If you've ever been to a professional development training or workshop, chances are you know what the bad ones look and feel like. Hours without a break. Death by PowerPoint. A presenter reading their slides. We've all been there. But here's the thing: chances are, at some point in your career, you will have to be the presenter. So then the next question becomes, how do you keep from being one of the bad ones?

In this episode, Mark and Amanda are going to give you tips for creating a thriving presentation! We consistently find ways to turn even the most resistant attendees into engaged participants – and we want to share our strategies with you. During this conversation, we dive into:

• Why most professional development programs have a terrible reputation
• What we can learn from child education and youth leadership training
• Strategies for keeping participates engaged and interacting
• Our favorite alternative to PowerPoint slides

And more!

Presentations don't have to be boring. Give a few of these ideas a try and see how yours can thrive!

Episode Resources:

• Strategies for Great Teaching by Mark Reardon and Seth Derner
• Quantum Teaching by Bobbi DePorter, Mark Reardon and Sarah Singer-Nourie
• The Magic Formula
• Presenters to watch: Tony Robbins, Brendon Burchard, Tom Bilyeu
• Mark Jewell Speaking & Training on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram
• Mark Jewell on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Snapchat (user: markjamesjewell)
• Amanda Sollman on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Snapchat (user: sollmana)

What would you do if tragedy struck your life, impacting those you love most...and it was your fault? How would you move forward? How would you handle the guilt?

This week's guest has had that exact experience.

Michael Griswold lost his wife and unborn child in a car accident when he fell asleep at the wheel. In one moment, his life changed. In the aftermath, he had to make a decision about who he was and how he would move forward.

In his conversation with Mark, Michael shares:

• His real life love story that brought he and his wife Libby together
• How he dealt with an overwhelming sense of guilt in the immediate aftermath of the car accident
• What it was like to deal with the weight of judgement – both from himself and others 
• The discovery about himself and his outlook on life that would allow him to keep living and help others at the same time

While we may not all face such tragic situations, we will all face adversity at some point in life. And in those situations, we have a choice – to suffer and survive or to persevere and thrive.

Episode Resources:

• Michael Griswold on Facebook, YouTube and YourTango
• Mark Jewell Speaking & Training on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram
• Mark Jewell on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Snapchat (user: markjamesjewell)
• Amanda Sollman on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Snapchat (user: sollmana)

What happens when the problem is...you? In this episode, Amanda talks with Jon Anderson, the newest coach at Mark Jewell Speaking & Training, about the book Leadership & Self-Deception. Amanda and Jon dive into:

• The meaning of self-deception and self-justification – and the role they play in keeping us from becoming effective leaders
• What happens when we end up "in the box" and how to fix it
• The nature of blame and how it can spread

And more!

Episode Resources:

• Leadership & Self-Deception by The Arbinger Institute
• Video summary of Leadership & Self-Deception by Callibrain
• Jon Anderson on Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat (user: jdanderson4274)
• Mark Jewell Speaking & Training on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram
• Mark Jewell on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Snapchat (user: markjamesjewell)
• Amanda Sollman on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Snapchat (user: sollmana)

"You can't pour from an empty cup." This is a phrase many of us have heard before, but what does it really mean? In this episode, Amanda sits down for a conversation with Christina Gallant, a personal trainer and one of the newest coaches on our team, to talk all about the importance of taking care of yourself.

Amanda and Christina chat about:

• Why the lack of time or ability should never be an excuse for not "filling your cup"
• The importance of having your family involved in your goals
• What it does (or doesn't) mean to be "healthy"
• Self-care approaches beyond fitness and nutrition

And more!

Episode Resources:

• Christina Gallant on Facebook and Instagram
• The National FFA Organization
• Mark Jewell Speaking & Training on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram
• Mark Jewell on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Snapchat (user: markjamesjewell)
• Amanda Sollman on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Snapchat (user: sollmana)

What triggers you? For many of us, we're triggered when we experience one (or more) of four things: Hunger, Anger, Loneliness, or [we're] Tired – HALT. In this episode, Mark is sharing this concept (which he learned off a YouTube video recently – yay for free learning resources!) and layering in ideas for how you can HALT and avoid these triggers before they get the better of you.

Mark will dive into:

• What happens to the brain when you're "hangry" and tips for keeping energizing food handy
• Why anger is an emotion you must experience – but also manage
• The myth of being on an island
• Why a nap ISN'T always the best cure when you're tired

And more!

Episode Resources:

• Mark Jewell Speaking & Training on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram
• Mark Jewell on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Snapchat (user: markjamesjewell)
• Amanda Sollman on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Snapchat (user: sollmana)

Many of you have heard of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs – food, shelter, water, etc. – but have you heard of the 6 Basic Human Needs for personal satisfaction and fulfillment? In today's episode, Mark is diving into this concept, championed by personal development expert Tony Robbins and fundamental to all of our training programs, and sharing how you can apply the ideas of the 6 Basic Human Needs to your professional and personal experiences.

Mark will dive into:

• Each of the 6 areas that must be satisfied if you and your employees are going to be able to feel fulfilled by their work
• Why people must feel both a sense of safety AND a sense of challenge to be truly engaged in their work
• Common mistakes organizations make that lead to disengagement – and ideas for addressing them

And more!

Episode Resources:

• Check out our six-part series on the Basic Human Needs over on our blog – you can find the first one here!
• Mark Jewell Speaking & Training on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram
• Mark Jewell on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Snapchat (user: markjamesjewell)
• Amanda Sollman on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Snapchat (user: sollmana)

We work with sales professionals from across the agribusiness space and their goal is often the same – how do I grow my business and build stronger relationships in this tough ag market? If that's you, today's episode will be right up your alley.

Mark talked with with Nathan Walker, a self-made millionaire, entrepreneur, direct sales expert and business owner, about his approach to sales – both philosophically and practically. They discuss:

• What it means to create real value for customers so that price becomes less of a determining factor
• How to overcome customer objections with purpose
• The value of constantly coaching your team through their growth journey
• Why mindset is core to the success of any salesperson

With more than 15 years of direct sales experience and business building, Nathan has changed the lives of many with his ability to 'Level Up' your life – regardless the industry! He is professionally affiliated with Brad Lea, Grant Cardone, Henry Kaminski, Akbar Sheikh, and Arne Giske, and currently trains and educates sales teams within his businesses on a regular basis via calls, webinars, zoom, and live events.

Episode Resources:

• Dark Side of the Light Chasers by Debbie Brown
• Check out Nathan on Facebook, Instagram and on his website
• Listen to Nathan's podcast, Level Up with Nathan Walker, on Apple Podcasts
• Mark Jewell Speaking & Training on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram
• Mark Jewell on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Snapchat (user: markjamesjewell)
• Amanda Sollman on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Snapchat (user: sollmana)

Do you know what "blockchain technology" is? Heard of bitcoin? Understand the difference between "virtual" and "augmented" reality? Whether these terms are familiar or completely foreign, you've come to the right place! Because in this episode, we're exploring cutting edge ideas and diving in to what they might mean for agribusiness.

In this episode, Mark talks with Seth Weinstein, a young, innovative thinker with a passion for creating digital solutions that demand success. A natural born tech geek, Seth uses his extensive skills to build, design and maintain apps. They talk about:

• How blockchain technology is changing the way information is transmitted and used around the globe
• What virtual and augmented reality technology is and how it's being applied to business
• How technology could be used to improve selling skills and save time logging notes in your CRM
• The journey of entrepreneurship and why hitting "rock bottom" is key to epic growth
• What Seth sees on the horizon for technological advancement

Growing up with a professional stand-up comedian father and a teacher mother, Seth’s thirst for joy and knowledge allow him to offer signature services to business owners. His rare abilities enable his clients to discover the best version of their company through strategy, design, and development. He revitalizes presence and positioning in any field and industry through the implementation of an unwavering brand strategy and superior online presence. An adventurer at heart, Seth will unearth and leverage your opportunities into profitability.

Episode Resources:

• Check out Seth on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube
• Mark Jewell Speaking & Training on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram
• Mark Jewell on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Snapchat (user: markjamesjewell)
• Amanda Sollman on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Snapchat (user: sollmana)

It can be hard to be a woman in business. While it's not uncommon for men to struggle with balancing home, family, work, and taking care of yourself, most would agree that women tend to experience that internal struggle at a much stronger level. So how do women handle it? How do we honor our professional ambition, while still supporting our families? How do we reach our desired levels of success in what have historically been male-dominated fields? And how can the men in our lives best support us?

In this episode, Amanda is joined by Sonya Stattmann, a coach and speaker on a mission to help women in business succeed using their natural gifts. We talk about:

• How Sonya went from a point where life was seemingly falling apart to a place where she has a thriving business and a wonderful family
• Why taking a traditionally masculine approach to business isn't always the right path for women
• The importance of overcoming competition and jealousy between women in the professional world
• How to approach the "juggle" between career aspirations and supporting your family
• Why we think Brene Brown's "recovering perfectionist, aspiring good enough-ist" idea is such a great concept
• Advice for men who want to support the women in their lives – whether that's colleagues, your spouse, your children or others

Episode Resources:

• Learn more about Brene Brown and her many (great!) books
• Circle of Stones: Woman's Journey to Herself by Judith Duerk
• The Liberation Lab podcast
• SonyaStattmann.com
• Mark Jewell Speaking & Training on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram
• Mark Jewell on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Snapchat (user: markjamesjewell)
• Amanda Sollman on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Snapchat (user: sollmana)

What's your favorite movie or novel? Chances are, it's got a "zero to hero" theme. From Harry Potter to Star Wars to Rocky, we love a tale of the little guy overcoming the odds to accomplish great things. And the coolest part? We can do the same thing in our own lives!

In this episode, you get to take a peak inside one of our recent coaching calls where Mark walked participants through "the hero's journey" – a framework for rethinking struggle, challenges and growth. He talks about:

• Why challenges are necessary to meaningful growth
• How the hero's journey and The Survivor's Guide to Thriving approach work seamlessly together
• Extraordinary circumstances he and his dad got to overcome in order to experience more
• Why you should consider challenging your team, children, friends and yourself – in order to ascend more rapidly

Episode Resources:

• What Makes a Hero? – An Overview of The Hero's Journey from TEDEd
• Mark Jewell Speaking & Training on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram
• Mark Jewell on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Snapchat (user: markjamesjewell)
• Amanda Sollman on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Snapchat (user: sollmana)