Your World of Creativity

Excerpts are copyrighted, provided by the author, and used with permission.

In this episode, Mark talks with Gene S. Jones about his compelling new book Younger and Wiser. This is a book that travels beyond traditional formats to explore the full spectrum of human emotions and experiences. Utilizing pithy vignettes anchored by clever backstories, Younger and Wiser relates the eclectic saga of the author’s fascinating personal odyssey. The result is a mind-expanding reading adventure that expresses heartfelt emotions and life lessons while demonstrating a deep appreciation for humanity’s ability to improve itself. Featuring intimate storytelling and witty humor interspersed with profound wisdom, Younger and Wiser delivers bite-sized nuggets of invaluable insights for readers of all ages. (Listen midway through the interview for Gene to read one of the poems, Writer's Block.)Nationally acclaimed game show host Gene Jones has spent his life entertaining and inspiring other to achieve creative excellence. From seminars on innovation to more than thirty-five years of professional speech writing, the breadth of Jones’s extraordinary career in the world of entertainment spans more than four decades.Jones has also enjoyed notable success as a professional juggler, fire-eater, magician, producer, director, radio personality, arts administrator, and television sports commentator in addition to serving as Associate Editor of the Guinness Book of World Records. During that span of time, Jones often appeared on national television shows as the official Guinness Book of World Records spokesperson and world record judge.As a result of his work with the Guinness Book of World Records, Jones created the ingenious GIMME A HINT!® Trivia Game Show. Touring nationwide, he has performed this comedic theatrical game show more than twenty-five hundred times in the past three decades. In addition to hosting game shows, Jones frequently teaches his three signature seminars: The Nine Pillars of Creativity, The Art of Presentation, and The Art of Breakthrough Thinking. For major events and special occasions, Jones often writes customized speeches for his numerous long-time corporate and private clients.Jones’s most eclectic pursuit is in the field of Sound Healing. Utilizing Tibetan bowls, crystal bowls, tuning forks and exotic musical instruments, Jones has developed a sophisticated transformational sonic protocol. This unique program creates an exhilarating experience for individual clients as well as larger group meditations. In addition to leading transformational sound workshops, Jones is also a recipient of the Friendship Award from the United Nations for his concert performances with crystal bowls.Throughout his career Jones has written in a variety of genres ranging from radio commercials to murder mysteries. His unique backstory format in Younger and Wiser bridges the gap between literary memoir and free-form prose forming a powerful synthesis that is intimate and insightful.Penned over the course of Jones’s extensive career, often in exotic locations around the world, the poems of Younger and Wiser were collected in a leather briefcase that became their home for decades before being dusted off and distilled into passionate reflections brimming with wisdom and humor.Learn more about Gene and the book at dreamquestpublishing.comConnect with him at linkedin.com/in/genejonestrivia

Charlie Whyman is a Business Development Strategist, B2B LinkedIn Consultant and Trainer, Speaker and host of The Curiosity Key Podcast.She says "I believe that great businesses come from powerful networks built from authentic and strategic relationships."Charlie has experience working across more than 10 different industries and sectors in various commercial leadership roles -- as well as having experience as a Rowing and Olympic Weightlifting Coach.WHAT MAKES YOUR LINKEDIN NETWORK SO VALUABLE? You’ve heard people say that your network is your net worth well it’s true! You can use your network as a way to:Generate leads, enquiries, referrals and introductionsFollow-up with prospects and convert connections into customersBecome known in your industry so that people come to YOUGrow your reputationDemonstrate credibility and authorityFind referral partners and people to collaborate withLearn from othersKeep an eye on the competitionKeep up to date with what’s going on in your industryand more! Charlie shares her OTTER framework as a tool you can use to help you create a marketing strategy and plan. It will help you reduce marketing overwhelm, save time and do more with less. O – Set clear and measurable OBJECTIVES so that you know what to focus on and where to prioritize.T – Discover what TOOLS, Assets and Resources you have available to help you achieve your objectives.T – Understand where your gaps in skills and knowledge lie and what TRAINING you may need.E – Align your EXPECTATIONS both with yourself and the people you’re working with so you’re not disappointed and can work towards excellence.R – Regularly reflect and REVIEW progress so that you know what to start doing, stop doing and continue doing.Connect with her on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/charliewhymanJoin her Curious B2B Marketing Club at https://the-curious-b2b-marketing-club.mn.co/Listen to Charlie's podcast at https://player.captivate.fm/episode/c9c78d58-b684-4d22-a665-139e5f402bc3

Meet Dr. LisaShe is a speaker, writer, licensed clinical psychotherapist, PhD in addiction psychology, eating disorder professional, and hypnotherapist changing the view about obsessions.Dr. Lisa helps readers meet difficult challenges through practical, structured, step-by step advice and reveals how others have found relief and resolution of seemingly never-ending issues.Her new book Release Your Obsession With AGING: Heal from the Inside Out is a result of a lifelong journey of professional study and patient care, as well as her own self-discovery.In this episode, we discuss how to overcome many creative blocks -- real and imagined.Learn more about Dr. Lisa at https://weightcontroltherapy.com/See all her books at amazon.com/Dr-Lisa-Ortigara-CregoClick here to get Dr. Lisa's new book at amazon.com

Soma Stein is a mix of jazz-pop-infusion. Imagine Sara Bareilles meets Alicia Keyes.Soma’s style has evolved through various genres of music and has a crystal clear soulful voice.Soma strives to catch the ears of her audience with her originality and class. Her new song has just been released and you can watch the new video on YouTubeSoma says:"As far as I can remember, I have always had a knack for being creative. It was at the age of five, singing my heart out to The Little Mermaid when I realized I wanted to be a singer. Whitney Houston, TLC, and Mariah Carey are just a few artists from the 90's who highly influenced me at such a young age.""I figure the more love for music that you can spread around, it helps the world become a better place. Expression boosts confidence. Expression also relieves pain and usually conveys messages, meaningful to the artist.""I always know that there will be at least one person out there who digs my stuff. I don't fret because I know I'm just doing my own thing, and doing something I love.Like Soma sings in her songs, "We break a sweat and complicate it, while others like to sit and judge. It's no surprise we lose ourselves in this fight."She doesn't intend to lose herself to anything or anyone, except to the music that she loves.Connect with her at somastein.comFollow Soma on Spotify at https://open.spotify.com/artist/7akTje34BPDGIsvKzqmv2ZAnd watch the video of Lover's Abloom at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4OvIzU9fIkMusic tracks are copyrighted, provided by the artist, and used with permission.

ART RIOS is on a mission to help people embrace the gift of today, enjoying life’s simple – and sometimes guilty – pleasures to their fullest.A trial lawyer by profession, a student of humanity by choice, and a friend to all by nature, he’s the author of Let’s Talk … About Making Life Exciting, Easier and Exceptional.A connoisseur of good old-fashioned gab, he advocates for the revival of genuine conversation as a way to connect with others, expand our minds, improve our world, and get more enjoyment and satisfaction from life. Strike up a conversation with Art in the Let’s Talk Community.

Highlights from my book, ForwardFast Brandinghttps://www.amazon.com/dp/1790592313Overcoming Obstacles to Acceleration      In the pharmaceutical industry, drug advertisements are required to show “fair balance” – this is the fine print section of an ad that lists side effects, warnings, precautions, etc. Given that I am in the business of marketing pharmaceuticals, I thought I would include a “fair balance” section to this branding model. Anyone can use ForwardFast as a “how-to” manual, but it is more than a checklist for you to tick off as you complete your branding. As I have stressed, this is as much an art as it is a science.     As discussed in the last chapter, one of the keys to making ForwardFast work is a focused, cross-functional team. Because of that, there are some inherent risks involved, which are related to the difficulties in engaging a full team and the in-team dysfunctions that arise. Also involved is the notion that simultaneous execution/implementation is impossible. There are also some smaller speed bumps that arise that I will discuss. And finally, there is the notion of timing and luck. These elements must all be in balance for a successful execution of this model, which is a lot to juggle. Of primary importance is a well-functioning team. Many books and resources exist for forging effective teams, including Lencioni’s Five Dysfunctions of a Team. He shares a series of pitfalls that teams typically run into. Each one builds on the next, and if you are not careful, the entire enterprise can fall apart or be so dysfunctional it might as well fall apart. I prefer to switch this around, and observe things from the opposite perspective – how each of these aspects can be applied to build a better team. Using Lencioni’s words, a team needs Trust, Conflict, Commitment, Accountability, and Attention to Results.1.    Trust     Trust is the ability to feel comfortable with vulnerability among team members. Innovation comes from openness, and I strive to make my people feel free to make mistakes, show weaknesses, admit to skill deficiencies and interpersonal shortcomings, and ask for help.       What happens in a team that shares trust is that, instead of focusing on strategic defensiveness, they work together to get the job done. Time is better spent, meetings are more productive, and morale is higher. The key to making this work is a culture of trust in the workspace, and that begins with yours truly setting the tone and the example. I have to be willing to admit to mistakes in front of the team, and I cannot punish team members for exhibiting vulnerability.2.    Conflict   Productive conflict helps teams grow. For conflict to be productive, it must be centered around concepts and ideas rather than on personal issues. This kind of conflict helps a team work out ideas to the best result. In branding business, this should be easy – everyone on the team should know that brand tastes differ -- but often there is a tendency to focus on speaking for one’s self, instead of the customer (doctor, patient, payor, etc.). Passion and emotion play a huge role in conflict, and in the discussion of how best to proceed, I strive to make team members feel comfortable sharing their true opinions. However, just because there is emotion involved, there should not be a feeling of anger at the end of the debate. The benefit to productive conflict is that it gets the issues out on the table and solved, rather than letting them linger and crop up again and again throughout the life of a project. Again, I see it as my role to promote productive conflict – first I model the proper behavior by not avoiding conflict when it arises; then I also allow team members to work out their own conflicts among themselves. If I constantly act as peacekeeper, no one wins.    One of the best examples of productive conflict is work with co-marketing partners. In a typical co-marketing arrangement, one big company and one small company work together on the branding effort of a major product. Sometimes these two companies will have conflicting goals. But I’ve found that creating a strong brand purpose and brand platform helps everyone work together on common strategy. With this foundation, the partners can more productively work through their differences.3.    Commitment Effective teams are committed to the group goals and to the customers’ benefit. In the health industry, there is an additional commitment to good health. Decisions of effective teams are made succinctly and clearly, and even those who voted against the chosen course of action go along with the decision because they know their opposition has been heard and considered. Effective teams move forward on a decision without any uncertainty that it will work because they know that the team will work together to make it happen – that is commitment to the goals. Team members act decisively and work effectively toward the goals the team sets. In order to promote commitment on my team, I encourage them to take calculated risks. Every day, I push teams to stay on target to schedules and event plans. I also strive not to place too much value on certainty or consensus. 4.    Accountability           Accountability means the ability and willingness of team members to call their peers on their mistakes (and, going back to trust, the team members will be willing to admit their mistakes, so this should not be a problem). The key here is not about assessing blame or figuring out where “the buck stops,” but for the team members to exercise peer pressure to keep the team on target. I encourage my team to self-manage, but I also keep them accountable using data, metrics, and timelines. In addition, I am willing to point out team responsibility when the team fails. A results-focused team knows what the benchmarks are for success, and they constantly pay attention to where the team stands in relation to those benchmarks. Financial results and status need to be secondary to goal-oriented performance. Paying too much attention to the bottom line or to where the team or individual stands in the eyes of the group is a clear means to failure. Instead, team members should focus on improving the quality of the brand experience. Again, in my case, I have to set the tone, objectively evaluating teams and individuals based on results and giving out rewards based solely on performance.           Another potential roadblock small teams bring is that simultaneous implementation may be impossible. You can’t wait until everything is perfect or even complete in this model. So you must develop a staged rollout. This creates a dangerous “running with scissors” condition. Too many components are on the edge of failure. Employees feel like they are one step away from eventual doom. It can be rough on morale if you are not careful. What it takes is planning, calm, and a great team.          The nice thing about these factors of effective teams is that they build on each other. You can start with trust, developing that openness to being vulnerable. People who are open with their feelings are able to engage in productive conflict about issues and projects. Those teams that bring up their conflict issues are more able to be committed to outcomes, even if they disagree with the final decision. Committed team members are going to hold each other accountable for team success, and if they have trust and are comfortable with conflict, they will be able to call their peers on failures.   5.    Attention to Results           Finally, if all of the above are in place, the team will be focused on results. Each member of the team has a stake in the outcome, and each person feels they have had a hand in the outcome. Successes can be celebrated together, and failures can be learning experiences. Beyond the five dysfunctions that Lencioni describes, there is one is personal frustration of mine: The “W” word, Waiting. It makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Wasting is more like it. I banned the use of the “W” word in my office. It is kind of a tongue-in-cheek way of clarifying the attitude I want employees to have. Waiting implies passivity. “I’m waiting for them to call me back,” “I’m waiting to get a meeting,” “I’m waiting to get approval.” It is passive. It is reactive. It is a waste of time. What I want to elicit with this word ban is an attitude of proactivity. Instead of waiting for them to call you back, plan in advance the time when they are scheduled to call you back. Instead of waiting to get a meeting, take the meeting to them. Instead of waiting for approval, schedule a review meeting. It is about controlling the action and planning for the future, rather than letting things fall where they may. No more waiting.

In my conversation with Marcus Eaton, Guitarist, Singer, and Songwriter, he talks about his:New collaborationsNew Song: "Step Aside" (with premiere of new video https://youtu.be/UzHw5x8qWCw)New approaches to workWatch the living room session of "Step Aside": https://youtu.be/oOS3RuoWbp4Website: www.marcuseaton.comEmail: Management: windsongentertainmentla@gmail.com (Liz Kamlet)Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marcuseatonmusic/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marcuseatonmusic/Twitter: https://twitter.com/marcuseatonOther: https://www.youtube.com/user/mqeatonAlso, mentioned in the interview: Jude Warne, writerjudewarne.com/www.thevinyldistrict.com/storefront/2020/06/marcus-eaton-the-tvd-interview/www.amazon.com/America-Band-Authorized-Jude-WarneAnother group that Marcus mentions: OK Gohttps://www.facebook.com/okgo/videos/1041316303000123

My interview with Dan Phippen covers so much ground from his life and career experience.We discussed:His involvement in the production of the recent FarmAid 2020His views on the state of the concert and live event business during the pandemicHis advice on breaking into and moving up in the music businessAlong the way, you get to know where Dan gets his creative inspiration and how he has applied it to his craft.Connect with him at linkedin.com/in/danphippen

You will gain so much information -- and inspiration -- from my interview with Becky Dembowski.Becky is a very driven author, mom, wife, gardener, photographer, and friend to all who need some extra care. She is a light-hearted, fearless spirit, filled with pure joy. She’s an anchor of strength to those who are seeking life and empowerment. Her sunny, positive personality is a blessing to all who are a part of her world.In this episode, Becky shares highlights of her book writing, publishing, and promotion journey. Most of all, she encourages creative people to always remember the passion which comes from the story in your heart.Learn more about her and order her books at beckydembowski.comScarlett's Journey is also available as an audiobook at www.amazon.com/Scarletts-Journey-Adventures-Runner-Duck