Good companies recognize people with passion and support their growth. As you pursue your career, it’s important learn as much as you can from mentors who are invested in your success.

Today’s guest, Niels Schuurmans, is one of those great mentors. John met Niels over twenty years ago through a mentorship program at MTV. He later became John’s boss at both Nickelodeon and Spike TV, and during that time, Niels taught him the wisdom of humbly going back to the drawing board when a project isn’t going as planned.

Niels has taken a pretty unusual road to his success and there are lessons for everyone about how to explore your potential and find your way to a fulfilling career. He was part of the early team that built Nickelodeon, shaping millions of childhoods for decades. Niels is currently the Chief Marketing and Creative Officer at 101 Studios, the production company responsible for hit shows like Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone, 1923, and many more.

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Learn more about 101 Studios: https://www.101studiosco.com/

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Outline:
[0:00] Intro
[1:41] Working at 101 Studios
[4:14] How John and Niels first met
[9:15] Niels started acting to avoid a school suspension
[17:36] Starting a business on Saint Thomas
[23:37] Kids need someone to acknowledge their potential
[25:59] Teaching led Niels to Nickelodeon
[34:06] When (and why) should you make big changes in your career?
[41:25] Making the best imitation of an existing product wastes creativity
[49:39] Good mentors give you options, not answers
[56:57] Lessons learned from launching Spike TV
[1:09:20] Masculinity can be unapologetic without being toxic
[1:16:55] Boys and girls have unique abilities that deserve attention
[1:19:51] Should adults try to stay in touch with ‘kids these days’?
[1:25:00] Taylor Sheridan, Yellowstone, and the frontier mentality
[1:27:20] Young adults need to experience the world
[1:29:58] How Niels reconnected with his dad
[1:36:01] Positivity is helpful, but it can become a crutch
[1:43:19] Storytelling can reinvigorate the collective American spirit
[1:48:48] Outro

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Watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/8pXtsi0LR9o

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Dad Saves America is a channel dedicated to celebrating heroic fatherhood while teaching the next generation of fathers strategies they can utilize in parenting their children. We believe strong children come from a strong family. We’ve had many experts in the studio, including Jonathan Haidt, Dr. Drew Pinsky, Troy Kotsur, John Mackey, Ben Askren, and Adam Carolla.