Going Deep with Aaron Watson

Beth Caldwell is an author, speaker, business success strategist and a host for Pittsburgh BizTV Shows. Since 2014, she has been a global instructor with the Steve Harvey Success Institute. She is also a columnist for the Pittsburgh Business Times newspaper and Smart Business magazine, but is best known as the founder of Pittsburgh Professional Women and Leadership Academy for Women.   Recognized by Pittsburgh Magazine as an influential and innovative leader, Beth was named  a “40 Under 40″ winner the day before her 40th birthday. In October she was recognized with the Pennsylvania Woman of Courage Award. Beth teaches workshops on leadership, business, and inspiration to audiences worldwide.   Attend my one-day conference January 27th in Pittsburgh. Learn more here.   Beth’s Challenges; Stop trying to do everything at once and Stop making decisions based on what other people might think.   Beth’s Eight Easy Ways to Enjoy an Effective 2018   If you liked this interview, check out these interviews with social broadcaster Sunny Lenarduzzi and Super Connector Larry Gioia.

Employers are slowly embracing remote work and flexible systems as the deployment of the digital age accelerates. Why are moms being left out of the fun?   Erica Peterson is the Founder of Moms Can: Code, an online community for current and future moms who code. She sits at the nexus of tech talent and employers looking to gain an edge. She’s also inspired quite a few new entrepreneurs.   Erica is passionate about exposing women and children to STEM and was recently selected as a member of The Incline’s Who’s Next: Education class for her work as Founder & Board President of Science Tots.   Attend my one-day conference January 27th in Pittsburgh. Learn more here.   Erica’s Challenge; Call 5 moms you know and tell them about Moms Can Code.   If you liked this interview, check out episode 118 with Kevin Kelly where we discuss the future of technology and the forces shaping society. Subscribe on iTunes | Stitcher | Overcast | PodBay

Ryan is one of the engines stirring the pot of the Pittsburgh nonprofit scene. In addition to incubating young organization through Social Venture Partners, he also actively consults using his experience in sales, partnership development, strategy execution, and sustainable investment analysis.   Prior to CitizenCity, Ryan led U.S. outreach for Humanity in Action–an international human rights organization that cultivates ethical leaders. We discuss his background and his views on what makes a project successful. Attend my one-day conference January 27th in Pittsburgh. Learn more here.   Ryan’s Challenges; If you’re an entrepreneur, think about how your core tenets could help solve a community challenge. If you’re in Pittsburgh and want to be more involved in your philanthropy, come join SVP.     Mentioned Effective Altruism #15 Ian Neumaier Social Venture Partners   If you liked this interview, check out more interviews with Pittsburgh's Movers and Shakers. Subscribe on iTunes | Stitcher | Overcast | PodBay

In their new book, Elephant in the Brain, Kevin & Robin explore the selfish motives that are driving everything we do. From conversation and consumption, to medicine and religion, evolutionary psychology can explains all of the quirky behaviors we perpetuate through the perspective of self-interest.   Kevin Simler is a writer and software engineer currently living in San Francisco, CA. He writes a popular blog called Melting Asphalt. Kevin joined the Peter Thiel-founded Palantir Technologies in 2006 where he worked for 7 years as an engineer, engineering manager, and product designer.   Robin Hanson is an associate professor of economics at George Mason University and a research associate at the Future of Humanity Institute of Oxford University. He has a PhD in social science from Caltech, master's in physics and philosophy from U. Chicago, and worked for nine years in artificial intelligence as a research programmer at Lockheed and NASA. He helped pioneer the field of prediction markets and blogs at OvercomingBias.com.   Attend my one-day conference January 27th in Pittsburgh. Learn more here.   Kevin’s Challenge; Look inwards and try to be more intellectually honest.   Robin’s Challenge; Give humanity a break.   The Book Elephant in the Brain by Kevin Simler & Robin Hanson     If you liked this interview, check out past episodes like 255 with Dan Munro where we discuss the rising costs of healthcare and 55 with Morgan Housel where we discuss cognitive biases. You can also find Robin’s previous appearance on the podcast.

This interview threw me out of my element. What a great way to start the new year. I get pretty uncomfortable with the notion of transhumanism and implanting technology into the body through an elective procedure. Luckily, I got to talk it over with Ryan.   Ryan O’Shea is a spokesperson and advisor for biotechnology startup company Grindhouse Wetware, which is dedicated to creating technology to augment human capabilities. Ryan is also a founder of the Carnegie Mellon University-based artificial intelligence startup Behaivior, which uses wearables and machine learning to predict and intervene in human behaviors to promote positive health outcomes. Behaivior is currently a competitor in the $5 Million IBM Watson AI XPRIZE competition. Ryan has previously worked as a host and producer for the Pittsburgh ABC Television affiliate. He currently hosts the technology and futurism-themed Future Grind podcast and has produced talks around the world on the topic of citizen science, making, and biohacking   Attend my one-day conference January 27th in Pittsburgh. Learn more here.   Ryan’s Challenge; Question your assumptions. Why are you scared of these ideas? Reach out and continue the conversation.   If you liked this interview, check out previous tech-focused episodes with Robert Scoble, Joseph Lubin, and Dennis Mortensen.

This is one of the best interviews I've had the pleasure of sharing on my podcast. All credit goes to Brent.   Connect with Brent LinkedIn Twitter Website   Here are the other best finance-related and blockchain podcasts I’ve done.   I would have never gotten Brent to come on my show if I had not first heard his excellent interviews on Patrick O'Shaughnessy's Invest Like the Best. Check out all three episodes; Ep.10 Ep. 22 Ep. 30

Brent Beshore invests in family-owned companies. Unlike the venture capitalists, private equity firms, and crypto traders that fill up headlines and seek an audience, Brent humbly goes to work uncovering value in the boring spaces missed by others.   Beyond his impressive financial results, he’s assembled a talented team that complements his skill set. While he’ll humbly point to luck or colleagues for credit, his diligent assessment of thousands of deals per year has left him with a unique perspective on investing, entrepreneurship, and business.   His companies have recruited doctors for the U.S. military, provided online public relations to some of the world's largest organizations, manufactured cutting-edge home solutions, created software products for small businesses, curated the latest in women's fashion on the internet, and even helped make a couple of blockbuster movies.   I’m sure you’ll learn something from listening to this conversation. -- If you liked this interview, check out episode 55 with Morgan Housel where we discuss cognitive biases and writing effectively.

Mike’s Best Books The Evolution of Everything: How New Ideas Emerge by Matt Ridley Age of Ambition: Chasing Fortune, Truth, and Faith in the New China by Evan Osnos Happy City: Transforming Our Lives Through Urban Design by Charles Montgomery The Tiger: A True Story of Vengeance and Survival by John Vaillant Early Retirement Extreme: A Philosophical and Practical Guide to Financial Independence by Jacob Lund Fisker   Aaron’s Best Books The Undoing Project: A Friendship That Changed Our Minds by Michael Lewis & Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman Games People Play: The Basic Handbook of Transactional Analysis by Eric Berne On the Road by Jack Kerouac Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain King, Warrior, Magician, Lover by Robert Moore & Douglas Gillette   Attend my one-day conference January 27th in Pittsburgh.   Connect with Mike Twitter Podcast Medium Website   If you liked this interview, check out our reading review from last year or this list of reading recommendations. Subscribe on iTunes |

Michael Sabat has worked in the messaging space for nearly a decade. He started working with SMS campaigns in 2008 as an account manager at Mobile Commons. That company grew quickly, became the dominant software platform for SMS communications and was acquired in 2014.   In early 2017, Michael started @Mssg (At Message), which is a messaging platform that helps organizations do their best marketing with their biggest fans. @Mssg is a software platform that helps digital marketers use Facebook Messenger for marketing and communications outcomes. Michael is working to establish Messaging as a Marketing channel and teaching marketers how to launch messaging campaigns.   Attend my one-day conference January 27th in Pittsburgh. Learn more here.   Michael’s Challenge; Don’t underestimate your worth. Raise your prices if you’re spread too thin.   Resources Earn.com Try out the Marketing Messenger @ Going Deep with Aaron Watson Balaji S       If you liked this interview, check out episode 118 with Kevin Kelly where we discuss the technological forces shaping the future and the rest of my top episodes.

Raji Sankar is opening a restaurant in Pittsburgh and came on the show to share her insights from more than a decade in the restaurant industry.   Raji co-founded Wholesome International in 2004, a multi-concept restaurant development company, which owns and operates Choolaah Indian BBQ restaurants and franchised Five Guys Burgers and Fries restaurants. She is co-CEO and is responsible for people, operations, and infrastructure.   Previously, she co-founded and sold a technology company, co-founded a media company, and held leadership positions in technology and media companies in Pittsburgh.   Attend my one-day conference January 27th in Pittsburgh. Learn more here.   Raji’s Challenge; Hire a coach that can help you accomplish the specific goals you are chasing.   If you liked this interview, check out my interview with Bill Fuller from the Big Burrito Group and my other conversations with movers & shakers in Pittsburgh.