Adding Context

Nick Klingensmith has received “bad news” more than he cares to count. Obstacles seem to find a way of appearing before him, although now, they more often come on his terms. Battling cancer four times, type-1 diabetes, a litany of physical injuries including herniated discs and torn chest ligaments, and the demons of alcoholism, he shifted his perspective from that of a victim long ago. Now he faces self-imposed challenges of Spartan races and marathons, yes, THOSE marathons. Balancing all the nuances of managing his medical conditions with the needs required to endure 26.1-mile runs or a slew of runs that culminated in 127 miles in 6 weeks, Nick does not do it for the personal accolades, he does it to show that you should not allow yourself to be defined by you medical or mental health issues, or allow those circumstances to be your limitations. You are only a victim of your situation if you allow yourself to be. Pick up a copy of his incredible story, “Through the Fire” on Amazon. You can also follow his treks through the Spartan courses and marathons on Instagram or Twitter.

Roger Smith is the “unlikely leader.” His life story is full of peaks and valleys, an incredible mix of productivity and addiction, and a turnaround worthy of a Hallmark movie. From a high school dropout to a CEO, something that seems to be an essential element for some of the most successful people like “Auntie Anne” Beiler and Ralph Lauren. Roger has taken the less-than-orthodox lessons he learned on the streets and intertwined them with the more polished lessons from his mentors to become the CEO of two large insurance companies. He shares his story and thoughts on the qualities and practices he has employed and trained over his career to lead his companies to success. Now, with a little more time on his hands, he has written a new book, “The Most Unlikely Leader: An Unbelievable story from GED to CEO.” For more from Roger, visit his website for his social media links, appearances, and more.

Jackie London is a Registered Dietitian (RD), a New York State Certified Dietitian-Nutritionist (CDN), an author, and the former head of Nutrition & Wellness for Weight Watchers, these are just some of her titles. We spoke about a number of aspects of personal health and nutrition. Given her extensive background, she shared her knowledge on ways we can improve our health by small changes to what we eat. We spoke about some of the “fad” and restrictive dieting methods. Check out her social media contacts for more information at:  

Website, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.

Marlene Sharp hails from the entertainment town of New Orleans. After college, she wanted a change of pace, so she headed out west to LA, for a different kind of entertainment. In the time she has spent building her resume, she has held several positions in the gaming and video industries. She has worked for Sega of America in a number of production capacities, most notably developing SONIC the Hedgehog from a game to an animated series and movies. She is currently the head of Pink Poodle Productions and the Head of IP Strategy and Acquisitions for Rainshine Entertainment. We chatted about her path into the entertainment industry and some of the wide array of jobs involved in making movies. You can follow all of her adventures through her Linktree.

Geoffrey D. Calhoun is an award-winning screenwriter. When not writing his own original scripts, he is a sought-after consultant and re-writer. He also enjoys teaching newer writers how to sharpen their skills in storytelling. Through his seminars, his book, and his podcast, he explores all elements of narrative storytelling to help writers create pitch-ready scripts. Tune in to hear about his experiences in the industry and some nuggets of knowledge he has to share.

Nick Loper is an author, entrepreneur, and a lifelong student in the game of business. Through his personal experiences, he has amassed a nuanced knowledge of how to properly navigate the side hustle. He shares his ideas and thoughts on his website, his podcast, in his TED talk, in his books. He thrives on helping people better understand the “Side Hustle” and how to help choose the right for them. The “gig economy” is growing exponentially and people are looking for ways to become more financially stable. Nick has some wise words to share.

Melanie Gibson is a martial artist and an author among her many titles. She has been to some dark places, as many of us have. She shares her journey from her “madness” in her book, “Kicking and Screaming: a Memoir of Madness and Martial Arts. She wants to use her experiences and the methods she employed to get to a better, healthier place to help others. We spoke about the slow deteriorating stigma that envelopes many aspects of mental health, the struggles many have with finding adequate help, and some less conventional ways to help course-correct to a better, happier person. Check out her link tree for all the ways to follow and see what she is up to, including her long-running blog (Littleblackbelt) and her podcast, Movie Pain or Pleasure?

Dan Henk is a talented, multi-medium artist. Raised under a conservative roof, he grew into a punk rockin’ tattoo artist. His well-traveled life has provided him with a wealth of experiences and traumas that come with being human. Dan is a survivor of many obstacles including cycling accidents, being stabbed, and brain cancer. Dan is a painter, an illustrator, a tattoo artist, an author, and much more. Find his various works on his IG, Twitter, or his Website.

David Fishof is a walking example of a self-made success story. From the Catskills to Los Angeles and around the world, he has been the guy behind the scenes. He is an entertainment architect that knows how to put together not just a show, but all-out tours. He revived groups like the Monkees and the Association with sensational tours. He has represented athletes as an agent on the side of being a music promoter. He is not just there for the musicians, he is a life changer. He founded the Rock n’ Roll Fantasy camp where everyday musicians get to work with and learn from their favorite musicians. Icons of rock from Roger Daltrey and Alice Cooper to Kiss and the Eagles to Vernon Reid and Slash, these masters of their instruments share stories and techniques while changing lives forever.

Ezra Dyer is a writer for Hearst Publications covering automotive news. A career that began as a humorist for The Improper Bostonian has transformed into a career of traveling and test driving a broad spectrum of vehicles. Covering everything from supercars, like Bugattis, to daily commuters like Dodge Caravans, to midnight cannonball-esque drives to Florida, to clandestine meetings with other writers to discuss the newest models. Check out Ezra’s work for Car & Driver and follow his adventures in writing and driving @EzraDyer on Twitter and Instagram.