Gratitude Through Hard Times

Planning for the end of your life is like pre-gratitude. Pre-gratitude in the sense that it's going to happen, it's going to hurt; how do you make something beautiful out of it?

Sandy Gibson has the solution for making death into something beautiful by creating a better place than the traditional cemetery.

Sandy Gibson is the Co-Founder and CEO of Better Place Forests, a sustainable alternative to cemeteries for families who choose cremation.

When Sandy was a young boy, he lost his father to a stroke and his mother to cancer. After years of visiting their graves in a dreary Toronto cemetery, Sandy began to imagine what a better place to remember his parents might look like. In 2015, he founded Better Place Forests with his two best friends to give every family the chance to visit and remember the people they love in nature.

Based in San Francisco, Better Place launched America’s first conservation memorial forests in 2017 and has raised more than $55M in venture capital. Better Place has been featured in the New York Times, on the Today Show, and by the World Economic Forum. Known for its strong culture, Comparably recognized Better Place Forests with national awards for Best Company Leadership, Best CEOs for Women, Best Company Culture, Best CEOs, and Best Companies for Women in 2019 and 2020.

Sandy graduated from Princeton University in 2006 with an A.B. in History. A lifelong entrepreneur, he headed several companies and worked in finance and software before founding Better Place Forests. He previously served on the Board of Governors of Royal St. George’s College. He was born in Toronto, Canada.

In this episode, Sandy shares the origin and mission behind Better Place.

Listen to this episode and learn about:

• Sandy giving credit and thanks to his early employees and investors (4:20)
• The mission of Better Place (5:56)
• The what, how, and why of Better Place (10:42)
• Being intentional about life and death (21:01)
• The purpose and planning of a funeral (27:04)
• Needing meaning to survive (33:30)
• The difference between being grateful and glad (36:22)
• The 4 things to do to move on from a relationship (38:38)
• Living with meaning, intention, and appreciation (40:25)
• Finding purpose in unavoidable suffering (44:10)
• Giving gratitude to tough times (48:50)
• Gratitude as the protein after the workout (55:59)

Links

• Connect with Sandy on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandygibsonca/
• Better Place Forests - https://www.betterplaceforests.com
• Benefit finding research - https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21642850.2014.889570

Leaders of today have had to reevaluate where and how they do their business. How they used to lead may not be as effective in our ever-changing virtual world.

Heather Hansen O’Neill knows that the ‘office’ resides within you and that you can lead from wherever you are. With the right tools and strategies, your leadership can evolve with the times.

Heather is an international keynote speaker, behavioral expert, author of Find Your Fire and Teams on Fire! and co-author of Where’s the Office?Moving Today’s Leaders from What IS to What CAN BE. Heather is also a 2x TEDx speaker and host of the popular podcast From Fear to Fire. She stimulates vibrant energy, focus, and action for those who want to collaborate effectively, lead change, and achieve massive results.

Heather’s mission is to open leaders’ minds and hearts to the possibility within them.

In this episode, Heather shares critical lessons in her new book, Where’s the Office?.

Listen to this episode and learn about:

• Heather giving credit and thanks to her mom, Carole (5:04)
• How the book, Where’s the Office?, came to be (8:50)
• The importance of being a life learner (12:07)
• Shifting from an I to a we mindset (14:53)
• Elevating leadership to a new level (18:39)
• Sharing authentically with others (20:50)
• Aligning the head and the heart (25:20)

Links

• Connect with Heather on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/heatherhansenoneill/
• Where’s the Office? - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09MRRVNK2/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

It can be hard to slow down enough to consider long-term goals in our fast-paced world. Especially when social media constantly shows us the successes and accolades of everyone we know.

But to create a meaningful life, we need to slow down enough to reflect on the past and prepare for our future.

Dorie Clark teaches us to play the long game to reorient ourselves to see the big picture.

Dorie has been named one of the Top 50 business thinkers in the world by Thinkers50, and was recognized as the #1 Communication Coach in the world by the Marshall Goldsmith Leading Global Coaches Awards. Clark, a consultant and keynote speaker, teaches executive education at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and Columbia Business School, and she is the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Long Game, Entrepreneurial You, *Reinventing You* and Stand Out, which was named the #1 Leadership Book of the Year by Inc. magazine. A former presidential campaign spokeswoman, Clark has been described by the New York Times as an “expert at self-reinvention and helping others make changes in their lives.” A frequent contributor to the Harvard Business Review, she consults and speaks for clients including Google, Microsoft, and the World Bank. You can download her free Long Game strategic thinking self-assessment at dorieclark.com/thelonggame.

In this episode, Dorie shares wisdom from her newest book, The Long Game.

Listen to this episode and learn about:

• Dorie giving credit and thanks to (5:42)
• The importance of looking ahead and looking behind (9:54)
• Delaying gratification (13:52)
• The journey of becoming a strategic, long-term thinker (19:57)
• Our obsession with short term thinking and solutions (23:02)
• Surrounding yourself with the right people (28:03)
• What Dorie’s long-term game looks like (33:36)
• Creating moments to meet people (38:56)
• Closing words from Dorie (41:16)

Links

• Connect with Dorie on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/doriec/
• Long Game self-assessment - https://dorieclark.com/thelonggame/
• Dorie’s website - https://dorieclark.com
• The Long Game - https://dorieclark.com/longgame/

The world is riddled with uncertainty and challenges. We can let the uncertainty crush us or let the uncertainty propel us.

One way to use uncertainty to propel us is to lead with humanity by giving grace, empathy, and understanding to the people around us.

Monica Pool Knox knows how critical leading with humanity is.

Monica Pool Knox oversees LivePerson's global human resources strategy — including leadership development, organizational effectiveness, talent management, total rewards, talent acquisition, people operations, and DEI — and focuses on continuing to align compassionate and ethical AI as a foundation of LivePerson's culture. She has extensive experience leading HR organizations and strategies to attract, develop, and retain world-class talent within high-performance companies.

Prior to joining LivePerson, Pool Knox led human resources for a global workforce of over 8,000 focused on cloud and AI at Microsoft. She has held executive HR positions at Twitter, Sony, CBS Interactive, PepsiCo, The Walt Disney Company, and Verizon. Pool Knox serves as a Board Director of Swedish Health Systems and on the Board of Howard University's School of Communications. She earned her MBA from the University of Texas at Austin and B.A. from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

In this episode, Monica shares her story, and what made her the leader she is today.

Listen to this episode and learn about:

• Monica giving credit and thanks to people who've hurt her (5:03)
• Figuring out the intentions of others (10:54)
• Leading with humanity (14:29)
• Managing complexities (17:15)
• Creating lasting change when times are tough (19:19)
• Using gratitude to overcome difficult times (22:45)
• Passing on wisdom (28:51)
• Monica's gratitude for her dad (33:43)
• We all have the choice (38:51)

Links

• Connect with Monica on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/monicapoolknox
• LivePerson - https://www.liveperson.com
• Watch the video - www.747club.org/blog/747-conversations-with-monica-pool-knox

Belonging is often described as a feeling of security, support, acceptance, and inclusion. In addition, it's directly linked to decreased turnover, reduced sick days, and increased performance.

People who feel like they belong want to show up because of each other. It's not the work that inspires people; it's the commitment to a shared purpose and community.

Esther Raphael knows how powerful an inspired community can be.

Esther is the Chief Marketing Officer for Intersection, responsible for leading all aspects of marketing, including B2B and B2C efforts, creative services, and content development. During her tenure, Esther has launched Intersection's first brand campaign, established a full-service in-house creative agency, and has overseen the go-to-market strategy for 10+ new markets and partnerships. Esther is also the Executive Sponsor of WIN, Women at Intersection, where she champions the growth and development of our female leaders.

Previously at Condé Nast and Hearst, she spearheaded world-class solutions for advertisers and developed large-scale consumer events such as SELF's iconic Workout in the Park and Good Housekeeping's Shine On, a theatrical production at Radio City Music Hall.

A recognized leader in marketing and branding, Esther has created groundbreaking programs designed to engage audiences and drive revenue. She holds a BA in Psychology from Queens College.

In this episode, Esther shares her passion for connecting and inspiring people.

Listen to this episode and learn about:

• Esther giving credit and thanks to her parents (5:14)
• Having the strength to fight for what you want (10:57)
• Narrowing down your passion (12:14)
• Chasing your passions while putting in the work (14:51)
• Inspiring connection and drive at work (18:01)
• Being inspired by people not work (21:25)
• How everyone plays a role in shaping us (23:13)
• Not changing who you are but showing who you are (26:04)
• Esther's passion and gratitude for people (27:35)
• Esther's forthcoming book (31:17)

Links

• Connect with Esther on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/emlraphael/
• Follow Esther on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/estherraphael/?hl=en
• Learn more about Intersection - https://www.intersection.com

You can heal your trauma.

Whether your trauma is unprocessed or you're using it to fuel you, you can heal and live in a place of contentment, joy, and peace, where you create healthy relationships and success in business.

Faith Jones not only healed her trauma but overcame it to go from surviving to thriving.

Faith Jones is a lawyer, activist, entrepreneur, and business advisor. She began her career as an attorney with Skadden Arps representing clients in a wide variety of cross-border corporate transactions and has worked with businesses and government leaders in the Pacific Rim. Faith has been a featured TEDx speaker, has traveled the world, and has done humanitarian aid work in Kazakhstan, Japan, and Taiwan. Her memoir, Sex Cult Nun, is out on November 30th from William Morrow.

In this episode, Faith shares her story and how she overcame it all.

Listen to this episode and learn about:

• Faith giving credit and thanks to God (6:20)
• How to remain committed through adverse times (10:30)
• Trauma and its ties to wisdom (13:28)
• Measuring your impact (23:02)
• Processing trauma (29:51)
• Owning yourself (35:36)
• The power of stories (37:44)
• You're not alone, you can heal (44:37)

Links

• Connect with Faith on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/faith-jones-we-rise-free/
• Sex Cult Nun - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08XQQLYC3/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1
• I Own Me TED Talk - https://www.ted.com/talks/faith_jones_i_own_me_understanding_our_property_rights_to_our_own_bodies

Do you think that you are living in a dress rehearsal?

This is a one-act play called your life. What kind of role do you want to play? Because you don't get to do this again.

The genesis of living a meaningful life is knowing what success means to you and stripping away the obligations that are no longer in service of that meaning. Of course, success is about more, but it's not about the more we think. Success is more of what matters.

Karen Mangia knows the true meaning of success and how you can have success from anywhere.

Karen is one of the most sought-after keynote speakers in the world, sharing her thought leadership with over 10,000 organizations during the course of her career. As Vice President of Customer and Market Insights at Salesforce, she helps individuals and organizations define, design, and deliver the future. She serves on multiple boards, including the Racial Equality & Justice Taskforce. She is the author of four books: the newly released Success From Anywhere, Listen Up!, Working from Home, and Success With Less.

In this episode, Karen shares life-changing wisdom from her new book, Success From Anywhere.

Listen to this episode and learn about:

• Karen giving credit and thanks to one of her college professors (4:43)
• Everyone has to design what their impact looks like (10:39)
• Success being defined by an authentic connection to who you are (12:57)
• How to know in the moment that hopeless times are worth it (19:27)
• The power of asking "Why not?"(23:22)
• The shift from progressive tolerance to progressive consciousness (27:16)
• Granting yourself permission (32:36)

Links

• Connect with Karen on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenmangia/
• Karen's Website - https://karenmangia.com
• Success From Anywhere - https://www.amazon.com/Success-Anywhere-Create-Future-Inside/dp/1119834627

Life is all about trial and error. Therefore, it's vital to try as many new things as possible in order to discover what you really want to do in life.

By chasing fulfillment over pleasure, you'll create a rich life while pleasure will bring you an empty life.

Tyler Wagner knows the value of chasing fulfillment and traveling down the path that's right for him.

Tyler is the founder of Authors Unite and a #1 Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author.

In this episode, Tyler shares the wisdom he's learned while chasing a fulfilling life.

Listen to this episode and learn about:

• Tyler giving credit and thanks to his dad (4:51)
• The fear of free time (11:03)
• Tyler's message to his dad (12:44)
• Harmful affects of avoiding conflict and the solution (14:30)
• How to start saying no (19:19)
• Chasing fulfillment over pleasure (22:40)
• What success looks like (26:18)
• Growth is good but so is the present (30:31)
• Balance is key (32:19)
• Gratitude as the cure for stagnation (36:43)
• Closing advice from Tyler (41:16)

Links

• Connect with Tyler on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tylerbwagner/
• Authors Unite - https://authorsunite.com
• Tyler's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tylerbwagner/?hl=en

Every single person deals with down moments in life. Yet, it's in those hard times where our legacy is forged.

So don't look at those challenging times as problems; instead, become a problem solver. Welcome difficulty into your life and navigate through those storms. You are in total control, do not blow with the wind.

Lt Col Dan Rooney knows that flying into the wind is how he creates an impactful legacy.

Lt. Colonel Dan "Noonan" Rooney is a fighter pilot with three combat tours in Iraq, a PGA Professional, and the founder of the Folds of Honor Foundation, which has raised more than $135 million and awarded more than twenty-eight thousand scholarships to the family members of fallen or disabled soldiers. Rooney is a two-time recipient of the Top Gun award and has received many decorations, including the Distinguished Service Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, Air Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and Air Expeditionary Medal. For his service and patriotism, Rooney was presented the White House's Volunteer Service Award by President George W. Bush, the Air National Guard's Directors Service Award, and the Ellis Island Medal of Honor. He has been recognized as one of People magazine's Heroes of the Year, Money magazine's Hero of the Year, and ABC World News Tonight's Person of the Year. Lt Colonel Rooney is a proud husband and father of five daughters.

In this episode, Dan covers the impactful core concepts in his book, Fly Into the Wind.

Listen to this episode and learn about:

• Dan giving credit and thanks to junior high school English teacher (4:57)
• Always giving credit where credit is due (9:49)
• Why Dan wrote his book, Fly Into the Wind (13:48)
• Welcoming problems in your life (18:22)
• How to do the next hard thing (20:21)
• Our responses determining our outcomes (23:54)
• Using pressure to your advantage (26:40)
• Faith as a nonnegotiable (32:49)
• How to support Dan's mission (37:39)

Links

• Connect with Dan on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-rooney-462b0311/
• Fly Into the Wind - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07WS9G5YV/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1
• Dan's Website - https://danrooney.com

Action now is better than never. This is especially true in the DEI space.

When it comes to DEI, we can start driving change with more education, access to opportunities, and the creation of systematic changes. But all of this starts with a step in the right direction.

Rosa Nunez believes that it's never too late to do the right thing.

Rosa is Foley Hoag's Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. She is responsible for developing, implementing, leading and championing proactive diversity and inclusion initiatives and programs, in alignment with Foley Hoag's overall strategic plans. Rosa is also co-chair the firm’s Diversity Committee.

Rosa's initiatives are centered around recruitment, learning and development, engagement, retention and external positioning.

Rosa has over 15 years of experience specializing in workplace diversity and inclusion, employee engagement, workplace culture and community outreach programs. Most recently, she worked at BCW Global - Burson Cohn & Wolfe in New York as the SVP, Senior Director, North America - Diversity & Belonging. In that capacity, she was responsible for creating and implementing a comprehensive U.S. inclusion, diversity, equity and belonging strategy to identify talent and help them flourish at BCW. Before that, Rosa was the U.S. Head of Diversity & Inclusion at Omnicom Media Group and started her career as a member of the Global Diversity & Inclusion Team at information technology firm Accenture.

In this episode, Rosa shares her knowledge for creating DEI change.

Listen to this episode and learn about:

• Rosa giving credit and thanks to the people that helped and hurt her (4:27)
• What's most needed in the Latin community for DEI (10:39)
• Creating educational opportunities for an archaic industry (14:21)
• The top 3 things to implement when paving a new path (17:41)
• Experiences that can bridge the gaps between different communities (24:48)
• Why we are not connecting with people who are different than us (28:28)
• What we're seeing with the younger generation and DEI (33:51)
• What's on the horizon for Rosa (37:21)

Links

• Connect with Rosa on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rosa-j-nuñez-mba-94554937/
• Foley Hoag - https://foleyhoag.com