How do you rate yourself as a negotiator? Do you negotiate as if your life depends on it? Today's special guest is an expert negotiator, and he shares negotiation tips that we can all use in our business and our lives. We learn how Chris became a negotiator, the four steps to negotiation, how these same principles can be applied in business, and more.

Chris Voss is a 24-year FBI veteran and was the lead international kidnapping negotiator when he retired. He is the author of the national bestseller Never Split The Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It. He is now the CEO of The Black Swan Group where he specializes in solving business communication problems using hostage negotiation solutions.

Show Notes

• [03:13] Chris was originally on the SWAT team and he liked crisis response. He likes it when people have to make up their minds and make a decision.
• [03:40] He had a knee injury, but he still wanted to be in crisis response,so he decided to become a hostage negotiator.
• [04:23] Talking to people can be hard and Chris had to take a deep in-depth dive. He also had to volunteer on a suicide hotline to hone his emotional intelligence skills.
• [04:44] He realized that empathy could be a played in hostage negotiation and in everyday life.
• [05:22] Chris and the FBI started using empathy and emotional intelligence in bargaining in hostage negotiations. This was a shift from the FBI previous tactics.
• [06:08] The active use of emotional intelligence changed everything in bargaining.
• [06:34] Understanding doesn't have to equate to agreement.
• [07:48] You can also shift confrontation, so it's not confrontational.
• [08:07] Mirroring for hostage negotiators is just repeating the last three words of what someone has said. This actually creates a powerful connection in people's heads and they say more.
• [09:16] Criminals like everyone else want to relax and have a good time on Saturday night. By being patient they would frequently settle negotiations on Saturday morning.
• [09:47] The four steps to negotiations. Use the late night FM DJ voice. Start with I'm sorry. Mirror. At least four seconds of silence to let the mirror work it's magic. Repeat.
• [10:33] Everything is learned it's just that some people put their 10,000 hours in before others.
• [11:33] There is nothing wrong with I'm sorry. It's the context. It's a great warning device.
• [13:04] Mirror the last three words. People will expand.
• [14:32] The difference between you are right and that's right.
• [15:55] Show that you understand and summarize the perspective and get to that's right.
• [16:45] We negotiate five or six times a day, especially with commitments of time.
• [18:33] Some people want silence so they can think, but others think of it as an interpretation of anger. If you treat people the way you want to be treated you are wrong 2/3 of the time.
• [19:51] Emotional intelligence is unlimited all you really have to do is try.
• [23:00] Chris is a regular guy. He's from a basic blue collar culture. He knew he wanted to go into law enforcement when he was 16, but he just envisioned himself at the police department.
• [24:36] He was attracted to the big city environment and Kansas City. He was also in New York City for 14 years.
• [25:06] Managing stress comes down to attitude. The difference between ordeal and adventure is mindset.
• [27:19] Chris shares a hostage situation in Harlem. He practiced one-way dialogue. Calling out negative emotions diffuses them. Eventually, after 6 hours of no response the suspects came out.
• [31:05] Chris has learned that he loves helping people make great deals. He has an impact and it is ongoing.
• [31:58] They have a strategy of calling out all of the negatives that the other party may be feeling. This is called an accusations audit.
• [33:20] One of Chris's colleagues turned the tables on him.
• [34:32] Chris's biggest influences in life were his father and his mother.
• [35:54] Both of Chris's parents were entrepreneurs, and he always knew he wanted to be an entrepreneur.
• [36:36] He has close colleagues, and his family is involved, and he's helping the people who work with him.
• [37:18] To be a good entrepreneur you need a team.
• [39:04] Let the other side go first. Hear them out. Never be so right that you won't go for something better.

Links and Resources:

• Never Split The Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It
• @VossNegotiation on Twitter
• Chris Voss on Facebook
• Chris Voss on LinkedIn
• The Black Swan Group
• @BlackSwanGrp on Twitter
• The Black Swan Group on Facebook
• The Talent Code: Greatness Isn't Born. It's Grown. Here's How.
• Text FBIEmpathy to 22828 to sign up to Chris’s newsletter.

Alessandra Maderni is the co-founder and CEO of Shipsomnia a music festival cruise. Take a look at the Shipsomnia photo gallery to really get an idea of what that means. She is also a shrewd business woman who launched the floating music festival with $350K in seed money and turned that into $4.4 million in sales with projected sales of $50 million by 2020.

We talk about what Shipsomnia is and how it creates an immersive experience. Alessandra shares her background in marketing and branding. Her positivity and enthusiasm are contagious. We talk about whether passion can be taught and what to look for when building a team. Alessandra also closes with her top advice for launching a large business venture.

Show Notes

• [03:29] Shipsomnia is the first fully themed music festival cruise with the world's biggest production at sea.
• [03:47] It's the ultimate vacation experience driven by disruptive content. They are blending the film industry with themed custom travel in a cruise format.
• [04:07] The end goal is to become a floating theme park. Kind of like a Disney for adults and millennials.
• [04:21] They create motion picture content that tells a story and then translate it into an immersive experience for the guest.
• [04:41] They are providing the legends of the Seas from a steampunk perspective.
• [04:55] It's an epic voyage into culture and places. It's an experience in science and technology.
• [05:57] Alessandra ran a nightclub in Thailand, and she discovered that she loved creating themed events.
• [06:54] Shipsomnia has enabled Alessandra to combine all of her passions in one huge masterpiece.
• [07:38] Alessandra discovered that she had a unique skill for handling pressure.
• [08:01] Shipsomnia is an expensive production. You have to Charter a cruise ship, create a massive production, and book top musical artists.
• [08:31] She was able to bootstrap sales with her skill in marketing.
• [10:06] At the seed stage, proving concept is a challenge. The new challenge now is scaling the business.
• [10:42] Mistakes can be your biggest assets at the end of the day.
• [12:11] Some issues that Alessandra encountered at the beginning included their server crashing because of going viral and payment issues because of overseas and US payments.
• [13:19] The concept of Shipsomnia transcends all cultures. They are rewriting the legends of the sea.
• [14:52] For the market that they are targeting, they only advertise online. 100% social.
• [17:07] What drives sales is the disruptive content and the storytelling.
• [18:27] They had to coordinate with cruise line staff to make the events happen.
• [22:39] Alessandra's strengths are branding and marketing.
• [23:19] She has a co-founder who is great at operations.
• [25:20] When finding team members, Alessandra always looks for passion. People who have true passion for the brand always over-deliver.
• [26:23] Passion can't be taught.
• [29:54] Alessandra likes to think big. She loves the challenge and it keeps life interesting.
• [30:22] It's easier to think big, because people like to invest in large projects.
• [31:33] Looking back, sometimes it surprises Alessandra that she is an entrepreneur. It's possible she got the bug from her grandfather.
• [34:47] Having a positive mindset at all times helps overcome obstacles.
• [37:57] Live the journey is a message that is really dear to Alessandra's heart.
• [40:01] When starting a business do your homework and do as much research as possible. The more prepared you are the better off you will be. Have the courage to jump.
• [40:44] Be flexible. Be able to pivot. Learn your strengths and weaknesses. Then keep on knocking on the right doors.

Links and Resources:

• Shipsomnia
• Shipsomnia on Instagram
• Shipsomnia on Facebook
• @Shipsomnia on Twitter
• Alessandra Maderni on LinkedIn
• Ale@madfreshentertainment.com

Leadership can make or break a team. Today, we dive into the secrets of brave leadership with actress, speaker, and author Kimberly Davis. Kimberly has led cross-cultural workshops throughout the world. She is a TEDx speaker and an expert on authentic leadership. She is the author of the book Brave Leadership, and she is here to share her message of personal power, authenticity, and courageous leadership.

We talk about how teaching leaders stage presence evolved into teaching brave and authentic leadership. Technology and the work culture has changed so much in the past decade, and we are asking more than ever of team members. To really relate and find that passion, joy, and loyalty in your team or coworkers, you really need to connect to people at the heart level. We talk about this and more in this episode.

Show Notes

• [03:37] As a child Kimberly was fearless, when she went to her first theater audition she suddenly discovered what fear was. Through her theater training, she learned to work through nervousness.
• [05:17] When she entered the corporate world, she started studying her colleagues and leaders to discover what was getting in their way or blocking their path to success.
• [05:37] She discovered that some of the things that got in her way as an actor were also getting in the way of these people in corporate America.
• [06:06] When she realized the human connection and that there were tools in the theater that can help people in corporate America, she started applying these principles.
• [06:16] She launched her business on stage leadership about 12 years ago.
• [06:21] She developed a leadership program based on theater.
• [08:14] She did a test program and discovered that this was the work of her life and what she was meant to do.
• [08:38] She started writing her book 5 years ago.
• [09:18] Being who you are powerfully in this world is the bravest thing that you can do. She discovered she was teaching brave leadership not onstage leadership skills.
• [10:10] We all have the ability to be brave leaders. It's about showing up in the world in a way that people want to engage, listen, and invest in what you're doing.
• [11:13] A big part of the book is why a new kind of leadership matters now. The world has really transformed since 2008. There's been an explosion in technology and we are asking more people than ever before.
• [11:49] The old standard command-and-control leadership is just not getting the results that we need.
• [11:59] We have to connect to people's hearts to get to Passion, joy, and loyalty.
• [12:21] People connect to people. They need to see who you are as a human being. That's a vulnerable place to be in the workplace.
• [13:21] Bravery unfolds one situation at a time.
• [14:25] We have to surround ourselves with people who are focused on growing and learning and being better.
• [16:10] One of the biggest barriers to being brave is where we focus our attention.
• [17:20] Focus on fear is the problem.
• [19:28] Impacts live in action.
• [20:13] Are you genuine, worthy of trust, reliance, and belief? You don't get to decide if you're authentic. It's the people you lead and influence who get to decide.
• [21:00] It's how other people experience you. And that is what gives you access.
• [21:20] Being who you are powerfully and then layer in the action that you want to take.
• [23:09] Focusing on danger and pain can be your biggest barrier to brave. What you need is an alternate focus.
• [24:35] Successful actors were differentiated by their focus of attention. They focused on making an impact on someone or something on the stage with them.
• [25:25] Harnessing your attention on purposeful action will completely transcend your performance.
• [26:41] We are all far more brave than we know. It's our focus of attention that makes the difference in how we show up in the world. How we show up in the world is what makes the results.
• [27:40] Presence begins with being present.
• [29:06] Impact lives in the eye of the beholder. Whether or not you achieve your super objective is up to them.
• [30:23] Think about how the other person feels.
• [30:58] Kimberly has learned that she is incredibly human but also better than she knows.
• [31:29] Taking focused action and one step at a time is what really changes your game.
• [31:52] Take your life one situation at a time and focus on the impact you want to have.
• [32:23] If you're not bringing mindfulness, focusing on impact, and looking from the other person's lens you are going to mess up.
• [34:14] Bring your best self now and try to do better in the next situation. Don't beat yourself up.
• [35:13] Vulnerability is our biggest barrier and our biggest breakthrough to brave.
• [38:05] Your super objective is what drives you and get you out of bed in the morning. For Kimberly, it's connecting people to the best of who they are.
• [41:54] Give yourself permission to be who you are. Know that who you truly are is enough.

Links and Resources:

• Brave Leadership: Unleash Your Most Confident, Powerful, and Authentic Self to Get the Results You Need
• Authentic Leadership: Rediscovering the Secrets to Creating Lasting Value
• Onstage Leadership
• Brave Leadership
• @OnStageKimberly on Twitter
• Kimberly Davis on LinkedIn
• Kimberly Davis Facebook

We've reached our 200th episode. For this Women Worldwide show, the tables are turned and my coach, Dolores Hirschmann, is interviewing me. So, I'm in the "hot seat." I share who I am. What I do. And what Dolores calls getting under the script of Deirdre.

Dolores is a friend and a coach who focuses on effective public speaking whether the focus is growth or improved communication. She believes in people and ideas and emphasizes clarity in communication.

She has a background in academic business, and entrepreneurship. As well as being the East Coast TEDx organizer and an executive coach.

Today’s Episode:

Show Notes

• [03:04] Deirdre teaches on LinkedIn learning, and she has written multiple books. She is also the voice of reason behind many brands and has helped them articulate their message.
• [03:40] Deirdre is in the business of storytelling and relationship-building.
• [03:46] She has been helping businesses and business executives find their voice, elevate their brand, and most of all to be recognized.
• [04:04] Deirdre has always focused on building relationships around your passion. She is happiest when working with professionals who love to amplify their purpose. It all starts with finding your voice.
• [04:30] She owned an agency for 14 years. Now she has a communications consulting practice. She finds voices, raises them up, and creates impact and makes a difference.
• [05:08] Taking care of messaging is what helps position you. It's how you create authority and build your reputation.
• [07:38] It's okay for an executive not to have all of the answers. You can get the information as things unfold. It's good to stay authentic.
• [08:56] A lot of what Deirdre does is to help corporations think and things that we do naturally in business.
• [10:44] Women worldwide is about the same things but also about how you feel. Do you have fear? Do you have empathy? Are you true to your ethics? Do you have love? Breaking the gap between think and FEEL.
• [12:06] Bringing think and feel together could change the world.
• [13:35] The FEEL model starts with your employees and showing it. It comes down to balancing your emotions and EQ.
• [14:38] It looks like giving people credit when credit is due. And not having to be the smartest person in the room. It's opening up your own frame of reference from different perspectives.
• [17:09] Deirdre stepped out of her comfort zone and helped someone who came out of prison but really wanted to do the right thing. He used his voice to help people be in compliance.
• [17:57] They rebuilt his brand through social media and the content that he created us blogger. He actually went from prison card to MasterCard and is doing a training series with MasterCard.
• [19:51] Dolores shares how Deirdre is a magical woman, because she can help create new stories.
• [21:28] Trust your gut and get out of your comfort zone even if you are scared.
• [24:15] When Deirdre was young, she wanted to be a veterinarian.
• [25:28] Her parents were a big influence on her and she wanted to be an educator. Now she is an educator. She has courses, mentors, and writes books.
• [27:05] Beneath the script is an awakening after the death of her daughter. She is being very present and not taking anything for granted. Cherish the moment more.
• [30:54] Self-care is crucial. She can go on autopilot if she lets herself. That is a recipe for complete burnout.
• [32:23] We need self-care refueling and balancing. Deirdre carves time out for herself everyday. She also read The Miracle Morning.
• [32:18] She follows the SAVERS program which is silence, affirmations, visualization, exercise, reading, and scribing. You can do it all in 6 minutes, take however long you need, or split it up.
• [32:58] She does the program every morning for 30 minutes to an hour. She even gets up earlier if she has to to refocus and center. Meditation helps to handle challenges and bring yourself back to your center.
• [33:50] To amplify your passion, you need to know what your passion is and what you actually love.
• [36:13] We should make most of our money doing what we love to do and what we are born to do. It would be authentic and genuine. We would strive to do our best work. The love and passion we have would be magnetic and contagious.
• [37:30] Follow the path of your passion, because it builds upon each other like following your headlights on a dark freeway.
• [39:19] Deirdre has had so many amazing guests that a women worldwide reunion would be awesome.
• [40:50] If you're going to read Deirdre's books start with PR 2.0, Putting the Public Back in Public Relations, Social Media and Public Relations Practices, and then Answers for Modern Communicators.  

Links and Resources:

• Pure Performance Communications
• Deirdre Breakenridge
• Deirdre Breakenridge on Facebook
• LinkedIn Courses by Deirdre Breakenridge
• Deirdre Breakenridge on LinkedIn
• @dbreakenridge on Twitter
• Dolores Hirschmann
• Dolores Hirschmann on LinkedIn
• @DglarH on Twitter
• The Miracle Morning
• Books by Deirdre Breakenridge

Using data correctly can keep us abreast of what is happening now and predict future trends. One of the problems of using date is presenting it in a way that people can understand. My guest today is a data visualization expert, author, and speaker who specializes in EdTech. Dr. Kristen Sosulski is the author of Data Visualization Made Simple: Insights Into Becoming Visual and an Associate Professor of Information Systems at New York University’s Stern School of Business.

She is here today to talk about what EdTech really is and the role of technology in learning. She also talks about her speciality of data visualization and the role it plays in education, business and society. We even discuss how she stays organized and grounded with a busy schedule.  

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Show Notes

• [03:19] Kristen learned how to code during the .com era.
• [03:38] She started working at a new media lab that was focused on technology while she was continuing her education.
• [03:52] She thought using technology to help people learn was such a shift from her business background.
• [04:02] Educational technology is the study and practice of facilitating learning and improving learner performance by using technological resources.
• [04:41] She received a Masters of Instructional Technology from Columbia University then a second Master's and then a Doctorate.
• [05:41] The technology tools used in learning need to be designed in a way that allow for learning.
• [06:46] She worked while she was earning her degrees the entire process took about nine years, but she was able to apply her knowledge to her work experience.
• [07:15] The goal of EdTech is to add components that will best facilitate learning.
• [09:01] One of the best skills that an educational technologist needs is the ability to wireframe and present their ideas in a concrete form. Project management and meeting deadlines is also very important. Communicating why certain design decisions have been made is also important.
• [11:01] Kristen's book data visualization made simple is a book for anyone. She explains the core function of how to work with data.
• [12:49] A big takeaway of the book is not to make your audience work too hard.
• [14:10] Data visualization is the ability to help tell stories. First it's a tool to communicate. It can show cause and effect or clarify ideas.
• [15:42] Data can be transformed into information such as trends, product, sales or displays. A great example are dashboards.
• [16:52] Data doesn't have to only be from the past, we can show what is happening in the present. We can also make predictions for the future with data.
• [18:07] Everyone needs the opportunity to create data-driven goals and to collect new data.
• [18:36] Modeling the types of behaviors that you want to see in an organization is the best way to build a culture of use.
• [19:50] Training around visualization and the best way to use this technique are super important.
• [24:47] Challenges in EdTech include the ability to slow down and give the attention needed to the task at hand.
• [25:51] Have the confidence to show your work at a stage when it still isn't perfect. Be open to accepting feedback.
• [28:32] The technology is always changing so Kristen is always learning. There are always new programs in software challenges that need to be learned.
• [29:32] It's great to have an understanding of programming, but you don't have to code to be a data visualization expert.
• [30:19] Kristen likes to incorporate different types of data graphics into her work. She creates multivariate displays by using a few lines of code, because it is much simpler than using a ready-made solution like Tableau.
• [31:54] Business analytics has recently really exploded. This is a great opportunity for data scientists and learning scientists to model data and improve their practices.
• [33:50] One of the things throughout her career that Kristen has learned is how she learns. She learns best by teaching others and simplifying the process. She also needs to immerse herself in the topic.
• [36:57] When we learn we really want to balance all of the systems, we don't want to overload audio or visual etc.
• [37:39] Allowing for time and slowing down even in your data of presentations is critical.
• [38:01] Kristen's son keeps her grounded.
• [38:32] Being more efficient with her time is another thing that helps keep her grounded. When she goes home it's about being a mom.
• [40:06] Exercise and movement or running or a barre class are some of the ways that Kristen uses to keep stress at bay. Face time also helps mitigate stress.
• [41:21] One of the tools she likes to use is Google Calendar. She also keeps and shares floating agendas with her team.
• [43:10] There's a huge opportunity in organizations right now to lead with visualization.

Links and Resources:

• Data Visualization Made Simple: Insights Into Becoming Visual
• ks123@nyu.edu
• Kristen Sosulski
• Kristen Sosulski on LinkedIn
• @sosulski on Twitter

Fibroids will affect 70% to 80% of women at some point in their lives. For some, it’s a very serious condition that requires surgery and lifestyle changes. Yet, many aren’t familiar with the condition and don’t know how to get help even when they are experiencing symptoms. My guest today is Saterial Venable.

Sateria was diagnosed with fibroids in her 20’s. She had trouble finding information about the condition and treatment options. She became her own advocate and is now a patient advocate for all women suffering from fibroids. She began her working career as an architect, but it was her calling to be a patient advocate, entrepreneur, founder, and social media strategist. She started The Fibroid Foundation and is passionately helping women find the answers and treatment that they so desperately need.

Show Notes

• [02:42] Sateria is an architect who doesn't have a medical background.
• [02:53] She was diagnosed with uterine fibroids when she was in her 20s. This health challenge is what brought her here to us today.
• [03:24] After being diagnosed, she began searching for solutions.
• [04:16] A lot of women don't even know what fibroids are. It was much more far-reaching than she had realized.
• [04:36] She first started a blog and then a non-profit.
• [06:06] 70% of all women will develop fibroids at some point in their lifetimes. In the African American community it is 80%.
• [06:55] Annual healthcare cost in the US is in the billions.
• [08:20] Fibroids are triggered by hormonal surges. Reducing hormonal intake can slow the growth.
• [09:39] The surgery is very invasive and it takes 8 weeks to 7 months to heal. Fibroids can also grow back.
• [10:26] Satoria had success by changing her diet.
• [10:56] Her foundation provides education to women in several countries.
• [12:28] They vet fibroid specialists, but one of the frustrations is trying to help women where there aren't any specialists available.
• [14:09] Challenges as a social entrepreneur include making the vision a reality. She had to believe and focus to make her dream come true.
• [17:02] Reiki is energy healing. It's a focus of intention of healing.
• [18:13] Satoria reached out to a reiki specialist and became a believer and a practitioner.
• [19:19] Naprapathy is also a technique she uses along with yoga. Eastern medicine is very helpful.
• [20:41] Medical interventions may also be necessary using Western medicine.
• [25:35] Satoria tries to be caring and inclusive with her team. It's important for her to incorporate healthy practices into their work environment. They focus on self-care and wholeness.
• [28:54] Compassion and being sensitive to the plight of others are a couple of Satoria's greatest strengths.
• [31:06] Fundraising takes a lot of effort. Networking has helped her the most because people like to interact with people. Develop relationships and make sure your partners see the value and what you are doing.
• [32:57] Their Facebook fundraisers have been a wonderful area of support.
• [34:23] Social media has been very pivotal in fundraising. Especially, now that she has the platforms in place.
• [36:10] Success looks like being able to help a woman in distress who needs help.
• [38:11] Being able to provide that comfort is why Satoria is here.
• [40:02] Satoria's mom let her be her. Her mentor was her uncle who she lived with after college. He was an angel who touched her life.
• [43:02] Follow your natural inclination and devote specific focus to what you are trying to achieve. Follow your bliss.
• [44:21] We have the ability to bring things in the world that have never been done before.

Links and Resources:

• The Fibroid Foundation
• The Fibroid Foundation on Facebook
• The Fibroid Foundation on Instagram
• @FibroidFoun on Twitter
• The Fibroid Foundation on Pinterest

Actor, writer, producer, entrepreneur, and storyteller Ivana De Maria is here to talk about the importance of communication through story. She believes that we learn from telling our stories and listening to stories, even ones that we may not agree with or that are different than ours. She feels so passionately about this process that she has created an app called StoryPlace that enables ordinary people to tell extraordinary stories.

Ivana grew up in the entertainment world and began acting, but she soon discovered that writing and producing would enable her to tell the stories that she wanted to tell. Ivana studied finance and law at Boston University and has attended several acting schools. She has starred in a number of independent films and TV shows. She is also a series regular on the TV series "Beauty and the Beasts" (La Bella y las Bestias) which airs on  Primetime Univison.

Show Notes

• [03:21] Ivana grew up in the entertainment world her brothers are producers. She has always been in media and has always loved interpreting people.
• [05:18] Ivana started as an actress, but she soon realize that she had stories that she wanted to tell. She then began developing her own content, and she also realized that we are living in a time when that is possible.
• [06:02] She writes, produces, and then acts in with her own content. She then started producing content based on true stories.
• [06:51] She now wants to find the stories that are worth telling. All around the world. Her app gives people the voice to tell their stories.
• [08:26] Truth was lacking in social media. The real story is the egoless story.
• [10:30] Being an entrepreneur can be overwhelming. Breaking things down into smaller steps definitely makes large projects more attainable.
• [11:07] Even though the unknown is scary and a bit exciting, Ivana started taking chances on herself.
• [11:57] Being an entrepreneur requires a lot of discipline and can be very difficult.
• [12:34] people want to be a part of something that they care about, and this has given Ivana a strength to believe in what she cares about.
• [13:07] Discipline, perseverance, and passion are three characteristics of entrepreneurs.
• [13:47] She is the youngest of seven children. her mother led them by example, because it's not what you give your children it's what you teach your children.
• [15:49] Ivana learned to be independent at a young age similar to how a stray dog can take care of itself.
• [16:25] She is a lifelong learner and has a tattoo that says eternal learning.
• [18:07] You can do a lot of different things as long as you are organized and true to yourself.
• [19:47] She studied business and law in college. She knew the business side of things, but an app is different.
• [21:25] StoryPlace is a free app. Ivana wants to solve the empathy deficit.
• [29:01] A big part of StoryPlace will be teaching people the culture of storytelling and why their story matters.
• [30:46] A person's opinion is only their opinion. Rejection shouldn't be taken to heart.
• [33:15] 95% of everything that Ivana does is based on her instincts. It took her years to develop the skills to trust her own instincts.
• [35:39] Each role she acted in gave her new perspectives. Light a flashlight on a wall, she wants her light and perspectives to fill the whole wall.
• [37:09] Every story is a new perspective and makes us better people. Be able to acknowledge that there is a story different than years.
• [38:43] Woman often commit to give 100%, but make a conscious choice of where those percentages will go. This is the definition of being empowered. Be intentional and realistic about where you will give your energy.  

Links and Resources:

• ivana@mariasfilms.com
• @ivanadmaria on Twitter
• @ivanamaria on Instagram
• Ivana De Maria on LinkedIn
• Ivana De Maria
• StoryPlace

Veronica Kirin is here today to talk about being intentional with your technology. Veronica is the author of Stories of Elders: What the Greatest Generation Knows about Technology that You Don't. This is a fascinating look into “The Greatest Generation” (born before 1945) and the last generation born before the digital revolution.

Veronica is an anthropologist turned entrepreneur. She is a Forbes notable graduate of Grand Valley State University and a 40 Under 40 Business Leader. She is the founder of GreenCup Web Design and an entrepreneur coach to LGBTQ business owners. She is known for her Self Care Through Scaling™ program, and she is the founder of the Fempreneur Forum. It’s her passion to help entrepreneurs scale their businesses to reclaim freedom and time.

Show Notes

• [03:11] Veronica is still an anthropologist. Anthropology is the study of people. She is a cultural anthropologist which studies current people.
• [04:15] Anthropology marries perfectly with entrepreneurship, because it teaches you to have insights into others especially those who aren't like you.
• [04:26] To understand your target client, you really need to predict their needs and wants.
• [05:56] Veronica's book is a bridge between anthropology and technology, as she noticed technology was starting to change her behaviors. She noticed she was sending texts instead of face to face interaction and also growing more depressed.
• [07:39] The elders in Veronica's book have lived approximately a lifetime without technology. She wanted the contrast between these people and younger people who only know technology.
• [08:19] People who grew up without tech have a completely different perspective on what is happening now.
• [08:51] She discovered that the elders had a deep sense of intentionality, and they wanted to choose whether they wanted this technology in their lives or not.
• [12:12] 25 is an important age because that is when the brain is fully developed.
• [13:31] One of her favorite stories in the book is Edwin Gould's story who engineered the first spy satellite for the country. The leaps we have no show the amazing shift.
• [16:16] Veronica did 100 interviews which amounted to about 8,000 years of stories for her book. She worked with an author coach which was really helpful.
• [18:07] She was also inspired by the author Racheal Rose Steil who wrote Running in Silence. They became friends and collaborate on different projects.
• [20:14] The book took three and a half years from inception to publishing.
• [24:00] To get these interviews, Veronica drove 12,000 miles through 40 States in 6 weeks. It was a very stressful experience, and she learned how important self-care really is. It took her six months before she could start processing these interviews.
• [25:51] She also learned to be more intentional about her technology use. She doesn't look at the phone first thing in the morning. She allows herself to walk away from the computer. Our bodies are designed to move and stop looking at screens.
• [27:27] She also has tech free monthly brunches.
• [30:51] Veronica used Kickstarter to fund her book and it became a staff pick. Technology has been critical in the production of her book.
• [34:28] Digital marketing has played a huge part in the promotion of her book.
• [35:42] Being an author is being an entrepreneur. If you don't have the marketing skills, hire someone who does.
• [36:59] Having a coach and mentor is so important.
• [37:37] To Veronica, success feels like moving forward and moving the needle. She also loves the energy derived from her client work.
• [39:05] If you want to do something, just start. You have what it takes to find what you need and make it happen.

Links and Resources:

• Stories of Elders: What the Greatest Generation Knows about Technology that You Don't
• GreenCup Design
• Veronica Kirin
• Veronica Kirin on Facebook
• @vmkirin on Twitter
• Veronica Kirin on Instagram
• Veronica Kirin on LinkedIn
• Identity Publications
• Angles of Lattitude Podcast
• Paper Raven
• Running in Silence

We hear a lot about the customer experience, but should you start with the customer experience? Maybe it would be better to start with the internal experience of your own people.

My guests today are Dr. Rachel MK Headley and Meg Manke they are senior partners at Rose Group Int'l where they developed their proprietary leadership framework. This allows leaders to solve team problems, address generational issues, manage changes, and address goals. They are also co-authors of iX Leadership: Create High-Five Cultures and Guide Transformation.

Rachel is a Mensa PhD scientist, a Project Management Professional, TEDx speaker, and is on the Council of Trustees for South Dakota State University. Meg is a culture and leadership expert with years of experience leading companies through transitions, mergers, acquisitions, and behavior-based training. I am so excited to have them here today to talk about iX Leadership and culture transformation.

Show Notes

• [03:19] Meg and Rachel were in some of the same leadership groups.
• [04:06] They realized that work shouldn't be so hard for people and started developing the concepts of iX leadership.
• [04:25] Rachel had a company and was doing corporate consulting. She started noticing how some teams could thrive and some teams could be miserable even though they were under the same leadership.
• [05:47] Rachel knew Meg was the person to partner with when it comes to culture, motivation, and connection. Their skill sets complemented each other.
• [07:16] Meg and Rachel developed a lot of concepts right off the bat. They then decided to put it in an easy to digest book to make the largest impact.
• [09:25] The book was for everyone. There is something in the book for every team.
• [10:37] People make up the culture of a business environment, and team culture is difficult to shift.
• [11:05] Shifting the culture and the mindset. We create the culture. A great internal experience is designed. It doesn't just happen by chance.
• [12:14] You have to help people understand why the change is important for them.
• [13:23] Organizations have to find the thing that it is to get people to fight for them. The leadership team needs to be passionate and then transfer that passion to their team in terms that they understand.
• [15:19] Transparency is super important, because it develops trust.
• [16:03] One of the biggest barriers is people's discomfort with change.
• [16:21] If you understand the type of work environment your people prefer, then you understand how they move through change.
• [16:55] People who like freedom jump on the change. Others may be more reluctant. The anxiety around change needs to be turned into excitement.
• [19:50] Once enough people get on board with the change, other people will join them.
• [24:09] Rachel thinks one of the fun things about having a partner is sharing highs and lows.
• [24:49] Rachel wants to surrounded by people who disagree and challenge her on things. This is one of the reasons that her and Meg have a great collaboration even if they don't agree on everything.
• [25:41] Meg thinks that they have their arguments curated down to a discussion of how to proceed forward.
• [26:24] Even if they don't agree, they bring themselves back to their real goal of making an impact on the world.
• [28:01] Recently two colleagues took the iX Leadership book into job interviews.
• [29:46] One of the most rewarding things about being a female in business is that with work and perseverance we can do anything.
• [31:20] One of Rachel's toughest challenges was lack of confidence and money anxiety. She left these thoughts behind. Her biggest challenge now is taking Meg on as a partner. The benefits outweigh the anxiety. The collaboration is really exciting.
• [34:19] Your perspective seems to root itself in your current challenges. Challenges always exist no matter what level you are at. For Meg, making sure everything is moving forward is the most challenging.
• [37:00] Rachel manages stress through music and singing.
• [38:22] Running is Meg's stress buster. She also has her best aha moments during running.
• [39:31] Advice from Rachel is to start small. Do something small but doable and build confidence. Don't be paralyzed by the fear of failure. Celebrate your wins.
• [41:05] Advice form Meg is know your core values and what is important to you. You don't know, if you don't ask. Trust your gut and go for it.

Links and Resources:

• Rose Group, Int’l Website
• iX Leadership: Create High-Five Cultures and Guide Transformation
• Dr. Rachel MK Headley on LinkedIn
• @sprfsh_rachel on Twitter
• Meg (Kokesh) Manke on LinkedIn
• @meg_manke on Twitter

Bob Burg is here today to talk about being a Go-Giver. Bob is a top-producing salesperson and former television personality. He speaks at conferences to huge crowds of 15,000 plus people. Many of his audience members have been influential people including a former president.

He is the author of sales and leadership books including Endless Referrals: Network Your Everyday Contacts Into Sales and Adversaries into Allies. He is also an author of the popular Go-Giver books which have sold over 800,000 copies. He was also named one of the 30 Most Influential Leaders by The American Management Association. Listen in, so you can learn how to up your sales by being a Go-Giver.

Show Notes

• [04:21] Bob began in broadcasting and then moved to late night news.
• [05:38] He then graduated into sales. He floundered for a while until he found books by Tom Hawkins and Zig Ziglar.
• [06:25] He became interested in selling and having a system that would get him from point A to B. He also became involved in personal development.
• [07:06] As he learned more about sales and became involved with personal development it eventually morphed into a speaking career.
• [07:52] The premise of the Go-Giver is shifting your focus from getting to giving or constantly and consistently providing value to others.
• [09:00] Bob's first book was about building relationships because people do business with people who they know, like, and trust.
• [09:30] He has always enjoyed business parables because stories connect with people.
• [10:04] Writing a parable is a work of fiction, so he reached out to John David Mann.
• [11:46] This book has five laws.
• [12:23] The laws of value, compensation, influence, authenticity, receptivity.
• [13:28] Value means that both parties profit.
• [14:37] The five elements of value are excellence, consistency, attention, empathy, and appreciation.
• [15:13] Your focus should be on the value not the money.
• [15:56] The law of receptivity is difficult for many people.
• [18:24] Once you earn the right to receive, you have to allow yourself to do so.
• [19:07] Bob's latest book is the Go-Giver Influencer. This is the third parable. It's about two people who have a great business collaboration but keep getting in their own way.
• [20:20] It's really about how to get the results you want when dealing with others.
• [24:23] One of the characters was loosely modeled after Bob Proctor. Other characters were loosely based on people they knew or knew of.
• [26:56] Bob's biggest accomplishment are the sales of the Go-Giver.
• [27:59] Bob's biggest obstacle in life has been being an OCD sufferer. His toughest business obstacle was getting up-to-date with technology.
• [32:24] There is nothing about being a Go-Giver that is congruent with being a doormat.
• [34:55] When you're looking to bring value to others you establish that reputation. You create a benevolent context for success.
• [36:08] You can leave from anywhere but a culture comes from the top. You have to decide if you can thrive within the culture that you are in or if you need to find some other place to be.
• [38:40] 10% is the magic number to get people on board then your ideas will really spread.
• [41:49] Set a target in sales. Money is the reward for hitting that target. Your target is serving others.

Links and Resources:

• Bob Burg
• The Go-Giver
• @BobBurg on Twitter
• Bob Burg on Instagram
• Bob Burg on Facebook
• Tom Hopkins
• Zig Ziglar
• How to Win Friends and Influence People
• The Magic of Thinking Big
• Think and Grow Rich
• As a Man Thinketh
• International OCD Foundation
• Turn the Ship Around
• Thinking in Bets