Today on the Mentors and Moguls Podcast with your host, Heather Stone, Heather is sitting down with AJ Vaden, co-founder of the Brand Builders Group, 8-figure entrepreneur, and co-host of The Influential Brand Podcast. 

AJ discusses the question of what is a personal brand. Is it an online following, social media influencers or celebrities, course creation, speakers, authors, podcasters? In reality, AJ says, a “personal brand” is just an extension of your reputation. So the question is whether you are being intentional about the brand you are creating. What effort and intention are you putting into creating your “brand”? Do you know what you want to be known for? 

Brand Builders Group is a personal brand strategy group for anyone who wants to become more well-known. Anyone who wants to enhance their personal brand needs to answer these four questions: 

• What problem do you solve? 

• Who do you solve this problem for? 
• What is your unique message to solving this problem? 
• How do you make money solving this problem? 

When you know the answers to those four questions, you have clarity on your journey. 

AJ does not believe in “overnight success” because no matter how immediate it may appear on the outside, years of hard work have gone into making anyone successful, overnight or not. Success comes out of hard work, time, intention, and resources. While that may look like overnight success from the outside, it can take a long time to even get to the place where you’re able to achieve that “immediate success” 

People are sometimes afraid to tell others about themselves and their work for fear of appearing “self-promotional” but the truth is, in order to gain personal success, you have to be willing to tell everyone about what you’re doing because you believe in it. A book has the power to change your life, but you have to be willing to share it and talk about it. Even if you don’t have a huge following, if you’re willing to go on podcasts and tours and share to other followings, you can grow your audience and gain the following that will continue to make you successful long-term. 

AJ was an art major in college but was encouraged by her father to change her major to something where she would be able to support herself long term so she changed to advertising and marketing. She ultimately did not want to work an office job where her salary was capped and she counted vacation days so at 22, she began her entrepreneurial journey. She started a business with one of her high school best friends, got recruited to a start-up and began putting on large motivational sales conferences. She learned how deeply being an entrepreneur meant just doing sales. AJ and her husband, Rory then co-created Brand Builders Group as a way to own and share their own experiences with others. She credits her faith in large part for helping her hold on through the tumultuous time of changing careers, starting new journeys, and building her family as she has moved to her success. 

While people often think humility is at odds with the goal of growing a personal brand, AJ disagrees. She thinks you must be willing to share your own experiences if you believe they can help someone. Being willing to be vulnerable and human in your experiences, creates a trust and respect with your audience that will grow your success and following. That genuine audience is the single biggest factor in who people choose to buy from and follow.  

What You’ll Learn in This Podcast Episode: 

In this episode, AJ Vaden offers questions and advice on how to intentionally and effectively create and grow your personal brand.  

Helpful Links: 

https://freebrandcall.com/heatherstone/ 

https://brandbuildersgroup.com/ 

IG: @AJ_Vaden 

The Influential Personal Brand Podcast 

Today on the Mentors and Moguls Podcast with your host, Heather Stone, Heather is sitting down with Stephen Scoggins, who went from homeless and hopeless to heartfelt industry leader, speaker, and serial entrepreneur. Now, he’s dedicated himself to serving the person he used to be.

Stephen’s first hint that he would have to grow up fast was when he was just a young boy living with his Grandmother, who had raised him up to this point. When she was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer, Stephen’s role quickly became that of a caretaker and the person who would ultimately spend time raising his little brother. When she passed, his parents returned to the picture, and Stephen went to live and work in construction with his father and his brother with their mother in Florida. It was in this transition that Stephen met his first mentor, Steve.

Steve was constantly putting Stephen in a position where he was being challenged. Coming from a family with a history of alcoholism, Steve presented him a choice. Pulling him aside, Steve asked him a simple question: What’s the difference between a poor person and a rich person? The answer isn’t just money. It’s the way they think. The idea of a poverty mindset was an ‘aha’ moment for him and sent him on a trajectory that forever changed his life. This piece of advice, coming from a man who would leave $1,000 tips just to make a difference in someone's situation, was incredibly impactful. 

Then, Steve eventually gave Stephen the opportunity to build a business, covering the cost of many aspects and allowing him to make money. The problem then became how to be responsible for what he had earned. He found himself in a situation where he was questioning his worth, eventually leading him to walk off the job and ultimately homeless. Fast forward, after a moment of realization and finding faith, Stephen found a second chance. With some convincing, he was able to earn back his role. 

Stephen’s advice to people who find themselves in a similar stuck position is to find someone who you aspire to be. Think about the impact they have. He believes that principles dictate promises. No matter what promises you make, there are principles to get you there. As far as building a successful business, it’s about testing the market, seeing if it catches, then investing. We have a tendency to skip the testing and go straight to scaling, which won’t land. Surround yourself with the right people and keep moving forward.

In the end, there are givers and takers, and then there are those in transition from one or the other. Stephen’s advice: if you’re not constantly evaluating your perspective, it’s easy to slip back into becoming a taker. When you can do that, doors open for you–you don’t have to go around pushing them open. 

Links

https://stephenscoggins.com/

Things you’ll learn

In this episode, Stephen Scoggins shares with us his journey from homelessness to industry leader. He offers tips to avoid poverty mentality, the process of scaling a successful business, and how to align yourself with your principles to achieve the impact you want to have. 

Welcome back to the Mentors & Moguls podcast with Heather Stone! Today, we're talking about fear. We all have it in some way, shape, or form. Joining us is Mr. Bill Bennett. He’s a writer, producer, and director of feature films and documentaries. His career spans 30 years, and he's made 16 feature films for dramatized documentaries, plus five feature-length documentaries.   

Bill’s movie, PGS: Intuition is your Personal Guidance System explores the scientifically proven phenomenon of intuition. A time ago, Bill experienced a near-death moment, where he very closely missed being hit by a massive truck in an intersection. But, his life was saved by a voice inside his head–his intuition–a very different feeling for Bill, who had an evidence-based upbringing. PGS documents his journey to find the source of that mysterious voice. What was that voice? Where did it come from? And why did it save his life? After a dream that told him he needed to pursue this film, once again his intuition was put to the test. Trusting that inner voice changed Bill’s life fundamentally, but it wasn’t easy and it wasn’t immediate. He discovered a spiritual side of himself that was previously unknown. 

Facing fear is a the crux of Bill’s next film. He’s challenging the idea that fear is necessary in our lives. When the pandemic hit, fear was abundant. He began looking at fear as true fear, survival fear, and imagined fear, and how much of the fear people experienced was imagined. A major fear is that of the unknown, and the pandemic embodied that for many people. Bill tapped into what he learned in making his film: when you’re faced with fear, plan. 

The truth is, you can’t understand fear without understanding love. fear must be seen, not as something that demonizes you, but something that gives you the opportunity to learn and grow. For that to happen, you have to face it. You’ve got to befriend your fear–personalize it. 

A major fear for some is what others think of them when they put themselves out there for all to see. At the root of this, Bill says from one of his interviews, is that you are unsure of who you really are. Once you do the work to know who you really are, you become rock-solid. 

Fear makes you dumb. When fear hits, it evokes a flight or fight response, blocking out logical thinking. You’ve got to break that cycle. When you’re faced with that fear, give yourself three seconds to let the fear run through you and the adrenaline wear off so you can work through the problem creatively. 

Fear begets more fear. Flip that. Joy attracts more joy. No fear lives in the present moment. So, if you can stay there, you’ve worked around that fear. Fear has purpose, so once you can extract that, it becomes useful. 

Fear of change is a massive part of society, and can actually be dangerous. Oftentimes, fear of change is linked to a fear of loss, the loss of status, or loss of abundance, or loss of sense of place–think racism and homophobia. 

Bill has the 5 F’s of fear: Find, feel, face, friend, and free your fear. Reminagine fear: it’s something you can arm yourself with. 

Things you’ll learn

On today’s show, you’ll get a breakdown of what fear is, it’s different manifestations, and how you can extract usefulness from your fear to arm yourself. Bill touches on his own experiences and how that helped him develop some eye-opening films surrounding fear.

Socials

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/billbennettoz/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/billbennettaus

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-bennett-9025661a/

Website - https://www.billbennett.com.au/

Watch Facing Fear – The Interviews -  https://facingfearinterviews.com/about/

On today’s episode of the Mentors and Moguls podcast with your host, Heather Stone, we’re talking about stepping out of your comfort zone and conquering your fears by having a conversation with pilot and president of 45 North Aviation, Michael Terfehr while pulling G’s in an L39 Albatross Fighter Jet.

Naturally, Mike’s favorite part of flying with 45 North Aviation is flying upside-down. But deeper than that, it’s the freedom that comes with the open skies. He can always be in contact with those in air traffic control, but only if he needs them. The ability to have the option while still having the freedom to fly is empowering. 

For Heather, even though flying, especially in a fighter jet, can be scary, the views from the top are unlike anything else.

Today Heather is sitting down with a close friend and actress, Stephanie Szostak. Her most notable projects include The Devil Wears Prada, Ironman 3, and A Dinner for Schmucks just to name a few. Over the past decade, she has played alongside Meryl Streep, Robert Downey, Jr, Jeff Bridges, Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, Matt Damon, Kevin Bacon, Ryan Reynolds, and so many more.

Embracing being an outsider has been part of Stephanie’s life from a very early age moving to America. Growing up, she struggled to keep up with humor, food, and other social aspects that were vastly different than what she was used to back home in France. 

Rejection is a massive part of Stephanie’s work. Even now having worked with A-list actors, she has to overcome the challenge of failure. It’s easy to allow that failure to seep into crucial self-worth and force questioning of your own capabilities. At one point, Stephanie went over a year without a role, and when she didn’t land a French bartending role, it was a major blow. Eventually, she realized she had to focus on what she could control, and learn and grow, but on her own terms. She broke free of what others thought or wanted of her and became an authentic version of herself. Prepare and let go. That’s how things happen. If you can be authentic, that is a success. 

Stephanie’s role in Iron Man three was the first time a director believed she had it in her to be a villain. The very thought of being the ‘tough guy’ struck fear. But, her husband reminded her that her vulnerability was tough. She went in with an open, curious, and humble mind. To prepare for it, she worked hard to shed her ‘girly’ feeling of her body and give her belief that she could be the character. Working with Robert Downey Jr., she says, is like dancing with a good leader–everything is easier. On top of that, she would dance and rap in her trailer before she worked. Even when facing disappointment as her role grew and was cut back, she learned to celebrate her effort over the outcome. 

Every time she comes on to set, Stephanie says, there is some fear. It’s a challenge to have a new start and a new transition. When she was doing a movie with Kevin Bacon, Jeff Bridges., and Ryan Reynolds, she found herself alone with Kevin Bacon. After complimenting a difficult role Kevin played, he showed incredible vulnerability in sharing how nervous he was before starting a new movie. Even those who seem to be at the pinnacle of their craft face the same challenges.

Stephanie developed the 180 playbook in the wake of that moment. She went on a search for how to deal with those insecurities. She realized it wasn’t about fear or about performance anxiety, it was also about finding meaning and knowing what she’s about and what she can bring to the table. From there, the challenge became 1) how do you remember all this, and 2) how do you incorporate all these new practices into your mindset. Stephanie started making flashcards before she would go on set, which sparked the idea of developing an app that could bring motivation for the day and set you in the right frame of mind. It could help people in recovery or therapy, and those who are just trying to make a change.  

Shifting gears entirely, Stephanie has had numerous love scenes with the likes of Ryan Reynolds and others. For her, she finds it easier as she’s French and having professional partners make a huge difference. It’s about knowing her boundaries. The unexpected thing that she’s found lovely, she says, is the connections and friendships she’s built. On top of that, playing a villain with Robert Downey Jr. was an incredible professional accomplishment. 

Socials

@stephshortstak

What you’ll learn

On today’s episode, Stephanie shares with us how she overcomes rejection, failure, and challenges that put into question her self-worth. She discusses her process for prepping for a role with some of the biggest names in Hollywood, and how she gets her mind in the right place every day. 

Today’s guest is successful coach, entrepreneur, trainer, and CrossFit guru, Gunther Klaus. He’s the founder of Strength & Mechanics, a health and fitness program out of America’s most health and body-conscious city - Los Angeles.

In this episode, Heather and Gunther discuss all things health and fitness. They cover Gunther’s available courses, modern myths, why support matters, how to get the most out of your workout, the importance of science, and so much more! 

Catch up with Gunther on Instagram @guntherklaus.

Be sure to visit Heather at https://heatherrstone.com/ and subscribe to this channel for more Mentors & Moguls.

Deborah Koenigsberger is the founder of the nonprofit organization Hearts of Gold. For over 27 years, Hearts of Gold has sought to end homelessness for women and children in New York City through a combination of need-based programs and shelters which now house and assist over 35,000 mothers and children. Today, I’m sitting down with Deborah to learn more about how she was inspired to start the program, how she stays motivated and positive, and what it takes to effect true change within your sphere. 

Decades ago, as Deborah walked from home to work, she would pass through a run-down park populated with homeless families and individuals. A young mother herself, she couldn’t stop wondering about the mothers living there. As she got to know one woman in particular, she learned that the mother had been molested in one of the shelters, and therefore felt more safe on the streets. A lifelong fan of Stevie Wonder, Deborah took his song “Take the Time Out” to heart. She was inspired to take a step and work to make a change. As Deborah got involved, she started to take ownership of not only shelters, but also attendant programs that could assist in raising women and children out of homelessness. 

The problem of homelessness is overwhelming to think about. We took time to discuss with Deborah how she manages to stay motivated and positive in the face of such staggering need. Deborah shares how community service was really built into her DNA growing up and how her faith sustains her when she would otherwise sink. Furthermore, she’s a highly results-oriented person. By breaking the problem down into achievable goals and remembering the impact on individuals she’s met, she’s able to press forward with her whole heart and her whole effort. 

Hearts of Gold is not just about satisfying the immediate needs of women and children under its protection. It seeks to break the cycle of poverty and lift individuals out of homelessness. To Deborah, this comes down to investing in individuals, expanding their world view, prioritizing education, and letting them always know that someone is cheering for them. Hearts of Gold’s programs, from the learn to earn work experience program at Deborah’s own thrift store boutique to summer teen enrichment programs, open up access and opportunities for individuals. Like many charitable programs during the COVID-19 pandemic, Hearts of Gold had to cancel fundraisers even in the face of ever-increasing needs, and is therefore working with a restricted budget this year. Deborah shares ways you can get involved in this work, and the current and future initiatives that Hearts of Gold has planned to meet the evolving needs of the community. 

What You Will Learn

1. The power of just one person to effect real change in her community and world. 
2. How to stay positive and motivated in the face of overwhelming odds. 
3. What factors make the real difference for children and mothers living in poverty. 
4. How to join in the work of Hearts of Gold, or find a passion for another worthy project that needs your efforts. 

Referenced Links

https://www.heartsofgold.org/

Social Handles

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heartsofgoldnyc

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heartsofgoldnyc/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3bZPWBU_tLnchF0T_UBbmg

On today’s episode, I’m joined by Garrett Madison, a world-record holding mountain climber and Mount Everest guide-extraordinaire. His records include being the only person to climb Mount Everest and nearby Mount Lhotse in a day, three times; being the only American to climb K2 twice; and he has personally led more climbers to the summits of Mount Everest and K2 than anyone else. Together, Garrett and I talk about his career, following your passion, and leadership. 

Garrett’s passion for mountain climbing began when he was in high school, and he and his dad decided they wanted to climb Mount Rainier. After preparing for the climb, Garrett realized he wanted to continue to learn more, so he enrolled in more mountaineering classes, and in college, he was hired as a Mount Rainier guide. While Garrett thought it would be a fun summer job, he then ended up making it into a career as a fulltime mountain guide expedition leader. 

Garrett explains that his job comes with a number of different rewards, and that while the records he holds are great, his favorite parts of the job are simply getting to spend time in the mountains and helping others to achieve their bucket-list goals. He shares that the first time he made it to the summit of Everest, it was a really emotional experience and that helping other climbers reach that summit and sharing in that experience with them is both special and very rewarding. 

As someone who people trust to lead them up mountains and navigate them through the difficulties of the journey, Garrett also talks to listeners about leadership. He shares with them an experience in which he and his team ended up getting stuck on Everest after an earthquake  and how in experiences such as this, the most important actions a leader can take are: handle things moment by moment, look out for the people around you, and keep calm. 

Finally, Garrett ends our talk today by encouraging those who are listening to follow their hearts. As someone who never had a roadmap for his own career, Garrett advises following your passion and believing that things will work themselves out from there. In addition to his work as a guide, he also then goes on to discuss his work as a film producer, writer, and his future goal of becoming a sailor. 

To hear more about some of Garrett’s incredible expeditions, his favorite climbs, and how to prepare for your own climbing adventure or expedition, be sure to listen in to today’s episode!  

What You’ll Learn in This Podcast Episode:

In this podcast episode, you’ll learn about the career and amazing feats of mountain climber and guide, Garrett Madison, as well as hear his advice regarding leadership and following one’s passion. 

Helpful Links:

Check out Garrett’s website at: https://madisonmountaineering.com/

Follow Garrett on Instagram @garrettmadison1

On today’s episode, I welcome Carolyn Spector, the President and Chief Operating Officer of JUHI LLC, a company which offers healthcare services with a specialization in Eastern medicine. Carolyn shares with listeners her career journey and how her path has taken her from criminal law, to work with a variety of nonprofits, to her current position. Carolyn also shares her experiences with tragedy, offering listeners encouraging words for how to persevere through even the most difficult of times. 

Carolyn begins our conversation today by talking about her background in criminal law and how she was instrumental in creating one of the first ever sexual assault and sexual violence units back in the 80’s. She explains that as she began to develop more and more empathy for the victims of domestic violence crimes, she grew more passionate about finding ways to make a difference in the lives of others. 

Because of Carolyn’s passion, she eventually was led to New York, where she began work with Safe Horizon, which continues to serve as the nation's leading victim assistance organization. From her experience working with Safe Horizon, Carolyn then went on to develop her own nonprofit: Walk to End Domestic Violence. While her work with this project only lasted a couple years due to the impact 9/11 had on New York, it was not the last of Carolyn’s involvement with nonprofits. After moving to Long Island, she then became the executive director for Mission Restore, a nonprofit whose goal was to train surgeons in foreign war-torn countries to be proficient in reconstructive surgery. In 2012, she was then hired as a director at the National Foundation for Facial Reconstruction, which is a nonprofit that has since become known as myFace. 

While Carolyn enjoyed her work at myFace, she then shares with listeners that unfortunately in 2013 her husband was diagnosed with brain cancer, and it became necessary for her to find a way to support her family while staying home and serving as his caretaker. In order to do so, she began her own consulting business. Carolyn then shares that soon after her husband passed away, she unexpectedly lost her mother and felt herself hit bottom. She describes the experience as being in hell and opens up about how she had no idea how to escape it. Eventually, this is what led her to Juhi Singh, who helped to heal her and whose relationship eventually led to her current position at JUHI LLC. 

Pulling from her personal experiences with tragedy, Carolyn offers listeners advice on how to push through difficult times even when things seem darkest. She shares her belief that “good things always come from bad things” and encourages those who are struggling to reach out to someone they trust for help. To hear more of Carolyn’s advice or learn more about her career path, be sure to check out today’s episode! 

What You’ll Learn in This Podcast Episode:

On today’s episode, you’ll learn about Carolyn Spector’s career, her work with JUHI LLC, and her past involvement with a number of nonprofits. She also offers listeners encouraging words on how to make it through tragedy. 

Helpful Links:

To learn more about the Juhi Ash Center and schedule an appointment, check out the company’s website at: https://www.juhi.center/

Learn more about Carolyn’s work experience by checking out her profile at:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolynspector/

To learn more about Safe Horizon, check out the organization’s website: https://www.safehorizon.org/

To learn more about Mission Restore, check out the organization’s website: https://missionrestore.org/

To learn more about myFace, check out the organization’s website: https://www.myface.org/

Today, I welcome to the show Will Buxton, an award-winning sports broadcaster, writer, voice-over artist, and commentator but whom you may know best from Netflix’s Formula 1: Drive to Survive series. Together, Will and I talk about how his love for F1 racing has driven his career, his favorite parts of the job, the necessity of surrounding yourself with positivity and people who support you, and the importance of authenticity.

Will begins our conversation today by talking about how his love for F1 racing began and how from the age of 13, he knew he wanted to grow up to write about the sport. He then discusses his path towards obtaining such a career, admitting that instead of journalism, he studied politics in school, which helped him to develop his research and argumentation skills as well as discover his own voice. Upon graduating, he then sent his thesis to an F1 magazine, was later offered a job, and thus began his dream career. While Will notes that his passion has always driven him, he also warns listeners that you can’t rely on passion alone for success but instead must be willing to put in the work.

Will and I then move on to talking about his favorite part of his job as a journalist. He shares that his favorite moments are often when he’s able to talk to drivers for longer than five minutes about something that’s not about racing. He explains that in those moments, you really come to see the human that’s underneath what’s often an athletic mask or persona and how when you give someone room to open up about what’s going on in their lives, it can lead to powerful and meaningful conversations. 

Lastly, Will and I shift to discussing career advice. He stresses the importance of recognizing your own worth when deciding whether or not to accept a position and how this often comes with maturity and experience. He also encourages listeners to surround themselves with mentors and those voices that ignite within them the drive to be better. From here, Will segues into talking about the benefits and dangers of social media and the ways it can both help and hurt one’s career. Finally, Will shares the ways Covid-19 has impacted his career as well as led him to think more deeply about what it is he’s truly looking for out of life.

To hear more of Will’s career advice, about the future of the Drive to Survive series, and his thoughts on the 2021 F1 racing season, be sure to listen in! 

What You’ll Learn in This Podcast Episode:

In today’s episode, Will offers advice on how to turn your passion into a career, gives listeners insights into his Netflix series and the drivers behind the camera, and talks about the importance of mentors, authenticity, and social media when it comes to standing out in a journalistic career field. 

Helpful Links:

Follow Will on social media @wbuxtonofficial

Check out Will’s YouTube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/c/WillBuxtonOfficial/featured

Check out Will’s book, My Greatest Defeat: Stories of Hardship and Hope from Motor Racing's Finest Heroes: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/my-greatest-defeat-will-buxton/1130041074