Daniel Vasinova: How a Shy Farm Girl Became a Hollywood Star | 103

Welcome to In Search of Excellence! You're listening to part two of my awesome conversation with Danielle Vasinova, an actor, producer, entrepreneur, avid equestrian, and drummer. If you haven't yet listened to part one yet, be sure to check it out first.

Danielle is talking about the realities of pursuing a career in Hollywood, the life of aspiring actor and their struggles, her personal near-death experience, and the importance of preparation and creating your own destiny.

Tune in for now to listen to this amazing and inspiring conversation!

Time stamps:

01:02 After The Young and the Restless

• Reality check and finding an agent
• Worked in the restaurant to pay bills
• Broke a foot and worked as an extra

04:20 A Pivotal moment in Danielle’s career

• Passed an audition and went to film in South Africa
• One of the most magical, crazy experiences of her life
• Also scary and lonely
• After that had jobs on and off

08:54 Saying No to movies

• Said No to Danica Patrick’s movie
• Refused to play a jockey
• Agreed to work on her other movie
• The whole movie ended up falling apart

11:33 Three minutes of death

• Danielle’s near-death experience
• Felt like having a flue
• Later on, felt like she was going to die
• Went to the hospital
• Lost her heartbeat for 3 minutes
• Doctors induced coma to avoid organ failure
• Discharged after a month
• She was one of the first COVID cases in the US

18:48 After the hospital

• Almost had to relearn everything
• Didn’t know what she was going to do or how to make money
• Greater sense of purpose
• Not taking anything for granted

21:35 The life of an actor

• The reality is different than what people think
• Many auditions to get 1 job
• Working many hours
• How are actors memorizing the text?

26:26 What are the elements of success?

• Discipline
• Drive
• Punctuality
• Consistency

28:21 The importance of extreme preparation

• The impact of luck on success
• You need luck, but you also have to create it
• A letter to 300 CEOs
• It’s not hard, you just got to be willing to do the work

35:25 Randall as a mentor

• Randall’s relationship with his guest
• Mike Tyson and his Instagram post
• Randall’s love for mentoring and coaching

40:02 Goals in her career and life

• The Improv Group - don't think, just jump
• You've got to create your own destiny
• A list of directors she would like to work with
• Would love to get married
• A show with Joe Russo

44:29 Fill in the blank to excellence

• My number one professional goal
  • To be in the Marvel Universe
• My number one personal goal
  • To get married and have a family
• And more

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Welcome to another episode In Search of Excellence! My guest today is Danielle Vasinova. Danielle is an actor, model, producer, entrepreneur, avid equestrian, and drummer, she has been in more than 50 movies and TV shows and is best known for her colorful action-adventure rolls. And she has graced the cover of many magazines, including Vogue, and Harper's Bazaar.

 In this episode, Danielle shares her story of overcoming shyness through cheerleading, starting a modeling career, and landing her first movie role. Randy discovers how he unexpectedly landed a role in a movie alongside Sharon Stone despite having no acting experience and emphasizes the importance of taking advantage of every opportunity you get in life.

Time stamps:

01:23 Danielle’s background

• Her grandmother was an actress and singer in Prague
• Escaped communism at 17
• Met her future husband at displaced persons’ camps in Germany
• They came to New York City together
• Her mom worked for American Airlines
• Dad tested airplane engines for Pratt and Whitney
• Fell in love and moved to Connecticut

03:46 Childhood memories

• Dad bought her a pony
• Farm animals became her friends
• Painfully shy as a kid
• Creating a character is a form of protection
• Reluctantly became a cheerleader
• Helped her to break out of the shell
• A training accident

11:12 Modeling at 13

• Competition at the local mall
• The scout came up to her and offered her to be a model
• Went to New York and signed a contract
• Castings, auditions, rejections and bookings

18:23 Taking advantage of opportunities

• Danielle’s bucket list
• Randy’s advice on how to get to people
• Randy’s story about meeting a famous actress
• People do respond to bold moves
• Myocarditis on a date

29:16 Do you need education to be an actor?

• UConn collage
• Was a waitress the whole time
• Became a Patriots cheerleader
• Coming to Santa Barbara

32:31 Young and Restless casting

• Called for casting through her mom
• Went to LA and auditioned
• Got the part

• 35:05 Randy’s hilarious experience with the movie industry
• Becoming friends with Bruce McNall
• Casting for the role in the movie
• Getting the role of a police officer
• Meeting Sharon Stone
• Shooting the scenes
• Becoming friends with a certain director
• Being offered a role in his show

50:53 Randy’s first podcast guests

• Meeting Sam Zell and becoming friends
• Sharon Stone and
• Cliff Kingsbury, a football coach
• Mark Cuban responded to his email
• The greatest piece of advice Randy got from his mentor
• Doing things that no one else has done before

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Welcome to In Search of Excellence! You're listening to part two of my awesome conversation with Joe De Sena, the CEO of the global fitness and wellness brand Spartan, which has a community of more than 10 million athletes around the world.

If you haven't yet listened to part one of my conversation with Joe, be sure to check that one out first. In this part, Joe shares his incredible story of perseverance, the importance of mentorship, and how pushing your limits can lead to extreme success and personal growth.

Time stamps:

00:58 From Cornell to Wall Street

• The entrepreneurship class at Cornell
• Won a $5000 prize in a competition for the best business idea
• The advice from one of the judges to go to Wall Street
• Went back to his pool business

05:00 Joe’s bold stock investment

• Buys Syntax stocks and earns $ 100,000
• Sells his pool business for $500,000
• Blew it all on the wrong stock investments

07:25 How to get a mentor?

• Mentors are looking for basic human skills
• Randall’s experience with his mentors
• Earning a mentorship – a story about Max

13:35 The importance of taking meetings

• You might add value to their life, they might add value to your life
• Money comes from the most unexpected places
• You never know where a meeting could lead

17:46 A risk to peruse your dream

• Leaving the shore is uncomfortable
• Take the chances, you can always come back
• An incredible red barn story

21:20 The Spartan Company 24 years ago

• Getting people outside their comfort zone
• In the beginning, it didn’t work
• People don’t want to buy discomfort
• The change that came with Facebook

23:18 The Death Race

• It’s like a Navy SEALs or Delta Force event
• Spartan’s toughest event meant to break you
• You look in the mirror and find out who you are
• What does the Death Race look like?

26:27 Serious health issues in Japan

• Joe was stressed out about his business
• Woke up one morning and couldn’t see anything
• Ended up in the hospital – and was told a part of his brain is dead
• He decided not to accept that

28:59 Why do people come to the Spartan race?

• When people experience the transformation, it’s addictive
• Even if it sucked while they were doing it
• Joe’s philosophy - nobody cares, work harder
• Optimize your health and wellness to be able to operate

31:01 The fear of failure

• Failure is a learning opportunity
• A lot of our fear is just fiction

32:48 Three most important ingredients for success

• Persistence, Personality, Gratitude
• The level of hard work needed for success
• You must be willing to sacrifice and save the fun for later

35:45 The importance of extreme preparation

• Joe is constantly working and always preparing
• He prepares months ahead

37:42 Joe’s ultimate dream

• A year of some form of military service post-high school
• Disconnecting all water heaters
• Kids doing burpees before they come into the school
• Is a work-life balance possible?

38:55 Fill in the blanks for excellence

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My guest today is Joe de Sena, a serial entrepreneur, ultra-marathoner, endurance athlete, motivational speaker, and self-described maniac. For the past 17 years, Joe has been the CEO of the global fitness and wellness brand Spartan, which has a community of more than 10 million athletes around the world.

Joe is the host of the CNBC primetime show, No Retreat business boot camp, and a New York Times bestselling author of four books, Spartan Up, Spartan Fit, The Spartan Way, and his latest, 10 Rules for Resilience.

Time stamps:

01:46 Joe De Sena’s background and childhood

• He grew up in Howard Beach, the organized crime capital of the world
• Mom was a long-distance runner, vegan, and yoga practitioner
• Dad was a workaholic entrepreneur
• The story about his dad and the missing package in the warehouse
• The story about moving bricks all night
• An unbelievable BMX ride to Greene, New York

11:33 Working for Joe Bananno as a kid

• Lessons from the head of the organized crime family
• Became a trusting kid and gained a lot of customers
• The attractiveness of the mafia lifestyle and his dad’s advice
• Joe Bananno as Joe’s friend and mentor
• The best thing we can do in life is help people 

18:15 What’s wrong with the mentality of today’s interns

• Human beings are naturally lazy and wired for comfort
• The story about Shaun and moving artworks
• Make yourself invaluable and irreplaceable

26:48 Never ask for money

• A story about a car dealer from Vermont
• A risk worth getting numerous customers
• Get your foot in the door first and provide value

29:23 How rejections can fuel you

• Applied to Cornell and was rejected
• Learned hard to prove worthy of Cornell but kept being rejected
• Finally, enrolled in The Textile Department of Human Ecology
• If you just keep doing it, you eventually break through

35:05 The ability to hang in there and finish is changing your biology

• If the obstacle you face is not fatal, it’s just a lesson
• Failure can be our greatest asset if we use it right
• Finishing hard things creates tracks in the brain
• Quitting creates gaps and more quitting

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Today, we continue the amazing conversation with Jessica Berman – the commissioner of the NWSL! She addresses the disparity in pay between male and female athletes, outlining the steps needed to achieve pay equity and grow women's sport which will drive unprecedented growth in the NWSL. Her dedication and strategic vision to continue shaping the future of women's sports is relentless.

Success is not just about achieving goals but also about embracing vulnerability, building resilience, and fostering authentic connections.

Join the movement to support women's sports! Together, we can empower female athletes and promote equality in sports.

If you missed part one, be sure to catch up for an inspiring conversation about breaking ceilings in the sports industry.

Timestamps:

0:47 - Introduction to part two.

2:01 - Climbing up the ranks in the male-dominated sports industry

- Transition from NHL to NLL; challenges faced.
- Family support and career leap into NWSL.
- The importance of taking risks.

9:10 - Transition to becoming Commissioner of the NWSL and the league's growth

- Turning a massive landmine into a field of diamonds.
- Surreal experience of accepting the NWSL Commissioner role.
- Milestones achieved: team expansion, media deals, office expansion.

12:20 - Challenges inherited with NWSL; league turnaround

- Addressing systemic abuse issues; league investigation.
- Transformative growth: franchise values, media deals, attendance.
- Expansion of NWSL staff; hiring process and objectives.
- Office environment and collaborative workspace described.

18:47 - The disparity in pay between men's and women's soccer

- Comparison of earnings between male and female players.
- Importance of growing fan base and revenue for equitable pay.
- The challenges of building a sustainable business model.

23:53 - Importance of female soccer superstars

- Cultivating stars in women's soccer; role models and icons.
- Impact of star players on league popularity and recognition.

27:38 - Five ingredients for success; empathy and hard work

- Personal qualities for success discussed; empathy as top priority.
- Role of passion, preparation, and relationships in success.

29:20 - Significance of passion and preparation

- Passion is inherent to success; holistic preparation for challenges.
- Role of extreme preparation in achieving goals.
- Importance of physical and mental readiness for success.

32:05 - Importance of Vulnerability in Leadership

- Role modeling behavior and building connections.
- Overcoming ego to foster genuine leadership.
- Creating a culture of trust and authenticity.

35:15 - Legacy of Leadership

- Embracing authenticity and individuality in leadership.
- Fostering a culture of success and pride.
- Prioritizing family and collective accomplishments.

38:11 - Triumph Over Adversity

- Balancing career demands with personal challenges.
- Cultivating resilience amidst life-altering circumstances.
- Leveraging support systems for personal and professional growth.

42:40 - Resilience and Recovery

- Brad's (His Ex-husband and Best Friend) miraculous recovery journey post-stroke.
- Navigating family dynamics amidst adversity.
- Finding strength and gratitude in life's challenges.

43:42

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Today, our guest is Jessica Berman, the Commissioner of the National Women's Soccer League, a trailblazing executive in professional sports. With a history of transformative leadership, she played a pivotal role in the growth of women's soccer.

From Deputy Commissioner of the National Lacrosse League to her impactful years at the NHL, Jessica has consistently broken barriers.

Jessica attended Fordham Law School, interning with the NFL during her studies. She later worked at Proskauer Rose, specializing in labor and employment law, where she dealt with the legal aspects of the NHL. Her story is one of leadership, innovation, and breaking barriers in the world of sports.

Timestamps:

0:00 - Intro

2:23 - Jessica’s Background & Influence of Parents

- Diverse upbringing in Brooklyn, with an Orthodox Jewish family.
- Phyllis, Jessica's mom, pursued a PhD after taking care of her.
- Ted, Jessica’s dad, was an entrepreneur with golf gas stations in New York.
- Dad's immigrant background, emphasizing hard work as the key to success.
- Dad's grassroots business approach and resistance to advanced technology.

6:15 - The Brady Bunch Family

- Jessica's family, a blend of her dad's kids from a previous marriage and her mom.
- The uniqueness and challenges of growing up in a mixed family.

7:45 - Early Interests in Dance and involvement in sport manangement

- Focus on dance and cheerleading due to limited sports opportunities for girls.
- Volunteering as a student manager for high school sports teams.

8:12 - Dealing with Frustration and Pursuing Passions

- Lack of opportunities to play sports directly
- Involvement in cheerleading.
- Advice on dealing with frustration and finding alternative paths.

10:36 - Epiphany at a Hockey Game

- The pivotal moment at an Islanders game that led Jessica to aspire to work in the sports industry.
- The Nelson Mandela quote

16:38 - Inspiring Social Change in Youth

- Reflection on her Jewish education instilling values of equality and respect.
- Encouraging parents to inspire social change in their children.

19:16 - Pursuing Dreams (Square peg, Square(Round) hole moment)

- Jessica's advice to relentlessly pursue one's passion
- Remaining open to different paths.
- Balancing focused pursuit with openness to unexpected opportunities.

24:00 - Breaking Through and Adding Value

- The importance of making oneself useful.
- Adding value in the absence of formal internship paths.
- Challenges of breaking through.

29:56 - Networking and Following Up

- Disappointment in the lack of follow-ups after informational interviews.
- The simplicity of standing out
- Making lasting impressions in today’s competitive world.

32:46 - Law School and Career Path

- Attending law school
- Role of a graduate degree in her career.
- Working with the NFL during law school
- Later joining Proskauer Rose to work with the NHL.

36:39 - Do you need a graduate degree to be successful?

- Jessica’s decision to attend law school to pursue her career goals.
- Reflections on the value of legal training in her career.
- The necessity of graduate degrees for success in various fields.

41:02 - Jessica’s Law school experience

- Post-law school and her decision to leave the

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Welcome to Part Two of my interview with Sugar Sean O’Malley, the UFC bantamweight champion of the world, who everybody believes is the next Conor McGregor.

Sean pulls back the curtain on his life inside and outside the cage, from balancing training for his next title defense with fatherhood to the brand deals making him a millionaire, plus his unconventional views on love and relationships. Tune in for more!

Time stamps:

00:38 Sean’s training regiment

Red light, cold plunge, PMF machine, meditation
Eggs and oatmeal, Aero Press coffee
Goes to the gym to practice, nap, lunch
Strength and conditioning training
 
07:01 Going out and drinking

Drinking is a big distraction
He goes out with the boys
Stops drinking and smoking 3 weeks before the match
 
09:24 Dealing with the pain

Tries not to be hit
It’s bad for the brain
CTE worries
Every month he gets a concussion
 
12:19 Sean’s controversial love and sex life

Injecting stem cells into the penis
Didn’t feel much improvement
He has an open relationship with his girlfriend
 
20:10 How did a kid change his life?

Always wanted to have kids
Would like to have more
The feelings when he saw his daughter for the first time
Lucky to be able to be with his daughter
 
28:05 Motivated by money

Likes to be smart with his money
Learning about investing
Would like to be a billionaire
Paying taxes
 
36:24 The key ingredients for success

Sleep, diet, meditation, consistency
Work ethics and passion
Building his brand on social media
Keeping your brand clean
 
43:37 Giving back to the community

Helping his friends and family
Planning to make a non-profit
 
45:42 Fill in the blanks for excellence

The biggest lesson I've learned in my life is
Meditation
My number one professional goal is
Greatest of all time
And more

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My guest today is Sugar Sean O'Malley, the UFC bantamweight champion of the world with a 17-in-one record, who everybody believes is the next Connor McGregor.
 
He opens up about his meteoric rise from amateur fighter in Helena, Montana to one of the sport's biggest stars, detailing his path from early knockout victories to inking a deal on Dana White's Contender Series and ultimately becoming the champion.
 
Time stamps:

01:23 Sean’s background

- Grew up in Helena, Montana
- His dad was a cop, mom was a nurse
- He hated school, loved sports
- Wasn’t a popular kid, and never fit in with sports guys
- Moving to Arizona and taking care of his family

07:39 Buying houses

- Wanted to be smart with his money
- Bought 6 houses in Arizona
- Meeting people on Twitch and moving them into his houses

10:22 Sean’s relationship with school

- Didn’t like school and wasn’t interested in it
- Never understood the setup of school
- He was lucky to find a passion
- He learned the stuff he benefited from

13:48 How did it all start?

- A friend called him to check out a fighting gym in Montana
- He liked sports but didn’t have good grades to play
    - Didn’t get along with the jocks and coaches
- The boxing was one-on-one and he wanted to experience that

15:55 In the gym for the first time

- Started with jujitsu, didn’t like it
- Continued with kick box and was very good
- Getting his GED
- Kickboxing gave him confidence

21:15 The lessons he learned from kickboxing

- Wanted to be the best fighter in the world
- Started learning everything that could help him achieve that
- Sleeping well, eating well, taking care of his soul and body

23:20 The advice to people who want to be successful

- Always wanted to be rich and famous
- Hustling form 16
    - Making and selling T-shirts
- If you want it, you’ll get there

27:09 Why did Sean want to be famous?

- Maybe coming from some deep insecurity
- Being famous is normal for him now

30:43 The beginning of his pro career

- Never had street fights
- It was always a sport for him
- Turned pro at 21
- His knockout went viral on YouTube
- Offered a fight on the Contender series
- Snoop Dogg made him popular
- Booked his first fight in Vegas
- A fight with Andre Soccer
- Broke his foot

37:10 Is Sean the next Connor McGregor?

- Dana Right and UFC
- How much has his looks influenced his success
- People want to see characters
- He is the next Connor McGregor
- Who is the biggest star in UFC?
- Happiness is a skill
- The origin of his nickname

42:47 The importance of Extreme Preparation

- He likes to have 12 weeks to prepare
- Breaks into 4-week blocks, gradually picks up the pace
- Fighting is the most exhausting sport in the world

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Welcome to part two of In Search of Excellence episode with the amazing Jesse Itzler.

Jesse is a serial entrepreneur who has built and sold five companies including Marquis Jet and ZICO Coconut Water. He is an Emmy Award winner, a former rapper and former manager of Run DMC, a globally recognized keynote speaker, and a part-owner of the Atlanta Hawks NBA basketball team.

He's also a passionate endurance athlete who has run more than 35,000 miles over the last 25 years, including 50+ marathons. Jessie is also the author of two awesome best-selling books, Living with the Seals 31 days training with the toughest man on the planet and Living with the monks: What turning off my phone taught me about happiness, gratitude and focus.
 
Time stamps:

02:59 The Coconut water business

- As a runner researched hydration and nutrition
- Discovered coconut water
- Partnered with a ZICO company
- Sold the company to Coca Cola 2 years later

04:55 Money as a goal and motivator

- What is more important is the quality of your product or service
- Passion and enthusiasm are also important
- Experiences and proving yourself

09:08 The fear of failure

- His son decided to play baseball
- The story of his son failing at the game
- Participant vs. spectator in life

11:22 Lessons learned from Navy SEAL David Goggins

- Always been attracted to people who weren't like-minded
- Met David Goggins and invited him to stay with his family
- Interested in the habits of highly successful people
- Jesse thinks of himself as of an observation expert

15:50 The power of the spoken word

- Speaking words gives them power
- It’s important to talk things into existence
- Remember Tomorrow mantra
- Think about how a decision impacts your tomorrow

20:04 The value of a written letter

- The energy is a lot different
- Jesse still writes letters
- Randall’s stance on handwriting notes

23:16 The importance of extreme preparation and planning

- It was very important when Jesse was younger
- Also, the ability to pivot
- Jesse is a planner
- Already planned his 2024
- Kevin’s rule

28:03 Saying “No” and finding time for your family

- in his 20s, Jesse was always saying “Yes”
- Later in life, learned to say “No”
- It’s important how you say “No”

31:01 Fill in the blanks for excellence

- The biggest lesson I've learned in my life is
    - Marry the right person
- My number one professional goal is
    - Create more time to do the things I love to do
- My number one personal goal is
    - Stay healthy
- And more

Resources Mentioned:
Type in EXCELLENCE15 for 15% off The Big A## Calendar! 

Sponsors:
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Welcome to another episode of In Search of Excellence! My guest today is the amazing Jesse Itzler.

Jesse is a serial entrepreneur who has built and sold five companies, including Marquis Jet and Zico Coconut Water. He is an Emmy Award winner, a former rapper and former manager of Run DMC, a globally recognized keynote speaker, and a part-owner of the Atlanta Hawks NBA basketball team.

He's also a passionate endurance athlete who has run more than 35,000 miles over the last 25 years, including 50+ marathons. Jessie is also the author of two awesome best-selling books, Living with the Seals 31 Days: Training with the Toughest Man on the Planet and Living with the Monks: What Turning off My Phone Taught Me About Happiness, Gratitude, and Focus.
 
Time stamps:

01:54 The influence of Jesse’s parents

- They showed up for everything
- They let him explore
- They didn’t over-schedule him
- Didn’t teach him about hard work, he watched them doing it

04:12 How much is his personality a part of his success?

- He has problems with memorizing things
- He is great at storytelling
- His personality was essential for his success

05:58 The entrepreneurial gene

- Jesse’s grandfather was born in poverty in Russia
- He immigrated to America and came with nothing
- Jesse’s grandfather and father worked very hard
- Jesse grew up middle-class

07:42 Should kids go to college?

- Jesse went to everything and was exposed to knowledge and people
- His mom encouraged him to be curious and take every opportunity
- He was aware of the time and urgency

12:50 The start of Jesse’s career – getting a foot at the door

- Jesse's record deal – go to every door until someone says yes
- He got a deal from a record label called Delicious Vinyl
- It’s essential to get a foot at the door and get into the system
 
16:47 The ridiculous offer and believing in yourself

- Started the music business doing commercial jingles
- He lived on his friend’s couches
- Someone offered him $10,000 for 10% of his future earnings
- Can you? vs. Will you?

20:32 The advice to young entrepreneurs

- Some businesses require capital
- Selling out equity to employees, friends, and family
- Under-promising and keeping things simple is a better strategy
- Take advice, go through the pros and cons, and think through the worst-case scenario

24:39 How to bounce back from a failure?

- Sold his business for $1 million
- Tried many different things and failed
- Extremely enthusiastic about trying fun things and projects
- Sold celery and carrot sticks and loved it even without the profit
- In business, three strikes and you're not out
 
29:30 Is there a time to stop trying?

- Jesse kept going despite failures
- He never stopped
- The tolerance of embarrassment
- Never got embarrassed by his failures

31:51 The value of relationships

- Wanted to start a private jet company but didn’t have jets
- Met with the president of the largest private jet company in the world – Net Jets
- Got the deal and built a $5 billion company

Resources Mentioned:
Type in EXCELLENCE15 for 15% off The Big A## Calendar! 

Sponsors:
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Want to Connect? Reach out to us online!
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