Beyond 6 Seconds

This week I'm doing a podcast "episode swap" with fellow podcaster Heidi Bennett, the host of the Vibrant Visionaries podcast (and my guest from Episode 68 of Beyond 6 Seconds)! This means that Heidi is publishing my interview episode with her on the Vibrant Visionaries podcast, and I’ve chosen one of her episodes to feature here on Beyond 6 Seconds: her interview with Emily Winston. While living in the San Francisco Bay Area, Emily missed the authentic NY bagels from her youth so much that she decided to make them herself, and dive head (and heart) first into opening a retail bagel bakery called Boichik Bagels in Berkeley, CA! If you’ve ever had a craving for an authentic NY bagel, or ever had to figure out how to make your dream (or your business idea) into reality, you’ll really enjoy this episode from Vibrant Visionaries.  This episode was originally featured on Episode 17 of Heidi's podcast, Vibrant Visionaries. You can hear more episodes of her podcast at vibrantvisionaries.com.  

After graduating college, Matt LeBris spent three years working with Daymond John of ABC’s Shark Tank. Now Matt is the founder of 1B Branding (a branding agency in NY City), the host of the Decoding Success Podcast, and speaks in front of audiences across the U.S. – all of which propel him closer to his goal of positively impacting the lives of one billion individuals. On this episode, Matt shares the successes and challenges that he’s faced in his life, including: How he turned a 5 minute conversation with Daymond John into a job offer His earliest entrepreneurial venture at age 12, when he opened a “restaurant” selling his parents’ groceries on the corner in Queens – until his parents found out about it His struggles in school – getting kicked out of two high schools and failing out of college, but eventually graduating college with honors after 7 years Losing his athletic dream (and all his college scholarships) during his senior year of high school Turning his “18th birthday party” into a revenue-generat

Scott Miller is the EVP of Thought Leadership at FranklinCovey. He is also the author of the #1 hot new release on Amazon, “Management Mess to Leadership Success: 30 Challenges to Become the Leader You Would Follow.” A self-described “management mess,” Scott shares what he has learned from his own leadership mistakes, what characteristics are important for successful leadership, and how his book combines his stories with activities to help readers admit their own messes, apply the lessons he learned and move towards leadership success. Learn about Scott and his work at the links below: Buy Scott’s new book, “Management Mess to Leadership Success”at www.ManagementMess.com Listen to Scott’s podcasts, Great Life, Great Career and On Leadership Connect with Scott on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram Learn more about FranklinCovey at www.FranklinCovey.com

Maria Pesin is a fashion industry consultant and senior apparel industry executive with more than 25 years of field experience. She is the author of the e-book “14 Essential Truths Everyone in the Fashion Business Should Know” and the CEO of Vibe Consulting, where she helps aspiring fashion entrepreneurs build successful businesses. She has built multi-million-dollar brands, and has constructed and implemented business plans for New York apparel giants like Fleet Street and GIII Apparel Group. From a very young age, Maria knew that she wanted to be a businesswoman and make money, despite growing up in a blue collar family in the late 1960s/early 1970s that teased her for her feminist ideals and aspirations. She chose to pursue a career in the fashion industry, where she started working “below rock bottom” until she got jobs where she could learn about the business, and earned promotions all the way to the top. Maria shares her career journey -- including the story behind the incident that led her to leave the

How do you build a life and career that fulfills your passion, if you’re passionate about multiple things?  This is a question that Heidi Bennett helps people answer. Heidi is a business and wellness coach for multi-creative professionals – i.e., people with a multitude of interests who can’t limit themselves to doing one thing only, day in and day out. She helps her clients design their own careers by bringing all their interests and talents together into different projects.  Heidi is also the host of the Vibrant Visionaries podcast, where she has candid conversations with multi-creatives from different fields and industries. On this episode, Heidi shares how she helps multi-creatives overcome mental barriers like negative self-talk, imposter syndrome and fear, while guiding them to practice their strengths, decide what impact they want to have in the world, and find the life and work that aligns with their values and creative processes. Heidi also describes some of her coaching techniques and strategies tha

Justin Nguyen is the 22-year-old CEO of GetChoGrindUp and Co-Host of the Young and D.U.M.B. (Dedicated, Up-and-coming, Motivated, Bold) Podcast. Justin’s mission is to uncover the blueprint to career success for college students, and educate them about traditional jobs (through GetChoGrindUp) and non-traditional jobs (via the Young and D.U.M.B. podcast). On this episode, Justin talks about growing up in the United States as the son of Vietnamese refugees, the pressure he felt from his family to become either a doctor, lawyer or engineer, and how he discovered the worlds of finance, economics and business when he attended college. You’ll find out why he changed his major to Finance, turned down a dream job offer upon graduation, and became an entrepreneur instead – and how he broke the news to his parents! Justin also shares: How he grew his podcast’s reach using social media Advice for making contact with influencers How he taught himself marketing by researching it on the internet and watching videos of mar

Amir Bormand is the Co-founder of Elevano, a candidate-centric technical recruitment company. On this episode, Amir and I talk about how he quit his job to start Elevano right when he got married, and how his wife’s support and belief in his abilities were critical to the success of his business. Most of our conversation, however, focuses on the aftermath of a near death experience that Amir had at the age of 17. This experience had a lasting impact on Amir’s life, as he struggled for many years to deal with the trauma and the meaning of being alive against the odds. He explains how both his wife and a therapist helped him let go of the trauma and shift his mindset away from thinking “what if.” Then, through a strange coincidence, he shares how his trauma and recovery prepared him to support his wife through her own crisis.   You can find out more about Amir at www.elevano.com and find him on LinkedIn, Twitter and via email at ABormand@elevano.com.

Georgie-Ann Getton-Mckoy is an execution strategist, serial entrepreneur, community builder, speaker, author and diversity in tech enthusiast. She loves helping businesses and people become more productive, find creative solutions to their problems, and execute on their ideas, and she’s an expert at turning “dreamers” into “doers.” Her new book, “The Art of Getting Sh*t Done” was published in February 2019. On this episode, Georgie talks about: How, as a child, she became the go-to person for solving problems and getting things done within her family – a skill that she uses successfully as a serial entrepreneur Why flexibility and choice cause so many businesses to procrastinate and lose productivity How she found ways to use technology to become more productive, instead of letting it become a distraction How a simple request to her network led her to create the Get Sh*t Done Summit, an annual conference that provides authentic, practical and actionable guidance for executing on your ideas Why she wrote her

Nikhil Pampati is a high school senior at the Middlesex County Academy for Science, Mathematics and Engineering Technologies in New Jersey. In his free time, he serves as the cofounder and CFO of the national nonprofit Jobscopia, which runs programs that connect students with professionals and provide them with real-life insights into potential careers. On this episode, Nikhil shares the story of what inspired him to start Jobscopia when he was a high school junior, and how he evolved this idea through customer research (which included interviewing strangers on the streets of San Mateo), cold calling companies to get them to participate, and networking with employees at hackathons and conferences. He also talks about how he balances his startup work with going to high school, and his advice for young and aspiring entrepreneurs. You can learn more about Jobscopia at www.jobscopia.com or connect with Nikhil on Facebook.   Nikhil's full bio: Nikhil Pampati is currently a high school senior at the Middlesex Count

Marc Mawhinney is a lifelong entrepreneur who helps coaches get more clients (without paid advertising)! He achieves this with his coaching programs; his two podcasts (Natural Born Coaches and The Marc Mawhinney Minute); his Facebook group The Coaching Jungle, and his exclusive print newsletter – Secret Coach Club.  In this podcast, Marc tells us about his personal experiences with overcoming two big challenges: Bouncing back from adversity: August 11, 2009 was Marc's worst day in business: this was the date that his real estate business collapsed, after 10 years of nonstop success. He talks about how he got through the difficult months and years that followed, the long path that led him to becoming a coach (and why he says coaching “saved his life”), and his advice for struggling entrepreneurs. Dealing with haters: Marc talks about why having haters is actually a good sign. He shares how he turns his experiences with trolls and haters into content and new sales! Learn more about Marc at his website www.Nat

At the end of 2018, New York City stand-up comedian Mike Lemme traveled to London, Paris and Rome to perform in some unusual venues – conference rooms that he rented in local office buildings – while documenting his experience on YouTube. On this podcast, Mike describes his adventures from his European conference room comedy tour (including his encounters with drunk people, newlyweds, protests & riots, and an “overexposed” Couchsurfing host). He also shares how these gigs gave him the confidence and clout to get opportunities to headline comedy shows in larger clubs, grow his fan base, and finally take action to achieve his long-held dream of performing at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the biggest arts festival in the world. Learn more about Mike and his comedy shows on his website www.mikelemme.com, via email at mike@mikelemme.com, on Instagram @mikelemme and on his Eventbrite page, and watch his YouTube documentary of his conference room tour called “Something New."   Mike’s full bio: Mike Lemme is an

What happens when you’re a high performer at work, with decades of success and upward progression in your career, and then you get laid off for the first time? That’s what happened to Kevin M. Yates. When his role working in learning & development was eliminated, Kevin found himself in the unfamiliar and frustrating situation of job searching while unemployed. As weeks of job searching turned into months, he experienced sadness, depression, fear, and self-doubt in the face of rejection, silence and ageism. However, during this difficult time, Kevin began planting the seeds of what would become his amazingly successful personal brand as a “Learning & Development Detective” and measurement expert.  His branding not only led him to his next full-time job, but also opened up opportunities beyond his wildest dreams to share his expertise all around the world. Tune into this episode of Beyond 6 Seconds to hear Kevin’s incredible and inspiring story! Learn more about Kevin’s work at the links below: Website:

Charlotte Underwood is a mental health advocate and writer in the UK with a passion for preventing suicide and providing support for those in need. On this episode, Charlotte shares how her own personal experiences inspired her to write about mental health, the biases and stigma that people with mental illnesses often face in the UK, and how she raises her voice to encourage people to talk about mental health and listen to the experiences of others. Charlotte also discusses the importance of listening to people with mental illness, and shares advice on how people can help their friends and loved ones who are struggling. You can read Charlotte's writing at her website, www.charlotteunderwoodauthor.com, and follow her on Twitter @CUnderwoodUK .

Jeff Weisbein is the founder and Editor-in-Chief at BestTechie – a company he started when he was 13 years old and grew it into a digital media company that makes technology easy for everyone to learn about. He also hosts a podcast called TechieBytes, which features insightful and thought-provoking conversations with tech experts and business executives. On this episode, Jeff shares what inspired him to start BestTechie in the early days of the Internet, how he recognized opportunities to grow his business, refine BestTechie’s content and capitalize on changing technology trends, and how he generated income while maintaining the integrity and identity of the BestTechie brand. We learn how his experience as a young content creator (in the days before preteen YouTube stars and Instagram influencers) shaped his views on life and entrepreneurship, including: Ask for help and don't be afraid of rejection Hiring is harder than it looks It's important to step away from work sometimes to get a fresh perspective Don’

Stacy Sherman is the Director of Customer Experience (CX) at Schindler Elevator Corporation. When she’s not at her day job, Stacy shares her extensive CX expertise on her blog, DoingCXRight, which provides mentorship and knowledge sharing with CX professionals looking to differentiate their companies and personal brand.  On this episode, Stacy shares: What inspired her to start DoingCXRight back in 2017, and the type of content she writes for the blog How she balances work, family, friends, blogging and all the other parts of her life, by being intentional about how she spends her time How writing with authenticity has built her credibility as a blogger and woman in corporate America How she has used feedback from her readers to refine the themes she writes about on her blog The types of networking, speaking and mentoring opportunities that her blog has opened up for her—and how it has helped her support the careers of other women Read and subscribe to Stacy’s blog at www.DoingCXRight.com to increase your o

Amanda Watson has 20 years of experience in apparel buying, merchandising, and wholesale in San Francisco. She has worked for major fashion lines throughout her career, including Macy's West, Donna Karan, and Ralph Lauren. She was working at IGIGI Dresses when she came up with the idea for StyleForIt -- an online site where plus size women can consign and buy pre-owned current fashion sizes 12–32 -- to provide a resale space for the expanding category of Plus Fashion. On this episode, Amanda shares why she decided to open up her own fashion business, some of the business successes and challenges she’s faced since then, and how her business continues to evolve and grow. Learn more about www.styleforit.com or via email at hello@styleforit.com.

Daniel Gefen is the CEO of the Gefen Media Group, a podcast production and booking company. He hosts a podcast called “Can I Pick Your Brain?” and is the author of the bestselling book, “The Self Help Addict.” On this episode, Daniel describes himself as a former Self Help Addict, where he was trapped in a vicious cycle of consuming life-changing knowledge without taking any life-changing action. After 10 years of procrastination, he shares how he finally broke this cycle and motivated himself to write his book, “The Self Help Addict.” Daniel also talks about the growing power of podcasting, including: His first experience as a podcast guest 4 years ago, which made him realize the amazing value and impact of podcasts How being a guest on the right podcasts can help establish you as an expert in your field How he made his own podcast stand out from other interview-based podcasts How he built a thriving podcast booking agency Special offer for Beyond 6 Seconds listeners: Visit www.Podcastguestsuccess.com to d

Jacqueline Jasionowski left her 18+ year career in the corporate automotive world to start her own business, Shift Awake, which is dedicated to working with leaders to create purpose-driven environments and game-changing results. Jacqueline believes consciousness is innovation. Leveraging her expertise in leadership coaching, customer experience and human resources, she intends to flip the way most organizations view the human experience and challenges leaders to focus on purpose, while using conscious building tools to improve employee wellbeing first. On this episode, Jacqueline discusses what led her to make the leap from corporate to entrepreneurship, what it means to be a conscious-based leader, and how purpose-driven employees and corporate cultures impact customer experience and the bottom line. She also shares how she faces her biggest challenge as a new entrepreneur – managing and prioritizing her days – through her morning routine and the “Top 5” tool that she learned from her coach.   Special offer

Kevin Patrick Allen has been a reporter from sea to shining sea, telling stories of ordinary people facing extraordinary challenges. Now, he’s produced a documentary called “What Comes Next” that examines what happens when you lose a dream, lose a loved one, or even lose your freedom. The project was an opportunity to go beyond the skipping-stone nature of today’s journalism into a deeper exploration of the human condition. In this podcast, Kevin takes us behind-the-scenes into the stories he featured in his documentary: Chad, an X-Games champion, who suffered a terrible crash. Beverly and Linda, whose triumph and tragedy intersected after the suicide of a teenager. Joe and Reggie, who languished on death row.   We discuss how these stories share a common struggle, how different people find a meaningful future after experiencing tremendous loss, and what we can learn from their journeys. Watch “What Comes Next” on Amazon Prime and follow Kevin on Twitter @kpatrickallen.  

Lisa DeLay has always been interested in the spiritual, and how humans can connect with the divine and each other in healthy and healing ways. In this episode, Lisa talks about the spiritual and family crisis she faced in her childhood and young adulthood, her studies of religion and spiritual formation, and her work as a part-time professor at Gratz College, where she helps new K-12 special education teachers learn mindfulness techniques they can use to benefit their students.    Lisa also hosts the Spark My Muse podcast, where she has interviewed Seth Godin, Parker Palmer, Krista Tippett and many other people who inspire her. You can find Lisa on Twitter @sparkmymuse and @lisadelay and on the Facebook page for Spark My Muse.  Visit www.SparkMyMuse.com to listen to her podcast and sign up for her newsletter.