Take The Power Back - Episode #18

Most people want a clear plan for their career, but what happens if you don’t have one?

In this episode, I interviewed Carolyn Nolan, a financial advisor and entrepreneur who shared her journey from an uncertain college graduate, to building a successful wealth management firm and leadership platform. Starting in a commission-only, high-failure environment, she nearly didn’t make it. Her persistence, curiosity, and willingness to outwork everyone around her changed everything.

About The Guest:

Carolyn Nolan is a Private Wealth Advisor, CEO & Visionary of TNG Private Wealth, and a women-led private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial. If you wish the learn more about her practices, you can visit here to watch a couple videos and request a free consultation:

https://www.ameripriseadvisors.com/team/tng-private-wealth/lp/request-contact/1/ 

Take The Power Back from the Universities that don't put students first: https://www.ttpb.com/ 

For insurance agents and financial advisors who want to add serious scale to their business: https://www.greatnesslab.com/

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Get connected and check out Jason’s other content:

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LinkedIn - http://linkedin.com/in/JasonMickool 

Take The Power Back - Episode #17

Most people are looking for success overnight. What they aren’t ready for, is how much time and effort it actually takes to see growth.

Today, I sat down with entrepreneur and wealth strategist Rob Luna, who shares his journey from extreme poverty to building and selling a nearly $1 billion wealth management firm. Rob’s story reinforces the idea that financial success rarely happens overnight, and instead comes from years of disciplined effort, strategic relationships, and continually investing in personal growth. 

Rob Luna:

https://www.instagram.com/realrobluna/ 

Take The Power Back from the Universities that don't put students first: https://www.ttpb.com/ 

For insurance agents and financial advisors who want to add serious scale to their business: https://www.greatnesslab.com/ 

Chapters:

00:00 - Exponential Value

01:28 - Who Is Rob Luna?

03:26 - Discovering Finance

05:46 - Cop Who Changed His Path

08:13 - Playing The Long Game

09:10 - College & Wrestling Scholarship

09:59 - Passing The Series 7

12:14 - First Exposure To Wealth

17:02 - Early Entrepreneur Lessons

18:05 - Value VS Paychecks

19:01 - Hedge Fund Experience

21:11 - Building The Retail Business

22:11 - Father’s Death & Quitting

23:01 - Starting His Own Firm

25:11 - First Clients

27:10 - The 10-Year Grind

27:32 - NFL Client Breakthrough

28:29 - Media & TV Exposure

31:23 - Why He Sold The Firm

32:24 - MBA & Exit Strategy

33:27 - Walking Away From A Deal

34:07 - Selling The Business

36:11 - Building Again

37:39 - Moving Up Market

38:47 - Authority Celebrity Exclusivity

41:59 - Delivering For Clients

43:11 - How Wealthy People Think

45:20 - Working With Athletes

48:05 - Wealth Creation VS Management

49:31 - Practitioner VS Entrepreneur

50:07 - What’s Next?

52:38 - Life After An Exit

54:03 - Advice For Gen Z

55:26 - Picking A Skill to Master

57:55 - Competitive Mindset

58:11 - Choosing Learning Over Pay

59:40 - Relationships Over Money

01:00:33 - Entrepreneurship VS Corporate

01:01:14 - Building the Right Team

01:02:02 - Subscribe For More!

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Take The Power Back - Episode #16

Most people want success, but very few are willing to take the necessary steps in order to get there.

In this episode of Take The Power Back, I sat down with Marko Arsic, a top NYC luxury realtor who crossed $300M in transactions this year alone and has surpassed 1 BILLION in career sales. Born into instability and financial hardship, Marko overcame every hardship the world had thrown at him. Through his hard work in building connections and clientele, he has settled into success that others only ever hope to achieve. Watch as he shares the steps he took to surpassing everyone’s expectations.

Marko Arsic:

https://www.instagram.com/markonyc/?hl=en 

Take The Power Back from the Universities that don't put students first: https://www.ttpb.com/ 

For insurance agents and financial advisors who want to add serious scale to their business: https://www.greatnesslab.com/ 

Chapters:

00:00 - Don't Be Scared

00:51 - Meet Marko Arsic

03:40 - How Do You Get These Clients?

05:00 - What Makes A Realtor A Luxury Realtor

08:14 - How Do You Manage Your Relationships?

14:24 - Where Did You Learn Your People Skills?

16:50 - What Did You Do For Work When You First Got Here?

21:04 - How Did You Survive The Garage Years?

23:20 - When Was Your Financial Transition?

27:56 - What Made You Relentless?

35:35 - A Day In The Life

37:34 - When Would You Recommend Real Estate To Someone?

40:16 - What Is The End Game?

42:57 - How Do You Manage The Ups And Downs?

46:27 - Do You Have Any Regrets?

50:10 - Words Of Advice

53:30 - Thanks For Watching!

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LinkedIn - http://linkedin.com/in/JasonMickool 

Take The Power Back - Episode #15

Most young professionals don’t fail because they aren’t good enough, they fail because they don’t care enough.

This episode of Take The Power Back features Daniel “Raps” Huffman, Regional Vice President of Georgia Financial Advisors (GFA), sharing his journey from an immature college frat star to a high-level executive leading nearly 80 advisors across Atlanta and Savannah. 

Much of his personal development came from choosing uncomfortable growth over easy paths. He encourages young professionals to avoid settling for stability too early, and to understand that success compounds from small disciplined decisions over time.

Daniel Raps Huffman:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-raps-huffman-ffa/ 

Take The Power Back from the Universities that don't put students first: https://www.ttpb.com/ 

For insurance agents and financial advisors who want to add serious scale to their business: https://www.greatnesslab.com/ 

Chapters:

00:00 - Intro

00:57 - Meet Daniel “Raps” Hoffman

02:13 - Building Atlanta From Scratch

07:18 - Imposter Syndrome & Panic Attacks

09:23 - Growth Through Discomfort

11:07 - Your First Five Hires Matter

13:41 - “I Get To” VS “I Have To”

14:54 - Why Coaching Changes Everything

17:23 - Investing In Yourself Pays Off

21:56 - From Frat Star To Leader

24:07 - Getting Passed Up & Finding Drive

26:21 - Inspiration For Young Entrepreneurs

28:10 - Why He Chose Financial Advising

32:47 - Breaking Lazy Habits

36:28 - Realizing It Was A Startup

39:15 - Trauma Bonding & Early Grind

42:29 - Fighting to Be In The Room

44:08 - What Is Vision Based Leadership

47:08 - Don’t Choose Comfort

49:05 - A Mom’s Perspective

51:34 - What’s Next for GFA

53:47 - Building Leaders

55:10 - Outro

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Take The Power Back - Episode #14

There’s a narrative being pushed onto young people today. “Play it safe, follow the system, and hope everything works out”. That’s not how leaders are built.

In this conversation, Jason sits down with investment specialist Emily Richard to break down the mindset and discipline required to take ownership of your future. From paying off nearly $100,000 in student debt to stepping into a high-pressure finance career, her story highlights what happens when you invest in yourself, and refuse to let outside voices define your limits.

Emily Richard:

https://www.instagram.com/emilylrichard/ 

Take The Power Back from the Universities that don't put students first: https://www.ttpb.com/ 

Chapters:

00:00 - Paying Off My Student Loans

01:00 - Meet Emily Richards 

02:30 - Breaking Into Private Banking 

04:00 - Leaving Credit Research 

06:30 - Betting On Herself 

09:00 - Pressure Is A Privilege 

11:30 - Overcoming Imposter Syndrome 

14:20 - First Client Pitch Lessons 

16:30 - Women In Finance 

18:00 - Respond VS React 

20:00 - Working With Ultra Wealthy Clients 

22:30 - Growing Up 

24:30 - Paying For College 

26:30 - Sports & Discipline 

29:00 - The Power Of Routine 

31:00 - Goal Setting Formula 

34:30 - Who Moved My Cheese 

37:00 - Taking Moonshots 

39:00 - Deleting Social Media 

41:00 - Power Of Mentorship 

44:00 - Networking Strategy 

48:00 - Finding Her Purpose 

49:30 - $100K Student Loan Payoff 

52:00 - Ignoring Limiting Beliefs 

54:00 - Embracing the Grind 

57:00 - What’s Next 

58:25 - Thanks For Watching!

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Take The Power Back - Episode #13

Most people don’t fail because they aren’t capable, they fail because they choose comfort over growth. By focusing on what’s important, you learn how to tap into your true potential.

In this episode of Take The Power Back, I sat down with Andrew Nigrelli to unpack what it really means to be an entrepreneur. From early career pressure and “safe” financial success to reinvention, this conversation exposes the difference between building a lifestyle practice and building a real business.

Take The Power Back from the Universities that don't put students first: https://www.ttpb.com 

Chapters:

00:00 - Learning From Failure

00:42 - What is TTPB

03:10 - Who is Andrew Nigrelli

06:40 - Off the Results Sheet

09:45 - Learning to Pick Yourself Back Up

13:20 - Trying Again After You Fall

16:15 - Two Ways to Look at Failure

19:10 - Failure as Feedback

22:45 - Perspective Only Comes With Time

26:30 - Learning From Getting Knocked Down

30:40 - Defining the Mission

33:50 - Why the Focus Is on Gen Z

37:54 - Take The Power Back

38:35 - Inspiring Entrepreneurship

42:10 - Introducing Andrew

45:55 - How We First Met

49:30 - Andrew’s Early Career

53:40 - Corporate Experience

57:10 - Reinventing Yourself

01:02:20 - What Sustained Success Really Takes

01:05:40 - Final Reflections and Takeaways

01:08:06 - Thanks For Watching!

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#takethepowerback #failure #learning #growing #entrepreneur #business

Take The Power Back - Episode #12

Most people don’t fail because they’re incapable, they fail because they’re listening to the wrong advice.

In this episode of Take The Power Back, I sat down with Tommy Nickerson to break down what actually separates people who rise into leadership from those who burn out. We unpack the difference between trust and loyalty, why most advice is based on emotions instead of outcomes, and why you should never make life decisions when you’re frustrated.

Tommy Nickerson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tnickerson/

Take The Power Back from the Universities that don't put students first: https://www.ttpb.com/

Chapters:

00:00 - Leadership

02:00 - Tom’s Role At FFA

05:30 - Developing Leaders

08:15 - Trust Respect Loyalty

12:00 - How Leaders Lose Trust

15:30 - Moving To Florida

18:00 - First Days In The Business

20:30 - Culture & Competitive Mindset

24:30 - Working Two Jobs

27:30 - Opening The Orlando Office

31:00 - Jacksonville Breakthrough

35:00 - Belief Over Talent

38:07 - Take The Power Back

38:50 - Why People Burn Out

43:00 - Who You Should Take Advice From

49:00 - Leading Leaders At Scale

55:30 - Advice For Young People

1:00:30 - Final Reflections

1:04:41 - Outro

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#leadership #takethepowerback #genz #trust #loyalty #ffa

Take The Power Back - Episode #11

Too many young professionals are being sold a version of success that keeps them comfortable. What they don’t realize is that their idea of safety is doing the exact opposite.

In this episode of Take The Power Back, I sat down with entrepreneur George Zeppos to break down what it actually takes to build unstoppable leadership. From washing dishes on opening night, to building and scaling multiple businesses, this conversation exposes the truth.

Chapters:

0:00:00 - No Limitations

0:00:33 - TTPB

0:01:40 - Who Is George Zeppos?

0:02:46 - The Dodo Bird Technique

0:05:00 - Betting On Yourself

0:07:30 - The Real Grind

0:11:00 - Ownership Mindset

0:16:15 - Systems Win

0:20:15 - Fail Forward

0:23:15 - Finding The Right Room

0:26:00 - Outworking Everyone

0:29:45 - Turning Last Place Around

0:34:30 - Mastering The Details

0:37:45 - Breaking Through Walls

0:41:00 - Building Leaders

0:44:30 - Talent vs Business

0:48:45 - Creating Real Wealth

0:52:00 - Scaling Beyond One Location

0:56:00 - Uncapped Potential

1:01:00 - Choosing Freedom

1:04:30 - Final Thoughts

1:07:34 - Like & Subscribe

Take The Power Back from the Universities that don't put students first: https://www.ttpb.com/

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#takethepowerback #FFA #scaling #security #millionaire #restaurantowners

Take The Power Back - Episode #10

Most people don’t fail because they aren’t talented, they fail because they adopt a victim mentality.

In this episode I sit down with Steve Schmitt, a successful financial advisor and entrepreneur, to break down why most young professionals fail. We explore the complications of earning six figures early in life, what it takes to be a successful financial leader, and why "victim mentality" is killing Gen Z's careers.

Steve Schmitt- https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-s-40515294/

Take The Power Back from the Universities that don't put students first: https://www.ttpb.com/

Chapters:

0:00:00 – Six Figures In Your Twenties

0:00:57 – Who Is Steve Schmitt?

0:08:40 – Entering Financial Services

0:13:39 – Why Most People Fail

0:18:48 – Overcoming Rejection

0:25:51 – Work Hours And Expectations

0:31:46 – Creating And Scaling A Firm

0:53:14 – Advice to Gen Z

1:08:24 – Like and Subscribe!

Get connected and check out Jason’s other content: 

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Take The Power Back - Episode #9

Most people think career success comes down to how much effort you put in, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. In the end, corporate America will never reward your hard work.

In this episode of Take The Power Back, I sat down with Mike Vietri, Chief Distribution Officer at Amerilife, to break down what it actually takes to succeed as a leader inside large organizations, and why so many high performers somehow end up fumbling their careers.

Mike Vietri - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-vietri-39176b4a/ 

Take The Power Back from the Universities that don't put students first: https://www.ttpb.com/ 

Chapters:

00:00 - The Systems

00:40 - Who Is Mike Vietri?

03:45 - Building Scale 

07:00 - Corporate Athlete 

10:15 - Communication 

12:54 - Discipline & Systems 

17:04 - Empathy In Leadership 

22:26 - Early Career 

26:40 - Choosing Leadership 

34:00 - Leadership Mistakes 

37:10 - Image & Culture 

40:41 - Take The Power Back

41:25 - Professional Boundaries 

46:59 - Recognition 

52:09 - The Business Model 

55:30 - Founder Mindset 

58:30 - Scaling Through People 

01:01:58 - Staying Focused 

01:04:44 - Leadership Discipline 

01:10:30 - Opportunity Today 

01:13:30 - Final Thoughts 

01:17:08 - Outro

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