See & Free Studio with Jennifer Longnion

See & Free Season 2, Episode 5 with Jake Levin, who shares his passion for taking organizations to unparalleled levels of growth  

Jake Levin is Chief Growth Officer for Lunar Solar Group, a marketing agency focused on scaling ecommerce brands or breaking traditional CPG brands into the ecommerce space. He’s got a fitting title for someone whose USD is an insatiable passion and thirst for growth - both personal growth and being at that perfect inflection point of an organization when they are about to take off in ways that previously seemed impossible. Jake shares that he is the perfect partner in attaining ambitious goals because he’s incredibly competitive and obsessed with results. Sometimes that obsession leads to a perpetual dissatisfaction with what he’s achieved, but he’s learning to celebrate the small wins and combat an ever-present fear of complacency. One way he creates balance in his life is music; it allows him to pursue perfection in his career with his pursuit of peace and happiness. Come hear Jake’s story, listen to his album Bad Blue on Spotify, and support 350.org - a nonprofit bringing awareness to energy alternatives other than fossil fuels.

Link to our YouTube Episode: https://youtu.be/-v1y6fuitD0

See & Free Studio Season 2, Episode 4 with James Mitchell, bringing his professional problem solving to building start ecommerce delivery service Pandion

James Mitchell is a professional problem solver with an endless curiosity about well...everything. That’s his USD, and he’s tackled many challenges and problems over the years - weaving through science labs to marine bases to the board room. In all cases, James realized the power of great questions and deep inquiry to provide the best strategies and solutions. In each chapter of his career, he’s focused on advising others how to get to “yes” - exploring what’s possible, then identifying who and what was needed to solve the problem at hand. He brought his solution-oriented strategic brain and team mentality to his role as one of the founding members of the Amazon Air team and now to building cutting-edge start up Pandion. But his favorite role is shaping a new generation as a father of four kids with his partner in life Carra. Please learn about James, this chapter in his life, and help him support the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals (https://obap.org/give/).

See & Free Studio Season 2, Episode 3 with Meet Allison Buchner, our favorite IP lawyer and litigator and all around great human

Whip smart, tenacious, compassionate and resilient - that's how I describe this week's guest Allison Buchner. But what really matters is how this mom, wife, community leader and kick ass lawyer and IP expert describes herself. Allison's USD is a perfect triad of qualities: 1) the ability to make order out of chaos and thrive in it, 2) an incredible drive to win and succeed, and 3) solving problems for others so that they may have a better reality. This mix makes her a terrific lawyer and leader and an even better mom to her two girls. Allison wants her girls to know that having a great job and intensely pursuing success doesn't have to come at the expense of enjoying one's life and having fun. A great reminder for all of us. Please watch Allison's episode to learn about her daughter Sammie and her rare genetic disorder CACNA1A, and how her mom fights everyday for her to realize her dreams...to ride a unicorn and slide down a rainbow. 

See & Free Studio, Season 2 Episode 2 with Mark Nicholas, the multi-talented wizard behind See & Free Studio

This is a special behind-the-scenes episode of See & Free Studio with our Producer Mark Nicholas. In this episode, Mark gives us a peek at what it takes to produce our show while sharing insight into his very cool career. Mark’s a lawyer, musician, author, artist, photographer, and Owner of Manhattan Beach Studios. How did he become this Jack of all Trades? His USD: He describes it as FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) without the Fear. Mark throws himself into any endeavor with fearlessness & friends, to push him to master whatever is in front of him --sans that familiar fear of failure. His USD led to the creation of Manhattan Beach Studios, where he uses his expertise and products to bring others’ expertise and products to life, all while continually adapting his methods to a rapidly changing world. Come learn about Mark, the legacy he’s created, and his unwavering commitment to nonprofit Walk with Sally.

This is one to watch on YouTube at https://youtu.be/3pgNAmxXPkM

See & Free Studio with Sienna Jackson, a brilliant Change Maker who encourages each of us to create net positive change against the social issues impacting all of us

She started college at just 14 years old, and now at 28, she’s attaining her fourth college degree - this time an MBA at UCLA. Yes she is smart, but there’s more to it. Her USD is the perseverance to work really hard and master what she learns. She tackles whatever is in front of her, and that includes the pursuit of knowledge and the pursuit of social change. Sienna found the intersection of her passions for journalism and government - where she chased down geo-political scandals and illuminated international relations, and married that with her experience in the entertainment industry, an industry with an enormous platform to reach people through music and movies yet steeped in issues around discrimination and harassment leading to the Me Too movement. That intersection - social good. Now she is taking on climate change, institutional racism, gender bias, food deserts, access to fintech, and more. Her objective - getting the right stakeholders in a room to solve big problems. She reminds us that all of these problems are man made and therefore can be solved by man through powerful collaboration and coalition where we recognize that these issues are interconnected and need to be detangled and resolved. How do we all make net positive change on a social issue?

Come learn all about Sienna, the change she’s making in the World, and The Collective Identity Mentoring, a new 501c3 nonprofit organization based in Los Angeles that focuses on mentoring Black women and girls. https://www.thecollectiveidentity.org/donate

See & Free Studio episode 27 with Ben Woo, infusing intentionality and humanity into your business strategy

Strategy and Consultant are two words that have a myriad of definitions and interpretations, and Ben Woo is just fine with that as someone whose spent his career redefining both. For Ben, his USD is in how he approaches his work as a business strategist - his ability to relate to and learn from everyone regardless of what side of the fence they sit on; his goal to bring people together to create clarity and enthusiasm around a common Vision. He wants business leaders to be able to make faster, less risky decisions about how to grow their business. To do that, he helps them shape their story, to create meaningful insights out of hoards of data, to relate to their consumer, and to make confident and actionable decisions. He's found a way to monetize his USD through his role as Managing Director at RedSky Strategy, where he continues to flip traditional strategy consulting on its head. Come learn all about Ben Woo, his approach to work and his support of Swipe Out Hunger.

See & Free Studio Episode 26 with Terry Stafford, author, editor, musician and NASA alum

Author, editor, storyteller, bluegrass musician, and retiree from his 30-year project management career at NASA?! That sums up Terry Stafford, whose USD is his eclectic way of approaching life - openly pursuing a wide swath of interests over time. Terry is committed to continuous learning, continuously trying new things, overcoming fear, and connecting to different parts of himself yet to be explored. He encourages the same of others. What's his latest pursuit? He's taken his multi-decade and well honed experience in project management to one of his other passions, writing. With his book "Project Management for Writers," Terry shares the frameworks, repeatable processes and systems authors may use to get organized as they dive into their creative endeavors. Come learn about Terry, his journey of self-discovery, and his commitment to Salt + Light who are building communities for the homeless.

See & Free Studio episode 24 with Michelle Wenke, Fashion Designer and Owner of Monrow

She’s a fashion designer, a brand innovator, co-founder, CEO and mom of 4. In this week’s episode, Michelle Wenke reminds us how we all need someone to lift us up when our own self doubt sinks in. When we aren’t living up to our USD, others can remind us of what makes us unique, special and different. Michelle is that person for many people in her life and she appreciates the same from others. Her USD: She is the perfect mix of creativity, leadership, organization and tenacity. She describes the agility and drive it takes to create and run a fashion empire. From concept to consumer, Michelle built Monrow - a brand dedicated to timeless celebrity-endorsed athleisurewear. She educates us on the journey of becoming a fashion designer and going one step further to create a business around her creations. Come listen and learn about This is About Humanity (www.thisisabouthumanity.com).

Episode Link: https://youtu.be/GDHn22OWpes

See & Free Studio episode 23 with Wilfredo “Wil” Ramos, who reminds us that transformation starts from within

A lifelong student of people, Wil Ramos reminds us that the person we need to know best is our self. His USD? It’s an aggressive pursuit of self improvement, a journey to discover his own version of success over his lifetime. And how does he define success today? Well his goals are simple: He wants to be a functioning member of society, the best father, and a great husband. All of those things require the willingness to self reflect, question one’s mental models, be empathetic towards others, and be open to constant reinvention. It is through his journey of self transformation that he has gained the wisdom and bold intellectual honesty that inform his work as a senior leader at Philips Healthcare where he leads org-wide transformations across North America. Come learn about Wil, the insights he’s learned about self transformation and how you can support the Veterans Empowerment Organization.

See & Free Studio Episode 23 with Shelley Paxton, author of Soulbbatical: A Corporate Rebel’s  Guide to Find your Best Life which is #1 on Forbes’s 21 books to read in ‘21

On a mission to liberate 1 Billion Souls to take power of their own lives, Shelley Paxton wants everyone to be true to themselves and live life on their own terms. She found this renewed sense of purpose after emerging out of her own “crisis of the soul” - feeling empty and disconnected despite having a very successful career, most recently as CMO of Harley-Davidson. Having refueled and made her own radical self commitment, Shelley’s USD is bringing her magnetic energy to every situation and every interaction to influence others to explore what’s in their souls. She wants everyone to remove the “shackles of should” that hinder freedom, authenticity, and courage. You’ll feel Shelley’s energy on this week’s episode, so come hear about her Rebel Leader’s Manifesto (https://soulbbatical.com/articles/a-rebel-leaders-manifesto/) and her commitment to the Life is Priceless Foundation (http://lipf.org/donate).