robert dickie

Danny Fehsenfeld is a multifaceted talent in the entertainment industry, known for his versatile contributions as an actor, singer/songwriter, public speaker, and writer. With a rich career that spans across various mediums, Danny has left his mark on audiences worldwide. He is recognized for his role as "Gil" on "The Young & The Restless" and his compelling presence on YouTube with over 250 million views. As the face of national campaigns for brands like Jeep, Chrysler, and 5 Hour Energy, Danny's influence in advertising is undeniable, with award-winning Super Bowl commercials and notably setting trends with his viral campaign for Nordnet.

His voice acting prowess is showcased in the Oscar-winning "Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse," and he stars in several major animation features, including "Chickenhare & The Hamster Of Darkness" and "Latte & The Magic Waterstone," both acclaimed on Netflix. Danny is also the voice behind "Bogota" in the globally celebrated series "Money Heist" (La Casa De Papel).

On-screen, Danny's notable roles include Nelson Stone in the TV series "Scarlett" and appearances in "The Upshaws" and "The Day You Found Me." His vocal talents extend to the music industry, backing icons like Celine Dion and John Legend, and leading the praise band at the Crystal Cathedral.

Growing up on the road with a public speaker father, Danny's early life was filled with travel and homeschooling experiences that shaped his passion for art and communication. Today, he continues to inspire through his performances and as a speaker at various events, embodying the transformative power of creativity and imagination.

Show Notes:

• 4:00 – Danny shares his story, his “La La Land” journey, as he falls in love with singing and acting and begins to follow his dream. He talks about the tenacity and faith it takes to follow a dream to Hollywood.
• 12:00 – The entertainment industry is built on selling perception. The entertainment industry is not so much interested in what is best but what is being bought. He shares how to become and remain relevant in the industry.
• “Art itself is always a reflection of the culture from which it is derived… anytime you try to regulate art, it ceases to exist; art in its purest form is freedom.” 
• 20:00 – Danny shares his first “big break” and how that altered his perception of his finances. He then talks about experiencing an empty feeling after starring in a #1 film as he immediately started to think about what came next. 
• “Who I am as a man always takes precedence over my accolades.” 
• 26:00 –  “How soon can I buy my freedom?” Danny shares what things were most important to him– not being bound to a day job, freedom to travel, etc– and what he did to achieve those goals financially.
• 32:00 – How to be an entrepreneur in the entertainment industry, the mindset and habits needed to have success!
• “All that fear and anxiety is excitement with a negative outlook.” 
• 48:00 – Danny shares his background and how he began his journey of self-discovery. He talks about how he reprogrammed his mind to restructure his life. He talks about the power that the words you speak and the thoughts you possess have over your reality.
• 1:05:00 – Major career “breakthroughs” followed a changed mindset and lifestyle. He discusses the differences in the genres he has worked within– musicals, animations, comedies, and more– and what he enjoys about each process.
• 1:10:00– Danny discusses the industry logistics of how the studio works when recording animation films and the creative methods that he can implement when acting.
• “The four deepest fears of humanity are the fear of death, rejection, failure, and public speaking. I think the fear of public speaking is connected to some of those other fears.” 
• 1:15:00 – Danny talks about the different segments of voiceovers and the commercial industry segments. He then talks about the process of casting within commercials.
• 1:24:00 – Danny gives his insight on how the watching habits of America (switching over to streaming services) affect the industry. In the same way, technology and innovation impact everything, it impacts this industry. 
• 1:27:00 – Danny talks about how the writer's strike impacted the entertainment industry. 
• “Every time you have a strike, it’s not just the artists that are out of work; you are affecting the economy and the entire state drastically.” 
• 1:33:00 – Danny analyzes where he foresees zones of opportunity in the future of his career. He shares how he can look at his life in a way where he makes the decisions. He is moving towards being in the “driver's seat” with what he delivers.
• 1:42:00 – Danny shares his perspective about what he has seen of other people in the industry who are not willing to go through the dream, struggle, victory process. He shares his experience with and around these “opportunity hoppers” who are just looking for instant home runs.
• 1:48:00 – Danny discusses the process motivating him over the end success. Danny says that the best life is balance, balancing love for the process with achieving your goals.
• 1:54:00 – Danny talks about how he learns best and where he has sought mentorship. Along with this, he talks about his time reflecting and introspecting. Danny says that applying your understanding garners more knowledge and wisdom beneath what you have been taught.
• “I would primarily like to be remembered as someone who loved well.” 
• 2:00:00 – Danny shares his last bit of advice on how to overcome the limitations that only exist within your mind.
• Books - “Who Switched Off My Brain: Controlling Toxic Thoughts and Emotions” by Dr. Caroline Leaf, "Rich Dad, Poor Dad", "The CashFlow Quadrant"

Follow Danny Fehsenfeld on Instagram and Facebook @DannyFehsenfeld and check out www.DannyFehsenfeld.com

Ryan is the Founder, President, and CEO of Niles Industrial Coatings in Fenton, Michigan which he has led for close to 21 years. NIC is a best-in-class safety, coatings, and technology company focused on commercial and industrial painting across North America. As a serial entrepreneur, Ryan has founded and led multiple companies in the home building, commercial scaffolding, commercial services, and investing areas. Ryan is a graduate of Michigan State University with a degree in Medical Technology and is currently in the Harvard Business School President’s Program. Ryan is also a member of the Young President’s Organization (YPO). Fun fact, Ryan and I both graduated from Grand Blanc High School, where I was a year ahead of him, so this was fun for me to connect with an old friend. I respect Ryan’s business intellect and how he leads by example, with humility and authenticity, and putting his people first. He has created a unique learning culture within his company and is having a noticeable impact on his community. He is an incredible husband and father who leads with character and integrity and knows how to live life to the fullest.  You will enjoy this conversation, so let's jump in! 

Show Notes:

4:00 – Ryan begins by sharing his origin story. He shares his experience growing up in a family business and why he wanted to leave to chart his own path, leading into why he “took the leap.” He says that his father encouraged him to get out of the family business and pursue something more “stable.”

9:00 – Ryan talks about his experience being laid off from his job in 2002 and the emotions and lessons that came with that. He then begins to start his own business but struggles to get his family to get on board. With the support of his dad, he gets his new business started.

Quote: “I see consistently that at your lowest point at your darkest hour in life, generally, that's when the seeds of your greatest successes are being planted and people just have to have faith through those dark seasons.” – Bob

12:00 – Ryan states that he wants to raise his kids to be fearless because he feels that fearlessness is what built him.

13:00 – Ryan shares how his wife supported him in the “unstable” parts of his career and how his dad’s partnership impacted his life and career. 

15:00 – Rod breaks down the biggest pivots that he made and how fearlessness played into those, one of the decisions being joining YPO. How important is it to him to protect the fearless trait within him to grow and manage his business? 

Quote: “It amazed me. When you really want something, how much you can get done.” – Ryan

19:00 – Ryan delves into his business endeavors with his dad, where he experiences extreme risk-taking. He emphasizes the importance of having high trust with your partner, the power of negotiation, and the efficiency that comes with valuing people and caring about the customer.

Quote: “I think it [the margin] improved more from the culture and what we did once we started investing in the people and our equipment and that's what drove the margin not the pricing, and I think people miss that so often.” – Ryan

26:00 – Ryan shares how he views risk and why he leans into it. Ryan says that recognizing his gift of connecting the dots and being aware of things around him helps him to take risks. He shares that he takes risks when he has fully thought them through and trusts that he understands the risk that he is taking.

31:00 – Ryan shares that his secret power is his ability to pick up the phone to ask questions and be open to opinions and viewpoints. How important are different points of view and perspectives when it comes to decision-making?

34:00 – Ryan talks about his upbringing and struggles with not feeling naturally smart. He talks about the importance of finding your gifts and leveraging them. He says that having humility is vital when realizing your gifts and weaknesses. 

37:00 – Ryan shares the ways that he helps his team find their giftings and lean into them to help them get joy out of what they are doing. He states that teaching his team to understand themselves is the starting point as well as accepting that everyone is a different kind of leader.

Quote: “Our purpose is to unlock potential.” – Ryan

45:00 – Bob emphasizes that it all starts with asking the right questions to unlock value.

47:00 – Ryan delves into what “Niles Industrial Coatings” is doing and the notable projects that they have done and are currently working on. He states that their focus is bringing better solutions to major corporations.

53:00 – Ryan sheds light on the truth that you are going to fail. Why is it important to not always follow the status quo but to be looking for new territories to expand to? How do we learn quickly and recover quickly?

56:00 – Ryan shares why he identifies his company as a “technology company.”

59:00 – Entrepreneurship and business leadership comes with obstacles and sometimes “life or death” decisions. Ryan goes back and highlights times of crisis in his career and shares how he navigated these times.

Quote: “Things are never good forever, things are never bad forever.”

1:10:00 – Ryan dives into his family life and how he has been able to build balance in his life running a company and being a family man. He is honest and says that it is a life of extremes– a lot of business time and a lot of family time.

1:15:00 – Ryan shares his favorite family traveling experiences.

1:18:00 – Ryan shares the main takeaways from his YPO trip to Italy, mainly about family businesses.

1:20:00 – Ryan talks about what motivates him and excites him about his work every morning.

1:25:00 – Lightning round questions.

1:27:00 – Final question: “If you were going to give the State of the Union address tonight and have the opportunity to talk to the entire country, what would you say?

Bassel Hamwi has a fascinating career journey, having been in private equity and the banking industry along with being a CEO of start-ups and board member for 19 different companies. He spent 20 years as a senior staff member at the World Bank and was also a CEO and board member for over 12 years in start-ups and financial institutions. Bassel is currently the President of BASY Ventures, an investment and consulting company operating in the US, MENA, West and South Asia. BASY Ventures invests in asset-backed lending and the fintech space and also provides consulting, executive coaching, and board and family governance. Bassel is also the Chairman of GlobalTech, a technology investment and development group of companies operating in MENA, India, and the US. From 2005 to 2014, Bassel was the Founder and CEO of Bank Audi Syria, which became the country’s largest private lender. He is the founding member of the Young President’s Organization (YPO) Levant Chapter and the Syrian-American Business Council. He was also a global board member of YPO from 2018 to 2022.

Bassel holds an MBA in International Finance and a BBA in Business Computer Information Systems and Organizational Management from the University of North Texas and he is a graduate of the Harvard Business School Presidents Program and just started an executive leadership program at the John F. Kennedy School of Government. He has 32 years of expertise in the financial markets and has contributed to publications like the Financial Times, Wall Street Journal, The Economist, and the New York Times.

Show Notes:

4:00 – Bassel shares his origin story, upbringing, and how he got to the point he is now in his career. Quote– “I learn from my own mistakes, those are the lessons that are most powerful.”

11:30 – Bob asks Bassel what sparked his determination at a young age to work at the World Bank.

19:30 – Bob asks Bassel how he responded to the catastrophic events happening in his home country when he had to leave his friends and family behind. Bassel shares his learnings and advice in processing the event and pushing through. Quote– “Part of our identity comes from the reflection we have on people’s faces.”

27:00 – Bassel discusses some of the things that he is doing to get help so that he can continue being a leader. He mentions the help of his parents and the benefits of being coached.

33:00 – Bob emphasized that history repeats itself and that our nation’s freedom could be threatened at any time. He proceeds to ask for Bassel’s advice in preparing for these potential events and facing challenging situations. Quote– “I behave in a way that is consistent with my values.”

38:45 – Bassel begins to share what he is doing next and how he is continuing to grow, aligning himself with his values and beliefs.

41:45 – Bob asks why Bassel is so passionate about executive coaching and how he got involved. He then describes the differences between therapy, mentoring, and coaching. Quote– “When you go to bed tired but you feel energized from your work, what were you doing?” ; “Coaching is a thinking partnership.”

49:45 – Bassel tells what he thinks makes a good coach. Quote– “Coaching is also about chemistry.”

54:30 – Bob asks Bassel what he would say to a friend with high potential in their career who may need an executive coach for a specific reason, though they might not see it, to encourage them to look into getting their own coach. Quote – “Not everyone is coachable.”

57:30 – Bob then asks Bassel what attributes the people have that get the most out of their coaching.

1:01:00 – Bob asks if there is anything that is off-limits to ask a coach.

1:04:40 – Bob dives into the importance of having a specific mentor for a child outside the parent to protect their relationship.

1:10:30 – Bassel shares what he sees as the future for his industry regarding changes and developments.

1:20:50 – Bob asks for Bassel’s advice in continuing to educate themselves as they continue their professional development, regardless of their career.

1:24:00 – Bob and Bassel discuss the value of online certifications.

1:31:00 – Bassel shares how to begin your search for an executive coach in your life.

1:34:10 – Bob asks Bassel what he would say if the president were to ask him to give a State of the Union Address to the American people, what is on his heart to share. Quote– “It seems that there is so much division. I would like to figure out what can bring us together.”

Book Recommendations: “From Strength to Strength Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life” by Arthur Brooks, “Thinking, Fast and Slow” by Daniel Kahneman, “Staring at the Sun” by Irvin D. Yalom, “The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself” by Michael Alan Singer, “Mindset: The New Psychology of Success” by Carol Dweck, and “Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know” by Adam Grant, “Into the Magic Shop: A Neurosurgeon’s Quest to Discover the Mysteries of the Brain and the Secret’s of the Heart” by James R. Doty

Jim Stirewalt started his career as an entrepreneur at the urging of his father. After growing and selling his company and learning the art of sales he jumped into enterprise sales, growing and leading international sales teams for iconic companies such as Kronons, SAP, and IBM.  As Vice President of SAP, leading the Fashion and Retail business Jim helped grow the business by 247% in his final two years. Jim was head of World Wide Sales for IBM Watson Customer Engagement. During this time, he led the transformation of a 1,600-person sales team in charge of $1.6B in software sales. Furthermore, he helped lead an AI initiative to disrupt markets leading to a pipeline of new business over $100M. He later was part of a $2B divesture of the IBM Watson Customer Engagement business. He also has been the Chief Revenue Officer of CoreMedia Corp, President of Marketplacer, and SVP and Managing Partner of GreyOrange. Jim has vast experience in business, ranging from start-ups to global enterprises.

Show Notes:

4:00 – Jim’s origin and the beginning of his fascination for building businesses. Jim talks about
his entry into graphic design and the development of his small business and how he grew it into
a full-service agency over a 7-year span.

13:45 – Jim breaks his journey into three parts: entrepreneurialism (“hustle and sell”), the
power of the network, and execution.

19:00 – Jim talks about how he took the sales leader skills that he learned early on in his career
and took it into his role in corporate America.

23:00 – Bob asks Jim’s advice that he would give to young people who might have a friend or a
peer or mentor who is approaching them and trying to give them executive coaching. Jim’s
advice, “seek people’s feedback actively.” Quote - “Pride is the biggest hindrance to growth.”

28:15 – Jim is in the second stage of his career. He discusses the failures and
successes he has experienced and the lessons he is learning. The importance of knowing the
product, the value proposition, and how it fits into the market. The 3 key elements of a
successful deal are: First, execution sponsorship, second, business value assessment, third, mutually agreed sequence
of events.

40:00 – Jim applies his learnings to a direct-to-consumer model. Jim discusses the consumption
gap.

50:20 – Bob asks how Jim handles the complex changes and difficulties he experienced in his
career. Jim talks about his experience before announcing a vast change in the company.

53:45 – Bob talks about how there will be times in your career where you will be facing a
challenge or obstacle that is high stress and high stakes and you’re asking yourself, “how am I
gonna execute this particular challenge?” Bob gives the advice to operate with a high level of
character and integrity and be honest and take good care of your people. Jim advises to
embrace the situation wholly and to force yourself to be adaptable.

59:00 – Bob and Jim discuss how to embrace the challenging times we have faced and will
continue to face. Jim talks about the importance of adaptability and resilience.

1:04:00 – Bob asks Jim if he has ever found himself in a spot in his career where the timing was
bad, where the product or service was “past its sell date,” or the economy was moving in
another direction and how did he pivot out of these times.

1:10:00 – Jim shares his experience and the challenges of scaling small, start-up companies.
Jim shares the quote, “fail fast forward,” meaning to make a plan, learn from it, readjust, execute.

1:15:30 – Bob begins asking rapid-fire questions. Jim gives advice for young people when
facing adversity, what books he is reading at the moment, the “imposter syndrome," how pride
can be connected to insecurity, and more.
 
Quote - “I grow the most when I am in a place where
I am being stretched.”

Adam is the CEO and founder of the Lloyd Group, a prominent managed service provider for small and medium-sized businesses that provide services like asset management, help desk support, project management, cybersecurity, IT governance, and cloud services. Under Adam’s 28 years of leadership, the Lloyd Group has been named on the list of Inc 500 and Inc 5000 fastest-growing companies in America, along with many other accolades and recognitions, including employee satisfaction and corporate culture. Adam has a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Adelphi University and is a graduate of the Harvard Business School President’s Program. He also completed the Entrepreneurs Organization MIT Birthing of Giants Program. Adam is a member of YPO (Young President’s Organization) and serves as the Learning Alliance Champion, and was the Chair of the Harvard Business School President’s Program. 

Show Notes:

• (11:00) - The key to growth and transformation is moving from thinking you know everything to admitting you know nothing and starting a lifelong journey of self-discovery and lifelong learning.
• (12:00) - Adam created six "Truth North Objectives" to measure everything against to ensure he did not waste any more of his life and stayed on track what is his "True North."
  • 1 - Have a supportive fun, accepting, relationship with my spouse. 
  • 2 - Instill a sense of responsibility and humility in my children.
  • 3 - Have a transparent and deep relationship with my children.
  • 4 - Have a life of no regrets and fear will not stop me.
  • 5 - Achieve a state of acceptance of myself and others.
  • 6 - Have a balance of unplanned time with value-producing activities.
• (19:42) - What is a painted picture exercise? Why is this important for people to do.
• (23:30) - Why working at McDonalds was one of the most formative jobs he had in his life.
• "Hold your kids with open palms."
• (27:00) - "Your network is your net worth!" 
• (29:35) - Adam and Sarah started their business in 1995 with a simple but profound Noble Purpose. "To create opportunities to learn, earn, and live better!" It all centers around building a team and community. 
• "You need to put a process around your relationships!"
• (37:00) - How did Adam get started in business, accounting, and entrepreneurship?
• (41:00) - Everything I deal with in business is people related. Adam shares how the smartest people in the world with poor people skills get passed up and don't advance in their careers. 
• (46:00) - The most successful people have consistent integrity.
• "One of the things I regret most is conversations I have had when I was still emotional about it.
• "You need great relationships with friends who are not afraid to call you on your crap."
• (1:03:00) - Executive education programs are designed for people who want to enhance the education and lives of their peers.
• (1:05:00) - How to design a world-class educational event program. (Connect people, Get People Committed, Get People Uncomfortable)
• (1:15:00) - What does Adam see as similar or different with EO, Vistage, and YPO? 
• (1:22:00) - We didn't focus on building a company...we focused on building a community! 
• (1:33:00) - How is AI changing the world? "What I am most worried about is if in the past what you learned depreciated every five years it is now every 2-3 years. I am most concerned with people not lifelong learners, not subscribing to MasterClass, and not using Coursera.org. These are the people that will become irrelevant and will not get new jobs."
• (1:36:00) - Adam's three core values are "Be Human, Be Accountable, and Be Better!" 
• "Younger people see opportunity and as you get older you see things as threats and move into protection mode."
• (1:46:00) - "I want to double click on that!" :)
• (1:50:00) - "If the American President asked Adam to give a State of the Union Address to the american people what would he say?"

Show Notes: 
Grant is a graduate of Brown University and is finishing his executive program at Harvard Business School. He is a Young President’s Organization (YPO) Member. He is the managing director of Benevolent Capital.

• Montgomery Securities – Institutional sales program 
•  First non-MBA member to be hired in the program. 
• “Sometimes it is about timing. Sometimes it is about who you know more than anything else!” 
• Venture Capital is for very early-stage companies to help them get off the ground. 
• Private Equity is generally for later-stage companies looking to grow or transition. 
• Grant became a “Sherpa” at Montgomery Securities  
• (9:00) One of his first tests early in his career was to see if he had the ability to tell people that he didn’t know the answer. Always tell the truth and be honest. 
• Don’t be afraid to apply for jobs where you don’t have all the skills. Skills can be taught. Hiring managers are looking for character, integrity, honesty, interpersonal skills, and communication skills.  
• (12:45) Grant highlights a learning experience as the captain of his crew team when he lost a position in the first boat. 
• “Sometimes out of the bad comes the great!”  
  • You really learn about yourself and life when things go wrong. 
  • Covid presented a learning and growing opportunity for us all. 
• (17:45) Why is tenacity so important? 
• Why did Montgomery Securities start by only hiring Athletes? 
• (24:00) When Warren Buffet is wrong he is barely wrong but when he is right BIG and for a long time. 
• Why did Grant leave Greenwich, Connecticut, and New York City? 
  • Wanted a state with no state income tax 
  • A friend told him to check out Baylor School in Chattanooga, TN
  • Chattanooga was voted “Best small town” in America twice. 
• (34:45) Grant’s advice to his daughters “Free to be you, free to be me.” 
• (40:00) “Our country needs the ability to have more debate.” 
• (43:10) “You feel like we are fighting and arguing and I feel like we are finally communicating.” Grant uses a quote from the movie Jerry McGuire to help demonstrate a point on modern-day politics. 
• Do we believe in free speech and diversity and inclusion or do we not? Today many only believe in this as long as you agree with them. 
• (54:00) How to build a company with a billion in revenue? 
  • The importance of a robust board 
  • Your customers are raving evangelists for your product or service 
• “Culture Eats Strategy for Breakfast.” – Peter Drucker 
• (55:00) How is Grant training his daughters to have success in life? 
  • Mixed Martial Arts  
• Best Day Brewing – Non-Alcoholic Beer and Athletic Brewing – Are two of the companies that Grant’s firm has invested in. 
• An SPV – Special Purpose Vehicle for each investment in Benevolent Capital 
• They charge NO management fees for the investments in their fund. (The Traditional "2 and 20")... 
• Plus they give all investors a 100% preferred return before they get paid. 
• This is very different from most investment firms. 
• For us to make an investment in a company we need to believe in the company and we have to want to be an evangelist for the product or service. 
• Brett Johnson was running the family business (Targus Computer Accessory Company) and during that time frame after working with PE firms they decided when it was time for them to start their own investment firm they would do it differently. 
  • “We don’t need the management fees to be motivated to be successful.”  
• Why did they invest in Orua Ring? 
• How do they do due diligence in companies they invest in? 
  • Believe in the product – Great Products 
  • Teams when championships. Who is the management team? 
  • Is this in an A or C industry? 
  • What is the exit? How so you exit the investment? 
• Either a big company needs to buy the product or they are buying it so it doesn’t fall into the hands of their competitor. 
• Many times the price they will pay to prevent their competitor from getting it is higher than if they just want it for themselves. 
• (1:26:30) How did Grant and Brett Johnson get involved in Professional Soccer in the United States and Great Britain? 
•  How has the Ted Lasso show helped Professional Soccer? 
• Best Day Brewing is an official sponsor of Professional Pickle Ball! 
• (1:38:00) Grant Johnson’s State of the Union Address to the American People 
  • “Good, Better, Best. Never let it rest until your good is your better and your better is your best!”  
• Book Recommendation 
  •  Who Not How: The Formula to Achieve Bigger Goals Through Accelerating Teamwork – Dan Sullivan 
  • Blueprint to a Billion: 7 Essentials to Achieve Exponential Growth – David Thomson 

Follow Bob Dickie on Twitter @RobertDickie
Follow "Taking the Leap Podcast" on Youtube.com 

Jess is the founder and executive chairman of inDinero, a business that runs thousands of companies' tax, accounting, and finance operations. She is also the Co-Founder and Chair of Astonishing Labs and founding partner of MahWay. This venture builder creates innovative, industry-changing billion-dollar businesses that improve the world. She earned her Associate of Arts from Bard College and her Bachelor's in Computer Science from the University of California, Berkeley. She is in the Harvard Business School President’s Program and a Young President’s Organization (YPO) member. She enjoys flying her commercial multi-engine pilot's license in her spare time with an instrument rating. She started her first business in high school and was has been on the cover of Inc Magazine and was recognized on both Inc. and Forbes Magazine's "30 under 30" superstar entrepreneurs. Her combined companies have a value of over one billion dollars.

Show Notes:

• Jess's entrepreneurial journey started at 13 because she knew she "did not want to work for anyone else."
• She started a business to solve her own problem and then used it to solve others.
• Barnes and Noble was her first mentor as she was pulling books off the shelve to learn about business. She realized early how important it was to learn and grow and later get mentors and coaches to help her build her business.
• (11:45) Business got easier as it got larger and scaled. The hardships of the early days will not last forever.
• (14:30) Don't compare yourself to others...you are in competition with yourself. Focus on your "next step" and your journey!
• Jess likes the ratio of focusing 80% on the next 45 days, 10% on the next quarter, and 10% on the next one to five years out.
• (15:50) "People consistently overestimate what they can get done in the next 30 days but underestimate what they can achieve in five to ten years."
• (17:15) Entrepreneur communities are super important to support each other on your journey.
• (18:45) The real challenge is our mindset and attitude. Most entrepreneurs have an understanding of what needs to happen next. 
• (24:25) The greatest growth comes from taking advantage of the latest trends! How are you going to leverage AI? 
• (26:10) Time blocking is a productivity hack that people can use to accomplish more. Elon Musk does this.
• (30:00) What is the difference between the entrepreneurial vs. employee mindset? First, the biggest difference is you have to have a sense of ownership. Everything starts and ends with you. Second, you have to be optimistic at all times. This also bleeds over to your personal life. Third, you need to grow yourself constantly. How do you evolve as a person and leader?
• (32:15) "There is no such thing as work-life balance. As an entrepreneur, your business is part of you. You don't have spouse life or child life balance...they are a part of your life."
• (37:00) How do you have an optimistic attitude when things are going wrong and during a crisis? 
• (41:00) If you have never taken a leap in your career or life, you are probably not pushing the boundaries enough.
• (43:00) When Jess moved from software to biotech, she knew it would be a ten-year investment and she had to be willing to be uncomfortable and start all over. Being an outsider allows you to see things that others may miss, push the boundaries, and be innovative.
• "The more you learn, the more you are able to learn new stuff and it becomes exponential." Examples are Steve Jobs and Elon Musk
• (48:00) Jess gives insights she has about the future based on her research and investments.
• (51:45) If Jess had the ability to give a State of the Union Address to the American people what would she say?

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow us on Apple or Spotify and give us a review. That would be greatly appreciated! 

Show Notes:

Mark Ferrier is a graduate of the University of Waterloo and Harvard Business School. He is a serial entrepreneur, having started seven companies with his newest venture AndCapital.ca. He is also a Young President's Organization (YPO) member. Mark discusses his career, multiple pivots, and his latest leap. 

• (07:00) - Mark starts his first business at twenty-six and "tripped into being an entrepreneur" out of college.
• "Urgency creates opportunities!"
• (16:00) - Surround yourself with smart people and keep your emotions in check at all times.
• "You don't want to be a dinosaur in a young person's game." 
• "If you are going to sell your business, you are better off selling it for less earlier and have time with your children and family."
• (27:00) - Mark discovers a way to pivot his company. Instead of trying to stop turnover, they decided to be the agency known for the best people and training, and thus they have the most recruited staff. It changed everything.
• (34:00) - Mark takes a year off to spend time with family and started studying other industries. What challenges are they facing? He has an entrepreneurial insight that is the birth of his next venture.
• (39:00) - Mark reflects on his COVID experience and what he and his family learned and how it lead to a new chapter in his life.
  • Advice to young people
  • There is power in authenticity and transparency
  • "Sometimes the paragraph is better than sentences...because it contains all the emotion."
• (50:00) - Mark has an insight and pulls all his career insights and experience together to start www.AndCapital.ca
  • "We are super founder friendly. We tell founders that we will help you grow and scale your business, help your customers and culture and give you a clear picture of that AND then tell you what to do with capital."
  • What are the problems and challenges founders face in growing their businesses?
• (1:05:00) - The differences between private equity firms.
• (1:12:00) - Advice to his children and young people.
  • Creativity, curiosity, and resiliency, are superpowers in life.
  • Understand your life is a series of chapters...enjoy and maximize each one without worrying about the next.
  • Ask questions and listen!
• The process of helping companies start with alignment, empowerment, culture, value creation, then execution!
• (1:18:00) How do you build resilient people and cultures?
  • Lean into discomfort! This is where we grow.
  • "Sometimes to be your happiest you need to be at your most uncomfortable first!"
  • "At the moments of your greatest defeats are also the times where the seeds of your greatest victories are being planted!"
  • Learn the power of reframing the situations you are going through in life.
  • Advice to children = "Positive thoughts before actions."
  • Learn the power of self-advocacy.
• (1:37:00) - It's okay to move on to the next chapter! Advice from HBS professor Arthur C. Brooks. 
• (1:40:00) - Changes in the work environment.
• (1:48:00) - The difference between alignment and agreement.
• Follow Mark Ferrier at www.AndCapital.ca and Linkedin.
• Books recommendations
• Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World - David Epstein.
• "And yet a tech founder who is fifty years of age is nearly twice as likely to start a blockbuster company as one who is thirty, and the thirty-year-old has a better shot than a twenty-year-old. Research at Northwestern, MIT and the US Census Bureau studied new tech companies and showed that among the fastest growing start-ups, the average age of a founder was forty-five when the company was started." 
• Outliers: The Story of Success - Malcolm Gladwell.
• (1:57:30) - If Mark could give a State of the Union Address to the American and Canadian people this is what he would say...

Follow Robert Dickie III on Twitter @RobertDickie
Follow "Taking the Leap Podcast" on Youtube.com 

Show Notes:

• Oren is a graduate of California State University at Long Beach & Harvard Business School
  • Young President's Organization (YPO) member
• Marc Andreessen “Software is eating the world!”
• Flock Freight – “We are building an enormous tech stack and incredible cutting-edge technology business while building a best-in-class freight block – algorithmic ride-sharing of freight.” https://www.flockfreight.com/about-us/
• 50% of the semi-trailers on the road are only 50% full. This is wasteful of space and increases carbon emissions to move cargo.
• Terminal-free or hubless shipping to move cargo across the country.
• Key performance indicators in the freight industry.
  • On-time pick up
  • On-time delivery
  • Damage
  • Transit time
  • Loss/theft
• (9:45) HBS Professor Francis Frei - Three Wedges of Business 
  • Customer Delight
  • Supplier Surplus
  • Profits for the Firm
• Flock Freight is the only Certified B-Corporation in the freight industry!
• It is important to be environmentally AND financially sustainable
• (18:00) Is deflation coming to the freight industry? 
• Transportation as an industry is $7 Trillion globally and $1 Trillion in the US
• (20:50) How does Oren pivot and tackle the challenges of entrepreneurship while dealing with the stress of the job?
• “It is better to expect that you will have to chew glass daily!”
• “Because it is hard it is worth doing! Don’t expect hard things to be easy.”
• (27:00) Why is it important to have close friends, confidants, mentors, and coaches around you on your journey to help you?
• (29:00) “Business is like middle school.”
• (33:00) What is it like to navigate an 18-month near-death experience for his business?
• (39:00) What is it like to have big outside investors like Softbank, Google Ventures, GLP, and Signal Fire as investors in your company? 
• (49:00) Why is it important to wear your values on your sleeve as a leader and CEO?
• (50:40) Why does Oren invest so much in continuing education?
  •  Why I started vs. Why I stayed.
  • “I loved it because I felt safe.”
• (1:04:00) How can society come together to communicate better and see different points of view?
  • Be conscious about the world around us
  • Be thoughtful about others’ viewpoints and perspectives
  • “99% of the world is the same…we all want to live in peace and raise our families in peace and prosperity.”
  • As you move up Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs, you are able to have different types of conversations.
• (1:11:45) What is coming down the pike with technology advancements, AV (autonomous vehicles) and how will this impact the economy?
  • Upwards of 2.5m truck drivers could lose their jobs over time
  • Creative destruction in all industries are changing jobs and careers across many sectors…causing “career migration or career immigrants”
• (1:22:00) We love our truck drivers!
• “It’s hard…Let’s do it!”
• “The benefit of being a for-profit is we are sustainable! You can do well by doing good.”
• Book Recommendations
  • Mornings on Horse Back – David McCullough
  • War and Peace – Leo Tolstoy
  • Washington – Ron Chernow
  • Hamilton – Rob Chernow
• (1:25:00) Why Oren is reading historical biographies of leaders
• “They were people who worked on big things with a lot of purpose behind what they did and many times were reluctant but they felt called and felt compelled into service.”
• “I’ve been filling up my tank on people doing hard things!”
• Final Question: If you had the ability to give a state of the union address to the American people what would you say?

Follow Bob Dickie on Twitter @RobertDickie
Follow "Taking the Leap Podcast" on Youtube.com

We continue the story of Robert Dickie's disappearance and find out more about this mystery lady.

Help us to continue to make these podcast by supporting us here.: https://www.patreon.com/missingpersonaustralia

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Help us to continue to make these podcast by supporting us here.: https://www.patreon.com/missingpersonaustralia

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Help us to continue to make these podcast by supporting us here.: https://www.patreon.com/missingpersonaustralia

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.