People Business w/ O'Brien McMahon

Gretchen McMahon has had a wide and varied career as a horse show announcer, needlepoint belt maker, and sports photographer, all while raising her three boys full-time (one of whom happens to host this podcast). For our 200th episode, please welcome O'Brien's mom to the show. In this conversation, Gretchen shares how she has repeatedly adapted her work to align with her passions, building several successful businesses along the way.  Mentioned on the ShowGretchen McMahon Photography website: https://www.gretchenmcmahonphotography.com/Timestamps(1:07) - Welcoming Gretchen(1:14) - What was your first job?(8:40) - What made you a good door-to-door salesperson?(9:51) - What did you learn from sales?(14:03) - Why did you not like working for people in the stores but you did like it at the horse shows?(14:44) - What was the transition like going from doing the thing (riding) to working at the thing (announcing the show)?(16:11) - What made you a good horse show announcer?(18:21) - How did you decide to leave your work behind and raise a family?(19:51) - What was your work like as you continued to build a family?(22:34) - How did you decide to turn your needlepoint belt hobby into a business?(33:49) - How did you transition from amateur photograph (giving photos away) to professional (selling them)?(35:51) - How did you figure out how to price your work?(37:02) - Why don’t you like the term "side hustle"?(37:42) - Beyond making money, what does work mean to you?(40:43) - What was your attitude around learning new things for business?(45:10) - What have you learned from all the work you've done over the years?

Mag Retelewski is the driving force behind Clarteza, an innovation consultancy dedicated to amplifying growth through deep consumer understanding rooted in psychology and neuroscience. With 20 years of experience as an innovation strategist, she has advised Fortune 500 and mid-sized companies, including brands like Nestlé, Gallo, S.C. Johnson, Honest Company, Purina, and Blue Diamond Growers and many others. Her passion for understanding people fuels her work, delivering insights that inspire impactful solutions across industries and the globe. She has worked in the US, Europe, Asia, South America, and Africa.Mentioned on the ShowMag Retelewski on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mag-retelewskiClarteza – website: https://www.clarteza.com/Listen to Megan Lally discuss better relationships making better business: https://peoplebusinesspodcast.com/meganlally/Timestamps(1:43) - Welcoming Mag.(2:20) - How would you describe what you do?(3:43) - How do you define innovation?(7:22) - How do you begin to organize around a problem?(8:42) - Can having a hypothesis hurt you in the beginning?(11:20) - Do you have an example of unexpected outcomes?(16:09) - How do we ask the right questions?(17:51) - What are the characteristics of a research good question?(23:09) - What do you do with the research once you have it?(29:38) - How do you prime people before brainstorming to break out of their typical patterns?(32:14) - How do you break through limiting mindsets and corporate personas?(38:25) - Can you talk about the importance of liking each other?(43:07) - Does having a large team collaboration lead to better results?(49:14) - How do we apply all this to employee experience?(52:15) - Final thoughts.

Brad Englert is the author of Spheres of Influence: How to Create and Nurture Authentic Business Relationships, a practical guide to help emerging and established leaders develop and perfect the critical hard skill of building effective and lasting professional relationships. Brad has over 40 years of experience in the private and public sectors, including 22 years at Accenture and eight as Chief Information Officer at The University of Texas at Austin.Mentioned on the Show:Brad has set up a special link, exclusive for the People Business audience: https://bradenglert.com/peoplebusiness/Spheres of Influence, Brad’s book: https://a.co/d/5InNcHVConnect with Brad Englert on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradenglertTimestamps(1:52) - Welcoming Brad.(2:08) - Why did you write a book on relationships?(4:38 ) - How does one begin thinking about building a network for their career?(6:19) - How do we maximize our everyday relationships at work by being intentional?(10:10) - How do you recommend people shift their mindset from being all about ‘me’ to caring about others' success?(12:07 ) - How do you think about providing value to people in your network?(14:55) - How do you encourage people to take a longer time horizon?(26:03) - What is the coaching you had to give the most to develop this skill?(30:11) - How do you share your values with the team and learn theirs?(39:16) - How do you stay in touch with the external group differently than with the internal group?(44:15) - How do you advise people to approach helpfulness authentically?(47:43) - What is dog flooding?(49:03) - What is power mapping?(50:18) - Any final thoughts?

Carrie O'Neill is the owner of Possibilities Farm where she leads Equine Education Experiences for individuals and corporate teams. Carrie is a dynamic speaker and author who uses horse wisdom to help clients shift perspectives and reveal new possibilities. Her diverse leadership experiences as a healthcare regulatory attorney, hospital association executive, and consultant contribute to a uniquely effective approach for engaging teams. She is currently serving on the board of the Nokota® Horse Conservancy and previously served on the board of the Equine Experiential Education Association. She is the author of the award-winning book HorsePower Your Hospital: A Guide for Leaders to Improve the Healthcare Experience and the upcoming book HorsePower Your Team.Mentioned on the ShowConnect w/ Carrie: www.coneillconsulting.com Possibilities Farm website: http://www.possibilitiesfarm.com/Learn more about Carrie and see pictures of Jackpot and Sweet Potato: http://www.possibilitiesfarm.com/our-team.htmlHorsepower Your Hospital (book): https://a.co/d/gTg5Z9DTimestamps(2:04) - Welcoming Carrie.(2:35) - How did you start doing Equine Education?(3:43) - What made you want to get into this work?(8:13) - What can we learn from how horses function in a herd?(10:20) - What "strengths" are horses looking for in their herd mates?(13:04) - How do horses switch responsibility for different tasks in the herd?(22:23) - How does the herd reorganize when other horses come or go?(28:39) - How are horses reading humans?(39:04) - Can you share some of your stories?(59:42) - Where can people find you and your farm?

Cheryl Fields Tyler is the founder and CEO of Blue Beyond Consulting. Cheryl’s focus for over 30 years has been building organizations where both the business and the people thrive. Blue Beyond recently released an updated study analyzing what different generations look for in their work. Mentioned on the ShowBlue Beyond Consulting: https://www.bluebeyondconsulting.com/Send Cheryl an email: cheryl@bluebeyondconsulting.comCheryl on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cherylfieldstylerTimestamps(1:38) - Welcoming Cheryl.(2:25) - Can you introduce yourself and tell us your work origin story?(3:50) - Can you talk about the research you’ve done on generations in the workplace?(5:54) - Are you seeing enough major differences in generations or is it just nuances?(15:33) - What are some of the things that are important to different generations?(23:44) - Can you talk more about what employees want from a value standpoint?(27:53) - Is it that we want a place where internally or externally it aligns with our values?(31:52) - What do you think about some of the backlashes to DEI we are seeing at large companies?(37:27) - What do you see as the biggest differences in generations?(44:48) - How should leaders balance autonomy and accountability?(47:08) - What do you say to the people down on Gen Z?(53:54) - What do people get wrong when interpreting the data you put out?(55:04) - Where is the best place for people to find you?

Charles Feltman has spent 25 years as an executive and leadership coach helping individuals, teams, and entire organizations become exceptional at building and maintaining strong trust. Charles is the author of The Thin Book of Trust: An Essential Primer for Building Trust at Work, now in its 3rd edition.Mentioned on the ShowThe Thin Book of Trust (book): https://a.co/d/0kT51MICharles Feltman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlesfeltmanInsight Coaching: https://insightcoaching.com/business-coaching/Essentialism (book): https://a.co/d/d0ZnyXxPeople Business episode on Clarity with Ann Latham: https://peoplebusinesspodcast.com/annlatham/Timestamps(1:37) - Welcoming Charles.(2:20) - How do you define trust?(4:09) - What are the four components of trust?(13:37) - What is the right amount of care in the workplace?(22:35) - What is "internal congruence"?(27:19) - What advice do you have for younger people who want to build a sense of inner congruence?(29:18) - Can you talk about a perceived lack of sincerity?(33:40) - How do you help clients keep commitments in a busy world?(35:31) - What are some strategies to say no without burning trust?(42:07) - How do we balance a need to appear competent with the reality that we will fail?(47:01) - How do we repair damaged trust?(49:15) - Final thoughts on building trust.

John Block is the CEO and Co-Founder of Unity Partners, a principles-based private equity firm that partners investors and operators to build better together. John serves in multiple senior leadership roles across the firm and is responsible for helping drive Unity’s Partner & Propel investment strategy while working with the firm’s investment teams to identify strong, ambitious leaders in attractive markets. Based in Dallas, Texas, Unity’s core principles provide a key foundation for the firm to build outstanding people-based services and technology organizations.Mentioned on the ShowLearn more about Unity Partners: https://unitypartnerslp.com/Connect with John Block on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnablockStart with Why by Simon Sinek (book): https://a.co/d/gC05b7CRadical Candor by Kim Scott (book): https://a.co/d/3rGAZffTimestamps(2:16) - Welcoming John.(3:07) - How did Unity Partners come to be?(7:14) - Where did Unity's operating framework come from?(12:30) - What does it mean to "be the best at getting better"?(14:51) - How do you push yourself to be better every day?(17:33) - What does abundance look like in a private equity firm?(19:42) - How are you impacting motivation and performance?(22:01) - How do you balance the spirit of abundance with accountability?(23:25) - How do you set a culture of accountability?(26:10) - How do you create a psychologically safe environment?(27:46) - How do you fight (disagree) at Unity?(31:15) - Define the difference between group thinking and team thinking.(33:05) - How are you evaluating the leaders of businesses?(40:32) - What would be a red flag that would turn you off to somebody?(43:08) - What do you mean that "being boringly consistent doesn’t mean you are boring"?(46:10) - Where do you see private equity going as an industry?(52:42) - What is the purpose of business?(53:30) - Where can people find you?

Wayne Turmel has been writing about how to develop communication and leadership skills for almost 30 years. He has taught and consulted at Fortune 500 companies and startups around the world. For the last 18 years, he’s focused on the growing need to communicate effectively in remote and virtual environments.Mentioned on the ShowWayne Turmel's website: https://wayneturmel.com/Connect with Wayne on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wayneturmelWayne's author profile on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B00J5PGNWUThe Long Distance Leader (book): https://a.co/d/elERAKCSmart Brevity (book): https://a.co/d/3SN0wD2Writing Tools (book): https://a.co/d/aYRQAjBThe Chicago Manual of Style (book): https://a.co/d/b1l92XuOn Writing by Stephen King (book): https://a.co/d/e5lEtTaTimestamps(1:45) - Welcoming Wayne(2:20) - How did you get involved with remote work?(4:40) - What is happening now that is making remote work such a monumental shift?(7:03) - What have we learned from people sitting at home asking questions about their lives?(10:42) - Where does the responsibility lie between individuals and employers when it comes to putting healthy boundaries in place?(32:06) - What does the process look like reshaping work more appropriately?(37:38) - What are the skills we need to be developing to navigate the new workplace?(43:19) - What are your favorite writing books?(45:38) - Are there other skills you’d like to highlight?(54:15) - What kind of performing did you do?(55:09) - What genre do you write and where can people find your writings?(56:32) - Anything to add before we wrap up?

Elizabeth Lotardo returns to the podcast to discuss her new book, Leading Yourself. Elizabeth is a consultant, writer, and online instructor who helps organizations drive emotional engagement. Leading Yourself has been called a "refreshingly candid playbook that helps you create a work experience worth loving, right now".Mentioned on the ShowElizabeth Lotardo’s website: https://www.elizabethlotardo.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethlotardoGet Elizabeth’s latest book, Leading Yourself: https://a.co/d/0mJLHzOPerformance research by Morten Hansen: https://www.mortenhansen.com/book/great-at-work/The Long Game by Dorie Clark (book): https://a.co/d/5FmlHzITimestamps(2:22) - Welcoming Elizabeth(4:24) - What does it mean to lead yourself?(8:09) - Do you see commonalities with Stoicism?(9:29) - Can you talk about why it’s ok not to be passionate about what we’re doing all the time?(11:29) - How can we define purpose for ourselves in a more productive way?(15:14) - Please explain why most goals depend on consistency, not intensity.(21:25) - Can you explain why success is not as gratifying as we think it will be?(24:39) - How do we set goals and succeed but manage our energy better?(29:13) - Can you give an example of not focusing on success only but the process along the way?(33:04) - How can we reframe our thoughts about working with others?(37:18) - Can you talk about how to know when a situation is repairable vs when it’s not?(38:48) - Can you expand on ‘intent’ and how to navigate that?(42:34) - What does "disagree and commit" mean?(49:27) - How do you think about "team"?(53:56) - How do we protect ourselves from all the noise coming at us?(58:54) - How has self-leadership shown up in your world since writing the book?(1:01:39) - Anything you’d like to close with?

Julian Posada is the founder and President of LiftUp Enterprises, a for-profit holding company that focuses on low-income individuals' economic and social outcomes. Prior he was COO of The Resurrection Project. Julian hasserved on numerous non-profit boards over his career. Currently, he sits on the boards of the Chicago Public Media (WBEZ/SunTimes), BBB, Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC), HOPE Chicago, Crains Forum Advisory Board, and SpragueFoundation.Mentioned on the ShowLiftUp Enterprises: https://liftupchicago.org/Connect with Julian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/posadajulianTimestamps(1:48) - Welcoming Julian.(2:29) - What is LiftUp Enterprises?(5:41) - What made you want to approach social impact with a for-profit approach?(6:53) - Do you get pushback from the nonprofit world?(13:07) - What does it mean to "stabilize" a low-wage worker?(16:07) - Can you expand on why more money doesn’t necessarily solve the problem?(21:36) - How did you build your multi-faceted skill set for this work?(24:49) - How do you hold the time for this kind of iteration?(32:38) - What are some of the other principles of dignity-based management?(38:57) - Does what you’re talking about require major financial investment?(46:05) - How are you coming up with these ideas?(57:28) - Can you talk about smile bonuses?(1:03:05) - What advice would you give to leaders on how to get started with this?