Permission To Shine

Episode 28 brings us Tahmid Khan who was held hostage after 5 guys stormed a cafe armed with AK-47’s and changed his life instantly. 

Tahmid is an intellectual, he attended Columbia and the University of Toronto. He’s had a career in public health, founded a non-profit, and produces music on the side.

To say the least, he’s extremely thoughtful and his breakdown of what happened is heartbreaking and inspiring in the same breath. 

His story has been covered by The New York Times, Vice, TED, and he opens up more than ever on Permission to Shine. 

He discusses how communication with the hostages saved his life, and shares how we can all learn to communicate more effectively (with empathy) - from business, relationships, to life or death situations. 

This is a conversation you do not want to miss. So please do me a birthday favor, and yourself one, by listening to episode 28 today! 

P.S. if you never want to miss an episode, hit FOLLOW wherever you listen to your podcasts under Permission To Shine. 

Wende Valentine serves as Executive Director of the dZi Foundation, an NGO dedicated to ensuring basic needs, catalyzing inclusive economic growth, and creating an environment for lasting impact in the most rural parts of Nepal. Think schools, farms, and new businesses created by locals, as a result of training and resources provided by dZi. 
Wende has an incredible history of non profit leadership formerly at Water For People (sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and South America) and MAIA, a Guatemala based organization focused on gender equality. 
Wende, myself, and fellow dZi board member Emily Martin spent a week visiting the working areas of dZi in Nepal. 
After the visit, Wende and I sat down to discuss her enriched life living around the world, her incredible leadership styles, recent completion of the Harvard Authentic Leadership Development Program, finding your dream life partner, and more. 
Please enjoy and thank you for listening! 
Sponsorship Opportunities: [email protected]

NJ Falk is Managing Partner at Athletic Propulsion Labs (APL). 
NJ Co-Founded and serves as Chief Mentorpreneur™ ( a term she trademarked) of The Forward Female. 
She's founder of the Webby Award winning blog, The Blonde and The Brunette. 
She previously help leadership roles at American Express, Universal Studios and MGM. 
She holds a BFA in Film/Television/Journalism and an MBA from NYU. 
We discuss: 
-Why APL become the #1 story in the world when they got banned from the NBA. 
-Productivity tips and how she manages 1,000 emails a day. 
-Losing family members and how it creates a sense of engagement.
-The power of a 15 minute meeting. 
And more!  
Feedback and Sponsorship Opportunities: [email protected] 
Podcast starts at 5:13. 
Thanks for listening!

Mandy Ginsberg is a force. She served as CEO of Match Group (owner of 45 brands including Match.com, Tinder, Hinge) when it was a $25B company, currently serves on the board of directors at Uber, former board member at JC Penney's, and current director at thredUP. 
Mandy famously served as the first female CEO to conduct a pay audit amongst her entire organization, exposing the pay gap between genders. 
She discusses the right balance of sharing your personal life, and gives specific examples of how she handled her cancer diagnosis while being CEO. 
Mandy provides tips for hiring and firing the right people, how to keep teams aligned to a strategy, and what to do when things get tough. 
She holds a BA in English and Spanish literature from University of California, Berkley and an MBA from Wharton. 
It was an honor to have Mandy on the show! Please send your thoughts to the email below. 
Feedback & Sponsorship Opportunities: [email protected] 
Thanks for listening! 

After being given up at birth, and rotating through 22 different foster care homes, Dr. Loren Michaels Harris went on to win the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award for his work in giving back to others. 
He is an entrepreneur, author, and professional speaker. 
Dr. Loren serves as CEO of Trajectory TV Network, Executive Producer and Talk Show Host of e360tv, and the Founder @ Power of We Symposium which will gather 750 kids at their annual event this October in Chicagoland. 
He is a force of nature and it's no surprise that clients fight to get on his professional coaching roster. 
Please leave a review if you enjoy the episode. 
A heads up, some of the material discussed in this episode is heavy. 
Thanks for listening! 
Feedback and Sponsorship Opportunities: [email protected] 

Dan & Chris Powers took a leap of faith when they moved across the country to Los Angeles 10 years ago to pursue their dream in the entertainment business. 
Since then, it's paid off. They run the famous Empty Netters Podcast (an Almost Friday Media/Friday Beers affiliate) and have made a name for themselves as screenwriters. 
It didn't come without a few "kicks to the teeth" -- being rejected for jobs on the front line at Chipotle (after completing a Masters in Electrical Engineering at Duke), sleeping on floors, almost getting scammed, and more. 
These are untold stories that show for every success, there's a bucket of adversity that we rarely get to see. 
One quick favor - please hit the "FOLLOW" button on Permission To Shine -- it helps me continue to bring you the BEST guests and stories. It means the world, thank you. 
Feedback and Sponsorship Opportunities: [email protected]

Janice is the CEO of Ellig Group, where she was named one of the world's most influential headhunters by Bloomberg Business Week. 
She has a specific focus on improving diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace by placing women and underrepresented executives onto boards and into C-suites. 
Janice is a philanthropic titan having chaired the University of Iowa Center for Advancement board, Past Director of the National YMCA, and Past President of the Women's Forum of New York. 
She received the University of Iowa Distinguished Alumni Award in 2011. She's co-authored two books and has traveled to 150 countries. 
Please hit "follow" wherever you listen to your podcasts to help us bring you the BEST guests! 

Dr. Austin Chiang is a world-renowned expert on gut health. He attended Duke, Colombia, Harvard (and more!) to obtain his MD and beyond. 
Dr. Austin Chiang serves as Chief Medical Officer of the Endoscopy business at Medtronic, the worlds largest medical device company. 
He's created an immense social media following where he spreads accurate health information to his 570,000 followers. 
He is author of "Gut: An Owner's Guide" which will be released in April of 2024. 

Robert Jordan served as the 25th U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia during the 9/11 attacks. Having served as President George Bush's personal attorney, and close friend, Robert was tapped to lead Saudi relations in a tumultuous time. 
Tune in to hear stories from the Oval Office, Saudi Palaces, and advice on improving the Israel/Palestinian conflict. 
Robert was a partner in the international law firm Baker Botts L.L.P. for many years and headed the firm’s Middle East practice based in Dubai until his retirement in 2014. He is Vice Chair of the Tower Center Board of Directors, the World Affairs Council of Dallas Fort Worth, and the Board of Governors of the Middle East Institute. He is a Trustee of the Southwestern Medical Foundation, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a past president of the Dallas Bar Association. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Center for American and International Law and the Board of Directors of the Tate Lecture Series at Southern Methodist University. He also serves on the Advisory Board of the Bilateral U.S.-Arab Chamber of Commerce and is a frequent commentator with international media including CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, CNBC, Bloomberg and the New York Times. His memoir, Desert Diplomat: Inside Saudi Arabia Following 9/11, was published by Potomac Books.
Please enjoy this fascinating conversation with U.S. Ambassador, Robert Jordan. 

Enjoy this fascinating conversation with Almost Friday Media President, Andrew Kenward. 
Conversation starts at time stamp 3:30. 
Andrew landed his first job in entertainment with C3 Presents, hosting Austin City Limits. From ACL, he went on to become an Agent in Hollywood at William Morris Endeavor for 8 years before joining the rocket ship Almost Friday Media as their President. 
Almost Friday Media is a media conglomerate and production company of 20 brands; including notable Friday Beers and Empty Netters. They have 18 million followers across their social media platforms, put out 17,000 pieces of content last quarter, reach 200 million people weekly, and have an insane new office on Abbot Kinney in Venice, CA. 
This conversation provides a deep dive into Andrew's upbringing and the lessons he's learned throughout. 
Please enjoy and as always, hit the "follow" button so you never miss an episode AND it tremendously helps me bring you the BEST guests.