How does someone leave their job as a lawyer in New Jersey, sell their house, pack their bags, and move with his family all the way to Florida -to pursue a career rooted in their passion for all things Walt Disney?
Well Lou Mongello did it, and he is CRUSHING it as an entrepreneur. And he is here on Gen X Amplified to talk all about his love and career as a Disney expert.
Lou Mongello is an author, historian, speaker, podcaster, and Disney Expert. For many years he was actually an attorney living in New Jersey - but he left practicing law to follow his dream of sharing his love for Walt Disney World.
He is now the host of the top-ranked podcast WDW Radio, which is dedicated to enhance the appreciation for the Walt Disney World parks - so visitors can be better prepared have an outstanding experience. WDW Radio has also been awarded the “Best Travel” podcast for 9 years straight since 2006.
Lou is also the author of the book, 102 Ways to Save Money For and At Walt Disney World, which is both in print and digital formats.
In addition to his business activities, Lou founded the Dream Team Project to help grant the wishes children with serious illnesses to visit Walt Disney World through the Make-A-Wish Foundation of America, and has raised more than $250,000 to date.
A social media pioneer and influencer, Lou connects with his loyal audiences (he prefers to say “friends”) via a variety of online social networks, and also hosts monthly meet-ups in Walt Disney World and around the country.
As one of the leading authorities on Disney, Lou is frequently interviewed for his expertise - on outlets such as USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg Business, Parenting Magazine, and others.
We're so excited to chat with Lou as our featured guest on this episode of Gen X Amplified. During our conversation, Lou talks about his journey from being a lawyer, to trusting his instincts and embracing his knowledge and love for Disney - and then turning that into a lucrative career.
When you think of “brand” or “branding” what immediately comes to mind? Is it a logo? Or the name of a business? Or colors? These are all important, but they only touch the surface of what a brand entails.
For this special solo episode of Gen X Amplified, I discuss why developing your brand is essential - even before you think about marketing, social media, etc. And, I break down what I consider to be the 5 key elements of what defines a brand.
As an entrepreneur or even a marketer - you should not put all the weight of your brand on your logo. Your brand is the complete story of what you want to communicate about your business, and the perception that you leave in the hearts and minds of your audience.
That’s why before you even think about creative, logos, or marketing – you must have clarity on what your brand truly includes. So here are what I consider to be the 5 key elements of a brand:
As a leader in today's marketplace, you must be able to understand why new media platforms, including content marketing, and especially social media are very critical to your business success.
On this episode of Gen X Amplified, we are joined by someone who is very much considered a quintessential marketing leader and social media expert. The one and only Scott Monty is here to discuss his journey from becoming the global head of social media for Ford Motor Company, to his current role as an entrepreneur - launching his own strategic consultancy, Scott Monty Strategies.
Scott Monty is an internationally recognized thought leader in digital communications, social media and marketing. For six years, he was best known for being the global head of social media at Ford Motor Company - where he advised on social media activities across the entire company.
Scott also has a decade of experience at marketing agencies, where he worked with clients including Coca-Cola, American Airlines, T-Mobile, and IBM.
Now, he recently launched his own consultancy, Scott Monty Strategies, where he advises brands and agencies on strategy communications, influencer management, and the overall customer digital experience.
In addition to his professional duties, Scott is also an active blogger and podcaster - not only on his personal website - but also on a site and podcast called I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere, dedicated to none other than Sherlock Holmes.
He frequently speaks at events around the world, and has been featured on a variety of mainstream media, including The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg TV, NBC, NPR, CNN, and Fox Business.
As our guest today on Gen X Amplified, Scott brings his "marketing brilliance" to the podcast, and not only outlines his journey to becoming the head of social media for Ford Motor Company, but also provides some valuable insights on social media, marketing, and thought leadership.
The process of starting a business can be both challenging and rewarding. But what about starting a business with your spouse and growing that business into a world recognized niche brand and movement.
On this very special episode of Gen X Amplified, we not only have just one guest - but for the first time ever, we are speaking with a dynamic married couple - Lamar Tyler and Ronnie Tyler from the very popular blog: BlackandMarriedWithKids.com.
Lamar Tyler and Ronnie Tyler are the husband-and-wife power pair behind the very popular and internationally recognized brand, BlackandMarriedWithKids.com - which has become the largest independent, African American marriage and parenting website.
They founded the website in 2007 after finding themselves frustrated with the negative images of black marriage in the media. Now recently, the website has grown from a small personal blog to an international brand with nearly 500,000 Facebook fans.
Also through their company, Tyler New Media, Lamar directed and produced four Amazon best-selling films; Still Standing, Men Ain’t Boys, You Saved Me and Happily Ever After: A Positive Image of Black Marriage - which deals with the challenges and triumphs of marriage in the black community.
Along with managing the very popular website and producing the films, Lamar and Ronnie travel the country speaking on parenting and marriage-related topics to a variety of media outlets, and give advice to aspiring bloggers on how to build their brands.
As our featured guests on today's episode of Gen X Amplified, I chat with Lamar and Ronnie about their professional journey, the dynamic of balancing entrepreneurship and marriage, and also the methods they use to build such a massive brand and movement.
For many of us, maintaining good habits can be both rewarding and challenging. Also, as we approach the end of one year and the start of another - living a happier and more successful life is without a doubt one our biggest goals.
On this episode of Gen X Amplified, we have someone who is perhaps considered the "queen of habits and happiness", New York Times bestselling author, Gretchen Rubin. She is here to discuss her latest book, aptly titled Better Than Before: Mastering the Habits of Everyday Life, and to share some awesome insights on the steps we can take to change and conquer our habits.
Gretchen Rubin is definitely a content creator phenomenon. She is a blogger, podcaster, speaker, and bestselling author of many books, including The Happiness Project, which really sparked her overall happiness movement.
Then she "happily" put pen to paper again to write Happier at Home, which was Gretchen's personal account of what she implemented to create more happiness in the things that mattered to her at home - such as marriage, family treasured possessions, neighborhood, and parenthood.
Now Gretchen's latest book, Better Than Before: Mastering the Habits of Our Everyday Lives, is all about how to maintain and increase the good habits in your life - and how to break the bad ones that are keeping you from reaching your goals.
She has also recently launched a weekly podcast called Happier with Gretchen Rubin that she co-hosts with her sister, where they discuss good habits and happiness.
Gretchen has a passionate following both in print and online, and her books have sold more than two million copies worldwide in more than thirty languages. She also makes frequent TV appearances on shows like The Today Show, and others.
As our featured guest on today's episode of Gen X Amplified, Gretchen speaks directly to the challenges and even the great opportunities that Gen-Xers have when it comes to creating better habits, especially during this "rush hour" of life as she calls it.
Are you starting to think about your goals for next year? Have you thought about what your life should be like 5-years from now? Well, now is the time to really start planning, not just your goals for next year, but also your life and business in five years. What is your 2020 vision?
To help dive more into this topic, I am introducing the very first solo episode of Gen X Amplified! This time, it's just me having a conversation with you on this very important and relevant topic, especially for Gen Xers. And, I will also provide more insights on the overall mission of this podcast.
So are you ready? Let's do it!
Too often, we find ourselves waiting until the beginning of the year to set our goals. Also, many times we only think short-term, and focus on the current or upcoming year.
To really make the most of establishing our goals, we should look ahead - and then reverse engineer. Where is it that we want to be in the long-run? What are the key steps we need to take in order to get there. I recommend focusing a long-term vision of five years, and then working back from there. In five years, it will be the year 2020. Do YOU have 2020 vision?
Also, at the beginning of this episode, I discuss a little about my background, and why I decided to launch this podcast/movement - particularly for the Gen X community.
How do you really set yourself apart this noisy and crowded world? And how do you do work that is truly remarkable? The key is to develop an authentic voice.
To help us better understand to power of developing your unique voice - we are thrilled to have speaker, author, and podcaster, Todd Henry here on Gen X Amplified to discuss his latest best-selling book, Louder Than Words: Harness the Power of your Authentic Voice.
Todd Henry spends his time teaching leaders and organizations how to establish practices that lead to everyday brilliance.
He is the author of three awesome books - which include: The Accidental Creative and Die Empty - which was named by Amazon.com as one of the best books of 2013.
Todd's latest book, Louder Than Words, is about how to develop an authentic voice that resonates and creates impact. Bestselling author Tom Rath called it “…one of the best guides to living a meaningful life I have ever read.”
He is the host of the top-ranked podcast also called “The Accidental Creative."
Besides writing and podcasting, Todd also speaks and consults across dozens of industries on creativity, leadership, and passion for work.
Are you hoping to become a better public speaker, or motivate and persuade others more effectively as a leader? Then get ready for a "master class" about performance - not on stage or the screen. But how to perform on the stage of "life".
That's because NY Times best-selling author, personal branding expert, and former professional actor Michael Port is joining us on Gen X Amplified to discuss his latest and greatest book - Steal The Show.
Michael Port is absolutely a force to be reckoned with, especially when it comes to public speaking, coaching, and personal branding. He is called “an uncommonly honest author” by the Boston Globe, a “marketing guru” by The Wall Street Journal, and a “sales guru” by the Financial Times.
Michael is a NY Times best-selling author of six books including Book Yourself Solid, The Think Big Manifesto, and now his brand new release, Steal the Show: From Speeches to Job Interviews to Deal-Closing Pitches - How to Guarantee a Standing Ovation for All the Performances in Your Life. This is actually the performance book not for actors, but for the everyday person who is looking to become a better public speaker and give more effective presentations.
He is also probably the only NY Times best-selling business book author to have also been a successful professional actor, guest starring on shows like Sex & The City, Law & Order, Third Watch, All My Children, and in films like The Pelican Brief and Down to Earth.
These days, Michael can be seen regularly on MSNBC, CNBC, and PBS as an on air expert in communication and business development.
On this exciting episode of Gen X Amplified, Michael pulls back the curtain on his personal story and we dig into the public speaking, performance, and leadership principles from his new book - Steal the Show. So listen, be empowered, and get ready to own the moment in business and life!
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Do you want to live a life of time freedom, location freedom, and financial freedom? Then you will be excited for this episode of Gen X Amplified, and our featured guest Michael O'Neal, the Founder and Host of the very successful podcast, The Solopreneur Hour.
My featured guest is someone who has definitely bounced back from challenges in his life, but is now CRUSHING it as an entrepreneur.
Michael O'Neal is the founder and host of the award-winning and much acclaimed business and entertainment podcast, The Solopreneur Hour. His podcast has already has more than 6 million downloads and monetized to over 200k dollars. The Solopreneur Hour features lively and engaging conversations with his guests, who share remarkable stories, advice and practical tips for an audience that badges itself as “proudly unemployable”.
Michael has an extensive background and education in social media, branding, web and print design, network marketing, and internet marketing,
To make things even more fascinating - he is also a professional drummer, car racer, competitive racquetball player, and former expert mountain bike racer and loves stand up comedy.
On this episode of Gen X Amplified, Michael is here to share with us his passions, insights, and plenty of valuable tips. And we get to hear him promote the life of time freedom, location freedom, and financial freedom: which are the core tenets of being a solopreneur.
Are you struggling with multitasking and prioritizing your most important projects - especially when it seems there are so many things to get done? Then you need to stop and focus on this particular episode, and our featured guest Jay Papasan, the co-author of The ONE Thing.
Jay Papasan, is the Vice President of publishing and Executive Editor at KellerINK, the publishing arm of Keller Williams Realty. He is best known for co-writing with his mentor, Gary Keller, a few best-selling books, including The Millionaire Real Estate Investor, which became a New York Times best-seller.
But their most recent book, titled The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results, has been a nothing short of a “game-changer.” It is a New York Times best-seller and has also reached #1 on the Wall Street Journal business best-seller list.
In the book, Jay and Gary outline in great detail why everyone should identify that area of your life where you want to be extraordinary (that one thing), and FOCUS on it - before you simultaneously take on other tasks.
To me, this is such a groundbreaking book. I actually put it in the same category as other watershed publications such as Good to Great by Jim Collins, Tribes by Seth Godin, and Simon Sinek's Start With Why.
During this value-packed episode of Gen X Amplified, Jay and I discuss his overall journey to becoming an author, the importance of "focus" as a leader, and why The ONE Thing is resonating with so many, even outside of the business world. This is book is definitely a must-read, especially for Gen Xers with all of the opportunities and obligations we have during this power phase of our lives.
What do you get when you combine the ingredients of a prolific photographer, passionate podcaster, public speaker, and a magnificent mom? You get Lucrecer Braxton. And I'm absolutely thrilled to feature her as our guest on this episode of Gen X Amplified.
Lucrecer Braxton is an award-winning photographer, vlogger, and "mixed-media" artist. She has been a photographer for over 15 years and has had plenty of photos and original art published in books and magazines.
As an experienced speaker, Lucrecer has graced the stage at many conferences, and has led workshops on relationship building, photography, blogging, and building communities online.
Recently, Lucrecer has launched an amazing podcast called Hello Friend - that features candid conversations weekly with guests, giving a glimpse into how they live their life, what they are reading, and why they are simple awesome.
On this episode, Lucrecer and I discuss her fascinating journey, her passion for photography, the motivation for her podcast launch, and why being true to yourself while providing value to others is the path to success.
Did you know that a webinar can be one of the best platforms for you to promote your expertise, build an audience, and quickly generate leads? Well, if you didn't then you're in for a treat, because we have the world-renowned webinar guru, Steven Essa, on this informative episode of Gen X Amplified.
Steven Essa is known internationally as the “Make Money with Webinars Expert.” He was raised in the western-suburbs of Sydney, Australia by hard working immigrant parents. Steven now excites audiences in Australia, the UK, USA, UAE, Ireland, Switzerland, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Cyprus, Singapore and New Zealand.
Through his company, x10 Effect, Steven has trained thousands of people to leverage the power of webinars, and their efficiency, convenience and flexibility, to generate thousands of dollars in product sales. Steven’s methods give all business owners something that is much needed in today’s new media marketplace: the flexibility to create additional streams of income in their business.
On this episode of Gen X Amplified, Steven and I discuss in detail how to setup your perfect webinar and also how entrepreneurs can also leverage other people's expertise and skills to make money webinars. This is episode is without question, a "note-taker". So get your paper, pencil - or even your Evernote app ready. Also, you get a chance to hear a little Australian "rap" as a special treat!
If you are ready for an episode of Gen X Amplified when we have a big-time generational conversation about millennials- then this is the one! That's because our featured guest is Lee Caraher, who is millennial champion, and sometimes affectionately called the millennial whisperer.
Lee Caraher is an entrepreneur and CEO with over 20 years experience building great, high producing inter-generational work teams that get a lot done, and have fun at the same time.
An acclaimed communication strategist known for her practical solutions to big problems - Lee founded her company, Double Forte in 2002 to work with good people doing great work. Her clients span well-loved brands and hot technology startups in the San Francisco Bay area, Boston, New York, and Europe.
As an author, Lee wrote Millennials & Management: The Essential Guide to Making it Work at Work, after struggling and then figuring out how to work well with millennial clients and staffers (more than half of Lee's staff is under 32).
This positive and practical book is based on her own experience and interviews with hundreds of professionals of all ages across the country. As Lee points out: "I was fed up with the negative stereotypes millennials are burdened with, and was determined to figure out how to create a culture where Boomers, Gen Xers, and Millennials can all thrive together."
On this episode of Gen X Amplified, we really get a chance to go deep into a generational conversation, and discuss the various dynamics of Millennials, Gen Xers, and Boomers in the marketplace. This is definitely a "must-listen" for any Gen Xer looking to become a better leader in the marketplace.
Are you looking for actionable tips on how to successfully run a business and target the right audience? Then you definitely want to tune-in to our featured guest - Jason Swenk. That's because we are going to chat about some key strategies to build the right systems in your business, and why you should scale down to your ideal target market. Remember...the riches are in the niches!
Jason Swenk states that he has "special" business and marketing powers. His mission? To save the galaxy - one business at a time.
Jason is a professional speaker, author, consultant, and also what is called a "digital-preneur." He began his career in the 1990s at Authur Andersen. Then after realizing the huge opportunities in digital marketing he quickly started his own agency in 1999. There, over the span of 12 years Jason created innovative solutions for clients such as Aflac, Lotus Cars, Hitachi, AT&T, Coke, and Legal Zoom. Then he successfully sold that agency for 7 figures. Awesome!
Today, Jason primarily helps agency owners get to the next level by focusing on the major systems that they need - from generating quality leads, streamlining operations, and generating increased profit. He also provides high impact digital solutions through client coaching, blogging, and podcasting.
On this episode of Gen X Amplified, we also discuss why business owners (especially gen Xers), should define your expertise, identify the pain points of your audience- then deliver valuable content to that market.
Okay, this is a very valuable - but very fun episode! Get ready to get great insights on virtual teams, the power of personal branding, and why you should build the business of "you." Our featured guest is my buddy Chris Ducker, who is joining us all the way from his home in the Philippines!
Chris Ducker is widely known as the "Virtual CEO." He is a serial entrepreneur, keynote speaker, podcaster, blogger, and now a frequent periscoper, He is also the creator and host of the Tropical Think Tank annual mastermind event.
Chris is the best-selling author of Virtual Freedom: How to Work with Virtual Staff to Buy More Time, Become More Productive, and Build Your Dream Business - which has become a staple in the bookshelves of many entrepreneurs.
Recently, he launched his robust membership community called Youpreneur, which he calls his "primary" business focus for the next 10 years. Chris is also the host of his newly rebranded podcast Youpreneur.FM., which is aligned to his new membership brand.
Originally from the U.K., Chris currently lives in the Philippines, where he heads up his company, Virtual Staff Finder.
On this episode, we have a very informative and fun conversation about virtual staffing, entrepreneurial loneliness, and building the business of you. Chris and I also spend a little time chatting about some of our favorite pastimes such as movies and music. Get ready to be both empowered and entertained!
So if you want a deep lesson on everything content marketing and storytelling - then you're definitely listening to the right episode. That's because we are thrilled to have the one and only C.C. Chapman join us for our tenth episode of Gen X Amplified.
C.C. Chapman is a prolific speaker, author, content storyteller, podcaster, and consultant. Over the years he has worked with many corporate clients including Nike, American Eagle Outfitters, Coca-Cola, and HBO.
He is the best-selling author of two value-packed books: Content Rules: How to Create Killer Blogs, Podcasts, Videos, Ebooks, Webinars that Engage Customers and Ignite your Business (which he co-authored with Ann Handley), and also Amazing Things Will Happen: A Real World Guide on Achieving Success and Happiness.
C.C. is also the creator and host of the "Managing the Grey" podcast.
In addition to his content creation projects, C.C. also heads up a consultancy called Never Enough Days - that specializes in social good, cause marketing, and corporate responsibility.
On this episode, we chat with C.C. about the virtues of content marketing, and why as an entrepreneur it's important to focus not just on the financial rewards, but also the greater good of life.
In this current crowded marketplace, it has never been more important to use the power of social media to break through the clutter, and engage with your target audience. Well on this episode, we have the pleasure of chatting with one of the leading social media experts in the world, Corinna Essa.
Corinna Essa is internationally known as the go-to person when it comes to social media marketing.
She was raised in Greece and at the age of 17, traveled to London to study television production, only to have her dreams shattered as she discovered the very unstable nature of the industry. By the time she reached her mid-20s...Corinna decided enough was enough and began her journey online.
Quickly discovering a few powerful strategies that would allow her to leverage the power of social media, Corinna started using Twitter to market products. Within 3 weeks, she had replaced her full-time income - working only 2 hours a day.
Now Corinna heads up Social Media Worldwide, an international marketing company, that helps businesses leverage social media to accelerate their growth. On this episode of Gen X Amplified, we have a detailed and engaging chat about how vital it is for every business owner to embrace social media as a key part of their marketing toolkit.
Wanna hear about podcasting from someone who has not only transformed the medium, but also found his perfect niche and teaches others how to do the same? Well on this episode, we are chatting with the one and only "Podmaster" himself, John Lee Dumas.
John Lee Dumas is the Founder and Host of Entrepreneur On Fire (EOFire), an award winning podcast that reveals the journey of today's most inspiring entrepreneurs - 7 days a week, which is the first of its kind. Also, his podcast alone generates over $250,000 a month in revenue. Wow.
With over 1 million unique listens a month, EntrepreneurOnFire has inspired millions of people - whom he calls “Fire Nation” to take control of their life and take the Entrepreneurial leap. He is also the creator of the mastermind community Podcaster’s Paradise.
In addition to EOFire, John offers a free 15-day course on podcasting at FreePodcastCourse.com., and also extends his “on fire” brand with Webinars On Fire, a course on how to create webinars that convert.
John is bringing the heat on Gen X Amplified to discuss his unprecedented podcast, why he chose his particular “niche”, and how every aspiring entrepreneur can uncover their zone of genius.
This is the episode where we are really going in deep on how to overcome that awful feeling self-doubt in your professional career, and become a better leader.
On this episode of Gen X Amplified we are having a highly valuable chat with Mike "Ambassador" Bruny, of No More Reasonable Doubt.
Mike is speaker, certified life coach, and author of the book 30 Days of Hip-Hop Affirmations to Change Your Life. He has been a champion for others to build their personal brand, and is also a familiar face at conferences, helping attendees build better relationships through the power of networking.
But now he is on a mission. That mission is helping young professionals of color go from being invisible to invincible. This is through his latest venture - No More Reasonable Doubt, an online community and podcast focused on empowering young professionals of color to build better soft skills, and have more impact in the workplace.
Mike joins us on Gen X Amplified to talk about not only his latest company, but shed light on how you can become a better leader within the workplace through networking, taking inventory of your strengths, and becoming more "human."
If you love kids, and want to hear about how to turn your passion into a home-based business that also dominates on Facebook, then you'll love this episode.
On this episode of Gen X Amplified we are having a great chat with with Holly Homer, of kidsactivitiesblog.com.
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Holly is a "social media obsessed" entrepreneur, wife, mother, and the co-owner of the popular website kidsactivitiesblog.com. She also runs the website's Facebook page ,which is called Quirky Momma. What is fascinating about their Facebook page is that they grew it to over 1 million fans....in less than one year!
She is also the author of the book “101 Kids Activities That Are the Bestest Funnest Ever!”
Holly is here on Gen X Amplified to talk about her website's brand purpose, Facebook marketing best practices, and why parents should take advantage of the "simple things" in life when entertaining kids.