The Create and Grow Podcast

For Women's History Month, we are asking the question, 'Why should you be like a pineapple?' Annie Meehan, an international speaker, eight time author and inspirational coach talks with Genein about the skills needed to thrive in an ever changing world. Thinking metaphorically is a creative skill so Annie brings in her metaphor of being a pineapple to encourage leaders, and our listeners, on how to bring their top game to the workforce. She gives insightful tips for becoming a national speaker as well. Join us for her gems of wisdom and be inspired to pineapple your way to the top.

OUR GUEST:

Annie Meehan, Professional Speaker CSP, Certified Coach and Award Winning Author. An author of eight personal development books, her work includes the award-winning ‘Be The Exception’ book. One of her books, The Pineapple Principle, offers hospitality and a sweet journey to an exceptional customer experience. Today, her passion is to share her "H3 Cultures" concept with companies to help them create a Hopeful, Healthy, and Happy workplace that retains an engaged workforce! Meehan has three adult children and lives in the Orlando, FL, area, with her husband Greg. She enjoys being an active member of her community by volunteering, going on adventures with her family, and taking Leo, her beloved pup, for strolls.

To learn more about Annie Meehan,visit:

https://www.anniemeehan.com/

https://www.amazon.com/stores/Annie-Meehan/author/B018UWZAOU?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1705351345&sr=8-1&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

To learn more, visit:

https://caffestrategies.com/

Listen to more episodes on Mission Matters:

https://missionmatters.com/author/genein-letford/

Being able to build elements of your world is a part of being imaginative. Budsies is a company that allows children and adults to send in images or a selfie and create a 3 D plushie and bring their story to life! I talk with Scott Meier, the CEO of Budsies, about his creative adventures, social innovation methods and how he feels Budsies is a  perfect way to address the emotional and mental health challenges society is facing today. Listen in for great examples of what it means to ‘create the life you want;.

OUR GUEST:

Scott Meier, CEO of Budsies, Petsies, and Stuffed Animal Pros. As owner / CEO of the Budsies Companies, Scott Meier brings a forward-thinking perspective on creativity, content creation, and IP to the world of toys and customization. Scott Meier has directed, been a showrunner, produced, and marketed film and television projects including features, short films, music videos, and documentaries in Spanish and English-speaking markets for over 15 years.

To learn more about Scott, visit:

Website: Budsies.com 

Website: MyPetsies.com 

Website: StuffedAnimalPros.com 

Website: Waggables.com

To learn more, visit:

https://caffestrategies.com/

Listen to more episodes on Mission Matters:

https://missionmatters.com/author/genein-letford/

Anne Jacoby is on a mission to cultivate creativity at work. A professional performer turned MBA and entrepreneur, Anne has been building businesses and driving positive culture change within organizations for over 20 years. She's the CEO and founder of the culture consultancy Spring Street. Her new book, Born to Create, shares how you can apply creativity to spark connection, innovation, and belonging in our new world of work.

A former singer, actor, dancer, and storyteller, Anne Jacoby spent the beginning of her career in the performing arts before taking a full-time job at a start-up. As employee #7 at Axiom, she helped launch the firm globally across 14 different offices. After spending nearly 13 years at Axiom, Anne moved to RGP where she was VP of Learning, Development, and Culture, partnering to activate its refreshed corporate brand and transforming the business to prioritize learning. With an MBA from NYU's Stern School of Business, Anne is passionate about helping tams work more effectively and adopt a creativity culture. She is an advocate for arts education for young people and proudly supports her alma mater, the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts. Anne lives in Southern California with her husband and two creative kids. Her book, Born to Create, helps individuals and companies spark more creativity to achieve more connection and fulfillment in work and life.

To learn more, visit:

https://caffestrategies.com/

Listen to more episodes on Mission Matters:

https://missionmatters.com/author/genein-letford/

Everything around you can influence your mindset and creativity. Mark McCormick is an avid observer and storyteller and his field of work ahas put him front and center of some of the most biggest influencers. During this podcast, we talked about how personal surroundings affect creativity. We also discuss his role in the book, ‘Bye Bye Barry’ about the retirement of superstar athlete Barry Sanders during his prime. One of the greatest thought leaders in the journalism field, Mark shares his perspective on story, justice and allowing people to shine bright with creative thinking.

Mark McCormick is a  NY Times bestselling author with nearly 30 years of experience as a journalist. I was a daily newspaper journalist for about 20 when I had to reinvent myself and become the top executive in a museum with a state-wide reach. I’m now Deeply Executive Director for the ACLU affiliate in Kansas. And believe that Democracy is more than voting. It is about belonging. I have chapters in two textbooks used in universities nationwide. Two of my recent projects (under the same name, “Bye, Bye Barry”) are number one on Amazon and Prime respectively.

To learn more about Mark, visit:

Kansasreflector.com

https://bmecommunity.org/

To learn more, visit:

https://caffestrategies.com/

Listen to more episodes on Mission Matters:

https://missionmatters.com/author/genein-letford/

Creativity is now one of the top skills needed in the world and it is imagination that will drive that creativity. Dr. Ackerbauer discusses how creativity development will take shape in this next future of work. From balancing rocks in his free time to cultivating creative thinking in the top teams in corporate, Dr Ackerbauer shares his wisdom on how to foster this innate gift in all of us for this future of work.

Michael Ackerbauer is a Business Transformation Leader for IBM Client Engineering. He partners with organizational leaders to humanize their digital transformation. A seasoned innovator and intrapreneur, Michael makes complex leadership concepts easy to understand and simple to apply. He holds a master’s degree in Applied Imagination and a doctorate in Creative Leadership and recently published his first book. Macker is also a certified rock balancer, which is now a TEDx talk.

Michael Ackerbauer is a Business Transformation Leader in the IBM Sales Client Engineering organization, where he links business leaders to cloud technology solutions to accelerate their digital transformation. As a seasoned innovator and intrapreneur, Dr. Macker specializes in making complex concepts easy to understand and simple to apply to maximize creative capability. He holds a master’s degree in Applied Imagination and a doctorate in Creative Leadership for Innovation and Change. He recently published his first book, In the Cave of Adullam: Songs of Lockdown - Reflections on the Psalms and Proverbs. Dr. Macker is also a certified rock balancer.

To learn more about Michael Ackerbauer, visit:

https://ibm.biz/macker-tedx

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUXr42uvEEQ&t=300s

To learn more, visit:

https://caffestrategies.com/

Listen to more episodes on Mission Matters:

https://missionmatters.com/author/genein-letford/

NeuroSomatic Creativity® is an important component of leadership. So we invited a thought leader in Neuro-Somatic Intelligence to highlight how the body is connected with the mind and brain. She lectures and teaches on Neurotheology - How our belief systems live in our nervous systems. She unites the contemporary science of her 30 years as a healthcare provider specializing in the vagus nerve with the ancient science of how we embody the planets, stars, and the enduring stories associated with them.

Melanie Weller is a neurotheologist with a lot of helping healthcare professionals and organizations identify and transform how their belief systems live in their nervous systems. She is a licensed Physical Therapist, a Certified Athletic Trainer, and is a Board-Certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist.

Melanie is the host of the Fearless Presence podcast and the co-creator of Neuro-Somatic Intelligence where she trains coaches and healthcare professionals. A new collaboration, Neuro Readiness Experts, is bringing a leading-edge suicide prevention program to the military. Melanie hosts Neurotheology retreats where she bridges modern and ancient science for radical transformation.  Her book, Fearless Presence, will be out in 2024.

She lives on the parade route in New Orleans with her husband and occasionally her two adult children.

To learn more about Melanie Weller,visit:

https://www.melanieweller.com/

To learn more, visit:

https://caffestrategies.com/

Listen to more episodes on Mission Matters:

https://missionmatters.com/author/genein-letford/

Empathy drives so many of our decisions, especially our creative thinking. Dr. Joe discusses the importance of building empathy in leadership and why it is a critical component of Intercultural Creativity® and Prismatic Leadership. 

Joe Pazmany, Ed. D., CEO of Innovade Inc., Professor of Leadership Studies at Chapman University

To learn more, visit:

https://caffestrategies.com/

Listen to more episodes on Mission Matters:

https://missionmatters.com/author/genein-letford/

We are whole beings. So in order for people to thrive, their whole selves need to be attended to. This includes our mental health, which is a top concern for the workplace. It is also a large concern for our creative health as well. Terence Tillman is a thought leader and coach in the areas of mental health, men’s emotional regulation and human development.

With a charismatic presence in the world of podcasting, Terence leverages the medium to spark conversations that inspire change. Through “Conversations Of The Heart”, Terence engages listeners in meaningful dialogues about mental health, personal development, and societal transformation.

Committed to mental health advocacy, Terence raises awareness and breaks down barriers through informative talks, articles, and community engagement. Drawing from personal experience, Terence fosters empathy and encourages men and women to inventory their gifts and abilities, strengthen their internal tools and live their best lives. Listen to the wealth of wisdom that he shares!

Terence Tillman, Podcast Host, Certified Life Coach, Talent Acquisition Professional, Speaker & Mental Health Advocate.

To learn more about Terence visit:

https://www.youtube.com/@conversationsoftheheart

https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/conversationsoftheheart

https://www.ttillinspires.com

To learn more, visit:

https://caffestrategies.com/

Listen to more episodes on Mission Matters:

https://missionmatters.com/author/genein-letford/

Since people are living and working longer there is a multiple generational overlap in our workforce. The way members of various generations learn, interact, respond to challenges and create changes.

In this podcast episode, Genein Letford invites her former elementary students, who are now in their early 20’s, to talk about the changes in the workforce, their workforce focus and the discussion on generational leadership. 

They also discuss how their formative years helped shape their adult mindset on leadership, networking and taking risks.

Kenia Ventura is a second year at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo pursuing Business Administration, and concentrating in accounting. In being part of the Latinx Business Student Association, and serving as the Director of External Affairs, she is also a Summer 2023 EY Launch Intern.  Currently, she is the Assistant Executive Director/Social Media Manager at Alumni360, a mentorship program that supports middle and high school students. Her goal is to intern where she’ll be surrounded by an environment where underrepresented and vulnerable groups are treated equitably and ethically, and there's value in encouraging advocacy.

Katherine Menendez is a Specialist at the UC Davis Center for Regional Change (CRC). She has worked as a Mentor for Alumni360. She is currently working on projects stemmed in social security net, transportation equities, youth participatory action research (YPAR) and other sectors. Her emphasis is prioritizing working with and for the community.

Lizbeth Paz is a student at California State University, Northridge, pursuing a Bachelor's Degree in Business Analytics with a minor in Business Management. Mathematics and numbers in business-related contexts are her passion, and she enjoys spreading her knowledge with others as a Mathematics Instructional Student Assistant. Furthermore, as an Outreach Assistant at Alumni360, a mentorship program dedicated to developing the financial, professional, and creative skills of students in all grade levels, Lizbeth's goal is to engage with students through various communication channels to guide them through available resources to aid with professional growth.

Emails:

kmenendez@ucdavis.edu

lizbeth.paz.749@my.csun.edu

keniaventura2004@gmail.com

To learn more, visit:

https://caffestrategies.com/

Listen to more episodes on Mission Matters:

https://missionmatters.com/author/genein-letford/

How did self imposed mute Tori Danner, who grew up in the Middle East, turn out to be a Hollywood actress who regularly appears on television? Tori shares her dynamic story of the uncovering of hidden potential.  

Genein highlights the gems of her story and shows how leaders can pull out the hidden talents and gifts of their team members through highlighting how it happened in Tori’s journey. Laugh, cry, and listen in to see how you can increase your creative leadership and observational skills. 

Tori Danner, a graduate of the MFA Acting program in CalArts, is an LA based Actor, Voice Artist, Writer and Producer who was Born in Nigeria and raised in the Middle East, spending 23 of her life in Kuwait. She focused her last few years there as a Talk Show Host on a national television Station and Radio Broadcaster. She’s known for her ongoing role- Morenike in CBS’s hit sitcom Bob Hearts Abishola.

To learn more, visit:

https://caffestrategies.com/

Listen to more episodes on Mission Matters:

https://missionmatters.com/author/genein-letford/

AI is here and we believe it can help us be more efficient, more creative and get more work done. Jennifer Bittinger shares how AI is helping industries across sectors as well as in her industry of healthcare reporting. She’s not talking about AI replacing humans but helping humans do their job better and with more efficiency so humans can do what makes us human; create, connect and contribute. 

With 20 years of experience in tech, media, marketing and public relations, Jennifer brings a wealth of knowledge, skills and leadership helping brands grow to their highest potential utilizing her experience with digital marketing, demand generation, data reporting and brand development. Jennifer now serves as the President of Narrativa, one of the fastest growing artificial intelligence (AI) companies that specializes in automating transformative content (i.e. articles, white papers, reporting and more) for multiple industries, including Media, Marketing, Gaming, Finance and Life Sciences. 

Throughout her career, she specialized as a multi-faceted VP of Marketing and Branded Content Specialist serving many clients, including Entertainment Tonight, Dr. Phil, Cesar Millan, TBS, Hulu, Beliefnet, OWN, San Francisco Giants, Chevron, ExxonMobile, and more.

To learn more, visit:

https://caffestrategies.com/

Listen to more episodes on Mission Matters:

https://missionmatters.com/author/genein-letford/

Who controls your narrative? Is it you? Or is it an external force? Narrative is more powerful than stats and creating your narrative is an essential part of creating your future. I sat with the brilliant Shawn Dove who published ‘I Too Am America’ and is here to talk about the importance about the brilliance of black contributors to the American story and why it is important to us all to create and share our story.

Shawn Dove’s leadership mission mantra is “there is no cavalry coming to save the day in our communities. We are the iconic leaders that we have been waiting for; curators of the change we are seeking to see.” He is the founder of the Corporation for Black Male Achievement, a consulting and publishing firm that produces community-building engagements and leadership development engagements that elevate stories of loving, learning and leading by and for Black men and boys.

He is the co-author of "I Too Am America: On Loving and Leading Black Men & Boys."

He has been recognized with numerous awards, including the key to the City of Louisville, Black Enterprise’s inaugural 2017 “BE Modern Man of the Year,” Ebony Magazine’s Power 100, the Charles H. Revson Fellowship at Columbia University and a 2014 Prime Movers Fellowship for social impact leaders. Dove earned a BA in English from Wesleyan University and is a graduate of Columbia University Business School's Institute for Not-for-Profit Management. He currently lives in New Jersey with his wonderful wife and four amazing children.

To learn more, visit:

https://caffestrategies.com/

Listen to more episodes on Mission Matters:

https://missionmatters.com/author/genein-letford/

Your body is an instrument of thought. Top leaders understand how to connect with their body, listen to their body and control their body for optimal leadership and personal success. 

Today we have top thought leader and doctor in somatics, Dr. Robyn Tiger who is discussing why it is important to get reconnected to our bodies. Her work greatly aligns with CAFFE’s NeuroSomatic Creativity®’s belief that we need to better link our mind, body, brain and spirit to have the best chance for a life well lived.

Robyn Tiger, MD, DipABLM is a double board-certified physician in Diagnostic Radiology and Lifestyle Medicine. As founder of the wellness practice, StressFreeMD, she uniquely combines her trainings in medicine, yoga therapy, meditation & life coaching to teach others a whole person approach to elevate their overall health and happiness. Her innovative CME courses, coaching, presentations, retreats and podcast focus on the key topics of stress relief, nutrition, fitness, sleep and social connection for complete physical, mental, and emotional well-being, resilience and longevity. She is deeply passionate about successfully guiding others to become the best versions of themselves and live their healthiest most fulfilling lives!

To learn more about Robyn, visit:

Web: https://www.stressfreemd.net/ 

Web: https://www.stressfreemd.net/free-self-care-videos

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robyntigermd/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stressfreemd/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robyn.frankel.tiger

Twitter: https://twitter.com/robyntigermd

To learn more, visit:

https://caffestrategies.com/

Listen to more episodes on Mission Matters:

https://missionmatters.com/author/genein-letford/

What is proximal Leadership? You'll find out today! Emotional intelligence affects leadership and is needed for team creativity. Kristen is a thought leader in the area of ERG support, leadership and organizational strategy in healthcare and other industries. She is also a top CAFFE facilitator in Prismatic Leadership and Intercultural Creativity. 

Listen in for great strategies to empower your leaders and team members for internal and external success!

Kristen Isaac, MPH, Founder and CEO at Project Solved and Organizational Change Management Consultant. Kristen has nearly ten years of experience in project/program management. She has a background in business operations and process development and improvement – she has led numerous projects from conception to implementation and monitoring. Kristen is an analytical and conceptual thinker who effectively partners with stakeholders to accomplish goals. She has used these skills to develop and launch new workflows, planning and implementation of strategic plans, train teams on new technology, grow employee resource groups, impact institutional policy change, facilitate leadership development and has developed programming to support workforce development and diversification.

Kristen holds a Bachelor of Science from Howard University and a Master of Public Health from Thomas Jefferson University, and most recently a Diversity and Inclusion Certificate from Cornell University. She is also a Certified Birth Doula and a Board Member for Spur Impact, an organization focused on connecting young professionals and inspiring them to get involved and make an impact in their career and community.

To learn more, visit:

https://caffestrategies.com/

Listen to more episodes on Mission Matters:

https://missionmatters.com/author/genein-letford/

Have you ever wondered where the foundations of creativity and leadership are built? It might be earlier than you thought! The foundations of all learning are built during the incredible first 1000 days of life. Finding out about the impact of these vital early days transformed today's guest, Clare Stead's career took her from working with primary-aged children to building the Oliiki app for parents and parents-to-be from conception to two. She's building the leaders of tomorrow.

During our chat we'll discuss why you might want to be more focused on supporting your parents and parents-to-be in your workplace from the pregnancy announcement onward if you want to create, support and develop a creative, thinking workforce!

To learn more, visit:

https://caffestrategies.com/

Listen to more episodes on Mission Matters:

https://missionmatters.com/author/genein-letford/

'Music is the transformative technology of the mind," Dr. Ani Patel

As we skill and reskill our workforce for this future of work, do we really take into account the interactive methods and activities that make brains more aware and creative in business? 

With the work of Lisa Peterson, we do. 

Lisa is a music therapist and supports our advocacy here at CAFFE Strategies that claims our top Prismatic leaders are ones who use the arts and new experiences to better integrate their brains. They also use music for deeper self awareness, emotional regulation and metaphorical thinking for innovative success. 

Listen in as our guest shares insight on how to bring music and its benefits into your corporate and personal life for creative success in non-music areas.

Sing on!

Lisa Peterson has been a Board Certified Music Therapist since 1992. She received her degree from SUNY New Paltz in New York.  Over a span of 30 years, she has worked as a music therapist in a variety of settings with older adults, adults with dementia, adults and children with developmental disabilities and adults with psychiatric disorders. Lisa also performed professionally as an accordionist, flutist and backup vocalist with the internationally touring world music ensemble The Just Desserts from 2006-2011.  

Bringing together her performance experiences and music therapy skills, Lisa founded her company Come On, Let’s Sing! LLC to give people music experiences that remind each person that they have access to the power of music to transform their moments of despair and frustration into magical moments of shared joy, fun, meaning and well-being. She offers in-person groups, staff and family trainings, and powerful, easy-to-use music materials that make music-engagement easy and fun for everybody, regardless of music training. She believes that with more musical connections in our lives, we can have a better day EVERYDAY!

To learn more, visit:

https://caffestrategies.com/

Listen to more episodes on Mission Matters:

https://missionmatters.com/author/genein-letford/

Today's prismatic leader is a leader that understands their inner game. They are strong in self awareness, emotional regulation, meta-cognition and interoception, which is the ability to understand your body’s internal signals. Who knew that poetry was an effective way to build these skills? And it’s now proven by neuroscience!

Nationally recognized poet and author, Peter Kahn is a national thought leader on using poetry to build these internal leadership skills. A founding member of the London poetry collective Malika’s Kitchen, he co-founded the London Teenage Poetry Slam and, as a Visiting Fellow at Goldsmiths-University of London, created the Spoken Word Education Training Programme.

He partners with CAFFE Strategies to use poetry in the Prismatic Leadership training programs to equip senior and middle management leaders with the vital self awareness skills needed to handle a BANI workforce (B-Brittle A- Anxious N-Non linear I-Incomprehensible).

Listen and learn how and why poetry is your ace up your sleeve for the top leaders of tomorrow!

Peter Kahn was an English teacher from 1994 and a Spoken Word Educator from 2003 at Oak Park/River Forest High School until his retirement in June of 2022. He now leads poetry programming in Columbus, Ohio. Peter is featured in Louder Than a Bomb and America to Me, as well as on PBS NewsHour and CBS-Chicago, NPR’s Morning Edition and BBC radio. 

Poet-Educator Peter Kahn uses poetry to transform classrooms, boardrooms and the lives of leaders.

To learn more, visit:

https://caffestrategies.com/

Listen to more episodes on Mission Matters:

https://missionmatters.com/author/genein-letford/

What a perfect time to celebrate creativity and our world premiere of the audio version of I AM CREATIVE! than on World Creativity and Innovation Day! Today we are inviting some of the top voices on workplace creativity and doing something unique with the book.

We are taking this children’s book and discussing how these ‘16 Diamond Tools of Creative Thinking’ are major points of concern for the workplace and our nation’s creative output. Sometimes the best way to talk about serious issues is through simple childlike prompts. 

Get the paper book here:

Listen to the audio book here:

Thoughts leaders who are joining us are:

Van Lai-DuMone, WorkSmartAdvantage

Joseph Jefferson, Flight Engineer, JPL-NASA

Geoff McLachlan, Play Specialist, Professionals at Play

Episode 100: The Creative Potential of Our First-Gen Students

Dr. La’Tonya “LT” Rease Miles is an expert on the first-generation college experience. Being a first-gen college graduate and a former stop-out student herself, she is now the Director of University Partnerships at ReUp Education, a company founded in 2015 to help colleges reconnect with the long-overlooked population of stopped-out students through a mix of technology and human coaches. In this episode, Genein and La’Tonya chat about the creative potential of first-get students, what the hidden curriculum is, what the strength-based approach is, and why it is beneficial to be sensitive to intrapersonal skills.

Topics Covered in this episode of The Create and Grow Podcast:

00:00 – Introduction
01:51 – Who is Dr. La’Tonya “LT” Rease Miles?
05:48 – Dr. Miles’ First-Gen Student Story
11:30 – The Hidden Curriculum 
13:42 – Imagination Without Rules
15:52 – The Strength-Based Approach
19:23 – Intrapersonal Skills Sensitivity
23:51 – Dr. Miles’ Thoughts on a Four-Year Degree Discussion
27:06 – Decision-Making Influences
32:08 – Everyone Has An Option
34:18 – Dr. Miles’ Final Gem