David and I discuss his early life growing up in Monmouth Country and what drew him to a life of service including joining the US Army and serving in combat in Iraq

We also discuss his work as a firefighter and police officer upon his return from active duty

David shares with us his struggles years after his deployment which ultimately resulted in a diagnosis of PTSD

We discuss David ultimately seeking help and finding it in his service dog Doc, through the help of the Dennis Zilinksi Memorial Fund and K9s for Warriors.

David shares with us some of the great work he and the Dennis Zilinski Memorial Fund does for veterans and their families when they need help.

To contact or follow David Crenshaw:
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-crenshaw-550369156/

"A Blueprint for Career Networking Success, a conversation with Nathan Perez"

Early Career: Nathan's professional acting career and the indispensable role of networking.

Inspiration to write the book: Nathan's later career trajectory in Executive Search and the genesis of the "20 Minute Networking Meeting" book series.

Target Audience Development: Tailoring the book's content to cater to diverse reader demographics.

Definition of Networking: Clarifying the essence of networking and dispelling common misconceptions.

Challenges of Online Job Applications: Addressing the realities and limitations of online job application processes.

Insights from Networking Meetings: Firsthand experiences with networking meetings and the need for improvement

Preparation for Success: Emphasizing the significance of thorough preparation in achieving networking objectives.

Five Steps to Effective Networking Meetings: Outlining the structured approach to conducting successful networking interactions.

Agenda Setting: Highlighting the importance of setting clear agendas for productive networking engagements.

Time Efficiency: Explaining the rationale behind the choice of a 20-minute networking framework.

Follow-Up and Relationship Building: Emphasizing the criticality of post-meeting follow-up and fostering enduring relationships.

Building Advocates: Strategies for cultivating advocates within one's professional network.

Reciprocity in Networking: Guidelines for fostering mutually beneficial relationships through reciprocal networking practices.

Networking is for everyone: How introverts can network successfully.

"From Investment Writing to C-Suite", a conversation with Kristen Capuano

• Kristen’s early experience growing up in Rhode Island as the daughter of a small business owner & entrepreneur
• Getting introduced to marketing and product management by a college advisor
• Marketing as more than just creative ideas and design
• Why the choice to work in the industry and starting out as an investment writer
• The value of building active listening skills
• Resist complaining and be part of the solution
• Focus on making the client’s experience better
• Joining a established but growing firm in Van Eck during early days of the ETF business
• Seizing the chance to help establish and build the European business for Van Eck
• Building leadership experience within the Product Management function
• Taking on the challenge of the Chief Marketing Officer role
• The unique blend of product management and marketing at Van Eck
• Working closely with a very involved CEO
• The evolution of marketing in investment management as a key component for success
• Learning to trust your team members and deferring to them when they know more

In this episode I interview Dr. Eric Downing who is a top consultant on leadership and development of top performing cultures through his company Proven Paradigm Consulting. Previously Eric had a lengthy and distinguished career in sales leadership within Investment Management.

Episode 12: The art and science of Leadership, a conversation with Dr. Eric Downing.
In this episode we discuss:
• Joining the Army right out of high school and developing a passion for flying
• Life and leadership lessons from the military experience
• Finding his way into financial services through a financial advisor position
• Discovering managed accounts and growing his advisory business
• Learning valuable lessons about how to care for clients on an individual level
• Importance of empathy and emotional intelligence for salespeople
• How supervision, management, coaching and leadership are interrelated but different
• Leading people based on how they prefer to be interacted with
• How the role of the wholesaler has evolved over the years
• Understanding your team’s motivations in order to be a better leader
• Deciding to pursue a Doctorate in Leadership at age 53
• How to build an elite performance culture
• The importance of trust as a component of elite team cultures
• How assessments can be useful tools to identify potential growth areas
• Eric’s passion for flying and work to support veterans

Episode Contributor information:

Dr. Eric Downing: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-downing/
https://provenparadigm.com/
John Keavey: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnkeavey/
https://careerconnections.us/

Episode 11: A Career in Full: John McCombe on taking career risks, leadership, mentorship and giving back
• Early family life influence: delving into John’s early life and how that played a pivotal role in shaping his career
• Entry into financial services: John's journey into the financial services sector, including his early experiences at Merrill
Lynch
• Navigating corporate terrain: how to successfully navigate within a large firm to identify and pursue a career path
• Career decision making: The art of assessing career moves and taking calculated risks
• “Finding one’s lane”: Insights into finding and thriving within your chosen career path
• Transition to entrepreneurial opportunities: The challenges and rewards of leaving a comfortable position at a large firm to
join a small entrepreneurial venture
• Talent assessment and hiring: Best practices for hiring key talent in an organization
• Interview preparation: Tips and advice on how to be prepared for an interview
• Importance of “coachability”: Discussing the significance of being open to coaching and learning from others
• Seeking and offering feedback: The value of actively seeking and providing constructive feedback in personal and
professional growth
• Self-awareness: Understanding the importance and knowing where you stand at your organization
• Sales personality: exploring the traits of great salespeople
• Managing and motivating sales teams: Strategies for effectively managing and motivating sales teams to achieve their best
performance
• Learn-Earn-Return: John's perspective on giving back to education and philanthropy through the "Learn-Earn-Return"
approach

Episode contributor bios:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnkeavey/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-mccombe-2685b619/

Episode 10: Effective Leadership and the Power of Personal Branding: A Conversation with Brett Wright

In this episode we discuss the following topics:

• Brett's early family and community influences and the lasting impressions it left
• Playing football at Penn State and taught him about the importance of grit and teamwork
• Breaking into financial services as a financial advisor
• Discovering investment management as a great fit
• The evolution of investment wholesaling from the 90's to the present
• The drive to take move from individual sales to leadership
• Leadership as a journey, not an endpoint
• Importance of carefully crafting your own personal brand
• Effective and non-effective leadership styles
• Adjusting to big leaps in one's career and the support and personal growth required
• How to deal positively with a time of unemployment
• What's coming next in investment and wealth management
• Giving back to the industry

Episode contributer bios:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnkeavey/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/brettdwright/

Episode 9:

The Genesis of AWD: Discover how the idea for forming the Association for Wholesaling Diversity (AWD) came into being.

Community for Black Wholesalers: Explore the significance of a supportive community for Black wholesalers and why it's essential.

AWD Membership Landscape: Gain insights into the membership structure and composition of AWD.

Addressing Racism in Wholesaling: Marlōn discusses some of the the experiences of racism he’s encountered in the field of wholesaling.

Excellence as a Necessity: Understand why Black wholesalers often need to excel exceptionally to succeed in the industry.

Career Advancement and Skill Enhancement: Learn about the key objectives of AWD in terms of advancing careers and improving skills.

Wholesaler Development Program: Explore AWD's initiative to bring young college graduates into the wholesaling profession.

Support from Investment Firms: Delve into ways in which investment firms can actively support AWD's endeavors.

Episode Contributor Bios:

Marlōn Hall: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marlonehall/ ; https://www.diversityinwholesaling.com/

John Keavey: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnkeavey/

Episode 8: Always focused on the outcome:  A conversation with Marlōn Hall. In this episode we discuss:
 

• Marlōn’s early life experience growing up on Chicago’s South Side
• A move out West seeking a new life and environment
• Early career paths including carpentry and as a business owner
• Turning a racist experience into a drive to complete a college degree
• Studying psychology and early sales related experiences
• Getting started in finance within banking and finding his first professional mentor
• Finding wholesaling as a path to a new career
• How to find a mentor and how to be a good mentee
• Learning the craft of wholesaling
• Discovering the power of public speaking

Episode Contributor Bios:

Marlōn Hall: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marlonehall/ ; https://www.diversityinwholesaling.com/

John Keavey: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnkeavey/

Episode 7: Leading with a passion for the business: A conversation with Michael Natate

In this episode we discuss the following topics:

• Michael's early family influences teaching him the importance of financial awareness
• What experiences in golf taught him about the importance of drive and competitiveness
• Why athletes often make great salespeople
• Breaking into investment management and the importance of finding mentors
• Going from peer to manager and how to navigate that
• Dealing with a period of unemployment
• Importance of choosing to work with great leaders
• Gauging passion for the business among sales candidates
• Making a big leap from sales desk manager to Head of Distribution
• Understanding "the house you live in"
• The importance of professional patience with those that work for you
• The ETF industry and what Michael sees coming in the future

Episode contributer bios:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnkeavey/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-michael-natale-jr-mba-5142b6a/

Episode 6: Effective Internal Wholesaler leadership: A conversation with Mark Totten & Ryan Cullen

In this episode we discuss the following topics:

• Ryan and Mark’s paths to their current roles as sales desk leaders and why they do what they do
• Recruiting for internal wholesalers
• What they look for in candidates looking to join their teams
• How they evaluate candidates throughout the interview process
• Importance of post interview follow up
• Common failures of candidates that don’t get the job
• How to effectively onboard and train new hires to their teams
• Ongoing coaching to develop top performers
• How an internal can make an impact early in their tenure
• Critical functions that internals fulfill in modern wholesaling
• Differences in channel/advisor type that may impact your sales approach
• How to effectively sell alternatives vs. conventional products
• What can an internal do to cultivate a strong relationship with their external
• What the best do well….what to emulate

Episode contributer bios:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnkeavey/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-w-totten-6719685/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-cullen-29610b7/