Elevation Nation

Fortitude in 15 replay from March 9, 2023: Parker comes across a very interesting article in the Wall Street Journal titled "Is this it? When Success Isn't Satisfying" by Rachel Feintzeig that left us asking the question... Does success equal happiness?

Elevator no. 178: Steven Rofrano is the Co-Founder and CEO of Ancient Crunch. Steven and his team are building the FritoLay of real food focused on developing classic snacks "how they are supposed to be". Their products consist of no seed oils, fully organic ingredients, and are traditionally prepared. 

Their first product MASA Chips launched in July '22 and reset the tallow-fried snack industry. Made with just organic corn, grass-fed tallow, and sea salt, MASA is the tortilla chip, perfected.

Steven and his team remain committed to growing Ancient Crunch. Their newest product Vandy crisps which they deem "the potato chip perfected” are available now.  

02:08 - Stephen's Background and Transition to Food Industry
05:19 - The Influence of Childhood Food Experiences
10:21 - The Decline of American Food Quality
18:21 - The Importance of Knowing Where Food Comes From
23:24 - Building the Frito-Lay of Real Food
36:11 - Making Healthy Food Accessible
43:23 - Stephen's Mental Motto

Rachel Yaffe, a beloved and incredible person passed away on October 11. Sam and Parker reflect on her incredible spirit, mental fortitude, and the impact she had on those around her.

Rachel joined Elevation Nation as elevator no. 2 back in November 2020. At the 10 minute mark of this episode, you can hear the episode that we recorded called  “Cancer Changed My Life for the Better”.

Elevation Nation will continue to honor her legacy going forward. Per the Yaffe family, any donations can be made to Experience Camps, a national, no-cost program for grieving children who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling or primary caregiver. To donate, please visit https://experiencecamps.org/

Parker and Sam discuss the importance of changing environments to foster creativity and productivity. They share their personal routines and preferences, highlighting the balance between comfort and the need for new experiences.

01:54 - Changing Environments for Creativity
06:00 - The Power of Reflection and Introspection
09:56 - The Importance of Routine vs. Creativity
12:27 - Elevator Shoutouts 

Elevator no. 177: Dakota Rivers is a professional basketball player who just wrapped up five years of Division 1 college basketball at Florida Gulf Coast University. 

Throughout his playing career, Dakota has  shared his journey from college basketball to  professional athletics on social media. Dakota talks with Elevation Nation the importance of authenticity, personal growth, and inspiring others.

03:10 - Inspiration and Authenticity
12:55 - Growth Through College Basketball
19:51 - The Blessing of an Elevator Mindset
34:46 - Dakota's Mental Motto

Sam and Parker celebrate Rosh Hashanah, reflecting on the significance of the Jewish New Year and the importance of family, tradition, and personal growth. They highlight the value of reflecting on the past year and setting intentions for the future, emphasizing the role of impactful teachers and mentors in their lives.

00:00 - Celebrating Rosh Hashanah: A Time for Reflection
02:50 - The Importance of Tradition and Community
06:11 - Gratitude and Personal Growth
09:09 - Messages from the Past

Elevator no. 176: Zach Joyner is a Senior Account Executive at LinkedIn, where he helps small to medium-sized businesses enhance their human capital strategies using cutting-edge recruiting tools and data-driven insights. With a solid background in talent acquisition and brand development, Zach focuses on aligning people strategies to drive business growth.

Before joining LinkedIn, Zach worked as an Enterprise Account Executive at the startup Multiverse, where he advanced diverse talent through innovative apprenticeship programs. His experience there reinforced his commitment to fostering talent and driving professional development.

In addition to his role at LinkedIn, Zach serves on the Alumni Board of the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business, where he promotes alumni engagement. Outside of work, he enjoys playing tennis and has recently taken up padel at Padel Haus in NYC.

Sam and Parker were in Chicago this week to do something a bit different. Instead of sitting behind the mic's to record Elevation Nation Podcasts, they interviewed EY Talent leaders for a firm marketing initiative. As employees of EY, it was a full circle moment for Sam and Parker.

Elevator no. 179: Sami Gomez is the founder of Studio Sami, a web design studio building websites and brands for entrepreneurs and businesses. With over 8 years of digital marketing experience, Sami combines her strategic marketing knowledge with expert design skills to build epic brands and websites that drive sales. She has worked with both startups and billion-dollar companies including beauty brands like Ipsy and Boxycharm. Most recently, she designed the new Elevation Nation website and brand.

In this episode, Parker and Sam talk with Sami about her journey from college to entrepreneurship, the evolution of her brand, and the challenges she faced along the way. 

02:57 - Sami's Journey to Entrepreneurship
06:07 - The Evolution of Studio Sami
08:58 - Navigating Early Career Challenges
11:57 - The Gig Economy and Side Hustles
18:05 - The Importance of Professionalism
21:02 - Embracing Youth in Business
27:08 - Looking Ahead: Goals and Aspirations
30:10 - Rapid Fire Questions
36:00 - Sami's Mental Motto

Parker and Sam reflect on their journey with Elevation Nation, discussing the origins of their podcast, the importance of mental fortitude, and their vision for the future. 

00:00 - Introduction to Elevation Nation

03:07 - The Origins of Elevation Nation

06:04 - The Journey of Mental Fortitude

08:53 - The Future of Elevation Nation

11:55 - What's Elevating and De-Elevating This Week