Troublemakers

Most of us know what to look for generally when selecting a doctor or a pharmacy, but once we get into the more technical aspects of healthcare, like choosing the best physician or hospital for a surgical procedure, we need technical manuals and masters to advise us.

That’s what BridgeHealth does. “It’s really about guiding the member to the best possible location and physician for their personal needs,” said Jon Montenero, 
Vice President of Enterprise Sales.

Ken Bombace and Global Threat Solutions are in the protection, investigation, and due diligence industry. The company is 100% veteran owned and 100% on point when it comes to doing even the smallest, seemingly menial parts of their job. 

I got several great quotes from Ken during this podcast and these two are my favorites: 

"Perseverance. Never quitting is the number one attribute for any successful entrepreneur.”

"No matter how busy we have become, I monitor all communications threads for every protection detail we have going, all the time."

The extreme nature of their work provides a great comparison to more mundane industries like marketing. Imagine if we all approached our industries like our lives depended on it.

Steve interviews troublemaker Sean Weisbord, Director of Sales at BurnAlong.

Online workout offerings typically don't keep users for long. BurnAlong has identified two key experiences that work in gyms, and built them into a dynamic online health and wellness platform:

1. An inspiring and relatable instructor - BurnAlong has partnered with 100s of across 45 categories, for unparalleled choice.
2. Social motivation - members can take classes alone or live online with others they  invite.

These health and wellness platforms are used by municipalities, universities, hospitals, and companies of all sizes – and they're getting 5X the engagement levels. 

Once signed up, members can choose from thousands of classes across more than 45 categories taught by hundreds of instructors. People can take classes on their own on demand or invite friends to join them live online.

You think your industry throws difficulties your way? Meet Karma Tenzing. He’s a social entrepreneur up against tremendous odds in Nepal. 

Three of the world's major religions believe in Karma: Buddhism, Sikhism, and Hinduism. 81% of the population of Nepal practice Hinduism. 9% practice Buddhism. Those who believe in Karma think their past deeds determine their present circumstances and present deeds determine future outcomes. So when things go wrong, like a major earthquake that hit Kathmandu in 2015, there’s no accountability or ownership...no way forward. They just accept it. 

That's when Karma decided it was time to leave a successful life in New York City and go home to help. This is a story of incredible drive, patience, and kindness.

Danny Nelms, President of the Work Institute, can tell you more about the health of your company just by talking to your people than any spreadsheet or financial report ever will. Danny and his team at the Work Institute believe that the employees of any organization are foundational to its success.

Why are companies failing to understand this simple fact? That’s what we asked Danny in our interview as we met to discuss the latest publication from the Work Institute, “EmployeR Engagement: The Fresh and Dissenting Voice on the Employment Relationship.” (click to order)

Danny has an interesting take on the employer – employee relationship, even in these troubled times. And he often finds himself telling employers not what they want to hear, but what they NEED to hear.

James Eves is the Yoda of graphic arts. I first met him in Richmond Virginia. I knew he was a troublemaker right away. We've been friends and associates ever since.

James found his way through the flotsam and jetsam of the sinking marketing industry. He did it thanks to his extremely high standards, his bravado, and his honesty. 

There are several quotes in this podcast that will inspire any entrepreneur, and especially those who came up in the era of craftsmanship in marketing.

The cold press juicer category had no serious advancements in the last 50 years. Then David Feinberg began re-thinking everything. His energy and inventiveness resulted in a far superior cold press juicer, healthier juice for his customers, and an amazing journey for David. And he's just getting started.