Marc Singer talks with Jana Pastena, GGU Law School alumna and Oakland restaurateur, about the restaurant business, the pandemic and George Floyd protests, the need for community involvement and activism, and the unique challenges that face black-owned businesses, 41 percent of which have closed permanently since February.

GGU Professor of Law Michele Neitz talks about her work on blockchain technology, implications for state economies and government operations, challenges for regulators, and the ethical questions it raises (and possibly resolves). Blockchain technology powers and supports the digital currency space using secure code over a distributed network, but many believe that it has the potential for many other applications and uses beyond cryptocurrencies. We discuss 

Michele Neitz is Professor of Law at GGU, and an expert on blockchain. She is a member of the California Blockchain Working Group, which was created to research and document the developing technology’s potential uses, risks and benefits to state government and California-based businesses in a report to the Legislature by July 1, 2020. Professor Neitz teaches Blockchain and the Law, Business Associations, Poverty Law, Professional Responsibility, and Corporate Compliance. She has been voted “Most Outstanding Professor” by the graduating class of GGU Law four times.

This episode originally aired on video on May 29, 2020. View the video here: https://youtu.be/eTeLhLqd6sc

Stories are universal and core to who we are as humans. So why is storytelling so rarely used in the business world? In this new Back to the Baysics episode, Marc Singer talks with management consultant and GGU Adjunct Professor Larry Ebert about why storytelling is an incredibly powerful, but underused, form of communication for leaders in business and how we can mine our internal stories to clarify values and move and shape teams and the world.

Larry Ebert delivers workshops and coaching on Storytelling for Leaders and other management skills as part of a consulting practice focused on management strategy and communications. Larry is a senior adjunct instructor of leadership and communications at GGU. He holds an MBA and Systems Engineering degree, and is also a musician.

About Storytelling for Leaders: When leaders tell great stories they connect, inspire, and galvanize teams towards a greater vision. Stories engage in a special and powerful way. Compared to reports, data and statistics, and flat Powerpoint presentations, stories are more memorable, more engaging and more connective. Well-told stories engage the head and heart.

Learn the basics about your brain and the biology of COVID 19 in order to keep yourself calm and focused so you can be an effective leader during these volatile times. Lifting into the present moment is a skill set you can achieve which can impact your effectiveness in times of stress.

Dr. Marcia Ruben is an Associate Professor and Program Director for Golden Gate University's MS Leadership program. She was the 2016-2018 Russell T. Sharpe Research Professor, focusing on neuroscience, leadership, and complexity. Dr. Ruben also maintains a private executive leadership development practice.

Nola Elizabeth Masterson, MSc. is a biotechnology industry leader and forward thinker with more than 45 years of business experience in the life sciences industry and in venture capital investment.

Marc Singer talks with Nina Coveney, Project Manager with Biederman Redevelopment Ventures, about the idea of placemaking, particularly in San Francisco around GGU. How does public space affect daily life in a city? How does a park or a common area affect economic development and a sense of community? What kinds of event programming can enhance the use of public space? And how will the pandemic and shelter-in-place policies affect us and the way we think about places like Salesforce Park and Bryant Park?

Nina Coveney is a Project Manager on park and urban redevelopment projects for Biederman Redevelopment Ventures. She is primarily responsible for large events, operations, and revenue generation at Salesforce Park. Previously she was Events Manager at Bryant Park Corporation and 34th Street Partnership in New York City. She also worked for the Town of Ithaca Planning Department in Ithaca, New York and as a researcher for a non-profit organization that provides supportive housing for the homeless.

Marc Singer, Dean of Undergraduate Studies, talks with Robbie Sintich, Jr., and Westin Thatcher of Supreme Oak, entrepreneurs in the legal cannabis industry. Learn about all of the challenges and opportunities presented by the burgeoning cannabis industry, and all of the ways in which this sector of the economy differs from other businesses: finance and banking, supply chain and distribution, quality control, and conflicting laws and regulations across jurisdictions. The industry is evolving rapidly--learn where things stand now.