My guest today is magician and entertainer, David Copperfield. David is one of the greatest illusionists and most commercially successful magicians in history. He’s won 21 Emmy Awards, 11 Guinness World Records, sold over 33 million tickets, and has been named a Living Legend by the U.S. Library of Congress. We talk about the history of magic as captured in his new book, “David Copperfield’s History of Magic”, during this podcast episode. The 5 questions I ask in this episode: What was it about the magic store you went to when you were a kid that inspired you to become a magician instead of a ventriloquist? You’re known for your tricks like making the statue of liberty disappear and escape from death. What goes through your mind when you perform these tricks, knowing that they could go wrong or be exposed? You’ve profiled the best magicians in your book “David Copperfield’s History of Magic”. Which ones have had the most influence on your career and why? Looking back at the history of magic, what do you think were the pivotal milestones that brought the art, tricks, and shows forward? What is your best piece of career advice? Video interview Follow David’s journey: WebsiteBook InstagramTwitterFacebook

My guest today is actress and podcaster, Gabby Sidibe. Gabby made her acting debut in the 2009 film Precious, where she was nominated for both a Golden Globe and Academy Award for Best Actress. She’s also appeared in the Fox show Empire, multiple American Horror Story TV series, and Tower Heist. More recently, she stars in the original Realm thriller podcast, If I go Missing the Witches Did It.” We talk about the podcast, her acting career, and more during this podcast episode. The 5 questions I ask in this episode: How did you handle family members bullying you about your weight as a child and then how did losing 100 pounds during surgery impact your self-esteem? After starting your career with a breakout role starring in Precious, how did you choose your next project? How is your new podcast “If I Go Missing the Witches Did It” different from your prior work and what have you learned during the production process? In what ways have you addressed the issues of race, class, and capitalism in your show? What’s your best piece of career advice? Video interview Follow Gabourey’s journey: PodcastInstagramTwitter

My guest today is actor, writer and producer, Stanley Tucci. Stanley has directed five films and appeared over seventy, including The Devil Wears Prada and Road to Perdition, as well as more than a dozen plays, on and off-Broadway. He starred in Julie & Julia, opposite Meryl Streep, and The Lovely Bones, for which he earned his first Academy Award nomination, for Best Supporting Actor. He is the winner of two Golden Globes and two Emmys. His foody TV show, Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy, recently aired on CBS and is Emmy nominated. We talk about his life journey, overcoming setbacks, and his new book “Taste: My Life Through Food” during this podcast episode. The 5 questions I ask in this episode: What role did your family play in your pursuit as an actor? Even after you received an Emmy nomination for your breakout role in Murder One, how were you able to recover from the show being canceled? 3Where did your passion for food originally come from and how were you able to incorporate it into your TV career? How have your recent health struggles impacted your life and career trajectory? What’s your best piece of career advice? Follow Stanley’s journey: Book InstagramFacebook

My guest today is the chairman and CEO of Dell Technologies, Michael Dell. Michael started Dell in his dorm room at the University of Texas and today it’s become of the most successful technologies companies in the world. He is one of the 25 richest people in the world with a net worth of $51.7 billion and Dell Technologies made over 90 billion in revenue this year. We talk about his entrepreneurial journey, which he covers in his memoir “Play Nice But win”, during this podcast episode. The 5 questions I ask in this episode: How did both selling newspaper subscriptions and playing with technology as a teenager lead you to start your company? You’ve had many failures over decades of running DELL. What have you learned from these experiences that helped you make better business decisions? How do you evaluate talent when making hiring decisions? Billionaire CEOs like Jeff Bezos, Jack Dorsey, and Elon Musk have started multiple companies or have ventured into space. Do you have any plans for your next act and how do you intend to spend the rest of your life? What is your best piece of career advice? Video interview Follow Michael’s journey: Book InstagramFacebookTwitter

My guest today is singer, songwriter, and actor, Jesse McCartney. Jesse’s first three albums made the Top 15 of the Billboard Top 200 and is most known for his singles “Beautiful Soul” and “Leavin”. He’s performed and collaborated with T-Pain, New Kids on the Block, and Backstreet Boys. He’s appeared in Fear The Walking Dead and Alvin and the Chipmunks. Jesse’s first album in seven years is called “Next Stage”. We talk about everything from the inspiration for the album to growing up as a pop star during this podcast episode. The 5 questions I ask in this episode: What were some of the negative implications of being a big pop star at such a young age? What obstacles did you encounter as you transitioned from being in a boy band to your solo career and how did you overcome them? How has your creative process changed from when you were a teenager to right now? You are releasing your first album in 7 years. How did the time you spent reflecting on your life inspire your new music? What is your best piece of career advice? Video interview Follow Jesse’s journey: Website InstagramFacebookYouTubeTwitter

My guest today is rapper and entrepreneur, Rick Ross. Rick’s breakout single “Hustlin” back in 2006 made him an international sensation overnight. Today, he’s the founder of the Maybach Music group, has ten albums that have made the Billboard 200 list, and received four Grammy Award nominations. Rick’s new book is called “The Perfect Day to Boss Up”, which we discuss in this podcast episode. The 5 questions I ask in this episode: What were some early childhood experiences that helped you learn how to be a businessman and eventually launch successful ventures?During the grind of building your brand and career, what was the daily motivation that helped you persevere through the stress and failures?What are some of your “Boss Commandments” that people can implement to improve their lives?Over the past year, you cut your own grass instead of paying someone else to do it for you and flew commercial over private. Why did you choose to do these activities even though you don’t have to?What is your best piece of career advice? Video interview Follow Rick’s journey: Book YouTubeInstagramFacebookTwitter

My guest today is rapper and record producer, Bobby Hall. Known professionally as Logic, Bobby has released six studio albums and received two Grammy Award nominations. He recently retired from music to be a father and write his latest book “This Bright Future”. We discuss his life transformation, overcoming trauma, and lessons learned during this podcast episode. The 5 questions I ask in this episode: Can you talk about how you see your life transformation from being born Sir Robert Bryson Hall II to Bobby Hall and now Logic? How did retiring from music to focus on being a father change how you want to work and live moving forward? What was the most traumatic situation you experienced that had the most impact on your personal and professional growth? One of the similarities I’ve noticed in my interviews is that someone’s weakness can be a strength in disguise. There are silver linings that come from pain. How do you think your mental health struggles have been a driver of your success? What’s your best piece of career advice? Video interview Follow Bobby’s journey: YouTube InstagramFacebookTwitter

My guest today is singer, songwriter, and guitarist, Melissa Etheridge. Melissa rose to fame with her mainstream breakthrough album, “Yes I Am”, with singles including “I’m the Only One” and “Come to My Window”. Throughout her career, she’s received 15 Grammy Award nominations and won two of them. More recently, Melissa released her new album “One Way Out” which has unreleased songs from the 1980s and early 90s. We talk about the album, her childhood, dealing with loss, and more during this podcast episode. The 5 questions I ask in this episode: Growing up in Kansas, when did you realize that you could turn your music into a career? You were discovered in a gay bar, yet the record label asked in a meeting, “what are we going to do about this gay thing?” How did they eventually come around to accept you for who you are? You recently lost your son to opioid addiction and beat cancer several years ago. How have these experiences changed how you think about your life and career? Why did you decide to release songs you recorded decades ago this year? What is your best piece of career advice? Video interview Follow Melissa’s journey: Website YouTube InstagramFacebookTwitter

My guest today is the lead vocalist of OneRepublic, Ryan Tedder. Ryan started played music at age three and since then has become one of the most successful songwriters and producers of his generation. He’s worked with everyone from Adele to Beyonce to The Jonas Brothers. I talk to Ryan about his early career, relationship with money, time management, and collaborations during this podcast episode. The 5 questions I ask in this episode: How did your parents encourage you to play music and sing starting at age 3 and what role do they play in your career today? You didn’t grow up with money and graduate college fully in debt. How have these life circumstances affected your relationship with money now that you’re wealthy? Aside from being the lead singer in OneRepublic, you’re also a top producer. How do you manage your time between both, while pursuing other projects and social life? When you’re writing and producing a new song how do you integrate the artist’s personality into the music? What is your best piece of career advice? Video interview Follow Ryan’s journey: Website InstagramFacebookTwitter

My guest today is the Two-time Emmy Award-Winning Anchor of Inside Edition, Deborah Norville. Deborah is currently the longest-serving anchor on American television and an inductee into the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame. She is the former co-host of NBC’s “Today” and current anchor of Inside Edition, with over 5 million daily viewers. She’s also on the Board of Directors of Viacom. We talk about her longtime career, and overcoming obstacles, during this podcast episode. The 5 questions I ask in this episode: What did you learn about TV production in high school when you were in the Junior Miss beauty contest? You’re one of the longest-running anchors on TV. What do you think has led to your longevity in such a competitive industry? You’ve encountered major obstacles like a jail sentence, being overweight and corporate politics. What is it about you that lets you persevere, and triumph, through these obstacles? As someone who also speaks to many luminaries, what are some of your best interview tips? What’s your best piece of career advice? Video interview Follow Deborah’s journey: Website InstagramFacebookTwitter