A Productive Conversation

On today’s episode, I spent time with Jeff McMahon. Jeff is a virtual trainer turned online entrepreneurs like Amy Porterfield, Pat Flynn, John Lee Dumas, and many more. Jeff work to help business owners feel more confident, strong, and healthy so they can dominate in their business and have more energy throughout their day. His degree is pre-med/pre-pharm with dual certifications in injury rehab and sports medicine. He has been a fitness expert for over a decade now working with 1,000’s of people throughout the world. How did Jeff McMahon got into Virtual Training? Jeff’s mom has had health issues since he was born. He originally wanted to be a surgeon to help take care of her, but being colorblind made that dream impossible. She had a major stroke when he was a freshman in college and lost the use of the left side of her body. Then came breast cancer [twice], brain deterioration, a heart attack. One day she suggested to Jeff that he should train people online that have suffered strokes and can’t get out of their home. Jeff thought about it, they tried it with his mom’s stroke support group, and then he took that format to the online entrepreneur world. Basically, his mom’s handicap has transformed the fitness world and started a whole new revolution. Talking Points How Jeff helped people live a better life through fitness and wellness How does virtual training work? How did virtual training get started? What made Jeff choose that kind of program? The benefits of accountability The challenges Jeff faced when building his business Jeff’s take on peloton workout The importance of giving a personal touch Having “new year’s resolutions” and the role that accountability plays with them Why personalization is becoming a critical part of the business The thing(s) that can get people from zero to step one when trying to get fit Having patience and accountability when it comes to doing things Quote “Nothing is permanent. Once you stop working out you will not have the same body that you had when you were working out so the key is just to workout for the rest of your life.” Relevant Links Website Twitter The key takeaways from this episode include: Don’t miss out on taking care of yourself so you can take care of your to-do list, your obligations, and all the other things that you have to take care of on a daily basis. Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices This episode is sponsored by Nexos.ai. Nexos is the all-in-one secure AI platform for enterprise—bringing workspaces, model access, and governance together under one roof. Try it free for 14 days at nexos.ai/apc today.

On today’s episode, I spent time with Justin Kerr. Justin is a self-described efficiency monster, He is the author of the rogue corporate playbooks How to Write an Email and How to Be a Boss. He is also the mouthpiece of the MR CORPO podcast and has been the youngest senior executive at some of the world’s biggest apparel companies (Gap, Old Navy, Levi’s, UNIQLO) running billion-dollar businesses while finding time to write 14 books, tour the country with his rock band and keep 100,000 bees on his roof. He is currently president of Imprint Projects in New York City.  Justin Kerr climbed to the top of the corporate ladder before reaching age 40. His book, entitled How to Be Great at Your Job takes the guesswork out of career success and breaks down what it takes to excel at your job. It covers the basics, like the universal requirements of every workplace—working with other people, making stellar presentations, communicating effectively over email. And it also goes into how to get promoted sooner, impress the people high up on the corporate ladder, and do it all while maintaining your personal life and without working crazy hours. With helpful tips and simple advice, this professional guidebook is just right for someone new to the workplace or for a mid-life career changer. Talking Points Background on who Justin Kerr and how the book, How to Be Great at Your Job came to be On the term “efficiency monster” On being caught with the email trap The processes put in place to allow a person to be more efficient On how to over-communicate that works best for a company On building credibility over time On doing work by breaking them into smaller components On giving updates On getting so far ahead and in return getting more work thrust upon you How does Justin manages his time  The best thing about the book Quote “Always be giving the updates because keep in mind the people you worked with are human beings and a lot of us can lose the side of that. We get titles and VPs and assistants but they are human beings – they get nervous, they have their own concerns, they are worried about their own boss – all of these different things. So telling people what is going on is just gonna lower the temperature a little bit.” Relevant Links Website Instagram Twitter Podcast Google+ Book: How to Be Great at Your Job The key takeaways from this episode include: how to work with other human beings, how to balance life and work, what to do if someone at work hates you, and (of course) the critical skill of how to win an “email fight”. Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices This episode is sponsored by Nexos.ai. Nexos is the all-in-one secure AI platform for enterprise—bringing workspaces, model access, and governance together under one roof. Try it free for 14 days at nexos.ai/apc today.

On today’s episode, I spent time again with Marc and Angel Chernoff. Marc and Angel Chernoff are New York Times bestselling authors, professional coaches, full-time students of life, admirers of the human spirit, and have been recognized by Forbes as having “one of the most popular personal development blogs.” Through their blog, books, course and coaching, they’ve spent the past decade writing about and teaching proven strategies for finding lasting happiness, success, love, and peace. Millions of readers turn to Marc and Angel Chernoff as they wrote 1000+ Little Things Happy Successful People Do Differently for fresh, intimate insights for a fulfilled life. In this pithy and empowering guide, they collect the very best advice they’ve discovered, on topics that include overcoming setbacks, letting go of what’s holding us back, nurturing relationships, finding time for self-care, and cultivating passion in order to achieve our wildest dreams. Talking Points On their new book: 1000+ Little Things Happy Successful People Do Differently On the idea of the list in the book Revisiting the content of the book and choosing which applies to them now On writing the book as new parents The writer vs. the reader perspective On the process of editing the book The idea of the “little things” On the adding triggers to the “to-do list” Quote “Keep doing what you are doing and you will keep getting what you are getting. That is how it works! You have to make a shift. You have to make changes. And the changes need to be small and consistent.”  Relevant Links Website Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest Book: 1000+ Little Things Happy Successful People Do Differently This episode teaches us that millions of people live their entire lives on default settings, never realizing they can customize everything and we should not be one of those millions of people. We should not settle for the default settings in life. Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices This episode is sponsored by Nexos.ai. Nexos is the all-in-one secure AI platform for enterprise—bringing workspaces, model access, and governance together under one roof. Try it free for 14 days at nexos.ai/apc today.

On today’s episode, I spent time with Bob Rosen. Bob is the founder and CEO of Healthy Companies and is a trusted global CEO advisor, organizational psychologist, keynote speaker, and New York Times bestselling author of eight books. His latest book entitled CONSCIOUS: The Power of Awareness in Business and Life was published by Wiley in July 2018. Bob Rosen discussed how our world is changing faster than our ability to adapt. Ambushed by speed, complexity, and uncertainty, many of us are unprepared for this acceleration. We act on autopilot as new challenges confront us. We are too reactive to problems and miss out on opportunities. We get hijacked by conflicting values and polarizing relationships. We face uncertainty with fear and mistrust. Stress and burnout are pervasive as many of us do not perform up to our potential. Talking Points On the term “conscious leaders” and what happens when you found those leaders The commonality of people who are consciously aware The four reasons why people aren’t changing fast enough On the idea of reflection How do people get past cognitive biases? Where can people start to “go deep”? On what is next after the book CONSCIOUS: The Power of Awareness in Business and Life On the book Grounded: How Leaders Stay Rooted in an Uncertain World Quote “Organizations are healthy only when the leaders are healthy. The very best leaders were a combination of self-aware and deeply committed to their own development.” Relevant Links Website Facebook Twitter YouTube LinkedIn Book: CONSCIOUS: The Power of Awareness in Business and Life Book: Grounded: How Leaders Stay Rooted in an Uncertain World This episode teaches us to be aware, awake, and accountable. Nothing is more important than understanding ourselves, our relationships, and our surroundings. Conscious is the new smart. Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices This episode is sponsored by Nexos.ai. Nexos is the all-in-one secure AI platform for enterprise—bringing workspaces, model access, and governance together under one roof. Try it free for 14 days at nexos.ai/apc today.

On today’s episode, I spent time with Rob Walker. Rob Walker is a journalist covering design, technology, business, the arts, and other subjects. He writes the Human Resource column for Lifehacker, and has contributed to The New York Times, Bloomberg Businessweek, The Atlantic, TheNewYorker.Com, Design Observer, The Organist, and many others. His book The Art of Noticing (Knopf) comes out in May 2019. He is on the faculty of the Products of Design MFA program at the School of Visual Arts. Rob Walker wrote the book, The Art of Noticing. This gorgeously illustrated volume will spark your creativity and most importantly, help you see the world anew. Through a series of simple and playful exercises with 131 of them, Rob maps ways for you to become a clearer thinker, a better listener, a more creative workplace colleague and finally, to rediscover your sense of passion and to notice what really matters to you. Talking Points How do you define “noticing” and how does that play a role in how we craft our lives? On the notion of productivity and efficiency On “noticing” as the backbone of curiosity What is being productive? What led Rob to spend time on the topic of noticing? Is Rob the Jerry Maguire of noticing? On “noticing” when it comes to comedy On the idea of attunement vs. alignment On the idea of time management Why is the book, The Art of Noticing, important right now? How many ways did not make it into the book? Which of the 131 exercises stood out and which is the most unconventional? Does Rob journal and if so how? Quote “It is not about your skill at noticing, more on the habit of noticing that sort of forces you to see differently and to see things that you weren’t looking for.” Relevant Links Website Facebook Twitter Tumbler Book: The Art of Noticing This episode welcomed us to the era of white noise. Our lives are in constant tether to phones, to email, and to social media. In this age of distraction, the ability to experience and be present is often lost: to think and to see and to listen. Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices This episode is sponsored by Nexos.ai. Nexos is the all-in-one secure AI platform for enterprise—bringing workspaces, model access, and governance together under one roof. Try it free for 14 days at nexos.ai/apc today.

On today’s episode, I spent time with Tonya Dalton. Tonya Dalton started her first business in 20019 working out of her home juggling two small kids. By 2011, she had grown the business to the point where her husband could leave corporate America. The company continued to flourish, but something was missing. In 2014, she closed up shop to follow her true passion, inkWELL Press ®—a company centered around productivity tools, training and education. Tonya’s messages about business management, productivity, and the pursuit of passion have impacted thousands and inspired her to launch her podcast, Productivity Paradox, and her online productivity course, The liveWELL Method™ Tonya Dalton is a productivity expert who believes that too many people feel overwhelmed with all that they have to do each day. She owns inkWELL Press, a business focused on helping others use productivity to pursue big goals and end each day feeling satisfied and successful. Her messages about productivity, goals, and purpose have impacted thousands and inspired her to launch her podcast, Productivity Paradox. Talking Points On how Tonya get it to productivity The idea of the “north star” On how to help people who get sidetracked from their productivity goals On productivity framework or system On women being productivity experts On productivity apps On people trying to do things all at once Things that Tonya still struggles with when it comes to productivity On productivity being a lifestyle, a journey and an ongoing thing Quotes “I’ve talked to people about following their north star and for me your north star is made out of three things. It is really what you are doing so your mission statement, what you are dreaming so your vision statement or where you want to go and the defining things so the core value and things that are going to get you there.”  Relevant Links Website Facebook Twitter Pinterest Instagram YouTube This episode I’m reminded how overwhelming it can be to feel like you have a million things to do each day but if you have a mission, a dream and a core value plus factoring in productivity will really help your life. Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices This episode is sponsored by Nexos.ai. Nexos is the all-in-one secure AI platform for enterprise—bringing workspaces, model access, and governance together under one roof. Try it free for 14 days at nexos.ai/apc today.

On today’s episode, I spent time with Don Yaeger. Don is an award-winning keynote speaker, business leadership coach, eleven-time New York Times best-selling author, and longtime Associate Editor for Sports Illustrated. He has fashioned a career as one of America’s most provocative thought leaders. As a speaker, he has worked with audiences as diverse as Fortune 500 companies and cancer survivor groups, where he shares his personal story. Don Yaeger is primarily sought to discuss lessons on achieving greatness, learned from first-hand experiences with some of the greatest sports legends in the world. He is also often retained by companies and organizations to coach their leaders, management teams, and employees on building a culture of greatness by studying great teams in sports and discerning the business lessons we can learn from them.  Additionally, as an Executive Coach, Don has worked with a range of leaders from the president of the largest bank in the Caribbean to CEOs of financial services companies to technology executives. His coaching model is based on years of experience and study with those who have inspired championship-level teams.  Throughout his writing career, he has developed a reputation as a world-class storyteller and has been invited as a guest to almost every major talk show – from The Oprah Winfrey Show to Nightline, from CNN to Good Morning America. Talking Points On areas that Don wanted to dive more into with his work On projects where Don had the “Aha!” moment On sports in general How to handle adversities The importance of having structures and framework On Don’s process when crafting a book The people that Don look up to On Don’s daily routine Lessons that Don wanted to pass on to his kids On establishing good habits and breaking bad habits On sport metaphors or sports analogies Three books that Don would recommend people Quote “Most of us do our jobs and we don’t think about how the access or the opportunity created for us could be part of our own personal development and I made it part of mine early. And I started asking that question. And the question I choose is ‘If you could name for me one habit, one thing you’ve done consistently, that allowed you to go places your competitors couldn’t go, what would that habit be?’ and I just kept a list of the answers these great winners has given me.” Relevant Links Website Facebook Twitter LinkedIn YouTube Instagram Book: A Game Plan for Life: The Power of Mentoring This episode lets us know how to achieve success without sacrificing principles and how to build one of the most productive and rewarding relationships available to any athlete, businessperson, teacher, or parent-that of mentor and protégé. Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices This episode is sponsored by Nexos.ai. Nexos is the all-in-one secure AI platform for enterprise—bringing workspaces, model access, and governance together under one roof. Try it free for 14 days at nexos.ai/apc today.

On today’s episode, I spent time with Humble the Poet. Kanwer Singh aka Humble The Poet is a Toronto-bred MC/Spoken word artist with an aura that embodies the diversity and resiliency of one of the world’s most unique cities. With tattoos, beard, head wrap, and a silly smile, Humble commands attention. He stimulates audiences with ideas that challenge conventional wisdom and go against the grain, with dynamic live sets that shake conventions and minds at the same time. Humble sees life with unique clarity. In his book, Unlearn: 101 Simple Truths for a Better Life, he opens our eyes to our own lives, helping us to recognize the possibilities that await us and the challenges that prevent us from realizing our dreams. With his characteristic honesty and forthrightness, he helps us shed the problematic lessons we’ve learned throughout our lives that limit us, from sabotaging habits, to fixed mindsets, to past regrets, and relearn new, unconventional ways of moving through life. Profound in its simplicity, Unlearn is the perfect invitation to a new beginning and to pursue a life of fulfillment. Talking Points A little bit more about Humble the Poet What does “Unlearn” the book mean for Humble the Poet How important is the virtue of patience On process vs. progress Main lessons that people talk about from the book, Unlearn On the idea of journaling On his daily routine – morning or night person On his next plan and goal What is the takeaway from his book, Unlearn Where can people get stuff from Humble the Poet? Quote “Give a damn about yourself then give a damn about those you care about and then see if there are any more damns left to give.” Relevant Links Website Facebook Twitter Instagram Snapchat YouTube Book: Unlearn This episode made us realize that the hurdles or challenges that we experience is part of life and there are ways that we can follow to improve ourselves and our lives. Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices This episode is sponsored by Nexos.ai. Nexos is the all-in-one secure AI platform for enterprise—bringing workspaces, model access, and governance together under one roof. Try it free for 14 days at nexos.ai/apc today.

On today’s episode, I spent time with Michael Hyatt. Michael Hyatt is the founder and CEO of Michael Hyatt & Company, a leadership development firm specializing in transformative live events, workshops, and digital and physical planning tools. In his newest book, Free to Focus, Michael reveals to readers nine proven ways to win at work so they are finally free to succeed at the rest of life. Michael has been married to his wife, Gail, for forty years. They have five daughters, three sons-in-law, and eight grandchildren. They live just outside Nashville, Tennessee. Michael Hyatt focus on how everyone gets 168 hours a week, but it never feels like enough. Work gobbles up the lion’s share. Most people think productivity is about finding or saving time. But it’s not. It’s about making our time work for us. In his book, Free to Focus, it reveals to readers nine proven ways to win at work so they are finally free to succeed at the rest of life–their health, relationships, hobbies, and more. He helps readers redefine their goals, evaluate what’s working, cut out the nonessentials, focus on the most important tasks, manage their time and energy, and build momentum for a lifetime of success. Talking Points On Michael’s new book, Free to Focus On Michael’s definition and background on productivity On the idea of hitting the reset button Scheduling every hour of the day vs. leaving white space in your calendar On making time for others On how to not forget things The idea of the intersection between passion and proficiency How to say “no” with grace Tips for delegation, scaling yourself and getting an assistant How the book Free to Focus came to be On planning and mapping your week What is a backstage and frontstage work Ideas on how to beat distractions On productivity being a personal thing How does it feel to be Michael Hyatt the leader? What does journaling look like for a Michael Hyatt? Parting advice to the listeners Quote “We have got to ask ourselves, what is it that we are trying to achieve through productivity? The first part of the book is all under the umbrella of STOP. We have got to stop and ask ourselves why are we on this hamster wheel? What is it that we are trying to accomplish? And where is it leading?” Relevant Links Website Twitter Facebook Instagram Blog Book: Free to Focus This episode made us realize that many professionals are working as much as 70 hours a week thinking that they are productive but productivity is about making our time work for us. Just imagine having free time again. It’s not a pipe dream. I hope you will learn as much as I did. Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices This episode is sponsored by Nexos.ai. Nexos is the all-in-one secure AI platform for enterprise—bringing workspaces, model access, and governance together under one roof. Try it free for 14 days at nexos.ai/apc today.

On today’s podcast episode, I spend time with Austin Kleon. Austin is the New York Times bestselling author of three illustrated books: Steal Like An Artist, Newspaper Blackout, and Show Your Work! His next book is Keep Going: 10 Ways to Stay Creative in Good Times and Bad. His books have over a million copies in print and has been translated into over two dozen languages. He speaks about creativity in the digital age for organizations such as Pixar, Google, SXSW, TEDx, and The Economist. In previous lives, he worked as a librarian, a web designer, and an advertising copywriter. Austin Kleon knows that the creative life is not a linear journey to a finish line, it’s a loop so one needs to find a daily routine, because today is the only day that matters. In his book, Keep Going: 10 Ways to Stay Creative in Good Times and Bad, Austin celebrates getting outdoors and taking a walk. Pay attention, and especially pay attention to what you pay attention to. Worry less about getting things done, and more about the worth of what you’re doing. Instead of focusing on making your mark, work to leave things better than you found them. Talking Points About Austin’s book: Keep Going: 10 Ways to Stay Creative in Good Times and Bad On the importance of having a daily routine On the idea of having a place to do creative work How to combat the speed of life On the idea of having boundaries Building flexibility on your creative side The idea of paying attention more than the passage of time On the importance of having a journal On using materials for his books that is not on the “modern moment” How do you fool around with time? Quote “Time is the thing you get and you don’t know how much time you get. I think time is exactly what we are up against and it is exactly the real currency that we get to spend in this life. To not waste it and if your gonna waste it, to waste it deliciously. To waste it in the best way you can is the best thing you can do.”  Relevant Links Austin Kleon Facebook Twitter Instagram Tumbler Book: Keep Going Book: Show Your Work! Book: Steal Like An Artist Journal: Steal Like An Artist Book: Newspaper Blackout This episode teaches us that creative work is hard and how hard it is to keep going. We just need encouragement whether we are burned out, starting out, starting over, or wildly successful in the creative side. I hope you will learn as much as I did. Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices This episode is sponsored by Nexos.ai. Nexos is the all-in-one secure AI platform for enterprise—bringing workspaces, model access, and governance together under one roof. Try it free for 14 days at nexos.ai/apc today.