Diner Talks With James

In the booth with me this week is the one and only Ercole Perrone (say it with a thick Italian accent or you’re doing this glorious name (and man) a disservice). This conversation was so good – it centered around the theme of being a better listener, leading and taking care of others with great empathy, and being a good human who stands up for other humans and has compassion for the mental health and personal growth of others. Whether it’s in the mentoring space, the DEI space, or the mental health space – we need to serve and take care of our fellow beings. And ultimately, we need to ask better questions and actually listen – which is what we’re all about here in the diner. This episode has a lot of heart and I can’t wait for you to tune in!

About the Guest: 

Ercole is a consultant and advisor to senior managers of non-profit organizations and mid-sized companies, specializing in higher education. Ercole has fifteen years of senior management experience in roles that have spanned both industry associations and public sector organizations as a social impact executive. His range of professional and volunteer experiences includes working with youth, charities, various levels of government and in academia.

Currently, Ercole is the CEO of IGNITE Student Union, leading one of the largest student unions in Canada through significant and transformative change during the most challenging time in postsecondary education history.

Ercole lives with his amazing wife, three wonderful kids and a mischievous dog in Oakville, Ontario.

Fun Facts: My favourite socks have a picture of my wife's face on them; I am a master campfire maker; and I love fig jam.

 Connect with Ercole and learn more:

Twitter: @ErcoleDPerrone

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ercoleperrone

About the Host: 

Friends! Here's a somewhat stuffy bio of me:  

I am an author, professional speaker, coach, host, and entrepreneur. My first book, Leading Imperfectly: The value of being authentic for leaders, professionals, and human beings, is available wherever people buy books. I speak internationally to willing and unwilling attendees about authenticity, vulnerability, and leadership. My clients include American Express, General Electric (GE), Accenture, Yale University, The Ohio State University, and many others. As a speaker, I am doing the two things I loves the most: making people think and making people laugh! 

I host my own events multiple times a year. They are 2-day events called Living Imperfectly Live (and sometimes they are 1-day virtual events). They are a space where humans from every walk of life can come together to be part of a community on the pursuit of badassery. The goal is to help attendees start living the life we say we want to live.

Alas, you're here because of an idea I had a number of years ago and didn't think I was good enough to pull it off. I finally acted on it and alas Diner Talks with James was born! As you can see from what I do in my professional life, Diner Talks is alligned with everything I believe in and teach.  If this wasn't dry enough, and you would like to know more info about my speaking, events, or coaching feel free to check out my website: JamesTRobo.com.

Let’s Be Friends on Social Media!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamestrobo

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jamestrobo

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesrobilotta/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/JamesRobilottaCSP

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/JamesTRobo

Thanks for listening!

Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.

Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!

Subscribe to the podcast

If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app.

Leave us an Apple Podcasts review

Ratings and reviews from the listeners are extremely valuable to me and greatly appreciated. They help Diner Talks podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, it would mean the world if you couple leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.

"Our Happy Divorce" authors, Nikki DeBartolo and Benjamin Heldfond slid into the diner booth with me this week. Divorce is never easy but these two have figured out a way to make it work for their son Asher. We started our conversation talking about how Ben and Nikki met, when the sparks flew, and what brought them from San Francisco to Tampa, Florida. Making friends in a new city is hard and resentment is a tough emotion to shake when it starts building. I really appreciate the candor and self-awareness they both showed when owning how the years leading up to the divorce and the few after could have been handled better. We also talked about how they worked through the popular, though flawed, rationale many unhappy couples have: Stay together for the kids. We ended talking about the importance of counseling, the beauty of an open mind, and the power of clarity in communication. This was filled with just the right amount of couple bantering and deep-hitting realities. Excited for you to hear it!  

 About the Guest: 

From weeknight dinners and homework sessions with their son to Christmas card photos and vacations, Nikki DeBartolo and Benjamin Heldfond have created a tight-knit, enviable family. They work and play well together, from the smallest daily tasks to the biggest life events—and it only took a divorce to get them there. Though their marriage has been over for nearly a decade, they still share a happy life with each other and their son Asher, along with their new amazing spouses and children.

Ben and Nikki had hoped their wedding would start their happily ever after—but seven years, one child, and countless financial and familial entanglements later, their I do-s had turned into We can’t-s. Armed with their fierce love for their son and a desire to give him the best, they realized they needed to find an alternative to the seemingly inevitable toxic divorce that loomed over their lives.

Refusing to participate in the standard litigious legal divorce process, they devised a new strategy and worked to confront their hurt feelings and fragile egos head-on. Committed to putting Asher’s needs first in every decision, they helped each other heal and build a future. Their happily blended family today is a testament to their commitment to a few core principles and their incredible son—during the divorce and beyond.

In their stunning book "Our Happy Divorce," Ben and Nikki elaborate on the difficulties of their divorce experience, their individual pains and triumphs, and their unique approach to relationships and blended families. Their story is sure to inspire others to pursue something few believe possible…a happy divorce.

Connect with Ben and Nikki and learn more:

Link to their book on Amazon

@ourhappydivorce on Instgram

About the Host: 

Friends! Here's a somewhat stuffy bio of me:  

I am an author, professional speaker, coach, host, and entrepreneur. My first book, Leading Imperfectly: The value of being authentic for leaders, professionals, and human beings, is available wherever people buy books. I speak internationally to willing and unwilling attendees about authenticity, vulnerability, and leadership. My clients include American Express, General Electric (GE), Accenture, Yale University, The Ohio State University, and many others. As a speaker, I am doing the two things I loves the most: making people think and making people laugh! 

I host my own events multiple times a year. They are 2-day events called Living Imperfectly Live (and sometimes they are 1-day virtual events). They are a space where humans from every walk of life can come together to be part of a community on the pursuit of badassery. The goal is to help attendees start living the life we say we want to live.

Alas, you're here because of an idea I had a number of years ago and didn't think I was good enough to pull it off. I finally acted on it and alas Diner Talks with James was born! As you can see from what I do in my professional life, Diner Talks is aligned with everything I believe in and teach.  If this wasn't dry enough, and you would like to know more info about my speaking, events, or coaching feel free to check out my website: JamesTRobo.com.

Let’s Be Friends on Social Media!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamestrobo

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jamestrobo

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesrobilotta/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/JamesRobilottaCSP

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/JamesTRobo

Thanks for listening!

Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.

Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!

Subscribe to the podcast

If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app.

Leave us an Apple Podcasts review

Ratings and reviews from the listeners are extremely valuable to me and greatly appreciated. They help Diner Talks podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, it would mean the world if you couple leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.

Buckle up, y’all because this episode is jam-packed with nuggets of wisdom that will stick with you long after listening. Today I kicked it in the booth with bestselling author, socially conscious entrepreneur, and speaker Laura Gassner Otting (aka LGO). We talked about finding what you love to do, defining success and what is enough for yourself, motivation vs. discipline, control, imposter syndrome, and a new way to think about confidence. LGO is incredibly entertaining, an excellent storyteller, and someone who offers a fresh perspective. This episode has a little bit of everything for everyone and is well worth your time. Not to mention, it starts out with some PRO tips for ordering at the diner. Check it out!

About the Guest: 

Washington Post Best Selling Author and Motivational Keynote speaker, Laura Gassner Otting, inspires people to push past the doubt and indecision that keep great ideas in limbo because her presentations make listeners think bigger and accept greater challenges that reach beyond their limited scope of belief.

She delivers strategic thinking, well-honed wisdom, and perspective generated by decades of navigating change across the start-up, nonprofit, political, as well as philanthropic landscapes. Laura dares listeners to find their voice, and generate the confidence needed to tackle larger-than-life challenges. She leads them to seek new ways of leading, managing and mentoring others.

Laura’s entrepreneurial edge has been well-honed over a 25-year career that started as a Presidential Appointee in Bill Clinton’s White House, where she helped shape AmeriCorps.

She left a leadership role at the respected nonprofit search firm, Isaacson, Miller, to expand the startup ExecSearches.com. Laura also founded and ran the Nonprofit Professionals Advisory Group, which partnered with the full gamut of mission-driven nonprofit executives, from start-up dreamers to scaling social entrepreneurs to global philanthropists. In 2015, Laura sold NPAG to the team that helped her build it, both because she was hungry for the next chapter and because she held an audacious dream of electing our nation’s first female president.

Along the way, while serving on Hillary Clinton’s National Finance Committee, she was asked to do a TEDx talk which became so popular that it launched a speaking career. Laura has spoken across the United States and internationally to universities, companies, conferences, accelerators, TEDx, and the US Military.

She is the author of Mission-Driven: Moving from Profit to Purpose (2015) and the Washington Post Best Seller Limitless: How to Ignore Everybody, Carve Your Own Path, and Live Your Best Life (2019). She lives with her husband, two teenage sons, and troublesome puppy outside of Boston, MA.

Fun facts: I went to computer sleep away camp. I am running my fourth marathon in a week, having never run a mile in my life before I turned 39, and now the reigning lightweight indoor rowing champion of my age group. I have an irrational fear of whales.

Connect with Laura and learn more:

myfourquestions.com

lauragassnerotting.com

@heylgo on Instagram

About the Host: 

Friends! Here's a somewhat stuffy bio of me:  

I am an author, professional speaker, coach, host, and entrepreneur. My first book, Leading Imperfectly: The value of being authentic for leaders, professionals, and human beings, is available wherever people buy books. I speak internationally to willing and unwilling attendees about authenticity, vulnerability, and leadership. My clients include American Express, General Electric (GE), Accenture, Yale University, The Ohio State University, and many others. As a speaker, I am doing the two things I loves the most: making people think and making people laugh! 

I host my own events multiple times a year. They are 2-day events called Living Imperfectly Live (and sometimes they are 1-day virtual events). They are a space where humans from every walk of life can come together to be part of a community on the pursuit of badassery. The goal is to help attendees start living the life we say we want to live.

Alas, you're here because of an idea I had a number of years ago and didn't think I was good enough to pull it off. I finally acted on it and alas Diner Talks with James was born! As you can see from what I do in my professional life, Diner Talks is alligned with everything I believe in and teach.  If this wasn't dry enough, and you would like to know more info about my speaking, events, or coaching feel free to check out my website: JamesTRobo.com.

Let’s Be Friends on Social Media!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamestrobo

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jamestrobo

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesrobilotta/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/JamesRobilottaCSP

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/JamesTRobo

Thanks for listening!

Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.

Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!

Subscribe to the podcast

If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app.

Leave us an Apple Podcasts review

Ratings and reviews from the listeners are extremely valuable to me and greatly appreciated. They help Diner Talks podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, it would mean the world if you couple leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.

I don’t even know if there are diners in the Canary Islands, but I do know that this week’s guest, Geneviève Pépin, slid into this diner all the way from off the coast of Morocco. Geneviève and I started off discussing the magical foods that are poutine (because she’s from Quebec City) and arepas (because they are delicious). Then she told me about how she went from being a loner as a child who wanted to be an artist to getting lost in the corporate world. In her 20s she became a voracoius traveler and wound up studying and then working in China for 6 years! I loved hearing about her experience in China, what she loved about the culture there, and what surprised her. Because she has lived in many places, Geneviève calls herself a free agent of cultural norms, so naturally, I had to ask how one does that. We then discussed some of her professional careers. She talked about getting your dream job and then realizing it was not right for her and then knowing when to leave. It was fascinating hearing her talk about coming to terms with your control issues and understanding your relationship with control. And we finished up by going back and forth about, as a coach, how do you spark change? Loved this one y’all!

.

About the Guest: (Bio, Personal Links, Resource Links)

Geneviève Pépin is passionate about helping people go from busy & stressed to happy & productive, as a result of her own journey in the professional world. She is an accredited life coach (IAPC&M), certified mindset specialist, productivity and leadership development coach (Fortune 500 companies), and improv facilitator. Before coaching, Geneviève built her career internationally in event management and marketing, living, working, and traveling in 20 countries, in four different languages. She likes to enjoy a black espresso and a good laugh with friends, practice improv comedy, and spend time with her husband and two dogs in the beautiful Canary Islands that she calls home.

Connect with Geneviève and learn more:

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/GenLIProfile

Website: https://nettolacoaching.com/

About the Host: 

Friends! Here's a somewhat stuffy bio of me:  

I am an author, professional speaker, coach, host, and entrepreneur. My first book, Leading Imperfectly: The value of being authentic for leaders, professionals, and human beings, is available wherever people buy books. I speak internationally to willing and unwilling attendees about authenticity, vulnerability, and leadership. My clients include American Express, General Electric (GE), Accenture, Yale University, The Ohio State University, and many others. As a speaker, I am doing the two things I loves the most: making people think and making people laugh! 

I host my own events multiple times a year. They are 2-day events called Living Imperfectly Live (and sometimes they are 1-day virtual events). They are a space where humans from every walk of life can come together to be part of a community on the pursuit of badassery. The goal is to help attendees start living the life we say we want to live.

Alas, you're here because of an idea I had a number of years ago and didn't think I was good enough to pull it off. I finally acted on it and alas Diner Talks with James was born! As you can see from what I do in my professional life, Diner Talks is alligned with everything I believe in and teach.  If this wasn't dry enough, and you would like to know more info about my speaking, events, or coaching feel free to check out my website: JamesTRobo.com.

Let’s Be Friends on Social Media!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamestrobo

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jamestrobo

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesrobilotta/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/JamesRobilottaCSP

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/JamesTRobo

Thanks for listening!

Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.

Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!

Subscribe to the podcast

If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app.

Leave us an Apple Podcasts review

Ratings and reviews from the listeners are extremely valuable to me and greatly appreciated. They help Diner Talks podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, it would mean the world if you couple leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.

Longtime friend and Emmy-nominated anchor and reporter, Joe Mauceri, slid into a Brooklyn diner booth with me for this episode! Joe and I talked about a few childhood memories and what kind of burger you’re allowed to order in a diner. After asking Joe what he wanted to be when he was a kid, we learn about the home videos where his on-camera experience started and it was very cool to hear how he went from there to being a journalism/broadcast major at Syracuse. I asked Joe how he finds places to inject his personality when doing the news, which is typically quite serious and heavy. We also talked about the role that bias does and doesn’t play as a sports reporter. The current state of the media in our country is fascinating. I asked Joe a few questions about being in the field of journalism and what advice he would give to newcomers. We rounded the conversation out with me asking Joe how he is raising his children to have an open mind and why being a Dad matters to him. One of Joe’s quotes that I loved was, “I can’t help you if you don’t tell me the truth.” Another special diner talk in the books, y’all!

About the Guest: 

Joe Mauceri is a Brooklyn Boy with a large extended family, but he’s an only child. He is married to my amazing wife Erin and they have two awesome children Maddox 4 and Lucas 2. Joe lives four blocks from where he grew up, loves his mom's cooking and sports. Joe is a sports anchor and reporter for WPIX in New York City. He is also an entrepreneur who has started 3 businesses. Joe is an adrenaline junkie who has been sky diving, bungee jumping, and zip-lining. Last, but not least, he is a morning person, but works nights!

Connect with Joe and learn more:

www.dadhab.com

instagram.com/joethereporter

instagram.com/TheDadHabit

About the Host: 

Friends! Here's a somewhat stuffy bio of me:  

I am an author, professional speaker, coach, host, and entrepreneur. My first book, Leading Imperfectly: The value of being authentic for leaders, professionals, and human beings, is available wherever people buy books. I speak internationally to willing and unwilling attendees about authenticity, vulnerability, and leadership. My clients include American Express, General Electric (GE), Accenture, Yale University, The Ohio State University, and many others. As a speaker, I am doing the two things I loves the most: making people think and making people laugh! 

I host my own events multiple times a year. They are 2-day events called Living Imperfectly Live (and sometimes they are 1-day virtual events). They are a space where humans from every walk of life can come together to be part of a community on the pursuit of badassery. The goal is to help attendees start living the life we say we want to live.

Alas, you're here because of an idea I had a number of years ago and didn't think I was good enough to pull it off. I finally acted on it and alas Diner Talks with James was born! As you can see from what I do in my professional life, Diner Talks is alligned with everything I believe in and teach.  If this wasn't dry enough, and you would like to know more info about my speaking, events, or coaching feel free to check out my website: JamesTRobo.com.

Let’s Be Friends on Social Media!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamestrobo

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jamestrobo

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesrobilotta/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/JamesRobilottaCSP

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/JamesTRobo

Thanks for listening!

Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.

Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!

Subscribe to the podcast

If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app.

Leave us an Apple Podcasts review

Ratings and reviews from the listeners are extremely valuable to me and greatly appreciated. They help Diner Talks podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, it would mean the world if you couple leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.

This week in the booth is networking expert and Twix connoisseur, Tollisha Joseph. We spent our time talking about how to form relationships, how to stand out in a room full of people, and how to get out of our own way. We talked about boundaries and values, and she shared advice for looking to your past to help you figure out what you should do with your future. We rounded out the episode by talking about conversation strategies and the role of being either interested or interesting, and how to balance each in order to maximize the relationship. We ended on an analogy about having to pee, and you’re going to just have to tune in for that nugget of gold. This was a great episode with so many points and takeaways – you aren’t going to want to miss it!

About the Guest: 

Tollisha Joseph is the CEO of “The Official GLUE” a consultant agency that is driven by the heartbeat of human connection. Tollisha turned her frustration around professional networking into a successful business that teaches individuals how to master the art of effective networking and leverage it to increase visibility and revenue for their businesses. She’s created success by teaching small and midsize businesses the art of effective networking and getting them on the “YES” side of their business.

Connect with Tollisha and learn more:

https://sociatap.com/TheOfficialGlue

About the Host: 

Friends! Here's a somewhat stuffy bio of me:  

I am an author, professional speaker, coach, host, and entrepreneur. My first book, Leading Imperfectly: The value of being authentic for leaders, professionals, and human beings, is available wherever people buy books. I speak internationally to willing and unwilling attendees about authenticity, vulnerability, and leadership. My clients include American Express, General Electric (GE), Accenture, Yale University, The Ohio State University, and many others. As a speaker, I am doing the two things I loves the most: making people think and making people laugh! 

I host my own events multiple times a year. They are 2-day events called Living Imperfectly Live (and sometimes they are 1-day virtual events). They are a space where humans from every walk of life can come together to be part of a community on the pursuit of badassery. The goal is to help attendees start living the life we say we want to live.

Alas, you're here because of an idea I had a number of years ago and didn't think I was good enough to pull it off. I finally acted on it and alas Diner Talks with James was born! As you can see from what I do in my professional life, Diner Talks is alligned with everything I believe in and teach.  If this wasn't dry enough, and you would like to know more info about my speaking, events, or coaching feel free to check out my website: JamesTRobo.com.

Let’s Be Friends on Social Media!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamestrobo

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jamestrobo

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesrobilotta/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/JamesRobilottaCSP

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/JamesTRobo

Thanks for listening!

Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.

Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!

Subscribe to the podcast

If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app.

Leave us an Apple Podcasts review

Ratings and reviews from the listeners are extremely valuable to me and greatly appreciated. They help Diner Talks podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, it would mean the world if you couple leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.

In the booth with me this week is the storytelling, improv-loving, eggs benedict-hating, Mike Ganino. He’s lived 79 lives, and because he’s an efficient storyteller we got to hear about most of them. We talked about everything from his time as a flight attendant (including month-long layovers in Hawaii and dating for drinks), his leading role in a personal injury lawyer commercial, his evolution to public speaking, and his newest role as a stay-at-home dad. He shared a powerful story about coming out and dropped some insightful notes about finding your thru-line in life to recognize your innate talents. By the end, we were those two dudes in a booth crying into our milkshakes… the Diner Talks special! You’re going to love Mike’s stories and little nuggets sprinkled throughout -- you’re not going to want to miss this episode.

About the Guest: 

 Mike Ganino is a storytelling + public speaking expert who hosts The Mike Drop Moment podcast. He’s been named a Top 10 Public Speaking Coach by Yahoo Finance, and California’s Best Speaking and Communication Coach by Corporate Vision Magazine. He is an author, former Executive Producer of TEDxCambridge, and has been named a Top 30 Speaker by Global Guru, Mike’s worked with organizations like Disney, American Century Investments, American Marketing Association, and UCLA. Mikes a new Dad, a coffee snob, and chronically late.

Connect with Mike and learn more:

www.mikeganino.com

www.Instagram.com/mikeganino

About the Host: 

Friends! Here's a somewhat stuffy bio of me:  

I am an author, professional speaker, coach, host, and entrepreneur. My first book, Leading Imperfectly: The value of being authentic for leaders, professionals, and human beings, is available wherever people buy books. I speak internationally to willing and unwilling attendees about authenticity, vulnerability, and leadership. My clients include American Express, General Electric (GE), Accenture, Yale University, The Ohio State University, and many others. As a speaker, I am doing the two things I loves the most: making people think and making people laugh! 

I host my own events multiple times a year. They are 2-day events called Living Imperfectly Live (and sometimes they are 1-day virtual events). They are a space where humans from every walk of life can come together to be part of a community on the pursuit of badassery. The goal is to help attendees start living the life we say we want to live.

Alas, you're here because of an idea I had a number of years ago and didn't think I was good enough to pull it off. I finally acted on it and alas Diner Talks with James was born! As you can see from what I do in my professional life, Diner Talks is alligned with everything I believe in and teach.  If this wasn't dry enough, and you would like to know more info about my speaking, events, or coaching feel free to check out my website: JamesTRobo.com.

Let’s Be Friends on Social Media!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamestrobo

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jamestrobo

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesrobilotta/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/JamesRobilottaCSP

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/JamesTRobo

Thanks for listening!

Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.

Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!

Subscribe to the podcast

If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app.

Leave us an Apple Podcasts review

Ratings and reviews from the listeners are extremely valuable to me and greatly appreciated. They help Diner Talks podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, it would mean the world if you couple leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.

It’s Diner Talks with James’ first birthday! To celebrate Tina VanSteenbergen, my badass wife, slid back into the diner booth with me! Tina is a professional women’s empowerment speaker and runs her own women’s conference called Persist.  We started the way we always do, talking late-night foods. The last time Tina was on the podcast she was pregnant, now we have a baby, and I asked her how that feels. We then threw out the best and worst advice we got when she was pregnant. Tina talked about the feeding struggles and other really hard topics that aren’t shared enough with new moms. But how do you know you’re a good parent? Our two very different perspectives were fascinating to hear. Also, we weren’t head over heels in love with our baby the day he was born and that is ok. A big thing we are still dealing with is the loneliness of becoming parents so we chatted about that struggle. Then we took a hard left and got to hear about Tina’s new passion project: Persist: A Badass Women’s Conference. She wonders, are women writing a story that their success is limited? Tina rounded out our time together discussing why, for women, confidence must be a team sport.  What a special one, y’all! Thank you to all of you who helped this fun idea I had stick around for a full year, now on to year 2!

About the Guest: 

I learned too late in my life that women need women. To be successful in the workplace. To feel understood. To help us believe in ourselves. To feel less alone in the world. Women need women. Women deserve strong communities full of empathy, kindness, and empowerment at work, at home, and literally everywhere in their lives. That’s where I come in.

Hi, my name is Tina VanSteenbergen and I help women tear down the walls built between us. My speaking style gives women permission to open up, have honest conversations, and connect. With a combination of authenticity, storytelling, and humor, I’ve been able to help hundreds of thousands of women build relationships with one another, believe in themselves, and take up space at companies, campuses, and organizations around North America.

My work sets my soul on fire. So does a good nap. An excellent pour of bourbon. A beautiful snow. A peaceful and reflective sunset flight. An episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race. A perfectly green avocado. The skyline of New York City. A warm and cheesy mac n’ cheese. A well-written West Wing quote. My husband–James Robilotta, my dog, and a Minnesotan accent, of course

Connect with Tina and learn more:

Website: www.tinaraevan.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/tinaraevan

About the Host: 

Friends! Here's a somewhat stuffy bio of me:  

I am an author, professional speaker, coach, host, and entrepreneur. My first book, Leading Imperfectly: The value of being authentic for leaders, professionals, and human beings, is available wherever people buy books. I speak internationally to willing and unwilling attendees about authenticity, vulnerability, and leadership. My clients include American Express, General Electric (GE), Accenture, Yale University, The Ohio State University, and many others. As a speaker, I am doing the two things I loves the most: making people think and making people laugh! 

I host my own events multiple times a year. They are 2-day events called Living Imperfectly Live (and sometimes they are 1-day virtual events). They are a space where humans from every walk of life can come together to be part of a community in the pursuit of badassery. The goal is to help attendees start living the life we say we want to live.

Alas, you're here because of an idea I had a number of years ago and didn't think I was good enough to pull it off. I finally acted on it and alas Diner Talks with James was born! As you can see from what I do in my professional life, Diner Talks is aligned with everything I believe in and teach.  If this wasn't dry enough, and you would like to know more info about my speaking, events, or coaching feel free to check out my website: JamesTRobo.com.

Let’s Be Friends on Social Media!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamestrobo

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jamestrobo

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesrobilotta/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/JamesRobilottaCSP

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/JamesTRobo

Thanks for listening!

Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.

Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!

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Leave us an Apple Podcasts review

Ratings and reviews from the listeners are extremely valuable to me and greatly appreciated. They help Diner Talks podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, it would mean the world if you couple leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.

Quinn Conyers slid in the Diner booth with me this episode!  She is an incredible Master of Ceremonies (emcee) and powerful public speaker who specializes in helping Black women find and use their voices. Quinn and I first bonded over our love of crabby fries. Then we learn how Quinn fell in love with being an emcee. I loved her mantra of, “I don’t want to be booked and busy, I want to be peaceful and paid!” It was powerful learning when Quinn learned to step into her voice and speak up as a black woman. Especially while being raised by her mother who is from a generation that was taught to be quiet to survive. Quinn told us why and how she started to help fellow black women recognize their value, use their voices, and become speakers. She shared with us a few ways women can use their voices more at work, at home, and in the wild. We ended with her answer to an important question: what can leadership do at companies to ensure women and people of color can use their voice at work? Real strong episode here, y’all!

About the Guest: 

Quinn Conyers broadcast the brilliance of women in business! She shows them how to Turn Conversations into Cash so they can profit from public speaking. Quinn believes your voice is your secret weapon in business and is a master at training entrepreneurs how to leverage public speaking as a marketing strategy, lead generation tool, and revenue stream in your business. If you are ready to maximize and monetize all speaking opportunities on behalf of your business, book, or brand you are in the right place. After this powerful presentation, Quinn will show you how to verbalize your value and articulate your awesomeness so you can leverage your mouth as your #1 marketing strategy in business and be super successful! She has over 16 years of virtual and in-person speaking, event hosting, and training experience.

Quinn is eager and excited to unleash the voices of women in business all across the globe so they are clear, concise, and compelling every time they open their mouths. Quinn has taught Speech Communications for 5 years at Coppin State University, earned a Bachelor's Degree from West Chester University and a Masters from Howard University in Washington DC. Quinn is the author of 2 books, made it to the 2nd round of Shark Tank auditions four times, been featured on the Entrepreneurs Elevator Pitch TV show as well Essence, Black Enterprise, Vision and Purpose and Empowering Women to Speak Out Magazines. Get your pen and paper ready and join me in welcoming our guest speaker Quinn Conyers.

Connect with Quinn and learn more:

Website: www.quinnconyers.com Clubhouse: @quinnconyers

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quinn.conyers

Instagram: https://instagram.com/quinn.conyers?igshid=db4vywpumxaz

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/quinnconyers

Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/quinnconyers?lang=en

This week incredible professional speaker, respect expert, and dear friend, Mike Domitrz is in the booth with me! Age has hurt Mike’s ability to do a lot of late-night eating so we quickly moved past that. We did bond over being in charge of the morning announcements in grade school and getting in trouble for something we said. Then Mike shared the moment he decided to drop his dream of Broadway and decided he wanted to be a family man. Tragically his youngest sister had been raped and it completely, and understandably, rocked him. Mike talks a lot about respect and hearing how he absorbed it was fascinating because the way we learned it was completely different. We talked about the different ways one comes to respect someone else: etiquette and honor-focused vs. role-modeled and earned respect. Mike went on to create the Center for Respect and discussed the work they do. He discussed the unintentional ways we sometimes disrespect others. A powerful part of our conversation was when we talked about how can we get individuals to know that just because they themselves may not be the problem, they can and should be a part of the solution of important issues such as sexual violence.  This was a great one, y’all, enjoy!

About the Guest: 

As the Founder of The Center for Respect, Mike Domitrz speaks around the world. You may have seen him quoted in Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, or maybe you’ve seen him as a featured expert on the Dateline NBC Special “My Kid Would Never Do That.” For 3 decades, businesses of all sizes, organizations, schools, and the US Military have been bringing Mike, his passion, and his high energy for helping them build a culture of Respect. Mike believes "Respect is not the standard of excellence. Respect is the bare minimum requirement." AND he loves to dance, he loves being a husband, he loves being a dad to 4 grown men, and he LOVES being a grandpa.

Connect with Mike and learn more:

http://www.CenterForRespect.com

https://www.YouTube.com/MikeDomitrz

https://www.Instagram.com/MikeRespects

https://www.Facebook.com/MikeRespects

https://www.Twitter.com/MikeRespects

https://www.tiktok.com/@mikerespects

https://www.amazon.com/Can-Kiss-You-Thought-provoking-Relationships/dp/0997286601

About the Host: 

Friends! Here's a somewhat stuffy bio of me:  

I am an author, professional speaker, coach, host, and entrepreneur. My first book, Leading Imperfectly: The value of being authentic for leaders, professionals, and human beings, is available wherever people buy books. I speak internationally to willing and unwilling attendees about authenticity, vulnerability, and leadership. My clients include American Express, General Electric (GE), Accenture, Yale University, The Ohio State University, and many others. As a speaker, I am doing the two things I loves the most: making people think and making people laugh! 

I host my own events multiple times a year. They are 2-day events called Living Imperfectly Live (and sometimes they are 1-day virtual events). They are a space where humans from every walk of life can come together to be part of a community in the pursuit of badassery. The goal is to help attendees start living the life we say we want to live.

Alas, you're here because of an idea I had a number of years ago and didn't think I was good enough to pull it off. I finally acted on it and alas Diner Talks with James was born! As you can see from what I do in my professional life, Diner Talks is aligned with everything I believe in and teach.  If this wasn't dry enough, and you would like to know more info about my speaking, events, or coaching feel free to check out my website: JamesTRobo.com.

Let’s Be Friends on Social Media!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamestrobo

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jamestrobo

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesrobilotta/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/JamesRobilottaCSP

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/JamesTRobo

Thanks for listening!

Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.

Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!

Subscribe to the podcast

If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app.

Leave us an Apple Podcasts review

Ratings and reviews from the listeners are extremely valuable to me and greatly appreciated. They help Diner Talks podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, it would mean the world if you couple leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.