Elevate and Accelerate

In this episode of Elevate and Accelerate, examine the how the power of storytelling can shape your powers of negotiation.

Carol Barkes is an innovative conflict resolution expert in the ground-breaking science of neuro mediation. With over a decade of experience advising top achieving clients, corporations and entities such as Amazon, the USAF, HP, and the UN. Her process includes coaching and educating individuals and business executives, HR departments, court systems and anyone stuck at an impasse. Simply put, she zeroes in on a pain point, facilitating the transformation of difficult situations with ease for clients who are unable to move forward. She offers steady, guided progression for conflict resolution relying on both her experience and extensive educational training in neuro-mediation and conflict resolution. 

She mediates hundreds of cases annually with an industry-leading 90%+ resolution rate.

Beyond her work as a neuro-mediation and conflict resolution expert, Carol is a best selling author, mother, and was the first female fire fighter in the San Francisco Bay area.

Chapters:

0:00 - Intro.

1:13 - What brought Carol to Neuroscience and Mediation.

1:50 - Carol's Fear of Loss and How She Overcame.

3:48 - Reinvention or Just Part of the Process?

5:30 - How Carol Became the First Female Fire Fighter in the San Francisco Bay area.

6:53 - The Next Open Door. Carol's Philosophy.

8:48 - What Stories Are We Telling Ourself During Conflicts.

12:18 - How Does Carol Work with Organizations vs. Individuals.

13:48 - The SCARF Model.

16:05 -Is Mediation Supposed to Be Fair?

19:04 - "Going to the Balcony." Perception vs. Perspective.

21:15 - Is Win, Win a Thing?

23:28 - Why is Carol so Passionate About Mediation?

27:05 - Lean in and Get Past It.

28:05 - What's Next for Carol...Keynotes, Books and More.

30:02 - The OFTEN Strategy. How you can make change now.

32:00 - Closing Remarks

32:47 - How to get in touch with Celebrity Branding® Agency and learn more.

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In this episode of Elevate and Accelerate, we examine financial wellness habits and techniques of the ultra wealthy.

A Private Wealth Advisor with over 18 years of industry experience, Homer has dedicated his practice to working with business owners and families of wealth with complex financial planning needs. His mission is to simplify the lives of his clients by quieting the noise that surrounds them both personally and in their business and allow them to focus on what matters most – their purpose and goals.

Homer has the unique ability of taking complex strategies and presenting them in a way that is remarkably intuitive and straightforward so clients can easily grasp the ideas. Working as a fiduciary and business consultant to his clients, it is his legal duty to put his clients’ needs first and act in their best interest while maintaining full transparency throughout the financial planning process.

Chapters:

0:00 - Intro

1:00 - Homer Smith's story in his own words.

4:50 - From Recruiting to Wealth Advising.

9:05 - Homer's top questions for business owners pre-sale.

14:20 - How to maintain purpose and post-sale.

16:30 - The power of the virtual family office.

18:20 - Personal branding in business growth.

23:58 - How Homer's book, "Making Smart Decisions" came to be .

29:00 - Homer's advice on personal branding.

30:35 - Closing Remarks

31:00 - How to get in touch with Celebrity Branding® Agency and learn more.

Connect With Zack:

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In this episode of Elevate and Accelerate, we unroll the blueprint to a balanced and holistically healthy life with Dr. Crystal Nelson.

Dr. Crystal Nelson is a highly esteemed Board-certified Psychiatrist, Published Author, National Speaker, and the Founder of Blueprint Psychiatry - a mental health and wellness center offering a full range of psychiatric services in Newnan, GA. With over 17 years of psychiatric experience, Dr. Nelson received The 2023 Atlanta Top Doc Award in Psychiatry from her peers in healthcare. She has worked in various settings, including inpatient and outpatient psychiatric facilities. She is passionate about educating her clients about mental health and empowering them in the healing process.

Timecodes:

0:00 - Cold open to Dr. Crystal Nelson

0:44 - Zack introduces Dr. Crystal Nelson and Blueprint Psychiatry

3:30 - Dr. Crystal's Journey.

6:48 - What inspired Dr. Crystal to create Blueprint Psychiatry.

8:45 - Why psychiatry?

10:10 - Cold open (The Full Story)

13:55 - Self-doubt.

18:10 - The Power of Story.

25:50 - Dealing with trauma.

27:05 - GPS Systems. How it came to be.

29:08 - Conquering fear.

31:00 - Perception of Dr. Crystal's life vs. reality.

33:40 - We all experience hardships.

35:30 - Seeing yourself holistically.

37:50 - Dr. Crystal's vision for the future.

40:02 - Dr. Crystal's take on how building her brand accelerated her life.

45:00 - Closing Remarks

45:45 - How to get in touch with Celebrity Branding® Agency and learn more.

Connect With Zack:

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In this episode of "Elevate and Accelerate," we delve deeper into "The Story Mindset." Continuing our exploration of the elements that constitute a compelling narrative, we examine why it is imperative for business owners, entrepreneurs, and growth-minded individuals to craft their own story. Without taking control of our narrative, someone or something else may shape it for us.

Today, we dissect the common factors underlying every hero's journey and together, we'll explore Joseph Campbell's "The Hero With A Thousand Faces" to glean insights into how we can forge our unique hero journey. The question arises: Why is this knowledge necessary? An excellent query! We are all living a story, and either we actively construct it day by day, year by year, or it runs the risk of being authored by external forces with interests misaligned with our own. Aim high, take the reins, and compose your own best-selling life.

Welcome to the journey. Settle in, buckle up, and immerse yourself in the experience. Enjoy the ride.

Timecodes:

0:00 - Intro to Story Mindset: The Quest with Zack Viscomi

1:00 - What is The Story Mindset, and why should you care?

2:10 - Joseph Campbell's "The Hero With A Thousand Faces."

2:20 - 10,000 ft view of the 3 stages in the Hero Arc.

3:40 - The difference between story and reality.

5:25 - Modern examples of "The Quest" in Pop-Culture.

6:42 - What is the Seventh Plot line.

7:25- Lisa Nichols Story.

11:00 - The balancing problem of telling the wrong stories.

13:10 - The Power of Narrative.

14:05 - Hacksaw Ridge and Desmond Doss.

17:22 - Rosa Parks and The Montgomery Bus Boycott.

19:05 - Failure, or a lesson? Take a lesson from Thomas Edison about perspective.

21:34 - Stephen Covey "7 Habits of Highly Effective People."

25:00 - Starting with the END in mind.

26:16 - Closing Remarks on The Story Mindset: The Quest

Connect With Zack:

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In this episode of Elevate and Accelerate we take a journey back to 40,000 BCE. Inside a cave in ancient France, our distant relatives tell each other stories to make sense of their seemingly chaotic existence. Shrouded in darkness, they begin to make light.

Today, we will examine how central story is to the human existence. The central point...everyone is either telling a story about who they are, or they are being told. Zack will walk us through the very beginnings of story, to the biological and psychological elements that make story a necessity for human flourish. Knowing our roots, we will then delve into how as an entrepreneur, you can harness the power of story and personal branding to communicate to your audience in a way that speaks to them innately.

Welcome to the journey. Sit back, buckle up, and please enjoy.

Timecodes:

0:06 - Intro into Story Mindset with Zack Viscomi.

1:06 - What is the Story Mindset?

2:00 - Why should Story Mindset matter to you?

2:45 - What Matthew McConaughey has to say about perspective.

4:25 - 40,000 BCE. The birth of story. Brian Fagan and the Cro-Magnon.

7:05 - Story is not just in our history, it's in our biology.

7:40 - The Storyteller-Listener Effect.

9:20 - Oxytocin and Storytelling. How and why we form connections.

13:15 - 10 key tips and strategies for a Story Mindset.

14:17 - Awareness.

14:42 - Challenge Negativity.

15:43 - Reframe Self-Talk.

16:48 - Set Realistic Goals.

17:56 - Practice Self-Compassion.

18:55 - Visualization.

19:33 - Seeking Feedback.

20:25 - Make Use of Setbacks.

21:00 - Practice Self-Care.

22:03 - Mindfulness and Meditation.

22:30 - Changing YOUR self-narrative.

23:05 - Closing Remarks on The Story Mindset

Connect With Zack:

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In this episode of Elevate and Accelerate, we take a journey to the cross roads of purpose and profit. Not in the sense of monetary value per say. More so an examination of how aiming at a worthy purpose puts you on track for wins across the spectrum of life.

Today, we are joined by Dr. Melissa Alexander, Ed.D., MAC (or more widely known as "The Purpose Profitess" by her clients and friends) is a counselor/therapist turned Success coach. As the CEO of a thriving behavioral health agency serving individuals with a wide variety of mental and emotional challenges in multiple locations throughout Virginia, Melissa is passionate about helping people navigate through some of life’s most difficult and challenging circumstances in order to emerge and become who they are destined and purposed to be.

Timecodes:

0:06 - Cold open to Dr. Melissa - The Purpose Profitess.

1:00 - Zack introduces Dr. Melissa.

3:06 - Who is Dr. Melissa? Why you should listen.

5:03 - What led Dr. Melissa to help others as The Purpose Profitess.

6:50 - Dr. Melissa's personal story of her transition from losing her late husband after 30+ years of marriage.

8:58 - Hiding behind labels and identifying your real purpose.

11:00 - What it really means to find your purpose.

12:50 - Mindset and how to align yourself with true individuality.

16:20 - 7 key strategies Dr. Melissa uses to tap into purpose.

20:08 - What does it mean to "put feet to faith".

23:03 - A recent win from one of Dr. Melissa's clients.

29:43 - How you can connect with Dr. Melissa and her purposeful community and learn more.

32:20 - How building authority through personal branding has helped Dr. Melissa grow her business and help more people.

38:48 - Closing remarks with Dr. Melissa - The Purpose Profitess.

39:00 - How to get in touch with Celebrity Branding® Agency and learn more.

Connect With Zack:

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In this episode of Elevate and Accelerate, we dive deep into the world of social media and its incredible power to help you establish and boost your authority in your niche or industry. Whether you're a budding entrepreneur, a seasoned professional, or just someone looking to increase their online presence, this episode is a must-listen.

Joined by Ryan Ruff, Senior Content Producer at Celebrity Branding® Agency, we share practical insights, strategies, and success stories that will inspire and empower you to leverage social media platforms effectively. Discover the secrets behind creating a strong personal brand and how to position yourself as a trusted thought leader.

Timecodes:

0:06 - Overview on the topic of the show

0:50 - Welcoming Ryan Ruff to the show

1:30 - The three social media options many business owners are facing

2:55 - Your social media is equally as important as your website

4:05 - Developing a thorough and effective content strategy

6:15 - Drilling deep into a given topic to demonstrate your authority

8:49 - Recognizing valuable topics that resonate with your audience

11:47 - Being a thought-leader in your space requires an effective social media presence

14:07 - Authenticity and trust

17:40 - Increasing your production value with a few affordable pieces of equipment

22:41 - It's all about consistency when providing your valuable content to followers

29:14 - The long-term plan that is developing an organic content strategy

31:26 - Summarizing the key points from today's episode

35:07 - How to get in touch with Celebrity Branding® Agency and learn more

Connect With Zack:

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Welcome to the latest episode of Elevate and Accelerate! In this episode, Zack welcomes Ryan Ruff, Senior Content Producer at Celebrity Branding® Agency, for a dive deep into the world of social media strategy, shedding light on a revolutionary approach that lets business owners thrive without making any compromises for results.

In today's digital age, the pressure to succeed on social media can sometimes lead to decisions that compromise a company's values or authenticity. Zack and Ryan are here to show you that there's a better way—a way to harness the power of social media without sacrificing your principles.

Whether you're a seasoned social media marketer or just dipping your toes into the digital waters, this episode will equip you with actionable insights to elevate your social media game without making any compromises. Tune in now and unlock the full potential of your online presence!

Timecodes:

0:06 - Introduction and overview on the topic of the episode

1:20 - Welcoming Ryan Ruff to the podcast

2:18 - Ryan's background in television news and content production

7:12 - The misconception surrounding us telling "our story"

11:27 - The volume versus value discussion on social media strategies

14:45 - It's easy to fall into the "at least" mindset with your social media strategy

20:40 - What is my objective with social media?

25:43 - How Celebrity Branding® Agency works with its clients to plan out content

29:07 - Repurposing content is the key to success

36:09 - The long-term plan for your content

42:57 - Closing remarks

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It's time to define "your why!"

Oftentimes we tell ourselves that our life's story isn't worth sharing, or that we couldn't imagine what someone would gain from listening to our story. This couldn't be further from the truth!

On the latest episode of Elevate and Accelerate, Zack is here to tell you that your story most certainly matters! Listen as he explores how you can craft your core story, as well as how it can be leveraged to assist your personal and professional life.

This episode is packed with some key considerations for utilizing your story as a means of further connecting with prospects, as well as strengthening existing relationships with current clients.

Timecodes:

0:05 - What is a core story?

0:30 - The three big questions facing "your story"

1:50 - How do I know what details to include in my core story?

5:02 - An exercise for identifying key moments in your life

9:50 - Bridging the gap between what your prospects are feeling and why you have empathy

13:24 - Zack was ashamed of his story and lied to be accepted

16:56 - When do you share your core story?

19:36 - Your story can be pivotal within your sales process and other areas of your business

21:26 - Closing remarks

Connect With Zack:

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On the latest episode of Elevate and Accelerate, we're joined by Dr. Heidi Gregory-Mina, esteemed business psychologist, professor, and author, to discuss the integration of academic research into real-world application.

Her services are designed to help individuals and organizations improve their performance and achieve their goals through a better understanding of the science of human behavior.

Buckle up because we have a lot to cover and a great conversation in store for you! Enjoy!

Timecodes:

0:06 - Cold Open

0:35 - Who is Dr. Heidi?

2:02 - Dr. Heidi's transformative moment

5:50 - "Taking the leap" and reaching out for something more

12:20 - Everyone's chapters in life are different

15:46 - Life is a mental game

19:20 - We tend to get in our own way and resist progress forward

25:05 - Success and growth lies on the other side of the unknown

32:22 - The stepping stones on your way to success are essentially important

38:12 - A great brand is a story that others share for you

42:10 - Closing remarks

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