In this episode we talk with Ed Morrison, Director of the Agile Strategy Lab at the University of North Alabama.

Ed has developed a new discipline called Strategic Doing to accelerate network collaborations that is now widely used across the U.S. and is now gaining attention internationally.  Join me as we learn what 'network collaborations' are, and why we need a new approach to strategy in our rapidly changing business environment.  

After a little break WE ARE BACK!  

Today we sit down with the Rockin' Eco Hero - Steve Trash 

UNA alum and all around great guy.  Steve has entertained over 25 million people since 1984.

He's appeared in theatres, fairs, and festivals all over the world including: Japan, Australia, Canada, Portugal, Spain and the UAE - - United Arab Emirates.

He's appeared on CBS, ESPN, CNBC, HLN, and VH1.

He's been written about in the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, CBS Marketwatch, Film Threat, Movie Maker Magazine, Alabama Business Magazine, and Boxing News.

He has appeared at the world famous MAGIC CASTLE in Hollywood, California, was a featured guest on LeVar Burton's READING RAINBOW Magic Week, MAKER FAIRE Kansas City, The ENCONTROS MAGICOS Street Magic Festival in Coimbra, Portugal.

During our talk we discuss building a brand, the importance of hard work, and, as Steve says, how to find your lightbulb.  

Sit back an enjoy - and ROAR LIONS!  

Listed in the Best Lawyers in America since 2005, Barry Marks is one of the foremost experts in equipment leasing, commercial lending and general business law.  Aside from his extremely successful law practice, Mr. Marks has numerous passions outside of law including poetry, theater, art, and music.  He is a past president of the Alabama State Poetry Society and was Alabama's Poet of the Year in 1999. His first book, Possible Crocodiles, was named Alabama Poetry, Book of the Year for 2010 and his second, Sounding was a finalist for the Eric Hoffer Award for small press publications.

In this episode of Rise & Roar we get to talk with Barry about how outside interests have shaped him as a lawyer, and also the benefits hobbies and non-work activities play in wellbeing and success in the business world. 

You can learn more about his law practice HERE

You should also check out his latest book Monsters Have Stinky Breath: Why It's Silly To Be Afraid Of The Dark

In this episode of Rise & Roar I got the chance to sit down with Dr. Kurt Nelson and discuss the field of behavioral science.  We cover a lot of ground quickly but some of the highlights include the role of friction in creating or eliminating habits, what works and what doesn't to build motivation, and how our own bias can derail good intentions.  

Dr. Nelson is the president and founder of The Lantern Group, Kurt is an innovative leader in helping companies use behavioral science to improve their employee's engagement and motivation. Kurt helps businesses design and leverage their employee communication, the design of their variable reward programs, and the structure of their HR initiatives to drive employee behavior that delivers bottom-line results.

The Lantern Group is the leading company in the nation in developing communication and educational programs that integrate behavioral science to increase the effectiveness of their employees. 

Kurt is a member of APA, SIOP, TCCN, and World at Work.

Kurt has served on the board and as past president of the City of Lakes Rotary Club and acted as chair of the International Services Committee and Club Service.

You can follow the Lantern Group on Twitter @WhatMotivates

Blog: www.thelanterngroup.wordpress.com

In this episode we get the chance to talk with Robert Steele.  A graduate of the University of North Alabama, Robert Steele has dedicated his career to learning the art and science of sales and put that knowledge to work. As a founder of four companies, Robert understands that the CEO must be the best salesperson for the company. His experience of raising capital for a start-up, turning around an entire organizations sales process and managing a publicly traded company, Robert understands the value of teamwork, building relationships, mentoring colleagues and driving value throughout the organization. Having closed in excess of $750,000,000 in Total Contract Value, Robert has been called relentless by his colleagues. In 1978, as a free agent for the World Champion Dallas Cowboys, Robert was the only free agent out of eighty hopefuls to make the 1978 football team that played in Superbowl XIII. Robert loves challenges and meets those challenges head on. Robert is CEO of MPB.Health a healthcare marketing organization serving the needs of the uninsured and underinsured that need access to affordable healthcare.

Jacob Modrzynski is the Vice President of Supply Chain for Vibe Kayaks out of Kennesaw GA.  Vibe works directly with manufacturers in China so I was interested in talking with Jacob about his assessment of the pandemic.  However, we quickly moved to the challenges of working remotely and also the emotional stress the situation has put on everyone.  I learned several things including how they are using Microsoft Teams to reduce internal email and increase collaboration.  I hope you enjoy this week's episode.  

In this episode of Rise & Roar we talk with Steve Swofford, President at the Alabama Credit Union.  Steve shares how proper planning and forward thinking put them in a great position heading into Covid-19.  He also highlights a program they started with strategic teams that allows them to work through problems faster and make decisions quickly.  

In this episode we talk with Leon Ashford, Managing Partner of the oldest plaintiff's firm in Birmingham Alabama.  You will learn from one of the best lawyers in the country how to communicate in times of crisis.  

Mr. Ashford is a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers, the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, and the Alabama Law Foundation. He has been included in the Best Lawyers in America for the past 24 years and in Alabama Super Lawyers since its inception. In 2010 and 2012, Best Lawyers named him Birmingham “Personal Injury Lawyer of the Year”, Birmingham “Lawyer of the Year Since 2008, Mr. Ashford has been named one of the top ten attorneys in the State of Alabama by Super Lawyers magazine and was featured on its cover in 2009. For many years, Mr. Ashford has been profiled by Chambers USA as a “Tier 1″ trial lawyer for personal injury and business litigation. Benchmark Plaintiff includes Mr. Ashford as a “Litigation Star” in its national ranking of personal injury lawyers.  In 2017 he was named as a finalist in The Birmingham Business Journal’s CEO Awards.  

On this episode of Rise and Roar we talk with Jim Page about the importance networking groups like the Chamber of Commerce can play during difficult times. Jim has spent his career as a spokesman for the Chamber on all public policy issues, economic development projects and strategic community initiatives. During the interview I got a chance to talk with Jim about the mindset of small business owners as they face Covid-19 and his personal leadership strategy as he supports over 1,300 members in this difficult time.  

In this episode we talk with Jim Sisson about the importance of strategic planning.  Covid-19 has certainly created a tremendous amount of change in the business landscape in a short period of time, and Jim walks us through how strategic planning can help navigate these changes.