Contenders Wanted

Show Notes

Have you ever wanted to know an answer so bad that you were willing to do literally anything to get the answer? Well our guest today is Josh Rhodes and his question was this: “how do you build wealth?”  As a result of this question he sent out 50 emails to some of the most successful people he knew of and before he knew it he was interviewing these people, recording their conversations, then started a podcast, and now has done over 200 of these interviews for his show. 

Joshua Rhodes is the founder of Rhodes To Wealth, and the Rhodes To Wealth podcast, a platform set out to provide wealth building advice, tips and strategies from the world’s most successful wealth building experts. As a first-generation college graduate, the idea and thought of how to ‘build wealth’ was not something that Josh was exposed to much while growing up in Houston, Texas. Once out of college, he found himself in an outside sales role in a leading cyber security company, living lean, and building some disposable income. After years of saving his money, he went hunting for advice on what to do next. Rather than ‘blindly’ dumping his money into an asset he’s heard others talk about, he decided to take matters into his own hands - searching for answers in books, articles and from experts. As Josh tore through his wealth building journey, he found that the best way for him to fully grasp wealth building was to invest in himself, and that is how Rhodes To Wealth was born. His goal with the Rhodes To Wealth platform and by talking to wealth building experts is to help non-traditional wealth building Millennials, like himself, who feel they have enough money to invest, but not enough knowledge to do it confidently, find a path that leads them to financial freedom - and hopefully early retirement.  On the show today we discuss the following:

• Who is Josh Rhodes and what does he do (3:42)
• Why Josh chose to start a podcast (8:33)
• What gave Josh the confidence to start on this journey (13:45)
• What enabled Josh to feel like he deserved the success he was seeing (21:51)
• What has been the MOST compelling wealth building strategy to Josh (25:51)
• What has been the LEAST compelling wealth building strategy to Josh (32:32)
• Beliefs and notions about money that Josh had to dispose of on this journey (35:54)
• Lessons outside of wealth creation that Josh has learned from his guests (45:28)
• What does it mean to Josh to be a Contender (49:42)

Resources:

How to learn more about Josh:

• Website: RhodestoWealth.com

Additional Books, Individuals, or Items Discuss in the show:

• Tim Ferris
• Brian Scudamore
• Getting Things Done by David Allen
• Millionaire Teacher by Andrew Hallam
• Geometry of Wealth by Brian Portney
• Eric Bergman - Great.com
• Entrepreneurial You by Dorie Clark
• Art of Manliness
• It's A Wonderful Life

Connect with Us:

• Our Website: www.contenderswanted.com
• By Email: [email protected]
• Subscribe to our newsletter to never miss an episode: contenderswanted.com/subscribe

Show Notes

Do you ever wish you had more control over how you felt or what direction your life was going? Or wish you could figure out how to get out of those funks we all inevitably go through instead of having to just ride it out?  Well our guest today teaches people how to do those things and more. Our guest today is Bob Gardner and after discovering and learning how to conquer his own demons he now teaches others how to do the same.

Bob spent 18 years of his life battling frequent bouts of depression, addiction, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts. As an entrepreneur, that internal struggle made him unproductive, very sensitive to any threat to his business, and very poor at making decisions that would put food on the table for his family. It bankrupted him and took him to the brink of losing his wife and kids…Until he finally couldn’t take it anymore and created a method to completely get rid of those inner demons so he could live life without the constant struggle. Since founding his company The Freedom Specialist, he has helped hundreds of people through programs, presentations, coaching, and retreats to discover that… stress doesn’t have to be “a fact of life”… and that happiness is a skill anyone can learn. It’s also the most reliable road to leaving behind all the things that keep people stuck in depression, anxiety, addiction, and more.

• Who is Bob and what does he do (4:46)
• What was the turning point to him finding and choosing freedom (7:25)
• The process Bob used to find his own freedom (9:02)
• The power of challenging the assumptions in our lives (15:56)
• The connection between our emotions, our minds, and our bodies (18:24)
• Ways listeners can explore the connection between the mind and body (31:30)
• How Bob is able to blend both Western and Eastern applications in his program (37:42)
• What is it that we typically get wrong about Freedom and how to find it (48:31)
• What does it mean to Bob to be a Contender (55:24)

Resources:

How to learn more about Bob:

• Bob's Company Website: The Freedom Specialist
• Bob's Podcast: Alive & Free

Additional Books, Individuals, or Items Discuss in the show:

• Royce Gracie
• Russian Sistema
• Russian Stick Massage
• The Buddha
• Qigong Healing
• Wim Hof

Contact Us:

Visit our website at www.contenderswanted.com to contact us about suggestions for ways to improve the show, to let me know how the show is helping you, or to even suggest a future guest.

Also, if you'd like to be notified of future episodes as they come out, please subscribe to our emails on our website as well.

Show Notes

Do you ever just feel burnt out? Like you’re trying as hard as you can but you just can’t seem to make the progress you were hoping towards your goals and the life you want to live? I know I’ve been there many times. Well our guest today would likely say that these feelings have come from hustling, and working, and grinding away too much. Our guest today is Fraser Cameron and he has made it his mission to push back against what he believes to be a toxic hustle and grind culture in our world today.  

Fraser is from beautiful New Zealand and among other things, is an epicPERFORMANCE Coach. He focuses on helping driven men (executives/entrepreneurs/business owners) to achieve previously unthought of levels of happiness, success, freedom and fulfillment in life - at work, home & play. He says that his program is all about maximizing you, being a better you, and living a life you wouldn't trade for anything. This includes happiness is LIVING your passions and freedom in the ability to CHOOSE, What, when, how and with whom. Since 2012 it’s been Frasers MISSION to help other men master peak performance and he has helped over 900 individuals do just that.

• Who is Fraser and what does he do (3:31)
• Fraser's story of leaving his "successful" corporate job (6:56)
• The prevalence of the scarcity mindset and making excuses (14:59)
• The power of input from those who love you (23:26)
• What's wrong with the hustle and grind culture and a better alternative (30:23)
• Fraser's advice for not falling into the hustle and grind myth (39:32)
• Fraser's formula for maximizing your value (52:41)
• What does it mean to Fraser to be a Contender (1:03:05)

Resources:

How to learn more about Fraser:

• Fraser's Website: FraserCameron.com
• Fraser's Giveaway: 5 Ways to Kickstart your Journey to Elite Performance
• Fraser's Social Media Profiles: 
  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube

Additional Books, Individuals, or Items Discuss in the show:

• Muggsy Bogues
• Edmund Hillary - 1st man to reach the summit of Mount Everest
• Curt Mercadante
• Gary Vaynerchuck
• The 4-Hour Work Week by Tim Ferris
• Relentless by Tim Grover
• Usain Bolt
• Olympic Video Fraser watches
• Start with Why by Simon Sinek

Contact Me:

As always, feel free to reach out to me by emailing me at [email protected] for suggestions of ways to improve the show, to let me know how the show is helping you, or to even suggest a future guest.

Show Notes

Can you imagine being at the top of your game and then suddenly losing everything? To go from being one of the best to fighting for your very life?  Well our guest today is Robert Paylor and he has lived this reality. 

In one moment, Robert was in the best day of his life, competing for the collegiate rugby national championship. In the next moment, his life changed forever. Robert suffered a spinal cord injury in the first minutes of the game and found himself face down in the turf unable to move anything below his neck. His doctor told him he would never walk or move his hands for the rest of his life. Through an unbreakable vision and relentless determination, Robert is defying the odds. He has graduated from UC Berkeley, is winning the fight to walk again, and is sharing his method of how he overcomes quadriplegia. Every person faces challenges; Robert’s are just visible. The skills Robert uses to overcome paralysis can be used by all to optimally perform. His message is one that inspires others to access their full potential and conquer their challenges no matter how daunting they may seem. Robert’s story is incredible and shows just how much you can accomplish when you refuse to give up and when you choose to control your attitude, no matter what’s going on around you. On the show today we discuss:

• Who is Robert and what does he do (5:53)
• How Robert became paralyzed (6:47)
• The thoughts going through his mind right in the moment (12:02)
• The hope Robert found in controlling his mindset (16:07)
• False hope vs. false hopelessness (19:51)
• The rehabilitation process and the barriers he hit (22:45)
• The power of vision to help Robert overcome his barriers (26:50)
• The power of perspective in Robert's life (32:39)
• The power of gratitude (37:06)
• Forgiving those who hurt him (44:20)
• What does the future hold for Robert Paylor (48:05)
• What does it mean to him to be a Contender (51:31)

Resources:

How to learn more about Robert:

• Robert's Website: RobertPaylor.com
• Robert's Social Media Profiles: 
  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter

Additional Books, Individuals, or Items Discuss in the show:

• Dan Mulhorn - Berkley Professor
• UC Berkeley (Cal)
• Cal Rugby
• Jack Clark - Cal Rugby Coach
• Kim Cameron

Contact Me:

As always, feel free to reach out to me by emailing me at [email protected] for suggestions of ways to improve the show, to let me know how the show is helping you, or to even suggest a future guest.

Show Notes

How often do you set a goal and then purposefully take specific actions within the week to ensure you’re setting yourself up to reach that goal? Or how often do you take a goal and ask yourself, “what do I need to do right now to achieve that goal?" Well our guest today is Derrick Reiner and that is exactly what he has done with his entire career and with every goal he’s ever set for himself.

Derrick is an up and coming Contender in the real estate space who has his hands in so many areas. He is a valuation analyst at Altus Group, a global real estate consulting firm, the Managing Principal of his own investment firm, Ryno Capital, and the host of the podcast Capital Stack with Derrick Reiner. For those who listened to the bonus episode this past week you’ll recognize Derrick as he interviewed me in that bonus episode. On the show today we discuss:

• Who is Derrick and what does he do (2:40)
• Derrick's experience in the Army and the lessons learned there (4:15)
• Soft skills learned in the military that transferred to civilian life (6:54)
• Positioning yourself for success (14:03)
• Aligning your passion with your profession (23:12)
• How he chose his starting job out of college (29:44)
• Don't make sacrifices, make choices (33:51)
• How Derrick made a career shift with no prior experience (37:14)
• What advice Derrick would give to his younger self (46:41)
• What does it mean to Derrick to be a Contender (50:35)

Resources:

How to learn more about Derrick and his business:

• Derricks Podcast: Capital Stack with Derrick Reiner
• Derricks Investment Firm: Ryno Capital Investments
• Derricks LinkedIn Profile

Additional Books, Individuals, or Items Discuss in the show:

• Grant Cardone
• Ed Mylett
• Hunter Thompson
• Adam Carswell
• The One Thing by Gary Keller

Contact Me:

As always, feel free to reach out to me by emailing me at [email protected] for suggestions of ways to improve the show, to let me know how the show is helping you, or to even suggest a future guest.

Show Notes

Have you ever wondered how to get out of a job that you just can't stand but you feel stuck? Well on today's bonus episode Rob shares how he did it in this portion of an interview he recently did on another podcast called Capital Stack with Derrick Reiner. In the interview you hear the specific things he did to get out of his old job and the lessons he learned along the way. If you like what you hear or want to learn more about Rob, be sure to check out the full episode on Derrick's podcast linked below.

Resources:

• Derrick Reiner's Podcast: Capital Stack with Derrick Reiner
  • Apple Podcasts
  • ListenNotes

Contact Me:

If you liked this bonus episode and want more of this type of content, feel free to reach out to me and let me know by emailing me at [email protected].

Show Notes

Have you ever made a decision on a gut feeling and it wound up being the right decision? And would you like to learn how to more clearly recognize those impressions and use them for good in your life? Well our guest today is AdaPia d’Errico, the author of the new book Productive Intuition, and on the show we discuss all these things and more. 

AdaPia d’Errico is a visionary leader with 20+ years of experience across countries, cultures, and both corporate and start-up environments. She’s co-founded businesses, launched brands, and redefined industries. She is a respected fintech entrepreneur, executive, and evangelist who brought real estate crowdfunding mainstream. Today, AdaPia is VP of Strategy and principal of real estate private equity firm Alpha Investing, an executive mentor, author, and powerful keynote speaker. Her Goalcast video about trusting yourself has been viewed 35 million times and shared 250,000 times.  AdaPia gracefully guides you to the source of your authenticity so you can awaken to your highest purpose, meaning, and potential. AdaPia is passionate about empowerment on all levels - from spiritual to financial and she's on a mission to help everyone connect to their inner authority. Her book, Productive Intuition: Connecting to the Subtle was released in 2020.  On the show today we discuss:

• Who is AdaPia and what does she do (3:20)
• AdaPia's defining moment (12:38)
• How AdaPia woke up to her own intuition (17:40)
• The false stories AdaPia had to unwind from (26:43)
• Specific ways to develop your intuition (31:13)
• The power of true authenticity (36:50)
• How your intuition can guide your life and career (41:21)
• The role of intuition in AdaPia's career success (45:47)
• How to balance faith and career (47:35)
• What does it mean to AdaPia to be a Contender (51:09)

Resources:

How to learn more about AdaPia and her business:

• AdaPia's Book: Productive Intuition: Connecting to the Subtle
• AdaPia's Website
• AdaPia's Company: Alpha Investing
• AdaPia's Social Media Profiles:
  • LinkedIn
  • Instagram

Additional Books, Individuals, or Items Discuss in the show:

• N/A

Contact Me:

As always, feel free to reach out to me by emailing me at [email protected] for suggestions of ways to improve the show, to let me know how the show is helping you, or to even suggest a future guest.

Show Notes

When was the last time you felt something so strongly that it informed your decisions around every aspect of your life? Well our guest today is Natalie “Money Mama” Goldberg and on the show today Natalie shares with us some intense life experiences that she went through that have informed her life’s mission and living legacy. Natalie Elisha Goldberg, Esq. is a celebrity wealth attorney, business strategist and managing attorney of Goldberg LLP.  As an award-winning attorney, rising star “Super Lawyer”, two-time best-selling author and a nationwide speaker about women and money, Natalie prides herself on being a fearless cheerleader for her clients' success. Natalie’s vision of “life and legacy planning” colors everything she does.  The mission for her companies is to spread more LOVE.  She believes LOVE means:

• Lift and Uplift
• Others to Live
• Vivacious, Victorious and
• Extraordinary Lives.

Natalie is an influential industry leader, thriving on and off the camera. She has appeared on television networks and shows including CNBC, Fox News, CBS, HLN, BBC and Good Morning America as well as being featured in articles in CNN World, Parents Magazine, The New York Post, Star Magazine and Cosmopolitan, just to name a few. With years of experience and unmatched credentials, Natalie is uniquely equipped to make a significant and lasting impact on her clients’ lives. She has saved families millions of dollars from unscrupulous litigants, estate disputes, long term care costs and taxes.  Natalie believes in LOVE as her guiding value and ensures that each and every client feels seen, loved and respected. On the show today we discuss:

• Who is Natalie and what does she do (3:59)
• How Natalie became the Fun Fact Machine and human connection (5:31)
• The Crash that altered Natalie's life (13:14)
• How did Natalie become a lawyer at 23 and start her own firm at 24 (27:09)
• Where she got the name "Money Mamma" (33:37)
• The impetus behind her books and how she was able to write them with her busy schedule (39:23)
• What is Natalie's legacy and what is a living legacy (53:36)
• How to contact Natalie (57:55)

Resources:

How to learn more about Natalie and her business:

• Natalie's Law Firm: Goldberg LLP
• Email Natalie: [email protected]
• Natalie's Social Media Accounts
  • LinkedIn
  • Instagram
  • Facebook
• Natalie's Books:
  • The Millennial's Guide to the Universe
  • Money Momma: The Women's Wealth Bible For The Digital Age
  • I love When It's Mommy and Me
  • For I am Ruth: A Tribute to Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Additional Books, Individuals, or Items Discuss in the show:

• The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell
• How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
• Arianna Huffington
• The Goal by Eliyahu M. Goldratt

Contact Me:

As always, feel free to reach out to me by emailing me at [email protected] for suggestions of ways to improve the show, to let me know how the show is helping you, or to even suggest a future guest.

Show Notes

Have you ever gotten to meet someone who you’ve admired and respected so much and for so long that when you finally do meet them, you find yourself all tongue tied and nervous? Well that was me today on this show. Our guest today is Hunter Thompson. Hunter is the founder and Principal of Asym Capital, a technology enabled private equity firm that helps accredited investors passively invest in recession-resistant asset classes. Hunter has personally raised more than $25mm in private capital and controls more than $100mm in commercial real estate. He has been featured in Forbes, Globe St., Inside Self-Storage, as well as a variety of other media news outlets, podcasts, and radio shows. Hunter is the host of the Cash Flow Connections Real Estate Podcast, a podcast that I’ve personally been listening to for many years at this point and one that really dives deep into the economics of real estate. Hunter is also a member of the Forbes Real Estate Council, an invitation-only organization for executives in the real estate industry. In addition, Hunter is the author of the book “Raising Capital for Real Estate”, an Amazon’s number one international bestseller which contains tons of actionable content for anyone looking to raise money in real estate or develop relationships with sophisticated investors. On the show today we discuss:

• Who is Hunter and what does he do (3:00)
• The role of personal fitness in Hunter's personal growth and development (6:17)
• How fitness is the ultimate productivity hack and a host of other productivity hacks (8:04)
• Why you need to know your "one thing" (11:34)
• How to establish world class mentor relationships and strategic partnerships (13:54)
• Characteristics of high performers in the real estate space (22:37)
• The importance of having a really great spouse (24:32)
• Hunter's "why" and how he found it (30:41)
• What it means to Hunter to be a Contender (36:11)

Resources:

How to learn more about Hunter and his business:

• Asym Capital
• The Cash Flow Connections Podcast
• The $5 Million in 30 Days Summit free ticket
• Hunter's LinkedIn Profile

Additional Books, Individuals, or Items Discuss in the show:

• The 4 Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss
• Jeremy Roll
• Born Rich Documentary
• Russell Brunson
• Dan Sullivan
• Cameron Herold
• The One Thing by Gary Keller
• Dotcom Secrets by Russell Brunson
• Everything is Figureoutable by Marie Forleo

Contact Me:

As always, feel free to reach out to me by emailing me at [email protected] for suggestions of ways to improve the show, to let me know how the show is helping you, or to even suggest a future guest.

Show Notes

Have you ever thought about starting a business but you weren’t sure if your passion project was just a hobby or could become a full fledged business? Well our guest today is Phyllis Williams-Strawder or Mrs. Big Mista as she is known in the BBQ community. Phyllis is the Queen of late bloomers. She received her first college degree when she was 38 years old. She birthed her one and only child at 42 after two miscarriages and six months later purchased her first home. Next in her series of first was starting a legit business at 43 and quitting her good government job at 45. She opened her first restaurant at 50 and her second at 51. At 52 she took her first international trip (London & France) and published her first book at 53. As if that wasn’t enough, she chucked the restaurants (with the support of her husband) to follow her passion of helping entrepreneurs young and old start businesses. As a certified business coach and brand strategist she is on a mission to help small businesses build big brands and conquer more first. She is the author of 7 books and a proud homeschooling mom. On the show today we discuss:

• Who is Phyllis (3:15)
• What is Big Mista’s BBQ (4:32)
• What it is like on a reality TV show (7:06)
• Lessons from the food/restaurant business (11:00)
• If she was scared to start their business (23:35)
• Phyllis’ million dollar mistake (28:23)
• Leaving her 9-5 job and overcoming fear (33:41)
• Patience’s role in success (38:44)
• Being a working mom (43:24)
• Momshaming advice (52:18)
• What does it mean to be a contender (56:37)

Resources:

How to learn more about Phyllis and what she does:

• Phyllis' Email: [email protected]
• Phyllis' Phone: 562-356-8111
• Phyllis' Twitter
• Phyllis' LinkedIn Profile
• Phyllis' Websites:
  • Business Coaching Business
  • Espresso Mischief Designs
• Phyllis' Books:
  • Target the Right Market
  • Develop Your Authentic Brand
  • Godly Entrepreneur Strategic Planner
  • That Damn Girl Stuff
  • Far from the Tree
  • Finding Life Balance
  • Morgan Mischief

Additional Books, Individuals, or Items Discuss in the show:

• Alton Brown
• Big Mista's BBQ
• The Great Food Truck Race Episode
• Profit First
• Jonathan Gold's List

Contact Me:

As always, feel free to reach out to me by emailing me at [email protected] for suggestions of ways to improve the show, to let me know how the show is helping you, or to even suggest a future guest.