Gap to Great

Chris Guillebeau became an entrepreneur because - in his own words - “He wasn't good at anything.” After traveling to every country in the world before the age of 35, publishing a number of inspirational books and starting a successful annual event called World Domination Summit, he’s certainly proved himself wrong.

In this podcast, Chris explains what keeps him motivated, why he challenged himself to visit very country in the world, how to build a following from zero, and when to move on from a business venture. For anyone trying to figure it out, this one is a must listen.

Full show notes available: andreawien.com/chris-guillebeau

Andrew Griffiths is Australia's number one small business and entrepreneurial author, but despite what many initially think, he didn’t have a cushy childhood or a solid support system to get him to where he is today. Instead, he was abandoned on a neighbor’s doorstep at six months of age and eventually ended up in the foster care system. Things could have easily ended up very differently for Andrew, but miraculously, he consciously chose to right his personal ship. Andrew has reported that his life was formed by a succession of epiphany moments — the first of which struck him at 17 when he realized that he alone controlled his path. This self-belief and determination has guided him through small business ownership and onto the world’s most respected stages, including TED. In this podcast, he discusses how to let go of your anger, why it’s important to be generous with your time and how he balances it all while still maintaining his sanity. Full show notes available: andreawien.com/andrew-griffiths

Harper Spero is a New York City-based lifestyle and career coach who left the corporate world after nearly 10 years working with brands like Johnson & Johnson, Disney and Ann Taylor. In her work with clients now, she helps busy men and women figure out how to become the best versions of themselves and how to live their best lives. In this podcast Harper discusses the freedom of running your own business, meditation and how anyone can break out of their rut to build their ideal life. If you're feeling disillusioned with the 9-to-5, give this episode a spin. Full show notes available: andreawien.com/harper-spero

Emily Chen was born in China and moved with her family to Cincinnati, Ohio at the age of 3. After college, she transitioned to the fast pace of New York City, working in the health sector and later at a handful of startups, including Squarespace.

For the last few months, she’s been traveling the world by herself, and has just landed in Melbourne, Australia for an indefinite amount of time. I caught up with Emily to talk about long-term, solo travel and asked what advice she has for anyone who’s considering taking the plunge.

Full show notes available: andreawien.com/emily-chen

"The world may not be perfect and you may not be perfect, but just wait a minute and it'll change."

Lurlene McDaniel is an acclaimed author, who's written over 50 novels dealing with terminal illness and matters of the heart. Lurlene started writing to cope with the grief she felt when her three-year-old son was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes. The stories have been pouring out her ever since.

As a teen, I was obsessed with Lurlene’s work, so this interview was both surreal and incredible for me to record. We talk about her writing process, how the industry has changed since she started, and how—as an artist—your work must evolve as you grow and your audience ages. Lurlene, who’s now in her 70s, has tips on everything from honing your natural talent into a craft to how to stay motivated.

Even if you’re not a writer, there are still gems here for everyone.

Full show notes available: www.andreawien.com/lurlene-mcdaniel

"Don't die wondering.”

At 33, having spent most of his working life in broadcasting, Gary Bertwistle evaluated his time and realized that his ideal life no longer had anything to do with what he was doing. Rather than dwelling on the problem, Gary quit his job and started a new business by making calls from on a milk crate in the corner of a friend’s office.

Now, Gary is a highly successful motivational speaker and innovation leader where he helps people find their 'mojo' by breaking down their goals into more manageable steps.

Gary believes in fighting the status quo and approaching problems from a unique angle. By applying this method to not only his life and career, but also to the world of fundraising, he’s managed to raise $20 million for cancer research through his Tour de Cure foundation.

Looking to be spurred into action? You’ve come to the right place.

Full show notes available: www.andreawien.com/gary-bertwistle

"There's a difference between the things that we can do and the things that we should do." Sarah Hahn has taken a winding path through life, and by doing so, she has shown all of us that you don't need to immediately know what you want to be when you "grow up.” Born in Ohio, she picked up a travel bug that later pushed her to apply for a Rotary scholarship that took her around the world. In this week’s show, she explains what she learned by living in Spain and Argentina, her experience in the non-profit sector, and how all of it led her to where she is today (hint: not anywhere she ever thought she’d be). Sarah’s interview was a great reminder to me that you don’t have to have it all figured out. All we need to do is keep putting one foot in front of the other. And maybe smiling, too. Smiling is good. Show notes available: www.andreawien.com/sarah-hahn

"I want to empower people to be themselves, all of the time" Janne Robinson is a modern day poet and writer who splits her time between Vancouver, BC and Costa Rica. Janne was born in Canada but lived a nomadic life before her mother found love and settled in Edmonton. After high school, Janne chose to forgo traditional education, opting instead to "spend the next four years in a full-blown relationship with the world.” Janne’s also puts off an all around badass chick vibe and I felt incredibly drawn to when I first read her work. Our interview definitely confirmed my suspicions of her awesomeness. Full show notes available: andreawien.com/janne-robinson

"I never touch my food or my knife if I’m not in the right space to create food with love.”

Wanitha Tanasingam is a familiar face in the Sydney food scene. Originally from Malaysia, Wanitha traveled the world before landing in Sydney where she’s owned restaurants, launched a cookbook and appeared as a presenter on everything from TV shows and radio to live stages all around town. A few years back, the Malay government offered her the position of ambassador for Malaysian food in Australia, and now, she’s the creative director for Victor Pisapia’s VictorsFood. Her nickname is The Love Goddess, and after listening to this week's episode, it won't be hard to understand why. Full show notes: www.andreawien.com/wanitha-tanasingam

“We were living the 80s lifestyle that you read about a lot, but we were doing it. We were totally doing it.”

Born in the 1950s, Victor Pisapia is an international chef who’s owned numerous restaurants, including the iconic Back Porch Cafe in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. During the 1980s, he opened the first gay bar in Delaware and fought the Supreme Court for the rights to stay open, which we talk about during this interview.

He was named as one of the 50 most influential people in the last 50 years by Delaware Today, earned acclaim up and down the east coast with his mini-empire...and then, surprisingly, gave it all up to move to Sydney, Australia.

Victor is one of my favorite people, and his stories are legendary. I think you're going to love this one.

Full show notes available: www.andreawien.com/victor-pisapia