That's Unusual

On this episode, Dr.G is joined by Leerom Segal, the co-founder and CEO of Klick and author of the best-selling book, The Decoded Company. His story is anything but usual. Against all odds, he built Klick over 20 years from a scrappy technology company to now one of the world’s largest and most sought after independent creative health agencies. But calling it an agency doesn’t do it justice. They are out to change the world through the relentless pursuit of awesome.br /

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In this episode, we discuss his unlikely rise through grit, persistence and continuous hustle to build one of the most envious companies, his determination to succeed by outworking and outsmarting his competition, his unusual practices to attract the best and brightest talent, and why most organizations today are struggling to adapt because of outdated leadership models.br /

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All this and more on today’s episode. Now, That’s Unusual.br /

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Visit www.thatsunusualpodcast.combr /

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ABOUT LEEROM SEGALbr /

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Entrepreneur, humanitarian and philanthropist Leerom Segal is the co-founder and CEO of Klick Health, the world’s largest digital-first health agency. He has been named to PROFIT Magazine’s Hall of Fame as the youngest CEO to lead a PROFIT 100 Company and earned the titles of Ernst and Young’s Young Entrepreneur of the Year and Business Development Bank of Canada’s Entrepreneur of the Year. Segal is also co-author of the bestselling book The Decoded Company: Know Your Talent Better Than You Know Your Customers.br /

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His story is anything but usual. Segal launched his first company at age 12 and was named CTO of Motion Works Group by the time he was 16. Klick launched in 1997 as a scrappy technology company. Under his leadership, it has grown to be one of the world’s largest and most sought-after independent creative health agencies. But calling it an agency doesn’t do it justice. They are out to change the world through the relentless pursuit of awesome.br /

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Known for his unconventional business method, Segal utilizes a data-driven, talent-centric approach to management at Klick, and the company has been recognized by the World Economic Forum as a Global Company to Watch, as well as one of Canada’s 50 Best Managed Companies, 50 Best Employers, Most Admired Cultures and Best Workplaces. Through the Klick Foundation, he and his fellow ‘Klicksters’ have donated over $1.6M to a wide range of charitable initiatives around the world.br /

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KEY INTERVIEW TAKEAWAYSbr /

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If a company can get the culture right, success comes naturally. When talent thrives, clients are happy and they reward the business with loyalty and growth.br /

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Embark on the ‘relentless pursuit of awesome’ by asking how to inoculate against the status quo and to build a culture where people understand that whatever greatness was achieved yesterday, it’s no longer good enough.br /

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Give talent an intelligence advantage through personalization. Leadership at Klick realized that successful apps take time to understand the customer and personalize based on individual needs, yet businesses remain beholden to one-size-fits-all solutions. They developed their own operating system, Genome, to make tech tools function as a coach and eliminate elements that weren’t saving time. This allows data to act as a ‘sixth sense,’ aiding in decision-making rather than informing after the fact.br /

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Team members need more time in a ‘flow state.’ To achieve high productivity, Klick rejected email because it is “a great way to let others reprioritize the day.” By drastically reducing internal email, staff has more time to work uninterrupted.br /

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Ecosystems will prevail over hierarchies. At Klick, decision-making doesn’t move up and down the hierarchy. Even promotions are democratized so that team members have more control over people they are going to be working with.br /

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On this episode, Dr.G is joined by Brian Roeder - a real estate developer now turned winery entrepreneur who dropped everything to follow his passion. Located In the scenic hills of Virginia wine country, he is the co-founder of Barrel Oak Winery - commonly referred to as BOW for its dog-friendly environment. If you are anything like me, in our heads, we all have a pre-conceived notion of what a winery experience is like. Brian has challenged every assumption of that experience by reinventing the model to be centered around his living room experience, and less about stiff traditions and rituals.br /

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In this episode, Brian shares with us both the ups and downs of his rollercoaster ride in pursuit of his dream, how he reimagined the winery experience using a hospitality model centered around community and conversation, and key lessons he learned along the way that has helped him shaped his career.br /

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All this and more on today’s episode. Now, That’s Unusual.br /

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Visit www.thatsunusualpodcast.combr /

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ABOUT BRIAN ROEDERbr /

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Brian Roeder is a real estate developer turned winery entrepreneur who dropped everything in 2006 to co-found Barrel Oak Winery in the scenic hills of Virginia Wine Country. Barrel Oak, commonly referred to as BOW for its dog-friendly environment, uses a hospitality model that centers around a ‘living room’ experience and seeks to create conversation and community. Voted Most Family Friendly Winery by Wine Enthusiast Magazine in 2012, Barrel Oak reimagines the winery experience, bucking tradition and challenging assumptions regarding what it means to visit a winery.br /

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KEY INTERVIEW TAKEAWAYSbr /

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Progress often requires that we challenge social norms. BOW’s success has much to do with its disruptive business model which embraces family and encourages customer interaction, rather than replicating the traditional chateau experience. Despite pushback from the industry, Roeder stands behind this innovative model that empowers its patrons with “great wine and a great experience.”br /

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Avoid self-definition. Extraordinary things happen when you let go of self-imposed restrictions of what you can and cannot do. By continually revisiting the purpose of the business, Roeder realized that BOW was not just a winery, but a hospitality brand. This allowed for the expansion of Barrel Oak to include a brewery.br /

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Consider the ‘third space’ concept. After home and work comes the ‘third space,’ a place where you choose to be. The atmosphere at BOW allows for its customers to initiate conversation and create a community.br /

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Listen to your customers! Rather than asking its patrons to fit into conventional wine culture, Barrel Oak welcomes kids and pets, and Roeder’s team added the brewery in response to customer feedback.br /

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You can learn a lot about yourself when your back is against the wall. Faced with a small group of wealthy influentials who maintained a zero growth position for the community and passed an ordinance that would have put BOW out of business, Roeder learned what he was capable of. In danger of losing everything, he sued the county and discovered both positive and negative aspects of that relentless fighting spirit.br /

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Adopt a sense of deep gratitude and humility. When you have reached a certain level of success and people appreciate what you have created, it’s time to give back to the community. Roeder works with a local Chamber of Commerce to help other small and startup businesses.br /

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“Words have meaning and meanings have consequences, so words have consequences.”br /

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CONNECT WITH BRIAN ROEDERbr /

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Email: [email protected] /

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Phone (703)798-8308br /

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REFERENCESbr /

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Aaron Sorkin’s Commencement Address

On this episode, Dr.G is joined by Christopher Schroeder - a fierce advocate for the role startups can play in helping revolutionize growth in emerging markets around the world. As a serial entrepreneur, venture investor, and former media executive, Chris gives us an up-close perspective of how the media has falsely portrayed the landscape of the Middle East (and other emerging growth markets) and how startups are revolutionizing economies from the ground up.br /

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In this episode, Chris shares with us the unexpected stories of transformational startups he encountered along his frequent journeys to the Middle East, how startups will define and shape world economic progress, what opportunities he sees on the horizon for upcoming entrepreneurs, and how his upbringing shaped his current thinking. All this and more on today’s episode. Now, That’s Unusual.br /

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Visit www.thatsunusualpodcast.combr /

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ABOUT CHRISTOPHER SCHROEDERbr /

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Christopher Schroeder is an entrepreneur, speaker, author and venture investor. He was the co-founder and CEO of HealthCentral.com, one of the leading content and social consumer health and wellness platforms in the United States as well as CEO and publisher of Washingtonpost.Newsweek Interactive. Schroeder’s impressive resume also includes a career in finance and a stint in President George HW Bush’s White House.br /

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Schroeder received an invitation to speak at the 2010 Celebration of Entrepreneurship in Dubai, and this opportunity began his journey in writing the best-seller Startup Rising. In 13 subsequent trips to the Middle East, he interviewed over 150 entrepreneurs, investors and global tech leaders. In addition to the book, Schroeder has also written about startups and technology in emerging growth markets for the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, Fortune and Harvard Business Review among others.br /

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KEY INTERVIEW TAKEAWAYSbr /

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While it is important to understand and acknowledge the conflict taking place in the Middle East, it is a mistake to see that as the only narrative and overlook the thousands of talented young entrepreneurs building enterprises in the region.br /

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We can learn from the United Arab Emirates’ government and business focus on world-class innovation and technology. Their “free zones” attract the best talent because it’s easier to succeed, which in turn spurs innovation and encourages an open exchange of goods, ideas and capital.br /

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Throughout the history of growth markets, the first major successes in the world of software enabled tech startups are models brought in and adapted to local markets. Schroeder cites Souq (often referred to as “the Amazon of the Arab world”) as an example of this successful adaptation.br /

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An estimated 25% of tech startups in the Middle East are run by women. Yes, women in the region wrestle with particular challenges, but Schroeder alludes to the ability to work around challenges as the definition of a great entrepreneur.br /

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We live in an era of co-authorship, where layering innovation in regional and growth markets and taking advantage of shared learning will make for great global enterprises. Schroeder argues that “anything less than that will be a missed opportunity.”br /

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The pervasive unleashing information is empowering because it gives people access to knowledge rather than force-feeding them a particular narrative. (Unfortunately, that access can also confuse and unnerve people, causing them to seek out “what they want to hear,” and those limited narratives are available through technology as well.)br /

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Organizations that are not able to take a hard look at where the world is going and how it may directly affect them face an existential threat. They must adapt or these companies won’t survive.br /

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LEARN MORE ABOUT CHRISTOPHER SCHROEDERbr /

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On this episode, Dr.G is joined by Rohit Bhargava - a highly sought after influential marketing guru, best selling author, globetrotting keynote speaker, entrepreneur, and non-obvious trend curator.br /

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Rohit takes us on a behind-the-scenes look into his signature methods for spotting non-obvious trends, and what that means for future businesses. He shares with us the importance of storytelling in building sustainable brands and how most marketing agencies have failed to deliver on this promise. His unorthodox approach has attracted the attention of millions of people around the world who scramble to get a glimpse of what he has to say. When Rohit speaks, leaders don’t just listen, they follow and act. Through his personal stories, Rohit takes us back on a journey into his childhood and the key influences that have inspired him to go against the grain, and follow his curiosity into a world of creative expression. All this and more on today’s episode. Now, That’s Unusual.br /

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Visit www.thatsunusualpodcast.combr /

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ABOUT ROHIT BHARGAVAbr /

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Rohit Bhargava is a “trend curator,” best-selling author and sought-after keynote speaker. His signature “Non-Obvious Trend Report” has been featured in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and on NPR. Bhargava is a two-time TEDx speaker as well as Adjunct Professor of Global Marketing at Georgetown University.br /

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Bhargava began his career in marketing with Leo Burnett in Sydney, Australia. He went on to become Senior Vice President of Global Strategy and Planning with Ogilvy before founding Influential Marketing Group, a brand marketing consultancy that helps brands improve their communications strategy.br /

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KEY INTERVIEW TAKEAWAYSbr /

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A true trend is something happening right now that is changing our behavior. Bhargava developed his first non-obvious trend report as a reaction to trend lists that simply listed things that exist (i.e.: the rise of the internet, 3D printing), and he defines a non-obvious trend as “the accelerating present.”br /

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Intersection thinking allows us to make connections among industries. Bhargava seeks to link unexpected elements of diverse subject matter by asking fascinating questions, i.e.: How can vending machines inspire world peace?br /

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Get inspired to think differently by reading a variety of genres. Bhargava argues that reading fiction and poetry can inspire visionary thinking. Don’t restrict yourself solely to non-fiction or business publications!br /

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Trends cross boundaries. Rarely are trends limited to a single area like health care or retail. Thus Bhargava classifies trends into the following broad categories:br /

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• Marketing and social mediabr /

• Culture and consumer behaviorbr /

• Media and educationbr /

• Technology and designbr /

• Economics and entrepreneurshipbr /

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A current macro trend is signature statements that embrace the human side of business. One example of this is CVS’s willingness to take a revenue hit by removing tobacco products from their shelves because it was the right thing to do.br /

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To have value, trend predictions should be based on something that’s happening now – and is likely to happen with more frequency (the accelerating present). Bhargava identifies trends that are actionable, and companies can start using them right now.br /

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One element of the agency world that is broken is the area of fostering and training future experts. Bhargava sees a disconnect in that employees with titles like Junior Strategist are not mentored or fostered to lead. Clients want experts rather than subordinates who have never been trained to be great.br /

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Things that can drive your business forward are worth paying for. In the process of developing Influential Marketing Group, Bhargava learned that an amazing designer or great PR representation is worth the investmen...

On this episode, Dr.G is joined by the inspiring, mission-driven Yanik Silver. Yanik is an adventure junky who seeks to create meaningful experiences for world changing innovators to help them redefine business for the 21st century centered around more profits, more fun, and more impact. A trifecta of goals designed to create a life worth living with purpose. He is the author of Evolved Enterprise and founder of Maverick1000, a global collective of the top entrepreneurs and industry innovators.br /

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So who is part of his inner circle? Well only the who’s who of industry icons that includes Sir Richard Branson, Tony Hawk, Chris Blackwell, John Paul DeJoria, Tony Hsieh, Russell Simmons, and Tim Ferriss. On this show, we discuss the origins of Maverick 1000, how future businesses will require the combination of both head and heart, and numerous stories of Yanik’s crazy adventures over the years. All this and more on today’s episode. Now, That’s Unusual.br /

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Visit www.thatsunusualpodcast.com br /

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About Yanik Silverbr /

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Yanik Silver is a writer, speaker, entrepreneur and well-known digital marketing expert. He is the founder and CEO of Maverick1000, a global network of exceptional entrepreneurs who meet to collaborate and share innovative ideas regarding the most critical 21st century challenges. In addition to invigorating business conversation, Maverick1000 retreats also incorporate an element of adventure as well as a “giving forward” opportunity to raise money for a cause partner.br /

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Silver’s parents immigrated to the United States from Russia when he was two years old. His marketing career began when he was 14, working the sales end of his father’s medical equipment sales and service company. Eventually, Silver discovered direct response marketing and helped his father’s business grow from a regional player to a national one. After graduating from the University of Maryland College Park, he took on a series of entrepreneurial ventures, quickly becoming a major player in the lucrative world of publishing and online marketing. His story and businesses have been featured in WIRED, Forbes, TIME and the Wall Street Journal, among others.br /

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KEY INTERVIEW TAKEAWAYSbr /

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Ask yourself, “What would my 111-year-old self tell me?” Silver’s answer was to “light a thousand suns.” This led to the conception of Maverick1000, which seeks to bring together exceptional industry leaders to not only help each other in business, but also use their skills and brainpower to make a dent in the universe in some way.br /

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The experiential element of Maverick1000 establishes and sustains meaningful relationships among members. Silver has always been good at bringing people together, and the adventure aspect of the Maverick1000 experience provides both meaningful human interaction as well as the opportunity to keep the inner child alive.br /

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Culture, Community, and Creation are the three components of an evolved enterprise. Silver’s book, Evolved Enterprise, provides the framework for a business with such Maverick DNA, which combines ambitious business innovation with greater happiness and meaning in what they do.br /

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A number of companies are moving toward a model that incorporates more mindfulness into the workplace and applies the concept of “empowered employment.” One example of such an evolved enterprise is Sarah Oliver Handbags, a company that employs older men and women (their average age is 88!) to hand knit the high-quality product.br /

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Businesses that follow the impact model perform better in the long-term. In a study comparing the results of companies with strong cultures (i.e.: Whole Foods, Southwest Airlines, The Container Store) with the SP 500, there was a thousand-plus percent return on investment difference for those evolved enterprises over a ten-year period.br /

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On this episode, Dr.G is joined by Dave Chase - a serial entrepreneur turned film producer. He is a highly sought after author, speaker, and investor who has been named one of the most influential people in Digital Health. Dave is a leading voice for positive change in healthcare, having sold his prior company Avado to WebMD, and now founding the Health Rosetta to help certify quality standards across the industry. His views, passions, and ideas are now culminating in his latest film project, The Big Heist, a satirical, follow the money film on the destruction from healthcare’s status quo and the coming redemption. More than a movie, it is a movement designed to effect change from the bottom up. On this week’s show, we discuss shocking stats that are harming our health, why a movement is imperative to transform a highly resistant industry, how taking a satirical approach helps surfaces controversial issues. All this and more on today’s episode. Now, That’s Unusual.br /

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Visit www.thatsunusualpodcast.combr /

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ABOUT DAVE CHASEbr /

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Dave Chase is a serial entrepreneur, speaker, author and film producer. He is the co-founder of Health Rosetta, an education and certification entity similar to Fair Trade for healthcare. As part of that venture, he is producing The Big Heist, a satirical film concerning the destruction caused by healthcare’s status quo. In 2015, Chase was named one of the most influential people in Digital Health. He co-authored Engage! Transforming Health Care Through Digital Patient Engagement, which was selected as 2013 book of the year by the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society.br /

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Chase was the CEO and co-founder of Avado, a Patient Relationship Management solution allowing clinicians and patients to securely communicate, tract and manage health information, as well as the senior vice president and co-founder of connectivity services at WebMD. He is frequent contributor to prestigious publications such as Forbes, Huffington Post, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal. Chase offers a unique perspective in that while he recognizes healthcare’s under-performance, he has also identified a growing cadre of high-performing organizations that have solved healthcare’s toughest challenges.br /

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KEY INTERVIEW TAKEAWAYSbr /

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America’s big movements are often catalyzed by media and film. The Civil Rights Movement was fueled in large part by the morning paper and evening news. Chase sees a need for a similar vehicle when it comes to healthcare, and his current film project, The Big Heist, seeks to fill that gap. br /

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There is a remarkable contrast between the magnitude of the damage being done by our healthcare system and the fact that the structural fixes have been invented, proven and scaled – yet remain the exception to the rule. The Health Rosetta Institute is working to educate the general population about these solutions as well as hold organizations accountable (and make heroes out of early adopters) through a certification entity like LEED and Fair Trade.br /

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“The best way to protect the status quo of anything is to politicize it.” Chase argues that both parties can find common ground and initiate real change in the healthcare system, but only once we appreciate the fact that affordable solutions are available. People won’t be afraid of a universal requirement (be it a single-payer or private system) if they can be assured that it won’t lead to the further bankrupting of our country.br /

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If you want to initiate change, it is necessary to propagate information in an entertaining, engaging way. Chase hopes the wickedly funny approach taken by The Big Heist will catch people’s attention and wake them up to what’s really going on in our healthcare system.br /

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Put yourself out there and people who want to help will come to you via surprising connections.

On this episode, Dr.G is joined by the highly sought after doctor, entrepreneur, philanthropist, activist, and philosopher, Dr. Jordan Shlain. As a purveyor of subtleties in health, Dr. Shlain challenges our preconceptions of health and medicine and provides a provocative perspective on how we can overcome the biggest challenges that face our industry. Dr. Shlain shares his personal story of how he built one of the most successful concierge medical practices on the backs of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel - where he learned how to deliver a five start customer experience for his patients. He takes us behind the scenes of how his patients helped inspire him to build his digital health venture, Healthloop; and why he believes we need a new voice in healthcare through his latest media venture, Tincture. Taking us back to his early childhood, Dr. Shlain shares never-before-told stories that have influenced his thinking over the years. Simply stated, he takes us on intellectual journey that will blow your mind. All this and more on today’s episode. Now, That’s Unusual.br /

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ABOUT DR. JORDAN SHLAINbr /

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Dr. Jordan Shlain is an activist and philosopher in the field of health and medicine. He is the founder and chairman of Healthloop, a digital health venture that automates follow-up care and tracks patient progress, as well as the founding editor of Tincture, an online publication of open-source thoughtwear for leaders in health and wellness. Dr. Shlain provides a provocative perspective regarding how we might overcome the biggest challenges we face in health care.br /

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Dr. Shlain founded Private Medical, a successful concierge medical practice. Initially partnering with the Mandarin Hotel, he created an empathy-driven approach to his patients modeled after the hospitality industry. Dr. Shlain works to promote that commitment to five-star service and revolutionize the way we do medicine.br /

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KEY INTERVIEW TAKEAWAYSbr /

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Medicine, at its core, is a conversation between a doctor and a patient to solve a problem. Dr. Shlain contends that the empathetic expert, be it a doctor or nurse, should ask not only, “What’s the matter with you?” but also, “What matters to you?” Through this dialogue, the two can work together to craft a workable treatment plan.br /

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To be meaningful, technology needs to offer the user preferences and be contextual, relevant, actionable and shareable. Dr. Shlain created Healthloop with these principles in mind to follow up with patients, collect data, and deliver bite-sized information at appropriate times during recovery. In the Healthloop system, the doctor’s office calls the patient when a concern surfaces, and the inbound phone call volume to medical practices is reduced by 70%.br /

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“Change always starts with a small group of people banging a drum.” Dr. Shlain maintains that our health care system requires a systematic change initiated by courageous leaders who are willing to take risks. To that end, he started the online publication Tincture in an effort to get the right conversation going via a platform in which we can “allow ourselves the uncomfortable luxury of changing our mind.”br /

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We must recraft the language of medicine to remove the jargon. Dr. Shlain argues that it is important to call things what they really are, rather than masking the human suffering at the heart of generic terms like “readmission rate” and “consumer friendly.” The consumer mindset is one of excitement, an exercise of free will to buy products or services that will add to their lives. Meanwhile, a patient’s mindset is one of anxiousness as they choose from limited options to get their lives back.br /

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LEARN MORE ABOUT DR. JORDAN SHLAINbr /

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LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-shlain-md-a0315br /

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Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/people/Jordan-Shlain/100013057023050br /

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On this episode, Dr.G is joined by the highly unusual musician, activist, and conductor, Matt Butler. Using a rotating cast of celebrity musicians, he created Everyone Orchestra that has spawned a new genre of improvisational and participatory music. Everyone Orchestra has toured the world at some of the largest music festivals featuring a constantly revolving roster of musicians, including members of the Grateful Dead, Phish, The Fleckstones, Living Colour, Dave Matthews Band, Thievery Cooperation, and many other star-studded musicians. In this rare interview, Matt takes us on an exclusive behind-the-scenes view of Everyone Orchestra. He shares with us how music serves as a universal language to unite people of all backgrounds, stories of his greatest roadshow adventures, how improvisational music has spawned a new genre of music in the shared economy. All this and more on today’s episode. Now, That’s Unusual.br /

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Visit www.thatsunusualpodcast.combr /

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AOUT MATT BUTLERbr /

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Matt Butler is the founder and conductor of Everyone Orchestra, a rotating cast of musicians who collaborate on stage to create completely original music in the moment. He began his career in music touring extensively as the drummer for the band Jambay in the 1990’s. Butler conceived EO in 2001 with the goal of creating an innovative experience that spans musical genres and connects people via the universal language of music. EO appears at music festivals as well as individual shows and benefit performances around the country.br /

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KEY INTERVIEW TAKEAWAYSbr /

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“There are no mistakes, only opportunities.” The joy of improvisational collaboration is in the unknown, but the musicians must be willing to take risks. Butler likens the experience to playing sports: A play might go perfectly and result in a long gain, or any number of variables could make that same play unsuccessful. Everyone Orchestra “aims for moments of perfect musical synergy,” but sometimes something weird happens. And that’s okay.br /

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Inspiration for a project might come from a mashup of influences. Butler credits several experiences with giving him the idea for EO. A friendship with novelist Ken Kesey, the experience of coaching tennis, his mother’s relationships with world famous orchestra conductors and an open-mic night in India are among the influences that led him to conceive of EO and create an experience that involves audience participation, improvisation, composition, as well as the excitement of sports.br /

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Artists are attracted to participate in Everyone Orchestra because it affords them the opportunity to nurture their creativity in a new way. Prominent musicians like Steve Berlin of Los Lobos and Adrian Belew (who played with Talking Heads and Peter Gabriel among others) cite the newness of the experience and the exhilaration of improvisation as selling points. “It is good for your creative soul.”br /

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Music has the potential to help heal and foster empathy because it brings people together. Butler hopes to expand Everyone Orchestra to include a diverse group of international musicians with the intent of employing the universal language of music to spark change. There is a spiritual element to creating in the moment with a group of people, and the EO experience exemplifies how we can get along and work together.br /

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LEARN MORE ABOUT MATT BUTLERbr /

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http://everyoneorchestra.com/br /

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https://twitter.com/every1orchestrabr /

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https://www.facebook.com/EveryoneOrchestra/br /

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https://www.youtube.com/user/everyoneorchestrabr /

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https://everyoneorchestralive.bandcamp.com/

On this episode, Dr.G is joined by the fearless change-agent and social impact entrepreneur, Mark Brand. As a world-renowned culinary artist, Mark has become a prominent example of a new generation of leadership that focuses on passion and purpose. Using his 11+ businesses as a platform for good, Mark has proven it is indeed possible to be a socially responsible entrepreneur without sacrificing ones core business ethos. In this rare and passionate interview, Mark takes us on his inspiring journey to help breathe new life into marginalized and isolated communities through food, training and meaningful employment. He helps us better understand the importance of empathy, grit and failure as an entrepreneur, the unrelenting power of addiction, and the belief that second chances in life is our moral responsibility as a society. All this and more on today’s episode. Now, That’s Unusual.br /

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Visit www.thatsunusualpodcast.combr /

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ABOUT MARK BRANDbr /

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Mark Brand is one of Canada’s most recognized social entrepreneurs. Having successfully created 11 businesses in Vancouver, he has become a prominent example of a new generation of leadership that focuses on passion and purpose. Brand and his teams are determined to breathe new life into marginalized and isolated communities through food, training and meaningful employment. Combining emerging technologies, alternate currencies and historical best practices, they are creating new blueprints to share globally with the intention of bettering the world. Brand has been recruited to speak, mentor and mediate on the topics of social inclusion, community collaboration, and food security from TED talks to correctional facilities, and everywhere in between. He sits on government councils, not for profit boards and business advisory committees bringing the lens of community first, each and every time. It is through his social impact efforts, and love for our neighbourhoods, that Brand has found a unique balance, proving that you can be successful in business while contributing to your community in a long term and meaningful way.br /

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KEY INTERVIEW TAKEAWAYSbr /

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“There is nothing more invigorating than knowing how flawed you are, and believing that you can still do good.” Because Brand has struggled with addiction himself, he has insight into the resilience it takes to pull yourself out of that rabbit hole and move forward with passion and purpose. 100% of the homeless have been abused, and that kind of trauma makes it very difficult to trust or to believe that you can do something great. Brand’s empathy for the marginalized motivates him to help them access services and become a meaningful part of society.br /

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The best solutions are often the simplest and most obvious. Knowing that many who want to help the marginalized hesitate because they fear that their money will be spent on drugs rather than food, Brand created a token system that allows a person to trade a small, plastic coin with no denomination for one of five sandwiches at Save on Meats. After some initial backlash, the program has gone on to great success, realizing 90,000 redemptions in three years. The tokens are used by the Vancouver Coastal Health and police department outreach teams to support individuals struggling with addiction in making positive choices.br /

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With the advancement of technology comes the opportunity to pursue unconventional solutions to social problems like homelessness. 92% of people on the street in North America have mobile phones, and 50% of those devices are smart phones. Brand’s current project, Positive Access Link (PAL), seeks to leverage the available technology to provide food, housing and medical services to the marginalized via a digital token communicated by cell phone.br /

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CONNECT WITH MARK BRANDbr /

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https://twitter.com/eastvanbrand?

On this episode, Dr.G is joined by Michael Cascio – an award-winning documentary producer and storyteller. As a former Executive Producer with National Geographic, AE, Animal Planet, and many other mainstream media outlets, Michael has helped produce some of the world's most iconic shows including Brain Games, Biography, Dog Whisperer, Crocodile Hunter, Inside 9/11, Breakthrough, and numerous others. Having branched out on his own, he now serves as an in-high-demand advisor to major media companies by helping them navigate the uncertain and rapidly evolving world of film entertainment. In this rare interview, Michael gives us an exclusive insider's view into the changes disrupting the media industry, he shares with us his signature storytelling approach to producing award-winning documentaries, and how his first job as a janitor at Wolf Trap helped define his perspectives that forever shaped his career. All this and more on today’s episode. Now, That’s Unusual.br /

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Visit www.thatsunusualpodcast.combr /

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ABOUT MICHAEL CASCIObr /

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Michael Casio is the CEO, President and Executive Producer of M+C Media, LLC, a production company that does consulting for networks and producers as well as original documentary production. Their latest project is the independent film Munich ’72 and Beyond, a documentary that investigates the first incidence of modern terrorism at the Summer Games in Munich, Germany.br /

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Cascio began his career in broadcast journalism as a reporter, news director and producer for local stations in Delaware and Philadelphia. He then shifted his focus to cable networks, jumping to AE Television where he became the senior vice-president of programming and developed the acclaimed Biography series. His impressive resume also includes VP of Cable Programming for NBC News, EVP and GM at Animal Planet, and EVP of Programming for the National Geographic Channel. In the course of his career, Cascio has been nominated for two Oscars and won four Emmys as well as the prestigious “Producer of the Year” award.br /

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Cascio earned an undergraduate degree in liberal arts from the University of Virginia and his Master’s in Communication from American University.br /

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KEY INTERVIEW TAKEAWAYSbr /

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The greatest lessons might come from unexpected experiences. Working as a janitor at the Wolf Trap outdoor theatre, Cascio got an education the working world. While picking up trash, he learned the importance of speaking up (service workers are often invisible otherwise) and reserving judgment based on appearance (a scruffy janitor might engage a world-class conductor in conversation about a classical piece). In fact, the best career advice Cascio ever received was from his supervisor at the Wolf Trap: Never turn down a chance to take on more responsibility.br /

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While the viewers’ motivation to consume media remains the same, the digital revolution is changing the rules in terms of form and content creation. People are still attracted to compelling characters and a desire to learn, but the evolution of media now allows us to consume content anytime, anywhere – and that content might be user-generated.br /

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As augmented reality increases in popularity, programming must have a plan in place for digital or VR (virtual reality) applications to complement the traditional broadcast. Travel and history shows lend themselves to VR, but we have only begun to explore what is possible in the realm of augmented reality.br /

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CONNECT WITH MICHAEL CASCIObr /

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https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-cascio-7368345br /

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http://www.mandcmedia.com/br /

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REFERENCESbr /

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New York Times article: “Pearls of Career Wisdom, Found in the Trash” by Michael Cascio: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/28/jobs/pearls-of-career-wisdom-found-in-the-trash.html?ref=business_r=1br /

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