www.dav.org

Are You Ready To Be Your Own Boss? - Lance Graulich

Do you dream of being your own boss? If yes, then our guest today can help you find your perfect business. Lance Graulich is the founder & CEO of ION Franchising, an industry leading franchise consulting and development group, that represents over 500 franchise brands & business opportunities within 90 categories. Lance helps prospective entrepreneurs find their perfect franchise for FREE. He also assists independent business owners in creating a franchise system.
 
In today’s episode we learn about how he started his career on Wall Street, later helped grow a TGI Fridays franchise to more than a $225,000,000 organization, became a multi-unit, multi-state franchisee of Wingstop and Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, founded the donut chain called Pinkbox in Las Vegas, has recently launched a bakery project with a Food Network star, and is now known as the industry-leading donut expert.
 
Listen in!
 
CONNECT WITH LANCE GRAULICH
702-682-7173
lance@franmore.com
ionfranchising.com
 

Don't Take Your Foot Off The Pedal - Connie Diforo

Would you leave your home and everyone you know to travel across the world to pursue your dreams? Our guest today did just that! Connie Diforo is a self-taught designer based in Boston who learned to sew using her grandmother's Singer sewing machine in Botswana.
In today’s episode we learn about her life-long passion for fashion, her journey to America, and her current mission to help rebuild her church in Botswana. Her now 99-year-old grandmother sparks her desire to save the important historical church and brings back loving memories of getting “all dolled up” to go to church.
Connie’s designs are greatly inspired by her traditional life back in her home country. She loves to blend German print fabrics with modern ideas when creating her functional pieces. Her designs, have been featured in many fashion shows including Fashionably Late at the Liberty Hotel, Boston, Excessive Fashion, Boston Fashion Week and NY fashion week for EPN magazine. Diforo also hosts Fashion Tv in Boston for BNN.
 
Listen in!
 
Social media handles
https://www.facebook.com/connie.diforo
https://www.instagram.com/conniebosslady/
 
OR
https://www.facebook.com/Mesese-Designs-by-Diforo-1417053021848923/
Instagram: @mesese