The Authority Company

Crypto and blockchain went mainstream in 2020, but 2021 has become the year of the NFT. Non-fungible tokens are blockchain-based records that represent pieces of digital media and are bought with cryptocurrency. The collectible works of art have been embraced by celebrities like Eminem, Ellen DeGeneres, and Shawn Mendez. And even legit business influencers like Mark Cuban and Gary V. have jumped on the bandwagon. So what's it all about? This week, Joe welcomes Peter Hurley the world renowned headshot photographer based in New York City and the co-founder of Shabangrs NFT, the first-ever photography-inspired NFT collection made to honor photographers around the world.

You can buy just about ANYTHING online, but there are certain items that people are hesitant to buy from an e-commerce site. One of those is JEANS. But there is one company in the direct-to-consumer space that is changing that perception. It’s called Revtown and this week Joe is joined by its co-founder, Steve Battista, a former Under Armour executive who’s been in the apparel industry for over 25 years. On the podcast, Steve shares the inspiration for starting the company, the importance of building a user-friendly platform, and what the future of Revtown looks like.

Charleston, South Carolina is known for its picturesque beaches, historical landmarks, amazing food, and beautiful weather. But until recently, it’s never had the type of social club you’d find in big cities like New York, Miami, or Boston. That all changed a few months ago when The Wonderer opened its doors. The Wonderer is the first private social club in downtown Charleston complete with an event space, a swimming pool, restaurant, sports bar, fitness center, wellness bar, co-working spaces, and more. This week, Joe talks to Beau Burns, the founder of The Wonderer, and finds out why he quit his corporate day job to become an entrepreneur, what were the biggest hurdles to making his dreams a reality, and what was it like to build a business during the pandemic.

Has anyone ever told you to "STAY IN YOUR LANE?" Webster's Dictionary defines it as a term of admonishment or advice against those who express thoughts or opinions on a subject about which they are viewed as having insufficient knowledge or ability. But sometimes we just can’t stay in our lane. Joe's guest this week spent 20 years as a retail professional, but she was inspired to create a media company that could deliver business information and expertise in a clear, digestible way. Her name is Hillary Mendes, and she is the founder and CEO of the newly launched ROI TV. Hillary shares why she was motivated to start up a media company, how she did it, and what the future of ROI TV looks like.

Newscaster Joe Moore once said, “A simple fact that is hard to learn is that the time to save money is when you have some.” We all want to save money, but are we ready to retire? This week, Joe is joined by Chris Orestis AKA the Retirement Genius. Chris talks about how he has been helping folks navigate the complex world of retirement for more than 25 years.

There’s been a mass exodus of workers that’s been called the Great Resignation. According to the Society for Human Resource Management, over 40 percent of U.S. workers are actively searching for a new job right now, or plan to soon. That's twice the rate in 2019. The pandemic plays a big part in the turnover tsunami, but it’s not the only reason, in that same SHRM study, 56 percent of people considering finding new jobs are doing so because of their managers. Because when it all comes down to it. Culture Matters. This week Joe welcomes David J. Friedman, the best-selling author of Culture by Design, and they discuss why great cultures don't just happen on their own.

The pandemic has changed the way we look at workplace culture forever, but what are we doing to prepare ourselves for the future? This week, Joe finds out what leaders and companies are doing right with Kathleen Quinn Votaw, the author of the new book Dare to Care in The Workplace and an expert on helping employers create people-centric & relationship-based workplaces.

You may know Michael Chernow as a world-famous restaurateur, chef, and television host, but now you can add wellness entrepreneur to his resume. This summer, Michael launched Kreatures of Habit with the goal of helping people establish healthy habits. On the podcast, Michael talks about building the iconic Meatball Shop and how his sobriety fueled his inspiration to build a direct-to-consumer functional food brand.

The history of chess is a complicated one. Early forms of the game originated in India around the 6th century AD, and by the 10th Century chess made its way to Europe. Fast-forward to the 1800s, chess underwent various rule changes and became the competitive sport we know today. The first official World Chess Championship was hosted in 1886 and 134 years later it went viral.

First, the pandemic sparked interest in the game. More and More locked-down families around the globe began buying boards and playing chess. Covid-19 also drove hundreds of thousands of others to play Chess online. And then Netflix put it over the top. The release of their giant hit “The Queen's Gambit” was followed by a massive surge of interest in the game.

These days, thousands of Americans spend their day playing chess in parks around the country, but did you know that a lifelong chess player transformed his hometown of St. Louis into the Chess Capital of the United States?

His name is Rex Sinquefield. And in a previous life, he pioneered the first index funds, the investment vehicles that track financial assets like the S&P 500. In 2008, the retired multi-millionaire founded the Saint Louis Chess Club and then provided the funding to move the World Chess Hall of Fame to Saint Louis. Now, the chess pioneer is being recognized for his accomplishments by being inducted into the U.S. Chess Hall of Fame along with his wife, Dr. Jeanne Cairns Sinquefield.

In this episode of the podcast, Rex shares what chess has meant to his life, what he thought about “The Queen's Gambit”, and what the future of chess looks like in St. Louis and around the world.

Who is Peter Thiel? He has been called an enigmatic, controversial, and hugely influential power broker who sits at the intersection of tech, business, and politics. But who is Peter Thiel, really? This week, Joe attempts to learn more about the founder of PayPal and the early investor of Facebook as he speaks with Max Chafkin the author of the new book, The Contrarian: Peter Thiel and Silicon Valley's Pursuit of Power.