The Debbie Nigro Show

As a Breast Cancer Survivor I can tell you a lot about the power of humor and it's power to help us through dark stuff. Kindred spirit and fellow breast cancer survivor Olivia Clarke took that knowledge and ran with it.

This is the 5th Anniversary Celebration of 'Humor Beats Cancer", a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that tries to bring joy and humor to cancer patients, survivors and their caregivers -- with a particular focus on those in their 20s, 30s and 40s.

They do this through their blog where people share humorous stories from their cancer journeys; on social media posts; and with the free care packages they send to those going through cancer treatment.

They also host virtual and in-person open mics where people share their funny cancer stories and they distribute two $1,000 one-time grants annually to help young adults pay their cancer bills.

I wanted to help promote their 5h Anniversary event  7-9 p.m. CT, Thursday, Nov. 3. It will include comedians (Lindsley, Joey, Cyrus seen here) ,funny cancer stories and giveaways.

All money raised goes toward their grant program and their care packages. Your $20 will make a cancer patient smile.

Tickets are $20 each and include one giveaway ticket for a chance to win something cool. And you can purchase additional giveaway tickets. Help them celebrate five years by joining for the event.

“Looking for the bright side during such a dark time can make the experience of battling cancer a little easier.  We often want to believe that life will equal itself out and nothing else will go wrong while we have cancer. But truthfully life still finds ways to keep us humble and there is nothing you can do but laugh sometimes.”

Sharing stories and support with each other spreads that feeling of empathy and makes us feel less alone. - Olivia Clarke Founder

PS Olivia surprised and saddened me when she announced during this live interview that her cancer has returned and she’s going though it all again. She’s handling it with as much grace and humor as possible. Those of us who’ve had return bouts of cancer know after giving in to the natural initial heartbreak of the news, the only way to deal with it is to rally the way we did the first time around, with humor and grit.  Olivia and I both agree one silver lining of being a bald woman is you can shower and get out of the house a whole helluva lot faster :-)

Enjoy The Debbie Nigro Show Feature Interview Podcast.

That Rascal Felix Cavaliere is Still ‘Groovin’. 

The Legendary singer songwriter, has been making people feel good with his music for over 50 years. So why stop now? He’s not! The Rascals are on the move!

He and fellow Rascal Gene Cornish are hitting the road to share some more ‘Good Lovin’ on 'The Rascals Time Peace Tour 2022'. Gene fell ill during past concert and has since had a pacemaker put in, but he's good to go. 

Felix Cavaliere calls Nashville home now, but people in my ‘hood’ near Pelham, NY have always loved to claim him as their hometown rock n’ roll hero. In fact, he just wrote a book about it all. “Felix Cavaliere Memoir of a Rascal From Pelham, NY To The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame”.

Do people recognize him? Felix says sometimes, but because the Rascals were around before MTV they didn't have the kind of visual exposure that helped promote so many other groups to make them recognizable beyod their music.

Speaking of being recognized or not, Felix chuckles while telling the story about his dear friend Billy Joel who he was with at his concert in Nashville. When Billy Joel looked up at himself on the giant TV monitors on the wall, he turned to Felix and said, "Whos That?" "My Father?" Felix laughs when he shares that story as he make the point, "Sometimes I too don't recognize myself".  

I asked Felix if the songs we know so well and still enjoy today are kinda like his children? Yes he said, they are. 

Songs like Good Lovin', Groovin', It's A Beautiul Morning, I've Been Lonely Too Long, How Can I Be Sure, A Girl Like You, and People Got To Be Free.

The Rascals are considered the best 'blue-eyed soul' group to come out of the 60's, as well as one of the groups with the most record sales. Their message has always been to stand for Peace, Love and Happiness. Felix says, as a musician, when people hear your music and it brings them joy, that joy translates back to you. Especially live on stage.

The Rascals Featuring Felix Cavaliere & Gene Cornish Time Peace Tour. 

November 11 | St. George Theatre | Staten Island, N.Y. 

November 12 | College Street Music Hall | New Haven, Conn. 

November 13 | NYCB Theatre at Westbury | Westbury, N.Y. 

November 16 | Mayo Performing Arts Center | Morristown, N.J. 

November 18 | Ovation Hall at Ocean Casino | Atlantic City, N.J. 

More dates being announced soon. 

The next big social movement in this country? People in the second half of life taking life by the horns and not settling for the way their parents aged.

Here's a loud statistic. If you're healthy at 50 there's a good chance you'll live to see at least 90. What the heck are you going to do with all that precious time? 

Michael Clinton wants to show you how to 'ROAR' forward no matter how old you are. He gives you a 'how to' roadmap in new book, 'ROAR Into the Second Half of Your Life'.

Michael's inspiration to write the book was was born out of his complete frustration with seeing books about slowing down, aging, and making life smaller. That's not what the over 50 crowd wants to do anymore.

Michael reminds us that 35% of the populaton is 50 and over. Every day 10,000 people turn 65. And 1 in 5 people will be 65 and over in 2030.

Michael says, "There's a huge group of people all living very different kinds of lives than their parents lived. They want to be active. They want to go back to school. They want to start new careers. They want to be the pioneeers and we call them in the book The Re-Imagineers'. People really re-defining the seconf half of life."

Yes the old script of aging is blowing up and Michael Clinton is passionate life’s second half is whatever you want it to be for yourself. Wanna be a world traveler? Try a completely  different career? Hone a new skill ? It's time to ROAR.

Here's what ROAR stands for by the way/

R - Re-imagine yourself

O - Own Who You Are

A - Act On Whats' Next

R - Reassess Your Relationships 

PS Michael and I passionately agree the world of advertising needs to wake up and pay attention to this hugely underserved demographic.

Get inspired by listening to this 15 minute Feature Interview Podcast of Michael Clinton joining me LIVE on The Debbie Nigro Show. Should totally get you ROAR-ing! 

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Michael Clinton grew up in a housing project in Pittsburg and went on to become the President and Publishing Director of Hearst Magazines,overseeing Esquire, House Beautiful, Food Network Magazine, Oprah and many more. Now at 68, he's a special advisor to the CEO of Heart Corporationa, a writer, photographer, global marathon runner and pilot. He sits on many boards, gives back through philanthropy, and travels the world. Obviously he's ROAR-ing!

This month marks the 25th Anniversary of the plane crash that killed musical great John Denver.

Lowell Norman (pictured here left of John) started working with John Denver when he was 23, with a one time assignment in Ohio that turned into a 25 year adventure around the world.

Lowell initially just started creating visual content for John's concerts, which then led to him designing John's album covers, which led to him producing and directing John's music videos and documentary films for John Denver’s non-profit Windstar Foundation.

All along the way Lowell Norman took pictures, many of which have not been published…till now.

Lowell’s new book is called ‘Rocky Mountain Highway: Stories, Photos, and Other Memories of My 25 Years Traveling With John Denver.’ ( His real name by the way was Henry John Deutschendorf Jr.)

Lowell Norman joined me on The Debbie Nigro Show to talk about it all, and tell some good stories. Together we honored John Denver's legacy, and the musical soundtrack of a generation lucky enough to have been here when he was.  

“Thankfully, the musical greats never die. Hearing their music transports us back to our youth, their songs stir the same emotions, strike the same chords. And if a tear comes, it's rarely for them, instead it comes as a sweet memory of a time, a place, or perhaps a love that we still hold precious. Twenty-five years ago we lost a musical great in the person of John Denver. There will never be another. - Lowell Norman 

Burnout is Real and Janice Litvin is on a Mission to Banish It.

Janice Litvin is traveling the country as a workplace wellness speaker talking to business leaders and teams to show them how to banish burnout in their organizations, so their employees can come to work healthy, happy, and ready to work.

Replacing employees is much more expensive and time-consuming than helping them be well, especially post-Covid, says Janice.

Her unique wellness strategies, keynotes, workshops, and master mind groups offer simple, easy-to-implement techniques to help leaders and teams manage stress to prevent burnout, engage in wellness, and fall in love with fitness. The result: lasting behavior change.

Happy employees make a healthy company.

Janice Litvin has written “The Banish Burnout Toolkit”. She’s passionate her business background plays perfectly into her ability to really make a difference. She has 20 years of technology recruiting experience, 10 years of IT experience, has studied psychology, and she has the experience of changing her own behavior.

Janice is also President of The National Speakers Association of Northern California.

Luckily she wasn’t burnt out herself and joined The Debbie Nigro Show to explain what ‘burnt out’ people should do to stop the madness and get back to a saner life.

444 Interviews In 111 Cities Is What You'll Hear On "The Jar" Podcast 

Ken Stearns is driving his van solo to 111 cities across the U.S. to interview 444 people from all walks of life to find out about their lives. The idea spawned out of his own self reflection and the loud questions he was asking his now 60 year old self.

Armed with real jars full of questions, every episode features a new guest whose life story unfolds as they randomly pull questions out of the jar.

Ken left his corporate job at the end of 2021 to embark on this most important chapter of his life. He sent me a random message on LinkedIn after he came across my profile, saying he would love to sit down and have coffee with me.

Always curious about those who risk their dreams of course I said yes. I never met a stranger I couldn’t talk to.

Ken and sat with coffee in the radio studio and I answered random questions from ‘The Jar’ with my random guest live on the air.

The questions were interesting as was being on the other side of an interview.

Here's the Full Show Podcast Of "The Debbie Nigro Show" 

The CEO of DRY SODA, Sharelle Klaus is risking a huge new life. She moved out of her home, gave away most of her stuff, built out an SUV into a camper, and is running her company from the road. 

As Sharelle says herself, "Clearly this is not in the CEO handbook of “How to Run a Company”, but I am going to write my own handbook."

Sharelle believes "Freedom Is On the Other Side of Fear".

Wow what a gritty move for this mother of 4 who after 17 years of running her company, with kids now grown, decided her life was not working for her anymore and decided to risk her own dream. Go Sharelle! 

Her company DRY SODA evolved from her passion for the culinary world and celebrating each part of a meal - including the beverages. While going through her multiple back to back pregnancies, Sharelle couldn't drink wine or alcohol with her meals so she invented her own non alcoholic spirits, to keep her own party going. She recognized the need for a refreshing clean non-alcoholic beverage option in the market that was worthy of pairing with a meal.

DRY SODA started with her making botanical bubbly beverages for social drinking anytime in her kitchen. Now DRY SODA is available at a location near you. Check the website for where. Besides ordering on Amazon, near me I can pick some up at CVS or Walmart.

As for Sharelle she's now available from her SUV wherever she happens to be. She happens to be in LA for this conversation when she checked in from the road on The Debbie Nigro Show.

Now this is what I call  a real time ...."Risk It Or Regret It!"

Caution: Listening to this podcast interview may cause you to give away all your stuff and hit the road. :-)

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Sharelle Klaus brings nearly three decades of entrepreneurial, financial, and technology industry experience to her role as CEO at DRY. As an advocate for advancing the sober curious movement, she also spearheaded DRY’s investment stake in Austin-based sober bar, Sans Bar, and co-authored The Guide To Zero Proof Cocktails.

Prior to founding DRY, she worked as a consultant for Infrastructure Management Group and Price Waterhouse. She also served as president of the Forum for Women Entrepreneurs, where she drove strategic development of programs, events and fundraising for the organization’s 250+ Seattle-area members. Klaus has been featured in numerous publications including Huffpost, Forbes, Wall Street Journal, Bon Appetit, and Imbibe, as well as has spoken at various beverage industry events, including BevNET Live and Lo and No Beverage Summit. She was also honored by Seattle Business Magazine as one of its 2018 CEOs of the year.

Alaina Schwartz Will Take You To 7 Figure Success.

I was drawn to her profile on LinkedIn which read, Alaina Schwartz , JD - Elite Performance Coach. “Purpose Driven Multi 6-7 Figure Founders & CEOs: It’s Time To Play Bigger” etc. However she really got my attention with this line she wrote.  “Create Unf*ckwithable Confidence”.

Yeah baby ! Now that’s a gal I wanted to connect with. So I did and she’s my guest today here on The Debbie Nigro Show Interview Podcast Series.

Alaina Schwartz is the creator of the 6 into 7 Figures Method. She helps high performance individuals work 30 hours less a week, 3X their income, and make the epic impact they’re here to make all by tapping into their inner genius.

Alaina is no stranger to having it all, losing it all, and getting it back and more. She’s gone from being a lawyer & high salaried exec in the music industry, making mid 6 figures, to major personal life crisis involving her marriage, her health, her kid and finances. From a sizeable nest egg to almost $100G in debt.

Convinced she’d climb out she found teachers and coaches that taught her what got her forward. They showed her how to tap into her inner 'genius'. That’s how she mastered ‘The Invincible Playbook’ that she now uses to help others.

Caution: This is a high energy conversation that might cause you to risk something extraordinary. 

Risk It! or Regret it! That's what I always say. 

FULL SHOW EPISODE PODCAST / The Debbie Nigro Show

I Love When Someone Risks A New Idea! 

I met Jonathan Scott in Las Vegas right before the pandemic. A fellow broadcaster known for reporting on everything going on in Las Vegas for years, and a friend of awesome friends out there, we met socially. I told him he should be on my show and I'd be in touch when I got back home. Then the pandemic hit and everything changed. 

Jonathan got an idea right about then to help connect and educate kids virtually with what he could teach. Initially it was broadcasting related, because that's what he knows, but then Jonathan knows a lot of people in Vegas who do different things in entertainment and he got them involved too.

Now in it's 3rd year, the series Jonathan produces is called "On Air Education" - Where Entertainment Meets Education. It airs on Saturdays on the CW Network.

A very unique way to educate kids about careers that might intrigue them by getting the people who have succeeded to show up and share their stories about what they did to get there. Now that's an education!

Jonathan's most recent interview for kids interested in the culinary arts features non other than Guy Fieri of Diners Drive Ins and Dives.

Jonathan Scott finally made it on my show live from Las Vegas BTW Everything that happens there ... he knows about. LOL

Enjoy our chat.

School Expenses Add Up So Parents Should Maximize How They Get 'Rewarded' Back For Spending Money. 

Families should start having discussions about how to successfully manage their money now that kids are back in school, including ways to get rewarded for school expenses, earn cash back on gas from say taking your high schooler to and from after-school activities, or save on home renovations for first-time empty nesters.

That's the insider advice from Chris Curtin, Social Media & Rewards Executive at Bank of America. He has some 'tips’ on taking advantage of rewards when spending during the school year to discover ways to ensure the future is full of rewarding financial experiences. Like utilizing rewards for larger expenses like a home renovation or a fall break getaway.

Chris shares what to look for when youre searching for the right financial institution to consolidate your banking activity and earn rewards. 

Enjoy this easy=peasy 'learn and earn' podcast segment from our Live radio discussion on The Debbie Nigro Show .

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*Chris Curtin is the Social Media and Rewards Executive at Bank of America where he is responsible for enterprise social media strategy, Preferred Rewards and client loyalty strategies, and cross-segment execution. With more than 20 years of experience in marketing strategy, innovation, and operations, Chris has deep expertise across disciplines. He is a unique executive who has successfully led transformative initiatives on behalf of three category-leading companies: Visa, Hewlett-Packard and The Walt Disney Company.

Chris is also featured speaker and thought leader on marketing, digital transformation, and high-impact leadership, having guest lectured at Stanford, Duke, and Georgetown. He is part of the investor group behind NWSL team The Washington Spirit. He is a member of the Spotify Board of Advisors, Georgetown University’s Law Center Board of Advisors, and a board member of the Washington Institute.