The Black Diamond Podcast

Arnie Sherman's experiences as an entrepreneur, trade negotiator, strategic advisor, college professor and as the host of podcast, radio and television programs give him a singular perspective on life and the business world. He worked extensively in Russia, launching the first private representational firm in the Soviet Union, and later negotiating the U.S. – Russian Trans-Siberian Express Rail Service joint venture. Arnie has helped finance infrastructure projects around the world. To date, the list of countries he has visited either for work or for pleasure totals more than 100. Arnie has founded six companies, and has provided strategic advice to senior management at Marriot, CSX, Ferrari S.p.A. and Maersk/Sealand Shipping, among others. He's lectured and spoken widely, providing a dynamic, authentic voice on current affairs. Arnie's "Can Do" podcast on MTPR poses thought-provoking questions about how and where entrepreneurship intersects our daily lives. For Arnie, interviewing people is really rewarding, he talks about its benefits such as building bigger network, educating yourself, his insights and perspectives he gets from people, and he's talking all different kinds of people, with all different kinds of personalities. He also shared his approach in getting good stories, topics and his process in conducting successful interviews. Resources and Links: https://www.mtpr.org Connect with Arnie

Dr. James V. Hardt is the Founder of The Biocybernaut Institute and an expert in training with biofeedback. He has worked with the likes of Tony Robbins and other high-powered executives to elevate states of intelligence and consciousness for over 40-years. Dr. Hardt is a celebrated research scientist with an established history of over 40 years in the study and research of biofeedback. Hardt has authored or co-authored countless scientific research papers on the subject and he currently has more than 30 patents for the core technology, headset, training methodology and brain-centered portion of various virtual reality applications. His findings have been published in numerous scholarly journals such as Science, Psychophysiology, and the Journal of Experimental Psychology, just to name a few. Dr. Hardt has also spoken in front of the United Nations. Dr. Hardt received a Bachelor of Science degree in physics from Carnegie Institute of Technology, as well as a master's degree, and Ph.D., in psychology from Carnegie-Mellon University. In this episode, Dr. Hardt shared his personal experiences with biofeedback and brainwave work in general and how he continued his relentless pursuit of advanced brainwave and meditation connections that allow people to become the best form of themselves that they can be including such positive results as: reducing limitations and addictions; experiencing more joy, less anxiety; improving health and awareness; and developing more meaningful relationships and overall how brainwaves rule our thoughts, feelings, and intentions. Quotes: · "Sometimes people want to change toward greater creativity, greater innovation, ability, better entrepreneurship, more happiness. But sometimes they're trying to get away from things like anxiety, sadness, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, all of which we can help with." · "Creativity is simply a matter of having the right brainwaves." · "Technology speeds things up." Resources and Links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/biocybernaut/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/biocybernautinstitute/ Twitter: @biocybernaut LinkedIn: Biocybernaut Institute

Tim Pollard is the founder and CEO of Oratium, a leading messaging consulting firm. He is a sought-after speaker and author of the acclaimed books The Compelling Communicator: Mastering the Art and Science of Exceptional Presentation Design and Mastering the Moment: Perfecting the Skills and Processes of Exceptional Presentation Delivery. Pollard draws insight from a long career in sales, marketing, and communications for companies such as Unilever, Barclays Bank, and the Corporate Executive Board. In this episode, Tim Pollard which has deep experience both doing and teaching oral communications, with a particular emphasis on message architecture discussed his approach on how to be effective communicator even in virtual environment and his company Oratium, a consulting and training company which solves the problem of underperforming executive and sales communications, primarily through a transformative and systematic approach to message architecture. Quotes: · "But if they architecture message, well, it'll be spectacularly successful, which by the way, puts world class communications within reach of almost anyone." · "We need to learn how to communicate better." · "Communication is an intensely social process." Resources and Links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-pollard-8145a54/ https://www.oratium.com/ The Compelling Communicator

Firdaus Kharas began creating media in 1995, founding Chocolate Moose Media, a hybrid social enterprise making for-profit television series and not-for-profit media campaigns. He also established television production companies in Canada in Asia including partnerships with the Royal Family of Malaysia, the News Corporation and UTV of India. His new book: CREATIVITY: The Key to a Remarkable Life, teaches readers how they can leverage the rapid changes and a world in turmoil around them to transform their professional and personal lives by harnessing their innate creativity. In this episode, Firdaus shared his journey leading him to become a multi-award-winning social innovator, global communicator, humanitarian, and the author of Creativity: The Key to a Remarkable Life, his daily work and how he handles it every day. He also shared straightforward tips on how to open our minds to become creative thinkers, and how he influences others in their personal and professional lives. Quotes:

• "What I do is very unique. There are very, very few people who use mass communication for social change in the world."
• "And that's actually why I wrote the book is to try and get people convinced because you know, many people think that they're either creative or they're not that some people think that creativity is only something that some lucky people are born with, like a talent for painting or composing music or writing. You know, that's artistry. That's not creativity, there's a difference between artistry and creativity. Creativity is something we have in us, all of us have in us. And it doesn't matter who you are, doesn't matter what you do."

Resources and Links: https://twitter.com/Culture_Shift https://www.facebook.com/chocolatemoosemedia/ http://chocmoose.com/

Gregg Treinish was named a National Geographic "Adventurer of the Year" after completing the first-known trek along the spine of the Andes mountain range - a 7,800-mile expedition. In 2011, he founded Adventure Scientists, a nonprofit organization that deploys outdoor adventurers to collect high quality scientific data that can amplify and accelerate solutions to environmental and human health issues. Gregg has been named a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader, a Grist 50 Fixer, and one of Men's Journal's "50 Most Adventurous Men," among other accolades. Gregg shared his journey leading him to become National Geographic's "Adventurer of the Year", he talked about his passion for scientific discovery, exploration, and their mission to amplify and accelerate environmental impact. Adventure Scientists, which he founded, serves scientific partners, by providing them with data they need to solve critical environmental and human health issues from the outdoors, from remote areas and at large scale; and outdoor adventurer volunteers, who want to give back by contributing to game-changing science. Quotes: · "It was just creativity and optimism, persistence that we use to navigate around." · "The more that I saw, environmental degradation, the more I was inspired to work for the benefit of animals and places that couldn't speak for themselves." Resources and Links: https://www.facebook.com/AdventureScientists https://www.instagram.com/adventurescientists/ https://twitter.com/AdvScientists https://www.linkedin.com/company/2055092/admin/

Jared is an accomplished engineering executive with over 20 years' experience in management, operations, finance and business strategy. He has been treasurer and served on boards of directors for several organizations. He is a speaker, writer, and adviser on topics of business management and strategy with an emphasis on the A/E industry. Jared is a registered professional engineer with BS and MS degrees in engineering from Virginia Tech and an MBA from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). He has been adjunct faculty at the VCU, teaching business planning to MBA students. He recently started AE Ascend, a consulting and learning company. Great strategies with great execution leads to success. Jared narrowed down the broad industry of engineering and architecture, he shared his journey leading him to build AE Ascend by helping architects and engineers climb to new heights with their innovative ways of business approach. Quotes: · "The industry is eventually going to change. And in this whole pandemic, what the study is pointing out is that it's pushing it to change." · "So when everyone's together in the same office space, it's easy to be able to share your knowledge, your expertise, everyone can see sort of these implicit behaviors occurring in the workplace, which drives culture, and values and beliefs." · "If your clients and their needs are changing, it's probably good, you're probably going to need to change your business model as well." Resources and Links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaredbjamison/ https://www.facebook.com/aeascend https://www.linkedin.com/company/aeascend

Kiah Hochstetler is a third generation Montanan who grew up on a horse farm and is deeply rooted in this place. He is the COO for Goodworks Ventures and works directly with its portfolio companies. It's his declaration to help people and organizations achieve their goals and become the best version of themselves. Having founded two startups, one failed, one merged, he has deep empathy for the challenges and celebrations awaiting those who are bold enough the claim the title Entrepreneur. Glacier National Park is his happy place, so much so he got married in the Park, outside, in -15 degree weather. Goodworks Ventures launches Evergreen, a new effort to purchase stable, profitable companies and help them grow under new leadership. In this episode, we talked about how good relationships and network are essential, business model they use at GoodWorks, its mission to provide transition opportunities to retiring owners by acquiring their local Montana businesses, with the goal of keeping quality jobs within the community and MUCH MORE! Quotes: · "I think humans should focus their time and energy on things more important than repetitive tasks that machines can do." · "Failure is a unique teacher." · "I think in Montana, I think it's relationships and just building that network." · "I'm really fortunate to work at Good works in a place where we do value, the holistic approach to all these things, and community is really important." Resources and Links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jkiahhochstetler/ https://gwevergreen.com/

You probably have many reasons why you don't get things done. Most of them are beyond your control, but instead of focusing on things you can't control, focus on your worst enemy, the one that you can control - yourself. In this episode, seasoned entrepreneur Ken Andrukow shared tips that will help you get out of your own way to finally be able to get things done and be productive. Quotes: · "I think it starts with realizing that managing your time and intention appropriately, you're working on things that are beyond your capability." · "Standing your own way looks like spending 80% of your time doing things you're not very good at and things that you don't like to do" · "And then the most important day and most important intention is when to stop. So when do you take a day where you don't do anything that feels like work, so that you can rejuvenate back to a creative state? And be excited about going back into either creative days or, or focus days?" Resources and links: Reebok Crossfit Ramsay Ken Andrukow's LinkedIn Level 5 Mentors

Risk averse is the antithesis of Christopher. He is a tenacious doer who finds a need and leads. He founded a nonprofit in the Middle East countering extremist recruitment by providing vocational, entrepreneurial, and leadership paths amongst refugees in order to rebuild their lives, communities, and peace. He has conducted infiltrative financial investigations in child organ and sex trafficking in Romanian brothels and rural communities in order to effectively and sustainably counter the inflow of child recruits. He has also lived among and served the indigenous populations of Southern Mexico. He is a TEDx speaker, 20 under 40 entrepreneurial award winner, and a former player of unicycle basketball. As an expert in growth strategy he recently co-founded a growth strategy facilitation company Clarity Road to guide teams in thinking better together and transforming uncomfortable challenges to extraordinary success. If you could create a better and more peaceful world, what would you change? In this episode, Christopher shared how he built non-profit organization, Rebuild for Peace. A Non-Profit organization focused on providing vocational education, peace training, leadership and entrepreneurship training to the youth which are mostly refugees, he also explained how the way to a more peaceful world can be profitable and his passion for changing the world and building peace in the wake of violent conflict. Quotes: · "So when I talk about peace and the profitability of peace, it's how we deal with conflict. And dealing with conflict within a corporate structure within a corporate culture, and changing or allowing a change in that culture to be more collaborative." · "And I think the core change in there was that economic peace finding a different economic structure to fund the use development and lifestyle, these more extremist causes that are often too profitable." · "My dream is to become an expert in the field of youth economic development." · "I believe that vocational education is the mindset of challenging your identity. Because you can take something that's broken, something that's unused, you can recycle it, repurpose it and create something both functional and beautiful with that" Resources and Links: https://www.clarity-road.com/ https://www.rebuildforpeace.org/ Connect with Christopher

Sam Lucas is an entrepreneur and outdoor enthusiast rooted in Bozeman, MT. While a student at Montana State University, Sam co-founded Triple Tree Software, a custom software engineering firm. Sam has built software in identity verification, healthcare, edtech and video streaming verticals to help launch venture-backed startups nationally. After 4 years of bootstrapping Triple Tree into Montana's leading software engineering firm, Sam co-founded spinout company Special Project, Inc, a platform for video creators and studios to independently launch their own direct-to-fan subscription streaming service. Sam currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Montana High Tech Business Alliance to help promote technology innovation and grow the technology economy in Montana. Outside of work, Sam is an avid hunter, skier, and mountain biker. Daily grind is real, thankfully, there are lots of software applications that can help us in our daily lives, it's safe to say that software is an invaluable tool that will help you operate and grow your business quickly. In this episode, Sam shared his knowledge in software application world, how important it is especially in the fast paced and digitally connected world we live in today, and he discussed his company Special Project Inc and how it can help video content creators to produce and stream original series, seasons, and episodes and predictably grow business with subscription memberships. Enjoy the episode! Quotes: · "So content is the new e commerce. Content production is becoming more accessible every single day more than ever." · "This idea of how do we monetize our content, I think has become extremely popular." · "We need to create a subscription platform that actually increases the value of the content and makes creators feel like they're truly running a business on this platform." Resources and Links: Connect with Sam https://www.specialproject.io/ Special Project Facebook LinkedIN- Special Project