This podcast episode features Mahmood Ghassemi, a distinguished Washington State University (WSU) alum, electrical engineer, and CEO of Sequoyah Electric, discussing his journey from Iran to becoming a key figure in the engineering and construction industry. Mahmood shares insights into his deep appreciation for WSU, the importance of building connections, and his transition from technical roles to leadership positions within the industry. 

Emphasizing the concepts of servant leadership and continuous personal and professional development, Mahmood explains the significance of mentorship, asking questions, and the impact of giving back through philanthropy. Reflecting on his career, he attributes a part of his success to his education, networking opportunities as a WSU alum, and his approach to leadership and business growth.

 The episode also delves into the operational aspects of Sequoyah, highlighting the importance of a strong leadership team, future planning, and the value of investing in people.

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Links: 

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This podcast episode features an engaging conversation with Howard Wright, a former commercial pilot who transitioned to become a successful business leader as the founder and chairman of Seattle Hospitality Group. Wright shares his unique career trajectory, from obtaining his pilot's license for fun to overseeing thousands of employees across various tourism and hospitality businesses. He discusses the importance of critical thinking, people skills, and leadership in business, emphasizing the role of employee care and stakeholder values over mere financial success.

Reflecting on his own experiences, including failures and the impact of economic downturns, Wright offers advice on entrepreneurship, the significance of networking within the Cougs community, and the essentials of effective leadership and communication. The conversation also touches upon the value of a supportive personal relationship and the critical aspect of self-care for leaders.

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This episode of the Cougs First podcast features a fascinating conversation with Drew and Brighton, a father-son duo who turned their unique ginger sauce into a thriving business. Starting from a family recipe developed 30 years ago by Drew, the sauce gained popularity among friends and family. Brighton, during his junior year at Washington State University (WSU), introduced the sauce as a business plan for a competition. Winning the competition provided the initial funding needed to officially launch their business, Unkle Drew’z Sauces. 

The episode delves into the origins of their business, the critical role of the WSU business plan competition in their entrepreneurial journey, the challenges and lessons learned in starting and growing their business, and the importance of family collaboration in their success. Additionally, it touches on the strategic decisions behind product branding, leveraging Amazon for sales, and the effectiveness of direct consumer engagement through markets and social media.

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Links: 

https://unkledrewzsauces.com/ 
https://www.instagram.com/unkledrewzsauces/

Find out more about our community via the CougsFirst! website: 

https://www.cougsfirst.org/ 

Want to find all of the CougsFirst! businesses? Checkout our directory https://cougsfirst.org/cougsfirst-businesses/ 

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This episode features a conversation with Bill Gruber, a retired executive with extensive experience in the medical device industry. Bill shares his career journey, starting from his college days at WSU, through different management and leadership roles, including sales representative, fraternity president, VP, CEO, and ultimately becoming the author of 'The Leadership Blueprint.'

He discusses the importance of sales skills, decision-making, problem-solving, leadership, and building a values-driven recruiting program. Bill emphasizes the significance of listening, learning, adapting, and the crucial roles people play in the success of an organization.

The episode also touches on Bill's advice for future leaders, his reflections on the importance of campus involvement, and the insights he has gained from both success and failure in his career.

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Links: 

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CSRPYP5C
www.billgruber.com

Find out more about our community via the CougsFirst! website: 

https://www.cougsfirst.org/ 

Want to find all of the CougsFirst! businesses? Checkout our directory https://cougsfirst.org/cougsfirst-businesses/ 

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Checkout our videos on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi0dcpwZLRSu7gFOxpVGMlw 

In the podcast, Lance Lijewski, a digital marketer with hands-on experience in different business domains, discusses his path to entrepreneurship, starting from his days as a first-generation college student to his current role managing numerous businesses. He holds a dual degree in multimedia journalism and public relations and balances full-time positions with freelance client work. He shares his emphasis on developing and fostering community-focused businesses and strategies to efficiently manage time and work tasks, emphasizing the importance of networking in business growth. Additionally, Lance insists on the need to understand and adapt to the changing digital world while retaining the core principles of human relationships and communities.

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Links: 

www.mediabylancelee.com

https://www.instagram.com/thecoug_/

Find out more about our community via the CougsFirst! website: 

https://www.cougsfirst.org/ 

Want to find all of the CougsFirst! businesses? Checkout our directory https://cougsfirst.org/cougsfirst-businesses/ 

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Checkout our videos on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi0dcpwZLRSu7gFOxpVGMlw 

In this episode, the podcast welcomes Dean Janikowski, a dedicated WSU football player. Dean not only discusses his passion for football but also shares his experiences as a creator, fundraiser, student, and business enthusiast. He reveals how he uses unique methods like working with a mental coach to improve his performance in the field, highlighting the importance of mental strength in an athlete's career. He is also a passionate creator and enjoys filming, which came in handy since the launch of NIL rules. Dean is actively involved in fundraising, running a foundation named 'Heather Janikowski Foundation'. This foundation, started in honor of his late mother, contributes to cancer patients in local communities. He advocates for the positive influence of NIL in athletes’ lives, especially college athletes. Dean talks about balancing time between sport, academic activities, and the foundation. Lastly, he emphasizes the closeness and support found within the WSU community, advocating it as a significant reason for potential students to choose WSU.

00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction

00:46 Dean's Journey to WSU

02:05 The Life of a Kicker

03:51 Dean as a Creator

05:32 Navigating the NIL Landscape

08:09 The Heather Janikowski Foundation

09:47 Balancing School, Sports, and Philanthropy

11:57 Dean's Future Plans

21:28 The WSU Experience and Community

23:14 Rapid Fire Questions

24:55 Conclusion and Contact Information

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Links: 

https://deanjanikowski.com/
https://hj.foundation/

IG: @deanjanikowski
TW: @deanojanikowski
TikTok: @dean.janikowski

Find out more about our community via the CougsFirst! website: 

https://www.cougsfirst.org/ 

Want to find all of the CougsFirst! businesses? Checkout our directory https://cougsfirst.org/cougsfirst-businesses/ 

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Checkout our videos on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi0dcpwZLRSu7gFOxpVGMlw 

In this episode of the podcast, I am joined by Edwin Gianini, a dynamic individual and the Executive Director for the Lauren McCluskey Foundation. Edwin shares his recent move back to Pullman and the hectic weekend that followed. He delves into the foundation's origin, inspired by the tragic story of Lauren McCluskey, and its growth beyond awareness into research and advocacy against domestic violence.

Edwin reflects on the significance of campus safety and the foundation's initiative to develop a Campus Safety Score, drawing parallels to similar metrics used in real estate. He emphasizes the need for universities to prioritize safety and the importance of providing comprehensive information for prospective students and their families.

The conversation then shifts to Edwin's journey from being a student at WSU to his current role. He recounts how chance encounters and being actively present in networking events led to impactful mentorships and opportunities. Edwin offers advice to students, highlighting the importance of being present, loud, and offering solutions when seeking mentorship. Edwin shares thoughts on the mentoring process, emphasizing the need for an open-minded and solutions-oriented approach.

The discussion wraps up with insights into the unique Cougar community, the value of Cougs First, and the power of relationships in career development.

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Links: 

https://laurenmccluskey.org/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwin-gianini/

Find out more about our community via the CougsFirst! website: 

https://www.cougsfirst.org/ 

Want to find all of the CougsFirst! businesses? Checkout our directory https://cougsfirst.org/cougsfirst-businesses/ 

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Checkout our videos on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi0dcpwZLRSu7gFOxpVGMlw 

In this podcast, influencer and farmer Kait Thornton shares her journey in the apple industry, focusing on introducing the Cosmic Crisp variety. She discusses challenges, rewards, and the collaborative effort behind launching a new apple in Washington. Kait reflects on her role in Kait’s Crates, emphasizing the broader impact of the Cosmic Crisp. The conversation delves into Kait's social media journey, influencer advice, and the potential for student-athlete influencers. Kait encourages businesses to connect with young influencers, ending with advice for recent graduates on the power of personal connections and confidence.

What does it mean to be a Dean of a university college? What are the expectations that come along with that? And how can a Dean positively impact the students in their college now and in the future?

These are all questions I was burning to ask today’s guest –and let me tell you, he delivered!

In this episode of the CougsFirst! Podcast, I am joined by the amazing Dean Todd Butler, who oversees the College of Arts and Sciences –a massive program within WSU. He has such an amazing story and history that led him to this point, and also some really cool things in the works for WSU students moving forward. 

During our conversation, the Dean and I talked about why crossing boundaries is a part of the Cougar culture, what his response to the mental health crisis is, how he’s adjusted his leadership to meet his faculty needs, how he uses both data and purpose to create strategies geared toward WSU students, the challenges of managing multiple campuses and so much more!

We cover a LOT in this episode, and you definitely want to hear what’s in store for the College of Arts and Sciences (and beyond)! I’m so excited. Also, is it too late to change my major even though I graduated over a decade ago!?

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What we discussed:

[2:00] His journey from Central European studies to Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences

[4:30] How writing things he doesn’t know about is a discovery process

[7:04] The day to day workings and insights on what it means to be a Dean

[8:30] How to adapt the education model to meet student’s needs where they’re at

[9:30] Supporting education outside of the classroom

[12:45] How he builds a cohesive culture within the largest WSU college

[15:25] How to develop degrees that cross structures and disciplines

[16:30] Why you want to be both data-informed and purpose-driven

[17:30] The challenges of managing multiple campuses

[19:00] The hierarchy of Deans, Chancellors, Provosts, and faculty

[20:20] His favorite part of the job

[22:14] Why mental health is one of the top three reasons why students step out of college

[23:00] Making the commitment to connect to the whole student

[24:30] The benefits of providing one on one experiences for students to talk with professors or faculty

[26:00] How research gets funded and off the ground

[27:45] Why students should engage with professors who are doing ground breaking research

[30:00] Why collaboration is so unique

[32:00] How to be strategic with the Cougar culture out in the real-world

Links:

Website: https://cas.wsu.edu/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CASatWSU

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/CAS_at_WSU/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClFoxl-bPlwGdT1jqjQTIJg/videos

Find out more about our community via the CougsFirst! website: 

https://www.cougsfirst.org/ 

Want to find all of the CougsFirst! businesses? Checkout our directory https://cougsfi

College Football is going through a big shift right now. Football coaches, players, fans, and enthusiasts all need to learn how to keep up with the changing landscape of college football. 

Whether it’s social status, play stats, or big money, there is more to the game than just winning in today’s football culture. 

So, how can we stay connected with the fundamental beauty of the game?

Today’s guest has some ideas! And we’ll take his word for it because he’s set some serious records during his 1999 to 2002 stint as the Cougar quarterback and learned a few things or two in his 15+ years in the athletic sector as both a player and a coach.

Jason Gesser is on the show to talk shop on the changing landscape of college football, including what it means moving forward for coaches and players, how to find the balance between playing the game and making money, the difficulty of finding players who want to win the game,  how we can channel the football days of old, and the importance of learning on the blue-collar pride of WSU.

Jason’s had a fantastic career at WSU, and he’s taken his experience in sports into real life and business as the current Property and Casualty consultant in USI’s Portland, Oregon office. Whether he’s calling the shots as the quarterback, head coach, or business owner, Jason has an extensive background in putting the right people in the right place to win —and we’re talking about it!

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What we discussed:

[00:42] From a kid in Hawaii to playing football in the PNW

[1:40] How an intermediate football coach scouted him in the 7th grade

[4:31] Why he tried to find the right coaches to play college football for

[5:00] Why he chose to play for WSU

[9:30] What the energy was like at WSU circa 2002

[11:00] His experience of three consecutive years of going to the Rose Bowl

[13:00] The biggest difference between the mindset and culture of college football then and now

[15:00] How to find the balance between playing the game and making money

[16:00] The difficulty of finding players who just want to win the game

[17:17] Why coaches now have to recruit high schoolers and defend their college players during off-season

[18:00] The importance of leaning on the blue collar pride of WSU

[19:00] The most influential WSU alumni

[23:30] How he ended up at  the largest privately held insurance brokerage in the country

[25:00] Why he decided to be an insurance broker

[27:00] How he’s built a career beyond football

Links:

Website: https://www.usi.com/

Find out more about our community via the CougsFirst! website: 

https://www.cougsfirst.org/ 

Want to find all of the CougsFirst! businesses? Checkout our directory https://cougsfirst.org/cougsfirst-businesses/ 

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