In this episode, Darren Reinke chats with Mark Sperling, Co-Founder and CEO of Group Y. Mark discusses his passion for creating immersive guest experiences at major events, the importance of building and maintaining an authentic brand, the challenges COVID-19 imposed on the event industry, and how the switch to digital consumption of events may be here to stay.

Group Y is the original and leading collective of professionals focused on Youth Marketing, Lifestyle, and other progressive and expressive cultures. Their mission is to intersect influencers across industries and ignite ideas that inspire the current and next-generation leaders and decision-makers. Group Y has organized over 225 nationwide events including ComplexCon, Coachella, and Something in the Water Festival.

Show Notes:

• How Mark’s High School Experience Led Him to Pursue Event Marketing [1:05]
• Why Mark is Driven by Creating an “Aha” Moment at Each Event [1:45]
• How Sitting in the Back Row allows Mark to Create Immersive Experiences for Guests [2:17]
• Why Empathy is a Building Block in Forming Great Partnerships [3:30]
• How Lesson’s from Match Making are Used to Build Strong Partnerships [4:47]
• The Power of Authentic Brands [6:32]
• How Transparency Leads to Authenticity [9:16]
• How Companies Can Exude Greater Authenticity [10:22]
• Why Mark Believes Vans Shoes is One of the Most Authentic Brands [11:30]
• Mark’s Tips for Brands Hoping to Stay Both Relevant and Authentic [14:12]
• Identifying the Most Authentic B2B Companies [18:53]
• Practical Tips To Better Engage with B2B Customers [21:30]
• How Companies Can Better Engage with Younger Generations [23:49]
• The Biggest Mistakes Companies Make When Connecting With Younger Generations [26:20]
• Why Listening Internally is the Key to Deriving More Purposeful Organizations [29:03]
• How Events Provide Opportunities for Companies to Connect with Consumers [30:42]
•  Why Creating Memorable Experiences Allows Leaders to Better Leverage Events [36:42]

Links

*Group Y Website: https://groupynetwork.com/

*Authenticity.co Website: https://authenticity.co/

*Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/groupy/?hl=en

*Twitter: https://twitter.com/GroupY

*YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmM8MxfFRIHU2LDZbCLk8tg

*Mark’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marksperling/

*Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/group-y

In this episode, Darren Reinke chats with Nora Poggi, director of the award-winning documentary SHE STARTED IT. Nora talks about her journey from journalism to film making, how her films are designed to inspire and empower female entrepreneurs to take action, and how leaders and parents can create equal opportunity for women in business, film, and life.

Nora Poggi is a French journalist and the director/producer of the award-winning documentary SHE STARTED IT. She was also a reporter in Silicon Valley for Examiner.com & Usine Nouvelle. She is a TEDx speaker and has been featured in Women In The World, Forbes, Fast Company, Glamour, Huffington Post and other outlets.

Show Notes:

• How Nora Got Into Journalism and Film Making [1:04]
• How a Small Journalism Project Launched Nora into Filmmaking [3:20]
• Nora’s Challenges with Creating Her First Film [4:54]
• The Mentor Conversation That Changed Nora’s Career [6:20]
• How Nora Embraced the Steep Learning Curve of Filmmaking [8:45]
• How to Maintain Passion After the Initial Spark Fades [12:25]
• The Unpredictability of Creating a Compelling Documentary [14:15]
• Measuring the Impact of Nora’s Films [17:07]
• The Unique Challenges Facing Female Entrepreneurs [19:08]
• Nora’s Advice to Leaders Seeking Ways to Empower Women [21:34]
• Nora’s Advice to Parents on Supporting Girls Early On [22:55]
• Overcoming the Nagging Voice Inside Your Head [26:00]
• How to Tell A More Captivating, Persuasive Story [29:54]
• Nora’s Next Steps [32:33]

Links:

• Nora's Website 
• Nora on Twitter 
• She Started It Documentary Website 
• Nora’s Podcast 

In this episode, Darren Reinke chats with Emily Watkins, Regional Principal at Unispace. Emily discusses the future of workplaces, how companies are engaging employees in an in person/remote hybrid set-up, the impact of new workplaces on employees and leaders, and what leaders should be thinking about from a workplace perspective.

Unispace’s mission is to revolutionize the creation of the workplace. They are a global interior design firm who offer an agile, end-to-end experience rooted in industry-leading workplace insights and fit for today’s ever-evolving global brands.

Show Notes

• How Unispace is Revolutionizing the Office Space [1:00]
• How Companies are Reconfiguring Layouts to Promote Flexibility [5:44]
• What Companies are Doing to Better Engage their Employees in this Next Normal [7:48]
• Why Investing in Technology is Critical to Successful Implementation [13:12]
• Why Focusing on Change Management Increases Engagement [14:46]
• Maintaining Collaboration Within a Flexible Workspace [19:01]
• Why Flexible Work Spaces are no Longer Limited to Tech Companies [21:17]
• The Importance of Managing to Outcomes [22:34]
• Why it May Take 5-7 Years for Flexible Work to become the Next Normal [24:30]
• Risk Management Practices to Assess Your Company’s Real Estate Assets [26:45]
• Emily’s Journey into Commercial Real Estate [31:28]
•  Emily’s Career Advice for Those Interested in Commercial Real Estate [34:55]

Show Links

• Unispace Website

In this episode, Darren Reinke chats with Mariama Shaheed, Founder and CEO of Global Prep Academy. Mariama discusses misconceptions about charter schools, how Global Prep is using their values to attract top talent and align with their students, and why inclusivity is critical to achieving success as an organization, regardless of industry.

Global Prep Academy is a dual language charter school in Indianapolis, Indiana that connects students from diverse linguistic backgrounds and educates them together in a highly rigorous, engaging and nurturing environment. Their mission is to develop compassionate global leaders through a rigorous education program that focuses on hands-on, cultural and Spanish immersion learning opportunities.

Show Notes

• What Makes Charter Schools Unique [1:10]
• The Benefits of Charter Schools [2:07]
• Common Misconceptions about Charter Schools [4:01]
• The Inspiration for Starting Global Prep [5:25]
• Why Immersion is the Best Way to Learn a New Language [6:25]
• The Importance of Being Clear on Your Values [8:30]
• How Global Prep Finds Talent Aligned with Their Values [10:26]
• What You Can Do to Make Your Mission Come to Life [12:40]
• How Global Prep is Aligning Students With Their Values [14:30]
• The Unique Challenges Facing Global Prep [15:04]
• How to Prevent Burn Out [16:43]
• Global Prep's Next Steps [12:25]
• Embracing Students' Growth and Overcoming Their Challenges [21:01]
• How Global Prep Navigates the Different Needs of its Students [24:04]
• How Global Prep Uses Data to Promote Inclusivity [26:00]
• Advice for Leaders Trying to Create More Inclusive Organizations [27:32]
• The Future of Education [29:49]
• Where to Find More Information about Global Prep [32:55]

In this episode, Darren Reinke chats with Sean Li, co-founder of Clever FM and Alumni FM. Sean talks about disrupting the podcast ecosystem, overcoming imposter syndrome in the technology industry, the pursuit of lifelong learning, principles on building intentionality, and the lessons he learned leaving the security of investment banking for the uncertainty of entrepreneurship.

Clever FM is a podcast analytics company that’s helping redesign the podcast ecosystem through helping hosts share and monetize their content while providing analytical data on their listeners. Alumni FM is a podcast production company that connects alumni communities through meaningful stories while helping schools produce their own alumni podcasts.

Show Notes

• How Clever FM and Alumni FM are Changing the Podcast Space [1:05]
• Sean’s Journey into Tech [3:50]
• Overcoming Imposter Syndrome [7:39]
• The Power of Being a Generalist [10:40]
• Sean’s Advice on How to Better Connect the Dots [14:24]
• The Power of being Curious [17:12]
• How to Build Intentionality [18:42]
• How to Encourage Life Long Learning [19:57]
• Why You Can Learn Anything With Patience [24:56]
• The Value of Daily Journaling [29:02]
• The Importance of Authentic Leadership [30:55]
• Managing Risk and Uncertainty [34:50]

Show Links

Clever FM Website

Alumni FM Website

In this episode, Darren Reinke chats with Navid Alipour, co-founder and managing partner of Analytics Ventures. Navid talks about how AI is taking on breast cancer, his journey from a political science major to co-founding a venture capital company focused on artificial intelligence, how leaders should be thinking about AI, and how AI can drive humanity forward.

Analytics Ventures is a Venture Formation Fund focusing on artificial intelligence, deep learning, and the Internet of Things. Analytics Ventures creates and funds brand new companies in the fastest growing area of technology.

In this episode, Darren Reinke chats with Jacob Marash, the CEO of Stem Audio. Jacob talks about his decision to launch a startup within his existing organization, why he emphasized having employee input when building Stem’s culture and values, and the importance of revisiting your company’s values each year to ensure alignment. Stem Audio is a manufacturer of a suite of audio-conferencing solutions that create, manage and scale collaboration space audio.

Show Notes

• Launching STEM Audio in a Niche Market [1:01]
• Creating a Start Up within an Existing Organization [4:23] 
• The Importance of a Company Relaunch [6:04]
• How to Build Confidence in a New Vision [7:58]
• Revisiting your Vision [10:18]
• Why You Should Fake It Until You Make It [11:30]
• The Traits of a Successful CEO [15:20]
• The Importance of Practicing Humility [18:36]
• Discovering the Spark of Entrepreneurship [20:04]
• Why You Should Seek to Build a Product that Answers Customers’ Needs [23:11]
• Why Overnight Success’s Don’t Exist [26:22]
• Challenges of Scaling a Business [28:01]
• Persisting through Dark Moments [29:09]
• Why You Should Join a Peer Group [33:04]

Show Links

• Stem Audio Website

In this episode, Darren Reinke chats with Marty Gorsich, CEO of Century Club of San Diego, a non-profit that puts on the Farmers Insurance Open. Marty shares his insights about creating a world-class customer experience, what makes the Farmers Insurance Open special, creating a great culture, building a top-notch team, and lessons learned from working in the sports industry.

Show Notes

• How the Farmers Insurance Open Has Evolved Over Time [1:02]
• How The Event Has Attracted a Wider Audience [2:10]
• Source of New Ideas to Integrate into the Event [6:55]
• What Makes the Farmers Insurance Open Special [9:30]
• Tips to Create a Broader Appeal to Customers [12:00]
• How to Tailor How You Motivate Team Members [13:50]
• How to Develop Your Team [18:55]
• How Farmers Insurance Open Impacts the Community [23:40]
• Lessons from Sports about Leadership [31:47]
• Tips to Aspiring Leaders [36.07]

Show Links

Century Club San Diego Website

Farmers Insurance Open Website

In this episode, Darren Reinke chats with Michel Kripalani, the CEO of Oceanhouse Media and Extality. Michel talks about his experience starting 4 different companies, tackling self-limiting beliefs, what he learned from his 2020 RV trip, how to learn and stay sharp as an entrepreneur, the importance of asking “How might that work?” in place of “Will that work?”, and dreaming big to live big lives.

Oceanhouse Media designs and develops mobile apps including hits based on the Dr. Seuss series of books. Extality designs and develops applications for augmented reality and virtual reality.

In this episode, Darren Reinke chats with Chase Fisher, founder and CEO of Blenders Eyewear. Chase talks about starting his sunglasses company with only a $2,000 loan from his roommate, the importance of being a hustler, competing with the titans of the sunglasses industry, overcoming adversity, how he almost quit, and how surfing has influenced his leadership style.

• The Genesis of Blenders Eyewear [1:00]
• Taking on the Giants in the Sunglass Industry [1:47]
• How to Develop the Skills to Be a Successful CEO [2:35]
• What It Means to Be a Hustler [3:42]
• How to Instill the Hustler Mindset within the Team [4:50]
• How He Persevered During Tough Times [6:13]
• How He Translated His Natural Style into the Organization and Culture [7:43]
• How Bootstrapping Blenders Eyewear Impacted the Company’s Mindset [9:40]
• How to Let Go and Delegate [11:05]
• How Blenders Stays Innovative [12:40]
• How to Foster a Mindset of Getting Better [14:50]
• Chase’s Mentors and Advisors [15:48]
• The Influence of Chase’s Dad [17:30]
• How Surfing Has Influenced Chase and Blenders [18:45]
• What Does the Future Hold for Blenders [21:40]
• Advice to Other Leaders and Entrepreneurs [22:45]

• Blenders Eyewear Website
• Blenders on Instagram