Changing Lives Selling Knives

Jim Stitt Sr. is the Executive Chairman of Cutco Corporation. He came to the company in 1975, starting as a manager in Manufacturing and eventually advancing to the position of CEO. Jim and his family risked everything they had to be a part of the team that bought the company from ALCOA in the 1980s. Since that time, no one has been more responsible for the establishment of the Cutco culture over the years. Jim espouses values such as top-notch quality, mutual respect between manufacturing, sales, and management, and a true family environment. He led Cutco through a period of hyper-growth, and helped build the company into the well-known and widely respected brand that it is today. He has relinquished the role of CEO to his son, Jim Jr., but remains actively involved in shaping the future of the organization to this day. Jim Stitt Sr. is truly one of the finest leaders you'll ever have a chance to get to know.

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Shannon Smadella won the crown of Miss Canada in 2009. After a successful stint as a manager with Cutco/Vector Canada, she left the company to pursue other interests. The outer transformation she underwent in pursuing Miss Canada brought about a far more significant inner transformation, as Shannon came to realize that we are all so much more than just body and mind. For most of the past 10 years, Shannon has used her platform to impact children and adults all over North America and beyond with technologies for mental and physical well-being. She has also worked with at least 88 charities to raise millions of dollars for people in need. Extensively trained in the Yogic Sciences, Shannon educates others about inner beauty and self-care. Her thought-provoking insights can help you experience inner transformation.

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Kyle Lopes had already achieved unprecedented success in the Cutco/Vector sales organization by becoming the first college student to reach $1 million in personal sales and get inducted into the company's Hall of Fame. But he took that success to an even higher level this past Summer. Upon his graduation from Columbia University, Kyle became a Branch Manager with Vector, responsible for the Marin County market in the San Francisco Bay Area. In a field of over 300 Branch Managers nationwide, Kyle finished the Summer #1 in the company and annihilated the previous record for 1st-time Branch Managers, with over $600,000 in Summer sales. Kyle has now been promoted to District Manager in the San Francisco market, and looks forward to building on his legacy with Cutco/Vector.

For the complete show notes and access to all episodes, visit ChangingLivesPodcast.com

Andrew Smallwood is the Director of Sales for Second Nature, a young company that is already at the top of its industry. Over recent years, Andrew has been able to develop a reputation as a tremendous role model for effective communication in a variety of important ways. He possesses a remarkable combination of intelligence, humility, curiosity, open-mindedness, empathy, and respect for others. In a world of cancel culture and divisive communication, Andrew is a shining example of civil discourse. With a polarizing election coming up, this is a concept that is of the utmost importance right now. After discussing Andrew's time with Cutco and his career path, this conversation dives deep into what it takes to become someone who can develop a more well-rounded understanding of other perspectives, and can communicate with care and candor at the same time. This is a truly thought-provoking episode that can help you gain the mindset and skills to bring more people together in your circles of influence.

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As Cutco/Vector's Training & Leadership Development Manager, Trent Booth is the tip of the spear in bringing a culture of personal growth to Vector's leadership team. He shares some critical concepts for personal and professional success, including self-awareness, emotional intelligence, altruistic leadership, and a whole lot more. Trent experienced success as a sales rep and manager with Vector Canada before relocating to the Philadelphia area for a corporate role with Vector in 2004. Today, Trent Booth is one of the most important current leaders in the Cutco/Vector Marketing organization.

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Pete Borum is the Founder and Managing Partner of Squint Labs LLC, a venture fund and start-up accelerator investing in companies, teams and products that help combat "fake news" and media manipulation. Prior to starting Squint Labs, Pete was the Co-Founder and CEO of Reelio, a data-driven influencer marketing platform connecting advertisers to social media influencers, which he sold to AT&T Warner Media. Originally from a small farm town in Kentucky, Pete graduated from Stanford University in 2007, and later got his MBA in Finance from the Wharton School. He was selected by his Stanford peers as Class Co-President and by the administration at Wharton as a member of their "40 Under 40" list in 2018.

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Amar Dave has been one of the most impactful leaders in the 70+ year history of Cutco. Early in his career, he was the company's #1 District Manager while still in college at the University of Michigan. At age 26, he became the youngest Regional Executive in company history. Over the years, he directly influenced and developed 4 future Region Executives on his way to becoming Cutco's Senior Vice-President in 2014. He continues to serve in this role, where his spirit of innovation enables him to work on projects to develop new avenues to grow the company.

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Mark Bai came to the U.S. from China at age 6, settling in Omaha, Nebraska. As a child, he was nudged down a traditional path to success … get good grades, attend a first-rate college, and then on to medical school and a lucrative career. But as Mark ventured through his experiences with Cutco/Vector and attending the University of Pennsylvania, he found himself moving towards a different path, one that led him into the Recruiting industry. There, Mark has quickly found remarkable success. He has become one of the youngest people ever promoted to Principal in one of the fastest growing firms in his industry, and he has found an ideal new home in San Francisco. At age 27, Mark Bai is well on his way to building the life of his dreams.

For the complete show notes and access to all episodes, visit ChangingLivesPodcast.com

Chris Hammond is the Empire Division Manager for the Cutco/Vector Marketing sales organization, headquartered in Rochester, NY. A 27-year veteran with the company, Chris has produced over $86 million in sales, making him one of the top all-time achievers in the company's Hall of Fame. Throughout his great career, Chris has truly been a shining example of enjoying the journey. He makes work fun, and he helps others under his guidance to cultivate happiness in all that they do. Chris is truly grateful for all the blessings in his life, and he exudes a positive attitude and spirit, both at work and at home with his family. Chris Hammond is one of the great role models on the Cutco/Vector leadership team.

For the complete show notes and access to all episodes, visit ChangingLivesPodcast.com

Matt Jarvis is the CEO and co-Founder of CashLive, a free-to-play live-streamed poker game for your mobile device. His company was born out of his passion for poker combined with his dream of entrepreneurship. Matt's entrepreneurial journey truly began with his experience selling Cutco in Vancouver, Canada. Through some friends at Cutco, he was introduced to the game of poker. In 2010, Matt nearly reached the pinnacle of the poker world, finishing in 8th place in the World Series of Poker Main Event World Championship. With one WSOP bracelet to his name, and millions of dollars in poker winnings, Matt achieved excellence in this challenging endeavor. His new vision is to bring that same level of excellence to his business, while building a company in the mold of the Cutco/Vector culture.

For the complete show notes and access to all episodes, visit ChangingLivesPodcast.com