See & Free Studio with Jennifer Longnion

See & Free Studio Season, Episode 15 with writer, director, entrepreneur and futurist Michael Shaun Conaway

How do we want to be? As a world, as communities, as organizations, and as individuals? How do we live to make a difference? That is the question Michael Shaun Conaway ponders every day. His USD. To unleash the greatness of people and organizations to bring about a thriving future for humanity. To that end, he’s spent his career encouraging others to find the unique expression of themselves so they may make a profound impact in life. Many years ago, Michael Shaun discovered that he had no trouble tapping into his passions, but that they were focused in many diffuse ways. It took time to realize that the best way to make an impact is to tie his passion to his ultimate purpose - that thing that is so important that it gives you connection and energy…the ability to find your “wings.” And now he is soaring. In his recent film We Rise Up, he met with 150 inspirational global leaders including the Dalai Lama, Richard Branson, and Tony Robbins to re-envision our future and what’s possible over the next 100 years of humanity. The focus of the film is to imagine a world where we are all living in purpose and doing amazing things to solve incredible challenges. And as co-creator of the Generative Futures Institute, Michael Shaun continues to bring people together to create a thriving future for humanity and our way forward…bringing together problem solvers from all parts of the world and all walks of life to build shared visions and solutions that give us hope for what we can do together…in purpose. Or what we call at See & Free Studio…our USD. Come learn about Michael Shaun and The Generative Futures Initiative.

See & Free Studio Season 2, Episode 14 with the accomplished Sabrina Bier, who proves that success and fulfillment can emerge from overcoming tragedy

Sabrina Bier is a successful Chicago real estate broker & expert, accomplished speaker and trainer, brand strategist and philanthropist. Fueling her success is the ability to thrive despite a number of invisible hurdles and struggles. Sabrina thrived through a terrible tragedy finding the support, energy, strength and mindset to overcome subsequent obstacles. She found her source of strength in her USD - her ability to vocalize her circumstances but more importantly sharing the ways she prevailed over them. Her message is that we don’t need to let the “terrible” define us, but instead motivate us and lift others up in the process. Sabrina is proof that you can be both successful and vulnerable, giving others hope that they too can prevail over pain by leaning on each other. As she shares, “you can’t experience the highs in life if you haven’t experienced the lows” - both can motivate and fuel you and connect you to communities of tried and true friendships who empathize with and support you. And that is what Sabrina is doing now - creating community - for those with chronic illness, for her foster children, and for those in need in her hometown of Chicago. Check out Sabrina’s episode and learn more about her nonprofit Re-Connect Chicago (https://www.re-connectchicago.org/).

Link: https://youtu.be/V-sCNfXQAlM

See & Free Studio, Season 2 Episode 13 with renowned stylist and Bravo’s Shear Genius winner Anthony Morrison

Proud West Londoner Anthony Morrison knew he wanted to be a hairdresser at age 8. That dream not only became a reality, but he became one of the most renowned stylists in the World as winner of Bravo’s inaugural season of Shear Genius and as a member of TLC’s “Glam Squad” on 10 Years Younger. It is no surprise that Anthony’s USD is to make every day better than the day before and to make everyone’s life brighter and more beautiful. Anthony uses his creative talents to create a unique space and community where his customers have an unforgettable experience. He’s done just that with The Londoner Salon in Hermosa Beach, where he’s modeled the salon after an English tea garden as LA’s first and only Open (H)air Salon - something that made The Londoner one of the most coveted salons to visit during the pandemic. Come learn about Anthony, his USD, and his commitment to Comfort Human - a nonprofit organization dedicated to aiding people suffering with Alzheimer’s.

See & Free Studio, Season 2 Episode 12 with former Wish kid and cancer survivor Nick Lynch, bringing his USD to connect brands and nonprofits for social impact

Recognizing the major headwinds faced by nonprofits to generate awareness and revenue during the pandemic, Nick Lynch made it his personal mission to unlock cause marketing and social media to help these organizations increase their reach and hit their goals. Nick’s USD? To be a channel for positive outcomes. Understanding the true power of a nonprofit’s mission - Nick’s using his own story, experience and knowledge to amplify their cause. Nick is now comfortable, actually now enthusiastic about sharing his own story as a cancer survivor and former Wish kid. He provides the context and creates the empathy that helps brand and business leaders understand how powerful their impact can be. Through his company Collidescope.io, Nick is helping brands put real effort and dollars behind social impact. Bringing his USD and his expertise in advertising and performance marketing, Collidescope.io has raised $1M in the last year for nonprofits during a time that they could be significantly limited by constraints. Come hear how Nick is creating the platform for collaboration, connection and social impact and support Make-a-Wish Greater Los Angeles (http://site.wish.org/goto/mawgla2020)

https://youtu.be/xt1ZoBwr12E

See & Free Studio Season 2, Episode 11 with guests and LMU grad students Evanne Drucker, Alexandra O’Hagan Padron, and Ryan Robles

In this special episode, we’ve invited three incredible grad students to the show who are facing major life milestones in the midst of one of the most incomprehensible times in our lives. Evanne, Alex and Ryan have spent the last few months exploring their USD’s and appreciating how knowing what makes them “unique, special & different” informs their life choices, perspectives, and their career paths. Come be inspired by these emerging leaders as they share their stories and aspirations. We’ll also share our tips for everyone who’s seeking purpose and new opportunities in your career.

For one hour of free career coaching, be the first person to email me at [email protected].

See & Free Studio, Season 2 Episode 10 with Di Ciruolo, queer, Latin mom and fierce advocate for all humans to be 100% themselves in the workplace

Di Ciruolo is Head of Inclusion at Jambb, a Blockchain Technology company - comedians and entertainers to release NFT’s (moments) that people want to collect and trade. She is on a mission to raise awareness around diversity and inclusion within this prolific industry and the tech industry in general. Her focus is to raise awareness and break down barriers for those who may be marginalized in the workplace. Her experience in foster care sparked her awareness that she didn’t fit into boxes; she had a unique outsider’s view of society and systems of power. Over time, Di realized that conventional narratives didn’t fit her experience, and that there were barriers to entry that she had to overcome due to her identity and experience. So rather than try to fit into the boxes or let those barriers deter her, she embraced her USD which is to live outside of others’ boxes and to provide the space for others to live and thrive outside of these same “norms.” Her message for business leaders: The goal is not to assimilate everyone to a heteronormative male MO; it is to provide the environment and circumstances for all people to be their unique selves and contribute to the success of the organization. And her message to everyone who cares about making our workplaces more diverse and inclusive, hold onto and stay true to your “why” - that is your source of resilience. Both of these messages are core to her book, “Ally Up: The Definitive Guide to Building More Inclusive, Innovative and Productive Teams.” Please come learn about Di Ciruolo, her story, and Together We Rise (https://www.togetherwerise.org/donate/) - a nonprofit supporting foster kids and getting them essential items they need to feel like the loved children they are.  

Link: https://youtu.be/1U2R6Ioih28

See & Free Studio Season 2, Episode 9 with Gian Martinez, recently named one of the ‘50 Names that expanded creativity in Brazil’ by WIRED

Gian Martinez exudes energy, confidence, creativity, positivity and a growth mindset and those are the qualities he also promotes through his business and his USD. What’s Gian’s USD? He’s spent his lifetime trying to master the science of creativity - specifically to create amazing things in a consistent way. Going one step further, he’s committed to empowering creative capability in others - especially young people trying to emerge from poverty - teaching them that they can nourish and use their creative potential to change their reality and their family’s and community’s circumstances. Gian’s message is that everyone can discover and spark creativity from within. Children, community, large enterprises...we can use creativity to solve big problems. That is exactly what he’s doing with fast growth start-up Winnin. Winnin’s mission is to understand through data what audiences really want to watch. We are surrounded by content, and continue to push content that’s often not often relevant to societal issues. We need to make content that matters, that’s more relevant for people and society, and that makes a difference. Winnin maps where and how brands can make an impact in our collective context. Launched last year in Brazil, Winnin is making its way to the US in the next few months! Come learn about Gian, his USD, and his commitment to Gerando Falcoes, one of the largest nonprofit movements in Brazil focused on overcoming social differences and poverty.

See & Free Studio, Season 2 Episode 8 with Marica Slaughter who is fiercely advocating for recognition and equality for women athletes

Marica Slaughter...what's her USD? She's a connector and bridge builder - she prides herself on bringing people together to win and be successful. She's thoughtful and contemplative, and most importantly a leader who approaches challenges, goals, and circumstances with a steady resolve. While Marica has opportunities to lead in her day job as Director of Design Ops at MailChimp, her real passion is founding and leading Raw5Gear (www.raw5gear.com). A former star point guard at Georgia State University, Marica started Raw5Gear as a way to combine her innate creativity, community connections, and leadership while paying homage to her love of sports. Raw5Gear is a clothing brand dedicated to bringing awareness to the disparity in women's sports. Women make up 40% of collegiate athletes but only get 4% of marketing and recognition. Marica is using this medium to create dialogue, bring awareness, and drive change for fair and equitable programming and resources for women playing and coaching sports. Every step of the way, she’s focused on being a good leader and leaving a legacy. As she states, “legacy comes from the longevity of the things you instill in other people.” The people that mean the most to her are her three young boys - her legacy as a Mom is to raise “good humans.” Come learn about Marica, Raw5Gear, and The Women’s Sports Foundation.

See & Free Studio, Season 2 Episode 7 with fantastic human Candi Clark whose mission in life is to bring joy to everyone she meets

On her web site, she says "I've never met a stranger" and that is the truth! People come from all of the World to be photographed by Candi, who just happens to be an on location photographer in one of the most trafficked tourist destinations in the World, Orlando FL. Why is she so special? Her USD: She genuinely loves people and loves to make them smile. She wants everyone around her to feel happy, beautiful, accepted and included and she offers the safe space to do just that. What makes her smile? The kids in her life. Candi knows that our children will make the World a better place and hopes other parents see the same in their kids - finding happiness in the little every day moments that often go overlooked. She also wants all of us to seek out our humanity and empathy for our community, which is one reason she is avid supporter of the One Pulse Foundation, raising awareness and funds for those impacted by the murders that occurred at the Pulse Nightclub. Her wish is that we all embrace that Love is Love, that we feel comfortable being ourselves and we feel good. Come learn about Candi and how she is bringing smiles to everyone who meets her. 

See & Free Studio Season 2, Episode 5 with Michael Dubin, who’s enjoying semi-retirement and his favorite role as Expert Day Dreamer

Trailblazer Michael Dubin emerged as the brain behind and face of cutting-edge men’s grooming brand Dollar Shave Club in 2011. After a decade running this unicorn success story, Mike stepped into semi-retirement in early 2021. “Semi” because he is still bringing his Unique, Special and Different (USD) to solving big problems. What’s his USD? Simply put: It’s an un-ending curiosity, a hunger for new knowledge and skills. Mike is slightly obsessed with the constant demystification of the World. He admits he’s wired in a way that he can’t accept that something can’t be done. When he learns about something new, he dissects it into smaller, surmountable chunks and figures out what he could do to make it better. For him, solving problems is fun. For all those aspiring entrepreneurs who ask him about the secret to his success, he has a few bits of advice: 1) Get good at solving problems and seeing opportunities. Meet challenges and rise to them as a relentless optimist, and 2) Ask for help. Mike acknowledges that his real success as Founder and CEO at DSC is attributed to bringing together a great group of people who helped him build the company - friends, relatives, investors and team members. Come learn more about Mike and what problems he is solving now: whether it is tackling new methods to fight wildfires, protecting our democracy, or improving education through his work with Gabriella Charter Schools. 

Episode Link: https://youtu.be/_HDyGkVOBNg