Connect'd - Connecting you with leaders in their field

Sean Tucker is one of my favorite photographer and YouTuber. I first stumbled across his channel while looking for photography/videography. Sean takes some amazing photos and some of his tutorial videos are amazing. What kept me coming back however was less Sean's talents as a photographer and more his talents as a philosopher/presenter of ideas. If you are looking for technical tips on photography this is not the interview you are looking for. I am more interested in Sean's world view and some of the history of how he has become the man that he is. We talk about: His experience in the Church Vulnerability in Leadership  Stoic Philosophy Sean's growth on YouTube and his philosophy You can see Sean's work on his website: http://www.seantucker.photography Sean's YouTube channel is here https://www.youtube.com/user/seantuckermerge

Raphael Cushnir is a leading voice in the world of emotional connection and present moment awareness. He has shared his unique approach to personal and professional development with millions of readers in O, The Oprah Magazine, Beliefnet, Spirituality and Health, Psychology Today, and The Huffington Post. He is the author of six books, lectures worldwide, and is a faculty member of the Esalen Institute, the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, and the Omega Institute for Holistic Studies. In addition, he coaches individuals and teams at Fortune 100 companies, governments, religious organizations, and leading non-profits. Raphael’s own heart was opened by an experience of profound grief. Cushnir’s first book, Unconditional Bliss: Finding Happiness in the Face of Hardship(Quest), was nominated for the year 2000 Books for a Better Life Award. It introduced a simple yet profound process called Living the Questions. Learn more about the book and the process here. Cushnir’s second book, Setting Your Heart on Fire: Seven Invitations to Liberate Your Life(Broadway Books/Random House), was published in 2003 and is currently used as a major teaching text at spiritual centers around the U.S. The book’s Seven Invitations comprise an invigorating, step-by-step process for reopening and reawakening even the most wounded of hearts. Learn more about the book and the invitations here. In 2005, Chronicle Books released How Now: 100 Ways to Celebrate the Present Moment. This gift book, with 20 full-color photographs and a highly accessible version of his core principles, quickly became Cushnir’s bestseller. A companion card deck soon followed. How Now was chosen as one of the Best Spiritual Books of 2005 by Spirituality and Health Magazine. Learn more about the book and deck here.

Chris Norton is a former American football defensive back who played Division III football for the Luther College Norse. His football career ended in 2010 when he became paralyzed while making a tackle during a kick off in a game against Central College. He was given a 3% chance of ever regaining movement below the neck but has continued to recover some sensation and mobility throughout his body—including his hands, legs, feet and torso.[1] Today he lives in Florida with his wife where he manages his non-profit foundation and works full-time as a motivational speaker. Chris managed to work hard to defy all the odds and got to a point where he walked across the stage for his graduation. Inspired by the help and dedication of his fiance Chris made his next mission to walk down the aisle to marry the love of his life. Chris has an incredibly inspiring story. In this episode, we talk about the importance of accepting that sometimes life has better plans for you than you had for yourself.   Chris shares how he was able to take his mess and turn it into a message. We discuss the importance of taking responsibility for your life no matter what the circumstances. He talks about how he made that choice and refused to accept the status quo but also accepting where he was at. Your future will take care of itself if you take care of today. We talk about celebrating the little wins in order to keep you motivated and moving forward. There is a balance of grieving the past and simultaneously move forward. Allowing ourselves to feel all the negative feelings rather than suppressing them. Chris has recently published his new book The Seven Longest Yards. https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Longest-Yards-Pushing-Leaning/dp/031035692X

Levi Allen is an adventure filmmaker and a gem of a human being. He is best known for his work on the Slack life series and his feature-length film Untethered. I had a chance to sit with Levi face to face and discuss filmmaking, relationships and some of the productivity strategies he employs in his life. Levi hosted a 6 day, 5 night storytelling workshop on a sailboat along the Sunshine Coast in BC.  Levi explains where his tag line "Life's better when you make stuff" originated with a level of detail and personal intimacy he has not yet captured on video. I think you will enjoy this one.

John Price is a photographer and climber. He has spent the last six years traveling all over the world, while basing himself out of Canada. Over the last three years John has been actively climbing and photographing rock, ice and alpine ascents throughout North America, including the deserts of Nevada, the Ruth Gorge in Alaska, the remote corners of the Himalaya, rural Japan and extensively throughout the Canadian Rockies. Currently based in Canmore, Alberta. Working as a freelance adventure, lifestyle and landscape photographer, John teaches private workshops, creates editorial pieces and shoots for commercial projects for a range of clients. In this episode, we talk about what it takes to accelerate your learning and shorten the time frame for mastery in whatever field you are in. John shares how he leverages his mentors to learn more and learn faster. We get real and talk a little bit about John's struggles with anxiety and depression and how he handles that. We talk about how as a species we tend to suffer in silence. We talk about vulnerability and connection.

This episode is a special one. It was a bit of an experiment in the fact that I strapped on a couple of wireless Lav mics and ran with Dave to conduct this interview. I also believe this is the beginning of a long term friendship with Dave. Dave lives in Okotoks, Alberta ,Canada, a small city just south of Calgary. Married since 2004 to the love of his life Sharon. They have three gloriously buzzing kids Julia (11), Sam (8), and Adele (6). Dave has a busy massage therapy practice specializing in deep tissue therapy, working out from two clinics: LIV ACTIV Injury Prevention & Rehabilitation in Calgary and Diamond Valley Chiropractic & Health Centre in Black Diamond. When he's not chasing his three monkeys and treating patients, he like to run obscene distances. He is the world record holder for the furthest distance run on a treadmill in 24 hours (260.4kms), the Canadian record holder for 24hours (257.093kms), and hold numerous Canadian course records for ultramarathons. His passion for running started in his teenage years running track and cross country in school. It went further in high school when he joined a Calgary track club (Caltaf Athletic Assn.) and started competing in Decathlon. In 2006 he ran his first ultramarathon in Lethbridge and hasn't turned back since. In June of 2018 Dave will set out to break another record. He will be running across Canada in 66 days. He will average a total of 108KM per day for the entire 66 days. His "Why" is his son Sam who struggles daily with a rare disease called RECA, which makes simple movements difficult. Simply put, if he could run like his father he would never stop. Dave's goal is to raise over a million dollars for the Rare Disease Foundation. In this episode, we talk a lot about self-limiting beliefs and how to push past them. We dive into ultramarathon running strategies including body management, mind management as well as nutrition and sleep strategies. Dave talks about training both on and off the road. "Some of the best runners I know are some of the best people I know. I don't believe that is by accident." We talk about how rare disease affects 1 in 12 Canadians and the lack of strategy that exists in our current health care system. Dave shares his 6 year journey finding a diagnosis for his son and the challenges this places on families. There are so many incredible stories and nuggets of wisdom in this episode it is impossible for me to summarize them all here. Some of the things we discuss include: Nutrition Pain Management Self Limiting Beliefs Mindfulness Kindness The Power of Smiling The Rare Disease Foundation What it takes to run across Canada logistically World records Peak Performance So much more... You can find out more about Dave's journey here at Out Run Rare. His personal site at runproctor.com

Jane Atkinson is a speakers coach with over 3 decades of expertise in her craft. She has worked with some of the best in the business to ignite their career. She is the author of a 3 books The Wealthy Speaker, The Wealthy Speaker 2.0  and The Epic Keynote. In this episode we discuss the systems and processes that Jane has put in place so that she can get off the hamster wheel of trading time for money. Jane shares some of the strategies she has employed to help her clients reach 7 figure revenues in their business. While we talk about these strategies in depth we also talk about the need to consistently do good work. Not only do we need consistency we also need Clarity as well. There are no overnight successes are the result of long-term hard work. Jane outlines her formula of Ready, Aim, Fire to get any business setup for success. All of the strategies that we discuss are applicable to any business not just the speaking business. One of the keys to successful marketing is to make sure you "make it about them". We talk some direct strategies to make sure we speak to our customers in a meaningful way. Resources discussed in the podcast Dan Sullivan, Strategic Coach Kindra Hall, Podcast Interview Ryan Estis, Speaker  Jane's Website Jane's Books

Dr John Izzo is the bestselling author of seven books including the international bestsellers Awakening Corporate Soul, Values Shift, The Five Secrets You Must Discover Before You Die, The Five Thieves of Happiness and Stepping Up. John's passion in helping organizations activate purpose with employees and customers has inspired him to write his 8th book, The Purpose Revolution: How Leaders Create Engagement and Competitive Advantage in an Age of Social Good, to be released March 13, 2018. Over the last twenty years, he has spoken to over one million people, taught at three major universities, advised over 500 organizations and is frequently featured in the media by the likes of Fast Company, PBS, CBC, the Wall Street Journal, CNN, and INC Magazine. He has advised some of the best companies in the world on activating purpose including DuPont, TELUS, Manulife, McDonald’s, SAPA, RBC, Lockheed Martin, Qantas Airlines, Humana, Microsoft, and the Mayo Clinic. John was a pioneer in the Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability movements and is an Adjunct professor at the University of British Columbia where he is a co-founder of The Men’s Initiative which is dedicated to creating a more “equitable, compassionate and sustainable world through enhancing the wellbeing and integrity of men.” John also serves on the Advisory Board of Sustainable Brands. There are a number of reasons why today's leader needs to care about purpose within their organization: Talent is the number one reason why purpose should matter to today's business leaders. - 60% of millennials would take a pay cut to work for a company that gave them a sense of purpose - 37% of the global workforce are purpose-focused Because consumers care and will start to demand it. Customer acquisition and retention are solid reasons. Because we all need to care about what we put out in the world. Risk: Investors and shareholders are demanding purpose focused, socially responsible companies. Dr. Izzo shares strategies for organizations to become more purpose-focused. We talk about the Purpose Gap and how you can communicate to your consumers and staff what your purpose is. "We have to start talking about job purpose, not job function." There are a lot of actionable gems in this interview. You can find a copy of the book here (You can also download a free chapter)  The Purpose Revolution Dr. Izzo is also a co-founder of something called The Men's Initiative.  The Mission Of The Men’s Initiative Is “to Enhance The Integrity And Well-being Of Men For The Benefit Of Families, Communities And The World.” The Vision Of The Men’s Initiative Is “men Strive Together For An Equitable, Compassionate And Sustainable World.”  Some Links: Dr. John Izzo The way we think of charities is dead wrong  

Janice Porter is a LinkedIn expert and Relationship Marketing expert who believes that LinkedIn will change everything!  She prides herself in being a consummate networker and successfully connecting people for mutual benefit. She has been involved with various organizations and has built up a vast network that enables her to connect like-minded people. She has met many wonderful people through her various volunteer positions and she loves to be a "connector" for others. She often undertakes leadership positions in organizations to practice what she preaches and is proactive when it comes to building and cultivating relationships.  As a seasoned training specialist, her training focuses on how to authentically build relationships, communicate effectively and networking skills. Her passion for the subject matter, informal personal style, and ability to create an inclusive teaching environment enhances learning and creates stimulating conversations. She enjoys working with groups of all sizes and individuals in person and online. We talk about how to use LinkedIn to source and cultivate solid business relationships. Janice shares strategies for creating automated follow-up systems through Send Out Cards. You can create a mail sequence as well as send gifts directly from your phone. If you visit Janice's website you can get a FREE list of 18 things you can do to optimize your LinkedIn profile. Download it here!

Selina Gray (CPA, CA, B.Comm) is a money relationship expert with over 14 years of experience reinventing finance for individuals, small business & corporations. Selina has successfully managed and integrated various corporate acquisitions and served as controller for two internationally publicly traded companies. She has led an international team of over 30 finance ninjas and has helped thousands of people change their relationship with money by finding harmony between their inner & outer richness.  In this podcast we discuss what wealth really means. Selina shares her journey of discovery in her pursuit of wealth. It took a near death experience to accentuate the point that wealth is far more than the acquisition of money. She shares the lessons she learned through her adversity and what she would have shared with her younger self. Selina discusses the concepts of what it means to explore your emotional relationship with money. I have always talked about how your beliefs define your behaviors which ultimately generate your results. Selina talks about how you need to start by exploring your beliefs about money and where those beliefs come from. She shares with you some practical strategies for managing your money and the relationship you have with it.

Yahya is a speaker and confidence coach. His mission is to remind people of their value. We talk about entrepreneurship and about creating a lifestyle that works for you. Yahya shares how he discovered how he found his path to utilize his unique value to build the life that he wanted. How do you know who you are? Self discovery is a life long journey and we talk about finding out exactly who you are. Yahya talks about The wisdom of the enneagram and how this framework changed the way he looked at his strengths. We talk about Wealth Dynamics as a system for entrepreneurs. We talk about dropping the ego and self awareness. Or rather we about harnessing and understanding the ego as a protector. As a confidence coach we talk about not playing small and having the confidence to live your value. Yahya's energy is palpable and contagious. I think you will enjoy this one.

Diane Ross is an expert in difficult conversations and shares her strategies with us. As a 'recovering lawyer' she moved into the realm of communications and having the difficult conversations. She realized that what worked in the courtroom was not working in her personal relationships. We talk about why people avoid having difficult conversations and the trouble that can produce. Diane shares personal stories to illustrate her points. In this episode you will learn to: Talk so that you are heard Overcome the "difficult conversation jitters" Disarm hostile coworkers - and even your boss Boost communication within your team Get what you want at work If any of these have applied to you then you will likely enjoy this podcast and Diane's book: Anxiety asking for a raise or vacation time Stress over having to fire someone or discuss employee performance An overbearing boss A coworker not pulling his or her weight A smelly, dirty, crude, rude (or otherwise icky) team-member Passive-aggressive, antagonistic, or just plain difficult coworkers or employees We discuss Diane's framework for having difficult conversations as follows: Step 1: Prepare to Talk Step 2: Design and Deliver Your ABC (accurate, brief and clear) message Step 3: Stop Talking and Start Listening Step 4: Respond Powerfully The importance of 'I' statements in having these conversations. If you have ever had to have a difficult conversation or think you might in the future you need to listen to this episode.  

Bob is the only individual who has both a CFL Grey Cup ring and an Olympic medal. This is a man that is no stranger to hard work. Bob has found a way to harness his stellar successes, Eastern philosophies and life experiences into programs that inspire everyone to enjoy his level of exceptional triumph. Bob has done the hard yards and achieved real and outstanding runs on the board, as a player and coach in sport, business and life, to gain rare credibility and know-how to guide everyone to success. ‘Success Breeds Success’ After finishing high school as a star multi-sport athlete in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Bob headed west to Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, British Columbia. ‘Big Bob’ (6’4″ & 275 lbs.) quickly became a standout in both the Wrestling and Football teams and won the Simon Fraser Scholar-Athlete Award. There were setbacks. Bob ruptured a disc in his back and had surgery just 21 days before the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games. Testing concluded it was impossible for Bob to regain his form in time to compete. Unfazed and committed to competing and achieving his goal, Bob pressed on.  At just 21 years old, he found an inner resolve and wrestled his way against the odds to a Silver Medal. In this episode we talk a lot of philosophy, we talk about mentorship and what it takes to be successful. Bob is all about "Getting comfortable being uncomfortable". He has studied at Harvard, Queens and pushed himself to compete in Ironman competitions in an effort to get uncomfortable. Bob is determined to be worn out not rusted out. Bob is the self professed biggest cheat in the world. He talks about emulating success by copying the techniques and tactics of others that have done what he wanted to do. He calls it R & D. No not research and development, rather rob and duplicate. In our conversation we explore the different styles of learning and the importance of understanding your style of learning. We discuss goal setting from an Eastern philosophy perspective and the importance of relationships. Bob shares how he cultivates and fosters 30+ year relationships. I think you will really enjoy Bob. Let me know what you think!   

Tania Spilchen is a computer scientist turned philanthropist. She is the founder of One International. One! International Poverty Relief (One! International) is a registered Canadian charity; a non-government, non-profit, non-sectarian organization working in India. One International strives to assist children, youth and families to achieve their potential and become responsible members of society. Basic education for children is a must. However, in order to accomplish this, education must also be extended to the older population by conveying educations’ necessity, and also to try and break the parent’s dependence on their children for the food and money they can earn by begging or working under-aged. Tania shares how, what started as a computer science trip to India, turned into a love for a country, culture and a drive to make a difference. We talk about gratitude and how one can come to recognize that in their lives. We discuss the importance of the emotional support of family in childhood to allow you to feel gratitude. Tania recognized where she could make a small impact and took action to make it happen. We have rules to guide us but heaven forbid that we conform to normal. "We sometimes hide who we truly are just to be normal when people are not getting to know the real you." One of the things I found very interesting was her philosophy on giving people a hand up vs. a hand out. She talks about the problem that occurs when some of the wannabe philanthropists do a drive by drop of supplies. "We get lost in the macro instead of realizing that the micro can go step by step forward into something bigger." Tania is an incredibly inspiring young woman I think you will enjoy.    

JOHN DAVID MANN is an award-winning author whose titles include the New York Times bestseller The Red Circle and the international bestseller The Go-Giver. “I have a passion for great writing. The exquisite beauty of a powerful idea expressed in words, whether through a single sentence or a seven-hundred-page novel, is something that has stirred my soul since as long as I can remember. And it changes people’s lives. That’s why I do what I do.” His book. The Go-Giver which sold over 500,000 copies was also rejected by 21 different publishers. We discuss the beginnings of the book and his relationship with co-author Bob Berg. You can listen to my interview with Bob here. John talks about the journey from writing to published. We discuss the term ‘Best Seller’ and what it takes to make ‘THE’ lists. He talks about how some of the lists and system can be gamed. We talk about the components of a good story. We discuss the challenges of creating characters who are people that you care about. We explore The fifth law of stratospheric success, ‘receptivity’. This is one that is difficult for most of us. The thing all writers want their readers to say “and then what happens”. The magic is in the rewriting “It’s critical that at some point in the story things look hopeless.” John talks about how he started his own school at the age of 17. When you are feeling lost surround yourself with those that are not. We talk about how we met when John wrote about Colleen’s tragic death. You can read his article here. http://johndavidmann.com/2015/10/27/this-moment-forever/ We talk about tragedy and how we tend to deal with it in a stoic manner. We talk about ‘crying like a man’ in the context of the life of a Navy Seal. John talks about the importance for a writer to fall in love with his story each and every time they write.  

Brandon Tyler Webb (born June 12,1974) is a former United States Navy SEAL and SEAL Sniper Head Instructor, with one combat deployment to Afghanistan and one to Iraq. He served as the Navy SEAL Sniper Course Manager, where he developed new curricula and trained snipers, including Chris Kyle. He is the editor in chief of SOFREP[1], Founder and CEO of Crate Club, and a media commentator on snipers and related Special Operations Forces military issues.[2] Webb is the co-author of The 21st Century Sniper: A Complete Practical Guide. He is the author of The Red Circle, his memoir, and The Making of a Navy Seal. In this interview we talk about the mindset it takes to survive SEAL training. We discuss Brandon's books as well as his charity foundation. I have written twice about my take on the term 'Embrace the Suck' both before and after Colleen was killed. Brandon talks about it from a SEAL perspective.  Brandon shares the training techniques he used to train elite snipers and how they took pass rates from lows to almost 100% pass rates by altering methodology. You can find Brandon's books here on Amazon. To find more about the Red Circle here.

This dude is one of my favorite human beings on the planet. You will be inspired by his passion, energy and creativity. Steven is an artistic genius, fitness freak, cancer survivor and philanthropist. A self professed "Strange beast" and "the worlds poorest philanthropist". I am thrilled to call Steven a friend and love to run with him every Sunday morning so that we can eat guilt-free croissants when we are done! Steven has painted some of the best of the best in the NHL including Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier to name a few. His artistic success was cut short when he was hit with the dreaded C word. Cancer. In this interview we discuss his creative process, how he chose to give back to the community, his cancer and what has been dubbed pre-habilitative medicine. Steven talks about what he calls Fragile Resilience. The balance between tough and tender. It's a subject that has been near and dear to my heart for those of you that have followed my story. His first professional break as an artist came after he painted a portrait of Wayne after a loss at the Canada Cup.  It portrayed the sadness of the event and showed a more human side of Wayne. This was the painting that Peter Pocklington took into the dressing room and showed Wayne. Steve's success early was a perfect example of connecting the dots and leveraging relationships. From his Uncle who cleaned Peters pool to the dressing room, it is amazing to hear the story of how it unfolded. Shortly after I met Steven I went to one of his art shows and purchased a few of his pieces, including one titled 'Fragile Resilience'. You will hear Steven describe and explain the painting in this interview. 20:40 Definition of Creativity: "The role of the artist is to preserve culture through self expression always relying on the truth of experience" We talk about how to cultivate creativity and many of the things that Steven uses to build and expand his creativity. "A true artist is always pushing the boundaries" We talk about how to exercise that creativity muscle whether you are creative or not. Over the years Steven has been very involved in the community and in particular the organization iHuman. So many incredible quotes and tidbits in this one. Here is a the "Make Good Art" video by Neil Gaiman that we discuss in the interview. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikAb-NYkseI

Co-Owner, Tool Shed Brewing Company Graham Sherman is a self-professed “high level geek” who has used his love of technology to help him master the craft of brewing artisan beer. Together with his partner, Graham launched the Tool Shed Brewery four years ago, and has never looked back.  Prior to starting Tool Shed, Graham and his Tool Shed partner worked on contracts for the Canadian and US governments and military forces, installing encrypted, tactical communication networks. By day, they rolled around Afghanistan in armoured vehicles, “geeking out” in the world of satellite communications. By night, they aimed their obsessive, high-level thinking at mastering everyday tasks such as coffee, learning to control their homes in Canada remotely with their iPhones….and finally, perfecting batches of beer. Now sold in over 1000 locations in Western Canada, Tool Shed has its 15,000 square foot headquarters in Calgary, and the team behind the brand has also been nominated as Canadian Entrepreneur of the year, the world’s most prestigious business award for entrepreneurs, with programs in 145 cities in 60 countries. They were also named as two co-winners of the “40 Under 40” recognition from Avenue magazine. In this episode we talk about the importance of a strong "why" behind your "what". We brew some beer while recording and generally have some good fun. Graham talks about how he has leveraged social media to grow his business while having a good time along the way. We talk about innovation and using creative solutions to complex problems.  Graham is a natural born story teller and you will love the conversation and insights in this interview. Whether you love business, beer or like me, both there is something for you in this episode. Here is a link to a video of us brewing beer at Tool Shed Brewery https://www.facebook.com/michael.cameron.315/videos/10153807694836571/

Here is your chance to get to know the President and CEO of Mortgage Professionals Canada. From insurance to mortgages we explore Paul's journey to leading the largest professional mortgage association in Canada.  Paul went on to take an executive MBA program and talks about what he felt he needed to succeed.  Paul is a great example of doing what it takes to get to where you want to be. We talk about the importance of improvisation when it comes to a sales role. "Relationships close deals" Paul talks about authenticity when it comes to building relationships.  We talk about the importance of honesty with yourself and with your customer.  Telling them when you can't actually help them and utilizing that to build trust.  It almost always pays off. "Deliver bad news early" nothing kills trust faster than delaying the inevitable.  This holds especially true when it comes to the mortgage sales process.  We tend to hide the bad news in the hope that we can solve the problem.  While this sometimes works out, more often than not this will blow up and destroy trust. Paul talks about how he utilizes creativity, specifically music, as a metaphor for his business endeavors. We dive into leadership and discuss a number of different leadership philosophies.  Paul talks about music and math and producing replicable leadership results.  He walks us through a step by step process for decision making. Fully understand the question that needs an answer Make sure you understand everything about the question before you  Understand what you know Understand what you don't know Figure out what you wish to know fill the gaps with information from the people you lead Remove the emotion as best you can Don't get caught up by someone else's sense of urgency If you need to wait a day to remove the emotion then do so Change your environment.  Go for a walk.  Change your physical space to change your head space We talk about some of the important character traits of successful leaders. "Courtesy costs nothing". Paul talks about the importance of respect and courtesy. We talk about Mortgage Professionals Canada and where Paul sees the future of the organization. This is a great discussion with some good stories that relate to both self improvement and leadership.  I hope you enjoy the conversation with Paul as much as I did.

Joe Calloway helps business leaders, owners, and entrepreneurs make great companies even better. His interactive keynote presentations and workshops enable organizations to focus on what is truly important, inspire new thinking about challenges and opportunities, and motivate people to immediate action. Joe is a business author, consultant and speaker and his client list reads like an international Who’s Who in business, ranging from companies like Proctor & Gamble and Coca Cola to Cadillac and American Express. Joe also works extensively with small to mid-sized business groups including franchisees, medical practices, law firms, and a range of professional services groups. About Joe… Executive In Residence at Belmont University’s Center For Entrepreneurship, which has been named as a national Top 25 Undergraduate Entrepreneurship Program by the Princeton Review (for five consecutive years).  The program was featured by Fortune magazine as one of five schools to consider when studying entrepreneurship. Author of six books on business performance, including Becoming A Category of One, Be The Best At What Matters Most, and his most recent book, Magnetic: The Art Of Attracting Business. Director of Business Development for Gilson Boards, a design and manufacturing company that produces artisan snowboards. Joe has presented at business conferences and events in countries around the world including Italy, Sweden, South Africa, England, Swaziland, Canada, Mexico and throughout the Caribbean. Although Joe has been inducted into the Speakers Hall of Fame, he doesn’t do traditional “speeches.” Instead, Joe actively engages people in highly interactive keynotes and workshops that challenge assumptions and create new ways of thinking. In this Interview: We talk about creativity and what it takes to feed your creative self. How do you use creativity to create value for your consumer.  Being in business by it's very nature is a creative endeavor. Diversity of information is critical.  It is often the intersection of disparate subjects that create great new ideas. Techniques to overcome procrastination or what Stephen Pressfield called "Resistance" We discuss the importance of creating corporate culture The importance of simplification.  How to get your message down to a simple, easy to follow statement. How to make emotional connections with your prospects and customers   External Resources Magnetic: The Art of Attracting Business AC/DC Beegees Mashup