The Jon Schultz Podcast: The Myth of Overnight Success

Few have the opportunity to "live" a story, but artist, writer, and producer Patti Grabel is doing just that. Producers liked her script about a middle-aged woman who moved to New York after divorce and rediscovered her passion for art but felt it lacked conviction. In her light bulb moment, Patti realized she'd drafted the story she was afraid to live. Once she embraced the script as her playbook, Patti found her authentic identity as the Spoon Lady. She continues to positively transform lives by pursuing her passions. A magical childhood nurtured Patti's creative spirit. As the daughter of summer camp owners, she had an art hut with endless supplies constantly available. The creatives around her constantly brainstormed ways outdo the prior year’s fun. She remembers wearing costumes, color wars, and creating snow in summer. Her grandmother was equally an important influence in her life. Patti learned the value of nurturing personal connections through helping her collect and bake challah bread pudding each weekend. From her grandmother she learned how a spoon is an extension of the soul. When Patti decided to opt back into the workforce, the drive to connect with others drove her towards creative writing. Her script writing teacher at NYU recognized her innate talent, but felt her work needed conviction and encouraged her to find it. Over time, Patti wrote 30-40 unscripted programs inspired by life experiences. One was picked up as a pilot. Each pitch increased her confidence and knowledge that she could do this. Patti spent four years collaborating on a screenplay about a woman moving to New York and finding her freedom after marriage. When it didn't get picked up, Patti adapted it into a film. An agent liked the story but again brought up how it needed conviction and believability. Well, Patti believed in her character. The epiphany struck that this script was her story. It was time to stop writing it and start living it. Patti began like her main character, picking up spoons and creating art. A gallery owner saw the conviction in her work and believed in Patti’s story. Since her first one-night show, New York and London galleries have featured her work. Bloomingdale's has collaborated with her three times. Patti has used sales of her work to support numerous charities. Patti's book In Love With Spoons releases in 2023 with proceeds to benefit Feeding America.

Few would consider Rick Rieder, Managing Director at BlackRock, “motivationally challenged,” but the sport-loving kid didn’t find direction until his college placed him on academic probation. He decided to stop floating through life. Committing to his studies and finding a path started the ball rolling towards a career that would see Rick become manager of $2.4 trillion in assets. Tune in as Rick discusses growing his career, how listening to others paid off, and his approach to investing. Part of Rick’s epiphany realized his skills with numbers would be an asset for a business career. At Emory University’s business school, he found finance motivated him. He dove into the career path, starting as a bank analyst and continuing his studies at the Wharton School of Business. Rick excelled at financial strategy, but a program instructor suggested Rick’s love of sports and personal dynamism lent itself to a career in trading. That suggestion changed Rick’s life as he dove into trading. He credits his success to having excellent mentors who shaped his philosophy and helped dig him out of early mistakes. Rick shares stories from influential moments in his career that taught him the importance of consistency. He shares his view on what traits make a successful trader and advisor. We also touch on Rick’s passion for changing lives through access to quality education. Listen for a deep dive into the financial industry. Like Rick, you can make decisions that move you towards a career and life that motivates you.

Entrepreneurs are like farmers, but instead of growing food, they grow ideas into businesses. Wonder CEO Marc Lore loves watching things grow and has a knack for it. He founded Jet.com, which sold to Walmart for $3 billion, and Quidsi.com, which sold to Amazon for $550 million. Learn more about the person behind these successes in today's episode. Marc Lore's grandmother pitched he should be a doctor or a lawyer, but Marc insisted he wanted to be a farmer. The working-class kid wasn't the best academic student, but his struggles to make acceptable grades gave him something better: resilience. Marc developed what he calls a small memory card, where he keeps the learning and deletes the failure, enabling him to move forward. Besides farming, seventh-grade Marc developed an interest in stocks, going so far as to journal about stock options. That's why he initially went into banking, but he was disappointed when his first job placed him in the back office faxing trade confirmations. Marc kept moving forward, transitioning into a career in the emerging Financial Risk Management field. He had his first entrepreneurial experience when he founded the industry's professional board and certification exam. Mark's next entrepreneurial ventures were all risks, but he always leaned into whatever it took to nurture the business and provide value. We discuss being motivated by money versus being motivated by the mission. For example, you'd expect to feel joy at the life-changing $550 million sale of Quidsi, the parent company of Diapers.com, but Marc describes a profound loss. Hear why selling Jet.com was different and the importance of the motivation-driven entrepreneurship. With his latest venture, Wonder.com, Marc grows another mission-motivated business. Discover how Wonder.com is addressing the challenges the food industry presents while striving to provide value for others.

Several years ago, you’d find Peter Phillips driving excavators around a construction site. Today he’s one of the masterminds behind the fast-growing Chip City Cookies, a cookie bakery with14 stores and counting. Tune in to learn how this co-founder went from real estate developer to bakery entrepreneur, landing a $10 million investment from Enlightened Hospitality. Peter Phillips jumped right out of high school and into real estate. Some people turn to art for creativity, but Peter found building a project from the ground up his type of creative process. He dove all in, starting as a broker. Peter learned the project management ropes by helping with his father’s real estate development business. He wasn’t afraid to lean in and get dirty, so he became a subcontractor and learned to drive heavy equipment. Throughout his career, he kept in touch with his high school buddy, Teddy Gailas, who worked in the food and hospitality industry. They occasionally talked about opening a side hustle together. A brainstorming session inside a small store recently available in Astoria, Queens, hit on the idea for a cookie business. Focusing on nostalgic flavors and quality ingredients, the first store quickly had lines around the block and gained early press attention. Like many food industry businesses, the pandemic tested their business model and strategy, but Chip City Cookies endured. Their survival proved their model worked and inspired the duo to see how far Chip City could grow. In our chat, Peter talks about how doubling down on quality and adhering to their culture have sustained and grown their business. Even as other investors showed interest, not compromising their core values paid off as they found the right investor in Shake Shack entrepreneur Danny Meyer’s Enlightened Hospitality brand.

While growing up in New Jersey, Keith Banks knew he wanted to do something big. He just wasn't sure what that would be. Four decades later, Banks is the Vice-Chair & Chief Investment Officer, Pension and Benefits Plan for Bank of America. In today's episode, he reflects on how his working-class roots laid the foundation for success, lessons learned, and the various milestones achieved along the way. Keith Banks knew as a first-generation college student that hard work was the answer to achieving something big. Between summers working construction and sanitation jobs, he put his nose to the grindstone studying and networking. Banks feels not having connections benefited him because he was willing to take risks and make those cold calls. All his work building relationships and networking paid off as he achieved various milestones. Along the way to attending an Ivy League graduate school and making his first $100k, he leaned into his goals. This helped Banks avoid the "keeping up with the Joneses" mentality, along with an investment in relationships in people, not titles and fancy office space. Every role he took on he found fulfilling and focused on its purpose. Banks believes in leaving behind things better than when he received them. Listen, and gain from Banks' advice for growing a sustainable career that leaves you feeling fulfilled.

Willy Walker, CEO, Walker & Dunlop, had no zero intention of joining the company his grandfather started in 1937. His journey to piloting the family legacy began in Latin America, where Willy worked in corporate finance, started an airline, and other industries. What remained constant was his passion for entrepreneurship and building successful teams. In this episode, Willy shares the insights gained from working around the globe and transforming his family’s successful business into a publicly traded company now servicing $120 billion in loans. Growing up in Washington, DC, Willy thought he’d end up in politics, even though his father and grandfather ran a successful investment banking company. Instead, the college graduate accepted an invitation from the US Ambassador to Paraguay to work abroad. What was supposed to be six months turned into 13 years across Latin America and later Europe. Latin America presented a chance to do things he couldn’t have in the US, such as starting an airline. Being the minority in the room was a humbling experience that imparted valuable lessons about team culture and entrepreneurship. Along the way, Willy’s passion for working with people and leading them to success transcended cultures. A confluence of events combined with his years of entrepreneurship abroad helped Willy see enormous potential in Walker & Dunlop. He returned home ready to invest his efforts into building the family company. The beginning was baby steps, but the business took off as the brand built momentum and reinforced its culture. Under Walker’s leadership, the small regional family company servicing $2.8 billion in loans transformed into a publicly traded business serving $120 billion. Tune in to hear Walker’s insights on why leadership is a privilege. We discuss why building a cohesive group of people is important to long-term success and the three steps that helped propel Walker & Dunlop forward.

Julia Boorstin Samuelson doesn't believe in happenstance. She knows firsthand how accepting one opportunity can open the door to the next. Being open to new ideas and saying yes is how her career evolved from Fortune Magazine writer to on-air CNBC Senior Correspondent for Media and Technology. As a girl, Julia imagined herself growing up to be a professional ballerina. Her performance experience prepared her to be cool and calm years later when CNN invited the recent college graduate to speak on-camera about an article she wrote for Fortune. Her poise impressed the producers, who asked her back again and again. Over time, she developed a regular segment. Six years later, it turned into a full-time job offer. Julia continued leaning into her instincts to explore opportunities and shed light on important stories. Her early coverage of Facebook and witnessing its disruptive power inspired her to pitch the Disruptor 50 list. She leaned into exploring the diversity and gender gap, leading to a franchise called Close the Gap. A conversation with an innovative female CEO led to a lightbulb moment, galvanizing her to bring together her interests to write her book, When Women Lead. Tune in to learn how all her projects were opportunities that arose after years of leaning in, listening, and seizing the moment.

As a kid, keyboardist David Bryan wanted to be either a rock star or a doctor. He was a pre-med student with a 4.0 GPA when his friend and high school bandmate Jon called with good news. Atlantic Records wanted to sign Bon Jovi. David figured, why not give it a try? Forty years later, the founding member has achieved the rock star dream, having toured the world, sold hundreds of records, and been inducted into the Rock’n’Roll Hall of Fame. David started at the piano at seven years old. The young David practiced hours every day and took lessons from a Juilliard professor. His passion and talent for music were clear, but the road to rock stardom wasn’t easy. Bon Jovi’s first album, released in 1984, sold only half-a-million records, and the second sold only 800,000. To get their name out there, the band toured relentlessly. David estimates he spent a total of six months at home over six years. On the band’s last chance, Bon Jovi leaned into its roots as a live rock band. The resulting third album catapulted the rock group to stardom. Now with the band’s 40th anniversary next year, David reflects on how not being afraid to fail allowed him to take the chance to make a career out of his passion. In addition to Bon Jovi, David was a songwriter for the Tony-award-winning Broadway musical Memphis. He and collaborator Joe DiPietro’s second project, Diana, a musical inspired by Princess Diana, is streaming on Netflix. David discusses the process behind writing and releasing a Broadway show and the challenges of being in the entertainment industry during a pandemic.

Bob Garrett, CEO of Hackensack Meridian Health in New Jersey, oversees a comprehensive network with 17 hospitals and 36,000 team members. His 30-plus-year career includes significant challenges, such as a merger of equals with Hackensack and Meridian, the Affordable Care Act, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Today ranked as the top CEO transforming healthcare in America by CEO Forum Group, Bob shares how he found his way to healthcare administration. As a kid growing up in New York, Bob describes himself as a slow starter. He wasn’t sure what he wanted to do with his life, but an internship with a family friend changed his trajectory. The three months spent at Mercy Hospital opened his eyes to how hospitals operate and how they positively impact lives. Bob saw through a career in healthcare administration that he could make a difference. In the years since Bob has never lost sight of the mission: to transform healthcare and be a positive leader of change. He started running the emergency department at Hackensack Hospital in New Jersey. By 2009, Bob was CEO and faced monumental change when the Affordable Care Act passed. Through each pivot and challenge, he has always focused on increasing the quality of care for New Jersey residents. Listen firsthand as Bob details how Hackensack Meridian has grown, the response to the pandemic, and how he stays balanced through it all.

Dan Rowe, CEO, Fransmart, has helped restaurant brands you know and love transform from Mom-and-Pop diners to national franchises. Dan shares how he evolved, reframed what success meant, and found his true purpose in helping others achieve wealth. Today, Dan embraces his achievements, but in the beginning, he struggled with imposter syndrome. How could a college dropout and dishwasher like himself possibly be making $500k in his 20s? Dan started working in technology but hated computing and software. He moved into medical management and hated it even more. So he went back to being a cook and a dishwasher because he loved being a part of the restaurant industry and feeding people. He learned from these early careers how to start and run a business. Dan welcomed the chance when a friend pitched the idea to buy and grow a local bagel business. The first franchise led to the second venture, Qdoba. Now three decades in, Dan has found his calling in helping elevate restaurant brands through franchising. During the show, he discusses lessons learned, like realizing he was using vanity metrics to measure results and the importance of authenticity in branding. He shares his epiphany about finding his true calling and purpose and how leaning into helping others magnifies success.