Power & Impact

I recently had the pleasure of speaking with the esteemed businessman, speaker, author, and former CEO of United Airlines, Oscar Munoz. What struck me most was our shared connection to our grandmothers, who played pivotal roles in shaping our values and leadership.

In this week's episode of Power & Impact, we delved into Oscar's remarkable journey, which includes leading one of the most significant corporate turnarounds in modern business history, chronicled in his new book "Turnaround Time: Uniting an Airline and its Employees in the Friendly Skies." Oscar embodies the American dream, and it's evident that his grandmother's wisdom and character have been instrumental in shaping him into the extraordinary man that he is today—a testament to the enduring influence of family.

Alison Moore, CEO of Comic Relief US, stops by Power & Impact to discuss their partnership with 1-800-Flowers.com to help end the cycle of child poverty. Comic Relief US stages celebrity-studded fundraising events to benefit charitable organizations, and have raised over $380 million to help nearly 31 million children worldwide. As part of the Red Nose Day campaign, Comic Relief US and 1-800-Flowers.com hope to make a difference in the lives of children in need by demonstrating the healing impact that laughter can have on us all.

Additionally, Alison and Jim discuss the impact that Red Nose Day has made in the UK and is now making in the US, and explore how comedy can change lives on a societal level. Alison and Jim also discuss how comedy brings us closer together, and dive in on the psychology behind laughter.

Learn more about our Comic Relief US Back-to-School Red Nose Day Fundraising Campaign, aimed at helping to end child poverty, here: https://www.1800flowers.com/comic-relief

Music industry veteran, David Nathan teamed up with International DJ, Sam Koch to launch Happy Jack Entertainment. They are on a mission to bring mental health awareness and advocacy to all through music and are on a path to disrupt the industry in order to do so.

David Nathan tragically lost his 19 year old son, Jack, in July of 2020. Before his passing, Jack founded a mental health awareness lifestyle brand, Happy Jack, from his dorm room, to ensure that kids like him didn't feel alone.

Inspired by Jack's selflessness and turning grief into action, David and Sam set out to honor his memory by continuing his mission to help others and as Jack liked to say "make this world a better place".

In this episode, we discuss the power music has to build community, where the music industry has failed in supporting artists' mental health, and how Happy Jack Entertainment plans to reframe the industry in regards to artist stewardship and fan experiences - changing both the perspective and the narrative of mental health.

In this episode, Dr. Angela Jackson, the Founder of Future Forward Strategies, and Jim discuss the ever-evolving relationship between education and technology, ways to make education and career opportunities more accessible, technological inequity, the future of work, and how our relationship with work and education will change as people continue to live longer.

Future Forward Strategies is a labor market intelligence, design thinking, and strategy firm assisting leaders with transforming organizations. Dr. Jackson is also a lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, as well as the architect of the Future of Work Grand Challenge, an initiative to rapidly reskill 25,000 displaced workers into living-wage jobs within 24 months.

Can finding the right mentor at the right time make all the difference for young women? If you were to ask Illana Raia, she'd say yes.

Studies have shown that girls' confidence drops between ages 8 and 14, and many girls start to quit their hobbies and interests before they get to high school.

To counter this, Illana Raia founded Être Girls, a company whose mission is to keep girls close to what they love by offering curated free resources and inspiring female role models right when they need them.

In today's episode, Illana shares all about Etre Girls, how her daughter was the inspiration behind it all, and how mentorship changes the lives of so many young women.

Consumers today are more conscious than ever about the brands they use. They see their dollars as a way to support causes and companies they believe in, and use them to make their voice heard in the marketplace.

Retail thought leader Joel Bines noticed this movement and defined it in his new book, The Metail Economy. Joel is an expert business leader from AlixPartners who has a track record of successfully improving the performance of retailers, wholesalers, and service companies in the Retail space.

What is Metail? Joel defines it as the inversion of the traditional power dynamics of retail, resulting in the consumer being in charge. In his book, Joel argues that businesses need to embrace this power change and become self-aware in order to survive in the new status quo.

In this episode, Joel and Jim discuss The Metail Economy, trends they've seen, and the role of business within social and political movements.

What is true hospitality? Is it the service that we receive, or is it something more?

Hospitality is the cornerstone of Tom Colicchio's approach to restaurants. He understands that creating an atmosphere of genuine hospitality goes beyond simply serving exceptional food; it encompasses every aspect of the guest's experience, from the moment they step through the door to the time they leave with a satisfied smile on their face.

Hospitality isn't just about the customer experience either, it's about the good you do for the world at large. Tom's philanthropy and career is a great example of what I call "doing well by doing good" - the idea that we can be successful by helping others.

For the past few years, we at Smile Farms have partnered with Tom and his team at Crafted Hospitality to find meaningful work opportunities for developmentally disabled adults. Having a personal tie to many of the issues we are trying to solve, Tom has become one of our biggest supporters.

In this podcast episode, we discuss Tom's prolific career as a chef and restaurateur, but our conversation goes far beyond the food. We cover topics including family, immigration, sustainable agriculture, food insecurity, and so much more, tying it all back to the restaurant industry and hospitality.

In this episode of Power & Impact, Jim McCann interviews Mindy Grossman, Partner at Consello Group and former President and CEO of WW (formerly Weight Watchers). Mindy shares her journey in the apparel industry, her time at Nike, and the importance of understanding and connecting with the consumer. She shares the vision behind Consello and how they are leading the way as a one-of-a-kind financial services advisory and strategic investing platform.

Jim and Mindy discuss company culture, touching on allyship, productive discomfort, and creating an environment that embraces and supports all individuals, as well as the role of leadership in fostering all of these factors. Learn how these elements contribute to better outcomes and help create an environment where everyone feels valued and aligned.

Tune in to gain insights from Mindy's incredible experiences and learn about the exciting world of Consello Group.

It's no secret that AI is rapidly changing the world we live in. We've just scratched the surface at 1-800-FLOWERS.com with our own versions of AI, MomVerse and DadJokeGPT. Some fear the long-term impacts, or write it off for trivial reasons, but I see it as a tool to accelerate and improve. ChatGPT and other AI tools can help people be the best versions of themselves, overcome constraints, and even be a way to help people build and deepen their relationships.

My friend Dave Kerpen, a NY Times bestselling author, founder of KIP.ai, and global keynote speaker, has spent his career on the cutting edge of technology. As a young marketing professional in the early 2000s, Dave saw the potential that Facebook had to change the marketing landscape and quickly adopted it. Now with generative AI technology, Dave is once again exploring and utilizing this massive new force in the digital world.

Dave and I discuss how ChatGPT can dramatically shift our lives and change the world, and we share actionable tips on how you can use it to your advantage. We even delve into some less-obvious utilizations for your personal and professional life that you'll want to hear!

Thanks to the internet, today's world is more connected than ever. Communication is as simple as sending an email, home goods can be ordered to your door at the press of a button, and online communities have brought us closer together.

But it wasn't always that way. It took many years, extensive research, and brilliant leaders behind it's creation.

Vint Cerf, one of the "Fathers of the Internet" helped to connect the first nodes that made the modern internet possible. For his achievements, Vint has been awarded the National Medal of Technology, the Turing Award, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, among many more honors.

Today on Power & Impact, Vint shares forward his insights on how the internet became what it is today, and where the ever-evolving technology is going.