The Flywheel Podcast with Victor Jimenez: Entrepre

Using Disruptive Design and Systems Thinking to Build a Better World As entrepreneurs, we create products and services. As we create them we often are thinking of the use of the product or service but we rarely think about what happens at the end of a product lifecycle. What if we thought about those very products and services as a complete system? What is the lifecycle of that product or service? What happens when the products initial use case is finished? Listen to this inspiring conversation about disrupting the way we think about what we create. Links: Leyla Acarcglu Disruptive Design Method The UnSchool Project Leyla Acaroglu Design disruptor, creative boundary pusher, and cultural provocateur, Dr. Leyla Acaroglu (A-jar-a-loo) embodies the innovation that instigates positive environmental and social change. A New York-based Australian designer, social scientist, and sustainability expert, she is internationally recognized as a leader in the use of disruptive design across sustainability and educational initiatives. Leyla was awarded 2016 Champion of the Earth by the United Nations Environment Programme, and her 2013 mainstage TED talk that has collected over one million views is one of the most watched TED talks on sustainability. In 2014, Leyla completed her PhD at RMIT in change-centric disruptive design and started developing the Disruptive Design Method, which is the backbone of her unique approach to design-led social change. She has won a host of awards for her work, was named one of Melbourne’s 100 Most Influential People, and has been forging positive change through creative practice in multiple ways for over a decade. Her systems-based thinking coupled with her highly-skilled communication techniques is featured in several publications, including the New York Times. Leyla is the founder of two design agencies, Disrupt Design in New York and Melbourne-based Eco Innovators, as well as the UnSchool, her uniquely rebellious experimental knowledge lab that is all about disrupting the mainstream way that knowledge is gained and shared. It runs innovative pop-up programs around the world and recently won a CORE77 Design Education Initiative Award. With Leyla’s expertise at the helm, each of these operatives serve as multidisciplinary approaches to pioneering social and environmental change through design. As a designer, her works such as Design Play Cards, Game Changer Game, Secret Life of Things, Designercise, and the AIGA Gender Equity Toolkit are at the forefront of activated experience design. She has authored several handbooks for change makers and continues to agitate for new ways of solving complex social problems through beautifully designed interventions. Leyla’s creative work is highly acclaimed, having been featured in a permanent exhibition in the Leonardo di Vinci museum in Milan and earning commissions from the National Gallery of Victoria. She is an internationally respected keynote speaker and trusted expert, having led thousands of hours of workshops, lectures, activations, and educational experiences around the world. Leyla was a visiting scholar at NYU and an Innovator in Residence at the Center for Social Innovation NYC. She was also an invited Artist in Residence with Autodesk and managed the development of ‘Greenfly,’one of the first online life cycle assessment tools for designers. Leyla is regularly invited to provide her professional opinions on radio and TV, having been a regular judge on the ABC TV show The New Inventors, along with a host of international programs. The post TFP-032-Disruptive Design & Systems Thinking-Leyla Acaroglu appeared first on Victor Jimenez.

Learn how to be the kind of leader that inspires and empowers people to make a broader mission their own. In this episode, I am talking with Fred Kofman, leadership advisor at Google and former VP of executive development and leadership philosopher at Linkedin.  We are discussing some of the ideas in his new book ” The Meaning Revolution”: The power of transcendent leadership. From the publisher: Financial incentives like salary and bonuses, benefits and stock options, only drive a small portion of employees’ motivation. What really drives engagement is the meaning, the larger purpose beyond getting a paycheck, which lies under the surface. It is comprised of respect, integrity, a feeling of belonging, a sense of achievement, having a purpose larger than ourselves, and following and living by ethical principles. Kofman argues that virtually every organization involved in voluntary exchanges has what he calls an “immortality project” at its core. The challenge for leaders is to identify and expand on that core and to inspire all stakeholders to take part. In The Meaning Revolution, Kofman answers questions such as: How to “die before you die,” thinking about the legacy you are leaving behind while you still have an opportunity to shape it. How to assume a truly “response-able” mantle of leadership, in a step-by-step, practical way. How to move past your deepest fears and anxieties to fashion a truly heroic life. How organizations, and the people within them, can make a difference in the world. Transcendent leaders are rare, but they do exist, and Kofman profiles a number of them in this book. They inspire followers not by relying on carrots and sticks (offering a nice salary, bonus, and tangible perks, or threatening them with demotion or the loss of their job) but by appealing to the belief that they are spending their waking time making a difference in the world. THE MEANING REVOLUTION shows how, by becoming a transcendent leader, how you can address the essential challenges of engagement and fulfillment in a more sustainable way. ABOUT THE AUTHOR FRED KOFMAN is an Advisor, leadership development at Google, and former vice president of executive development and leadership philosopher at LinkedIn. Born in Argentina, Kofman came to the United States as a graduate student, where he earned his PhD in advanced economic theory at U.C. Berkeley. He taught management accounting and control systems at MIT for six years before forming his own consulting company, Axialent, and teaching leadership workshops for corporations such as General Motors, Chrysler, Shell, Microsoft, and Citibank. At its height, his company had 150 people and created and taught programs to more than 15,000 executives. Sheryl Sandberg writes about him in her book Lean In, claiming Kofman “will transform the way you live and work.” Fred Kofman on Linkedin:https://www.linkedin.com/in/fkofman/ The post TFP-030-Being a Transcendent Leader – Fred Kofman appeared first on Victor Jimenez.

Something as simple as a walk in the woods can help us live a better life In this episode, I am talking with Journalist and prize-winning author Florence Williams about her latest book Nature Fix.  We discuss the current problems with our hyper-connected and indoor life and how getting outside can actually help make use happier, healthier and more creative. Some of the points we talk about What happens to our brain and body when we go outside Programs that some countries are putting in place to get people in nature Things that you can do Getting outside under trees Spending a few hours every week in nature How longer bouts in nature can help About the guest Florence Williams is a journalist, bestselling author, podcaster and public speaker. She is a contributing editor at Outside Magazine and a freelance writer for the New York Times, New York Times Magazine, National Geographic, The New York Review of Books, Slate, Mother Jones and numerous other publications. She is also the writer and host of the new Audible Original series, Breasts Unbound, as well as Outside Magazine’s Double-X Factor podcast. Her public speaking includes keynotes at Google, the Smithsonian, the Seattle Zoo, the Aspen Ideas Festival and many other corporate, academic and nonprofit venues. Learn more about Florence and her work. http://www.florencewilliams.com/ The post TFP-029-How Spending Time In Nature Can Make Us Happier and Healthier- Florence Williams appeared first on Victor Jimenez.

How self-awareness can lead to a better business and a more fulfilling life We all know, that to be a smart entrepreneur or leader of our community, we need strong self-awareness so that we can understand people and their motivations.  Yet often, we operate from the mistaken assumption that we understand our own motivations. In this episode, my guest, organizational psychologist Tasha Eurich talks about how research shows that we are not as self-aware as we think we are. We also talk about how developing this skill can help us be more successful, build stronger relationships and can help us build better and more meaningful businesses and lives. Some of the points we touch on Defining Self-awareness Why we often overestimate our awareness Why journaling and introspection might not be helping The seven pillars of insight How to look at yourself from different points of view and much more. We also talked about a simple quiz that can help you understand your current state of self-awareness. Here is the link to the quiz. Insight quiz About Insight From Insight-Book.com “Most people feel like they know themselves pretty well. But what if you could know yourself just a little bit better—and with this small improvement, get a big payoff…not just in your career, but in your life? Research shows that self-awareness is the meta-skill of the 21st century—self-aware people are more successful, more confident, build better relationships, and are more respected and effective leaders. There’s just one problem: most people don’t see themselves quite as clearly as they could, and it’s rare to get candid, objective feedback from colleagues, employees, and even friends and family. Fortunately, reveals organizational psychologist Tasha Eurich, self-awareness is a surprisingly developable skill. Drawing on her research with thousands of people around the world, hundreds of scientific studies, and 15 years of working with Fortune 500 clients, Eurich helps audiences discover the surprising myths, unseen roadblocks, and scientifically supported path to self-awareness.” About the guest: Tasha Eurich is an organizational psychologist, researcher, and New York Times best-selling author. She’s built a reputation as a fresh, modern voice in the leadership world by pairing her scientific grounding in human behavior with a pragmatic approach to business challenges. With a PhD in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from Colorado State University, Dr. Eurich has spent the last 15 years helping thousands of professionals—from Fortune 500 executives to early-stage entrepreneurs—improve their self-awareness and success. As a writer, she’s contributed to The Guardian, TED.com, The Huffington Post, Entrepreneur, and CNBC.com and her work has been featured in Business Insider, Fortune, Forbes, The New York Times, Fast Company, and New York Magazine, as well as several peer-reviewed journals. Dr. Eurich’s first book, Bankable Leadership, debuted on the New York Times bestseller list in 2013, and has since become a popular resource for managers and executives who want to make their employees happy and produce bottom-line results for their business. Her second book, Insight, delves into the connection between our self-awareness – what she calls the meta-skill of the twenty-first century – and our performance and success, both in life and the workplace. Dr. Eurich has been named one of Denver Business Journal‘s “40 Under 40,” a “Top 100 Thought Leader” by Trust Across America, and a “Leader to Watch” by the American Management Association alongside the likes of Patrick Lencioni, Ram Charan, and Chip Heath. Her 2014 TEDxMileHigh talk has been viewed more than one million times on YouTube. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, cycling, historical biographies, and is an unapologetic theater nerd. She lives in her hometown of Denver, Colorado with her husband and their rambunctious dogs. The post TFP-028-Knowing Yourself- Dr Tasha Eurich appeared first on Victor Jimenez.

Money : It’s a loaded word and idea. We all have stories that we tell ourselves about money, what it is and how we interact with it.  Some people pursue it as an end goal while others avoid it like the plague. Either way, these ideas are guiding many decisions and relationships that we have in our lives.  Relationships with our families, friends, and society as a whole.  As entrepreneurs and business owners, we carry all of those personal ideas into our businesses and it can have a tremendous impact on how we operate and grow. In this episode, my guest Dr. Sarah Newcomb and I have an in-depth discussion about how to unpack and understand our relationship with finances so that we can make better decisions without leaving our values behind. She is the author of Loaded: Money, Psychology, and How to Get Ahead without Leaving Your Values Behind Some of the things we discuss What it’s really is about Why we have such different relationships with money How to align it with your needs values How to uncover where we get our ideas Loaded: Money, Psychology, and How to Get Ahead without Leaving Your Values Behind From the Inside Flap Does money represent luxury, security, and peace of mind, or stress, inequality, barriers, and greed? LOADED is written for anyone who struggles with their complex relationship with the so-called “root of all evil.” Rather than offering traditional financial advice, Sarah Newcomb (a Morningstar behavioral economist) digs deeper and approaches money management from a fresh angle. LOADED explains how our experiences with money have a psychological basis and can often run counter to our core values. Our personal history has a profound influence on how we handle or mishandle money. In reality, however, money is a simple tool, a neutral resource that is full of possibilities. It can be used for good or for ill, and how we use it is entirely a matter of personal choice. Our relationship with money is almost never about the numbers. It is about the stories we tell ourselves because of those numbers. We all come to believe certain stories based on our upbringing and our experiences with money. This is where our relationship with money is rooted, and this is where sound money management begins. Based on years of research and filled with illustrative stories, LOADED offers an important guide for identifying the harmful core beliefs about money and what can be done to challenge and overcome those negative beliefs. Once a clear understanding of an individual’s beliefs about money is established, the human-centered approach to budgeting and money management can be put into action. This budgeting structure incorporates several principles from psychology that are missing or misaligned in traditional budgeting methods. The fresh approach outlined in this book is a money management method rooted in psychology that offers a way of changing one’s financial life by creating a plan for money that is both deeply satisfying and also sustainable over the long term. The author also includes a wealth of worksheets and personal money psychology assessments to aid in the LOADED process. LOADED offers an approach for discovering and understanding your relationship with money that will lead to more peace and satisfaction in your financial life. DR. SARAH NEWCOMB is an expert in the psychology of financial decision-making. As a behavioral economist at Morningstar, Inc. she works to integrate behavioral science into financial management applications. Dr. Newcomb holds a PhD in behavioral economics, a master’s degree in financial economics, and a master’s certification in personal financial planning. Through speaking, writing, and product development, she aims to translate the findings from scholarly research into practical and useful tools for everyone. She lives with her daughter in Washington, DC. Read her column in Psychology Today called Loaded: Link Twitter: @finance_therapy Linkedin: Dr. Sarah Newcomb The post TFP-027-What is your Relationship with Money? – Dr. Sarah Newcomb appeared first on Victor Jimenez.

Building a Happy Start-Up When many of us hear the words startup we think of the lone genius working in her garage with some breakthrough idea that is going to turn into a huge business that they can then “exit”, then go sit on the beach for the rest of their lives. My guest and his co-founder have taken a different approach. Through their business The Happy Startup School they have built a strong community of changemakers that value happiness over profits.  In our conversation, we talk about what The Happy Startup School does, their origin and why they do what they do. Some of the key ideas discussed Community and connection The power of a like-minded group How making space creates breakthroughs About the Alptitude Event From the Alptitude website: It’s not a retreat, nor a training camp. It’s not a vacation, nor an unconference. It’s all of those things, yet none of them. Think of it as a week where you’ll have the time and space to figure out where you’re at with your life and projects, whilst having more fun than you’ve had in years. This is the future of business events – emergent, playful and transformational. Brought to you by The Happy Startup School and Dream Valley Projects and now in its third year, Alptitude brings together 25 purpose-driven entrepreneurs and changemakers from around the world for a unique, meaningful experience in stunning natural surroundings. The lucky few that come leave with a renewed vigour for life, a ton of game-changing ideas to implement, but most importantly a shared experience and group of new friends that will stick with them forever. Friends they never knew they needed, but now can’t live without. Go to the  Alptitude Site to learn more Other links mentioned on this episode The Happy Start-Up School The Happy Start-Up podcast The guest on this episode Carlos Saba Visit The Happy Start-up to learn more about Carlos and his journey. Related Episodes. Creating Meaning In your Business with Emily Esfahani Smith Building Communities That Inspire Connection with Charles Vogel People-Centered Workplace Relationships at The Core of Your Business The post TFP-025 – Happy Startup – Carlos Saba appeared first on Victor Jimenez.

Compassion-One of Our Best Business Tools. Since the beginning of the industrial revolution (likely earlier), societies have treated business and work as something separate from our humanity and our compassion.  We tend to think as if we can compartmentalize and keep various parts of our lives separate.  In practice, this is not the case at all. While many of us are good at masking personal suffering in the context of our work, it’s still there, behind the scenes. It makes us less productive, less creative and possibly keeping us from finding meaning in our work and lives. In this important episode, I talk with one of the world’s top researchers on compassion in organizations and the workplace, Monica Worline Ph.D. During the conversation, you will learn why it’s so important and how entrepreneurs and organizations can build a more meaningful business by creating a culture of compassion. We discuss the four keys to awakening compassion in our work. The role of recognizing suffering as one of the keys to being compassionate. The role of leadership in creating a culture of recognizing suffering even in tiny businesses and startups. Pitfalls and common mistakes that leaders make when trying to awaken compassion at work. We talk about Monica Worline’s Ph.D. new book, co-authored with researcher Jane Dutton; Awakening Compassion At Work “The quiet power that elevates people and organizations” About the book Caring Is a Competitive Advantage Suffering in the workplace can rob our colleagues and coworkers of humanity, dignity, and motivation and is an unrecognized and costly drain on organizational potential. Marshaling evidence from two decades of field research, scholars and consultants Monica Worline and Jane Dutton show that alleviating such suffering confers measurable competitive advantages in areas like innovation, collaboration, service quality, and talent attraction and retention. They outline four steps for meeting suffering with compassion and show how to build a capacity for compassion into the structures and practices of an organization—because ultimately, as they write, “Compassion is an irreplaceable dimension of excellence for any organization that wants to make the most of its human capabilities.” Book link to Amazon: Awakening Compassion at Work Links Mentioned on this episode: awakeningcompassionatwork.com — book website; downloadable chapter; 100 Days of Awakening Compassion and more content coming soon compassionlab.com — research site; downloadable papers for those who want to read the original research About the Authors of Awakening Compassion at Work The guest on this podcast Monica C. Worline, Ph.D., is founder and CEO of EnlivenWork, an innovation organization that teaches businesses and others how to tap into courageous thinking, compassionate leadership, and the curiosity to bring their best work to life. She is a research scientist at Stanford University’s Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education and Executive Director of CompassionLab, the world’s leading research collaboratory focused on compassion at work. Monica holds a lectureship at the Ross School of Business, University of Michigan, and is affiliate faculty at the Center for Positive Organizations. Jane E. Dutton, Ph.D., is the Robert L. Kahn Distinguished University Professor of Business Administration and Psychology at the Ross School of Business. She is a co-founder of the Center for Positive Organizations, and passionate about cultivating human flourishing at work. Her research focuses on compassion, job crafting, high-quality connections, and meaning making at work.  She has written over 100 articles and published 13 books (see http://webuser.bus.umich.edu/janedut/), including How to be a Positive Leader: Small Actions, Big Impact. She is a founding member of the Compassionlab—visit us and read more about our research at www.compassionlab.com. Related posts: Creating Meaning In your Business with Emily Esfahani Smith Building Communities That Inspire Connection with Charles Vogel People-Centered Workplace Relationships at The Core of Your Business The post TFP-024-Compassion in Business- Monica Worline appeared first on Victor Jimenez.

Why you should consider not for profit as a structure for your business On this podcast and in many other business circles people are talking about creating meaning and purpose in their business. We talk about social and environmental justice and creating a more humane future for everyone. But typically we don’t talk about the idea of not for profit businesses. The truth is that most entrepreneurs shun the idea of not for profit and I think that may be a big mistake. The title of the post Post Growth referred to the inherent finite resources of resources on this planet. There is a lot of really interesting ways to use a not-for-profit to create a business that not only is financially sustainable for you and your family but also for the broader community and the planet. Listen in on this conversation about creating an economy that is more equitable for all involved. Donnie Maclurcan A facilitator, author and social entrepreneur, Donnie Maclurcan is passionate about all things not-for-profit. Originally from Australia, he moved to the U.S. in 2013, from where he runs thePost Growth Institute: an international group exploring how we flourish without our economy having to constantly expand. As a consultant, Donnie has helped more than 350 not-for-profit projects start, scale and sustain their work, while his own initiatives include co-founding: Free Money Day, the Post Growth Alliance, the (En)Rich List, Cascades Hub, and Project Australia. An Affiliate Professor of Social Science at Southern Oregon University, a Distinguished Fellow with the U.K. Schumacher Institute for Sustainable Systems, an Associate with the Australian-based Institute for Sustainable Futures and a Fellow of the Findhorn Foundation, Donnie holds a PhD in social science that explored how nanotechnology might impact global inequality. He is currently completing his third book, titled: How on Earth: our future is not for profit. Twitter: @donmacca, @postgrowth Facebook: /postgrowthinstitute LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donniemaclurcan The post TFP-023-Should Your Business Be Not For Profit?-Donnie Maclurcan appeared first on Victor Jimenez.

Man’s search for meaning is fundamental to what makes us human. Yet we live in a culture that encourages us to set this search aside when it comes to work and business. In this episode, my guest and I are talking about here book The Power of Meaning: Crafting a Life That Matters. We talk about the four pillars of finding and creating meaning in your business and in life.The Power of Meaning The Four Pillars: Belonging Purpose Story Telling Transcendence I would love to hear your comments, questions and especially how you find meaning in your life.   Emily Esfahani Smith is the author of The Power of Meaning: Crafting a Life That Matters (Crown). She writes about psychology, culture, and relationships. Her writing has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Time, The Atlantic, and other publications. Emily is also a columnist for The New Criterion, as well as an editor at the Stanford University’s Hoover Institution, where she manages the Ben Franklin Circles project, a collaboration with the 92nd Street Y and Citizen University to build meaning in local communities. Born in Zurich, Switzerland, Emily grew up in Montreal, Canada. She graduated from Dartmouth College and earned a master of applied positive psychology from the University of Pennsylvania.

Building Communities That Inspire Connection In this episode, we are talking about community and connection.  Consider this, most businesses rise and fall based on the strength and depth of connection they build with employees, partners, and even their customers. Many of us don’t give a lot of thought about building a structure that can create a sense of belonging within our broader community and the micro-communities that form as a result of doing business. Building that belonging takes work and strong leadership and commitment. Listen carefully to this episode and learn some of the principles that create and maintain those connections. Some of the ideas we touch on that make strong communities Boundaries Space and safety Implicit and explicit values Creating paths to growth Leadership Please listen and share your ideas and stories about communities. Charles Vogl An author and executive consultant, Charles Vogl uses principles drawn from more than 3000 years of community and spiritual tradition to teach others how to inspire powerful connections and produce the kind of change that lasts for generations. He works with leaders in technology, finance, media, government, and social good organizations to inspire powerful connections in critical relationships and create cultures of belonging.The Art of Community Making a difference has always been a key part of Charles’ life. In his early 20s, he volunteered full time at a homeless shelter in Santa Ana, California, before entering the Peace Corps and relocating to northern Zambia. There, he witnessed inspirational community in the face of extreme poverty, as neighbors with very little shared with those who had even less. Charles then moved to New York City to become a PBS filmmaker, producing documentaries including 2006’s “New Year Baby,” which chronicled the lives of Cambodian genocide survivors becoming Americans. The film won numerous honors including Amnesty International’s prestigious “Movies That Matter” award. He also volunteered as a labor organizer, working to empower abused workers in the restaurant industry.       Charles received his B.S. from the Annenberg School at the University of Southern California and a Master of Divinity at Yale University. A regular guest lecturer at several Yale departments, his first book, “The Art of Community: Seven Principles for Belonging”, was recently published by Berrett-Koehler. Building on the concept that community and belonging can be developed through time-tested ideas and rituals, the book is a guide to creating and fostering meaningful cultures of belonging that benefit individuals and humanity.     Charles lives in Oakland, California, with his wife Socheata. He includes surviving a plane crash, a spitting cobra attack, and acute malaria (all in one year) among his life-changing experiences. CharlesVogl.com The Art of Community Book The post TFP-021 The Art of Building Community appeared first on Victor Jimenez.

How do we begin to understand another point of view so that we can create and embrace change? Creating change is difficult. It requires us to think differently and be open to new possibilities and different views of reality. But this is not easy because we have our own beliefs that to us are 100% true and correct. Yet others have their own set of beliefs that are 100% true and correct to them. So how can we possibly create any sort of change, be it settling an argument with your spouse, convincing your team on a new direction with your company, or even selling a solution to a client? In this episode, my guest Dave Grey and I unpack some of these questions and ideas in an hour long discussion on some interesting ways to use something called Liminal Thinking. I would love to hear your questions and comments on this episode. Please leave a comment below. If you enjoy this podcast please show your support by heading over to Itunes and leaving a review. Links from episode Liminal Thinking – The book website Dave Grey’s Personal Blog – XPLANR Design Consultancy – XPLANE Two Waves Books – Use discount code XPLANE to get 20% off Liminal Thinking Guest Dave Gray is a leader and manager with a background in design. He has worked with many of the world’s largest companies, as well as mid-sized businesses, startups, executives, and individuals. He is the founder of XPLANE, a strategic design consultancy, and co-founder of Boardthing, a collaboration platform for distributed teams. He is the author of two books on design, change, and innovation: Gamestorming: A playbook for innovators, rule-breakers and changemakers; and The Connected Company. His area of focus is the human side of change and innovation, specifically: How can you get people to adopt new ideas? How can you win their hearts and minds? How can you get people, including yourself, to change deeply embedded habits and behaviors? How can you transform a business strategy from a good idea to a living fact in the real world? The post TFP-020 Liminal Thinking – Dave Grey appeared first on Victor Jimenez.

Are you building a people-centered business? Ask any business owner or CEO,  Who the most important people in their business are, and most will say “the customer is of course.” But what if we refocus that lens and make our employees and colleagues most important?  What happens when we create a business that gives meaning to our employees? How will they interact differently with customers and how does that affect the bottom line? Listen in to this episode where I talk with Jeb Banner the CEO of Small Box creative agency.   Jeb Banner CEO, Co-Founder of Small Box Jeb was born in Chicago but moved to South Bend, Indiana when he was 6. Childhood was spent fidgeting at school, raising tadpoles in pools while building go-karts and tree forts in the rain. Growing up it seemed that starting a business was the furthest thing from Jeb’s mind. After graduating with an English degree from IU in 1996, Jeb moved to Chicago to live in a ballroom with some friends, work odd jobs and play music. This lost weekend turned into a two-year stretch that brought Jeb to Indianapolis in 1998. Finally the business bug bit. In 1999, Jeb discovered eBay. A few months and a large record collection later and StuffE was launched. It should be noted that said record collection also inaugurated Jeb’s record collecting habit which he has yet to kick. His vinyl collection clocks in around 3000 albums. After building StuffE into a mildly successful eBay consignment business he partnered with Dan Ripley to launch Antique Helper, an online auction house that married Dan’s knowledge and network with Jeb’s online auction systems. In the meantime, Jeb and fellow Antique Helper employee Joe Downey collaborated on building Musical Family Tree, an online archive of Indiana music, which was founded in January of 2004. By the end of 2005, Antique Helper had grown into a successful business with $3 million in annual sales, but Jeb decided it was time to move on. Antiques were fun but the internet was calling. In 2006 Jeb and Joe founded SmallBox, landing NUVO Newsweekly as their first client. As the company grew it moved beyond websites to become a fully integrated web marketing company. In early 2012, Jeb began to lead the company towards deeper consulting engagements, working with clients on organizational health issues. 2016 has seen a transition to what the SmallBox team calls 3.0. In essence, a quest to turn work into play and help clients do the same. Learn about this new direction here. Jeb is very happily married to the amazing Jenny Banner and they have three strong, smart and bold girls. They live about 4 miles north of Broad Ripple with 2 cats, 1 dog, and 1 tiki bar. Small Box Website Twitter: @jebbanner Personal Blog: www.jebbanner.com SmallBox is a creative agency focused on helping clients find opportunities, solve big, fuzzy challenges, and build meaningful employee, brand and service experiences. We take a people-centered approach to designing solutions with you. Our services, from branding to strategic consulting to employee engagement, all speak to one goal: partnering with people to create distinctive and meaningful experiences. We thrive on curiosity, courage, collaboration and persistence, and these core values drive everything we do. The post TFP-019 Building a People-Centered Business- Jeb Banner appeared first on Victor Jimenez.

Are you really creative? Many people don’t think of themselves as creative or entrepreneurial. In this episode, my guest and I discuss how incredibly wrong this is and how we are literally born as creative entrepreneurs. My guest, Carl Nordgren is a veteran entrepreneur and creative professional. We talk about some of the ideas in his latest book called Becoming a Creative Genius (again). Some of the ideas we touch on What it is to be creative Generative Mindset the Importance of action Practice and more The lessons in the episode are important for every entrepreneur whether you are just starting out or a start-up veteran. Links and Resources Creative Genius Research on walking to boost your creativity Carls Blog Carl Nordgren was born in Greenville, Mississippi where his great grandmother’s house was across the street from the boyhood home of author Walker Percy. Carl has worked as a fishing guide on the English River in Northwestern Ontario and on the White River in the Arkansas Ozarks, as a bartender, a foundry man, and an entrepreneur. He lived with his family in Ireland for a year where he researched the IRA, and for 14 years he taught courses in Creativity and Entrepreneurship at Duke University. He graduated from Knox College and lives in Durham, North Carolina with his wife Marie where they have raised three daughters. The post TFP-018 Becoming The Creative Entrepreneur You Are – Carl Nordgren appeared first on Victor Jimenez.

Building connections through podcasting. Most people think about podcasting as a way to reach and build an audience. It is a great medium for building an audience, but there are many other ways to use podcasting to grow our network and build connection within your area of expertise. Listen to this episode and learn How to grow your network with podcasting The important aspects of designing a show Why the number of listeners may not be so important. Kevin Anselmo is the Founder and Principal of Experiential Communications. He helps individuals and groups communicate with stakeholders. He also teaches communications and public relations workshops. He primarily serves the higher education, research, and entrepreneurial communities. Kevin is the host of the For Immediate Release on Higher Education podcast. The interview show – published twice per month since 2013 – provides communications insights for stakeholders within higher education. The post TFP-016 Building Connections with Podcasting appeared first on Victor Jimenez.

What is it about stories? I have always been interested in stories. How they help us convey what can be otherwise very difficult to express. They also have a way, (if told well) to create lasting memories and learning. In this episode, I brought on a master at structuring stories for businesses and organizations. Some of the things we touch on are What exactly stories are. When and how to use stories. Different story structures and how to find them. What is not a story When not to use stories and so much more My guest David Hutchens is an absolute master at breaking down story structure and making it simple for each of us to see how we can start using stories in our businesses and in our lives. David Hutchens is and author and creator of learning experiences for organizations around the world. He lives in Nashville, Tennessee. Learn more at David Hutchens.com I hope you will pick up Davids amazing Circle of the 9 Muses. It’s now my go-to manual for creating stories in business. Circle of the 9 Muses Outlearning the Wolves http://www.davidhutchens.com/ The post TFP-017- Are You Using Stories in Your Business? appeared first on Victor Jimenez.

Are you living your purpose through your business? It sounds so cliche, (What is your purpose?) yet it is one of the most important things to think about in your business. If you can get crystal clear on your purpose then you have a much lower risk of getting burned out in your business and you will add much more value to your customers, employees and colleagues. In this episode , my guest is Craig Filek creator of a process called Purpose Mapping.  Both of us share our stories of how we built financially successful businesses that left us feeling less than fulfilled. We talk about the question; How can we create something that feels authentic? How we can use the top 5 regrets of the dying to help us. Link We talk about my guiding principles and how I use them. How to separate purpose and mission.  We touch on creating a business as a flow state. Books Mentioned in this episode Good To Great – Jim Collins Built To Last – Jim Collins EMyth – Michael Gerber   Craig Filek, Creator of Purpose Mapping Craig Filek knows success and significance are not the same things. After building a 7-figure business, he walked away from it all to focus on what matters most — raising his daughter and living his purpose. With over 20 years experience coaching and facilitating deep, transformative work, Craig developed Purpose Mapping® to bring his own life into alignment. Now, he guides High-Achieving Misfits to reclaim their authenticity and find true fulfillment by using their talents to full capacity in service to a larger mission. Executives, entrepreneurs, investors and professionals in the US, Canada, Australia and Europe seek Craig’s support when making life-changing decisions. If you’re ready to unlock your full potential without blowing up the success you’ve already created, request an invitation to speak with Craig. The post TFP-015-Finding your Way with Purpose Mapping-Craig Filek appeared first on Victor Jimenez.

Building a business around your passion and becoming an expert. Most entrepreneurs and would-be entrepreneurs never start because they have the mistaken belief that they need to be an expert in the area.  In most cases, it’s not the expertise you need but rather its the interest or passion that moves the business forward. In this episode, my guest shares his journey as an entrepreneur and how he has been able to become an expert in cycling clothing and sustainability. He started out because of a health issue that kept him from working at his normal job and now as we publish this he is launching  a Kickstarter campaign to launch his new line of “coffee infused” cycling clothing. His company is called OORR (Out Of the Rat Race) and makes technical cycling clothing with a keen eye towards sustainability. This is a great episode and I think that entrepreneurs at any level would find some great nuggets in our conversation. Tim Christian A 37-year-old, a father of 3 boys under 6, airline pilot of 17yrs and founder of OORR. I live in Chatswood, a satellite CBD just 10 minutes north of Sydney, Australia. I love riding my bike and am a voracious consumer of cycling related news, and student of self-improvement. Everything I do tends to be about making this world better for my family, for others, and for future generations. Go to his site here. The post TFP-014-Becoming an Expert in a New Business -Tim Christen appeared first on Victor Jimenez.

What happens in your brain when you are creating? In this fascinating episode, I am talking with Neuroscientist Dr. Andrew Newberg. We talk about his research field of Neurotheology and the connection between brain activity during creative states and religious or spiritual experiences. Have you ever wondered what happens in your brain during a creative process, meditation or even during a spiritual or religious practice? Turns out many of these experiences are closely related in terms of what is happening inside our brain.  Dr. Newberg talks about how they have used brain scan studies as well as looking into the subjective research into what people actually experience. One of the most interesting areas we discuss in this episode is how words can actually change your brain and how you can use language in ways that create a deeper understanding and better relationships. He touches on his research on the importance of communicating with our own personal values base actually creates a more meaningful connection. Dr. Newberg talks about a simple values exercise that you can do to help you get clear on what your values actually are and how you can use them to help form better relationships.  We also talk about how values seem to change from materialistic oriented to more empathetic or outward oriented values when people practice compassionate communication skills. One of the questions I am always exploring the how we connect in the online world and what that might mean to how humans communicate.  We talk about how some brief forms of virtual communication can actually be more effective than some types of in-person communications. Listen to the fascinating episode and please share your comments and experiences.   Dr. Andrew Newberg Dr. Andrew Newberg is the director of research at the Jefferson-Myrna Brind Center of Integrative Medicine and a physician at Jefferson University Hospital. He is board certified in internal medicine and nuclear medicine. Andrew has been asking questions about reality, truth, and God since he was very young, and he has long been fascinated by the human mind and its complex workings. While a medical student, he met Dr. Eugene d’Aquili, who was studying religious experiences. Combining their interests with Andrew’s background in neuroscience and brain imaging, they were able to break new theoretical and empirical ground on the relationship between the brain and religion. Andrew’s research now largely focuses on how brain function is associated with various mental states—in particular, religious and mystical experiences. His research has included brain scans of people in prayer, meditation, rituals, and trance states, as well as surveys of people’s spiritual experiences and attitudes. He has also evaluated the relationship between religious or spiritual phenomena and health, and the effect of meditation on memory. He believes that it is important to keep science rigorous and religion religious. Andrew has also used neuroimaging research projects to study aging and dementia, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, depression, and other neurological and psychiatric disorders. Learn more at his website http://www.andrewnewberg.com/ Learn about his recent book “How Enlightenment Changes Your Brain” as well as the book we mentioned during the show “Words Can Change Your Brain” as well as other books, and current research projects The post TFP-013- The Neuroscience of Creativity- Dr. Andrew Newberg appeared first on Victor Jimenez.

Do you use your intuition in your business? As an entrepreneur, you are in a constant state of making decisions.  Which projects to pursue, which clients to work with and even if the business you are in is worthwhile. Sometimes data and advisors are helpful but often, even if data supports it we somehow know the right choice in our gut. In this show, I talk with Author Lynn Robinson about using your intuition in your business. Listen to the story about how I went against all the data and advisors, trusting my instinct and purchased a business that turned into an amazing success. Lynn explains the two main areas where this guide comes from. How we can learn to listen to this “inner CEO”. Cultivating ah-ha moments. The role of mindfulness in developing this skill. How fear can be a good guide. How we can listen to our dreams to find answers. Every entrepreneur needs to constantly hone this skill of intuition. Just like going to the gym to lift weights, learning to listen to your inner CEO takes time and effort. But the rewards can be amazing. Lynn shares a story of how she nearly won the lottery using her inner GPS. Lynn Robinson, author, Put Your Intuition to Work. She suggests that intuition is our “Inner GPS.” When we listen to it and act on its wisdom, it will point us in the right direction — towards success! She knows how our intuition can get us what we want and take us where we want to go. Lynn has been sought out internationally for her intuitive advice and counsel. She’s a popular and widely recognized author and motivational speaker who works with businesses and individuals as a trusted intuitive advisor, offering valuable insights into goals, decisions, and strategies. Lynn has authored seven books on intuition, which have been translated into more than a dozen languages. She has a passion for teaching people how to access their intuition and develop it for practical use in everyday life. You can find out more at LynnRobinson.com. The post TFP-012- Putting Your Intuition To Work – Lynn Robinson appeared first on Victor Jimenez.

How can we deepen the relationships we have in business and in our lives? In this episode, we are talking about building meaningful relationships in every aspect of our lives. My guest and I talk about building relational intelligence. Not just personal relationships with your family and friends but also within your business. Somehow we have been taught that it’s ok to be more guarded in business relationships. Most of us have heard someone say “but this is business”, especially when it comes to sales. Typically this is the opposite of what it really takes to have a meaningful transaction that leaves both parties a feeling of fulfillment. I share a story where I felt like I was only looking out for my agenda and not the customers that left both parties feeling like they got the bad end of the transaction. We pay a relational game where Robert and I try and guess what the others emotions are during our conversation. He did really well at picking up on my feelings at that particular moment but missed one key element. What’s interesting is what happened next when I told Robert that I was a bit nervous. It opened up a whole new depth of the conversation and how we were relating. This is incredibly powerful personal development. I truly believe that we could solve most of the world problems if each of us takes down our guard and try to connect on a deeper level with each other. Listen to this show and send in your comments. We mentioned the Invisiblia podcast and a show they had about deepening relationships. It is a must listen. The episode is called The New Norm and there is a powerful story about oil rig workers. Robert MacNaughton, Executive Director and Co-Founder of The Integral Center in Boulder Colorado, has been facilitating experiential group education and been in the trenches of Integral community development for over a decade. Robert believes that before he can save the world, he should start by cleaning up his own room.  He organized the Integral Center with the vision of fostering more Integral consciousness through community practice and has trained thousands of people in relational and evolutionary leadership. The Integral Center The post TFP-011- Relationships at the Core of your Business? – Robert MacNaughton appeared first on Victor Jimenez.