Casually reading a magazine in one of the hotels she managed, our guest, Minda Zoloth, discovered several ways of helping locally and thought: gosh, I could do that. Right away, they put together 50 bags of food and donated them. That was the first step of "For The Kids," an organization that donates thousands of hundreds of bags with food every month.  

Minda Zoloth is the Director of Revenue Management for seven hotels, Marriott, Hilton, and IHG. She is also the Founder and Executive Director of For The Kids Organization. Besides donating food, For The Kids incorporated a developing and mentoring program for kids; they also help them with reading comprehension, have a local baseball team, and offset costs to play sports.  

In this episode, we had an inspiring conversation about For The Kids' immense work and their contribution to the community. Minda shared details of her background and what inspired her to volunteer, donate her time, and spend it with kids in need. We also talk about For The Kids' powerful message: giving them hope by showing them that many people care. Minda kindly shared valuable leadership lessons she got working for so many years managing big groups of people, her motivations to get out of the comfort zone, and much more.  

Tune in to Episode 307 of Becoming Your Best, and learn about Minda's fantastic work and her loving contribution to thousands of kids and their families.  

Some Questions I Ask: 

• Could you tell our listeners about For The Kids? What is it? What do you do? And how does it work? (4:37) 
• Can you explain to our listeners what your Thanksgiving Day holiday was like? (7:53) 
• What are some of your key lessons learned professionally? (14:22) 

In This Episode, You Will Learn: 

• How For The Kids started (5:10) 
• About Minda's childhood difficulties and how they shaped how she sees the world (10:59) 
• What is leadership about, and how to do it properly (16:01) 
• How powerful leading from our vision can be (20:22) 
• What is Minda's most significant vision for the forthcoming years (24:57) 

Resources: 

• For The Kids website 
• For The Kids Instagram 
• For The Kids Twitter 
• For The Kids Facebook  
• For The Kids LinkedIn 

Connect with Minda: 

• LinkedIn 

Becoming Your Best Resources: 

• Becoming Your Best Website 
• Becoming Your Best University Website 
• Becoming Your Best Library 
• Email: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Have you ever found yourself in a situation that exploded in your face, and when you look at what caused the problem, you realize it could've been avoided with a simple action some time ago? Whenever these things happen, they sprain the relationships between people, whether they are professional or personal.  

These time-bombs might have dozens of origins, like forgetting to make a phone call, not preparing ourselves for a presentation, or not following up with someone else's job. But they can also be avoided; we can strategize and put systems in place to help us reduce them to the minimum, and if they happen anyways, deal with them the best way possible.  

In this episode, we dive deep into preventing and avoiding time-bombs, and if they happen to explode, minimize their damage. We go through some examples of what can cause these explosive situations, what we can do to avoid them, the tools available to deal with them, and how to put them into practice. We also talk about the three things we can do to deal with time-bombs: develop the habit of doing what matters most, create a system that eliminates time-bombs, and be easy on people and hard on the problem.  

Tune in to Episode 304 of Becoming Your Best, and equip yourself with new tools to avoid time-bombs and their devastating effects. 

In This Episode, You Will Learn: 

• The time-bomb Jim let for Mary (1:56) 
• Time-bombs come in different shapes and forms; however, all have the same effect (5:29) 
• What is a time-bomb, and what can be the cause of it (6:13) 
• The importance of developing the habit of doing what matters most (9:17) 
• How to create systems and processes to eliminate time-bombs crisis (14:10) 
• What is perfection, and why it is essential to chase it (18:09) 
• Be easy on people and hard on what causes the problem (20:49) 

Becoming Your Best Resources: 

• Becoming Your Best Website 
• Becoming Your Best University Website 
• Becoming Your Best Library 
• Email: [email protected]  
• Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders 
• Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance 
• Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Whether we are conscious of it or not, many of the most significant changes we experience today in our lives result from many small actions in our past. That means every decision we make today, even if it looks small, has a massive impact on our future. In other words, we are the product of our choices.  

In this episode, we talk about the impact of being intentional in our everyday small acts. Considering that "the door of history turns on small hinges, and so do people's lives," as one of my mentors wrote, we talk about the three gates that only we can open, and that will lead us into a successful life. We go through these three gates, exploring them and understanding how they can change our lives: the gate of preparation, action, and gratitude. We also talk about the importance of accumulating happy memories, the S.M.A.R.T method to create clear written goals, the importance of being exceptional at our work, and much more. 

Tune in to Episode 305 of Becoming Your Best, join us in this conversation about small things, and learn about the great things they can help you achieve.  

In This Episode, You Will Learn: 

• Why it is crucial, we address the connection between everyday small acts and our lives' outcomes (2:48) 
• What are the three gates we must open to be intentional in our small actions (4:48) 
• What is the gate of preparation, and what can we do to be ready to open it (5:07) 
• What is the gate of action, and how can Pre-Week Planning help us open this door (11:37) 
• Why it is crucial to open the gate of gratitude (18:55) 

Becoming Your Best Resources: 

• Becoming Your Best Website 
• Becoming Your Best University Website 
• Becoming Your Best Library 
• Email: [email protected]  
• Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders 
• Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance 
• Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The week of Thanksgiving is a great time of the year; it is an excuse to gather the family together, share some time with people we don't see very often, and why not, eat delicious food. It is the time of the year we take a step back, look around us, and appreciate the people in our lives, we thank what we have, what we achieved, and the things we learned along the way. It is a time for being grateful, and gratitude is a choice we can all make, regardless of the circumstances.  

In this special episode, we explore the origins and meaning of Thanksgiving through time. We also go through Forbes' 7 scientifically proven benefits of practicing gratitude, the etymology of the word gratitude, and how gratitude can improve several areas of our lives like energy level, relationships, academics, and even tragedy and crisis.  

At the end of this episode, we hear stories of gratitude from four Becoming Your Best family members: Clayton Snyder, Jamie Thorup, Hanna Fabrizio, and Tommy Shallenberger.  

In This Episode, You Will Learn: 

• What is the meaning of Thanksgiving in today's world (3:10) 
• Without gratitude, life can be lonely, depressing, and impoverished. Dr. Robert Edmonds take on life without gratitude (4:19) 
• Seven scientifically-proven benefits of gratitude (5:51) 
• Clayton's story of gratitude (8:54) 
• How practicing gratitude changed Jamie's life (9:53) 
• Hanna's gratitude story (11:45) 
• The picture of the little hand holding on at Tommy's finger (12:25) 

Becoming Your Best Resources: 

• Becoming Your Best Website 
• Becoming Your Best University Website 
• Becoming Your Best Library 
• Email: [email protected]  
• Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders 
• Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance 
• Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Celebrating success makes sense only if we look at the path we went through to get there. It is not about the victory itself; it is about the breakthroughs, the sensation of overcoming setbacks, of crushing challenges, the sensation of gratitude for not having given up in the darkest moments.  

Today's episode is about not giving up; it is about discovering that our best often is realized through a spirit of determination, endurance, and faith in ourselves, our skills, and our strength. We go through the stories of famous personalities who achieved great success, changing the course of world history, literature, sports, and politics. We also discuss the importance of removing negative thinking from our vocabulary and the four essential habits to achieve our triumphs.  

Tune in to Episode 303 of Becoming Your Best, and learn about the magical power of turning the darkest moments into the fuel to achieve our goals. 

In This Episode, You Will Learn: 

• Never give in. About Churchill's inspiration and inspiring speech during World War 2 (2:33) 
• The incredible story of J.K. Rowling (7:03) 
• The astonishing story of Roger Bannister (12:09) 
• The most miserable man alive. Abraham Lincoln's story (18:26) 
• Four essential habits to achieve your triumphs (22:23) 

Becoming Your Best Resources: 

• Becoming Your Best Website 
• Becoming Your Best University Website 
• Becoming Your Best Library 
• Email: [email protected]  
• Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders 
• Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance 
• Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our decisions in our darkest moments distinguish who we are and the legacy we will leave behind. When things get really challenging, our next decision will set who we really are and what we will be remembered for. Ben Kjar learned that early in his life, thanks to his mother, who told him to step up and make a difference in the world. She told him to make his situation a situation he can rise from and thrive, and not just survive.  

Ben Kjar is the Owner of the Kingdom Training Center. He is an International Speaker, Believer, Real Estate Investor, Wrestler, a loving Father and Husband, and Victor. Ben was born with Crouzon syndrome, a cranial facial anomaly. He had to undergo several reconstructive surgeries throughout his life, and doctors told him he would never be able to practice contact sports.  

Still, Kjar had different plans for himself. He always knew the only one capable of saying what he could or couldn't do, was himself, so he became Utah Valley University's first All-American in wrestling after participating in the 2011 wrestling National Championship.  

Today's episode is an inspirational one, and I guarantee you'll come out of it motivated, changed. Ben kindly shared bits of his past growing up, looking different from the other kids, the cruelty he experienced from other kids and adults, and the life-saving message his mother imprinted in him. We also talk about love, forgiveness, compassion, treating failure as an opportunity to bounce back, and always being ready to say yes, and go for what we want in our lives. 

Tune in to Episode 302 of Becoming Your Best,  and find out the story of this incredible and inspiring human being. 

Some Questions I Ask:

• Could you tell us a bit about yourself? (3:21)
• You were born with Crouzon syndrome. Could you tell our listeners what that actually is, and how has that impacted your life? (5:23)
• What are one or two of the biggest things that you took away from that whole journey that has impacted your life? (21:28)

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• About Ben experiencing cruelty from an adult and the conversation with his mother that would change his life (8:01)
• One of Ben's happiest days in his life contrasting with the awful people online (14:11)
• The awesomeness of being abnormal and the hard choice to turn the other cheek (16:31)
• Step in, bounce back, and win before you win (20:43)

Connect with Ben:

• Instagram
• Facebook

Becoming Your Best Resources:

• Becoming Your Best Website
• Becoming Your Best University Website
• Becoming Your Best Library
• Email: [email protected] 
• Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by something you knew was coming, like an important business meeting, a presentation, or a job interview? What if we told you there is a powerful visualization tool that can help you navigate those situations mentally before they actually happen, letting your mind and body be perfectly tuned for it and, using fighter pilots' terminology, ahead of the moment. 

In this episode, Rob Shallenberger brings a fantastic tool fighter pilots use before their training exercises and combat missions - chair flying. Rob takes us through the step-by-step process of how pilots chair fly their missions, how it helps them perform better, and how we can chair fly our day-to-day tasks. We also share some practical examples of chair flying an entire presentation at a convention in front of over 100 people, a football game, and an important meeting with a State Level Coordination Committee.  

Tune in to Episode 301 of Becoming Your Best, and discover this fantastic visualization tool that will help you be the best you can be in every challenging situation.  

In This Episode, You Will Learn: 

• What it means to chair fly a situation or event (2:26) 
• Being ahead of the jet. How chair flying can help us enhance our performance (6:37) 
• Steve's experience chair flying an entire presentation (10:49) 
• Nailing a multimillion contract by chair flying an important business meeting (16:44) 

Becoming Your Best Resources: 

• Becoming Your Best Website 
• Becoming Your Best University Website 
• Becoming Your Best Library 
• Email: [email protected]  
• Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders 
• Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance 
• Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We know that successful leaders lead with a vision, and there is no better example of it than our guest for today's show, Crystal Maggelet. When FJ Management had to change and restructure back in 2010, after seeking Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2008, Crystal knew she had to find a way to tie different businesses together. She and the company’s executives decided that FJM's new mission would be building value to last. They added three elements for its vision to this powerful mission: mutual respect, integrity, and excellence. They figured that if they managed to instill this vision among their employees, they would succeed -- and they weren't wrong.  

In this hallmark episode, our number 300 together, we brought a special guest, an outstanding leader, accomplished professional, wife, and mother, Crystal Maggelet. She is the President and CEO of FJ Management, a diversified family business that includes wholly-owned subsidiaries like Maverik, a 350 c-store chain, and Big West Oil, a petroleum refinery. FJM also has a minority stake in Pilot Flying J. Crystal is the Founder of Crystal Inn Hotel & Suites and the recipient of the 2018 E & Y Entrepreneur of the Year for Family Business award.  

We had an inspiring conversation about Crystal's unique approach to leadership, inspiring colleagues and associates, and problem-solving. We talk about how important it was for FJM to create a culture that supports its mission and vision and Crystal's most important professional and personal lessons learned along the way. We also discuss nurturing a culture where speaking up, sharing ideas, and pointing out errors are standard practices, adequately rewarded and encouraged.  

Tune in to Episode 300 of Becoming Your Best to learn more about Crystal's next-level leadership.  

Some Questions I Ask: 

• You're now involved with petroleum lodging, banking, and healthcare. How do you create a culture across these companies that are so unique? (4:13) 
• What are some of the vital professional lessons learned that have helped you succeed in your business? (6:55) 
• What would you say to a new employee about what it means to be a great team member at FJM? (10:26) 
• How do you inspire your employees to be excellent, to get amazing results? (14:19) 

In This Episode, You Will Learn: 

• The coolest store on the planet. How Maverik vision came about (6:46) 
• Honesty before anything. One of Crystal's first lessons in the professional realm (8:28) 
• The best way to encourage team members to speak up, share their ideas and suggestions (12:01) 
• The importance of being surrounded by the right people. How Crystal balances her professional and personal life (18:53) 

Resources: 

• JF Management website 

Connect with Crystal: 

• LinkedIn 

Becoming Your Best Resources: 

• Becoming Your Best Website 
• Becoming Your Best University Website 
• Becoming Your Best Library

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Running a business is about a lot of things; every industry has its particularities, and all differ in countless details that make them unique. Still, the most crucial part of any company is the same in any industry: their people. Therefore, investing in human relationships at any level in any company is the best kind of investment any leader can make. That is one of the many lessons our guest, Ashley Cole, learned along the way as an entrepreneur. 

Ashley Cole is the Founder and CEO of Cecelia New York. She is a shoe and accessories designer, passionate about business and fashion. She grew up in an entrepreneurial environment; her father is the founder of JetBlue Airways and Azul Brazilian Airlines. Her mother set an inspiring example and provided a great model in raising nine dynamic, caring children. One of her grandfathers had the first 24 hours’ convenience store in the State of Utah, and her other grandfather also owned several businesses. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Fashion Merchandising from the Fashion Institute of Technology; she is a wife and a happy mother of six kids.  

Our conversation revolves around Ashley's impressive determination and will to become the best version of herself. We explore Ashley's background, her parents' influence on her entrepreneurial spirit, and the influence on her own kids, who also started showing entrepreneurial traits. We talk about the lessons the years of entrepreneurship taught her, her motivations, her desire to constantly evolve, and much more.  

Tune in to Episode 299 and meet this wonderful mompreneur who thrives in chaos.  

Some Questions I Ask: 

• Could you tell us a bit more about Cecelia New York? How did it get started, and a bit about your journey? (6:01) 
• Could you share some professional lessons that have helped you and your business be successful? (11:08) 
• How have you balanced being a mom and a spouse with your career and work demands? How do you do it? (22:03) 

In This Episode, You Will Learn: 

• How learning to let go of some things in her company helped Ashley grow her business (8:34) 
• Some of the biggest lessons Ashley learned in her entrepreneurial journey (11:23) 
• What it means to be a great team member, according to Ashley (18:43) 
• About the importance of enjoying where we are and enjoying the present more than anything (27:07) 

Connect with Ashley: 

• LinkedIn

Resources: 

• Cecelia New York website 
• Cecelia New York Instagram 
• Cecelia New York Pinterest

• Becoming Your Best Website
• Becoming Your Best University Website
• Becoming Your Best Library
• Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are all exposed to unexpected events, setbacks, or even accidents; things like getting caught in torrential rain or a flat tire in the middle of nowhere may happen, and there is nothing we can do to prevent them. What we can do, however, is to choose how we respond to them. Fortunately, it is possible to learn how to react positively to adverse situations and get the best out of them: develop the habit of controlling what we can control. 

Today, we learn about controlling what we can control, the habit that brings greater success, productivity, happiness, peace, and focus. We dive into two great examples of how putting this habit into practice can help us get positive outcomes from unfortunate events: the fire that destroyed Thomas Edison's plant in 1914 and a series of challenges I recently faced myself during a trip to the mountains. We also explore the 7 things we can start doing now to get immediate and future results.  

Tune in to Episode 298 of Becoming Your Best, and learn more about this simple yet life-changing habit.  

In This Episode, You Will Learn: 

• The true definition of success (2:21) 
• The things we can control, and the ones we can’t (3:31) 
• Thomas Edison's response to the fire that destroyed his plant (7:26) 
• About the challenges I faced during a trip to the mountains (10:59) 
• The 7 things we can do to nurture the habit of focusing on the things we control (17:12) 
• The 21-day challenge to develop this powerful habit (21:56) 

Resources: 

• Book: Ryan Holiday - The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph 
• Book: Matthew Josephson - Edison: A Biography 
• Quote: Edward Everett Hale - "I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do." 

Becoming Your Best Resources: 

• Becoming Your Best Website 
• Becoming Your Best University Website 
• Becoming Your Best Library 
• Email: [email protected]  
• Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders 
• Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance 
• Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.