What's Your Why

Welcome to another episode of What's Your Why, we appreciate your ears and your time, and we hope to continue bringing you the inspiration and motivation that you seek.

We've said it before, and we have hit the jackpot again, with our lovely guest in today’s episode. Piper Klemm is a successful amateur rider with an anything but amateur career. It started with falling in love with horses, followed by a top of the class PhD from Berkeley, which led to taking a break, trying something new and buying a print publication, which she has developed into the digital marketing company you know today, The Plaid Horse.

Piper Klemm amazed me throughout our conversation and no doubt still has many tricks up her sleeve. She's a breath of fresh air who operates with total transparency, which many might say is the number one factor that's lacking in today's society, but we'll let you be the judge of that.

I invite you to get comfy and listen in on this amazing introduction to Piper Klemm, where I can assure you you'll learn something new and maybe even something new about yourself. Thanks for listening and enjoy!

theplaidhorse.com facebook.com/theplaidhorsemag @theplaidhorsemag on Instagram

When Heather and I first began developing this podcast, we wanted to create a theme that would serve more than one purpose.  The first was of course to set the stage and create a baseline for our subject matter but the second was a little more selfish.  We wanted to light a beacon, actually light a beacon to highlight people with stories that would resonate with us, and also our listeners.  Stories that would provoke new skills, new thoughts and new ideas for everyone involved.

So, in keeping with our theme, I have the greatest pleasure in introducing you to Victoria Theriault who will no doubt inspire you to learn more about a very special person, and that person is none other than you…

Victoria is a certified DISC assessment analyst and for anybody listening and feeling a little confused about what that might be, just keep listening.

Victoria Theriault

Certified DISC, GIA & TEIQue Analyst 

http://facebook.com/VictoriaDISC/

Instagram @discoverwhatworks

We are thrilled to bring you this episode of What's Your Why? introducing Armand Leone. If you feel like somewhere in the nether regions of your brain, you recognize this name, you'll not be surprised when I say you are right. If you're involved in the equine industry at all, you most likely do.

Armand Leone is the oldest of the brothers' Leone, which encompasses Peter and Mark, after him, who have each led successful careers inside and outside of the equestrian sport. Armand has more letters attached to his name than I can even count, holding a total of three post-graduate degrees from Columbia University Law School, New York Medical College, and Columbia Business School.

In addition to those credentials, Armand wasted no time in continuing his equestrian career, both on and off of horses. He was selected to represent the United States as an alternate on the equestrian team for the 1980 Olympic games in Moscow. Armand was also a member of the FEI Tribunal, Vice-President of High-Performance on the USEF board of directors, director, president CEO, and then chairman of the USET Foundation and also part of the conduct committee for the United States Hunter Jumper Association, or USHJA. Armand is a wealth of information, and given his knowledge around horses, he's found a niche advising and educating equestrian athletes, trainers, and owners to simply make the world a better place.

Insightful, educational, and a pleasure to speak with, I ask you to please enjoy the past, present, and future with Armand Leone.

When fierce professionals and industry leaders in their own right join together in business, it is bound to create a force to be reckoned with. And that’s exactly what happened when Jennifer Ward and Jennifer Wood joined together and launched Jump Media LLC, one of the largest comprehensive public relations agencies in North America. Powerhouses in their own right and beyond comparison when teamed up together, these ladies are responsible for much of the Public relations, and industry content that we see today. Both Jennifers still maintain and grow their own business entities in Starting Gate communications from Jennifer Ward and Jennifer Wood Media from Jennifer Wood, which has them covering every inch of the equine industry and reaching the heart and mind of the furthest advocate.

I had the wonderful pleasure of sitting down with the Jens recently and remotely of course, and believe me - it was a tall order to keep it all straight but I do believe that if you listen on, you’ll discover a pot of gold from the start, and all the way to the end of the rainbow.

Hi everyone!  Thank you again for sharing your time with me and for tuning in to this very special surprise episode with ALI SWEENEY!

Alison Sweeney started her impressive acting career with a Kodak commercial when she was just 4 years old.  As her story goes, she quickly fell in love with acting and headed down the path of her extensive and diverse career. 

Ali started out on a little daytime soap called Days of our Lives when she was just 16 years old playing the infamous Sami Brady!  The villain of all villains when it comes to the soapbox and one that many of us grew up with.  She played the role for many years and I must say that the character did not rub off on her at all.  Ali also hosted TV’s The Biggest Loser while continuing to act, direct, produce and co-create many projects, not to mention all while co-raising a family and finding time for our favourite 4 legged friends too. 

Ali was so kind to give us her time between shooting for Days, because yes!…guess who returned to Salem and promoting her new project the Chronicle Mysteries- Helped to Death,  which debuted on Hallmark Movies and Mysteries on February 21st.

Ali chats with us candidly about her perspective on life, balance, growth, and grounding.  So enough of me and let's get right to it, I bring you the lovely and gracious, Ali Sweeney.

In today’s episode, we talk with Tonya Johnston, a Mental Skills Coach and author who works with riders all over the world specializing in equestrian athletes of all disciplines.

In addition to authoring a successful publication called Inside Your Ride, Tonya also works with individual clients of all ages, she conducts mental training clinics at private facilities and works with academic equestrian teams as well. If that weren’t enough, she also finds time to share her insights through a monthly podcast called “Inside Your Ride” and through a regular column in Practical Horseman and Eventing USA. Tonya has been featured in many equestrian publications including The Chronicle of the Horse, The Equestrian News, The Plaid Horse, and Equine Journal to name just a few, and continues assisting people like us through her book club, Inside Your Ride - the book club and online group, The Mindset Boost.

It was a pleasure to speak to Tonya, and a gift to connect with her insight, Tonya Johnston is a rare slice of life that you will be glad to give your time to. Enjoy the episode.

Links:

Tonya Johnston

Inside Your Ride

The Book Club

Follow on social media

@inside_you_ride @tonyajohnston

Inspiration is to spur on, motivate, or impel, to influence, incite, and infuse.  These are all fitting characteristics of my friend R Scot Evans.  

Scot and I met many years ago while both active in the horse show scene.  He was supporting a high-performance farm at a prestigious equestrian competition and I was managing the operations at one of the competition rings.  Upon introduction, I immediately felt a kinship for him and we became fast friends. I was attracted to his vigor, charisma, his over-all love of life, and everything he was doing in it.  

Until now, I hadn’t really thought about why that was, I just knew that I could hang on to his every word as it was always, so fitting, encouraging, and meaningful.  He spoke right to my heart and my mind and he continually inspires me to think, be, and do better for myself with who and what I hold in my space.

Inspiration is the keyword here and Scot Evans exudes it. It's in his core and he passes it on to those he meets.  From learning simple life lessons to creating inspiration that provokes a change, Scott Evans will be my go-to every time.  Take pleasure in meeting my inspiring friend and enjoy the episode!

Green Is The New Blue

@geen_is_the_new_blue

Hi everyone. Thanks so much for joining me today.

I hope that you find this brief message worthy of your time and energy. I certainly have been looking forward to sharing it with you. Firstly on a side note, Heather, the show's producer, and I were recently chatting about what our listeners might like to hear and what direction they would like to see What's Your Why head in for 2021. We do have a few ideas up our sleeves, but I encourage you to reach out and let us know your thoughts as well. After all, this podcast is all about you and we certainly couldn't do it without you. We've had such amazing feedback and growth in such a short timeframe that we just can't stop saying thank you and applauding you for your support so far, it's been an amazing journey, learning experience, and connection for us both that we're looking forward to continuing it in the new year. So getting back on track and to the point, I wanted to record a brief message to share a thought and dare I say it ... feelings.. with you as this insert adjective here year comes to a close I'm speaking with the intention of planting a seed that might, if nurtured, grow into a thought. Listen on for more!

As defined by Merriam-Webster, authenticity is stated as "not false or imitation, and true to ones own personality, spirit or character."

Here is my question, is it by nurture or nature that we find it in ourselves.

At team What’s Your Why, we feel that this one word with such a simple definition is one of the most impactful qualities to gain, but more importantly, possess.

We decided that we wanted to bring you the story of someone that we feel encompasses and represents authenticity to the fullest extent.

Noelle Floyd is the person that made our vision a reality. She wholeheartedly embodies authenticity. She can define and story- tell about it because it’s quite simply, how she leads her life, and I would hazard a guess to say, came across it by nature.

Authenticity is the one characteristic that will take you to greater places near and far but is also one of the hardest qualities to come by. Noelle allowed us to enjoy an empowering, emotional, connected, educational conversation with her and ultimately you too.

Give thought for a moment to who you might know that possesses true authenticity and how you can learn from their life, lessons, teachings, and actions. If you are drawing blank because as I mentioned, it can be rare, this episode is a great place to start. I can almost guarantee that before the end you will feel a kinship with Noelle because she very simply is one of the most authentic people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting.

Enjoy and I leave you with this - is it nurture or nature?

Interested in the Equestrian Masterclass? https://masterclass.noellefloyd.com/

Follow on all the social media channels @noellefloyd

In this episode, Helen is joined by Abby Newell, Founder, and CEO of Piaffe. Piaffe is a leading talent management and marketing agency, that creates opportunities for athletes, influencers, brands, and enterprise across equestrian sport.

Abby is a powerhouse. While going through the motions of doing what young people do and creating her amazing path in life, an ah-ha moment hits, and Piaffe is born…

For more information about Piaffe: https://www.piaffe.co.uk/