In this episode of Keep Moving Forward I interview the founder of Higher Scores Test Prep, host of The College Checklist Podcast, and host of The Unsexy Side: An Honest Podcast for Online Entrepreneurs, Lauren Gaggioli.

If you guys are inspired by the stories that my interviewees and I share with you each week, please consider becoming a patron of Keep Moving Forward. Of course, all episodes will still be free both on iTunes and at http://keepmovingforward.us/, however, if you would like to support the future success of my podcast, you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/keepmovingforward.

“Own your strengths and your weaknesses.” For entrepreneurs and students alike, this phrase rings loud and true. A person must not only understand the importance of promoting her strengths, but must also acknowledge her weaknesses, so that she might turn them into assets. No one better understands this idea than Lauren Gaggioli. With dreams of making it on the big screen, Lauren graduated from New York University with a degree in theatre and set out to Los Angeles, California. In order to make money while still being able to go to auditions during the day, Lauren decided to put her love of academics and helping people to good use in becoming an SAT and ACT tutor. She began by working with a large test prep company and then decided there must be a better way to engage with kids searching for help on these daunting standardized tests. So, she began her own online test prep company. From there, she started The College Checklist Podcast to help students and parents alike understand the college application and admissions process along with the importance of standardized testing. Lauren embodies her notion of owning your strengths and your weaknesses, because you simply can’t hide from your shortcomings when trying to be a successful student. You can’t actually hide from your shortcomings in any realm of life, which is why Lauren also began The Unsexy Side: An Honest Podcast for Online Entrepreneurs.

As an online entrepreneur herself, Lauren knows the ups and downs of the process of having a media presence. From the outside looking in, it is easy to see the glamour of being an entrepreneur. Having the ability to work from wherever you wish; appearing to make a substantial amount of money; being your own boss; just having all the fun in the world doing exactly what you want to do. While those all might be benefits of being an entrepreneur, Lauren recognized that it is easy to overlook exactly how difficult it is to create that online presence; to strike out on your own; to create something that generates financial returns. So, she began the Unsexy Side to discuss just that: the unattractiveness of being an online entrepreneur.

It was a privilege to speak with Lauren about her work and how she found herself in this niche market of test prep. I hope that you enjoy my interview with college admissions and test prep expert, Lauren Gaggioli.

Don’t forget if you enjoy my podcast and the content that I give to you each week, please consider becoming a patron at https://www.patreon.com/keepmovingforward.

Always remember, you can beat the odds and go the distance, if only you keep moving forward.

In this episode of Keep Moving Forward I interview entrepreneur, media specialist, founder of the Burdo Media Group, and former television news anchor, Michelle Burdo.

If you guys are inspired by the stories that my interviewees and I share with you each week, please consider becoming a patron of my podcast. Of course, all episodes will still be free both on iTunes and at http://keepmovingforward.us/, however, if you would like to support the future success of this podcast, you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/keepmovingforward. 

“Don’t let you be the reason why you don’t move forward.” We are capable of far more than we think. More often than we care to admit, our biggest enemy and toughest critic is us. We get into our own heads, sometimes to the detriment of progress. As an entrepreneur, and just as a person trying to move forward in her life, Michelle Burdo knows this reality all too well. From earning a degree in psychology, to the Disney college program, to working her way to anchoring a top 10 news station, Michelle embodies the idea that giving up is indeed for rookies. However, as a news anchor, she witnessed first hand how a person can be their own worst enemy. Interviewing local entrepreneurs for various news segments, she learned that oftentimes these small business owners were not ready to be received on television. They would be so nervous or ill-equipped that their time on air seemed almost wasted, as they could not properly get their business model across. Seeing this struggle, Michelle decided she had to do something about it. She took her goal of making people smile every day on the news and paired it with her television knowledge to become a media specialist and found the Burdo Media Group. As a mom and an entrepreneur herself, Michelle knows the true meaning of hard work and how badly these small business owners want to succeed. She knows what it takes, and more than anything wants to help those who need it. So, the Burdo Media Group does just that, helping individuals look good and sound good on camera.

Speaking with Michelle truly brightened my day, and I have no doubt that our talk will bring some sunshine to yours, too. I can’t thank her enough for speaking with me and I sincerely hope that you enjoy my interview with Michelle Burdo.

In this episode of Keep Moving Forward I interview Disney entrepreneur and YouTube sensation, John Saccheri, AKA The Big Fat Panda.

If you guys are inspired by the stories that my interviewees and I share with you each week, please consider becoming a patron of my podcast. Of course, all episodes will still be free both on iTunes and at http://keepmovingforward.us/, however, if you would like to support the future success of this podcast, please consider becoming a patron at https://www.patreon.com/keepmovingforward. Thank you so much for your support and for tuning in to this, the 28th episode of the Keep Moving Forward podcast.

Chase your passions and the money will come. How many of you have heard this saying before? And how many of you actually heed these words? Taking a step into the unknown to chase a dream that might seem ridiculous to everyone else is a terrifying thought. Leaving behind the security of a stable income and promise of a sustained future, to pursue something that might crash and burn within the year. But what if you chase your dreams, and you become a success? What if the very thing that you are driven by actually becomes the most successful business you’ve ever been a part of? If I’ve learned anything from the interviews with the incredible men and women who’ve turned their Disney dreams into lucrative business ventures, it’s that it really is kind of fun to do the impossible. Taking this quote from Walt Disney himself is fitting, as the Disney entrepreneurs truly follow their hearts and honestly accomplish what the rest of us deem impossible: turning their dreams into successful realities. One such man did just that, and I had the honor of speaking with him for today’s episode.

Fueled by a deep admiration for Walt Disney World, a true connection with his family, and a love for entertaining and making others smile, John Saccheri set out on a journey to meld his passions into something wonderful. From working at a travel agency to founding his own Mystery Shopping Company, John knew he was destined for something more. Utilizing his background in acting and lifetime of experience entertaining people, John created TheBigFatPanda.com and became a YouTube sensation. Every month, he releases a video about what is going on in the theme parks in Orlando (with special emphasis on Walt Disney World, of course) and interviews special guests.

Inspired by the DreamWorks film Kung Fu Panda, John knew he didn’t want to be just anyone in the world; he didn’t want to be just another Disney guy; he didn’t want to get lost in the mix with all the other pandas out there. John determined that he wanted to be THE Disney guy, and thus became The Big Fat Panda. While never sugar coating the difficulty of starting your own business and what it takes to upkeep his YouTube channel and being The Big Fat Panda, John’s story will no doubt inspire you that you can absolutely succeed with your dreams, so long as you quit talking and begin doing.

It was an honor to speak with John today, and I hope that you enjoy my discussion with The Big Fat Panda.

In this episode of Keep Moving Forward I discuss my experience at the Momentum Workshop Weekend in Orlando where I learned from inspiring entrepreneurs about how to beat the odds and go the distance.

If you guys are inspired by the stories that my interviewees and I share with you each week, please consider becoming a patron of my podcast. Of course, all episodes will still be free both on iTunes and at http://keepmovingforward.us/, however, if you would like to support the future success of this podcast, please consider becoming a patron at https://www.patreon.com/keepmovingforward. Thank you so much for your support and for tuning in with me here on the 27th episode of the Keep Moving Forward podcast. 

Always remember, you can beat the odds and go the distance, if only you keep moving forward.