Future of Work Expert, Keynote Speaker, NY Times Bestselling Author – Dan Schawbel

My guest today is author and global health advocate, Chelsea Clinton. Chelsea is the Vice-Chair of the Clinton Foundation, and the author of “She Persisted in Science”. We talk about the book, defining moments in her life, and time management during this podcast episode.

This episode is proudly sponsored by isolved, a complete workforce management solution. Go to https://www.isolvedhcm.com/ for more information.

The 5 questions I ask in this episode:

1. What defining moments and experiences in your childhood made you the person you are today?
2. How do you divide your time between being a parent, wife, sitting on boards, podcasting, being a global health advocate, and writing books and how do they each complement one another?
3. Women made up 40% of the nation’s scientists in 2019, which is up only 1% point since 2016. What’s holding women back from pursuing a STEM-focused career and what can we do to encourage them?
4. As a mom, how have you encouraged your daughter to pursue a career where she’s making a difference?
5. What’s your best piece of career advice?

Video interview

Follow Chelsea’s journey:

• Book
• Facebook
• Twitter

My guest today is the founder and CEO of Spartan, Joe De Sena. Joe’s company Spartan is the world’s leading endurance sports company with brands including Tough Mudder and Spartan Trail. He is also the bestselling author of Spartan Up, Spartan Fit, and The Spartan Way. More recently, he’s the host of the new CNBC primetime show, “No Retreat: Business Bootcamp”, which premiered Tuesday, March 8th. We talk about the show, and his entrepreneurial story, during this podcast episode.

The 5 questions I ask in this episode:

1. As a teenager, you had a pool cleaning business servicing 750 customers. What did this experience teach you about operating a business that has helped you in your current endeavors?
2. How were you able to combine your love for intense outdoor activities and entrepreneurship into Spartan and the Death Race?
3. How can physical and mentally challenging activities outside of the office build better leaders and teams?
4. During the first episode of your CNBC Show “No Retreat Business Bootcamp”, what unorthodox approaches did you use to help a privately owned cleaning business?
5. What’s your best piece of career advice?

Video interview

Follow Joe’s journey:

• Website
• Show
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Twitter

My guest today is founding member of Run-DMC, Darryl McDaniels. Darryl changed music and made history when he broke down cultural barriers with his legendary band Run-DMC. Today, he’s the publisher of Darryl Makes Comics, the author of the children’s book “Darryl’s Dream” and co-founder of the Felix Organization. We talk about his career, comics, and everything he’s doing to support children, during this podcast episode.

The 5 questions I ask in this episode:

1. What influence did both Grandmaster Flash and comic books have on you growing up?
2. How did the success you had with Run-D.M.C lead to depression and alcoholism and what did you do to recover?
3. You co-founded a non-profit and wrote a book that supports children. How have you used these platforms to help children gain self-awareness and build self-confidence?
4. We both love comics. As a kid, I collected DC but now with the Marvel Universe I’ve been collecting Marvel comics and their NFT counterparts on VeVe. How has Darryl Makes Comics allowed you to tell stories in a unique way as opposed to your music and books?
5. Back in 2013, I asked Rev Run for his best piece of career advice and he said “you have to be able to do things that you know will work”. What is your best piece of career advice?

Video interview

Follow Darryl’s journey:

• Website
• Book
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Twitter

My guest today is actor, comedian, and writer, Randall Park. Randall gained popularity with his appearance in NBC’s The Office, then went on to appear in ABC’s Fresh Off the Boat. He’s also appeared in movies such as The Interview, Ant-Man and the Wasp, and Aquaman. More recently, he stars alongside Ed Helms in True Story on Peacock. We discuss the show and his career, during this episode.

The 5 questions I ask in this episode:

1. How did your experiences founding the LCC Theatre Company in college spark your desire to become an actor?
2. What are some of the ways you incorporated your Asian American heritage in your projects?
3. How did you overcome both not having an agent, and your parents not being fully bought into your acting career when you were starting out?
4. What did you learn about the world we live in while listening to and reenacting people’s stories in your show “True Story”?
5. What’s your best piece of career advice?

Video interview

Follow Randall’s journey:

• Show

My guest today is Olympic athlete and author, Apolo Ohno. Apolo earned eight Olympic medals in speed skating and became the most decorated US Winter Olympian of all time. Today, he is as a cross-industry entrepreneur, successful sports broadcaster, and TV personality. I speak to him about his latest book “Hard Pivot” during this podcast episode.

The 5 questions I ask in this episode:

1. How instrumental was your father in helping you start your athletic career at such an early age?
2. What internal and external pressures did you have as you were moving up the speed skating ranks, and competing for championships and how did you deal with them?
3. Can you share some of your strategies for overcoming challenging times that you capture in your book “Hard Pivot”?
4. Why was it so difficult to retire from speed skating and how were you able to transition to this next phase of your career as an entrepreneur, broadcaster, and author?
5. What is your best piece of career advice?

Video interview

Follow Apolo’s journey:

• Website
• Book
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Twitter

My guest today is founder and Executive Chairman of ClassPass and author of LifePass, Payal Kadakia. Payal built ClassPass into the decades first billion-dollar company while being pregnant back in 2020 and recently sold it to Mindbody. She’s been named one of Fortune’s 40 under 40 and Fast Company’s 100 Most Creative People. Payal is also the founder of The Sa Dance Company, a contemporary Indian dance company. We talk about her new book, LifePass, as well as her entrepreneurial journey, during this podcast episode.

The 5 questions I ask in this episode:

1. Why did you only allocate 14 days to come up with the original idea for your company?
2. Can you describe the unique goal-setting method that you wrote about in “Life Pass”?
3. After the acquisition of your company by Mindbody last year, how did you decide what to focus on next?
4. What were some of the lessons you learned during your time leading ClassPass that will help you throughout the rest of your career?
5. What’s your best piece of career advice?

Video interview

Follow Payal’s journey:

• Website
• Book
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• Twitter

My guest today is former NBA player turned coach, author, and entrepreneur, Charles Oakley. Charles played nineteen seasons in the NBA, including his time with the Chicago Bulls, the New York Knicks, and the Toronto Raptors. Throughout his basketball career, he played with some of the all-time greats including Michael Jordan and Patrick Ewing. More recently, he wrote his memoir “The Last Enforcer”, which we discuss in this podcast episode.

The 5 questions I ask in this episode:

1. What inspired you to become a basketball player in your youth and how did you pursue that career?
2. What about your personality, and life experiences, made you the enforcer on the court?
3. In your book “The Last Enforcer” you discuss your relationship with George Floyd. Can you talk about what he meant to you and the lasting impact you think he will leave on the world?
4. Which of your teammates or opponents did you learn the most from and why?
5. What’s your best piece of career advice?

Video interview

Follow Charles’s journey:

• Book
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Twitter

My guest today is Linkin Park co-founder, Mike Shinoda. Mike co-founded Linkin Park in 1996 and is the band’s lead vocalist, as well as rhythm guitarist, keyboardist, primary songwriter, and producer. More recently, he released the solo hybrid mixtape and NFT project Ziggurats and has been Twitch streaming regularly on his channel. We talk about all his latest projects during this podcast episode.

The 5 questions I ask in this episode:

1. What influence did your mother have on your music career?
2. After forming LinkedIn Park with your high school friends, how did overcome the challenge of landing your first record deal?
3. As a musician, producer, Twitch streamer, gamer, and graphic designer, how do you decide what projects to work on now and which ones to save for the future?
4. You recently released your music/NFT hybrid project Ziggurats. How do you see NFTs transforming the music industry and what do they mean for artists moving forward?
5. What is your best piece of career advice?

Video interview

Follow Mike’s journey:

• Website
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Twitch
• YouTube

My guest today is filmmaker and social media content producer, Zach King. Zach is known for his clever magic tricks and has amassed over 100 million followers. His company, King Studio, has partnered with brands such as Disney, Apple, Sony, Nike, and Coca-Cola. We talk about how he’s built his film and social media career during this podcast episode.

The 5 questions I ask in this episode:

1. How did a rejection letter from film school motivate you to build a career in film?
2. You made your first film at age seven that had a small audience and today your content is viewed by a mass audience. How has your creative process evolved, and how do you continue to keep yourself relevant?
3. As a content creator, you’re also a storyteller. What do you think are the elements of a story that captures people’s hearts and minds?
4. Companies, leaders, and influencers are all feeling the social pressure to speak out right now against racial inequality and injustice. What do you feel is your responsibility to your audience when it comes to social and political issues?
5. What’s your best piece of career advice?

Video interview

Follow Zack’s journey:

• Website
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Tik Tok
• Twitter

My guest today is bestselling author and speaker, Dan Pink. Dan is the author of several books including the New York Times bestsellers When, Drive, To Sell Is Human, and A Whole New Mind. His books have won multiple awards and have been translated into more than 40 languages. We discuss his latest book, The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward, during this podcast episode.

The 5 questions I ask in this episode:

1. How did you transition from being a political speechwriter to an author?
2. What new research did you uncover about having regrets that most surprised you?
3. Why do you suggest that we stop trying to live life without regrets?
4. How can our regrets improve our work-life decisions?
5. What’s your best piece of career advice?

Video interview

Follow Dan’s journey:

• Website
• Book
• Facebook
• LinkedIn
• Twitter