In Search Of Excellence

Welcome to part 2 of our amazing conversation with Amberly Lago. Amberly is a peak performance coach, TEDx speaker, top 1% podcast host, motivational speaker, and a leading expert in the field of resilience, transformation, and health and wellness. She is also the bestselling author of the book True Grit and Grace, and the founder of Unstoppable Life Mastermind.Amberly has an incredible life story and she is sharing pure gold advice on how to overcome life challenges, how to deal with trauma, and become resilient and successful.Time stamps:00:54 Randall’s emotional story about his heart attackLife-threatening situation and a traumatic experienceFinding he had myocarditisDeath of a close friendAsked by doctors if he was taking cocaineGrateful for being aliveThe power of endorphins10:30 Hitting a rock bottom and suicidal thoughtsAmberly was always a high achieverThe pain became unbearableAlcohol numbed the painIt worked until it didn’tBecame addicted to alcohol and went to rehabDidn’t want to live but had to endure because of her daughters15:15 The importance of resilienceWe have to decide to take action and thriveShifting perspective to gratitudeFocusing on what you can do, not what you can’tAcceptance and being aware of who you areConnecting to a community – Success is built on relationshipsResting is essential for resilience21:08 The power of writing down our goalsThere is power in writing things downThe story of Amberly’s bookRandall’s thoughts on writing things down24:36 Put yourself on the to-do listAmberly likes helping people and meeting their needs firstIt’s important to take care of yourself as well28:33 Surround yourself with the right peopleGet rid of the doggie downers and stick with the puppy uppersSurround yourself with people who are passionate and go-gettersAvoid energy vampires21:28 We are all superheroesWe all have superpowers and resilience in usIt’s hard to become aware of thatFocus on what brings you joyGratitude practice and Amberly’s gratitude groupA sense of purpose and giving serviceAsk people what your superpower is37:25 Sexual abuse and its consequencesAmberly was sexually abused by her stepfatherTakes a lot of courage to tell someoneTold her dad but he didn’t do anythingAt 23, she told that to her abusive husbandDealing with triggering situationWriting about the sexual abuse was very catharticThe importance of therapy1:01:28 The importance of extreme preparationShe was an athlete and a dancerAlways worked very hardPreparing for a TEDx talkPreparation gives you confidence51:16 What are the key ingredients for success?Know your WhyHave a strong communitySeek council not opinionStick to your non-negotiables54:28 Why do motorcyclists take so much risk?There’s nothing like a feeling of freedom while ridingYou are fully in the presentAmberly’s husband stopped driving his motorcycleRandall’s traumaCoaching and Staying Connected:1-on-1 Coaching | Instagram | YouTube | TikTok | LinkedIn

Welcome to another episode of In Search of Excellence! My guest today is the incredible Amberly Lago. When Amber was 38 years old, she was hit by an SUV while riding her Harley-Davidson motorcycle.When she woke up from a coma, she learned that she had a 1% chance of saving her leg from being amputated. After the accident, she was diagnosed with an incurable nerve disease, lost her business, fell into a deep depression, and became an alcoholic.Today Amberly is a peak performance coach, TEDx speaker, top 1% podcast host, motivational speaker, and a leading expert in the field of resilience, transformation, and health and wellness. She is also the bestselling author of the book True Grit and Grace, and the founder of Unstoppable Life Mastermind.Time stamps:02:05 Amberly Lago’s backgroundA strict Texas mom and dancing classesThe importance of instilling resilience in our childrenIt’s OK to ask for help05:00 High school experience and Amberly’s kidsParents’ divorce and physical and sexual abuseChildren need an outletDancing and drill teamsAmberley's high school jobs09:47 The importance of mentors in our livesAmberly had a mentor for everything she did in lifeThe importance of doing research and finding a counsel, not an opinionNot having a mentor is a waste of moneyPushing you to pass your limitsRandall’s mentoring experienceUnstoppable Life Mastermind for womenHaving the right mentor is life-changing16:37 What is a mastermind according to Amberly?A small group of like-minded people who help brainstorm, collaborate, and guide each otherNot expensive events with hundreds of different peopleVery profitable gatherings where hosts over-promise but don’t deliverAmberly’s Unstoppable Life MastermindThe launch of the mastermind while the world was shutting down25:07 How important is it to be in good shape?Amberly’s entire identity was in physicalityA knee injury and self-helpWent to school and became a certified trainerStarted a course to help people become trainers28:55 The horrible motorcycle accidentGot very seriously injuredThe first thought was how to save her business1% chance to save the legOur health is the most important thingHad 34 surgeries in totalYou have a shovel in your hand, you can lean on it, pray for a hole, or you can start digging37:09 The Story of a Good SamaritanAn unknown person saved Amberly’s lifeShe doesn’t remember him but would like to know who he was39:31 Chronic regional pain syndromeAfter the accident, suffered from chronic painComplex Regional Pain Syndrome – CRPSPredicted to be in pain and paralyzed foreverDecided to work hard to recoverTried every kind of medical treatmentHad to change everything in her lifeOnly when she is teaching, she feels no painWorking on a healthy sleeping pattern and other healthy stuffResources Mentioned:TrueGritAndGrace.comAmberlyLago.comCoaching and Staying Connected:1-on-1 Coaching | Instagram | YouTube | TikTok | LinkedIn

Welcome to In Search of Excellence! This is part 2 of our fascinating conversation with Mat Ishbia!Mat is the Chairman and CEO of United Wholesale Mortgage, the largest wholesale mortgage lender in the United States, which had a $931.9 million net income in 2022. Mat owns 71% of the company shares that are worth $5.9 billion, which places Mat at 156 on the Forbes 400 in early 2023. Mat and his brother Justin bought a majority stake in the NBA, Phoenix Suns and WNBA, Phoenix Mercury. Mat was a member of the Michigan State Spartans basketball team that went to three Final Fours and won the NCAA championship in 2000. He is the author of the book “Running the corporate office: Lessons in Effective Leadership from the Bench to the Boardroom”, and is a very generous philanthropist who has given away more than $50 million. 1:10 What does Mat look for in a new hire at UWM?Mat doesn’t care about the diplomaHe looks for someone with a heart, work ethic, attitude, and drive to be greatKnowledge is a commodityBe a human being, be engaged and energetic 4:56 The Importance of little things for successMat is looking for difference-makersIntangibles are much more important than the tangibles 10:23 Advice to people who have dreamsRandall’s meeting with Bill DavidsonThink crazy big and then work towards itPut the work in and be the best 14:05 No meeting ThursdaysMat responds to every emailNo meetings on Thursday – talking and checking with peopleYou have to be in the weeds of your business to be successful 15:55 Advice to people who are not working as hard as they shouldWork ethic and attitude are the biggest determinators of successGo to places that provide opportunityYou have to sacrifice to be the bestMat is sacrificing for his kids and his business 19:14 The importance of extreme preparationGame plan and role playPreparation leads to successEverything is about preparation 21:40 Owning an NBA basketball teamManaging a team is much fun in all areasMaking a positive impact on team members, fans, and the communityCoaching his childrenTeaching life, skills, personality, the importance of supporting your teammates 24:35 How important is giving back to our success?Giving money is only one part of giving backYou can give your time and care 25:30 Fill in the blanks to excellenceThe biggest lesson I've learned in my life isWork ethic and attitude always winMy number one professional goal isTo get better every single dayAnd moreCoaching and Staying Connected:1-on-1 Coaching | Instagram | YouTube | TikTok | LinkedIn

Welcome to In Search of Excellence! We are happy to have Mat Ishbia as our guest today!Mat is the Chairman and CEO of the United Wholesale Mortgage, the largest wholesale mortgage lender in the United States, which had a $931.9 million net income in 2022. Mat owns 71% of the company shares that are worth $5.9 billion, which places Mat at 156 on the Forbes 400 in early 2023. Mat and his brother Justin bought a majority stake in the NBA, Phoenix Suns, and WNBA, Phoenix Mercury. Mat was a member of the Michigan State Spartans basketball team that went to three Final Fours and won the NCAA championship in 2000. He is the author of the book “Running the Corporate Office: Lessons in Effective Leadership from the Bench to the Boardroom”. Mat is also a very generous philanthropist who has given away more than $50 million. 01:26 Mat’s background- Born in Birmingham, Michigan, in a Jewish family- His mom was a schoolteacher and his dad lawyer and serial entrepreneur- From mom learned structure and accountability- From dad learned good work ethics and taking care of people 04:07 Mat’s life as a kid- Always competitive- Didn’t like to lose- Pretty good at school, loved sports 05:03 Sacrifices are essential for success- You can’t be good at everything- Focus and dominate one thing- Life’s goal should be happiness 09:58 Figuring out what to do as a student- Expose yourself to as many different internships, people, and networks as possible- Find what you are passionate about- Mat has a passion for competing and winning 14:01 How important is having a great personality and sense of humor for success?- Matt’s basketball career in the Michigan State team- The most popular guy on the team- It’s important to be who you are, genuine, kind, and caring- Every team needs camaraderie, leadership, culture, family atmosphere- The team is bigger than the person- A good team needs a balance of talent and chemistry (fit)- Different roles in Phoenix Suns 19:35 Deciding to choose his future career at 23- Wanted to be a basketball coach- Decided to join his dad’s mortgage company- Applied his basketball experience to the mortgage business 21:57 Is money the number onbe factor when choosing your career?- Opportunity to grow should be the no.1 factor- Also your dreams and aspirations- People focus too much on the money- Be great and successful in what you do and money will follow 24:27 What's cool or sexy about mortgages?- Became the CEO of United Wholesale Mortgage in 2013- Two years later, UWM was the no.1 wholesale mortgage lender in the country- Mat loves competing, improving, winning- Be great today and build on that tomorrowCoaching and Staying Connected:1-on-1 Coaching | Instagram | YouTube | TikTok | LinkedIn

You're listening to part 2 of the incredible conversation with Ben Johns, the number one pickleball player in the world and the greatest player of all time. On the business side, Ben is a co-founder of Pickleball Getaways, a vacation travel company, and the co-founder of Pickleball 360, an online instructional video subscription service.If you haven't yet listened to part one, be sure to check that one out first.Time stamps:00:58 Winning his first US OpenBen wasn’t expecting to winIncredible feeling, felt like a dreamProfessional high and low in Ben’s career 04:01 Being the lead in the beginning and todayPickleball is a new sport and requires a lot of learningMore competition leads to being a better playerWinning 108 matches in a row 08:04 Is tennis background an advantage?Tennis definitely lends a ton of advantagesDoesn’t automatically guarantee success 10:00 How long can Ben be so good?No concrete plan as to how long he will be in pickleballThe ideal age to play 12:47 Making money in pickleballThe potential of making at least seven figuresSponsors have a huge role 17:39 Ben’s mixed doubles partner Anna Leigh Waters10 years youngerVery tough and extremely talented 20:22 Ben’s diet and training routine2-3 hours every day on court5 days a week working out in the gymStandard healthy diet 21:49 A flow state in sportsA state where your body knows what to do without you thinking about itIt’s the perfect feeling that all athletes pursue 22:59 The importance of extreme preparationPreparation is crucialThe more prepared I am, the luckier I seem to be 24:39 The importance of humilityYou don’t need to talk yourself outPeople will admire you for your accomplishmentsHow do people approach him? 27:02 All-inclusive pickleball vacationsPickleball instructions from a pro playerThe cost of training with a proHow to contact Ben? 30:40 Elon Musk and Ben’s role modelsHis greatest role models are his parents and brotherAdmires Elon Musk very much 33:06 The importance of giving back to the communityBeing a good exampleContributing to the events with good cause 34:18 Fill in the blanks to excellenceBiggest lesson I learnedYou are most fulfilled by working hardMy number 1 professional goalTo be number one as long as I canMy number 1 personal goalLearn new things frequentlyAnd moreCoaching and Staying Connected:1-on-1 Coaching | Instagram | YouTube | TikTok | LinkedIn

Welcome to another episode of In Search of Excellence! Our amazing guest is Ben Johns, the greatest pickleball player of all time. He has been the No.1 player in the world in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles for most of the last 3 years.On the business side, Ben is a co-founder of Pickleball Getaways, a vacation travel company that arranges pickleball vacations to Mexico, Portugal, Croatia, and other sunny locations. He is also the co-founder of Pickleball 360, an online instructional video subscription service that gives lessons on how to become a better pickleball player. 00:00 IntroductionWho is Ben Johns? 01:59 Ben’s backgroundSupportive, inspiring parents and 6 siblingsEncouraged to follow their own passion 04:15 Homeschooling of 7 kidsMom used online resources and textbooksKids worked at their own pacePersonal responsibilitySocial aspects of homeschoolingThey pursued their interests, and social stuff happened naturally 08:59 Sports Ben played as a kidPlayed baseball, tennis, table tennis, golfVery eye-hand oriented sports 10:32 Ben's college experienceSwitched majors from Business to Material Science and EngineeringHow Innovators Think course by Professor Mark WellmanAdvice to people who don’t know what they want to doExpose yourself to different things, experiment, research 17:24 Developing and innovating a new pickleball racketGenuinely interested in how to make paddles betterBeing genuine creates an opportunity in almost any area 19:27 Optimism and fear of failureOptimism is important, but also confidence and work ethicsDo your utmost and put 100% of your effortIf you fail, learn from it 22:56 Ben’s first business venturePickleball had the stigma of an old person's sportWanted to make it more exciting 24:04 What is pickleball?A combination of tennis and ping-pong on a badminton-sized courtVery easy to learn and very easy to play 27:19 The professional pickleballThe history of pickleball associationsThe TPA and APPThe merging of 2 leagues 32:25 The ownership and worth of pickleball teamsThe worth of major pickleball teamsTeams are part of venture capital groupsWho are the owners? 35:44 How do teams make money?A revenue modelThe vision is to make it like an NBA NFL type of leagueNo major TV contract but a rapidly growing fan basePickleball has fanatically engaged fans - a golden nugget for any investor 40:39 Pickleball statisticsIts popularity is growing among different groupsIt has a great social component 45:43 The start of Ben’s professional careerFirst professional tournament – US Open in 2016Won the US Open in 2017Making money and covering expensesCoaching and Staying Connected:1-on-1 Coaching | Instagram | YouTube | TikTok | LinkedIn

Welcome to Part 2 of my amazing episode of In Search of Excellence with Brandi Love!Brandi has starred in more than 800 movies and her videos have been streamed more than a billion times. She has been nominated for and won 12 adult industry awards and is the author of the book Getting Wild Sex from Your Conservative Woman. She is also the owner of Traffic Stop Media and a real estate business together with her husband that renovates distressed properties.We discuss her strategies for success, making money and investing, the future of porn, and so much more. 02:53 Brandi’s great-grandfather Jesse LivermoreBrandi's savant great grandfather who was trading stocks at 14 years old04:27 Finding a nicheHoward Stern showToo old, too athletic, with a long faceThe American Pie and the term MILF08:49 The impact of Brandi’s job on her daughterBrandi’s college fan baseGreat relationship with her daughter11:12 The reaction of their parentsIt was a decision for her and her husband to make Their parents tried to stop them and take away their child17:15 The fallout from friendsA unique obstacle for adult entertainersPeople don’t want the stigmaThere are consequences to our choices19:50 How much do people make in the porn industry?Brandi is 50 and never earned more7 major revenue streams 24:57 Earnings on online porn websitesFor women, It’s possible to earn around $50.000/monthFor men, around $20.000/month 27:02 How has Only Fans changed the games for porn actresses?Only Fans is financially life-changingA lot of talent left the industry for Only Fans 32:16 Money managementDelayed gratification and investing moneyBuying a Ferrari37:54 Thoughts on porn VRNot her favorite because of the lack of interactionCan see the advantages of VR39:51 How is AI changing the porn industry?Forever VoicesAI is always available to hang out with fansBrandi trained her AI and the results were impressive 45:35 Mental health issuesSuicides in the porn industryYou have to be tough because of societal backlash 47:17 What are the elements of success?Love what you do, be passionate, be authentic47:39 The value of Extreme PreparationBrandi’s husband is an exceptionally prepared human beingShe extremely prepared for a contract with BMG49:37 Faking in the porn industryFaking means you chose the wrong careerBrandi can find something attractive in every man52:21 Issues with sexually transmitted diseasesThe industry standard is 14-day testNever had a bad test in 20 years 54:18 Sex trafficking and Porn HubHarming a child is the most disgusting crimePorn Hub is protected by the law (Netflix movie – Money Shot: The Porn Hub Story)56:54 The importance of giving backYou can donate time or money58:17 Fill in the blanks for excellenceCoaching and Staying Connected:1-on-1 Coaching | Instagram | YouTube | TikTok | LinkedIn

Brandi Love, one of the most famous adult film actresses, discusses her childhood passion for ice skating, meeting her soulmate in college, her experience working in the corporate world, and her time as a salesperson at a Harley-Davidson dealership. She also talks about learning from failures, starting a wine label company, defining pornography, and her unique approach to entering the adult entertainment industry.

Welcome to the second part of our interview with the amazing Joe Mansueto. Joe is the founder and former CEO of Morningstar, a financial services and investment research firm that is one of the most recognized companies in finance. It provides investment research and investment management services to many millions of people around the world. If you haven't yet listened to part one, be sure to check that one out first 00:55 The importance of parental supportJoe’s dad was buying saving bonds for his children for yearsHe gave the accumulated money to Joe to start his businessJoe made sure every dollar was spent wisely 05:07 Can parents give proper advice to children in today’s business environment?You should listen to your own instinctsBut also take into account your parents’ advice 09:06 The importance of cold callingYou learn about perseverance, handling rejection, processing, and not taking it personallyCold calling is a very valuable skill to have 13:40 Bootstrapping and raising moneyEntrepreneurs should not raise a lot of money if they can avoid itSubscription model for MorningstarThe pressures of raising outside money 20:11 Becoming rich should not be your primary goalJoe is more about independence, creativity, and autonomyOne of the byproducts is building wealthHis goal was to build a viable, enduring, independent company, that would survive for a very long timeYou should want to make money, but not at all costs 23:42 Joe’s soccer investmentsWanted to diversify his investmentsLoves soccer and it became his passionBought MLS team in Chicago 28:37 The importance of Extreme PreparationPreparation is essentialImportance of understanding the client and his needsIf you can move the needle for a company, any company will hire youShow the company how you can add value to it 33:26 Reaching out to successful peopleTrust your gut and do something that no one else doesPeople are much more accessible than you thinkSuccessful people want to help and give back 36:56 The responsibility of giving backGiving back is importantFinding meaningful ways of giving back 39:20 The pressure of giving money and being generousWe shouldn’t judge others on their philanthropyJoe signed a giving pledge to set a good exampleMost wealthy people are trying to make the world a better place 42:56 Fill in the blanks to excellenceJoe's biggest lesson in lifeJoe's number one professional goal Joe's number one personal goalThe importance of family and spending time with your childrenThe one piece of advice that you would give your 21-year-old self isJoe's biggest regret And more...Coaching and Staying Connected:1-on-1 Coaching | Instagram | YouTube | TikTok | LinkedIn

Joe Mansueto, founder and former CEO of Morningstar, discusses his childhood, first entrepreneurial experience, the magic of boldness, the Christmas tree business, perseverance and passion in starting a company, and funding entrepreneurs. He shares valuable lessons on taking risks, managing inventory, and the importance of enjoying what you do. The podcast also touches on upbringing, overcoming fear, due diligence, customer satisfaction, and discovering Warren Buffett's investment journey.