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Businesses that Care Podcast (formerly Mere Mortals Unite)

Mere Mortals Unite (MMU) and Businesses that Care (BTC) are two distinct series in this podcast. BTC is focused on building a business culture that allows your business to recruit and retain good talent. Our guests share ideas that work, to create a culture of engagement. On previous episodes of MMU we share superpowers that everyone has although they may not have discovered them yet, or forgotten them or given them away. Take them back, increase their use in your life. provides skills and techniques so you can discover your superpowers. The result is an increase in success and joy in your life and the lives of those that surround you. Let’s change the world one person at a time, starting with you!
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Now displaying: Category: general
Mar 8, 2017

088: The Power of Resilience - Lauren Schieffer

http://www.julieannsullivan.com/the-power-of-resilience-lauren-schieffer/

 

All of us face trials and setbacks on a daily basis. Whether it’s a minor problem or a major tragedy, one quality will help you deal with these setbacks successfully: resilience. My guest today helps us understand why we need to be resilient and how to put it into practice every day.

I’m thrilled to introduce you to Lauren Schieffer, a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) who works with leaders and organizations who want to go from successful to significant. She shares some great wisdom from her father, “The Colonel,” on how a setback is merely a setup for a comeback. She also shows how resilience has played a huge part in helping her overcome personal challenges. Lauren’s story will have you cheering and ready to handle with whatever life throws at you!

Lauren’s Bio: Lauren Schieffer works with leaders and organizations who want to go from successful to SIGNIFICANT. Able to relate to and energize everyone from the custodial staff to C-Level executives, Lauren has spent her career pinpointing characteristics of significance, how to understand differing communication styles, and how to prevent and manage conflict from the High Road. She delivers inspirational and relevant content, infusing humor and interaction. As a recovering bulimic and assault survivor, Lauren is the embodiment of the reality that what happens to you in your life is not as important as how you choose to respond to what happens to you. It's all about choice.

 

You’ll discover: 

  • How Lauren describes her superpower
  • The benefits of being resilient.
  • A powerful truth: when you decide to be resilient, nothing and no one can knock you down and keep you down but you.
  • How Lauren used resiliency to deal with the challenges of being a sexual assault victim, in addition to her struggle with bulimia nervosa.
  • Why you don’t have to undergo a huge tragedy to use resilience.
  • How resilience applies in business situations.
  • How Lauren was able to help one company’s difficult employee learn to communicate respectfully and manage conflict.
  • Why you should avoid words like “always” and “never.”
  • Two actions you can take today to create more resiliency in your life.

 

4 things Lauren does to create more resiliency in her life:

  1. In any life situation, break down your goals into manageable chunks.
  2. Have a plan for achieving your goals.
  3. Focus on daily effort, not on results.
  4. Change what you say when you talk to yourself.

 

Interview Links & Other Resources 

LaurenSchieffer.com

Road Signs on the High Road of Life by Lauren Schieffer

Follow Lauren on Twitter

Connect with Lauren on LinkedIn

Connect with Lauren on Facebook

Mere Mortals Unite on C-Suite Radio

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Mar 1, 2017

087 How to Create an “Unleavable” Culture

URL:  http://www.julieannsullivan.com/create-unleavable-culture/

 

Summary

Most companies are focused on profitability and how they can improve their bottom line. In the process of doing business, it’s easy to forget the number one factor that determines profitability: culture. Today’s guest, Jason Forrest, will help you understand why the workplace environment is so important to your business or organization, and how to improve it.

Jason is the CEO and Chief Culture Officer of Forrest Performance Group (FPG). FPG is a company focused on mastering the art and science of human performance, and was named the Best Place to Work in Fort Worth, TX by FWInc. He’s one of the world’s top sales trainers, and has created a sales and sales management training program that is regarded as one of the world’s best. His focus on motivation and unleashing human performance is contagious. You’ll come away from this episode with the motivation and knowledge to impact your organization’s culture and improve your own performance.

 

You’ll discover:

  • How to create an “unleavable” culture vs. “unfireable” culture.
  • The easiest way to destroy your company culture.
  • Why every single employee has a quarterly coaching session with Jason.
  • The story and purpose behind the “Freaking Awesome” happy hour their company celebrates every Friday, and how it has changed their culture.
  • The most important trait of a highly profitable culture.
  • Why our beliefs have more to do with our success than our abilities.
  • Why every employee gets a minimum of 5 hours of coaching, training, or personal development each week.
  • The relationship between culture, productivity, and profitability.
  • The number one factor that determines your profitability.

 

Bonus Content

According to Jason, there are 4 levels of employees:

  • Level 1 is usually where new employees come in; they say, “Tell me what to do.”
  • Level 2 employees do what they’re told to do and then ask, “What else can I do?”
  • Level 3 employees proactively look for what else they can do and come up with new solutions.
  • Level 4 employees can lead themselves with little to no direction and are in perfect alignment with the company’s focus.

As an employee “levels up” they become more and more engaged and invested in the company’s vision, culture, and beliefs.

 

Interview Links & Other Resources

Forrest Performance Group

Follow FPG on Twitter

Connect with FPG on Facebook

Connect with FPG on LinkedIn

Mere Mortals Unite on C-Suite Radio

iTunes - Subscribe, Rate and Review

Jan 25, 2017

Networking, Relationships, Business, Connections, Goals

 

Episode 049: Dynamic Networking - Meridith Elliott Powell

URL: http://www.julieannsullivan.com/dynamic-networking-meridith-elliott-powell

 

On this episode of Mere Mortals Unite, I‘m speaking with Meridith Elliott Powell about Dynamic Networking. It’s not just about making the rounds in a room full of people. Meridith shares some valuable skills on making your time beneficial by not placing the focus only on yourself. A true connection is made when you follow the 80/20 rule--20% of the time the conversation is about you and 80% of the time it’s about the other person.

 

This power of connection doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Meridith says you have to be intentional, and she gives a number of great ideas about doing that. Some of the easiest actions you can take can also help you reap the greatest rewards. You gotta work it, though, and Meridith tells you how.

Voted one of the Top 15 Business Growth Experts to watch by Currency Fair, Meridith Elliott Powell is an award-winning author, keynote speaker, and business strategist. With a background in corporate sales and leadership, her career expands over several industries including banking, healthcare, and finance. Meridith worked her way up from an entry-level position to earn her seat at the C-Suite table. She is Certified Speaking Professional, a designation held by less than 12% of professional speakers, and a member of the prestigious Forbes Coaching Council.

You’ll discover:

 

  • The benefits of networking and making connections.
  • Why your goal in connecting must be to help the other person, not just help yourself.
  • An incredible story of how a simple invitation to connect over lunch turned into a great business opportunity for Meridith.
  • Why people want to help you when you first help them.
  • The key truth that in this economy, all you’re selling is relationships.
  • Actionable steps to network and connect with others.

 

Interview Links & Other Resources

 

Follow Meridith Elliott Powell on Twitter

Connect with Meridith Elliott Powell on LinkedIn

Connect with Meridith Elliott Powell on Facebook

Yes, Believe It or Not, There is Leadership in Washington

Own It: Redefining Responsibility by Meridith Elliott Powell

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Jan 18, 2017

Letting Go, Clarity, Focus, Productivity

 

Episode 064 Letting Go for Clarity and Focus with Joe Calloway

URL: http://www.julieannsullivan.com/clarity-focus-joe-calloway/

 

Today’s guest is Joe Calloway, a leadership & performance speaker, author, business workshop leader, keynote speaker, and a consultant on branding and competitive positioning.  He has authored Becoming a Category of One, Be the Best at What Matters Most, Magnetic: The Art of Attracting Business, Work Like You’re Showing Off, and several other top sellers on Amazon and other book publishers.

He has been a coach and speaker for the past 30 years and his client list includes global brands like BMW, IBM, Saks Fifth Avenue, Coca Cola, American Express, newspapers in Sweden, companies in South Africa, and hotels in Great Britain. He speaks on various topics but most frequently on business trends.

The major themes in his motivational talks include “moving on”, “letting go” and forgiveness.

 

Bio: Joe Calloway is a business author, consultant and speaker who helps top performing individuals and organizations unlock potential and get even better. Joe is the author of 7 business books, including the classic Becoming A Category Of One.

 

You’ll discover:

 

  • Joe’s story of …
  • Being the best at what matters most
  • Letting go of distractions
  • Letting go of:  trying to please everybody or trying to make everybody happy
  • Prepare a list of What To Let Go
  • Let go of making things “complicated”
  • Letting go of grudges

 

Joe Calloway’s list of things to let go:

 

Let go of the toxic people in your life.

Let go of being envious.

Let go of being late.

Let go of having to be right.

Let go of re-posting without fact-checking.

Let go of not listening.

Let go of negative self-talk.

Let go of trying to impress everyone.

Let go of beating yourself up for past mistakes.

Let go of making the same mistake over and over.

Let go of over-thinking everything.

Let go of making it complicated.

Let go of someone else’s definition of success.

Let go of the need to please everyone. You can’t.

Let go of waiting for someone else to make you happy.

Let go of spending all of your money. Save - even a little.

Let go of saying “yes” to things you don’t want to do.

Let go of hating people who don’t look, sound, or think like you.

Let go of being afraid of new ideas.

 

Interview Links & Other Resources

 

http://joecalloway.com

Keep It Simple - Joe Calloway

Connect on Twitter

Connect on LinkedIn

Connect on Facebook

iTunes - Subscribe, Rate & Review

 

---------------

Jan 11, 2017

Faith, Laughter, Humor, Purpose, Suffering

 

Episode 41: Faith - Maia Aziz

URL: http://www.julieannsullivan.com/faith-maia-aziz/

 

On this episode of Mere Mortals Unite, we interview our first Canadian, Maia Aziz. Maia has her own podcast called Morning Moments with Maia. She’s a mother of six, a wonderful wife, and works at Mackay Rehabilitation Centre in Montreal as their program director. I hear she’s a great cook and I know she can crochet awesome scarves. She can do it all, but none of that prevented her from having a child with some genetic anomalies.  


Maia shares her story and how it solidified her faith that all will be well. She reminds us that we have the ability to choose having faith that life has a great purpose for us, but we have to remember to make that choice. A key to her success is to accept that sometimes we have to suffer through and know that’s OK. We all have days that don’t go according to plan, so join us to find some helpful ideas on how to cope.  

You’ll discover:

 

  • What Maia means when she talks about faith.
  • The benefits of having an attitude of faith.
  • How Maia trusted that her daughter would be OK after discovering she had some genetic anomalies.
  • What it means to allow yourself to suffer through a hard situation.
  • Actionable steps to developing a deeper faith.

 

Interview Links & Other Resources

 

Follow Maia Aziz on Twitter

Connect with Maia Aziz on LinkedIn

Connect with Maia Aziz on Facebook

Morning Moments with Maia

Morning Moments With Maia: Sheva Carr on Humor and Human Trafficking

Morning Moments With Maia: Judith Henry on Humor and Caregiving

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Jan 4, 2017

leadership, role model, example, relationships

 

Episode 067 Being a Role Model at Work with Lee Cockerell

URL: http://julieannsullivan.com/being-role-model-work-lee-cockerell



It seems like being a boss in the workplace would be an easy job. You just tell everyone else what to do, they do all the work and you call it a day. Well, that’s not exactly how it works. The entire workplace can be toxic when you have a big, bad boss. Employee turnover is higher, stress is rampant and this causes employees to miss more days of work. To top it all off, those who do show up to work are terrified and suffer through an excruciating work experience. It doesn’t have to be that way, and today’s guest is going to show us how to change it.

 

Lee Cockrell was the Executive VP of DisneyWorld Paris. He began his career by being the big, bad, boss! He used to scare and intimidate his employees and even shares a life changing moment. Lee is an expert in Time Management and he teaches it each and every week. But today, we aren’t focusing on time management and productivity, but we are turning to the soft skills.

 

Today Lee is here to share his transformation story. His focus now is to help us build great relationships at work. One of the keys to building great work relationships is understanding that you really can’t control people. Great leaders at work can improve work performance and cultivate the next generation of great leadership in the workplace. People want to come to work and learn and grow, and when you feed that part of people, the keep coming back for more.

 

Lee’s Bio: Former Executive Vice President, Operation for Disney World for ten years. Before Disney, Lee held executive positions with Hilton Hotels for 8 year and Marriott for 17 years. Lee now gives seminars and keynote speeches around the world on Leadership, Management and Customer Service.




You’ll discover:

 

  • Why being a big, bad boss didn’t serve his employees well
  • The effects of being a good role model
  • The turning point that happened about halfway through his career
  • How he took ownership of his bad behavior and began to work on himself
  • Why humiliation and intimidation didn’t work in the workplace
  • What humiliation and intimidation reveal about the person exhibiting those behaviors
  • How to create a culture where everyone matters and they know they matter
  • Why people want to do business with you when they have a good relationship with you
  • People, including employees, want to be valued and acknowledged
  • Be careful what you say and do because people are always watching
  • Why Lee’s children told him, “Dad, everything was fine until you got here.”
  • The one work trip that Lee makes his grandchildren take with him each year
  • How Lee makes himself available to the next generation each day. He’s accessible!
  • Spend your time where you can make a difference. If you can’t make a difference, don’t spend your time on it.
  • Why you should do the hard things
  • Why Lee jokingly says his Mother was a terrorist!
  • Find out Lee’s superpower!




Interview Links & Other Resources

 

www.LeeCockerell.com

Connect on Twitter

Connect on LinkedIn

Connect on Facebook

Additional Resources:

Lee's 15 Minutes Edutainment Videos

Take some management courses

Lee's "Creating Disney Magic" Podcast

Dec 14, 2016

Tags: thinking, actions, business, c-suite

 

Episode Title: Big Thinking Leads to Big Actions - Jeffrey Hayzlett

URL: http://julieannsullivan.com/big-thinking-big-actions-jeffrey-hayzlett

 

Have you ever felt like you needed to “up your game”, but you don’t exactly know how? Sometimes we think the big league players got there by a stroke of luck or having some sort of connection that we could never have. The truth may surprise you! In this episode we find out that leveling up can start with a Google search for an organization you have no contacts in. Take comfort knowing we all level up with the same actions. Thinking bigger will lead to taking bigger actions and bigger risk - for a bigger reward!

“When you make it to the top, you have to send the elevator back down for everyone else.” - Kevin Spacey

Today’s guest is the King of thinking big. Jeffrey Hayzlett is a name that may be familiar to you! He’s open and approachable and he will be the first to tell you he doesn’t know everything. He’s here today to talk about what he does to both think and act big!

Jeffrey’’s Bio: Jeffrey Hayzlett is the primetime television host of C-Suite with Jeffrey Hayzlett and Executive Perspectives on C-Suite TV and is the host of the award winning All Business with Jeffrey Hayzlett on the CBS on-demand podcast network Play.It. Hayzlett is a global business celebrity, Hall of Fame speaker, best-selling author, and Chairman of C-Suite Network, home of the world’s most trusted network of C-Suite leaders.

 
 
 

What you’ll hear in this episode:

  • Jeffrey’s superpower? He’s a cowboy
  • How he’s used business to fulfill his cowboy dreams
  • How he stopped being stupid and you can too
  • Why he was able to sponsor The Celebrity Apprentice
  • How one conversation turned into multiple contacts that led to numerous business deals
  • It’s ok if you don’t know something. Find out and educate yourself for next time
  • Why Jeffrey considered himself a shy person, but in retrospect, probably wasn’t
  • His first realization that he was a big guy
  • Why he hasn’t made his biggest mistake yet
  • Why he hasn’t had his biggest success yet
  • The one thing Jeffrey is addicted to
  • Do the things you are doing today let you focus on your highest priority tasks?
  • When you need to ignore your inner voice
 
 
 
 

Interview Links & Other Resources

 

www.c-suitenetwork.com

 

Connect on Twitter

Connect on LinkedIn

Connect on Facebook

Check out Jeffrey's blog

Jeffrey's Book: Think Big, Act Bigger

 

Additional Resources:

 

iTunes - Subscribe, Rate & Review

 
Nov 30, 2016

adulting, humor, laughter, enthusiasm

 

Episode Title: Find the Lighter Side of Life - Jason Kotecki

URL: http://julieannsullivan.com/find-lighter-side-life-jason-kotecki/

 

Do you need more child-like play and curiosity in your life? Do you fall into the trap of taking life much too seriously? (We’re calling it “adult-itis.”)

Jason Kotecki is a professional reminder-er and permission-granter who moonlights as a speaker, author, and artist. He loves reminding people how to fight “adult-itis” and to find the lighter side of life. Doesn’t that sound enlightening? Join us!

Jason’s Bio:  Jason Kotecki is a professional reminder-er and permission granter who moonlights as an artist, author and speaker. He enjoys Star Wars, soft t-shirts, and brand new tubes of paint. He and his wife Kim (a former kindergarten teacher) have made it their mission in life to help people break free from Adultitis to build better lives, businesses and teams. Jason works with organizations to beat burnout and become more innovative by breaking rules that don’t exist.

 

What you’ll hear in this episode:

  • Jason’s super power: tinkering
  • What tinkering is and how it can transform your life
  • How tinkering uncovers unexpected paths and amazing things
  • Drawbacks to a business plan
  • How tinkering fosters child-like curiosity and wonder
  • Stories of tinkering
  • Jason’s year-long Tinker Project for 2016: 100 new pieces of artwork
  • Small steps you can take to make changes NOW! (Jason shares examples!)
  • Permission to stretch yourself without fear
  • Jason’s work as professional reminder-er and permission granter
 
 
 

Interview Links & Other Resources

 

www.escapeadulthood.com

 

Connect on Twitter

Connect on LinkedIn

Connect on Facebook

Cure Adultitis with Jason's Newsletter - It's Free!

Additional Resources:

 

iTunes - Subscribe, Rate & Review

Nov 2, 2016

Sully, miracle on the hudson, focus, results, outcomes, accomplishment

 

Episode Title: Focus Gets You What You Want - Dave Sanderson

URL: http://julieannsullivan.com/focus-want-dave-sanderson

 

Have you seen the movie Sully? If you haven’t, perhaps you’re familiar with the story of The Miracle on the Hudson from January 15, 2009. It’s the unique story of an airbus landing safely on the Hudson River with no fatalities, thanks to the quick-thinking determination of the plane’s crew.

My guest today is Dave Sanderson, who was a firsthand witness to this amazing story. He was one of the last passengers to evacuate the plane as it stayed afloat in the icy river. Dave’s super power is what allowed him to have laser vision on the outcome he was looking for in this challenge that could have ended very differently. You don’t want to miss this conversation with Dave!

 

Dave’s Bio: He was a top sales producer in every company he worked for and on January 15th 2009 was on a business trip he had made hundreds of times before. Like all of us when we travel, especially on business, things are often routine and we take things for granted. Then out of the blue something happens that changes what was once routine to a day that changes your life. 

When a bird strike hit US Airways Flight 1549, there was no choice for the crew but to ditch the plane into the Hudson River. Thinking only of helping others in the crisis, our speaker became the last person off of the back of the plane that day, and was largely responsible for making sure so many others made it out safely. 

In what has become known as "The Miracle on the Hudson," he shares the lessons of that day with audiences around the world and shows you how leadership, resourcefulness and managing your mind in a crisis, anyone can step up and overcome their own “personal plane crash.”

 
 
 
 
 

You’ll discover:

 
  • Dave’s super power: FOCUS
  • How Dave’s 30-year sales career evolved into entrepreneurship
  • From Dave’s work with Tony Robbins, how to manage your state of mind
  • Reliving the FOCUS of The Miracle on the Hudson
  • The benefits of associating and disassociating quickly
  • Dave’s daily activities to improve focus: working out and reading
  • Actionable steps to improve focus:
    • Move your body
    • Learn the power of disassociating
    • Focus on the MOMENT
  • The myth of multitasking
  • The benefits of compartmentalizing
  • “Get back on the horse!”
  • The movie: Sully
  • Dave’s book, Moments Matter, and how it came to be
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Interview Links & Other Resources

 

davesandersonspeaks.com

 

Connect on Twitter

Connect on LinkedIn

Connect on Facebook

Moments Matter - Dave’s Book

Additional Resources:

Dave's blog post about Podcast Movement

 

Dave's Article about the movie Sully

 

iTunes - Subscribe, Rate & Review

Jul 6, 2016

Creativity, change, control, adaptability, flexibility, opportunity

 

Episode 28: Create Your Own Reality

URL:   http://www.julieannsullivan.com/create-your-own-reality/

 

Summary

 

This episode of Mere Mortals Unite explores the super power solution of creating your own reality.  Life takes turns, unexpected changes and you can either lament or adapt. There are ways to continue the journey with a full heart and great success. It’s easier if your perspective is one in which recognizes that aspects that are out of your control are the reason your experience will be unique. Being unique is advantageous.

 

You’ll discover:

 

  • What you can do with circumstances out of your control
  • How to create opportunities out of detours
  • Expect the unexpected
  • It’s ok to ask for help

 

Interview Links & Other Resources

 

Julie Ann Sullivan on Facebook

Julie Ann Sullivan on LinkedIn

Julie Ann Sullivan on Twitter

Email Julie Ann Sullivan

iTunes - Subscribe, Rate & Review

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