People Business w/ O'Brien McMahon

Tricia Meyer is the Founder and Managing Attorney of Meyer Law, one of the fastest-growing law firms in the United States. Meyer helps entrepreneurs and technology companies from startups to large corporations, Shark Tank contestants to companies gracing the Inc. 500. Tricia has been named on the Forbes Next 1000 list, is one of the Most Influential Female Lawyers in Chicago according to Crain’s Chicago Business, and has been recognized as a top 10 technology lawyer. As an entrepreneur, attorney, and mother to a large family Tricia has a unique perspective. In this conversation, we cover a little bit of everything, including legal pitfalls, advice for entrepreneurs, and how to blend the chaos of work and family life. Mentioned in this Episode:Meyer Law memberships and coursesMeyer Law packages for startupsMeyer Law packages for growing companiesRequest a roadmapThe Psychology of Money by Morgan HouselThe Optimal Amount of Hassle by Morgan HouselLinnea Gandhi on People Business PodcastThe Clever BabyTopics:(3:02) - Tricia’s background starting her own business and positioning it as a tech company.(9:32) - How much of your time in law school is spent on contracts and the way laws work vs. negotiation and strategy?(13:30) - How should decision-makers and business leaders approach their attorneys?(14:52) - Where can there be great partnerships between business leaders and attorneys outside of contracts?(17:03) - What is your approach to negotiations?(18:28) - What’s your husband’s background in entrepreneurship and how did you both get onto this career path?(20:48) - What were the conversations like when you decided to start your first business together?(24:13) - What do you believe about business that is controversial?(29:27) - Was there something about your childhood that instilled your work ethic and confidence? How do you foster that within your own team?(34:10) - How do you think about the balance of building your businesses and raising a large family?(39:16) - Setting boundaries and being able to say “no.”(42:43) - How do you think about sacrifice, when it comes to work and family?(47:17) - What are you sick of talking about?(48:15) - What are you most excited to be talking about?(49:25) - What aren’t people talking about enough?(50:30) - What is the purpose of business?

Michael Balchan is the Co-Creator and a Founding Partner of Heroic, a social training platform built to change the world by helping you be the best, most Heroic version of yourself. A Harvard Graduate who studied Psychology and Economics, Michael spent ten years in finance and then launched a private coaching practice working with corporate executives, elite athletes, and startup leadership teams. As President of Heroic’s sister company and personal development platform Optimize Coach, he helped launch and lead the program, which serves more than 5,500+ people from 95+ countries. Michael regularly teaches personal growth, positive psychology, peak performance, habit creation, wellness, relationships, and leadership. Mentioned in this Episode:HeroicThe Heroic AppOptimize by HeroicMaslow’s Hierarchy of NeedsFlourish by Martin SeligmanTargeted ThinkingThe Psychology of Money by Morgan HouselThe Motley FoolRay Dalio’s 5 step model for successPrinciples by Ray DalioThe Power of TED* by David Emerald Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor FranklAntifragileThe iPhone EffectThe Social Dilemma DocumentaryTime Codes:(2:59) - What does it mean to flourish?(6:25) - What role are you trying to play in flourishing?(10:25) - Targeted Thinking, Morgan Housel, & John Wooden.(20:11) - O’Brien’s wedding: Something will go wrong.(26:07) - Stimulus & response.(28:21) - Combating stress that drains your focus.(38:24) - Building confidence.(42:03) -The importance of energy management.(51:34) - Social Media & technology addiction.(1:01:44) - Final thoughts.

Jim Connolly is Founder & CEO of ILR, LLC (www.IndustryLeadingResults.com), an organizational behavior consulting practice. Jim’s expertise in human behavior and organizational process helps companies hire the right talent and close the gap between performance and results. He has worked with over a hundred companies and completed more than 2,700 behavioral interviews. He has honed a process that can tell you today what you’ll know about an employee six months after you hire them. He is highly skilled at completing an in-depth analysis of a person’s qualifications, strengths, and character. Mentioned in this Episode:StrengthsFinder 2.0Now, Discover Your StrengthsAngela Duckworth on Passion and SuccessBrene Brown & James Clear interview Part 1Brene Brown & James Clear interview Part 2Contact Jim: Jim@IndustryLeadingResults.comTime Codes:(3:10) -  What is the difference between a Doctorate and a PhD?(4:59) - What field are you getting your Doctorate in?(6:07) - What are the problems are you solving for companies?(8:07) - Are there people who are programmed to be explorers and those who are not?(10:15) - Jim’s work in Change Management.(13:45) - What are the best practices for behavioral interviewing?(35:43) - How should employers be thinking about developing their people?(39:29) - Can you build average people into high-performers?(43:11) - How do you think about "drive" as a personality trait?(46:54) - What’s the right way to think about training people to become high performers?(57:39) - What is the purpose of business?

Scott Miller is a business leader, author, and podcast host as well as Senior Advisor to FranklinCovey. If that name rings a bell, it’s because their founder, Steven Covey, wrote the book 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Scott’s books include Management Mess to Leadership Success, Everyone Deserves a Great Manager, and Master Mentors, among others. On his podcast, On Leadership with Scott Miller, he interviews expert guests like Adam Grant, James Clear, and General Stanley McChrystal, among others on what it takes to lead. Mentioned in this Episode:ScottJeffreyMiller.comScott’s BooksScott on FacebookScott on InstagramScott on LinkedInScott on TwitterThe 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen CoveyPeople Business podcast episode w/ Mike SarrailleTime Codes:(3:35) - Scott’s famed dinner parties: The guests, the purpose, the format and the layout.(19:02) - Scott’s Origin story working for Franklin Covey.(22:01) - How did working for a leadership development company help you develop as a leader?(32:49) - Having a path for yourself, your people and working to retain talent.(38:29) - Identifying your personal values.(43:10) - Values fluctuate very little, but the expression of those values can fluctuate greatly over time. (45:48) - How do you think about work-life balance?(49:28) - How do leaders help their teams set and keep boundaries?(53:07) - Being on the best team vs. Being the best on the team.(1:00:49) - What is the purpose of business?(1:02:22) - Where can people learn more about you?

Kristin Zhivago is President of Zhivago Partners, a digital marketing management company. She is an expert on the customer’s buying process and has spent years as a revenue coach, teaching CEOs and entrepreneurs how to sell more by understanding what their customers want to buy and how they want to buy it. She is the author of the 5-star book, Roadmap to Revenue: How to Sell the Way Your Customers Want to Buy, named one of the top sales and marketing books by Forbes. Mentioned in this Episode: The Alchemist by Paulo CoelhoData Smog by David ShenkTime Codes: (2:48) - What is it like to wake up alone in the middle of the ocean?(11:40) - How does one become a Revenue Coach?(15:01) - How have you used your method to determine your own strengths and weaknesses? (17:45) - How does this work apply to a department selling their work internally?(26:04) - Are there core principles that people are looking for when they buy?(30:44) - Do you find that the desires, concerns, and questions are the same from clients who buy from one specific company?(32:37) - What are the base characteristics needed to lump someone into a buyer group?(33:53) - What advice do you have to get through to people who are dealing with burnout and may not want to talk to you?(41:35) - What mistakes are you seeing people in your field make?(42:48) - How often do you find that people can’t articulate why they do or don’t buy?(49:03) - What are you sick of talking about?(50:31) - What are you most excited to be talking about?(53:02) - Why is the word “love” such a hang-up?(55:25) - What is the purpose of business?(56:07) - Where can people find you?

Jason Lauritsen is transforming management as a keynote speaker, trainer, and author. He liberates managers from outdated and inhumane practices so they can cultivate human potential at work and improve people’s lives. Jason’s advice and teachings are informed by decades of experience as an entrepreneur, corporate executive, and employee engagement researcher. He also spent several years leading the Best Places to Work program for an HR technology company, where he gained deep insight into some of the best workplaces in the world. Jason is the author of two books, Unlocking High Performance: How to use performance management to engage and empower employees to reach their full potential and Social Gravity: Harnessing the Natural Laws of Relationships.Mentioned in this Episode:www.JasonLauritsen.comCultivayoBrave New Work by Aaron DignanEverybody Matters by Bob Chapman Dying for a Paycheck by Jeffrey PfefferJen Alessandra on the People Business PodcastTime Codes:(3:02) - How would you describe the state of work today?(4:20) - What’s your origin story?(6:32) - What is the “hot mess” we’ve all been living and working in?(10:11) - Where are we going with the future of work?(17:47) - How do we balance the “we” and the “me” aspect of work?(27:33) - The hierarchy of employee needs.(32:07) - Creating clarity around values.(40:12) - How do you see companies shifting effectively (and ineffectively) right now?(45:40) - Why should we care about any of this in the first place?(49:33) - What is the purpose of business?(52:52) - Where can people engage with you?

Marion Abrams is a podcasting coach & consultant with deep experience in podcasting and content creation. She co-created Spartan Race’s official podcast, Spartan Up (now boasting over 35 million views & downloads) and has worked on a range of projects from social media advisor on a gubernatorial campaign, to creating the documentary film Flood Bound, to directing TV ads for Vermont Lottery. On her podcast, Grounded Content, she explores what drives customer actions, and where the lines are between persuasion and manipulation. Mentioned in this Episode:Mad MotionTime Codes:(3:20) - Should everyone be their own content creator? When does it not make sense?(6:29) - How did you come to be an expert on content creation?(9:13) - Thoughts on being a jack-of-all-trades vs. having a niche.(13:15) - What is Mad Motion?(20:04) - How does someone determine a good resource from a bad one?(23:16) - How did you learn to be effective in podcasting?(28:27) -  What advice do you have for someone dealing with the angst of starting to build a presence online?(31:21) - Showing different parts of the same persona online.(33:00) - Exercises to help people find their voice.(36:01) - How should we think about aligning ourselves as people with the business content we put out?(38:38) - What’s the process for finding out the best way to craft a person’s message?(42:14) - Marion’s 5 P’s(51:15) - Do you have any contrarian beliefs?(53:29) - What are you most sick of talking about?(54:18) - What are you most excited to be talking about?(54:47) - What is the purpose of business?(55:59) - Wrap up and find out how to find Marion.

Dr. Paul Spradley is a Certified Diversity Practitioner and the current Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for Dollar Bank where he supports their ongoing commitment to an inclusive culture across the Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia markets. Prior to joining Dollar Bank, Paul started the Diversity and Inclusion training firm, Care Based Leadership which is now being led by his wife, Dr. Jessica Spradley.  Mentioned in this Episode:Care Based Leadership, LLC.Embarc ChicagoHow Experiences Change Lives w/ Imran KhanTim Ferriss w/ Rabbi Lord Jonathan SacksAffirmative Action PlanningTime Codes:(3:26) - Paul’s background and journey into DE&I(8:13) - What were your preconceived notions about working in the inner-city?(17:44) - Cognitive dissonance in dealing with harsh realities.(21:15) - Does equality have to feel like a takeaway from those who've had it good?(24:19) - The importance of word choice (ex. "white supremacy").(29:25) - How can people of all colors come together and ultimately win?(37:59) - Reversing the growing selfishness of society.(48:08) - Why would a company care about DEI?(50:31) - What is a Diversity Officer’s role?(53:29) - Where are companies making mistakes when implementing this work?(55:11) - What do you believe about people or business that might be contrarian?(57:49) - What are you sick of talking about?(1:01:44) - Is there a country out there that’s a great example of a multicultural society?(1:03:13) - What is the purpose of business?

Jen Alessandra is the Chief People Officer at FrontDoor. Starting in 2019, she guided the company through a rapid and complete transformation into a virtual-first workforce while preserving their strong, adaptable, and action-oriented culture. She is an expert in all aspects of people strategy, including learning, DEI, engagement, and more.  In this conversation, Jen explains how FrontDoor built its people strategy from the ground up (pun intended).  Mentioned in this Episode: Assessing Personalities w/ Erich Kurschat on The People Business PodcastQuote - “Small minds discuss people. Average minds discuss events. Great minds discuss ideas.” - Elanor RooseveltTime Codes: (3:29) - Jen’s origin story in HR Leadership.(4:20) - What initially drew you to Social Work?(6:17) - What did you learn from Social Work about setting emotional boundaries?(8:35) - What is the role of HR?(10:34) - What are the principles you use to keep people motivated?(12:23) - How do you scale individual attention?(14:16) - How did you create a common language across the organization?(17:20) - How do you structure your pulse surveys?(20:17) - What have you learned from studying the future of the workforce?(22:09) - Thoughts on creating a culture. (23:22) - Creating time boundaries when piloting programs.(24:18) - How have you managed the ongoing uncertainty of Covid-19?(26:18) - The importance of slowing down to speed up. (28:39) - Setting boundaries at work during the pandemic.(30:11) - Do you have any rituals for disconnecting?(31:51) - Integrating psychology and behavior science in HR.(34:51) - What have you learned about communication that has surprised you?(36:02) - How do you hold the line when it comes to accountability and performance?(38:21) - How are you communicating OKRs? (Objectives and Key Results)(41:19) - Balancing how much a company defines guidelines and roles.(46:20) - What do you believe about people or business that might be contrarian?(47:12) - Helping people receive hard feedback.(48:44) - What are you sick of talking about?(50:29) - What aren’t people talking about enough?(55:26) - What is the purpose of business?(57:16) - Wrap up and final thoughts.

Jo Marini is the CEO of Mother Superior, a venture foundry focused on bringing VC money and support to underrepresented entrepreneurs. The wheels in her head began turning during her MBA when she found out that 98% of VC investment goes to well-connected white men. Jo quickly realized that women, BIPOC, LGBTQ+, individuals over 60, and disabled people barely figure in the stats. Mother Superior is setting out to share the wealth, be it through knowledge, time, skills, or money. Mentioned in this Episode:Inside Pixar documentaryThe Most Good You Can Do by Peter SingerThe Human Element by Loran NordgrenReducing Friction w/ Loran Nordgren on the People Business PodcastChanging People’s Minds w/ Loran Nordgren on the People Business PodcastBrave New Work by Aaron DignanReyn Skin CareTime Codes:(2:30) - The origin of Mother Superior.(4:41) - What was it about your MBA program that made it non-traditional? (8:42) - What do the people who come to Mother Superior look like?(10:36) - The importance of making things personal.(12:55) - What types of ideas are your clients trying to bring into the world?(15:03) - What is a social impact venture?(15:58) - Do you have any examples of how businesses structure themselves for social impact?(17:48) - What is a common good agreement?(21:13) - How should people be thinking about their impact?(24:12) - What’s the criticism you’re facing in your work?(25:37) - What are the big friction points you see holding people back from investing in Mother Superior?(29:14) - Implementing true systemic change.(33:21) - Do you have any examples of how your operating systems ripples out to create businesses that run in different ways?(36:26) - Working within constraints.(39:01) - Do the founders you work with come to you wanting to work within your constraints or are they just looking for a path to the market?(39:47) - Where Mother Superior is headed in the future.(43:07) - What are you most excited to be talking about?(44:11) - What are you sick of talking about?(45:07) - What do you mean by “accessing the world”?(52:15) - What is the purpose of business?