Dalene Higgins Knowing your Numbers and Having a Strategy you can Trust

By YooperSmith | July 27, 2026

Dalene Higgins is a money coach and retirement strategist who helps women and couples over 40 stop worrying about retirement and start taking action so they can create the retirement they want sooner while still enjoying life today.

Dalene Higgins Vroom Vroom Veer Summary

In this episode of Vroom Vroom Veer, Jeff sits down with Danlene Higgins of elevatefinances.us to talk about building real retirement confidence — especially for women and couples navigating their forties and beyond. Danlene brings a unique lens to money coaching: nearly two decades split between a local police department and a county sheriff’s office, the second half spent as a budget manager overseeing tens of millions of dollars and a team of twenty-two.

Danlene walks through her path from an introverted high schooler on the drill team to a career handling subpoenas, arrest warrants, and search warrants alongside detectives — work she says gave her an unvarnished, “dark side” view of the world that TV cop shows never quite capture. That same analytical, numbers-driven mindset later shaped how she approached her own retirement and eventually became the foundation of her coaching business, which she launched the same summer she retired.

A big chunk of the conversation digs into how government budgeting actually works behind the scenes — the pressure to spend down leftover funds, the culture clash between departments that reward saving versus those that punish it, and the odd incentives auditors create. Jeff and Danlene trade stories from their own experience with purchase cards and program funding, offering a rare inside look at how public money really moves.

From there, the conversation shifts to what Danlene sees most often in her coaching practice. Her take may surprise people: most of her clients aren’t actually overspending. The real issue is the lack of a system — something that turns vague financial anxiety into a clear, confident plan. She’s especially focused on helping clients plan for irregular expenses (think annual insurance premiums or quarterly bills) that don’t line up neatly with a regular paycheck.

She’s also skeptical of leaning too hard on budgeting apps, arguing that they mostly just document history rather than help you build a path forward. Her preferred approach: define where you are today, define where you want to end up, and build the plan that connects the two points.

Key takeaways from the episode:

Most financial stress isn’t caused by overspending — it’s caused by not having a system Planning for irregular expenses (insurance, quarterly bills) is one of the most common gaps Danlene sees Subtract guaranteed income (like Social Security) from expenses to find your real retirement gap The biggest limiting belief clients face is simply: “I don’t have enough”
Most clients are working within a 5–20 year retirement horizon

Practical strategies Danlene shares:

The “savings percent challenge” — increase your savings rate by one percentage point at a time until it feels tight, then hold steady before pushing further (Danlene used this to grow her own savings rate from 12% to 22% over 13 years)
Set retirement contributions as a percentage of pay, not a fixed dollar amount, so raises automatically boost savings without requiring a new decision

Regularly scrutinize recurring bills — insurance, phone plans, subscriptions — for savings opportunities
Find small, enjoyable ways to embrace frugality, from homemade soap to smarter shoe-shopping to lower-cost phone plans

Danlene also opens up about the emotional side of retiring — how even after running the numbers again and again, actually deciding to walk away from a paycheck is a psychological leap. A simple piece of advice from her nephew (“you can always go get another job”) ended up giving her the confidence to finally set a date, which she timed perfectly to enjoy a full summer off.

The episode also touches on how forced slowdowns, like pandemic lockdowns, can reveal how much discretionary spending was more habit than necessity — and how that awareness can translate into lasting savings.

Danlene breaks her coaching philosophy down into a few core “levers” for retirement progress: income, savings, debt, and expenses. Her goal with clients isn’t just spreadsheets — it’s translating financial and audit-speak into plain English people can actually act on.

Where to find Danlene:

Website: elevatefinances.us
Podcast: Wealthy After Forty
Facebook community: Retirement Ready
Free monthly webinars available through her website

If you’re feeling behind on retirement planning, or just want a clearer system for handling day-to-day money decisions, this episode is packed with grounded, practical advice from someone who’s lived both sides of the budgeting world — government and personal.

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Heather Melville – Heal Your Past Trauma for Healthy Relationships

By YooperSmith | July 20, 2026

Heather Melville Helps everyone have healthy, fulfilling relationships in their life, but also focused on helping those, specifically women, who have endured the opposite of a healthy relationship. Helping them heal and recover after a Toxic Relationship.

Heather Melville Vroom Vroom Veer Show Summary

Intro: Jeff welcomes Heather to the show and asks how she’s doing. Heather says she’s trying to stay cool in the summer heat (in the desert). Jeff notes Heather is at healthyrelationships.info and asks what she’s excited about in her work.

Heather’s mission and definition of healthy relationships: Heather describes her mission—to help people have healthy relationships—and her “utopian” vision of a world where people feel safe, fulfilled, satisfied, and their complete selves in relationships. She clarifies that healthy relationships are not argument-free; conflict will happen and may remain unresolved, but it becomes a problem when conflicts are allowed to deteriorate the relationship. She references John Gottman’s book The Seven Principles for a Happy Marriage to make the point that some conflicts are unsolvable but that doesn’t mean the relationship can’t be healthy.

Focus on survivors of toxic relationships: Heather explains she mainly helps people who have suffered toxic relationships, sharing that she recovered from one herself and works on helping people come back to themselves, heal, and stop letting past trauma tint their view of relationships. She speaks about using scars as stepping stones toward authenticity and ongoing healing, and says she’s grateful for lessons learned.

Books and flow: Heather and Jeff trade impressions about reading. Heather mentions several books she’s been reading (including The Radiant Life Project and Flow), and discusses the concept of “flow” — being so passionate about something that it drives you. She says the relationship-coaching work gets her into that state of joy and purpose.

Heather’s early life and theater background: Jeff asks about Heather in high school. Heather describes being insecure then but already having “seedlings” of who she is now—playful, authentic, kid-at-heart. She wanted to be an actor, did plays (had to drop a musical for softball), and loved theater’s immediacy. She recounts watching The Glass Menagerie and being moved by its themes of authenticity and self-belief.

Stage fright and authenticity: Heather says her stage fright came from portraying characters rather than being herself; now, in her coaching and speaking work, she feels no anxiety because she shows up as Heather, not as a character.

Theater technical experience: She explains theater training made her a jack-of-all-trades—lighting design, sewing, painting, woodwork, working with lathes, etc.—and she enjoyed hands-on, physical work. She tells an OSHA-unsafe anecdote about holding onto poles instead of climbing down ladders. She also mentions an interest in pyrotechnics/chemical engineering because chemicals produce colors of light.

Career transition and toxic relationship context: Heather moved toward engineering partly for financial reasons while living in an expensive city and being financially tied to a partner who had issues with alcohol. She describes pressure from friends/family about getting a “real job,” poor grades during her theater degree (2.4 GPA), then much stronger academic performance later in engineering (3.96 GPA). She reflects on how college as a default path can pressure young people into costly decisions before they know themselves.

Patterns that led to and sustained the toxic relationship: Heather describes how she got into and stayed in a toxic relationship: depression, seeking external validation, people-pleasing, codependency, and being neurologically conditioned by highs and lows (trauma bonding). She acknowledges the partner’s issues (PTSD and alcohol) as context but not as excuses. She notes that labels like “narcissist,” “gaslighting,” and “toxic” can help identify patterns but cautions against overusing them so you don’t lose personal accountability.

Abuse details and decision points: Heather says the first time she was hit she rationalized it as a one-time incident; after a second physical-abuse incident (about a year and a half in) she knew something was seriously wrong, but she continued in the relationship for years. She stayed for eight years overall. She identifies key triggers that should have signaled problems: explosive arguments early on, a partner showing up injured at her door, controlling or jealous reactions, and later family/friends reacting negatively to him.

Turning points and leaving: Heather recounts critical turning points that led toward leaving:

Her partner told her that if he got into PA school he would leave for six months in Europe and that she would have to “figure out her own way” if she wanted to go—this led her to seek a German internship and to fund herself.

Going abroad (Germany internship) gave her space and empowerment; she emphasizes the transformative power of solo travel to build resilience, independence, and clarity.

While living apart and hiking in Flagstaff she had the realization that after eight years the likely next steps were marriage and kids — and she could not raise children in the environment she had experienced. She realized she was already alone in the relationship and would rather be actually alone than remain in that situation.

A family wedding where her partner angered her dad and others reinforced the sense that the relationship would not be supported by her close circle.

Healing approach and insights: Heather explains major lessons from recovery:

Self-worth is the root issue behind many relationship conflicts—fear of not being loved or not being enough often underlies arguments and boundary problems.

Respect is a basic human decency, not something to be earned; admiration is what’s earned. Expecting someone to “earn” respect can justify ongoing disrespect and perpetuate mutual disrespect.

Healing requires examining one’s own patterns (people-pleasing, seeking validation externally) rather than only blaming the partner.

Trauma bonding and neurological patterns explain why people stay, and understanding brain/emotion mechanics is part of her coaching work.

Practical relationship advice:

Get curious: Heather says the core advice she’d put in a book titled Get Curious — use curiosity to explore why someone feels a certain way, where feelings originate (personal history, your own actions), and to open perspective-taking rather than assuming you’re fully right. Curiosity can mediate conflict and open paths to mutual understanding.

Build something together: She suggests testing relationship dynamics by building or doing something together (Jeff jokes about building a bus or living in a very small space) to reveal how partners handle cooperation, design choices, stress, and shared responsibility. New shared challenges also bring variety and dopamine that can help sustain relationships.

Solo travel as growth and empowerment: Heather advocates solo travel as a way to build decision-making, resilience, and independence—especially valuable for people leaving toxic situations.

Don’t underestimate your power to change yourself; don’t overestimate your power to change others (Wayne Dyer quote Heather references). Focus on what you can control: your reactions, boundaries, and growth.

Attitude and broader reflections: Heather speaks about balance, ripples from small acts of kindness, humility about fame, and the value of small actions (saying hello, helping someone) in creating positive change. Jeff and Heather reiterate that life and relationships benefit from curiosity, self-awareness, and steady personal growth.

Closing logistics and contact: Jeff and Heather wrap up, plan future episodes, and Heather gives places to find her online: her website healthyrelationships.info and on social platforms. She lists Instagram as healthyrelationships.coach, Facebook as Healthy Relationships Coaching, and says she hosts monthly webinars on Eventbrite under Healthy Relationships.

Key themes and takeaways

Healthy relationships are not conflict-free; safety, mutual respect, and constructive handling of disagreements matter more than the absence of arguments.

Trauma, low self-worth, people-pleasing, and trauma-bonding dynamics can keep people in toxic relationships; understanding neurological/emotional patterns helps recovery.

Healing requires reclaiming self-worth, stopping external validation seeking, taking responsibility for one’s patterns, and setting boundaries.

Curiosity and perspective-taking are powerful tools to reduce conflict and foster connection.

Solo experiences (e.g., travel) and shared creative/challenging projects can catalyze growth and reveal relationship dynamics.

Practical next steps Heather offers: learn about the patterns (webinars), get curious about motives and feelings, work on self-worth, and consider building or traveling solo to test and grow.

Connections

Website

http://healthyrelationships.info

LinkedIn URL

https://www.linkedin.com/in/heathermelville756

Facebook URL

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558475200026

YouTube URL

https://www.youtube.com/@HealthyRelationships-Love

Instagram

https://instagram.com/healthyrelationships.coach

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Brian Sachetta – Get Out of Your Head

By YooperSmith | July 13, 2026

Brian Sachetta is an author, blogger, and mental health advocate based in Boston. After working through his own battles with anxiety and depression, he created Get Out of Your Head® — a brand and book series that helps others navigate their mental health through practical, real-world tactics.

Brian Sachetta Vroom Vroom Veer Show Summary

The episode opens with host Jeff Smith welcoming guest Brian Sachetta. Jeff asks Brian what he’s most excited about in his business.

Brian explains “get out of your head” is his writing and mental health brand. He has books—one focused on anxiety and another on depression—coaches clients, appears on podcasts, and sometimes writes blog posts. He clarifies he is not trying to replace a therapist but wants to supplement therapy by helping people “fill those gaps” between appointments with advice, storytelling, and tactics. He also says he is a software developer by trade who does the writing and mental-health work nights and weekends, and is working on a revised edition of his first book for about its tenth anniversary.

Jeff and Brian note how common mental-health struggles are. Jeff shares that he was depressed in his twenties (not diagnosed) and has stories from that time.

Jeff asks Brian about his early life. Brian says he grew up north of Boston in a little suburb and attended a public high school. He describes persistent fear and nervousness in high school that he couldn’t name—he felt anxious but didn’t talk about it. He reflects that home life was loving, but they “didn’t necessarily talk about a lot of problems,” and the culture led to repression. He describes ping-ponging between school (where he felt fear) and home (where he didn’t feel he could process or discuss it).

Brian says his anxiety ramped up in college. After his freshman year he was extremely anxious; his mother noticed, and after he broke down and cried she asked what was going on—Brian calls that a turning point, a “fear and the healing point.”

Jeff shares a family anecdote about his mother swallowing a bottle of aspirin while drunk at a party and then making herself vomit; he uses the story to illustrate generational repression and how people “speak about it never again.” Brian commends Jeff for talking about it publicly.

They discuss “big T” traumas versus many “little t” experiences. Both agree small, cumulative “lowercase t” events can build up, be invisible, and cause long-term problems. Jeff says he closely watched his mother after that incident and that his role in high school changed.

Jeff reveals that later in his twenties he had depression and suicide moments, describing an existential dread and the feeling that “life was absurd.” He says he made a couple suicide attempts, recounting one episode where he took rat poison, didn’t die, felt very ill, “went to work,” and then reached a “fuck it stage” where he decided he wouldn’t kill himself—he contrasts that as a phase, not true health.

Brian relates: his second book focuses on existential depression. He describes how doubts about religion, reading, climate-change research, and Tolstoy’s A Confession contributed to his depressive thinking about meaning and death. He shares that during his depression he feared death and the idea of oblivion consumed him. He explains where he ultimately landed: acknowledging life is hard, finding joy in small moments, doing your best on the ride, and accepting that the ride will end.

Jeff observes that for him suicide was more about avoiding problems than truly wanting to die. Brian agrees this rings true and transitions to describing an Ayahuasca journey he did, which he frames as something that helped reveal the underlying issues driving his suicidal thinking.

Brian introduces the Ayahuasca experience: he and friends went to a ceremony; he watched a Netflix episode about such a place beforehand; he says the medicine shows “layers of the onion” and can reveal things you’ve pushed down. He describes visions, voices, and the sense of seeing “the shadow side.” He stresses it’s not for everyone and depends on openness, setting, etc.

Brian recounts what the Ayahuasca showed him: it focused on relationships and how he kept people “at arm’s length.” The medicine showed him that he often avoided direct confrontation or honest communication, keeping relationships manageable rather than honest. He explains that during the journey he saw imagery (parents as celestial orbs, doors representing aspects of his life) and heard messages like “you have to let go of your parents.”

Brian discloses a longstanding private struggle: growing up in the 1990s, the word “gay” was used as a derogatory label and created fear. He had a particular fetish since childhood that led him to fear it meant he was gay; that fear contributed to a depressive episode in college where he felt he had to hide or outrun it. He recounts poor experiences with therapy (an unhelpful therapist who suggested fetishes come up only when depressed) and antidepressants that didn’t help.

In the Ayahuasca vision, Brian describes doors his dad (as a celestial orb in the vision) opened: one door indicated a woman he’d dated “was not your person”; another vision told him “you have to let go of your parents.” Then his dad showed many doors representing trauma—most were small or empty, until a large, spotlighted door appeared in the middle. Behind it he saw a woman doing the fetish. The message from the vision was that the core healing work was finding someone to share everything with—truth, honesty, and openness in relationships—not hiding parts of yourself. Brian emphasizes that it wasn’t just about the fetish but about a “lifestyle of truth” and that keeping people at arm’s length was sustaining anxiety and depression.

Brian gives concrete sensory details from the ceremony: he felt visions breaking, and when a particular vision evaporated he passed gas, noting that people often symbolically release tension (vomiting, gas, sighs, etc.). He frames Ayahuasca as a way to reveal the “water” you swim in—the habitual background shaping your life—and says the medicine can help you see and cut through that.

Brian stresses that the real work is communication and deep relational honesty; that anxiety and depression often stem from not having relationships in which you can share everything. He says therapy could also get you there over time if done well—Ayahuasca is a faster, more intense route, while meditation and other practices are slower ways that can lead to similar insights.

Jeff describes his own early exposure to energy work and meditation (an “energy work” session on a massage table with an older mentor) and says those experiences were like a BIOS update; that led him to seek meditation and other tools. He prefers slower approaches like meditation and says psychedelics/plant medicine can produce a “firmware update” but aren’t his personal choice due to the physical purging aspect.

The conversation moves to beliefs about afterlife and meaning. Both Jeff and Brian describe an agnostic stance: they want to believe in meaning or something beyond death but acknowledge they don’t know. Jeff says he leans toward agnosticism—he wants to think consciousness continues but can’t be sure; he reasons that if atheists are right and there is nothing after death, it can’t be all that bad. Brian agrees, saying he tries to stay agnostic, hopes for meaning, and recognizes the arrogance of claiming absolute certainty.

As the episode wraps up, Jeff offers to continue but they agree to end. Brian provides contact info from the transcript: his website getoutofyourhead.com (no dashes, no spaces) and Instagram @getoutofyourhead (no dashes, no underscores). He mentions the full Ayahuasca story is available on the Mind Body Matters podcast by Greg Rennie. He invites people to DM him—“DMs are open.”

Closing banter: Jeff jokes about the show’s usual “vroom vroom” style and veers; they both reflect that the conversation was a veer off the traditional path but valuable. They thank each other and sign off.

Key themes and takeaways (as presented in the episode)

Get Out of Your Head is a brand/project aimed at supplementing traditional therapy with books and coaching focused on anxiety and depression.

Anxiety and depression often come from both obvious and subtle sources; many people carry “lowercase t” experiences that accumulate.

Honest relationships—openness, communication, and trust—are central to healing for both guests. Brian’s Ayahuasca journey emphasized that sharing your true self is core work.

Psychedelic or intense spiritual experiences can rapidly reveal underlying issues, but slower methods (therapy, meditation) can lead to similar insights over time.

Both hosts take an agnostic, non-dogmatic view on meaning and the afterlife while valuing practices that help them live better now.

Practical contact: getoutofyourhead.com, Instagram @getoutofyourhead; full Ayahuasca account on Mind Body Matters by Greg Rennie; Brian’s DMs are open.

Connections

Website

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Rebecca Lazzelle – AAA Overachiever, Burnout, Trauma to Energy Healing

By YooperSmith | July 6, 2026

Rebecca Lazzelle is the founder of Infinite Ember, devoted to a belief that healing happens through small moments of honesty and reconnection with the self. She supports others navigating their own transitions with retreats and as an energy-healing practitioner based in Colorado.

Rebecca Lazzelle Vroom Vroom Veer Show Summary

Rebecca Lazzelle’s path from high-achieving corporate executive to healer and author is anything but linear. In this episode, she shares the pivotal moments that completely upended her life — and how she rebuilt it into something far more meaningful.

Rebecca spent decades climbing the corporate ladder, earning a Lean Six Sigma black belt, leading global teams overseeing translations into 21 languages, and eventually relocating to Denmark as a senior global director. But burnout, brutal hours, and a life-altering domestic violence incident ultimately brought that chapter to a close.

In the aftermath, Rebecca took three months of FMLA leave, embarked on a nearly 12,000-mile solo road trip, and attended a Joe Dispenza meditation retreat — where she felt like herself for the first time since the incident. That experience cracked open a new direction: energy healing.

She now practices the Emotion Code and the Body Code, modalities she values for their efficiency and their ability to release trapped emotions without requiring a verbal narrative. She also draws on EMDR, CBT, and community-centered support to help other survivors feel less alone in their recovery.

Rebecca is launching a year-long small-group cohort and hosting the Infinite Ember retreat in February 2027 in Estes Park, Colorado — a multi-modality experience she describes as a “charcuterie board of retreats.” Her memoir, What the F Was That?, releases July 9, alongside a year-long guided mindfulness journal featuring her own watercolor artwork.

Connections

Find Rebecca at rebeccalazzelle.com,

Instagram

TikTok

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Tom Cladis: Wrestling Seven Alligators, Skydiving, and the Road to a Novel

By YooperSmith | June 29, 2026

Tom Cladis is a writer and provocateur, a certified alligator wrestler who keeps his sail permanently set for the far horizon. He has authored two books: “How To Lift Cars Off Your Face And Other Tips For Living Forever” (non-fiction) and his latest, “The Age of Serpents and Scorpions” (fiction).

Tom Cladis Vroom Vroom Veer Summary

Tom Cladis is the author of The Age of Serpents and Scorpions, a nearly 500-page coming-of-age fantasy about two Colorado teenagers who encounter a mysterious fortune teller and are launched on an adventure through time and parallel universes. Tom describes it as YA in genre but with broad adult appeal — think C.S. Lewis’s Narnia, but with Doc Holliday, Don Quixote, and Captain Kirk as supporting characters. The book explores philosophy, faith, and the choices that define us, and Tom says readers keep telling him they can’t put it down.

The book took eight years to write, squeezed into early mornings around three daughters and a full-time career. Tom has spent 43 years in the investment and financial business — a path that started with a cold call to someone he’d met on a flight, who hired him on the spot. Before that, he spent five years as a United Airlines flight attendant, during which he won a local writing contest and realized writing was his calling. His first book, How to Lift Cars Off Your Face and Other Tips for Living Forever, was inspired by a news story about an 18-year-old who did exactly that — and the idea that our minds are often the only thing standing between us and what we’re capable of.

That philosophy clearly extends to his personal life. Tom has wrestled seven alligators at a farm near the Great Sand Dunes (with about an hour of training and zero footage to prove it), gone skydiving 30-plus times — including once while his wife thought he was at a meeting, six months into her second pregnancy — and rappelled down a 40-story building for a cancer fundraiser, raising around $15,000. He’s also jumped off cliffs, done bungee jumps from hot air balloons at 500 feet, and performed handstands at the Eiffel Tower and on a castle wall in Salisbury (his daughter didn’t speak to him for two hours after that one).

His take on all of it: limits are mostly self-imposed. Once you push through one, the next one gets easier.

Tom’s book is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and through bookstores.

Connections

Website

Instagram @tomc_writes

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Tom Bernard – Why you Should Invest in the S&P 500

By YooperSmith | June 22, 2026

Tom Bernard finished undergrad at Berkeley, he holds an MBA from The Wharton School of Business, as well as a Masters in Taxation.He has spent over 3 decades in finance and has taught personal finance at the City College of San Francisco.Born and raised in California, Tom lives in San Francisco with his family and is very close to being a free-birder (as opposed to empty nester).When he’s not talking money, teaching, looking at real estate or advising clients you can find him in the water… an average swimmer, a mediocre sailor and a beginner surfer.

Tom Bernard Vroom Vroom Veer Summary

Jeff sits down with Tom Bernard, author of The Index of America, to talk about why the S&P 500 has become his go-to long-term investment. Tom shares his winding path through personal finance—early speculative bets, real estate headaches, and leveraged funds gone wrong—before settling on a simple “set and forget” approach with index investing.

They dig into the S&P 500’s history and eligibility rules (timely given SpaceX’s IPO that day), the power of dividends and buybacks, compound growth over decades, and how the 4% retirement withdrawal rule holds up under scrutiny. Tom also shares a case study showing how Nevada’s public pension fund thrived using the S&P 500 as its sole U.S. equity holding.

Bottom line: invest in yourself, control your expenses, automate your contributions, and ignore the noise.

Connections

The Index of America

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Jessi Hartnett – You Can Quit Smoking

By YooperSmith | June 15, 2026

Jessi Hartnett is a wife, mother, and a coach for those seeking to move past smoking. After 15 years of living with addiction, Jessi discovered that lasting freedom wasn’t found in willpower. It was found in the heart.

Today, she uses her journey as a source of strength to help others navigate their own path to peace. Her approach, rooted in radical transformation and heart-led healing, moves beyond the surface-level habit to address the emotional and spiritual roots of the struggle. Jessi helps her clients access the gifts of their own intuition, compassion, and creativity to find a unique way out of the cycle of smoking

She is the author of Honor Your Heart, a soulful guide to quitting smoking, and the host of the You Can Quit Smoking podcast. When she isn’t coaching or recording, you can find her cooking for her family or enjoying time outdoors.

Jessi Hartnett Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Jeff welcomes Jessi Hartnett, quit-smoking coach, founder of You Can Quit Smoking, and author of Honor Your Heart. Jessi smoked for fifteen years before quitting — along with alcohol and weed — and now helps others do the same.

Jessi shares her journey from a small-town Illinois upbringing through a career in land surveying (often the only woman in the room), burnout, and years of using substances to cope with stress and anxiety. A diagnosis of gum disease and gum graft surgery became her turning point.

Rather than relying on willpower, Jessi’s approach centers on curiosity, self-compassion, and inner work — understanding why you reach for a cigarette, untangling negative self-talk, and building new ways to meet emotional needs. She and Jeff also swap practical coping strategies: kettlebell swings, soaking baths, slowing down with daily practices.

Jessi reframes quitting not as deprivation but as a doorway to a new season of life — one that, for her, included becoming a mother and finding purpose-driven work.

Connections

www.honoryourheart.net

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

@honoryourheart

https://www.instagram.com/_honor_your_heart

https://www.facebook.com/JessiHartnettHonorYourHeart

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Isaac Tolpin – Human Behavior Expert (BOV)

By YooperSmith | June 8, 2026

Isaac Tolpin is one of the Founders of ConveYour.com, the #1 Micro-Learning platform for inﬂuencers and companies. He’s a tech entrepreneur and futurist at heart.

On a mission, enabling brands to authentically connect and inform at scale with over 105 million in combined revenues from the companies he’s helped build. His success comes from understanding the relationships between human behavior, business and technology. This expertise helped celebrity inﬂuencers and companies to transform their knowledge into humanized digital training.

His recent background includes, cultivating a vineyard, keynote speaker, digital marketer, and EdTech disrupter through the pioneering Mirco-Training technology, ConveYour.com, the platform that’s improving the way inﬂuencers and organizations connect and train people. He brings a visionary mindset to his family by creating a legacy raising and educating their 7 children with his wife Angie Tolpin of Courageousmom.com.

He refuses to waste his life achieving the world’s definition of success that leave so many empty. Instead he does what matters through projects, those he serves, and the family he leads.

Isaac Tolpin Vroom Veer Stories

Had the entrepreneur bug very early; started making and selling crafts in High School

Went to college (cause that what Gen Xer's do!); starting doing direct sales in college

How to overcome massive entrepreneurial failure and come back stronger than ever

Big lesson from this failure was to listen to friends he really trusts

Learned how to be a better husband and father and to check his ego

Why digital training needs be fun, effective, and never boring

Human behavior doesn't allow digital training to take hours at a time; more like 5-7 minutes

An optional workplace test game had a 95% completion rate; making it mandatory caused a drop

Isaac Tolpin Connections

Website

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Ace Chapman – Buying and Selling Businesses (BOV)

By YooperSmith | June 1, 2026

Ace Chapman bought his first business when he was nineteen. It was an online stock market simulator called CoolWallStreet. After selling it and seeing the benefits in buying a business over starting one, he caught the business buying bug. Since then he has bought and sold over thirty businesses and has helped his clients all over the world buy over one hundred businesses.

Ace Chapman Vroom Veer Stories

Defied teachers in school when told to memorize the names of bones; seemed stupid to do

Bought his first business when he was 19 and in college; borrowed most of $70K to make the deal

Too make the deal happen, his investors insisted that he quit school; big scary veer

Was lucky to sell this “.com” business after the .com bust with a little money left over

His emotions went from “I'm set for life” to “I'm a failure”

Got a job at a bank; told he couldn't have an assistant; rented space across the street & hired his own

Bank found out he had hired his own help; asked to resign

Started his own mortgage company and bought a real estate company and kept going

Sold mortgage/real estate company right before the 2008 bust; whew

Found a mentor who helped him realize that it is easier to buy a business than to build one from scratch

Ended up building a business from scratch to buy, grow, and sell businesses in the under $3 million space

Connections

Ace Chapman's Web Site

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Daniel Hayes – Improv your Life (BOV)

By YooperSmith | May 25, 2026

Daniel Hayes is a top ranked middleweight boxing prospect and Trinidad & Tobago’s boxing ambassador.

Daniel Hayes Growing up

Daniel Hayes played a variety of sports ranging from Soccer, Basketball, Football, Track and Field, Baseball and Swimming. At just 8 years old, he started playing basketball and continued playing throughout college. At 16, he was already a certified lifeguard and a highly recruited athlete in multiple sports. In his senior year of high school, he was recruited to play basketball for several NCAA Division 1 and 2 schools.

Early Veers

Hayes however decided to attend Thompson Rivers University where he and his childhood best friend were offered athletic scholarships. College proved to be quite a defining time for Hayes. He started as a Kinesiology major but after just one single acting course, he discovered his love and passion for acting and switched his major to Theatre.

Hayes was no stranger to the camera

He was a published print model since the age of 17. It wasn't long after his revelation that the acting gigs began pouring in. Hayes landed his first commercial with And1, which was quickly followed by a well-known television ad with Nike.

Improv and Acting

Eagerly seeking to develop his craft, Hayes began studying at The Second City and Groundlings, schools who boast of alumni including Jim Carrey, Will Ferrell, Seth Rogan and Steve Carell. Hayes added to his training by studying at The Ivana Chubbuck Studio that has trained Hollywood’s elite such as Halle Berry, Brad Pitt, Terence Howard and more. Currently on his Olympic quest, Hayes fights out of the world famous Wild Card Boxing Club, home to superstar world champions Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto.

Daniel Hayes Vroom Veer Stories

Daniel made the honor roll one semester in High School, the basketball coach was his teacher

Learning how to listen to his body after an injury and not push himself too hard

Was hyper-focused in high-school on training, didn't have much of a social life

Realized he missed out on High School buffoonery when he started college

Stories of sibling rivalry, getting bullied & being a bully–yup we are mammals

Small regrets of being “so serious” as a freshman in college

His college teammates wore him down & he learned to relax & enjoy the moment

In sixth grade, Daniel was in the Chess Club – he did 3 tournaments

How improv skills help on stage and in life to roll with punches

Sleep masks can be tricky if you have to get up in the night for a bathroom trip

Daniel Hayes Links

Daniel's Web Site is Daniel-Hayes.com

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Megan Gaul – Partake Tailored Weight-Loss Planning

By YooperSmith | May 18, 2026

Megan Gaul is a weight loss coach from Staten Island. Her mission is to support women age 30 and up, 200 lbs. and up, achieve their weight-loss goals without shrinking their lives. She came to this mission through her own 100-lb weight loss in 2018, where she discovered food freedom, healthier emotional boundaries, self-trust, and a richer life. She’s now in her 5th year of business, and she and her clients focus on small habit-change, self-compassion, and authenticity.

Megan Gaul Vroom Vroom Veer Show Summary

Intro and welcome — Jeff introduces Megan and they ease into the conversation with some Staten Island background and shared pop culture references (John Hughes, Molly Ringwald).

Megan’s new Slack community — a supportive space for women working on weight loss who aren’t ready for one-on-one coaching. Members post daily food plans, check in at night, swap meal-prep ideas, and join a weekly group coaching class. Megan shares why she loves using Slack for something this personal.

Growing up in Staten Island — feeling like an outsider among Italian families, being a band/nerd kid rather than a club kid, and how her home food environment (three square meals, limited snacking) quietly shaped her relationship with food for years to come.

The “freshman forty-five” — unlimited cafeteria access, vending machines, and a photo she almost didn’t recognize. Megan shares how that moment pushed her to start tracking calories, eventually losing about 40 lbs (185 → 145) — but without a maintenance plan.

The scarcity mindset and night overeating — when you grow up feeling like food access is controlled, freely available food becomes hard to resist. Megan traces this pattern through college, working life, and reaching 235 lbs by age 28.

The wake-up moment — post-eating guilt, feeling out of control, and recognizing that food had become a numbing mechanism. Megan talks honestly about the parallels with addictive behavior, without labeling it as addiction.

You don’t have to give up Cheetos — Megan’s coaching philosophy centers on portioning, structure, and meal planning rather than banning favorite foods. Peanut butter, Reese’s, and all. Jeff shares his own parallel experience with military weigh-ins, strict low-calorie phases, and eventually finding green smoothies.

Small habits that actually stick — Jeff’s practical toolkit: “optic flow” walks, the 100-steps minimum, 10 minutes of morning sunlight for circadian rhythm, brief morning meditation to lower cortisol, and ramping into the day rather than diving into email. Megan affirms why consistency beats all-or-nothing every time.

Life opens up before you hit goal weight — more stamina, saying yes to hiking and standing events, not shrinking your world to avoid discomfort. Megan shares her Sunday bean salad ritual and how weekly meal prep keeps stress from driving impulsive eating choices.

Wrap-up, laughs, and a John Candy documentary recommendation. Megan shares how to find her and what she offers.

Connections

Partake Meal Planning

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Leigh Martinuzzi – The Hidden Why Guy (BOV)

By YooperSmith | May 11, 2026

Leigh Martinuzzi is The Hidden Why Guy. He’s an expert in lifestyle and business design. He helps people go from living a life they hate to living a life they love. He assists people via speaking, coaching, writing and podcasting.

Having a corporate background in senior executive positions for various multi-national companies such as ALDI and Masters, Leigh realised that it wasn't the life he wanted.

Leigh made a decision and decided to redesign his life to give him more freedom, fulfillment and happiness. He has successfully transitioned from a dissatisfying existence to a life with greater purpose.

Now he pays forward what he has learnt to help other people do the same. First, they have to find out their Hidden Why. Whether it’s finding more passion in what you currently do or a full life transformation Leigh will be your guide.

Leigh Martinuzzi Vroom Veer Stories

Story of Leigh's earliest childhood memory taking a walk with friends going on an adventure

Leigh was a crafty entrepreneur in high school, making and selling things to kids

Started college to study engineering; quit a few months later

Got a job as a cook–boss was a dick; so he quit–got a better job as a chef!

Went back to college thinking he maybe needed a clearer path; graduated with a degree in marketing

Traveled and worked for about 4 years to Japan and points beyond; really got the travel bug

Worked in corporate for a while; worked at a startup for a while-got fired; felt like shit

Transitioned into real estate for more money and freedom; work up pitching flyers and quit that too

Moved to Japan to launch a “big money” deal; that failed

Realized he really didn't need “big money” to be happy; started sharing value on thehiddenwhy.com

Leigh Martinuzzi Links

The Hidden Why

Free Downloads from Leigh

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Dr. Glenn Livingston – Never Binge Again (BOV)

By YooperSmith | May 4, 2026

Dr. Glenn Livingston is a veteran psychologist and long time CEO of a multi-million dollar consulting firm which has serviced several Fortune 500 clients in the food industry. Dr. Glenn's work, theories, and research have been published in major periodicals.

Disillusioned by what traditional psychology had to oﬀer the overweight and/or food obsessed male, Dr. Livingston spent several decades researching the nature of bingeing and overeating via work with his own patients AND a self-funded research program with more than 40,000 participants. Most important, however, was his own personal journey out of obesity and food prison to a normal, healthy weight and a much more lighthearted relationship with food.

Dr. Glenn Livingston Vroom Veer Stories

Before age 20, he could exercise all the weight away

Noticed he gained weight when he could NOT exercise as often

Found he could not be present for his patients who were suicidal

Addicted to “Bosco” chocolate syrup at a very young age

Born into a family of psychologist and psychiatrists

Industrial food is shorting cutting pleasure centers in our brains

Our lizard brains only think eat, mate, or kill…there is no love there

When our brains are offered a shortcut to pleasure w/ “food” it leads to extreme self neglect

How to use character decisions to pre-decide who we are most of the time

How Glenn's “inner pig” self talk system helped him overcome bingeing

Dr. Glenn Livingston Links

Never Binge Again (free book)

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Perry Marshall – How to Find Freedom and Autonomy (BOV)

By YooperSmith | April 27, 2026

Image provided by http://perrymarshall.com

Perry Marshall is one of the world’s most expensive and sought-after business consultants. Clients seek his ability to integrate engineering, sales, art and psychology.

Perry launched two movements in modern marketing. His Google AdWords books laid the foundations for the $100 billion Pay Per Click industry, and techniques he pioneered are standard best practices. He wrote the world’s best selling book on web advertising, Ultimate Guide to Google AdWords.

Recently, Perry turned “80/20” into a verb. 80/20 is not just a fact about your business, it’s action you take on your business. 80/20 is the central lever for every great strategy. His book 80/20 Sales & Marketing is mandatory in many growing companies. His books are course material in several business schools.

His other works include bestseller Ultimate Guide to Facebook Advertising (Entrepreneur Press), Evolution 2.0: Breaking the Deadlock Between Darwin and Design (BenBella) and Industrial Ethernet (ISA).

Perry consulted in over 300 industries and served as an expert witness for marketing and Google AdWords litigation.

In 2015 he launched the Evolution 2.0 Prize, which seeks to solve one of the top ten unsolved mysteries in all of science.

Direct Marketing maverick Dan Kennedy says, “If you don’t know who Perry Marshall is — unforgivable. Perry’s an honest man in a field rife with charlatans.”

Perry Marshall Vroom Veer Stories

Perry is a cat person AND kids wanted a dog, found the perfect compromise “Gracie” the Cockapoo

80/20 goes much deeper than most people think; as Perry found out writing his book

Perry focused on applying 80/20 to sales/marketing; and the 80/20 in every 80/20 idea; it's fractal

20 yrs ago, laid off w/ baby 6 months away; changed from engineer to sales guy; big veer!

One type of salesman: “The Hostage Negotiator”; stick them in a room and money levitates out of pockets.

Build relationships and solve problems sales strategy doesn't work

Heard Dan Kennedy say that pounding the phone/pavement really sucks; don't do that!

Internet Marketers like the idea of people more than actual people; prefer to work in isolation

Your superpowers get you in trouble; one way to figure out what they are

Fake fax joke; from CEO to branches; all branches will be closed effective Friday–got fired.

Perry's superpower turned out to be writing sales emails that speak directly to the individual

Perry Marshall Links

Perry's Website http://www.perrymarshall.com/

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Angela Finlay – Skill Stacking Your Career

By YooperSmith | April 20, 2026

Angela Finlay is a Chief Human Capital Strategist, former CHRO, educator, and author of Skill Stacking: Taking Ownership of Your Career in Changing Times. With over 30 years leading talent strategy across Fortune 150 companies and fast-growing organizations, she helps professionals and leaders rethink what it takes to build a resilient career in a rapidly shifting world. Angela also teaches Leadershipand Human Capital Management at the graduate level, including at Columbia University, where she brings real-world clarity to the future of work.

Through her Skill Stacking framework, Angela equips individuals and organizations to move beyond outdated career paths and resume thinking. Instead of waiting to be developed, she challenges people to take ownership of their growth by intentionally building capabilities that create opportunity, mobility, and long-term relevance. In a world shaped by AI, disruption, and constant change, her message is clear: careers are no longer managed for you. They are built by you.

Angela Finlay Vroom Vroom Veer Summary

Jeff welcomes guest Angela Finlay and they laugh about the rough tech start to the session. Jeff prompts Angela to talk about what she’s excited about. Angela describes her current roles: fractional and interim CHRO/HR leader for small- to mid-sized businesses, college-level teaching (including work with Columbia University and Fairleigh Dickinson), and a passion project — her book titled Skill Stacking, Taking Ownership of Your Career in Changing Times. She frames her book’s premise: people don’t need to “start over,” they can reconfigure and combine existing skills — an evolution rather than a revolution.

Jeff and Angela briefly discuss historical job-displacement fears (Jeff mentions the example of a job to pick up horse poop) and Angela recounts a podcast episode she’d heard about the transcontinental railroad and the recurring nature of job-displacement panic in society.

Jeff asks about Angela’s background. Angela says she attended about seven schools by high school because her father worked in the newspaper industry and the family moved often; she learned to “reemerge” in new places. In high school she intentionally pushed herself out of her comfort zone (played field hockey on a losing team, joined activities) and learned to try uncomfortable things. Jeff shares a personal anecdote about his mother buying clothes for a freshman dance and how that changed his presentation. Angela mentions putting her son in a uniform/blazer changed his demeanor.

Angela describes applying to many colleges; she unexpectedly received a full scholarship to Fairleigh Dickinson and originally intended speech pathology but switched to accounting (in part because her father was an accountant). She took a job in public accounting, found the work (manual ledger work, calculators printing on paper) tedious, and left a cubicle job after about six months. Her manager had been put in charge of HR and offered it to her — she accepted, taught herself about performance evaluations via library research, and began building HR capability despite feeling underqualified.

Jeff observes that “figuring things out” is a valuable skill. Angela warns about over-reliance on instant help (Alexa) and the loss of productive struggle. They note chat AI tools are often very positive/encouraging; Jeff gives a brief anecdote of using AI to check hardware compatibility for an old computer and the AI correctly telling him “no.”

Angela traces her career: roughly eight to nine years in public accounting, then head of HR at another firm, then about ten years with a Japanese conglomerate, Mitsui. She describes cultural differences at the Japanese company: relationship-building, the “ringy” process (needing consensus from many people), and the need to engage in non-work conversation before work talk. She shares a story about a code-entry error that produced multiple memos and made her feel like she was living an “Office Space” moment. Jeff and Angela discuss how office rhythms and politeness differ across cultures and organizations. Angela says later she moved to a community bank CHRO role in Brooklyn; when the bank was sold in the pandemic she reassessed and moved toward fractional/interim CHRO work and teaching — leveraging her experience going into companies during transitions. She mentions accounting-firm sales training early in her career and that she’s “dangerous” at selling herself; also ties her teaching to early acting lessons and “interacting” skills.

They turn to the book and the skill-stacking framework. Angela explains the idea of inventorying and intentionally categorizing one’s skills instead of assuming you have no skills. She outlines categories in her stack model:

Supportive skills: foundational expertise (examples she names include accounting and employment law).

Tactical skills: execution skills — getting things done, project management, time/task management, resource allocation.

Adaptive skills: ability to pivot, learn from feedback, take feedback constructively rather than fight it.

Complementary skills: people-related abilities and emotional intelligence (EQ) — empathy, relationship-building (she gives a vivid hospital anecdote where a staffer’s comforting, practical human response mattered more than clinical intervention).

Knowledge-seeking: ongoing learning and curiosity, the polymath concept and making connectors among different domains.

Jeff and Angela discuss AI: Angela uses AI in her work but notes it tends to be optimistic and encouraging and may not tell her when an idea is a bad one. Jeff recounts the story about AI warning him not to plug a CPU into an incompatible system. They discuss limits of AI and nuance: Angela emphasizes the human ability to read subtext, in-person dynamics, and emotional cues in organizations — things she believes AI can’t replicate. Jeff and Angela also discuss image-generation tools: Angela has experimented with them, found mixed results (about “forty percent” success in her words), and recounts trying to generate an image for a white paper and getting irrelevant outputs (a “rose” instead of the intended interconnected GROWING acronym). Angela links this back to knowledge-seeking and prompting skill development.

Angela says she’s developing a free app that will let people upload resumes to visualize their skill stacks; she invites listeners to get on the list. She gives her contact info: the website stackingyourcareer.com, LinkedIn (Angela Finlay), and a YouTube channel called Stacking Your Career where she posts videos about the concepts. Jeff repeats the site and they discuss audiences and career planning briefly: Jeff references the FIRE movement (financial independence/retire early) as context for needing ways to make money; Angela stresses building and tracking transferrable skills so people can pivot across a long career span, mentioning the idea of a “sixty year career” and the U-shaped curve of happiness (listeners are told people burn out or are bored after many years and should plan to pivot).

The interview wraps up with Jeff thanking Angela for the conversation and inviting her back. Angela agrees. Jeff jokes about “skill building” to end the recording. Tim Paige’s outro thanks listeners, points them to the show notes at vvveer.com (transcribed as “v v veer dot com / triple v v double e r dot com”), and signs off.

Connections

Website

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Michael Brooks – From Corporate IT to Internet Marketing (BOV)

By YooperSmith | April 13, 2026

Michael Brooks of Nuclear Chowder Marketing started out in IT…but quickly learned he wasn't very good at it…he was good with people, selling, and getting jobs. Mike has had a fascinating life with loads of veers….not so much vrooming.

Vrooming with Corporate IT Support job

Installing windows, working trouble tickets…not really good at it.

His boss told him that he wasn't very good at IT

Switched to working a sales support role in IT…which Mike really liked.

Tried his hand at programming…didn't like it.

He found out he was more creative, working with people and selling…also great at getting jobs.

Veer for Y2K

Tons of IT jobs supporting Y2K.

Got into web application development a little.

Martial Arts School Veer

His friend who owned a Martial Arts School started asking him “business” questions…even though he didn't have a clue.

He started working with his friend as an adviser.

One day, his buddy gave him a Dan Kennedy a marketing tape (cassette tape).

Grandfather has a heart attack at Mike's Wedding

Grand mom moves in while grandpa is in recovery

His 12 year-old cousin died of congenital heart disease.

Totally rocked Mike's world.

Mike was in the Air Force, but was never in the Air Force

He graduated high school barely, by the skin of a “D”.

He dropped out of community college.

He joins the Air Force as an Administrative Specialist and is waiting to depart for basic training in the delayed enlisted program.

Before he can leave for basic, he is in a serious motorcycle accident.

His recruiter does the wrong thing and tells Mike to report to basic training without telling anyone about his accident.

Mike was in too much pain to complete basic training, so he left and never went back.

Links

Nuclear Chower

@MichaelSBrooks on Twitter

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Mac Prichard – Find a Job that Matters (BOV)

By YooperSmith | April 6, 2026

This is one of my favorite episodes. I learned about about me and my current thoughts on MY career and work. I learned that I'm done with my “career” and mostly in pre-retirement wind down phase. You might learn something about you as well.

Mac Prichard is the founder and publisher of Mac's List, an online community for people looking for rewarding, creative, and meaningful work. More than 80,000 people a month visit the site, which includes a job board, a blog, and courses about the nuts and bolts of job hunting and career management.

A leading career expert, Mac helps people who are looking for a job during all of life's transitions: millennials getting a first job, midlife professionals switching sectors, parents getting back to work after raising a family, or baby boomers who want to change careers.

Mac is proud to own two registered B-Corp companies, which use the power of markets to solve social and environmental problems. His is the author of “Land your Dream Job Anywhere” and hosts the weekly podcast, Find Your Dream Job.

Mac Prichard Vroom Veer Stories

Why we need to get off the computer and talk to people before we interview

8 of 10 jobs are never listed on job boards, those are filled through “word of mouth”

How to get an “informational interview” with someone in your field

Why building relationships should come become you send a resume; and how to “give first”

Volunteering in groups related to your desired field can help you build real relationships

Finding a great job is a skill that we all need to learn and continually hone

Networking doesn't have to feel icky, if you ask the person how you can help them

Mac Prichard Connections

macslist.orgLinkedinFacebookTwitter

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Pratima Aravabhoomi – Inspiration through Design (BOV)

By YooperSmith | March 30, 2026

Pratima Aravabhoomi is an amazing person to talk to…perfect for my show. Willing to discuss all the little struggles that we ALL go through, but never share on social media (wonder why?). That's ok, take a break from swiping for all while and check out another Best of VVV that you might have missed.
Pratima Aravabhoomi (pronounced pruh-TEE-muh AH-ruh-VAH-BHOO-mee) is a designer, quote expert and the founder of CraftStreetDesign.com. She is on a mission to help you achieve your goals, be happy, and pass on the inspiration to everyone around you through her designs.
Pratima Aravabhoomi Vroom Veer Stories

In India, didn't really like school too much, but loved to learn
In college, only attended one math class, skipped all the others
At age 20, got married through an arrangement; moved from India to Alabama
Later, words saved her life when she had thoughts of suicide; helped her think things through
Job of a lifetime offer rescinded because she failed a mandatory fire safety test
Re-married and moved to Silicon Valley; worked at Apple as a consultant; didn't drink the cool aid
Inspired by the words that saved her life; created Craft Street Design creating beautiful inspirational words

Pratima Aravabhoomi Links
Artist Page
InstaGram

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Lama Kathy Wesley (BOV) Journalist to Buddhist Lama

By YooperSmith | March 23, 2026

Lama Kathy Wesley (Lama Gyurme Chötsö) has been a student of Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche since 1977. She participated in the first three-year retreat led by Khenpo Rinpoche at Karmé Ling Retreat Center in upstate New York, and thus earned the title of 'retreat lama.' Now, as a lama, Kathy serves at the Columbus Karma Thegsum Chöling as its practice coordinator, and travels to other Buddhist centers throughout the country to teach. Kathy is a graduate of Ohio State University with a bachelor's degree in journalism. She lives in Newark, Ohio with her husband, Michael Wesley.

Lama Kathy Wesley Vroom Veer Stories

We share stories of our shared loved of nature in childhood growing up in the Midwest, Lama Kathy in Ohio, and Michigan for me.

Lama Kathy talks a little bit about being raised in the Catholic tradition and feeling the spirit of christ during childhood.

During College, Lama Kathy was pretty stressed out and was looking for way to alleviate that stress and found Yoga. This was her first introduction to eastern spiritual traditions and teaching.

After college she started working close to home as a journalist. She had an opportunity to interview a Tibetan monk (Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche) for her newspaper.

After the interview Lama Kathy asked about learning about Buddhism, when he predicted that someday Kathy would “leave it all behind” meaning her stressful job, and attend a retreat…turned out he was right, but someday was 15 years later.

Kathy attend a 3-year retreat thinking that when it was over she would go back to work, but instead she became a retreat lama and teacher.

We talk about we her day-to-day life is as a Lama, which is much like a parish priest or Lutheran pastor.

We chat about the benefits of meditation and how after some time in the practice, you begin to see your behavior and authentically want to behave better, which was my experience.

Lama Kathy Wesley Links

Lama Kathy's Website

Be Here Now – by Ram Das

Grist for the Mill – by Ram Das

Find out more about Lama Kathy's Lineage at kagyu.org

Book: Dharma Paths, by Khenpo Karthar

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Dr. Carri Drzyzga – Reclaim Your Energy and Feel Normal Again (BOV)

By YooperSmith | March 16, 2026

Dr. Carri Drzyzga (Driz’ ga) is internationally known as ‘The Functional Medicine Doc’ – the go-to expert on finding the root causes of health problems so you can feel normal again. She is a chiropractor and naturopathic doctor, host of the popular podcast “The Functional Medicine Radio Show”, and author of the hit book “Reclaim Your Energy and Feel Normal Again! Fixing the Root Cause of Your Fatigue with Natural Treatments”. Dr. Carri’s newest program is a home study course called “Entrepreneurial Fatigue: How to Fuel Your Brain & Body for Entrepreneurial Success”. Her private practice is Functional Medicine Ontario located in Ottawa, Ontario.

Dr. Carri Drzyzga Vroom/Veer Stories

Working as a Chiropractor and not really liking it

Veering back to school in Chicago, moving from Canada to become a naturopathic doctor.

Dr. Carri tells her story about how after College in Chicago, she thought she just needed some time off to rest up

Turns out she was her own first patient, she had to figure out what was taking away her energy

We talk about some of Dr. Carri's patients and their stories

Some of the “usual suspects that can cause fatigue” are:

Anemia

Thyroid Problems

Cortisol Imbalance

Blood Sugar Imbalance

Nutrient Deficiencies

Chronic Infections

Hidden Food Allergies & Sensitivities

Vitamin R, Rest, Relax, Recreation

Reframe “exercise” as FUN that is also active…whatever that is for you.

Meditation (like Sam Harris)

Yoga (if that is fun for you)

Boxing (Dr. Carri loves to beat up punching bags)

Dr. Carri Drzyzga Links

Dr. Carri's Web Site

Dr. Carri on Facebook

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Mark Winters – From Rocket Science to Rock Roll on the Road Bringing Positive Vibes

By YooperSmith | March 9, 2026

Texas-based rock singer-songwriter Mark Winters is many things; a witty poet, passionate musician, entrepreneur, optimist, family man, and a bonafide rocket scientist. He first picked up a guitar to play a song for his wife on their anniversary. That’s when he discovered the joy of connecting with people through music. Mark combines music, poetry, a science background, and love for his community to form his signature sound, “rock with a positive vibe.”His musical roots are in rock, blues rock, and pop, and John Mayer, Tom Petty, and Jason Mraz are significant influences. “My music starts from a place of poetry and creative inspiration, and I use my ‘rocket-scientist brain’ to find structures that help me explore that initial burst of inspiration and feeling – like writing haikus, my favorite! My grandmother taught me to express myself through poetry and I’m thankful to her for setting me on this creative and expressive path.”Mark has a degree in Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical Engineering, and his math and science background guides his musical explorations. He likes taking complex things such as emotions and expressing them in a way that’s easy to understand. Balancing his right-brained creativity with his analytical left-brain is part of a life-long journey; music is one more place where he can explore this balance.

Mark Winters Vroom Vroom Veer Show Summary

Jeffery and Mark discussed Mark’s music career and upcoming tours. Mark shared details about his “Good Vibes Highway Tour” in the spring and a fall tour, as well as plans to release new music in March and May. He expressed his passion for both music and his previous career as an aerospace engineer, describing how music has become a fulfilling passion project for him.

Mark’s Diverse Interests and Career

Mark shared his diverse background, including his studies as an aerospace engineer and his passion for poetry, which he pursued as a personal hobby with his grandmother. He discussed his work in the aerospace industry, including his experience with simulation design and training for projects like the Apache and F-16 aircraft. Mark also mentioned his appreciation for music and how it played a significant role in his life, regardless of the activity he was engaged in.

Mark’s Guitar Learning Journey

Mark shared his personal story of taking up guitar playing in 2011 as a New Year’s resolution to play a song for his wife’s anniversary. He approached Steve at Smack Guitars, who agreed to teach him both playing and singing, despite Mark’s complete lack of musical experience. Mark chose to learn “What You Give” by Tesla, a song that resonated with him about giving rather than receiving, though he acknowledged it was challenging both to play and sing.

Music’s Power to Connect

Mark shared his experience of learning to play guitar and performing a song for his wife at a restaurant, which led to a profound emotional connection and realization of music’s power to create meaningful experiences. He described how he initially struggled with remembering chords and lyrics simultaneously but found a creative solution by hiding them inside an anniversary card. The story concluded with Mark reflecting on how this experience in 2011 changed his perspective on music as a powerful means of connection, prompting him to continue learning guitar.

Forming the Band Agave Report

Mark shared his experience of forming a band called Agave Report with Manish, a talented musician he met who played guitar and sang beautifully. They recruited a drummer and bass player to form a garage band, with Mark initially taking on the role of lead guitarist and backing vocalist. The band played eclectic covers including songs by The Doors, Eagles, and modern artists like Neon Trees, performing their first show in 2014 or 2015.

Mark’s Musical Journey and Adaptation

Mark shared his musical journey, starting with a band where he struggled to sing certain songs due to personal reasons, leading him to write his own music in 2018. He released his first album in 2019 and faced challenges during a tour when COVID-19 hit, but adapted by performing online. Post-COVID, he focused on acoustic music and connected with other singer-songwriters, eventually growing his audience and performing at venues like the House of Blues Bronze Peacock Room in Houston. Mark emphasized the importance of connecting with his audience and the positive impact his music has had on people’s lives.

Music Industry Challenges and Opportunities

Mark discussed his experiences as a musician, particularly in Houston and Las Vegas, noting the challenges small to mid-sized venues face due to economic viability issues post-COVID. He highlighted the need for musicians to be versatile and self-sufficient, mentioning the importance of community engagement and the DIY approach in the current music industry.

Connections

Mark Winters Music

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Chanda Coston – From Profound Hardship, Service in the Navy, Success in Business to Coaching

By YooperSmith | March 2, 2026

Chanda Coston, is a business strategist and coach dedicated to helping women entrepreneurs in the third quarter of life create businesses that truly reflect and support their current season. Her work centers on clarity and confidence instead of burnout, offering straightforward systems so women can reclaim their vision and thrive. With over two decades in corporate strategy, extensive entrepreneurship, and a background as a USN veteran and mother to five, she knows what it’s like to navigate new directions after life changes. She guided more than 100 women to build businesses that fit where they are now, using focused project management, automation, and actionable steps.

Chanda Coston Vroom Vroom Veer Show Summary

Overcoming Adversity Through Education

Chanda Coston discussed her journey from a challenging upbringing in Hampton Roads, Virginia, to becoming a business strategist and coach for women over 40. She shared her experiences of dropping out of high school at 15, obtaining a GED through Job Corps, and later joining the Navy as an aviation storekeeper, where she earned an associate’s and bachelor’s degree. Chanda also talked about leaving an abusive marriage and using the military’s educational benefits to further her education. She emphasized her passion for helping others transition into entrepreneurship and viewed her own experiences as a testament to overcoming adversity.

From Military to Entrepreneurial Mentorship

Chanda shared her career journey from the military to government contracting and eventually starting her own firm, which she had to pivot from when she lost her brother to gun violence. She established a nonprofit in response to this tragedy, which led her to explore mentorship and coaching. Chanda discussed her professional background in logistics, engineering, and project management, and the challenges of transitioning from a corporate to an entrepreneurial mindset. She also described the devastating story of her brother’s murder and the subsequent lack of justice in the case, which deeply affected her and her family.

Trauma and the Pursuit of Justice

Chanda shared her experience of a traumatic event involving her brother’s murder, which was initially pursued as a case but was later dismissed due to witness intimidation. She expressed frustration and anger over the justice system’s failure to prosecute the perpetrator, despite the evidence and her willingness to relive the trauma for justice. Chanda concluded by reflecting on the importance of love and support, emphasizing that love often requires selflessness and sacrifice.

Government Contracting Career Transition

Jeffery and Chanda discussed Chanda’s military background and transition to government contracting and coaching. Chanda shared her experience as an aviation storekeeper in the Navy and her subsequent career in consulting and contracting. They explored the challenges of starting a business and the importance of building relationships in the government contracting sector.

Connections

Website

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Adele Spraggon Shift: Four Steps to Personal Empowerment

By YooperSmith | February 23, 2026

Adele Spraggon is an award-winning author, thought leader, and internationally recognized expert in personal development, mindset transformation, and neuroplasticity. With a deep understanding of behavioral change, she helps individuals break free from self-sabotaging patterns and rewire their thinking for success. Adele’s innovative four-step approach, rooted in neuroscience, empowers people to shift their mindset and achieve lasting transformation. She has received numerous accolades, including the Woman of Inspiration: Customer Experience Award and Top Behavioral Expert of the Year. As a sought-after keynote speaker and trainer, she inspires audiences worldwide to embrace change and unlock their full potential. Adele is the author of Shift: 4 Steps to Personal Empowerment, a best-selling guide to overcoming mental roadblocks and achieving personal breakthroughs. Passionate about guiding people toward a more fulfilling life, she continues to make a profound impact through her coaching and thought leadership.

Adele Spraggon Vroom Vroom Veer Summary

Adele discussed her business growth, including her decision to train facilitators, which represents a significant step toward creating a lasting legacy. She shared her personal journey, including her upbringing in Venezuela and her current dual citizenship as a British and Canadian citizen. Adele expressed excitement about transitioning into retirement while ensuring her business continues to thrive.

Childhood Experiences with Mental Illness

Adele discussed her childhood in Venezuela, where her mother, struggling with a mentally ill husband, moved with their three young daughters to a new country. Adele attended school in Ontario, Canada, where she faced self-esteem issues. They explored how mental illness medications were less effective in the past, with Adele’s father being diagnosed with various conditions including bipolar disorder and paranoid schizophrenia. The conversation concluded with a discussion about brain chemistry and overdose prevention, drawing parallels to addiction rituals and the body’s natural protective mechanisms.

Overcoming Trauma and Finding Fulfillment

Adele shared her journey from surviving high school to pursuing accounting despite lacking self-esteem, influenced by childhood trauma. She described her career transition from accounting to running a daycare, which she found fulfilling despite the challenges. Adele also mentioned her struggle with panic attacks and her decision to seek therapy, eventually leading her to write a book about behavior change and the human subconscious.

Self-Discovery Technique for Panic Attacks

Adele shared her personal journey of overcoming panic attacks and other behavioral issues through a process of self-discovery and reprogramming. She explained how she transformed her understanding of her brain’s patterns and developed a technique involving four steps to address and rewire negative thought processes. Adele successfully applied this method to eliminate her panic attacks and quitting behavior, and she later decided to teach this technique to others by gathering 13 friends in her basement to share her approach.

Meditation Research and Brain Studies

Adele and Jeffery discussed the effectiveness of a four-step meditation process, with Adele sharing her extensive meditation experience and Jeffery exploring how meditation can enhance sensory awareness. They agreed on the potential benefits of using fMRI technology to study brain changes during the meditation process, with Adele mentioning a former participant who is now pursuing a PhD to conduct research on the four steps.

Empowerment Technique and Practice

Adele shared a technique for personal empowerment involving four steps: identifying a pattern of physical sensation, emotion, and thought without judgment; acknowledging that one created their reality; deconstructing the pattern; and creating a new pattern. She emphasized that this process, similar to exercise, requires daily practice and takes about 6 weeks for the brain to adapt. Adele encouraged Jeffery to try the technique, which is detailed in her free book available at shift4steps.com.

Morning Routines

Jeffery shared his morning routine tips, including getting morning sunlight before 10 AM, taking electrolytes with water, and delaying coffee for 90 minutes to improve sleep and reduce cortisol levels.

Connections

Website

Shift4steps.com – Free copy of Adele’s book

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Chris Parker – How a Simple Website born in 2000 now Pays his Bills (BOV)

By YooperSmith | February 16, 2026

Chris Parker is the founder of WhatIsMyIPaddress.com, the number one IP address lookup website. Chris started the website in January 2000 and for the first five years his revenue didn't even cover his internet bill. In 2014, Chris was laid off from his corporate job and was faced with the scary opportunity to make his website a full-time business.
Chris Parker Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in Tustin California and has lived within a 10 mile radius of home his whole life
Went to Cal State Fullerton for about a year; not a great student–then attend the local community college for more years he wants to disclose; quit school when he realized his part time job was paying more than the what college grads were earning
Worked in sales for a company called “Club Mac” selling Macintosh computers via a mail order catalog and in-person; not a great salesman; was talking people into buying cheaper computers
Worked on IT and web stuff near the birth of the internet for Club Mac; at that time there wasn't an easy way to figure out your public IP address
He build a server out of spare parts and set it up in his house to run the first version of WhatismyIPaddress.com. No graphics, it just returned the IP address.
At some point he was getting alerts telling him the harddrive was nearly full; the traffic logs were building up
Verion .1: He offered to answer questions via email; he just the email traffic to generate a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) list
A few years later Google Adsense call along; and decided to throw up a banner ad and it made a little bit of money; neat!
Warning! Geek Content!: The server ran in Chris's house from pre-google time until 2014; he had a half rack server with UPS's in case of power outage and a very high electric bill trying to keep the house under 90 degrees and he was spending way too much money paying for internet bandwidth
His wife points out that it might not be the best idea to have all the business assets in their house; a break in would effectively kill the business
Strange as it sounds there were about six co-location facilities in Tustin within 1 mile of his house; bring your server there and plug it into their facility and you rent power, bandwidth, HVAC, and security.
In 2014 he was selling life insurance online; the economy tanked and people were getting laid off work; Chris was asked to transition from full to part time
Went back to full time for a while; but eventually he was let go entirely; Should I get a job or work full time on the website business?
They experimented with working on the business for six months; which made enough to keep going—he has now replaced his job income with the business revenue
Version .2 of the website, no graphics, bar on top, bar on bottom and a wall of text
Version .3 he hired a graphic designer to make the site look much better GRAPHICS!
Version .4 hired a couple of content writers to create blog content related to online security and internet privacy
How important it is to use a VPN (virtual private network) to secure your internet connection; most businesses out there don't know how to secure their network and the ones that do are breached all the time
On a trip to Taiwan from Sinapore his wife gets sick; in the airport in Taiwan there was a medical station using an infrared “fever detector” to find sick people and put them in quarantine; Chris noticed in time to put himself the detector and his wife and they made through
Barf bag of the month club for dog owners who get queasy when picking up dog poo; start collecting those barf bags from airplanes
You can verify that your VPN is working on Chris's site; you can also verify the country of an IP address; helpful to verify an internet order before you ship

Chris Parker Connections
Website – WhatismyIPAddress.com

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Lauren Gaggioli Entrepreneur, Podcast Host, Friend – BOV

By YooperSmith | February 9, 2026

Lauren Gaggioli is the founder of Higher Scores Test Prep – an online SAT & ACT test prep company – and host of The College Checklist Podcast. Lauren is also the founder of Gold Star Test Prep, an in-home SAT & ACT tutoring company. With Gold Star, I’ve been serving families throughout Southern California for 7 years. She is a beer geek, a tech nerd and one of my new favorite people. Check her out on Twitter.

Lauren Gaggioli Vroom Veer Stories

In High School she was really prepping for College totally in Vroom mode

She veered to NYU school of theater, which was very different from her roots as an academic roots.

She didn't feel like she belonged in the community of actors.

She finished her bachelor's degree in 3 years and then moved back to Southern California to pursue acting.

Veer away from acting and returned to her roots as an academic.

She started working as a SAT/ACT tutor as a job.

Veered away from “employee” and started her own SAT/ACT tutoring company

Learned how to do most of her tutoring online, so she spends significantly less time driving from client to client

Lauren Gaggioli Links

Lauren's Web Page

Higher Scores Test Prep

The College Checklist Podcast

Gold Star Test Prep

Jimmy Fallon “Ew” Video

That Guy…Who was in That Thing…

Robert Patrick on Nerdist Podcast

Buffer App for Social Media

Social Ommph

Chris Brogan

Subscribe = Love 😀

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Dr. Will Haas – Take Charge of Your Health

By YooperSmith | February 2, 2026

Dr. Will Haas, MD, MBA is redefining what it means to age well. He is the Founder and CEO of VYVE Wellness in Charlotte, NC, where he helps high-achieving professionals reclaim energy, focus, and vitality through cellular optimization.

Board-certified in Integrative and Family Medicine, Dr. Haas blends advanced therapies—IV nutrient infusions, therapeutic peptides, hyperbaric oxygen, and red light therapy—to deliver measurable results that help patients feel decades younger.

Beyond VYVE, he co-founded OvulifeMD, creating natural fertility protocols, and serves as Chief Medical Officer at Infusive, supporting wellness practices nationwide. His expertise has been featured in Men’sJournal, Daily Mail, Yahoo Life, and Woman’s World Magazine.

Passionate about bridging science with practical results, Dr. Haas empowers high-performers who want more than just longevity—they want their best years ahead of them.

Dr. Will Haas Vroom Vroom Veer Summary

Journey to Integrative Medicine

William shared his journey from medical school to finding his passion in integrative medicine, which focuses on using a variety of healing modalities to optimize health. He initially struggled with the conventional approach to medicine, which primarily focuses on treating diseases, and decided to pursue business studies during his medical training. However, a personal loss led him to fulfill his father’s dying wish to complete his medical degree. William eventually found his calling in integrative medicine, which he believes should be the standard approach to healthcare, combining the best of conventional and alternative treatments.

Cellular Optimization and Health Strategies

Jeffery and William discussed the concept of cellular optimization and the importance of addressing toxins and oxidative stress in the body. They explored how factors like poor diet, lack of sleep, and environmental exposure can contribute to cellular damage and reduced energy levels. Jeffery shared his personal experience of reducing sugar and processed foods intake, which led to improved health and well-being. They also touched on the idea of getting a CT scan for a calcium score as part of a proactive approach to prevent heart attacks.

Cardiovascular Health Assessment Strategies

Jeffery and William discussed cardiovascular health, diagnostic tests, and therapeutic peptides. William explained the importance of assessing inflammation levels, homocysteine, and other markers to evaluate heart attack risk. They talked about the benefits of advanced lipid panels and the role of Apo B and oxidized LDL in predicting cardiovascular events. William shared a success story of a patient who improved his health through dietary changes, gut healing, and IV nutrient therapies. They also briefly discussed the potential of therapeutic peptides under medical supervision.

Connections

Website

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Meghan Cathlin – Leading with the Heart

By YooperSmith | January 26, 2026

Photo Credit: Leah Muse

Meghan Cathlin is a writer, speaker, and founder of Considerate Ventures. For over 25 years, she has been a trusted advisor to authors, celebrities, CEOs, and dignitaries, in high-stakes environments and heart-centered missions. She lives in Austin, Texas, with her son Greyson and their two dogs, Lucy and Django.

Meghan Cathlin Vroom Vroom Veer Show Summary

Journey of Healing and Resilience

Meghan Cathlin, author of “Leading with the Heart,” discussed her journey of personal growth and resilience following the loss of her father to suicide at a young age. She shared how this experience shaped her worldview and inspired her book, which combines memoir and prescriptive elements. Meghan also highlighted her current projects, including writing her next book and supporting clients through her agency, Considerate Ventures. The conversation explored themes of healing, self-compassion, and finding meaning in life’s challenges.

Overcoming Poverty and Bullying

Meghan shared her experiences growing up in poverty and the impact it had on her mental health and social life. She discussed how she was open about her struggles, which helped her cope but also made her a target for bullying. Meghan described the challenges of dealing with mean girls in elementary school and the deteriorating situation at home, including her sister’s rebellion and attempts at suicide. The conversation touched on the universal reasons behind bullying and the importance of resilience in overcoming difficult experiences.

Overcoming Challenges to Success

Meghan shared her personal journey, which began with dropping out of school at age 12 and engaging in rebellious behavior, including drinking and experimenting with drugs. She eventually found success through a job at a jewelry supply store, which led her to pursue a career in the music industry as a concert promoter. Despite not receiving a traditional education, Meghan was able to earn a high school diploma by working part-time and completing assignments on Fridays.

Education and Knowledge Gaps

Jeffery and Meghan discussed the importance of education and how reading, even fiction, can fill knowledge gaps. They also talked about the stigma associated with not having a high school diploma and the value of obtaining one. Meghan shared her experience working in the concert promotion industry in the late 1990s, before it became more centralized.

Career Journeys and Personal Motivation

Meghan shared her career journey from working at a rock concert promotion company to a corporate event agency, where she learned different aspects of event management. She discussed her personal motivation, which was driven by a desire to prove herself after facing judgment and bullying during her childhood. Jeffery shared his academic experience, noting his natural ability to succeed in subjects like science and English without much effort, which he attributed to his parents’ work-hard-play-hard values.

Journey to Authentic Success

Meghan shared her journey from an aggressive pursuit of success to finding a more fulfilling path through personal growth and coaching. She discussed her book “Leading with the Heart,” which explores the disconnect between societal success metrics and true happiness. Meghan emphasized the importance of listening to one’s heart by recognizing what brings joy (YES!) and avoiding activities that drain energy (Uhgs). She also highlighted the need to balance authenticity with practical responsibilities.

Connections

MeghanCathlin.com

Considerate Ventures

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Dr. Thomas Recher – Positivity Effect (BOV)

By YooperSmith | January 19, 2026

Dr. Thomas Recher helps individuals with hearing impairment sharpen their ability to communicate and in some instances reconnect to the world of sound. Right before he began college, Dr. Tom's brother sat him down and said, “To live a fulfilled life, find a career in life that you would love waking up to every morning – where it doesn't feel like work” Nine years later, Dr. Tom successfully obtained his doctorate and opened a private practice in audiology right out of school. The road was bumpy, but with the assistance of great mentors and the power of positivity, he celebrated the office's one year anniversary this past September. Now he's also the host of a podcast called The Positivity Effect. He quickly realized the importance of mentors in his life and now he wants to pay it forward. Dr. Tom is inviting everyone to join him in creating a ripple effect of positivity in the world.

Dr. Thomas Recher Vroom Veer Stories

Started out in accounting for his under-graduate degree…then walked out of a class and had to change his major

Changed his Major to Speech and Language Pathology, which was better…but not quite right

Finally found the world of audiology, helping people with hearing impairments

Teamed up with this friend, who happened to be a Chiropractor who ran his own business for 10+ years

Launched his own business right out of college and has been working at for a year now

Launches his on podcast “The Positivity Effect” on 23 Nov to spread the word on the benefits of a positive mindset

We talk about how important mentors are in his life and how even mentors you never meet can change your life.

Dr. Thomas Recher Links

Website

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Cat Rose – The Creative Introvert (BOV)

By YooperSmith | January 12, 2026

Cat Rose helps creative introverts reach their goals through coaching, online programs, step-by-step guides and my online membership community the League of Creative Introverts.

Cat Rose Vroom Veer Stories

Feeling thoroughly drained at an office job, didn't know why

Quit job to start freelance work; but first took a trip to Japan

Learning that introverts use energy when interacting with large groups people

Helping introverts sell their art in ways that feel good to an introvert

Why Japanese people put non-sense English words on products

Why heated toilet seats in Japan are essential

Accidentally walking into someone's home looking for an Osen (hot bath) oops!

Cat Rose Links

The Creative Introvert

The League of Creative Introverts

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Dan Erickson – Simple Living (BOV)

By YooperSmith | January 5, 2026

Dan Erickson is a minimalist. He spent most of his life trying to simplify. He rejects the ways of consumption and waste and prefer to produce and renew. He is an author of several books and a single Dad.

Dan Erickson Vroom Veer Stories

Living in a cult as a slave boy. How did that happen?Transitioning from cult back to freedom in foster care.How did Dan learn to forgive people after being in a cult?How Dan used writing and blogging as his own therapy for PTSD, which he didn't know he had.Finishing up a trilogy of novels based on his experiences living in a cult & his recovery.Turned off internet for the summer to unplug. How did that work out?How did you get interested in a more simple life?

Dan Erickson Links

WebsiteA Train Called ForgivenessAt the Crossing of Justice and MercyAlways On: Language in an Online and Mobile World, by Naomi BaronEssentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less, by Greg Mckeown

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Brad Szollose Inspiring a Multi-Generational Workforce – BOV

By YooperSmith | December 29, 2025

Brad Szollose says: “Has anyone noticed that there is a generational divide these days? Today we have 4 very defined Generations working side-by-side. Generation Y are also called Millennials or Digital Natives and working with Baby Boomers and Traditionalist. Ever wonder why this is an issue all of a sudden?”

And WHY is Generation X being ignored?

Brad Szollose (Zol-is) is a global business adviser and the foremost authority on Generational Issues and Workforce Culture Strategies who specializes in helping businesses large and small ignite their business productivity.

Author of the award-winning, international bestseller Liquid Leadership: From Woodstock to Wikipedia, Brad is a former C-level executive of a publicly traded company that he cofounded that went from entrepreneurial start-up to IPO in three years; the first Dot Com Agency to go public on NASDAQ. His company K2 Design, experienced 425% hyper-growth, due in part to a unique management style that won his company the Arthur Andersen NY Enterprise Award for Best Practices in Fostering Innovation among his workforce.

Today, Brad helps smart companies like Dell and MasterCard, understand just how much technology has transformed a new generation, and how that impacts corporate culture, management interaction, expectations, productivity and sales in The Information Age.

Brad Szollose Vroom – Veer Stories

Story about Star Wars – How did you discover this modern global “myth” that is so influential?

Video games in the home changed digital natives into an on-demand culture.

Student-Centered education went mainstream, flowed into the workplace

I was born in 1969…so what does that make me? I am pre-1977…but I love Star Wars! 😀

And WHY is Generation X being ignored?

GenXers have an opportunity to serve as a bridge between generations, I speak some of both of these languages.

Why are Valve and Zappos so scary to Boomers?

What does the future hold for Baby Boomers?

Brad Szollose Generational Distinctions

Pre-1977 Analog aka Digital immigrants

Post 1977 Digital Natives

Brad Szollose Links

Brad's website is at: www.bradszollose.com

Brad Szollose on Twitter

Brad's Keynote Promo Video (Funny and informative)

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Shannon Ryan – Money, Feelings and Dealing with Shame

By YooperSmith | December 22, 2025

Shannon Ryan is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) with over 30 years of experience guiding individuals and families through the emotional side of money. Known for her relatable insights and warm, clear style.

Shannon combines deep financial knowledge with a heart-centered approach to help people move from money stress to empowerment.

She’s the author of the upcoming book Your Money Has Feelings and a seasoned media guest, having appeared on CNBC, Good Morning America, and TEDx. Shannon’s work focuses on uncovering the beliefs and wounds that silently shape our financial behavior—and showing people how to rewrite them. Whether she’s advising clients or speaking to audiences, Shannon helps others understand why they do what they do with money, and how to build lasting confidence rooted in clarity, not shame.

Shannon Ryan Vroom Vroom Veer Summary

Emotional Aspects of Financial Decisions

Shannon discussed her book “Your Money Has Feelings,” which explores how personal experiences and emotional responses influence financial decisions. She emphasized that money issues often stem from unconscious emotional responses rather than a lack of funds, and she highlighted the importance of understanding these underlying factors to better manage finances. Jeffery agreed with Shannon’s perspective, noting that money-related problems are complex and not solely about having enough money.

Money’s Emotional Impact on Lives

Jeffery and Shannon discussed their personal experiences with money and its impact on their lives. Shannon shared her childhood experiences growing up in a divorced family where money was used as a tool for power, which shaped her views on financial independence and earning potential. Jeffery introduced the concept of the Financial Independence Retire Early (FIRE) movement and discussed his own journey towards financial independence. They both agreed that money is an emotional topic and that financial literacy goes beyond just knowledge, involving personal experiences and emotional wounds.

Financial Decisions and Learning Insights

Jeffery and Shannon discussed the changing landscape of information access and its impact on research and learning. Shannon shared a personal story about helping clients align their financial decisions with their personal goals, emphasizing the importance of questioning cultural expectations and societal pressures. Jeffery recounted his own experiences with homeownership and financial decisions, highlighting the lessons learned from missed opportunities and financial challenges. Both agreed on the value of learning from mistakes and moving forward with newfound knowledge.

Vacation Home Investment Myths

Shannon and Jeffery discussed the misconceptions around real estate investments, particularly vacation homes. Shannon emphasized that while owning a vacation home may not be a sound financial investment, it can provide personal fulfillment and create lasting memories. They also touched on the changing dynamics of rental markets and the importance of aligning personal values with lifestyle choices when deciding where to live.

Client Expectations and Ethical Investing

Shannon shared a personal story about a client who was dissatisfied with his 37% portfolio return in 1998, despite it being significantly higher than expected, because he felt his neighbor who invested entirely in tech stocks performed better. This led to a discussion about how money is a primal and emotionally charged topic due to its connection to basic needs and societal judgment, and how financial advisors must balance client expectations with ethical investing practices.

Financial Risks and Professional Advice

Shannon shared a personal story about a client who lost 80% of their retirement investments after taking unnecessary risks, leading to a difficult parting of ways. She emphasized how fear and greed can make people vulnerable to poor financial decisions and fraud, while also discussing the importance of professional financial advice. Jeffery shared his own experience of receiving early financial guidance from an uncle and learning about The Motley Fool’s resources, which helped shape his investment approach.

Retirement’s Emotional and Financial Transition

Shannon and Jeffery discussed the transition from working to retirement, emphasizing that while managing finances is relatively straightforward, the emotional aspects of retirement are more challenging. Shannon highlighted the importance of understanding one’s financial flow and overcoming emotional barriers to engage with money management tools. They agreed that while resources for retirement planning are freely available, many people avoid addressing their finances due to emotional resistance.

Empowering Financial Planning Conversations

Shannon and Jeffery discussed financial planning, focusing on the importance of understanding one’s spending habits and addressing the emotional challenges associated with financial discussions. Shannon emphasized the need to move away from self-judgment and shame when talking about finances, suggesting a more empowering approach to conversations with family and friends. Jeffery expressed interest in learning how to facilitate such discussions and shared a personal belief in taking responsibility for one’s life, regardless of the circumstances.

Mindset and Money Discussion

Shannon and Jeffery discussed the power of mindset in relation to money, with Shannon emphasizing that positive thinking can lead to better financial opportunities. They also talked about Shannon’s upcoming book “Your Money Has Feelings” and her website. Jeffery mentioned that the podcast episode would be released the following Monday and offered Shannon a link to the Zoom recording for her social media use.

Connections

Website

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Anup Desai – How to Reduce Idle Capacity (BOV)

By YooperSmith | December 15, 2025

Anup Desai is a Professor of Geography, Founder of Rentah.com, Lover, Fighter, Activist and concerned human.

Anup Desai is an activist, Professor of Geography and Political Science for the City University of New York, and the Founder of www.Rentah.com (Rent Whatever, Whenever). They are a diverse and passionate Sharing Economy Start-Up that is looking to change the way people consume their goods, promote their services and connect within their community.

Geography shows us that populations are increasing, consumption habits are increasing and money is becoming more and more unequally distributed in our society. Anup's desire to facilitate change gave birth to www.Rentah.com. Rentah.com is a website and app that allows people to rent out and resell their goods and services. The less we buy and the more we rent the less stuff we have to take out of the good earth! It also has the added benefit of keeping our money and resources local.

Anup's mission is to reduce idle capacity – not only in goods but in the skills we hold! Be sure to check out his appearance on BBC World News discussing income inequality.

Anup Desai Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in Staten Island New York 1st generation immigrant family from India

Felt like he was part of the only brown family in Staten Island

Interned as a “brand ambassador” for rum company; went to bars; drank the rum

Completed his Master's degree in Mexico City, classmates were an ambassador's son; and an asst to the VP of Mexico

We know there is a lot shitty about capitalism; how do we make it better?

One defense project might fund basic needs to millions of potential terrorists?

Protesting is cool, but at some point you need to start doing something other than marching

Anup Desai Links

Rentah – Rent Whatever, Whenever

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Monica Shah – Healing our Relationships with Money (BOV)

By YooperSmith | December 8, 2025

Monica Shah is a seven-figure business coach who helps entrepreneurs build businesses that support their ideal lifestyles. After receiving her MBA from the Kellogg School of Management and working in marketing for L'Oreal Paris, Monica left corporate to start her first company – and then her second company, Revenue Breakthrough. Today, she takes her clients step by step through building, growing and expanding their businesses. She combines her business acumen with her intuition and healing abilities to help her clients get unstuck, eliminate self-sabotage and move through fear. She is also the author of Getting Rich: You're Doing It Backwards and Pause: 52 Questions that Lead to More Money and Time.

Monica Shah Vroom Veer Stories

Worked with animals at the Cincinnati Zoo in high school and into college; was planning on a career working with animals; discovered she was allergic to animal hair and had to work with people instead

In college majored in religion, environmental science, and writing–those seem disconnected but they all served her well in her future life and work

First job out of college she worked project management and change management for a consulting firm; helped Ralph Lauren put their brand on the web during the dot.com boom; the person in charge of web development at Ralph Lauren was 28 years old

Did her MBA and then got a job with L'Oreal of Paris; Monica stuck out like a sore thumb–the company is run by smart beautiful women really into hair and makeup since a young age–much like the movie “The Devil wears Prada”

Working @ L'Oreal emptying bottles of lotion at 2 am with her boss who says–“Is this NOT the MOST fun thing you've ever done?” The question led Monica to leave L'Oreal and start her own business

Leaving L'Oreal she had the experience of doing 3 product launches a year; so she thought she was hot shit and was going to just kill as an entrepreneur right away; the reality was after a year she was 25K in debt and couldn't figure had to pay it off

Stuck in a mode of working 60 hours/week so she didn't have to work 40 hours/week for someone else; walked dogs, did cat sitting, did focus groups and rented out her apartment; rock bottom was sitting on floor in a New York subway feeling like a bag lady

She gave herself one year to figure out this business thing (with help) and if it didn't work; she would go get a job. She learned that she was doing the business steps in the wrong order; like writing a book when you don't have money for groceries

Once she learned the 5 steps and the right order in which to take the steps; she was able to make enough money in her business to pay off her debt she also put 12K in the bank; every year after that she was able to double or triple her revenue

How feeling shame about not making money holds us back from making money

One “money type” is an avoider who has difficulty looking at numbers related to money; conversion rates; sales figures; sending out invoices

Monica Shah Connections

Revenue Breakthrough

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Michelle Dutro Pull Your One Thread and Change your Life (BOV)

By YooperSmith | December 1, 2025

Michelle Dutro, is a veteran of the military and fire department. She has over 15 years’ experience in preventive medicine, which she emphasizes good health as she works to motivate others to pursue their passions in life with her classes and podcast.

Michelle Dutro Vroom Veer Stories

We swap stories about the Air Force and Michelle interviews Jeff

Michelle tried to changed the military…and then got out early!

Michelle talks about a veer moment after working in sales 15 years

Thinks through all the helper professions and lands on firefighter

Later, realized she'd really rather help people prevent 911 calls

Moved into coaching and preventive medicine, yoga, meditation

Jeff's one thread right now is a 45-day no alcohol experiment

If you want some free coaching invite Michelle to be a guest on your podcast

Michelle Dutro Links

Inner North Star – Website

The Game Changer Podcast

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Kevin Donlin – Marketing Multipliers (BOV)

By YooperSmith | November 24, 2025

Kevin Donlin has been in marketing since 1994, when he sold one of the first ebooks. Since 1998, he’s been a copywriter and marketing advisor, delivering sales gains of more than $1 million on multiple occasions to clients. He's author or co-author of 5 books, including the new “Marketing Multipliers.

Kevin Donlin Vroom Vroom Veer

A jock in high school; also got highest score in his city college entrance exam

That test score earned him $250 per month; beer money!

Started teaching English in Japan; got to write text books too; created a job

Made Fedex.com in 1994; looked up UPS boxes too and did a little marketing for FedEx

Thought about being a high school teacher; decided it wasn't for him after subing for two years

Created the Paper Email by printing an email and mailing it to Seth Godin; Seth called!

Marketing Multipliers are a low/no cost tool to greatly increase effectiveness of marketing

Kevin Donlin Connections

Website (Client Cloning System)

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Jonathan Harrison – Video Games Teach Success (BOV)

By YooperSmith | November 17, 2025

Jonathan Harrison, MBA, ODCC is the author of Mastering The Game: What Video Games Can Teach Us About Success In Life available in paperback and Kindle on Amazon. He is also an Organizational Development Practitioner, TEDx Speaker, and Podcaster on the topic of life and leadership lessons that can be learned from video games, found on ClassicallyTrained.net.

Jonathan Harrison Vroom Veer Stories

How a rejection from TEDx became not only a book, but ALSO a TEDx talk

Realized that there isn't “one person” out there in the world who will be your “life” mentor

Found a mosaic of mentors in non-fiction books were better than one person in many ways

How Half-Life 2 uses great game design to subtlety teach the player how to play the game

Jon found that using stories and lessons from video games is a highly engaging method for gamers

Portal 2 CO-OP teaches you about your problem solving preferences, your strengths, your weaknesses.

When Jon started blogging about life lessons from games…traffic blew up!

Jonathan Harrison Links

Jonathan's Web Site – classicallytrained.net

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Eric North – The Happiness Warrior

By YooperSmith | November 10, 2025

Eric North is a multiple entrepreneur and lifelong resident of Washington DC. He is the founder and CEO of Performance Rejuvenation Center, Washington, DCs premier anti-aging clinic established in 2011. All of his business endeavors focus on helping people feel better, live healthier, and promote inner happiness.

Eric is a strong proponent for the value of transformational living in creating greater health and happiness in our lives. He's known professionally as his alter-ego The Happiness Warrior, with a mission to increase happiness in our own lives and the lives of others.Eric is an avid fitness enthusiast, aging advocate, writer, entrepreneur, tv personality, and motivational figure.

Eric North Vroom Vroom Veer Show Summary

Eric's Journey to Happiness Warrior

Eric discussed his journey from being a frustrated high achiever to becoming a happiness warrior and entrepreneur. He shared his transition from owning a longevity clinic to embracing the role of a motivational speaker and content creator, with a significant following on Instagram. Eric emphasized the importance of happiness and purpose, especially as he ages, and highlighted his mission to inspire others to live fulfilling lives.

Reflections on Happiness and Impact

Jeffery and Eric discussed their personal experiences and perspectives on life, happiness, and the importance of making a positive impact on others. Jeffery shared his realization about his health after observing his peers in the military, while Eric reflected on his rebellious youth, love for adventure, and the influence of his aunt, who was known for her ability to make people feel happy and comfortable. Both emphasized the value of laughter, listening, and genuine connections in enhancing happiness and customer service interactions.

Emotional Control and Personal Growth

Eric and Jeffery discussed the importance of maintaining control over emotions and the impact of being overly aggressive or sensitive. They agreed that awareness of one's behavior is crucial to avoid repeating negative patterns and to recognize the potential for personal growth. They also touched on the challenges faced by introverted individuals and the value of constructive criticism in personal development.

Reflection and Forgiveness in Growth

Jeffery and Eric discussed the importance of reflection and forgiveness in personal growth. They explored different perspectives on forgiveness, including a new interpretation of Jesus' words on the cross. Eric shared his experience with a difficult relationship 25 years ago with a sociopath, which he eventually escaped and learned valuable lessons from. Both agreed that asking for help is crucial for personal development and that challenging experiences can lead to growth and self-discovery.

Energy Vampires and Self-Discipline

Jeffery and Eric discussed personal experiences with energy vampires and the importance of self-discipline. Eric shared his belief that self-discipline is a form of self-love, emphasizing the need for consistency in creating better habits. They briefly mentioned a TV show called “What We Do in the Shadows” which features an energy vampire character.

Morning Routine and Mindset

Eric shared his morning routine and philosophy on managing fear, emphasizing the importance of daily affirmations and maintaining a non-fear-based mindset. He discussed his exercise routine, which includes walking before sunrise and incorporating home workouts like inclined push-ups and stretching. Eric highlighted the benefits of simple, free exercises like shoulder rolls for reducing stress and lowering blood pressure. Jeffery shared his experience of improving his diet after retirement and agreed on the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Balanced Diet and Healthy Eating

Eric discussed his disciplined and balanced diet, which includes fresh, locally-sourced produce from farmers' markets and occasional fine dining. He emphasized the importance of proper food preparation and eating according to daily needs rather than strict macros or calorie counting. Eric shared his rule of incorporating green vegetables into every other meal to promote satiety and healthy digestion, and he noted that intermittent fasting, while popular, may not be practical or effective for everyone.

Healthier Diets and Meditation Practices

Eric and Jeffery discussed the health impacts of different diets, with Eric emphasizing the importance of food quality and the benefits of pasta made from healthier European wheat. They also talked about alcohol consumption, with Eric sharing his personal experience of reducing alcohol intake due to its negative effects on health and sleep. The conversation concluded with Eric describing his nighttime meditation practice, which involves breathing exercises and a routine of reflecting on the day and expressing gratitude.

Intuitive Health and Gratitude Practices

Eric and Jeffery discussed the importance of intuitive health practices and the benefits of breathing through the nose, with Eric sharing his experience of using nose clips while exercising. They explored the concept of gratitude and mindfulness, with Eric mentioning his Hawaiian heritage and a heart-hugging exercise he demonstrated on television. The conversation concluded with Eric encouraging listeners to connect with him on Instagram (@thehappinesswarriorofficial) and expressing his desire to build a community of happiness warriors, including initiatives for children.

Connections

Website

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Diane Kahn – Humans of San Quentin

By YooperSmith | November 3, 2025

Diane Kahn, is a founding member and Executive Director of Humans of San Quentin.During the last seven years of volunteering at San Quentin to help incarcerated men get high school diplomas, Diane has been deeply moved by the vulnerability and emotional intelligence shown by the incarcerated humans she works with. Diane feels a tremendous responsibility to share their stories with the outside world. The Humans of San Quentin. team shares the lives of thousands of people inside prison with the outside world through letters, art, and poetry. Through face-to-face interviews with people in prisons around the world, incarcerated people feel seen, heard and a part of the outside world. Each time a story is shared, it transforms the lives of the prisoners. Diane has an unstoppable dedication to helping victims and offenders heal and transform their lives.

Diane Kahn Vroom Vroom Veer Show Summary

Humans of San Quentin Project

Diane Kahn discussed her work with Humans of San Quentin, a website inspired by Humans of New York that shares stories and art from incarcerated individuals. She highlighted the contributions of team members inside San Quentin, including Bruce Fowler as art director and Alex as poetry director. Diane explained that the project began when Juan, a journalist she met while teaching, expressed his desire to share the stories of incarcerated men. The website aims to shed light on the human experiences and conditions within prisons, with the goal of reaching a wide audience.

Rehabilitation and Reintegration Challenges

Diane shared her experience teaching at San Quentin prison for seven years, where she discovered that most inmates are ordinary people who made mistakes early in life, contrary to media portrayals. She described how her interactions with inmates broke down stereotypes and highlighted the need for better rehabilitation and reintegration programs, such as work release and exposure to freedom, which are lacking in the US compared to countries like Norway. The conversation also touched on the challenges former inmates face upon release, including the difficulty of finding employment due to their criminal records, and the lack of a clear plan for reintegration into society.

Empathy and Change for Humans Struggling

Diane and Jeffery discussed the challenges faced by individuals with nowhere to go, emphasizing the need for change and support. They shared personal stories, including Freddie Lopez's experience of overcoming prejudice due to tattoos and finding employment in prison, which highlighted the importance of giving people opportunities to express themselves. Jeffery also shared insights about body language and cultural perceptions of tattoos, emphasizing the need for understanding and empathy. They agreed on the significance of listening to and sharing these stories as a step toward change.

Inmate Education and Healing Programs

Diane shared stories about incarcerated individuals who are actively writing and publishing, including a journalist who writes for the New York Times. She highlighted the unique opportunities at San Quentin prison for education and rehabilitation compared to other prisons. Diane also discussed a program called “raw crime” where inmates share intimate details about their crimes, which Jeffery supported as an important part of healing. Finally, Diane described a powerful “Day of Healing” event at San Quentin where victims of violent crimes shared their stories, and mentioned a program called Ahimsa Collective that facilitates victim-offender dialogues.

Transformative Power of Victim Dialogues

Diane shared her experience conducting interviews for a podcast focused on victim-offender dialogues, highlighting the powerful stories of individuals involved in these conversations, including Elle, who forgave her daughter's killer. She emphasized the transformative potential of these dialogues and the efforts of victims like Elle in advocating for prison reform. Jeffery expressed admiration for Elle's courage and the broader impact of such dialogues, while Diane noted the disparities in sentencing and incarceration practices in the U.S. compared to other countries.

Preventing Crime Through Community Support

Diane and Jeffery discussed the challenges of forgiveness, particularly in the context of Alan's upcoming release from prison and the emotional impact on Elle. They explored the systemic issues contributing to mass shootings and incarceration, including the lack of early intervention and support for individuals with learning difficulties, mental health issues, and trauma. They agreed that implementing school-based monitoring, community wellness centers, and better support systems for families could help prevent future offenses and create safer communities.

Generational Parenting and Criminal Justice

Jeffery and Diane discussed generational differences in parenting and childhood experiences, particularly regarding bullying and independence. They agreed that while today's children are more sensitive and have access to more information through the internet, they face steeper challenges after high school. Diane shared that she runs Humans of San Quentin, which tells stories of people in the criminal justice system, and expressed interest in doing more speaking engagements and podcasts with formerly incarcerated individuals. They agreed to meet again in about 6 months to continue their conversation.

Connections

Website

The Prison Podcast (on Spotify)

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Stephen Seidel – Shift the Script to Write your Own Story

By YooperSmith | October 27, 2025

Stephen Seidel is a TEDx keynote speaker, media expert, and brand strategist who helps entrepreneurs, startups, and HR leaders drive cultural alignment and authentic leadership. As founder of the award-winning Seidel Agency and coach to changemakers, he draws on 25 years in PR, media, and marketing to help leaders rewrite their stories, leveraging connection as currency. A best-selling author, podcast creator, and co-founder of the men’s collective Gents Journey, Stephen blends humor, heart, and actionable tools to inspire resilient teams and lasting change.

Steve Seidel Vroom Vroom Veer Summary

Journey of Growth and Legacy

Stephen discussed his multifaceted career, including his work with the Seidel Agency, which has collaborated with Coca-Cola, and his creation of Gents Journey, a platform aimed at fostering vulnerability and connection among men through a card deck called the Journey Deck. He shared his personal journey, including a TEDx talk on using grief as a tool for growth and his involvement in a fatherhood initiative where he witnessed a transformative moment of forgiveness. Stephen emphasized the importance of a morning routine and leaving a legacy, while Jeffery highlighted the value of consistent growth and prioritizing tasks.

Journey of Connection and Resilience

Stephen shared his personal journey, highlighting his upbringing in Utica, New York, and later Philadelphia, where he grew up in a divorced family environment. He described his role as a mediator between his parents, which shaped his identity as a connector. Stephen discussed his struggles with people-pleasing and the importance of self-love and boundary-setting. He emphasized the values instilled in him by his upbringing, including hard work, community, and resilience, and how these influenced his professional life and approach to fatherhood.

Journey to Storytelling Agency

Stephen shared his personal journey, explaining how his engineering background and people-pleasing nature led him to create an agency that connects individuals with their stories and partners. He discussed his experiences at CB West High School, Penn State, and his career at Motorola, while also touching on personal challenges such as hearing issues and a difficult childhood. Despite these obstacles, Stephen found confidence through his fraternity experiences and continued to pursue his passion for creative expression.

Career Transition to Entertainment

Stephen shared his career journey, which included acting in a Saturday Night Live sketch that was cut from the show, working as an industrial engineer at a semiconductor fab, and eventually transitioning to entertainment and creating his own YouTube agency. He discussed his experiences with emerging technologies and his involvement in various projects, including a YouTube show and a foundation created in memory of a 9/11 victim.

Journey Through Pandemic Challenges

Stephen shared his personal journey, including relocating to Lexington, Kentucky, during the COVID-19 pandemic while caring for his mother who had stage 4 cancer and a one-month-old baby. He described how he ran his virtual agency from a laundry room, using a makeshift setup with a logo on his shoulder. Through this challenging period, Stephen discovered the importance of self-love and the need to connect with others, leading him to join a meditation group called Meditation Hillsanga.

Journey to Authentic Connection

Stephen shared his personal journey of finding happiness by reconnecting with his true self and building a supportive community of entrepreneurs and fathers. He discussed the creation of a card deck with conversation starters to help men connect on a deeper level and address mental health issues. The discussion included examples of questions from the deck, such as “How do you show appreciation?” and explored various ways to express gratitude, including handwritten notes and voice messages.

Finding Growth in Adversity

Stephen and Jeffery discussed the importance of maintaining relationships and showing appreciation to loved ones. They explored how negative experiences can lead to positive outcomes, using personal examples to illustrate this concept. The conversation touched on the theme of love and connection, with Stephen sharing his emotional connection to the Philadelphia Eagles and his late parents. They agreed that focusing on the silver linings in life and finding teaching moments in adversity can lead to personal growth and meaningful experiences.

Mindfulness Practices for Anxiety Management

Stephen shared his personal journey with mindfulness and meditation practices, including weekly sessions led by Pat Croci and the use of three-word mantras to stay present. He discussed how these practices helped him manage anxiety and negative self-talk, particularly through techniques like naming internal voices and engaging in creative activities like morning pages and artist dates. Stephen emphasized the importance of intentionality in his work and meetings, where he incorporates self-sharing and setting intentions to stay focused and adaptable.

Productivity and Wellness Strategies

Stephen and Jeffery discussed personal productivity and wellness habits inspired by Tim Ferriss's books. They shared strategies like structuring morning routines, prioritizing important tasks before checking emails, and incorporating healthy habits such as hot baths, lemon water, and moderate alcohol consumption. Jeffery mentioned an app called “The Way” for meditation and expressed interest in exploring these practices further.

Meditation and Community Sharing

Jeffery and Stephen discussed meditation practices, including a guided candle meditation app and the Japanese concept of Kintsugi, which emphasizes beauty in imperfection. Stephen shared details about his weekly meditation group, which meets on Sundays at 11am on Zoom, and invited Jeffery to join. They also discussed Stephen's website and media platform for sharing personal stories, as well as his community for men called GentsJourney.co. The conversation concluded with Stephen offering to promote Jeffery's upcoming podcast episode on LinkedIn, and Jeffery warning against sharing personal phone numbers online.

Connections

Agency: TheSeidelAgency.com

Coaching: StephenSeidel.com/Media

Men’s Group: GentsJourney.co/join

TEDx Talk: https://rebrand.ly/seidelspeaking

Social Media handles are @StephenSeidel and @TheSeidelAgency + @GentsJourneyco across all platforms

www.LinkedIn.com/in/StephenSeidel

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JV Crum III – Conscious Millionaire (BOV)

By YooperSmith | October 20, 2025

J V Crum III helps entrepreneurs grow six and seven figure conscious businesses that combine making high profits with making a positive impact. He is a speaker, coach, Huffington Post Columnist, and best-selling author of “Conscious Millionaire: Grow Your Business by Making a Difference.” He hosts the top-ranking Conscious Millionaire Podcast and is Founder of ConsciousMillionaire.com, a global coaching and wealth product business. He holds an MBA, JD, Masters in Psychology, and has built and sold successful companies.

JV Crum III Vroom Veer Stories

JV went to High School in Tokyo? No wait…that's not right…but funny!

Great story about how NOT to over gift to your best customers during the holidays.

Turns out JV was not born a seven figure conscious entrepreneur…money was tight

When JV was 5 years old, he decided the best way to make sure he had enough candy, was to become a millionaire

At age 25, he had achieved his dream/plan that he hatched at age 5…he was a millionaire!

Realized he felt empty…he had all the money and the stuff, but something was missing.

Went on a 15 year journey of growth and self discovery…learned helping people was more meaningful than money

JV Crum III Links

Free Gift

WEALTHFORMULA

Conscious Millionaire Podcast:http://consciousmillionairepodcast.com/

Conscious Millionaire Website:http://consciousmillionaire.com/

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Kristin Thompson – Rocking and Laughing to Success (BOV)

By YooperSmith | October 13, 2025

Kristin Thompson's popularity has skyrocketed as she's gained recognition in recent years as a top speaker and coach helping purpose-driven entrepreneurs, coaches and consultants grow their business by speaking their mission and serving their purpose in a way that naturally transitions more prospects into paying clients. Using speaking as her top marketing strategy Kristin has built a multiple six-figure business working 3 days a week, and she wants to show you how to do the same.

Kristin Thompson Vroom Veer Stories

Made a conscious choice with her husband to veer away from the corporate job to raise a family

Found an amazing opportunity earning great money as a speaker…with no speaking experience (gulp)

Learned she really loved speaking and made it the foundation of her business

Burnt out her adrenals and learned she had to invest in self care

When you are over tired you don't notice until AFTER you get some good sleep

Told her assistant NOT to book her lunch break, even if she tells her too

Great story about making more money and not feeling “the rush” of victory

Kristin Thompson Connections

Kristin's Web Site

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Phillip Carson – You Don’t Need Another Drug (BOV)

By YooperSmith | October 6, 2025

Phillip Carson, President of Carson Natural Health, LLC is a Pharmacist who thinks outside the box of traditional medicine. He believes in helping people find natural alternatives and integrative nutritional solutions to their health problems. He is committed to leading people to finding the root cause of their health problems and not just treating the symptoms. Phillip is passionate about encouraging and teaching people how to live more balanced, healthier and vibrant lives. He believes in equipping people with the knowledge to make the right choices for optimal health.

Phillip Carson Vroom Veer Stories

Veered away from Air Force ROTC in college due to a “bad” superior

How CoQ10 saved the life of a patient who's doctor sent him to hospice (to die)

Veered away from a stressful job and had to spend years repairing the damage

Any diet you choose should allow you to comply most of the time and still cheat a little

Jeff recently learned that the fillers in supplements may be causing an allergic reaction

Chinese medicine intends to work “WITH” the body's natural processes

Jeff learned to take responsibility for his own health, with the help of experts

Phillip Carson Links

Dr. Phil's Web Site (get your free energy guide)

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Matt Miller – We grow in the Valleys of Life (BOV)

By YooperSmith | September 29, 2025

Matt Miller spent the first 9 years of his career as an Air Force pilot, before entering the corporate world to work at both Abbott Laboratories and Valassis. While a top performer for both companies, his long term desire was to start a business and be his own boss. A good friend one day mentioned the gum ball machines he and his young daughters owned, and that conversation began a 10 year business quest that has brought Matt's franchise company, School Spirit Vending, to the cutting edge of both the vending and school fundraising industries. Today, the School Spirit Vending franchise is helping professionals across the country develop more freedom and security, while supporting local schools at the same time.
Matt Miller Vroom Veer Stories

Achieved a big win at a sales job, ranked #2 in sales for the company.
Boss increased his sale quota by over 80% and set him up to fail; cost him $80k
Matt was denied a payday loan, you don't even need a credit score to get a payday loan
The hard part about driving a C-5 Galaxy in the Air Force is on the ground, not in the air.
There is no growth at the peak of the mountain…it's rocks and snow. In the valley there is lots of growth.
A business idea starts as buying a gum ball machine on E-bay for 35 bucks. Now it's a franchise.
Business systems that support your life, not a life that supports your business

Matt Miller Links
School Spirit Vending

Free E-Book

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John Kippen – What Makes you Different is your Superpower

By YooperSmith | September 22, 2025

John Kippen is an entrepreneur, professional magician, speaker, resilience and empowerment coach and published author.

John was dealt a bad blow in 2002 when he was diagnosed with a large benign brain tumor. Its removal, although successful, left him with permanent facial paralysis which stopped his forward momentum forcing him into hiding for more than 12 years.

As John hit bottom, he rediscovered his childhood love for performing magic and storytelling . Now filled with passion and hope , he discovered that his facial difference had become his greatest superpower.

This new mindset gave John the strength to live life with joy and become a sought after resilience and empowerment coach who uses the lessons and methodologies he learned overcoming his adversity to inspire and assist his clients to get out of their own way and live their best lives.

His two mottos are

“ Being Different is your Superpower!” and

“Feed your Heart with your Art”

John Kippen Vroom Vroom Veer Show Summary

John's Journey Through Health Challenges

John shared his personal story, beginning with his childhood in Los Angeles and his education at a private school where he became involved in theater. He described his early career in computer consulting, which he started in the 1980s after setting up a computer lab at Cal State University, Northridge. John then explained how his health issues began in 2002 with hearing problems, specifically difficulty hearing men's voices, followed by dizziness a month later, leading him to undergo an MRI despite his claustrophobia.

Brain Tumor Discovery Experience

John shared his experience of discovering a brain tumor through medical imaging in 2002. After getting X-rays at a hospital and taking them to an ENT specialist, he was referred to the House Ear Clinic where a surgeon diagnosed a 4.5 centimeter acoustic neuroma brain tumor that was killing him. John emphasized the importance of having someone present during medical consultations to help remember details and ask questions, as he found himself struggling to recall important information after the shock of the diagnosis.

Brain Surgery and Recovery Journey

John shared his experience undergoing brain surgery, describing the pre-surgery preparation and the challenging recovery process. He recalled being confronted by his anesthesiologist about insurance coverage just before the procedure, and waking up to find his face paralyzed, which affected his mother's reaction to his condition. John also mentioned developing a spinal fluid leak that required a second surgery after returning home.

Embracing Difference Through Curiosity

John shared his personal experience of hiding for 12 years after brain surgery, during which he isolated himself from social activities and work. He described a pivotal moment at a restaurant when a young boy asked about his face, which inspired John to reflect on how children's natural curiosity and lack of judgment differ from adults' reactions. John used this experience as the basis for his TED Talk about treating people who are different with respect and compassion.

Transforming Challenges into Magic Performances

John shared his journey of using his personal story of brain surgery and facial paralysis to enhance his magic performances. He explained how he transformed his condition into a storytelling asset by incorporating it into his act and sharing personal experiences with audiences. John also described how his story resonated with others facing medical challenges, including a specific instance where his performance inspired a man named Ron to fight his cancer diagnosis.

John's Magical Trebek Encounter

John shared his experience writing a book titled “Playing the Hand You Are Dealt” and offered listeners a PDF version if they listen to the end of the show. He recounted performing magic for Alex Trebek at Trebek's 75th birthday party, where he created a special show with a Jeopardy theme. After the performance, John shared a meaningful conversation with Trebek about the impact of Trebek's work, which left Trebek emotionally moved as he had rarely received thanks for his life's work.

Empathy and Serendipitous Opportunities

John and Jeffery discussed their personal experiences with unexpected opportunities to help others. John shared his journey as an empath, describing how he initially resisted this ability but now views it as a way to help people. Jeffery recounted a story about meeting an older couple at a bar who shared a heartbreaking story about losing their son, which led to a meaningful connection. Both participants reflected on how these experiences felt like the universe bringing them into situations where they could provide comfort or guidance to others.

Building Resilience Through Empowerment

John discussed his approach as a resilience and empowerment coach, emphasizing his focus on helping people overcome adversity and develop personal insights rather than providing direct answers. He explained his coaching methodology involves building rapport, asking leading questions, and guiding clients to discover their own realizations, which he believes is key to effective coaching. John shared his personal experience of healing and developing a system to help others build resilience, describing it as the ability to quickly recover from setbacks.

I'm Possible” Dream Coaching Method

John discussed his coaching method called the “I'm Possible” approach, which focuses on helping clients break down dreams into achievable micro-dreams to overcome limitations and find personal happiness. He emphasized the importance of dream work in his practice, noting that many people struggle because they're living someone else's dreams rather than their own. The conversation concluded with both participants agreeing on the importance of examining how people contribute to their own unwanted life conditions.

Jamie Lee Curtis Mentorship Journey

John shared his story of meeting Jamie Lee Curtis through his IT work and how she became his mentor, leading to her appearing in his documentary “John's Ultimate Illusion” which won awards at film festivals. John also discussed his coaching practice at KippenCoaching.com and mentioned his best-selling book for which Jamie Lee Curtis wrote the foreword.

Connections

JohnKippen.com

KippenCoaching.com

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Travis Chappell – Build Your Network (BOV)

By YooperSmith | September 15, 2025

One of my big “Whys” for doing this podcast is because it allows me to chat with amazing folks who I would otherwise never meet. Travis definitely fits in the category of “amazing people”!

Travis Chappell is a direct sales expert who has built teams for several sales organizations over a few different industries and is also active in the real estate market. More recently he decided to pursue his passion of helping others and founded Build Your Network, a podcast dedicated to helping professionals grow their inner circle.

If you have ever wondered how to meet the influential people in your industry, if you have ever been frustrated because you just aren’t moving forward in your career as quickly as you thought you would, if you don’t lack ambition or a thirst for learning, but just can’t seem to get ahead, then look no further than Build Your Network.

If you believe that who you know is more important than what you know and that purposeful and persistent networking is crucial to accomplishing your goals in any area of life, then this is the podcast for you.

Three days a week, we will be having a conversation with a person who is considered to be a leader and professional in their field. We will hear stories from them on how certain connections with people in their lives led to accomplishing specific goals; we’ll get the best tips and tricks on how to network effectively, gather their thoughts on the importance of networking, and much more! Each episode is geared toward you, the aspiring professional, and helps you to uncover the secrets of networking in order to push you to the next level of success in your life.

Travis Chappell Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in Lancaster; moved to Frenso briefly then back to Lancaster

How he ended up moving back into the house he grew up in

Volunteered to run John Lee Dumas' both at Podcast Movement

Landed Chris Guillebeau as a podcast guest because he helped JLD

His ebook “Groupology” describes how to be giving, patient and genuine

Building your inner circle is a long play game; not a quick fix short cut

Using facebook groups to be genuine, giving and patient works when done right

Travis Chappell Links

Website

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Tracy Gapin, MD – Start your Peak Performance Journey Today

By YooperSmith | September 8, 2025

Tracy Gapin, MD, FACS, is a renowned expert in men’s health optimization and longevity, with over 25 years of experience as a board-certified urologist. He founded the Gapin Institute to help high- performing individuals, including entrepreneurs, executives, and athletes, achieve peak performance through personalized health programs. Dr. Gapin integrates advanced diagnostics, epigenetics,hormone therapy, and wearable technology to monitor and transform his clients’ health, focusing on sustainable, measurable outcomes.

A thought leader and author of bestsellers Male 2.0 and Codes of Longevity, Dr. Gapin has been featured on NBC, Entrepreneur Magazine, and at Dave Asprey’s Biohacking Conference. He is a member of the American Academy of Anti-Aging, the Age Management Medical Group, and the International Peptide Society.

Tracy Galpin, MD Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Journey from Doctor to Burnout

Tracy shared his journey from knowing he wanted to be a doctor in 4th grade to completing urology residency training, during which he made the decision to specialize in urology after his third year of medical school. he described the intense 6-year surgical training period, including working 120 hours per week, and his subsequent career in a busy Sarasota practice. However, Tracy eventually encountered burnout and disillusionment halfway through his career, which led him to seek a different path.

Healthcare System's Impact on Doctors

Jeffery and Tracy discussed the challenges faced by healthcare professionals due to the influence of hospital systems and insurance companies, which often prioritize bureaucratic processes over clinical judgment. Jeffery shared a revealing conversation with a rheumatologist who expressed frustration with the system, highlighting the disconnect between insurance policies and medical advice. Tracy agreed, emphasizing that doctors are often caught between providing patient care and adhering to corporate demands, while the financial security of their positions keeps them from leaving the system.

Wellness Entrepreneurship Transition Journey

Tracy discussed his transition from traditional medicine to a focus on wellness and longevity, driven by a personal health crisis and newfound passion for preventive healthcare. He described the challenges of combining clinical training in areas like epigenetics and functional medicine with the business aspects of entrepreneurship, including marketing and building a cash-based practice. Tracy emphasized the importance of financial preparation and his wife's support during this significant career shift.

Overcoming Fear in Life Decisions

Tracy and Jeffery discussed the challenges of making significant life decisions, particularly how fear of the unknown can paralyze individuals. Tracy shared his journey of regaining certainty and conviction, emphasizing the importance of resourcefulness once a decision is made. Jeffery highlighted that making a decision often feels like jumping off a cliff but, in reality, it's not as daunting as it seems, as one can always return to a previous state if necessary. They also briefly touched on Tracy's work with the Gappen Institute and Jeffery's health journey, which led him to adopt a healthier lifestyle.

Personalized Health: Beyond Traditional Approaches

Jeffery and Tracy discussed the limitations of traditional healthcare and the importance of advanced testing for optimal health. They explored the concept of epigenetics, explaining how lifestyle, diet, and environment can influence genetic expression. Tracy emphasized the need for personalized health approaches based on genetic markers and individual needs, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. They also touched on the role of hormones, gut health, and metabolic markers in overall wellness and longevity.

Longevity and Muscle Growth Balance

Tracy and Jeffery discussed the science of longevity, focusing on the balance between muscle growth and longevity genes like mTOR. Tracy explained that while rapamycin shows promise in extending mouse lifespan, human studies are lacking, and the key to longevity likely lies in optimizing healthspan through factors like gut health, inflammation, and hormone levels rather than seeking a single “magic molecule.” They agreed that the optimal approach to mTOR regulation likely involves cycling between anabolic and longevity phases, with healthy protein intake and muscle maintenance being crucial components.

Scientific Health Information Discussion

Jeffery and Tracy discussed Rhonda Patrick's thorough and research-based approach to sharing health information, contrasting her with other influencers who lack credentials and proper scientific backing. They also talked about Jeffery's experience with Moringa supplements and their dosage, and Jeffery shared Tim Ferriss's anecdote about how increasing protein intake, particularly from grass-fed steak, improved a friend's testosterone levels and sexual performance. Tracy noted the importance of distinguishing between anecdotal evidence and scientifically backed information when discussing health topics.

Testosterone and Micronutrient Importance

Tracy explained the critical role of testosterone in men, emphasizing its importance for cognitive function, bone health, metabolism, and cardiovascular health, contrary to common misconceptions. He highlighted that low testosterone is linked to an increased risk of early heart disease and mortality, while optimal levels can reduce these risks. Tracy also discussed the importance of micronutrients like magnesium and potassium, which are often underappreciated but crucial for maintaining health, and he recommended high-quality multivitamins for optimal nutrition.

Sleep: The Key to Recovery

Jeffery and Tracy discussed the importance of sleep as a fundamental aspect of health, highlighting its role in muscle repair, hormone production, immune function, and memory consolidation. Tracy emphasized that many people underestimate the significance of sleep, noting that even those who believe they sleep well might not be getting enough deep sleep, which is crucial for recovery. They also touched on how poor sleep can hinder physical fitness gains, as muscle repair and growth occur during sleep, and suggested using wearable devices to monitor sleep quality for better understanding and improvement.

Wearable Devices for Sleep and Stress Tracking

Tracy and Jeffery discussed the importance of tracking sleep and stress using wearable devices, with Tracy emphasizing that sleep quality can be accurately measured by rings, which are more reliable than watches or bands. They explored how tracking metrics like heart rate variability (HRV) can provide insights into stress levels, using devices like the Morpheus or Polar H10 chest strap. Tracy highlighted that alcohol significantly impacts sleep quality and stress levels, often masked by individuals who underestimate its effects. They agreed that data from wearables can be a powerful tool for self-awareness and motivation to make healthier lifestyle choices.

Tracy's Peak Performance Coaching Services

Tracy discussed his work as a former urologist and current peak performance coach, offering remote services nationwide. He shared details about his website, gapininstitute.com/launch, which provides free resources including a health handbook, peptide guide, and book. Tracy clarified that his services are cash-based and not covered by insurance, though HSA funds can be used.

Connections

Sizzle Reel

Launch Page

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Kathy Fettke – Retire Rich w/ Rentals (BOV)

By YooperSmith | September 1, 2025

Kathy Fettke is the CEO of Real Wealth Network and best selling author of Retire Rich with Rentals. She is an active real estate investor, licensed real estate agent, and former mortgage broker, specializing in helping people build multi-million dollar real estate portfolios that generate passive monthly cash flow for life. With a passion for researching real estate market cycles, Kathy is a frequent guest expert on CNN, CNBC, Fox, Bloomberg, NPR, CBS MarketWatch and the Wall Street Journal. She was also named among the “Top 100 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs” by Goldman Sachs two years in a row.
Kathy Fettke The Real Wealth Show
Kathy hosts The Real Wealth Show, a featured podcast on iTunes with listeners in 27 different countries. Her company, Real Wealth Network, offers free resources and cutting edge education for beginning and experienced real estate investors. She’s passionate about teaching others how to create “real wealth,” which she defines as having both the time and the money to live life on your terms.
Kathy Fettke Vroom Veer Stories

Kathy admitted that she hung out with the Stoners in High School…yay stoners!
Visited Switzerland for a year before attended college, nobody drank or used drugs!
Gained a real appreciation for the US education system and got straight A's in college
Was able to intern in television at CNN and the like and was hired to a San Francisco Affiliate
Worked in television until she quit to become a stay at home mom
Big Veer, her husband was told he had six months to live…Kathy needed a plan to make money
She had a radio show, and decided to sell adverting…that didn't really work
She re-phrased the offer as a co-hosting opportunity, and that worked for a nice tidy sum
The show was such a success the co-host asked Kathy help him sell all the mortgages…so she got a mortgage license
This all led to creating the “REAL” wealth network, which is free to join and learn how to start investing in real estate

Kathy Fettke Links
Real Wealth Network

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Robert Klinck – Protect your IP (BOV)

By YooperSmith | August 25, 2025

Robert Klinck (aka “Bobby”) is an intellectual property attorney, who helps entrepreneurs, startups, and innovators harness the power of their intellectual property rights and reduce exposure to lawsuits or brand challenges in the marketplace. Bobby prides himself on making the complex issues related to intellectual property understandable for non-lawyers. He has published two books about intellectual property law. The Entrepreneur’s IP Planning Playbook and Patent Litigation Primer. He is currently working on a more ambitious project – a book to provide entrepreneurs with an overview of how to craft an intellectual property strategy from start to finish. Bobby has his law degree cum laude from Harvard Law School.
Robert Klinck Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up on the Texas-Mexico boarder; Dad ran a drug store
More academic than athletic but played all the sports up to his Freshman year
Veered away from a double-major undergrad degree; finished a humanities degree in 3 years
Accepted to Harvard Law school mostly based off his standardized test scores
Culture shock; moving from south Texas to Harvard; he felt more than a little out of place
Well placed law clerk position working for a famous judge while still in Law School
Worked in corporate law for a brief period; knew right away it wasn't for him
Became a federal prosecutor in Arkansas; got to work cases within months
Started working for a start-up law practice with 2 partners; didn't end well
Created Klinck LLC to help entrepreneurs plan for intellectual property from the start

Robert Klinck Links
Robert's Web Site

Social Media
Twitter – @BobbyKlinck
LinkedIn – www.linkedin.com/in/robertklinck

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Orion Talmay Get Inspired and Live Out Loud (BOV)

By YooperSmith | August 18, 2025

Orion Talmay is a love Coach and an international Speaker. She works with successful high achievers. Orion helps unleash feminine power and become a magnet for conscious relationships and love. She founded Orion's Method. Orion also hosts the popular podcast Stellar Life. She helps women to truly love themselves, elevate confidence, ignite passion and create a sense of freedom. Orion’s Method combines the physical, mental, sensual and spiritual aspects to create an integrated transformation. Orion traveled the world learning from leading luminaries in personal development, health/wellness, spirituality, relationships, and sexuality.
Orion Talmay Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in the Holy Land of Israel in Sin City of Tel Aviv
Served in the Intelligence Unit of the Israel Defense Forces; learned discipline
Got a job selling cars; didn't have a driver's license-felt bored
Found a travel guidebook for Japan; started highlighting and making plans
Went to Japan for a 3 week trip; stayed for 3.5 years travelling all over Japan
Slowly lulled into an abusive relationship; fought depression after her escape
Finally found transformation during a Tony Robins Date with Destiny
Learned her energy was more masculine than feminine; learned to embrace the Divine Feminine

Orion Talmay Links
Stellar Life Podcast

Orion's Method Website

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Eliot Wagonheim – Fire, Aim, …Ready (BOV)

By YooperSmith | August 11, 2025

Eliot Wagonheim selected as a Maryland Super Lawyer who SmartCEO Magazine named a Legal Elite “go-to” business lawyer and a 2016 Center of Influence award winner. He's the author of the Fire, Aim…Ready ebook series which teaches business people to maximize their potential and sleep better at night.
Eliot Wagonheim Vroom Veer Stories

Nearly died at age 12 after being stabbed at a bus stop
A nerd friend spent a month bringing him home work so he could keep up in class
Science teacher brought class to him while he was recovering
Law school was cut throat and not fun; but he made through
Spent 3 years helping his dad computerize and modernize his private practice
Spent 6 years learning the language of construction law
Started current law firm after a friend referred him because he didn't read Eliot's book

Eliot Wagonheim Links

Website
Facebook
Twitter @Wagonheim

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Kevin Murphy – Learn to Create Art without Limits

By YooperSmith | August 4, 2025

Kevin Murphy is a master illustrator, portrait artist, and art educator with over 30 years of experience. His career began in 1992 creating commissioned works for National Geographic, LucasArts, Barnes & Noble, Sega, and even the Rolling Stones’ Bridges to Babylon tour.

In 2001, Kevin transitioned into portraiture and later founded the Art Academy to make professional-level training accessible to everyone.

Today, Kevin leads Evolve Artist, an online painting program studied in over 70 countries. What sets his approach apart is a clear, fundamentals-first method that teaches realistic painting like a science—not guesswork. Students of all ages learn to paint confidently through a self-paced, feedback-supported system that emphasizes results over raw “talent.”

Kevin’s students, including retirees, engineers, and even surgeons, consistently outperform art school graduates with just a fraction of the time typically expected to develop such skills.

Kevin Murphy Vroom Vroom Veer Summary

Art Education and Career Evolution

Kevin shared his career journey, highlighting his transition from an untrained artist to a successful professional in illustration, portrait work, and education. He emphasized the importance of hard work and dedication over natural talent, recounting how he built a school and an online resource to provide accessible art education, which has expanded to 23 brick-and-mortar schools across the US and overseas. Kevin explained that the Evolve program, which is entirely online, focuses on providing structured, skill-building assignments with feedback, creating a supportive community for students worldwide.

Breaking the Cycle of Disadvantage

Kevin shared his experiences growing up in a tough neighborhood in the Bronx with three brothers, highlighting how his parents, who were not educated, emphasized the importance of education. He discussed how talent and resources often create a feedback loop, using examples from Malcolm Gladwell's “Outliers” about hockey players in Canada and quarterbacks, illustrating how early advantages can significantly impact an individual's development and opportunities. Kevin also mentioned his own challenges in school, which he attributed to his environment and the lack of resources available to him, emphasizing the importance of access to opportunities for personal and professional growth.

Journey From Sports to Art

Kevin shared his family background, highlighting his older brother's academic and athletic achievements, including his career in computer science and his athletic potential that was derailed by an injury. Kevin discussed his own educational struggles and preference for individual sports like wrestling, which he pursued due to his competitive nature and desire for personal achievement. He reflected on how his interests evolved from wrestling to art, where he found fulfillment in individual pursuits.

Thrill-Seeking Journey to Art

Kevin shared his past experiences of seeking thrill and adventure, leading to multiple concussions and injuries from his youth. He discussed how his high pain threshold and need for excitement led him to engage in risky activities, despite his family's concerns. As he aged, Kevin's physical condition deteriorated due to accumulated injuries, and he transitioned from construction work to pursue a career in art.

Kevin's Journey From Construction to Publishing

Kevin shared his career journey from being a construction worker to becoming a successful book cover illustrator and later a publisher. He described how he taught himself to read and fell in love with science fiction and fantasy, leading him to pursue a career in illustration. Kevin highlighted his notable projects, including working with George R. R. Martin on Game of Thrones and creating a Rolling Stones album cover. He also discussed his experience working with LucasArts on puzzles and toy packaging for Jurassic Park. Kevin's career transition from freelance illustration to opening his own publishing company was challenging, but he managed to publish over 150 titles before the company was forced to close.

Art School Transition From Publishing

Kevin shared his experience of closing down a struggling publishing company and transitioning to starting an art school. He described how a distribution company's decision to recall a million books from stores led to financial difficulties, which ultimately forced him to dismantle the publishing business. Despite the challenges, Kevin viewed the experience as a valuable business education that enabled him to later expand his art school and develop an online program with the help of a technical partner.

Value-Driven Business Growth Philosophy

Kevin shared his philosophy on building a successful business, emphasizing the importance of creating value for others rather than focusing solely on financial gain. He described how his art education program, Evolve, has evolved through 18 iterations to provide a frictionless learning experience, constantly improving based on feedback from thousands of students. Kevin explained that his mission is to make art education accessible to anyone who wants to learn, with the belief that if you focus on delivering value, financial success will follow naturally.

Art Education and Success Pathways

Kevin shared his personal journey from growing up in the Bronx to achieving success in the art world, emphasizing his commitment to giving back through education. He described his mission to create a platform that provides a clear path to success for aspiring artists, ensuring they don't face starvation. Kevin highlighted a student's inspiring goal of painting grandchildren, illustrating the value of art education beyond career aspirations. He also introduced a special landing page at evolveartist.com/vroom, offering free educational resources and a 9-minute video explaining art fundamentals in an accessible way.

Academic vs. Real-World Art Education

Kevin and Jeffery discussed the disconnect between academic education and real-world experience, particularly in fields like art and business. Kevin shared his personal experience as an educator and artist, highlighting how teaching forced him to better understand and articulate the principles of art. They agreed that practical experience is crucial for mastering a skill, and Kevin expressed his goal of fostering a new generation of artists who would surpass his own abilities.

Connections

Website

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Aaron Hendon – Must Knows before you Sell your Home (BOV)

By YooperSmith | July 28, 2025

Aaron Hendon is a Seattle Realtor, real estate investor, author, educator and speaker. He is managing partner of Christine & Company, a Seattle Magazine awarded, Five Star Real Estate Agent, winning team for the past 5 years and individual Rising Star in Seattle Real Estate winner this year.
Bringing together a diverse background and history including transformational leadership, entrepreneurial start ups and traditional cold calling sales, Aaron and his team consistently out perform the local market, selling homes for over 5% more than local market averages.
Born in New York, Aaron graduated SUNY Purchase with a BFA in 1997. Discovering his fine art degree made him eligible to work in the food service industry anywhere in the country. Moving to New Mexico immediately after school, he eventually found his stride, opening a real New York bagel shop in Albuquerque, selling it 9 years later as a business grossing over $1,000,000 annually.
Eventually landing in the Northwest in 2000, he now lives on a small island oﬀ the coast of Seattle with his brilliant wife, Kael, his two brilliant children, Leela and Jonah and his adoring, if not exactly brilliant, Golden Doodle, Rozy. He is currently at work on his next book, Real Estate Blind Spots – What People Don’t Know They Don’t Know About Buying and Selling Their Home (and what it costs them).
Aaron Hendon Vroom Veer Stories

Growing up as a weed smokin' rebel, musician/artsy guy in New York
Got a degree in fine arts which qualified him to work waiting tables nationwide
Learned he loved waiting tables; he could be himself; delight people and get cash!
“THE GUY” who made THE bagels he loved in New York–teaches him how to make bagels
Attends Landmark Forum and finds that it makes life WAY better; starts working for Landmark in sales
100 dials a day selling credit repair services; starts calling realtors for leads
Becomes a Realtor because he can do 100 dials a day; loves it

Aaron Hendon Links
Web Page: Christine-and-Company.com

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Pia Mailhot-Leichter – Creativity is Part of Being Human

By YooperSmith | July 21, 2025

Pia Mailhot-Leichter is a creative partner, best selling author, certified coach, and founder. Her path has been anything but ordinary: a recovering nomad, she’s reported as a journalist in Sri Lanka, graduated summa cum laude from NYU, and worked as an award-winning creative director for some of the biggest brands in the world. Now, as the founder of Kollektiv Studio, she’s uniquely positioned to help people create their wild ventures.

Pia Mailhot-Leichter Vroom Vroom Veer Summary

Finding Joy in Creative Work

Jeffery and Pia discussed Pia's work as a fractional creative director and creative coach in Copenhagen, where she collaborates with “unconventional dreamers” to bring their visions to life. Pia emphasized the importance of finding joy and purpose in one's work, citing the finite nature of life and the opportunity to create each day anew. They agreed on the value of maintaining optimism and finding joy in life's journey, with Jeffery referencing Jack Cornfield's perspective on the duty to be joyful.

Pia's International Career Journey

Pia shared her background, including growing up in New York City and her extensive travel experiences across various countries. She discussed her education, including studying English at Hunter College and pursuing a master's in international relations at NYU. Pia described her career path, which included working as a journalist in Sri Lanka and later doing communications work for the UNDP and an NGO called Plan International.

Overcoming Adversity for Academic Success

Pia shared her personal journey, including being kicked out of her house at 17 and struggling financially while attending college. Despite these challenges, she worked hard to achieve academic success, earning multiple cum laude degrees. After completing her master's, Pia took a contract role at the United Nations Development Program in New York City, though the salary was not sufficient to cover her living expenses.

Cross-Cultural Work Experiences Discussed

Jeffery and Pia discussed their experiences working in Bahrain and Qatar. Pia shared her disappointment at having to sell ad space for an economic documentary in Bahrain instead of pursuing her original goal of making a positive impact through transitional justice work. She realized later that the experience taught her valuable skills in sales and confidence in pitching to high-level executives. Jeffery, who served in the military, noted that frequent relocations and job changes helped him develop problem-solving skills, an attribute that was appreciated by his bosses.

Embracing Change and Personal Growth

Pia and Jeffery discussed the challenges and opportunities that come with change and new experiences. Pia shared her experience of choosing to stay in Copenhagen after a divorce, rather than moving to Paris, after her therapist encouraged her to consider developing a deeper relationship with herself in that place. They explored how moving can sometimes be a way to avoid dealing with personal issues, comparing it to the temporary nature of military assignments. The conversation concluded with Pia emphasizing the importance of making conscious choices about moving, rather than acting on impulse, as a way to gain empowerment and freedom.

Life Changes and Lifestyle Reimagining

Jeffery shared his experience of moving from Los Angeles to Las Vegas after 13 years, driven by a desire for change and the appeal of lower living costs. Pia discussed her own considerations for reimagining her life, particularly given her family commitments, and explored the possibility of designing a lifestyle that balances current and future desires. They both reflected on the importance of making conscious choices and the uncertainty of knowing where they might eventually settle, with Jeffery mentioning the potential of using his Vegas home as a base while exploring other locations temporarily.

Japan Experiences and Climate Adaptations

Pia and Jeffery discussed their experiences in Japan, with Pia sharing her visits to Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka, noting the city's cleanliness and safety, as well as its resemblance to New York in terms of neighborhoods. Jeffery expressed his admiration for Japan's efficiency and cleanliness, comparing it to a blend of futuristic and retro elements. They also briefly touched on the challenges of adapting to different climates, with Pia mentioning her experience in Sri Lanka and Jeffery reflecting on the changing weather in Michigan and the advantages of living in Vegas.

Narrating Creative Club Audio Book

Jeffery and Pia discussed Pia's recently released audio book, “Welcome to the Creative Club,” which she narrated herself despite initial self-doubt. Pia shared her creative process, including working with a voice coach and producer, and revealed that she unexpectedly developed a newfound appreciation for the sound of her own voice during the recording process. They also discussed the challenges of listening to oneself speak, with Jeffery sharing his own experience of becoming more comfortable with his voice through podcasting.

Freelance Insights and Crisis Management

Pia discussed her experience as a freelance creative director and branding consultant, emphasizing the fulfillment of working with clients she chooses and the value of relational business connections. She shared insights on managing crises by focusing on response rather than reaction, citing Victor Frankl's concept of the space between stimulus and response. Jeffery and Pia agreed to stay in touch, with Pia's upcoming podcast appearance scheduled for Monday morning at 3 AM West Coast time, and Jeffery promised to tag her in the Instagram post and share the Zoom cloud link of their discussion.

Connections

Website

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Ralph Brewer – Help for Men: Rebuild confidence, Reclaim Masculinity, and Lead from a place of clarity and purpose

By YooperSmith | July 14, 2025

Ralph Brewer is the founder of Help For Men and creator of Dad Starting Over, two influential platforms that support men navigating divorce, sexless marriages, and modern relationship struggles. He has authored four books—including his best selling, The Dead Bedroom Fix—and is known for combining straight talk with practical guidance to help men rebuild confidence, reclaim masculinity, and lead from a place of clarity and purpose.

Through coaching, online courses, and the global HFM Brotherhood community, Ralph equips men to stop waiting for validation and start taking ownership. His work has been featured in Forbes, NewsNation, and New York Magazine, and his approach is trusted by thousands of men around the world. He speaks directly to men who’ve “done everything right” yet feel lost—and gives them the tools to find their footing again.

Ralph Brewer Vroom Vroom Veer Summary

Global Reach and Cultural Differences

Ralph discussed a special offer for Jeffery's followers at helpformen.com, including a freebie and discounts on coaching and group membership. He explained the organization's global reach, with the US as the primary market and Australia as the second-largest. They briefly touched on cultural differences in men's willingness to seek help, with Ralph noting that Spanish and Australian men tend to be more open compared to British and German men.

Baldness Experiences and Embraces

Ralph and Jeffery discussed their experiences with baldness and hair loss. Ralph shared a story about his daughter mistaking an egg for him at a restaurant. They exchanged anecdotes about their hair loss experiences and how they've embraced being bald. Jeffery mentioned his military deployment and how he learned to cut his own hair during that time. They both agreed that being bald is easier and more practical than having hair.

Rural Indiana Childhood Experiences

Ralph shared his childhood experiences growing up in rural Indiana, where he spent most of his time after moving from Spain at age three. His mother, who was learning English and driving, and his American military father, who was deployed during the Iraq War, made him stand out in his small town. Ralph discussed his experiences with racism and prejudice, particularly directed at his mother due to her Spanish and Middle Eastern appearance. He also mentioned his fondness for Italy, its culture, and lifestyle, contrasting it with the work-hard-play-hard attitude of the United States.

Bilingual Childhood and Family Roots

Ralph shared his personal background, discussing his childhood experiences growing up in a bilingual household where Spanish was spoken secretly by his parents. He described his father's difficult family situation and how his father's best friend's family became like an extended family to him, providing stability and support. Ralph also explained his mother's challenging upbringing in post-civil war Spain under Franco's regime, which left her to care for seven children after her father's disappearance.

Discovering Infidelity and Divorce Journey

Ralph shared his personal story of discovering his ex-wife's extramarital affair while on vacation, which led to a difficult divorce process. He described how he initially confronted her about suspicious Facebook messages, only to be met with denial and tears during their single counseling session. Despite his ex-wife's attempts to convince the counselor that nothing was happening, Ralph's suspicions persisted, leading him to conduct his own investigation using technology. The experience left him more confused than anything, but ultimately led to the realization that he needed to pursue a divorce.

Divorce and Co-Parenting Challenges

Ralph shared his experience of a sudden divorce after his wife had a three-month affair, which he described as the final straw in a series of family-related issues. He emphasized that while the affair was the catalyst, his wife had been emotionally distancing herself and was ready to leave for some time. Despite the difficult circumstances, Ralph acknowledged his ex-wife's improvement as a co-parent and her successful move on with her life, noting that she is still with the man she left him for but is not married to him. Ralph also discussed the financial challenges he faced after the divorce, as he had to support their three children on his own income.

Rediscovering Passion and Success

Ralph shared his journey of rediscovering personal interests after reconnecting with writing and guitar playing. He discussed his blog, “Dad Starting Over,” which gained attention when he wrote about sex and marriage post-divorce, leading to the publication of his book “The Dead Bedroom Fix.” Ralph's book became successful through organic marketing, and he later began charging for his time as a coach and mentor, highlighting the importance of recognizing one's value and potential in unexpected career paths.

Men's Support Organization Growth Journey

Ralph discussed his journey of building a successful men's support organization called “Help for Men,” which includes a popular podcast, YouTube channel, and a private community called “The Brotherhood.” He shared his experience of growing from a small Facebook group to national media attention, including interviews with Forbes and New York Magazine. Ralph explained that his first book, “The Dead Bedroom Fix,” was titled to attract attention and focused on helping men overcome insecurities to improve their relationships. He noted that many of the men seeking help tend to be codependent and anxiously attached, often paired with partners who are avoidant.

Challenges in Romantic Relationships

Ralph and Jeffery discussed the challenges of maintaining romantic connections in relationships, particularly how having children can strain a couple's relationship due to increased stress and time demands, with women often bearing the brunt of these pressures. They agreed that their group focuses on addressing real issues without unnecessary ceremony, and Ralph promoted his free resources, including a course and book on improving romantic relationships, available at helpformen.com/vroom.

Connections

Website

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Jason Parker – Sound Retirement Planning (BOV)

By YooperSmith | July 7, 2025

Jason Parker, RICP, is the best-selling author of Sound Retirement Planning and the host of Sound Retirement Radio, a popular podcast that is also broadcast on 820am The Word in Seattle. He has appeared as a regular guest on ABC, FOX, & NBC. He is the inventor of retirementbudgetcalculator.com, which is software as a service to help people create an inflation-adjusted spending plan for retirement. He has earned the advanced retirement designation of a Retirement Income Certified Professional.
At a young age, Jason had an interest in personal finance and was a bit obsessive about money. At 12 years old he would collect dollars from his lawn mowing business and he would bring the money home and wash it in the sink and blow it dry straight before depositing it in the bank. In his 20s, he met his mentor a man named Dean who hired him and helped him get his official start as a financial adviser and Jason hasn't looked back. He developed a niche for helping people prepare for a transition into retirement with a greater sense of clarity, confidence, and freedom.

Jason Parker Vroom Veer Stories

Jason went back to the bank to make a withdrawal and he was surprised to find that they gave him dirty money; he wanted his clean dollars back

Jeff uses credit cards and pays them off each month; mostly for convenience and for points; Jason pointed out that the folks that are paying 21% per month on their balance are paying for those points; food for thought

Jason asked his Dad for advice; which led him to his mentor that set him up for success; those key connections really steer the vrooming and veering in your life

Jason's nerd behavior led him to wrap cassette tapes in paper towel and put them in plastic bags; Jeff was a “look at me” kind of kid–dying for attention of any kind

Jason was an atheist and an agnostic; then when he was broke; not making enough money to provide for his family on Christmas, he prayed to Jesus and his life changed over night

How to practice personal peace and create your own spiritual path through Jesus or some personal brand of faith

When it comes to retirement planning the money part is just a math problem; the spiritual question of how to find purpose and contribute is the more difficult question

Website mentioned in show on Wait but Why: Religion for the Nonreligious

Connections

Website

Retirement Budget Calculator

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Marty McDonald – Bad Rhino Social that Works (BOV)

By YooperSmith | June 30, 2025

Marty McDonald is the Co-Founder and CEO at Bad Rhino Inc., a full-service social media marketing agency based in West Chester, Pa. Marty used social media strategies and internet marketing strategies to actively build online marketing businesses for 14 years. He quickly realized the power of social media in recruitment marketing and small business. Since 2003, Marty has consulted with small businesses and startups to help them succeed online.

Bad Rhino is a full-service social media marketing and digital agency that was founded in 2011. Today, services clients locally, nationally, and globally. One of the reasons that Bad Rhino has grown to be so successful so quickly is due to their ability to develop truly unique and highly customized strategies that create incredible exposure for their clients’ businesses.

Their full-service approach means they not only create these amazing strategies and plans, but they also implement them and manage them day to day, including delivering messages to their customers.Bad Rhino won top agency award in 2016 by the research firm Clutch. Bad Rhino has clients in specialty food, craft beer, restaurant, golf, insurance, staffing, apparel, fitness, nonprofit, Fortune 500, and major league baseball players as well as several other small businesses.

Marty McDonald Vroom Veer Stories

A quite kid (sometimes loud) running outside all dayHigh School needed a lot of time to himself; avoided drama at all costHacked College; focused on doing well on important subjects; D equals DiplomaWorked several internships while still in college to stack up loads of work experienceWorked in HR learning, payroll, benefits–got burned doing payrollChanged his focus to recruiting and talent acquisitionGreat story about how their Company got the name “Bad Rhino”

Marty McDonald Links

Bad Rhino Inc.

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Stefani Reinold – Helping High Achieving Moms Escape Stereotypes (BOV)

By YooperSmith | June 16, 2025

Stefani Reinold is a board certified psychiatrist, maternal mental health expert, and Founder of Not the Typical Mom — a blog and podcast about the not so typical, but all too common issues of motherhood. She helps high achieving moms escape the stereotypes, find their hearts, and embrace who they really are so that they can kill it in life, love and business.

Stefani Reinold Vroom Veer Stories

In Vroom Vroom mode, always wanted to be a Doctor of the M.D. variety since forever

Got into a pre-med program on scholarship…and then did NOT get accepted into Med school…Yokes Scoob!

World fell apart–what am I going to do know? What do I do with a Bachelors Degree in Biology?

Found the perfect job! Spend a year working as a project manager working on fund raising; job was specifically for someone working to get into med school

While in medical school, started looking at the online business space and the lives of Doctors; the life of a M.D. was not as advertised

Looking for a specialty that would allow her create a business and get some work/life balance; landed on Psychiatry…which is a veer moment

During her first year of residency, endured a mountain of stress–Husband is an Army officer in a Command position; she moved away from family; she's in a very tough school program; on top of Postpartum Depression

She finally had to reach out to get help herself in the form of mental health treatment; which, at the time felt shameful. She has since learned that was misplaced shame

The Holmes-Rahe Stress Invento

Stefani Reinold Connections

Website

Social Media Links:

www.twitter.com/stefanireinold

www.instagram.com/stefanireinoldmd

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Tim Packer – Path to Making a Living from Your Art

By YooperSmith | June 9, 2025

Tim Packer is a celebrated Canadian artist and former police detective who walked away from a stable career to chase a lifelong dream. He’s since built a thriving, multi-million dollar art business—selling originals, self publishing prints, and running a top-tier online art academy that’s helped thousands of artists grow.

Through the Tim Packer Art Academy and his upcoming book You Can Sell Your Art, Tim teaches artists how to master both the creative and business sides of their craft. He’s passionate about demystifying success in the art world—breaking down what actually works, what doesn’t, and how to stop believing the myth that “you either have talent or you don’t.” From mindset to marketing, from composition to pricing, Tim is on a mission to help artists finally make a living doing what they love.

Tim Packer Vroom Vroom Veer Show Summary

Artists' Path to Financial Independence

Tim Packer, an artist and author, discussed his new book “You Can Sell Your Art,” which provides a step-by-step guide for artists to make a living from their work. He expressed excitement about the book's release and the success stories of his students who have achieved financial independence through their art. Tim also shared his transition from being an artist to helping others achieve their artistic dreams, highlighting his commitment to giving back to the community.

Childhood Bullying Experiences and Solutions

Tim and Jeffery discussed their experiences with bullying during their childhood. Tim shared that he was bullied in high school due to being skipped a year and being younger than his peers, but learned to stand up for himself. Jeffery recounted a similar experience in elementary school, where he fought back against bullies and put an end to the bullying. They both agreed that standing up to bullies was an effective way to stop the harassment.

Journey From Vet to Designer

Tim shared his journey from initially wanting to become a veterinarian to discovering his passion for art. Despite his parents' initial skepticism, he pursued a career in graphic design after switching from a science-focused path in high school. Tim's college years were marked by a shift from academic focus to social engagement, which he attributed to his newfound maturity and physical presence. He noted that while he did well in college, he did not apply himself as rigorously as he had in high school, leading to entry-level jobs after graduation.

Early Graphics and Career Transitions

Tim and Jeffery discussed their experiences with early computer graphics and design tools, with Tim recalling his manual cut-and-paste methods before computers and Jeffery sharing his story of winning a computer graphics competition in college. Tim then shared how he transitioned from a career in design to law enforcement after being inspired by his uncle's suggestion in 1982, ultimately deciding to pursue a career in policing after being convinced it would be a good fit for his temperament.

From Police to Passionate Artist

Tim shared his career journey, starting as a police officer in 1982 and realizing his passion for art during his service. He excelled in police training and rose to the rank of sergeant and detective but found his true calling in art, which he pursued seriously after a tragic event involving a friend. Tim emphasized the importance of the growth mindset and the realization that talent can be developed, leading him to focus on his artistic skills after retirement.

Art Rediscovery Through Hard Work

Tim shared his personal journey of rediscovering his passion for art after a period of neglect, inspired by Harley Brown's belief that talent is a myth and success in art is primarily about hard work and skill development. He decided to live as if he believed in this concept for a year, researching and committing to painting three times a week while focusing on improving his weaknesses. Tim emphasized the importance of mastering challenging areas rather than avoiding them, citing the 80/20 rule where focusing on 20% of skills can lead to significant improvement.

Art Career Transition Journey

Tim shared his journey from being a police officer to becoming a full-time artist, highlighting how his wife's support and financial analysis led to his career transition. Despite initial concerns about financial stability, Tim's success in portrait commissions and art sales, including a $4,000 auction piece, convinced his wife of the economic viability of pursuing art full-time. Tim emphasized the importance of proving the concept before making such a significant career change and noted that his background in law enforcement provided a fallback option if needed.

Artistic Transition and Knowledge Sharing

Tim shared his journey from a successful police career to becoming a full-time portrait painter, initially driven by passion but later facing challenges when commissions dictated his style rather than his personal artistic vision. He described how a pivotal conversation with fellow artist Neville Clark inspired him to pursue landscape painting seriously, leading to a 50-50 split between portrait and landscape work. Tim also discussed his decision to share his artistic knowledge through a YouTube channel, motivated by a sense of responsibility to help others, despite initial lack of traction.

Artistic Success Through Strategic Teaching

Tim shared his journey of mentoring Brooke Cormier, who transitioned from landscape architecture to becoming a successful artist, achieving over $30,000 in her first year and gaining a million followers. After a near-death experience due to health issues, Tim decided to shift his focus from creating art to full-time teaching, establishing an online art academy that has since earned over half a million dollars. He emphasized that artistic success is not solely about talent but also involves business sense and strategic use of platforms like YouTube and social media, as evidenced by his students' achievements, including one who dropped out of veterinary science to pursue art and now has a similar level of success.

Success in Art: Passion and Focus

Tim and Jeffery discussed the nature of art and success in the art world. Tim emphasized that true success in art requires a burning passion and commitment to mastering the craft, rather than just enjoying the process. He explained that there are different “art villages,” including publicly funded galleries and commercial sales, each with its own values and priorities. Tim advised focusing on the village where one wants to succeed, whether it's skill-based commercial art or concept-driven gallery art, but not trying to combine the two. He shared a personal story about how his art brought peace to a soldier with PTSD, illustrating the power of art to evoke emotion and connection.

Art, Nature, and Creative Success

Tim and Jeffery discussed Tim's artwork and its impact on first responders, who have expressed appreciation and even printed his paintings for personal use. They explored the importance of nature in their lives and how it influences Tim's art, emphasizing the emotional connection over artistic intent. Tim shared details about his upcoming book, “You Can Sell Your Art,” which offers a step-by-step guide to creating a sustainable income from art, emphasizing that creativity and success in the art world are learnable skills.

Connections

Website

Brooke Cormier

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Andy Kushner – Musician, Entrepreneur, Podcaster (BOV)

By YooperSmith | June 2, 2025

Andy Kushner entered show business on his own terms at 15. He started what became a very successful cover band in Tampa Fl called Rhythm, performing to literally over 100,000 people during his teenage years.

After a 16 year corporate career, almost 20 years ago, he went full-time in the music business with Andy Kushner Entertainment Design custom crafting over-the-top experiences for weddings, corporate events and gala fundraisers utilizing the powerful and emotional impact of live music featuring celebrity acts and his own company-formed and managed bands SoundConnection, Rhythm6, Marquise, SoundNationand the PopCulture Strings.

Andy and his company have received practically every event industry award possible, including: Top 25 Trendsetter, by Modern Bride along with Colin Cowie, Essie and Sylvia Weinstock Best Entertainment Producer Award, by International Special Events Society, and International Entertainer of the Year Spotlight Awards, by Event Solutions Magazine.

Andy is now taking the ever-competitive podcast industry by storm with two shows, The Wedding Biz with event industry celebrities and Extraordinary Ordinary People in which he uncovers the extraordinary in ordinary people with deep and meaningful engaging conversation.

Andy Kushner Vroom Veer Stories

Discovered music at age 6 and fell in love; music practice was never a chore

Started a cover band at age 15 and worked paid gigs through his teens

Studied Business in college while working on his music on the side

Worked in Corporate selling computer/printer supplies; avoided the big promotions

Finally transitioned to full time music business starting with weddings

Transformed what people think of a “Wedding Band”; raised the bar on talent and showmanship

Established the Extraordinary Ordinary People podcast to talk with ordinary people with an inspiring life path

Launched the Wedding Biz Podcast to help brides, grooms and pros make more meaningful events

Andy Kushner Links

Extraordinary Ordinary People Podcast

The Wedding Biz Podcast

AndyKushner.com

Facebook

Twitter

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Pia Silva – Badass Brands without the BS (BOV)

By YooperSmith | May 26, 2025

Pia Silva is a partner and brand strategist at Worstofall Design where they build “Badass Brands without the BS” for 1-3 person service businesses in 1-3 day intensives. Pia is also a speaker, Forbes contributor & author of Badass Your Brand.

Pia Silva Vroom Veer Stories

Went from $40k in debt to $500k in sales in 12 months

Why letting go of employees felt like failure at first; then felt like relief

How does someone build a brand that stands out from the competition?

Key questions to ask clients; what do you hate about your industry?

How a badass brand filters all the shitty clients; while attracting perfect clients

How to increase your rates to improve your quality of life

Liberal use of saying no to clients; we don't work with product-based business or startups.

Pia Silva Links

Worst of all Design

Badass your Brand

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Regan Caruthers – From Chaos to Clarity–A Spiritual Awakening

By YooperSmith | May 19, 2025

Regan Caruthers: Regan’s path was informed by her early schooling where she meditated daily, practiced Tai Chi, and learned about the power of Divine Love and conscious thought. But she would reject these teachings as she sought to fit in and find social acceptance. Quickly rising through the ranks, Regan had a successful career as a Silicon Valley corporate executive in the educational software industry. But corporate ascension, an extra-marital affair, and a tumultuous first marriage were mere reflections of her brokenness and need for deep healing. Once she consciously committed to practicing what she had learned so young, her life began to change.

Regan recently moved back to Missouri from Santa Cruz, CA. She’s the founder of Aset Yoga Center and dedicates her life to teaching and helping her clients achieve a more intimate and disciplined inner life. Her compassionate approach creates safe spaces for transformation and wellness, through one-on-one coaching, yoga sessions, and her Ready to Awaken courses. She conducts yoga classes for her community as an act of service at no charge

Above all, Regan cherishes her roles as a devoted wife to Jim and a loving mother to her sons, Connor and Ian.

Regan Caruthers Vroom Vroom Veer Show Summary

Regan and Jeffrey Share Experiences

In the meeting, Regan and Jeffrey discussed their past experiences and shared stories. Regan, a yoga teacher, talked about her excitement for the spring weather and her property coming alive. She also mentioned her book, Tragic Magic, and her interest in getting the word out about it. Jeffrey, on the other hand, shared his experience of being on a school team in high school and his involvement in a computer-aided graphics competition. They also discussed their respective locations, with Regan living in a beautiful area and Jeffrey mentioning the weather in Vegas. The conversation ended with Jeffrey expressing his excitement for the upcoming conversation about Regan's life and business.

Service, Discipline, and Self-Care

Regan and Jeffery discuss the importance of service, discipline, and self-care in their lives. Regan teaches yoga to seniors as an act of service, while Jeffery emphasizes the value of effort in maintaining health. They both agree on the significance of discipline in personal growth, with Regan stressing its importance over mere motivation. The conversation concludes with a discussion on overcoming depression through physical activities and practicing gratitude, even in difficult times.

Nature's Impact on Well-Being and Friendship

Jeffery and Regan discussed their morning meditation experiences and the impact of nature on their well-being. They shared their fondness for the desert's unique scents and bird songs, as well as the grounding effect of walking barefoot in their respective natural environments. Regan expressed her love for her childhood, despite its challenges, and highlighted the positive influence of her grade school, which taught meditation and other life skills from a young age. They also reminisced about their long-standing friendships and the importance of maintaining connections from their past.

Regan's Experiences With Dark Energy

Regan shared her personal experiences of encountering dark energy and demonic entities from a young age. She described how she commanded them to stop and how this led to a change in her life and spiritual path. Regan also discussed her corporate career and how her awakening affected her work and personal life. She emphasized the importance of radiating love towards the demonic visitors to stop their visits. Regan also criticized popular spiritual teachers for not addressing the dark side and their own shadows.

Regan's Personal Journey and Spiritual Awakening

In the meeting, Regan shared their personal journey, discussing their challenging home life and how it influenced their decisions. They mentioned their academic achievements and how they sought to escape their home environment. Regan also discussed their spiritual awakening in their mid-40s, which led to a more disciplined and stable life. They emphasized the importance of divine guidance and acting upon it. The conversation also touched on Regan's experiences in college and their decision to repeat the 9th grade, which was a turning point in their adolescent life.

Regan's Inner Voice Guidance Experience

Regan shared her experience of receiving guidance from her inner voice. She described the voice as matter-of-fact, emotionally neutral, and very specific in its instructions. In December 2021, she was told to urgently move home, which led her to relocate from California to Missouri. Despite initial skepticism from her community, she followed the guidance and found a home with a geothermal well, which she believed was a sign from her guides.

Regan's Miraculous Medical Journey

Regan shared a personal story about a life-threatening medical condition she was born with, which was only discovered after a series of urgent medical appointments. She underwent open heart surgery at a renowned medical facility, Barnes Hospital, and was fortunate to have a successful recovery. The surgeon, Ralph Damiano, was amazed by the clinical outcome and attributed it to a miracle. Regan also shared a subsequent miracle where the scar on her chest formed the shape of a crucifix, which was confirmed by her surgeon.

Regan's Spiritual Awakening and Gnostic Gospels

Regan shares her experience of facing death without fear, attributing her calmness to her spiritual beliefs and knowledge of her eternal, divine nature. She discusses her interest in the Gnostic Gospels, which were hidden texts discovered in Egypt in 1945, and how they provide alternative perspectives on early Christianity. Regan also recounts a transformative moment when, after an awakening experience, she felt overwhelming love and was able to express it to her previously abusive stepfather, leading to a significant change in his behavior.

Regan's Yoga and Meditation Practices

Regan discussed her work at the center, which includes teaching yoga to her community, conducting a workshop on fundamental yoga poses, and sharing breathwork practices. She also mentioned her involvement in Heartmath retreats, plant medicine ceremonies, and private coaching sessions. Regan described her home as a beautiful, 3,000 square foot space where she practices meditation and yoga. She also mentioned a unique outdoor space at the back of her property, which she uses for ceremonies and safe fires.

California Living Challenges and Regan's Book

Regan and Jeffery discuss the challenges of living in California, particularly in cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles. They talk about the increasing problems with homelessness, crime, and drug use in these areas. Regan mentions her upcoming visit to California and how she misses certain aspects of it, but not others. They also briefly discuss Regan's book “Tragic Magic” and how people can connect with her through her website, social media, and discovery calls for inner life coaching.

Connections

Website

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Bruce Schutter – New tools for Mental Health, Food, Cooking, and John Wick

By YooperSmith | May 12, 2025

Bruce Schutter returns for his third show to catch up on what's new with the Mental Health Warrior Program.

After struggling with Bipolar, Alcoholism, Anxiety Disorder and PTSD for over 20+ years, I reached a breaking point where I attempted suicide. But with a second chance at life, I set out to find an answer to my life’s challenges. I discovered that Mental Health is the key to triumphing over any challenge in life!

Armed with this knowledge, I created the Mental Health Warrior Program, a new self-help approach for triumphing over life’s challenges and building the life you really want!

At the core of the Mental Health Warrior Program lies the principle of self-empowerment. With practical solutions centered on lifestyle and mindset changes, the program empowers you to respond, not react, to life's challenges, by tapping into your inner strength and resilience.

Bruce Schutter (3) Vroom Vroom Veer Summary

Vroom Vroom Veer Podcast Interview

Jeffery and Bruce discuss their upcoming third interview together on the Vroom Vroom Veer podcast. They agree to have a natural conversation, with Jeffery mentioning he will bring up some personal developments without prior preparation. Bruce records a new introduction for the show, emphasizing his role as a Mental Health Warrior. They briefly discuss their experiences with seasonal allergies before starting the official recording.

Mental Health Warrior Program Discussion

Bruce shared his personal struggles with mental health issues, including bipolar disorder, alcoholism, anxiety, and PTSD, and how he found a new self-help approach called the Mental Health Warrior Program. This program focuses on putting the power back in one's hands, managing challenges, and embracing emotions. Bruce emphasized the importance of a positive approach to mental health and creating a safe space for open conversation. He also mentioned a recent presentation at a college in Pennsylvania, which was not about making money but about spreading the word about mental health.

Sandbag Workouts for Mental Health

Bruce discusses his involvement with Shippensburg University, where he conducts sandbag workouts for mental and physical health. He explains that these workouts are done outdoors using a single piece of equipment, allowing for engagement with people and providing full-body exercise. Bruce and his team participate in the university's health and wellness fair, helping students with their physical and mental health challenges. He emphasizes how these activities were impossible for him in the past, and now serve as proof of his progress in managing his bipolar disorder.

Mind Fuel: Food and Mental Health

Bruce and Jeffery discussed the concept of “Mind Fuel,” a book that focuses on the connection between food and mental health. The book outlines three food rules: low carb, no sugar, and minimally processed foods. It also provides detailed information on specific foods, their mental health benefits, and creative ways to incorporate them into one's diet. The book aims to help readers maintain a healthy lifestyle and improve their mental well-being.

Meditation, Diet, and Cold Water Benefits

Jeffery discusses his experience with a meditation app and Tim Ferriss's book “The 4-Hour Body,” focusing on the “30 and 30” concept (30 grams of protein within 30 minutes of waking) and the slow carb diet. He explains the diet's principles, including avoiding white carbs, eating specific proteins and beans, and having a weekly cheat day. Jeffery and Bruce also discuss the benefits of cold water exposure and reducing sugar intake for overall health and mental well-being. They agree that these approaches, along with the 80-20 rule, can lead to significant improvements in both physical and mental health.

Mental Health Awareness Through Characters

Bruce discusses the blog articles they write daily to introduce mental health concepts using popular characters like Winnie the Pooh and John Wick. These articles aim to make mental health discussions less intimidating and more approachable, providing three tools or suggestions in each piece. Bruce also mentions new tools they've developed, such as using everyday objects like forks and spoons to promote mental health awareness. Additionally, he introduces their mental health warrior challenge coins, which come in four designs and two metals, featuring warrior guidance on the back. Bruce emphasizes that these resources are designed to support people in their daily lives and make mental health discussions more accessible and actionable.

Cold Water Therapy for Mental Health

Jeffrey and Bruce discussed the benefits of cold water therapy and its impact on mental health. They shared personal experiences of using cold water baths and plunges to feel refreshed and rejuvenated. Bruce mentioned a tool called the reverse sauna, which involves exposing oneself to cold temperatures to wake up the senses. They also discussed the importance of finding peak experiences, whether big or small, to boost mood and confidence. The conversation ended with Bruce emphasizing the value of handling emotions to overcome challenges and continue enjoying hobbies.

Ancient Zen Practices for Growth

Jeffrey and Bruce discussed the benefits of meditation and mindfulness practices, particularly those rooted in ancient Zen traditions. They emphasized the importance of connecting with one's surroundings and internal experiences, such as breathing, to cultivate a sense of unity with the universe. Bruce highlighted the value of these practices in processing emotions and overcoming challenges, drawing parallels with the warrior program. They agreed that these tools and techniques can be applied to various aspects of life, helping individuals to overcome limitations and achieve personal growth.

Embracing Change and Celebrating Small Victories

Bruce and Jeffery conclude their discussion by reflecting on personal growth and the importance of taking the first step towards change. They emphasize that progress is not always linear, but rather involves weaving through life's challenges. Bruce encourages people to visit his website, sign up for the newsletter, and engage with the resources available. They use sports analogies to illustrate the idea of persevering through obstacles and celebrating small victories. The conversation ends with a lighthearted exchange about football tactics and the limitations of analogies.

Connections

Website

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Matt Walker – Summit Experiences, Guided Life Change, Digital Detox

By YooperSmith | May 5, 2025

Matt Walker MA, is a dedicated men's psychologist and international mountain guide based in Washington, USA. With a mission to help men navigate mid-life challenges, Matt empowers his clients to define success, align their values with actions, and live unapologetically. Through 1:1 coaching, group programs, immersive retreats, and transformative climbing expeditions, Matt creates opportunities for growth, adventure, and community. His work is rooted in fostering clarity, boldness, and a life lived in alignment with personal values.

Matt lives in a mountain town in Washington State with his two children and balances parenting with a full workload which includes coaching individual and groups, leading climbing expeditions both professionally and personally

Matt Walker Vroom Vroom Veer Show Summary

Matt's Balancing Act and Life Shifts

Matt discusses his work as both a mountain guide and a psychologist, supporting men through major life transitions. He is excited about the balance in his calendar between traditional coaching and field work in the mountains. Matt mentions he has a new book coming out after a 10-year publishing hiatus. He also reflects on how his values and priorities have shifted with age, emphasizing the importance of embracing these changes rather than judging oneself based on past expectations.

Skepticism and the Shaping of Belief

Matt and Jeffery discuss their approaches to knowledge and belief. Jeffery describes himself as highly skeptical, avoiding absolute certainty and viewing most things on a spectrum of probability. Matt agrees with this perspective, sharing an example from a memoir that acknowledged multiple viewpoints of the same experience. They discuss the unreliability of memory and the impact of mentors and teachers in shaping their worldviews. Matt reflects on how early influences expanded his understanding of career possibilities beyond his suburban upbringing.

Mountain Climbing and Post-Military Life

Matt shares his experience of moving from Northern New Jersey to Washington State after high school, motivated by his desire to be in the mountains following an Outward Bound course. He became involved in the climbing community, joining a group of experienced climbers and participating in significant expeditions. Matt later pursued a degree in philosophy but ultimately worked as a full-time mountain guide, leading international expeditions including the Seven Summits. Jeffery, in contrast, completed a bachelor's degree in psychology using his GI Bill after retiring from the Air Force, but chose not to pursue a career in that field.

Matt's Approach to Existential Crises

Matt discusses his approach to helping clients who are experiencing existential crises. He explains that he combines his background in psychology with outdoor experiences, particularly mountain climbing, to create a more effective therapeutic environment. Matt emphasizes the importance of having a guide during these experiences, comparing it to psychedelic journeys with proper set and setting. He notes that the most powerful moments for clarity and transformation occur during the descent from a summit, before transitioning back to everyday life. Matt sees his role as a supportive guide rather than actively doing the work for his clients.

Challenging Experiences and Personal Growth

Matt and Jeffery discuss the transformative power of challenging experiences, particularly in the context of personal growth and self-awareness. They explore how these experiences can lead to clarity, alignment between values and actions, and a sense of awakening. Jeffery shares his recent experience with a meditation app called “Way App,” which he finds more effective than typical meditation apps due to its foundation in authentic Zen practices. They both agree that consistent, thoughtful practice can lead to gradual but meaningful increases in awareness and personal growth.

Matt's Mountaineering Experiences and Future Plans

Matt discusses his mountaineering experiences, including climbing two of the fourteen 8,000-meter peaks and plans to summit Everest in the future. He mentions postponing his Everest attempt due to family circumstances but has upcoming expeditions to Carstensz Pyramid in Indonesia and Kilimanjaro in Africa. Matt emphasizes that while Kilimanjaro is not as technically challenging as other climbs, it provides a powerful experience for clients, combining mountaineering with personal development work for men.

Digital Detox and Analog Productivity

Matt discusses the benefits of digital detox during his expeditions, noting that it's initially challenging for participants but ultimately provides relief from constant connectivity. He has acquired a company focused on analog productivity called 3 by 5 Life, which produces printed index cards for tasks like scheduling and gratitude practices. Jeffery shares his own digital detox strategies, including uninstalling social apps and turning off most notifications on his phone.

Mountain Climbing: Real vs. Perceived Risks

Matt discusses the risks associated with mountain climbing, explaining that while it appears to be constantly high-risk, the actual danger is relatively low. He emphasizes that the most dangerous part is often driving to the climbing location. Matt points out that climbing doesn't make for good TV, leading to unrealistic portrayals in media. He also mentions the importance of managing risk and distinguishing between perceived and real risks in climbing. Jeffery shares his experiences with dangerous car accidents in Los Angeles to illustrate the everyday risks people often overlook.

Distinguishing Perceived vs. Actual Risk

Matt and Jeffery discuss the difference between perceived and actual risk, particularly in career changes. Matt emphasizes the importance of distinguishing between these two types of risk and understanding what one is responding to emotionally. Jeffery shares his personal experience of overcoming the perceived risk of leaving the Air Force, highlighting how a chance conversation with an Army captain changed his perspective on managing his career and finances. The discussion concludes with Matt sharing a similar lesson he learned about money management early in his career, emphasizing that financial stability is more about how one manages money rather than how much one earns.

Embracing Unexpected Interactions and Learning

Jeffery and Matt discuss the importance of being open to unexpected interactions and learning opportunities. They share stories about chance encounters that had significant impacts, including Jeffery's experience with a fellow serviceman who gave him investment advice. Matt relates this to the importance of recognizing the humanity in everyday interactions, such as with grocery store cashiers. They also mention Matt's analog productivity system, 3×5.life, offering listeners a 20% discount with the code VVV20.

Connections

Website – mattwalkeradventure.com

3x5life.com/vvv20

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Rene Brent – Practice Happy Now (BOV)

By YooperSmith | April 28, 2025

Rene Brent is Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist, Relapse prevention specialist an #1 International Bestseller author of the book How Big Is Your BUT?. She is an international speaker and on faculty for The Institute of Interpersonal Hypnotherapy. Rene has been an RN for over 25 years and has worked in ICU, Trauma/ER and Recovery Room. She helps her clients use the power of the deep inner mind to release blocks , let go of addictive behavior and reach personal and professional goals. She is passionate about teaching people how to Practice Happy and becoming a Happiness Hunter.

Rene Brent Vroom Veer Stories

As an ER nurse, she was always connecting to patients and helping them calm down

Went through a difficult divorce; brought up wounds from childhood and an alcoholic mother

Embraced the “F word”; Forgiveness. Forgave her mother and her ex-husband

Found a hypnotherapist to help her heal; she immediately knew it was her calling

How people can get addicted to emotions; rage, anger, worry, even whining

How to feel emotions in your body and to breathe and connect to that “felt sense”

How to stop worrying about worrying and reprogram your subconscious mind with positive loops

Rene Brent Links

Practice Happy Now

Rene Brent Hypnosis

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Tom Mulliez – Creating Amazing Memories Outdoors (BOV)

By YooperSmith | April 21, 2025

Tom Mulliez is a father, husband, entrepreneur, and the visionary behind iTREKKERS. Tom founded the company in 2014 after realizing that bringing together vetted professional captains and guides on one platform would help guarantee everyone a better experience in the outdoors. iTREKKERS is a combination of Tom’s desires to share his love of nature and to simplify the process of booking guided outdoor activities. His mission is threefold: to get people to experience the outdoors through iTREKKERS; to help people get outdoors, period, by providing useful tips and referrals; and to educate people about the outdoors and ways to be mindful.

Tom, who earned a Bachelor in Commerce from Canada’s McGill University and an MBA in marketing at Virginia Commonwealth University, was raised between his hometown of Roubaix, France, and a small town near Atlanta. His love of nature is derived from early memories of camping in the Georgia mountains with his father. For Tom, the only passion greater than a love of the outdoors is his love of family. Tom and his wife often spend time outdoors camping, at the beach, or on their boat with their three young children.

Tom Mulliez Vroom Veer Stories

1st memory, camping & fishing on a sandbar with his father; and “Heard it on the grapevine”

1st launch of his business flopped; he learned he needed to trust but verify and know the answers

Past generations grew up outside; kids today don't get out much and they need to

Study showed that a camping trip improved creativity 60% in a group of high school kids

Amazing story on how a salesman uses fishing trips to land clients as well as fish

Spending time in nature provides health benefits for one's whole body: brain, lungs, blood

How the “scrum” process helps focus small teams work together on a shared goal

Tom Mulliez Links

Website

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Lee Caraher | The Millennial Whisperer|BOV

By YooperSmith | April 14, 2025

Lee Caraher is a CEO and acclaimed communication strategist known for her practical solutions to big problems. She started Double Forte in 2002 to work with good people, doing great work for good companies. Her clients span well-loved Bay Area brands including Clif Bar and CamelBak, hot Silicon Valley start-ups, financial service companies and wine and spirits companies. This is not her first rodeo, and she's learned a lot along the way that she shares freely with others in the hopes that everyone can reduce the drama in the workplace. Now her friends and colleagues call her…

“The Millennial Whisperer”

After struggling with how to work well with Millennial clients, and now staffers (more than half of Lee’s staff is under 35) and then working to figure out how to make that work, Lee has written a positive and practical book about the topic, “Millennials & Management: The Essential Guide to Making it Work at Work.”

Big Laugh!

Lee has a reputation for building cohesive, high producing teams who get a lot done well and have fun at the same time. She is a straight talker who doesn't hold too many punches, although she does her best to be pleasant about it. Her big laugh and sense of humor have gotten her out of a lot of trouble.

From Boston to Cali

She started her career in communications in Boston and then moved to California to work with well-known PR firm The Bohle Group and then Manning, Selvage & Lee. She moved to the Ba Area in 1995 to serve as the Vice President of Corporate and Consumer Communications at the $1.6 Billion SEGA of America. She then served as Executive Vice President of The Weber Group and Founder and President of Red Whistle Communications, both Interpublic companies.

Lee is active in the community and currently serves on the Board of KQED Public Media, Grace Cathedral’s Board of Trustees, and on the Board of Trustees of Menlo College, Atherton. Previously Lee served on the Board of Directors of The Marine Mammal Center, was the Chair of the Board for Community Gatepath, San Mateo County’s largest organization serving the needs of people with developmental disabilities, and was the founding Chair of the Board for the St. Paul’s Choir School. She consults with other non-profits on effective board organization and practices. A graduate of Carleton College, with a degree in Medieval History, which she finds useful every day, Lee lives on the Peninsula with her husband, two sons, and their blind cat Al.

Lee Caraher Vroom Veer Stories

Went to High School in a Quaker all girls school and sang in an elite singing group and played field hockey

Studied Medieval History is College and continued to sing and play field hockey

Got her first job after her father made her write a letter to one of his friends to ask for help

Took a job as a paid intern in Boston working in PR

Her Boston herd of friends dispersed and she suffered from seasonal affective disorder–moved to San Francisco

Started her own PR firm and started to only hire people with 10 years experience

After 2008, that business model needed to change and they started hiring young people

Lee learned quickly that she need to change her mindset and work environment to adapt to millennials: clients and staff

Her first millennial hire showed up to work with a chihuahua, that was a service dog—hmmm…that's new

Invited to meet with the Air Force Chief of Staff to help them deal with recruiting millennials.

Lee Caraher Links

Double-Forte

LeeCaraher.com

Millennials & Management: The Essential Guide to Making It Work at Work

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David Hamilton – Social Expression (BOV)

By YooperSmith | April 7, 2025

David Hamilton is a confidence and success coach from Denver, CO. Besides loving his work transforming people's lives – he likes playing his own music, doing martial arts, staying in shape and hanging with his amazing friends and family.

David Hamilton Vroom Veer Stories

Vrooming in New York City, working in IT and climbing corporate ladders

Veered when his mother was diagnosed with ALS aka Lou Gehrigs's disease

Quit his high-paying job to moved to Denver to help take care of his mother

Decided to return to coaching, and started vrooming and reaching

Realized he was “chasing” and was suffering from burn out and needed to slow down

Once he slowed down and relaxed into his business, better clients started showing up

Found a new niche helping men improve their social interactions

David Hamilton Links

http://socialexpression.net

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Jon Chandonnet – Denial to Discovery: Jon’s Journey with MS

By YooperSmith | March 31, 2025

Jon Chandonnet was on the fast track to success, earning his master's from MIT and leading teams to develop software to launch startups, while also scaling mountain peaks and running marathons. But at 33, his life took an unexpected turn when he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

For years, Jon lived in denial, ignoring his condition as he pushed himself to even greater extremes.Eventually, his health deteriorated, forcing him to embark on an eight-year journey to understand life's essential elements for vibrant well-being despite his illness.

His book Shadow Summit chronicles this inspiring odyssey through denial, suffering, and ultimately healing and wholeness.

On this quest, Jon identified seven foundational elements for creating one's healthiest, most fulfilled life. Drawing on his software background, he realized humans, like computers, process daily inputs that shape their outputs.

Jon distilled these insights into the 7 VIBRANTs™ well-being system, a holistic framework to mindfullycurate the inputs we receive through food, thoughts, emotions and social interactions. This allows anyone to naturally cultivate the vibrant life they desire with greater focus, persistence, joy and ease.

Jon Chandonnet Vroom Vroom Veer Show Summary

In this episode of “Vroom Vroom Veer,” titled “Denial to Discovery: Jon's Journey with MS,” host Jeff Smith welcomes guest Jon Chandonnet, who shares his inspiring journey of dealing with multiple sclerosis (MS).

Jeff and Jon chat about San Diego, where Jon currently resides, and Jeff asks him about his business at Vibrant U Academy. Jon expresses excitement about his business, revealing that he wrote a book outlining the “seven keys to living your best life,” which he developed after struggling with MS. He emphasizes the importance of being aware of energy leaks in various forms—physical, emotional, professional, financial, social, mental, and spiritual.

Jon narrates his past as a high-achieving individual, a captain of sports teams, and a smart student who attended the University of Richmond before moving on to graduate school at MIT. His life took a drastic turn at 27 when he was playing basketball and suddenly lost control of his right arm and leg, leading to a diagnosis of MS. Initially, he was in denial about his condition, allowing him to push through difficult times in his career and maintain an active life, including running marathons and climbing mountains.

As Jon successfully pursued his career in a technology startup, he continued to deny the impacts of MS. He recounts how, six years later, he began to experience troubling symptoms, including speech difficulties and loss of coordination. This forced him to confront his diagnosis head-on, leading to a realization that he needed to take his health seriously to ensure a better future for himself and his young son.

Jon describes a transformative experience at a raw vegan retreat that helped him heal and regain control of his life. Following this retreat, he found a clear connection between emotional well-being and physical health, emphasizing the importance of self-awareness and emotional literacy. Jon discusses the necessity of adopting healthier eating habits, which eventually led him to develop the “Vibrant U operating system.”

The conversation delves into Jon's coaching program at Vibrant U Academy, where he helps clients assess their lives in various domains, set long-term goals, and create a personalized operating system for achieving their dreams. He believes that it’s essential for individuals to recognize their unique desires and what they want from life.

As the episode comes to a close, Jon mentions his ongoing journey and the impact of a paleo-keto diet on his condition, highlighting the importance of self-responsibility in managing health issues like MS. He encourages listeners to pursue their version of a vibrant life, reminding them that their journey is uniquely theirs.

Jeff thanks Jon for sharing his story, and the episode wraps up with a reminder for listeners to explore Jon's book, “Shadow Summit,” and check out his work at Vibrant U Academy.

Connections

Website

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Elizabeth Zelinka Parsons – Navigating the Retirement Transition

By YooperSmith | March 24, 2025

Elizabeth Zelinka Parsons, J.D., is a Retirement Transition Expert, lawyer, and co-founder of two consulting firms, Zelinka Parsons and Encoraco. A magna cum laude graduate of Georgetown University Law Center and summa cum laude graduate of James Madison University, Elizabeth has spent over two decades shaping professional development and transition strategies for legal professionals. A former attorney at Milbank, she built a national consulting firm assisting AmLaw 100 firms with talent solutions. Author of “Encore: A High Achiever’s Guide to Thriving in Retirement ” (Feb. 5, 2025), Elizabeth combines analytical rigor with creative vision to help professionals redefine retirement as a dynamic opportunity for growth and fulfillment.

Elizabeth Zelinka Parson Vroom Vroom Veer Summary

In this episode of “Vroom Vroom Veer,” host Jeff Smith welcomes guest Elizabeth Zelinka Parsons, a Retirement Transition Expert and lawyer. After a brief introduction by Michelle e Dickinson and an advertisement for the show, Jeff expresses excitement about the episode's topic, namely tips for retirement, as he has been retired for a long time and is eager to learn.

Elizabeth shares insights about her work at her consulting firms, Encoraco and Zelinka Parsons, highlighting her new book, “Encore: A High Achiever’s Guide to Thriving in Retirement,” which was released in February 2025. She explains that many people overly focus on the financial aspect of retirement, neglecting the personal identity challenges that come with it. Elizabeth emphasizes the importance of redefining retirement as a dynamic opportunity for growth and fulfillment.

Jeff and Elizabeth discuss the psychological impact of leaving a long-standing career, touching upon the pressure high achievers feel to remain successful. Elizabeth recounts her experience when she transitioned from a demanding law career to focusing on family, which drastically altered her identity and self-worth. She describes feeling lost and having to rebuild her life without the structure her career provided.

They reflect on how their early identities were shaped by their achievements and how challenging it can be to adjust to a new reality without traditional markers of success. Elizabeth encourages listeners to seek engagement and purpose in various aspects of their lives, advocating for a more experimental mindset as they explore new interests and connections.

The conversation also covers the difficulties transitioners face regarding social connections and community building post-retirement. Elizabeth speaks about the need to be intentional in forming relationships and finding new activities that bring joy and meaning.

As the episode concludes, Elizabeth discusses her process of writing her book, which grew out of her experiences and the desire to help others navigate their retirement transitions. Jeff praises the value of Elizabeth's work and encourages listeners to engage with her content on her website, encoraco.com, and through her LinkedIn page.

The episode ends with playful banter as Jeff thanks Elizabeth for her time, reinforcing the importance of navigating life’s transitions thoughtfully and intentionally. The show wraps up with a reminder to visit vvvveer.com for more information and show notes.

Connections

Website

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Dre Baldwin – Work on Your Game (BOV)

By YooperSmith | March 17, 2025

Dre Baldwin: for the past 15 years, “DreAllDay” has changed the lives of over 60 million entrepreneurs, athletes and business professionals, sold thousands of copies of his books, courses and programs, pioneered personal branding through content, and built a business that helps tens of thousands of people master their “Game” in business, sports and in life, from the inside-out.

Dre Baldwin Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in Philly; his mom was very big on academic success with him and his older sister; sister is an academic to this day; Dre just got by on grades

Tried football but didn't know his parents had to buy the equipment; tried baseball but sucked at it

Had to teach himself how to play basketball; good thing about basketball is all you need is the ball

Struggled to play basketball and improve his game in high school; finally made the team as a senior and sat the bench

Applied to any college who sent him a fee-free invitation to apply; got accepted to many schools all over the country

Played college ball for an almost division 3 school for his freshman year; got recruited to play by another Penn state campus for his sophomore and junior years; new coach came in and cleaned house so he was out of basketball his senior year

Wanted to to “go pro” in basketball but knew the NBA was not going to happen; paid to go to a sort of basketball Audition camp; he got a VHS tape and a scouting report

Sent that VHS tape out to basketball agents all over the country and found someone to represent him

Digitized that VHS tape and posted it to this new in 2005 web site called YouTube

About 5 years or so into his pro career he created a basketball program to teach people who to dribble and sold it online; his new career as an online entrepreneur was born

Connections

Website

Book: Mirror of Motivation

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Damion Lupo – Total Control Financial (BOV)

By YooperSmith | March 10, 2025

Damion Lupo is the Founder of Yokido ™, a fusion of Aikido & Yoga plus holder of 3 other black belts. Paid for his first rental house with a VISA, then bought 150 houses across 7 states over next 5 years and went through a $20,000,000 meltdown in 2008. Founded & running a FinTech in Austin to disrupt Wall Street with the eQRP ™. Author of 5 published books.
Damion Lupo Vroom Veer Stories

Was a rebel in Alaska, started selling video games at age 11
Tried to go to college 4 times, finally got the message that college wasn't for him
Made millions in real estate only to lose it all in the crash
Nearly died several times sky diving, finally got the message after the space shuttle exploded over him
Trigger Event (Big Veer), hiding from the FBI(?) only to find they were not after him
Got the help he needed with an expert coach who him helped him ask “what is true”
Started to focus on Total Control Financial after his dad died too early

Damion Lupo Links
Website
Yokido

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Robert Greenlee – Podcast Pioneer (BOV)

By YooperSmith | March 3, 2025

Robert Greenlee is the head of content for Spreaker, a platform that gives podcasters the tools to create, host, and distribute their content. More importantly, Robert Greenlee is the former host of the Webtalk World Radio Show, recognized as the first syndicated radio show in the world to begin podcasting all the way back in 2004. Since the birth of podcasting, Robert has made himself a part of the business at Microsoft, PodcastOne.com, and Spreaker.

Robert can teach your listeners about advertising trends and podcast monetization, as well as provide an insider's view into the state of the industry and where it is likely to go from here. Not to mention Robert was inducted into the Podcaster Hall of Fame this year!
Robert Greenlee Vroom Veer Stories

Paid for studio time in 1999 to produce an “internet radio” show
Show was like Howard Stern for nerds, live show with 4 friends & guests
Was one of 13 content providers on sync and go, made 5K/month! WOW!
Worked at Microsoft from 2007 to 2014 on the Zune podcast platform
Podcasts have a discovery problem, most android users do NOT discover podcasts
Podcast industry leaders hope Google creates a podcast app installed on all phones
Production costs for podcasting are still low enough to allow for hobby shows
Spreaker is working on a platform to allow podcasters to do a live 3-hour show

Robert Greenlee Links
twitter.com/robgreenlee
blog.spreaker.com
SpreakerLiveShow.com
Spreaker.com
robgreenlee.com
rob (at) Spreaker.com

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Angus Nelson Up in Your Business (BOV)

By YooperSmith | February 24, 2025

Angus Nelson works with executives of the world’s largest companies as a speaker, coach, and facilitator. He spoke at corporate headquarters for Walmart, Whole Foods, Coke, Adobe BMW and others. His podcast, “Up In Your Business”, was recognized as a Top 20 Business Podcast of 2015 by Inc.com.
Angus Nelson was featured on Aol.com, Huffington Post, VentureBeat, SocialFresh.com, and the big three major television networks. Angus has also been recognized as a Top 5% speaker by Monster.com and “Volunteer of the Year, Wausau, WI”. His book, “Love's Compass: How Do You Recover After a Lost Relationship”, earned him “Most Promising New Writer 2010”.
Angus lives in Nashville, TN, is married and has three children.

Angus Nelson Vroom Veer Stories

Early childhood veer when his father became more involved in a life in faith and moved away from consumerism
Co-founded a non-profit youth center with his twin brother in his 20's
When the business was stressed, he tried to solve the problem by working harder
To cope with working too much, Angus turn to pornography and alcohol, which led to a messy divorce
Spent two years soul searching, reading books, attending personal development workshops
Met his new (future) wife at a personal development workshop and veered toward service and compassion
Wrote his first book “Love's Compass” while he was playing Mr. Mom
Quit a waiter job at a steak house–started consulting Fortune 500 companies

Angus Nelson Links
AngusNelson.com
Love's Compass
Those Crazy Nelsons

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Michelle E. Dickinson – Harnessing Stress as a Strength

By YooperSmith | February 17, 2025

Michelle E. Dickinson – she's flipping the script on how we handle stress and build resilience. As a TED speaker and bestselling author, she's taught over 15,000 people across education, Fortune 500s, and healthcare how to actually deal with burnout and overwhelm – not just talk about it.Michelle doesn't do typical coaching. Instead, she teaches practical skills that work right away – think of it like getting a user manual for your brain. Her clients see real results fast: 30% less stress within three sessions, and 50-70% reduction after completing her program. But here's what's really different: her clients keep getting better long after the training ends.In just 6-8 sessions, she shows people exactly how to:Handle tough situations without getting overwhelmedBuild daily habits that actually stickTurn stress into something manageableTake charge of their own well-being without depending on othersHer approach is backed by hard data from over 1,500 coaching hours and countless success stories. From teachers to CEOs, people who used to roll their eyes at terms like 'mindfulness' now use her techniques every day.Michelle's not interested in endless therapy-style conversations or quick-fix solutions. She gives people real tools they can use immediately – at work, at home, anywhere. Her clients don't just cope better with stress – they completely change how they handle life's challenges through personal agency.What makes her different? She skips the fluffy self-help talk and gets straight to what works. Her clients don't become dependent on coaching – they become skilled at managing their own lives. It's like learning to drive – once you know how, you can handle any road ahead.

Michelle E. Dickinson Vroom Vroom Veer Show Summary

In this episode of “Vroom Vroom Veer,” host Jeff Smith welcomes Michelle E. Dickinson as the guest. Jeff introduces the show by emphasizing the importance of navigating life's challenges creatively.

Michelle is introduced as a TED speaker and bestselling author who has taught over 15,000 people across various fields how to manage stress and burnout effectively. She shares her excitement for her work, particularly the powerful impact it's having on educators and corporate clients who are on the brink of burnout.

The two discuss Michelle's background, including her upbringing in Westfield, New Jersey, where she was shaped by her mother's bipolar disorder. This challenging experience inspired Michelle to become a resilience advocate after giving a TED talk about her childhood, leading her to write a memoir and eventually create her business, “Resilience as a Lifestyle.”

Throughout the episode, they explore themes of stress management and resilience. Michelle explains the unique approach of her coaching, which focuses on practical skills and immediate results, such as reducing stress levels significantly within just a few sessions. She highlights the importance of sleep, creating morning routines, and taking control of one's mental well-being rather than relying on therapy or quick fixes.

They dive into the significance of daily habits, including gratitude practices and meditation, and ways to view stress as a strength rather than a burden. Michelle asserts that resilience should not just be about bouncing back from adversity but about recognizing one's agency in every situation.

The conversation also covers how to turn life's stress into a valuable learning experience and the detrimental effects of living in a constant state of negativity or victimhood. Michelle encourages listeners to become aware of their thought patterns, suggesting that individuals are often not the negative narratives they continuously tell themselves.

By the end of the episode, Michelle emphasizes the importance of practical strategies for self-care and mental wellness, advocating for a proactive approach to resilience that prioritizes immediate, actionable steps.

Jeff wraps up the episode by inviting listeners to connect with Michelle through her website and LinkedIn. The episode concludes with a cheerful acknowledgment from Tim Paige, who encourages listeners to visit the podcast website for more information and show notes.

Overall, the episode focuses on harnessing and managing stress effectively as a strength, underscoring the importance of proactive mental health practices in daily life.

Connections

Website

Social Tap

Sarah Blondin on Youtube and website

Five Minute Journal App Apple |Android

TheWayapp (Zen Master Henry Shukman) This link is from Tim Ferriss

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Mickie Kennedy – Creative Writing helps Bring News Releases to Small Business

By YooperSmith | February 10, 2025

Mickie Kennedy is an expert at helping small businesses, authors, and startups increase their visibility and credibility. 26 years ago, Mickie founded eReleases after realizing that small businesses desperately need a press release distribution service they can afford. While working in PR. Mickie came face to face with customers that wanted to use press releases due to their effectiveness at bringing in business, but could not afford to pay the extremely high startup fees that most agencies charged. Mickie saw an opportunity to help — and eReleases was born.

Mickie created eReleases to give small businesses access to the media and to a national newswire – all with a personal touch. eReleases has grown since then and even works with big names now, but the spirit of Mickie’s original intent has not changed. eReleases delivers personal service and exceptional value to every customer, with every press release, at every price point.

Mickie lives in Baltimore County with his family and two feuding cats. He enjoys British science fiction and acknowledges an unhealthy addiction to diet soda. Mickie holds an MFA in Creative Writing with an emphasis in Poetry from George Mason University. He still writes poetry most Monday nights with a group of fellow misfits in Brunswick, Maryland.

Mickie Kennedy Vroom Vroom Veer Summary

In this episode, host Jeff Smith welcomes Mickie Kennedy, founder of eReleases. The episode begins with a brief introduction, including a light-hearted reminder from Michael Stein, a voiceover promoting the show.

Jeff expresses excitement about having Mickie on the podcast and asks about her current business endeavors. Mickie shares that for the past 26 years, she has been helping small businesses, entrepreneurs, and authors gain publicity through affordable press release distribution via eReleases, which sends releases nationally through PR Newswire at a fraction of the cost of traditional agencies.

The conversation shifts to Mickie’s childhood, where he describes growing up in Eastern North Carolina, engaging in outdoor adventures, and spending time with friends in a rural setting. They reminisce about childhood activities, including dirt bike riding and fishing.

Mickie reflects on his time at East Carolina University, where he pursued English literature and anthropology, eventually obtaining an MFA in creative writing. He originally planned a bohemian life as a poet but transitioned to writing press releases at a telecom research startup, where he discovered the potential impact of storytelling in press releases.

Mickie describes a pivotal moment in 1998 when a friend faced exorbitant costs for a press release, prompting him to create eReleases to support small businesses with affordable press release services. He explains the unique approach eReleases takes by crafting story-based press releases that journalists can utilize, contrasting it with the common practice of simply highlighting product features.

The discussion covers his love for British science fiction, particularly Doctor Who, and how a public TV antenna introduced him to it. They also touch on his dual interests in poetry and writing, with Mickie revealing his current poetry projects and upcoming book.

Jeff and Mickie discuss his two cats and their temperamental relationship, drawing parallels to the challenges of herding cats metaphorically in work scenarios. The episode concludes with Jeff encouraging listeners to connect with Mickie through eReleases' website and social media, emphasizing the supportive and honest nature of their team.

Finally, Jeff wraps up the episode with a cheerful goodbye, reminding listeners to check the show notes for more information. The episode captures Mickie's transition from writer to PR expert, her business philosophy, and personal anecdotes from her journey.

Connections

Website

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Michael Stein – Grew up with Dyslexia and ADHD and Found Success as a Long Shot

By YooperSmith | February 3, 2025

Michael Stein is an entrepreneur, actor, writer, director, producer, stand-up comedian, and personal development expert. Michael is the founder and CEO of Abadak Inc. A company that he started with zero money and has since made 100+ million dollars. Started his entrepreneurial career when he was 19 years, becoming the #1 young nightclub promoter in Los Angeles. Michael has acted and worked with multiple Academy Award-winning actors, filmmakers, producers, and fortune 500 leaders and is the host of the Long Shot Leaders Podcast.

Michael Stein Vroom Vroom Veer Show Summary

In this episode of “Vroom Vroom Veer,” host Jeff Smith welcomes guest Michael Stein, an accomplished entrepreneur, actor, writer, director, producer, stand-up comedian, and personal development expert. Michael shares insights about his dynamic career, starting with his early struggles growing up with ADHD and dyslexia. He reflects on his dysfunctional childhood, mentioning his father’s rise and fall from wealth, and his grandmother’s escape from a Russian concentration camp.

Michael recounts how he found inspiration in the movie “Rocky,” which motivated him to work out and become physically fit. He then began his entrepreneurial journey at age 19, quickly becoming the top nightclub promoter in Los Angeles. This led him to work with prominent figures in the film industry and to start producing his own films, including the acclaimed “Love Hollywood Style,” despite facing numerous challenges.

He elaborates on his decision to start a business, Tarps Plus, as a means to finance his filmmaking dreams. The business eventually made over 100 million dollars, leading him to launch a new venture, Bolator, which produces a unique multifunctional backpack. Michael emphasizes the importance of perseverance and learning from failure in achieving success.

As they discuss the role of a producer, Michael explains the different types, such as line producers and executive producers, and how they contribute to film production. He draws comparisons to successful figures in Hollywood, including Mark Wahlberg, and shares his own experiences and aspirations in filmmaking.

Towards the end of the episode, Jeff and Michael discuss the value of investing and the risks involved in film production. The conversation wraps up with Jeff inviting Michael to return for another episode, highlighting the fun and insightful exchange they’ve had.

The episode concludes with Tim Paige encouraging listeners to visit the podcast’s website for more information and to catch up with future episodes.

Connections

PodCast Website

Bolotor.com

Tarps Plus

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Kim Ades – Frame of Mind Coaching (BOV)

By YooperSmith | January 27, 2025

Kim Ades is the president and founder of Frame of Mind Coaching and JournalEngineTM Software. Author, speaker, entrepreneur, coach, and mother of five, Kim is recognized as one of North America's foremost experts on performance through thought mastery. By using her unique process of integrating online journaling in her coaching, Kim helps her highly-driven clients to examine and shift their thinking in order to yield extraordinary results.

Kim Ades Vroom Veer Stories

Little Kim was very shy and quiet and afraid to engage with other children

In 7th grade (or grade 7), she was frightened and intimidated by a bigger girl for “giving her a look”

Kim dreamed of helping (coaching) this girl on a rollercoaster for many years

In High School, Kim was like Lucy in the Peanuts cartoons…like the school psychologist…hung out with all the groups

Found out she excelled at and enjoyed making cold calls in sales…so she started he own balloon business

Got her MBA while she was still in her early 20's and went and got a corporate job

Found out she really didn't like corporate culture

Started a new company that used a software assessment tool to help companies hire better candidates—gathered loads of data

The data showed that one's frame of mind and was the key factor in determining success or failure

Big veer when she divorced her husband and sold her shares in the company

Looked around at the current “accountability” based coaching and thought she could do better

Created Frame of Mind Coaching and used JournalEngine (TM) Software to help clients 1) see their thoughts and beliefs and 2) figure out if those matched with what they really wanted

Kim Ades Connections

Website

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R. Scott Edwards – Mastering Laughter: Exploring the Origins of Stand-Up Comedy

By YooperSmith | January 20, 2025

R. Scott Edwards started his first company at age 17, and at 24 opened Laughs Unlimited, (1980) just the 12th full-time comedy club in the entire United States. Scott was fortunate to fall in with comedy greats like Bob Saget, Dave Coulier, Garry Shandling, and many others who helped him develop an extremely successful chain of comedy clubs in Northern California. In turn, he helped develop talents like Paula Poundstone, Brian Posehn, and Dana Carvey, and enjoyed working with icons like Graham Chapman of Monty Python, Pat Paulsen, Soupy Sales, and Tommy Chong.Scott knows comedy performance and production, having produced three TV series, several large concerts, and thousands of live comedy stage shows. Now Scott is sharing what heʼs learned through his books, interactive online courses, podcasts, and video archives. Listen and enjoy the experiences and stories about talent from all the greats, from Ellen and Yakov Smirnoff to Paul Reiser and Seinfeld—and even the amazing Robin Williams!

R. Scott Edwards Vroom Vroom Veer Show Summary

In this episode of “Vroom Vroom Veer” titled “R. Scott Edwards: Mastering Laughter: Exploring the Origins of Stand-Up Comedy,” host Jeff Smith engages in a deep and humorous conversation with guest R. Scott Edwards, a seasoned comedy club owner and comedy producer. The episode kicks off with Jeff’s light-hearted banter about hitting the record button, followed by various guest introductions that showcase the theme of veering away from a scripted life to more genuine experiences.

Jeff warmly welcomes R. Scott Edwards, and they dive into Edwards’ extensive history in the comedy scene. Edwards shares his journey from opening Laughs Unlimited, one of the first full-time comedy clubs in the U.S., to working with and developing prominent comedians like Paula Poundstone and Dana Carvey. He talks about the evolution of comedy clubs from mere spaces in strip joints to respected venues showcasing professional stand-up artists, emphasizing how he helped put Sacramento on the comedy map.

The conversation veers towards the changing dynamics of stand-up comedy, expressing how different comics brought different flavors to stage performances. Scott mentions notable comedians like Bob Saget and Dave Coulier who were instrumental in shaping the stand-up scene. They reminisce about the influence of television and comedy specials from HBO in popularizing stand-up even further during the 1980s.

They discuss Scott’s other ventures, including a stint in submarine tourism, and his passion for creating hospitable environments to showcase comedy, underscoring the importance of having fun in business endeavors. Furthermore, Scott outlines how he transitioned from entertaining to more service-oriented careers like insurance, maintaining his core mission of enhancing people’s lives regardless of the industry.

The episode touches on the personal challenges and humorous anecdotes from Scott’s experiences owning a chain of clubs and producing comedy shows, reflecting on how stand-up is a unique form of art that is intimately connected with the audience’s engagement.

To wrap up, Edwards elaborates on his current projects which include teaching the art of comedy through books and courses. He reflects on the essence of comedy: its ability to pivot or “veer,” adapting to the audience and environment to perfect the art. The episode ends with appreciations and reminders of Scott's ongoing contributions to the comedy world, highlighting his websites and upcoming projects that aim to educate and entertain aspiring comedians and comedy enthusiasts.

Overall, the podcast episode masterfully explores the intricacies of the comedy world through R. Scott Edwards’ historical insights and personal stories, all while maintaining a lively and engaging atmosphere that resonates well with the theme of veering towards a more fulfilling and entertaining life path.

Connections

Website

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Chris Brogan BOV – Content, Community and Belonging

By YooperSmith | January 13, 2025

Chris Brogan (BOV) was very kind to be on my show at launch…this is a quick chat, but well worth a listen. Fun, and insightful about what is right and what is wrong in the world of content creation.

Chris Brogan explores how people use content and community to build marketplaces around areas of belonging. He is CEO of Owner Media Group, a sought after public speaker, and the New York Times bestselling author of eight books and working on his ninth, Belong: A Framework for Embracing Community, Driving the Economy and Building the Future. Learn more about him at chrisbrogan.com.

Chris Brogan (BOV): How did you become a Buddhist

Chris went to an event with his better half Jacq Shambala event.

Jacq broke all the rules and became BFFs with Pema Chodron

Chris does his Buddhism on his own by reading and meditating.

Can you run your life at 40% and get a business going?

YES!

Chris see many people starting out running around being busy because they don't know what they are supposed to do…he get's that.

Figure out where you belong instead of where you fit in…then things start getting smarter, quicker, faster.

Chris serves people who are trying to figure how to:

Create Content that

Nurtures a community

and perhaps earn the opportunity to create a marketplace

You can run at 40% when you stop chasing “everything” and you start serving those people you have the pleasure and opportunity to serve.

If you don't know where you belong, it's takes some internal work to figure out where you are supposed to be.

Life at 40% allows one to build an energy reserve

Being sleep deprived doesn't serve anybody…should be for emergency (non business) use only…such as life and death situations.

Chris build his life with plenty of blank space on his calendar to serve his people.

Chris never has burnout

He puts his mask on first he serves himself and his higher power

2nd circle are the people he loves the most…not all his loved ones…those he loves the most.

3rd are mentors and people he mentors

4th are customers

Many people put customers first, but those are the people who gain/lose weight, or get sick and loose time.

Chris Brogan (BOV): Belonging, Content, and Community

People are throwing out content without knowing “WHY” they are doing it.

There's a lot of box checking going on in the Platform space….somebody said I need a podcast…here's a podcast….CHECK!

It makes Chris weepy.

He wants the whole “content marketing” community to work better

Content has to serve 1) the content marketer is served by creating a possibility for an opportunity to sell 2) serve the community as useful, entertaining and informative.

Belong to the Community you want to serve…like if you want to serve the Spartan Race crowd…run the Spartan race…or partner with them.

You need to listen to what the community wants and needs and nurture your belonging relationship within the community.

Then you can earn the opportunity to sell within that community.

The reason people have a hard time selling is they are pushing against a space wherein they have not earned the opportunity to sell…that's what Chris is trying to fix.

You don't need to create a community you just need to belong and start serving to earn an opportunity to sell.

Are “Quotes” content marketing?

No.

A quote of Chris's is loaded into a robot that tweets 100 times everyday and they all have @chrisbrogan. This screws up his tweeter feed.

Those are robots talking to robots…nobody cares about your quotes.

Chris did 45 tweets everyday…the same tweets…nobody complained.

Sharing other people's stuff is pretty cool.

The powerful shares are natural and organic within the community that contains cleverly embedded branding.

Like the Spartan Race Community loves to snap instagram pics of people all muddy jumping over fire…that's powerful content.

Quoting a bunch of crap because you think you are supposed to be making noise is just making noise.

Chris Brogan Links

Chris Brogan Current Blog & Weekly Newsletter Sign-Up: http://www.chrisbrogan.comOwner Media Group: http://ownermag.com/Chris Book List on Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Chris-Brogan/e/B002C7745S

Please Subscribe on iTunes and Stitcher

Ratings and Review help the show grow!

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David Frees Success Technologies (BOV)

By YooperSmith | January 6, 2025

David Frees' life, academic work and careers have taken him across the globe and exposed him to leaders, master communicators, persuaders, influencers and negotiators in hundreds of nations and across many cultures.

He now uses his experience to teach leadership, sales and marketing, persuasion, influence, interrogation and negotiation to audiences ranging from computer hackers turned “good guys” to entrepreneurs, the military and civilians.

David Frees Vroom Veer Stories

Goes to New Zealand at age 16 to study abroad–learns a lot about how people think about trust

Studies history and political science in college and works on computers part-time

While in school, asked if he was “a patriot” –becomes an interrogator

Finds he excels as the “good cop” role in interrogation, people request to talk to him again

Served as an “observer” in multiple murder investigations, learns more about life and death situations

As if his law resume wasn't colorful enough he also does a stint as a stand-up comedian–why not

Having a knack for persuasion Dave would settle many cases–sometimes to the chagrin of the boss

David Frees Links

Success Technologies – Dave's Website

3 days to success – find out more about business black ops program this year

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Dara McKinley – Learning How to Forgive and the Structure of Forgiveness

By YooperSmith | December 30, 2024

Dara McKinley: After studying psychology and alternative spirituality for most of her life, an unlikely turn of events veered Dara McKinley toward the forgiveness path. Examined through the lens of her previous knowledge, she discovered that forgiveness is not only an effective healing modality, but it wasn’t pardoning. Feeling called to help the many people deterred by mainstream forgiveness definitions, today Dara guides people beyond popular forgiveness understandings and into a practical spiritual process that restores peace.

Dara McKinley Vroom Vroom Veer Show Summary

In this episode of the Vroom Vroom Veer podcast, host Jeff Smith welcomes guest Dara McKinley, an expert on forgiveness whose approach diverges from traditional notions of pardoning. The episode commences with a humorous introduction and transitions into an in-depth exploration of McKinley’s unique perspective on forgiveness and its implications for personal growth and freedom.

Jeff Smith begins by clarifying McKinley’s name and affiliation with her website “howtoforgive.com.” Dara McKinley introduces her specialized approach to forgiveness, particularly of interest to individuals who are spiritual but not religious. She explains that conventional definitions of forgiveness, which often include pardoning or letting go of anger, do not resonate with everyone, including herself. McKinley discusses her journey and personal challenges, which led her to pursue a deeper understanding of forgiveness beyond traditional narratives.

As the conversation unfolds, McKinley distinguishes between interpersonal forgiveness (forgiving others) and intrapersonal forgiveness (forgiving oneself), emphasizing how both types serve distinct functions but are united by the common goal of achieving inner peace and self-liberation. She also shares her personal background, including her upbringing by a spiritually open mother and an eclectic education that eventually influenced her professional focus on forgiveness.

The discussion continues with McKinley describing a crucial turning point during a personal crisis when she felt compelled to understand and practice forgiveness on a deeper level. This led her to develop a program to help others experience the transformative power of what she calls “true forgiveness,” which involves a profound internal shift rather than merely excusing someone's actions.

Throughout the podcast, host Jeff Smith engages with McKinley’s insights by relating them to his own experiences and broader philosophical concepts, illustrating a mutual understanding and exploration of the subject matter.

Towards the end of the episode, both McKinley and Smith delve into nuances of the forgiveness process, discussing the challenges people face due to societal and cultural conditioning around the concept. They touch on various implications of forgiveness, like enhancing personal intuition and inner peace, which McKinley suggests can lead to higher levels of consciousness and improved life quality.

Finally, the podcast concludes with a summary of McKinley’s online resources, encouraging listeners to explore forgiveness not just as a means to overcome interpersonal disputes but as a transformative personal practice. Jeff Smith wraps up by reflecting on the enriching dialogue and directing listeners to further resources available on the Vroom Vroom Veer website.

Connections

Website

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Madeleine Lambert – How World Travel changes you; your Life and Business (BOV)

By YooperSmith | December 23, 2024

Madeleine Lambert is the driving force behind the business management and growth of Content Refined. As a young entrepreneur, she is always looking for different ways to improve the business for her clients and for her employees. She has a Bachelor’s Degree with combined Honours in Legal Studies & Human Rights from Carleton University. After university, she traveled solo across the globe, and lived in Asia for a year. She and her partner are happily settled in their first home in Collingwood Ontario. They’re expecting their first child in June 2018.
Madeleine Lambert Vroom Veer Stories

Madeleine is not only VERY pregnant; she was booked to MC a friend's wedding and her partner was out of town on business; sooo she's really counting on her lucky stars the baby doesn't show up too early
She's having difficulty with scattered brain and is not her generally focused self; so she's frustrated with herself not getting things done; it is also a wake up call to get better at delegating to her team members
Her dad was a faculty member of the university she attended; Madeleine pranked her Dad for April's fools and nearly killed him; when revealed as a prank; dad didn't talk to her for three days
I mentioned the Joe Gebbia (founder of Airbnb) Prank Story from the Tim Ferriss podcast.
After graduating from college she was desperately trying to fit into mold for a Master's Program; her dad suggested she should take a year and do something she had never done before; packed a bag and bought a one-way ticket and headed out on an adventure
Started her trip in Canada; then headed to Europe and the middle east and south east Asia; lived in south east Asia for about year
Learning about different cultural norms helps you to see your life in a new light; some places in the world there is no toilet paper and that's ok
Embrace the Bum Gun
The founders of the Tropical MBA podcast started a group called the Dynamite Circle, which Madeleine joined; she ended up being gifted a trip to a Conference in Bangkok by another member of the circle
The surprising (maybe?) reason that Madeleine didn't drink at ALL during that conference; and then took another week “off” to work ON her business

Madeleine Lambert Connections

Content Refined: Website, Instagram, Facebook

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Fiorella Yriberry – Turning a Veer into Adventures in Nomadic Life

By YooperSmith | December 16, 2024

Fiorella Yriberry, a nomadic content marketer for RVshare, has traveled 40+ states and 35 national parks in her self-converted home. For four years, shes explored North America, sharing stories to inspire outdoor adventures.

Fiorella Yriberry Vroom Vroom Veer Show Summary

In this episode of “Vroom Vroom Veer,” hosted by Jeff Smith, the focus is on the nomadic lifestyle of guest Fiorella Yriberry, a content marketing specialist for RVshare. Fiorella has traveled extensively across North America in her self-converted RV, exploring over 40 states and 35 national parks.

The episode begins with an introduction by Jeff Smith, setting the stage for a discussion about life's unpredictable paths and how Fiorella's professional and personal life embody the podcast's themes of veering and adventure. Fiorella describes her role at RVshare, detailing how her job aligns with her lifestyle and allows her to promote and share her experiences with a broader audience. She explains the concept of RVshare as a peer-to-peer RV rental marketplace, highlighting her unique position as both a company employee and a user of the service.

Fiorella shares her backstory, starting with her upbringing in Bolivia and her move to the United States for college. Post-graduation life saw her and her husband falling into a routine lifestyle, which they soon realized was limiting their travel opportunities. This realization led them to embrace RV living, initially jumping into it with little prior experience. Fiorella outlines the learning curve they faced, including details about their first and second RVs, stressing the importance of renting before buying to understand what suits one’s needs.

Throughout the conversation, Fiorella and Jeff exchange stories about their respective RV experiences, including technical challenges like dealing with vehicle size and the benefits of having a smaller, more maneuverable setup. Both guests discuss adaptations they’ve made to their RVs to fit their needs better, such as installing solar panels and composting toilets, with Fiorella emphasizing their desire to be fully off-grid.

Fiorella also touches on her life on the road, particularly how she manages work with her travels, thanks to technologies like Starlink for reliable internet. She shares some of the challenges of remote living, such as vehicle breakdowns in isolated areas, and contrasts these with the profound joys and beauty experienced while visiting diverse landscapes, from Arizona’s deserts to Montana’s mountains.

The episode wraps up with a discussion on their favorite travel destinations, tips for living off-grid, and how Fiorella manages a balance between work and exploring the outdoors. The hosts briefly chat about future travels before closing the episode, inviting listeners to check out Fiorella’s blog and RVshare for those inspired to venture into RV living.

Overall, the episode of “Vroom Vroom Veer” captures a broad and inspiring discussion on embracing life's veers through the lens of a nomadic lifestyle, accented with practical insights and engaging personal anecdotes from Fiorella Yriberry's adventures on the road.

Connections

RVShare Blog

Growing Slow and Wild

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Jonathan Greene – Embracing Change, Meditation; Turning off the Ego (BOV)

By YooperSmith | December 9, 2024

Jonathan Greene is a Father, writer, podcast host, guest expert, unwitting polymath. Creator of Redoubtable & Uncalendared. Purveyor of wit. Advocate of sarcasm. Believer in zen.
Jonathan Greene Vroom Veer Stories

Currently writing everyday on medium working up steam to write a novel; he already wrote to screenplays which was really cathartic
Test questions that are looking for the “best answer” vs. the right answer drive both of us a little bit crazy
Born and raised in Brooklyn Heights in New York until 8th grade; moved to North Hollywood, CA during the “Valley Girl” thing; lived in the Valley for 4 years; finished High School in boarding school in New Jersey
Fish out of water in 8th grade–showed up to the first day of school in blue corduroy pants and a Yankees Jersey; the valley kids wore OP shorts and Quick Silver T-shirts with cool haircuts
We both have come to love moving; Jonathan's father would sell homes just as they were finished fixing everything
Standardized school system is broken; it is stuck in the past
Went to college to play basketball thinking he was going to be the best; not so much; ended up failing out of college after two years
Went to a new college and took classes that were interesting; graduated with honors 3 years later
Wasn't concerned so much with grades in law school; more interested in learning to become a great lawyer; got a job within a day of passing the bar exam
During 9-11 he was working in a government office building which was evacuated after the 2nd plane hit; this sparked a move to a job with a lower volume of crime
First day of new job; the files were a mess–because “this is just how we do things”; nope, that won't fly
The one question that derailed his career with the FBI
Veered away from working in the law after his dad died; Spent 5 years working in the art world; didn't want to continue in the criminal justice while raising kids
Learned to embrace the “veers” in life and to keep moving to the next thing
Mentioned the blog Mr. Money Mustache who talks about reducing expenses and saving more money to retire as soon as possible
Yes meditation is discussed as we both have a practice
Mentioned the Michael Pollan episode of Tim Ferriss podcast about how learning to shut of the ego part of your brain can help big problems like climate change and tribalism
Spent 3 years working in real estate; was required to answer his phone; so he quit that gig
Mentioned the Ryan Holiday Book “Ego is the Enemy” that is my Amazon affiliate link

Jonathan Greene Connections
My podcast, Dad, is now available.
Listen on iTunes and Stitcher.
Schedule with me on Calendly
Read what I write on Medium
Follow me on Instagram
Connect on LinkedIn
Twitter
Website (TrustGreen)

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Jeff Giles – Langley Powell and the Society for the Defense of the Mundane

By YooperSmith | December 2, 2024

Jeff Giles is an experienced culture writer and editor who's been featured in a long list of publications including Paste Magazine, the Village Voice, American Songwriter, Ultimate Classic Rock, and Rotten Tomatoes. Jeff Giles makes his debut as a novelist with Langley Powell and the Society for the Defense of the Mundane.

What would you do if the belief you'd dedicated your life to turned out to be completely, hilariously wrong?And what if you only found out just how wrong you'd been after you died in one of the most humiliating ways possible?These are the questions facing Langley Powell, world-renowned debunker of paranormal phenomena, after he's flattened by a falling piano. Loath as he is to admit it, he has become a ghost — but before he can even come to terms with his bizarre new reality, he's thrown into a dangerous mission to save the very fabric of existence. Can Langley believe the people he's supposed to trust? Is this all really the fault of the disgraced magician who made him a skeptic in the first place? And how many insults will he have to bear from Frank, the foulmouthed, pint-sized government agent who's sworn to protect him along the way?Langley Powell and the Society for the Defense of the Mundane, out now via Humorist Books, is part supernatural comedy, part mystery, and part absurd history lesson. On Langley and Frank's journey, they're just as likely to meet up with Albert Einstein, J. Edgar Hoover, or Tom Petty as they are to confront the forces of supernatural evil or a president who really, really likes Ferris Bueller's Day Off. My first novel, this is the cracked reflection of a writing career that's spanned several decades and seen me covering everything from daytime dramas to beer while publishing thousands of essays and interviews about and with a diverse array of musicians and filmmakers.

Jeff Giles Vroom Vroom Veer Show Summary

In this episode of Vroom Vroom Veer, hosted by Jeff Smith, guest Jeff Giles discusses his debut novel, “Langley Powell and the Society for the Defense of the Mundane.” The episode begins with a scripted introduction by narrator Tim Paige, highlighting the podcast's focus on stories about veering away from a scripted life into more fulfilling directions.

The conversation between Smith and Giles begins with some light banter before delving into the details of Giles’ novel. Giles explains the plot, which centers around a renowned debunker of paranormal phenomena who becomes a ghost and finds himself annoyed by his new existence. He shares his excitement about completing his first novel, especially at the age of fifty, and details his writing process during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Giles recounts his struggle to find a literary agent and ultimately getting his book published by Humorous Books during an open submission period. He also reflects on his previous experience self-publishing a nonfiction book about the ABC daytime drama “One Life to Live.”

The discussion veers into Giles' diverse professional background, which includes working as a music reviewer from a young age, running a record label, and his various jobs before becoming a novelist. Giles shares insights from his life's unexpected turns, or “veers,” which brought him significant changes and new opportunities.

Smith and Giles touch on topics like the challenges of the publishing industry, the role of persistence in achieving literary success, and how changes in media and technology have affected their careers. They also discuss the emotional aspects of receiving rejection and the importance of resilience.

As the conversation concludes, Giles provides information on how listeners can access his work and connect with him online, directing them to his website and other online platforms.

The episode wraps up with Tim Paige thanking the listeners and inviting them to tune in for more episodes of Vroom Vroom Veer.

Connections

LangleyPowell.com

Jefitoblog.com

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Dr. Manan Shah – Revolutionizing Allergy Care with Wyndly

By YooperSmith | November 25, 2024

Dr. Manan Shah is a founder and Chief Medical Officer (CMedO) of Wyndly. As CMedO, Dr. Shah oversees every aspect of Wyndly which interacts with patients (and many that don't!), including patient experience, provider experience, medical operations, marketing, and customer support. He's led Wyndly from just an idea, to its first patients, to the fully-functioning medical practice and company it is today.Dr. Shah is academically active at national and local levels. He has published multiple peer-reviewed articles in medical journals and book chapters. Additionally, he gives presentations and lectures locally and nationally on topics relating to otolaryngology. He was nominated by local colleagues to serve as the President of the Colorado ENT Society, and also elected by his national peers to serve as the Secretary of the YPS of the American Academy of Otolaryngology, and is also a member of the Academy's Telehealth Committee.Dr. Shah created Wyndly with co-founder and cousin Aakash Shah in 2020, participating in the Y Combinator W21 batch. Prior to Wyndly, Dr. Shah completed his medical school at the University of Maryland and pursued an additional certification in clinical research. He subsequently completed his Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery training at the University of Connecticut.Before his medical career, Dr. Shah attended Tufts University, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts, double major: Music and Biomedical Engineering. Outside of Wyndly, Dr. Shah focuses on increasing the understanding and accessibility of allergy care and otolaryngology both through research articles on his website and answering common medical questions on reddit, Youtube, and TikTok.

Dr. Manan Shah Vroom Vroom Veer Show Summary

Episode Summary:

In this episode of “Vroom Vroom Veer,” host Jeff Smith engages in a compelling conversation with Dr. Manan Shah, the founder and Chief Medical Officer of Wyndly, a fully virtual allergy care practice. Dr. Shah shares his journey from the initial concept to the actualization of Wyndly and discusses the innovation of providing allergy treatments online.

Key Points Discussed:

Introduction and Background:

Dr. Shah describes Wyndly’s mission to provide long-term allergy treatment through immunotherapy that patients can administer at home.

Shift in Allergy Treatment:

Dr. Shah discusses how traditional allergy treatments necessitate frequent visits and injections at a medical office, which is inconvenient and outdated in the current fast-paced world. He compares this to Wyndly's method of sublingual immunotherapy, which is popular in Europe and easier for patients to manage at home.

Early Years and Inspiration:

Growing up in Maryland, Dr. Shah was heavily inspired by his parents, both of whom were in medical professions. This familial influence steered him toward a career in healthcare, specifically otolaryngology, bridging his mother's dentistry and his father's surgery practices.

Career and Educational Background:

Dr. Shah touches on his educational path, including attending Tufts University, the University of Maryland for medical school, and the University of Connecticut for Otolaryngology training. His career choice was further solidified by personal medical experiences and the desire to improve patient care.

Challenges in Traditional Medical Practices:

He discusses the challenges within traditional medical setups, including the constraints imposed by insurance companies on patient care. This frustration led him to explore more patient-focused solutions that would not involve the cumbersome and often opaque billing practices associated with insurance.

Starting Wyndly with Tech Support:

Dr. Shah recounts how his cousin, Aakash Shah, helped him integrate technology into his practice, which became particularly useful when transitioning to virtual consultations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Expanding Wyndly’s Reach:

The conversation shifts to the scaling of Wyndly’s services, made possible through participation in Y Combinator, which provided the necessary mentorship and funding. This accelerated their expansion from Colorado to a nationwide service.

Personal Allergy Experiences:

Dr. Shah shares his personal struggles with severe allergies, particularly to cats, which not only affected his personal life but also highlighted the effectiveness of the treatment methods he now advocates through Wyndly.

Conclusion and Contact Information:

As the episode wraps up, Jeff Smith expresses enthusiasm for the accessible and patient-oriented approach Wyndly offers. Dr. Shah invites listeners to visit Wyndly’s website for more information or to initiate treatment, emphasizing the ease and effectiveness of their innovative allergy treatment solutions.

This episode effectively discusses how Wyndly is transforming allergy treatment by leveraging telehealth capabilities and modern treatment methods, emphasizing convenience, effectiveness, and patient satisfaction.

Connections

Website

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Sheila Buswell: Lessons from the Army to Biomedical CEO

By YooperSmith | November 18, 2024

Sheila Buswell is the CEO and Co-Founder of Buswell Biomedical, a veteran of the US Army and the author of Is This Seat For Me? Overcoming Imposter Syndrome in Everyday Life and Business

Sheila Buswell Vroom Vroom Veer Show Summary

In this episode of Vroom Vroom Veer, host Jeff Smith talks with guest Sheila Buswell, CEO of Buswell Biomedical and an Army veteran. Tim Paige provides a thematic introduction to the podcast, emphasizing life’s unexpected veers.

Sheila starts the conversation by expressing her excitement about a prototype developed by her company. She details the adjustments being made, particularly focusing on its weight optimization. The discussion veers slightly into some comical banter about the challenges of receiving heavy deliveries.

The conversation shifts towards the main functionality of Sheila’s biomedical device, which aims to assist hospital patients with daily living activities through a technology similar to that used by autonomous vacuums. Jeff and Sheila discuss the tentative and experimental nature of this technology and its impact on healthcare workers and patients.

Their talk takes a reflective turn as Sheila recounts her personal history, including losing her scholarship due to academic challenges and her subsequent enlistment in the Army. The conversation explores the difficulties of balancing work, education, and military life, highlighting Sheila's struggles and her decision to serve in the military after losing her academic funding.

Jeff digs deeper into Sheila's military experience, discussing its highs and lows, and the significant adjustments required post-service. The discussion underlines the challenges veterans face when transitioning back to civilian life and how those experiences shape their perspectives and resilience.

Sheila shares anecdotes from her time in the Army, reflecting on how it prepared her for complex business challenges and her eventual role as a CEO and innovator. She also discusses her book, “Is This Seat For Me? Overcoming Imposter Syndrome in Everyday Life and Business,” detailing her experiences with imposter syndrome and her strategies for overcoming it.

The episode ends with a casual chat about advantages of military discipline, adaptability learned from military life, and its application in personal growth and business. Sheila concludes by highlighting the availability of her book and provides contact information for further engagement. Tim Paige wraps up the episode with closing remarks, inviting listeners to the Vroom Vroom Veer podcast website for more information.

Connections

Is this seat for me?

Buswell Biomedical

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Janice Chaka The Traveling Introvert (BOV)

By YooperSmith | November 11, 2024

Janice Chaka is a self-confessed introvert and an accomplished entrepreneur with over 8 years of international HR experience. She has cross cultural and international experiences working with companies both large and small. Janice provides a unique perspective on applying human resources and career coaching for introverts.
Janice Chaka Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up traveling all over the UK; her fav is Torquay on the southern coast of England
Didn't go to University; was a dancer and got a job in a casino in England; landed in HR
Found she didn't really need the degree in HR, she got the certificate and the experience
Wound up living and working in Mexico; did recruiting for an American company
Worked many different jobs in HR; got pulled back into recruiting and a work from home job
Loved working from home; but was bored; found side gigs; set up a company's LinkedIn Profile
Got Crazy; took on a Freelance gig as a Project Lead; and kept her full time job
Volunteered her time as a virtual mentor for Bpeace in Guatemalan
Realized she was an introvert; and everything started to make more sense
Don't let being an introvert define you; let it guide you
Loves to travel; has a base, but only lives there 3 months per year
Help busy people book travel as a travel concierge

Connections
The Traveling Introvert
My Trip Quest
JC Global Services
The Career Introvert
Email Janice
On Twitter

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Roger Whitney – Retirement Answer Man (BOV)

By YooperSmith | November 4, 2024

Roger Whitney is the Retirement Answer Man and he believes you can create a great life that balances living well today AND living well tomorrow by have the right little conversations about money. Over the last 24, years he has worked directly with clients on this journey.

Roger Whitney Vroom Veer Stories

The traditional idea of retirement is ready for bed, what's next?

How to find balance between living well today while planning for the future

GenXers have an opportunity to create a new idea about work/life/money

3 things everyone can do right now to plan a better future

The idea of retirement is started in the 50's when people were physically used up

Many people are failing to plan and feel they NEED to work

Let's create a life we don't really want to retire from

Independence and flexibility is what we want, not traditional beach/golf version of retirement

Work can now be fun and fulfilling

Fulfilling work improves mental and physical health

Financial Planning: Sacrifice your life now vs. Sacrifice your life tomorrow

Investing works well at preserving and growing wealth overtime

How can I invest in myself to help me create more wealth

There is only so much “frugalling” one can do; we can create more wealth

Invest in skillset, professional network

Traditional Financial Planning depends on a perception of perfection

Let's manage through uncertainty

How to have little conversations before they become big conversations

Roger Whitney Links

Roger's Podcast and Blog

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Jessica Ell – Embracing Change and Making Hard Choices

By YooperSmith | October 28, 2024

Jessica Ell is a Martha Beck-certified life coach who helps people make hard decisions.

From Jessica Ell.com About Page:

I’ve struggled with hard decisions my whole life (I’m an Enneagram 6 with an open Identity G Center in Human Design). “I don’t know” is the most truthful statement of my existence, but about this I am absolutely certain: unless someone has been there themselves, they can’t possibly understand the deep pain of indecision, ambivalence and reluctance. I’ve longed to be a “decisive” person who doesn’t debate and ruminate when I reach life’s crossroads.But I’m not that person, so over the years, I devised my own way of making decisions and relieving the pain and pressure of indecision.My method came largely out of walking away from “good on paper” things. Some of the hardest choices we make are the ones we don’t have to, like turning down scholarships at Top 10 law schools, leaving behind six-figure jobs, and the devastating choice of whether to call off a wedding (all of which I’ve done).I want to help you find relief from the endless debate.To find peace at life’s crossroads.And to finally decide, which in my world is shorthand for “flinging yourself into the mystery of the universe, knowing that you don’t know what’ll happen next, and that’s quite fine.” Because life is too grand an adventure to spend trapped by indecision.

Jessica Ell Vroom Vroom Veer Show Summary

In this episode of “Vroom Vroom Veer,” hosted by Jeff Smith, the featured guest is Jessica Ell, a Martha Beck-certified life coach who specializes in helping people make challenging decisions. The episode opens with general announcements and introductions before Jeff warmly welcomes Jessica to the show.

Jessica shares insights into her profession, describing how she assists individuals dealing with difficult life choices, emphasizing both small and significant decisions. She mentions her excitement about a particular client session happening later in the day, demonstrating her passion for her work.

The conversation then veers towards personal backgrounds, where Jessica talks about growing up in the Midwest, her education, and the initial career paths she considered, including a fleeting interest in becoming a massage therapist or working in publishing. She discusses her academic prowess and the expectations set by her Asian heritage, which nudged her towards high achievement and conventional career success.

Jessica reveals a critical juncture in her life when she decided against attending law school, despite being accepted into several prestigious institutions with scholarships. This decision stemmed from deep self-reflection and uncertainty about her true desires, pushing her to explore other professional avenues.

The dialogue shifts to her subsequent life decisions and professional transitions, illustrating the real-life applications of “veering” — the central theme of the podcast. She elaborates on various roles she undertook, from working in nonprofit organizations to engaging in real estate and event management, each transition invited by opportunities that opened up unexpectedly.

Jessica's story underscores themes of embracing uncertainty, listening to one's inner voice, and finding faith in one's path even when it diverges from expected or traditional routes. Both Jessica and Jeff reflect on the unpredictability of life and career paths, advocating for openness to change and personal growth.

The episode concludes with an exploration of Jessica's current work and her advice on handling life’s unpredictable nature through coaching and personal empowerment. Potential clients can reach her through her website or Instagram, as mentioned at the close of the episode.

This story session serves as a powerful testament to the podcast's theme of navigating life's veers thoughtfully and courageously, affirming that every turn, whether expected or abrupt, contributes to one's unique life narrative.

Connections

Website

Instagram

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Vin Clancy – Ace the Game; Growth Hacks, getting off Welfare; Burnout (BOV)

By YooperSmith | October 21, 2024

Vin Clancy is an infamous growth hacker that went from being on social welfare in the UK to winning best speaker at SXSW V2V for his growth hacking talk, finishing a 100-date world tour, and earning six figures on his debut growth hacking book. Vin created one of the biggest marketing communities on Facebook, and moved to L.A., where he teaches companies how to rapidly grow their audiences and businesses. Vin is on a mission to speak truth to the many lies some internet marketers tell. He’s ready to debunk myths and share growth hacks for any industry related to your audience.

Vin Clancy Vroom Veer Stories

What is a growth hack? How to companies grow some big without traditional advertising? Example: Lyft drivers give away $20 off your first ride…that's a growth hack

How did you earn 6 figures on a book with a book publisher? With a viral queue! You drive traffic to a landing page and give them freebies for sharing on social; they were among the first folks to try this hack; the also did a thunderclap; got 100 people to post on Facebook at the same time

Was both slammed by Wired and praised by Vice for his Tribute to Harambe. He raised 5K on Kickstarter to hold the “tribute” event which was poking fun at the viral meme instead of the tragic event.

One night he met a girl and was late into work the next day; he was fired (sacked); he decided not to get another job; lived in a broken down house with water dripping from the roof; he had a roommate (flat mate) who get high and steal his food

2011 Lewisham riots'; Lived through looters banging on the doors

Got the startup bug after watching The Social Network; met a 17 year old kid who he partnered with to start a business; read a ton of books on starting a business

Guardianship scheme; you look after a place to protect it from squatters moving in; the mafia showed up and asked him to squat for pay instead of cheap rent; he didn't take that deal

Was briefly homeless; found another place through the Guardianship scheme for very cheap rent but the place was cold and damp and the heating broke

Had to buy an electric heater; which eats electricity; the flat had a coin-op meter for the electricity

Had a dream and woke up and registered planetivy.com a global news site where the writers were the stats not musicians; offered university student writers the opportunity to write on their site

Within 10 months the site had over a million views; they can a public talk and someone that had just left Facebook approached them about getting investors; shortly there after they were funded with a quarter of a million dollars and Vin got off Welfare

The last day of his job; Justin Bieber was two hours late to the stage and he had to deal with the ticket holder complaints

He started another spin off site that grew rapidly called ScreenRobot.com

Accepted into the prestigious “Techstars” accelerator in 2014; and then launched a growth-hacking agency to help companies hack growth

His friend had a no-parents allowed club house with a pool table, DJ Decks and they managed to find some beer to enjoy England defeat Germany 5-1

Feels now like he did sign a deal with the devil; yes he has enjoyed success and some wealth but he now realizes he is burning himself out

Vin Clancy Connections

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Bruce Schutter Returns: New Insights on the Mental Health Warrior Program

By YooperSmith | October 14, 2024

Bruce Schutter 2 returns to Vroom Vroom Veer to discuss what's new with his Mental Health Warrior Program.After struggling with Bipolar, Alcoholism, Anxiety Disorder and PTSD for over 20+ years, I reached a breaking point where I attempted suicide. But with a second chance at life, I set out to find an answer to my life’s challenges. I discovered that Mental Health is the key to triumphing over any challenge in life!Armed with this knowledge, I created the Mental Health Warrior Program, a new self-help approach for triumphing over life’s challenges and building the life you really want! At the core of the Mental Health Warrior Program lies the principle of self-empowerment. With practical solutions centered on lifestyle and mindset changes, the program empowers you to respond, not react, to life's challenges, by tapping into your inner strength and resilience.

Bruce Schutter 2 Vroom Vroom Veer Show Summary

In this episode of the “Vroom Vroom Veer” podcast, host Jeff Smith welcomes back guest Bruce Schutter to discuss updates and insights into his Mental Health Warrior Program. The episode starts with introductory remarks and a pre-recorded promotional bit by Charla Gervers, followed by a signature introduction from Tim Paige that nicely sets up the theme of navigating life's veers.

Bruce Schutter engages in a detailed conversation about his personal journey with mental health challenges, notably his struggle with bipolar disorder and anxiety, which were undiagnosed well into his adult life. He candidly shares his experiences with self-medication through alcohol which he used to manage anxiety and stress stemming from his IT career and personal life. Bruce explains that it was only after facing life-threatening lows that he sought and embraced recovery, transforming his relationship with his mental health.

The conversation then transitions to Bruce's Mental Health Warrior Program. He elucidates how understanding and managing emotions can become a formidable tool to navigate life's complexities. Bruce emphasizes growth through embracing challenges as part of leveling up one's mental health warrior skills. He shares principles from his program, such as the warrior creed “bend, not break,” which encapsulates the resilience one builds by engaging with the program.

Bruce also dives into the content of his nine books, each contributing a unique angle to coping strategies, from embracing minimalistic lifestyles to adjusting dietary habits that influence mental health. For example, he explains the significant mental clarity gained from reducing sugar intake as outlined in one of his books.

The episode wraps up with further discussions about the therapeutic impacts of simple actions, like swapping reactive behaviors with proactive responses, leaning into current moments to reduce worries about past or future, and various other mental health tools and techniques described in his books. Jeff and Bruce share personal anecdotes and laughs throughout, underlining the podcast's intent to blend meaningful content with engaging storytelling.

In closing, Tim Paige thanks the audience for joining and directs them to the “Vroom Vroom Veer” website for more information, rounding off the episode with an invitation for listeners to keep tuning in for more unique experiences shared on the podcast.

Connections

Website

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Charla Gervers – Unleash the Greatness Inside

By YooperSmith | October 7, 2024

Charla is a 25-year Executive Sales Leader and has led teams of entrepreneurs totally over 1 million people in 30 countries. She is passionate about personal development and has spent her life coaching and mentoring business owners to unleash their greatness. Wife to Jason, mom to two sons and ChaCha to 2 gbabies.

Charla Gervers Vroom Vroom Veer Show Summary

In this episode of “Vroom Vroom Veer,” host Jeff Smith welcomes guest Charla Gervers to discuss her life's journey and the various veers she has navigated, both personally and professionally. The episode initiates with a lighthearted exchange as Jeff struggles with minor technical issues and some credit card frustrations, setting up a friendly and relaxed atmosphere.

Charla Gervers shares her story starting with the personal challenges in her younger years, progressing through her impressively resilient educational and professional endeavors, and ultimately to overcoming significant personal struggles, particularly relating to her husband's battle with alcoholism. Her recount underscores how life's obstacles, including critical health issues within her family and financial struggles, shaped her over time, propelling her towards substantial personal growth and professional success.

Charla’s professional journey is impressive, covering a shift from technical roles within regulated industries to ultimately leading major initiatives in sales and marketing that spanned internationally. She deep-dives into her transition from being in corporate settings to starting her own business, providing consulting geared towards helping individuals achieve their full potential in life. This change marks her personal “veer” and focus on holistic success — personal health, balanced relationships, and professional achievement.

The conversation takes deeper dives at various intervals into personal development and leadership training, highlighting Charla's extensive involvement in volunteer work with life-transforming programs, one of which was originally created by Dr. Phil McGraw. These experiences heavily influenced her focus on helping others navigate their challenges, fostering both healing and progress.

Jeff and Charla explore the profound personal impacts of observed behavioral patterns in her marriage and her response to nearly facing divorce twice. They ponder the universal need for understanding, adaptation, and supportive communities in overcoming life’s hurdles. Such reflections frame the larger discussion within individual capacity for change and growth when one is open to true self-evaluation and transformation.

Towards the end of the podcast, an extended personal account from Charla about overcoming challenges with her husband provides crucial insights into the dynamics of personal relationships, addiction, and healing. Her stories emphasize the power of spiritual grounding and community support in navigating the darkest phases of life.

The podcast wraps up with Charla detailing the motivation and benefits of her consulting services, which aim to unlock personal and professional potential, solidifying the episode’s theme of resilience and the pursuit of a balanced, fulfilled life. Jeff then draws the episode to a close, thanking Charla for her insights and openness in sharing her life’s veers.

Overall, this episode of “Vroom Vroom Veer” captures the essence of how life's unexpected turns, no matter how daunting, can lead to profound personal insight and transformation. Through Charla Gervers' narrative, listeners receive inspiration and practical advice on resilience, growth, and the importance of maintaining balance across life's various spheres

Connections

LinkedIn Profile

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Peter J. Stavros – Transition from Law to Literature

By YooperSmith | September 30, 2024

Peter J. Stavros is a writer and attorney in Louisville, Kentucky. His debut novel, The Thing About My Uncle, was released on August 20 by BHC Press. His work has also appeared in The Saturday Evening Post, The Boston Globe Magazine and Chicken Soup for the Soul.

Peter J. Stavros Vroom Vroom Veer Show Summary

In this episode of “Vroom Vroom Veer,” host Jeff Smith welcomes Peter Stavros, a writer from Louisville, Kentucky who recently published his debut novel, “The Thing About My Uncle.” The episode begins with an introduction from Tim Paige, setting the stage for a discussion about steering away from a scripted life to embrace more fulfilling paths.

Peter discusses his journey from being an attorney to becoming a writer, a transition sparked by his profound life experiences and the challenges of aligning his legal career with his creative passions. He talks about his novel, which is set in Eastern Kentucky and revolves around a young boy sent to live with his reclusive uncle, unfolding family secrets and life-altering lessons.

Jeff and Peter delve into the intricacies of Peter's novel, the inspiration behind his characters, and the setting that plays a crucial role in the story. They also explore Peter’s prior life as a lawyer, his educational background, and his reasons for shifting towards creative writing. Peter shares his experiences with illness and recovery, which played a significant role in rekindling his passion for writing.

Throughout the episode, they touch on the themes of unexpected life changes and the pursuit of passion despite fear and uncertainty. Peter highlights the importance of support from loved ones, like his wife, who helped him through his toughest times.

The episode concludes with Peter giving advice to listeners on persevering through rejection and failure, emphasizing the importance of resilience in creative pursuits and career changes. Jeff wraps up the episode encouraging listeners to visit Peter’s website and check out his literary works.

Listeners are left with a deeper understanding of how personal veers in life can lead to profound professional and creative fulfillment, as exemplified by Peter Stavros' journey from law to literature.

Connections

Website

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Kyle Coon – Cancer, Blindness, Mountain Climbing, Ironman, Paralympian

By YooperSmith | September 23, 2024

Paralympian, Professional Speaker, Author, Exactly What to Say®️ Certified Guide. Cancer took my sight, blindness gave me vision, adventure lets me live.

Kyle Coon Vroom Vroom Veer Show Summary

The podcast episode begins with Danny Covey prepping the host, Jeff Smith, for recording. After a brief interaction involving humorous remarks about Danny’s relaxed attitude and reference to Mr. Rogers, the recording starts. Jeff introduces the podcast “Vroom Vroom Veer,” emphasizing the theme of overcoming tough situations.

Kyle Coon is introduced with an energetic opening statement, alluding to viewers veering away from scripted lives to embrace more authentic ones. Kyle briefly discusses his most recent experiences, notably his return from France after a triathlon and his relief from the pressures of Paralympic games preparation.

The conversation shifts to Kyle’s early life, his cancer diagnosis at ten months, and his eventual loss of sight due to the treatments for his condition. Despite these challenges, Kyle shares his adventurous spirit, influenced by meeting blind adventure athlete Eric Weihenmayer. This meeting spurred his involvement in various adventure sports, from rock climbing to competitive outdoor activities.

Kyle’s journey into the Paralympics is also highlighted. Initially not a high-level athlete, Kyle found his calling in Ironman triathlons after a depressing period post-college, further switching to sprint triathlons for Paralympic competitions. These experiences led him to train harder than ever, utilizing high-altitude training advantages in Colorado Springs.

In terms of personal development, Kyle discusses his educational background and the impact of losing his sight on his worldview. The narrative then returns to his Paralympic adventures, discussing the intensive preparations and adjustments needed for peak performance in such a competitive arena.

Kyle also mentions the psychological elements of preparing for high-pressure competitions, drawing parallels between military tactics and sports strategy to manage the intense environment of the Paralympics.

The episode concludes with mention of Kyle’s podcast, “Kicking It With the K Train,” inviting listeners to follow his continued journey through various platforms, including Instagram and Facebook where he is active.

The recording wraps with a typical sign-off for the “Vroom Vroom Veer” podcast, leaving listeners with a vivid portrayal of Kyle Coon's incredible journey through adversity, his Paralympic achievements, and life’s veers.

Connections

Website

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Danny Covey – From Heart Surgeries to Jiu-Jitsu Mastery: Journey of Resilience

By YooperSmith | September 16, 2024

Danny Covey survived 8 heart surgeries — 4 of which were open-heart! He nearly died on the operating table 3 times. Despite being told he would never physically excel, I earned a black belt in Jiu-Jitsu. His story is one of resilience, healing, and most importantly, HOPE.

Danny Covey Vroom Vroom Veer Show Summary

In this episode of Vroom Vroom Veer, hosted by Jeff Smith, guest Danny Covey shares his extraordinary life journey marked by multiple heart surgeries and a passion for Jiu-Jitsu that defied medical expectations. The episode commences with an introduction by Tim Paige, highlighting the podcast's theme about navigating life's unexpected turns.

As the conversation begins, Jeff warmly welcomes Danny, who jests that any day without heart surgery is a great day. Danny shares insights into his business excitement centered around a new book that details his resilience through eight heart surgeries and his surprising journey to earning a black belt in Jiu-Jitsu.

Jeff and Danny reflect on memorable incidents from Danny's childhood before his first memory of surgery, painting a vivid picture of his early challenges. Danny discusses his perilous surgeries, including one at 18 months and another major operation at age eight, where he vividly recalled the events leading up to it and the subsequent procedures.

The discussion veers to a lighter note as Danny explains his venture into martial arts, spurred by a successful heart valve replacement that significantly enhanced his health. This change allowed him to start training in karate and later Jiu-Jitsu, which became a major part of his life, despite ongoing health challenges that included a life-threatening aortic aneurysm emergency during a routine surgery in 2017.

Further into the episode, Jeff and Danny explore themes of resilience and recovery, specially focusing on Danny's comeback to Jiu-Jitsu and earning his black belt post-recovery, cementing his journey of overcoming the odds.

The episode also gives insight into Danny's creative and personal life, discussing his venture into the arts and how his life experiences influenced his creative outputs, including innovative Christmas cards which have become a cherished tradition in his family.

Towards the end of the podcast, the conversation shifts back to Danny's ongoing health struggles, his approach to handling new challenges, and his commitment to staying active within the limitations of his condition.

The episode wraps with Danny sharing ways to connect with him and purchase his book, offering encouragement and inspiration to listeners facing their own life veers, concluding with Tim Paige signing off.

Connections

Website

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Dr. Ashley Smith Navigating Life’s Veers: Strategies for a Bold Happy Life

By YooperSmith | September 9, 2024

Dr. Ashley Smith is a licensed clinical psychologist, speaker, author, and co-founder of Peak Mind: The Center for Psychological Strength. She is passionate about using psychology and applied neuroscience to help people live bold, happy lives.

Dr. Ashley Smith Vroom Vroom Veer Show Summary

In this episode of “Vroom Vroom Veer,” Jeff Smith opens with a warm welcome to Dr. Ashley Smith, after an insightful introduction by Tim Paige on the show's theme of embracing the veers in life. Dr. Ashley Smith, a licensed clinical psychologist who specializes in anxiety disorders, shares both professional insights and personal stories. She discusses her work in psychology and neuroscience, detailing her involvement with Peak Mind: The Center for Psychological Strength, a venture she co-founded to make psychological tools more accessible beyond academic and therapy settings.

Jeff and Ashley delve into various topics, including handling life’s challenges, understanding how our brains can act as barriers to happiness, and leveraging mindfulness to lead a better life. Ashley shares her personal journey, dealing with vision impairment, and how she has turned personal trials into professional triumphs, adapting her life to focus on what truly brings happiness. They discuss the importance of understanding the mind's functionality, which often prioritizes survival over happiness, and how one can train themselves to foster happiness by nurturing a different relationship with their thoughts and emotions.

Ashley also shares her experiences of shifting from traditional clinical practice to virtual sessions, emphasizing the advantages it presents for both her professional and personal growth. She talks about how embracing changes and confronting fears has helped her live a more fulfilling life. The episode concludes with both hosts reflecting on the beauty of being here in the moment and the importance of continually seeking personal satisfaction over external accomplishments.

Listeners are directed to Ashley's resources and contacts for further engagement, making it clear how insightful and practical her contributions to psychology and personal happiness are. Jeff Smith closes the episode, ensuring the audience is left with meaningful strategies to navigate their life's veers.

Connections

Website

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Dr. Jenny Tufenkian Personal Health Journeys and Professional Insights

By YooperSmith | September 2, 2024

Dr. Jenny Tufenkian, a licensed Naturopathic Physician with two decades of experience, specializes in empowering health-conscious professionals to conquer long COVID and ME/CFS fatigue. Her personal battle with chronic fatigue inspired her to uncover its root causes, leading to the creation of a transformative system that addresses the five core root causes of Chronic Fatigue/ME. This approach helps those overwhelmed by exhaustion regain their energy and vitality, allowing them to fully embrace life once again.

Combining a thorough functional medical approach with deep subconscious work, Dr. Tufenkian's method facilitates significant shifts in both physical and energetic well-being. She believes in a holistic healing process that integrates the physical, mental/emotional, and energetic dimensions, emphasizing the body's inherent ability to be vital.

Dr. Tufenkian earned her medical degree and completed her residency at the National University of Natural Medicine. She is also a mom of two, happily married and loves her time outdoors and in the kitchen.

Dr. Jenny Tufenkian Vroom Vroom Veer Show Summary

This episode of “Vroom Vroom Veer” hosted by Jeff Smith features Dr. Jenny Tufenkian, a licensed Naturopathic Physician. The episode opens with a pre-recording blunder involving an Outlook notification interruption, followed by the proper introduction by Tim Paige, emphasizing the podcast's theme of shifting away from a scripted life.

Jeff introduces Dr. Jenny Tufenkian, jokingly stumbling over her name, and starts by asking about her current excitement in her practice. Dr. Tufenkian shares her passion for helping patients with long-term undiagnosed conditions like chronic fatigue and long COVID. She emphasizes the importance of interacting with patients ready to actively engage in their healing process.

The conversation evolves into a more personal narrative as Dr. Tufenkian reflects on her own health issues, including long COVID and myalgic encephalitis. She describes the onset of her condition next a bout of food poisoning and a later COVID-19 infection. Dr. Tufenkian vividly details her symptoms and the significant impact they had on her life and professional activities.

The discussion veers into Dr. Tufenkian's past, exploring her transformative years during high school and college. She shares anecdotes about her unconventional dress sense, advocacy for peace, and academic challenges, particularly with algebra. These stories segue into her early interest in health, marked by her choice to become a vegetarian and her proactive approach to nutritional balance.

The podcast takes a deeper dive as Jeff and Dr. Tufenkian discuss broader health-related topics, like the importance of diet on mental and physical health, societal impacts of communal eating habits, and the potential transformative effect of improving institutional food services. They highlight the crucial role of gut health and how mainstream medical opinions are gradually acknowledging its importance.

As the episode closes, Dr. Tufenkian provides information about her professional services, outlining how she can help people regain their energy and manage their health conditions through various programs at her practice. Jeff expresses his enjoyment of the conversation, noting how much he learned and appreciated the discussion.

Tim Paige wraps up the episode, encouraging listeners to check the podcast's website for more information and to tune in next time.

Overall, the episode provides a mix of personal anecdotes, in-depth medical insights, and a holistic view of health, embodying the podcast's theme of veering towards a more authentic and insightful life.

Connections

Website

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Staci B Navigating Life with Nervous System Regulation

By YooperSmith | August 26, 2024

From Staci B's About page:

The stress from complex trauma and undiagnosed neurodivergence, along with serving as a caregiver for over a decade, pushed Staci b’s nervous system into a continuous state of high alert. Determined not to let her fate be eternal survival mode, she embarked on a journey that led her to become a Nervous System Regulation Evangelist.

With hundreds of hours of research under her belt, staci translates complex science into easily digestible information and points the way to valuable resources that empower others to create a nervous system regulation practice that works best for them.

A journalist, author, and speaker, Staci highlights the value of nervous system regulation by openly sharing her own stories, both in person and in The Nervous System: Before and After, an essay series on her Substack, Inanna's Journal.

By providing real-life examples of her own behavior in situations and relationships before she began a nervous system regulation practice and after, she illustrates the depth of the benefits available from this work.

A sought-after podcast guest and speaker, she credits nervous system regulation as the foundation that frees her to live her destiny and not her fate.

Staci B Vroom Vroom Veer Show Summary

Jeff warmly welcomes Staci, who immediately shares a recent unsettling incident—a verbal attack from a stranger, highlighting her ability to handle such events thanks to her tools for nervous system regulation. The conversation naturally delves into the topics of personal security, the usefulness of secondary phone numbers via Google Voice, and strategies to protect one's privacy.

The dialogue continues to unpack Staci’s expertise in nervous system regulation. She shares insights from her own experiences and stresses the significance of understanding and regulating one’s nervous system to improve overall well-being. The hosts discuss the therapeutic practices and the importance of recognizing physiological responses to stress.

Staci also discusses her upcoming book re-release, which invites deeper into the discussion of personal growth, the costs of pursuing dreams, and the challenges and resilience in face of adversity and trauma. Staci explains her role as a “nervous system regulation evangelist,” promoting a deeper understanding of self-regulation and advocating for mental health awareness and understanding.

In an extended, heartfelt segment, they explore societal behaviors, personal anecdotes about dealing with life's randomness and unexpected events, and the role that personal regulation plays in healthily managing responses to life’s events. They touch upon the cultural shifts in understanding neurodivergence and the personal and societal impacts of gaining better control over one's nervous responses.

Jeff and Staci’s engaging dialogue, mixed with personal stories and actionable advice, guides the listener through understanding how conscious regulation of the nervous system can not only manage immediate stressors but also lead to a more fulfilling and controlled life path. The episode wraps up encouraging listeners to explore and practice methods of self-regulation, promoting both websites and online communities that focus on supporting individuals in their journey toward better mental health and awareness.

Connections and Links

Staci's Website

Autism Questionnaire

the epigenetics study

Our PolyVagual World by Stephen Porges

The Octopus Movement

Stephen Porges Website

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Viral Gor aka Virus the Poet – Reading Between the Lines

By YooperSmith | August 19, 2024

VIRAL GOR, widely known as VIRUS THE POET, is an award-winning Canadian poet and author of Poetry is Motion: Mind, Body & Soul who travels globally to perform on large stages throughout Toronto, Paris, London, San Francisco, Miami, NYC, and more. He received a national award for his poem “Home,” which was later published by the Poetry Institute of Canada. His poetry touches on universal themes of love, loss, and the human experience.

Viral Gor Vroom Vroom Veer Show Summary

In this episode of “Vroom Vroom Veer,” hosted by Jeff Smith, guest Viral Gor, also known as Virus the Poet, joins the conversation. The episode kicks off with Jeff initiating the recording, followed by introductions by host introducer, Tim Paige, and guest intro misstep and re-introduction by Risa August.

Jeff Smith then formally welcomes Viral Gor to the show, leading into a dialogue about Viral's recent projects, including his book “Poetry is Motion” and a corresponding album on Spotify. Viral discusses the therapeutic and reflective nature of his writing and how his poetry aims at provoking thought and offering relatability and motivation. He emphasizes the intention behind his poetry to invoke deeper reflection on personal experiences and emotions.

The conversation then transitions into Viral's background, including his upbringing in Toronto, which he credits for exposing him to diverse perspectives that enriched his character and creative output. He shares his unexpected journey into poetry, initially spurred by a classroom assignment and later cultivated during his college commutes, where he found solace and creative expression through writing on his Blackberry.

Viral reflects on his transition from casual writing to professional poetry, driven by the realization that his work resonated with others and had a meaningful impact. As the chat progresses, he discusses the nuances of poetry as an art form, focusing on the importance of message subtlety and the interpretative nature of poetry that invites readers to find personal meaning and provoke thought.

Further in the episode, Jeff explores Viral's process and personal connection to his topics. Viral elucidates on the creation of his seminal poem “Home” and the deeper exploration of family dynamics it involves. This leads to discussing the realities of familial relationships and the personal growth that comes from such introspections.

The episode shifts slightly to discuss Viral's experiences with public readings and his first reservations about performing on stage. He recounts his first public poetry reading and how later performances have contributed to his confidence and refinement in sharing his work publicly.

Jeff and Viral dive deeper into the artistic elements of poetry, its therapeutic potential, and its impact on both the writer and the audience. Viral stresses the significance of authenticity and emotional truth in writing, which enhances connection and relatability.

As the episode wraps up, Viral talks about his aspirations for future projects, including a second book and more performance opportunities, underscoring his commitment to spreading his poetic influence and engaging with broader audiences.

The episode concludes with Jeff thanking Viral for his insights and contribution to the show, and Tim Paige rounds off with final remarks and directs listeners to the show notes for more information.

Connections

Website

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Frances Pappalardo – Faith in Action, Transformation through Grief and Loss, Beauty in Death (BOV)

By YooperSmith | August 12, 2024

Frances Pappalardo lives in ScottsDale, AZ with her husband Tony, daughter Emerson, and dog Grizzly. Together they’ve turned an idea to help others live better lives into the Customize Your Life movement.

As entrepreneurs, they’ve built a highly-successful business that has made them in-demand speakers at events around the world and frequent guests on leadership, personal growth, and self-help podcasts.

As certified performance coaches, they’ve helped people eliminate millions of dollars in debt, restore broken relationships, and build their own businesses. They co-founded the initiative Operation Impact which has raised over a half-million dollars to fund initiatives both domestically and internationally, equipping and empowering more than 2,000 volunteers in just three years. They’ve served as advisors for two non-profit organizations and have occasionally taken on the role of culture transformation consultants with major corporations. They love living an active lifestyle which involves skiing, surfing, and overall adventure and exploration. Tony’s current battle with cancer has filled them with an even broader sense of appreciation to enjoy life.

Frances Pappalardo Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

In 5th grade was invited to a dance by a cool kid, what she didn't now was his mother forced him to take her; he ignored he and laughed at her; to her credit; she didn't take it personallyIn college, she went to a sorority was a “spy” mostly to see what's it's like; on the last day of pledge week she drank the kool-aid; ended up being a pretty good experience–but mostly surface level In the middle of a podcast, her 3 year old daughter woke up and needed mommy; they paused the podcast long enough to set her up with a tub of ice cream on the couch with a friend with a busted footAttending her father as he was dying and witnessed his transition to the other side; Yes there is loss/grief; but she also saw the beauty and peace in his eyesFrances is living in faith now and praying that Tony wins his battle with cancer; her relationship with god is immediate and personal about real life and death decisionsWhen she was younger she leaned on her mother's faith and didn't really think much about prayer; when Tony started his journey with cancer she learned how to pray and listen for answer and see the signsGod told her to rest; who can rest when you need to “DO SOMETHING!”; when god tells you to rest; you better rest up; something is coming

Connections

Website

Words at the Threshold: What We Say as We're Nearing Death Paperback – March 17, 2017 by Lisa Smartt (Affiliate Link)

A Course in Miracles: Combined Volume Mass Market Paperback – January 1, 1975 by Foundation For Inner Peace (Author) (Affiliate Link)

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Risa August – Life without Limits

By YooperSmith | August 5, 2024

Risa August is an award-winning author, speaker, and Gestalt Practitioner. Risa is also living with a rare pituitary tumor and she inspires audiences and clients alike. Former Ironman athlete, she opened up to a world of possibilities, exploring various styles of dance, aerial silks, boxing, and embracing life with curiosity and vigor. Risa's personal journey exemplifies overcoming limits and living fully…unleashed.

Risa August Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Felt like an old soul and didn't really fit in with any groups; got a job at age 14 and just wanted High School to be over

Did two years of business college at Kent State but really wanted to study Archeology but of course that wouldn't make any money

Followed a guy to Maine, ditched that dude but discovered a whole new world of backpacking and outdoor life

Ended up getting a degree in Geography and got a job with an engineering outfit

Got married and tried to squeeze into a mold that really didn't fit her; she was also helping at her husbands business on the weekends and working Monday – Friday, so no days off

Finally moved out of PA and moved to Colorado by this time she is doing Ironman races and 500 mile bike trips for fun

Spent about 8 years being dismissed my her family practice doctor; then one day insisted that she get an MRI for headaches because she knew something was wrong

When the doctor told her that she had a tumor and a disease and the tumor had to come out; she went right into denial

Show Summary

In this episode of “Vroom Vroom Veer” titled “Unleashing Life Beyond Limits with Risa August,” host Jeff Smith engages with the award-winning author, speaker, and Gestalt practitioner, Risa August. The conversation kicks off with a bit of humor as Jeff initially mispronounces Risa’s name, which she corrects politely. Moving forward, they delve into the heart of the discussion, where Risa shares the intriguing aspects of her journey both professionally and personally.

Risa explains her transformation into a Gestalt practitioner in 2019, which significantly expanded her horizons in coaching, complemented further by her achievements as an author and a motivational speaker. She expresses deep emotional connection when describing the impact of her book, which has won several awards and prompts heartwarming feedback from readers worldwide.

A large part of the conversation pivots around Risa’s experiences living with a rare pituitary tumor, her trials and tribulations as an Ironman athlete, and how these challenges veered her life down unexpected paths numerous times. Risa’s narrative is one of overcoming limits and persistent adaptation, embracing new experiences like various styles of dance, aerial silks, and boxing.

Jeff compares the non-financial aspects of success and joy generated from pursuing passions, which includes a short segment on financial independence and managing money effectively through available resources like the financial independence retire early movement and Mr. Money Mustache.

Shifting towards a more personal exploration, the conversation takes the audience back to Risa’s high school years, her early independence, and brief engagement with sports before moving into a contemplative phase about her identity and place in life during different stages.

Risa also discusses the significant transition and the harsh realization of her medical condition which was diagnosed late despite her proactive attempts. This leads to a poignant reflection of her challenging journey through brain surgery, and the subsequent struggle with her health as medications failed to curb the growth hormone production due to her tumor.

A significant veer in her life narrative was her decision to embrace life fully, post-recovery, marked by an ambitious 1800-mile bike ride which she signed up for, underscoring her philosophy of living boldly despite adversities. This ride represented not just a physical challenge but a metaphoric journey of emotional and mental resilience and healing.

The episode wraps up with Risa encouraging others to connect with her through her website and social media, promoting her book which details her compelling life story filled with perseverance and an undefeated zest for life. Jeff concludes the podcast with an appreciation of Risa’s incredible journey and perspectives they shared, underlining the core theme of the podcast about navigating life’s veers with courage and insight.

Connections

Website

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Steve Acho – Find the Essential. Let go of the Trivial.

By YooperSmith | July 29, 2024

Steve Acho is a keynote speaker, business owner/coach, author, musician, athlete, tech enthusiast, and self-described “lunatic” for human performance. His passion is sharing actionable wisdom, perspectives, and tactics to enhance the quality of as many lives as possible.

Steve Acho Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

In this episode of “Vroom Vroom Veer” hosted by Jeff Smith, the show opens with Tony Schmaltz playfully reminding listeners to “wake up” followed by Jeff commenting on a small error Tony made. The show's proper introduction is provided by Tim Paige, emphasizing the podcast’s theme of navigating life changes and shifting paths.

Jeff Smith warmly welcomes Steve Acho, a multi-talented individual involved in business, music, coaching, and more. The conversation kicks off with Jeff asking Steve about what he’s currently excited about. Steve discusses the challenging nature of defining what he does due to the diverse range of his activities. He shares his excitement about releasing a new song and the potential collaboration with Martin Luther King Jr.'s daughter’s charity to use another one of his songs as a charity theme.

Steve’s conversation further veers into the subjects of his upcoming TED Talk and a crucial business call he has lined up, both opportunities that could significantly influence his career. He talks about his philosophy of being a “delusional optimist” and the importance of maintaining resilience and self-belief in entrepreneurship, drawing parallels with being an NFL quarterback who must trust himself amidst adversity.

Moving into personal anecdotes and a broader discussion on lifestyle and culture, Steve recounts his educational and professional experiences in Japan, highlighting how cultural immersion affected his work and personal growth. He discusses the benefits of minimalistic living and working out, relaying how these practices contribute to his day-to-day fulfillment.

The episode concludes with Jeff transitioning back to discuss Steve's early life and how he grew up, which further delves into his experiences in Japan in more depth, providing insights into cross-cultural understanding and practical application in international business and everyday interactions.

Throughout their chat, both Steve and Jeff exchange views on self-improvement, the importance of satisfying one’s curiosity, and finding meaningful engagement in various aspects of life, emphasizing a theme of holistic development and personal growth. The episode wraps up with reminders of the podcast's aim and thanks to the listeners for joining the journey of unexpected and enlightening life veers.

Connections

Website

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Tony Schmaltz – Create Possibilities and Results in Work and Life

By YooperSmith | July 22, 2024

Tony Schmaltz is a motivational speaker, author, personal and business coach, trainer, husband, father, fisherman and Schmaltzy Guy. His specialty is getting people out of their own way, so they can have the life and be the person they want to be, living their best life.

Tony Schmaltz Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

This episode of “Vroom Vroom Veer” features a discussion between host Jeff Smith and guest Tony Schmaltz, a motivational speaker and personal coach. They delve into the dynamics of major life changes and personal growth.

The conversation begins with Tony discussing his excitement about helping people transcend their current situations to achieve their desired life states. He outlines his work in various aspects of life such as relationships, finances, and personal development. Jeff then relates with his own informal experiences of helping people and talks about his humorous idea of creating a website “personal development for drunk people.”

Tony shares his backstory, starting with his childhood in Enumclaw, Washington, a small dairy town conducive to an outdoor lifestyle. The narrative shifts to his high school years, his participation in sports, and his affinity for the German language which branded him as 'Schmaltzy' during a trip to Germany, a nickname he later adopted professionally for its unique touch.

The discussion transitions to Tony’s work experience post-high school, highlighting his time at a steel foundry and then a plating shop. Tony’s personal life is touched upon with the romantic story of how he met his wife, Anika, on a blind date followed by the major impact of moving to Florida just prior to Hurricane Michael. This event was a significant veer in his life, influencing his decision to pursue personal coaching professionally.

Tony's shift in his career from traditional employment to personal coaching is outlined, emphasizing the struggles and fulfillment found in transitioning to a career that aligns more with his passions. His coaching philosophy centers on enabling clients to navigate their personal veers successfully.

Throughout the episode, Tony and Jeff exchange stories of their youthful escapades, discuss the impact of personal choices, and reflect on how life's unexpected turns can lead to growth and new opportunities. The episode winds down with Jeff and Tony exchanging views on philosophy, personal growth, and navigating life's unexpected changes.

Ultimately, this episode provides listeners with insights into the importance of embracing life changes, recognizing personal growth opportunities, and the value of steering one's life towards authenticity and fulfillment.

Connections

Website

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Mark Jordan – Men in Pursuit of Progress not Perfection

By YooperSmith | July 15, 2024

Mark Jordan, founder of Unravel Groups, is a veteran entrepreneur and mentor with a background in investment banking, real estate acquisitions, and financial services. Mark, who holds both a BSBA and an MBA, has authored multiple books, established three companies, and been a part of starting two churches. He leverages his extensive experience in corporate and non-profit sectors to lead men toward transformational growth in their spiritual, relational, and vocational lives through Unravel Groups.Designed to support men from diverse backgrounds, Unravel offers both individual and group programs that emphasize personal development rooted in progress, not perfection.Mark is passionate about exploring the world with his family and has visited six of the seven continents. This zest for life and discovery enhances his mentorship, reinforcing his dedication to the pursuit of excellence and values such as integrity, leadership, and service.

Mark Jordan Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in Arkansas and his parents were very young when they had him; he had a sibling like relationship with a cousin close to his age; spent most of his time on a lawn care business and playing football

Started his first business after graduate school and was fortunate to have a mentor who changed his life; he took him under his wing and showed him the ropes

He had a skill of setting up meetings with important business contacts and his boss would then run the mini presentation with the easel and butcherblock flip over paper; one day his boss told him to give the presentation and Mark was not ready–he got through it, but learned a valuable lessons about taking notes and getting ready to move forward

His faith is now the wrap around element that is an everyday experience that informs how he shows up to serve people in his groups and random people as well

Jeff tells a story about how a Army Captain told him to re-enlist because he had $12k of debt and no clue what to do next and the made Jeff a “Dickweed”

Jeff met another Sergeant in the Air Force about 3 times for 15 minutes each time; in those 3 interactions Jeff learned how to get out of Debt and Invest his money

Show Summary

This podcast episode of “Vroom Vroom Veer,” hosted by Jeff Smith, features guest Mark Jordan, the founder of Unravel Groups. The episode kicks off with an introduction from Tim Paige, emphasizing the show's theme of steering towards a more authentic and fulfilling life. Jeff warmly welcomes Mark to the show, initiating a friendly exchange that sets the tone for the conversation.

Mark Jordan discusses Unravel Groups, focusing on its role in equipping men for leadership and excellence through small group environments. He expresses his passion for helping men step out of the status quo and pursue excellence, backed by an exciting environment at Unravel Groups that fosters life-changing stories and camaraderie.

The conversation shifts slightly to personal anecdotes as Jeff Smith recalls his experiences at deer hunting camp, using it to draw parallels with the camaraderie and life changes Mark witnesses in his groups. The discussion segues into Mark's love for snow skiing and his background in Arkansas, where he was not particularly interested in traditional hunting and fishing.

Jeff and Mark delve into Mark's past, exploring his upbringing in Arkansas, his educational journey through university and graduate school, and his subsequent move to Texas and Atlanta. This narrative sets the stage for a deeper exploration of Mark's professional life and his commitment to mentoring and leadership, elements central to the mission of Unradding Groups.

The conversation is very back-and-forth, with both sharing personal stories and laughing together, which underscores the theme of navigating and veering through life based on unique experiences and decisions. The episode wraps up with Jeff thanking Mark for his sharing and insights, tying back to the show's theme of navigating life's veers.

The episode, while rich with conversation and personal sharing, strongly centers on the development of Unravel Groups and Mark's journey of fostering environments where men can grow in leadership and personal excellence.

Connections

Website

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Kimberly J. Ward – Writer, Gardner, Traveler…not a Sailor

By YooperSmith | July 8, 2024

Kimberly J. Ward says: “As we sailed out of our cove, our home behind us and the complete unknown ahead, I couldn’t help thinking that I was leaving everything I knew and loved—with the exception of Michael and Ally. Talk about being pushed past my comfort zone in just about every direction.I am a traveler, adventurer and gardener. Not a sailor. Yet, a decade ago, my husband, our 10-year-old daughter, and I moved aboard our 34-foot boat for two years and sailed from Massachusetts to Grenada and back. In my first book, Crew of Three: How Bold Dreams and Detailed Plans Launched Our Family’s Sailing Adventure, published in August, I show how meticulous planning enabled us to escape from the constraints of our everyday life. Part memoir, part instruction manual, I share the story of our decision to go, the two years of planning to make it work, plus the first several months we lived aboard”.

Kimberly J. Ward Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Very involved in athletics in High School and preparing for college

Studied English and marketing in college; never shared any of her writing publicly

Became a bank manager in her early 20's and thought “Is this it?” Am I going to retire a bank manager? Nope.

Learned everything there is to know about Human Resources before there were “Information Systems” to help, so using spreadsheets

Went looking for a job and kept seeing H.R.I.S and she didn't know what that was…

Got a job with Oracle who was developing a HRIS and didn't have anyone with HR experience…nice fit!

Met her husband who was a sailor working as a consultant; they got married and had their daughter on the fast track

9/11 played a role in both their lives; It hit home for both Kimberly and her husband who were a little too close for comfort

After returning from their big adventure on the boat out in the world she felt she finally had a story worth writing about

Show Summary

In this episode of “Vroom Vroom Veer,” host Jeff Smith is joined by guest Kimberly J. Ward, who shares her intriguing story of transitioning from corporate life to an adventurous sailing journey with her family. The episode begins with an introduction to the podcast's theme about veering away from a frenzied and scripted life to explore more authentic experiences.

Jeff welcomes Kimberly and kicks off the conversation by discussing her new book, “Crew of Three: How Bold Dreams and Detailed Plans Launched Our Family’s Sailing Adventure.” Kimberly talks about how meticulous planning helped her family escape everyday life constraints, detailing their journey from Massachusetts to Grenada and back over two years aboard a 34-foot boat.

The discussion delves into Kimberly's background, growing up in Alexandria, Virginia, and her career movements before the family’s big sailing adventure. She talks about her work in human resources and the skills she gained from it, which later became instrumental in planning their sailing trip.

Jeff explores Kimberly’s motivations and the origins of her adventure, touching on how she and her husband Michael, along with their daughter Ally, prepared and adjusted to life on the water. Kimberly shares the challenges and the rewarding experiences, such as homeschooling her daughter aboard the boat and encountering natural beauty along their route.

Kimberly also discusses the decision-making process involved in planning the trip, emphasizing the importance of family agreement and mutual support. She highlights how the journey profoundly influenced their values and lifestyle, pushing them past their comfort zones into a more minimalistic and meaningful life.

The conversation concludes with Kimberly discussing the process of re-adjusting to life after their adventure, her shift towards writing, and how the experience continues to shape her life. Jeff wraps up by inviting listeners to check out Kimberly's book and follow her journey through her writings on her website.

Listeners are left with insights into how dramatic lifestyle changes can lead to profound personal growth and transformation, fitting into the overarching theme of the podcast about life’s significant veers.

Connections

Website

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Kim Keane – Childhood trauma/abuse, therapy, holistic alternatives

By YooperSmith | July 1, 2024

Kim Keane says: “After leaving my teaching career, I was struggling with the loss of my identity as a teacher. I decided to seek the help of a therapist but felt worse since the trauma of being a teen domestic violence survivor along with childhood trauma and generational trauma I experienced was dredged up repeatedly. On top of it there was a relenting pressure to take antidepressants to be able to cope with it all. It wasn't until I started using holistic alternatives such as Reiki, meditation, and crystals in conjunction with life coaching that I was truly able to leave the failure of my teaching career behind and break free from the trauma in my past. I became a certified life coach and sound healer, Reiki master, EFT, and IET practitioner to be able to help others break free from obstacles that are holding them back and would love to the opportunity to be able to share my story with your audience”.

Kim Keane Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in Delaware which is near Philly and Baltimore but nobody knows where it is

Suffered all matter of abuse and trauma with a boyfriend starting at age 15

Found the power to quit the relationship after she found out he got his other girlfriend pregnant; he still barged into her house punched her in the stomach and spit in her face

Didn't really deal with that trauma until after she ended her teaching career–she did 2 years of therapy but her therapist was not really a great fit

The same therapist suggested mediation and yoga and Kim is thankful for that because it was her entry point into all things holistic

Bought a 300 year old house in Pennsylvania, she is working to turn it into a retreat center; she has to clear the dead trees out of the pond and convince the bats to leave the barn

Show Summary

In this episode of “Vroom Vroom Veer,” host Jeff Smith converses with guest Kim Keane about her transformational journey from enduring significant traumas to discovering holistic healing methods that reshaped her life. Kim shares her story, detailing her struggles after leaving a teaching career and grappling with her identity, alongside past traumas including domestic violence from her teenage years. Her initial conventional therapy brought back painful memories and imposed pressure to use antidepressants, which did not resonate with her needs.

Seeking alternative solutions, Kim turned to holistic practices like Reiki, meditation, crystals, and eventually life coaching. These elements played a pivotal role in helping her navigate past her traumas, eventually leading her to become a certified life coach and practitioner of various healing modalities, including sound healing and Reiki.

The episode delves into how Kim's teaching career came to an abrupt end due to burnout, igniting an identity crisis that led her deeper into her healing journey. She discusses her engagement with therapy, which initially revolved around revisiting distressing memories and coping with labels given by her therapist. Kim found traditional therapy methods somewhat lacking, as they did not equip her with the necessary tools to manage her ongoing challenges effectively.

The discussion transitions into how Kim embraced holistic practices. She describes her transformative experience at a holistic festival, which opened her doors to Reativity and other energy healing practices. The impacts of these practices were profound, providing her relief and insights that traditional methods had failed to deliver.

Additionally, Kim compares her experiences with therapy and life coaching, emphasizing how life coaching offered more direct approaches to managing present challenges without dwelling excessively on past experiences.

Throughout the episode, there is an interplay of personal insights and lighthearted moments, such as discussions about past lives, the challenges and revelations brought by meditation and yoga, and envisioning future projects like turning her property's barn into a retreat center.

The episode encapsulates the theme of navigating life's veers through alternative healing and self-discovery, embodying the essence of “Vroom Vroom Veer” by showcasing a profound journey of veering destructively before finding a fulfilling path forward.

Connections

Website

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Caitlin Pyle – Work Anywhere (BOV)

By YooperSmith | June 24, 2024

Caitlin Pyle is a millennial entrepreneur who works entirely online. She has built a seven-figure blog and business that started in one of the tiniest niches on Earth: proofreading. Based in Orlando, Florida, she and her husband Ben are currently living in Uruguay… just because they can.

Caitlin Pyle (BOV) Vroom Veer Stories

Big Nerd in High School in Languages (German) and Physics, smart girl group

Went to College & traveled around Europe for fun, growth, and learning

Got into proof reading for court reporters while working as a receptionist at a legal support office

Put in early notice to quit her job, planned to attend Personal Trainer School

Fired ugly:told not to breed, accused of theft, told she had a big butt

Worked as a personal trainer for 3 years and continued proof reading on the side

After some boldness and weirdness, starts making great money proof reading

With the support of her husband, created an online course to teach proof reading

Caitlin Pyle BOV Connections

www.ProofreadAnywhere.com

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Kevin Roth – Dulcimer Artist, Singer, Author, Cancer Survivor, Coach

By YooperSmith | June 17, 2024

Kevin Roth is a renowned dulcimer artist, singer, author, and songwriter. He has recorded 65 albums, won numerous awards, and sang the theme to the hit PBS TV show Shining Time Station.

His life was transformed in 2015 when he was told he had stage-three melanoma and only a couple of years to live, he had a choice: get busy living or accept dying. Somehow, despite an amazing music career, Kevin had always found it difficult to simply be happy. He’d had a wake-up call, and he decided to do something about it. He envisioned a new, fun, and fulfilling life and set about making the necessary changes. Now, he wants to help you do the same.

Kevin Roth Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in Philly up to the age of 13, great place to grow up with many cool neighborhoods to hang out

Started his music career at age 16! Learned piano by ear in as a young child

Was told that his kind of Melanoma gave him a 70% chance of coming back after his surgery and if that did come back he would be dead in 2 years; he didn't believe that and it turned out to be not true, but he did need to change his life and heal his body

He moved from Kanas to SoCal near San Diego and found a apartment he could afford even though everyone told him he couldn't find a place for $1000/month but he did

He healed his body by losing weight mostly by paying down $83K in debt; he paid a lawyer a couple hundred dollars and got the credit company to cut his debt in half; then he negoiated a payment plan to pay down the rest of the debt

Found “Section 8” housing in California that turns out to be subsised by the governemnt to provide low cost housing for those 55 and older

His music career got a real jolt from recording the theme song for the hit PBS TV show “Shining Time Station” based on Thomas the Tank Engine

In 2016 he started working as a life coach giving people practical advice from a point of view of non-dualism; Kevin explains that this life is much like a movie and when we die maybe we just start watching a new movie

He made a video on YouTube where he asked God who he was…the response was 83K views and 604 comments that were mostly positive.

Show Summary

This episode of Vroom Vroom Veer begins with a brief intro by host Jeff Smith, after a lighthearted exchange with Angela Tipton. Tim Paige provides a narrative introduction to the show, emphasizing the theme of navigating life’s changes and the unique stories of guests who steer their lives in fulfilling directions.

Jeff introduces Kevin Roth, setting the stage for a detailed discussion. Kevin, located in Southern California, talks about his allergy difficulties due to local conditions, contrasting it with Jeff’s experiences in Las Vegas.

Kevin dives into his multifaceted career, explaining his transition from a musician to a life coach consultant, highlighting his niche in using dulcimer music as a therapeutic tool in what he calls ‘dulcimeditation.’ He also mentions his satirical take on spirituality with his 'Guru Puppet.'

As the conversation progresses, Kevin recounts his geographical and career transitions, discussing his past residences and how regional cultural differences influenced his life and work. They touch on the distinct vibes of various locations, with brief mentions of Kevin’s experiences in Philadelphia and his connections to the entertainment industry in LA.

Jeff redirects the conversation towards Kevin’s past, touching on his early life, his musical influences, and brief yet meaningful anecdotes about his formative years. Kevin talks about his journey into and through the world of music and the personal and career growth he experienced along the way.

The dialogue veers into deeper waters as Kevin discusses overcoming a serious melanoma diagnosis, detailing his emotional and physical battles and eventual recovery, which was closely tied to significant life changes and a shift towards a more fulfilling lifestyle. He elaborates on his approach to living a stress-free and meaningful life by blending science, spirituality, and personal well-being.

Jeff and Kevin delve into Kevin’s significant moments in his musical career, including his contributions to children’s entertainment and his partnerships with major media companies, complementing this with discussions about the evolution of his coaching and spiritual teaching endeavors.

The episode winds down with reflection on personal growth, spiritual realization, and Kevin’s strategies for dealing with life’s challenges and leveraging personal experiences to guide and teach others. Kevin offers advice on managing complications like financial debt and stress, illustrating the benefits of practical and mindful living.

The conversation concludes with a focus on the impacts of Kevin’s life coaching and his ongoing artistic pursuits, emphasizing the profound influence of personal authenticity and life management on overall happiness and contentment. Jeff wraps up the episode, maintaining focus on life’s unpredictable ‘veers’ and the lessons they provide.

Connections

KevinRoth.org

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Nina Sodin – Roaming Pencil (BOV)

By YooperSmith | June 10, 2024

Nina Sodin stares at Google Maps until she finds a place she wants to visit. She looks for a volunteering opportunity, a house sit, or a nice host. Then she hitchhikes there, meets new people (and new animals), talk to them, and makes cartoons about the them. Repeat.

I blog about my nomadic life on roamingpencil.com

Nina Sodin Vroom Veer Stories

Born in Ukraine and moved around quite a bit; moved to Israel at age 8

Grew up in Israel; in High School got into soap operas from Argentina; learned some Spanish

Served her mandatory service in the Army; switch jobs to fix electronics instead of secretary work

Went to college for a while; mostly learned about animation; liked the video editing, writing, drawing

Decided she wanted to travel full time and write/blog/draw about her adventures

She mostly hitchhikes as a way to meet people and make friends and have adventures

Finds places to stay mostly for free by house sitting and coach surfing

Nina Sodin Connections

roamingpencil.comInstagramFacebookTwitter

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Eliot Popkin Circle: Letters to My Younger Self (BOV)

By YooperSmith | June 3, 2024

Eliot Popkin is an award-winning singer-songwriter, a business and personal development coach, and the author of Circle: Letters to My Younger Self . In addition to his own songs, he has written music for film, television, commercials, and other artists. However, despite this success, life hasn’t always been easy for Eliot.

As a survivor of child abuse, he had to overcome a great deal and rediscover himself several times in order to become the man he is today. Now, Eliot is channeling the wisdom he has gained into his memoir, Circle. Eliot takes readers on a journey from his boyhood as an abused, unhappy, frightened child to adulthood, where he learned to recognize, honor, and trust all the gifts life has bestowed on him.

A beautiful memoir which inspires readers on their journey of self-discovery, growth and forgiveness, Circle is for everyone who has a dream, anyone who ever felt too afraid to step out on faith and execute a passion in life, and anyone who was too reserved to share their gifts with the world.

Eliot Popkin Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

During a “dry spell” he had 3 cars repo'd and he lost properties; He realized he was afraid to make money again because he was afraid to make another mistake with it; Eliot asked God if he really had to lose everything? God's answer surprised him along with the sound of his voiceAmazing Story about chasing after the car that hit him in his truck and drove away; the one time the running marathons skill came in handyHis mother died from breast cancer when he was 15; 3 days later he decided he would stay home with his abusive dad; but the physical abuse would stop and it didAuditioned for Berklee college of music in front of one person; he sang “Yesterday” by the Beatles; he finished and they sent him to a little room; that little room meant he was acceptedLearned the hard way the world of business and big money is a “contact sport”; struggled with business and money issuesWrote the Circle as part of his healing journey; wrote letters to his younger self in key moments of his pastPandemic silver linings; we have a global mental health crisis; we call need mental health check ups on a regular basis; physical isolation alone causing depression; connecting with people even on video chat helps; get a pet; do some eye gazing with loved ones whenever you can

Connections

Website – Coupon Code for the book is circle20

Eliot Popkin dot com

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Angela Tipton – Live life on your own Terms

By YooperSmith | May 27, 2024

Angela Tipton at 19 years of age, was diagnosed with Crohn's disease, yet she refused to let her chronic illness define her. Ambitious and career-driven, Angela built a successful career with various Fortune 500 companies.

While building her career, she maximized her income, made significant financial investments, and paid off $85K of student debt in 18 months. While optimizing her savings, she learned to live below her means so that she could live life on her terms.

Angela started her first business in 2017, and today focuses her efforts on helping people achieve financial freedom through their careers at FIREYourCareer.com. She's passionate about building a career to fuel a FIRE lifestyle because she believes that everyone deserves to live life on their terms. In her free time, she enjoys yoga, running, and traveling. Angela lives in Salem, Oregon with her husband and two little boys.

Angela Tipton Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in New York and started having stomach issues at age 15, doctors didn't know what it was…was it in her head?; finally at age 19 was diagnosed with Crohn's disease and they were eventually able to find a treatment that kept her in remission

Studied biology in school and graduated during the great recession when it was difficult to find any jobs; she did a lot of “any” jobs and finally landed a Temp job in her field which open the doors to future lab jobs

Worked with Dow and Bayer and got to travel to the Netherlands and India for work

When she was thinking about grad school an MBA somehow became possible instead of more science; she realized working head down in a lab wasn't the best fit for her personality; she wrote a fantasy novel and realized she really like writing and communicating more than lab work

Had a wake up call during a meeting with the family accountant; she realized they paid $5k on student loan interest; the A-ha moment for Angela was that could have been a cruise if they paid down that debt sooner rather than later

Most folks in the FIRE community are not talking about how to use your career (job) to work toward fire; they are talking about house hacking; rental income; etc, but those ideas may not fit all people; if you have a job or a career you can totally work toward Financial Independence

Show Summary

In this episode of “Vroom Vroom Veer,” host Jeff Smith kicks off the show with excitement, emphasizing the podcast’s theme of shifting from autopilot life to one full of authentic redirections, veers, and significant changes. His guest for the episode is Angela Tipton, the founder of FIREYourCareer.com.

Angela discusses her enthusiasm for helping others live inspired lives on their terms, stating that her website primarily focuses on using careers to achieve financial independence. This allows people to enjoy their time and lives freely. Jeff agrees, noting the value of reaching financial independence early, although he mentions that this community often doesn't extensively discuss the intricacies of escaping debt.

The conversation shifts to Angela's personal story, with Jeff bringing up Angela’s early life challenges, particularly her diagnosis with Crohn's disease at nineteen after showing symptoms at fifteen. Angela shares how frustrating the journey to a diagnosis was, given the complexity of Crohn’s and its common misdiagnosis due to its symptomatic resemblance to other conditions. She describes the relief and validation of finally understanding her condition. This personal health battle played a significant role in shaping her resilience and perspective on life challenges.

Jeff relates to this with his own anecdote about struggling with undiagnosed skin conditions that were only resolved after a dermatologist accurately identified it as a form of eczema that didn’t require regular medication, just preventive care.

The discussion then veers into Angela's academic and professional journey, highlighting her transition from studying biology with a consideration of dual majoring in physics to solely focusing on biology due to financial and practical reasons. Angela explains her early career moves – bouncing between jobs, coping with the great recession, and the gradual move into Fortune 500 companies, where she gained substantial experience in biotechnological fields.

Jeff connects their stories, reflecting on career shifts and the unforeseen pathways they both tread, like his move to Vegas and consequent temp jobs that led to long-term employment thanks to accumulated and varied experiences.

Angela discusses the decision to return to school for an MBA which coincided with significant career transitions, including Dow closing her department. She narrates how these professional experiences and her personal passion led her to explore beyond lab work, finding fulfillment in merging her technical background with communications which she felt was a gap in the scientific community, particularly in controversial sectors like GMOs.

Their exchange then explores debt-freedom and the FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) lifestyle. Angela shares her aggressive approach to clearing $85K in student debt in 18 months, emphasizing sacrifices and strategic financial planning which allowed her and her husband to repay their debts rapidly.

Wrapping up, Jeff asks Angela for advice for listeners, urging them to start wherever they are in their financial journeys, advocating for small, manageable improvements. Angela promotes her website, which offers resources like a free ebook aimed at helping others pave their own paths to financial freedom using traditional career trajectories, without needing to take extreme measures.

The episode concludes with both sharing a light-hearted moment about personal and family priorities, underscoring the varied personal motives behind financial independence—be it travel, leisure, or lifestyle choices.

Connections

Website

Free E-book

Instagram

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Breaking Free from Perfection: Furkhan Dandia’s Path to Self-Love

By YooperSmith | May 20, 2024

Furkhan Dandia says:

Hey everyone! My name is Furkhan, and I’m a therapist, author, speaker and coach. After going through adversity and working in the corporate world as an Engineer for many years, I decided to pivot and pursue a Master's in Psychology. I have a newfound passion for making a difference in people’s lives and working with them to find their purpose.

Going through a divorce made me realize how much shame there is for men around failure. That further motivated me to help other men like myself. After seeing the life-changing benefits of therapy, I decided to become a therapist. In addition to becoming a therapist, I have a podcast: EZ Conversations, a men's group that I facilitate to help men embrace their vulnerabilities, and I also released a book, Pursuit Of Self-Love: 30 Uplifting Messages and Reflections

When struggling with adversity, I wish I had someone to turn to. Someone whom I could speak with, someone who could help me navigate through things, or even provide me with a different perspective. While everyone struggles with adversity differently, adversity is relative, and we all need support.

What helped me overcome my struggles, build resiliency and grow was surrounding myself with positive people, digging deep and seeking therapy. I spent many hours reading and learning about myself, opening myself up to difficult truths and working through each issue one at a time with the help of a therapist. To move forward and work on me, I needed to change my thought patterns and how I perceived situations and try to find gratitude. I don’t have it all figured out today and still encounter daily challenges. I still need to sit down and dig deep, be curious, question my choices and then work through them using mindfulness. I have only scratched the surface of this journey of life-long learning.
https://www.eunoiazen.com/about

Furkhan Dandia Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in Montreal Canada and his East Indian parents would only pay for Med School, Law School or Engineering so he picked Mechanical Engineering

Loved engieering and still does, but he wanted to challenge himself and grow into new ways of thinking

Fell into the work hard play hard and party on the weekends with his party friend aka drinking buddies; this led to some normal from the outside but not “right” in his mind

Decided to take 2 weeks off alchohol to see if he would feel much better; turns out he was able to sleep much better and felt amazing

Realized at some point that he needed to seperate from his partner to be his best self; there is alot of shame involved in failing at marriage but he wanted to be his best self for himself, his son and the rest of the world

Works primarily with men one on one in groups to help find the childhood trauma from our past and help to heal those old wounds

Show Summary

In this episode of “Vroom Vroom Veer” hosted by Jeff Smith, the conversation revolves around Furkhan Dandia's personal journey toward finding a Eunoia Zen state of mind, characterized by resilience, mental toughness, and grace. Furkhan discusses his transition from working as an engineer to becoming a men's coach, therapist, and podcaster, driven by his own struggles during a painful separation and his subsequent personal growth.

Jeff begins the episode by setting a welcoming tone and asking Furkhan to introduce his concept of Eunoia Zen, which he details as a framework he developed during his personal and professional transformation. Furkhan elaborates on the importance of having a well mindset and talks about his website and the services he offers.

The conversation delves into Furkhan's backstory, including his ethnic and educational roots, initial career in engineering, and the societal and parental pressures that influenced his early career choices. Furkhan shares insights into his decision to switch careers following his separation at 34, seeking a Master's in Psychology, and his new-found passion for helping men navigate similar life challenges.

Furkhan and Jeff discuss the dynamics of childhood trauma, societal expectations, and the influence of early life conditioning on adult behaviors and choices. Furkhan emphasizes the power of therapy and coaching in addressing these issues.

Further, the dialogue covers Furkhan's struggle with substance abuse, particularly alcohol, during his separation and how it impacted his life choices and social interactions. He narrates his path to recovery, highlighting the importance of making healthier life choices, like focusing on sleep and forming new, supportive social circles.

The discussion also touches on the broader societal issues of addiction, the normalization of harmful behaviors, and the challenges of reintegrating into society post-rehab. Furkhan expresses his ongoing work with men in group settings and one-on-one sessions, aimed at fostering vulnerability and mutual support to combat isolation.

Jeff and Furkhan also critique modern societal pitfalls, such as the overabundance of instant gratification options and the impact of addictive behaviors on personal and social well-being.

The episode wraps up with Jeff reminding listeners of Furkhan’s website and Furkhan's mention of his own podcast, intended to normalize mental health discussions. Jeff concludes the episode by summarizing key points and reinforcing the message of personal accountability and self-improvement.

Overall, this podcast episode presents a rich narrative of personal transformation, the pursuit of mental health awareness, and the importance of self-love and supportive communities in overcoming life's challenges.

Connections

Website

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Dr. Melissa Corley Carter – Barefoot, Dancing, Rocket Scientist

By YooperSmith | May 13, 2024

Dr. Melissa Corley Carter says: Your epic life actually IS rocket science!I was the epitome of vroom vroom veer, beginning with 20 years on the fast track chasing my dream to become an astronaut. Despite two Stanford engineering degrees, an Air Force officer commission, a PhD in astronautical engineering, and perfect vision after corrective eye surgery, my pre-surgical eyesight disqualified me and shattered my dream.I continued on the fast track of an Air Force career that looked like traditional success, but internally, I was adrift. I could have followed in the footsteps of the high-powered and inspiring women I worked for, but I realized I wanted to inspire people in a different way – and with a lot more life balance.When I came to a major decision point, I leaped into the unknown and left my active-duty military career. At the time I didn't know what my life purpose was, but I knew it was bigger than what I was doing.In the years since, I've realized that my astronaut dream emerged from an intuitive knowing of my spiritual connection with the universe, from a desire to inspire people to greatness the way astronauts had always inspired me, and from the vision of a unified and harmonious world.Now I use basic principles of rocket science to help rockstar humans reclaim their power, own their awesomeness, and take giant leaps of faith. I’m living my true dream every day!Also a 7 continents marathoner, I’m the author and photographer of the award-winning coffee table book, “Running the World: Marathon Memoirs from the Seven Continents,” and the companion wisdom card deck, “Running YOUR World.”

Dr. Melissa Corley Carter Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Wanted to be an astronaut since the 5th grade; parents were suppportive of that goal

Melissa has an identical twin sister who also was in Air Force ROTC and their paths diverged after college

On the Air Force officer fast track; got to attend a prestigious graduate program as her 2nd assignment; maybe graduating from Stanford had something to do with that

Next prestigious Air Force assignment was an aide to a general; she also witnessed the historic nose-to-nose meeting of Enterprise and Discovery (Star Trek fans?)

There was fine print in the astronaut qualification criteria that stated if your eye sight was “this bad” then don't bother with the corrective surgery; Melissa's pre-Lasik eye sight was “that bad”

After realizing her dream of being astronaut was over; she looked at the amazing career track of her bosses in the Air Force and discovered that path wasn't appealing to her

She found a new calling teaching leadership as an Air Force reservist; she also did a Marathon on every continent and wrote a coffee table book with stunning images and words of inspirational reflection

Show Summary

In this episode of “Vroom Vroom Veer,” host Jeff Smith welcomes Dr. Melissa Corley Carter, a former astronaut candidate turned life coach. The conversation starts with Jeff introducing Melissa, who shares her background and leads into her website, “Epic Life Actually.”

Melissa dives into her personal and professional journey, explaining how she transitioned from being deeply involved in aerospace engineering to discovering her true passion in life coaching. She discusses the concept of everything being like rocket science in that it's about moving from where you are to where you want to be, acknowledging progress, and making adjustments.

Jeff shares a personal anecdote about observing different thinking styles during an informal experiment at LA Air Force Base, which leads Melissa to reflect on her own experience growing up in Dallas with an identical twin and her dreams of becoming an astronaut since fifth grade.

Melissa opens up about her educational path through Stanford University, where she studied mechanical engineering and astronautical engineering. She talks about her intense academic and extracurricular commitments, including ROTC and the equestrian team, highlighting the pressures and learning experiences during her time there.

Delving further into her career, Melissa discusses her time at the Naval Postgraduate School, her roles in space acquisitions, and her significant yet disappointing moment when she was disqualified from becoming an astronaut due to her pre-surgical eyesight. This setback, she explains, catalyzed a period of introspection and reevaluation of her career and life goals.

The conversation turns deeper when Melissa talks about her shift away from the Air Force and into life coaching, driven by her passion for empowering others and her desire for a more balanced life. She describes her experiences teaching leadership skills as a reservist and the fulfillment she finds in helping others reclaim their power and recognize their own awesomeness.

As the episode wraps up, Melissa reflects on her identity shifts, the realization that her astronaut dream was more about inspiring others and feeling a connection to the universe than about space travel itself. This epiphany has reshaped her approach to her work and life, leading her to focus on what she truly values.

The interview concludes with Jeff and Melissa discussing the importance of aligning one’s life with personal passions and strengths, rather than following a prescribed path that may not offer genuine fulfillment. Melissa emphasizes the transformative power of embracing one’s unique journey and contributing to the world in a way that feels personally meaningful.

Connections

Website

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Luis Báez – From Silicon Valley to Sales Excellence

By YooperSmith | May 6, 2024

Luis Báez is a Revenue Enablement Strategist + Sales Coach dedicated to serving executives and sales leaders at businesses.

In 2017, after years of working in some of the biggest Silicon Valley startups (think LinkedIn, Google, Uber, Tesla, and more), Luis began to teach impassioned business owners how to scale their revenues and impact by creating and selling high-end offers. During that time, he was also invited to speak about leadership and personal branding at business schools across the country including Stanford, UC Berkeley and Bard.

Luis Baez Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Born in Puerto Rico and raised in the South Bronx; live in public housing and went to public schools; first in his family to graduate high school

Came out after graduating High School and his mom was very loving and supportive; others in his circle took more time to come around

Went to college at Wheaton College in Massachusetts on a scholarship; he definitely struggled mightily just put his head down and finish with a degree; started with pre-med but changed to sociology and Spanish

Went down the Law Degree track and worked for a judge in New York before he realized that he didn't really want to be a lawyer; a friend suggested business, sales, and marketing

Took a job on the East Coast working sales and earned his Account Executive Title; the company later gave him a promotion offer or severance and he took the severance to move to the West Coast

First landed a job at LinkedIn because he was using that platform to try to find a job; then he was recruited to work at Google; the Google job landed him in the hospital with burn out

Worked at Uber for 6 months; but knew right away that it was not a good fit for him; about the same time Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico and he need to focus some time helping with relief efforts from the states

About this time he started doing more consulting and teaching and is now giving away a free course called Flex and Flourish

Show Summary

In this episode of “Vroom Vroom Veer” hosted by Jeff Smith, the podcast explores the intriguing and tumultuous journey of Luis Báez, a former Silicon Valley insider turned sales coach and revenue enablement strategist.

The episode kicks off with a vibrant introduction by Tim Paige, who sets the stage for a discussion about steering away from a scripted life to embrace more authentic and fulfilling paths. Jeff then welcomes Luis Báez to the show, complimenting his polished online presence and probing into what excites him currently in his business. Luis talks about his latest venture, Flex and Flourish, a course designed to lay out his sales strategies and playbooks, which he promotes during the interview.

Luis shares his humble beginnings, born in Puerto Rico and raised in the South Bronx during a tumultuous era marked by drug epidemics and gang violence. He outlines his remarkable educational journey, becoming the first in his family to graduate from high school and college, navigating the cultural transitions at Wheaton College, and the inherent struggles linked to his identities as a person of color and an out gay man.

The conversation transitions into his professional life, detailing his initial aspirations in medicine and law, eventually finding his niche in sales and marketing. Luis discusses his moves through some of Silicon Valley's most prominent companies, including LinkedIn, Google, Uber, and Tesla, each experience contributing to his skill set but also to his understanding of corporate cultures and personal limits.

Personal stories of overcoming discrimination and establishing his worth in challenging environments weave through the narrative, showing Luis's resilience and strategic acumen. The interview takes a deeper dive when discussing his decision to move to California on a whim, taking a severance package and leaving his job without a clear plan, which he describes as a true “veer” moment.

Luis also touches on the impact of Hurricane Maria on his family in Puerto Rico, which led him to step away from corporate life and into consulting, giving him flexibility to support his family during the crisis.

The episode evolves into discussing his current engagements, including teaching, speaking, and his course Flex and Flourish. It also candidly covers the emotional and professional challenges faced throughout his career.

Towards the end, Jeff and Luis reflect on broader issues of diversity, the importance of resilience, and the necessity for pain to forge success, ending on a mutual note of respect and admiration for each other’s journeys.

Jeff concludes by thanking Luis for his openness and contributions, and Tim Paige rounds off the episode with closing remarks, directing listeners to the podcast website for more information.

Connections

Website

LearnfromLuis.com

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Phil Newton – UnHustle: The Art of Doing Less While Earning More (BOV)

By YooperSmith | April 29, 2024

Phil Newton takes that overworked, underpaid person and helps them to move to a stage of being unHustled. Phil works with clients to free up their time, focus their oﬀer, find their most fabulous clients and facilitate a world-class experience for their clients. In essence, he helps people earn more while working less. As the owner of an investment company, Phil knows what it means to work himself to death, and why it’s so important to find a way to work smarter and enjoy life more. He’s put together a system to help business owners and high performers hone in on their zone of genius, work smart and make more money. He’ll share insight with audiences, oﬀer ideas and advice, and generally engage your listeners. His story of working himself into his deathbed – quite literally – will resonate with listeners. Then they’ll walk away with hope and tips to unHustle.
Phil Newton Vroom Veer Stories

Wasn't always in the “unhustled” zone; what it was like working in an unhealthy stressful job?
His parents told him “Yes, you can get can a new fishing rod, you will have to earn money to buy it; so he did
Lessons from Phil's deathbed; when the the priest asked him if he wanted his last rights he was offended and angry; which helped him decide to get better and change his life
His boss told him there was NOT a job to come back to on his “death bed”; again Phil was angry; he wanted the satisfaction of quitting that job!
Learned he already knew how to use investment strategies like options to make money from home on the internet; during his recovery he went all in on honing those skills
Suddenly, other people were asking how he made money with investments; turns out people were willing to pay him for the answers as well
Now, Phil doesn't need to work with anyone he doesn't really like; he has a dickhead filter that he uses to weed out folks that misbehave

Phil Newton Connections
Phil's Welcome Page

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Kyle Duford The Brand Leader IPA, Johnny Cash, and a Journey in Faith (BOV)

By YooperSmith | April 22, 2024

Kyle Duford is an executive specializing in crafting outstanding experiences for global brands. A former magazine editor, he also spent a bunch of his career with a focus on the fashion, outdoor and sports industries through the eCommerce and digital lens. Kyle's unique blend of design, branding, and digital best practices lends itself to creating and leading some of the foremost brands.

Kyle Duford Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in Allentown PA 45 mins northwest of Philly; really poor; had no money he bolted at 18; mom made sure there were presents under the tree on ChristmasWent to college in Boulder CO; his whole family left home about the same time so there was no home to return to; never finished collegeAge 23 chased a girl to Minneapolis MN; worked in a coffee shop for a while; he was over-weight and miserable in a bad relationshipLost 100 pounds training for a triathlon on Catalina Island; started a magazine (American Tri); like a runner's world for triathlon; suddenly everyone was doing a triathlon The magazine shook the tri world; they were bought by a competitor for not a lot of money; but he got a job out of the deal and ended up being the editor and chief1997 in cafeteria of University of Colorado there are two cute girls; he ends up engaged to the cuter one who happens to be Billy Graham's granddaughter; through weirdness and no cell phones or emails they lose each other for 21 years Devastated and depressed his buddy tries to cheer him up; suggests a Johnny Cash concert; a light bulb goes on; Johnny Cash is friends with Billy Graham! Kyle has a chanceHe gets on the bus he talks to Johnny they talk about his fiance; never gets a chance to ask for help in reconnecting; he doesn't see her again for 21 years; gets married and has 2 kidsAfter his first marriage ended he went to Hawaii to ride his bike and figure out what's next; he hears/sees the one that got away on CNN; they reconnect on Facebook and end up married with a blended family

Connections

Website

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Brieanna Lightfoot Smith – Helping Mama’s Build a Brand/Business while raising Children

By YooperSmith | April 15, 2024

Brieanna Lightfoot Smith is a Business Coach and Brand Strategist. Prompted by the Holy Spirit, she transformed her passion for affirming teenage girls into 4 published books and turned those books into a curriculum-based program. Now she teaches other women how to get paid for their passion.

Brieanna Lightfoot Smith Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in Arlington TX and studied journalism in college in Missouri; had published 100+ articles when she graduated

Moved to New Orleans dating her future husband; was getting offers for jobs but turned them into freelance business gigs for newsletters, websites and social media

When she left New Orleans she was married and had her first child; she was offered a fulltime job and decided to take it

She knew when it was time to quit that full time gig when she passed out in her car when pregnant with her oldest

She shut down her business in 2018 to be a full time mom and give her self some rest; restarted the business in 2021

Had to streamline her business to fit into her life as a mom and wife and stopped working with clients that took to much work

Now she primarily works helping other moms run their business and make them fit into their lives without moving towards burnout

Connections

Website

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James Divine – Changing the World, One Note at a Time

By YooperSmith | April 8, 2024

James Divine says “There once was a little boy whose mom told him he could be anything he wanted…a policeman, a doctor, a lawyer, even President! He exceeded all her expectations and became a music teacher. He married his HS sweetheart, is father to 4 and grandpa to 10.”

James retired from full time teaching but still teaches band part time at a charter school. The rest of his time is spent speaking, training, writing, podcasting, and performing. And often holding hands and eating pizza and cannoli.

Now for the boring, adult stuff…

James earned a bachelor’s degree from St. Joseph’s College in Maine and received my music education from the Army School of Music, graduating from the basic, intermediate, and advanced courses over a span of ten years, serving in Virginia, Japan and Colorado. He retired from the Army Band in 2006. He earned a teaching license from Western Colorado University and completed a master’s in music education at Southwestern Oklahoma State University. James believes in the value of life-long learning! He just doesn't like standardized testing.

James Divine Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in Virginia and his father was abusive to his mother which James witnessed; mom took James and his sister to Italy to get away

Spent a couple of years in Italy and mostly had a great time with lots of Italian relatives; but was sexually abused by a family friend

That abuse continued in Virginia when he returned; and finally ended when the abuser left; that was when James was old enough to be angry about it

He carried that rage into high school and realized that he needed to find a way to forgive his abuser not to excuse the abuse but for his own well being

Joined the Army Band and was in the Army active duty 10 year and the National Guard for another 10 years

After his miltary time, he worked on being a full time sax player; that can be challenging to make end meet; he took a band teacher position and realized he really loved teaching

Taught band for many years before retiring again; but missed teaching and is now back at it half-time along with public speaking

Connections

Website (JamesDivine.net)

JazzySaxman.com

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Glen Williams – Healing Relationships and Communication post Trauma

By YooperSmith | April 1, 2024

Glen Williams is a 26 year veteran police officer/detective. He developed PTSD, many of the related negative behaviors, became divorced, and bankrupt. Three years alone in his cabin, taught him how to rebuild himself, to communicate, and he started over. He now has a good relationship, he is a published author, is in a documentary, and he travels and speaks to mostly cops about relationships and trauma. Bridging the Gaps we have created in our lives.

Glen Williams Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Started going to college in Colorado, majored in party and had a rather low GPA; transferred to Utah to try to avoid most of the parties

Wanted to get a job in Federal Law Enforcement, but after completing the very lengthy application process was disqualified for diabetes

Decided to work in local law enforcement instead and did that for 26 years

After an trying CPR on a child having the child not make it, was lucky that his Lieutenant let him go away and process that and not worry about the report right away

Glen, like most law enforcement officers was experiencing trauma at a very high frequency; seeing a dead body became “no big deal”; it's a big deal and traumic

Not knowing about PTSD, he shut down and just used more work as an escape so he didn't have to “think” about the the trauma

Shiloh his service dog let's him know when his blood sugar is both high and low and does a better job than the glucose monitor

Connections

Website

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Bruce Schutter – Mental Health Warrior

By YooperSmith | March 25, 2024

Bruce Schutter struggled with Bipolar, Alcoholism and GAD, until he discovered mental health is the key to triumphing over any life challenge! He created the Mental Health Warrior Program, a grass roots approach to Mental Health, a journey of Self-Help and Empowerment. We teach everybody to be Mental Health Warriors.

Bruce Schutter Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Volunteered as an EMT while in High School; used CPR on someone; when that person died; naturally Bruce fell into depression but didn't have to tools to deal with grief

Bruce leaned into trying to help people and got his EMT certification working as a volunteer; which added to an already stressful life

Bruce was feeling many unwanted emotions and didn't know how to process those feeling; so he turned to alcohol to avoid the pain

Got a job in IT, but he really struggled with the emotions related to work life, used shopping and alcohol to ease the pain and looked right from the outside

After several short stays in jail for drinking, was twice placed on a 3-day psych hold and could barely get through each day as they seemed meaningless

One day attempted suicide but survived; this was a turning point where he realized he needed help

Desperately seeking answers and relief he went to meetings, doctors, took meds, and tried everything offered but still was left without any control of my life.

He realized during this period that his Mental Health was what he need to embrace and nurture instead of avoid

He realized he feared “feeling” of his own emotions because would lose control

Bruce learned manage his emotions and becoming comfortable with them. This allowed him to stay in control of the day and take the steps needed to triumph over my life’s challenges.

Learned there are foods to avoid to improve mental health; processed foods, processed sugar, reduced carbs

Connections

Website

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Wendy Wright – Shift your Money Mindset

By YooperSmith | March 18, 2024

Wendy Wright is a Financial Therapist known for her expertise in merging psychology and finance. With credentials as a licensed therapist, money coach, author, and business owner, Wendy is a trailblazer in her field. Leveraging her diverse background as a former mortgage loan officer, business proprietor, and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, she pioneers transformative financial therapy and money consulting. Wendy’s approach helps clients overcome psychological barriers impeding financial growth.As CEO of Financial Therapy Solutions, LLC, based in Denver, CO, Wendy offers virtual services in the US and internationally. Her impactful teachings shed light on the fusion of psychology and finance, guiding individuals toward financial clarity and empowerment. She is the author and creator behind the transformative Money Mindset Shift©, a program designed to foster healthier relationships with money. Wendy’s contributions mark her as a visionary bridging the gap between emotional well-being and fiscal success.

Wendy Wright Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Wendy started her career on the business marketing and mortgage side of life before she got into therapy

Why we make a financial plan instead of a budget; budget is a loaded term that carries shame/blame/guilt

Journaling is key to start hearing your internal dialog about money; write it down when you start talking to yourself about money

Some people come from a culture that says all debt is bad; you might say to yourself; I'm a bad person if I have a mortgage

Another way to think about paying taxes is that you are contriuting to the common good; my taxes helped to pay for this freeway…I love this freeway!

Why you should not pay down your debt until you make a plan to and learn how to break your debt cycle

If you get a big chunk of money you probably want to get some help with that–you may need a team of people to help you deal with a Lotto win

Before you talk to your loved ones about money ideas; spend some time journaling and listening to your money self talk first

Connections

20% off coupon

Website

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Alison Jacobson – Inspiring Resilience and Transformation for Women in Midlife

By YooperSmith | March 11, 2024

Alison Jacobson, renowned as the Midlife Maverick, embodies unwavering resilience, having triumphed over profound grief and obstacles. Her journey includes navigating the heart-wrenching loss of her baby to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), weathering the financial upheaval of divorce, and shouldering the role of caregiver for both her son, who has Intellectual Disabilities and her husband, who battles Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis. At the remarkable age of 57, having never run more than a mile until the year prior, she conquered the iconic NYC Marathon, serving as a living testament that it is never too late for personal transformation.

Alison is a dedicated advocate for women in midlife, helping them overcome self-doubt and fear to achieve their goals and live joyful, successful, kick-ass lives in their second chapter. Through her own tragedies and adversities, she empowers women to find life after loss, regain self-confidence to bravely move forward personally and professionally, and take decisive action to make themselves the center of their own lives.

As a highly accomplished coach, speaker, and author, Alison empowers women in midlife to reignite their aspirations, reconstruct self-assurance, magnify happiness, and unlock the abundance they genuinely deserve. Alison’s book Daily Inspirations for Midlife Women: A Guide to Peace, Joy, Confidence, and Abundance was published last year.

Alison Jacobson Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up on the East Coast in a small town outside New York City; in her job doing something else–her boss asked her to write a press release; she said yes and that became a PR firm

Decided to move to Los Angeles to expand the business and fell in love with the beach; always dreamed of having a food truck on the in Venice

Knew from a very young age that she was an entrepreneur; she was not wired to be an employee; not very good at “looking busy” which can be required in a job

After her son died of SIDS, she was looking for ways to honor her son Connor; starting working with a non-profit to support parents surviving SIDS; eventually became the CEO (firstcandel.org)

Created a PR firm which she eventually sold and then lost everything and had to file bankruptcy after a very tough divorce–forced to start over

Decided to run the New York Marathon in part to honor her son Connor; great story about seeing butterflies and sun flowers in November while running the race

We discuss how important it is for women to learn about their bank accounts, credit cards, and all the accounts in their lives; your spouse could be unable to help with that any day at any time

Connections

Website

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John Diggs – Map Your Way to The life You Love

By YooperSmith | March 4, 2024

John Diggs Born in the creative hotbed of Pacoima in northern LA, John Diggs played college football at Washington State University and went on to play five years of NFL and CFL football before officially retiring. He then built one of Southern California’s most outstanding mortgage brokerages before the mortgage meltdown of 2008 forced him to lose that business, followed by his home, wife, and family. Going from the highs of success on every front to the low of sleeping on his mom’s couch, however, turned out to provide the backdrop for the life-changing idea of using Mind Mapping on a personal level to put his own life back together and help others do the same.

Since sharing this unique idea in his TEDx Talk, John has authored six mind mapping books and designed dozens of mind mapping courses. He delivers mind mapping talks and hosts an online community of Mappineers– ALL to support his mission to help himself and others love life to the fullest by getting clear about who they are while boosting creativity, enhancing memory, collaborating at high levels, increasing productivity, and reducing stress.

John Diggs Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up outside Los Angeles and dreamed of playing college football; when he finally ran out of the tunnel as a sophomore starter he starting crying as he lived his dream

Played in the NFL and CFL for five years until a knee injury; the doctor told him he could play, but if he injured it again he might have to walk with a cane the rest of this life

When we played for the Raiders when they were in Los Angeles he got his real estate license

Developed real estate software and used that in his business; rode the bubble until it popped in 2007; that's when he lost everything

Stayed on his mom's couch and he had work out clothes and his Big Ass Box of Personal Development; Found a book on mind-mapping and needed a project–so he worked on that box

Met a mentor who kept asking him; “Who are you?” John had many answers the mentor would ask “Is that all?”; changed his life

8 months after landing on the his mom's couch; he got a job interview for a software developer gig; the president of the company said “We gotta have you, how much?” John said 10K per month—DONE!

This is John Diggs from JohnDiggs.com and you are listening to Vroom Vroom Veer with Jeff Smith, reminding you to Get Out of your Big Ass Box!

Connections

Website

Instagram

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Walker Kimberly Brandt – Transcending Generational Trauma

By YooperSmith | February 26, 2024

Los Angeles Headshot

Walker Kimberly Brandt has been a working actress appearing in thousands of advertising campaigns, blockbuster films, and primetime TV shows, for over 25 years. Walker is an awarded community builder and leader who has dedicated a significant amount of her time as a volunteer helping others. Her successful marriage of over 20 years reflects her dedication to putting love first. AWAKEN, Discovering Yourself Through the Light of Your Innocence, is her first book and vulnerably shares the intimate story of how at 16 she began her independent journey to make a childhood vision her mission: find or create tools to transcend the challenges of generational trauma and build resilient mental health. After becoming a published author, she was asked to work with global leaders as a speaker and coach in their effort to help others achieve success and happiness.

Walker Kimberly Brandt Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Connected with nature at a very young age, running around in the mountains she was not afraid of rattlesnakes and other danergeous animals; she was more afraid of the humans in her life

Ran away at age 13, and left home permanently at age 16; At age 18 she moved to Italy to start her modelling career

One day she was vrooming, coming home from another successful gig and feeling great; her husband had this look that told her something was wrong

Her husband was diagnosed with a life threating cancer; instead of the “standard care” they decided together to get educated about all their available options; her husband survived cancer while learning many valuable life lessons

During this very dark and trying time; Lisa Nichols suggested she write a book about her life and her struggles; not for her, but for the people who read it

After the book came out she was asked to start coaching and speaking and she loves it; she found a new mission: find or create tools to transcend the challenges of generational trauma and build resilient mental health

Connections

Website

Awaken , Discovering Yourself Through the Light of Your Innocence

Link Tree

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Frank King – Mental Health Comedian

By YooperSmith | February 19, 2024

Frank King is a Suicide Prevention Speaker and Comedian. Frank was a writer for The Tonight Show for 20 years and, a speaker and comedian for 37.Worked with Jeff Foxworthy, Jerry Seinfeld, Jon Stewart, Steve Harvey, Rosie, Ellen, Randy Travis, and Lou Rawls.Frank fought a lifetime battle with Depression and Suicidality, turning that long dark journey of the soul into 12 TEDx Talks, and sharing my insights on Mental Health with colleges, corporations, and associations.

Frank King Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Started as “fax” joke writer for Jay Leno before he took over for Johnny Carson; wrote about 12-14 jokes during the weekends and sent them in via Fax–only got paid if the jokes were used on the show

Lives with depression and suidical thoughts to this day; has a very solid self-care plan but suicide is still on the table as a soltion to problems

Started body building in sixites, he's intermitment fasting and eating a keto diet, he is definatly in better shape me in my 50's

His father died at age 40 because of his aortic valve; Frank had his aortic valve replaced when he was forty first with a donor human vavle and latter with a mechanical valve

Can speak with experience about preventing suicide and depression because he lives with it and he loves to write jokes

Can write jokes and tag lines “in his sleep”; wakes up at 3 am with his best work and texts his clients immediately

Lived on the road with his wife as a road comic; sold he house and went from town to town telling jokes

Connections

Website

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Brad Nelson – Worry Less Live More

By YooperSmith | February 12, 2024

Brad Nelson is a single dad who has dedicated his life to serving and helping people with their finances. Through The Debt Free Dad Podcast and his online course Roots of Personal Finance, he challenges conventional thinking, helping people save and pay off millions. Beyond finances, Brad values family, outdoor adventures, and creating lasting memories.

Brad Nelson Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Brad first marriage ended largly due to conflicts surrunding money; this came to a head when he lost his first house during the housing crisis

Now a single dad, Brad committed himself to educate himself about elimating credit card debt and to stop living pay-check to pay-check

Most people today never look at their bank statements or credit card statments; so step 1 is looking at where your money is going after you get your pay check

Conflict in a relationships about money is really stressful and the number 1 reason marriages end in divorce–so getting on the same page with your significant other in critical

When talking about money with your significant other; focus on the why you want to be debt free and where you want to be and do after you become debt free

Cancelling subscriptions to apps, cable, TV, cellphone is nearly impossible for alot of people; never give a reason beyond “I know longer wish to pay for this service”

You can find free education from Brad and anywhere on the internet; what also helps is a community of like-minded folks who are working on the same problem

Connections

Website (DebtFreeDad)

Debt Free Dad Episode 169 – How Do I Payoff Debt When I Can Barely Pay my Monthly Bills?

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Linn Rivers – Childhood Trauma leads to Holistic Health

By YooperSmith | February 5, 2024

Linn Rivers is a functional health and wellness expert and educator. She teaches people all over the world how to take their health into their own hands; mind, body and spirit. With over 15 years in the holistic health field and her own arduous past, she is able to guide those who are ready, to a happier and healthier way of living.

Linn Rivers Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Lived in El Paso Texas until she was 8 years old and then moved to New Mexico; in the middle of nowwhere with nothing to do

She has zero happy memories from childhood, she lived in constant fear of everything

When she was a baby in love was expressed to her from a place of fear and panic from her parents trying to keep her alive; she experienced “love” as fear

Growing the word love was a fear casuing word; she didn't like people telling her they loved her and she refused to say it to others

Her mother died of cancer when she was 15 years old; she told her mother she loved her and her mother died immediately after she said the word; Linn knew she had killed her mother with that word

Her father suffered greatly with health issues and addiction to alchohol; Linn now sees that he did his best with the hand he had been dealt

Experienced many near death experienced and learned that she was creating her own reality and reapting lessons from her own past

Had been sick and depressed her whole life so at age 18 started researhing and holisitic health and working with the body

Discovered that most health issues (including mental/emotion health) somehow relate to an issue with your personal microbiome; if you feed the microbiome you feed the body what it needs

Connections

Website

Pre-Launch Sale Only $50

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Darius Wallace – Through Struggles and Adversity to Actor, Speaker, Coach

By YooperSmith | January 29, 2024

Darius is no stranger to stories. He has been in several Hollywood Movies(Nothing But The Truth, Brian Banks and The World We Make). He is a founding company member of Tennessee Shakespeare in Memphis Tennessee and he has performed all over the country in thousands of schools, universities, theaters and libraries as Frederick Douglass. He also has been the TEDx Memphis coach for seven years. He is a practitioner of Tai Chi/Chi Gong and teaches methods of self improvement through meditation.

Darius Wallace Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in Flint Michigan in the early 80's and those streets were very mean

Did martial arts as a very tall 13 year old boy; also joined a gang for protection

Was kick boxing for money and probably being exploited by the gym; got caught with a weapon by the vice principle; choice was juvie, dad, or theater

Did a play in high school and then got the lead as a freshman in the school play; his gang member friends let him out of the gang

Took pills in a suicide attempt because his girlfriend didn't return his call; woke up alive but the world was sideways and he parents freaked out

Fell into a deep grief after his mother pass away from cancer; ended up homeless in New York City on a Park Bench

Had his suicide pills in his pocket, had his last meal for $5 at Burger King; still had subway tokens so got on the train; met a yogi who agreed to teach him yoga for free and just happen to save his life

In 2011 after getting married and having children finally went into to rehab to quit drinking; he walk about 7 miles while having a very intimate conversation with his higher power (God)

Connections

Website

Instagram @dariusactor

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Lynn Mull – From Wallstreet to Holistic Coach

By YooperSmith | January 22, 2024

Lynn Mull offers Clarity through Reiki healing sessions, and Holistic Career Coaching and Facilitating Teams to professional wellness. I use various tools and methods to speak, write, and provide 1.1 counsel to move out of the stuck into the actions that help you or your teams reach their goals.

She found her way because she had to create it. As a working parent and a sandwich caregiver in her early 30s, Lynn understands the pressures to keep going, provide for my family and prioritize everyone else’s wellbeing.Lynn looked in many corners and could not find one coach to break into her inner blockages and move her career until Reiki and a Career Coach got me there. We can be all the things to everyone, but first, we must get aligned and intuitively move forward on our own.

Lynn Mull Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Studied econ in college and played volleyball until injury took her out of the game–learned great lessons about commitment to excellence, teamwork and leadership

Her dad was “obsessed” with teaching her about money; taught her how to invest in stocks when she was still a kid

Interned at General Electric and then worked there as well; got into internal audit with sig sigma; found the value of clarity from leadership; everyone knew their job and what GE wanted them to do

Moved to San Francisco and worked at several banks staring in internal audit and then getting into mergers

Moved to New York city to be closer to family and help take care of her mother who was in a health crisis; the last straw was when her boss (Sue) was murdered by her husband–five years later she was able to step away from that world

Yoga let to personal development books, which led to learning Reiki which led to Yoga teacher training which also led to career coaching

Connections

Website (lynnmull.com)

Urban Wellness Mag Article

Instagram @_lynnmull

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Lea Durante – Turn your Triggers into Glimmers

By YooperSmith | January 15, 2024

Lea Durante is a Nurse Practitioner turned Integrative Health Strategist and Coach, Lea equips women with fast and effective evidence-based tools to eliminate stress, burnout and feeling spread SO thin. After 50,000 patient encounters, she recognized the limits of traditional medicine to achieve true wellness. She pioneered innovative solutions, with cutting-edge science for sustainable and vibrant mental and physical health for her clients.

Lea Durante Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

In middle school in wine country in California she competed in doing gymnastics while riding a horse…I didn't even know that was a thing–made it to world championships in Hungary

The achievement bug stuck and she overachieved her way to the top of her clas in college and grad school

Worked as a nurse (Regestered Nurse and Nurse Practioner) in primary care; saw 30 patients everyday for about 15 each–at some point she realized patients were not getting better

This led her to question what she was doing and to start learning about person development and find new ways to help people outside the medical system

Helps people use tools quickly to change their subconscious mind–change your triggers into glimmers by listening for that voice in your head and get curious about what it tells you to do

Turns out, there’s an entire evidence base to support living authentically and aligned without excess discipline and willpower–and you don't have to spent your whole day drinking green juice and meditating

Her veer was SLOW from Family Nurse Practitioner to Integrative Health Coach as shifting identities and facing critics was a journey of mistakes, missteps before finally finding my way to innovative change work.

Looking back all the dots connect now, but it was a 5 years wandering veer that brought her to this most impactful and incredible place.

Her work now focuses on stress reduction, burnout recovery and helping others achieve the vibrant mental & physical health they desire.

She discovered fascinating tools in neuroplasticity, subconscious reprogramming and nervous system regulation that enable us to move through life with vibrant energy

Connections

Website

Free 2 Part MasterClass – Live on zoom Wed Jan 24th and Thursday Jan 25th at 9am

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Jonathan Chant – Fitness for Freedom (BOV)

By YooperSmith | January 8, 2024

Jonathan Chant founded Fitness For Freedom under the following principles: to care, be honest and treat people the same way he would like to be treated. His goal is to raise the bar for the entire fitness industry by focusing on developing the required habits to live a healthy lifestyle not just exercise.
Jonathan Chant Vroom Veer Stories

Maggie's Story: Came in for back pain, lost 80 pounds over 3 years
Chasing a six-pack trophy might not be the best fitness goal
Small incremental changes in eating habits really work
Pain free movement: we talk yoga, strength, movement and massage therapy
Before and After photos are very easy to fake with poses and lighting
Big Four Movements: Big Push, Big Pull, Big Legs, Big Core
The good, bad, ugly about hooking up at the gym
Can we change the focus of fitness to feeling good first?

Jonathan Chant Links
Fitness for Freedom Web Site

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BOV – Jeff McManus Growing Leaders

By YooperSmith | January 1, 2024

Jeff McManus has a bachelor's degree in Landscape and Ornamental Horticulture from Auburn University and is the recipient of the 2016 Horticulture Alumni of the year. He is also an International Society of Arboriculture Certified Arborist. Jeff has been with the University of Mississippi since 2000 as Director of Landscape Services. During those years Jeff and his team have gained national recognition for their attention to detail and eye for beauty. Under Jeff’s leadership the Ole Miss campus has won the National Professional Grounds Maintenance Society Best Maintained Campus twice, Newsweek’s most beautiful campus in 2011 and was named by the Princeton Review as the 2013 most beautiful campus.
Jeff McManus Vroom Veer Stories

Fail a marketing class, fell in love with landscaping–changed his major–VEER!
Found a great mentor in college who got him onto a short list for a job at Ole Miss
Having a AHA moment when he stopped complaining about “draminators” and took action
Realized he could teach how he wanted work done and also how to teach leadership, pride and excellence
The drama kings/queens slowly left the job, after he installed the new culture
Found that “landscape university” was a great model that was transferable to any organization
Realized when he pointed one finger at anyone else, he pointed three fingers at himself
Grew his own personal awareness of how his words and actions as a leader have a major impact

Jeff McManus Links
Landscape University

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Chris M. King – Conceive Your Impossible and get Unstuck

By YooperSmith | December 25, 2023

Chris M. King has a history of making seemingly impossible goals a reality. And as it turns out, there is a science to this. Dubbed the “executive witch doctor,” today he is called in when individuals or professional teams have big dreams and little time.

Chris built a life on the pillars of his childhood: grief, rage, abuse, and addiction. Despite taking nine years to earn his associate’s degree and leaving his undergrad unfinished, he remarkably transformed into an NCAA hockey player within a year of learning to skate. With two failed marriages, one plagued by mental illness, he later forsook a lucrative career to become a poverty-stricken radio personality in Los Angeles.

Transitioning to marketing a hospital’s neuroscience institute without clinical expertise, Chris then shifted to a tech role, which ended in dismissal. Jobless, he spurned a secure future, opting for penniless homelessness as he ambitiously built a company from his car’s trunk—today, that very company prospers.

Unconventional as it may be, Chris’s journey defies norms. His secret? A resolute choice. Termed an “executive shaman,” “human tuning fork,” or “irritated Buddha,” Chris M. King, author of “Renegotiate Your Existence: Unlock Your Impossible Life,” facilitates transformative expeditions. He draws from spiritual psychology and learns from diverse luminaries like the Flow Research Collective, Dr. Andrew Huberman, and retired US Navy SEALs and US Army Special Forces.

Chris takes individuals and organizations beyond their perceived limits, enabling the realization of the seemingly impossible.

Chris M. King Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

His sister died at age 11 when he was 13 months old; he grew up in a family with grief, rage, abuse, and addiction and thought that was normal

Wanted to play hockey in college but was failing at community college and he didn't know how to skate; made it to the state championship anyway (and lost)

His first wife had bi-polar disorder that wasn't so bad when they got married but got abusive a couple years in

Built a business (statusflow.net) while homeless living out of his car and couch surfing with friends

Started turning things around after the trauma of his second marriage ending and sought help from a therapist; he saw that therapist for 3 months and was done with therapy

He was a coach whose primary clients are 20 somethings stuck on their parent's couch into school or a good job

Chris clients are women working 60-hours a week and putting themselves last on their to do list; step 1 suggest they cut back their hours to 30-hours a week

Connections

Welcome Page at StatusFlow.net

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Dr. Eric Recker – Win the Now and Knock Back Burnout

By YooperSmith | December 18, 2023

Dr. Eric Recker has worn a lot of hats. As a husband, father, dentist, elite success coach, pilot, speaker, author, mountain climber, and recovering triathlete, he has pushed his life to the limit and discovered that what he was searching for wasn’t at the top of the mountain.

Today… in addition to running a thriving dental practice he loves… Eric is committed to helping people learn to #WINtheNOW and discover the life they were meant to live through his talks and coaching. As a speaker, he offers stories and strategies that equip audiences to live with hope, to have a plan, and believe that good days are ahead!

Eric, his wife Amy and their two kids proudly live in a small town in Iowa.

Dr. Eric Recker – Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in Pella Iowa where they make Pella windows; experienced bullying in early elementary school; he was young a little husky and uncoordinated; we wasn't even allowed to play kickball at lunch recess

Made a pact with himself that he would do whatever it took to be the best at everything he did; sports; work; school everything–created his over-acheiver at a very young age.

After a trip to India, we wasn't feeling great so he asked a doctor friend for help and got some antibiotics and he felt better

He nearly died in the ER with a life-threatening E-Coli infection–a giant fart saved his life

Went through several bouts of burnout putting to much on his plate and feeling like he had to have all the answers all the time for everyone

In his head he feared being found out as a fraud; you don't know how to be a dentist or how to run a thriving business or how to win yet another triathlon

Win the now came from God for him to share with the world; when you take a loss take a note so you can later learn something from that loss

Connections

www.ericrecker.com

LINK TO THE BURNOUT OPT-IN:

Knock Back Burnout Challenge

SOCIAL MEDIA

Facebook- @eric.recker.1

Instagram- @docrecker

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Casey and Natasha Grey – Conscious Living Podcast (BOV)

By YooperSmith | December 11, 2023

Casey and Natasha Grey co-host the Conscious Living Podcast. Casey President of Cornelis Grey Construction – The Conscious Builder. As a licensed carpenter and general contractor, he is making sure that proper support and systems are being put in place in order to promote conscious, more sustainable building. Natasha is a children's book author as well as Child and Family Therapist.
Casey and Natasha Grey Vroom Veer Stories

Big veer when they attended a Tony Robins workshop-a literal wake-up call
Another big veer when their son was born – they consciously choose who they wanted to be to their son.
We discuss mindfulness practice, meditation and the benefits of staying present.
Green smoothies! Do you like yours with bananas or avocado?
The good side and bad sides of cheats days, and how you still have to pay the price and suffer the hang over of junk food.
Drink a lot of water…and coffee. Jeff is on Tim Ferriss' slow carb diet and uses heavy cream in his coffee…how about coconut oil?
We talk about movement and trying to stand instead of sit if/when you can at work.
Have you ever done a “media fast”? We discuss the benefits of strategic media consumption.

Casey and Natasha Grey Links
Website

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Sara Deacon Own your Future like a Boss

By YooperSmith | December 4, 2023

Sara Deacon, The Adulting Coach, is a speaker and teen mentor who empowers ambitious young people to design their lives based on who they are, independent of others' expectations. With discipline, creativity and enthusiasm, she inspires young adults to challenge assumptions, act intentionally and own their future like a boss!

Sara Deacon Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in Milwaukee Wisconsin, as a freshman she was shy around people she didn't know; as a senior she was screaming for attention rocking orange pants with a rubber chicken in her hand

Connected with a teacher in high school who really “got her” and encouraged her to connect to her creative side

Was always a generalist and not a specialist; she is working creatively to learn something or find an answer to a question or solve a problem; once solved, it's time to move on

Great story about working with a young athlete and trying to figure out what went well during as event; he really enjoyed lifting up the team and making them better; asked him to think about going into data science as that not involve inspiring people too much

Talked about the how amazing karate is for teaching very young people how to lead other kids; got amazing feedback from other parents about how her kids do a great job with their kids holding space, listening and cheerleading for them

Found an amazing side gig; so you want to attend an event; but the ticket may be too pricey; Sara volunteered to MC the event in exchange to attend for free; loved the whole experience that was totally energized until the following Monday and crashed…worth it.

Gap years can be a great way explore you options, but have some intention; if you want to explore in college; maybe start at a community college or state University before committing to an expensive program

Connections

Website

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Alexandra Harbushka – Life with Herpes: Breaking the Stigma removing the Shame

By YooperSmith | November 13, 2023

Alexandra Harbushka was sent into upheaval when she received a call from her doctor diagnosing her with herpes. Shaking, feeling like her life – her goals, happiness, and desires – had all just gone up in smoke, she was left scared shitless and with a new mission, to share her story with people just like herand to let them know that their feelings are normal, natural, and that they are not victims. With that mission in mind, she founded Life With Herpes, an online community consisting of a podcast, a website, Youtube channel, wellness products to support the skin condition and an online community that provides support, all dedicated to shattering the stigma of living with herpes.

Before founding Life With Herpes and becoming a mother to her son Clinton and a wife to her husband Bill, Alexandra worked in corporate America with roles ranging from Ralph Lauren to selling new home construction to being a mortgage loan officer. Her education includes a bachelor degree from the University of Arizona (Bear Down to my fellow Wildcats!), a postgraduate certificate in Ministry, and is currently working on a masters in Theology. She is also an ordained minister and provides ministry counseling.

Alexandra Harbushka Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in La Jolla near San Diego CA, she was a cheerleader and a “good girl” meaning she went to the parties but never drank because she didn't want to lose her driver's license

Graduated from the University of Arizona, but started college in San Diego and studied abroad in Spain; got a Spanish lit degree

Accidently got a Master's degree in Theology because she started taking college classes for fun during lockdown, then the college told her she was only five classes away from a Master's

After her diagnosis with Herpes, she felt like she needed to stay with that boyfriend because she didn't think anyone else would be with her; after 2 years she decided that she need to move on with her life and not settle for someone she felt stuck with

Her husband encouraged her to share her story with herpes while speaking publicly at a podcasting conference; probably the most fear inducing idea I can think of doing

Close to 80% of people are positive for the herpes virus and don't know they have it; it is a close cousin to the chickenpox and Shingles virus and both hide out in the nervous system

You can have “genital” herpes anywhere in the area of the nerves in and around you genital area not just in the genitals themselves; tailbone area, inner thighs

People are contagious definitely during an active breakout oral or genital but also you can be contagious without any outbreak

Connections

Website

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Nicholas Jordan Moore – Vulnerability, Self-love, and Compassion

By YooperSmith | November 6, 2023

Nicholas Jordan Moore's extraordinary journey has led him to become an expert and leader in the areas of vulnerability, self-love, and compassion. Along with sharing pieces of his incredibly vulnerable story, Nick shares his insights for overcoming the inner critic, letting go of the opinions of others, and how to gracefully ride the ever-changing waves of life.

Nick grew up in Texas within a culture of racism, violence, and patriarchy. These ideals would continue to plague his psyche, until the uncontested power of personal suffering would lead him to his awakening.

Nick’s life and story are a testament to enduring power of self-discovery, reflection, compassion, andvulnerability. Not only does he have valuable lessons to teach, but his short and powerful spoken word poetry can capture an audience and plant seeds for universal growth and understanding

Nicholas Jordan Moore Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

After witnessing an event and calling Child Protective Services on his father for allegedly sexual molesting his granddaughter and daughter; this blew up his world

After a out of body experience with a smokeable DMT he learned from the universe that sharing your most shameful secrets is the path to self-love

Nick was at his wit’s end, suicidal, and looking for answers; Angry and confused as to why a “good god” would allow such terrible things such as pedophelia to exist

Nick came to a place of peace and understanding through a powerful revelation; light comes from the darkness

Nick made friends with all the voices in his head; he learned that you need love himself first warts and all so he could work with all the darkness from his past

Nick learned that world will teach to hide all your shameful past actions; he learned to let go of the opinions of others to speak with love instead of fear

Before you speak ask yourself “Is this communication coming from love or fear” trust that you know the answer

Learned to listen to people without any judgement, without giving advice but just hearing the other person and not trying to “fix” problems

Connections

Website

Vulnerabilitybook.com

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Myron Welik – The Jackhammer Effect

By YooperSmith | October 30, 2023

Myron Welik says:

In 2002, I lost my Multi-Million Dollar business in a catastrophic way, leaving me paralyzed with self-doubt and depression.

However, I kept going and 16 years later I successfully reinvented myself. I am known as “The Jackhammer” and have been in the business of making deals happen for 40 years. I am the host of the Jackhammer Effect podcast and author of the “Jackhammer Effect.” My insatiable drive and resilience have been a hallmark of my long and successful career.

Moreover – I identified and brokered the deal that brought Heidi Klum and New Balance together, leading to the creation of the HKNB brand. I pitched products of my own design on the Home Shopping Network to 40 million viewers. In addition – I have negotiated strategic partnerships with well-known brands such as the New England Patriots, Lacoste, FIFA, Madison Square Gardens, Radio City Music Hall, and Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum.

Myron Welik Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Another random life changing moment at a business networking event, Myron was there and another real estate investor who should really be there is there–he helped Myron re-invent himself and his business

Was working with Heidi Klum's people after she had a baby she was looking for new opportunities, this was when female athletic apparel was booming with Lulu Lemon

Myron suggested he reach out to New Balance to she if there were interested in working with Heidi–they create the HKNB line

Was working with Seal who was looking for opportunities during lockdown, Myron was able to set up a zoom meeting with Seal and the Patriots marketing team

During the tech boom there was a map app that was looking to sign companies in New York city to be on there map app; Myron got Madison Square Gardens, Radio City Music Hall and and Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum

In 2002, I lost my Multi-Million Dollar business in a catastrophic way, left him paralyzed with self-doubt and depression; thankfully his wife supported through his struggles

Totally random life changing moment while on line at for a Taxi at La Guardia airport in New York City, she's a beautiful woman and he talks to her–later they get married

Connections

Linkedin Profile

Instagram ProfileThe Jackhammer Effect BookThe Jackhammer Effect Podcast

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Liz Benditt – 5-time Cancer Survivor turned “Cancer-Prenuer”

By YooperSmith | October 23, 2023

Liz Benditt is a 5-time cancer survivor turned “cancer-prenuer”. After muddling through four different cancers (Breast #2/2022, Breast #1/2017, Basel Cell/2015, Thyroid/2010, and Melanoma/2009) she knows a thing or two about what it is like to be a working mom and patient, undergo painful surgeries and treatments, and receive so many well-meaning but useless gifts. (e.g. Kicking Cancer Tote Bags, Breast Warrior t-shirts, worry stones, over-cooked lasagnas…)

In Fall of 2020, Liz transitioned from corporate marketing executive to mission-driven entrepreneur by channeling my personal experience into launching TheBalmBox.com. We interviewed over 500 patients and caregivers to curate functional care packages for cancer patients.

Liz was featured on NBC, USA Today, Medium, and Yahoo News. She was named a #WomanOfAction by the Susan G. Komen Foundation of KSWMO and was their keynote speaker at their Pink Power Luncheon as well as an award-winning finalist from the Amber Grant Foundation. She's been a featured guest on a long list of podcasts including, Pieces of a Woman, In The Rising, and Love Shack Live (podcast and live radio broadcast).

Liz Benditt Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Born in California, moved briefly to the Chicago area went to High School in Pennsylvania; she was already into sports including gymnastics so she joined the varsity cheerleader squad

Studied mass communication at Boston College for her undergrad; learned how to communicate be articulate and tell a story

Realized she enjoyed the business side of marketing more than the creative side; got her MBA and really focused on using data to drive business and creative decision through testing and surveys

Did her Honeymoon in Costa Rica and a very remote resort; after she flew into the country got on a single engine aircraft to fly to the resort

Visited Paris twice and stood in line to see the Mona Lisa both times; on the first trip with 6 other 20 something girlfriends one friend said “Let's go see the HO and then get a cocktail”

Employee #3 at Bluetooth! Helped to make sure as many companies as possible would support Bluetooth; got to travel all over the world

Fall of 2020, transitioned from corporate marketing to mission-driven entrepreneur by channeling my personal experience into TheBalmBox.com. We interviewed over 500 patients and caregivers to curate functional care packages for cancer patients

Connections

Website

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Chris Marshall – How to De-Stress with the Pause, Play, Move Method

By YooperSmith | October 16, 2023

Chris Marshall is a transformative voice in leadership, resilience, and business strategy. With an aim to prepare individuals and teams for a disruptive tomorrow. Chris draws from his diverse experiences in behavioural science, professional foresight, and global macro strategy. Through his talks, he offers insights that are not just profound but also actionable, paving the way for a future-ready mindset.Chris has a varied background, from being a youth athlete to being high functioning autistic with a divergent mindset in a neurotypical world, to setting up an international award-winning distillery as a side hustle. He has many stories of vrooming and veering in his life including: burnout, divorce, being the head of global strategy for a fund manager, becoming a breathwork coach to ongoing research as a professional futurist and behavioural scientist specialising in decision-making in fast-paced complex environments. He is also the author of the book Decoding Change, a book that seeks to help people better the rapid changes we're seeing all around us.

Chris Marshall Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in Snowdonia in Whales in the UK in the Moutains (don't say hills!) which is a rich, lush, green mountain wonderland with hundreds of castles

Fell in love with skiing at the age of 7 and was a competive ski racer in his teens; worked with a famous sport pychologist to work on his mental game, visualizations and reducing anxiety

His burnout came around when he was working on Pause, Play, Move method–he ended up in the hospital; he had to learn how to really pause and play to releive the stress

The pause in PPM is about just giving yourself a break to rest and reset and bring down your stress level; breath work, diet, getting enough sleep all contribute to that calm joyful state

Playfulness is a state that doesn't concern itself with outcomes; bay leaf in Gin? Sure let's try it…tastes like medicine so NO..but that's ok, now you know that it doesn't work

Move almost takes care of itself if you are able to Pause and find that comfortable, calm, joyful state, and after you played with your problems your are already moving

Wanted to start a brewery but found out that he had a gluten intolerence (I think I said Lactose…opps! That's ok, I was playing) so Chris create a distillery instead

After discovering amazing gin in Bruges, Belgium wanted to make a gin from Whales where the best water and botanicals exist on the planet

Connections

Website

PPM Method

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Hilary DeCesare – Discovered the 3HQ process Singing in the Car with her Teenage Daughter

By YooperSmith | October 9, 2023

Hilary DeCesare, renowned business coach, bestselling author (ReLaunch!), and trailblazing female Silicon Valley CEO, brings an innovative perspective to industry leaders. With a focus on neuropsychology, she empowers mid-life women through her trademarked 3HQ™ Method. Hilary serves on the board of Cal Poly SLO and actively supports causes combating human trafficking and childhood cancer. Her impactful work has been featured on major networks and in notable publications

Hilary DeCesare Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

The 3HQ process means your HQ is the Headquarters of “YOU” it has three departments 1) Head 2) Heart) 3) Highest Self

Tune in process is use your head to come up with an intention, then tune in to your heart and listen to the song you hear for around 20-30 seconds then she a mini movie to take the next micro step

Teenager in the car who loves to sing; made up a game for them to play where the teen has to sing a song of a different genre…eventually she wanted to play and improved her mood

Hilary had a near death experience at the age of 2, she had a rare infection they think here mother may have contracted from a swimming pool; she remembers feeling isolated but came back to life

After her mother died and she was grieving her loss; she decided to use the time during lock down to write a book; she took a class from a real professor for a year to learn how to write a book

Write before lock down she are her husband were looking forward to “empty nest” fun; lock down changed her plans

She was patient number 43 in San Francisco; she was not allowed to leave and all the medical workers were in hazmat suits; she felt a little bit like E.T.

Connections

Check out the first show here is the link (bra at airport and the shot/beer while skydiving)

Website

Tune in Power Tool

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Elizabeth Pearson Garr – Writer/Producer; Local TV news Anchor…Now Podcaster Producer/Host

By YooperSmith | October 2, 2023

Elizabeth Pearson Garr created, hosts and produces the podcast, “What It’s Like To…” She has degrees from Harvard and Stanford, and has worked as a writer/producer for the TV Food Network, PBS, and E! Entertainment; an anchor/reporter for the NBC affiliate in Billings, MT; and as a documentary filmmaker.

Elizabeth took about 15 years out of the paid workforce to be with her kids and volunteer in their schools and our community. Getting back in the working world (and starting her own business in my early 50s) has been an interesting journey, not just for me, but also for my family (don’t underestimate the shift in dynamics that occurs when a former stay-at-home mom no longer has time for everyone’s needs and desires!).

Elizabeth Pearson Garr Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in Palo Alto California and her parents were a professor (dad) and a principle (mom)

Went to Harvard and studied literature and history; she really loved writing and wanted to write about food; so she went to culinary school to get some chops and cred

There was a new TV network in New York called the Television Food Network; she called someone to say she would be in New York and would like to talk to someone about working there; she got the job

Her dream job was to work on camera; was bold enough to reach out to Diane Sawyer and got a call back and a meeting; Diane told her if you want to work on camera you have to work in a smaller market

Was a weekend news anchor in Billings MT for about 2 years; was told that she didn't have “it”; but when she got the hair and makeup done suddenly she had “IT”; she learned she didn't want to work on camera after all

Briefly had a executive job with Fox TV in LA with a butler asking her if she needed anything; she didn't really know what she was supposed to do and there was zero direction; the quit was mutual

Started the “What it's like to…” podcast to interview people of all walks of life to get their stories; lets you vicariously experience intriguing things you may never get the chance to do

Connections

Podcast Website

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Joe Bains – Biohacking, Keto, Fasting, Ice Bath, Wim Hof, Tantra

By YooperSmith | September 25, 2023

Joe Bains does Keto, Intermittent fasting, fasting, Biohacking, Wim Hof (Breathwork), Cold showers/baths, Pranayama, Yoga, Calisthenics, Light Therapy, Peptides ,etc, etc.He's a standup comedian – having performed at Brighton, Henley and Edinburgh Fringes, around other UK venues and abroad. Joe completely destroyed his health and became disabled for 6 months with diabetes type 2. The hospitals couldn't help him and finally discharged him. He needed 24/7 care; putting him to bed, changing his clothes, showering him and taking him to the toilet. He then spent the next 3 years rebuilding his body and health from the inside out and made himself able bodied again.

Joe was so successful at this, that now aged 55, Joe is at his healthiest and has boundless energy, more than he ever had even in his 30's.

Joe Bains Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Born in India and moved to the UK when he was still pretty young; really wanted to fit it in school

Learned English by age 15 but really wanted to sound “English” spent the next 10 years perfecting his English accent

Changed his name to Joe Bains and removed all references to his being from India and the world of work opened up; people just love the English accent everywhere

Really loves psychedelics (all of them) for therapeutic and spiritual practices

Got his own ice bath in his Garden (aka Backyard in the states) and noticed a big difference when the water was 6 degrees C and the length of time was 20+ minutes

Has been eating full time Keto for 10 years (wow) has eliminated all junk food (oh no!)

His longest fast was 21 days but also does regular intermittent fasting which can be just a simple breakfast of bacon and eggs

Connections

Website

https://joebains.com/

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Amber Tariq – What is most True for Me is this Moment

By YooperSmith | September 18, 2023

Amber Tariq “I am a physician turned depth coach, focusing on high achievers, turning life from driven and ambitious to “What is most true for me, in this moment?” Which does not mean being unambitious, but asks for breaking stereotypes and culturally approved narrow definitions of success.

Amber Tariq Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Has a great memory for most things but doesn't remember her childhood before age 12; at that age she decided she needed to be MUST BE an independent person in every way

Loved school! Really enjoyed learning and studing for exams and over-achieving in school

Always an introvert and had diffcult making friends and connecting with people; but found that once she was in a group of friends and co-worker she could be the entertainer of the group

Became an MD and practiced in Pakistan and moved to the states at age 30; did all the cerifications to practice medicine all while she was pregnanent

At some point she started to question why was she an over achiever and also realized that she was human and needed to take care of her self and her body and she might need help with that

Read 70 books in a year (doesn't everybody?) started with pop psychology and then went deeper; did a Jungian coaching certifcation

Brings her new insights of psychology and coaching to reach out to students, friends, co-workers and patients was learned how to connect with people and really she them as people7

Connections

Website

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Craig Thayer – Find the Miracles in your Life

By YooperSmith | September 11, 2023

Craig Thayer: His destiny was mapped before he was even born. Being put up for adoption at birth and finding his family at nine months was just the start of his unorthodox journey. Craig battled a reading disorder that went undiagnosed until he was fifty-five years old. Despite that and numerous other challenges, the calling in his heart to become a surgeon grew louder and louder.

It didn’t quiet when he suffered a twisted intestine, witnessed his adopted mother’s alcohol problem, grieved her death when he was just eighteen, healed from a skull fracture in college, agonized over his adopted father’s fight for his life, and struggled to find his self-esteem. Through adversity, he has become a well-respected surgeon, head of trauma, community leader, and forever a jokester. The miracles that touched his life were his saving grace and shined a light on his purpose.

Craig’s intent in sharing his stories are to give you hope, inspiration, and a sense of belonging. His passion is to inspire and motivate others to live their life to the fullest. We are all more alike than we know. Craig is the best-selling author of SAVED: One Trauma Surgeon’s True Accounts of the Miracles in His Life. In this memoir, you can hear many of his inspiring stories.

Craig Thayer Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

His grandma, (known to his kids as Gigi) encouraged him to write a book for 15 years–later we went to a business training with famous people who didn't know him who also encouraged him to write a book about his struggles through adversity and his faith

Blessed to be a orphan; his natural mother was in Michigan and was not married and starting to show and was engaged but not in the church long enough; mom moved to California long enough to have Craig and get him baptized at a local church before giving him to an orphanage

His adopted mom was born in Ireland and she had an Irish temper and struggled with alcoholism; she made Craig and Empath; he went to his first AA meeting at age 11 and heard testimony of all the participants

One man from AA named John had killed a kid while drunk driving and Craig reminded John of that kid that he had killed

Landed on general surgery in med school because at that time he would learn how to treat a person from head to toe; he really wanted to know how to perform a Tracheostomy

When he went to do medical missionary work he would often need assistance from non-medical folks; he always advised people to let him know if they felt light headed or just uncomfortable because people can pass out and hurt themselves

Jeff shares way too much detail about passing out which doctor's call Vasovagal syncope; that started in Air Force Basic training as a needle phobia

We talk about how tall men (at least 6'4″) earn 15K more for every inch over 6 feet; Male leaders tend to be tall with large hands; that same group also tends to pass out more often

Connections

Website

Vasovagal syncope

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Dr. Jenny Quartano – Everyday Wellcare for Women, Children and the Whole Family

By YooperSmith | September 4, 2023

Dr. Jenny Quartano — Shortly after beginning her private practice as a pediatric physical therapist, Dr. Quartano found herself in an unexpectedly challenging personal situation that led her to a place of focusing the lifestyle factors she could control to manage her health and continue to show up every day for her patients—without medications, aches, pains, or fatigue that seemed to be what the traditional medical model offered. Through this experience, she found a passion and training in functional medicine so she could help other families undergoing the same. She doesn’t subscribe to common symptoms being normal or deteriorating health being a symptom of age and seeks to help other women find their best self to be the best mom, wife, professional or athlete they desire to be.

As families continue to seek alternate healthcare solutions outside the traditional clinic, All Together Wellness has seen a huge demand from the community to meet their needs in new ways. Dr. Quartano has curated a team to create a village of support for our All Together women and children in helping them thrive! Our team shares a vision of creating an experience for families where help is provided when and where you need it in a way that minimizes the burden and intrusion in your day to day rhythm but rather works with your family’s needs the way health and wellness support should.

Dr. Jenny Quartano Vroom Vroom Veer

Grew up outside of Green Bay Wisconsin (GO PACK!) pretty much knew two facts when she was young 1) She would move away from Wisconsin 2) Be a Doctor; we both grew up in the Packerland in the “Frozen Tundra” and love to back to visit in the summer and for Christmas

Did some grad school in Florida and decided the Sun and the beach beats the Frozen Tundra

After she started her private practice, she was feeling sick, tired, and her doctor told her nothing was wrong; being a doctor she knew something else was going on; she also saw the women she worked with in her practice didn't have enough energy to live a healthy happy life

She joined a gym with a friend and challenge with together with work out everyday, meditation/stretchy, big diet restrictions (not fun), had to schedule and sleep 8 hours a night–amazed herself with how much better she felt

We compare notes on our health journies; cleaning up our diets, finding all the hidden sugar in packaged and junk food (it's everywhere!); Jeff in his 30's experienced pain when trying to stand up long enough to brew beer (about 3 hours); now he prefers a stand up desk to sitting

Dr. Jenny noticed that as a group health care works (nurses, therapists) are overworked, with high stress levels and eat junk on the run; Dr. Jenny agrees as a group they are not great at self care

She came from a background of Pediatric Physical Therapist-she spent a lot of time teaching parents about healthy eating as well as healthy parents; the vision was to have a one-stop shop for families with kids

Connections

Website

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Michaelbrent Collings -Become Your Own Best Story

By YooperSmith | August 28, 2023

Michaelbrent Collings is an international bestseller and screenwriter. Best known for horror (named as one of Rankers top 20 All-Time Greatest Horror Writers), he's also a multiple Bram Stoker Award and Dragon Award finalist and the creator of BestsellerLife.com, where you'll find the best writing, publishing, and marketing instruction around.

Michaelbrent Collings Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

As a kid he was kinda smart and kinda small which brought about a Napoleon Complex with no power–resulting in him being a jerk and having no friends

McC got tired of not having friends, so he asked his Mom how to make friends; his mom taught him how to be nice and make friends;

His Dad was a creative writer and his house was full of books; he was also the a world class expert on Stephen King; so Michaelbrent had an early entry into the world of stories

Because he spent most of his childhood as kinda of Jerk he thought he might be good at arguing; so he became a lawyer

His wife got sick and he got sick and he could no longer keep up with the lawyer partner gig and take care of himself and his wife; he was politely asked to divest from the partnership

He had been writing and not publishing for about 10 years by that point; there was this new thing called Kindle were he could publish his books without all that publishing house stuff

He is mostly known as a horror author but he writes in all genres and mixes them up as well

Bestseller Life is a new course to help writers learn how to write, publish and make a living from your writing

Connections

Website

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Laura Oldanie – Money and Lifestyle Choices for a Regenerative Future

By YooperSmith | August 21, 2023

Laura Oldanie is a green living & money coach, who helps reluctant capitalists achieve financial resilience on a climate challenged planet.Laura is a self-employed green living and money coach living her dream life in a small Florida beach town. Laura previously lived in DC where she worked for a couple of different education non-profits. Before settling in DC She served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Poland and also worked in our U.S. Embassy there by winning a State Department Fellowship after grad school. These days Laura works from home, regularly attends yoga on the beach, and rides her bike as my main form of transportation.

Laura Oldanie Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in Flint Michigan, at age 12 she was diagnosed with scoliosis and had to wear body brace; she was already struggling to fit it

She was drawn to hang out with with the other kids who were outsiders; she made friends with several international exchange students; she was fascinated with people from other countries and cultures

Got to backpack in Europe; veered off from the group to visit a friend in France and was lucky enough to actually meet up with them without email/cell phones even though they got the train schedule mixed up

After college worked with the Peace Corps in Poland where she picked up some Polish language skills which would come in handy for her next job with a State Department Fellowship after Grad School

Loves public transportation and ended up living and working in the DC area for two different non-profits; the last job she had she loved but the travel requirement became too much

What is “Slow Money”; how to rethink how we invest our money in more regenerative ways; Laura found ways to use a self-directed IRA to invest in local farms/businesses/non-profits; make money (slowly) while being aligned with the concepts of Permaculture (theNextEgg/WeFunder)

What is an Earthship? The key points are the heating and cooling are passive (free) the water is used 4 times before it leaves the house; much better than paying almost $900 electric bill in the Las Vegas heat

Connections

Website

Instagram

The Next Egg https://www.thenextegg.org/

WeFunder https://wefunder.com/

Seed Invest https://www.startengine.com/seedinvest

Slow Money https://slowmoney.org/

Permaculture and Money https://www.richandresilientliving.com/permaculture-money/

EarthShips https://www.earthshipglobal.com/about-us

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Mark Aylward – Career Advice that Doesn’t Suck

By YooperSmith | August 14, 2023

Mark AyIward has over 30 years experience in the technical staffing space as an owner/operator. He generated over $75 million in revenue and have created 4 millionaires–maybe more. He built and sold 2 multi million dollar companies and hired and trained hundreds of salespeople and recruiters.

He found work for all three of his young adult children out of school and then helped them all start their own companies online.

Mark also got sole custody of my 3 children representing himself in his divorce (he is not an attorney).

More recently Mark transitioned into coaching in the career transition field.

Mark Aylward Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in Winchester, MA near Boston; spent the summers on his bike riding around and didn't go home till dinner time; no cell phones and no parents around

His High School guidance counselor told him to get a business degree and work for a big company so he did; he got a job in marketing and went to work for Met Life in Chicago

Didn't love selling insurance B2B; when he was looking for what was next he met this guy from Australia who was a recruiter for petrochemical engineers to work in Saudi Arabia; he made 100K per recruit

So, Mark go into the tech staffing business; that was all awesome until his divorce; ended up losing the business and all his money but kept the most important thing–he got sole custody of his kids

Filled both roles of Mom and Dad and was there for all the kids events; that was a silver lining of divorce

Now he is working on creating a course to help people with “what's next” in life and and work/business

Connections

Website

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Chase Chewning – Learning to Grieve, Dealing with PTSD and Re-Learning How to Walk (twice)

By YooperSmith | August 7, 2023

Chase Chewning is a Virginia native and Army veteran. Chase is a Virginia Commonwealth University alum, graduating from their Health, Physical Education and Exercise Science undergraduate program in 2013. Having completed his MS in Health Promotion from American University in Washington, DC and has been an ACE Certified Health Coach since 2015.Living a life of wellness has always been a part of him – since growing up eating fresh food from his grandparents' garden, playing baseball throughout school and enjoying time in the mountains surrounding his family's southwest VA home.After six years of active duty, Chase was medically discharged from the military due a string of injuries that ultimately required him to have bilateral reconstructive hip surgeries. After learning how to walk again—twice—exercise as medicine and healthy lifestyle modifications became his passion.Chase currently resides in Los Angeles, California.He has been a featured guest on such podcasts as Mind Pump, The Darin Olien Show, Don’t Be Sour, Kreatures of Habit, Live Through Love, Fitness CEO and Endless Endeavor.His podcast, Ever Forward Radio, launched in 2017 and has surpassed 3 MILLION total downloads and is consistently a top-ranked Health & Fitness and Self-Help show on Apple Podcasts, also a top .5% globally ranked podcast.

Chase Chewning Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in a small village in Virginia running around in the woods; around 12 his parents moved to Roanoke to be closer to the new family business

Chase started in a new private Christian school which was not fun at the time but his parents didn't like the public schools in the area; turn out to be a good idea

Decided to follow the family legacy and joined the Army; got a nice signing bonus to be a military linguist; he barely squeaked by in High School Spanish but did it anyway (thanks Mrs. Clark!)

While in Defense Language Institute working on his Army Tech School, he had to take emergency leave to visit his father who was dying of ALS; went back to school and just buried that grief and trauma

Before that, he was trying to get out of the Army to be with his Dad as much as possible; he was doing the paperwork for a “Hardship Discharge”; his dad talked him out that idea

During a field exercise wearing 100+ lbs of body armor and backpack gear; he torn his hamstring; he fell down and thought he got shot with a live round; that led to his medical retirement from the Army

After 12 years he started showing very serious symptoms of PTSD and his wife said he needed to get help or he would be letting her down; getting help for her changed his whole mindset towards getting that help

Connections

Website

Instagram

Youtube

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Brigitte Cutshall – Empowers People to Thrive

By YooperSmith | July 31, 2023

Brigitte Cutshall is an unabashed health advocate. Her goal is to “empower others not just to survive, but thrive,” and encourages to focus on what's important to find your inner strength.

Brigitte is the founder of Gemini Media, host of Real Things Living Podcast, a Health Advocate and focuses on delivering the best solutions to her clients. She’s an accomplished business development professional in the communications, publishing and print management industry.

One of Brigitte’s goals is to “empower others from just surviving to thriving” and participates in wellness events. She’s a speaker and the author of three books – RealThings: 6 Ways to Embrace Life , Expecting the Good: Inspiration from a Badass with a Big Heart , and Quality Book Formula – and successfully develops content for wellness and healthy lifestyles, resulting in being featured as a contributing writer on HuffingtonPost, DrLaura.com, Intent.com, Wellness.com, Sharecare.com, and TheMomiverse.
from brigittecutshall.com

Brigette Cutshall Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up all over and was a military brat; Dad #1 had PTSD from Vietnam and divorced mom; Stepdad was so awesome she wrote a whole about how awesome he was

Couldn't wait to get out of Southern Georgia, to hot and humid; went to college in Wisconsin and and discovered the mosquitos were very big and loved to bite her; landed in northern Georiga

Trailed blazed as a woman and got a marketing job after starting as a admin assistance, advanced to product manager and eventually got in business development

Cancer #1 was breast cancer got treatment and thought that was over; later discovered a rare tumor in her brain that no doctor knew anything about; looks like it may have been from exposure to radiation

The breast cancer came back later and she needed surgery this time; learned she couldn't handle dairy or caffeine; always loved veggies, chicken and fish

Loves walking and running in nature because it's fun! The 3 pillars are movement, nutrition and rest which includes good sleeping habits but there is more to finding a restful life rhythm

Started her own business to help people write their own books and repurpose what content they already create

Connections

brigettecutshall.com

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Jason Bahamundi – Helping Ordinary People Doing the Extraordinary

By YooperSmith | July 24, 2023

Jason Bahamundi is the Founder of Run Tri Bike, a multimedia platform that is the voice of the everyday athlete. He started this company to show people a spot at the starting line for everybody and every body because endurance sports are a great way to find life in your life.

At Run • Tri • Bike, we’re passionate about endurance sports and the incredible individuals who participate in them. We believe that anyone, regardless of their gender, race, sexual orientation, or physical abilities, can find a place at the starting line. Through inspiring stories of athletes from diverse backgrounds, we aim to break down barriers and prove that endurance sports are for everybody and every body.

We’re here to guide and support you on your own endurance sports journey. Our goal is simple: to help you embrace the fun, excitement, and personal growth that these sports offer. Through captivating stories, insightful tips, and engaging content, we aim to demystify endurance sports and show you that they’re not just for elite athletes.

The athletes featured on our website have faced obstacles that could have prevented them from moving forward but instead kept showing up. Some of them are recovering from alcohol and drug abuse. Others are mothers coming back from pregnancy and still others are just getting started.

What you will find are athletes, like us, who are ordinary people doing the extraordinary.
from runtrimag.com

Jason Bahamundi Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in the Bronx and played all the sports in school (baseball, football, basketball); also hung out with a diverse group of kids

Went to college in upstate New York near Canada; the marketing was great because they bring in kids for tours in the spring only to find out later that the snow comes in October

He knew he wanted to major in business but no quite sure which degree; the accounting book was really thick but the marketing book looked pretty thin—marketing!

Lived in a frat house and had sort of an “Animal House” sort of college experience; painted the basement floor red and then had a party down there before the paint was dry

Had a job bartering old inventory from companies (like black and decker drills) for advertising time on TV; what the TV stations did with the drills was not his concern

He got voluntold to do a half Marathon and did it with out really training; he finished but realized he didn't train enough

Jason prefers the 100 mile race to the 5k race because you get more time to enjoy the experience; by the way you don't run the whole 100 miles, there is some walking/sleeping/hiking in there as well

Believes that anyone, regardless of their gender, race, sexual orientation, or physical abilities, can find a place at the starting line

Connections

RunTriMag.com

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Katrina Foe – Science-Backed Way To Transform your Health Naturally

By YooperSmith | July 17, 2023

Katrina Foe is a board certified holistic nutritionist, who knows that when we look at health, we should be looking at the body as a whole. After overcoming her own cancer 100% naturally, and driven by her core belief that the body can heal itself, Katrina went on to become board certified in holistic nutrition and trained to read functional labs.

As a faculty member at Restorative Wellness Solutions, Katrina teaches practitioners to interpret functional labs and design individualized protocols. Katrina is also a certified Metabolic Approach to Cancer practitioner, having been trained and mentored by Dr. Nasha Winters. Katrina's approach to cancer addresses the root cause of the disease and empowers clients to keep it in remission without living in fear of recurrence.

In her international bestseller, Nutritional Pilates, Katrina offers a framework for whole body health that casts light on potential obstacles that can obstruct wellbeing, while providing proven strategies to sidestep chronic disease.

Katrina Foe Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in Scottsdale AZ and was an academic nerd and also into movement and dance; went to college for Dance and Kinesiology

Discovered a lump on her breast after having a child, was not interested in the chemo/radiation treatment options

Went to one of those nutritional cancer treatment centers in Mexico to treat the cancer; she had many questions about the treatment that the doctors did not have answers instead she was asked to “trust the system” – no thanks, she left

Kept going and found natural methods to treat her cancer and was able to become cancer free; she went all in and moved to Idaho and made all there food even raised their own cows

There is only one diet that can help you kill cancer and that is keto; Cancer cells require LOTS of glucose thrive and grow; the keto diet switches your body into ketosis using fat for energy instead of glucose and also starves cancer cells

Some of the most overlooked causes of cancer are toxics in our environment; all but one client screened positive for mold; one client was exposed to benzene for a car exhaust leaking into the driving compartment

Insurance based medicine only screens for a few big possible cancers (coloscopy, mammogram, check for enlarged prostate; only most zero blood screens for cancer

Connections

nutritionalpilates.com

designedforhealth.net

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Anna Zschuppe – Overcoming Shame and Rejection

By YooperSmith | July 10, 2023

Anna Zschuppe works as a stress/burnout coach at Summer SOULstice. She helps overwhelmed Type As and overworked business owners at the end of their rope. She helps them to relieve stress, find connection, and regain balance so they can show up for their work and their loved ones. All while making time for themselves. She helps people identify where stress is popping up in their lives, how it’s being stored within them, and ways to relieve the tension by connecting with their mind, body and spirit. She provides strategies/tactics to proactively minimize burnout so that people can find fulfillment both at home and in the office. Anna utilizes a holistic approach that combines body movement, spiritual healing, and mind management/mindfulness techniques so that she and her clients can work toward solutions and breakthroughs together in both one-on-one and group coaching settings.Anna Zschuppe is the CEO and founder of Summer SOULstice, LLC based out of Dallas, Texas. Anna left her six-figure, Fortune 500 job in corporate America at age 26 to pursue her entrepreneurial dream of stress/burnout coaching and made $15K within her first three months of launching full time. Anna also is a certified career coach rated 4.8 out of 5 stars on LinkedIn and has served college students and executives alike for 5+ years across the globe. She has provided HR strategy and transformation services to clients in the private and public sectors, and she now works closely with Catholic organizations and SMBs in the Dallas-Fort Worth area as a keynote speaker and HR consultant.

Anna Zschuppe Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in a small town near Cleveland Ohio; went to private catholic school until 8th grade; went to public High School in a new town and struggled with bullying; lost herself and became introverted

Girls on her soccer team would say mean things to her and she really took those words to heart and couldn't understand where those words and feelings were coming from

She didn't know how to process those feelings; she went hard on doing homework; she would hideout in her room listening to her iPod and crying herself to sleep

In college she was more able to be her old self from K-8; outgoing extraverted and singing in the cafeteria

How we learn shame like why it's not ok to take off our pants in public; but we don't learn all about shame consciously; shame can make us feel like we deserve punishment even when we don't

Finding moderation with “fun” things like alcohol, exercise, work, shopping, eating et al can help you stay healthy while enjoying life; when the moderation takes a break you can get in trouble

Celebrating her one-year full time coach anniversary; trying to work smarter not harder and how to best serve people

What's ok to say to your football team's rival fans and what's not; there is a line for Bear's fans I learned not to cross

For Type A people, sometimes shame comes when we are “not good enough” and we always need to do better and be perfect

Rejection always hurts, as in a break up; we feel like we are not “right” and we need to change to be better–maybe, but probably you need to find someone who loves you “AS IS” warts and all

Connections

Website

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Sergio Nazzaro – How to Live the Life you Actually Want

By YooperSmith | July 3, 2023

Sergio Nazzaro, five years ago, had $12,000 in credit card debt and was making $24,000/year. He left that job and took a pay cut to make $0 and begin his entrepreneurial career. In 24 months he made his first $1,000,000 but his relationship with his fiancé (now wife) almost came to an end. Sergio believes you can have it all in this life – elite health and fitness at 39, a deep connection with yourself and your creator, a relationship with your partner that is on fire and children who adore you and look up to you as their role model –all while creating a business to support the life of your dreams and build prosperity. Sergio is on a mission to help entrepreneurs become great in all areas of their lives.

Sergio Nazzaro Vroom Vroom Veer

Born in New Jersey and moved to Houston while pretty young; experienced the North/South culture shock pretty hard

Mom and Dad got the bad end of a real estate deal and took a significant financial hit; moved the family to Colorado and lived there ever since

Used perseverance and tenacity to get into the Air Force academy; graduated and decided not to become a pilot as the lifestyle didn't look that appealing

Got into a little bit of trouble when he “side stepped” himself into a deployment Afghanistan; thought he might have to use his side arm once

Suffered from PTSD and started “self medicating” with alcohol and other unhealthy ways to avoid pain; finally hit rock bottom decided to get professional help

Worked his ass off helping a friend start a cross fit business; great work, but only made $24K in a year

Worked a corporate job for a while and bumped up to about 65k; saw that it was a going nowhere job

Built a real estate business and made a ton of money; that came at the cost of not feeding other areas of his life

Started a coaching program to help entrepreneurs live the life the actually want

Connections

Instagram @sergio.nazzaro

Tik Tok – @sergionazzaro

Derek Sivers useful not true https://sive.rs/u

Fire Walk with me Poem

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Chrissy Trotter – Destined Globe Trotter

By YooperSmith | June 26, 2023

Chrissy Trotter is a travel content creator and travel advisor that helps her audience, and customers take action on their bucket list and overcome challenges to travel. She visited 45 countries, 46 states, and counting. Christina is a big believer in sabbaticals and resetting priorities.

Chrissy Trotter Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Dad was in the Air Force so she moved around while growing up, started in Andrews Air Force Base; met Anwar Sadat in the Distinguished Visitors lounge as a kid

Graduated High School in San Antonio TX, met her future husband there who was an Army brat; they both loved travel

Went to college at UT Austin before Austin blew up; got a degree in Management Information Systems; figured out before graduating that she didn't like programming

Got a job in Dallas working for IBM and working strategy and change; worked there 15 years before her big veer

Took a year “leave of absence” from work (good idea) and did a world backpacking tour; visited all the countries and cities that were not the top tourist destinations to keep costs down; put all their stuff in a storage unit

Had two kids and worked about 5 more years and decided to quit just before lockdown; boss asked her to come back and gave her a 3 year leave absence; 1 year into that she got let go but with severance!

She has hybrid camper for road travel; found out they prefer glamping to camping when not flying for travel

Connections

Website

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Jennifer Sontag – Italian Citizenship Concierge

By YooperSmith | June 19, 2023

Jennifer Sontag, the founder of Italian Citizenship Concierge, was raised in the US but is 100% Sicilian at heart. Raised in a typical Sicilian family in the Midwest, she is passionate about the island she now calls home. An entrepreneur for over 30 years with a Ph.D. in social and behavioral sciences, she has spent her career supporting clients through life-changing experiences. Since moving to Sicily, Jennifer has focused solely on helping her clients transform their lives through Italian citizenship recognition.

Jennifer Sontag Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in St. Louis which is a nice mix American cultures; made for a diverse set of worldviews and mindsets

Instead of spending her college money on college, Jenn convinced her parents that she could use that money to start a maternity boutique; 8 years later she sold that business to a big company

Went to college at age 35 and did a bachelors in social work; she had been working as a volunteer; discovered that she didn't want to do social work as a job

Got a Master Degree in Public Health and later a PhD; never used those for work, but did discover many transferable skills

Was living and working in Shanghai China and had to fly home to the states for a little brain surgery; got back to China just in time for Lockdown of 2020; thankfully that only went from Feb – May

Went to China with a teaching job that she never signed the contract for; had to shop for a new teaching job; 1st hired as a “Science Teacher” because she had a “Masters of Science”

Discovered while living in China that should could get an Italian Passport and keep her America Passport because she had a blood connection; her Dad went and found all the paperwork in St. Louis

Connections

Website

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Amber James – Notes to Self

By YooperSmith | June 12, 2023

Amber James is an author and creator of @NotesToSelfShop, empowering women to live their best lives. Her upcoming memoir, I Blew Up My Life, and I’ve Never Been Happier focuses on how she took a leap of faith following a tumultuous year of toxic relationships and health issues in search of true happiness.

Amber James Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in a suburb of Cleveland, OH; on the Tennis Team in high school; getting good grades was her plan to get out of Ohio

Only applied to one college in Ohio due to their great journalism program; got in on the first try

Did an internship during college at CosmoGirl! Magazine; that didn't turn into a job; decided to move to New York City anyway and try to find a job

In 2008, landed her first job at AOL and had an amazing video studio she co-hosted a celebrity news video podcast and did red carpet interviews

Great story about the Jonas brother; they are all super nice; but one brother will give you the shirt off his back and it's not Nick

Shouted out: “You should get an Oscar for the Social Network” to Justin Timberlake; he said “clearly you haven't seen the movie…” but she got an interview

Once didn't know what to ask a person on the red carpet; blurted out “Who you are wearing?” to a fashion designer; played it off by saying “only joking!” bad save

Starting writing positive affirmations on sticky notes all over her place to help her through a rough patch; started posting those on Instagram and that became a thing…many big things!

Connections

Website for Book

Instagram

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Steve Haffner – Mind Performance Strategist

By YooperSmith | June 5, 2023

Steve' Haffner's life is full of transitions, as he transformed from I.T. professional and executive to magician to professional speaker. He uses his experience in creating illusions to teach audiences how their mind's weaknesses and misperceptions interfere with their performance and ability to solve problems.

Steve Haffner Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up Louisville KY he was shy and loved creative writing and performing on stage in plays and shows

After Highschool, instead of pursuing those things that he loved; he studied computer science in college of course; he loved computers too

Later, he worked in various roles in IT; found a book on magic in a clearance section; he bought the book and tried out the magic on his kids; the kids kind of liked magic, but Steve loved it!

Had the idea of starting a business doing magic for family events, birthday party's even trade shows

Really found his niche in corporate speaking gigs; the first gig wasn't great from his point of view he had some learning to do

He joined the National Speakers Association and even became his local chapter president to hone his skills as a speaker

Now using magic tricks to entertain and educate corporate audiences with a variety of topics and how magic can help us to see our blind spots

Connections

Website

The name of the person I blanked on was Alex Blumberg Here is the link to the course I mentioned

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Michael Andersen – Digital Nomad Full time RVer

By YooperSmith | May 29, 2023

Michael Andersen is a Gen Exer who defied convention, leaving behind his corporate career and material possessions. With his girlfriend, he embarked on a transformative year-long voyage in an RV, embracing full-time travel and self-discovery. This extraordinary journey resulted in the birth of new ventures and a life filled with less stress and boundless adventure.

Michael Andersen Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in the south side of Chicago in a suburb of a suburb of burb; single mom was a hippy and they camped when rent was late

In college, he arranged keg parties and sold cups for 5 dollars; the party last until the cops show up

Was also running a recording studio and a playing bass in a band; a natural for corporate event planner; somewhere along the line also learned how to make WordPress websites

Did a test run long vacation in a converted shuttle bus; then got a job offer in North Carolina

One day got a raise at work and his rent went up the exact dollar amount to eat his raise; started thinking about doing the digital nomad life

Got an RV for about the same budget as a year's rent (the RV was a little less); hit the road and now they live and work from the road

They have traveled to 30ish states so far; one highlight was the Big Tent Show in Quartzsite AZ; learned desert living is certainly adjustment; coyotes so close to a pug is a little scary for sure

Connections

That Andersen Guy

Traveling Gatherings

Sweat Dreams are Made with RVs (Facebook & Instagram)

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Adam Vosding – Traveling Food Dude

By YooperSmith | May 22, 2023

Adam Vosding “took a break” from his corporate career to travel around North America with his dog, Holland (@HollandThePup). Five-plus years later he is still traveling around enjoying life like he only ever dreamed about. He's have been showcasing his travels on his social media platforms: @TravelingFoodDude and have found many unique jobs to fund my travels along the way! He also bought a van a couple years ago that has proven to be such a fun way to keep on traveling! Adam took his dog to every NHL arena and we were just featured on the NHL Network during a studio visit a few weeks ago when we were in New Jersey!

Adam Vosding Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in London, Ontario Canada between Detroit and Toronto and loved teams from both cities

His parents won a green card lottery and moved the family to Florida while he has a teenager

Given the option of mowing the lawn for no money or getting a job, he decided getting paid was better so he got a job a Publix grocery store

Worked at Publix all through high school and went to college and got corporate job in Publix doing commercial real estate and property management

In a fated job interview, someone asked what was his passion? He didn't know, so he thought about it and came up with travel and eating…love it!

Now he travels and finds work on the the road, he is currently working at a dude ranch in Colorado working the summer as a cook

Found out that it's pretty easy to find street parking in New York City in his camper van, then you are only a couple blocks away from that amazing bakery!

Connections

Instagram

Link Tree

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Richard Chapo – Internet Lawsuit Protection (BOV)

By YooperSmith | May 15, 2023

Richard Chapo (“chap-oh”), a lawyer for 24 plus years, is a well-known Internet business lawyer in Southern California. Richard’s philosophy is to proactively position his clients to minimize their potential exposure to lawsuits. He provides advice to clients as large as multinational corporations and as small as hobby bloggers with an eye towards eliminating potential problems areas before lawsuits are filed. Richard is versed in a variety of Internet laws including the DMCA, Communications Decency Act, and Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, as well as FTC compliance guidelines, state privacy mandates, and recurring billing laws.

Richard Chapo Vroom Veer Stories

Worked as a lawyer in starting in 1992, working 70-hour weeks; got burnt out

Spent a year in Siberia drinking beer and vodka working 3 hours a day

Started working in Internet law in the early 2000's when it was the wild west

New privacy laws in Europe are going in effect in May 2018; huge compliance issue

Asia business compliance not so much of an issue for most small businesses

How privacy in the US is mostly a joke; we have an “opt out” culture

Europe is more of an “Opt in” culture vs “Opt out” in the US

Did you know; people can't post baby pics on FB in the EU

Richard Chapo Links

Richard's Website
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn

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Misha Rubin – How to Make Meaningful and Intentional Changes in Life and Work

By YooperSmith | May 1, 2023

Misha Rubin is a teacher and entrepreneur that provides transformational career programs that are designed to help people discover meaningful careers that work for their lives. He spent over 20 years in corporate America as a partner at Ernst & Young until he decided it was time to take the plunge and serve his purpose: guiding others toward their own purpose.

His corporate experience combined with profound mentorship and his personal quest for meaning and fulfillment; birthed The Career Leap method, a guided inquiry that brings awareness to deep parts of oneself, creates new career possibilities and moves into action, changing lives forever.

Misha Rubin on Vroom Vroom Veer

Fun Story about a client with a pharmacology degree, owned a construction business, and then created an organic farm

Another client loved being an attorney, but wanted to transition from international law to entertainment law

Positive Pandemic: What makes our current work climate ripe for unprecedented career opportunities?

Remote Work: When You Aren’t Tied to a Geographical Location.

How the Concept of “Career” has Changed Over Time.

How do you know if being an entrepreneur is right for you?

Job search and interviewing: The Only Time You Need to “Perform” is When You’re Acting.

Discovering Your Inner Ingredients to Create the Perfect Recipe for Career with Meaning, Fulfillment and Success.

Principles of Impactful Communication (Authenticity, Relevance, and Transparency)

What are 2 reasons people get stuck in their careers and stay there?

Connections

Website

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Kris Reid – The Coolest guy in SEO (BOV)

By YooperSmith | April 17, 2023

Kris Reid, Founder and CEO of Ardor SEO. Ardor SEO offers high-end services across the globe. Mostly our clients are in Australia, USA and the United Kingdom, but it doesn’t matter where you are, we will look after you like the VIP you are.

Kris Reid Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in Brisbane, Australia, very much a country boy

Went to college to become a software engineer/computer geek

Got a great job in London working for a bank, lived through a version of “Wolf of Wallstreet”

Then 2008 came, the financial crisis took his job, he decided to do some vagabonding

Arrested in Bulgaria in a corrupt police sting; nearly robbed by a man dressed as a woman

Drugged by beautiful women in Latvia; one-time having high tolerance to drugs paid off

Paid some Arabs in Belgium to help him smuggle his car to Ireland

Kris Reid Links

Website

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David Lawson – Awake Warrior: Grief, Loss, Numbing, Addiction, Mediation, Healing; Processing Emotions

By YooperSmith | March 27, 2023

David Lawson and his team help men like you transform their lives through self-mastery to create personal and professional abundance.

The youngest of 3 siblings, I had an unremarkable childhood with strict, loving parents. Following in the footsteps of my older brother, I fell in love with hockey and spent my early teenage years traveling from arena to arena.

(Then) one cold New Year's day, while driving me to a hockey game, I noticed my Dad rubbing his left arm. Suddenly, he fell into my lap and as the car veered into the ditch I felt him take his last breath. My dad was gone.

After my dad's funeral I felt numb and detached. While my mother grieved the loss of the love of her life, I had no idea how to process the emotions and grief I was feeling.

As men, our culture neither teaches, allows nor gives us permission to cry, grieve or process many of our emotions.

So I did the only thing I knew how to do – play hockey. My dad and I had talked about me earning a hockey scholarship, and after a lot of early morning practices and hard work I received a scholarship. After four years of long bus rides and sustaining physical injuries, my focus began to shift.

David Lawson Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up ice skating on a lake in the Toronto area, lived in the same area as some famous Canadians

Was on a fast track at the age of 15 playing hockey at the “Junior” level where school classes become secondary to practice/travel/hockey games

His father died on his lap while driving to a hockey game; didn't have the tools to deal with grief and loss so he just numbed that emotional pain

He double-down on being a High-Achiever never thinking about emotions or self care until finally he was so exhausted that he couldn't do it anymore

Googled Business Retreat and found a 10-day retreat at the Chopra Center in SoCal; fell in love with meditation on his first try; experienced Ayurvedic Massage, meditaiton and yoga and felt amazing

Through these experiences he started to look at the emotions that he had been numbing since age 15 and his emotional and physical health slowly started to improve

Visited India for further treatments twice and also received acupuncture from a Chinese medicine doctor near home; this same doctor suggested Qigong as a way to do maintenance without needles

Connections

Website

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DJ Shri – Service-Based Business Specialist – BOV

By YooperSmith | March 13, 2023

DJ Shri is a marketing and music coach who teaches small business owners how to break through noise and build successful local businesses. After being a professional disc jockey business owner for over a decade, Shri has played music and entertained thousands but has made even more money as a full-time mobile DJ.
Today, he teaches students worldwide how to create their own business. Shri founded Mobile DJ Tips, an online resource for DJs worldwide to get all of the skills they need to Mix, Market, and Make careers with the music talent they have.

Shri is also the host of the popular iTunes Podcast – Mobile DJ Tips. Every week Shri sits down with influential disc jockeys from around the world to share marketing, music, and business knowledge for service based businesses. Previous guests include Oprah’s Disc Jockey, and other influential figures in Canada, United Kingdom, and the United States.

DJ Shri Vroom Veer Stories

Age 8, made a “TMZ” style newspaper about his family, early entrepreneur

Born in a DJ booth, helping his four cousins since middle school

Studied econ and public health in college, continued to work gigs

Got a big corporate job as a “release manager” work hard/play hard vroom

Quit is job moment; dropped the mic on his boss (very respectfully w/ no notice)

Returned to his passion as a full-time DJ; found he really liked teaching other

Started Mobile DJ tips to help DJ's and service-based businesses thrive

DJ Shri Links

Mobile DJ Tips

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Tanya Cole-Lesnick -The Power of Group Therapy; Clear Energetic Clutter

By YooperSmith | February 6, 2023

Tanya Cole-Lesnick has been a psychotherapist (licensed clinical social worker) and coach since 1995. She received her master’s degree in social work from New York University after group therapy changed her life. She has extensive experience in outpatient hospital mental health, private practice, and wellness center settings. From those experiences over the years she has identified her most important focus—helping people to live lives that light them up. She does this by helping clients to access and honor their truth, to change habits that don’t serve them, and to heal faulty narratives so that they are living in alignment inside and out. Her work revolves around intimate groups as the sharing of inner worlds and being human together in a safe space is what she finds to be the most powerful way for lives to transform.

Tanya Cole-Lesnick Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in Chevy Chase Maryland in a suburban area around DC; played soccer and did track in High School; when she started getting interested in boys her grades suffered a little bit

Worked as a Graphic Artist after college and was struggling finding a long-term love relationship; found a therapist even with the shame and stigma around therapy

Her therapist suggested group therapy which she was afraid to try but did it anyway because she trusted her therapist

She went through a whole group session without saying anything; in the 2nd session a man in the group told her “I could feel your neediness right away”

Group therapy was so transformational for her that she went back to school to be a therapist herself and really fell in love with group and mostly helping women

Learned there is nothing wrong with us, what we are feeling is just part of the human condition

Traditional Roles for women are celebrated as “she does it all” which is probably impossible to fulfill all those roles with perfection;

Being a Good Girl and doing what you “should” can make you feel like you will never measure up

Sharing your secrets and things you are ashamed of in group gives others in group the permission they need to say “oh me too”; my shame was a little different but still just as shameful

Going through the discomfort of sharing shame is difficult for sure; but it's worth the relief to realize that carrying shame is part of the human condition and we need to keep “wiping the slate clean”; it never gets easier but you always feel better after doing that

Connections

Website

Instagram

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Drexwell Seymour Rise Up and Take your Position

By YooperSmith | January 30, 2023

Drexwell Seymour is a Certified Public Accountant and is the managing partner and founder of the HLB TCI accounting firm. Perhaps more importantly, Drexwell is a man on a mission to inspire, encourage and influence others to overcome setbacks and systemic injustice and to find their purpose in life. To that end, he hosts a YouTube channel and Financially Speaking, a weekly radio show, and is the author of the internationally best-selling Rise Up And Take Your Position, as well as the creator of a short film by the same name.

Drexwell grew up on a small island in the Turks and Caicos Islands, where there were limitedopportunities and terrible colorism, but he strived and thrived, eventually receiving a full scholarshipfor a BA in Accounting to Wilmington College at the age of 16 and later graduating from MiamiCollege with an MBA in finance. As he grew older, despite his achievements, building a successfulaccounting firm and a property management company from the ground up, he was hauntedthrough his life by the low self esteem and lack of confidence that he had been instilled with duringhis childhood. It wasn’t until a mere 4 years ago that he discovered his life’s purpose, helpingothers to never feel the way that he had been made to feel. Drexwell and his wife, Joanna, live inthe Turks and Caicos Islands with their 5 children.

Drexwell Seymour Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in a very small town in Turks and Caicos playing marbles and softball; lots of family and friends visiting entertaining each other

Wanted to have a penpal in America when he was 10 years old, lied and said he was older and gave the age 18 but said he was born in 1970

Had an inferiority complex because of his dark skin; the culture taught him that dark skin people are inferior to light skin people; his older brother has light skinned

Went to school in the British system, were you finish high school at age 16 and then get your A-levels. Drex got a scholarship to attend college in Ohio from a donor from Michigan.

Finished his bachelors a year early because he did credits during the summers, now, regrets not taking summers off; then went right in and did a master degree for 1.5 years.

In 2019 he finally overcame his inferority complex with the help of this wife and this faith and reading scripture

His wife kept telling him that his beliefs about himself were not true and that all people were equal

Drex also found confirmation in scripture that all men are created equal in the eyes of god

Drex found that he was avoiding writing his whole life; now, he found that writing is part of his purpose of sharing his message of overcoming inferiority complex

Be mindful of “why” you avoiding whatever you are avoiding; maybe you should just do it and see if you find something there.

Drexwell Seymour

Website

Rise Up and Take Your Position: Don't give up. Find your Gift and Cultivate it

YouTube Channel

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Anish Majumdar – Career Coach and Hidden Job Market Expert

By YooperSmith | November 14, 2022

Anish Majumdar is a Career Coach and expert in the Hidden Job Market. Over the past 12 years, he has helped thousands of professionals around the world take the reins of their professional destiny and break free of the necessity of “job searching”- permanently.

His webinars, videos and articles have appeared in Fast Company, Business Insider, Glassdoor, and Ivy Exec. He lives with his wife and three children in Rochester, NY.

Anish Majumdar – Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in Montreal Canada; mother was an English teacher; when her father died it triggered onset of schizophrenia; because of the stigma surrounding mental illness his home life was isolated from the world

Spent years writing and acting professionally and learning the craft of the audition

Once you are in the process of job posting/interviewing it may be too late to create the context to show how awesome you really are

Current job hiring process is not serving companies or employees; it's important to understand that companies are struggling to solve a problem they may not understand; if you can help them understand their problem; even if you don't get the job you provide value and the company will remember that

Story about “the Oracle in the Matrix” who didn't like how her company was trying to “shuffle her off” into retirement mode; she held onto her own power and created a new context for her 70's

Wrote The Isolation Door about living with a mother with schizophrenia

Speaking with CEOs and C Suite people should not be terror inducing; we are all just people trying to help each other; those C Suite people poop and struggle just like you

Connections

Website

Youtube

Master Class

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Michael Mindes – Tasty Minstrel Games (BOV)

By YooperSmith | November 7, 2022

Michael Mindes is the Founder and CEO of Tasty Minstrel Games (TMG) which is a multiple award-winning publisher of hobby board games. In this capacity, he grew TMG from a side business into a company approaching $2,000,000 in annual revenues, a team of 10 people, and all without any outside investment.

TMG seeks and found a symbiotic relationship with gamers, giving them the games that they want and they in turn allow us to continue to do what we love. TMG has achieved this through a combination of:

Fantastic Production
Customer Service
Direct Email Marketing
Social Media Content

HIGHLIGHTS:

Financial Management – arranged for pre-ordering and pre-payment for games from major retailers in combination with our manufacturing terms to significantly reduce our need for finances dedicated to maintaining inventory levels.
Inventory Forecasting & Health – developed internal data analysis tools to forecast and determine the health of our inventory in relation to our sales. This has allowed us to reduce our print run sizes without running into shortages and protect our cash flows from overproduction.
Leading Lean/Agile Initiatives – brought company-wide embracing of single-project flow to TMG. This allowed TMG to dramatically increase the number of games that we could publish while increasing overall quality, and reducing production defects.

Michael Mindes Vroom Veer Stories

Age 4 or 5, made up new rules for candyland
Started playing Chess with his dad; and joined the Chess club
Played Magic the Gathering and qualified for 3 pro tours
Spent two years “going to college” without attending class
Awkward talk with parents about “blowing off” college for two years; surprise outcome
Worked as a financial adviser for four years; started a games publishing business on the side
2015 started working on Tasty Minstrel Games full time
Served as company tech adviser during the taping of “Harbour” on Will Wheaton's TableTop

Michael Mindes Links
Tasty Minstrel Games Website

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James Colburn – Resucceed 5-Minute Epic Evening Ritual (BOV)

By YooperSmith | October 31, 2022

James Colburn is a father, acclaimed author and serial entrepreneur with vast experience in real estate, consulting and sales. He is a Franchise Consultant and Sales Training for one of the largest and most successful real estate companies in the nation, John L. Scott. At the height of his real estate career he sold 10's of millions of dollars in real estate each year.

On the outside, it looked like James was living the ultimate dream, but along the way, he had lost his sense of purpose.

James realized that conventional measures of achievement can keep even the best performers from find fulfillment. He mistakenly defined himself by his accomplishments rather than by who he was, which in turn, made him miserable!

To help others find purpose and redefine what matters most, James created his Personal Resucceed Coaching program where helps high achieving professionals and entrepreneurs get more from life. He recently published his first book, RESUCCEED: Create and Extraordinary Future While you Sleep by Using the 5-Minute Epic Evening Ritual. In this book, James shares insight into the “purposeless epidemic” and breaks down the transformational evening ritual that's helping people reclaim their lives and find true happiness.
James Colburn Vroom Veer Stories

Addicted to work; sold 120 houses in 2006; had a starched shirt in the car on Christmas Eve!
Bought a TV/DVD combo and 10 “action” movies to try to get his mind off selling more
Hired a business coach to earn another $300; coach said “ok, once you can play legos”
Went back to school because of the financial crisis; wrote a book instead of a thesis
Book was “I am sham” about how a mentor was afraid he was going to be found out to be a fraud
Hired Hal Elrod to help him finish his book; Hal pointed out he needed to provide a solution
Solution: “The Epic Evening Ritual”; a process of ramping down & asking questions before bed

James Colburn Links
Twitter

Facebook

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Carrington Smith Finding Gifts in the Shit of Life

By YooperSmith | October 10, 2022

Carrington Smith is a single mom, attorney, business owner, and executive search professional. Despite being born with a silver spoon in her mouth, life gave her a hard kick in the tail. She has survived sexual assault, two divorces, piles of debt, abuse, religious mind games, the death of loved ones, and the loss of close friends.

In her debut memoir, Carrington combines wit and wisdom to share her journey through the shit, with a positive attitude and a shift of mindset, into a life bursting with joy, opportunity, and purpose.

Carrington is passionate about empowering people in all aspects of their life and career by reframing their circumstances and experiences, shifting their mindset, creating a vision for their life, and then breaking it down into specific measurable achievable realistic time-bound (SMART) goals. She helps people and organizations move past excuses, shame, and fear to identify where they want to end up, the steps necessary to get there, and how to deal with any obstacles in the way.

Carrington Smith Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up on the East Coast in a mom's family that had status and a “name” but the old money was gone; mom married a doctor to keep the statusDad moved the family to Washington state under suspicious circumstances “shenanigans'”; in the blue collar town mom kept dressing like East Coast MoneyHer father was physically, emotionally, spiritually abusive to her and her family; viciously beat a dog with a 2×4 until it broke in halfOlder brother and sister got to attend the fancy schools but not Carrie; she went to public school and all the hand-me-downsWent to college first in Washington state where she raped; after the trauma of that event moved to Austin, TX to finish undergradStarted dating a bar manager from Bourbon street; he got to her heart through her stomach; she didn't have enough money for good foodHad fluid coming out of her ear; went to the hospital and the doctor accidently damaged her spinal cord; after five days the hospital her first husband took her to the Justin of the Peace and married her while she was drugged up2nd marriage latest 10 years and produced two kids; ultimately ended because her husband was toxic to her and the kidsLearned many times the lessons from the “shit” of live; during lockdown; wrote a memoir about finding her power in the shit of life

Connections

Website

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Peleg Top – Awaken Your Soul Artist

By YooperSmith | October 3, 2022

Peleg Top is an artist, a speaker, and a Creative High Growth mentor. At 23, he founded Top Design, a premier branding and design agency in Los Angeles specializing in entertainment and cause-related work. He authored several design books and was a sought out speaker at creative conferencesaround the world.

After two successful decades, he sold his agency and transitioned to a new vocation as a business mentor and a spiritual director. Peleg is the creator of the “100 Days of Creative High Growth” program – a soul awakening course that guides people on a powerful path of rediscovering their creative free spirit and expressing their authentic voice.

As a spiritual director, Peleg teaches tools and rituals that help creative professionals at a crossroads reconnect with their inner soul artist and reinvent their lives.

Over the past 25 years, Peleg has spoken in front of thousands and in intimate one-on-one interviews. He is passionate about spreading his message of love, creativity, and abundance to leaders in the creative world.

Peleg Top Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in Tel Aviv in Israel until he was 15, then moved to Los Angeles; it was a big change but not as shocking as you might expectTel Aviv was like living in a war zone, terrorist attacks and bombings were a part of daily life; Dad worked as a aircraft mechanic so got access to cheap/free flights, visited the states when he was nine years old and the whole country felt like DisneylandAfter 18 years of marriage and a tough divorce and the death of his cat, his spiritual director suggested he put his stuff in storage and travel; he sold his house and travelled for 2 yearsHad a rivalry with his younger brother who was stealing all of the attention; fought a lot with brother during childhood but made amends laterHis youngest brother was 13 years younger than him; he feels like that was his “parenting” role and he never felt drawn to have kids of his ownSuggests that instead of asking “What's next?” Ask “Who do I want to become?” How can I listen to that still small voice and be my most authentic self.Cannabis and Alcohol could not more different; Cannabis is medicine and should be used with intention and for healing

Connections

School of Creative High Growth

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Jaime B. Haas – Release your Past, Make the Life you Want

By YooperSmith | September 26, 2022

Jaime B. Haas is founder of the Jaime B. Haas Method, a guided process that draws from spirituality, positive psychology, mindfulness and life experiences. The Method helps individuals heal from intergenerational, societal and emotional trauma, freeing them to reconnect with their personal power, gain clarity on what they really want to achieve in life, and dismantle any deep-seated beliefs holding them back from moving forward.

Her work is motivated by a painful past until, at 40, she came to a place of complete surrender. Her approach is rooted in the belief that when you focus on finding the root of the pain and the related stories you’ve told yourself you will be able to change the way you see yourself and the world.

Known to her clients as the Soul Surgeon, they say her Method has helped heal wounds that no other modality, including therapy, was able to help them achieve and find lasting love—starting with themselves.

Jaime B. Haas Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in the suburbs of Philly until she was 10; mom and dad divorced and mom took her to live in the city; was a shy kid hiding from cameras and keeping to herselfWent to performance arts school like Fame; studied acting and dance; starting opening up being less shy and more extravertedAround 17 she and her friends got fake IDs and started going to night clubs; drinking and cocaine was awesomePlanned a huge party when her parents were out of town; not only did her step dad bust the party but he called all her friends' parents; her whole class thought she was a rat-thankfully she movedNear rock bottom with drugs and alcohol; met with a childhood friend who took one look at her health and arranged a big family intervention; struggled with the decision to enter recoveryOnce she decided to get into recovery she was all in and just wanted to beat addiction; recovery saved her life 10 years sober; she still had work to do around releasing her past programming from mom and dad; developed a method to help people do this work

Connections

Website

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Dr. Eric Holsapple – Living in the Gap

By YooperSmith | September 19, 2022

Dr Eric Holsapple has a PhD in Economics, has been a real estate CEO and developer for nearly 40 years, lectured real estate at Colorado State University for 20 years, and practiced yoga and meditation for 30 years. Eric was awarded The Colorado State University Real Estate Entrepreneur of the Year in 2010; and Bizwest Bravo Entrepreneur of the year award for Loveland, CO in 2015. Holsapple has a unique perspective on how merging business andmindfulness can be a catalyst in changing lives. Eric is the Founder of Living In The Gap. His popular workshops teach CEOs and professionals a different way to operate mindfullywhile improving the bottom line. Eric has written numerous published articles in realestate and economics, and a book entitled Profit with Presence that will be published inearly 2023.

Dr. Eric Holsapple – Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Remembers when he was 4 years old standing at the end of the driveway wanting to go to a football game with his dad who as the football coach; dad said he had to stay homePlayed all kinds of sports as a kid baseball, football track and downhill snow skiing; Got in trouble with the cops in 70's while “streaking”; took off his clothes ran to the end of the block ran back to the house and his friend turned on the light and locked the doorRan the “blue light special” in K-mart selling women's wigs; turns out he had the perfect voice to run a blue light specialRealized one day that he was about 50 pounds overweight and not feeling good; did Nutrisystem's and lost about 40 pounds in a few weeksFound his way to meditation and mindfulness through yoga and watching his brother transform and heal his relationship with their fatherBringing mindfulness into business and work is a natural way to make more money; people are attracted to people who are happy and healthy and want to help them succeed.

Connections

Website

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Terry Tucker – Learning to Survive Cancer One Day at a Time

By YooperSmith | September 12, 2022

Terry Tucker is the Founder of Motivational Check LLC and the author of Sustainable Excellence, Ten Principles To Leading Your Uncommon and Extraordinary Life.

I have reinvented myself frequently over my professional career. After I graduated from college at The Citadel (where I played NCAA Division I basketball), I was employed in the Marketing Department at the corporate headquarters of Wendy’s International in Dublin, Ohio. From there, I worked in hospital administration for Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. After getting married and moving to California, I became the Customer Service Manager for an academic publishing company in Santa Barbara. When our daughter was born and we moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, I became a police officer with the Cincinnati Police Department, where I was a SWAT Hostage Negotiator. In 2004, I obtained my Masters degree from Boston University. Following a family relocation to Texas, I started a school security consulting business and coached high school girls basketball. Each time I took on a new job, I had to develop new skills and faced different challenges. There was always a significant learning curve with every new position.- From Terry's About me Page

Terry Tucker Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Terry remembers getting a giant stuffed dog named fluffy when he was about 2 years old, he climbed all over it and tried to eat itSpent his childhood running the streets in Chicago spending all day on his bike looking for things to do and people to hang out with; probably got hurt sometimes and that's pretty coolIf he could talk to his younger self what would you say? Don't be afraid to do something you want to do. You won't regret the things you did; you will regret not doing things you wanted to do4 year old Terry was upset that his parents told him to go upstairs and brush his teeth; he was expressing his anger towards his parents while brushing his teeth; his dad heard that and put him to bed for the rest of the nightMJ showed up at basketball practice to pick up his kids; that turned out to be a bit of a distraction to the other kids on the teamWent through the stages of grief when was first diagnosed with cancer; when on interferon he was praying to die; god gave him the strength and resolve to fight to live and win each dayAdmiral Stockdale survived the Hanoi Hilton by learning to control what he could control; breathing and thinking; face the fact that you may die here; it's up to you to decide to survive

Connections

Website

Sustainable Excellence Membership

Sustainable Excellence (Book link)

In Love and War

Man's Search for Meaning

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Justin Skinner – Professional Failure

By YooperSmith | August 27, 2022

Justin Skinner is a farm-raised entrepreneur, author, speaker and performance coach from the great Midwest. He lives in Springfield, Missouri with his beautiful wife Kendra Skinner, and their little dog Daisy. Justin played collegiate baseball as a two-way player and is now a full-time author and real-estate investor. His is the author of the book Professional Failure and host of the Professional Failure podcast, where he and his guests share stories and lessons learned form past failures. Justin has many stories of failures and the valuable lessons he has learned along the way to success. His is passionate about sharing these lessons he has learned with others so they may enjoy their own success in life. In his downtime, Justin enjoys travelling with Kendra, playing pickleball, having good conversations, and anything active.

Justin Skinner Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Wonderful (gross) story about a dare in kindergarten; learned later that dare was “shameful”Stole a $10 necklace from a store on a dare; got a away with it, but felt so guilty he snuck back into the store and put it backAmazing story about a squirrel and moth balls; sometimes an effective solution also comes with unforeseen consequencesLearned a valuable lesson on a ski lift on his first ski trip ever; what to do if you lose a ski on the ski lift?Tried out for Major League Baseball after college; Chicago Cubs gave him a draft number; Gut punch–he did not get draftedWent through an identity crisis; who am I if I am not a professional baseball player; am I a professional failure? Got fired from a job and later realized that he was fired because he just wasn't doing a great job as an employeeStarted investing in real-estate and hosting rentals on Airbnb with his wife doing design; started talking to other entrepreneurs who had a different perspective on failure

Connections

Website

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Dr. Gary Lawrence – How to Heal from your Past

By YooperSmith | August 15, 2022

Dr. Gary Lawrence and his wife Sylvia have spent their lives successfully leading others to “identify, isolate, and eliminate” the root cause of the emotional turmoil in their lives. Over the course of 23 years serving as the founder and director of the New Life Dynamics Christian Counseling Center and 20 years as the host of his own radio show, Life Mastery Counseling with Dr. G, he has personally met with and coached more than 6 thousand clients, has overseen the counseling of another 10,000 clients, and has inspired thousands more on radio, television, and stage.

After retiring, Dr. G took the opportunity to refocus on the timeless principles of his Amazon bestselling book, Rejection Junkies. In this guide to recognizing the damaging effects of rejection and the way in which this trauma manifests constantly throughout all phases of life, Dr. G helps readers to recognize the people, places, things, and circumstances that hold us hostage, keep us stuck, and make us bitter. A true freedom coach, he offers powerful and practical steps to unplug from these emotional energy thieves!

Married for 55 years, Dr. G and Sylvia continue to bring their knowledge, experience, and deep passion to individuals and couples who wish to resolve personal, marital, family, and parenting conflicts.

Dr. Gary Lawrence Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Suffered from abused from his father as a child; had a fight with his dad at age 16 and left homeMet his wife is college only to learn later that she was sexually and physically abused her parentsEstablished a church in Canada and was a pastor; didn't enjoy being a pastor so he started a counseling practiceAfter enjoying success with his counseling business decided to retire at age 59; turned out that his investments didn't do as well as he hoped and the 2009 financial crisis forced him into bankruptcyDecided to get a new education in real estate investing; in about 14 months started generating enough money and a little moreThe next veer was a stroke, he lost his ability to walk and see; his new purpose was to start a coaching practice to help people deal from past trauma and gain emotional intelligenceUpdated his book “Rejection Junkies” that he wrote in 1995 to help people learn how to overcome the addiction everyone suffers

Connections

Website

Rejection Junkies (The Book)

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Dr. Richard Greene – Turning Ordinary Into Extraordinary

By YooperSmith | August 8, 2022

Dr. Richard Greene has more than 30 years as a corporate sales executive across many different industries. He’s an author, a business coach, and entrepreneur, 7-time Ironman triathlete, and ultra-distance competitive ocean swimmer. His sales acceleration training system has been highlighted on ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, and many other outlets.

Dr. Greene has been a featured speaker and worked with companies like Oracle, JP Morgan Chase, Hewlett Packard, Cisco, Coca-Cola, Nestle Foods, The Mayo Clinic, and has coached 1:1 with many of their executives.

As a researcher in the field of human potential, and University Business Professor, he’s studied success factors of those that are the top in their industries, and developed systems that professionals use to create unparalleled success in their careers and in their lives.

His biggest breakthrough in discovering “the success formula” came from his work as a Masters Swim Coach, training triathletes to prepare for their Ironman races. He discovered that these athletes had a unique way of thinking about success and that their mindset was so powerful that it enabled them to face extreme challenges, and succeed where most other people would fail.

Dr. Richard Greene was able to capture this unique mind ability and incorporated it into an elite executive training program called The IronCode. Applied properly, IronCode techniques can transform your mind into a powerful tool that combined with the right skill sets, can make your success in business or your personal life unstoppable.

Dr. Richard Greene Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Classic bookworm nerd in high with glasses; would rather stay in the house and read than play outsideStudied marketing and business in college; learned that sales paid better than marketing…so sales!Found out the hard way that it's hard to do sales when you are shy; found How to win friends and influence people by Dale Carnegie; learned how to do sales the right way In his early 50's went to the doctor; blood pressure was “through the roof”; doctor said “you will have a stroke and you might die unless you change your ways”; lose 50 pounds and exerciseStarted swimming in a pool but that was boring; signed up for a 12 mile swim race; hire a coach so he could train for the race and be good enough to finishCoach told him to ride a bike (he didn't want to); Coach told him to run (he didn't want to) but he did bothWas influenced by his coach to train for a triathlon; lost the weight while training that first year and his blood pressure normalized

Connections

Website

Finishers are Winners

The 100 Percent Winner

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Carl Waggett – PTSD Bunker Gear for your Brain (BOV)

By YooperSmith | June 27, 2022

Carl Waggett: a full-time firefighter for the past 14 years as well as an Acting Captain for 4 of them. Separated with two children, the 3 of us connected to a 911 fire dispatcher and her two kids. After a close co-worker of mine had ended his life, I removed myself from the front-line trucks only to diagnosed with PTSD a short time after.
Carl Waggett Vroom Veer Stories

Carl is a fireman, he breaks stuff for a living, not a computer guy
The wake-up call from his close friend's suicide helps him notice his own warning signs
Realized that we all have bad days and we need to develop healthy coping strategies
Carl was brought up with the attitude that PTSD comes from war, and battle only
Finds his new wife, should feel amazing–and he feels—nothing
Everybody knows firefighters get bitchy as they get older
We don't get to choose when we snap into rage
Good therapy is like cleaning out the “garage” in your mind

Carl Waggett Links
You can find Carl hosting PTSD Bunker Gear for Your Brain on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter.

Affiliate link for the Book Jeff mentioned:

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Alyson Lex – Cynicism, Chronic Pain, Education, Creativity (BOV)

By YooperSmith | May 30, 2022

Alyson Lex is the former Marketing Manager for Glazer-Kennedy Insider’s Circle – whose first sales letter generated nearly $9,000.00 in less than 3 days to a list barely over 200 people.

Her copy and marketing strategy contributed to a campaign that generated over $1 MILLION at an international event attended by more than 1,000 people.

And now, She is a hired-gun for all your marketing “stuff.”

So come on over, sit down. Read some blog posts. Check out what services I offer and then get in touch if you want to know more.

Alyson Lex Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Getting a sinus infection in high school, the headache didn't go away…and she still has that headache today.A long list of doctors put her on anti depression medications.She finally found a new doctor who didn't put her on more antidepressants.She was diagnosed with Pseudotumor Cerebri which is False Brain tumor.Now a new doctor took away THAT diagnosis in 2008.Big Veer in college when she realized she didn't want to be a teacher…NOW WHAT?Got “shushed” in a meeting…and took a different job…which was awesome!…for a month.Decided she would start her own business 3 years ago.

Alyson Lex Links

WebsiteMaria Popova's Brain Pickings

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Katty Douraghy – The Butterfly Years

By YooperSmith | May 9, 2022

Katty Douraghy is an entrepreneur, author, and facilitator. Her memoir, The Butterfly Years: A Journey Through Grief Toward Hope, details her personal journey through grief. Katty hopes to inspire others to work through their grief and find hope on the other side. She is also the President of Artisan Creative, a staffing and recruiting agency focused on digital, creative, and marketing talent and based in Los Angeles.

Katty Douraghy Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in Iran until she was 13 years old; she moved to the states and started High School; she pretended to be ItalianHigh School was a struggle to fit in mostly in survival mode; not telling people the truth about where you come from takes a tollWent to college in Santa Cruz which is a beach city and the people are hippies and very accepting; she studied English lit even though her English wasn't great yetAfter college studied fashion and worked at Macy's and worked her way up the ranks for 10 years; always trying to help people learn to grow Wrote her memoir about her story through grief because she was using journal writing to help her process her grief through to hope and to honor the loved ones she lostSome of the surprising emotions she felt in her journey was anger at her mother for smoking because she died of lung cancer, she has since let go of that judgementAnother surprising emotion was guilt at feeling zest, joy, and a love from life while in grief; Like “it's not ok for me to be a happy yet, maybe never; now the pain is still their but she uses rituals to honor and remember the happy joyful time with her loved ones she lost

Connections

Katty Douraghy dot com

The Butterfly Years Journal and Book (with discount code Vroom15)

Artisan Creative

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Ken Kladouris – Stillness to Success

By YooperSmith | May 2, 2022

Ken Kladouris is an esteemed wealth advisor, author of Get There!: Chart Your Course to Financial Abundance and Live the Life You Desire, and creator of Stillness to Success, a new online course that provides a valuable resource for individuals who are ready to create real change intheir lives.

Those who participate in the course can expect to complete it feeling more empowered and better equipped to navigate their personal and professional day to day decision making. Outside of the office, Ken’s love of the ocean led him to pursue sailing. It is there that he also found his passion to give back to the community. In his spare time he can be found with friends and loved ones aboard a powerboat, sail boat or at community events.

Ken Kladouris Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in SoCal about 45 minutes from the ocean so not a surfer kid; spent time on a boat on lakesIn High School he did what he needed to do to get by for grades; spent a lot time on a power boat with his uncle; when is uncle wanted to sell his boat he worked out a deal with him to buy it over timeStudied finance in college while working full time in the hospitality industry which allowed him to work flexible hours; he either slept at work or in class whichever worked out bestFirst job after college was working in the back office of a brokerage house doing the grunt work of compliance; had to figure stuff out for the boss; not at all like the Wolf of Wall StreetHad a big veer on a beach in the Cayman Islands; had a down day with nothing do to but look at the waves; had a ego-dissolution moment what Ken describes as an epiphanySpent years seeking how to get back to that epiphany feeling; dove in and read all the spiritual books; started his meditation practice; even became a Chopra Certified Meditation InstructorRecent trip to Utah he signed up for what was advertised as a “hike” but the guide immediately told him that he was going rock climbing; he did it anyway and was happy that he did it and didn't die

Connections

Website

Stillness to Success

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Christine “Ink” Whitmarsh – Inspiring and Creating Authors

By YooperSmith | April 25, 2022

Christine “Ink” Whitmarsh is a memoir expert who helps authors write standout books. She is a bestselling author, most recently of her memoir “The Power of the Curve” – described as “an excellent read for those struggling to find their way.” Christine hosts the daily author podcast “Your Daily Writing Habit.”

Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up is Auburn, MA a small town near Worcester; the kid in the basement writing stories; Dad was a Boston sports writer and mom was a business ownerChristine was the CEO of her high school, she did all the “jobs” of the students, yearbook, school play; all the teachers and staff knew Christine could get this doneGreat stories from the Hollywood years; including the poker face sledgehammer, The Dude in Real Life and Flaming Gypsy Dancers At age 16 diagnosed with scoliosis of Spine, but put off surgery until age 19; the surgeon said she had a 1 in 3 chance of; neck down paralysis, death, or be ok; she did all three in order.Decided to be a nurse instead of writing and studied nursing in college and became a nurse because she needed a job to make money; learned that she like listening to people's stories more than being taking care of peopleWent to Hollywood to study acting; but mom suggested she put out an add to be a typist to type papers for students; the father of a student saw her ad and called her to help him type “notes”; then she helped him ghostwrite his bookNow, when people ask her to ghost write their memoir; once they start working together people realize that Christine is actually coaching them to write their own memoir.

Connections

Website

Podcast

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Dan Evans The Military Entrepreneur Show (BOV)

By YooperSmith | March 14, 2022

Dan Evans joined as an infantry rifleman in the Marine Corps Reserve. In 2005, volunteered to be a recruiter to support the manpower needs of the Iraq war. One thing led to another and he was quickly promoted to supervisory roles in recruiting. Shortly after, he was training recruiters on presentation and sales skills and started to learn the ins-and-outs of social media to enhance the recruitment process. Taking initiative earned him my dream job pioneering social selling for Marine Recruiters. To scratch a creative itch, he created The Military Entrepreneur Show podcast on his birthday in 2015.
Dan Evans Vroom Veer Stories

Right before 9/11, veered away from scripted path of a LDS mission
Feeling the “little anxiety” that comes with transitioning out of the Marine Corps
Recruited into full-time Marine recruiting, then realized he was an introvert
Started self-educating himself in how to communicate with audio books
Focus understanding instead of agreement; whoever wins the argument, loses
Marine Corps recruiting duty was primitive in 2005 – 20 hours a day with a paper tracking system
“Dream job” came in 2008 when he got the opportunity to lead Marines
His job was selling the idea of recruiting to his troops
Marines are comfortable being uncomfortable, and make jokes about shared adversity
In 2010, phone calls to generate leads started being more problematic
He started posting photos of recent boot camps grads to his office Facebook page
Realized the potential of social media to help meet recruiting goals
Social Media also made the life of recruiters a little better

Dan Evans Links
The Military Entrepreneur Show

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Sonia Frontera – Surviving a Toxic Marriage, Divorce and Learning to Thrive

By YooperSmith | February 28, 2022

Sonia Frontera is a divorce lawyer, empowerment trainer and author. The owner of Frontera Law in Lambertville, N.J., she offers forward-thinking legal solutions to help individuals end their marriages amicably and navigate the immigration maze.The author of Relationships Solutions: Effective Strategies to Heal Your Heart and Create the Happiness You Deserve, Sonia offers practical advice and hope to people whose lives have been upended by marital troubles, teaching them how to dissolve their obstacles to happiness and create fulfilling lives.

Sonia Frontera is the survivor of a toxic marriage who has been happily remarried for 14 years. Through the years, she has supported domestic violence survivors as an advocate, speaker and empowerment trainer. She is a Certified Canfield Success Principles Trainer and offers inspirational workshops and retreats.

Sonia Frontera Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in Puerto Rico as a sheltered child; very academic nerd, really got upset with grades less 100%; not really an overachieverShe wanted to be a journalist; unfortunately her father didn't want to pay for a “soft” degree; the compromise was a business/journalism double major at Syracuse University Syracuse New York was a big “weather” shock moving from Puerto Rico; Sonia had an amazing college experience; studied hard and played hard; now wishes she would have studied a little less and had more funDuring last semester college, she started dating her 1st husband for 3 years before she got married; on the plane going to the honeymoon he told her “this is how it's going to be now” that they were married; this began years of psychological abuseShe was in an abusive marriage and a job she hated; decided to go to law school which turned out a positive and empowering environmentWhile traveling in a foreign country, her husband started berating her in public, but this time, Sonia made the decision to divorce him; after that, the rest was just detailsAfter the divorce, she didn't date anyone for four years; she took up hiking and joined a community of women who liked to hike and travelMet her current husband online while she was looking for a travel companion; after dating for seven years she realized that he was a keeperSonia can't wait to start hosting live workshops to help people with relationships, and how to end their marriages amicably, as well as recover from divorce and abuse

Connections

Website

Facebook

Twitter

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Dennis Mellen – How to Change Challenges into Opportunities

By YooperSmith | February 21, 2022

Dennis Mellen: After an exciting Air Force, airline career, Dennis suffered a career-ending heart attack while mountain biking in 2008. His book Takes More Than Heart provides motivation, education, and humor to inspire others as he describes his journey of finding new purpose in his journey towards discovering life “part 2”.

Dennis Mellen Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Dad was a Chief Master Sergeant in the Air Force; went to 14 different schools including 4 different high schoolsKnew from a very young age that he wanted to fly for the Air Force; he watched F4 Phantoms launch from the end of a runwayAccepted after on his 2nd application to the Air Force Academy; Jeff worked with a Colonel that got in on his 4th tryPassed pilot training in Arizona and flew in Active Duty for 7 years; transitioned to the Air Force reserve and flew for Alaskan Airlines and the same timeRetired from the Reserves and flew for Alaskan Airlines; worked his way into a leadership position responsible for training all the pilots and instructions on one of two aircraft Rode a Mountain bike trail listed as “Difficulty: It's a bitch”; as he was climbing a hill on his bike he noticed one arm going numb; then he went unconscious; miracle number one: hikers found him and called 911; turns out Dennis had a heart condition known as a “widow maker”Shocked when the doctor told him his flying days were over; he didn't' know who he was if he wasn't a pilot; later found non-flying jobs in aviationSomeone asked him to speak; he said “what about?”; she replied how about leadership and working through adversity; the clouds parted and Dennis said: “Yeah, I can probably talk about that”Wrote the book because he had the time and not many places to go during lock down; it was a catharsis to relive the heart attack and release some of those stuck emotions.

Connections

Website Be a Bean

Takes More Than Heart: Change the Journey's Challenges into Opportunities

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Mike Iamele – No Experience is Wasted

By YooperSmith | February 14, 2022

Mike Iamele has helped hundreds of people, for nearly a decade, to map their experiences and figure out what they subconsciously do every time they’re successful –– through a process called Sacred Branding.In 2014, Mike accidentally came out to millions when he wrote an article about falling in love with a man after identifying as straight––and 100,000 people shared it overnight.He's also the author of Enough Already: Create Success on Your Own Terms (Conari Press 2015). Mike's shared his provocative and vulnerable take on life in hundreds of magazines and podcasts, including NPR, CBS, and Huffington Post.

Mike Iamele Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in a small town near Boston; in High School Mike hung around with a diverse group of kids; never really got into the popularity contests; had 2 cafeterias 1) for cool kids 2) for losers!Looked at the Boston University campus and there was only concrete; no trees; the “Soap in the Fountain” prank that his dad pulled as tradition sold Mike on NortheasternHis college has a CO-OP program that got him jobs while in school; in these jobs Mike was working with high profile people who thought he was smartManaged to go to school in Italy for 2 summers and had this housing paid for through the school; learned Italian and fell in love with Italy2nd Summer in Italy Mike wrote the script for a documentary that was shot in Rome; got paid to live and work in Rome all summerTook his boyfriend to Italy to propose and everything went wrong; it rained, the metro was closed, they didn't get into the Vatican; Mike had to pee and the very nearly missed their train and almost lost $1000 on the planned proposal train rideAlmost burned down a garage because no one could figure out how to roll a blunt even with a YouTube video; tried to smoke the weed on a plate like incense; didn't even really get high!

Connections

Website

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Dave Jackson – School of Podcasting

By YooperSmith | February 7, 2022

Dave Jackson started podcasting in April of 2005. His podcast about podcasting has been downloaded over 1.6 million times (as of 2017). He helped hundreds of people launch podcasts.“The School of Podcasting” Is a podcast that helps you discover the power of podcasting. It helps you avoid the common mistakes that podcasters make. From planning, producing, and promoting your podcast along with all the tools and techniques. If you're looking to start a podcast or a veteran podcaster, you can catch some great insights with this free podcast.Unlike many other “geeks” who know how to podcast, I've been a technical trainer for over 20 years. This means I not only do I understand the technology but I can explain it in a plain English “geek-speak free” environment. I have a Bachelor's Degree in Education from the University of Akron (Specializing in technical education). While there are other podcast consultants, I believe my experience sets me apart in regards to helping you make sense of the entire podcasting process. I not only help with the “how,” but I also help explain the why, and make sure you avoid the common podcasting pitfalls. I have won awards at fortune 500 companies for my customer service.

Dave Jackson Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Born and raised in Akron, Ohio; didn't perfectly fit into any group in high school; played heavy metal guitar so the burnouts loved him, but he didn't do drugs; He has a nerd; but not as smart as most nerds Got fired for a job a grocery store bagger because he was do shy to talk to customers; a teacher told him to pretend to be an outgoing person and that workedWent to college and studied Electrical Engineering; worked on copiers for about a year and a half; then they created a new job of teaching customer how to use the copiersThat teaching job lead into teaching Microsoft Office and other programs as a software trainer; eventually he went back to get a teaching degree in his early 40's4In 2005 podcasting was invented; Dave created a podcast because he didn't want to miss the “myspace” wave again; he knew he was on the right path when he got a voicemail from GermanyPodcasting can make you some money; but it's not going to make you money quickly; don't quit your day job right awayDave can teach you how to plan, launch and grow your podcast and avoid many of the pitfalls that I tripped up on; how to get the name of your show right

Connections

Website

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Dustin Heiner – Master Passive Income

By YooperSmith | January 31, 2022

Dustin Heiner, the founder of Master Passive Income and Successfully Unemployed. He is a real estate rental property investor who was able to make enough passive income from his business to quit his job when he was 37 years old.With his podcast, books, courses, and coaching, he now helps other people quit their job by investing in real estate rental properties to live the dream life.

Dustin Heiner Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in Fresno California both his biological dad and his step dad were entrepreneurs; Dustin had a paper route as a kidWorked for the County Government as and IT guy; one day at around 3:30 pm near the end of the day he was called by the boss' s secretary to report to the boss's officeThat walk the see the boss was one of the longest walks of his life; 1st he thought ” no way will I get laid-off!, I'm an awesome employee; but as he kept walking the looming dread increasedHe just finished paternity leave so he had a newborn and 3 other kids at home; if I get laid-off does that mean that I'm a failure as a father?He did get laid off–then he knew 2 things 1) I need another job (which he got in the same county) 2) I can't allow myself to be laid off again; that's when he committed to mastering passive incomeRead Rich Dad Poor Dad; bought a property without building a business first; that 's the wrong way to do that; you have to build the business first and then add inventory (properties) to the businessBeing Frugal and being stingy and not the same thing; frugal means spending money wisely; stingy thinking means you don't have enough money yet

Connections

Master Passive Income Free Course

Text “rental” (without the quotes) to 33777 to get a free course

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Zac Juergensen – DIY Wealth: Live without Fear of Money

By YooperSmith | January 17, 2022

Zac Juergensen says: “I've essentially went from being in debt in my early 20's with poor money management and financial behavior patterns to amassing a net worth of $1MM by 31. I have enough passive income to essentially “retire”, or as I prefer to label it unplugging. I am committed to sharing my knowledge base, answering questions, and merging it with a better line of thinking in order for individuals to plug into a more enhanced way of living.”

Zac Juergensen Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

His dad believed that tomorrow is not guaranteed, so spent like the wind; mom wanted to save every penny and didn't want any riskSaw a fellow marine die on a deployment; decided that he need to get out of the military and start thinking about a new way to liveStared reading all kinds of books; one was about dividend investing; bought 10 shares in a bank stock and made about 4 dollars in a day; changed that way he thought about moneyOnce you hit your money number you realize that life is not about having a weekend everyday; that gets boring very quickly; you need to help people and stay engaged even when you don't need more moneyHad some success in real estate and thought he could run any kind of business; he spent $17 on a dog box subscription website; then realized he knew nothing about running a website or a dog box business; lost most of that $17kNow that he has hit his number he can take his time and monetize his podcast with subscribers to make money while keeping most of his timeKey lesson is learning how much money is enough for you; that number is different for everyone; once you have that amount in a diversified investment portfolio you will be able to live off that money for the rest of your life

Zac Juergensen Connections

Website

Zac's Patreon Page

Instagram

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Susie Miller – Listen, Learn, Love (BOV)

By YooperSmith | January 10, 2022

Susie Miller is an amazing person and an awesome story teller…this show hit “Best of” status in my heart immediately, and by popularity she is my #1 show…this must mean Susie touched some other hearts as well. Please enjoy again or for the first time, my conversation with Susie Miller.

Susie Miller, known internationally as the Better Relationship Coach, is an author, speaker, and coach. She is dedicated to helping you create better relationships in 30 days or less … even if you’re the only one who cares! You don’t have to settle for mediocre relationships!

Susie is the author of Listen, Learn, Love: How to Dramatically Improve Your Relationships in 30 Days or Less!

Susie has been married to her best friend, John, a serial entrepreneur, for 32 years and has three grown children.
Susie Miller Vroom/Veer Stories

Vroom: Starting a business with her husband in retail and moving at WARP speed and having a blast
Veer: A drunk driver ran a red light and smashed into Susie's Volvo. A doctor told her tht God and Volvo saved her life.
It was a miracle to be alive! YES! Can we acknowledge that and still be honest with ourselves about what is hard?
Vroom: Fire/Shop chaos/and Home Schooling the Kids after her accident.
Veer: Susie went to grad school in Seattle…but they lived in D.C. at the time.
Her husband hired someone to run the D.C. branch and they all lived in Seattle for two years.
She got two master's degrees, while her husband was Mr. Mom and telecommuting.
Vroom: Open a private practice in D.C.
Veer: 9/11 happened and she was downtown D.C.
Her husband had to close his business because of the fear of the sniper in D.C., so Susie's private practice needed to become their primary income.
Vroom: The soup years…having good business, and Susie was able to dial down her business.
Veer: Susie Got thyroid cancer. Her cancer was very treatable, but she speaks for a living and the thyroid is near the the vocal cords.
Susie battled chronic illness related to the treatment for the thyroid cancer for seven years.

Susie Miller Links
Susie's Web Site

Freebies for VVV listeners from Susie

Susie's book Listen Learn Love
Subscribe = Love! 😀
iTunes or Stitcher

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Mary Bicknell – Be Bold (BOV)

By YooperSmith | January 3, 2022

Mary Bicknell is a hoot and a half! Her show was an instant Best Of show…funny, open, honest and little bit raw…this show might make you laugh cry or both…get ready!
How amazing is Mary Bicknell? Her bio needs bullet points!

Mary Bicknell is a Cognitive Behaviorist
She is the author of How to Have a Better Love Life, 21 Secrets to Get You Started and the creator of THE BIG, BOLD LIFE & BIZ PLAN.
Speaker, Blogger, Coach
Mary Bicknell is a Transformational Coach who specializes in neuro-linguistic programming.
A licensed psychotherapist
Worked at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore Maryland
Served at the State Capitol of Oklahoma as a Statistical Policy Analyst.
Lobbied politicians to recognize women’s rights and participated in marches on the National Mall in Washington DC.
Works out to 80's Heavy Metal Music

Mary Bicknell's Key Veers

The vroom vroom theme of hiding her truth from her self and others.
She hide with Men and Booze! This was during Mary's first marriage when she was lying to herself about what she wanted. She hide behind her man, and she hide behind booze and getting drunk and having fun.
One Veer: Said no to a big job promotion…and quit at the same time…to do her own thing.
Another veer-quit Booze forever

She was usually happy drinking…then one day she became an angry drunk…and THAT scared her.

Whileshewasvrooming, she was lying to herselfaboutherdesireto be a mother.

Realized she DID want to have a child at 30
At one point her husband told her he wasn't sure he wanted to have another child…Mary was ready to get a divorce after only 2 months of marriage.
She didn't know at the time, but she was already pregnant…

Figured out how she wanted to show up as a mom
Getting to know her day as an adult at 40
Wonders when she will forgive her mom

Links
Mary Bicknell's Web Site

The Art of Thought: Graham Wallas on the Four Stages of Creativity, 1926

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Sam Gaylord – The Law Practice Doctor (BOV)

By YooperSmith | December 27, 2021

Sam Gaylord is an Entrepreneur, business owner, Podcaster, and family man who happens to use the practice of law to make a living. Representing injured workers at day and podcasting on helping attorneys with their practice at night.
Sam Gaylord Vroom Veer Stories

Went to 3 different high schools; band was the consistent element that helped keep him sane
Band continued into school at Syracuse University where he was an Eagle Scout of Band Geekdom
Double Major'ed in History and Political Science; that's what lawyers did then; learned about parties as a sophomore
Worked while attending law school for 3 years; summered in “school” in Italy and backpacked around Europe
One year clerkship; missed the New Jersey bar exam by one point; framed the 3×5 card
Sold insurance for about a year; cold call selling clients; learned the sales grind
Great April Fool's joke on Sam by his future employers; heart attack averted
Teaching young lawyers from what he has learned about the business side of a law practice

Sam Gaylord Links
Sam's Law Practice
The Law Practice Doctor Podcast

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Zander Sprague – How to Plan, Achieve and Enjoy your Journey

By YooperSmith | December 13, 2021

Zander Sprague is an internationally acclaimed public speaker, author, and Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC). His mission is to help millions of people make the EPIC choices that create an EPIC life.

Drawing on his decades of work experience with companies of all sizes, Zander guides teams to achieve EPIC results. He is a member of the National Speakers Association and author of 3 books.

As a professional speaker for over two decades, Zander has enthralled audiences with his presentations. His deft ability to talk about EPIC Choices leading to EPIC Lives as well as sibling loss and finding the lighter side also has made him sought after by many diverse organizations and groups.

Zander Sprague Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in a small town outside of Boston, his father was a state senator and he remembers asking for votes in the city dumpWent to boarding school for high school at an all boys school (his choice); had to walk up hill through 6 feet of snow Wanted to escape the snow and cold, so went to college in California; worked out a way to take a semester in Australia in history; got to visit New Zealand as wellWorked in corporate and start-ups for 20 years as a technical trainer; worked at Intel helping programmers learn how to do parallel programing to take advantage of multi-core processorsSister was murdered when she was going to law school; the “suspect” hung himself during pre-trial confinement; his dad was a judge at the time; the media circus would have been much worse had it gone to trialZander's most surprising emotion during grief was that his family and friends wanted to only remember the “good” parts of his sister; he remembered her as a whole human warts and all; the felt guilty for wanting to remember the good and the badAfter 20 years in corporate, went back to school to get a Master's Degree; just as he finished his intern hours; lock down changed his plans

Connections

Website

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Udo Erasmus – How to Live Lit up From Inside

By YooperSmith | December 6, 2021

Udo Erasmus is the co-founder of Udo’s Choice line, which can be found in Whole Foods and other health food stores worldwide. Udo designed the machinery for making oils with health in mind and pioneered flax oil, a billion dollar industry.

However, Udo walked a difficult path to become the man he is today. Being a child of war, Udo’s life began with intense struggle. As an adult, he got pesticide poisoning in 1980, leaving doctors at a loss regarding treatment. Deciding to take his health into his own hands, Udo began researching, and his discoveries led him to a passion for finding the answers to life’s big questions which would hopefully one day bring him and the world peace.

Today, Udo is an acclaimed speaker and author of many books, including the best-selling Fats That Heal Fats That Kill, which has sold over 250,000 copies. He teaches at events hosted by Tony Robbins and Deepak Chopra, has keynoted an international brain health conference, and has traveled to over 30 countries to conduct thousands of live presentations, media interviews, and staff trainings impacting more than 25,000,000 lives with his message on oils, health, peace, nature, and human nature. Udo has an extensive education in biochemistry, genetics, biology, and nutrition, including a master’s degree in counseling psychology.

Udo Erasmus Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Running from the Allies and Nazi's when he was about 2 and 1/2 years old, hiding in hay carts; had to escape Poland to Germany; father was a prisoner of war; separated from his family and lived in an orphanageAfter the war, was reunited with this family they immigrated to Canada; went through Quebec and was sponsored by friends in British Columbia Married with kids and then lost to divorce; was so angry he wanted to kill something; so he took a job spraying pesticide; after three years of exposure he was very sick; the doctor could not helpFound his own cure through his own research; found what was essential to life for the body and found what was most important was Omega 3 oil from FlaxDid a road trip to sell the Flax seed oil; did the whole sales tour in a van with no A/C; slept in the van, walked into hotels to shower and do laundry (w/o paying for a room); ate nothing but fresh vegetables; didn't need to cookGreat ideas about how to find and keep your power and light no matter how dark, confusing, and chaotic the world becomes; even when you are tired and in painIf I am in pain all the time what might be some first step to heal; the answer will surprise you!

Connections

Website

Udo's Choice

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Jim Kukral – Positive Mindset, Impact, Purpose before you die

By YooperSmith | November 29, 2021

Jim Kukral has been writing books (10), keynote speaking (150+), and building successful lifestyle businesses as a marketing entrepreneur. But the pandemic and a near-death diagnosis of colon cancer changed everything for Jim in 2020, so he threw away all his past success to start something completely different, a new brand called Life Apocalypse.

As an almost fifty-year-old successful businessman, husband, and father of two, Jim realized that he needed to spend his remaining days on this planet helping people figure out how to live a life of significance, impact, and purpose.

Jim created Life Apocalypse to help people like him who are thinking about legacy, death, lifestyle, and life purpose. Many people he has spoken to have told him that after this pandemic they want to do things differently. They want to live and think differently. They understand that the world could literally end any day now.

With the Life Apocalypse brand and the free 21-day challenge, Jim is addressing mindset, impact, and purpose and helping people live a fulfilling life.

Jim Kukral Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up outside Cleveland Ohio in the suburbs running around in the wood; did not play kick the canHe was a solid D student in school; a guidance counselor told him to not bother applying for college and to be a garbage manTook that counsel as a challenge, went to college and got a 4.0 in Public Relations and CommunicationsHad a few small jobs but pretty quickly started a internet marketing company during the early days of the internetHad a 25 year career as an marketing entrepreneur; then in Aug 2020 got sick and his wife made him go see a doctorHe had a colonoscopy; then found a plumb size tumor; 10 days later he had surgery–after chemo and recovery he is now cancer freeRealized that life was too short to keep working in the company; so he quit and started working on his new business helping people in midlife create a positive mindset and create intentional impact and purpose.

Connections

Website

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Johnny Crowder – How to think Healthier Thoughts

By YooperSmith | November 22, 2021

Johnny Crowder is a 29-year-old suicide/abuse survivor, TEDx speaker, touring musician, mental health and sobriety advocate, and the Founder & CEO of Cope Notes, a text-based mental health platform that provides daily support to users in nearly 100 countries around the world.

Johnny Crowder Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Growing up in an abusive home, Johnny sought refuse in his bed with books, art, and writing; letting with imagine better worldsJohnny suffered from crippling mental health issues like OCD, schizophrenia, and depression; started formal treatment in high schoolOCD manifested like thinking if he stepped on a crack that blades inside the cracks would cut his feet; if he sat near a window he knew a sniper would be able to take him outSchizophrenia for Johnny had very mundane symptoms; like knowing he had purchased a printer and telling his friends he has a printer; and then going home and finding no printer; he had to question if every little was realWorked many odd jobs like warehouse labor; landed on copy writing and editing; worked freelance and as a job; all while touring with his band While working on his psychology degree and volunteering in the mental health field; learned about neuroplasticity; used sticky notes around his house to provide “surprises” to remind him to think better thoughtsOver time, your brain will tune out a sticky note and you will stop noticing them; so the next evolution was sending text messages to people at random times; people responded with; “How did you know I needed that?” He didn't, but the brain filled in the blanks and the text helped them think better thoughts

Connections

Website

Johnny's TEDtalk

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Tom Schwab – Inbound Marketing (BOV)

By YooperSmith | November 8, 2021

Tom Schwab is a digital marketing engineer who specializes in Inbound Marketing, a public speaker, and entrepreneur. Tom found a winning solution when he started to focus his efforts on an inbound strategy, thus turning his regional business into a national leader and now helps others discover the power of Inbound Marketing.
Tom Schwab Vroom Veer Stories

What was more fun? Peeing in a cup, or watching others pee in a cup? hmmm.
Did you know mostly people working on nuclear submarines are in their 20's?
After thinking he would make the navy a career, the fall of the Soviet Union changed his mind
Thinking he was set in career sales management, until the 2nd great depression changed his mind
How the Navy uses the Fire (once) , aim, FIRE FIRE FIRE method of dialing in a target
Growing a local business to a national business uses “inbound marketing”
Being a podcast guest is WAY easier than creating a podcast yourself (amen)
Even as a podcasters, most conversions come from an external audience, by being a guest

Tom Schwab Links
Website

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Paul Maskill – Work ON your Business (BOV)

By YooperSmith | November 1, 2021

Paul Maskill Graduated from the University of Michigan with a Finance degree, Paul set out to climb the Corporate Ladder in Chicago all the way to the top. Not long into his career in Corporate America, the buzz of a finance job in the big city lost its luster and Paul was looking for more.

Sitting in a cubicle for 10-12 hours a day while staring at spreadsheets and building someone else’s business, was not Paul’s idea of a living the dream. So, he quit!

After taking two months to travel around South America, Paul decided to relocate to Raleigh, NC and start a career that was rewarding…after all, you only live once. In 2011, Paul invested in his first TGA franchise, combining his business experience with passion for sports.

TGA makes golf and tennis more accessible to students ages 3-15 through on-campus afterschool programs, summer camps, parent/child events and more. Over the next 4.5 years, Paul grew his business to four franchises, impacting 1,000’s of kids each year.

At the end of 2015, Paul was ready to make his next move. He sold his four franchises for over 6x his initial investment and 3x his net profit. Soon after, Paul was hired by the franchisor to be in charge of Business Development. Based on his business experience and ability to grow a business to over 40 employees and $400k in revenue in 4 years, Paul now works with current franchise owners to help build their business into an organization with people, processes and systems in place so that the business can thrive without relying on the owner.
Paul Maskill Vroom Veer Stories

In High School Paul was working and involved in athletics and concerned about finance
College was close to home and he got a degree in finance, seemed like a good idea before 2007
His first corporate job he was disillusioned with the idea of the boring cubicle life…so he quit
He took a trip to South America, 1st with his wife who is from Columbia and then on his own
Moved from Chicago to Raleigh, NC and started his first of four TGA franchise businesses
He spent about 2 years learning the business operations and working himself out of a job
At the end of 2015, he sold his business, and took a work from home job with TGA
Loves having a positive impact in the lives of children and providing positive activities for before/after school

Paul Maskill Links
Website

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Travis Jennings – My Debt Reduction Blueprint (BOV)

By YooperSmith | September 27, 2021

Travis Jennings spent almost a decade educating the wealthy on better techniques and strategies to improve their personal finance, investments, and taxes. Over time, he learned that one of the key differences between those with wealth and those without, is the type of financial education they receive. The current system guides the brightest advisors to the wealthy…leaving the rest of us to own devices. Without a trained advisor to guide you through the process of debt elimination and then on to wealth creation, most of us live in financial peril with no real light at the end of the tunnel. Travis and his team created an easy to follow educational and implementation series that teaches you how to get completely out of debt, including your mortgage, without affecting your lifestyle or spending habits.
Travis Jennings Vroom/Veer Stories

Became at father at age 17, started learning responsibility
Worked at State Farm to pay the bills; attended college part time
Joined the Air Force; thought maybe he would be a contractor
Switched to part-time Air Force, and started a custom home building business
A home client was a financial advisor, he seemed to have a nice life
Found his calling in the world of finance; studied macro economics
Worked as a financial advisor for old wealthy clients;
Created a system to help the rest of us eliminate debt and create wealth.

Travis Jennings Links
Website

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Eric Zimmer 3 – Spiritual Habits

By YooperSmith | September 20, 2021

Eric Zimmer 3 is a behavior coach, podcast host, and author. He is endlessly inspired by the quest for a greater understanding of how our minds work and how to intentionally create the lives we want to live.

At the age of 24, Eric was homeless, addicted to heroin and facing long jail sentences. In the years since he has found a way to recover from addiction and build a life worth living for himself.

Eric works as a behavior coach and has done so for the past 20 years. He has coached hundreds of people from around the world on how to make significant life changes and create habits that serve them well in achieving the goals they’ve set for themselves.

In addition to his work as a behavior coach, he currently hosts the award-winning podcast, The One You Feed, based on an old parable about two wolves at battle within us. With over 300 episodes and over 13 million downloads, the show features conversations with experts across many fields of study about how to create a life that has less suffering and more fulfillment and meaning.

Guests on the show include scientists, authors, researchers, teachers, thought leaders, spiritual gurus, and public figures and all offer practical, actionable wisdom that listeners can readily apply to their daily lives in order to act their way into a better experience of living.

His story and his work have been featured in the media including TedX, Mind Body Green, Elephant Journal, the BBC and Brain Pickings.

Eric Zimmer 3 Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Principles that make it easy to build any habit; includes start small and linking triggers to events that already happen daily; when I get out of bed, I take a walkWhat are the two surprising elements that drive all spiritual transformation? 1) Intention: What do you want to happen? What do you want to do? 2) Attention: Where is your attention? Are you attending to the person or the TV show?What is resistance? Pain * resistance = suffering. I'm flying to Japan that is a 6 level of pain. My resistance is screaming in my head; I just want to be in bed now but I have more hours of traveling on the ground in front of me. You can reduce the pain score by getting a hotel after the airport; you can also accept that traveling is hard and reduce your resistance by telling yourself that you are ok…tired but ok.Permanent: nothing lasts forever. Personal: Most pain/resistance is not personal; it just is part of being human; Perfect –nothing is perfect; humans are flawed and messy and that's ok The Middle path says theirs is a way between extremes; it's not always the center line; but there is a way to think be in between all and nothing. Portal 2 is a great example of the middle way…you play with a partner and you need each other to 1) solve the puzzle 2) execute the solution; Jeff died fast and often and learned by doing; his partner analyzed the puzzle without killing his robot–two extremes created the middle way.

Connections

Podcast Website

Spiritual Habits Program

Learn the no.1 daily spiritual habit to help you feel more peace in your life…

Eric Zimmer #1 – Deals with Eric's journey through addiction and recovery

Eric Zimmer #2 – Shorter episode with Vroom Veer Stories

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Donna Bond – Live like You are Writing the Story

By YooperSmith | September 13, 2021

Donna Bond “woke up” at the age of 45…she was at the top of her game. On the outside, it all looked perfect. She was working as a marketing executive, making great money, living in a beautiful home and was married to an incredible guy.

On the inside, she was exhausted, depressed, unhappy and unfulfilled. All leading to a decision which she now understands as divine intervention – enrolling in the University of Santa Monica and simultaneously beginning her journey of Personal Transformation

Everything changed from the inside out. Today, she is a Soul-Centered catalyst for personal transformation. She believes when we do the work individually to trust our higher self and love our human self, the ripple effect changes the world.

Donna holds a master’s degree in Spiritual Psychology with an emphasis on Consciousness, Health and Healing. She invites everyone to reclaim their authentic power with her illuminating memoir of personal transformation through the lens of Spiritual Psychology.

Donna Bond Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in Connecticut with parents who were Italian immigrants who valued college and a good job; she went to college and got a corporate marketing job At age 22, Donna's father was diagnosed with lung cancer; he died 3 months later; Donna attended his death and shared chocolate cream cake with her dad before he went into a comaDidn't really take time to grieve; woke up at age 45 in her corporate job; feeling sick, exhausted and spiritually disconnected and unfulfilledBattled with frozen shoulder and was blaming everyone outside of herself for not fixing her; later learned to take responsibility for her own health journeyHad a prophetic dream; saw herself in the mirror with a giant fish hook in her breast; later when she was being treated for breast cancer her doctor told her that the tool used for the treatment was shaped like a fishhookRealized at age 17 that she was writing her own story; she saw a picture of a dog breed called sharpe (the one with all the wrinkles); in the 80's there was no internet but she made a vision board; a sharpe showed upWent to a retreat at the Chopra center and learned how to mediate; now she mediates like her life depends on it

Connections

Website

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Kimberley Pittman-Schulz – Joy and Grief can Coexist

By YooperSmith | September 6, 2021

Kimberley Pittman-Schulz is an award-winning poet and author who writes, teaches, and speaks about death, living mindfully, and being a force for change in the world. She helps those struggling with loss,especially women, to cultivate joy in their lives. By following her steps, beginning with simple mindful sensory moments (what she calls Tiny-Come-Back-to-Your-Senses Rituals), those in grief can learn to create space for this joy to emerge, and re-engage with life through giving to a cause bigger than themselves.

Neither a grief counselor nor a therapist, Kimberley offers a fresh, unique perspective through her personal experiences with loss and grief as well as her work as a philanthropist and an end-of-life planning advisor. She challenges the common assumption of grief and joy as opposites and believes that they can, and do, co-exist, and that with practice you can grow joy and well-being. Kimberley’s book, Grieving Us, was a #1 New Release on Amazon in several categories upon its release in March 2021.

Kimberley Pittman-Schulz

Her father was a field engineer and drove around the country from job to job in a travel trailer; Kimberley loved to read and was happy to tag alongIn high school still read a lot and was a band geek; played the flute and learned she could make more money as a musical teacher instead of working a fast food job; learned and taught many instrumentsThought about studying music but didn't have time to do the performance part of the school; studied English instead; loved to write and readWhile in grief herself decided to take a walk down to the river; she just took 3 minutes to breath and experience nature; later realized she had taken a “break” from grief; for those 3 minutes yes was “ok”Pandemic grief is complicated for all of us; everyone became more aware of our own mortality with so many people dying around us–especially so many people dying without loved ones by their side The loss of a companion animal can be just as intense as losing a human loved-one; we still need to process and keep these loving relationships alive in our lives in new waysGrief and Joy don't have to been seen as opposites; you can find joy while in grief in little 3 minutes pieces

Connections

Website

Book

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Laura Noel – Stretch into Success

By YooperSmith | August 30, 2021

Laura Noel is a transformation and leadership coach who helps her clients gain a new level of self-confidence and become the leader others will want to follow. Implementing a mix of science and psychology, she helps individuals and teams advance their current projects and careers and prepares them to successfully transition on to greater opportunities.

Laura Noel Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in Pennsylvania but didn't really plan to go to college until she didn't get accepted; briefly went to community college and universityFigured out she needed some direction; she couldn't see where she was going; joined the Air Force and trained as a mobile ground radar operatorAfter about five years, she competed to as a vocalist in the talent competition and won a spot on “Tops in Blue” and toured for 2 years as a vocalist; got an audition to be in the Air Force Band as a permanent jobGreat story about learning how to rap in Philly! Got tired of being laughed at for not “rapping right”Decided to invest in herself–spent 3K on Yoga Instruction to get a teaching certificate; after that she did Yoga training while still active dutyLater, she found she loved the philosophy of yoga more than the physical practice of yoga; used the yoga philosophy to create her coaching curriculum Went to a personal development event with Bob Proctor and ask about purpose; instead of waiting three years to retire she retired right away and started her coaching business

Connections

Website

Rat Race Reboot

Instagram

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Loretta Breuning – Status Games: Why we Play and How to Stop

By YooperSmith | August 16, 2021

Loretta Breuning Status Games: Loretta Breuning, PhD, is Founder of the Inner Mammal Institute and author of many personal development books, including Habits of a Happy Brain: Retrain Your Brain to Boost Your Serotonin, Dopamine, Oxytocin and Endorphin Levels. She's Professor Emerita of Management at California State University, East Bay, and a grandma.

Loretta Breuning Status Games

Jane Austin, Charles Darwin, Booker T. Washington and other true stories included in the book to inform us these famous people were normal humans who dealt with their own status games–dishing a little dirt tooWhy Loretta stopped selling herself as a “brand” and whey Jeff did the same at Podcast Movement in 2014; constantly pitching to people is exhausting and just not funThat one time Jeff and Loretta went to the LA zoo in the rain; the zoo keeper gave all of the Bananas to the Alpha; Loretta says many zoo keepers will feed the other chimps away from the Alpha as wellJeff visited wild monkeys in Japan where the humans were in a cage and the monkeys were be fed the visitors; it was total chaos with much monkey violenceLearning how to beware of when you are going to start feeling a dip in your happy chemicals and learning to seek healthy ways to deal with that feeling; you don't need to be happy all the time; there is a middle pathThe Common paths to feel the status one up feeling described in the book; my abs are better than your abs, my car is better than your car; I have a bigger portfolio than youExercise can be a great way to relief stress but it can also become an addiction; too much exercise can cause undue wear and tear on joints, bones, and muscles

Connections

Website

Book: Status Games: Why we play and How to Stop

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Best of VVV – Siphiwe Baleka 4-Minute Fit

By YooperSmith | August 9, 2021

Siphiwe Baleka is the founder of Fitness Trucking, LLC and serves as the Driver Health and Fitness Coach at Prime Inc., one of America’s largest trucking companies. His innovative, on-the-go wellness program has helped thousands of truck drivers lose weight and reclaim their health (69% of truck drivers are obese; the trucking industry is the least healthy of any industry in the country). His premise is that ANYONE with 4 minutes can get fit. What works for truckers can work for any sedentary person! Formerly, Baleka served as the Driver Health Editor for both Road King magazine and The Trucking Network magazine. After being raised in Chicago by a single dad, he graduated from Yale University and is the first African American ever named to the First Team All-Ivy League Swim Team. He missed qualifying for the 1992 Olympic Swimming Trials in the 100 freestyle by just 0.8 seconds! He is the author of 4-Minute Fit (Simon & Schuster).

Siphiwe Baleka Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in Illinois as the first African American family in townRaised by a single dad working hard to get him into the best schoolsAfraid of the water as a young child, so his dad makes him take swimming lessonsDecides at age 12 that he is going to be in the Olympics as a swimmerThe .8 seconds that turned out to be a quantum veer in his life15 years of “vagabondage” helps him find his real name in South AfricaNamed the “World's Fittest Trucker”; wrote “4-Minute Fit” to help ANYONE get fit.

Siphiwe Baleka Links

Website: Siphiwebaleka.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/FitnessTrucking

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

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siphiwe-baleka-42196535/

Instragram: https://www.instagram.com/siphiwebaleka/

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Charlie Hartwell and Maureen Pelton – Igniting Expanded States of Consciousness

By YooperSmith | August 2, 2021

Charlie Hartwell is the Managing Partner of Bridge Builders Collaborative, a group of highly successful investors who have been investing in start-up companies in the space of mental health, consciousness, and spirituality. Some of their investments include Pear Therapeutics, Insight Timer, Headspace, and Happify Health. A Harvard Business School graduate, Charlie has served and led organizations in 14 different industries, including starting a nonprofit in the slums of Kenya in 1986 that has now served health care to several million patients.Maureen Pelton, MSSW, is a social scientist and spiritual teacher with 36 years of professional experience as a Holistic Psychotherapist, Executive Coach, Organizational Consultant, Adjunct Faculty, and Group Facilitator. Maureen is a teacher on Insight Timer, and is a Certified Advanced Practitioner of Quantum Neuro Reset Therapy, QNRT™, and is a partner of Bridge Builders Collaborative

Charlie Hartwell and Maureen Pelton Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Maureen grew up feeling like she really did not belong on the planet; her family treated her like there was something wrong with her; she felt deeply spiritual and struggled to fit it When she was 21 she went in for a surgery and was told she could die, or be paralyzed; she prayed and had a spiritual experience and had a teaching about the universe; she came back in ecstatic joyIn college she still didn't fit in and started reading all the spiritual books; Deepak, Wayne Dyer, A Course in Miracles; at some point the spirit voice told her enough with the books…you get itCharlie grew up doing everything in the “right” path, the right college, the right job, the right wife; in his 40's he discovered that those rights were all wrongStarted investing in businesses to promote mindfulness and meditation 10 years ago and married MaureenAddiction is usually found in people with 1) past trauma and 2) people who are isolated a from people; humans need connection and healing from past traumaMaureen says our mental health system works to help people deal with the unacceptable; not heal or process past trauma

Connections

Bridge Builders Collaborative

Insight Timer

Shiftit

Charlie on Linkedin

Maureen on Linkedin

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Loretta Breuning Making Peace with the Animal Inside (BOV)

By YooperSmith | July 19, 2021

Loretta and I became friendly while I still lived in the Los Angeles area, and she is even MORE awesome in person. Meeting Loretta and understanding her concepts and ideas was the one of the most life changing encounters from doing this podcast. Her ideas fundamentally changed the way I think about stress, sadness, loneliness and just the ups and downs of life. If this is your first time hearing Loretta, please don't let it be the last, check out her website, meet her in person, read her books…your life will be better if you let it. Now that's a BEST OF VVV!

Loretta Breuning, PhD is the author of several books including Habbits of a Happy Brain, Beyond Cynical, and I, Mammal. She is a teacher and a mom. She found conventional theories of human motivation didn't ring true for her.

While volunteering in Africa with the United Nations, she learned about the mammalian custom of bribery. This led her to learn that many of our motivations and behaviors are shared with other mammals. “Our brains see things as a matter of survival because natural selection built a brain that focuses on survival
Loretta Breuning Vroom/Veer Stories

Story of having an “veer moment” while giving a lecture she no longer was aligned with
Our ancestors choose to stick with “the jerks” in their group despite their frustrations so they could survive
All groups of mammals have internal tensions, but they stick together because there is a common enemy
Romantic love does more to get your genes alive than many other things, so the brain rewards romantic love with all the happy chemicals
Story about how when an elephant in a zoo gets to eat a sheet cake for his birthday, that becomes like a drug to him. It meets his food needs so much better than eating tree branches all week

This is similar to how humans become addicted to drugs, the brain learns that the drug meets it's need some much better than real life ups and downs of say writing resumes and trying to find a new job
There is no benefit in questing for an infinite high.
A better goal is to learn to feel confident with an ability to manage your ups and downs and even things out.

The “Happy” Chemicals

Dopamine – I can do it! The feeling you get when you see a way to meet a need.
Serotonin – I'm top dog! I'm cool! I got it gonna on!
Oxytocin – I trust you
Endorphin – I'm feeling no pain for about 15 minutes…after which (if you live) you should feel pain.

We get a small dose of endorphin when we laugh because it jiggles our innards.

Unhappy Chemical – Cortisol

The feeling that one “must do something fast” maybe healthy, probably not

Myelin is used by the brain during childhood to create superhighway circuits

These are circuits connected to activities that to us feel: effortless, normal, natural and safe.
When you try new activities, you are creating new pathways in your brain will feel difficult, strange, unnatural and scary.

Mirror Neurons – empathy and learning by modeling
Making new pathways

45 days of repeating a new “preferred” strategy
Know that this will feel bad
You will still want to reach for the old circuit to fill the need

Loretta Breuning Links

The Inner Mammal Institute

Habits Of A Happy Brain: Retrain Your Brain to Boost Your Serotonin, Dopamine, Oxytocin, & Endorphin Levels – December 16, 2015

by Loretta Graziano Breuning (Author)

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Scott Sunderland – Transforming Lives

By YooperSmith | July 12, 2021

Scott Sunderland found himself lying in a hospital bed, unable to move any part of his body. In 3 days, he went from a very capable, athletic man to completely paralyzed with a mind full of fear. He believed he was more than just his body, and he used that power throughout the next year. Taught himself how to literally walk out of that room and into a new life.

Then, on July 27th, 2012, Scott’s world came crashing down once again. He was walking on a beach with his best friend and three children. The sand collapsed under their feet, throwing them into a current, fighting for their lives. Scott made it to shore. Next, he watched his best friend, Brad, take his last breath before a wave washed over him and he was gone. This experience left Scott completely broken and searching.

For the next five years, he yearned for Brad’s forgiveness. He realized that it was his own that he was searching for. Scott made a promise to live an inspired life for both Brad and himself. Scott left a life that wasn’t serving him and stepped into the power that he realized he always was.

Today, Scott has kept his promise and tells his stories as triumphs. Teaching others that all their limitations, failures, sicknesses, losses, and addictions help show them the door to their own greatness. He inspires, motivates, and empowers people to help them realize they are the victor just waiting to be uncovered.

Scott Sunderland Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Story about growing up with an absent father and a mother struggling with addiction; he didn't know he was neglected until later when he described his childhood

Story of a childhood memory of feeling like being in a cage on the front step of his house when he was 3. Dad was gone; mom was passed out on the couch and brother and sister were in school

Recently went back to visit that house and the family that lives there now invited him into the house; he sat on the step again and started the healing process for that childhood event

His mother eventually got into recovery; got sober for 45 years; helped many others heal and transform their lives

How the Hedonistic tread mill of better, house, boat car will never make you happy; those things are nice but they don't lead to a sense of peace or fulfillment

His childhood home was used as a set for a TV Show called Do no Harm. This might be the step

A guy who yelled at his wife for asking him to get some potatoes out of the oven; turns out he was re-living a “moment” when his father snapped at him when he was 9 years old

Looking for trauma from childhood can be a challenge because part of you doesn't find you to find it; a better method is to practice surrender and asking the quiet voice what you need to know now

Connections

Website

Amazon Affiliate Link for Finding Ugly

Facebook Group

Youtube Channel Freedom Project

Youtube Video about Scott accident

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Eric Zimmer (BOV) – The One you Feed

By YooperSmith | July 5, 2021

Eric Zimmer (BOV) is an inspiration to me. Listening to his podcast is like free therapy that I didn't even know I needed…so for sure “best of” material. This conversation goes to the darker places of life, but manages to walk back up the stairs into more light-hearted chat as well. You might need some tissues, but you will be laughing along the way.

Eric has built companies for 15 years, and work in technology longer. He led major software programs for Fortune 20 companies and he started his own Solar Energy company. The most cool project Eric is rocking now is The One You Feed podcast, named “Best of iTunes” in 2014.
Eric Zimmer (BOV) Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Eric pointed out that increasing the frequency of moving from Vroom to Veer…like daily is a worthy goal.
In Eric Zimmer's experience, that longer the Vroom Vroom period, the more dramatic the VEER can become.
The Tim Ferriss podcast Episode #2 included a chat about a martial artist who likes to win in “transition” between moves and holds.

Eric Zimmer (BOV) Addiction to getting Sober

24 years old
homeless, living in a van
sleeping on a couch in the back of the van that he picked up out of a dumpster
This went on for about 7 years of drinking and drugging.
Eric was too numb and was seeking highs from drugs and drinking.
Downward spiral of getting high, and feeling bad…trying to get sober.
He was dying and headed for jail.
One day he was arrested, lost his job, and his van and he didn't have anywhere else to go.
So he checked in to re-hab…
The treatment center suggested that he should do the 28-day treatment program…1st he said no…
Later he changed his mind because he had a moment of clarity and knew he would die if he went back out into the world.
The problem was his strategy of dealing with life.

Eric Zimmer (BOV) Depression and Feeling bad

Eric was thinkin “I don't like the way I feel, I want to feel different” and using drugs to feel different.
Realizing that having a mood or feeling bad is ok and it's not an emergency.
When in reactive, addicted mode, there is a feeling of panic when one feels bad..one feels compelled to take some action, be that a cigarette, sex, tv, food, drugs, beer what have you.
Eric learned that emotions are not emergencies.
If we are not so afraid of emotions we can just let them be.
From Pema Chodron's book “getting unstuck” , “Shenpa” is like triggered into fight or flight mode.
Some awareness will help you steer back to a better state.

Did that detox Stick?

Yes, but after a relapse. He went and got high…then he went back to 28-day treatment.
One day at a time, is the commitment in recovery.
Book called “The tools”
A concept of “exoneration” The idea that the day will come where I have done what I needed to do and life will be easy moving forward. Sort of wishing for a life without sadness or problems, but that will never be.
He will have problems but we don't need to struggle so much.
It's our resistance to problems that cause most of the pain and struggle.

All the Rage

Episode of One you feed talking with Michael Galinsky about the work of Dr. John Sarno

Job to layoff

He got a job at compuserve in customer service
He got promoted into corporate training.
AOL bought compuserve and Eric got laid off.
Invested severance pay into some IT training and he got into internet start ups.
This pattern of employment ending abruptly continued to the point where Eric started to welcome the changes.

What happened in the Dark Hallway between Door?

You act your way into right action
Emotions can't be directly controlled.
Thoughts and behavior can be directly controlled, emotions can only be influenced not directly controlled.
He learned to keep going and have faith.

Failing back into Addiction

Eric took a trip on Hedonistic Treadmill and started drifting away from recovery after his 1st wife left him.
He convinced himself that he could handle drinking.
Over several years, he became a functional alcoholic.
Then finally he went back to AA and stay sober for 8 years.

Eric Zimmer (BOV) Links
The one you feed podcast
Subscribes, Ratings, Reviews = LOVE! 😀

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Oscar and Kiya Frazier – The Secret Sauce of Power Couples

By YooperSmith | June 21, 2021

Oscar and Kiya Frazier have achieved the dream of successfully starting and running their own business, nDemand Consulting. As CEO of nDemand, Kiya is a charismatic growth and strategy expert known for bringing ideas into reality and ambitiously shaping brands to be instantly recognizable. Oscar, the Chief Technologist, is a full-scale product creator, taking concepts from ideation to launch.

With KO Thought Leaders, a division of nDemand, Oscar and Kiya strive to help couples in business develop structure and strategies that nurture the balance between business and home. Working closely together is a dream that grows from love and enthusiasm, and Oscar and Kiya have developed strategies to help themselves and others achieve that dream. They advise couple-preneurs on areas including building a stress management plan, trust and respect boundaries, optimizing your combined efforts, avoiding communication breakdowns, the art of unplugging, and letting the bedroom be a bedroom.

Oscar and Kiya Frazier Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Kiya always wanted to be an entrepreneur but was stuck in Federal/Corporate job space; it wasn't until she re-connected with Oscar that she started to believe she could really create a business Oscar was a wild man in college and was friends with Kiya but there wasn't any romance; they kept in touch and circled back and started dating after collegeThey were both working in federal space and planning to start a business together; then Kiya was suddenly let go 2 days after their honeymoon; ok, plan B is Oscar still had a job; so Kiya could start working on the business3 months later Oscar had to let go of his whole corporate team because of budget cuts; then after he personally fired his entire team–he was let go too!So now they had no income and wanted to start a business; do we gets jobs? Nope, let sell a business plan for $300Stumbled into International Crisis Management teaching journalist in crisis areas in Africa how to cool off the flames of conflict with calming tone and languageLearned that when you work in business with your spouse you need boundaries; you need to keep the bedroom the bedroom; talking about business at home is ok, but after dinner time it's time to unplug from business

Connections

Website

Text the word business to 678-672-1444 to get Links and Contact info for Kiya and Oscar

Confessions: The Truth About Perfect Timing: A Couples Guide To Reaching Everything You Desire In Life (Affiliate Link)

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Daniel Mangena – Stop Meditating

By YooperSmith | June 7, 2021

Daniel Mangen's: Stop Meditating “Daniel Mangena is a best-selling author, entrepreneur, philanthropist and public speaker. He is completely self-made and has spent decades perfecting his world-class coaching methodology. His books, podcasts, events & retreats continue to help captains-of-industry and private individuals alike live an abundant, joyful, purpose-driven life. He offers many unique and effective free tools via his website.”-The Wall St Journal, “Masters of Success” (2020)

Dan Mangena Stop Meditating

New Book is called “Stop Mediating”; Meditation is the beginning of the process not the whole process; once you meditate, stop, then go out in the world and make your dreams happenWhat is Relationship Capital? It's being willing to show up with the mindset of how can I help? What can I give to help you win?Check out Jim Carry's Book Memoirs and Misinformation (affiliate link)Check out the book The Overstory (affiliate link) recommended by Hugh Jackman and Tim Ferriss; What is fear? False events appearing real; there are only two real fears; falling and loud noises; all other fears are based on stories from your pastThe Peace sign in the UK can look like the middle finger; look up the British archers and the French soldiers who would cut off their finger to get more backgroundRight Mindset is to win and help win or grow and help grow; being authentic will automatically filter out those with the win/lose mindset.When all is Lost – Let Hope be your guideHow did you re-write your story? Daniel re-wrote his story accidentally, after getting through depression he started reading nothing but positive material; this unconsciously re-wrote his storyWe should Celebrate Financial Abundance! The idea of scarcity is made up by people who want your money; abundance is the state of nature; chasing money as the ONLY thing is not abundance when you are destructive

Connections

Website

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Edna Keep – From Single Teen Mom to Teaching How to Invest in Real Estate

By YooperSmith | May 31, 2021

Edna Keep, real estate investment teacher and author of Multiple Ways To Wealth: Creating Your Prosperous Lifestyle, has a deep understanding of what investors want in a deal. As a former financial advisor, Edna helps connect investors with everyday people who want to create true passive income for the long term. Edna’s team has a portfolio of $65 Million they built in less than ten years on primarily multifamily units and primarily with none of their own money. They have over 600 doors, with 80 units having been added in just the last year.

Edna Keep Vroom Veer Stories

Single mother at age 16–had to deal with responsibility and peoples judging her; people told what do to a lot; she learned early not to listenA students work for C students and B students work for the governmentHer relationship with her oldest daughter suffered because she was 16 and still a kid herselfFirst job didn't pay much but she did start learning to be good at jobs she didn't likeAmazing boss! allowed Edna to have every Friday off and pursue education to because a Financial advisor; then her boss created a mandatory retirement plan for all his employees and used Edna to service the planWorked as a financial advisor for 15 years and loved helping people invest their money; the market fluctuations for retirees were a little too stressfulWhen she started investing in real estate she didn't quit her financial planning business and her husband kept this business going as well; this means they had back up cash flow to startOnce she starting making money in real estate she really had to quit the mutual fund game; Learned how to find investors to help fund 50-90 percent of mortgage; each investor has to bring at least 100k

Connections

Website – https://ednakeep.com/

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Social Media Safety – Marc Berkman and Ed Peisner

By YooperSmith | May 24, 2021

Marc Berkman serves as the CEO of the Organization for Social Media Safety (OFSMS) where he has grown OFSMS into a prominent national consumer protection organization that has taught social media safety skills to thousands of students, parents, and educators across the country and developed essential social media safety legislation like Jordan's Law, the nation's first law to deter social media-motivated violence.

Previously, Marc served for over a decade as a senior advisor to members of Congress and the California State Assembly. During his time as a legislative aide, he developed and helped pass into law numerous legislative initiatives to protect vulnerable children and families.

Marc received his JD from Columbia Law School and his BA from UC Berkeley. He lives with his wife and two children in Los Angeles, CA.

Ed Peisner after a long career in business founded the Organization for Social Media Safety in 2016 after his teenage son Jordan was viciously assaulted in West Hills, CA. The attack was filmed and uploaded to social media by an associate of the attacker. The video went viral, viewed by millions, and Jordan was left with serious and life-long injuries from the assault. Ed decided to dedicate himself to the goal of ensuring that no other family had to endure such a terrible ordeal.

Now, Ed travels the country as the National Education Director for the Organization for Social Media Safety teaching thousands of students, parents, and educators how to stay safe on social media.

Social Media Safety – Ed Piesner and Marc Berkman

Ed tells a horrifying story about getting a call that his son “was punched”; he didn't think much of it until he arrived to see a crowd, police cars and an ambulance; Jordan was punched so hard he had a brain bleed and nearly diedThe reason why Jordan was punched is even more horrifying; he was punched on video and the video was immediately uploaded to social media for likes and hits; it also made the evening newsAfter Jordan was out of the hospital and still recovering; Ed called his Assembly person to see what could be done about this attack; Marc was the chief of staff for the Assembly person and had seen the video before he took the callPre-pandemic Ed was talking to kids in schools about the dangers of social media and how to make a plan to stay safe; you really need a checklist; they made oneThe countermeasures include software tools; like bark an app for a phone, settings on Android or Apple phone and also education and knowing abut the dangers are and what to do about themCyber-bullying is the most common danger for kids; about 40% of kids 6th grade and up have been victims and about 80-90% of kids have witnessed cyber-bullingHuman trafficking while less common has much more severe outcome for the victims physical, emotional, and psychological well being

Connections

Website

Donation page

Help for Family Members of Q Affected Persons

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Ed Roman – Dyslexia as a Gift, Farming, and 3D thinking

By YooperSmith | May 17, 2021

Ed Roman is an Award-winning singer/songwriter, performer and multi-instrumentalist from Shelburne, Ontario, Canada. Blurring the lines between pop, rock, folk, and country music genres, Ed’s uniquely crafted songs have received regular rotation on more than 100 terrestrial radio stations across North America and more than 600 stations, worldwide. Ed is an Artists Music Guild Award Nominee, an International Music and Entertainment Association Award Winner, a Josie Show Awards winner, an Akademia Awards Winner, and a two-time Indie Music Channel Award winner. Ed won a 2017 Radio Music Award for Best Americana Artist. He is currently nominated for the 2020 IMEA Awards.

Ed Roman Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Ed is growing veggies in a green house in his garage; we both agree sunshine is the best way to get vitamin D; and fresh air and nature and smelling plants like sage a rosemary are awesomeEd's new album will reference Sir Francis Bacon and Sir Francis Drake along with new discoveries being under covered in CanadaFrank Zappa while did have a political voice in the 80's was more interested in sounds and percussion than poetryGrowing up Ed discovered that he is dyslexic and was in Special Education for a while which earned him the nickname special ed; later he worked as a ambassador for the dyslexic kids in Canada The Song/Album “Red Omen” is an Jumble for Ed Roman; Red Omen also became a nickname for Ed Jeff was born in June 1969 and Ed was born in Jun 1970; Ed has a blessed childhood; his parents really wanted to be parents; he grew up on a farm with cattle and dairy cowsHis Uncle and Father were both pretty famous sport, farming; politics and even in the Catholic Church with ties to the Vatican; both impressive polymaths; no pressure to perform for ED!Big lesson he took away from his childhood is whatever you do; selling shoes; farming, making music…do it with passionWent to college to study music on a scholarship; The animated video for his song “Red Omen” has one film awards around the world

Connections

Website

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Rich Curtis Write your Own Story; Live your Own Adventure

By YooperSmith | May 10, 2021

Rich Curtis is, and always has been, a guide. He spent over a decade as a raft and mountain guide on the rivers and mountains of the American West and as a real estate entrepreneur. Now he spends his time guiding people through life’s inflection points as a best selling author, story expert and success coach. Rich guides, coaches, writes and speaks to help entrepreneurs, CEOs, adventurers and go getters rewrite their stories, get unstuck and live their dreams.

As a passionate student of the power of story, neuroscience, positive psychology and behavioral psychology, Rich believes in a world where people are invested in the process of being better tomorrow than they are today. His life’s work, including his book, Change Your Story Change Your Life, are about helping people get there. Outside of work Rich is a dedicated father of two, husband, traveler and outdoor adventurer.

Rich Curtis Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

His mother died suddenly and unexpectedly; for 2 years Rich blamed himself for “not fighting for his mom; the big a-ha moment came when he was on the phone with his brother driving circles around a parking lotThe “I didn't fight for mom” stories was encoded in his brain without his conscious awareness; once he said out loud he was able to question that story; is this true? Does this story serve me? Thought about what his mother death and realized that he did fight for his mother and helped her die on her own terms; wondered if this “story re-write process” could be useful in other areas of lifeStudied positive psychology and neuroscience of happiness for about 2 years and learned that everyone can re-write their stories You can ask yourself your story about an area of your life that is not working right for you and record that story as a video on your phone; then watch yourself telling the story and take notes are your reactionsOnce you write a new story; you have to repeat in aloud twice a day (at least) for at least 30 days or more; sharing the story with others helps lock it inThe core 4 are sleeping 8 hours a day; 30 -45 mins of cardio; 10-15 mins of mindfulness practice; and a gratitude practice

Connections

Website

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Mikko and Biji LoveAll 5D Sharing Conscious Love Energy

By YooperSmith | April 26, 2021

Mikko and Biji are Energy Alchemists, Sacred Union Partners, Founders of LoveAll 5D||Avaala. They have been initiated into the Zero Point Quantum Field through their Siddhi Sadhana Mastery and their Divine, Sacred Union. They are frequency alchemists and practicing Siddhis, a term given for Spiritual mastery obtained through rigorous and accomplished conscious practices. Mikko and Biji access pure Source Love frequency, they call Avaala, to align their clients with their highest New Earth timeline.

Mikko and Biji Vroom Veer Stories

At 21, Biji was diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma, and was given six months to live, her father said “I don't accept that, that's not your storyFour months into those six months they did an MRI and the cancer in her neck was gone; doctors could not explain it other than a miracleMikko got a full ride for college playing baseball; up until then, his whole identity was wrapped up in being a pitcher; he really loved the pressure of the “on the mound”; would visualize beating battersIn college ended up being more attracted to the arts and dance; quit college and had to answer the question of “who am I if I don't play baseballBiji was all in at age 20 working on getting a career going; then she had to veer to deal with the cancerWhen Biji and Mikko met they knew right away that they had a mission on earth and they didn't have much time work it outBiji struggled for a while together letting go of fear and frustration; thankfully when the cupboard was bare Mikko had faith that abundance would return; their kids were ok with a lean Christmas tree one year When Biji finally let go of her fear and resistance; abundance returned the next day and has stayed around ever since

Connections

Website – Loveall5D

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Kathy Goughenour – From Secretary to Business Owner who wears a Tiara

By YooperSmith | April 19, 2021

Kathy Goughenour (pronounced: GOO-gen-hour), is the founder of Expert VA® and Virtual Expert® Training where she trains and coaches women who want to build their own Virtual Assistant home-based businesses. Kathy runs her virtual empire from her dream home

After finding the courage to say “bye-bye” to her corporate marketing career, Kathy Goughenour built a 6-figure Virtual Assistant business from her tiny house in the middle of a forest.

Today, she teaches professional women how to create their own work-at-home Virtual Assistant and Virtual Expert® businesses so they too can enjoy the freedom, flexibility, and financial security they desire and deserve.

Kathy and her Expert VA® and Virtual Expert® Training programs have been featured in Forbes, The Huffington Post, Good Housekeeping, All You, and The Wealthy Freelancer.

Kathy Goughenour Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in Ferguson MO; her mom didn't want to have kids, since she did she pretended she didn't have kidsWhen Kathy asked her mom if she could go to college her mom asked her “who do you think you are that you get to go to college?”; so she went to Miss Hickey's School for Secretaries in St LouisLanded her first job at an insurance company; she was 18 and it was much like the TV show Mad Mad; her boss was literally chasing her around his desk; everyone was smoking in the office all dayMet her 1st husband on the bus and he worked for the phone company; told her she could do the same job for 2x the money so she did; started as a secretary but learned how to do marketing in school and got a marketing jobAsked her boss how to get a promotion; he said get an MBA; so she got an MBA; still no promotion; she asked why; he said “because you smile and laugh too much”; six months later she quitHer husband got a six month gig in Canada; she started looking for a place to live after Canada and started making suggestions to realtors about how to improve their websites and marketing; one decided to pay her to do itWorked as a VA in real estate with marketing until 2008; then she had to find a new niche; in the new niche she had more work than she could handle so she needed help; started training VAs to help her…new biz! Training VAs!

Connections

Website

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Kelley Sgroi – Empowering Women to Gain Unshakable Self Confidence

By YooperSmith | April 12, 2021

Kelley Sgroi is a licensed therapist and women’s empowerment coach. She helps women gain unshakeable self confidence so that they can embrace their lives with passion and purpose. My greatest passion is to help women recognize that the roles and expectations placed on us at birth are completely out of date. It’s time we rewire the way we think about ourselves as women and live lives that make us happy! I am a mother of grown triplets, a 9 year cancer survivor, a thriver after narcissistic abuse and became a business owner at the age of 49.

Kelley Sgroi Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in Connecticut; adopted when she was six months old; had this feeling that she better be perfect or she would be given back; she felt damaged because her own mother didn't want herHad two biological siblings and she was aware that she was the only child given up for adoption which contributed to her feelings of abandonment; she felt like the broken childThe eating disorder came from the thought “If I keep the outside perfect, noone would notice that she was that damaged; she obsessed about her body image; a friend suggested she might have “exercise bulimia”Burned many bridges when she started college; these people were my friends and now they are not I did something stupid so now I need to run away; she struggled with never feeling “good enough”Started talking about having kids with her first husband thought it was time to find her biological family; then she learned that she was a product of a rapeWent in for infertility treatments; then got pregnant with triplets; her body gave out around 30 weeks; had an emergency c-section about 9 weeks early; babies remained in the hospital 7,8 and 9 weeks Marriage started getting shaking at the 10 year point; with the added responsibilities of the kids; all the I'm not good enough to be a wife, mom et al voices came backAt the age of 43 changed careers, earned a Master’s degree and became a therapist. Now I dedicate my life to helping women recognize their inner strength and beauty.

Connections

Website

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Ken Greene – The Engineer of Finance

By YooperSmith | April 5, 2021

Ken Greene (aka the Engineer of Finance) is a financial advisor and founder of Greene Finance & Insurance. Ken began his career as a professional engineer who subscribed to a lucrative investment portfolio that included aggressive joint ventures, real estate, and the stock market.

However, shortly after the market crash in 2008, he pivoted to the insurance and financial industry – where he quickly realized he was one of the few people who cared about educating their clients rather than just selling to them.

He recognized that the financial industry needed to be run with precision and integrity like the engineering community he had come from.

Subsequently, he founded his own company, Greene Finance & Insurance, and has developed an approach to finance with an emphasis on growing your wealth and protecting it with traditional financial principles and investments off Wall Street. His desire to continue to educate and help people led to the creation of his podcast, ENGINEER OF FINANCE, where he talks about how to enjoy today and have a wealthier tomorrow.

Ken Greene Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in Morristown New Jersey and did his summers in Annapolis Maryland; his Dad opened the the first “Computer Land” Franchise in Morristown; Ken got to play around with circuit boardsSummer's on Chesapeake Bay at his Grandma's house; sailing, water skiing, crabbing; at age 11 driving a 40 foot boat and helping rescue other boats stuck in the water At age 17 he was a college freshman in the Electrical Engineering program in Reno, NV; when he thinks back about his behavior is college feels it is “cringe-worthy”; learned to forgive himself past, and present While still in school he landed an internship at Mallory Ignition in Carson City, NV; got hired after the internship and had fun working on race carsEnd up working for SBC and then AT&T as an outside plant design manager for about 5 years; he got tired of the endless number of useless meetings; took a job as a civil engineer while going back to schoolFinished up his CE school in 2008 when all construction stopped; so did a pivot and started selling insurance; didn't realize how much people didn't really like insurance agentsSurprised by the insurance and finance industry; more about sales and profit and less about educating clients; now bring engineering rigor to his client's finances

Connections

Website

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Dr. Allen Lycka – Thriving after a Near-Death Experience

By YooperSmith | March 29, 2021

Dr. Allen Lycka (pronounced LIKE-uh) is acknowledged as one of the leading cosmetic dermatologists in the world. A pioneer in cosmetic surgery, he helped develop several new technologies and has spoken on podiums around the globe.

Dr. Allen Lycka Vroom Veer Stories

Walking around Disneyland and his wife is asking him what's wrong? His foot was “flapping” and dragging on the groundThe diagnosis after all the tests were in conclusive; so more tests! Finally one doctor declared that he had ALS; Allen didn't really believe him; but still start going through the stages of grief at his own looming deathAfter the depression stage, instead of accepting the fact that he had ALS he decided to do his own research; he found another person who had been diagnosed with ALS but didn't think he really had itFound the doctor who treated this other person; he had correctly diagnosed that this was Chronic Lyme Disease and could be treated with antibiotics Great story about how we need to struggle in life to learn and grow; without the struggle we grow weak and dieGreat story about enthusiasm and how it can make or break any project

Connections

Website

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Lin Eleoff Lawyer, Life Coach, Entrepreneur (BOV)

By YooperSmith | March 15, 2021

Lin Eleoff Says:
I never wanted to be that lawyer. You know, the kind with the corner office in a fancy schmancy law firm.
The kind who pretends to be happy with her life while working 60 and 80 hours a week.

The kind whose mind is focused solely on “billable hours.”

And making partner.

And looking the part.

Just the thought of being that kind of lawyer makes want to do my favorite TV lawyer impersonation and scream, “I object.”
I’m the kind of lawyer that wants to help you avoid having to hire a lawyer because you suddenly find yourself in legal hot water.
I want to show you ways to do a lot of the “legal stuff” yourself, so that when you’re ready to hire a lawyer, you’ll have done most of the work already. Ta-da… fewer billable hours!
Lin Eleoff Vroom Veer Stories

Age 11, wrote a letter to a local TV station to get a job on a TV show
Driving to a radio station with an audition tape, got lost; landed at a TV station; got a job
Worked on Radio during the week and did weather on TV on the weekends
Climbed the ladder at the TV station, did sports, locations, and eventually was an anchor person
Won an award for a 4 part news series about people who need face reconstruction surgery.
After 4th child, moved to the states from Toronto; was ready to go to Law School
Loved law school, never really wanted to be a law firm lawyer…had to create her own space
Started exploring coaching as a personal growth endeavor, not intending to become a coach
Started a coaching practice first then set up a DIY Legal Toolkit
So she is now an entrepreneur, coach, lawyer
Talked about Another Freaking Growth Opportunity when she went through a divorce

Lin Eleoff Connections

lineleoff.com

coveryourassetsonline.com

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AK Turner – Vagabonding with Kids (BOV)

By YooperSmith | March 8, 2021

AK Turner is The New York Times bestselling author of the Vagabonding with Kids series (Brown Books) as well as This Little Piggy Went to the Liquor Store, Mommy Had a Little Flask, and Hair of the Corn Dog (Fever Streak Press). Her works have received a starred review from Publishers Weekly, an IPPY Award for Humor, and been named in BookLife’s Top 5 Indie Books of 2014.

AK Turner has traveled to Greece, Ireland, France, the Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Canada, the Netherlands, Finland, and Italy, and completed extended trips (two months or more) to Russia, Palau, Vanuatu, Mexico, Morocco, England, Spain, Australia, and Brazil.

She is a contributor to the anthologies Leave the Lipstick, Take the Iguana (Traveler’s Tales), Little White Dress (Mill Park Publishing), I Just Want to Be Perfect and I Just Want to Be Alone (Throat_Punch Books). Her work has been featured online at Scary Mommy, In the Powder Room, The Huffington Post, Nickmom, Felicity Huffman’s What the Flicka?, and Artocratic, among others, and in a variety of print publications.

She is a former humor columnist, founded “The Writers’ Block” on Radio Boise, serves on the board of the Idaho Writers Guild, and speaks at conferences and in live comedy events. A former Writer-in-Residence for the City of Boise and Idaho State Parks, she lives in Idaho with her husband and two children, but travels frequently as a part-time digital nomad.
AK Turner Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in Maryland, studied Russian, even visited Russia at age 15
Studied Russian through college, and suddenly fell out of love with Russian
Met her husband (to be at the time) on a trip to Cabo, then moved to California
Waited tables and scrubbed toilets while “trying to be a writer”
Husband figure out he hated his dream job in one month…that was quick
Hubby started a new gig working on boats for movie shoots around the world
Landed in Boise, finally got some traction talking to an editor from Penguin
The penguin deal fell through after two years of talk (groan)
Self-published This Little Piggy went to the Liquor Store, and is New York Times Best Seller
Continues to travel; Vagabonding with Kids is a book series, blog, and a lifestyle.

AK Turner Links
Website

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Nelson Tressler – Choose to get Smarter

By YooperSmith | February 8, 2021

Nelson Tressler early life was filled with trauma, struggle, and court trials. But although his childhood was something that many of us couldn’t fathom going through, he was able to turn his life around in a positive way. He set goals, kept a positive mindset, and stayed accountable to his actions. He has developed the IGotSmarter App to help others do the same.

Murder, Rape, and Abuse is just the start of Nelson’s story. Nelson’s mom had him when she was 15 years old. When she was pregnant her father shot two police officers. His mom testified at his grandfather’s murder trial that the reason that his grandfather shot the police officer was because he had raped her, and she was now pregnant with Nelson.

Nelson Tressler is the Founder and CEO of IGotSmarter, a program created to support and motivate people to achieve their goals. For the past 25 years, goal achievement and personal development have been Nelson’s passion; but his true obsession was awakened several years ago as he began the development of IGotSmarter. The principles, philosophies, and accountability intricately built into every aspect of the App have not happened by chance. It is a program comprised of a lifetime of study and determination to succeed not only financially and professionally, but in every area of life.

Nelson’s passion for helping others overcome obstacles in their way came about through the difficult circumstances of his childhood. His story reads like something out of a work of fiction, but it is Nelson’s reality. Rather than using his tragic story as an excuse, he has used it to motivate himself and to help others overcome their own struggles. One of his favorite quotes is, “Never be ashamed of a scar. It simply means you were stronger than whatever tried to hurt you.” It is his vision to make this world a better place one person and one inspiring goal at a time. He believes goals not only change the current generation, they also change the generations that follow.

Nelson Tressler Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Very traumatic childhood; abused by his stepfather-had four siblings–step father killed in a car accident; mother tried to commit suicide but failed; then he went to live with his grandmother Didn't know how to read or write because he missed too much school and was dyslexic–in special ed program until 11th gradeWent to college for his freshmen year with pell grants and some football scholarship; could not afford tuition for the next year; he joined the Air ForceServed in the Air Force for 4 years and attended some college while in; traveled to Saudi Arabia and TurkeyUsed the GI bill to complete his Bachelor's degree in Finance; thought he would work in finance but found an internship in commercial real estate instead One key lesson he learned living with his mom who never had money was resourcefulness; this is just figuring out a way to keep the lights on–even put the electric bill in the cat's name!For many years he never told the story of this childhood; it was too much to share; until he learned he could change what that story meant to him; the new meaning is now inspiring and empowering

Connections

NelsonTressler.com

Igotsmarter.com

Twitter

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Jen Briney (2) – Congressional Dish

By YooperSmith | February 1, 2021

Jennifer Briney analyzes the actions of Congress that are generally ignored by the corporate media, delivering the information from the perspective of a snarky, fed-up taxpayer who bears no allegiance to any political party or ideology.Congressional Dish exposes the stories drowned out by the partisan noise in the US Congress.

Link to Episode 83: Jen's 1st Episode from the Way Back

Jen Briney Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

The outgoing Congress passed 10,000 pages of laws as they were walking out the door; Jen has to read that!Jen and I meet at a Podcast movement in 2014 in Dallas TX, we stayed at cheap hotel next door to the host hotelJen gets a free ticket to Podcast Movement because she does the orientation for newbies; she gets to be the camp counselor for all the freshmenJen just started the “travel full time” lifestyle; they are giving away all of the IKEA furniture and dumping the expensive rent since they were hardly there anyway2008 when President Obama was elected Jen cried happy tears of joy; then the next 8 years were a constant disappointmentNAFTA was renamed and changed on 1 Jan 2021–nobody heard about it on the newsNGOs and what those guys are up to?–funded by the government; but not government, government surrogates that promote the World Trade SystemQanon is an Arg, what's an ARG?Biden is a little bit better than Trump; At least Biden will work on the environment and the climateObama was trying to oust the leadership in Syria; Hillary Clinton promised to establish a no fly zone in Syria; Syria invited Russia to help them fight the U.S.–so Trump kinda stopped World War 3…no big dealWhat is China doing? They are in the WTS but they don't follow the rules; The World Trade System rules say that multinational corporations should be allowed to profit as much as possible without “local interference”China basically controls lots of industries with their government; it's a hybrid model where they are in the market economy; but the companies are state controlledThe Chinese play a long game; 100-year plan long game; oh yeah need some need roads? Bridges? High Speed Rail System? We will give you those; all we want is control of this port for 99 years–DEAL!Another game that China plays is they loan a country money; once they are in debt to the point that they can never pay back; they use that leverage to get the country to play ballWhat can we do about the environment? We can draw down the legacy load of carbon in the atmosphereSocial media is using the engagement model to make money and is causing real damage to humans; Humane Technology wants to fix that

Connections

Congressional Dish Podcast

Talking Fat

Kiss the Ground (Doc on Netflix with Woody)

Humane Technology

Follow Jen on Twitter. Contact Jen.

Link to Episode 83: Jen's 1st Episode from the Way Back

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Brandy Thomas – Design, Comedy, Podcasts & No Sleep

By YooperSmith | January 25, 2021

Part freelance designer, part stand up comedian, Brandy Thomas has made a name for herself in the world of the unconventional. She initially started her career in the field of graphic design when, at the ripe age of 20, she repeatedly called a local marketing firm every day until they agreed to give her an interview. This unrelenting, self-sabotaging persistence would prove to be both a blessing and a curse throughout her life and career as she went from being a full time employee at a stable company, to a struggling freelancer unable to make ends meet, to a lost, starry-eyed entrepreneur who was on a mission to change the world, to a now cynical, exhausted, stand up comedian who’s kind of just sick of it all.She currently resides in upstate New York where she runs her freelance design business, Mile One Creative, co-hosts two podcasts, Comedians for Hire and Eat Your Feelings, and co-produces the 3-year running Last Call Comedy Show in NYC. Has she mentioned how exhausted she is?

Brandy Thomas Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in Round Rock Texas outside of Austin; her Dad traveled all the time for work; there was a naked homeless man that ran for major and almost wonWent to college for marketing and while attending hustled her way into a receptionist job with a marketing firm; taught herself how to use all of the design software packagesShowed the manager a business card design that she did on her own time; he let her move from the receptionist position to a design positionWorked there and learned how to manage clients; when she left she took some clients with herWent to a comedy show and realized that she had been writing comedy for a long time; did stand-up gigs 5 days a week while living in NYC; also hosts a show in NYC once a monthStarted a podcast to talk to comics about all the “other” jobs they have to do to make ends meet when comedy doesn't pay the billsHer other podcast she co-hosts with her sister who is a personal trainer; her sister will provide health and fitness tips and Brandy makes fun of the tips, but eventually takes the advice

Connections

Mile One Creative Design

Comedians for Hire

Eat your Feelings (iTunes)

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BOV – Carrie Hartunian Smith – Smart Marketing

By YooperSmith | December 7, 2020

Carrie Hartunian Smith is a smart marketing consultant who took a startup from $60K a month to $7M a month within the first year. Her mission is to help you build your brand, position yourself as an expert and create the business of your dreams. Carrie works with business owners and entrepreneurs to develop accelerated growth strategies in highly competitive industries. She creates and executes strategic growth plans, directing integrations and marketing automation, as well as manages projects and establishes benchmarks for success. Carrie’s expertise is in fostering winning cultures, increased productivity and reducing costs in mission-driven environments.

Carrie Hartunian Smith Vroom Veer Stories

Never liked High School, started working at 14 and fell in Love with work

Home Economics classed allowed her to attend school half days–WOOT!

Found herself a retail manager at the ripe age of 17 supervising people in their 60's

Realized she was vrooming at age 19 and tried out college…hated it!

Marriage didn't work out; Carrie became a single parent

Her dad asked her to help him start a business; he had NO idea Carrie kicked-ass at biz ops

Dad takes a nice exit deal, new owners ask her to stay-on for 6 months; she stayed 4 years

Started her own marketing consulting business; she didn't think she knew marketing

Carrie Hartunian Smith Links

Smart Marketing Consulting

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Brian Gill – Data Recovery When you need it Most

By YooperSmith | November 30, 2020

Brian Gill is a seasoned tech entrepreneur that has co-founded five successful tech companies. He is currently CEO of Gillware where they provide disaster recovery services to businesses experiencing data loss due to storage death, malicious employee or cyber criminal behaviors.

Brian Gill – Vroom Veer Stories

Cyber crime is everywhere it is a well funded and lucrative criminal enterprise–every business needs cyber defense–individuals tooRansomware attacks blossomed in 2015–the spin-off company that Brian created is now 3 times the size of GillwareGillware remains focused on the natural disaster events for data recovery–such as cat pee on my laptop varietyGrew up in Sun Prairie Wisconsin outside of Madison; lived on a farm with BB guns and .22's–mostly shot at pumpkins; never liked killing varmints; now he feeds all the animals in his yard including squirrels Had a PC Jr. when he was a kid, no storage only memory; if he wanted to play hang-man he had to type in the program and not turn off the computerIn High School, Brian just showed up and got A's he didn't have to work at it; that changed in college when he tried Electrical Engineering he found himself in the bottom third of the grade pool; changed to computer science and made the Dean's listAfter College bought a one-way ticket to San Francisco to get in on the tech start-up game; drove one exit away from the airport and rented an apartment; then realized he was 45 minutes away from SF!Worked in the SF area in tech start ups for about 4 years; then the dot com bubble popped; decided to move back to Wisconsin–got a job for the Wisconsin State Government One of Brian's best friends from College turns out to be a genius in Nuclear Engineering; they started Gillware together in Wisconsin–life is pretty good with a Genius as a business partner

Connections

Website

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Daniel Mangena – Dream with your Eyes Open

By YooperSmith | November 23, 2020

Daniel Mangena: After receiving a late diagnosis of Asperger’s and experiencing what can only be described as life-shattering trauma at the age of just 20, Daniel spent the next seven years struggling to keep these revelations and events from spilling into every area of his life. As a result of his struggles, Daniel built a simple, four-step system called the Beyond Intention Paradigm.

Initially built as a lifeline grappling with suicidal thoughts, Beyond Intention was born, transforming Daniel’s life from misery to celebration. Through his own struggles, Daniel found a path to lasting joy and purpose and he wants nothing more than to share the tools that saved his life. To that end, he lives by this mission statement:

“To Spearhead an evolutionary uplift in universal consciousness by awakening people to the importance of their unique role. This that is already encoded in them by way of a deep and often ignored or undervalued passion defined as their Dream.”

Through his motivational speech, Daniel shares his vision of empowerment and joy. The books he has authored, his “Do it With Dan” podcast series (which is available on all major platforms, regular blogs, published articles and worldwide workshops; have all helped thousands across the globe. His prolific work recently earned him a spot in the Wall Street Journal as a “Master of Success”.

Daniel Mangena Vroom Veer Stories

Born and raised in East London (UK); his parents immigrated from Africa in the 70'sHis Dad moved to the UK to complete a 2nd Master's Degree; then got a PhD in economics and just for fun completed a law degreeDaniel is trying not to swear because his wife is about to have a baby and has a 4 year old step daughter I think it's funny that is ok for adults to swear when kids are not around; and it's ok for kids to swear when adults are not around; but it's never ok to swear when you are togetherTalking about swearing across cultures is fun! (NSFW)Only did one year of college because he was cheated out his grades (great story); really turned him off college all togetherStarted a business and made a Million Pounds!; lost it all because of a legal issueLearned it was okay to get help from experts, legal and otherwise, and rebuilt his business

Connections

Website

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BOV – Dr. Joanie Connell – Flexible Work Solutions

By YooperSmith | October 26, 2020

Dr. Joanie Connell is the founder of Flexible Work Solutions, a consulting firm that specializes in leadership assessment and development. She is the author of “Flying without a Helicopter: How to Prepare Young People for Work and Life.” She received her doctorate from UC Berkeley and her bachelors from Harvard.
Dr. Joanie Connell Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up walking around Harvard Square, decided to attend at a young age
Parents supported her dream, and insisted her degree led to work
Used her Harvard education in engineering to land a job in Silicon Valley
Worked on the early computer hardware that interface computers together
Realized early on in engineering that she preferred working with people rather than machines
Completed her PhD. in Psychology, and then returned to engineering–go figure
Now acts as an interface between Millennials and their managers

Dr. Joanie Connell Links
Flexible Work Solutions

Flying without a Helicopter: How to Prepare Young People for Work and Life

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Thane Marcus Ringler – Catalysts for Hope

By YooperSmith | September 7, 2020

Thane Marcus Ringler is a former professional golfer turned speaker, writer, development coach, and podcast host living in Denver, CO with his wife Evan.

Thane's mission is to help others live and work better. His goal is to empower this generation to take ownership and never settle for less than they are capable of.

From Thane Marcus' website:

Self-Described: Ultra-competitive, fiercely determined, loyal friend, relationally driven, internally motivated, always an athlete, adrenaline junkie, lover of learning, disciplined by necessity, extroverted and introverted, passionate and inspired Up & Comer.thanemarcus.com/who/

This is Thane's 2nd appearance on Vroom Vroom Veer, don't miss his first episode

Thane Marcus Ringler Vroom Veer Stories

What is hope and why does Jim Carey think hope is a beggar? We don't know, what do you mean Jim?Faith, hope, and love are all required to stay in a healthy optimistic mind set; hope is staying positive, faith is knowing without seeing and love is the opposite of fear The American Dream can focus too much on safety and security; in reality there is no safety and all things pass…the good and the bad.We are all a “process” until we die; as Buffy said, I'm not cookies; I;m still dough; progress is always baby stepsDiscipline has a negative connotation but it really will create more freedom by creating more space and time for what is possibleSelf Awareness is key to so many things in life in helping you take more responsibility for your lifeMediation creates space for you to grow your consciousnesses and your self awareness

Connections

Website

The Up & Comers (Podcast)

Catalysts for Hope

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Tristan White – Culture is Everything

By YooperSmith | August 31, 2020

Tristan White is the founder & CEO of The Physio Co, a unique healthcare business that ranked #1 on BRW’s list of Australia’s 50 Best Places to Work in 2014. The Physio Co has ranked as one of Australia’s 50 Best Places to Work for ten consecutive years (2009-2018), along with being named one of the Best Workplaces in Asia from 2015-2018.Tristan believes we spend such a huge part of our lives working that we have to find a way to enjoy it. In his book Culture is Everything: The Story and System of a Start-Up that Became Australia’s Best Place to Work, Tristan shares his 19-step system for building a great place to work. His approach is simple, centered around 4 basic pillars: Discover the Core, Document the Future, Execute Relentlessly, and Show More Love.Join Tristan’s Culture is Everything 19-week kickstarter program to build a stronger and more empowered team! Tristan loves to share what he’s learned along his entrepreneurial journey, andhe does just that through his podcast, Think Big, Act Small, as well as from the stage. A captivating keynote speaker, Tristan shares his insight with audiences at conferences and corporate events around the globe.

Tristan White

Grew up in the small town of Foster near Melbourne in Australia, played a lot of sports like Australian Rules Football; got injured oftenAt age 15, had an opportunity to work with a Physio Therapist (like a a Physical therapist in the states); didn't really like itReally wanted to be a medical doctor; but didn't score well enough for medical school; big disappointmentHis mother convinced him to attend college anyway, got into a Science and law program; rediscovered Physio Therapy and decided to pursue that in collegeWorked in private practice for a while pursing his dream to help elite athletes play better; not as fulfilling as he thought that would beWent back home to figure out what was next; start working 12 hours a week at a nursing home helping the elderly improve movementReceived referrals to many other elder care facilities and soon he realized he had more work than he could handleFirst he found a partner physio therapist to help him part-time; eventually he grew that into a businessAfter he was running his business for several years; realized that he was a problem and that he needed to create a better business culture

Connections

Website

Twitter

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Steve Rodgers Returns – IGI Principles: Invite God In

By YooperSmith | August 17, 2020

Steve Rodgers returns! He is Author of Amazon #1 Best-selling book “Lead to Gold,” soon to launch book “The IGI Principles,” and creator of Alchemy Advisors coaching and consulting firm, is a former Warren Buffet CEO who experienced a radical spiritual transformation that has evolved into a new mission as a purpose-driven consultant and entrepreneur coach, in demand international keynotespeaker, and bestselling author. Steve specializes in helping business owners and leaders increase profits while bringing spiritual intelligence into every aspect of their personal and professional lives to invite in success, fulfillment, and abundance beyond their wildest dreams.

He recognizes himself as a spiritual being having a human experience whose purpose is to help individuals discover their purpose and maximize their highest good in life and business. Steve lives near San Diego with his wife and trusted golden retriever. When not coaching and consulting,he enjoys bike riding, yoga, meditation, and spending time with his children and grandchildren.

Steve Rodgers Returns to Vroom Vroom Veer

Steve's spiritual practice runs all day! Starts and ends with mediation and connecting with breathBody, being, bonds, and Business the four B's on Steve's score cardInspired by Wayne Dyer and Deepak Chopra; loved the idea of the ego meaning E.G.O being Edge God OutTurned that around with I.G.I invite Good (God) in; which became his new bookTalked about “Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black man” a new show on YouTube; I got the football player's name wrong…sorry it's Emmanuel Acho not Emmanuel Sanders Steve and I agree as a white guy it is definitely uncomfortable talking about race with anybody but it really needs to happenWe also talked about the movie “13th” on Netflix which suggests that racism is baked into our government at some very deep levels

Connections

Website

Unconformable Conversations with a Black Man

13th (Film)

Steve Rodgers first Episode

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MK Elkhamissy – Let go of Limiting Beliefs

By YooperSmith | August 10, 2020

MK Elkhamissy: What makes MK unique among other highly successful people in business is the path that led to his success and his intention for living after having created that success. MK’s achievements are no accident. He intentionally designed his life so that he does not have to answer to anyone and can help who he wants when he wants. This has not been the easiest path. MK spent twenty years training to be a professional soccer player, only to find that his dream was not possible. Graduating college right as 9/11 struck, no one would even look at his CV because his name was Mohammed. Later on, he was given the opportunity to run a company generating over $1 billion in sales while his one-year-old daughter was diagnosed with an “incurable” form of cancer. He did not merely accept the doctor’s word–that the only treatment that could save her life would prevent her from ever walking again– instead, through action, he persevered and found a doctor who offered a better solution. Today she is a happy 12-year old who can run and play like other kids.

Because of his path, MK views success as a means of helping others. He regards success and winning as a moral duty that enables people to help others. He believes that being humble makes you strong and that being strong makes you happy. MK’s accomplishments came despite the fact that he is an average person–which means that by following his advice anyone can achieve success. A firm believer in Stoicism philosophy, he truly strives to challenge people to think differently about what freedom and success mean and how to go about getting them.

MK Elkhamissy Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up a soccer player; knew for sure he would go pro; graduated college in September 2001; faced an identity crisis “who am I if I am not a soccer player?”Realized that he would not “go pro” in soccer; and had to find a job; his name (Mohammed) didn't help him get a job post 9/11Flipped some houses and lost his ass; didn't really know what he was doingLanded an amazing internship with the “Godfather of Apartments” in Atlanta who took him under his wingHis daughter battled cancer before she was two years old; MK felt completely helpless to do anythingAfter the first surgery and chemo the doctors sent them home and they lived an amazing six months; then the cancer came back hardTold by the doctor that she could live but the radiation would damage her spine so much that she would never walk; MK said “Fuck you”; a nurse told him about another doctor in FloridaIn Florida, the proton treatment would kill the cancer and spare the spineMK wants to partner with like minded folks who want to built something to solve problems

Connections

Website: https://mk20.co/

LI: linkedin.com/in/mkhamissy/

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Dawn Apuan – You have a mission, and it’s BIG

By YooperSmith | July 20, 2020

Dawn Apuan is an expert copywriter and funnel strategist. Former pastor and non-profit Executive Director, her mission now is to help entrepreneurs create magnetic messaging that sells out your high ticket offers. She provides expert copy and done-for-you funnels to automate leads and sales, increasing your income and impact.

Dawn Apuan Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in Washington State in the Puget Sound region; spent a lot time outdoors at Mt Rainer Very much a high achieving academic nerd in a private Christian school that her family could NOT afford but for the fact that her mother was a teacher thereFinished college with in only 3 years because she was funding her own education; graduated with only $11k in student loansHer degree required a masters to get a job; so she went back to her high school job as an Assistant manager at a record store; paid of her debtsWorked in Vancouver with the mentally ill; also spent time in Toronto as well; stressed and busyWent to Seminary and got ordained in the Salvation Army and then got married; got assigned to Seattle and worked very hard with the mentally illTurning point when she talked to her leadership about not wanted to raise her child in child careIncredible Hulk moment when she was told “You can't make a living without this job”; Started Googling “work from home” found affiliate marketing course for $99; had to take it on the Down Low; she also found a personal development workshop in Las Vegas; changed her mindsetLearned how to copyright and build sales funnels and was able to step away from the Salvation Army

Connections

Website

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Best of VVV Tracy Goodwin Captivate the Room

By YooperSmith | July 13, 2020

Known around the globe as The Red Sweater Lady, Tracy Goodwin teaches people how to captivate the room, live, on camera, acting and behind the mic. A specialist in voice technique, Tracy teaches builds massive confidence while laying in the skills needed to step into your voice power. Find out more at www.captivatetheroom.com
Tracy Goodwin Vroom/Veer Stories

How did you become the “Red Sweater Lady”?
Loved public speaking starting at age 12
Growing up she wasn't allowed to use her voice.
How she learned she needed to find her voice to advocate for her son with autism.

Tracy was relentless in finding her son the best fit for schools and helpers and teachers
The school district removed the diagnoses because of her son's dramatic improvements across the board.

Working as an actor on TV in commercials…what was that like?
Loves(!) teaching people to find and use their voice.

Tracy Goodwin Links

Tracy's Website is at www.captivatetheroom.com

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BOV Gregg Swanson Warrior Mind Coach

By YooperSmith | July 6, 2020

Gregg is a Professional and Certified Mental Strength Coach and Personal Fitness Trainer. He owns Warrior Mind Coaching and Training along with

Warrior Fitness Coaching and Training. His high quality, high content programs are thoroughly researched and delivered in a unique, energetic and powerful straightforward manner.
Vrooming in corporate Sales

Pre 2000, Gregg was making great money in corporate sale in the telcom business. He sales region include California and Hawaii
Then around 2000 the telcom bubble burst, telcoms stopped buying infrastructure and Gregg was out of a job.
His veer awakening unfolded over the next five years following being “downsized” from his job.
He and his fiancé decided to “downsize” their lifestyle which included moving from California to Bend, Oregon.
Gregg then vroomed back into corporate telcom sales living and working in the San Francisco Bay Area of California
That vroom lasted about three years and Gregg was downsized again

Veer into Coaching

Gregg started working with the idea of turning his “passion” into a business
The problem was that he had multiple passions and he had to figure out which passion he authentically enjoyed sharing with others
Most of his passions he were just for him…he enjoy doing them, but not sharing them.
His big A-HA moment was when he discovered that he really enjoyed coaching people.

Almost Veered off a mountain

Gregg tells the story of surviving an avalanche during a mountain climbing trip.
He described a new sort of inner peace and gratitude for being alive.
This inner peace helped Gregg see that so much of the little things in life that hold us back just don't matter.
We discuss building structures in our life to help us cultivate this inner peace.

Mystery School

Learning the secrets of the universe through transformation experiences.
10 day retreat in Joshua Tree including a practice in native american shamanism.

Dance and movement

5 rhythms dance
shamanic trance dance
ecstatic dance

Links

Gregg's Web Site
Books by John Randolph Price: The Abundance Book and Super Beings
The Dip by Seth Godin

Subscribe = Love! 😀
iTunes or Stitcher

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Frank Forte – A.G.I.L.E Mindset Demystified

By YooperSmith | June 22, 2020

Frank Forte has led projects and programs around the world for clients such as the U.S. Navy, Air Force, Army, NASA, CA, CSC, GTE, and Mylan Pharmaceutical. He has worked across many different industries, including Oil & Gas, Software, Healthcare, and Construction.Frank began learning about high performing teams while serving in the Navy on nuclear powered submarines during the Cold War. There he experienced the effectiveness of high performing teams and some of the leadership principles that help build them. Today, Frank speaks, coaches, and consults for individuals and companies on how to affect change using lean-agile thinking. Frank is a Certified Executive Coach who holds a BSCIS and has done graduate work in Software Engineering.He has been part of 6 startups in various industries and phases of funding.Frank’s new book: A.G.I.L.E. Mindset Demystified – Mindset over Mechanics, is due to be released soon. The word agile has moved far beyond its original meaning in helping to transform large organizations. We now know that agile is used as the tool to accelerate an organization’s ability to adapt and thrive in a world of accelerating change. This book provides the missing link of how to shift mindsets and how to enable teams to work effectively.The framework of the book will help grow a new way of thinking and is anchored in:AdaptabilityGrowthImprovementLeadershipExperienceA.G.I.L.E. will challenge everything you think you know about leading and working in large organizations. Embrace this challenge and the opportunities to improve because this is the only way to fully realize A.G.I.L.E and experience the benefits.

Frank Forte Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in Ohio; born and raised in an Italian restaurant; starting working when he was 9 years old; was running the show by the time he was 16Grandmother said she would pay for him to attend culinary school; his dad suggested he should join the NavySpent 11 years in the navy working in IT job on subs; learned a lot about high performance teams and how to do other people's jobsRealized he was away from his kids nearly a whole year and that was not going to change i the Navy; so he got out and started doing nearly the same job as a contractor but for more moneyWent to Saudi Arabia twice; got dysentery the first time; lost 25 pounds in two weeks; had passport issues while trying to leave the second time Worked with the Air Force on their logistics software turning the 2nd Gulf warLived with his family near Frankfurt in Germany for 3 years; got to drive a BMW on the autobahn at 140 MPH; he was still passed by people going 200+ MPH

Connections

Website

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Tim James – 100% Responsible for My Well-being

By YooperSmith | June 8, 2020

Tim James is founder and CEO of ChemicalFreeBody.com, a mission-based organization that is passionate about helping everybody to ignite their highest excitement in life by putting themselves and their health first. Tim discovered a new way to view health and nutrition when he visited a world-renowned health institute that specialized in detoxing & nutrition with his best friend Charles, who was being treated for cancer. Ever since, Tim has been striving for optimal health and has completely transformed his life and body, dropping nearly 40 lbs and successfully treating his own health problems! When Charles was considered cancer-free after 2 years, Chemical Free Body was born with the mission to share the power in taking responsibility for one’s own well-being! It's a transformational journey, and individuals have to dig deep to find what works. Tim shares his knowledge with thousands of people to help them transform themselves!

Tim James Vroom Veer Stories

Was a big hunter & meat eater when younger; had his own “TJ” he used to brand his steaksGot really sick and started to notice he was over weight and even had blood in this stool; didn't want to see a doctor and got real sick and ruined a vacation for him and his familyHad one close friend die from cancer; another friend was given a death sentence from his doctor; Tim went with him to a natural medicine retreat that saved his friends life and changed his life forever Learned just how bad and SAD the Standard American Diet really is; makes us sick and kills us slowlyHow to take control of your diet, gut health, healthy clean water, breathing and ground your body on the earthLearn the 4 core secrets to improve your own health; 3 of the 4 are free; Weed and CBD is really better than booze…duh!; What is aspirin made of? White Willow bark! use that instead of aspirin

Connections

Website (Chemical Free Body) Use Coupon Code: VVV for 5% discount

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Hilary DeCesare – There are always Silver Linings

By YooperSmith | June 1, 2020

Hilary DeCesare

Hilary DeCesare is an award-winning entrepreneur, Executive Coach, CEO of The ReLaunch Co., featured speaker in the Silicon Valley and conferences nationwide, as well as philanthropist. She’s made it her commitment to help people reach new heights in life, their career, and relationships. Having faced setbacks herself, she has a unique understanding of how to help others by providing actionable steps to successfully ReLaunch using transitions to create life changing transformations. Her attitude is find the Silver Lining! You might have caught Hilary on ABC’s The Secret Millionaire, or may have seen her speak on major new outlets such as CBS, ABC, Fox, Huffington Post and Yahoo. She redefined hybrid learning across business and life using her proprietary program The ReLaunch Effect integrating it with transitional coaching / classes offered from The ReLaunch Co. and The ReLaunch Collective.

Hilary DeCesare Vroom Veer Stories

How a beer and a shot of tequila relaunched her life and she didn't DIE!Amazing story about airport security; questionable baggage and a braParents divorced when she was young; one of those kids flying between SF and LA with her brotherGot a job at Oracle and knew nothing about computers; learned eventually what she needed to knowLanded an amazing college class about sales without even knowing their were a a bunch of prerequisites; got to take the class anywayWorked in Silicon Valley for a while and got the entrepreneur bugThere are always silver linings when we need to transition to our next thing

Connections

The Relaunch Co

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Michael Alan Tate 2 Roll up your Sleeves

By YooperSmith | May 25, 2020

This is Michael Alan Tate's (2) second appearance on VVV. He is a facilitator and coach with individuals and teams facing significant transitions. His new book, Roll Up Your Sleeves – leading and living in a world of constant change, is based on the strategies that have worked for his clients for over 20 years.

Michael Alan Tate (2) Vroom Veer Stories

Before a speaking gig the company he was set to speak to had an employee's son die suddenly, they asked him to speak about how to deal with that.Transition is not change; change is an event; transition is the wave of emotions we all must ride through to get to the other sideDifferent people experience the waves differently based on how they are wired; we all just need to be nice to ourselvesSome big silver linings of a pandemic; movie stars are stuck at home with their kids too!; no more Fear of Missing Out (FOMO!) there is nothing to miss out on Everyone has hidden battles they are fighting; be kind and speak truth; combining accountability and kindnessGet real clear about what you want; and connect to spirit and describe your desires in vivid detailSelf-Counseling doesn't work; you need a friend, family member, priest, guru, or yoga instructor to help you through those waves of transitionShowing people a picture of the waves of emotions and helping them see that what they are going through is a normal human process helps them accept the situation

Michael Alan Tate (2) Connections

Roll Up your Sleeves (Coming May 26th 2020)

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Sameera Khan – Helping People Keep Weight Off

By YooperSmith | May 18, 2020

Sameera Khan is a Physician’s Assistant and Registered Dietitian in the field of Obesity management. She specializes in helping teens and adults lose weight. With two bachelors in Nutrition and Physician Assistant studies along with a masters in Health care management , Sameera is going for her doctorate in physician assistant studies this summer. She also taught nutrition at a local community college. Sameera spent the last 20 years of her career as obesity expert for large health care systems and has worked with hundreds of obese clients. She sees firsthand what the life of an obese client looks like. Sameera works with them to help them create a life that they will love years after reaching their weight loss goals. Her first book as an author ” Regain Be Gone” is out in bookstores in March 2020

Sameea Khan Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in India and wanted to be a doctor, but that didn't work out; she became a dietitian Was married in a traditional Indian arranged marriage; but that didn't work out and she divorcedShe had to learn how to take care of herself and her children and realized she could not make ends meet with a dietitian salary; studied for 2 years while working full time and became a Physicians Assistant Realized that people who struggle with weight loss need support and accountability on their journeyPeople need to want to loose weight; you can't tell them too; once they commit they still need lots of supportPeople eat and drink alcohol for all sorts of reasons, many times to create or avoid emotion; like comfort food; and “party!” drinking Sometimes we drink beer to alleviate pain both physical and emotional; or just to take the edge of stress and anxiety

Sameera Khan Connections

Website

Book: Regain be GONE!

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Steff Green – Metal, Sex, and Supernatural

By YooperSmith | May 4, 2020

Steff Green is a USA Today bestselling author of supernatural romance books. She earns a multi-six figure income self-publishing stories about vampires and witches, and speaks online and all over the world about how authors can find their audience and build a badass writing career through self-publishing. Oh, and she's legally blind.

Steff Green – Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Started writing fiction stories at a very young age, sent a manuscript to the publisher of GoosebumpsWanted to be like Snoopy and fly a dog house and shoot down the Red Baron; still wants to fly somedayFell in love with dinosaurs; wanted to be a paleontologist; all she wanted to do was dig up bonesBig Veer! fell in love with ancient Egypt; wanted to be an archeologist; studied in UniversityVolunteered at dig sites in cool places like Crete, worked at a museum; ran into a wall against being a blind archeologist; was asked “what if you fall in the well?” What job/work would you do that where no one can so ask you “what if you fall in the well”? I would write fiction Wrote fiction; learned copy writing; started freelancing while working jobs; finally got a book dealBook deal vanished when her editor left the publishing house; good news she still owned the book seriesFifty Shades of Grey was real popular; she read it and thought it was not so great; her girlfriend loved it, told her she couldn't write a book like that; challenge accepted!

Connections

Website

Steff Green on Amazon

Steffanie Holmes on Amazon

Instagram

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Derek Stone Why Should I Forgive?

By YooperSmith | April 20, 2020

Derek Stone is an author, speaker, and a general contractor in Nashville. He wrote his first book entitled “Why Should I Forgive”. In September his business will be 10 years old. He has over 20 people working for him. He is married to his high school sweetheart for 17 years. Together they have 2 amazing boys Ashton and Noah.

Derek Stone Vroom Veer Stories

Amazing story about how Derek became addicted to performing music in High School; that is an amazing high that is very addictiveWas abused as a child; his real Dad was out of the picture; Derek started avoiding the pain with drugs and alcohol Heard a voice is his head that told him he needed to forgive his Dad; the How to let go of the anger took a lot of prayer and inner workEventually was able to forgive his father and let go of that burden of pain and grief; learned forgiveness was essential to his spiritual growthWhen he stop performing music in 2014 the pain he felt was grief at losing his platform to share his message of forgiveness; that's why he wrote the bookWhen we forgive, we are not forgiving other people because they deserve forgiveness or we are say what they did was ok, but we forgive for ourselves to process the emotions and move onWhen processing emotions one must feel them for as long as it takes while trying to let them go; eventually you will move past them

Connections

Stone's Repair and Remodel

Derek Stone Online (Pre-Order Book: Why Should I Forgive?)

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Victoria Lioznyansky – Overcoming Fear of Public Speaking

By YooperSmith | April 13, 2020

Victoria Lioznyansky teaches introverted entrepreneurs and business professionals how to overcome their fear of public speaking and become confident, compelling, captivating speakers. Taking her own experiences going from scared to sought-after speaker, Victoria founded Brilliant Speakers Academy®, an online public speaking coaching program for introverts. She also owns Nutty Scientists of Houston, a passion project about inspiring kids to fall in love with science.

Victoria Lioznyansky Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in Moscow and moved to the US in her early 20's; studied technology and Computer ScienceReally loved working a job as a software developer; felt the pull to start her own businessVroomed her way into and out of several corporate jobs; finally landed in Houston and started a franchise business while still working her jobWas doing a lot of public speaking while marketing her business; people started asking her for help with public speakingDefinitely not a “natural” public speaker, most people are not; really applied her software development skills to deconstruct the problem of public speakingOvercoming the fear of public speaking is more about learning to be comfortable on stage and less about being “perfect”Practice and faking it don't really do much to address the underlying “fear”; if you learn to be comfortable and relaxed it is much easier to connect with people

Connections

Website

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Carol Pittner and Doug Nordman – Raising Financially Savvy Children

By YooperSmith | April 6, 2020

Doug Nordman served for 20 years of active duty in the U.S. Navy’s submarine force and retired in 2002 at the age of 41. He and his spouse, a retired Navy Reservist, reached financial independence in 1999 on a high savings rate.
Carol Pittner was born & raised in Hawaii, and joined the Navy on a ROTC scholarship. She’s been stationed around the world on a destroyer and an aircraft carrier before moving to the Reserves. She and her active-duty spouse are rapidly approaching financial independence on a high savings rate.

Carol and Doug's Vroom Veer Stories

Doug was born in Pittsburgh, got to Hawaii as soon as possible in the Navy
Carol was born and raised in Hawaii, did her K-12 in Hawaii
Doug retired when Carol was in 5th grade, she didn't have go to the before/after soon programs; Dad was home now
Being retired can include some feelings of isolation; you need a plan to have social support; don't use this as an excuse to stay in a job that you don't like, you can work through this issue
Feeling a need to contribute something to your family and to the world is normal; finding out what that will look like can cause some fear; done right it can be lots of fun
What's it like to write a book with your Dad? Or your daughter? What were the challenges?
Doug realized after getting asked these questions about how to raise kids who were financially savvy that this is a book the Financial Independence (FI) community wants to read

Connections

The Book: Raising Your Money-Savvy Family For Next Generation Financial Independence

The Military Guide (this site was sold, again, re-direct works)

Doug's new blog with some great old articles that didn't re-direct.

Carol's Blog

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Best of VVV – Steven Crutchfield Villa Cappelli

By YooperSmith | March 30, 2020

Villa Cappelli! Steven Crutchfield grew up in Kenedy, Texas, a small town with a population of 3,763. Being a bit of nerd, I graduated the top of my class
and moved to Austin, Texas to attend the University of Texas where my first class was bigger than my entire high school and my dorm was bigger than my entire hometown.

Eventually, graduating with a degree in both English and Advertising, I headed to the even bigger city of New York to make a go of it as a copywriter. I worked at various agencies along the way, including Grey, Bozell, Gotham and McCann-Erickson. Eventually, I left the agency word and worked in the magazine word, most notably at Every Day with Rachael Ray, Family Handyman and Taste of Home. Oh, and somewhere along the way I met Paul and began this crazy adventure with him.

Just like Paul, I left the corporate world in 2012 to focus on the Villa Cappelli brand. After years in the Italian travel, hospitality and food business, we are excited to share our learning and lives with you.
Villa Cappelli Vroom Vroom in Kenedy Texas

Steven and I chat about our shared small town childhoods, which are mostly a blur at this point.

Villia Cappelli Veer to College Days

We chat about the shock and awe of moving from a small town to a much bigger world at UT
He tells a story of being totally overwhelmed during his college orientation.

Villa Cappelli Vroom Vroom in College

A story about how he was a biology major for about 15 minutes, but ended up living in the “science” dorm.

Veer to New York

Great story about a trip during college when he was a Junior with a bunch friends who were seniors.
New York planted a seed…

Vroom Vroom in New York

Beating the street to get his first agency work
Getting burnt out working long hours 12+ hour days
Finally getting a job he loves…and losing it…and then there was that Villa in Italy

Villa Cappelli Veer to Italy

His boyfriend Paul bought a ruin of a villa in Italy
When Steven lost his last job, they decided to make the Villa into their Brand.

Vroom Vroom in Villa Cappelli

Villa Cappelli is a place to stay, and products such as olive oil
Steven comes full circle back to his small town roots

Villa Cappelli Links

The Pitch Season 1 Episodes 2 and 5 on iTunes
Love what you eat – Villa Cappellia Web Site

If you like this podcast please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review.

iTunes

Stitcher

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Cynthia Cummins – Real Estate Therapy

By YooperSmith | March 23, 2020

Cynthia Cummins sells houses in San Francisco. It’s arguably the most daunting real estate market in the country, where winning a 900 sq. ft. two bedroom condo means coughing up $1.2 million in cash and doing battle with five other buyers for that dubious honor. It’s a pressure cooker where commerce and human emotions collide, and in her 30 years spent swimming in that soup, she has gained a lot of wisdom about the psychology of seeking shelter. Buying or selling property is a focus for the manifestation of every desire, neurosis, dream or value a human being can possess. And real estate is, first and foremost, about home and its deepest meaning. It’s not merely a transaction. It’s a transition. And – if you’re lucky – it offers a chance for transformation and healing. Her popular blog RealEstateTherapy.org explores the rich and complex narrative behind every home sale and reveals the ideas and guidelines that can make the experience a rewarding, life-affirming journey.

Cynthia Cummins Vroom Veer Stories

Born in San Francisco, but left when she was 1 year old, many pictures of her around SF as a babyMove to the south in Virginia and ran around in the woods until age 9Lived near DC for about 3 years until she was 13In High School here mother was a teacher and her father was the football coach; she was the “good girl” and trying to have fun without getting caughtStarted college with a year studying music; changed major to journalism; thought about attending law school, but deferred for a year or twoMoved to Idaho with her Austrian ski bum boyfriend; deferred law school againSurvived Mount St Helen's eruption; had to go back to Virginia for that summerWorked in a ski resort town as a typesetter; bartender; cocktail waitress and finally a print journalist!Moved to SF and briefly worked a corporate job but was miserable; her boyfriend got a real estate license; suggested if she's going to be miserable she might well make good moneyShe got her first sale because she really felt just positive regard for this client; fell in love with the idea of helping him find his home

Connections

Website (Blog)

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

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Anita Dhake – Early Retiree uses the Power of Thrift

By YooperSmith | March 16, 2020

Anita Dhake is part of the FIRE (Financial Independence/Retire Early) community who I found through the Mr. Money Mustache blog. I checked out her blog and was amazed by her story. Here are the cliff notes: 1) Went to law school because she was good a solving puzzles 2) decided very early that she could be “thrifty” and save enough money to 3) pay off her student loans 4) and then “retire”(!) in her 30's. Now she blogs, travels, meditates, MOVES!, and may have a part time job writing for some money. I can't wait to find out more!! 😀

Anita Dhake Vroom Veer Stories

Quick story about going to law school because she did well on the LSATGot paid $70k for a year to not work in a law firm; traveled & paid off some student debtTalk about the muscle/mind connection and the joy of working out and riding ones bike to workMeditation practice and how it helps you cope with everyday lifeDownsides of early retirement include difficulty saying “what you do” and people think you are lazy; also you find yourself hanging out with people much older than you areSalad for breakfast is amazing; check out Dr. Rhonda Patrick's micro nutrient smoothieAnita changed her Six pack abs goal to 4-pack abs the last two are NOT worth the sacrifice; Jeff is happy with his pony keg absHow to change your mind depression; meditation is the long road to fixing depression; psychedelics with therapy is a short cut

Connections

Website

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Rob Scott – Shift your Identify Change your Life

By YooperSmith | March 9, 2020

Rob Scott is a Master Level Coach and the founder of Fundamental Shift, LLC. His work has influenced hundreds of thousands of people, helping to “shift their identities.” He helps them evolve their consciousness, and create profound changes in all the important areas of life. His coaching programs take you through proven processes that will get you past your biggest, deepest limiting beliefs, so you can live into the highest version of yourself. The result of this massive shift is achieving levels of success once thought impossible to reach.

Rob Scott Vroom Veer Stories

Suffered abuse and rape as a child from a baby sitter; lead to all sorts of addictionsMade his therapist cry with his stories of abuse; still addicted all manner of drugsGot a corporate job; but was a high functioning alcoholic/addict which helped for 5-martini sales lunchesWhen he quit drinking and smoking; his boss missed the drinker; started feeling like a veer was comingOnce Rob started his healing journey; people organically started offering him money for coachingLearned that he not only was good at coaching; but he also loved doing itMediation serves a practice to help shift your identity; stop complaining in your head; and embrace and love each moment as it comes

Connections

Visit the Website: ROBSCOTT.COM

Apply for the Mastermind: IDENTITYSHIFTING.COM

Join our Coaching Community: FUNDAMENTALSHIFT.COM

Check out The Rob Scott Show – Listen on iTunes | Watch on YouTube

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Best of VVV – Steve Pavlina – Embracing the Path with Heart

By YooperSmith | February 24, 2020

Steve Pavlina and I shared a fun and insightful conversation covering a wide range of growth stories and a ton of laughs…instant best-of show!
Steve Pavlina Podcast: Steve's mission is

explore, clarify, and elegantly codify conscious growth
challenge the status quo, to take intelligent risks, and to experiment
strengthen our global society's alignment with truth, love, and power
advance conscious growth ambitiously, tenaciously, and sustainably
balance inspired innovation, co-creative teamwork, and disciplined execution
progressively embrace the highest standards of excellence and mastery
lead and inspire with authority, audacity, playfulness, and love

In short, his mission is to help you discover your truth, explore your desires, and develop your power.
Steve Pavlina Podcast: Family upbringing focused on mental performance

His parents and family were very focused on all things mental and intellectual.
Steve is not interested in having a “sexy” body, but being able to do new fun things.
All through high school, he was vrooming not interested in anything athletic or related to using his body.
In college he veered…deciding to study martial arts. He focused on creating new psychical abilities like braking boards and learning to spar, and do amazing kicks.
In the 90's Steve ran the LA marathon.
He exercised everyday for 25 minutes for 1 year…he didn't miss one day.
His diet also evolved from Standard American Diet to vegetarian to vegan.
Steve finds it more effective to set “FUN” fitness goals instead of boring fitness goals.
The benefits of improving your body also improve your mental performance and your emotional health.
Great book called “Spark”

Cool Sleep app for the iPhone and Android called Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock

Steve Pavlina Podcast: Vrooming with a Fear of public speaking

Starting in the 1st grade he was terrified to speak in front of people.
He had a good friend who was not afraid, but very calm speaking in front of people.
He faced his fears. He took opportunities to speak while working in the computer game community.
He found it more fun to speak about topics he wanted to talk about, and it was less frightening.
There was a real reward, when people thanked him for sharing his knowledge.

Labeled an introvert as a small child

Before high school he was labeled a shy kid, and an introvert.
He went to a high school that was focused on academics, so being smart made you a cool kid.
Because Steve was smart and a high achiever, he started to become more of an extrovert in High School
Steve eventually joined Toastmaster's and was a member for about 5 and 1/2 years.
He eventually joined that National Speakers Associations for a while.

Vrooming with a fear of touch

Grew up very much touch adverse.
His family didn't hug much out of affection.
Friendly and affectionate touch was something that was alien to him as a child.
In High School he remembers seeing girls greet boys with a hug, and that seemed very strange to him.
People would never do that with Steve.
Steve figures now that people can get a sense of whether someone is open to hugs and affection.
In college, while studying with a woman friend, his friend began to stroke his forearm.
Steve freaked out and made and excuse to leave and it was awkward.
Steve avoided her for the rest of the semester.
His veer was very gradual, he realized he was bad and accepting touch.
He started pushing himself to touch more.
Steve was like the therapist in the movie 50/50.
Once he started he wanted to veer to master touch and enjoy touching.
Steve tells the story of Daan Buckinx who learned to hug more during Steve's workshops.
He was getting strangers to hug him in less one second.
In 2010 he got cancer, but still came to Steve's Workshop.
Because of Daan's example, Steve started to hugging hello to everyone when they show up to his workshop.
The hugging really changed the event and warmed up more quickly.
Daan pasted away in 2011, and his facebook page is still getting posts about hugging.

Veering to life on the road

Steve and his Girlfriend have started downsizing their possessions to get down to only owning things that will fit in a laptop bag or a carry on bag.
When Steven sells his house, then they will start living and working on the road staying with friends, hotels, or Air BnBs.
His girlfriend has already moved out of her permanent house and is now in Paris, she's travelling in Europe.
Experimenting with travelling for free moving from invitation to invitation.
He plans on staying each place two or three months.
For Steve it's a temporary thing to travel full-time for a while.

Interview Links

Stevepavlina.com
Project Hug fest

Subscribe on iTunes or Subscribe on Stitcher

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Best of VVV – Caroline Greene – Create A Life that Matters

By YooperSmith | February 3, 2020

Caroline Greene is a recovering lawyer, chronic overachiever, and two-time Amazon best-selling author of MATTER: How to Find Meaningful Work That’s Right for You and Your Family and NEXT: How to Start a Successful Business That’s Right for You and Your Family. As a life and business coach, Caroline helps determined moms build businesses – and whole lives – that truly matter to them.
Caroline Greene Vroom Veer Stories

Urban Gypsy – moved every 1-3 years; dad was a lawyer
Father died when she was 12 years old
Success orientated family; no lies and no “B”’s—pretty cool; pretty hard-core
All 1st world problem from childhood Asked to go to boarding school; because she was a latch key kid; alone after school
Went to the fanciest boarding school; it was like going to Hogwarts
Got a “B” in Spanish; Mom sent her to Spain for language immersion
Did American studies at Yale; paid off when she started life coaching
Most college kids were adapting to being away from home for the first time
Struggled in College; didn’t love it the way she loved high school
No faster way to a six-figure salary than law school
Felt small in a in a lecture hall with 200 kids who were smarter than her
White collar criminal defense; found it SOOO boring; with smart amazing people
Went off to prosecute; loved that for about a year; felt like a cog in a wheel
If I’m not going to be happy; I’m at least gonna make a lot of money
Went back to old firm; then she had babies
Post-partum depression while she was pregnant with her second child
A faith journey was layered on top; heart pull was toward something more authentic
How did you veer away from law? I was hit upside the head with a 2×4!
Caught a glimpse of herself getting out the shower; looking sick and tired
Kicked into high gear; the spiritual journey
The best “OK” ever uttered in human history
Being truly seen and heard; instead of fixing a problem
You can always find a new herd; your heard will like the same grass you like
Realized the law firm wasn’t her herd anymore; on unpaid leave for 3 years
Discovered Martha Beck Life Coaching—found her new herd
Experience more healing in two weeks reading Martha Beck’s books
Attending Martha Beck life coach training; moving toward her new herd
Never intended to actually work as a life coach, she resisted for a while

Caroline Greene Links
Books:
MATTER: How to Find Meaningful Work That’s Right for You and Your Family
NEXT: How to Start a Successful Business That’s Right for You and Your Family
Links:
Website: http://carolinegreenecoaching.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CarolineGreeneCoaching
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DeterminedMoms

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Best of VVV – Aaron Walker View from the Top

By YooperSmith | January 27, 2020

Aaron Walker is, without question, a veteran entrepreneur. Starting his first business at 18, and selling to a Fortune 500 company nine short years later, demonstrates Aaron’s passion for success. Unwilling to rest on past success alone, Aaron started, bought, and sold eight successful companies over the past 36 years. Having a strong desire for personal development has kept Aaron in a weekly mastermind group for more than a decade with Dave Ramsey, Dan Miller, Ken Abraham, and seven other notable Nashvillians. Aaron has enjoyed a 35-year marriage with his beautiful wife, Robin. Today, Aaron spends the majority of his time helping men grow in success and significance as President and Founder of View from the Top, a premier life and business coaching resource.
Aaron Walker Vroom Veer Stories

Borrowed money to start a pawn shop and expanded to four stores.
At age 27 he sold the four pawn shops and he had “arrived” with a nice “exit” and had a load of money
Lesson learned…money isn't everything, he spend some time depressed and realized he needed to go back to work.
Freak car accident where a pedestrian didn't look where he was going and Aaron ran into him.
How do you get through the emotions of accidentally causes someone's death? Time and Prayer?
Later, the mother of the person killed in the accident helped to save a member or Aaron's family (wow!)
We chat briefly about the book “essentialism” which is like the 3rd or 4th time mentioned on the show.

Aaron Walker Links

Free Gift for Vroom Vroom Veer Listener's
LinkedIn
Twitter
Facebook
Google +
You Tube

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Russ Yeager – Transform your Body Transform your Life

By YooperSmith | January 20, 2020

Russ Yeager is one of the top fitness coaches in the world — but he wasn’t always fit and healthy. He grew up a chubby kid wearing the “husky” pants, constantly looking for answers.
He became obsessed in his pursuit of knowledge around building a lean, fit, healthy physique, maintaining abundant energy, and still having a real life. It took 25+ years of research, trial & error, and real-life experience for Russ to finally discover the “secret formula” to having the body, health, and energy we all want.
After winning an international physique transformation contest himself, Russ was inspired to leave his career as a CPA and dedicate his life to helping others look and feel amazing, reachgoals they never thought possible, and “exercise their right to be awesome.”
Today, Russ specializes in helping male entrepreneurs and business ownersaround the world make more money, grow their business, and reignite passionin their relationships, by first obtaining their ideal energy and physique.
Russ owns two private personal training studios in Atlanta, GA. He is the author ofLive Longer, Feel Better, and Look Great Naked!, and has written for and appearedin numerous fitness publications. Many of his clients describe him as “the mostpositive and motivating person” they’ve ever met, which is refreshing in a worldfull of too much negativity and cynicism.
Working with Russ, his clients have saved hundreds — even thousands — ofwasted hours and effort, giving them the confidence to know they WILLget results!

Russ Yeager Vroom Veer Stories

At 12 years old, his mom told him “You're not fat, you're husky”; he took that to heart and committed to losing weightWorked as an accountant for years and noticed he needed a change; committed to a body builder life style; won a competition 12 weeks laterWent to a accounting conference with his new body-builder body; he answered more questions about health and fitness than accounting; time to veer to a new job!How to binge without going completely off the rails; binge a little bit everyday; keep up your micro-nutrients and probioticsTalking about how changing your diet is more than just losing weight; you can also alleviate chronic inflammation and other health issuesRuss tells an amazing story of recovery from hip surgery; how one bad move can really scarce the hell out of youWorking with a therapist after your health insurance is done paying the bills; trigger point therapy and a chiropractor help to speed recovery

Connections

Website

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Nigel Bennett – Risking it all for what Really Matters

By YooperSmith | January 13, 2020

Nigel Bennett was shocked to witness first-hand the real impact of oil spills on our natural world. After almost being shot down by FARC guerrillas on the Venezuela-Colombia border and being forced to escape Egypt while working for his father's oil spill contingency planning company, he decided to break away and start Aqua-Guard Spill Response. Aqua-Guard now provides equipment and services that protect water, the planet's most precious resource, in 104 countries.

In
2012, Nigel set up his business to run without him, See what he did
with his new found freedom and see how he (with the help of his coach)
has been able to create a life that most people dream of.

Take That Leap recounts Nigel's unanticipated adventures as an entrepreneur, emerging philanthropist and always avid outdoors man. Get inside his head as he negotiates deals with the big boys and wrestles with the myths surrounding work/life balance and being an entrepreneur. Be there with him through the crazy challenges of simultaneously launching a startup and a family all the way through to the even zanier challenges of becoming a steward of Pachamama (mother Nature).

Follow this daredevil as he tests his limits in extreme outdoor adventures, builds homes for the homeless with his wife and children, and discovers his big “Why?” with the indigenous people of the Amazon.

Nigel Bennett Vroom Veer Stories

Born in Wales; immigrated to Vancouver at the age of 4; Dad was a merchant marineGrew up struggling with ADD and dyslexia; later re framed his situation as a “gift” instead of a challengeWorked with his dad's oil clean up business for about 10 years; learned the oil clean up business inside outAmazing story about a big veer with scary guys in Egypt; changed his relationship with his dad A helicopter ride taking pictures he is not supposed to take at age 22; felt a responsibility to clean up oil from waterBreaking away from his Dad's company and starting his own business with his sister How a Ayahuasca ceremony took him on a journey and helped him decided not to sell his business for a pile of money

Connections

Website

Aqua-Guard

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David Wood – Tough Conversations

By YooperSmith | December 23, 2019

David Wood veered after life as a consulting actuary to Fortune 100 Companies, and built the world’s largest coaching business, becoming #1 on Google for “life coaching.” He believes the tough conversations we avoid are our doorways to confidence, success, and even love – in both work and life. David coaches high performing entrepreneurs, executives and teams and even prison inmates – to amazing results AND connection. One conversation at a time.

David Wood Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in a rural Australia about 2 hours from Sydney; witnessed his sister die in a car accident at age 7 Was a math nerd in school, but struggled socially and emotionally; thank god he was great at mathStudied to become an actuary with his big math brain; had a job waiting for him after his finished his schoolingWorked his way to get a transfer to New York to work on Park Avenue; consulted with big corporate clients all in his 20's!Veered at around 26 and went to a personal development workshop; ended up coaching people for free at the workshop; realized he loved coaching peopleWorked as a coach for years and had great success until he realized he was burnt out; veered his way to Bail to play a video game for about 8 monthsMoved to Bali and learned 3 languages; taught himself java made an app; then he got kicked out of the nest and had to leave Bali in a hurryHad to reinvent himself again; went back into coaching with a laser focus on leaning into having tough conversations

Connections

Prison Training Trailer (3 min)Cashflow Ninja Podcast Interview

Gong Show VideoWebsite

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Carlos Rosales – 10X for Christ

By YooperSmith | November 25, 2019

Carlos Rosales worked in business leadership roles for 35 years, he knows what it takes to be a successful executive. His career has centered largely around sales and management, with experience in product development, new market establishment, and building/growing successfulteams for aggressive startups.
A Certified Professional Leadership Coach and Certified Process Consultant, Carlos launched his own coaching practice in 2007, where he helped his clients grow and develop as business leaders. Through his coaching assignments, Carlos was drawn to the concept of integrating faith and business, so he embarked on his life’s mission of speaking truth into the lives of professionals and executives, encouraging and empowering them to be their best selves in Christ Jesus!
Carlos has also worked with two great mentors, Zig Ziglar & Brian Tracy. Carlos recently wrote his first devotional book, 10X FOR CHRIST, based on his own life experiences and walk with Christ. Through his book and coaching/speaking opportunities, Carlos is empowering business leaders and professionals to reach new levels of business success and personal fulfillment. He’s passionate about sharing the 10X lifestyle and challenging others to live a bolder, more engaging life for Jesus Christ.

Carlos Rosales Vroom Veer Stories

Younger brother died at the age of three and his father struggled with alcoholism; Carlos spent much of his childhood away from the house as a resultFirst married started at age 18 and lasted 17 years and produced 3 children; it ended because of his infidelity; he was following a cultural script of having mistresses He became a born again Christian and found Zig Ziglar about the same time; became the pillars of his new walk with in faithLearned realistic optimism among many other things from Zig; learned how to walk in Jesus from GodTeaches in his book how to see yourself through the eyes of Christ; it presents a different view than the negative self talk in your headHow to see yourself as a “Masterpiece” of God; and that forgiveness runs from East-West; meaning there is nothing that can't be forgiven Walking the journey of faith is a daily practice of learning your life is a cherished gift from god to be treated with love and honor; not disrespected and abused

Connections

Website

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Kelly Glover – The Talent Squad

By YooperSmith | November 18, 2019

Kelly Glover launched her media career in 2001 and has since worked her way up the entertainment industry ladder from intern (Miramax) to agency owner. She started podcasting in 2006 prior to attending The Australian Television and Radio School’s elite commercial radio broadcasting program (AFTRS) after which she landed her own syndicated radio show (New FM/ Super Radio Network). Kelly’s track record includes working as an entertainment reporter on the red carpets in Hollywood (Zap2it), a talent agent (Mollison Keightely), and award-winning branded podcast producer (Mamamia/ Westpac). In 2016, Kelly launched the boutique bi-coastal podcast agency, The Talent Squad, that works with an array of globally recognized brands including Spartan Race, Universal Music, Showpo, Plann, Megatraxx, and Health Lab.

Kelly Glover Vroom Veer Stories

Kelly grew up in a suburb 2 hours north of Sydney Australia, she flies south for the winter to escape the cold weather 64 people in her class; she knew everyone in her class and in the whole school; separated male/female and wore school uniformsThere was mandatory extra circular activities in Australia, so everyone had to pick a sport and a non-sportWent to college for about month and dropped out; then applied to the local university doing a communications degree because she grew up watching US TVWent to Michigan as a camp counselor; got picked up as a ceramics teacher at a Jewish Summer Camp; got switched to arts and craftsDid a college exchange program in Ohio; ended up transferring to Ohio University and graduated there 3 years laterSnail mailed all the big shows of the time most of them in New York; but the one she got was in Los Angeles at MiramaxDid another internship with Miramax in London for a summer in Oxford Circus; met Harvey WeinsteinEnded up working at a Hollywood Video store in LA, not nice at allEventually end up back in Australia and got a job working in a talent agencyDid a course in community radio and did some improv on the side; applied to the National Radio school who only takes 10 people per year–got IN!Got a job as a full time radio announcer; there was a chicken outside the studio of the “country” radio stationNext radio gig was a syndicated love song dedication showFinally got the O1 Visa doing a show in the states; that's the visa for “Aliens of extraordinary abilities”Correction: Vroom Vroom Veer started in 2015, my “other” podcast started in 2014, so no…I don't have 15 years of podcasting experience

Connections

Website

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Jacob Bustos – Feeding People with Healthier Options

By YooperSmith | November 11, 2019

Jacob Bustos is a chef, cooking coach, and food enthusiast who has been in the food business for twenty-four years. Jacob, who has always been passionate about eating healthy, beat his battle with morbid obesity and has set out to make a positive impact on others. His mission of food, family and fellowship in concert with healthy meal/food choices has served him well during his battle for health.

Now he goes a step further to share his real-world experiences and life changing story! As a young man, Jacob began his career in the fast food business and earned various awards for great customer service throughout the years. He left the fast food business in 2002 and currently manages several fast casual Panera Bread restaurants in the Southern California area.

Needing a drastic change, Jacob underwent a life-saving bariatric procedure in 2012 that began his 160-pound weight loss journey. He followed that up with a traumatic skin removal surgery in 2015 that nearly ended his life. During this traumatic event, he had a very private and personal experience with his Maker that affirmed his life purpose, “feed people with much healthier options.”

Jacob has been featured for several public speaking engagements, created video content and recently released his first book for the sole purpose of coaching and sharing his insights about bariatric surgery, portion control and weight loss habits; his ability to take a regular food dish and create a healthier version have been in high demand. Jacob resides in Southern California, outside of Los Angeles.

Jacob Bustos Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in the “Original” Las Vegas in New Mexico which is about 60 miles North of Sante Fe; normal childhood and Jacob was a “husky” kidWent to McDonald's “Hamburger University” while working for them and going to college; earned a Bachelor's in “Hamburgerology”Wortked for the same franchise owner since we was 15! Worked for the same guy for 25 yearsHis struggle weight showed in his early 20's; at 30 he was over 300 pounds and having all sorts of serious health issues; the first doctor did approve him for weight loss surgery A new doctor agreed to approve the weight loss surgery if Jacob agreed to go through the psychiatric evaluation and attend 13 weeks of classes to see if he was a good candidate After the surgery he lost 50 pounds in 30 days! Ate nothing but chicken broth for those 30 days; could never eat rice againYou can get drunk on 2 Tablespoons of alcohol after this surgeryLost 160 pounds in 2 years after the surgerySugar is a drug; there are 30 million children documented with diabetes; there are more than are not documentedHe went in for a skin removal surgery and complete a will before; nearly died from blood loss; had a conversation with God and decided to come back to earth with a new mission

Connections

Website

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Dirk Van Reenen – Empowering Healthy, Wealthy, Generous Men to Live Epic Lives

By YooperSmith | November 4, 2019

Dirk van Reenen, CEO of GoBundance, is an award-winning entrepreneur and internationally sought-after business growth consultant, speaker, and trainer. For over a decade, he has owned multiple businesses and has served as CEO of 2 large companies, leading both to record-breaking growth, including a real estate brokerage exceeding annual sales of $800M. Dirk now owns and leads R&D company BERGflow, which specializes in helping entrepreneurs scale their businesses through learning-based & mastermind communities.

Dirk and the BERGflow team began working with GoBundance in January 2019 to scale the Tribe to the next level of growth and success for its members. As a result, Dirk was named CEO of GoBundance, a fast-growing peer group of successful men who understand one another’s unique set of needs and hold each member accountable to his own high standards, all in pursuit of helping one another plan, execute, and achieve their financial and lifestyle goals. Since the inception of GoBundance, new members have been added to the tribe each year. Today, membership has grown to nearly 200.

Dirk Van Reenen Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Born and raised in Bethlehem South Africa, I didn't know there was a Bethlehem South Africa! Lived their until he as 14Spent a lot of time outside as a kid from sun up to sun down running around and having adventures outdoorsMoved to a very small town in Texas with a population of about 1200 peopleMore than ready to “Get out of Dodge” after high school; got a job working on farms traveling around the countryWent to college near Amarillo, didn't really want to put life on pause; but decided to make the best of the situationBought his first business, a ski shop at age 20! Did pretty well while at 1st location until forced (sorta) to relocate the businessOverspent on all the overhead including summer inventory and more expensive rent; eventually had to close it down and had over $300k in debtStarting working in auctions and real estate; nearly killed himself working too hard trying to repay debt and provide for his familyFinally saved his own life by getting a better job and listening to a Tony Robins audio program and attending a workshop on building high performance team 7 times

Connections

Website

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Dr. Grace Lee – Quantum Leap Accelerator

By YooperSmith | October 7, 2019

Dr. Grace Lee is not a typical brain and behavior expert with a PhD in Neuroscience. Rather, she is a career educator, quantum leap accelerator, and strategic reinventionist on a mission to end the separation between work and fulfillment. To that end, she is building a global mass movement called Career Revisionist, a term she created to represent an identity of empowered individuals resolved to feel inspired by what they do. Careers are built much like a business is built. And Dr. Grace believes that a great career is built like a great business, using proven principles of business development.

An Educator

An educator focused on excellence, Dr. Grace has said, “No matter what your educational or vocational background, behind every success there is a mountain of obstacles and an ocean of unfavorable odds. Everything looks like a failure halfway through. Progress often disguises itself as problems when in fact it is evidence of growth and improvement.”

Humble Beginnings

With a 10-year background helping professionals reinvent their careers, Dr. Grace has deep empathy for those from very humble beginnings. Her personal journey from being orphaned and then homeless at the age of 9 provided the backdrop for her to develop resilience and resourcefulness to survive. After a serendipitous meeting with an older couple who would later become her adoptive parents, Dr. Grace found that her story was resonating, especially how she leveraged education as her “ticket to freedom”. Today, Dr. Grace helps professionals to reinvent their careers through her coaching and her programs that are rooted in neuroscience. Her clients learn to discover their purpose, decide on a career direction, build their dream career, and grow their income. She shares her knowledge, experience and story of resilience on her YouTube Channel, her Career Revisionist Podcast and as an international speaker. She envisions a world where everyone is resolved to create their own destiny by building the career and life of their dreams.

Current Focus

Today, Dr. Grace helps professionals to reinvent their careers through her coaching and her programs that are rooted in neuroscience. Her clients learn to discover their purpose, decide on a career direction, build their dream career, and grow their income. She shares her knowledge, experience and story of resilience on her YouTube Channel, her Career Revisionist Podcast and as an international speaker. She envisions a world where everyone is resolved to create their own destiny by building the career and life of their dreams.

Dr. Grace Lee Vroom Veer Stories

Born in Canada to get a passport, moved back to Hong KongLived in Hong Kong in a small apartment; moved to Canada because of the 1997 turnover back to Ching from British ControlMoved to Vancouver and lived in little Hong Kong; until her parents bought a restaurant “on the prairie” Grace was the only “other” type of person in school and went through all sorts of bad treatment from her classmatesHer whole family was in a car accident; her mother pass away; Grace broke her neck and was lucky to be alive let alone moveShe didn't know her father, but she was afraid of him because he was in charge of discipline with a tree branchWhen she was about 11 years old; her father told her he could no longer provide for her financially; but she continued to work in the restaurant, but basically lived on the streetAt age 14, a family took her home; it took Grace 2 years to learn to trust them as genuinely concerned for her well being

Connections

Free 4-Day Career Training Series

Dr. Grace Lee YouTube Channel

Career Revisionist Podcast

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Dr. Josh Wagner – You Deserve It

By YooperSmith | September 23, 2019

Dr. Josh Wagner is an international speaker, seminar leader. author and consultant to successful doctors’ practices and their staffs around the world. After building a private practice in New York City and seeing patients for years, Dr. Wagner realized his true passion is in guiding others to their own success while building greater peace of mind.
In his book, You Deserve it, Dr. Wagner details the single psychological mechanism that prevents us from achieving our goals and having happiness: we don’t believe we are deserving of what we want. This realization prompted Dr. Wagner to develop “the Deserving Process,” a simple DIY system to transition from an undeserving belief to deserving in any area of life applied.
This realization prompted Josh to develop the Deserving Process introduced in his new book,which is a simple do-it-yourself system to transition from an undeserving belief to deserving in any area of life applied. This can be used for business and wealth, relationships and love, health and healing and of course, greater happiness and peace of mind by anyone in any life circumstance.Dr. Wagner has been featured on podcasts and webinars sharing his energetic enthusiasm and passion on the topic, and personal stories and anecdotes to share his message. He gives live seminars throughout the world multiple times a year and loves speaking about The Deserving Belief and how it can change your life when harnessed.

Dr. Josh Wagner Vroom Veer Stories

Overcoming self-sabotage & procrastination; we are not choosing these behaviors and they can sometimes feel in control of us The undisclosed mindset determining your health, weight loss and healing; how a mental operating system upgrade can help (for you nerds out there)The single underlying cause of achieving success and happiness–what is it and how to enable itUndoing undeserving mindset to transform your life and business results–as yoda once said: “you must unlearn what you have learned”How Josh and Jeff practice personal peace using meditation and seeking peace of mind through a daily spiritual practiceThe fatal mentality sabotaging intimate relationships and loveWhat does Josh mean by “Tone over Bone” as in applies to his practice as a Chiropractor

Connections

Website

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Kelly DiNardo – Exploration Specialist

By YooperSmith | September 16, 2019

Kelly DiNardo is a freelance journalist and the author of several books including Living the Sutras: A Guide to Yoga Wisdom beyond the Mat, which gives readers a modern and personal look at ancient yogic philosophy. She is also the producer and co-host of the Living It podcast and owner of Past Tense yoga studio in Washington, DC.

Kelly DiNardo Vroom Veer Stories

Kelly shares about how J. Lo made her quit her job; hint: It has to do with a green dress and click baitLater Kelly danced with J. Lo's dad a couple of years later, because the universe is winking at herGrew up in upstate New York in the snow; it's fun when your kid–not so much as a teenCollege was fun at Cornell, not so much at Temple; loads of stress; but in a good way Lived in Switzerland for 3 year and got to enjoy the snow again with some of the best skiing on the planet; even skied up hill!Moved to Madison Wisconsin during a polar vortex; the ONLY WAY do to that reallyFound Midwestern “niceness” oddly disturbing as most east coasters doAmazing story about a Queens accent that inspired a sketch on SNL. Here is the link.

Connections

WebsiteLiving it PodcastPast Tense StudioInstagram Facebook

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Brian Weaver – Change the Way you See the World

By YooperSmith | August 26, 2019

Brian Weaver is chief executive officer of Torch.AI, a Leawood, Kansas company that helps organizations leverage artificial intelligence through a proprietary enterprise data management software solution. With nearly 20 years of business experience, leading mission-driven, high-growth technology enabled organizations, his companies have earned recognition as Kansas City Small Business of the Year and by Forbes magazine.

Weaver recalls starting his career, frustrated with a lower salary than his peers, and increasing his pay as a top performer in his sales division. After being passed over for a big promotion, he took a job with another company, managing a staff twice his age. He turned failure into success again when, after being reprimanded by his employer for accepting a prolific marketing project with the Kansas Speedway, he launched his own company and made the Kansas Speedway his first client, thus beginning his career as an entrepreneur.

Today, as the founder and leader of a company that provides artificial intelligence to the U.S. Department of Defense, he relies on the problem-solving skills he has honed throughout his career. An avid endurance sports athlete, Brian has ranked among the top amateur Ironman athletes in the world, has achieved “All World Gold” athlete status since 2013, USAT All-American every year since 2011, Ironman XC's 2011 and 2012 Athlete of the Year for the 70.3 distance and in 2011 for the 140.6 distance taking class wins at both the Ironman 70.3 World Championship and Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii and has qualified for and raced the Boston Marathon.

Brian Weaver Vroom Veer Stories

Dad was in the military, Brian was born in Germany and moved around often, went to two different high schools; mom clipped coupons and drove an hour to shop at the military base to save $120 on groceries Jeff tells a story about how the learned the difference between pot and hash the VERY HARD wayAttended college at a small state university in Missouri; studied communication and philosophy; a crazy little utopia in the middle of the country; now really appreciates the wide breadth of different perspectives he learned to view people throughGot pissed off and through a shoe through a window; had to pay his parents back for the repair; made his own money through various jobs and business ventures; realized he enjoys workingLoved learning about thinking about thinking; learned to build logical arguments; learned ethics and those varied perspectivesBrian broke the first law of power (Never outshine the Master) twice! Both times he suffered the consequences and both times turned the tablesOne Master who fired him later had his company purchased by Brian after Brian made a ton of money doing the thing he was fired for!

Connection

Website – Torch.ai

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Sir John Hargrave Returns – BlockChain for Everyone

By YooperSmith | August 19, 2019

Sir John Hargrave returns to tell us about his new book Blockchain for everyone. He was on the show before and he is an amazing storyteller, stand by have fun and maybe finally learn what the hell blockchain is anyway.

John is the author of three books, including Mind Hacking. He is one of the most sought-after speakers on the blockchain circuit, educating and entertaining audiences around the world.

Sir John Hargrave Vroom Veer Stories

Sir John purchased a small amount of bit coin in 2013, in 2017 that small amount of money had ballooned in to 20,000 dollars! This was why Sir John went “all in” on blockchainWhat is Blockchain? Easy: It's the internet of money. The internet is the internet of informationWhy did he write the book twice? Why does his editor sounds a lot like Dana Carvey doing Bush senior?Amazing story about being at cafeteria at “The Fed” bank in Boston; while chatting with a company about creating a new blockchain version of the US dollar; a little ironic?Flew to Poland to pitch his blockchain company services to the Red Bull of Poland (Red Pole); the CEO was in Singapore! They wanted to make the can the coin, or maybe make the book the coin…why that doesn't really workHow we can all directly or in directly invest in blockchain today; several companies are investing heavy in blockhainHow you can basically get Sir John's new book for free (see link below)

Connections

Website

Sir John is giving away $25 in Dai cryptocurrency with every purchase of the book made through this link www.blockchainforeveryone.com

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Carmen Dellutri – Your Lawyer friend

By YooperSmith | August 5, 2019

Carmen Dellutri is the Founder and President of the Dellutri Law Group, P.A. He is certified by the American Board of Certification Consumer in bankruptcy law. He is also a Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Court and Family Law Mediator and a Qualified Arbitrator.

Carmen Dellutri Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in New Jersey; at age 4 he started working with his father in the family business working on cars and sometimes serving “wise guys”Learned the value of hard work at a very young age, if you work hard you can make a decent livingIn High School he was too small to play football, in his school the big kids were like monsters; he focused on working and getting good gradesBefore he graduated from High School, his dad sold the family business and house and moved the family to Florida; he a choice; 1) more New Jersey winters or 2) Bikinis on the beach in FloridaDid 2 years of community college and used his wise guys skills to get extra creditsTook 3 years to finish his Undergrad degree in criminal justice; delayed by his job as a bartender; realized he didn't want to be a 30 year old bartender when he was 23Finished his law degree and went home to New Jersey to take the bar exam; then realized he didn't really want to live/work in New Jersey anymore

Connection

Website

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Betty Jean Bell – Being Badass

By YooperSmith | July 29, 2019

Betty Jean Bell is the founder of BeingBadass.com. She has a passion for helping entrepreneurs transform their confidence, body image, and health with meaningful science, psychology, spirituality, and uncommon action that works. She believes that when you love the body you have, it becomes the body you want. Betty Jean’s unique approach has helped countless individuals around the world to lose weight, improve their health, and love their bodies now, regardless of shape. All while running their businesses, families, and lives.

Betty Jean Bell Vroom Veer Stories

Started opera singing from the age of 4; knew she would be an opera signerAt age 11, developed early in school, one of the first girls in school with boobs; boys where cruel and made her feel bad about her body; she told no one and sang and ate to hide the from the pain and shameAt age 17, her singing voice suddenly was gone because she had acid reflux (she didn't know she had an eating disorder)Had to rest her voice; she couldn't speak from age 17 through age 18; nearly impossible for a teenager and before texting existed!Her 1st Theme in Strength Finder is “Achiever” which is a blessing/curseAfter college, got a job as a bookkeeper at an oil company; about 6 months in, the manager just stopped showing up; and she sorta took over; learned how to run a businessHer over-achieving personality led her to loose sight in one eye; she went to the eye doctor who freaked out and tried to send her to the ERTurns out this loss of vision was due to stress; so she decides to join a gym and loose the weight (of course!)Had another condition that would not allow her to eat any solid food for 18 months; thankfully she found green juicing and was able to re-hab her bodyContemplated suicide to end her pain and suffering; her Dad saved her life with a Happy Birthday call and she fell apart on the phoneHad her “F-it” moment after that thought: “How about I just do whatever I want?”Healed herself with self love by learning how to take care of herself first and learned how to be more herself

Connections

Website

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Cody Byrns – Breaking Free from Yesterday’s Troubles

By YooperSmith | July 8, 2019

Cody Byrns is an internationally recognized speaker, a number one best- selling author and the founder of The Cody Byrns Foundation for Burn Survivors. In May 2013, Cody’s life was changed drastically after he was rear-ended by a box-truck whilst stopped at a red light on the highway. He was considered dead until first responders saw his hand move. He received many injuries that day, including severe burns to almost 40% of his body. After years of countless surgeries and rehabilitation, Cody has chosen to not allow his scars to keep him bound in bitterness and defeat. Instead, he uses his story to uplift others.

His vision is to help people live free from the bonds of scars (physical and emotional), equipping others with the proper steps to walk out of their past hurt and defeat, and run toward their full potential. As a thought leader, he speaks worldwide to provide relevant, applicable, and thought- provoking messages. Be prepared to have an experience that will motivate you to move out of bondage into a life of freedom!
Cody Byrns Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in the middle of a corn field near the Kentucky/Indiana border; had the attention wanting gene and sought to entertain people
Honed his entertainment skills to the point of working as an entertainer; may have worked in a traveling show; but veered a different way
Attended ministry school and started his career as a children's pastor; used his entertainment background to connect to children
Has no memory of the accident, his last memory is of driving and then waking up from a coma 3 weeks later; check out the video to see pictures of the accident on his website
He was assumed dead in the vehicle; thankful someone noticed him moving his hand on the steering wheel; miracle #2 of many more to follow
Spent two and half months in the burn unit fighting to stay alive; when he realized he had a catheter; he tried to get up and realized he couldn't stand yet
Recovery and rehab took about three years; he battled surprising emotions such as anger that he lived to suffer and depression where he wasn't sure he was thankful to be alive
A mentor was asked “Why did God allow you to be burned?” The answer was “God knew you could handle the scars”

Connections
Website

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Sunday Burquest – Buckle up Butter-cup!, you’ve Got this

By YooperSmith | July 1, 2019

Sunday Burquest is a professional keynote speaker, author, breast cancer survivor, and a competitor on the reality TV show Survivor – she is the ultimate Grit Girl. With her dynamic and engaging personality, she empowers audiences to discover their strength by breaking down the true meaning of G.R.I.T. Sunday delivers hope
Grit Girl Story in Brief
Sunday’s life changed forever the day she heard the words, “We have your test results and we’re sorry to tell you that you have invasive ductal carcinoma.” At the young age of 40 with four children, she made the decision she would fight the cancer with every ounce of strength she could muster. After enduring multiple surgeries, chemotherapy, radiation, and even a bout with depression, she earned the title breast cancer survivor. Through the process, Sunday discovered she was much stronger than she’d imagined and was braver than she ever thought possible, she found grit.

Just two years later she also survived 35 grueling days on the Emmy award-winning reality TV series Survivor Millennials vs Gen-x. Sunday’s story didn’t start there though, like most women she’s survived much more, from heartache and depression to loss and confusion, she’s experienced it all. Relatable and authentic, Sunday believes every woman possess grit and she is passionate about leading her audience on a journey to discover that grit for themselves.

Sunday delivers a powerful message of hope and transformation with her unique style of speaking. Audience members trapped by their setbacks are empowered with the tools to shift to a positive mindset and their newfound confidence will position them for success, both personally and professionally. Sunday's quirky personality and authenticity never fails to connect to audiences having them both laughing and crying but most importantly knowing they possess the inner strength to overcome anything!

Sunday is a wife and mother of four with over 25 years of full-time ministry experience. She is also the author of, “Grit Girl Power to Survive, Inspired by Grace”, walking the reader through her journey to finding grit while providing a path for them to do the same.
Sunday Burquest Vroom Veer Stories

Father was an alcoholic, but nice and not abusive; got into recovery after he was in a motorcycle accident; father later got a very rare form of cancer and passed away
Her brothers were running wild and getting trouble with the police; mother wanted to kick them out when before they were 18
Brother was addicted to heroine and took a long time to get into recovery; doing well now and will be in recovery for the rest of his life
Husband was blessed with two miracles and two emergency open-heart surgeries
Not long after she recovered from nearly losing her husband (twice!); she found a lump on her breast
Sunday talks about the most surprising emotions and feelings she experienced when she was told she “Might have cancer” and when told “you do have cancer”
Delayed chemotherapy for 8 days so she could go to Mexico for a church mission; needed time and a “vacation” from her problems

Connections
Website

Facebook

Instagram

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Joe Trodden – How Asking Yourself Better Questions Can Change your Life

By YooperSmith | June 24, 2019

Joe Trodden has been a mindset coach for nine years and with a specific focus on entrepreneurs for the last five, working with around 300 across all sectors. They come to Joe to work on the next level of their strategy growth and to develop their mindset to become effective entrepreneurial leaders.

Mindset is the single biggest factor in success for entrepreneurs. The journey is incredibly difficult at this stage and is often a tipping point as to whether the business will reach its full potential. For that to happen, it is the leader that has to accelerate their own development.

The key challenge is that the brain employs any number of subconscious processes which have to be surfaced if an entrepreneur is to become the best version of themselves. Joe’s work is about linking the neuroscience of mindset development to practical actions that are designed to challenge the blockers and enable entrepreneurs to work through defined stages of levelling themselves up. If you don’t understand your mindset then you won’t make it.

Joe Trodden Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in a tiny village in Scotland; spend his days running around in the countrysideAfter high school he went to law school on autopilot; didn't really like it; but he didn't want to be the guy that quit law schoolNever did practice law; veered into IT work and worked a job for about 7 years; that didn't really light him up eitherHad a veer moment and realized this is not who he wanted to be; IT guy was not who he was “supposed to be”; the next step was a psychology degree while he was still workingHe worked in a charity for a while and also started his own social enterprise where he started a shop selling crafts; this was a place for unemployed young people to find directionLearned about asking power questions the can have results that feel like magic; questions like “who am I?”, “What am I?” All along the path of moving from vroom vroom autopilot to veer wake up moments, the sincere desire to accept more personal truth would lead the perfect people to show up and help him make his next move

Connections

Website

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Josh Cary – Unhide your Hidden Awesome Self

By YooperSmith | June 17, 2019

Josh Cary spent 40 years in hiding! That's right. He was hiding every aspect of himself and showing up with a mask on in all areas of life trying to gain the approval of everyone else. Today, Josh Cary is a podcast host and business coach to entrepreneurs who are ready, willing, and able to say F That NOISE!

At 19, he changed his name and entered into, what would become, a 15-year career as a professional actor and filmmaker. The applause and external accolades didn’t completely heal his feelings of anxiety and insecurities and he found himself more isolated than ever.

Today, Josh Cary is a podcast host and business coach to entrepreneurs who are ready, willing, and able to say “F That NOISE!”

“F That NOISE” in their head that’s been acting as the comfortable excuse for remaining where they are.

As a digital media and creative consultant, Josh has the uncanny ability to bring the human side out of each person. Whether it’s as a guest on his show or working directly together, you quickly feel consumed by his unique natural energy, bright outlook and creative mind.

He is also a proud father and credits his adoring two young children with helping him to turn things around and embrace the mortality of life.

Josh helps his clients ‘unmask’ themselves by leading them through poignant, important, and direct questions. This approach results in a profound and honest experience that reveals aspects, desires, and philosophies within you that have been dormant for years.

On his podcast, The Hidden Entrepreneur, Josh speaks with successful entrepreneurs, creatives, and small business owners who were also once in the darkest of hiding places so you may rediscover your world, connect beautifully with others, and excel in all you set out to do. The podcast has been downloaded in 18 countries.
Josh Cary Vroom Veer Stories

Came to the podcast world knowing that he would really enjoy it; he was really surprised that the podcast became the core of his business
He was very close to being named Farah! His mother really wanted a daughter, but Josh came instead; disappointed his mother at birth
His older brothers were 9 and 6 years older, so they wanted nothing to do with him; so Josh was seeking attention–no one was interested; so Josh retreated into himself
This script “nobody cares what I have to say; nobody wants me around; I don't fit in” caused Josh to hid until he was 40 years old
Josh learned that everyone feels like an akward misfit; people either try to isoloate or embrace their uniqueness
In 8th grade, Renee Stevenson (sp?) asked Josh if he was going to audition for the school play; The director noticed that Josh was acting like a clown and kids were laughing “AT” him; he was cast as the comic relief
Auditioned for the BFA program at a state university in New Jersey and he was accepted!
This BFA program required students to re-audition every year to remain in the program; Josh was NOT asked to return; but the dean did have a box of tissues on the table
Finds a 2 year musical theater program in New York City, and since he played Danny Zuko (Grease) in High School he figured he could pull it off; he is accepted!
He and his roommate from the music theater program teamed up as a comedy duo and performed in New York and on the road for seven years
The next move was he became a web designer and learned how to build web sites that rank on Google
Met someone with a dog walking business and thought; wow I like this so he made his own dog walking business; leveraged his web and SEO skills to quickly grow that business
Realized that other dog walking businesses needed help with digital marketing SEO and web design—BOOM another business
Now, he is helping podcasters create their best interviews with training programs

Connection
Website

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Jessica Zimmerman – Business behind the Bloom

By YooperSmith | June 10, 2019

Jessica Zimmerman is a leading wedding planner and floral designer. She is the founder of Zimmerman Education a floral design business education company. This biz specializes in teaching the exact systems, sales processes and other tools and techniques necessary to create their own successful six-figure floral design businesses. They also learn how to earn a living from flowers, without giving up their lives.

Named a top wedding planner by Southern Living magazine. Jessica’s wedding and floral work was featured in PEOPLE magazine, Once Wed, Cottage Hill and Style Me Pretty.

After struggling to turn a profit her first few years in business, Jessica managed to turn it all around. She skyrocketed the profit in her floral design business from zero to over $70k in just one year. All while raising three small children.

Jessica shares her story to help other wedding floral designers learn how to work to live, not live to work. Jessica provides a highly-educational, behind-the-scenes look at her multiple six figure floral design business model. From sales processes to proper pricing to proposals. Inside her much-raved-about signature course and tell-all business memoir, the Business Behind the Blooms.

Jessica Zimmerman Vroom Veer Stories

Lost her sister when she was 3 years old; most people think small children are not impacted by loss at such a young age; but it has a profound impactNever really liked school; and couldn't wait to escape hometown after High SchoolDidn't really like the college experience either; she didn't like to be told when to learn and when to have funGot a job after college but was wanting to own and run her own businessEnd up buying a party rental business; without knowing how to run a business she did ok, but realized she really needed to work on the business instead of in the businessSomehow persuaded the bank to loan her $100K to cover payroll and operations long enough to invest in some business trainingLearned so much about owning a business that it completed transformed the business and her life

Connections

Text vvvpodcast to 44222 for a free gift

Zimmerman Events

Business Behind the Bloom

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Prady Tewarie – Get Sh*t Done

By YooperSmith | June 3, 2019

Prady Tewarie has never been somebody to slow down. At 28, he has founded and sold more than two dozen businesses, is the current CEO of AZOTH and the Tewarie Group, with over $100 million in real estate holdings. He founded AZOTH because, while getting his JD and competing as a professional bodybuilder, he found it difficult to achieve the kind of productivity that he was looking for, and so turned to the science of nootropics, nutritional supplements that target specific areas of concern for the user. After learning firsthand about their efficacy, Prady partnered with a manufacturer in order to bring nootropics to people all over the world. To date, AZOTH has sold over 50,000+ units worldwide and is set to be the fastest growing nootropic company on the market.

Currently, Prady is on a mission to teach entrepreneurs about the opportunities that exist all around them, and that it’s ok to be a small businessperson. Specifically, that not every business needs to collect a billion in capital before they can get started, or that they need to change the world. Instead, entrepreneurs can start small and begin by turning their own neighborhoods round and, most importantly, that they can still be considered an inspiration and a success for doing so.

Prady Tewarie Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in the Netherlands near Amsterdam; dreamed of getting to the USCame to the US and attended college in Boston; started his first business while in schoolHad a hard time getting body building supplements on campus on time for his competitions; so he called the distributors and set up a business to delivery on campusHad a chance to go to law school, but already had a very full plateHit a wall one day and just passed out; he need to solve another problem or take something off his plateHis body could not keep up with the business, body building and full time law school; until he found nootropicsDeveloped Azoth to create more time in order to Get Sh*t done; it's not for everybody; but it just might work for you

Connect

Website

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Danni Pomplun – How Yoga saved my Life

By YooperSmith | May 27, 2019

Danni Pomplun is a San Francisco Based E-RYT 500 Vinyasa Yoga Teacher & Teacher Trainer whose style has been described as functional, down-to-earth and fun with an edge. Each offering will connect to power and flow, infused with light-hearted spirituality where youll find the inspiration to connect with your higher self.
Danni Pomplun Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

Danni is excited about a yoga and mediation retreat he has coming up in January for New Year's in Baja California, Mexico at Todos Santos
He grew up in and around the Echo Park area of East LA…it's kinda nice and hip now, but back that is was filled with gangs all day long
Growing Danni's father was absent and his mother was an addict and a felon, in and out of prison; Danni was working on surviving his environment every day
At age 16 and left home and started living on the street and doing what he had to do to survive; some days he sold drugs; other days he would steal to eat and stay warm
How Danni's childhood trauma left him without the emotional tool set to deal said trauma; so no knowing how to process those feelings he numbed himself with alcohol and drugs
He started working at bars and night clubs which only fed into the addiction and the numbing behavior
Everyone is addicted to something and that just means we don't have a healthy way to process painful thoughts and emotions; we need normalize this so we can feel connection instead of isolation
At age 25 a partner of his pasted away; he went on a rager into his addiction and trashed his apartment; his roommate at the time told him she could be around him anymore; this led to a suicide attempt
His roommate suggested that he go to a yoga class; the community allowed him to have a space to talk about what was he was dealing with
Going to yoga helped him drink less because he had something else in his life to commit to; it also helped him quit one of his bar jobs so he could move away from booze
After he quit the bar job, he didn't have enough money to pay for yoga classes; so the studio allowed him to scrub toilet for free yoga
The studio very gently nudged him to take a teacher training class just for free yoga; he resisted at first, but realized he need to accept their gift

Danni Pomplun Connections
Website

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Best of VVV – Brendan Ridings – Waking up to a Larger World

By YooperSmith | May 20, 2019

Brendan Ridings is an amazing dude, as usual, and I love the fact that he created a business of helping people relieve muscle pain with corrective exercises!!! You have to check this out if you are 40+ like me (ok I'm almost 50!)

Brendan Ridings is a Corrective Exercise Specialist, American funding arm of PLAT (protect lives of children) Haiti, Product developer in consumer and medical field. Seeing Haiti sparked my entrepreneurial venture, realizing all of my fears were self created.

Brendan Ridings Vroom Veer Stories

Was an ambassador in High School, hung out with all the groups
Started weight lifting in college, competed nationally (and won!)
After college, started working as a trainer at a gym and getting drunk on the weekends
Saw a video on YouTube (w/ a little cannabis) about the size of the universe–opened his mind
A month later, visited Haiti and saw children dieting from Cholera…wanted to help
Came back the the states and quit his easy job and became a free lance trainer
Started working as a corrective exercise specialist to help people realign their body without surgery
Created the Posture Personal Trainer with the help of a friend and kick starter

Brendan Ridings Links

Posture Personal Trainer

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Dan Angelone – Innovative Planning Partners

By YooperSmith | April 8, 2019

Dan Angelone is one of the three founders of Innovative Planning Partners, or IPP. After spending over ten years with a major broker-dealer, Dan, as well as his partners, left to start their own business. IPP is all about helping the clients. They are not your “typical” financial planners: they want to put the human back into financial planning and focus more on their client's needs and less on the dollar signs. Dan wants to help his clients achieve the lifestyle they’ve always wanted, even if they don’t make a lot of money. No matter what the client has, Dan is there to help them plan for a better future.

Dan Angelone – Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in Rhode Island and lived near the beach; unfortunately he doesn't like seafoodOwned and operated two GM car dealerships and “feel into” selling a lot of Corvettes!; how to build a niche without really tryingGot into financial planner after he sold his dealerships because he wanted to really use his economics degreeIn his business, he realized that solving the money problem is the easy part; planning for a happy retirement is more difficultHow the Medicaid system is screwed up to the point where a high net worth individual appears to be destitute to the system because he has no taxable income; that's a broken systemHow to plan to have fun in retirement and keep working a little bit; ask yourself “what do I enjoy about my job?” Figure that out and keep doing that in retirementDan's greatest accomplishment is a 37 year marriage; two children and 4 grand kids that are all amazing people

Connections

Website

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Grant Aldrich – Making College Affordable and Accessible for Everyone

By YooperSmith | April 1, 2019

Grant Aldrich founded OnlineDegree.com with a purpose-driven mission: make college more accessible and affordable for everyone. After graduating with an overwhelming amount of debt, he was determined to change how students embark on their college education. Grant has spent his entire career working in startups with two exiting to a publicly traded company.

Grant Aldrich Vroom Veer Stories

In High School Grant was overweight, until we finally decided to loss the weight and take care of himself; Jeff was a skinny kid til he got married and gained all the weightGrant went to a good school and did a lot to make it more affordable and was still weighted down with a sizable student debt Why is it suddenly not ok for rich people to cheat the system to get their kids into good schools? Because they didn't spend enough money to buy a library?2015 he exited his businesses; got married and learned his wife was pregnant; the plan was to go BIG! Giant company, tons of employees Millions in exit money…and then…nah!Learned he didn't want to go big; none of that was important to him anymore; he build his new business around being with his family and enjoying life everydayHow his wife helped him figure out the problem he wanted to solve; how can we help people go back to school and improve their livesBy removing the hurtles to start a degree like money, tests, applications admissions his business makes it easier than ever to go back to school

Connections

Website

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Kelly McCausey – Love People Make Money

By YooperSmith | March 25, 2019

Kelly McCausey started out back in 2002, a broke single mom, she made graphics and websites for other home-based business owners. Working hard with long hours, she soon realized she charged to little for her time and talents. Kelly discovered smarter ways to build an income online, one that didn't sacrifice her precious time. Today, Kelly blogs, podcasts, creates information products and runs a membership program. Additionally, Kelly holds live events and retreats for female entrepreneurs to help them achieve their dream and grow their online business and community.

Kelly McCausey Vroom Veer Stories

Talked about a period of violence during her time in middle/high school; ended when she back-handed a friend based on info that turned out to be a lieDropped out of high school and went to work; spent one day working in a pickle factory; worked in an insurance office; then started a day care businessShe closed down that business and started working in the office at her church; was a great job; but didn't pay all the bills Started a desktop publishing business and build a website business; never had one desktop publishing client; but people did start asking her to build websites and do web graphicsBefore there was podcasting Kelly did an internet radio show for work at home moms; then iTunes came along and she was suddenly a podcasting with an interested community of work at home momsVeered her brand when her son grew up and left home; most of her audience stayed with herWhat is the “Change in your Pocket” theory and how does in apply to email marketing?What is Bright Shiny Object Syndrome and how can I see that as a good thing?What do you mean when you encourage newcomers to be a curious enthusiast?

Connections

Website

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Michael Alan Tate – Finding A Life-Giving Career

By YooperSmith | March 18, 2019

Michael Alan Tate is president and CEO of On the Same Page Consulting. He works with successful executives, entrepreneurs, and technical professionals who are seeking a simple action-focused plan to effectively manage career transitions, keep teams on the same page, and prepare for positive leadership succession.
With over 20 years’ experience as an executive coach, consultant, and strategist, Mike knows that successful people want to navigate the murky waters of career transition as quickly and effectively as possible.
Drawing on his own experience, Mike developed a unique consulting strategy, in which he helps each of his clients create a powerful and succinct strategic plan, incorporating prioritizedactions and accountabilities set in a whole-life perspective — all in just 24 hours.
Mike’s work goes above and beyond standard executive coaching. He understands the power of a career transition, and he knows its impact reaches beyond the office threshold. In his latest book, The White Shirt, Mike speaks not only to those facing career transitions, but also to their loved ones (spouses, partners, parents, children, siblings, friends), who can and should be involved in the process of designing a career plan. Whether graduating from college, struggling to find a job, re-entering the workforce, changing careers, or preparing for retirement, readers will be inspired to successfully navigate their transition while maintaining a healthy, happy balanced life.

Michael Alan Tate Vroom Veer Stories

The White Shirt was designed to help people make the pivotal, yet often challenging, transition into a new career or different career.People can make a meaningful transition into a new career at any stage in life – whether graduating from college, seeking a change at mid-career, reentering the workforce or re-purposing after retirement.Connecting to our Past can lead us to Career purpose: an essential step for finding career fulfillment at your current employer or somewhere else.Submitting resumes online has a 75% failure rate in finding you the job of your dreams – this approach probably won’t even land you an interview, and is guaranteed to leave you discouraged and frustrated.Talking with Human Resources professionals, recruiters, or personnel agencies is a good way to find a job short-term, but not a job that fits you long-term.You’ll have greater success if you ask people for advice than if you ask them for a job. “Ask for a job, and you’ll get advice; ask for advice, and you’ll get a job.” Finding a new career can be fun or frustrating. It all depends on your strategy.Includes a step-by-step guide for readers to develop a 1-page career plan they can use instead of a resume to help their network of people help them find a job that fits.The only career-planning book designed to be read with another person: (friend, relative, or mentor)

What the movie “City Slickers” can teach us about that feeling you get when you are stuck in a cubical not likely your jobMichael worked in a out placement job helping people who were downsized find a new job; worse place to be when you are looking for a new jobScott Adams of Dilbert fame says that your real job is always finding your next better job; not the job you were hired to do

Connections

Website

The White Shirt Book (Free Workbook)

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Erica Duran – Minimalist Luxury

By YooperSmith | March 11, 2019

Erica Duran's “road less traveled” involved walking out (literally) from a top corporate executive position to follow a minimalist lifestyle indulging her passion from travel.
Erica began two decades ago with little more than her laptop in her backpack. It was a bumpy ride, but she went on to build a series of highly successful online businesses. She now coaches others to create online businesses that are fully aligned with their own values and lifestyle choices. The motto that Erica lives by is “never settle!”
Erica's minimalist approach saves new and established entrepreneurs time and money by cutting straight through to essentials. She often helps new entrepreneurs to sign up paying clients even before they have a website and are still unknown. She has also developed a unique software which is helping a wide range of even unknown entrepreneurs to attract a steady flow of ideal prospects, without needing to constantly spend and sweat on advertising.

Erica Duran Vroom Veer Stories

Grew up in southern California (born in Riverside, and moved to Orange County), worked at Disneyland as a restaurant manager because it paid betterStudied Hotel Management in College worked in the hotel industry for 15 years; she was a regional manager of a large hotel chainShe came back from a vacation one day; and the whole office had exploded into a mess of business politics; she called her husband to ask him what to do; and he said “you should leave”; so she left One of her many side hustles was a professional organizer; which was the start of her minimalist lifestyle; she helped people sell stuff online to fund future side hustlesShe slowly over time reduced her stuff to what can fit into a Jeep; including 2 smalls dogs; 8 very nice dresses; a laptop and small box of “essentials”The “luxury” component comes in because she doesn't want to live in a camper or be a vagabond; at the end of the day she wants to stay in a nice hotel or AirbnbDoesn't own a home or a rent a house; stays in hotels; Airbnbs sometime she pays but many times those are paid for my clients

Erica Duran Connections

Website

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Jennifer Leigh – Graceful and Gumption

By YooperSmith | March 4, 2019

Jennifer Leigh, the founder of Graceful and Gumption. Jennifer is a consultant, both personally and professionally, that specializes in self improvement and overcoming trauma. She helps people live more fully and authentically and have a more positive mindset. Jennifer is a NYC soul with a Minneapolis heart set on helping others be their authentic self.
After dealing with a rough pregnancy, getting a divorce, and selling her business, Jennifer launched her blog in January 2018 to break out of the prison cell her life had begun to feel like.
After enduring such hardships, she made it her priority to help others who had been through similar experiences.
Jennifer knows how challenging overcoming setbacks and tragedy is, and is more than willing to help others come out the other side of adversity.

Jennifer Leigh Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

As a teenager; her first day of her first job working for a veterinarian she had to help put down a dog; this was very traumatic for her Made a goal to stick with the vet job long enough to afford to buy her own pair of boots! She got that done and quit the jobSpent years working in hospice and palliative care; helping people gracefully exit life can be rewarding and beautiful; but it really takes a tollStarted a skin care business as a side hustle; things started taking off and got real exciting; she was not ready for the changes that come along with outside investorsShe decided to close that business down and about the same time went through a tough divorceMoved to Minnesota to be close to her ex-husband's family so her twin boys could be close to their dadPeople started asking her for help both personally and professionally to work through change and trauma; great organic start to any business

Jennifer Leigh Connections

Website

Instagram

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Lyle Haugen – Type 1 Simplified

By YooperSmith | February 25, 2019

Lyle Haugen, RHC and RNHC, is a Type 1 diabetic and a registered nutrition health coach. He was diagnosed in 1985, a week after surviving an industrial explosion at a natural gas facility. As a result, Lyle faced a number of hardships, having to change from his trained profession in commercial diving and suffering from associated conditions, like eye problems, Crohns/Colitis, and diabetic gastroparesis.
After 20+ years experimenting with various treatments, Lyle decided to seize control of his own health. With years of diabetes experience and training as an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, Lyle developed a simple yet effective system for all those who live with Type 1, where balancing those sugars will net improvements in health, resolve many conditions, and help transform a new life.

Lyle Haugen Vroom Veer Stories

Amazing story about how he survives getting blown up near the arctic circle while working on a job; survives the explosion but the trauma kicked his body into type 1 diabetesLearns to live in the “prison” of type 1, trying to work out 4 four variables of diet, insulin, exercise, and avoiding fight or flight situations; he saw this a a quadratic equationHe developed all sorts of extra conditions that go along with type 1, Crohns/Colitis, eye problems and diabetic gatroparesisBetween doctors he took a job that required him to pack his food for the entire gig; he put together nuts, healthy fats and proteins and minimal carbs; learned he was on to somethingSolved for x of insulin by hitting the sweet spot of long term insulin to keep his base level where it needed to be without big spikesSolved for y by eating healthy whole foods; z was walking and pickle ball which everyone should check outThe final variable of fight or flight he didn't “fix”; but manages with meditation; breathing techniques and other ways to stay calm in stressful situations

Lyle Haugen Connections

Website

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Deeannah Seymour – Overcoming Fear Through Faith

By YooperSmith | February 18, 2019

Deeannah Seymour developed the #1 Best-Selling, doctor recommended product, pH-D® Feminine Health as an alternative to traditional options for vaginal odor and imbalance. Her experience in healthcare and working in an unhealthy corporate environment, led her to having the courage to leave her job and start her own company.

Deeannah Seymour Vroom Veer Stories

Had a great job in a pharmaceutical company; had her whole life mapped out to retirement; until a veer came alongOne big veer came when she was called by God to become a kidney donor for a friend's 4-year old boy; amazing story about how that became a reality over timeThe donor experience woke her up to feelings that had been rumbling inside her about doing something new; the idea for the pH-D Feminine HealthAnother strange alignment; her friend had a business making health products; they developed the product together and starting selling it on Amazon where it quickly rose to #1 selling productAnother tap from God came when she changed departments at work and starting working for a toxic boss; this was the final nudge she needed to take the leap of faith and start her own business and work it full timeLearned the hard way to deal the low points in business; she printed a label with an error that was printed on 10K units; had to spend more money on a recallLearned how to deal with the snotty room mate in her head; started seeing herself as her 4-8 year old version and ask; would you talk to yourself like that if you were that age? Probably not

Deeannah Seymour Connections

Website

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Mark Daoust – Reckless Honesty

By YooperSmith | February 4, 2019

Mark Daoust

Mark Daoust is the founder of Quiet Light Brokerage, an online consultancy which helps owners of online businesses plan a financially successful exit from their businesses. He is the father of 7 kids. Between business and family, his life has ample veer and vroom.

From Mark's Website “In 2007, a year after having sold his first online business, a friend asked Mark if he would be willing to help him sell his web hosting company. During the previous year, Mark was evaluating whether or not to start a consultancy firm to assist owners of profitable websites who wanted to divest of their websites. With the call from this friend, Quiet Light was officially born. Mark retained his friend’s business, put the listing out to market, and within two months had found a buyer at a price that was higher than average web hosting companies were fetching in the marketplace.

Since that first business in 2007, Mark has personally helped dozens of small business owners and entrepreneurs and has also expanded Quiet Light to the team it has today. In building out a team of advisors to help other small business owners, Mark has always emphasized the importance of honesty, working in the client’s best interest (even if that means not working in his own best interest), and thorough preparation of all listings before they are brought to market.

Before Quiet Light Brokerage, Mark founded an online publication and grew it’s subscriber base to 220,000 members. Mark has been a presenter at top conferences and seminars as well as a guest author for numerous publications.”

Mark Daoust Vroom Veer Stories

Not your typical entrepreneur kid in high school; he was NOT the kid selling candy out of his locker; fun fact spent 5-years in high school w/o getting held backWanted to study the classics and philosophy in college; his parents steered him toward a business degreeFell into a job in a web-hosting company; was tagged as one of three college students to open a new branch; took the job with the goal of getting firedHis first business started making money right away; until his credit card merchant account provider dropped himStarted a content based business that actually gained some sustainable tractionSold his 2nd business for all the wrong reasons; ego, hubris, boredom–but learned a lot about selling a businessQuietlight was started when one of his former clients and now a friend called him to help him sell his businessRadical/Reckless honestly is about telling the truth to clients even when it means the company won't make money from that truth

Mark Daoust Connections

Website

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Tim Laskis – Coach Wherever

By YooperSmith | January 28, 2019

Tim Laskis

Tim Laskis says on his website: “My name is Dr. Tim Laskis, Founder of Coach Wherever, and I am here to help you achieve success personally and professionally. My training includes a doctorate in clinical psychology (Ph.D) and I have worked with hundreds of clients in a variety of settings. I specialize in individual and group coaching sessions. My experience as a Life Coach dates back to 2003 helping clients create the outcomes they desire. In addition, I have successfully worked with small business owners and high profile professional athletes.

The way that I help is to provide you with a blueprint in understanding how your mind works with actionable strategies. With this information you will be able to immediately apply it to many of the issues that you are struggling wtih. Are you ready to go from “just” living to having an “amazing” life?

I love helping clients transform themselves. There is no better feeling that witnessing others succeed. Whether it is our Success Sessions coaching groups or our Certification Program, I am here to help guide you every step of the way.”

Tim Laskis – Vroom Veer Stories

In High School Tim didn't care about anything other than motocross racing; he travelled around the south eastern states racing motorcycles with his dadThen his dad said, hey you should probably go to college eh? Tim has all like; did you ever see my grades? School is not really my thing!!?!Tim went to community college and really struggled until he took and psychology intro course; he was fascinated by the topic; but didn't know how to pass testsHe asks the professor how to get good grades; and to her credit she took the time and effort to teach Tim HOW TO STUDY; on the next exam he got the best gradeThis took him all the way through undergrad school, graduate school and finally and Ph.D program in clinic psychologyThen he arrived; he had it all; a great job for the state of California; the house; the car the “job for life!” until he went to Costa RicaMet his future wife in Costa Rica and walked away from that “dream job” for the women and life of his real dreams

Tim Laskis Connections

Website – Coach Wherever

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Melissa Ronda The Honest Weigh

By YooperSmith | January 21, 2019

The Honest Weigh

Melissa Ronda is the fearlessly forthright weight loss expert who helps busy women lose massive amounts of weight while eating food they actually want to eat. She is a true crime fanatic, podcast junkie, and lover of dresses with pockets. Since launching The Honest Weigh in 2014, Melissa has lead clients to weight loss totally over 17,000 pounds and counting! But even more important than that, they keep it off with the skills they continue to implement.

Melissa Ronda Vroom Veer Stories

Excited to ride the wave of New Year's resolutions and help women start a new life and lose a ton of weightGrowing up as an obese kid; Dad had candy and popcorn stores; grew up with unhealthy relationships with family and foodShe didn't know how to communicate with herself or others; she didn't think her thoughts or feelings were valuable in anyway; she used food to repress those negative emotionsHer father was in a wheelchair due to his obesity; she was co-dependent and trying to take care of himShe was meal prepping for him using portion control; and he would sneak off and eat Fast Food; so healthy meal prepping became a theme in her lifeShe started focusing on her “old lady hands” and went to see a natural path to try something different; she prescribe norco a strong addictive opioidIt felt like if everyone else would do the things like if my husband would get a job; if my dad would take care of himself; she spent all her energy worrying about other peopleShe didn't realize she could make decisions and take actions herself that would change her realityAfter she divorced the guy on the coach with no job; she started lifting weights and something clicked inside her mind; there is such a thing as “good pain” and this is it

Melissa Ronda Connections

Website

Instagram

Facebook

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David Tomen – Supplements for your Brain

By YooperSmith | January 14, 2019

David Tomen has been researching nootropics and brain optimization for over 10 years. When he's not writing about nootropics, he's travelling the world (45 countries so far), sailing, diving, studying neuroscience or sitting under an umbrella on Miami Beach.

David Tomen Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

David Tomen’s journey with nootropic supplements began when he was diagnosed with Adult ADD.After years of buying self-help books, being passed over for promotions, and even suffering depression over his inability to focusRitalin helped turn his life and career around But a few short years later found David in the ER with a laundry list of symptoms. Neurologists tested him for early onset Alzheimer's which came back negative.Not only was David struggling with focus again but now he was sufferingfrom complete memory loss, chronic fatigue, depression, and his business and marriage were in deep trouble.With a methodically researched regimen of supplements and lifestyle changes, he was able to not only recover but to get his brain working better than ever before. David helps Jeff build a basic nootropics stack for energy and focus after lunch

David Tomen Connections

Website

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Arthur Carmazzi – Brained Based Leadership

By YooperSmith | January 7, 2019

Arthur Carmazzi is ranked as one of the world’s Top 10 most influential thought leaders in leadership and organizational culture. As a bestselling author and founder of the Directive Communication Psychology, Arthur’s brain clarity research and gamification methodologies have are used by over 400 licensed Directive Communication Psychology leadership and culture consultants in 18 different countries

Arthur Carmazzi Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

How he took a job in Korea to chase a girl; Arthur did get the girl for a while; but also did really well in the job.Decided he was sooo Awesome he could “do it himself”; created $500k in debt; needed a job to pay off debtIn new great job he was excited to share his ideas to make the company better; nobody wanted to play his gameStudied the research behind the top 3 personality test to find the common ideas; found that how people find clarity was a common thread that people could easily relate toJeff seems to be a green brain; or a chaotic processor–Jeff fails fast and dirty and in order to gain clarity; this is very scary to other types of processorsArthur built a castle in Bali with secret passages and secret revolving book cases; it's a nerd's dreamJeff bought a Nissan Leaf which is his new toy that he is currently playing around with; part of finding joy is playing with new toys; until we are bored

Arthur Carmazzi Connections

Directive Communication

Squadli

Youtube Channel

Carmazzi.net

Colored Brain

Architects of Extraordinary Team Culture – 5 Secrets from The Ancient Pyramids

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Travis Jones – Business, Meditation, Gratitude and Finding Meaning

By YooperSmith | December 17, 2018

Travis Jones is a serial entrepreneur and risk taker. He is the Founder & CEO of RBT Gyms, Keystone Health & Fitness, Think Tank Australia and Attain Digital Agency.
Travis Jones Vroom Veer Stories

Result Based Training is fundamentally different than most gym memberships; you are signing up to work with group who will hold you accountable to accomplish your fitness goals
How did you find clients? Talked to 100 people per week with a free offer with about 20% sign up rate; worked to flip those to paid memberships–hustle!
We talk about how to choose our reactions; there is a GAP between stimulus and response; we don't know why that person cut us off in traffic–maybe he is trying to save a a life?
Great discussion about Man's Search for Meaning; many lessons learned in a very short book–E.g: A great WHY can pull you through just about any HOW.
Travis tried Transcendental Meditation but he found it wasn't a good fit; now he using Wim Hoff breathing exercises to connect to breath and find his GAP
Comparison of notes about gratitude and abundance practices; the reticular activation system always works for self programming
We both plus one a journaling practice to improve sleep and get stray thoughts out of ones' head

Travis Jones Connections
Website

Facebook

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Oscar Trimboli – Deep Listening: Impact Beyond Words

By YooperSmith | December 3, 2018

Oscar Trimboli is the author of Deep Listening: Impact beyond words, The 125/400 Rule: The Art and Science of Listening and Breakthroughs: How to confront your assumptions. Working with boards and executive teams, Oscar has experienced first-hand the transformational impact leaders can have when they listen beyond the words.

Oscar Trimboli Vroom Vroom Veer Stories

What is the 125/400 Rule? How can we use this rule to listen better?
Talk about how there is an Art and Science to listening
What is Deep Listening? Can we learn some techniques?
What is the difference between a good listener and a great listener?
How can you listen to what is unsaid? How do we get all of the words out?
What do you mean when you say “Everyone sees in color, but then listen in Black and White”?
What was it like growing in Sydney Australia with Immigrant parents from Italy?

Oscar Trimboli Connections

Website

Oscar's Book Deep Listening: Impact Beyond Words

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Joseph Romm – How to Go Viral and Reach Millions

By YooperSmith | November 26, 2018

Joseph Romm was named one of “The 100 People Who Are Changing America” by Rolling Stone magazine. CNN host Van Jones calls Romm “the communicator’s communicator.” Time magazine named Romm one of the “Heroes of the Environment (2009)” calling him “The Web’s most influential climate change blogger.”

Joseph Romm Vroom Veer Stories

How do we use figures of speech in headlines? Alliterations and metaphors are pretty common ideas.
Peter Parker, Louis Lane, Clark Kent, J. Jonah Jameson – the comic writers now about alliterations
The hero's journey is the perfect template for any idea you'd like to make easier to remember
Bards from 10,000 years ago used stories sequence, rhythm, rhyme and repetition to create ideas that would be remembered and repeated; doesn't remind you of EVERY pop song ever?
What are the three emotions that inspire people to want to click and comment?
One emotion is Awe; people want to identify themselves with awesome people, tribes and ideas
Outrage might be overused today on social media, everyone is coat tailing certain leaders in using outrage to dominate the daily news cycle

Joseph Romm Connections

On Wikipedia (Joe's been busy)

Latest book “How to Go Viral and Reach Millions”

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