Episode 63 – Matt Weinstein: What Bernie Madoff Was Unable to Take From Me. [PODCAST]

Matt Weinstein is one of the most entertaining people you’ll ever hear speak. He’s got stories and life experiences to keep you coming back for more. But one of the most difficult and alarming times in his life was when he got the call from his life that Bernie Madoff had been arrested and all their money was gone. But the two of them pulled through in spite of such a tremendous loss, and are happier and better off now than they were before. On this episode of Crank It Up you’re going to hear the story from Matt’s own lips, and you’ll understand some of the reasons why even a situation like that couldn’t keep a guy like Matt down.

He was on the journey of a lifetime when he discovered that he’d lost everything.

Matt Weinstein had gone on a trip with some of his old college friends to Antarctica. It was a great adventure that was loads of fun. He’ll never forget it. He was out on the ocean in a ship, heading toward the southern continent when he got the satellite call. His wife told him that they’d lost everything. Their investments had all been handled by Bernie Madoff, the biggest ponzi schemer in history. How do you come back from something like that? How do you get over the betrayal and evil of such an experience. Today you get to hear Matt’s account of how he and his wife worked through all the issues and came out stronger in the end.

When you lose it all, you begin to realize that there was actually much more you could have lost.

Though losing every bit of his financial capital in the Bernie Madoff scheme was a terrible blow, Matt Weinstein discovered that things could have been a lot worse. He still had his wife and the two of them still had their careers, which each of them loved. It was because they had such joy present in their lives that they were able to rebound and rebuild. As you listen to this conversation, notice the joy and passion with which Matt talks about the things he learned even through that very difficult time. You’ll enjoy his enthusiasm and his heart.

Does your organization or school need a boost?

Matt Weinstein is the nation’s foremost authority on the use of fun and humor in #TeamBuilding. Drawing on his own experience as a company president and twenty years of research by the Playfair organization, his presentations are engaging and exciting for everyone involved. Matt believes that team building is not just a concept – team building is an experience. So all of Matt’s keynote presentations include dynamic audience interactions as an integral part of the lecture program. Matt specializes in helping organizations build their teams to the next level, so be sure to connect with him if your organization or team needs more of the “team” in its teamwork!

Outline of this great episode

[0:46] David’s introduction to today’s favorites episode.

[1:46] Who is Matt Weinstein and what does he do for a living?

[2:50] The test Matt and his wife experienced and how it impacted him.

[8:50] The Madoff scheme and how Matt felt about the man himself.

[10:59] Matt’s reaction when he found out about the loss.

[13:47] The returns Madoff was getting during the most difficult years.

[17:55] The judgement on Bernie Madoff and how his consequences impacted Matt and his friends.

[19:56] Beginning to adjust to the “new normal” after losing all his finances.

[26:54] The dynamic of people coming together during times of tragedy.

[27:54] The speed of Matt’s financial comeback and his reaction to it.

[36:42] What Matt does with Playfair at colleges and universities.

[40:10] How people can get involved with Playfair.

[42:08] Matt’s story about his neighbor and the yard.

Resources mentioned on this episode

“How we choose to be happy”

“<a href="http://www.amazon.