Grade A Nation

In this installment of Grade A Nation, Chris Thomas chats with Scott Heric, co-founder of the digital transaction platform Unionly. Unionly is designed to facilitate the collection and raising of funds by labor unions. Scott discusses how Unionly works, what inspired the idea, offers his thoughts on the strength of labor unions in the future, as well as his view on online groups potentially preventing labor groups like a law enforcement union from using Unionly. We also talk about the feasibility of a work-life balance when you are creating a start-up business. Another Grade A conversation! To learn more about Unionly, check out unionly.io

Ed McCormack, founder and CEO of the cryptocurrency education platform Dchained, talks to the Grade A Nation about an array of topics, including: -What Dchained potentially offers to people interested in crypto investing -Why Dchained has popularity with Gen X investors -How Dchained as a startup grows at scale while serving both beginner and veteran crypto investors -Avoiding perceptions of favoritism or pushing specific crypto projects -Concerns investors have about recent cryptocurrency trends -Common misconceptions about cryptocurrency  Ed is a hands-on CEO, and the episode is a great chance to hear from someone immersed in the world of cryptocurrency. To learn more about Dchained, visit dchained.com!

We chat with Will McKissick, the Chief Chief Strategy Officer for mePrism. mePrism is a service that encrypts and stores your personal data to help you discover insights about your digital identity, as well as facilitating potential sales of information linked to your digital identity that you can opt into. Will shares some background on how he joined the startup, advice for others exploring entrepreneurial avenues in the online realm, and thoughts on complex ethical questions regarding privacy and information ownership. It is a thought-provoking and mentally stimulating conversation that is tied to core issues in our evolving society. To learn more about mePrism and the data economy, check out mePrism.com!

On this installment of Grade A Nation, Chris Thomas chats with Nai Nicole, a life coach who has tons of experience with solo travel. Listen in as Nai talks about how traveling alone can foster meaningful personal growth, how her approach to travel has adjusted given the events of the last two years, and then offers us all some valuable travel tips! A perfect episode for people thinking about traveling in the near future. To learn more about Nai Nicole and her work, check out www.thespiritadventure.com

Chris Thomas chats with author, entrepreneur, and film producer Doug Stebleton. Doug has co-written a historical science-fiction work titled, "It's a Wonderful Time," where the main character is transported back to 1946 while the classic film "It's a Wonderful Life" is being made. The book is the first in the Hollywood Time Travel series. Doug shares his inspiration for the book, tales of his early years in Hollywood pursuing a career in show business, converting a screenplay to a novel, the nuances of the collaborative writing process, and starting an independent book publishing outlet. His story of perseverance and believing in oneself is definitely inspirational! To learn more about the book, visit https://www.hollywoodtimetravel.com/

Thanks everyone for supporting the show for 3 years and counting. On this installment, we talk about a holiday fundraiser where people are asked to buy Cup Noodles ramen soup...but the promotion for the fundraiser doesn't appear to depict someone slurping on a ramen noodle. Perhaps slurping some other type of noodle; good grief!

On this installment of Grade A Nation, Chris Thomas chats with Debby Montgomery Johnson, a crusader and advocate for victims of online romance scams. Having herself experienced a two-year online relationship filled with deception that drained her both emotionally and financially, Debby shares the common signs of online dating and social media fraud to be aware of. Debby also reveals how she came to trust others again and rebuild her life in positive ways. You will learn a lot in this compelling interview! To discover more about Debby and her work, check out the following: Book and Podcast - https://thewomanbehindthesmile.com/  Non-profit victim assistance group The Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams - https://www.romancescamsnow.com/  Twitter - https://twitter.com/RomanceScamsNow

On this installment of Grade A Nation, Chris Thomas chats with Amy Sinha, a wickedly talented singer, voiceover artist, and entrepreneur. Growing up with severe health troubles did not impede Amy in achieving her goals. Hear how a positive mindset, a support system of friends and family, and a lifelong passion for creative arts led Amy to accomplish her ambitious dreams. Amy's enthusiasm for life exudes throughout the interview! To learn more about Amy, check out her various pages: Website - https://www.amysinha.com/  Twitter - https://twitter.com/amysinhavoice  Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/amysinhavoice

On this installment of Grade A Nation, Chris Thomas chats with Taly Matiteyahu, one of the founders of a new dating app called Blink. Blink hopes to establish more meaningful connections based on thinking beyond physical appearances. In the interview, Taly shares insights into how the idea for Blink was developed, how Blink can potentially limit biases and frustrations seen with other dating applications, and also addresses some potential obstacles tied to a culture where many seek instant gratification. It is an interesting talk about an interesting concept! To learn more about Blink, check out these ways to connect: Website - https://www.theblinkdate.com/  Twitter - https://twitter.com/theblinkdate  Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/theblinkdate/  Podcast (Apple) - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/date-in-a-blink/id1553516963  Podcast (Spotify) - https://open.spotify.com/show/5NLsgOL3rr8nsiZaEbT69d

Chris Thomas, still grieving over the passing of comedy icon Norm Macdonald, is forced to sit through a former talk show host doing material about a one-armed and one-legged person getting around an airport on a skateboard. What is the deal?