Leading with Genuine Care

I’m so grateful for the chance to sit down with Kathy Steele, Red Caffeine’s founder and CEO. Throughout her life, Kathy’s pushed through personal and professional adversities while always gaining insight along the way. On this week’s donothing podcast, learn about Kathy’s successes, her struggles and how she finds the positive in everything. Passionate about people, Kathy is serious about business growth and loves to help the underdog causes in her community. She is fortunate to "do it all" in her role at Red Caffeine, a growth consultancy with a mission to build incredible brands that clients want to work with—and employees want to work for. A serial entrepreneur, Kathy believes that Red Caffeine is the company she is finally getting right. Dedicated to purpose, vision and values, along with her decision to operate with open-book finances, Red Caffeine has experienced rapid growth since its foundation in 2013. Kathy and her team deliver growth strategies for purpose-driven companies who share common values and challenges. Kathy speaks and writes about her experience as an entrepreneur and how marketing impacts business growth. She is a contributor to Forbes and has delivered keynote presentations and workshops on employee experience, branding, marketing and business culture. Kathy has relentless enthusiasm for great causes, donating her time and expertise to industry groups and non-profit organizations. She is an Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR) for Future Founders, an Executive Council Member for the Executives Breakfast Club, Chicago’s Local Group Leader for the Small Giants Community and a Great Game of Business Practitioner. She values fostering relationships with leaders who share her strong focus on business ethics, social responsibility and economic sustainability. Join Red Caffeine’s People+People Conference and Content Series The “war for talent” is real and crosses all industries and company sizes. Historically, the focus on marketing has been on attracting and retaining clients—we have pivoted Red Caffeine to be more of a "Growth Consultancy" with a mission of building brands that clients want to work with AND employees want to work for. We feel the strategy is the same to attract, engage and retain clients and talent. We’re continuing to address these challenges companies are facing with our People+People Conference and Content Series. Exciting announcements and news will be shared soon at www.PeoplePlusPeopleConf.com. Connect With Kathy Steele LinkedIn Twitter Connect With Red Caffeine Website Facebook Twitter

Karen Martin, award-winning corporate strategist and president of global consulting firm TKMG, is a leading authority on business performance and Lean Management. She’s also a highly rated speaker and author of multiple books, including Clarity First: How Smart Leaders and Organizations Achieve Outstanding Performance. Karen motivates organizations to develop more efficient work systems, grow their market share, solve business problems and accelerate their performance. She provides insights to improve organizational performance and inspire companies to create work environments that enable their entire workforce to excel. Listen to this week’s donothing podcast and learn about Karen’s journey to becoming a leader in corporate strategy and empowering organizations to boost their productivity and their people. Connect With Karen Martin TKMG Website LinkedIn Twitter Karen Martin's Books Clarity First The Outstanding Organization The Kaizen Event Planner Value Stream Mapping Karen Martin's Book Reccomendations Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen Unlearn: Let Go of Past Success to Achieve Extraordinary Results by Barry O’Reilly

Hai Nguyen was born in Vietnam, but at a young age, he and his family fled his home country to discover a new life in the United States. Stability didn’t come easily—Hai encountered many obstacles along his path to entrepreneurship, from culture clashes with his parents to the ups and downs of the startup world. However, through perseverance, incredible talent and a willingness to take risks, Hai ultimately achieved success as the co-founder of Call-Em-All, an automated calling and texting service. Today, as Call-Em-All’s VP of Engineering, Hai focuses on finding creative ways to help customers by developing smart design and engineering solutions. He’s also committed to building a business for the long haul. This includes supporting an amazing culture which has earned Call-Em-All multiple awards as a top place to work. Hai aspires to continue doing meaningful work well into his 100s. Listen to Hai Nguyen’s inspirational story that includes his adjustment to life in the U.S., how he created success in the tech industry, why he began practicing mindfulness and so much more on this week’s episode of the donothing podcast. Connect With Hai Nguyen LinkedIn Twitter Connect With Call-Em-All Online Website Twitter LinkedIn

Ellie Burrows Gluck always imagined she’d have a fruitful career in the film industry. But once she actually achieved this dream, she realized the joy just wasn’t there. With a personal commitment to never squander life’s opportunities, Ellie made it her mission to find a purpose that perpetuated positivity and a career she truly loved. After searching inside and out for the answer, Ellie discovered an unwavering passion for mindfulness. She established MNDFL after noticing her bustling home of New York City lacked quiet and accessible meditative spaces to find moments of inner peace. With a mission to provide welcoming, friendly studios made for anyone, MNDFL is on its way to redefining modern mindfulness. Listen to Ellie’s story and learn how she finally found joy—and business success—by sharing the benefits of mindfulness and meditation. Ellie Burrows Gluck is the Chief Executive Officer of MNDFL, as well as a Vedic Meditation teacher, certified personal development coach and writer. After graduating magna cum laude from Northwestern University, Ellie served as an executive in the film business for a number of years, focusing on the business side of film: producing, selling, financing and finding new talent. When her meetings began to evolve into coaching sessions around effective communication and interpersonal relationships, she chose to pursue mindfulness in a moremeaningful way. Deciding to travel the world as a spiritual tourist, Ellie ultimately returned to New York where she received her Certificate in Coaching from NYU. Shortly thereafter, in 2014, she hatched the idea for MNDFL with her co-founder and friend Lodro Rinzler. Along the way, Ellie was exposed to Vedic Meditation. What started as a daily practice turned into a full-blown love affair, and beginning in 2017 Ellie completed her 2000-hour teacher training program under master teacher Théo Burkhardt. Sign-up for a free MNDFL class with the code BREATHE at mndflmeditation.com. What you’ll learn about in this episode: Why the subway is one of Ellie’s favorite places to meditate What life was like growing up in Los Angeles with family in the entertainment industry Why Ellie always assumed she’d also have a career in entertainment How Ellie’s mother’s terminal illness affected her and her family Why Ellie committed to living a life that brought positivity into the world Why Ellie decided to attend Northwestern University in Chicago How a trip to Israel helped Ellie land her first big job in entertainment What jobs Ellie had while working in entertainment Why Ellie decided to leave the entertainment industry behind How a health scare made Ellie reevaluate her life’s current trajectory If Ellie was surprised that she found a career in mindfulness The differences Ellie sees between living in NYC and LA How Dr. Frank Lipman positively impacted Ellie What ignited Ellie’s love affair for meditation and mindfulness What inspired Ellie to establish a space like MNDFL in New York City Why MNDFL is different from other meditation studios How Ellie connected with her MNDFL partner Lodro Rinzler What Ellie calls the “Three Cs” in creating a successful meditation practice Why Ellie believes making mindfulness accessible to everyone is so important How Ellie is helping to move social causes forward What Ellie envisions next for MNDFL Connect With Ellie Burrows Gluck Online Website: www.ellieburrows.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellie-burrows-b0321a6 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ellieburrows Twitter: https://twitter.com/_ellieburrows_ Connect with MNDFUL Online Website: mndflmeditation.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mndflmeditation Twitter: https://twitter.com/mndflmeditation Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mndflmeditation

Hollywood actor turned book publisher Corey Blake knows the value of vulnerability. Initially, Corey scored success baring his soul on-stage. Today, he’s encouraging business leaders to do the same, but in the pages of their own books. Everyone from corner suite CEOs to wide-eyed interns has insecurities. But rather than hide those feelings away, Corey encourages us to open up and embrace the complexities of our own humanness. Listen to my recent chat with Corey Blake and learn about this storyteller’s fascinating journey to success. Corey is the publisher of Conscious Capitalism Press, the founder and CEO of Round Table Companies (RTC), and a speaker, artist and storyteller. He previously starred in one of the 50 greatest Super Bowl commercials of all time (Mountain Dew, “Bohemian Rhapsody”), has won 15 independent publishing awards and has been featured on the cover of the Wall Street Journal as well as in the New York Times, USA Today, Inc., Forbes and Wired. Corey’s storytelling clients have included Tony Hsieh, Marshall Goldsmith, Which Wich Superior Sandwiches and Terlato Wines. Prior to RTC and CC Press, Corey earned his SAG union card by working eight days on David Fincher’s Fight Club before starring in commercial campaigns for Fortune 500 companies including American Express, Mitsubishi, Pepsi, Wrigley’s Gum, Miller Beer and Hasbro. Corey’s spot for Yard Fitness, where he plays basketball naked, won Belding, Bronze Lion and London Advertising awards. Corey is also the creator of the Vulnerability Wall and the Vulnerability is Sexy™ card game. His documentary of the same name won 2017 Addy and Hermes awards for branded content. He has spoken at YPO events, business schools, publicly traded companies and annual conferences. He’s also a frequent speaker, facilitator and emcee at Conscious Capitalism events around the country. What you’ll learn about in this episode: Corey’s commitment to breaking down emotional walls Why vulnerability is far from a sign of weakness Why connecting on a human level is beneficial for businesses and business leaders How his mother’s depression shaped Corey’s lifelong desire to make people laugh Which roles Corey loved playing as a young actor Corey’s experience as a theater major at Milliken University What motivated Corey to try to make it big in Hollywood How landing roles in major movies and hit commercials built up Corey’s career—and his ego Why Corey began self-medicating with marijuana How a PBS documentary about theater director Harold Clurman inspired Corey’s next steps Why Corey’s first attempt at creating a successful production company collapsed Why Corey can thank Mountain Dew for his marriage How Corey finally quit smoking pot What motivated Corey to move home to Chicago How Corey established his own storytelling and publishing company, Round Table Companies (RTC) Why great writers should embrace vulnerability Why Corey developed the Vulnerability is Sexy art wall Why Corey wants leaders to believe their vulnerability is beautiful Connect With Corey Blake Online Round Table Website LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram Vulnerability is Sexy™: The Game Buy It Here

Ron Alvesteffer, CEO and President of Service Express, believes that by putting people first, success is inevitable. He’s helped Service Express define its market and create a unique, performance-driven culture with the core value “to work with our employees to help them achieve their personal, professional and financial goals.” Under his leadership, Service Express has been named by Forbes Magazine as one of the Top 25 Best Small Companies, and it was on the list of the Best & Brightest Companies to Work For in the Nation five years in a row. Service Express has also been named to the Inc. 5000 List of Fastest Growing Private Companies in America 10 of the past 11 years. Ron authored the eBook The Service Express Way. In it, Ron shares his beliefs and philosophies, along with real-life stories from the field, that have driven these remarkable results. On this week’s donothing podcast, we chat about his less-than-straightforward path to leadership, how he was inspired to put people first and why “things are always more clear looking back.” What you'll learn about in this episode: 1:00 — Ron talks about how he starts his day by “doing something” with CrossFit and discusses how exercise energizes him for the day ahead. 4:00 — Ron explains how and why he finds the worldwide CrossFit community so welcoming. 12:27 — What Ron appreciates about his home gym, 8th Day Gym, in Grand Rapids. 16:50 — Ron talks about his “normal childhood” growing up in Fenton, Michigan. 21:05 — Ron explains why his mom is such an inspiring role model. He also talks about his positive relationship with his dad. 26:10 — What triggered Ron to finally start searching for a more stable career and life path post-college. 31:00 — Since Ron’s grades were too low to get into a four-year university, he describes how going to community college—and some smart talking—finally got him into Central Michigan University. 35:45 — Why this life experience inspired him to teach his kids the importance of taking initiative when communicating with leadership. 37:00 — How he graduated college with a teaching degree despite being a less-than-stellar student. 45:15 — After the school board decided not to hire Ron as a teacher, he decided to re-think his career path and dove into the sales world. 49:55 — Why moving to Nashville for a much-needed change prepared him for a career at his current company, Service Express. 54:41 — How falling in love with his wife while visiting home brought him back to Michigan, and why she was instrumental in finding his job at Service Express. 55:42 — Ron discusses his most significant mentors in Nashville, including Beth Tanner at Tanner Corporate Services, and Mark Fortune and Tina Mayberry from Contract Sales Managers. He talks about why they impacted him so much in sales and beyond. 58:28 — Ron talks about his and his wife's long-distance relationship while he was still living in Nashville and how he popped the question. 1:08:45 — What happens when Ron sometimes get a little too passionate about things and how he knows when to “turn it down.” 1:11:00 — Why he loves the movie Rocky and how it relates to him personally. 1:13:10 — Ron describes his moments of self-doubt and how he pushed through them. 1:16:05 — Ron talks about his wife’s difficulty in becoming pregnant and how it taught him patience, perseverance and believing that everything happens at “the right time.” 1:20:00 — Why Ron believes in “leading with the person first” and talks about whom he looks up to in sales including Zig Ziglar, Brian Tracy and Tony Robbins. 1:21:50 — Why Ron announced that he was going to leave Service Express three years into the job and what convinced him to stay on and become a better leader. 1:28:20 — Ron explains the circumstances that led to him becoming the president of Service Express just a few years later. 1:35:00 — Ron describes how he runs his company with a people-centric culture focused on each employee’s entire well-being. 1:39:00 — Why he helps his employees reach their personal and professional visions, plus a few favorite examples of how Service Express assisted them in achieving their goals. 1:44:12 — Ron and Rob discuss why putting people first creates amazing company cultures, boosts productivity and builds deeper relationships with employees. 1:45:50 — Why is this Michigan native such a huge Pittsburgh Steelers fan? 1:47:00 — What inspired Ron to get a tattoo...and does he still like it? Connect With Ron Alvesteffer Online Personal Website Service Express Website Facebook LinkedIn Twitter Instagram Download Ron’s eBook The Service Express Way

Over the last 20+ years, David Mammano has started seven businesses from scratch. He thrives on starting and growing businesses, as well as helping others do the same by infusing the latest entrepreneurial principles into their strategy. David’s companies have been named three-times as an Inc. Magazine 5000 Growth Company. He’s also the host of The Avanti Entrepreneur podcast, a TEDx speaker, a Forbes.com contributing writer, an adjunct professor at the University of Rochester and the author of business and college planning books. In 2004, David published his first book, 101 Things You Can Do To Become an Outstanding Young Adult.” His second book, Make Love in the Workplace, a guide to awesome culture in the office, was published in 2014. David is a prolific speaker, speaking at hundreds of business and education events. David is most proud of his family in Victor, NY, including three young children, Gianluca, Melania and Alessio. His hobbies include family activities, reading, cooking, eating, exercise and repeated attempts at humor. Listen as we discuss how David discovered his passion for sales, found success as an entrepreneur, tried his hand at stand-up comedy and so much more. 1:40 — How David starts every morning, which usually includes working out, meditation, prayer and a big glass of water to set the tone for the day. 4:32 — David discusses the importance of a good night’s sleep and weekend naps. 5:10 — How and when he started integrating intentional, healthy daily routines into his everyday life. 7:21 — David talks about his traditional Italian upbringing and how their indulgent food poses a challenge to his healthy lifestyle. 9:12 — David talks about his immigrant family coming through Ellis Island and why they came to the U.S. 13:19 — How he met his longtime best friend in first grade thanks to their Italian last names. 15:01 — He talks about his “All-American,” supportive childhood with an Italian twist and his relationship with his parents, neighbors and younger sister. 18:00 — David discusses his mischievous high school career and how he was the “perfect B student.” 21:00 — How being class president helped David realize his talent in assembling, organizing and leading teams, plus discovering his superpower for attracting smart, talented people. 23:51 — He discusses his college career at the University at Buffalo and the incentive his father provided that pushed him to do well at school. 26:40 — How running the college newspaper and selling ads to businesses sparked his lifelong love of sales. 27:10 — How David realized his initial path of becoming a dentist wasn’t his true calling. 29:00 — Why he loved selling ads to local businesses and soon became the advertising sales manager for his school’s newspaper. 30:10 — How writing murder mystery stories in his youth gave him the confidence to become a writer. 32:15 — David explains his first post-college sales jobs selling ads for a radio station. 33:00 — Why he moved to Chicago to become a stand-up comedian and took classes at Second City and Improv Olympics. 35:35 — His terrifying first experience as a stand-up comic and how he pushed through to find confidence. Check out this performance on YouTube. 39:40 — David shares some of his favorite amateur jokes and performances with Rob. 42:27 — After realizing comedy wasn’t for him, he came back to Rochester and again worked in radio ad sales. He soon realized that he loved his boss—but hated having a boss. 43:01 — What inspired David’s business, a magazine called Next Step for soon-to-be college students. 46:35 — How he initially launched Next Step by taking a leap of faith, orchestrating an incredible team and cutting broccoli at Ruby Tuesday to make ends meet. 48:40 — How he convinced companies to buy magazine ads in a magazine that didn’t even exist yet. 51:50 — David discusses how shoveling snow at six-years-old made him realize he wanted to be an entrepreneur. 55:08 — Why “Doing What It Takes” became a core value in his company and how it’s an integral part of successful entrepreneurship. 57:30 — How he teaches his children by not giving them all the answers and allowing them to figure things out on their own. 59:29 — Why he carries this idea into his business, surrounds himself with a great team and always asks what he can do to support them. 1:01:50 — How his business began to grow and the eventual franchising of Next Step. 1:04:09 — David describes the company culture at Next Step. Everyone cared about the mission and each other. 1:06:07 — Why creating an amazing company culture came naturally for David and why he loves helping people see their potential. 1:07:40 — David discusses his books Make Love in the Workplace and 101 Things You Can Do To Become an Outstanding Young Adult and how it felt to become a published author. 1:09:00 — How the recession affected Next Step and how the business adjusted to the digital revolution. 1:11:00 — Why the demise of print made his business “lose its luster” and how he faced difficulty in figuring out the next step in his career. 1:12:50 — After leaving Next Step, David explains how he dealt with the stress of not having a clear path for what to do next. 1:14:56 — Rob and David discuss their conversations while together on a bus during a Small Giants tour. 1:18:40 — David recounts his experience starting the Rochester Chapter of Entrepreneurs’ Organization, commonly called EO, and why these communities are so important for entrepreneurs. 1:20:01 — Why he launched his new business Avanti Entrepreneur Group, which helps new entrepreneurs and small businesses grow and find success. 1:23:00 — David talks about how Avanti took off and his plans to continue expanding it nationwide. 1:25:59 — David explains his initial coaching methods and how it evolved into his current business model, as well as his current role at Avanti. 1:28:06 — David talks about starting the Avanti Entrepreneur Podcast and why he loves hosting it so much. 1:31:08 — How starting a radio program helped him realize he had to hyperfocus on what he did best. 1:33:33 — David discusses the people who have helped him succeed over the years including Verne Harnish, Stephen Woessner, Norm Brodsky and his “network of friends and family.” 1:35:20 — Rob and David chat about what they’ll be discussing twenty years from now. 1:37:00 — The influence that Zingerman’s Community of Business owner Ari Weinzweig had in helping David realize his dreams and turn them into reality. 1:39:55 — How joining the Small Giants Community has influenced his life and brought him together with inspirational business leaders like Bo Burlinghamand Paul Spiegelman. 1:42:00 — The perks of picking up the phone to call people directly. 1:43:00 — In 20 years, will Rob and David be sitting together at a Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions Super Bowl? 1:44:00 — The importance of balancing the “core” parts of business and personal life while also pursuing your passions. Connect With David Online Personal Website: http://davidmammano.com Avanti Website: http://avantientrepreneurgroup.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.mammano LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davemammano Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidmammano Why Join an Avanti Peer Group? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Da7ziUzA6SU The Avanti Entrepreneur Podcast http://avantientrepreneurgroup.gear.host/podcasts-home David Mammano’s Books Make Love in the Workplace: https://amzn.to/2RIw2QC 101 Things You Can Do to Become an Outstanding Young Adult: https://amzn.to/2EgtLco

Anese Cavanaugh is devoted to helping people show up and bring their best selves to the table in order to create a significant positive impact in their lives. She is the creator of the IEP Method® (Intentional Energetic Presence®), an advisor and thinking partner to leaders and organizations around the world, and author of CONTAGIOUS CULTURE: Show Up, Set the Tone, and Intentionally Create an Organization That Thrives (McGraw Hill, 11/15). As a leading voice on intention, energy, and presence in leadership and culture, she helps people unlock greater leadership potential, collaborate more inspiringly, create more openly, intuit more bravely, and lead more joyfully and effectively. Top innovators and executives in companies like IDEO, Zingerman’s, Cooper, GM Financial, Vistaprint, Fitbit, Nike, Vivayic, and others have engaged with Anese to strengthen team health, maximize leadership impact, and optimize company culture. In addition to appearing in publications like Harvard Business Review, The Huffington Post, CEO.com, and the NY Times, Anese writes for Inc.com in her column “Showing Up”. She has just published her most recent book THE LEADER YOU WILL BE: An Invitation (a leadership storybook), and is currently working on her next book due, CONTAGIOUS YOU, out Fall, 2019. What you’ll learn about in this episode: 1:30 – How Anese gets set up for the day – starting with a nine-minute body check 4:56 – What she does when she is feeling off 7:05 – What the Bubble Up Exercise is, and how it can help you find the space to better handle your day 12:29 – How the “Energetic Xylophone” helps bring out our authentic self 16:45 – What “gamma brain waves” are and the tool she uses to track them, Holosync 18:15 – Why she loves Bulletproof Coffee and Madagascar Ghee 21:00 – How she wrote a vision for the future for a school project and what has happened since 22:50 – Should schools teach kids to have a vision for the future? 23:50 – Why Anese has never been motivated by money, and how she knew she wanted to be a writer 32:06 – The wise words Mr. Purdy gave her in the 4th grade, why she believes he is the reason for her career path 34:20 – Her first job at Baskin Robbins and what she learned about integrity 44:32 – The first time she realized what intention is 54:40 – Her college experience and when she realized she didn’t like the idea of student loan debt 1:00:25 – When Anese started to get really good with money 1:01:30 – How her first job as a fitness director at a retreat center in Woodside, CA set the tone of her career helping others 1:03:38 – How she met Dean Ornish, started first business in Chicago, which ultimately failed and what she learned 1:09:58 – What her picture of being a good Mom was like and how she struggled with it 1:13:02 – Her definition of hustle 1:14:35 – The importance in having good support people around you to help in difficult times 1:15:46 – How she got her PhD in “what not to do” 1:18:01 – How Anese and her then husband “completed” her marriage in such a healthy way 1:19:51 – Before her then husband and her split, Anese created “The Leave no Stone Unturned” project to ensure it was the right decision 1:25:44 – Why Anese wrote the “IEP Survival Guide to Divorce” and why it’s tucked away . . . for now! 1:26:26 – Why she collaborates with her children on her travel schedule and how it’s working for them 1:31:00 – How she balances creativity and execution 1:34:24 – When she realized IEP was her life’s work and what it means 1:43:37 – How “letting go” while on a retreat go her tuned into the name, IEP 1:45:23 – The process for writing her first major book, Contagious Culture 1:49:30 – Her process and reaction to her latest book, The Leader You Will Be, and being with Zingerman’s co-founder Ari Weinzweig to launch it. 1:55:09 – Her thoughts on the standing ovation she received for her presentation of the book in May of 2018 at the Small Giants Summit in Detroit Resources and ways to contact Anese Cavanaugh: Website: www.anesecavanaugh.co Twitter: @AneseCavanaug Anese’s Books and Other Writings: www.anesecavanaugh.com/writing Anese’s next IEP Live! Leadership & Influence Immersion will be April 2019 — here for info: https://tinyurl.com/y7uf24lc iep.io for special stuff and resources Or maybe join one of Anese’s newsletter lists at anesecavanaugh.com or the IEPMethod.com (coming soon, will be up 1/19 Other LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anesecavanaugh/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IEPMethod/

Mark Metry is the founder of VU Dream, an agency focusing on growth in the virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality industry. He’s also the host of Top 100 podcast Humans 2.0 which explores “the modern technological context of our world and provides anyone with the full tools they need to develop themselves.” He aims at exploring the humanness behind our tech-focused society by chatting with entrepreneurs, life coaches, authors, athletes, and other inspirational guests. Born and raised in Boston as the son of Egyptian immigrants, Mark was motivated by his parent’s determination and made it his personal mission to succeed. Today, apart from running his company and podcast, he’s also a regular speaker, avid meditator, and has been featured in Forbes, Inc. Magazine, Huffington Post, Fearless Motivation, and more. And did we mention he’s just 21? Discover more about Mark Metry’s journey to early success—including his own struggles—and how he envisions positively impacting the future. 00:01:07 – Why Mark thinks there are positive movements being made in the world of startups and technology. 00:02:06 – How Mark starts off his mornings with mindfulness meditation and a few chapters of Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. 00:07:03 – Mark discusses his parent’s story of immigrating to the U.S. from Egypt, and how it motivates him to succeed. 00:12:23 – Mark reflects on his time growing up in Boston and what kind of a kid he was, including how several health problems affected him and his self-perception. 00:15:16 – How Mark’s early interest in learning code on CodeAcademy gaming and the online world sparked his first entrepreneurial aspirations and initial successes. 00:21:28 – How the lag time on Minecraft’s server inspired Mark to build his own – which eventually drew hundreds of thousands of visitors to his site.   00:21:28 – Mark explains how he developed his gaming hobby into a legitimate money-making venture while in his early teens. 00:23:50 – What motivates him to take his own path of becoming a successful entrepreneur and “resist the status quo.” 00:27:02 – How Mark and his family handled him making a substantial income while still in high school. 00:32:09 – Mark talks about the wisdom, values, and advice that his parents instilled in him. 00:38:40 – Why and how pursuing the typical “college path” sent Mark down an unhealthy path of binge eating, failing classes, and “wasting away.” 00:41:00 – How Mark escaped his self-destructive pattern and chose a healthier direction – which included using Bulletproof coffee to aid mental performance. 00:47:28 – Mark describes his introduction into meditation and how this impacted his life as well as his decision to start his company VU Dream and podcast Humans 2.0. 00:50:10 – Mark shares why he’s become more mindful about what he puts into his body and how he’s seen its positive effects. 00:52:01 – Mark discusses how Naveen Jain, founder of Viome, uses military-grade technology and applies it to making humans healthier. 01:00:30 – How picking up a whiteboard and journal at Target helped him map out his future plans and live his own dream. 01:05:18 – Mark explains how he deals with difficult days and personally handles adversity. 01:12:00 – Mark discusses the launch of his virtual and augmented reality company as well as what they’re working on and plan to tackle in the future. 01:17:28 – Mark discusses what other personal, professional, and educational ventures he’s focusing on. 01:20:53 – Why Mark sees serious value in the future of VR, AR, and other cutting-edge technologies. 01:23:44 – How interviewing Issac Lidsky, New York Times Bestselling author and former Saved by the Bell cast member who is also legally blind, opened his mind to how virtual and augmented reality can improve people’s lives physically and mentally. 01:27:19 – Mark talks about his podcast, how he goes about creating it, and what inspires him to have the conversations he does on the show. 01:32:00 – Mark discusses which healthy habits, mindsets, and practices he finds most valuable. 01:40:30 – Mark talks about the 21 Life Lessons he wrote after recently turning 21. Follow Mark Metry on Social Media Website: www.markmetry.com Twitter: @markymetry Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mark.metry.9 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/mark-metry Instagram: @markmetry Listen to Humans 2.0 Stream or Download Check out VU Dream Website: www.vudream.com Twitter: @VUDreamOfficial Facebook: @VUDreamOfficial

Ruth Zukerman is the co-founder of Soul Cycle and Flywheel, both wildly successful companies that innovated the studio cycling movement. Ruth pioneered the boutique fitness industry by creating the “studio” with a pay per class structure, modeling them after the dance studios she would frequent when she was pursuing her dance career. Over the last decade with these companies, she has come to realize that her passion is greater than simply cycling or fitness. Her mission is to connect people to each other as well as to their own inner strength and empower them to carry the positive, powerful attitude they have on the bike on into their lives and their careers. She speaks around the country, inspiring people to get unstuck and find new paths and new passion for a successful second, third or even fourth act in their careers. Ruth is currently the Creative Director at Flywheel and still passionately teaches classes there every week. She lives in New York and is very close with her grown daughters. Her memoir RIDING HIGH: How I Kissed SoulCycle Goodbye, CoFounded Flywheel and Built the Life I Always Wanted, was published in October 2018. What you’ll learn about in this episode: 1:08 – Ruth’s morning ritual to ensure she is prepared for teaching her Flywheel class. 3:08 – How taking dance as a child set her up for her future career as a cycling teacher and studio owner. 6:06 – Ruth’s shares the challenges she had early in her adolescence. 8:10 – The intense response her mother had when she found out Ruth got an additional piercing in her ear. 9:40 – The special relationship she had with her father and their trips to Nom Wah Tea Parlor at 13 Doyers Street in Chinatown in New York City together. 20:40 – How her job in a chocolate shop in Rockefeller Center taught her the importance of customer experience. 24:50 – How she met her husband and what her mindset was at that time in her life. 29:40 – Why Ruth was second-guessing her marriage and why she felt stuck. 36:10 – Ruth’s Mom’s reaction when she told her she was having twins. 37:48 – How therapy helped her realize she was in an unhealthy marriage. 39:51 – She explains why you have to be a strong person to go to therapy. 42:49 – How to find the right therapist and how long to stay with them. 47:17 – How Ruth told her children that she and her husband were getting divorced. 49:42 – Her first try at spinning . . . who knew this would lead to her future as a teacher and entrepreneur! 53:22 – How spin teachers keep their energy throughout the day 54:10 – She started to shift the way the traditional classes were being taught – through music and words from the instructors. 57:52 – How her first spin studio concept, SoulCycle, came about. 1:02:03 – What she learned from the startup and what she would do differently. 1:03:46 – Her philosophy on ensuring that the studios were and are customer centric. 1:05:52 – How they came up with their pricing structure and why she refers to the concept as “not rocket science.” 1:07:24 – The moment they knew that SoulCycle was taking off. 1:09:23 – What it was like going from an owner at SoulCycle to an employee and what kept her going. 1:10:10 – How she was able to leave and start a new spin concept, FlyWheel. 1:15:00 – Since starting up in 2010, they have grown to 42 studios. 1:20:15 – Big changes that took place when FlyWheel took on another partner and how she had to look at her strengths and role at the company. 1:23:16 – Her favorite inspirational song by Annie Lennox and Whitney Houston, Step by Step. 1:24:30 – What it was like writing her best selling book, Riding High: How I Kissed SoulCycle Goodbye, Co-Founded Flywheel, and Built the Life I Always Wanted 1:28:48 – Ruth shares what it’s like to have celebrities in her class and what it was like when she played a song from Sting’s daughter while he was taking her class. 1:30:32 – What it was like to be invited to the White House and meet President Obama.   Ruth’s book and TV: Ruth’s Book: RIDING HIGH: How I Kissed SoulCycle Goodbye, CoFounded Flywheel and Built the Life I Always Wanted Ruth’s feature on PBS’s Breaking Big Ways to contact Ruth: Website: www.flywheelsports.com Instagram: ruth_flywheel Twitter: @RuthFlywheel Facebook: Ruth Katzka Zukerman