Thoughts That Rock

In this episode, we have an internal team discussion about Booky Call...our book discovery platform disguised as a dating app. Whether you are an author, publisher or a voracious reader, you will love hearing about all the nuances of the app and the behind-the-scenes magic that goes into building a brand around a singular concept.

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 In this episode, we talk with Dave Delaney, a keynote speaker, author, podcaster, and the creator of the NICE Method, which is used to help leaders of fast-growing technology companies retain talent and improve company communication and culture.

THOUGHT #1 - Treat People the Way YOU Want to be Treated

THOUGHT #2 - Treat Those Who are Good with Goodness, and Also Treat Those Who are NOT Good with Goodness. Thus, Goodness is Attained - Lao Tzu

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DAVE DELANEY'S BIO:

Dave Delaney is obsessed with how we can all be nicer in how we communicate both online and in person. He is the founder of Futureforth.com and creator of the 𝙉𝙄𝘾𝙀 𝙈𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙙, which is used to help leaders of fast-growing technology companies retain talent, improve communication and culture. 

Delaney is the author of the acclaimed book, New Business Networking. He is a keynote speaker of his Nice Method series of presentations that cover topics like corporate communication, leadership, and professional networking. His acclaimed presentations are educational, humorous, and engaging for in-person and virtual events of all sizes. 

Dave is trusted by companies, conferences, and organizations like Google, LinkedIn, UPS, FedEx, American Marketing Association, SXSW Interactive, MPI, SHRM, HFMA, IABC, Hubspot, HealthStream, HCA, and many more. 

He has appeared in books such as “Content Rules”, “Branding Yourself”, and “The Successful Speaker”. Dave has also appeared in articles and stories in USA Today, Forbes, Billboard Magazine, Inc., and Entrepreneur Magazine. 

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In this light episode, we highlight several of our "Bad Karaoke" Introductions used to start each show. So, although no real leadership advice this week, the 30-minute compilation is worth a belly laugh or two. You're welcome!

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In this episode, we talk with Felicia White, who was recently the Vice President of Global Operations Training & Development for Church’s Chicken and is now contributing her passionate approach to service and customer experience by providing tools and resources as a restaurant- industry consultant.

THOUGHT #1 - At the End of the Day, People Don't Care; Be Authentic - Dr. Kym Harris-Lee 

THOUGHT #2 - Don’t Be Confused Between What People Say You Are and Who You Know You Are - Oprah Winfrey

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FELICIA WHITE'S BIO: 

Felicia White spent thirteen years as the Vice President of Global Operations Training and Development for Church's Chicken®. In her role, Felicia was responsible for managing global training for the Church's Chicken®, Texas Chicken®, and Church's Texas Chicken® brands. In addition to managing training, Felicia was a valuable member of the leadership committee for the Church's Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Council. Felicia's extended contributions provided an essential role as the Co-Founder and Chair of the employee resource group Church's Women's Forum, and lead Church's LGBTQ+ employee resource groups. 

Felicia is redefining executive presence by influencing others to be themselves and their best selves. Along with her work at Church's® and serving as a volunteer and board member with CHART (Council of Hotel and Restaurant Trainers), Felicia is a volunteer member with the Women's Foodservice Forum. In addition, she is a sought-after subject matter expert in the area of Front-Line Leadership Development and delivers consulting to various organizations in building leadership development and mentorship programs.

Felicia holds an Associate's degree in Culinary Arts, a Bachelor's degree in Hospitality Administration, and a Master's Degree in Business Administration. Additionally, Felicia was recognized as one of the most influential restaurant executives in the country in The Power List: Reader Picks (2020) by Nation's Restaurant News and selected as the winner in the Innovator category in the 2020 Top Women in Restaurant Technology at the Multi-Unit Restaurant Technology Conference.

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Our guest today is Matt Certo, who is the CEO & Principal of Findsome & Winmore, an Orlando-based digital marketing agency, and host of the Brand Narrative podcast. 

THOUGHT #1 - You've Got a Gift, but it's Not Enough; You've Got to Develop Yourself. Rely Too Much on Your Own Gift and You'll Fail. - The Natural 

THOUGHT #2 - There May be People Who Have More Talent than You, but There's No Excuse for Anyone to Work Harder than You Do. - Derek Jeter

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MATT CERTO'S BIO:

Matt Certo serves as CEO & Principal of Findsome & Winmore, an Orlando, Florida-based digital marketing agency, and the Brand Narrative podcast host. Originally called WebSolvers, the company’s first client was his alma mater, Rollins College. Matt built the college’s first website out of his dorm room in 1995 at 19.

Since then, Matt has grown the company into a fully integrated digital marketing agency with experienced professionals, a diverse client base, and an ever-increasing suite of services. Apart from the growth of the company, Certo’s work in the industry has been extensive: he co-authored a book in 2001 (Digital Dimensioning: Finding the Ebusiness in your Business). He is also the author of Formulaic: How Thriving Companies Market From the Core and Found: Connecting with Customers in the Digital Age. Matt was asked by The White House to speak at a domestic economic forum with President George W. Bush in 2002 and spoke at The White House in 2016 concerning President Barack Obama’s Computer Science for All initiative.

An active community participant, Matt has served as Board Chairman of a number of non-profit organizations, including Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Florida, Nemours Florida Board of Managers, Elevate Orlando, and The First Tee of Central Florida, an organization which he founded. He has also served for over a decade on the Board of the Edyth Bush Charitable Foundation as well as Chairman of its endowment committee. He has been recognized by the Orlando Business Journal as one of its Most Influential Men to Watch and its 40 Under 40 list three times.

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In this episode, we talk with Robyn Benincasa, who is a Top Leadership and Teamwork Motivational Speaker, Full-time Firefighter, Adventure Racing World Champion, CNN Hero, and Bestselling Author.

THOUGHT #1 - You’re Never Defined by Your Setback, You’re Defined by Your Comeback.

THOUGHT #2 - In Three Words, I Can Sum Up Everything I’ve Learned about Life: It Goes On. – Robert Frost

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ROBYN BENINCASA'S BIO:

Robyn Benincasa is a top motivational keynote speaker on leadership, Adventure Racing World Champion, CNN Hero, founder of Project Athena, and bestselling author. Robyn won two World Adventure Races and holds three Guinness World Records for long-distance kayaking. Her book on teamwork and leadership, How Winning Works, is a New York Times bestseller. Her entertaining keynotes show audiences the foundations of inspired leadership and how to win as a team.

Robyn Benincasa is the founder of World Class Teams, an adventure racing world champion, a CNN Hero, former corporate sales expert and a full-time firefighter who advises organizations on building World Class Teams of their own. 

One of the highest-rated, female motivational speakers who regularly shares the stage with world leaders and business icons, her customers include many Fortune companies like Starbucks, Deloitte, Aflac, Fast Company, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, ARAMARK, Siemens, 3M, Coldwell Banker, Ameriprise, Microsoft, AT&T. 

With a background in marketing, she was previously in corporate sales with Baxter and Allergan and is currently a full-time firefighter who was on America’s first all female fire crew. Eco-Challenge World Champion, CNN Hero, Founder of the Project Athena Foundation (Survivors to Athletes!), 3x Guinness World Record Distance Paddler and proud owner of 2 metal ‘bionic hips’, Robyn definitely knows a thing or two about creating Human Synergy.

Her New York Times bestselling book, How Winning Works, published by Harlequin has been reviewed as “an excellent resource for all business owners on approaching challenges with a team mentality.”

Most recently, Robyn was named one of the Top 10 Speakers Featured by the Harvard Business Review and one of the Top 10 New York Times Bestselling Authors Who Can Better Your Company and Your Life in 2018. She has also been named a Top 5 Business Speaker for five years by Speaking.com and one of the 10 Highest Rated Inspirational Speakers for Business by Derek Sweeney. 

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In this episode, we talk with Minter Dial, who is an international professional speaker, elevator, entrepreneur and a multiple award-winning author, specializing in leadership, branding and transformation. Previously, he was a top executive at L’Oréal and Redken. He is truly one of the most interesting people we know.

THOUGHT #1

"You'll Grow from this Experience"

THOUGHT #2

"If You are not Willing to Learn, No One Can Help You. If You are Determined to Learn, No One Can Stop You.”

- Zig Ziglar

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MINTER DIAL'S BIO:

Minter Dial is an international professional speaker, elevator and a multiple award-winning author. 

An agent of change who has exercised twelve different métiers and moved country fifteen times, he spent 16 years as a top executive at L'Oréal, having been MD of Redken Worldwide, MD of L'Oreal Canada's professional subsidiary and then a member of the worldwide Professional Division's Executive Committee. 

He’s author of the WWII story, The Last Ring Home, as well as three business books: Futureproof, Heartificial Empathy and You Lead (2021). 

He writes Dialogos (on Substack) with the intention to foster more meaningful conversation at home, in society in general and at work. 

HIs main site is MinterDial.com and his social handle is @mdial. 

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In this episode, we talk with Shelley Brown, who is a professional speaker, author, consultant and a big practitioner of mindfulness practices.

THOUGHT #1 - Enroll in a MBSR (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction) Program

THOUGHT #2 - There is Something Wonderfully Bold and Liberating about Saying YES to Our Entire Imperfect and Messy Life. - Tara Brach

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SHELLEY BROWN'S BIO:

Shelley Brown was working in a cocktail bar soon after graduating college when she met the people who would change her life. They worked in hospitality at the Westin Hotel in Chicago, and they thought she’d be a good addition to their team. They were right.

She interviewed for and landed the job of concierge, or as she refers to it, “professional friend.” To Shelley, this was the perfect job for her considering her mantra was, “Who can I make friends with today?” Her job was to provide resources, build relationships, and make people happy enough to return to the hotel.

But Shelley was young and didn’t want to work every weekend, so she left her concierge job and eventually became a successful tech salesperson. Though she was very good at her job—she was among the top sales reps for three years—that wasn’t enough for the leaders. Her success in her job was measured by data, and soon KPIs became more important than Shelley’s ability to make friends. As her job became more and more transactional, her stress increased. She was devastated that her own personal magic was no longer valued.

When she set her sights on enterprise sales for Fortune 500 companies, the leaders said she was too wild, too artsy, too out-of-the-box, and too weird. Even though she could “sell like a badass,” she didn’t fit the role of what her team looked like, sounded like, or worked like.

Then a collapsed vertebrae forced Shelley, an ultra-marathon runner and group fitness instructor, to rethink who she was and why she did what she did. Her job wasn’t letting her be herself, that fired-up, compassionate, extroverted, cheerleader who never stopped being a “professional friend.” 

She became a certified mindfulness teacher who “kum-by-rocks,” teaching self-awareness practices and processes so that leaders and workers, teachers and students, can all get back to “human-ing.” Though she first believed that mindfulness is only for tea-drinking yogis, now she teaches how it’s fitness for your brain and an essential practice for how we show up.

She believes the key to success is to balance metrics with mindfulness and performance with a sense of belonging, because when we get to be ourselves, we can bring our best to work, to school, and to the world. 

Shelley works with corporations and schools to teach actionable mindfulness processes that encourage people to embrace their W.E.I.R.D. and unite via individuality., Shelley is also the author of “Weird Girl Adventures from A to Z” (AlyBlue Media, 2021).

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In this episode, we talk with Trevor Hudson, who is a Coach (both in life and sports), a military veteran of 20 years (just retired from the Air Force), a professional speaker and a podcaster.

THOUGHT #1 - Failure is Not the Stopping Point; it’s the Starting Point. 

THOUGHT #2 - If You are Afraid of Failure, You Don’t Deserve to be Successful. - Charles Barkley

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TREVOR HUDSON'S BIO:

A Coach & Military veteran for 20 years, Trevor Hudson facilitates various interactive topics, including sessions around Change Leadership within organizational culture, world-class, differentiated service, building resilient teams, team development, employee branding, performance, and expectation management.

Trevor started his career in customer service at Blockbuster Video, make movie night recommendations. While enforcing the ", please be kind and rewind policy." He eventually made his premiere in the professional world in 2001 when he joined the USAF. From day one, Trevor's natural leadership abilities have to keep him in a position to lead people, making the transition to teaching and building teams as a coach seamless.

Trevor's role in the Air Force and on the sidelines as a coach involved many facets of organizational leadership and development, including creating/managing teams and rejuvenating underperforming programs. Trevor also excels at facilitating and overseeing management training locations, producing training videos, directing company e-Learning initiatives, facilitating leadership transitions motivating teams, and traveling to properties to deliver on-site classes & measure standards.

Trevor has put his experience and creativity to work, which has consistently developed training seminars. During his time in the Air Force, his teams have won multiple Awards ("Outstanding Unit" in 2008, 2011, and 2012, "Clinic of the Year" in 2018, "Team of the year" in 2010), garnered "Non-Commissioned Officer of the year" in 2017 and won Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Award for their "Citizen of the Year 2019."

Trevor has a degree in Coaching studies & a master's in Sports Administration. He has also been an instructor in the military for six years. A certified Life coach and Master resilience trainer for the last four years. As an MRT, he has taught countless courses and developed over 100 resiliency trainer assets for the Air force. Networking is a big part of his success. Trevor is the Owner & CEO of Hudrico Live inc. Which positions him to facilitate at any association or company event, in any industry, as a keynote or breakout speaker.

Trevor also hosts a weekly podcast called Hudrico Live, which includes guests and presents life-changing pieces of advice and discussion. Furthermore, Trevor offers a leadership-training program called, Failure at the start as an educational training, hard knock life-inspired experience for leaders looking to motivate their business and teams in various areas.

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In this episode, we talk with Allison Graham, who is a keynote speaker, author and coach, working with C-Suite Leaders and their teams to inspire and empower a problem-solving culture. 

THOUGHT #1

“When Opportunity Presents Itself, Talk Yourself In, Don’t Talk Yourself Out.”

THOUGHT #2

"Be the Kind of Person Who Dares to Face Life’s Challenges and Overcome Them Rather than Dodging Them.” 

- Roy T. Bennett

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ALLISON GRAHAM'S BIO:

Allison Graham works with C-Suite Leaders and their teams to inspire and empower a problem-solving culture. The result is increased productivity, lower levels of destructive stress and minimized risk of burnout and team turnover. Her concepts are proven to build resilience and amplify personal capacity. 

Through keynote speeches and training programs, expect Allison to deliver inspirational, thought-provoking concepts mixed with actionable, practical insights that will have lasting impact. 

Her latest book Take Back Your Weekends: Stress Less, Do More, Be Happier is giving people across the globe hope that you can be successful and still have a life! 

You may recognize Allison from media outlets like Global News, Investment Executive and Fast Company. 

You can connect with Allison Graham on LinkedIn where she’s most active. AllisonGraham.co/linkedin or on her website at AllisonGraham.co

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