Bold Future

Episode 10 is finally here! My sincerest apologies for the delay. Today's guest is Deon Gordon. He currently serves as the Director of Business Growth at REV Birmingham and is working on some really incredible projects including CO.STARTERS and the Biz 1.0 Workshop series. I'm really excited to see the impact he will have on entrepreneurship and business growth in Birmingham.

It's hard to believe this is the last interview of Season 1. Thanks SO much for listening!

What you'll learn in this episode:

Why saying 'No' is so incredibly important and how to do it strategically. 

The importance of testing business ideas beyond your loving friends and family.

The power and effect of serving, both on yourself and others. 

Get to know Deon: 

Deon on Twitter

Deon on Facebook

REV Birmingham

Books mentioned: 

Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less

Good To Great

My guest today is entrepreneur and author, Carrie Rollwagen. Her new book, The Localist, documents her journey as she shopped at only locally owned businesses for an entire year. I wanted to interview Carrie because, in addition to leading a company (Church Street Coffee and Books) she is also leading a movement. Her voice for small businesses and local shopping has encouraged her wide following to think about the purchases they make and their impact on the community. We need more people like Carrie speaking out and I am excited to share her insights with you. 

What you'll learn in this episode: 

Why truly listening and responding to your community of customers is crucial.

The importance of thinking past personal preference for product offerings.

Why we need both big businesses and small shops for a healthy community. 

Thoughts on how to publish a book and why you should consider it.

The importance of books and the future of the book publishing industry.

Get to know Carrie:

carrierollwagen.com

Carrie on Facebook

Carrie on Twitter

Church Street Coffee and Books

Thanks for listening!

In his 20 years in the real estate industry, Derek Walchack has seen plenty of ups and downs. Despite the recent recession he and his team have led Shannon Waltchack to become a thriving and dominant broker, investor, developer and manager of commercial property throughout the Southeast. In this episode, we discuss the current state of the real estate market as well as the trends he sees brought on by advances in technology and the Millennial workforce. 

In this episode, you'll learn:

How Millennials are changing work environments and what it means for businesses

Why real estate matters and the impact it has on cities and people

What's it's like to take a big risk and see it pay off

Basic guidelines for making wise real estate investments and some pitfalls to avoid

Links to books and articles we discussed:

Real Estate Riches by Dolf de Roos

Article by Derek: Last Decade's Playbook Won't Work

Longform.org

Get to know Derek and his company:

Derek on Twitter 

Derek on Facebook

Shannon Waltchack on Twitter

Shannon Waltchack on Facebook

Birmingham's Building

Thanks so much for listening!

Jonathan Robinson is a straight up awesome dude. I've had the opportunity to get to know him over the last few years and I've been extremely impressed by his passion for people, growth and entrepreneurship. No doubt, running a startup is difficult and Jonathan gives us some great behind the scenes insights on how he thinks as a leader and what he wrestles with. The outlook for FreeTextbooks.com is very bright with him at the helm and I'm excited to see where he takes it. 

In this episode you'll hear thoughts on:

• Why delegation is so important for company growth despite its difficulty
• The difference in Founder and CEO and why it matters
• What it's like to move a team across the country and how to keep them united
• The importance of mindset and what might help startups in Birmingham
• How to juggle work and family in the context of a startup

Connect with Jonathan and learn more about FreeTextbooks.com

Jonathan on Twitter

Jonathan on Instagram

FreeTextbooks.com

FreeTextbooks on Twitter

FreeTextbooks on Instagram

Thanks so much for listening!

I am in the process of thinking through Season 2 for the podcast and I would love to get your help. If you could hear from any leader, who would it be? The qualifications are pretty straightforward: effective leaders with a compelling story we can learn from. Please let me know if you have any suggestions by sending an email to  [email protected] Thanks!

My guest today is Jay Grinney, CEO of HealthSouth, the nation's largest owner and operator of inpatient rehabilitation hospitals. In 2004, Jay was brought in to turn HealthSouth around following a massive accounting scandal. The company was in complete disarray - it had lost its SEC filing status, its stock price had fallen more than 90% and it was headed toward bankruptcy. Today, the company is thriving and consistently producing positive earnings and growth reports. The turnaround job Jay has done with his team has been nothing short of amazing. 

In this episode, you'll learn:

• The power of focus and why you should probably have fewer priorities
• How hard work can compensate for all kinds of weaknesses
• Why your work and vocation should not be your sole identity
• Who to look for when building an outstanding team

Learn more about Healthsouth:

• Healtsouth.com
• al.com: HealthSouth buys Encompass Home Health and Hospice
• BBJ: Growing patient base fuels strong 4Q for HealthSouth

Links to books we discussed:

Jay's not a big business book reader, which is a very rare exception for one of my guests. But he did recommend a book called Execution by Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan. I had never heard of it and am reading it now. 

Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done 

Jones Valley Teaching Farm is on a mission to empower children to be the next generation of critical thinkers and change agents in their communities. They do this by connecting standards-based education to real-world food issues and partnering with schools to provide innovative hands on programs for students. At the helm is Executive Director, Grant Brigham. His entrepreneurial mindset and deep concern for people are truly inspiring. 

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How to use transparency and vulnerability as a tool for building trust 
• The importance of making unpopular decisions when they're the right decisions
• What to do when you lose sight of your core mission
• Why you should be yourself and only yourself 
• How to empower your team to accomplish big goals

Links to books mentioned in this episode:

Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap...And Others Don't

Great by Choice: Uncertainty, Chaos, and Luck--Why Some Thrive Despite Them All

More on Jones Valley Teaching Farm: 

Facebook

Instagram

Website

Thanks so much for listening!

I'd love to hear what you learned. Please feel free to leave a comment or drop me an email at [email protected]

You're the best. 

Caleb Chancey is a musician, photographer, impresario and just all around incredible guy. In this episode, we use his music projects as a springboard to discuss how he overcomes the fear of perfection and judgement to get his ideas out into the world. Spoiler alert: it's all about making big ideas smaller. I've learned a ton from him over the years, and I have no doubt you will, too.

What you'll learn in this episode:

Why you shouldn't apologize for not being as good as you're going to be

Why thinking small will actually help you accomplish big things

When it's OK to quit and why sometimes you should

How to redefine success to help you gain momentum without getting overwhelmed

Learn more about Caleb:

Caleb Chancey Photography

Caleb on Twitter

War Jacket

Gray Haven

Support War Jacket!

Caleb and his band, War Jacket, are working on a new album. They're raising money to finish it on IndieGoGo and are getting close to the deadline. If you connect with Caleb and his message, please support them by making a small donation here:

Let's Finish This Record!

I'm super pumped about the first episode of the Bold Future podcast. My guest is Dave Gray, the President and CEO of Daxko. Our conversation revolves around company culture; how to create it and how to keep it. These lessons apply to teams and companies of all varieties and sizes. 

In this episode, you'll learn:

• What company culture is and isn't
• Why language matters and how to use it to empower your team
• How to measure company engagement and why painful feedback is crucial
• Why communication must be proactive and be redundant (7 times, 3 mediums)
• How to use company culture as a long term, sustainable, competitive advantage

Links to books mentioned in this episode:

First, Break All the Rules: What the World's Greatest Managers Do Differently

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change

Conscious Capitalism: Liberating the Heroic Spirit of Business

Onward: How Starbucks Fought for Its Life without Losing Its Soul

More on Dave: 

Check him out on Twitter @DaxkoDave

Learn more about his company, Daxko

Thanks so much for listening!

I'd love to hear what you learned. Please feel free to leave a comment or drop me an email at [email protected]

You're the best.