James (Jim) Keyes, former CEO of 7-Eleven and Blockbuster has written a book titled "Education is Freedom."

Jim passionately believes in the transformative power of education and its role in overcoming adversity and achieving success and candidly shares his own story about how education helped him rise out of poverty.

It’s a powerful book about why you need to learn as much as you can on this planet because nobody can take away what you learn, and what you understand.

Jim says, in many respects, knowledge is the only true wealth that we all have while on this earth. You can turn that knowledge into material benefits and enjoy a life of however you want it to go or help others however you want to help them. But the choice is yours. The simple truth is that education provides more options. Everybody should have access to those choices and to the freedom that comes with it. No matter what stage of life you’re at, everybody has a chance to change it up and still get whatever is in their heart, with the right knowledge. 

Jim's life journey was surely not simple. As a kid he grew up poor in a factory town with no running water. His mom left his dad when he was five lured by another man who lived large in a trailer park. His dad who he adored, passed when he was 12 and he had to go live with his mom and her abusive boyfriend, who he literally feared would kill him when he was sleeping.

It was a faraway visit one day to his uncle’s house that changed things for Jim. There he spotted what looked like a huge library of books that excited him. It was only a couple of shelves. But his uncle, a teacher, with running water who took trips to see the world, seemed to have it all - and those books symbolized success and sparked Jim’s lifelong love for learning. 

Jim shared, “Literally, we grew up with no running water, right? And a pump outside the house and an outhouse and the whole thing.  Kids have a hard time relating to that kind of poverty today. It's very different and very challenging, but the common theme is that adversity of any type, whatever you grow up with, it's a challenge. You can grow up in a very wealthy family with a totally dysfunctional environment and that adversity can actually make you stronger if you look at it that way and give you an advantage and cause you to turn to things like education as a way to escape your reality, whatever it is, poverty or abuse or whatever. Education can be that path to a better life.”

I was always amused that I had a friendship with a globally powerful guy like Jim Keyes that just kind of stuck all these years. I realized after reading his book, it was because of a crazy book thing I did myself. I held my ‘Working Mom on the Run’ book tour back a thousand years ago at 7-Elevens. Totally crazy idea I had that hey went for. I had important knowledge I wanted to share with the moms of America and I chose 7 Eleven as my vehicle.  

7 Eleven was then pitching fresh food to busy Moms on the go for the very first time and I knew I’d find an audience for my book of busy moms running in and out of their stores. I was right. I got a kick out of the fact that Jim thought the book tour was a riot and was honored he personally congratulated me on its huge success. I guess I thought I must have just stuck out in his head for being out of the box. Over the years I’d occasionally reach out to say hello and he was always quick to connect back. I never realized until I read his book, that Jim was such a passionate education guy, was so much about knowledge, so much about books, so much about curiosity and taking shots. Obviously, I resonated with him because of that. And now I am thrilled to be able to help him promote his book, "Education Is Freedom".

Getting people's attention for an important subject, to educate them about anything is really Jim’s thing, and he’s taken great pains to share his story and I think his message is very loud.

The more you learn, the more you can do at pretty much every stage in life. Whatever your journey is, there's more to it, as long as you keep feeding your mind and understanding that you can control the next act.

He said it so well in his book.

 ‘I’ll quote Jefferson in saying that the fundamental basis of a working democracy is an educated populace. It's a critical time right now, and my message to the world, to individuals first, is education is important. It's your lifeblood. And to society, we've got to focus on education collectively and to help everyone succeed to make this world a better place.

“I've wanted to write this book forever. But right now, it's so critically important. We're hearing every time you turn on the news you hear you know teachers being you know challenged for what they're teaching, and universities are under sort of attack right now. They're right in the crosshairs of a lot of cultural war issues and for a whole host of reasons the concern with The United States is falling behind the rest of the world in college graduations. Our individuals in school are falling behind and not even graduating from high school. A shocking number of students don't even graduate from high school. And where does that leave us if you dial forward 20 or 30 years? Where does that leave us individually if we're one of those kids, or where does it leave society if we have so many people that are not equipped to go forward?

Jim thinks a big part of the answer is going to be technology. The ability to harness AI and be able to modify the way we teach to the way people learn. Today there's really no excuse not to find a way to learn with the technology that's available. And he wants corporations to step up.

Jim said, “My challenge to my peers in the corporate world is step up especially with the availability of technology to invest in the technologies that can be then brought to the education process and allow everyone to benefit from it. The ultimate beneficiary being the corporation with an educated workforce coming up. Their investment isn't a gift, it's not charity. I think they can look at it as a return on investment which is what I'm encouraging.”

Enjoy the podcast of this live warm conversation with Jim Keyes author of ‘Education is Freedom’ on The Debbie Nigro Show.  

 I’ve been seriously thinking about taking up golf. I’ve played a little and whacked a few balls pretty far at the driving range but I’m not what you would call a golfer. Probably because it usually takes 4 hours to play, and I usually don’t have an extra 4 hours. But I’m rethinking the whole idea. Why don’t I have 4 hours to do something I might like? I waste just as much time walking around my house. LOL

 No doubt the sport of golf is growing and certainly there are many like me who have the desire, but not the knowledge or the time or the outfits, but there are some good pretty good reasons to rethink it.  

 My recent introduction to PXG (Parsons Xtreme Golf), founded by GoDaddy's Bob Parsons, has piqued my interest. PXG is known known for its innovative approach to golf and its support for veterans' causes. They have 22 locations nationwide, where you can buy clubs and apparel and get a golf club fitting, and they even offer a mobile golf club fitting service for country clubs.

 Their newest location and first in the Northeast, their PXG Superstore just opened in New Rochelle, NY. Not far from where I live. So, I went to go see it. It’s a wow.  

 When I met Jason Tomlinson who runs the new PXG location, I invited him to come talk about the company, the store, the game and what they’re doing to encourage new players.  

We both agreed:

·         Golf's has a positive impact on fitness.

·        Golf has a challenging mental aspect to the game.

·        Golf allows you to enjoy nature which is therapeutic.

·        Golf is a networking tool: a wonderful way for businesspeople to create relationships and the growing inclusion of women in the sport is refreshing.

 Jason and PXG want to help you all learn to play golf without feeling awkward. One upcoming event at their N.Y. location on December 9th in partnership with Westfair Communications is called "Demystifying Golf - Learn to Swing and Network”. It’s from 10am -12:30 at PXG Golf, 100 Nardozzi Place New Rochelle, NY. LPGA Pro Anya Alverez will lead the clinic. The event is free but space is limited and reservations must be made in advance.

 Sounds like a fun way to learn about golf and network with other enthusiasts. They'll also be having a series of ongoing free clinics over the next few weeks.

 At PXG's huge new Rochelle facility, Jason says one of the unique things they offer are personalized golf club fittings using Trackman technology. He really emphasized the importance of a proper club fitting for improving one's golf game and said investing in quality golf clubs is an investment in one's golfing future.

 I think a ‘Golf Club Fitting’ is a perfect gift idea for any golf enthusiast or anyone starting out. And from what I saw of the incredibly stylish PXG golf apparel around the store, anyone wearing that stuff could look like a pro whether they play the game or not. LOL

 But if you know you me you know I prefer ‘authentic’, which is why I really like the PXG company values a lot. They’re commited to supporting veterans and supporting the professional players on tour who have values that resonate. PXG's Heroes program, also offers discounts to the military and first responders. Bob Parsons and his wife have generously given away nearly $300 million to charities since 2012.

 Enjoy this lighthearted and informative podcast of the live radio conversation with Jason Tomlinson of PXG Golf on The Debbie Nigro Show. 

The holiday season is a wonderful time to reconnect with important people in our lives we don't see often. It’s always fun when you’ve been thinking about one of those people, and they connect with you first.

 One of those people in my life is ‘Monty’ Delaney and I kept writing his name down on my things to do list to call him. “Monty’ (short for Montgomery) is an all-around great guy with a heart as big as his 6 ’6’ frame. Besides being a warm wonderful person I've known for many years, he was also once an attorney who never failed to show up on the dime whenever I needed him. Often to help me handle my former ongoing ‘parking ticket problem’. The ‘problem’ was, I’d forget to pay the damn tickets and they’d add up and then I’d land in ‘negotiations'. Oh and he'd also show up for that speeding ticket problem. LOL. Happy to report I’ve learned my lesson and now I don’t get parking tickets anymore and I drive like an old lady… but I still love seeing Monty. Just not in court.

 Last I saw him actually, I had some fun on his radio show. He’s got a lot to talk about. Monty served as a police officer in the South Bronx for nearly nine years until a back injury led to his retirement from the police force. He spent a significant amount of time in traction and swimming pools for rehabilitation. During this time, he was also in law school, which he had to pause and later return to. he did, and after years of practicing law, a heart issue arose and Monty decided it was time to close his practice and focus on his more creative endeavors. 

 Monty is a talented singer-songwriter. He became involved in the music scene, playing at coffee houses back when, and has made some great albums. His 1996 album "Walking in the Light" was inspired by various societal and personal reflections and continues to be played across the country and he takes pride in its lasting appeal. It was produced by Rex Fowler of Aztec Two-Step, which was oddly the first musical group I saw perform in person when I arrived as a freshman at Ithaca College. 

Monty had given me one of those CD’s and somehow it landed lodged inside the back sleeve of my cars front seat. No clue why. I accidentally found it last week when I went to the car wash and was cleaning out my car. I don’t have a CD player in my car, so I just put it on my front seat to remind me to call Monty. Then after the car wash, I made a cemetery stop to get out of the car to say a holiday hello to my immediate family in the family plot. (It's what Italian girls do.)

 What are the chances that when I got back in the car, there on my phone sitting on the car seat next to the “Walking In The Light” CD was a text from… MONTY!  Really? What are the chances?

Naturally I called him immediately to report the serendipity, and we had some laughs as his lovely wife listened in, and we caught up about lots of things and he told me about his new book of poetry out now called "A Musings”. It’s a collection of poems he wrote over the years while waiting in courtrooms. 

 I invited Monty to stop by the radio studio this week to bring his new book and bring his lovely wife Connie, but sadly he woke up sick the day we planned it and so he called in to the show instead. 

 I think you’ll enjoy the podcast of our live lighthearted and authentic conversation of two friends catching up on The Debbie Nigro Show. The show is filled with laughter, personal anecdotes, and our shared history that underscores my point about of the importance of connections and the value of personal relationships. We will get together 'in person' when he feels better.

 I hope I’ve sparked you to reconnect with someone important to you, that you haven’t seen or spoken to in awhile this holiday season. Let me know.

If you want to meet a guy with an inspiring life and attitude, meet James Flaherty.

 'Jim’ who’s 88, gets my weekly newsletter which happened to land in his email while he was sitting in the airport in Cabo San Lucas. He wrote me back while waiting for a plane back home to N.Y. and told me he'd just spent a week at the 'Modern Elder Academy'. 

 Sounded interesting so I wrote him back I wanted him to come on my show and report on what went on there.

 I had featured Jim Flaherty on my show earlier in the year after chancing upon a book he wrote that I spotted on an old wooden table in an old wooden General Store in Amenia, N.Y.

 I was sparked that day by the cover of “Dear Old Friends” but what really cracked me up and made me buy the book, is that while quickly scanning it I read he had started writing it in his 40s and finally finished it in his 80s. My kinda procrastinator!

 Jim has a big fun brain. Before becoming a writer, he worked in advertising, and his life, he says, was just like to the TV series "Mad Men”. Jim also built and ran a successful country inn and conference center called Troutbeck in Amenia NY for 30 years. It’s spectacular in case you’re ever headed in that direction.

 Why is Jim my ‘America idol’? Because at 88 he’s vibrant and positive, with no regrets and a belief that every day is a miracle. And because he wrote to me while I was sitting home pathetically with a heating pad on my lower back, while his spunky 88 year old self flew his butt to Baja, Mexico to attend a curious midlife wisdom school. I seriously need to learn from whatever he's doing. 

Jim's second book out now, "Embrace Your Age," is getting attention for its empowering message too, especially the importance of waking up with ‘purpose’. Jim wakes up every day doing some deep breathing exercises and thinking of ways to help others.

 So what was Jim’s ‘Modern Elder Academy Experience’ all about? He describes it as a place for navigating transitions and cultivating purpose in midlife and beyond. The age range of attendees at the Academy varied he said, with most being in their 60s and some in their 50s and 70s. Jim says midlife crises can occur between ages 40 and 70 and pointed out being 88, that he was the oldest person there that week. The highlight he said, was the comradery and the sense of community and connection formed there. He felt he left with having formed a whole new group of friends.

 Jim says, it's a place for navigating transitions and cultivating purpose in midlife and beyond. By the way, Forbes did a story on the Modern Elder Academy a few years ago and called it ‘The Cool School For Midlifers’. I read that it's the world’s first midlife wisdom school where you can unlock old hopes and discover new dreams in person beachside in Baja or in the creative corridor Santa Fe, or online from home in your pajamas. Sounds cool to me.

 Ya gotta love Jim Flaherty's energy and spirit. As for his future at 88? Well, he may teach a workshop at the Modern Elder Academy, but he’s also looking for an agent to sell his TV series, screenplay, and two novels. 

 Oh, and he wants me to come visit him back up in Amenia and take a swim in his indoor swimming pool. LOL .OK fine, fine, Jim, whatever youre doing I want to do  too. 

 Enjoy this podcast of our live radio conversation on The Debbie Nigro Show. It’s truly an uplifting and motivational discussion on aging gracefully, finding purpose, and staying active and engaged in life's later years. It's about the cool way to get old.

Thanksgiving kicks off the annual bell ringing next to all those red Salvation Army donation kettles.  

This year's message. They need you more than ever.

The Salvation Army is going to be serving the needs this year of close to 24 million people here in the United States. In case you didn’t know it, the donations that you give in your area, stay in your area, to help the local people that really need help.

Kenneth Hodder, the National Commander of the Salvation Army, a dynamic guy with a Harvard education and a great personality, stopped by my radio show to bring us all up to speed on his organization, which is the largest social services organization in the United States. Roughly 5,000 Salvation Army officers, about 60,000 employees, and about 3 million volunteers are continuously working to help meet the needs of those in difficult situations. 

“The economic impact of the pandemic continues to be a key issue to which the Salvation Army is addressing itself”, say Kenneth. “Right now, about 92 million Americans have had difficulty paying their most basic household expenses in the past week. Homelessness has grown by double digits. The coming freezing weather of winter threatens all sorts of people on the street, and there are those that might lose their homes as a result of evictions or loss of utilities. So there are a lot of reasons to become involved in meeting the needs of your neighbors. Money put in the kettle is going to stay in that community. People should know that they are helping the people in need, in their area, whenever they give to the Salvation Army.”

If you or someone you know needs help and you see someone who's in a Salvation Army uniform, just tell them what you need! They’ll call the local Salvation Army who will do whatever they can to assist you. They’re always ready to help.

“We're seeing an increasing number of volunteers, says Commander Kenneth Hodder, “and I’m inviting all your listeners to volunteer this year for a kettle. Donating a couple of hours of your time, can buy several nights of shelter for someone. It can provide several dozen meals for a family. You can make a huge difference having a lot of fun standing out on the street corner ringing a bell, bring your spouse, bring your pet, bring your children, join your corporate group. It's a great thing to do in the holiday season. It will make you feel good, and you'll make a real difference.”

You can check out the volunteering options at SalvationArmyUSA.org, which are generally done in about two-hour segments.

82 cents of every dollar donated goes directly toward funding Salvation Army initiatives and it stays within the community in which it was given.

My personal suggestion to Kenneth, was that he hurry up and figure out how someone could just walk up to those red kettles and swipe a credit card across, because as we all know, people hardly carry cash anymore. He said he would get right ‘on it’!

Meanwhile you can donate in several ways online as well.

If you want more information, again, it's SalvationArmyUSA.org

We’re already into Christmas? Didn’t I just take off my Halloween Costume? 

If like me, you’ve been feeling that the holiday season has been arriving earlier and earlier each year, it’s not your imagination. It has in fact been speeding up, because the businesses and destinations that invest in holiday displays invest a lot, says Dan Casterella, the Chief Executive Officer of American Christmas, and they want to capitalize on their investments.

American Christmas is the company behind the scenes creating the breathtaking holiday displays in 6 states including the iconic locations in NYC, like Saks Fifth Avenue, Rockefeller Center, Macy's, and Radio City Music Hall.

I invited CEO Dan Casterella to stop by my radio show for a warm chat to give us all a peek behind the curtains in the world of American Christmas.

The Business of Christmas:

Located in Mount Vernon, New York, (my hometown) American Christmas is the company responsible for decorating some of the most famous holiday locations in the United States. But they're not just about tinsel and lights; they create immersive holiday experiences that enchant visitors and spread festive cheer. The feel-good power they have created there is undeniable. Anyone of any age who could use a lift should stop by.

From School to Christmas Wonderland:

Chief Executive Officer, Dan Castarella, has been part of this magical world for over two decades. His journey into the Christmas business began when he started decorating homes in high school and, after a short stint in college, decided to leave college and join American Christmas. His parents were honestly not thrilled with his choice, but his passion and talent for bringing the holiday spirit to life have paid off. (And now they get free Christmas Decorations) 

Creating the Magic:

American Christmas isn't just about decking the halls; it's a year-round operation. With a 15-month planning cycle for some clients, and two weeks for others depending on the type and scale of the job, the process is both meticulous and expansive. It takes hundreds of employees working across multiple states, including New York, Texas, California, Florida, Chicago, and Washington, D.C., to make these holiday displays a reality. The end goal is to help clients create a holiday brand identity and gift a spectacular experience to their communities.

Dan said, “For us, it’s Christmas 365. The day our takedown season is done, we start again refurbishing for the following year. Everyone thinks we see Santa Claus all year long, and it's anything but that. It’s mostly spreadsheets and a lot of marketing conversations.”

Bringing the Holiday To You:

For the second year in a row, American Christmas is offering the public a chance to experience their holiday magic with an event called "Holiday Lane." Located at 30 Warren Place in Mount Vernon, it's an immersive holiday experience that allows visitors to walk through a magical Christmas experience, pick up festive decorations, and even meet Santa Claus. It's open Wednesday to Sunday, making it accessible for families and anyone in need of a dose of holiday spirit. Santa will be there every Wednesday and Friday night at Holiday Lane from 6 to roughly 8pm.

Dan says, “We have a showroom for our commercial clients that’s about 4,000 square feet  and we open that up to the general public. You can buy tickets online to come and experience what we do at American Christmas. The tickets are inexpensive, because we’re trying to be family friendly and we’re donating 100% of the proceeds to three nonprofit charities in Mount Vernon, New York. The Mount Vernon Boys & Girls Club, Northeast STEM Starter Academy of Mt. Vernon, and Youth Community Outreach Program of Mount Vernon.

Year-Round Christmas:

The holiday season lasts for just a few weeks, but the work at American Christmas is a year-round endeavor. Planning, designing, and building take months, ensuring that the magic happens on time. Then it all boils down to a very hectic nine-week season when everything comes to life. 

Color Trends and Decorating Styles:

Each year, American Christmas helps its clients embrace various color themes and decorating styles. This year pink has been a popular choice, inspired by the Barbie. Trend.  But natural woodlands themes, traditional reds, and golds, and even New Orleans-style Mardi Gras displays have their place in the holiday lineup. Their Christmas store on premise is just fabulous and you’ll wish you knew about it sooner if you didn’t know about it already .

There’s Some New Christmas Technology: 

“The new thing”, says Dan, “is RGB technology where we can control the lights and build a show around the Christmas Lights. It’s not that popular in New York because New Yorkers like to keep Christmas traditional with ribbons, bows, and ornaments but it’s popular for us around the country. This year for example we have a 50-foot tree at the Tanger Outlet in Tennessee that’s an RGB show with programmable alights and we run a three-minute loop with a show on the tree.”

Holding the Holiday Line:

American Christmas does end for most of their clients by January 15th when the company finalizes their ‘take down’ portion of process for all the decorations they’ve put up. However, we all have seen some outdoor trees stay wrapped with white lights throughout the winter, bringing much needed warmth and joy to the dark months which is fine by me.

A Business That Spreads Joy:

The holiday season may start earlier each year, but the goal is to spread joy and create memorable experiences. Something we could all use a little more of these days for sure. The work of American Christmas brings a touch of magic to all of our lives.

American Christmas is more than just a company; it's a team of dedicated professionals who spend all year working to make the holiday season unforgettable. From design to installation and takedown, their business keeps the magic of Christmas alive year after year.

If you find yourself in Mount Vernon, N.Y., don't miss the chance to visit Holiday Lane and experience the enchantment for yourself.

I hope you enjoy this podcast of my live conversation on The Debbie Nigro Show with Dan Casterella, the Chief Executive Officer of American Christmas. It's uplifting!

Kailen Rosenberg known to millions as Oprah’s love ambassador on the award-winning series Lovetown, USA (OWN and BBC Worldwide) joined me on Halloween to talk about finding real love.

So happens just before she joined me on the radio, I had read a story in the NY Post about the number of people who were wearing 'sexy' Halloween Costumes in the hope of getting lucky with a sweet treat of the human kind by nights end.

The results of a survey taken by a sex positive dating app named 'Pure' said 72 % women and 43% of men would be wearing 'sexy' Halloween costumes this year.

I’m sure for some that was fun, but most people are out there searching for a real connection, not a one night ‘boo’, and it takes more than a sexy costume to find real love. 

If you are looking for real love, Kailen Rosenberg might be your answer. 

What makes her such a love guru? Well, Kailen's been in the love, dating, and relationships industry for almost 30 years. She’s also had to follow her own advice and shares her own journey to finding love.

Kailen’s the author of the best-selling Simon & Schuster book "Real Love, Right Now: A Celebrity Love Architect's Thirty-Day Blueprint for Finding Your Soul Mate - and So Much More!” . The book is a guide for anyone seeking an authentic and meaningful connection in a world often characterized by superficiality and false closeness.

Honestly, ‘30 Days to Real Love’ sounded to me a little like a pitch to go on some kind of diet. We all do know, if you actually follow a diet for 30 days, results actually happen. I was wondering, is Kailen’s 30-day love strategy one that actually works, like a diet, if you follow it? 

“It's pretty identical”, she said. “I mean, it really, really is. It's about honing in on what you really want instead of just thinking about it and dreaming about it all the time and then looking at the reality of what has been blocking it”.

She went on to say, “And we know if we sit and we're silent enough for even a moment to get really raw and honest and real with ourselves, to look at how and where we are blocking love, whether it's from fear, from the past, past relationships, childhood, whatever, it is that has basically shown us or told us that love really isn't real. Or it can't happen. Or if it does it's only painful and it's only going to end in demise, which you know sadly too many people really end up believing that to a certain extent. Then we end up blocking it energetically and so we get in our own way and we end up through the way we dress, the faces that we have, the way we speak to others. “

“And so we're constantly out there either attracting love or repelling love, she said. “And so, in 30 days, it's really about getting centered, getting present, learning to really love yourself, to really understand and know your true value, to honor that. And then energetically, you're putting out a totally different vibe, and the next thing you know, people from all directions are seeing you differently and they're attracted to you, and you’re now also attracted to yourself in a very different way. So, it's a cool experience. It really is and yeah, it does work.”

Kailen is also the founder and CEO of the world's first holistic wellness, love, and social club platform for extraordinary singles: My LOVE DESIGN®.  There, Kailen provides exclusive invitations to expert-led events, covering a wide range of topics such as love, beauty, home design, spirituality, finances, and more. 

Her first of its kind, invite only, luxury dating, wellness experience is an in-person event with Modern Luxury magazine happening in Houston on November 14th, 2023. All singles attending have been vetted. Next stop for a Kailen Rosenberg event, will be New York City and then more events across the country.

Kailen’s really excited about it all because she says, “it's just time for a change. Dating and friends are just exhausting.”

As for age? Kailen says that becomes far more irrelevant and so her focus isn't on younger, older, or same age, it's just on finding the right one.

Finally, I did have to ask …how many people did this smarty pants love guru help find Real Love? Kailen said, she stopped counting after 500 marriages.

Feel free to share this podcast of my warm live radio conversation with Kailen Rosenberg about what she’s doing to help singles find genuine love. It might be of real interest to someone you know who is looking for real love.  

Will pets be able to tell you what their bodies need? What kind of toys they want? In a human voice? Soon apparently, if Founder Andy Gibbs vision for the very first company to bring ‘Generative AI’ to life in the $120B pet industry comes to fruition.  

 It all started the day Andy’s’ wife noticed his dog Roland’s water bowl was empty and hollered to him “Can’t you make a smart water bowl that tells me when it’s empty and needs to be refilled?”

 Andy was sparked and started researching why dogs need water and decided he needed to track their water intake. He found out there’s water in canned food, but there's no water in kibble. Then that train of thought took him into food, and then from there he learned of the global problem involving the number of pets who are overweight. Then he moved fast. 

 In 7 weeks, he had filed the first 10 patents. (Andy knows a thing or two about patents as that was his business for years and he already owns about 4 or 5 dozen patents but none till now in the pet industry.)

The Fidotek Founder is obviously excited about his current venture.

Andy says, “There's no single company in the pet industry that is taking the Apple approach to delivering the pet version of the Apple Watch, the iTunes, the software. So, in the same way Apple has created an entire new ecosystem around watch, or as they did around the iPhone, we're taking the same approach. It's a very holistic hardware, software, and content approach to the entire pet industry. So we're not selling a pet service, we're not selling software, we're selling the experience of a pet parent to know everything about their dog and give the dog the power to become a participating member of the family.”

You may have read that the world’s oldest dog passed away this week in Portugal at the age of 31. A Guinness Book Record age for a dog. His long life was attributed to fresh air, fresh food, and a calm environment. Could AI figure out how all dogs can live that long?

Fidotek Corp the Generative AI bioscience company focused on 120 million US pets will likely be figuring out how all pets can live longer and stay healthy and much more.

Andy said, “We are taking a scientific approach to that and helping dogs live happier, healthier and hopefully longer. When we look at the 59% that are obese, if we can bring those dogs down to healthy weight, they're going to live at least three years longer than their overweight peers. So, we're giving them three years and that's real debilitating conditions as they get older, diabetes, organ failure and so forth. Our artificial intelligence can identify the earliest onset from diabetes even before symptoms start to appear. So, if we can get that pet into the vet months or a year earlier for treatment, it might be as simple as changing their food. “

Its Next-Gen AI platform is poised to be the single-most consequential ecosystem digitally transforming multiple verticals in the burgeoning pet industry.

Fidotek is planning things like; Personalized Web3 Retail, Pet Diagnostics, Pet Health Insurance, Advanced Telemedicine, and Drug Development. His planned pet veterinary ca re insurance he says, is going to change the entire pet industry as we know it.And as an industry patent leader, no single company currently offers a comparable solution. None, says Andy Gibbs, Founder & CEO who joined me from Arizona to share his excitement about what’s coming with Fidotek.

Enjoy this lively podcast of our live conversation on The Debbie Nigro Show.

You can listen to show weekdays 11-12noon ET in the NY/CT area at 1490 WGCH or just go to WGCH.com and hit ‘listen live’ from anywhere. No Poltics, Always Relevant ...smart, warm and fun.

 Halloween is the big showcase moment for the candy and confection industry. Kind of like their Super Bowl. The industry generates $42 billion in retail sales every year and employs 58,000 people working in 1600 manufacturing facilities across all 50 states, with another 635,000 jobs in related fields. Sweet!

 I invited Carly Schildhaus from the National Confectioners Association, to join me for a conversation about some sweet insights from a survey they just took about all things Halloween, including the list of the top three candies this year, and how much candy you’re supposed to give out to each kid who stops by trick or treating.

 Carly said, “It’s special for the confectionery industry to see what an important part chocolate and candy play in this holiday season for generations and generations.”

The National Confectioners Association (NCA) conducted a survey to get a better understanding of current consumer attitudes and behaviors related to Halloween around the country.

 Here’s what they found:

 *60% of Parents Steal Halloween Candy from Their Kids Stash!

   I thought the # would be higher myself. Lol

 *98 % of Americans will welcome trick-or-treaters with chocolate and candy this year.

 *2/3 of people give out 2 or 3 pieces of candy to each trick or treater.

 *The Top Three Most Popular Candies this year are: 

  1) Chocolate  

  2) Gummy’s  

  3) Candy Corn

The NCA encourages parents and caretakers to check the candy before any kids eat any they’ve brought home. They have a page about safety all parents and caretakers should review.

Good insights in this fun podcast of the live conversation with Carly Schildhaus of the NCA on The Debbie Nigro Show. 

PS: I personally think the National Confectioners Association should talk with the United States School System to make the day after Halloween a day off. I'll vote for that idea! 

Music Industry Executive Grace Harry wants to show you how to break through whatever creative or emotional rut is keeping you from tapping into your ability to feel true joy in your life. 

She knows how to guide creative people because that’s what she did for 30 years while guiding musicians and artists at Island Def Jam and Jive Records. 

Now Grace Harry is “The Joy Strategist’ - sharing her authentic self and what she learned to help you get you to where she had to get herself… back to center, dismantling your ego and culturally conditioned limiting beliefs. 

Grace said, 

 “I realized I had to get off the ride. And it wasn't the ride to penalize anyone else, it was more where I wasn't taking full responsibility for my own, you know, being the chief energy officer of my own life. And so if I have gotten this place in life where I've achieved all these things from other people's version of success, why did I feel so joyless? And what kind of strategy could I put in place to change that? Because I believe very clearly that your children do as you do, not as you say, and I would never want them to have even more crap in their family karma backpack than I'd already given them.”

I thought Grace’s comment about ‘family crap in the backpack ‘ was a loud one. Giving yourself permission to see yourself in a new way is what Grace is trying to get at. I think we all have struggled with this at some point, We have preconceived notions of who our parents want us to grow up to be, our friends expect us to be, and who we expect ourselves to be. When in fact it may not be who we are supposed to be, and at what point do you realize you have permission to change…and can you? Because there are always relationships involved, finances involved, other people involved that your choices will affect. Which is exactly why I don't own a Tiki Bar on some island!...Yet. LOL

Good thought provoking book and conversation you might want to explore.

Meet Grace Harry in this podcast of our live conversation on  The Debbie Nigro Show on  WGCH Radio. If you want to catch the show it airs Weekdays 11-12noon ET in the NY/CT area on 1490 on the dial. But you can listen from anywhere, just hit the ‘Listen Live’ button on WGCH.com