Embark

"Everything rests on your ability to communicate." Catherine Johns walks - and talks - the talk. I have the  pleasure to share a fantastic conversation where we discuss how to gracefully navigate the dreaded Zoom talk, as well as how to own the stage, even when you are being heckled, er, challenged by an unruly audience member. Hear Catherine's take on how the overthinking speaker gets centered, where to place yourself on stage, and when to move and why a bot will never replace her.About Catherine: Catherine John's guides executives and entrepreneurs to craft a clear compelling message and deliver it with confidence charisma, and maybe a quirk. If you're from the Midwest, you may remember Catherine from Chicago radio as a morning show personality and talk show host. She perfected the art of making information interesting. While she invited interaction and probably develop to some incredible improvisational skills, she has consulted with companies like JP Morgan, Bank of America, and good year to elevate their presentation skills. She provides coaching and training on executive presence, client communication and public speaking, along with special sessions for women on professional presence. Find her book, Show and Shine: Simple Steps to Boost Your Confidence and Charisma on Amazon

Tired of the news cycle? Sick of the constant drip, drip, drip of downbeat information? So are we, so Jack and I decided less news media consumption, more turning up the volume and indulging our passion for listening to music. We couldn't help but watch the State of the Union Address, though.  We wander into political territory, before going to the happy place of sharing favorite bands, and wondering if Rock 'n Roll is still a thing. If it's not, is it time to re-think the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?  Broaden the tent to encompass all genres? I like that idea. It feels democratic, and  since I embrace all kinds of music, it seems right.We also talk about altered states, aka cosmetic surgery. Many celebrities are doing an about face on their old - er, former - faces, with mixed results. What do you think?Also, in light of the devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria, there is incredible need and ways for your to help. Check your local consulates to donate in-kind items like blankets, tents, jackets, diapers, hats, gloves and other clothing.You can also donate to unicefusa.org or https://donate.doctorswithoutborders.org.Thank you. Comments? Questions? Suggestions? Reach out at  liz@embarkthepodcast.com.Thanks for listening.

How's your year going? Jack has dubbed the month of January 'the Monday of the year', and it's feeling that way with the crazy shenanigans going on in the House of Representatives, secret documents unearthed in garages and tell-all bios by whiny Royals. Although we not-so-secretly crave a crown of our own. (I'm polishing mine now.)Jack and I do find  silver linings, and cock-eyed optimists that we are, share admiration for Buffalo Bills' Damar Hamlin and gratitude for his remarkable recovery from cardiac arrest his suffered two weeks ago. It's always a win when we all come together to rally behind someone. We also talk about the power of awe, the wonder we find in nature, people we admire, the miracle of birth. Those things that put our lives and perspective. A reminder we are not the center of the earth but part of something greater than ourselves.All the same, we think y'all are pretty great. Send in your comments, ideas and feedback at  liz@embarkthepodcast.com.Thanks for listening.

Now that most of us are remote, there's a whole lot of writing going on. Emails, social posts, newsletters, web content.  Writing, or at least good writing, is something many of us find difficult.  Erin Lebacqz is here and guides us  to show up as our best selves, on paper(or screen),  at least.We talk about why conciseness and clarity matter, and how how you can convey a respectful, empathetic message to people, regardless of their beliefs, background, educational level and experiences.  Why verbs can be a communicators best friend, and how to use them to best effect.Hear about writing intelligence, which is much like emotional intelligence, but with, you know, written words.  In other words, Erin shares how we can come across and a caring expert who responds to the reader's needs.About Erin: Author and international educator Erin Lebacqz helps you write with clarity, confidence, and emotional intelligence. Erin’s curriculum and book, High-Value Writing, capture Erin’s 25 years of experience working with business and academic writers around the world. Erin’s interactive sessions engage learners in purposeful discussions that respect their desire for intellectual growth while also providing practical strategies learners can immediately apply in the workplace. You can learn more about Erin’s instructional style through her videos on her YouTube channel: High-Value Writing.Connect with Erin on LinkedIn

The lights! The decorations! The presents! The throw down at the dinner table.Ah, the holidays. They can be joyous occasions to spend with family. Or, they can be emotional landmines, filled with resentment, competition and angry exchanges over a difference of opinion.Before you walk out in a huff -- before dessert hits the table, no less - let's take five, or ten to compose ourselves. Jack and I discuss some of the pitfalls of family get togethers, and hopefully share some ways to prepare yourself to face your nearest and dearest. You might surprise yourself with your self-control, diplomacy and actual love you have for those weirdos you call family.  Let's make nice and make merry.If all else fails, Jack is here for you to provide emotional support and holiday wisdom.Happy Holidays!

Our phones are ubiquitous. I mean, we don't leave home without them. So, let's use them for more real time conversations? My guest, Mary Jane Copps has some answers and also some compelling reasons to reach out and touch someone: Just call them on the phone.Mary Jane, also known as MJ or to her many followers, The Phone Lady has shown hundreds of professionals how to use the phone to ramp up their business. Recently a cohort of her clients experienced mind-boggling close rates of 30 percent.  In this episode, MJ provides compassionate insight on why our conversation (or lack thereof) has become so uncivil. She also  shares how we can listen, even when we really don't understand another person. That giving attention is not only a way to show respect, but show love. Read one of her recent articles HERE.No matter what platform or mode she chooses to communicate: email, phone, in person or text, MJ  delivers a message that is memorable, effective and moves people to action.  

Did your personality change as a result of the Covid pandemic?  According to an October article in the New York Times, possibly. Whether the changes are long-term or permanent remain to be seen, but there's no denying the events of the last almost three years has affected our behaviors.Jack and I talk about what some of those long term changes mean, the high cost of college tuition and what one university is doing about it, the long road to adulthood and why nominees for the  2024 presidential campaign are not set in stone.

Tis the season to be thankful, and Jack Monson and I get there, eventually. In the meantime, we talk about passive-aggressive greetings and faux concern, a new season of Yellowstone,  and a yearning for more humor in advertising and culture.What are we grateful for? Well, Thanksgiving, for one, Mel Brooks,  Nick Kroll and really good pizza. In fact, Jack suggests we add a brand new holiday following this week's feast in  honor of  our favorite doughy treat.

Social Joey Radio's Jack Monson and I once again talk about our differences on the political front, but form a united front on our shared disdain of Reality TV.  Our conversation soon leads to a political discussion and how the media magnifies the bad behavior of politicians. As usual, we have different takes on the attack of Paul Pelosi, our preferred midterm elections outcomes and our take on current circumstances as we see it. We agree way too much is spent on getting people elected, and not enough on the people those would-be leaders are supposed to represent. Know someone you disagree with? Start a conversation, get curious and listen. We're with you. Let's embark on what unites us.

We hear a lot from some people. If you're on social media, perhaps we hear too much.But what about the rest of us? We're mum on many topics, especially those that may be polarizing. Let's be brave, be open and at least start a difficult conversation. We might learn something and even through conflict create a relationship based on mutual respect, if not agreement.Jack Monson and Liz Solar look at political polarization,  labelling other people and reality TV, as well as question who or what might bring us together. 

Is it possible to disagree with someone on politics, party and policy and still be civil? Heck yeah. You can even be friends.  My colleague, Jack Monson and I may not share  opinions on what politicians we support or who is best to solve what's ailing our country, but we do share a love of family, work ethic, a broadcasting background and an irreverent sense of humor. We get each other.We wonder how we can find common ground, when we don't even share a vocabulary about benign things like what we call certain frozen desserts or athletic shoes.Join us as we attempt to get America talking to each other, one conversation at a time.About Jack Monson: Jack is Consigliere and Connector at Eulerity. He's the  CEO and Host at Social Geek Enterprises, Inc, which  produces branded podcasts for the biggest names in marketing and franchising as well as providing consulting and voiceover services. His show, Social Geek Radio is one of Apple's Top 25 Marketing podcasts. 

One of the most entertaining writers I've read -- Randy Susan Meyers matches that level of fun in our conversation. We talk about writing what you know truthfully, and why villains are so much fun -- but only in fiction. In real life, not so much.  If you're looking for great summer reads, she has quite a few. You can find them here. Later in the episode, I share what I'm reading this week. Please share your beach reads at liz@embarkthepodcast.com.Randy Susan Meyers is the national bestselling author of Waisted, Accidents of Marriage, The Comfort of Lies, The Murderer's Daughters, and The Widow of Wall Street. Her books have been chosen as Must-Read Books" by the Massachusetts Center for the Book three times, writing "The clear and distinctive voice of Randy Susan Meyers will have you enraptured and wanting more." She teaches writing in Boston and still misses her Brooklyn hometown. Her most recent novel was The Fashion Orphans. 

It's now been over two week's since the mass school shootings at the Robb Elementary School in Uvalde. Nineteen children, two teachers are dead. More people were injured and the response from many of our leaders? Crickets. Questions avoided. Narratives changed, edited and from this vantage point, fictionalized. Worse, when voices are raised to enact common sense gun control reform, they are met with 'now is not the time' or 'let's not politicize this.' How can we remedy what ails our society if we can't even talk about it?Wednesday's emotional hearing on gun violence, followed by the House's passage of the wide-ranging control legislation, even if the Senate does nothing may signal  a sea change. Let's keep talking, reaching out to the other side. Find common ground Nothing changes until hearts and minds are open, receptive and engaged. We can change, hopefully for the better. Civil discourse is a good start.

As a parent, it’s difficult to stop thinking about the recent school shootings in Uvalde.Despite stall tactics on gun reform, here we are ten years after Sandy Hook, and additional mass shootings too numerous to mention, and we're in the same place of inaction. They say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.If politicians don't do the right thing, it's time for us to pick up a moral compass and find a better way. Thanks for listening.  

According to Salesforce, 79% of buyers in the sales process want professionals who perform as trusted advisors. Yet it takes time to build trust. My guest Dr. Nancy Zare talks about how to do just that, sell without being sell-y and the ‘Platinum Rule’. She also outlines the four buying and selling styles.  Once you figure out yours,  you can build rapport quickly and authentically, become a trusted advisor, and increase client acquisition.  About Dr. NancyA psychologist and strategist, Dr. Nancy Zare works with service-based business owners who want to increase sales comfortably and with integrity. She reveals how buyers buy so you can feel poised, converse with confidence, and get new clients. Nancy earned her masters and doctorate from Boston College and is a former professor of social work. She is the author of several books including Compelling Selling, Lead Generation Formulas, and an international best seller, Words That Sell with Style. Her latest book with co-author, Mary Pekas, No Pressure Selling; 15 Proven Formulas for Getting Business Easily is available from Amazon. The audio book will be released shortly.Accredited in sales training and adult learning, Nancy turns education into edutainment. Her secret desire is to go racing on the Autobahn. Be ready to laugh, think, share, and be wowed as she drives home the idea of how to have comfortable sales conversations without being sale-z. In her leisure time, she is a student of spirituality. Nancy lives in south Florida, and enjoys food preparation, swimming, and crafts. She volunteers as a foster family for the Farm Dog Rescue.    

Barbara Roche, or 'Coach Roche' develops leaders, inspires confidence and gets people talking. She also adds a booty-shaking dance routine or fun movement break into almost every program she develops.Join us for this smart and savvy conversation about how to see yourself better so you can raise yourself up and forward.About Barbara RocheHer mission is to help more women advance to the C-Suite. And to eradicate death by PowerPoint!She's  a player-coach. When Barbara is not speaking, she's  coaching presenters, leaders and aspiring keynoters. She's coached CEOs, pitch teams, job candidates, and TEDx speakers.A native Bostonian, Barbara is a proud member of Red Sox Nation. She  lives a secret life as a fitness instructor."Time to stop playing small. Step up, speak up, stand out."

What does it mean to have a life well-lived? That's the title of Sky Bergman's documentary, and the theme of today's episode. We discuss resilience,  having a sense of purpose, curiosity and  intergenerational mixing.  At the center of Sky's film are 40 people from ages 75 to over 100, their histories, heartbreaks and personal victories.  Their determination to live generously and fully,  as well as good old-fashioned grit,  are essential ingredients for a rich and vital life.  Sky's grandmother and muse also added  a healthy dose of cooking, regular workouts and dedication to la famiglia.Sky Bergman (she/her) is an accomplished, award-winning photographer and filmmaker. Lives Well Lived  is Sky’s directorial debut. Her fine art work is included in permanent collections at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Brooklyn Museum, Seattle Art Museum, Santa Barbara Museum of Art, and the Bibliothèque Nationale de France. Her commercial work has appeared on book covers for Random House and Farrar, Straus & Giroux, Inc., and magazine spreads in Smithsonian, Arthur Frommer’s Budget Travel, Reader’s Digest, and Archaeology Odyssey.Sky Bergman is Professor Emeritus of Photography and Video and a former Department Chair of the Art & Design Department at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, CA. She has two short films about intergenerational connections currently on the film festival circuit and is working on a feature-length film that is a celebration of love.More about Sky  here and here. 

Kavita Ahuja is an Entrepreneur and Founder of Power Purpose Play, a Global Platform dedicated to advancing the personal growth and inner power of women in midlife. She is the Host and Visionary behind the successful Podcast, “The Midlife Reinvention”, a course content creator, an accomplished writer, and a Personal Transformation and Transition Coach. At the age of 52, Kavita, who also holds a major in Biology and an MBA, left an extremely successful corporate pharmaceutical career of almost 25 years, took control of her health, her spirituality, her personal relationships, and found her next true calling. This is to help women find the Power within them to rediscover their Purpose and reinvent themselves, regardless of their age or circumstance. She rediscovered herself after the age of 50, and she knows you can too. Her mission is to help you do just that.“My vision is to give you a glimpse of yourself beyond anything you can imagine. I want you to experience more happiness, more hope for your future, more excitement for your next journey, more confidence in yourself, and a greater understanding of your true purpose and power in this next chapter of your life”

This week, I rant - I mean discuss - our penchant to indiscriminately share too much information,  online and often in real life.  Not that there's anything wrong with it!We  may have become a little too confessional for own good, and sometimes, as one friend pointed out to me. "Did you ever think of something and not say it?"Of course, there is more self-restraint on platforms like LinkedIn, where we try to show up as our most professional selves. Other platforms,  we let those emotional floodgates open, perhaps exposing a little more about us than is necessary. Or healthy.  When is it okay to reveal all  in order to establish connection? Is it ever okay?  Do we overshare to the point of  emotionally sluttiness?I ponder these questions, and opine on chronic filterless exchanges of information.  While  a propensity to overshare is often  all too human,  there are times  'discretion is the better part of valor.'

Thanks for listening to Embark. This week,  author Juliette Fay and I discuss her latest novel Catch Us When We Fall (see synopsis below).  Within the discussion of the book is our conversation about addiction, which has become epidemic, recovery, community, family and baseball. Writers always tell great stories. Stick around for this one.About Juliette: Juliette Fay is the bestselling author of six novels, including Catch Us When We Fall, City of Flickering Light and The Tumbling Turner Sisters, a USA Today bestseller and Costco Pennie’s Book Club Pick. Previous novels include The Shortest Way Home, one of Library Journal’s Top 5 Best Books of 2012: Women’s Fiction; Deep Down True, short-listed for the 2011Women’s Fiction award by the American Library Association; and Shelter Me, a 2009 Massachusetts Book Award “Must-Read Book” and an Indie Next pick. Juliette is a graduate of Boston College and Harvard University, and lives in Massachusetts with her family. Visit her at www.juliettefay.com, Facebook Juliette Fay, author, Twitter @juliettefay, and Instagram Juliette_Fay.Synopsis of Catch Us When We Fall On her own since the age of 18, Cass Macklin dated brilliant, troubled Ben McGreavy. They drank their way through their 20s, growing more addicted and less able to hold down jobs as time went on. Now Ben is dead, and Cass is broke, homeless, scared … and pregnant.Determined to raise Ben’s baby, Cass has to find a way to stop drinking and build a stable life for her child. She turns to the only person with the means to help her: Ben’s brother Scott, third basemen for the Boston Red Sox, a man with a temper and problems of his own.