Fraternity Foodie Podcast by Greek University

Our next guest, Leia Hunt, is a 2x childhood cancer survivor, founder of the nonprofit known as Leia’s Kids, podcast host, inspirational speaker, and author of My Battle Plan Journal. Leia has turned the devastation of her childhood cancer into a testimony of hope and faith. Leia is passionate about sharing her story and has embraced the opportunity to speak at various events. Leia’s unique perspective on surviving and thriving is a story that she is willing to share with others. In episode 436 of the Fraternity Foodie Podcast, we find out what Leia's childhood was like with all the side effects from chemo treatment and being blind in one eye, why she started a non-profit and how she helps other families, how does the Board of Directors help the non-profit move forward, what are some of the bills and legislation that you are advocating for, what are the journals that were created for folks who are battling childhood cancer, how Leia can help by speaking on your college campus, what are some of the future plans for Leia's Kids, and how things have gone at Collin College and then Texas A&M Commerce while running the non-profit. Enjoy! 

Looking for dating tips in college? Dr. Sarah Michaud is a clinical psychologist in central Massachusetts. After twenty years of sobriety, she was forced to confront the shame of her husband relapsing and the desperate behaviors that occur when one attempts to save another. What unfolded was a life that she could never have imagined. Her book, “Co-Crazy: One Psychologist’s Recovery from Codependency and Addiction”, is about her journey back to her true self, the warrior and woman she was meant to be. It will help anyone who wants to live beyond trying to save, fix or change another, whether it is a child, a spouse, or a friend, addicted or not, and get your life back. It will help transform you from codependency’s profound and debilitating effects and settle into a life of authenticity, laughter, openness, and peace. In episode 450 of the Fraternity Foodie Podcast, we find out more about Sarah's drug addiction in her youth, what made her want to get into clinical psychology later in life, how to stop worrying about what others think, how to stop being focused on fixing everyone around you, what we should do when an interaction or an event triggers a childhood trauma, how you can allow yourself to feel angry without acting out in anger, what happens when we don't speak up because we don't want to "hurt someone's feelings", what are some tips for better communication so the people in your life feel heard and validated, and what are some dating tips while you're in college. Enjoy!

Corey Poirier is a multiple-time TEDx Speaker and was recently announced as one of just 15 SUCCESS Magazine Emerging Entrepreneurs. He is also the host of the top rated ‘Let’s Do Influencing’ Radio Show, founder of the growing bLU Talks brand, and has been featured in multiple television specials. He is a Barnes and Noble, Amazon, Apple Books and Kobo Bestselling Author, Award Winning Author, and the co-author of the Wall Street Journal / USA Today Bestseller, Quitless. A columnist with Entrepreneur and Forbes magazine, Corey has interviewed over 7,500 of the world’s top leaders, including everyone from Ken Honda, Lisa Nichols, Dr. Shefali, Deepak Chopra, and he has spoken on-site at events at Harvard, Columbia, MIT, UCLA, Stanford, Cambridge and more recently to Microsoft team leaders and at Kyle Wilson’s Inner Circle retreat which has featured everyone from Brian Tracy to Mark Victor Hansen. Corey is now releasing "The Enlightened Passenger" book with Morgan James Publishing. In episode 449 of the Fraternity Foodie Podcast, we find out how college student can find their purpose, how we can expand our comfort zone, how college students can double their personal income, how we can use meditation for manifestation, what are the common threads identified in terms of successful leaders, and how you can learn the practice of focus and being all in. Enjoy! 

Miss Charlynne Boddie is an ordained minister with a prophetic edge, seasoned media professional and Hollywood producer, author, international life coach for people of all ages and has served as a corporate, police and military chaplain in the US and Europe. She is a former lead press officer for the White House, Ambassador for Israel and recent Pentagon instructor who has worked for both the Clinton and Bush Administrations for several of America's largest national disasters. In episode 448 of the Fraternity Foodie Podcast, we find out more about Charlynne's life as a child, what made her decide to attend Oral Roberts University, what it was like to work as a press secretary in the White House for Bill Clinton’s administration, what it was like meeting Oprah, how she was able to meet Beyoncé, how college students can find their purpose in life, how major health scares has shaped how she approaches each day, and what are some tips for writing that will bring peace into your life. Enjoy!

Maria Maldonado Smith is the Chief Empowerment Officer of MMS Consulting and creator of the Executive Vision Imagery program. Maria joined Alpha Delta Pi at the University of Kentucky, and she is a former Miss Kentucky who made the shift from the Miss America competition to Corporate America. After 18 years of award-winning success in the corporate space working as a sales leader for Fortune 500 companies across three different industries, Maria brings her unparalleled combination of experience to her proprietary process and interactive trainings, helping companies understand the science and benefits of goal-setting for their employees. She equips leaders, employees and organizations to clearly define goals and create a roadmap to achieving them, which allows for better alignment with corporate culture, leading to increased productivity and profitability. Maria has served numerous national and international clients, including US House of Representatives, Disney and Paramount Studios. In episode 447 of the Fraternity Foodie Podcast, we find out if Maria was always thinking about big future goals with such optimism, what made her choose the University of Kentucky, what the experience was like in 2004 to be crowned the first Hispanic Miss Kentucky and then wun the opportunity to represent Kentucky at the Miss America 2005 pageant in Atlantic City, what made her decide to head into the corporate world, how does she create a vision for the future using Executive Vision Imagery, what college students should consider when making a resume, how to excel at the interview, and how students can motivate the members of their fraternity or sorority. Enjoy! 

Aaron Patterson has overcome years of roadblocks and failures so he leads vulnerably with his scars first, he’s been a youth mentor for over eight years and comes from the music industry so he has a knack for storytelling and connecting with students past the surface. His presentations challenge students to be more because they’re made for more. Leaving them inspired and ready to break free from any negative cycle stopping them from having a brighter future. We’re living in a day and age where young people are struggling mentally and suffering in silence, people are feeling hopeless and discouraged every day they wake up. That’s why Aaron strives to empower each student to harness the power of their pain, transform it into purpose, and thereby create a brighter and better future for themselves and the community. In episode 446 of the Fraternity Foodie Podcast, we find out how we can prevent students from dimming their light just to fit in with the crowd, what made Aaron decide to get sober, how to transform pain in your life into your life's purpose, how we can shift away from alcohol/drugs on college campuses, how to improve retention in your organization, how we can discover the leader that is inside all of us, what are some tips to improve your GPA, and how we can adopt a positive mindset. Enjoy!

Mike Starr managed a successful $100 million dollar a year manufacturing business. He is an avid adventurer who climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro & canoed 54 days from Pittsburgh to New Orleans. He is an executive life coach, former nuclear trained submarine officer, & seasoned problem solver. Mike empowered dozens of business improvement teams with “one simple question” to clearly identify obstacles & implement lasting solutions. He graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with a B.S. in E.E. He is active in the NAMI & Al-Anon communities & has been married for 44 years; he lives in Conway, AR. In episode 445 of the Fraternity Foodie Podcast, we find out why he and a friend canoed 1850 miles from Pittsburgh to New Orleans, what it was like to go on a hitchhiking Odyssey for 5 months, how his time in the Navy impacted his life, why the foundation for success lies with conviction with our values, how organizations can do what we say we will do, why language is so important, what is "betterism" as described in his book "Journey into Peace", and how college students can design habits and routines to be better automatically. Enjoy! 

Mike Hassell is educated formally as an engineer (Georgia Tech BEE), humanist (Vanderbilt Master Liberal Arts & Sciences), and executive (Harvard MBA), Mike Hassell is a Renaissance man and a brother of FIJI, reflecting on the fruits from 50 years of curiosity and various pursuits in science, history, psychology, and philosophy. Mike co-founded and managed Knowledge Products, an audio publisher (1985-1998) of 140+ titles on the great ideas of history. During the next 20 years as a senior executive in startup/early businesses, Mike’s main hobby was reading widely in non-fiction – accumulating yet more ideas and resources to fold into the book called Deep Tradeoffs. Deep Tradeoffs packs in 315 quotes, from Aristotle to Stevie Wonder, in 200 pages. By thematically connecting these chunks of wisdom in a thoughtful, probing, conversational overview, Mike illuminates eternally conflicting values and truths. He shows how they’ve been conflicting for millennia -- and underlie today’s raging culture wars. In episode 444 of the Fraternity Foodie Podcast, we find out why Mike chose Georgia Tech, why he decided to join FIJI, how he knows which business ideas are good ones that are worth funding, what made him want to write the book "Deep Tradeoffs: Finding Balance and Respect In A Polarized, Angry World", when should we confront vs. accept, is it ‘idealistic’ to be earnestly optimistic or ‘realistic’ to be cynical and pessimistic, when is deception necessary, and what is the best way to manage conflict in our fraternity or sorority. Enjoy! 

In high school, Shaan Patel was like most kids. He was a good student who got As and Bs. However, he was a poor standardized test-taker. Shaan had a lot of test anxiety, had no idea how to prepare for standardized exams, and received only an average score on his first SAT.After spending hundreds of hours studying for the SAT in high school, Shaan raised his SAT score 640 points from average to perfect. Only 0.02% of all high school students achieve a perfect SAT score. Shaan’s perfect SAT score completely changed his life! He received admission to top universities and over $500,000 in college scholarships. Now, Dr. Shaan Patel has created Prep Expert to help high school students achieve their own dreams. Prep Expert has helped more than 100,000 students improve their SAT and ACT scores, get into top colleges, and win over $100 million in scholarships. Prep Expert offers online SAT and ACT courses, academic tutoring, and college admissions consulting. Dr. Shaan Patel completed his Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree at the University of Southern California, Master of Business Administration (MBA) at Yale University, Medical Degree (MD) at the University of Southern California, and dermatology residency at Temple University Hospital. Dr. Shaan Patel is the Founder and CEO of Prep Expert. On ABC’s Shark Tank, he closed a deal with Mark Cuban for an investment in Prep Expert. Dr. Patel is also a board-certified dermatologist who practices teledermatology. In episode 443 of the Fraternity Foodie Podcast, we find out how Shaan was able to boost his SAT score to a perfect score, why he chose to go to school at USC, how he was able to get Prep Expert onto Shark Tank, how Mark Cuban was able to help him propel his business after the show aired, what is the business secret to reaching over 100,000 clients, why so many colleges are reinstating their standardized test requirements after getting rid of it years ago, what are some tips for college students reduce their costs and debt, what was the Entrepreneurship Panel Shaan co-hosted to help underprivileged youth in Chicago, and whether he's still practicing as a dermatologist like he said he would on Shark Tank. Enjoy! 

Mike Vasquez’ own mother was a victim of the opioid crisis in 1961 and struggled with addiction for the rest of her life. Mike started a business that helped thousands of opioid-addicted patients successfully detox. Mike also: - Filed the first prevention patent in the opioid crisis - Has been named to the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Hall of Fame - Received the National US Chamber of Commerce Blue Chip Enterprise Award - Developed the first electronic medical record system with AI to go public on the NASDAQ - Has been endorsed by a former US “Drug Czar” and former DEA Head, he has saved large, self-insured employers millions of dollars a year in healthcare costs and liabilities and saved lives in the process. In episode 442 of the Fraternity Foodie Podcast, we find out what made him want to join Kappa Sigma at the University of Iowa, why he transferred to Drake University, what it was like to go public on NASDAQ, how college students can take a more active role in alcohol/drug abuse prevention, what made him and his wife build opioid detox programs, how artificial intelligence (AI) is a promising and transformative tool for preventing drug abuse, what you should consider if a doctor wants to prescribe a painkiller for you, how 42 States will spend $26.0B over the next 18 years for the opioid crisis, what is the missed opportunity in the 70% of people in America’s jails (12.0M every year) that would be assessed as addicted, and how we are going to finally solve the opioid crisis. 

Kathy Gardarian is the Founder and CEO of Qualis International Inc., a multi-million dollar sales and distribution company. She has served as a director on many boards, both corporate and non-profit, including Van’s Inc., The World Business Academy, Chapman University, The Gorbachov State of the World Forum, and the Woman’s Leadership Board at Harvard’s JFK School. She was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Association of Woman Business Owners, and her company Qualis International Inc. has been one of the top forty woman-owned businesses in Orange County in Southern California. She lives in Newport Coast, California and published the book called "The Wisdom of Love in Business". In episode 441, we find out why she decided on Cal State Los Angeles for her undergraduate experience, how her company (Qualis International) has been so successful, how meeting the Dalai Lama changed the way she approaches business, where college students can do to find mentors, how college students can get better at solving problems, why you shouldn't stay for the money if you're unhappy at work, how you can clarify your intentions with people around you to reach your goals, why lifelong learning is so important, and how you can balance your masculine and feminine energies. Enjoy! 

Marjorie Hope graduated from Salisbury University and obtained post graduate certifications from the London School of Economics, and Harvard University. As a competitive gymnast, she owned and operated a large gymnastics school, embracing the synergy between mind, body, and spirit while incorporating the importance of being “fit for life” and that “more is possible”. In 2016 she founded America Connected, an international non-partisan, non-profit organization teaching people around the world how to connect through cultural diplomacy. They embrace an entirely non-partisan, non-political and proactive approach to bringing people of the world closer together and discovering that they share much more in common than what separates them. In episode 440 of the Fraternity Foodie Podcast, we find out why Marjorie chose Salisbury University for her undergraduate experience, what is the significance of gymnastics in promoting health, why it's important for college students to create circles in their life, whether social media is a connector or a disconnector, what students should do if they see a red flag from someone they are connected to on social media, what does America Connected do, what we should do if we see political divisions in groups that we belong to, why the family dinner is so important, and why connecting different nations is so important. Enjoy! 

Rob Dubin is an international keynote speaker and Amazon #1 Best Selling author on happiness and employee engagement. His TEDx talk on Happiness has been viewed over 250K times. Rob was an award winning filmmaker who traveled the world making TV programs and commercials for Fortune 500 companies. He is also a serial entrepreneur who created multiple 7 figure businesses. After a near death survival experience that would have sidelined most, Rob bounced back more resilient than ever. At the age of 42 he and his wife sold their home, moved onto a 40’ sailboat, and spent the next 17 years sailing around the world studying human happiness and fulfillment. Given the ever changing nature of life at sea Rob learned first hand the key traits of resilience. Today Rob gives back by teaching courses in resilient leadership and employee happiness which increase engagement and reduce burnout. In episode 439 of the Fraternity Foodie Podcast, we find out how he and his wife survived a snow storm for days while missing in Aspen, Colorado with no tent or sleeping bag, how being happy in his subconscious mind ultimately saved his wife's fingers and feet, what he learned about happiness and personal growth by sailing around the world for 17 years, why visualization is so important, how we can rewrite the stories of our past failures, how to overcome fear, what is his advice in retaining our members or employees, and how to balance business success with personal fulfillment. Enjoy!

Joel Dubin is a retired cybersecurity consultant turned humor author and foreign languages enthusiast. "The 7 Habits of Highly Dysfunctional Companies" was inspired by stupidity he observed at companies who sabotage not only their security but their business, as well. The 7 Habits are the most common problems he saw at screwed up companies around the world. This isn’t a typical business book. It’s a humor book poking fun at office politics, bureaucracy and toxic work environments, all ingredients of successful dysfunctional companies. It’s sort of an anti-manual of how not to run a business. Joel is the author of both editions of The Little Black Book of Computer Security and has an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University. In episode 438 of the Fraternity Foodie Podcast, we find out why Joel chose Northwestern University for his undergraduate and MBA, why he decided to write the book, "The 7 Habits of Highly Dysfunctional Companies", how college students can evaluate potential employers to avoid dysfunctional companies, why so many companies are bad at customer service, how we can make companies more efficient, how we can eliminate unnecessary meetings that could have been emails, how companies can retain their best employees, and what Joel's thoughts are on remote employees. Enjoy!

In the fall of 1994, Nathaniel Turner learned he would become a father. Given the tumult of his childhood, Nathaniel was terrified that he would be a chip off the wrong block. Determined not to sentence his child to the same adverse childhood experiences Nate suffered, Nate did something novel. He studied backward design and how he might apply it to parenting. The backward design approach worked phenomenally for his son. In addition to raising a multilingual child accepted to 27 of America's best universities, receiving a fellowship to earn his Ph.D. from Carnegie Mellon University in Electrical and Computer Engineering, and full-ride to NYU's Stern School of Business, to name a few highlights, Nate discovered that the tools, techniques, and strategies used to aid him on his educational and life journey were applicable for Nate’s own life. Nowadays, Nate enjoys sharing what he knows about raising children and helping students get in and graduate from their dream schools with little to no debt. Equally important is that he gets to share with others how to design your life backward so that you can live your life just as you always imagined. In episode 437 of the Fraternity Foodie Podcast, we find out how Nate was able to rise above 8 adverse childhood experiences, what made him choose Butler University, what made him want to join Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., what is a life template and how does it work, how do we raise dreamers who embrace the responsibility to change the world, why do other generations like to attack generation Z, how universities can improve their retention and graduation rates, how fitness watches can help you, and what are some diet and nutrition tips for college students. Enjoy!

Professionally speaking, Philip Blackett is passionate about helping entrepreneurs and small business owners grow their dream businesses, while utilizing his skillset in sales, marketing and business development. Philip served as President of Cemetery Services, Inc., a seven-figure business he bought based in the Greater Boston area. He’s worked at FedEx, Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, and Chick-fil-A. Philip graduated from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary with his Masters of Divinity (M.Div) degree with a concentration in Great Commission Studies. He also earned his MBA from Harvard Business School. In college, Philip graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as a Morehead-Cain Scholar, majoring in Political Science and Economics. Philip is a Life Member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. When he is not fulfilling his purpose, Philip enjoys reading, watching sports, and raising his twin daughters, Sofia and Elizabeth, with his wife Mayra. In episode 435 of the Fraternity Foodie Podcast, we find out why Philip decided to go to UNC Chapel Hill, why he decided to join Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., what makes companies like as FedEx, Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, and Chick-fil-A successful, How can we navigate tough conversations and disagree with someone's views but still respect and love that person, how can we train ourselves to be open to new ideas and thoughts, what lessons he learned from his first failed business, what are the core four of dream business growth. Enjoy!

Doug Crowe won the Dale Carnegie Highest Achievement award as a high school student, and was one of the youngest trainers for that organization. He graduated from Northwestern University with a B.S. in speech, with a concentration in radio, TV and film. His clients include C-suite professionals from Apple, NASA, Louis Vuitton, the NFL, Bank of America, the U.S. Coast Guard, US Navy, and US Marines. While Doug has amassed a lifetime of experience and success as an author, speaker and media insider, he knows the power of associating with a world class team. From producing & publishing best-selling books, marketing on the largest infomercial network in the country or producing blockbuster Hollywood movies, Doug’s team has done it all and continues to excel with every client and joint venture they align themselves with. He is an avid scuba diver, instrument-rated private pilot, photographer, magician, and father of three. In episode 434 of the Fraternity Foodie Podcast, we find out why Doug chose Northwestern University for his undergraduate experience, how he was able to develop the RYLA leadership training program for Rotary, what Doug learned after writing a book he wasn't happy with in 2008, what are other ways to build credibility other than writing a book, how we can embed humanity into the use of AI, what are the best ways to build your brand, how to create referrals for your brand without spending a dime, what are some secret success strategies used by today's most effective leaders, and how you can quickly accomplish your goals. Enjoy!

Irma (pronounced Ear-ma) Herrera is a civil rights lawyer turned playwright and solo performer, and she uses storytelling and theater to open hearts and minds. After three decades of working in pursuit of fairness and justice, she turned her attention to storytelling on stage. This work is an extension of her social justice advocacy, and she uses the skills developed as a lawyer to explore themes of othering and belonging. Her one-woman show “Why Would I Mispronounce My Own Name?” is a work of creative nonfiction that is a mashup of personal narrative, lessons in American history, and stories about respecting people’s names, even when they don’t sound and look like “real” American names. In episode 433 of the Fraternity Foodie Podcast, we find out when Irma noticed her love of languages, why she decided to attend Notre Dame Law School, where she got the idea for her one-woman show called "Why Would I Mispronounce My Own Name?", how the Muslim ban, the racializing of COVID-19 and the rise in hate crimes against Asian Americans, and laws targeting trans youth are all related, why she believe that her multiple identities are indivisible, and what we can do to create organizations that treat everyone with respect and dignity. Enjoy!

Raised in poverty by a single teenage mother, Reggie Ford has been fortunate to receive an education from some of the most elite institutions in the country. This diverse background has helped him understand the common threads that run through humanity. He is an old soul, a lifelong learner, a humble teacher, and a natural go-getter, bringing a unique and valued perspective to those around him. He empowers everyone he encounters as he continues to grow into his best self. His story of turning the pain and struggle of his past into peace and abundance captivates audiences and makes him the epitome of perseverance. Reggie is an award-winning entrepreneur, bestselling author, mental health advocate, and social activist. He is also a proud husband of Katie and dad to their beloved dog Rosie. In his free time, he enjoys traveling, cooking, reading, practicing and teaching yoga, and spending time with loved ones. In episode 432 of the Fraternity Foodie Podcast, we find out why Reggie chose Vanderbilt University for his undergraduate experience and Masters Degree, what was the most difficult part of being a first generation student, how he was able to pivot once he realized he wasn't going to the NFL, what motivated Reggie to write the book "Perseverance Through Severe Dysfunction (PTSD): Breaking the Curse of Intergenerational Trauma as a Black Man in America", what happened the day he had a panic attack that left him unable to think clearly, what are ways college students can prioritize their mental health and wellbeing, what is the process of perseverance, and how today's college students can build deeper connections with other students on campus and gain that sense of belonging. Enjoy!

As Clint Pardoe was about to graduate from college, he didn’t know what he wanted to do with his degree in Business. This, combined with the ending of a romantic relationship, led him to experiencing overt anxiety, which led to depression, which led to some deep soul-searching. He spent the next year waiting tables & obsessively reading books about personal growth and spirituality. Inspired by a former Professor, Clint went to graduate school to teach public speaking and interpersonal communication classes at the college level and, after a few years of doing so, did post-graduate work in Business/Life Coaching. This led to him writing The 4 Secrets to College Life Success and speaking & coaching in both the college and real estate markets. A decade later, two decades after this journey started, Clint felt called to refocus his energy on speaking at colleges and now offers two programs, Awaken Your Potential & Wake Up Call. He also hosts a weekly podcast-like meditation and conversation where, in community, college students can awaken to and live more of their full potential. In episode 431 of the Fraternity Foodie Podcast, we find out what made Clint want to become an Adjunct Professor, what is Youth Speaker University and what Clint does for them, what is emotional balance, what are some communication tools that students can use in order to improve relationships with family, friends, teachers, and significant others, what are tips to improve time management skills, why support from others helpful for students to transform areas of their own lives, why service is so important for college students, and what his TEDx talk is about versus his presentations on college campuses. Enjoy!