The Cannonball Mindset

Your authentic self is your best self and your whole story is what makes you who you are.

In this episode I was able to interview my first ever rock band lead singer. Christian Neonakis, frontman for the band Kid Brother, peeled away some of the layers of success he and the band have experienced recently to tell me his story.

Much of the music Christian writes pulls directly from his childhood experiences. Music was always a refuge for him, helping to cope with tough times. He hopes his music can be the same for others.

Everybody knows the story of those business catalysts who started out in their garage.

This is the new garage.

Imagine how much faster businesses could progress if they were working in a place with a million resources and connections around them. Eliminating distractions is absolutely necessary for people who want to own their own business.

In this episode I sat down with Zach Wade, CEO of Make Offices, to talk about the rise of co-working space, the creation of a conglomerate culture that produces great results, and his mentality behind pursuing a company that focuses on putting entrepreneurs together.

Stories.

They connect us to our past and take us back to another time and place. These stories also have the power to change our lives. Whether good or bad, they live within us.

There is one story that absolutely changed Chad's life. He shares it today.

There are times when we leave stories unanswered and they create bigger and bigger stories. And sometimes you have to revisit those stories to fact check them.

To make sure they aren't what you believe they are.

He was laid off on the cusp of the Great Recession.

His business was building houses.

It was the least hospitable environment for construction companies in decades.

But that's exactly what he started.

In 2008, Tim O'Brien launched Tim O'Brien Homes with a team consisting of himself, his sister, and a partner. They had no land and no customers. The housing industry was in shambles.

Ten years later, Tim is a top midwestern homebuilder.

We invited Tim on the Cannonball Mindsets podcast to learn how he go started, what made his company thrive, and what he believes entrepreneurs need to do to succeed in tough environments.

Jay Thomas seems to have a conversation with everyone he meets.

Growing up, his brother would call him “The Mayor” because he’d always be talking to people… even when he was out for a run!

Jay even started buying donuts for flight crews when he noticed they didn’t have enough time between flights to get something to eat. He doesn’t do it to get something in return. He does it because he loves people!

In this episode of The Cannonball Mindset, we talk with Jay about growing up, his career path, and how having a sales mentality has changed his mindset.

Lots of people know a better way to get things done.

Not many have the guts to start their own companies.

Between spotting the problem and executing an idea to solve it, many people get derailed, leaving their ambitions for self-employment or entrepreneurship to return to the daily grind.

What differentiates the people who succeed at starting their own business from those who never try? What factors go into launching your own successful enterprise?

To find out, we invited Jeff Caruso, CEO of Caruso Homes, to come on the Cannonball Mindset podcast. He talked about how to establish your own successful company with a passion to do something better and the vision to see it through.

Kevin Jablon had no choice but to become an entrepreneur. It was in his DNA.

From standing on a street corner in Philly selling pretzels, to taking the leap in starting his own flooring business 11 years ago, Kevin always knew he wanted to be his own boss.

He originally had this entrepreneur spirit because he wanted to make money.  As Kevin puts it, he had champagne tastes. He wanted the newest shoes. He wanted to be at the coolest concerts.  Even when Kevin started Spartan Surfaces, he did so because he wanted to increase his income.

But this all changed years later when he saw how big of an impact his business had on his employees.  He saw the families it touched, and Kevin was forever changed. He could no longer be focused only on himself and the money he was making.

He needed to focus on the culture of his company and how he could do the most good for the most amount of people.  Spartan Surfaces moved from a “me” culture to a “we” culture almost overnight. Kevin wants his legacy to be that of a man who has impacted a lot of lives directly - both at work and at home!

Now he’s proud to say that he’d rather have a great culture at work and a happy home life than a great P&L statement.  We sat down with Kevin on this episode of the Cannonball Mindset Podcast to talk about his journey as a transformed entrepreneur.

Johnny Unitas is the greatest quarterback of all time.

It’s no coincidence that he’s also one of the greatest leaders of all time. And some of the greatest leaders come from the most humble beginnings.

From growing up during the Great Depression, to getting cut from his first NFL team, to throwing a pick-six in his first NFL game…

Johnny U refused to give up on his quest for greatness.

Sports transcend life, and there are many lessons to be learned from the legacy that Johnny Unitas left behind. John Unitas Jr. is the President of the Unitas Management Corporation and the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation, Inc.

John seeks to uphold his father’s legacy every chance he can, and that includes what “The Golden Arm” accomplished off of the field. Stories of work ethic, humility, and a desire to give back to the community. In this episode of the Cannonball Mindset, we sit down with John Jr. to discuss his father’s legacy!

Understanding and pinpointing one’s mission in life can give your direction and purpose. If you’re ready to take that step in improving your life and pursuing your mission, you should listen to a new podcast, The Cannonball Mindset.

With Chad Sanschagrin, CEO of Cannonball Moments, hosting this podcast you can expect 100% authenticity, conversations with people who are leaders in their industries and who have fought against adversity and overcome it. Chad has a passion for people and for contributing to make other’s lives more abundant. More abundant, not with stuff, but with relationships, love, confidence and purpose.