In Layman's Terms

"If you're going to be on it,run it." During the past 39 years, Ed Holland has worked hard at being a successful restaurateur and leader as well as actively giving back to the community. In this episode, Ed shares why creating experiences for your customers and team will give you an advantage in business. You'll also learn how the power of mental wages, a smile and an orange can keep you on your game. This episode is a little longer than most as there was so much wisdom to share. The laughs are an added bonus!

The path to success isn't always what you think. At the age of twenty-two, CiCi Rojas was a single mother of four with limited job options. She had a choice to settle but instead chose to turn her perceived impediments into opportunities. She has over twenty years experience serving in executive roles across private, public and nonprofit sectors. CiCi is a locally and nationally recognized leader within the Hispanic community and beyond.

In this episode, CiCi shares how to be the master of your game no matter what your role, the power of strategic visibility and more.

There are approximately 750 craft distillers in the U.S. today which contribute to only 2% of sales compared to the big distilleries. Even with those odds, Steve and Lisa Strong will tell you that they would rather bet on themselves than someone else. But isn't that what entrepreneurs do? S.D. Strong Pillar 136 Gin might have launched just in May 2015, but it's already won top honors in several competitions beating out better-known producers. 

It takes more than making great spirits to operate a successful business. In this conversation from the cave (60+ feet below ground), Steve and Lisa share their insights, strategies and ah ha's that you can apply to your business. #madeinacave

"Confidence doesn't find you, it's the result of doing something big." 

Contrary to what you might think, Sandra Yancey didn't start eWomenNetwork because she liked networking. She started it because she saw a way to solve a problem for introverts (herself included) who didn't like crowds and attending events. 

From its start above Sandra's garage in 2000, eWomenNetwork has expanded to 118 chapters in six countries and helped thousands of women grow their businesses. 

In this episode, Sandra shares a wealth of insights including the importance of doing people math, how to 'shift the dance' at a networking event, using the three E's (example, explain and expand) to open up a conversation, her top book picks and more. 

Did you know LinkedIn is the 12th most searched website on the internet? It's a powerful platform for individuals and businesses that choose to leverage it to their potential.  In this episode, JD Gershbein, one of the world's top thought leaders on LinkedIn strategy, shares insights to expand your thought leadership, generate leads and advance your business goals.

JD is an acclaimed social business psychologist, frequent broadcast media expert on LinkedIn for business, and a featured writer for the Huffington Post and Forbes. He is the only practitioner in the world who combines LinkedIn profile writing, corporate LinkedIn consulting to the Fortune 500 sector, and instruction at the graduate school level at a major academic institution into his value proposition.

Perry Puccetti served around the world as Marine Corps attack helicopter pilot for over a decade learning the importance of values such as persistence and mission accomplishment. It's the true meaning of teamwork that Perry has really carried with him over the years and into his role as a CEO.

In this episode, Perry shares advice and lessons learned from his corporate adventures including:

• The expenditure of emotional capital
• How a leader can be the brand for the company even when they're an introvert
• Remember your supporters (especially when making a leap)
• Have a process

The favorite question in each podcast is, "what has been one of your oh $hit moments?" I think Perry's is my all time favorite because it involves an 8' javelin, a taxicab and getting lost in Europe. He proves that even these moments can turn to gold.

"Every opportunity is on the other side of fear." In some businesses, you can see a fairly quick payoff of your efforts. In the wine industry its years in the making from the vine to bottle. James and Lindsay Lowery of KC Wineworks will tell you that every grape that comes off the vine is full of unrealized potential to be a great wine; you just have to figure out how not to screw it up. If it’s a raisin, it’s a tragedy.

Being an entrepreneur takes vision and education. In the case of James and Lindsay, you can also add combined talents of a husband and wife team.  The passion came at an early age. The farmland the vineyard is on has been in the family since 1870's, and they bottled their wine long before growing production for other wineries since 2002. Launching KC Wineworks in 2014 was no small feat, and they're still learning lessons. No matter what your business is, you'll find value in this episode! #drinkMOwine 

"The biggest threat to your business is not your competition. The biggest threat to your business is sitting in your head; it’s called your mind."

Rebel Brown spent 25 years as an executive consultant in high technology and worked with over 300 global organizations. Over the years, Rebel watched smart people make some bad business decisions. It was her series of personal 'oh shit moments' that brought her to her knees and turned into the most powerful moment in her life. She became fascinated with the human mind and its impact on our ability to see new opportunities and shift behaviors. The result was creating a methodology for guiding businesses and executives to break out leadership success. In this episode, Rebel shares how you can apply this powerful insight to grow your business. Of course, there are value adds galore!

Mary Carol Garrity, the founder of Nell Hills, has garnered national attention with Forbes magazine dubbing her “one of the hottest little retailers” in America. She has been featured on CBS’s The Early Show and NBC’s Today Show, and in The Wall Street Journal, Fortune, Midwest Living, Country Living, Victoria, and many more. Mary Carol is the author of nine books on home decorating; a weekly decorating blog Style at Home with Mary Carol Garrity, and a column syndicated weekly throughout the U.S.

After 35 years in business, Mary Carol knows what it takes to build and maintain a thriving business despite changing markets significant challenges including the crash of 2008. No matter what your business is, this episode is worth a listen!

Never being afraid to ask is one of the secrets to Kyu Lee's success. Kyu is the founder and CEO of Wiselike, the 'ask me anything' platform.  He's considered a rising star in the tech community and his company is one of Huff Post's top 10 to watch. Hard to believe considering that just a few years ago he wasin college at UCLA without the knowledge or network to raise millions in venture capital funding and build a rock solid team.

In this episode, Kyu shares key steps and pitfalls to avoid on an entrepreneurial journey. The value adds include ways to maximize the Wiselike platform and experts to connect to. It's worth listening to!