Michael Akin has lived a life of service from the time he was a child. As the founder of Link Strategies, which has been named the fastest growing and most successful business in the United States by Inc 5000 in 2019, Michael is no stranger to hard work. Building community isn't just a buzzword for Mr. Akin, it's the very core of everything he does. To learn how to invest in people like they won't let you down, please enjoy this episode of The Lower Third Podcast with Molly Ruland. Produced at Heartcast Media studios in Washington DC. 

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3:30 Michael talks about his roots as "Sunny the Clown"

4:30 Michael talks about his family background, growing up and what inspired his work ethic and happiness

13:00 finding solutions to problems and the changing dc

15:30 talks about his firm, Link, and what makes it different

16:30 talks about fostering campaign, why it's important, and how he did it differently

22:00 Michael talks about the struggles of creating a community engagement firm - communications in order to create clients, and the different clients he has, and pro bono work

24:00 Michael talks about why he is unabashedly a for-profit business and why it's sustainable

26:40 Michael talks about how he was able to expand the business beyond dc while still having a community focus

29:50 Michael talks about the diversity in the firm to reflect the community without being contrived

33:10 Michael talks about the long term plan for his life while also being present. Blending work and life instead of trying to completely separate and balance that, family life

41:00 Resetting priorities, allowing vulnerability

43:30 Investing in people like they won't let you down; investing in interns

Guests Social Media Links:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/linkstrategic/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LINKstrategic/

Website: https://linksp.com/

Show Links:
YouTube: http://bit.ly/31V8ih8

iTunes: https://apple.co/2Zm6XOp

Facebook: http://bit.ly/30oJZaL

iHeart Radio: https://ihr.fm/2Zpzgvr

Stitcher: http://bit.ly/2HksAIT

Radio Public: http://bit.ly/2HfreiA

Spotify: http://bit.ly/2ZrVykw

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