The Ripple Effect Podcast with Steve Harper

In the year-end recap of the Ripple Effect podcast for 2023, host Steve Harper reflects on the incredible guests and experiences the show has offered. He expresses gratitude for the diverse lineup of guests, including American Ninja Warriors, TEDx speakers, and world-changing leaders. Steve shares how these guests, many of whom he didn't know before, willingly joined the podcast and praised his thoughtful and engaging interview style. He highlights the positive feedback he received and the lasting connections formed with guests. Steve also discusses personal growth and how the podcast has boosted his confidence, expanded his network, and inspired him to learn new skills. He acknowledges the challenges and decisions he made to streamline his content, make space for new opportunities, and focus on building a community called "The Pond." Steve emphasizes the importance of continued learning and the impact of the podcast on his life.

Kathleen Fors has always amazed me. Her deep desire to make a difference in the world has been apparent every since I met her at one of my 8 Minute Ripple events years ago. But how she and her husband are making a difference now in their own lives now will serve as a bit of wake-up call for us all to get off the couch and start doing something. For Kathleen, that's winning national tennis titles at the age of 75 - a sport she only recently picked up competitively. But that's not all she's into, as she'll share in this inspiring episode. The grit and determination Kathleen has will assuredly inspire you as it has me. She was such a hoot to have on the show and I am so very grateful to call her a friend! To learn more about Kathleen and the amazing work she does, check out her website at kathleenfors.com   

Fun story. We featured Christin Collin's amazing TED Talk for our Connect + Grow Ripple Coaching Membership recently. I selected her talk for our members because I was enamoured with Christin's energy and beautiful talk. So naturally I thought our members would benefit greatly from her message and decided to feature it for our monthly TED Ripple session. Boy was I right! Our members couldn't stop talking about how much they took from her talk. So much so, I thought she needed to know.  I decided to create a Ripple and reach out to her - just to let her know how much her message was appreciated by us all. What I found in receipt of my effort was an even warmer, more inviting Christin inviting me to engage and share more. Well, of course, we talked and I just knew she needed to be on the podcast. So I swung for the fences and invited her. And spoiler alert, she agreed! Christin is everything you'd ever hope to experience in someone who is out to change the world. Her personal struggles and mission to educate herself and her clients has resulted in a completely new career path for her and if you ask me, she's focusing on the work she was always destined to do.  Here's a little snippet (borrowed from her LinkedIn) that instantly tells you who Christin is at her core:  When we know ourselves, we unlock true happiness and freedom. And the best part - the answers for self-love and care lie inside of all of us. My purpose is to inspire an awakening within. The foundational insights of knowing and loving oneself have been shaped by my role as a health care executive and my personal healing experience. I hope they help you be your BEST YOU, fully connected with yourself and your universe. be. love. CC Learn more about Christin's work at: christincollins.com and be sure to watch her TEDx Talk

I am so honored to have my friend and storytelling mentor, Lyn Graft on this episode of The Ripple Effect Podcast. Aside from Lyn being a New Mexico homie, he's one of the nicest, most genuine guys I know. And I am I thrilled for you to get to know him too! Here's a bit more about Lyn: Lyn Graft is the Chief Story Officer at Shār Snacks, founder of Storytelling for Entrepreneurs, and author of the best-selling book, Start With Story. He has filmed over 1,000 entrepreneurs including the founders of Starbucks, Whole Foods, TOMS, and LinkedIn. He co-created and produced CNBC’s first primetime TV series ‘American Made’ and has produced 1,200 videos for entities such as Entrepreneur Magazine, Microsoft, Dell, and Nestle. Lyn founded 8 companies and has raised $10.0M in venture funding and serves or has served on advisory boards for SXSW, Dell, and Empowering a Billion Women. Lyn has given over 50 keynote presentations on entrepreneurial and business storytelling at entities such as HP, Dell, EY, EO, SXSW, Wharton School of Business, and the University of Texas. He also is a mentor at the SKU Consumer Packaged Goods Accelerator, Founding Institute Startup Accelerator, and EBW Women Executive Accelerator. Lyn has a BA in electrical engineering and an MBA in marketing and entrepreneurship. For more information, go to LynGraft.com.  

Talk about a guy that has been through a lot and has come out on the other side so much better for it. G. Brian Benson is an amazing speaker, writer, producer, actor, Iron Man, cancer survivor, podcaster and one hell of a guitar player. Oh and did I mention, he might be one of the kindest, most soulful guys you could ever hope to meet.  I am so honored to have this amazing man join me for The Ripple Effect Podcast. I am in awe of all that he is done and all that he still strives to do. He's inspirational from the word go and I am forever in his debt to have this opportunity to sit down and learn from him. Here's a bit more about Brian: In 2008, Brian followed a hunch and left his family’s golf center business, stepping into the unknown. Ever since, inspiration has followed. Letting intuition be his guide, he began to step out of his comfort zone and unexpected paths and talents started to emerge such as writing, acting, and crafting stories. Tapping into this emerging creativity, Brian began his own hero’s journey of self-realization and growth, which continues to influence his empowering and inspiring books, films, and presentations. Learn more about Brian's great work at his website: https://www.gbrianbenson.com/  

In this engaging podcast interview, Steve Harper is excited to welcome his friend and colleague Patti DeNucci to The Ripple Effect Podcast. Patti, renowned for cultivating authentic networks and engaging in profound conversations, is currently promoting a new book and a newfound love of conversation. Topics you know Steve, can't help but get excited about! Patti provides insights into her background, hailing from a mining town in northern Minnesota, where she learned the art of conversation and connection from her gregarious father and grandfather. She emphasizes the importance of authenticity in networking, regardless of one's personality type. Patti's first book, "The Intentional Networker," guides readers in effective, genuine networking, while her second book and recently released, "More Than Just Talk," serves as a valuable resource to enhance conversational skills and get past the unproductive small talk many of us find annoying.  Steve and Patti have a fun and engaging conversation that underscore the significance of gratitude, curiosity, and meaningful questions in building strong connections. Their anecdotes and strategies illuminate the path to authentic networking and the power of sincere conversations in both personal and professional spheres. This powerful episode is an essential episode to save to your library as you will want to reference it again and again. To learn more about Patti and her work, please check out her website intentionalnetworker.com, for additional resources and information on her books.  

You've been asking for a solo episode, and I've listened. As we enter the fall season, with the excitement building, I want to delve into a concept that's not just for sports fans but for anyone looking to build their own dream team: the Fantasy Draft of your network. I'll discuss the power of curating your network, and selecting individuals with unique skills, experiences, and talents to form your dream team. Just like in a fantasy draft, where you choose players strategically to create a winning team, you can do the same in your professional and personal life. This episode is brought to you by ripplecentral.com/pond, where you can explore resources and connect with others who can help you draft your own network dream team. For those looking to take it a step further, our Connect and Grow Coaching Membership offers a 12-month experience packed with valuable content, masterclasses, TED ripple sessions, and even personal coaching sessions with me. So, stay tuned for more insights on how to create your fantasy draft of a network that can help you achieve your goals and dreams. #RippleEffectPodcast #FantasyDraft #NetworkBuilding #DreamTeam #Community #CoachingMembership

I've been connected with Laura Williams via Twitter (we both refuse to call it X) for quite a while. She inspires me along with thousands of teachers, administrators and educational professionals worldwide. She can always be counted on to put out an inspirational thought, a word of encouragement or just something that will make you smile. She is the epitome of a Rippler and I am so grateful to know her and to be connected with her! Check out her work at authenticlearningalliance.org and be sure to follow her on Twitter @mrswilliams21c Here's a little bit of her official bio from her website: ​I'm Laura Williams, your resident authentic learning expert and host of the Authentic Learning Alliance google group and facilitator of the Iowa Authentic Learning Network.  Over the past 10 years I've dedicated myself to transforming education through incorporating authentic learning experiences with area partnerships into PK-12 classrooms as an educator, consultant, and 21st Century Learning Specialist. I have also supported area partners in the visioning around these experiences to maximize a win-win-win experience for all stakeholders.  I believe that education can be the great equalizer if we can leverage our students interests and passions. We have ~6.5 instructional hours a day and I believe we can be the difference. We just have to dedicate the time, space, and connections to "up the ante" for students. I believe we can help each learner find their super powers and help them develop 21st Century skills to be successful in living, learning, and working.    Iowa Roots Through this endeavor, I have made some great partners along the way! My role as a 21st Century Learning Specialist for AEA Learning Online has privileged me to work with some great educators, leaders, business partners in order to support schools across the state to design, launch, and implement authentic learning programming.  ​Check out the Iowa Authentic Learning Network to explore resources and get connected with some amazing consultants and educators in Iowa who are just as passionate about this incredible movement in education! Currently we have around 500 educators joining this movement in Iowa!  Follow @iowaaln on Twitter to learn more! It is our sincere hope we can connect passionate educators to share and learn from each other from across the globe!      

I discovered Lauren Bateman a while ago. Let's just say Instagram is way smarter than I am and fortunately dropped her amazing guitar lessons in my feed. She was engaging so I kept watching. Before long, I was watching her Youtube videos and well...you could say I was hooked. As much for the guitar knowledge, Lauren was dropping as her personality. She is just plain cool. I was so honored she agreed to be a part of The Ripple Effect Podcast. Check out Lauren on Youtube and her website at laurenbateman.com More on Lauren: As a childhood cancer survivor, Lauren knows the importance of living in the moment. That's why she quit her job at 27 to pursue a career in music. That decision changed her life forever. Without a degree in music or teaching, Lauren has become a worldwide sensation teaching guitar to students all over the world. Her YouTube channel has over 330,000 subscribers and growing. Lauren teaches students that the most important thing is to have fun. That it doesn't matter how old or talented you, but rather your desire to play that makes you a better guitar player and student.

I was so excited that Coach Birmingham agreed to come on the podcast. I have been a big fan of his as he is a legend in college baseball. I just knew if we could have an opportunity to visit, he'd share some of the incredible wisdom he's acquired throughout his career and boy was a right. This episode is pure gold and is chalked full of great stories about motivating and leading that everyone can learn from.   Plus he is just one of the kindest and most thoughtful men I think I've ever met. Although I knew him through his social network presence, the conversation with him was so easy to have. He made me feel like he and I have been friends for years. He's a Rippler through and through.   Here's a bit more about Coach:   At UNM, Birmingham has the second-most wins in program history with 402 to his credit as the Lobo skipper, earning his 400th DI Career win on Saturday, Feb. 27, 2021 versus Air Force. He also initiated and had led the ongoing development and execution of the $3.65 million expansion of Santa Ana Star Field as well as UNM’s first privately-funded building on campus – the R.D. and Joan Dale Hubbard Clubhouse that was completed in December of 2016. For his overall career, Birmingham is in exclusive company having won over 1,000 games. Entering the 2021 season, Birmingham will have coached in parts of six decades dating back to the late 1970s. Birmingham is also the winningest coach in the state’s history as all 1,220 of his victories have come coaching for teams in his home state of New Mexico (College of the Southwest, New Mexico Junior College and UNM). In 2015, Birmingham was inducted into the New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame and was also inducted into the NJCAA Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame in 2011. He also currently serves on the College Baseball Hall of Fame Selection Committee. Birmingham has also coached or spoken at numerous clinics throughout the United States and South America. He has been published in the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Journal and worked professionally for the Cleveland Indians, Oakland A’s and Kansas City Royals. In 2004, Birmingham led the NJCAA all-star team to four wins in five games over the Chinese All-Stars in Beijing, China. In 2007, Birmingham was selected as the head coach of the NJCAA all-star team when China returned to the United States to play the U.S. team. Birmingham also coached the NJCAA West All-Stars to a three-game sweep over the East All-Stars in the summer of 2009. In the summer of 2014, Birmingham served as the hitting coach for USA Baseball’s Collegiate National Team, which was made up of the top collegiate players from around the country. Team USA played games across North Carolina before traveling to the Netherlands to participate in Honkbal-Haarlem Baseball Week. The CNT won the international tournament by outscoring its opponents 34-6 over its final seven games. Birmingham helped guide Tennessee’s Christin Stewart to “Best Hitter” honors at the tournament and Albuquerque’s own Alex Bregman of LSU was named Honkbal Baseball Week MVP. Team USA concluded its summer with five games in Cuba, finishing with an overall record of 18-8-2. In his 43rd year of coaching, Birmingham has been a part of 22 championships. All the college baseball programs Birmingham has coached have reached the top 25 in the national rankings at some point. Between University of the Southwest, New Mexico Junior College and New Mexico, 167 athletes have gone on to play professional baseball with 39 coming while the head coach at UNM. Additionally, under Birmingham at UNM, 40 athletes have earned All-America honors and 10 have been freshman All-Americans as well. Birmingham was also the coach of NMJC’s first basketball conference championship team – a team that was ranked No. 1 in the country.