Awesome Office: Lead. Create. Inspire

The beautiful thing about innovation is that it almost always starts the same, humble way - with a person and an idea. Our most impactful technological achievements - the printing press, the internal combustion engine, the iPhone - all started with someone who saw a problem and dared to envision a solution. It’s what Chris Powell calls “the art of the possible,” and it’s what has sustained his passion for the HR space for the last two decades. Chris Powell is the CEO of BlackbookHR, a software company that equips organizations to leverage workforce insights that impact productivity, performance, retention and culture. Chris also represents a bit of a rarity in the world of HR tech - a founder who actually spent most of his career in HR. Because while most founders in the space come from a software development background, Chris has spent 20 years in the trenches as an HR exec with companies like Marriott, Scripps, and Deloitte. This means Chris has tackled people issues from every side of the equation, and for all types of companies, from major corporations with thousands of employees in offices around the globe, to nascent startups experiencing growing pains for the first time. As you’ll hear in the episode, Chris took some time from a vacation on Martha’s Vineyard to share some of his veteran insight with us. We talked to him about why companies tend to know their customers and vendors better than their own employees (and why this is a problem), why human behavior doesn’t allow for stasis, and how to foster the art of the possible with your employees.   Of course, two decades in HR means that Chris has seen and heard it all, and he also shares his most outrageous story from the front lines of the HR desk. (Trust us, it’s a good one.) Key Takeaways Chris explains why he got into the HR space, and what inspired him to stay in the field for more than two decades. 5:09 Chris describes the “holy grail” that he’s been chasing in his career. 6:39 Chris breaks down why human behavior doesn’t allow for stasis, and why it’s therefore the wrong state to strive for in business. 7:39 Chris shares the #1 lesson he learned from his days selling cars to Ford dealerships that he still applies as a CEO and business leader. 9:07 Chris relates a story from his days as an HR exec at Scripps, and tells us why relationships are more important than competency. 11:34 Chris tells us about his childhood growing up in Memphis, TN, in a family with 7 siblings, and how that experience taught him how to deal with people. 12:45 Chris also shares a story about a family trip to Nashville that taught him a valuable leadership lesson that he carries with him to this day. 14:43 Chris explains why companies tend to know their customers and vendors better than their own employees, and what leaders can do to change that. 18:04 Chris explains the genesis of BlackbookHR, and the ways they surface insights for the companies they serve. 28:43 Chris tells us his craziest story after 20 years on the frontlines on the HR side of the house. 33:42 Links BlackbookHR @xrispowell on Twitter Chris on LinkedIn Recommended Reading The Power of Awareness by Neville Goddard   This podcast is brought to you by the good folks at Audible.com Just for the listeners of the Awesome Office podcast, Audible is offering a free audiobook download along with their free 30-day trial to give you the opportunity to check out their service. We personally recommend Mindset by Carol Dweck. It’s the one book that will change your life more than any other, and the one we think everyone should read. And the cool thing is - you can download it for FREE by trying audible.com. To download your free audiobook today go to audibletrial.com/AO.   

Joe Cross is an Australian entrepreneur and filmmaker whose “reboot” concept empowers business leaders to take control of their health by making simple lifestyle changes. But before he was the picture of health and wellness and a beacon of hope for thousands across the globe, Joe Cross was on death’s door. By age 40, Joe’s health was in disarray, despite a flourishing career as a day trader and investor. As Joe explained it to us, he was focused on “wealth and not health,” and while he wasn’t looking his weight ballooned out of control. 100 pounds overweight, loaded up on steroids and suffering from a debilitating autoimmune disease, Joe was at the end of his rope. Enough was enough. Sick and tired of being sick and tired, Joe discovered that the power to change was within his control, and that he could “reboot” his health and his life by making simple lifestyle changes. He lost the weight, cured his own disease, and threw all the pills away. And if he can do it, so can all of us. Joe documented this journey from obesity and illness back to health and vitality in his first film, Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead, a runaway success that has been viewed by countless people around the world. Joe was gracious enough to spend some time sharing his amazing story, as well as strategies that can help all of us improve our health, longevity, and vitality, and do the work we were meant to do.  Key Takeaways Joe describes his reboot technique, and how it’s transformed his life. Joe shares one simple change the average business leader can do to start living a healthier lifestyle. Joe describes the “Two Rule,” a way to avoid sabotaging your health and nutrition goals while eating out at business meals. Joe breaks down the 80/20 rule that guides his healthy lifestyle, and explains why maintaining a balance is so vital to your longterm health. Joe shares a story about attending a rock concert in his youth that illustrates what a huge epiphany discovering a plant-based diet was for him. Joe talks about the replacement vs. restriction dichotomy, and how replacement is the key to long term success when it comes to lifestyle changes. Joe dives into his personal story, describing how he left high school at 17, became a courier for a merchant bank, and then a trader on the floor of Sydney’s Futures Exchange. Joe descibes his life as a trader, and how he lost $200k on his worst day. Joe explains how his obsession with work led to his ballooning weight and deteriorating health, and what he did about it.   Joe tells us why it’s so important to climb a tree and make sure we’re in the right jungle instead of blindly hacking away with our machetes (so to speak). Finally, Joe tells us why he became a filmmaker, and the role that storytelling plays in enacting positive social change. Links Reboot With Joe @JoetheJuicer on Twitter Joe’s Films Fat, Sick, & Nearly Dead Fat, Sick, & Nearly Dead 2 The Kid’s Menu Recommended Reading Way of the Peaceful Warrior by Dan Millman Special Offer for AO Listeners! 2 Week Free Trial and $25 Credit with SaneBox How many emails do you have in your inbox right now? A hundred? A thousand? Twenty thousand? An out of control inbox is probably THE biggest drag on your time and sanity. But it doesn't have to be this way. There's a secret to reaching inbox zero and taking back your email sanity. It’s called SaneBox and I can’t recommend it enough. SaneBox sorts through your email and moves all of the trivial stuff into a different folder so the only messages in your inbox are the ones you actually want to see. Aside from removing all of the junk so you can focus on messages that matter, there’s this a great feature called the BlackHole. Move an email into that folder and you’ll never hear from the sender again. It’s so rewarding. Because we could all use more organization in our email life, we worked out a great deal for our listeners. Visit sanebox.com/AO and they’ll throw in an extra $25 credit on top of the two-week free trial. You don’t have to enter your credit card information unless you decide to buy, so there’s really nothing to lose. Check it out today and let me know if you love the BlackHole and reaching inbox zero as much as I do.   Go to SaneBox.com/AO to claim your $25 credit and try it for free now! 

What is happening, Awesome Officers and purveyors of optimism? We’ve got a fresh new episode ready for your aural consumption that we think you will really enjoy. This one’s a little different though. This is the first episode of a new format we’re calling #SPKup. It’s a Q&A with AO captain Sean Patrick Kelly (aka, SPK), and a chance for you, the listener, to ask Sean any question you want. In this one, SPK tackles the top questions we hear from our awesome audience, covering all manner of topics, from business and leadership to life lessons and Sean’s greatest fears. No topic is out of bounds. This was recorded live in the middle of our SnackNation headquarters (the original Awesome Office), so don’t be surprised if you hear a steady buzz of activity (and some aggressive high-fiving) in the background. And fear not - we’re still producing epic interviews with today’s top business leaders. Have a question for Sean? Then #SPKup! Ask @seanpk via Twitter and use the hashtag #SPKup and Sean will answer it in the next edition of #SPKup. Special Offer for AO Listeners! 2 Week Free Trial and $25 Credit with SaneBox How many emails do you have in your inbox right now? A hundred? A thousand? Twenty thousand? An out of control inbox is probably THE biggest drag on your time and sanity. But it doesn't have to be this way. There's a secret to reaching inbox zero and taking back your email sanity. It’s called SaneBox and I can’t recommend it enough. SaneBox sorts through your email and moves all of the trivial stuff into a different folder so the only messages in your inbox are the ones you actually want to see. Aside from removing all of the junk so you can focus on messages that matter, there’s this a great feature called the BlackHole. Move an email into that folder and you’ll never hear from the sender again. It’s so rewarding. Because we could all use more organization in our email life, we worked out a great deal for our listeners. Visit sanebox.com/AO and they’ll throw in an extra $25 credit on top of the two-week free trial. You don’t have to enter your credit card information unless you decide to buy, so there’s really nothing to lose. Check it out today and let me know if you love the BlackHole and reaching inbox zero as much as I do.   Go to SaneBox.com/AO to claim your $25 credit and try it for free now! 

Happiness. Does it really matter? Ask most business leaders fifteen years ago, and you’d be hard pressed to find one who thought that happiness was a primary concern, especially within the organization. Work is about results, and happiness is incidental. Or so the thinking went. Then came along a little company called Zappos, with a visionary CEO named Tony Hsieh who realized that delivering happiness was a unifying theme throughout the business. Not only did delivering happiness sum up the ideal experience for his customer, but making happiness a primary concern internally actually drove results. There’s no one in the world who understands the power of Happiness better than this week’s guest, Jenn Lim. Delivering Happiness CHO Jenn Lim. Jenn is the CEO and Chief Happiness Officer of Delivering Happiness, a consulting firm she founded with Tony Hsieh to inspire science-based happiness, passion and purpose at work, home and everyday life. Jenn was a foundational team member at Zappos, and in 2010 she led the launch of Tony’s book Delivering Happiness, which has sold over 600,000 copies worldwide. Jenn refers to Delivering Happiness as a book that became a company that became a global movement. We caught up with Jenn on a Hawaiian “workcation,” and she digs deep in this interview, telling us about her upbringing, her days as an angst-ridden, Camus-reading teenager, and her own happiness journey, which includes stops at UC Berkeley, San Francisco tech, and Zappos. Eventually, this path led her to the principles of positive psychology that form the basis of Delivering Happiness.   Key Takeaways Jenn takes us through DH’s happiness framework, and explains the difference between pleasure, passion, and purpose - as well as why a sense of purpose has the highest likelihood of creating sustainable happiness. 5:33 Jenn walks us through her childhood, and explains how her experience as a first generation American shaped her perspective on what “success” and “happiness” mean, as well as how those constructs changed over time. 8:53 Jenn describes one of the lowest moments of her life, and explains how this experience inspired her to focus more on discovering her own life's purpose. 13:37 Jenn describes the life-changing events that led her to focus on positive psychology and the science of happiness. 21:22 Jenn tells us about her introduction to Zappos, and the not-so-great first impression that CEO Tony Hsieh left on her. 22:25 Jenn describes how her working relationship with Tony flourished, and tells us about the bonds that forged between them while scaling Mt. Kilimanjaro. 24:13 Jenn walks us through the number one business case for workplace happiness, and lays out a strategy for creating values that actually mean something. 26:55 Jenn tells us the story behind Zappos’ famous culture book, and how she brought the project from idea to launch. Jenn shares a formerly-held belief about happiness that has since changed.  40:00 Jenn describes how the world of work will be different ten years from now. 46:12   Recommended Reading Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh The Stranger by Albert Camus The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand On The Road by Jack Kerouac The Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo    Links DeliveringHappiness.com  Delivering Happiness on Facebook @DHMovement on Twitter Email Jenn directly: jenn@deliveringhappiness.com UC Berkeley Special Offer for AO Listeners! 2 Week Free Trial and $25 Credit with SaneBox How many emails do you have in your inbox right now? A hundred? A thousand? Twenty thousand? An out of control inbox is probably THE biggest drag on your time and sanity. But it doesn't have to be this way. There's a secret to reaching inbox zero and taking back your email sanity. It’s called SaneBox and I can’t recommend it enough. SaneBox sorts through your email and moves all of the trivial stuff into a different folder so the only messages in your inbox are the ones you actually want to see. Aside from removing all of the junk so you can focus on messages that matter, there’s this a great feature called the BlackHole. Move an email into that folder and you’ll never hear from the sender again. It’s so rewarding. Because we could all use more organization in our email life, we worked out a great deal for our listeners. Visit sanebox.com/AO and they’ll throw in an extra $25 credit on top of the two-week free trial. You don’t have to enter your credit card information unless you decide to buy, so there’s really nothing to lose. Check it out today and let me know if you love the BlackHole and reaching inbox zero as much as I do.   Go to SaneBox.com/AO to claim your $25 credit and try it for free now! 

In a very literal sense, you’re about to have your mind blown.   Or perhaps more accurately - this episode will blow your mind and then help you rebuild a better one.   This week we have Dr. Robert Cooper, a bestselling author and researcher who holds a PhD in general psychology and neurology, and the proponent of a practice called “upwiring.”   In this amazing interview, Dr. Cooper introduces us to the concept of “livewiring” - the idea that we’re constantly remaking the structure and function of our entire nervous system in realtime.   The livewiring breakthrough led Dr. Cooper to the concept of upwiring - the practice of remaking your mind in a directed, purposeful way. The research has shown us that we all have the power to unlock hidden capabilities, push through obstacles, and generally perform better and lead richer, more fulfilling lives. And it's easier than you might think.   Dr. Cooper isn’t just a respected researcher and performance coach - he’s a certifiable performance stud. He was an All-American swimmer at the University of Michigan, a U.S. Marine and jet pilot during the Vietnam war, and - oh yeah - he’s currently completing his second doctoral degree.   The good doctor shared some incredibly simple yet effective strategies for practicing upwiring in our daily lives. We also cover stories from Robert’s upbringing that shaped his identity and inspired him to unlock the hidden potential in himself and others.   Key Takeaways Dr. Cooper tells us about his upbringing and the role played by his two grandfathers, who inspired him to always challenge himself and fully realize his potential. 4:45 Dr. Cooper tells us how his experience as a Marine in Vietnam showed him how deep people can reach within themselves when confronted with extreme circumstances. 7:02 Dr. Cooper explains how he became curious about how the best leaders use setbacks and difficulties as a catalyst to bring out more in themselves and their teams. 7:35 Dr. Cooper tells us why being engulfed in information gives us the illusion that we’re actually learning, even though we’re not. 9:15 Dr. Cooper talks about the expectations of having such accomplished mentors in his life as a young man, but how ultimately their influence led him down the path he continues on to do this day. 9:48 Dr. Cooper explains why he believes that we only live in a tiny corner of our possibilities as human beings, and why our brains are hardwired to recognize the best of what’s common not the best of what’s possible. 11:26 Dr. Cooper explains the phenomenon of cognitive tunneling, and how of very strengths are blocking us from developing. 13:40 Dr. Cooper explains why he believes our biggest mission every day is to surpass the best we’ve ever been. 14:49 Dr. Cooper introduces the concept of NFC, or "need for cognition” - a curiosity about the hidden capabilities within us - and why we need a moment of reflection before we can actually learn anything. 16:50 Dr. Cooper reveals a strategy for inspiring curiosity in ourselves and others, and explains why we need to constantly ask ourselves the question, “Compared to what?” 19:00 Dr. Cooper explains why he believes most of the people he works with (some of the highest performers in the world) are only at 10-20% of their capacity to shine - as well as why certain leaders pull away from everyone else. 21:35 Dr. Cooper takes us through the fascinating world of neuroplasticity and the phenomenon of upwiring - the extraordinary opportunity we all have to remake ourselves for the better, everyday. 26:45 Dr. Cooper relates an amazing story about studying with the famed psychologist Abraham Maslow, and explains why every morning you have to choose to face our fears, again and again. 34:10 Dr. Cooper describes a strategy for upwiring, and why the greatest catalyst for positive growth is negative resistance. 38:09 Dr. Cooper explains why those who can take a split second pause when faced with a challenge or confrontation have an advantage and will more successfully live up to their potential. 42:20 Dr. Cooper explains why the first 22 minutes of every day are the most important. 49:35   Recommended Reading Upwire by Dr. Robert Cooper W. Edwards Deming Abraham Maslow   Links RobertCooperPhD.com CooperStrategic.com Upwire Podcast Dr. Cooper on LinkedIn University of Michigan football Special Offer for AO Listeners! 2 Week Free Trial and $25 Credit with SaneBox How many emails do you have in your inbox right now? A hundred? A thousand? Twenty thousand? An out of control inbox is probably THE biggest drag on your time and sanity. But it doesn't have to be this way. There's a secret to reaching inbox zero and taking back your email sanity. It’s called SaneBox and I can’t recommend it enough. SaneBox sorts through your email and moves all of the trivial stuff into a different folder so the only messages in your inbox are the ones you actually want to see. Aside from removing all of the junk so you can focus on messages that matter, there’s this a great feature called the BlackHole. Move an email into that folder and you’ll never hear from the sender again. It’s so rewarding. Because we could all use more organization in our email life, we worked out a great deal for our listeners. Visit sanebox.com/AO and they’ll throw in an extra $25 credit on top of the two-week free trial. You don’t have to enter your credit card information unless you decide to buy, so there’s really nothing to lose. Check it out today and let me know if you love the BlackHole and reaching inbox zero as much as I do. Go to SaneBox.com/AO to claim your $25 credit and try it for free now! 

Liz Guthridge is a Charleston, South Carolina-based coach, consultant and trainer who specializes in employee engagement and creating high performing teams. She runs the award-winning management consulting group Connect Consulting, where she uses Neuroscientific insights to help organizations unlock their true performance potential. Liz regaled us with some amazing stories - including the lessons she learned hawking peanuts at minor league baseball games that she carries with her to this day. She also gave us a fabulous strategy for improving communication and holding better meetings, an acronym called A.G.E.S. But mostly, she was a delight to interview, and she brought a ton of value to the show. Takeaways Liz tells us about her days as a peanut vendor for the Tulsa Oilers, a minor league baseball team, where she worked alongside baseball legend Satchel Paige. Liz describes where she thinks the world of work will be in ten years, and why we’re just hitting the tip of the iceberg in terms of workplace flexibility. Liz explains why schedule and location flexibility have to be a give and take, and why the face-to-face experience will never diminish in importance. Liz talks us through the meaning of “brain-friendly work habits." Liz explains why we often get our best ideas in the shower. Liz breaks down A.G.E.S., a strategy for running better meetings and becoming a better presenter. Liz walks us through what it takes to effectively create new habits. Finally, Liz helps us understand what it takes to maintain our “cognitive edge” as automation takes its hold in the workplace. Recommended Reading Humans Are Underrated by Geoff Colvin Could You Pass the "CGC" (Corporate Good Citizen) Test? by Liz Guthridge Links Connect Consulting Group @lizguthridge BJ Fogg Earn a $100 Amazon Gift Card, Courtesy of SnackNation Our sponsor SnackNation wants to give you a $100 Amazon Gift Card for hooking your office up with snacks. Yes you heard me right - they want to PAY YOU to bring insanely tasty snacks into your office. It's simple. Help get your office started with SnackNation's monthly snack delivery and they'll send you a $100 Amazon Gift Card. That's a gift card for you (not your office) to spend on whatever you like. You'll get high fives from coworkers because you brought the tastiest and best variety of healthy snacks into your office... all without lifting a finger. Go to SnackNation.com/ao, to claim your $100 Amazon Gift Card now! Similar to Entreleadership and HBR Ideacast.

Awesome Officers, I hope you are having another fantastic week filled with presence, productivity, and rejuvenation. We’ve done fifty episodes - that’s fifty great guests, fifty insightful conversations, and fifty interviews packed with actionable tips and insights to help your company create the culture it needs to thrive, and for you to excel as a leader and someone who just wants to get better. It’s been fascinating to see the through lines in these episodes. A number of themes have certainly come up, some of them repeatedly. That’s why we put together this “15 for 50” … that is, the top 15 takeaways from the first 50 episodes of the Awesome Office show thus far. These are the things that surprised us, fascinated us...the things that really made us say “huh, thats awesome, I should change my thinking” or those things that just plain made us laugh. We also have one bonus clip for you - one of the funniest answers we’ve heard on the minute of magic. Key Takeaways Jason Nazar sums up the changing nature of the employer-employee relationship. 3:25 Tom Bilyeu tells us why he sees all of life as disciplined practice.  7:40 Hank Fortener shares the secret to impactful communication. 9:57 Jane Buckingham explains why you should collaborate with - not fear - Millennial employees. 13:37 Vinnie Fisher tells us how to find the heartbeat of your business, and why it's so important. 18:51 Christopher Gavigan tells us why he still personally takes 30-50 customer service calls per week. 22:36 David Hassell describes what he calls "good discomfort," and why it's so important to high growth businesses. 24:58 Jason Weiss explains the "fail of the week" at Scopely. 27:16 Richard Sheridan explains why low attrition isn't necessarily the sign of a good company culture, and names a better KPI. 29:45 Marc Merrill tells us why Riot Games only hires gamers, and why they've stuck to this policy even as they've scaled. 33:13 Rob Bell explains why leaders are always leading, even when they think they're not. 38:18 Jaspar Weir explains why culture is TaksUs' #1 competitive advantage. 43:00 Marcus Buckingham shares a simple exercise for finding your strengths. 44:46 Mark Rampolla describes his darkest moment in the early days of ZICO, and the lesson that helped him get through it. 49:18 Bert Jacobs makes a business case for culture and engagement. 54:20 Bonus Clip - Sara Mailloux shares one of the funniest answers during the Minute of Magic.

We are all drug addicts. It might sound strange, but it’s true. We’re all addicted to the drug of distraction. Our biology predisposes us to be addicted to the feel-good chemicals released by non-productive things like mindlessly surfing the web, living in our inbox, or worst of all, constantly looking at our phones. The biggest downside of these euphoria-inducing habits is that they prevent us from being fully present in the moment. And what’s more important than this? Being present empowers us to perform better, to be less anxious, and to be happier and more fulfilled. In this episode, I’m bringing you directly into the SnackNation and Awesome Office headquarters to hear a recent talk (we call them Sensei Sessions) that I gave to our team. My goal here is to encourage a life of greater presence, tranquility, fulfillment and productivity with our team and all of you.   I share with my team how we can remove the #1 greatest distraction in our life with ease, and how the key to living a fulfilled life lies in just doing three simple things on a continual basis. Key Takeaways The difference between presence and focus, and why it’s important to be present in our daily interactions. 5:18 How the combination of being present, insightful, and helpful can have a powerful impact. 6:45 How presence leads to deeper and richer relationships. 7:35 Our biggest distractor, and strategies for eliminating it from our lives. 11:39 The evolutionary science behind distraction, and why addiction to certain brain chemicals is at the heart of it. 13:15 Why your phone is the #1 drug in your life. 19:31 Sean breaks down the strategy and tactics for breaking our phone addiction. 20:38 Why active rejuvenation is so important, and the flipside of presence. 25:04 Examples of bad rejuvenation, and why a positive mindset is so important. 26:16 Examples of good rejuvenation. 29:50   Earn a $100 Amazon Gift Card, Courtesy of SnackNation Our sponsor SnackNation wants to give you a $100 Amazon Gift Card for hooking your office up with snacks. Yes you heard me right - they want to PAY YOU to bring insanely tasty snacks into your office. It's simple. Help get your office started with SnackNation's monthly snack delivery and they'll send you a $100 Amazon Gift Card. That's a gift card for you (not your office) to spend on whatever you like. You'll get high fives from coworkers because you brought the tastiest and best variety of healthy snacks into your office... all without lifting a finger. Go to SnackNation.com/ao, to claim your $100 Amazon Gift Card now!   

According to Ryan Holiday, there is an enemy within us. This enemy has derailed the careers of promising young geniuses, decimated great fortunes, and run companies into the ground. It's made adversity unbearable and turned struggle into shame. It's name? Ego. Ryan Holiday is a media strategist, best selling author, and the former marketing director of American Apparel. He has been in the trenches building brands and designing media strategies, and today is one of the most highly regarded thinkers and marketers of his generation. But by his own admission, he hasn't been immune to the dangers posed by Ego. In his new book, Ego is the Enemy, Ryan lays out a strategy for defeating the enemy Ego, and he was gracious enough to share some of this insight - and some incredible stories - with the Awesome Office audience. In this interview, Ryan shares how luck played a role in his success, and why the stories we tell ourselves about our successes (and failures) are so important; how the schism that formed between Ryan and his parents after he dropped out of college at the age of 19 played an important role in his career development; and why we must embrace uncomfortable moments in order to become the best version of ourselves. This episode also marks the first time we've recorded with a live audience, as we set up the mics in front of 70+ Awesome Officers at SnackNation HQ. We captured the whole thing on video too. (We'll have that up here shortly.) Key Takeaways Ryan explains why the things you're most excited about are often the things that cause the most anxiety. 3:33  Ryan tells us about his childhood in Northern California, and how everything from his parents' professions to their decision to live in Sacramento affected his life's journey. 6:18 Ryan describes the moment he realized that education and schooling aren't necessarily synonymous. 8:02 Ryan talks about his decision to drop out of college at 19, and the fallout it caused with his parents. 9:49 Ryan relays how he became author Robert Greene's research assistant, and how it almost fell it apart before it began. 11:38 Ryan dives into the premise of his new book, explaining what he means by the phrase "Ego is the Enemy." 14:59 Ryan helps us distinguish the difference between confidence and ego, and why one serves us while the other hinders us. 18:35 Ryan shares a strategy for removing your ego when you receive constructive criticism. 20:38 Ryan tells us about the many times luck played a part in his success, and explains why the story we tell ourselves matters so much. 20:55 Ryan uses a story about Bo Jackson to illustrate why you need an "internal scorecard." 27:26 Ryan and Sean talk about the pitfalls of comparing yourself to others, and why it's ultimately a fool's errand. 30:30 Ryan breaks down the misconception that you need to "find yourself" before you can identify work that's meaningful to you. 31:40 Ryan shares a tactic for training people to derive satisfaction from the internal things you can control rather than the external things you can't. 37:15 Ryan makes a case for life as "continuous training." 42:40 Ryan explains why we need to embrace life's uncomfortable moments and not always try to "fill them up with stuff." 43:44 Ryan explains what we can do to minimize ego in the workplace. 46:18 Links RyanHoliday.net @RyanHoliday on Twitter Ryan on Facebook  Buy Ryan's books  Recommended Reading Ego is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday Trust Me, I’m Lying by Ryan Holiday Growth Hacker Marketing by Ryan Holiday Sherman: Soldier, Realist, American by B.H. Liddell Hart Meditations by Marcus Aurelius   Earn a $100 Amazon Gift Card, Courtesy of SnackNation Our sponsor SnackNation wants to give you a $100 Amazon Gift Card for hooking your office up with snacks. Yes you heard me right - they want to PAY YOU to bring insanely tasty snacks into your office. It's simple. Help get your office started with SnackNation's monthly snack delivery and they'll send you a $100 Amazon Gift Card. That's a gift card for you (not your office) to spend on whatever you like. You'll get high fives from coworkers because you brought the tastiest and best variety of healthy snacks into your office... all without lifting a finger. Go to SnackNation.com/ao, to claim your $100 Amazon Gift Card now!      Similar to Entreleadership and HBR Ideacast.

In 2004, Mark Rampolla was sick of settling for low-hanging fruit. Sure, he had a comfortable life, a six-figure income, and was poised to reach the top of a Fortune 100 company. But he knew there was more to life than making money. Most of all, he was concerned about the example he was setting for his young daughters. Did he want their dad to be a corporate conformist, someone who settles for the status quo, or someone who could strike out on his own and change the world for the better? That’s when he decided to reach for the high-hanging fruit. A few months later he launched ZICO coconut water, a company that sought to transform the billion dollar global beverage industry by offering a healthier alternative to the sugar and chemical laden sodas that dominated the market. And he never looked back. After a successful exit from ZICO, Mark is now the co-founder and managing partner of Powerplant Ventures, a venture capital firm specializing in plant-centric businesses. Together with his partners and portfolio companies, Mark’s goal is to revolutionize the global food system by offering the nutrition people need in sustainable and ethical ways. Oh, and he’s also the author of the new book High Hanging Fruit. Mark captivated us with his ideas and stories from his journey from Peace Corps volunteer, to entrepreneur and CEO, to venture capitalist. Perhaps most fascinating is the fact that Mark has maintained his trademark optimism and grit throughout his long career, and is always challenging himself to learn and grow. Buy Mark’s Book and Donate to Homeboy Industries Mark’s new book is called High-Hanging Fruit: Build Something Great by Going Where No One Else Will.  Use this link to purchase the book and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to Homeboy Industries, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit that provides hope, training, and support to formerly gang-involved and previously incarcerated men and women. Key Takeaways Mark explains why he made the leap from entrepreneur to venture capitalist, and how he investing unexpectedly became a labor of love. Mark tells us how he evaluates companies, and why the single most important factor is always the quality of the person (or team) leading the business. Mark breaks down the difference between “experience” on paper and the story that an entrepreneur brings with her to a business. Mark weighs in on the question of whether or not our culture has “entrepreneurial fever,” and explains why he usually discourages people from people leaving their job to start a business. Mark describes the perils of becoming an entrepreneur in a left-leaning family, and tells us the amazing story of his entrepreneurial journey, which started off in the Peace Corps. Mark explains how his days in Latin America with the Peace Corps working with local cooperatives and women owned businesses shaped his perspective on entrepreneurship, and helped lead to both ZICO and the high-hanging fruit concept. Mark tells us why took on the challenge of managing International Paper’s (a Fortune 100 company at the time) business in El Salvador, straight out of business school. Mark tells us how he discovered that the IP’s local CFO was cooking the books, and how that ultimately led to an acute familiarity with finance and balance sheets - something that serves him to this day. Mark talks about the genesis of ZICO, which actually began as a side hustle while he was still with IP. Mark explains why half of strategy is deciding what NOT to do, and explains some of the worst business ideas he came up with during the ideation phase prior to launching ZICO. Mark describes how he evaluated these ideas not just with the typical business filters, but with personal and social filters as well. Mark talks about the greatest challenge working with a giant company like Coca Cola back when they were a mere minority investor in ZICO. Mark tells us the single most important lesson that he wished he knew back when he started ZICO in 2004, as well as the darkest moment throughout the entire ZICO journey. Mark explains why the belief that “you’ve already won” actually enables you to do your best work. Mark explains why he’s so bad at hiring. Finally, Mark tells us what inspired him to write the book High-Hanging Fruit. Books High Hanging Fruit by Mark Rampolla (promo link: http://bit.ly/1TGJBsQ) The Divine Right of Capital by Marjorie Kelly Links Purchase Mark’s book and a portion of the proceeds will benefit Homeboy Industries Contact Mark: Mark@highhangingfruit.com ZICO coconut water Powerplant Ventures Mark on LinkedIn Earn a $100 Amazon Gift Card, Courtesy of SnackNation Our sponsor SnackNation wants to give you a $100 Amazon Gift Card for hooking your office up with snacks. Yes you heard me right - they want to PAY YOU to bring insanely tasty snacks into your office. It's simple. Help get your office started with SnackNation's monthly snack delivery and they'll send you a $100 Amazon Gift Card. That's a gift card for you (not your office) to spend on whatever you like. You'll get high fives from coworkers because you brought the tastiest and best variety of healthy snacks into your office... all without lifting a finger. Go to SnackNation.com/ao, to claim your $100 Amazon Gift Card now!