Sun, 2 February 2025
Jason Schappert reminds founding host Dean Rotbart of a young Steve Jobs, Apple’s co-founder, who Dean met and wrote about when he was a financial columnist with The Wall Street Journal. Like Jobs, Jason is dynamic, a visionary, and at only 36 years old, well along the fast track to success. Jason and his wife, Magda, built an aviation education company, MzeroA, and sold it for an impressive 8-figure sum. As an encore, the couple recently launched an AI-driven investment platform — Moola — directed at middle-class consumers, providing the same insights and tools typically reserved for the rich and ultra-rich. Jason knows what it takes to build a business from scratch, scale it, and — when the time is right — exit profitably. Sit back and take notes as Jason offers a clinic on ways to leverage passion, identify opportunities, and make bold decisions. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Jason Shappert, Moola RELATED EPISODES |
Sat, 25 January 2025
Are leaders born or made? In this week’s episode, Robert E. “Bob” Kaplan, co-founder of Kaplan DeVries and a pioneer in leadership development, tackles this age-old question. With more than 30 years of experience helping executives and organizations thrive, Bob shares actionable insights into overcoming mental roadblocks, embracing feedback, and boosting self-confidence. Drawing from his latest book, Grappling: Leaders Striving to Improve, Bob illustrates how even high-performing leaders can unlock new levels of effectiveness. Discover why leadership is as much about introspection and mental resilience as it is about technical skill. Whether you’re a seasoned executive or an aspiring leader, this episode offers invaluable strategies to elevate your leadership game. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Bob Kaplan, Kaplan Devries Pick up a signed copy of All You Can Eat Business Wisdom for yourself Fun, well organized, and brimming with useful information, this is a book that some will want to read cover-to-cover and others will treat as a reference book to look up subjects as needed; either way, it’s a delight. — Kirkus Reviews |
Sun, 19 January 2025
Mike Frick never intended to get into the business of selling specialized construction equipment, including rock screens, bedding boxes, and concrete washout tubs. But what started as a side hustle and a way to help his son earn extra cash while in college has turned into a thriving business with a large and diverse nationwide customer base, including construction sites, farms, quarries, mines, and the US military. Bear Iron Works, headquartered in Grand Junction, Colorado, features made-in-America products and embodies all-American values. A commitment to innovation is at the heart of Bear Iron Works’ success. Mike’s background in construction, ranching, and mining has shaped the company's product development. He combines practical experience with creative problem-solving to design equipment tailored to the needs of his clients. Mike’s entrepreneurial journey is a reminder that successful business owners come in all varieties and serve many less-than-glamorous markets. But the keys to success remain consistent.
Bear Iron Works is poised for a bright future. With plans to expand its product line and reach new markets, the company is leveraging its reputation for quality and innovation to solidify its position in the industry. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Mike Frick, Bear Iron Works POPULAR EPISODES: |
Sun, 12 January 2025
You don’t have to be an author or would-be author to profit from the reputation-building insights our guest, W. Terry Whalin, shares on this week’s episode. Among executives in the book publishing industry, Terry is a rock star. He alone has written more than 60 mainstream books, including a popular biography of Billy Graham. Among Terry’s most popular books is 10 Publishing Myths: Insights Every Author Needs to Succeed. Currently, Terry serves as acquisitions editor for Morgan James Publishing — a hybrid book publishing house — signing business owners and entrepreneurs as authors and coaching them. Founded in 2003, Morgan James became the first publisher to blend the strength, credibility, and distribution of traditional publishing with the flexibility, author involvement, and time to market of self-publishing. When it comes to the publishing industry, Terry has seen it all. This week, he shares the naked truths — good and bad — that all would-be authors must know before they sit down at their keyboards in pursuit of publishing profits and glory. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: W. Terry Whalin, Morgan James Publishing RELATED EPISODES:
Schedule your free 30-minute reputation consultation with Monday Morning Radio founding host Dean Rotbart. https://tinyurl.com/ReputationToolChest |
Sun, 5 January 2025
Many owners and entrepreneurs complain that overseeing their companies is like running a zoo. That’s good news, says Terry Rich, who led the Blank Park Zoo in Des Moines from a $600,000 deficit to profitability. His keys to success centered on rethinking the visitor experience and introducing innovative events that attracted fresh customers. Building on his strong entrepreneurial background, Terry subsequently served as CEO of the Iowa Lottery, president of the North American Lottery Association, and a Powerball board member. Terry is the author of two blockbuster books: The $80 Billion Gamble and Dare to Dream, Dare to Act. He is also an in-demand international keynote speaker. This week, Terry regales co-hosts Dean and Maxwell Rotbart with actionable business insights and colorful anecdotes, including recognizing the undiscovered value in elephant poop and how he cracked the largest lottery fraud in US history. [See Terry’s appearance on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson] Photo: Terry Rich, Rick Keynote POPULAR EPISODES: |
Sun, 29 December 2024
After 28 years as a cornerstone of Fox News and Fox Business, Neil Cavuto, 66, made headlines earlier this month with his unexpected resignation. Monday Morning Radio founding host Dean Rotbart has known Neil for the broadcast journalist’s entire television career. In February 2020, just before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dean conducted an exclusive oral history with him when Neil was honored by his peers with a prestigious Business News Visionary Award in recognition of the journalist’s transformative contributions to the profession. This week, hear the first-ever airing of that interview and discover Neil's blueprint for success — timeless lessons in determination, adaptability, and excellence that everyone can apply. Don’t miss this behind-the-scenes look at one of business journalism’s most iconic figures. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Neil Cavuto RELATED EPISODES: |
Sun, 22 December 2024
This week, Hosts Dean and Maxwell Rotbart offer their annual holiday treat for Monday Morning Radio listeners: a reading of the inspirational adult Yuletide tale, A Christmas Day Miracle. The uplifting book tells the true story of one man on death’s doorstep and his miraculous survival and recovery. It’s a poignant reminder for people of all faiths of the wonder and power of life’s unexpected blessings. This is an exclusive once-a-year presentation you don’t want to miss. A Christmas Day Miracle is available in a keepsake softcover edition on Amazon for only $9.75. Posted: December 23, 2024 Other books from TJFR Press:
|
Sat, 14 December 2024
![]() Charles Rose is an unconventional business coach. While most consultants focus on improving a company’s mechanics — sales, marketing, human resources, and the like — his consultancy advises clients on the best ways to unload the personal baggage that limits their bottom line and personal satisfaction. A serial entrepreneur who built an e-commerce company and sold it for $10 million, Charles has since spent 20-plus years instructing CEOs, high-performing professionals, and entrepreneurs on ways to strike a productive balance between business success and life satisfaction. As he explains, on the path to business fulfillment, he explores every aspect of his clients' lives, including physical health, mental health, and personal relations. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Charles Rose, Transformation Coaching OPPORTUNITIES OF INTEREST: Blaine Oelkers, America’s only chief results officer (Monday Morning Radio 2/6/23), is offering powerful workshops to cap off 2024 and deliver super results in the new year. Dr. Laura Sicola (Monday Morning Radio 2/26/24) co-hosts Alpha Whisperers: Genesis, a podcast mini-series offering a behind-the-scenes examination of the dynamics of power, influence, and leadership. |
Sun, 8 December 2024
With nearly 1.3 million followers on TikTok and a global fan base for his gospel music, David Griffiths’ success story is a testament to the power of authenticity, consistency, audience engagement, and strategic planning. Founder of Content Creating Academy, David is a powerhouse in the world of digital creation. His free webinars help business owners and entrepreneurs simplify the complexities of content creation and recognize the steps necessary to build an impressive social media following. Blessed with a rich baritone voice, David is also an internationally celebrated Christian recording artist and educator. He has performed in front of crowds as large as 70,000 and penned more than 300 compositions. In 2009, he was named the International Singer-Songwriter Association’s Christian Songwriter of the Year. David’s coaching and music careers complement one another. Both have a similar mission: To bring positive change to the world. His journey is proof that with the right mindset and tools, anyone can foster meaningful connections that drive real-world results. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: David Griffiths, Content Creating Academy RELATED EPISODES:
Schedule your free 30-minute reputation consultation with Monday Morning Radio founding host Dean Rotbart. https://tinyurl.com/ReputationToolChest
|
Sun, 1 December 2024
Douglas Katz is a West Point graduate, a disabled Army veteran, and a culinary enthusiast. The problem for Doug was that, like millions of those who suffer from limited mobility, he struggled to use kitchen utensils that require upper extremity strength. Aided by friends and other veterans, Doug took to his workshop to invent a new type of kitchen knife — the NULU knife — the first product in a series of “adaptive” gear he plans to introduce. Ergonomically made, the NULU blade is located beneath the handle, allowing users’ shoulders, arms, and hands to remain neutral, reducing stress on their joints. NULU delivers a better cutting experience and makes cooking accessible for everyone. Doug is utilizing Kickstarter to crowdfund the NULU knife. If you’d like to see the NULU knife in action, visit the product’s Kickstarter page at tinyurl.com/MMR-Knife. There are less than two weeks before Doug’s Kickstarter campaign closes, so if you’re looking for a great holiday gift for family and friends — or for yourself — the time to act is now. Doug’s story is an inspiring example of how innovation, perseverance, and purpose can drive entrepreneurial success. By addressing real-world problems, building a solid team, and staying committed to a greater purpose, Doug exemplifies the potential of entrepreneurship to change lives — not just for customers but for communities as well. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Douglas Katz, NULU Knives ARTICLES OF INTEREST BY DEAN ROTBART
RELATED EPISODES |
Sun, 24 November 2024
You can follow your heart, discover how life works, be happy, and bounce back from hard times. It’s easier than you might imagine. Author and illustrator Andrew Matthews breaks it all down in his cheerful and insightful books, which have sold more than 8 million copies and inspired audiences at more than 1,000 international companies. Andrew’s forte is presenting timeless wisdom in fresh, engaging ways. Each of his uplifting books is peppered with lovable, hand-drawn cartoons. Andrew is based in Queensland, Australia, where his wife Julie serves as his books’ publisher. On this episode, Andrew shares invaluable lessons for businesses and individuals alike:
Whether it’s finding resilience in setbacks, taking small steps to overcome big challenges, or packaging ideas in ways that resonate with customers, Andrew’s lessons are universally applicable. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Andrew Matthews, Seashell Publishers BOOKS BY ANDREW MATTHEWS INCLUDE: THIS WEEK’S ARTICLES OF INTEREST BY DEAN ROTBART
|
Sun, 17 November 2024
Renita Wolf is an expert on Exit Strategies. Renita and her firm, Poe Wolf Partners, are renowned for helping founders and mid-market CEOs build better businesses and exit on their terms. Before founding her firm, Renita spent 25 years holding senior financial and operation positions for companies including Wells Fargo, Hewlett-Packard, Agilent Technologies, and Cray Research. Whether business owners hope to execute what she describes as “the transaction of a lifetime” in a year, a decade, or even longer, there are concrete steps they should take now to maximize the value of their companies when the time arrives. Among the topics Renita covers this week are the ways to identify potential buyers for your business, significant tax considerations, and recognizing the best time to move on. As you are about to hear, preparing to sell a business is as much a journey as a destination. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Renita Wolf, Poe Wolf Partners REGISTER FOR RENITA WOLF’S UPCOMING WEBINARS: Exit Planning: Close the Value Gap (December 10, 2024) THIS WEEK’S ARTICLES OF INTEREST BY DEAN ROTBART |
Sun, 10 November 2024
David Sauers is a successful entrepreneur from Savannah, Georgia, where he runs a service business with 50 nationwide branches. Formerly an executive in commercial banking and business lending, the company David co-founded is marking its 20th anniversary this year. David is the first to admit that his business is not the type that most people dream about owning — at first. However, his emphasis on quality, consistency, community, and creativity provides a wealth of lessons for all business owners and entrepreneurs. [Read this week’s All You Can Eat Business Wisdom Second Helping, which offers six actionable insights here.] In an homage to the panel game show that ran on CBS between 1950 and 1967, “What’s My Line,” you’ll have to listen to this week’s episode to discover the uncommon service that David’s company provides. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: David Sauers, Royal Restrooms RELATED LINKS: |
Sun, 3 November 2024
![]() This week, founding host Dean Rotbart, a Wizard Academy graduate who served many years on the Academy’s faculty, shares the story of how a self-published children’s book author garnered global media coverage, reaching more than 2 million potential customers in a single day and zooming more than 1 million spots to the top of the Amazon charts. The lessons to be gleaned by her success, Rotbart promises, can be applied by every business owner, entrepreneur, and author who’d like to attain blockbuster visibility without spending a dime on consultants, social media ads, or news releases. How did the author of the children’s book do it? Well, it helps that she, too, is a Wizard Academy alumna and that Talya Rotbart is married to the self-anointed “Dean of Reputation.” Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo Collage: Talya Rotbart (top row right), Dr. Laura Schlessinger and Talya (bottom row left) EPISODE LINKS:
|
Sun, 27 October 2024
Duane Scott Cerny is an expert on dead people. Or, more precisely, marketing and selling their possessions after they’ve passed to the afterlife. He is the author of the bestselling book Selling Dead People's Things: Inexplicably True Tales, Vintage Fails & Objects of Objectionable Estates and Vintage Confidential: Retro Rattled, Tales Tattled—Confessions of the World’s Third Oldest Profession. Duane co-owns Chicago’s largest multi-dealer antique mall, Broadway Antique Market. As you’ll hear, he is also quite the sage when it comes to understanding the formula for business success. Thanks to his ability to adapt to ever-changing tastes and listen closely to his customers, Duane is celebrating his mall’s 34th anniversary this year. Not only is Duane business savvy, but he is also a born entertainer and storyteller — truly a treat to listen to. Happy Halloween. [Watch Jordan Phelps’s music video tribute to Broadway Antique Market, which opens this week’s episode, on YouTube here. Read Duane’s columns in The Village View here.] Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Duane Scott Cerny, Broadway Antique Market RELATED EPISODES: |
Sun, 20 October 2024
Mo Bunnell and his colleagues at Bunnell Idea Group have trained more than 50,000 high-end professionals, business owners, and entrepreneurs on the remarkable effectiveness of gifting their expertise to create and maximize client relationships. Mo’s new book, Give to Grow: Invest in Relationships to Build Your Business and Your Career, from elite business book publisher Bard Press, is the bible of strategic giving. “The real magic to this approach: It’s always your move, and there’s always a way to be helpful,” Mo writes. “When you focus on giving, you will remove your own mental roadblocks. You’ll be centered on solving the client’s problems and investing in their success. And you can build a system to consistently integrate the right moves into your busy work life.” Walking his talk, Mo is offering — for free and with zero obligation — a suite of Give to Grow resources, including videos, a team launch guide, top lead generation methods worksheet, and 50-plus go-to questions to fast-track your meeting preparation. As Mo says, “A great deal might make your year, but a great relationship can make your entire career.” Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Mo Bunnell, Bunnell Idea Group RELATED EPISODES: |
Sun, 13 October 2024
Peter H. Spitz is an MIT-trained chemical engineer and renowned petrochemical industry expert with seven patents. He is also an author and entrepreneur, having started a company that grew to $20 million in annual sales before being acquired by IBM. This past June, Peter published his most recent book, Reflecting on History: How The Industrial Revolution Created Our Way of Life. When we turn on a television, use a computer, heat dinner in a microwave oven, open a refrigerator, drive a car, or take an antibiotic, Peter explains that we are utilizing technologies with roots dating back to the Industrial Revolution in England 300 years ago. Peter wasn’t around back then, but with a razor-sharp mind at 98 years of age, he has plenty of actionable insights to share on what makes for successful inventions and how to build and run a successful business. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Peter H. Spitz, Author RELATED EPISODES: |
Sun, 6 October 2024
As a Walt Disney Imagineer, Brian Collins, helped create the stories and magic for some of the world’s most beloved theme park attractions. While Walt died in late 1966, the company he founded and many of his disciples continue to practice the gospel of Disney. Brian is one the most successful and sought-after adherents. Brian is the founder of The Brainstorm Institute. Working from Orlando, and frequently exploring Disney World with his clients, Brian teaches innovation, brainstorming, and technology cross-pollination to companies of all sizes. As Walt used to say, “It’s kind of fun to do the impossible.” You’ll have fun this week listening to what Brian Collins has to say. And, oh yeah, if you’ve got Mouse Ears lying around, feel free to wear them while you listen. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Brian Collins, The Brainstorm Institute RELATED EPISODES:
Schedule your free 30-minute reputation consultation with Monday Morning Radio founding host Dean Rotbart. https://tinyurl.com/ReputationToolChest |
Sun, 29 September 2024
There may be observers who know the technology industry better than veteran journalist Eric Savitz, but there aren’t many. Eric worked at Barron’s Magazine as an investment and technology reporter for 24 years — spread over three stints. He began there in October 1988, honing his craft under the direction of the legendary editor and columnist Alan Abelson. In this wide-ranging conversation, you’ll hear Eric’s views on successful investing in technology stocks, what errors to avoid, and what opportunities still exist for tech startups. Since July of this year, Eric has assumed the position of corporate editor-in-chief of General Motors. As he explains, these days, under the hoods of cars and trucks, consumers will discover sophisticated chips and computers worthy of the best technology companies. Whether you’re an investor, a business owner, or a journalism buff, this is one conversation you’ll want to pull to the curb to listen to closely and take notes. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Eric Savitz, General Motors RELATED EPISODES: |
Sun, 22 September 2024
Approximately one in five Americans is neurodiverse, which includes conditions such as Autism, ADHD, OCD, Dyslexia, and Tourette’s syndrome. Chances are excellent that some of your colleagues are neurodiverse and face challenges that are not immediately visible. Dr. Matthew Zakreski, co-founder and lead psychologist at The Neurodiversity Initiative, is an internationally recognized expert on neurodiverse employee-employer relations and an advocate for neurodiverse individuals in the workplace. Dr. Matt, as his clients call him, serves as a professional advocate for neurodiverse individuals in the workplace. From their northern New Jersey office, Dr. Matt and his team offer therapy and assessments to individuals. He also engages in public speaking and corporate training and serves as a mediator between neurodiverse employees and their bosses. Dr. Matt shares that employers who acknowledge and accommodate those who think and behave differently see enhanced workplace productivity, job satisfaction, and innovation. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Matthew Zakreski, The Neurodiversity Initiative RELATED EPISODES: |
Sun, 15 September 2024
More than half of all customers and clients are willing to pay more for the exact same product or service if the seller also provides a single intangible: trust. Natalie Doyle Oldfield, president of Halifax, Nova Scotia-based Success Through Trust, has spent years evaluating the dynamics that drive customer loyalty and business growth. Trust, she finds, is the critical value that top companies rely on to secure their market dominance and drive substantial growth. Businesses that score high on Natalie’s proprietary “Client Trust Index” enjoy increased sales and stronger client relationships. Moreover, they have a cushion of goodwill to see them through the rough patches that inevitably crop up. Natalie is a former chief marketing officer who spent 25 years in business before founding her consultancy. She is the author of the new book — Trusted: The Proven Path To Customer Loyalty And Business Growth. This week, Natalie shares the proven methods companies, individuals, and organizations can use to amplify their trustworthiness and cash in on their reputation and brand. It’s an episode you don’t want to miss. Trust us. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Natalie Doyle Oldfield, Success Through Trust |
Sun, 8 September 2024
Michael Hershman is the CEO of Soloviev Group, a privately held, multi-billion-dollar enterprise with investments spanning real estate, agribusiness, logistics, and renewable energy. He is also president and CEO of Fairfax Group, a top choice for governments, corporations, and international institutions that need complex problem-solving for governance and compliance challenges. The Soloviev Group owns the largest undeveloped tract of land in Manhattan, located just three blocks south of the United Nations. Known as Freedom Plaza, this green space will soon host the Museum of Freedom and Democracy, the cornerstone of a dynamic, mixed-use development that will also feature New York City’s first casino. In addition to his business acumen, Hershman is widely recognized as a global authority on governance and transparency. He has been named one of the “100 Most Ethical Global Leaders in Business.” This week, Hershman delivers a master class in civics, highlighting the principles of good governance and their role in fostering a robust economy—one that supports small business owners and entrepreneurs alike. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Michael Hershman, Soloviev Group POPULAR EPISODES: |
Sun, 1 September 2024
The client is reclining on a plush leather couch in a softly lit office, the wall adorned with framed degrees and certificates of expertise in psychology. “Tell me what’s troubling you?” the therapist inquires. “Profits are down. Our employees are unhappy. And I don’t know where I should be going.” This imaginary client is not a person but a business. However, the therapist is real. Dr. Nikki Blacksmith is a practitioner of industrial-organizational psychology who uses data analysis to help companies diagnose the business personality traits that are preventing them from achieving their goals. Dr. Blackstone is the co-founder and CEO of Blackhawke Behavior Science and an adjunct faculty member at American University in Washington, D.C. She is the co-author with Dr. Maureen E. McCusker of Data-Driven Decision Making in Entrepreneurship: Tools for Maximizing Human Capital. On this week’s episode, Dr. Blacksmith explains that industrial organizational psychology is essentially the application of psychological principles to the workplace. It involves understanding human behavior in work environments, covering hiring, motivation, well-being, and organizational culture. In addition, she emphasizes the importance of using data to make informed decisions in entrepreneurship. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Nikki Blacksmith, Blackhawke Behavior Science |
Sun, 25 August 2024
Margot Machol Bisnow spent 20 years in government, including as an FTC Commissioner and staff director of President Ronald Reagan’s Council of Economic Advisers. In her post-government career, Margot has become an evangelist for entrepreneurism, serving as a sherpa for parents on how to raise their children to grow into successful business owners and achieve their dreams. She is the author of Raising an Entrepreneur: How to Help Your Children Achieve Their Dreams - 99 Stories from Families Who Did, now in its second edition. On this week’s podcast, Margot shares the lessons of families — many well-known — who followed the correct path for raising their children to succeed as entrepreneurs. The key is allowing children to pursue their passions, even if there is no obvious way to earn a living from them. Hard work, the experience of failure, and the ability to adapt to change are, likewise, important entrepreneurial characteristics. While Margot focuses on kids, teens, and young adults, her blueprint for success is ageless. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Margot Machol Bisnow, Raising an Entrepreneur |
Sun, 18 August 2024
While many business owners and entrepreneurs possess intelligence and ability, wisdom is far rarer and more precious. You needn’t journey to a mountaintop in India to commune with a Swami to accrue the benefits and peace of mind that wisdom affords. Dr. Laura Gabayan, a veteran emergency medicine physician and associate professor at the UCLA School of Medicine, has made a study of wisdom, including how to define and cultivate it. Dr. Gabayan recently published her findings in Common Wisdom: 8 Scientific Elements of a Meaningful Life. The eight characteristics are:
Wisdom, Dr. Gabayan reports, “is a state of being, a mindset.” Those who master its lessons will lead a more fulfilling, meaningful, and prosperous life. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Dr. Laura Gabayan, Common Wisdom |
Sun, 11 August 2024
![]() David Page is a veteran broadcast journalist and two-time Emmy award winner who is best known for creating the Food Network mega-hit Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives and serving as its executive producer for eleven seasons. His newest multimedia project, Culinary Characters Unlocked, is a twice-weekly podcast featuring fascinating stories from some of the food world's most intriguing people. The program will debut on Tuesday, August 27. On its face, Culinary Characters Unlocked is a feast for foodies. However, the kitchen maestros David interviews also demonstrate that for a chef to succeed and a restaurant to thrive, savvy business skills are necessary — know-how that applies to everyone, regardless of their business or profession. Would you like the recipe for business success and a great Coq au Vin (just kidding)? Place a linen napkin on your lap, grab your fourchette and couteau, and prepare to be dazzled by what David Page serves up this week. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: David Page, Culinary Characters Unlocked Hear the March 25, 2024, episode of Monday Morning Radio featuring David Page and his book, Food Americana: The Remarkable People and Incredible Stories Behind America’s Favorite Dishes. |
Sun, 4 August 2024
Being a children’s book publisher is anything but child’s play. Georgia Lininger is a full-time elementary school teacher and children’s book author who launched her own book imprint, Salus Publishing, on the side in January 2020. As she quickly discovered, success is about much more than sweet stories and colorful illustrations. Georgia’s struggles and achievements are a parable for what many entrepreneurs with a dream face when entering the competitive marketplace with a product or service that comes from the heart. Whether your aspiration is to pen the next Charlotte’s Web, or launch any business that ignites your passion and imagination, Georgia’s experiences and insights will leave you better prepared. Product differentiation — in this instance, multiculturalism and eco-friendly printing — have been a saving grace for Salus Publishing. What’s your unique differentiator? Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Georgie Lininger, Salus Publishing POPULAR EPISODES: |
Sun, 28 July 2024
Angie Hyche is an organization and clutter expert. Whether the mess swamps your storage room, a self-storage unit, your garage, your basement, or even your email inbox and to-do lists, she knows precisely how to sort out your possessions and calendar. The owner of Shipshape Solutions, based in Kingsport, Tennessee, she is a writer, podcaster, and much-in-demand speaker who helps her audiences free themselves from physical, mental, and business disarray. Angie has spent the past seven-and-a-half years as a professional organizer, helping a wide array of organizations and individuals clean up the chaos in their lives. This week, Angie shares how everyone can tackle their disorganization, even if it’s been accumulating for years or decades. Books by Angie Hyche:
Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Angie Hyche, Shipshape Solutions POPULAR EPISODES: |
Fri, 19 July 2024
Our guest this week is Richard Behar, an award-winning investigative reporter who spent 15 years chronicling the life of Bernie Madoff, the mastermind behind the largest Ponzi scheme in history. Behar is the author of the newly released blockbuster book Madoff: The Final Word. Before Madoff died in prison, Behar and Madoff had more than 50 phone conversations, exchanged more than 300 emails, and met face-to-face three times. When Madoff was arrested in December 2008, his decades-long scam unraveled, revealing approximately $68 billion in purported assets across nearly 5,000 client accounts. In stark contrast, Madoff had less than $300 million, having swindled countless victims, including banks, charities, colleges, pension funds, and notable individuals such as Steven Spielberg, Sandy Koufax, Kevin Bacon, and Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel. On this week’ episode, Behar shares how Madoff sustained his scam for decades, the many people who facilitated his fraud, why his investors were so gullible, and what steps everyone should take to avoid falling victim to swindlers. As an exclusive bonus, listeners will hear two short private phone conversations between Behar and Madoff, recorded during Madoff’s incarceration at a federal prison in Butner, North Carolina. Behar, honored as one of the top 100 business journalists of the 20th century, has received more than 20 major journalism awards. He previously worked on the staff of Forbes, Time, and Fortune. He also contributed reporting to CNN, PBS, and the BBC. If you believe you could never be tricked like thousands of Madoff’s trusting investors were, you need to listen closely to this week’s episode. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Richard Behar, Madoff: The Final Word RELATED EPISODES |
Sun, 14 July 2024
This week’s guest, Dean Guida, founder and CEO of Infragistics, has plenty of grit. But as he’s discovered on his way to bootstrapping a company that today serves 100% of the S&P 500, including Bank of America, Exxon, Fidelity, Intuit, and Morgan Stanley — to win in business, you also need:
Dean launched his business in 1989 when he was only 23 years old. Today, his enterprise software company operates in six countries and serves more than two million software developers. And he’s done it all without a cent of venture capital. Dean’s expertise is highly technical, but his new book, When Grit is Not Enough: An Entrepreneur’s Playbook for Taking Your Business to the Next Level, makes it easy for any business leader to understand how to grow a business from the ground up and compete against larger, better-funded competitors. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Dean Guida, Infragistics |
Sun, 7 July 2024
Nick-Anthony Zamucen has the Midas touch when it comes to starting and growing franchises. As founder and president of BOR Franchising, his successful concepts include a pizza chain, a home care business, a crime scene cleaner, and, most recently, a burgeoning water and fire damage repair company. Nick-Anthony has a proven formula for running a successful enterprise that will be of interest whether you buy into someone else’s concept or decide to franchise one of your own businesses. This week, he shares what to look for before buying or launching a franchise and what to avoid absolutely. Even if you have no interest in franchising, understanding Nick-Anthony’s approach and his “success breeds success” philosophy will generate plenty of productive ideas you can apply to your business. Books by Nick-Anthony Zamucen Include: Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Nick-Anthony Zamucen, BOR Franchising RELATED EPISODES: |
Sat, 29 June 2024
Rusty Komori was the varsity boys’ tennis coach at the Punahou School in Honolulu from 1994 until 2015. During his tenure, the school won the state championship each and every year. That’s a record unmatched by any other coach in any other sport. But Rusty is not just excellent at taking a diverse group of teenagers and turning them into champions — he masterfully coaches employers on how to adapt his methods for the workplace, transforming typical office environments into ones that enjoy a culture of consistent success. Rusty is the author of the recently published book Superior: Creating A Superior Culture Of Excellence. As he details in this week’s episode, the core of success — in sports or business — starts at the top. If a dictatorial boss heads an organization, it won’t achieve the same success as if a leader guides it. “Love” may be the lowest score in tennis, but it’s absolutely what you need to convey to be at the top of your game in business. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Rusty Komori RELATED EPISODES: |
Sun, 23 June 2024
Business and brand websites have existed for almost three decades. Yet most companies still don’t know how to design them so that their messaging aligns with and supports their advertising, social media, and point-of-sale communication. Moreover, most present-day websites fail to incorporate language that appeals to each of the four major personality types, relying on so-called persuasion architecture. Vi Wickam, an exceptional digital and ad strategist, optimizes websites to deliver more leads, sales, and happier customers. A veteran Wizard of Ads partner, Vi not only helps his own clients but also teams with expert marketers worldwide to ensure their clients' websites perform like virtuoso violinists, delivering exceptional and harmonious results. Even then, Vi notes, there is no resting on your laurels: No website is ever complete. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Vi Wickam, Wizard of Ads Online RELATED EPISODES:
|
Sat, 15 June 2024
In his award-winning 2021 book about the aftermath of the terror attacks on the World Trade Center, September Twelfth, Monday Morning Radio co-host Dean Rotbart described Gwendolyn “Wendy” Bounds, an eyewitness and award-winning journalist. She was, he wrote, telegenically attractive, with big chocolate-brown eyes, a sparkly broad smile, and shoulder-length buttery blond hair blended with honey highlights. That was then. Today, as evidenced by the cover photo on her new book — Not Too Late: The Power of Pushing Limits at Any Age — Wendy is often covered in mud and sweat, ripped, displaying muscular arms, strong and toned legs, and broad and well-developed shoulders. Wendy spent nearly 20 years with The Wall Street Journal, including anchoring the daily, live 25-minute noon news/lifestyle show Lunch Break. Subsequently she became vice president and chief content officer at Consumer Reports and currently heads U.S. media partnerships and business development at SmartNews. Wendy has transformed herself from a desk jockey into a competitive Spartan racer, running through mud pits, crawling under barbed wire, swinging across monkey bars, and hoisting sandbags as she navigates obstacle courses. Age, she assures Dean and his co-host, Maxwell Rotbart, “can be a secret weapon.” [Not Too Late: The Power of Pushing Limits at Any Age will officially be published on June 18, 2024. It is available for pre-order here.] Photo: Wendy Bounds, Not Too Late |
Sun, 9 June 2024
Pop quiz, hotshot. Hackers have frozen you out of your own databases. They tell you that if you want back in, you have to pay them a ransom in the next 24 hours. Oh, and if you don’t want them to sell your clients’ data on the black market, that’s another hefty fee, too. What do you do? WHAT DO YOU DO? That’s the question that keeps Terry Ziemniak, TechCXO’s fractional chief information security offer, working around the clock, advising businesses on how to build systems and protocols to protect their data, and to prepare a plan in case the barbarians breach the castle gates. What steps can you take to begin building a moat around your databases? Terry has more than 25 years of experience in the information security field. This week he reveals the deeply guarded secrets to effective cybersecurity. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Terry Ziemniak, TechCXO |
Sun, 2 June 2024
When business owners and entrepreneurs struggle to resolve an intractable problem, they often blame everyone and everything but the true culprit. Themselves. Often, what they should be thinking, says Steve McCready — who spent more than 15 years as a psychotherapist before becoming a business coach — is, “It’s not you, it’s me.” Steve is a “magic eraser” for the root causes of many business problems, including owner self-doubt, lack of focus, and feeling overwhelmed. You don’t have to lie on the couch while listening to this week’s podcast, Steve assures listeners, but you will want to be comfortable and create a psychologically safe space. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Steve McCready RELATED EPISODES: |
Sun, 26 May 2024
When it comes to talented business people, there is a hierarchy of ability: skilled, expert, masterful, and brilliant. Brilliant is the realm where Simon T. Bailey operates and teaches others how to elevate their performance from proficient to awesome. A former Disney sales executive, Simon has written multiple books on the topic and has been invited to be a keynote speaker at more than 2,400 events over the past two decades. He has been recognized among Success magazine’s Top 25 alongside Brené Brown, Tony Robbins, Tom Brady, and Oprah Winfrey. Simon’s latest book is Resilience@Work: How to Coach Yourself Into a Thriving Future, a business parable that illuminates how anyone can become not just resilient, but brilliantly resilient. “Resilience is a superpower that reduces stress, boosts psychological capital, and paves the way for greater productivity,” Simon writes. Listen and Profit™ now as Simon discusses the importance of resilience, patience, proper mentorship, and even the role of theology in business success. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Simon T. Bailey, Simon T. Bailey International |
Sun, 19 May 2024
Michelle D. Gladieux will celebrate 20 years of running her company, Gladieux Consulting, this year. Michelle and her colleagues have advised hundreds of companies, including Best Buy, General Dynamics, Lincoln Financial, and Medtronic, on ways their executives and employees can communicate more effectively to improve their performance and satisfaction. Michelle is one of 21 previous Monday Morning Radio guests showcased in All You Can Eat Business Wisdom, the new anthology authored by deputy reporter and co-host Maxwell Rotbart. This week, on Michelle’s second podcast appearance, she delves deeper into the correlation between effective communications, career advancement, and life satisfaction. What you say, how you say it, and — importantly — how you listen really do matter. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Michelle D. Gladieux, Gladieux Consulting MONDAY MORNING RADIO BOOKSHELF:
|
Sat, 11 May 2024
Bryan Clayton, CEO and co-founder of Your Green Pal, uses a proprietary app to match homeowners who need lawn care with small businesses - many of them solo operators - that provide those services. His numbers are impressive: more than 55,000 entrepreneurs serving over half a million customers. Bryan began mowing lawns in high school and essentially never quit. Today, he runs a $30 million company that stands out in the so-called “two-sided marketplace,” which brings buyers and sellers together. Bryan says there are opportunities aplenty for other entrepreneurs like him — in service-sector companies — to leverage technology to create a beautifully manicured business empire. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Bryan Clayton, Your Green Pal |
Sat, 4 May 2024
![]() Forbes magazine describes Sol Rashidi as one of the nine brightest minds when it comes to Artificial Intelligence. She was part of the first generation of leaders who helped IBM launch Watson, the powerful machine-learning suite of AI services, applications, and tools. In addition to IBM, Sol has worked for EY, Sony Music, Merck, and Estee Lauder. Sol is the author of the new book Your AI Survival Guide: Scraped Knees, Bruised Elbows, and Lessons Learned from Real-World AI Deployments, which distills her expertise and decades of experience into a must-read guide for non-technical business leaders. The AI universe is not just here now; the volume, variety, and velocity of information being generated is growing exponentially. This week, Sol shares her do’s and don’ts for businesses hoping to harness the potential of artificial intelligence while trying to avoid being crushed by the AI juggernaut. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Sol Rashidi, Your AI Survival Guide RELATED EPISODES: |
Sat, 27 April 2024
Over the course of his career, including stints at PayPal, Cisco, and Nike, Sean Lemson has encountered all varieties of leaders — good, bad, and toxic. Toxic leaders are a special breed of “bad,” capable, often without even realizing it, of chasing off the best employees and slowly killing their companies. Sean is the founder of Motivated Outcomes, which coaches corporate leaders on rooting toxic traits out of their company culture and training destructive leaders to stop hurting their subordinates and start inspiring them instead. His new book is One Drop of Poison: How One Bad Leader Can Slowly Kill Your Company. Listen now as Sean calls out some of the most common toxic leadership archetypes, reveals how to spot them, and offers practical methods to immunize any business against their poisonous effects. Photo: Sean Lemson, Motivated Outcomes NOW AVAILABLE: Purchase the new Monday Morning Radio anthology, All You Can Eat Business Wisdom, featuring 105 actionable insights and in-depth advice from 21 of this podcast's previous guests. Only $19.95 in digital format from http://tinyurl.com/AYCEBW-ISSUU CHAPTERS INCLUDE: Ken Blanchard: Simple Truths But Profound Leadership Tools All You Can Eat Business Wisdom is a rich buffet of practical advice. Readers will want to fill their plates and return for seconds. About the Author: Maxwell Rotbart is Monday Morning Radio’s co-host and associate producer. |
Sat, 20 April 2024
On May 7th and 8th, experts from government, industry, small business, and academia will come together in Washington, D.C., for the 2024 Humans to Mars Summit focused on sending humans to Mars. The event, the largest such gathering on earth, is being organized by Chris Carberry, the CEO and Co-Founder of Explore Mars Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to fostering a permanent human presence on the Red Planet no later than 2033. Once the province of science fiction, Chris says a Martian colony is inevitable, and there are ample opportunities right now for entrepreneurs and independent businesses to climb aboard. Chris is the author of The Music of Space: Scoring the Cosmos in Film and Television and Alcohol in Space: Past, Present and Future. Before joining Explore Mars, he served as Executive Director of The Mars Society. The countdown to an out-of-this-world adventure has begun. Listen now for your ticket to ride. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Chris Carberry, Explore Mars, Inc. RELATED EPISODES |
Mon, 15 April 2024
Scott Mautz is a former senior executive with Procter & Gamble, whose free leadership classes on LinkedIn have attracted more than two million registrants. Scott, who ran four of P&G’s multi-billion dollar businesses, knows what it takes to be an effective leader. That’s why he advises all owners and entrepreneurs to work out daily. But Scott doesn’t mean bench pressing or squats. He’s a champion of rigorous mental workouts designed to build fortitude, confidence, boldness, and decision-making muscles. Scott’s new book, due in May, is The Mentally Strong Leader: Build the Habits to Productively Regulate Your Emotions, Thoughts, and Behaviors. In the book, Scott offers a 50-question mental strength self-assessment as well as the methods to create a personalized mental strength-training program relying on habit-building science. When readers get mentally fit, Scott assures, they will find greater achievement and successfully overcome more challenges, both professionally and personally. Inc. magazine named Scott a “Top 50 Leadership Innovator.” To learn more about his international training and speaking offerings, click here. To download a free 60-page companion workbook that includes Scott’s 50-question mental strength self-assessment, click here. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Scott Mautz, scottmautz.com SCOTT MAUTZ’S PREVIOUS MONDAY MORNING RADIO APPEARANCES: |
Sun, 7 April 2024
Whether you are a solo entrepreneur, a small business owner, or the head of a FORTUNE 500 company, innovation is within your grasp — if you understand what it is and isn’t. This week’s guest, Steve Wunker, managing director of New Markets Advisors, is widely acknowledged as one of the country’s foremost masters of innovation. He pioneered the mobile marketing and commerce industries, and is responsible for one of the world’s first smartphones. In his latest book, The Innovative Leader: Step-by-Step Lessons From Top Investors For You and Your Organization, Steve shares the ABCs of innovative leadership: Aspire, Build, and Cultivate. He also debunks three of the most common myths about innovation:
Not only can every company, big and small, innovate, but Steve warns they had better trailblaze, or they’re sure to be left in the dust of others. Where to begin and who should lead the effort are insights Steve shares on this week's podcast. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Steve Wunker, New Markets Advisors RELATED EPISODES |
Sun, 31 March 2024
![]() Does your business have a mascot, a team jersey, and team-related merchandise for sale? Probably not. Fredrick “Freddy D” Dudek has spent more than three decades studying how companies can turn their employees, customers, and business affiliates into the kind of raging fans that sports teams enjoy. Like a sports franchise, Freddy D discovered that the secret to creating business super fans begins by fostering an internal culture dedicated to winning. For businesses, that means making superior customer service the desired home run of every "at bat" with customers and prospects. While the analogy to sports fanatics is perfectly valid, Freddy D assures us that it’s unnecessary to dress up your CEO as an animal, historical figure, or other costumed mascot with an oversized head and goofy feet. Hearing what he has to say and reading his book will suffice. [Visit Freddy D’s website here and be sure to catch his Business Superfans Podcast here.] Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Frederick “Freddy D” Dudek, Business $uperfans SPECIAL NOTE: Founding host Dean Rotbart’s most recent book, Dedication and Service: 50 Years on Call with the Volunteers of Colorado’s Genesee Fire Rescue has been awarded the prestigious Gold Medal from the national Nonfiction Authors Association. It is Dean’s second Gold recognition. |
Sun, 24 March 2024
This week’s guest, David Page, is a well-known expert on American cuisine, culture, and entrepreneurship. The two-time Emmy-award winner and veteran broadcast journalist is best known for creating the Food Network hit Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives and serving as its executive producer for eleven seasons. David, president and executive producer of Page Productions, understands why some restaurants succeed while many don’t. Every owner, executive, and entrepreneur, regardless of their business sector, will take away actionable intelligence from David’s insights. If you’ve ever dreamed of opening your own restaurant, it’s absolutely essential to hear the cautions that David offers. For foodies in the audience, David shares some of his favorite foods and restaurants, and the one dish he has a strong aversion to. David is the author of Food Americana: The Remarkable People and Incredible Stories Behind America’s Favorite Dishes. The book is a literary feast of fascinating characters, food culture, pop culture, and nostalgia. And stay tuned for David’s new podcast, Culinary Characters Unlocked, which is scheduled to debut in early May and feature inside stories of the food world from its most fascinating people. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: David Page, Page Productions SPECIAL NOTE: Founding host Dean Rotbart’s most recent book, Dedication and Service: 50 Years on Call with the Volunteers of Colorado’s Genesee Fire Rescue has been awarded the prestigious Gold Medal from the national Nonfiction Authors Association. It is Dean’s second Gold recognition. |
Sun, 17 March 2024
As a physician, Hanah Polotsky is an expert in treating diabetes, thyroid disorders, and serious hormonal abnormalities. As a leadership expert, Dr. Polotsky excels at showing executives — both in and outside the medical field — how best to run teams and apply the tenets of lean management to their organizations. A native of Belarus who fled to the United States at 17 to escape rampant anti-Semitism, Dr. Polotsky earned her Master of Business Operational Excellence at The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business. She is the lead author of Physician Leader: How Exam Room Experience Drives Leadership Excellence. Often, whether in hospitals or the profit-driven marketplace, administrators are unprepared for the leadership roles that become their responsibility. This week, Dr. Polotsky shares her prescription for curing the most common supervisory ailments. Listen now, and you’ll start to feel better immediately. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Dr. Hanah Polotsky, Physician Leader RELATED EPISODES: |
Sun, 10 March 2024
When it comes to running a competitive company, Bob Moog doesn’t play games. Well, actually, he does. Daily. Bob is co-founder and president of University Games, the largest independent game company in the world. For almost four decades, Bob has gone up against the biggest players — including Hasbro and Mattel — and found a way to beat them at their own game. Pun intended. In fact, University Games distributes more products in more outlets and more markets than any other company focused on board games. The company now has six divisions: University Games (board games), Great Explorations (science and learning/glow-in-the-dark products), BePuzzled (puzzles and brainteasers), Briarpatch (preschool games and puzzles), U-Create (crafts and activities), and Front Porch Classics (classic games, built to last a lifetime). University Games’ philosophy has always been to offer games that encourage social interaction and imagination through gameplay, with learning sprinkled in to spice it up. Bob’s story will inspire anyone who competes against entrenched giants. He’ll also share the management philosophy that has proven a game winner for just shy of four decades. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Bob Moog, University Games RELATED EPISODES |
Sun, 3 March 2024
He’d be the oldest man ever to run for president, even as calls grow louder and louder for him to step aside. Joe Biden? No, William Henry Harrison, the successful 67-year-old Whig Party candidate back in 1840. Tying yesteryear to current events is Ron Shafer’s specialty. His contributions to The Washington Post’s Retropolis history column form the basis of two of his engaging books, Breaking News All Over Again and the forthcoming A Half-Naked George Washington. Now retired, Ron spent nearly 40 years with The Wall Street Journal as a reporter, columnist, and political features editor, based out of Washington, DC. On this week’s program, he makes clear that business owners and entrepreneurs can glean a lot of helpful information about where we’re headed if they only take the time to review where we’ve been. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Ron Shafer, Author RELATED EPISODES |
Sun, 25 February 2024
Most people fail to say their own name correctly. Odd as that may sound, Laura Sicola explains her assertion in a YouTube video that is approaching 7 million views. Dr. Sicola earned her PhD from the University of Pennsylvania in educational linguistics and taught there from 2001-2013. She has more than two decades of experience teaching good vocal habits to executives at companies including Comcast, IBM, and Vanguard. She is the author of Speaking to Influence: Mastering Your Leadership Voice. As Dr. Sicola explains on this week’s episode, how leaders introduce themselves, whether from a speaker’s podium or meeting someone for the first time one-on-one, will help determine how effectively they convey the messages that follow. How well do you articulate your name? Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Dr. Laura Sicola RELATED EPISODES: |
Sun, 18 February 2024
Each year, roughly 700,000 American businesses or individuals submit a trademark application. That may sound like a considerable number, but Andrei Mincov — a superstar trademark lawyer based in Dubai, says it's far less than it should be. Before starting The Trademark Factory, his global consultancy that provides start-to-finish trademark registration services, Andrei worked for Baker & McKenzie, one of the world's largest international law firms. His clients there included Apple, Microsoft, Sun, and Dell, which turned to Andrei to help them avoid the pitfalls of filing and defending their marks. Andrei’s client base now includes many small and mid-size companies that frequently do not file formal trademarks or fail to file them for all their brands. That, as he explains, is a significant and potentially very costly oversight. Learning about trademarks is not only valuable for every business executive and entrepreneur, but it’s also fascinating to discover the most common trademark landmines and how to avoid them. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Andrei Mincov, The Trademark Factory |
Sun, 11 February 2024
This week, enter the inner sanctums of Microsoft Corp.’s executive suite and discover the tech wizards and vipers who worked there. \ Our guest is Jane Boulware, author of Worthy: From Cornfield to Corner Office of Microsoft. Over the course of her career, Jane launched three billion dollar businesses, was VP of the largest merger in U.S. history, and became one of the ten highest-ranking women at Microsoft by the time she turned 40. On her climb up the corporate ladder, Jane was hit on, spit on, and actually shot at. Listen closely as Jane — who grew up poor in rural Iowa and is donating 100% of her proceeds from sales of Worthy to Boys & Girls Clubs — shares practical insights that every owner and entrepreneur can utilize — good and bad — from her experience. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Jane Boulware, Worthy: From Cornfield to Corner Office of Microsoft |
Sat, 3 February 2024
![]() From her base in far-off Christchurch, New Zealand, Rebecca Davison — who spent 13 years in banking, five as a financial advisor to multimillionaires — has built a global, cult-like following among female entrepreneurs, including top business leaders.
Rebecca, founder of The Intuitive Life Academy, has the knowledge to advise her followers on ways to earn more money and leverage their investments.
But that’s not her proprietary system.
Instead, Rebecca — a self-described empath — teaches clients how to experience spiritual and monetary abundance through the development of their intuition and ability to communicate with the universe. Whether or not you buy the notion of metaphysical pathways to success, there is no denying that Rebecca’s methods are delivering results for a large and growing audience.
Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart.
Photo: Rebecca Davison, The Intuitive Life Academy Posted: February 5, 2024 Monday Morning Run Time: 55:43 |
Sun, 28 January 2024
Phebe Trotman knows the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat in both the sports and business arenas. A former MVP Canadian college soccer star and member of the championship Vancouver Whitecaps professional soccer club, Phebe has had plenty of bad days and opportunities to bow out. She’s never taken them. Phebe is the author of Never Quit on a Bad Day, a compendium of inspiring stories of resilience relayed by Phebe and a dozen contributors, including business leaders, entrepreneurs, couples, and athletes. Phebe retired her cleats and now coaches business clients in British Columbia on the importance of resilience, having a positive attitude, and leading a competitive team. This is one episode of Monday Morning Radio you want to listen to now and download to revisit when you’re having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. After all, you can’t score goals if you aren’t on the field. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Phebe Trotman, Never Quit on a Bad Day RELATED EPISODES: |
Sun, 21 January 2024
Leading business schools and best-selling leadership authors seldom compare the skills required of for-profit CEOs and non-profit fire chiefs. Yet, the two professions share a lot in common. Indeed, battling blazes is excellent preparation for dousing the many firestorms business owners, executives, and entrepreneurs face. This week’s guest, Clive Savacool, devoted 25 years as a Northern California firefighter before retiring his chief’s helmet and stepping into the boots of a full-time startup CEO. Clive is the founder and CEO of LogRX, which created and sells an advanced mobile app designed to help firefighters, paramedics, law enforcement personnel, and others who administer and are legally bound to keep track of controlled substances in their work. As a firefighter, Clive fought numerous structure fires and one of the largest wildfires in California history. As a startup CEO, he faced the challenge of bootstrapping a company with an untested app and zero outside investment. Both entailed risk and required courage. How does a fire chief's experience in life-or-death decisions benefit a CEO facing a corporate crisis? In this episode, Clive shares his unique perspective and strategies for staying cool-headed under extreme stress. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Dean’s book, Dedication and Service, showcasing the Genesee, Colorado, fire department, can be purchased in a digital version here or paperback from Amazon. Photo: Clive Savacool, LogRX RELATED EPISODES: |
Sun, 14 January 2024
After 16 years as a wedding photographer, Ryan Erickson concluded he was barking up the wrong tree. He was making decent money but didn’t have a passion for his work. It was risky, but Ryan decided to try his hand at fine art photography, and he’s been so successful early on that he’s thinking of expanding his fledgling enterprise nationwide. Ryan’s discerning clients are willing to pay up for his portraits that accentuate the eyes and subtleties of his subjects’ faces. Rather than ask his subjects to come to him, Ryan brings his workspace and state-of-the-art equipment to them in a mobile studio. But that’s not the most unique aspect of Ryan’s enterprise. That would be the free belly rubs he happily gives to each of the retrievers, shepherds, bulldogs, beagles, and other canines who pose for him and his Fetch Photo Truck. “It’s so much easier and enjoyable working with dogs,” Ryan confesses. To which every active wedding photographer in the world responds, “Amen.” Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Ryan Erickson, Fetch Photo Truck To show your appreciation for Monday Morning Radio and keep it commercial-free, we encourage you to contribute using this link. Donations of all sizes are welcome. POPULAR EPISODES: |
Sun, 7 January 2024
Can you imagine what it would have been like to have an exclusive four-hour audience with the late Charlie Munger? The billionaire businessman, who died in late November at age 99, never got as much press as his close friend and partner Warren Buffett. But many people credited Munger with helping secure Berkshire Hathaway’s decades-long stellar investment performance. Just weeks before Munger passed, The Wall Street Journal veteran reporter Gregory Zuckerman visited Munger in the investor’s Los Angeles home and came away with some unique and actionable insights. This week, award-winning author and Monday Morning Radio founder Dean Rotbart interviews the last journalist to interview Munger. That makes everyone who listens to this week’s episode only three degrees of separation from Munger and four degrees from Buffett. It’s always nice to know people who know people. And, importantly, to learn what they know. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son team of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Greg Zuckerman, The Wall Street Journal |
Sun, 31 December 2023
A New Year’s Quiz: What do the following have in common: Leadership, Economics, Side Hustles, Online Retailing, Business Exit Strategies, Military Contracts, Bras, Walt Disney, Firefighters, and Worms? Answer: Each was featured on one of Monday Morning Radio’s ten most popular 2023 episodes. This week, the podcast revisits the highlights of the year past and shares an audio preview of our first Monday Morning Radio book, All You Can Eat Business Wisdom — an anthology featuring 25 of our most savvy guests over the years. The book isn’t due until late March or early April, but listeners can begin profiting from its wisdom to help kick off a prosperous New Year. 2023 Episodes Highlighted In This Week’s Year-in-Review Cathy Nesbitt — January 2nd Ed O’Malley and Julia Fabris McBride — January 30th Eric Johnson — March 18th Nick Loper — May 21st Mac Lackey — July 2nd Ricky Howard — July 16th Genesee Fire Rescue — September 2nd The Walt Disney Company — October 16th Carina Ramirez Cahan — October 22nd Matthew Stafford — November 27th Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son team of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Dean and Maxwell Rotbart To show your appreciation for Monday Morning Radio and keep it commercial-free, we encourage you to contribute using this link. Donations of all sizes are welcome. |
Sun, 24 December 2023
A Christmas Day Miracle, by Dean and Talya Rotbart, is adapted from their 2020 biography of Margaret and Riyaz Adat, titled Improbable Lives: A Scot, A Tanzanian, and Their Canadian Love Story. A true-life, inspirational adult yuletide tale, A Christmas Day Miracle offers a universal message — regardless of readers' religious beliefs — about the wonder and power of life’s unexpected blessings. Since the book was first published two years ago, it has become a perennial holiday favorite. We hope you enjoy it. |
Sun, 17 December 2023
Chris McShanag has enjoyed a long and productive career in the healthcare field, working alongside two physician entrepreneurs to build a thriving business providing off-site virtual assistants to doctors, dentists, and even veterinarians. Their company, MedVA, founded in 2020, provides medical and dental virtual assistants and has done an admirable job of helping their clients improve quality of care while simultaneously boosting the bottom line of their practices. In fact, MedVA has proven such a success with clients that Chris and his partners figured their methods could work for any company across a broad spectrum of small businesses. So a year ago, they launched BizVA, delivering virtual assistants capabilities to the entire business community, both domestically and internationally. BizVA’s pledge is that it will help companies get more done at a fraction of the cost. This week, Chris, president and CEO of both MedVA and BizVA, shares his insights about the many advantages of relying on virtual assistants, and the logistics of successfully transferring the knowledge gleaned in one business niche to another. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son team of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Chris McShanag, BizVA and MedVA To show your appreciation for Monday Morning Radio and keep it commercial-free, we encourage you to contribute using this link. Donations of all sizes are welcome. |
Sat, 9 December 2023
Many innovative business concepts fall through because the cost and logistics of pulling them off just wouldn’t work. Uzair Ahmed, a Canadian chemical engineer, recognized all the missed opportunities and figured he could design technology and automation to make unworkable business models workable. Uzair, founder of Cottonwood Automation, tested his high-tech, low-overhead system by launching a service that sends car mechanics to the homes or offices of customers. Guess what? It succeeded wildly. While Cottonwood Automation generally focuses on making home service businesses easier to operate, Uzair believes that his method — which brings together automation, AI, global talent, and other digital technologies, can help businesses in almost every industry cut their costs by up to 60%. Best of all, perhaps, it allows owners and CEOs to do more while working less. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son team of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Uzair Ahmed, Cottonwood Automation To show your appreciation for Monday Morning Radio and keep it commercial-free, we encourage you to contribute using this link. Donations of all sizes are welcome. |
Sun, 3 December 2023
If you truly could experience your website or bricks-and-mortar store through the eyes of your customers and prospects, you could do a great deal to increase sales and customer satisfaction. Satyam Kantamneni is the founder of UXReactor, a company whose entire focus is on user experience, referred to as UX. His mission: to design or transform businesses to prioritize — above all other considerations — how customers interact with them. With more than 60 employees spread across three continents, Satyam has enabled his clients to generate hundreds of millions of dollars in bonus income thanks to user-centric innovation. As he explains, the most powerful differentiator in today’s highly competitive business world is the customer’s experience. Master it and you win. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son team of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. [Purchase your copy of Satyam’s book, User Experience Design: A Practical Playbook to Fuel Business Growth, here.] Photo: Satyam Kantamneni, UXReactor |
Sun, 26 November 2023
Every day, 3,000 eager entrepreneurs jump into the online sales arena. Ninety percent of them will never make a single sale. Matthew Stafford, co-founder and CEO of Build•Grow•Scale, knows what goes wrong and how to fix it. He and his team use sophisticated analytics to help business owners and entrepreneurs achieve online sales success. Matthew’s passion lies in empowering others to achieve their goals - whether scaling an existing business or starting from scratch with a new venture altogether. Build•Grow•Scale’s proprietary formula for increasing internet-based sales has nothing to do with driving more traffic to your website or Shopify store. His approach succeeds by getting those prospects who are already visiting a website to click “buy” more often. In a wide-ranging interview, Matthew reveals the technical aspects of online sales but also his broader approach to helping online retailers succeed, how Build•Grow•Scale has successfully adapted to evolving technologies, and his strategies for hiring solid employees and managing a successful consulting firm. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son team of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. To show your appreciation for Monday Morning Radio and keep it commercial-free, we encourage you to contribute using this link or scan the QR code below. Donations of all sizes are welcome. Photo: Matthew Stafford, Build•Grow•Scale POPULAR EPISODES: |
Sun, 19 November 2023
Bronson Hill took it to heart when Warren Buffet warned investors that they will work the rest of their lives if they don’t find a way to make money while they sleep. Bronson became a zealous student of passive investing and, in 2018, with zero prior experience, raised a comparatively tiny $200,000 to form his first real estate syndicate. Today, Bronson, founder and CEO of Bronson Equity, is a general partner in more than $200 million worth of real estate. He is also the author of the recently released book, Fire Yourself: Replace Your Working Income with Passive Income in 3 Years or Less. This week, Bronson reveals his successful passive investing strategies and his approach to raising tens of millions of dollars through syndications. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son team of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. To show your appreciation for Monday Morning Radio and keep it commercial-free, we encourage you to contribute using this link. Donations of all sizes are welcome. Photo: Bronson Hill, Bronson Equity |
Sun, 12 November 2023
Jeff Kikel helps business owners and entrepreneurs attain what he dubs their “Freedom Day,” that juncture in their lives when work becomes optional, not a financial necessity. Jeff has helped many people who believed they’d have to work until retirement, and perhaps beyond, get their finances and investments under control, freeing them from financial worries. His formula for reaching “Freedom Day” begins with a mindset shift in relationship to money: It should work for you, not vice versa. If the idea of working for pleasure, not for survival, appeals to you, you absolutely don’t want to miss a minute of this week’s Monday Morning Radio. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son team of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. To show your appreciation for Monday Morning Radio and keep it commercial-free, we encourage you to contribute using this link. Donations of all sizes are welcome. Photo: Jeff Kikel, Freedom Day Wealth Management POPULAR EPISODES: |
Sun, 5 November 2023
Three years ago, Nick Barrett had an idea — and little else. He envisioned a new, weighted, portable gadget that could keep cords and wires from getting entangled. Nick’s CordBrick is only a tad longer than a large paperclip and about as thick as a quarter. At this year’s National Retail Federation trade show in New York, one of the largest consumer products showcases in the nation, CordBrick was named “coolest product,” nabbing a $10,000 prize. Nick’s experience launching CordBrick mirrors that of many first-time entrepreneurs. He’s made mistakes, learned from them, had the support of friends and mentors, and is now steadily growing his business. Other inventors and entrepreneurs can learn a lot — and save themselves big headaches — by discovering how Nick went from pitching his innovative home and office gadget at flea markets to being a major Amazon and retail success story. You don’t have to be an entrepreneurial rookie to benefit from Nick’s inspirational story and to relive the magic of starting your first business. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son team of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. To show your appreciation for Monday Morning Radio and keep it commercial-free, we encourage you to contribute using this link. Donations of all sizes are welcome. Photo: Nick Barrett, CordBrick |
Sun, 29 October 2023
Zeynep Ekemen has ridden the rollercoaster of COVID-19 and its impact on small businesses. She is the founder of Silver Defender, a company that sells antimicrobial-protected film for high-touch areas — such as door bars and handles, elevator buttons, and guide rails. She launched her business in 2018. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit less than two years later, her sales took off like a rocket, stretching her company’s production and distribution capabilities to the max. But now, as demand has waned, Zeynep is fighting to avoid the fate of so many other businesses that were whipsawed by COVID-19. It's a common dilemma for many small businesses when a product or service they provide experiences a surge in popularity and then fades almost as quickly. Zeynep herself is determined to demonstrate that what comes down can always go back up. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son team of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. To show your appreciation for Monday Morning Radio and keep it commercial-free, we encourage you to contribute using this link or scan the QR code below. Donations of all sizes are welcome. Photo: Zeynep Ekemen, Silver Defender RECENT EPISODES: |
Sun, 22 October 2023
In 1855, Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote in his journal: “If a man has good corn, or wood, or boards, or pigs, to sell, or can make better chairs or knives, crucibles, or church organs, than anybody else, you will find a broad, hard-beaten road to his house, though it be in the woods.” In time, his words were somehow conflated as the oft-cited quote: "Build a better mousetrap, and the world will beat a path to your door." Carina Ramirez Cahan, co-founder of Cobalt Rose Company, is testing Emerson’s thesis, having worked with her husband, a respected breast surgeon, to build a better bra. The Cobalt Rose bra utilizes a radically new design that replaces rigid underwires — which many women rely on but hate — with a flexible, patented polymer insert that is molded right into the cups. Carina promises that her bra will be the most comfortable, supportive, and flattering bra her customers have ever worn. But is that enough? Will that translate into a hefty slice of the annual $12 billion U.S. lingerie market? As Carina knows firsthand, the path to success is more complicated than it might appear at first blush. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son team of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Carina Ramirez Cahan, Cobalt Rose Company RECENT EPISODES: |
Mon, 16 October 2023
On October 16, 1923 — precisely 100 years ago today — Walt Disney and his older brother Roy launched Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio. In time, their business would morph into one of the world’s best-known and most beloved companies. To mark this milestone anniversary, co-hosts Dean and Maxwell Rotbart review the history of The Walt Disney Company and Disneyland, paying special attention to the many practical lessons that executives and entrepreneurs can glean from the Disney successes and failures of the past century. Listeners will also hear from Michael Goldsby, a professor of entrepreneurship at Ball Street University and the co-author of Entrepreneurship the Disney Way. Professor Goldsby was a guest on the podcast in September 2019. As a special feature, Maxwell shares the incredible story of how he uncovered, buried deep in the archives of a Kansas museum, an original prospectus for Disneyland written in 1953, roughly two years before the first park opened. If you’re a Disneyphile or grown-up Mouseketeer, comparing Walt’s vision to today’s Disneyland will fascinate you. So perk up your mouse ears and listen to the leaders of the band for a thrilling ride through ten decades of Disneyana and the business lessons they impart. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son team of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. To show your appreciation for Monday Morning Radio and keep it commercial-free, we encourage you to contribute using this link or scan the QR code below. Donations of all sizes are welcome. Photo: Walt Disney, 1946 |
Sat, 7 October 2023
Curt Tueffert describes himself as “America’s Master Sales Motivator.” That he is. But as he demonstrates in this week’s episode, Curt is also gifted with NI — Natural Intelligence. He has spot-on answers to some of the most vexing questions confronting business owners and sales professionals.
Curt acquired his expertise working in sales for almost four decades and motivating and training sales teams at companies, including UPS, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Penske Automotive Group, and Liberty Mutual Insurance. Curt’s company, Peak Sales Strategy, provides in-person and remote sales training and personalized coaching. As an in-demand speaker, he leaves his audiences with fresh ideas, actionable insights, and supercharged energy. AI, be warned! Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son team of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. To show your appreciation for Monday Morning Radio and keep it commercial-free, we encourage you to contribute using this link or scan the QR code below. Donations of all sizes are welcome.
POPULAR EPISODES:
|
Sun, 1 October 2023
When Vicky Brown launched her HR consultancy — Idomeneo Enterprises — in 2001, she knew she was wading into shark-infested waters dominated by giants, including Accenture, ADP, Deloitte, and KPMG. By focusing on emerging and mid-size companies and providing concierge services to her clients, Vicky’s West Hollywood firm has won an impressive roster of clients from coast to coast. Trying to cope with ever-changing state and federal employment regulations, the work-from-home migration, and the impact of artificial intelligence, Vicky says that more and more owners and entrepreneurs are outsourcing their HR and payroll functions. Lean closer to your podcast player as Vicky shares her personal success formula and reveals not only how to foolproof hiring but also the best way to let an employee go when it’s time. [To receive the free bonus gift that Vicky is making available to Monday Morning Radio listeners, click here.] Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son team of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. To show your appreciation for Monday Morning Radio and keep it commercial-free, you can make a contribution using this link or scan the QR code below. We welcome donations of all sizes. Photo: Vicky Brown, Idomeneo Enterprises |
Sun, 24 September 2023
The universities Gregory Shepard sought to attend wouldn’t admit him. When he volunteered for the U.S. Navy, the recruiters said, “no thanks.” Admittedly, Greg is not your textbook job candidate: He is autistic, dyslexic, and has a sensory condition known as synesthesia, which is commonly described as having the brain’s wires crossed. Greg could have allowed his neurodivergent struggles — and there are plenty of them — to defeat him. Instead, he’s leveraged his atypical mind to build and sell 12 businesses, co-lead a global investment syndicate in the technology sector, and use his earned wealth as a philanthropist. This week, in a poignant conversation with co-host and award-winning author Dean Rotbart, Greg makes a strong case for integrating neurodiverse people — who see the world differently — into the workforce. To show your appreciation for Monday Morning Radio and keep it commercial-free, you can make a contribution using this link, or scan the QR code below. We welcome donations of all sizes. Photo: Gregory Shepard To show your appreciation for Monday Morning Radio and keep it commercial-free, you can make a contribution using this link, or scan the QR code above. We welcome donations of all sizes. |
Sun, 17 September 2023
To obtain power and influence, you don’t need wealth or privilege. Better yet, anyone can become widely known and respected if they can generate a compelling idea and communicate it effectively. That is the conclusion of Robert L. “Bob” Dilenschneider, an author, historian, and legendary strategic communication advisor who has been studying and dissecting the elements of power and influence for more than four decades. Bob, who is best known as the founder of the acclaimed consultancy, The Dilenschneider Group, is the author of the newly released book The Ultimate Guide to Power & Influence: Everything You Need to Know. The seminal book arms its readers with intellectual, technical, and moral weapons — essential tools in the increasingly competitive and ever-evolving business world. “Acquiring both power and influence is crucial to advancing not only your personal interests but also a more prosperous society at large,” Bob writes. This week, Bob shares with Monday Morning Radio hosts Maxwell and Dean Rotbart the surprisingly simple method to get others to listen to and follow you. Other Popular Books From Robert L. Dilenschneider:
Photo: Robert L. “Bob” Dilenschneider, The Dilenschneider Group |
Sun, 10 September 2023
Forty years ago, when Lori Poland was only three years old, she was kidnapped from her front yard, molested, and left for dead at the bottom of a remote mountain outhouse. By chance, after three days, a bird watcher answering the call of nature heard the little girl whimpering 12 feet below. “What are you doing there?” he called down. “I live here,” the confused child answered. Today, married with children of her own, Lori is co-founder and chief executive officer of the National Foundation to End Child Abuse and Neglect, or EndCAN. As host and award-winning author Dean Rotbart notes, Lori is also a striking example of how it’s possible to give meaning to life’s misfortunes and build a purpose-driven career. Listen in as Lori shares her unique approach for turning adversity — regardless of the source — into strength. Last Week’s Episode: Management Strategies That For-Profit Businesses Can Glean from a Volunteer Fire Company’s Enduring Success Photo: Lori Poland, EndCAN
|
Sat, 2 September 2023
![]() This week’s edition of Monday Morning Radio tells the remarkable story of Genesee Fire Rescue (GFR), a little volunteer engine company that could, and has, for five decades. Located in the majestic foothills of the Rocky Mountains, 20 miles west of downtown Denver, the unincorporated community of Genesee is home to approximately 4,000 residents and 1,500 homes. Monday Morning Radio host Dean Rotbart spent 18 months chronicling GFR’s half-century evolution, growing from a three-person company of well-intended amateurs into a force of 40 of the most professional, well-equipped volunteer firefighters in Colorado. Dean’s new book, Dedication And Service: 50 Years on Call with the Volunteers of Colorado’s Genesee Fire Rescue, is available now on Amazon. The book is co-authored by GFR Lieutenant Hank O’Brien. The odds of a small enterprise surviving for 50 years are minute — fewer than one in a hundred. That’s even truer when the organization's employees are volunteers who regularly risk their lives to provide a free service to their local community. “Why do the volunteers do it?” Dean asks. “They get paid nothing for the hundreds of hours that many of them devote each year to training and service. They put life and limb at risk. They witness injuries and tragedies that, once seen, can never be forgotten. They are on perpetual call, often summoned to the station in the dead of night, and in Colorado, at least, asked to perform in blizzards and sub-zero conditions.” To help explain the commitment of Genesee’s volunteer firefighters, Dean and his son, Monday Morning Radio co-host Maxwell Rotbart, invited two active GFR members on this week’s podcast. Jason Puffett joined GFR in 2010 and became its volunteer chief in 2015. Then, in 2017, the elected board that oversees the fire department asked Puffett to guide GFR as its first paid, full-time leader. Lt. O’Brien, co-author of Dedication and Service and a certified EMT, is a third-generation firefighter. He joined GFR in 2015 and conducted more than two dozen oral histories with past and current members of the fire department. “Dedication and Service is a poignant celebration of the heroes next door, those ordinary yet extraordinary individuals who show up for their neighbors,” Dean reports. “The half-century legacy of Genesee Fire Rescue is an inspiring testament to the enduring spirit of American volunteerism, a beacon that continues to shine in towns and cities nationwide.” BOOKS BY DEAN and MAXWELL ROTBART
Photos (L-R): Chief Jason Puffett and Lt. Hank O’Brien, Genesee Fire Rescue |
Sun, 6 August 2023
Ken Paskins, a third-generation entrepreneur, witnessed his father and grandfather struggle to run a successful business. He was determined to find a better way. So Ken went to work for giant companies, including Oracle and BEA Systems, until he could deconstruct the leadership, HR, sales, and finance formulas for success. Today, Ken is the co-founder of The Shift Spot, a CEO coaching and peer advisory community that shows owners and CEOs of companies with 100 or fewer employees how to achieve their goals. Rather than rely on a single guru for sage advice, Paskins tells host and award-winning author Dean Rotbart, his clients learn from experts and peers. RECENT EPISODES: |
Sun, 30 July 2023
If you want your talent and brilliance to be recognized, SPEAK UP! Take it from Bret Ridgway, author of The Spotlight on Speaking Newsletter. Bret is an evangelist for the many benefits that accrue to owners and entrepreneurs who take to the podium. Among the clients he has worked with are Ryan Deiss, Alex Mandossian, Joe Polish, and Wendy Lipton-Dibner. During his 25-plus-year career, Bret has witnessed a couple of thousand speakers. He knows what works and what doesn’t. You needn’t have the oratory skills of Tim Cook, Richard Branson, or Ginni Rometty to be the type of speaker who wins over customers, employees, and shareholders. All it takes, Bret tells host and award-winning journalist Dean Rotbart, is a genuine passion for sharing your message with the world and being your authentic self. Then brace yourself for a standing ovation. Photo: Bret Ridgway, The Spotlight on Speaking Newsletter |
Sun, 23 July 2023
Back by popular demand, Dr. Noah St. John returns to Monday Morning Radio for the third time to share insights from his new book, The 7-Figure Life: How to Leverage the 4 FOCUS FACTORS for Wealth and Happiness. Success has been kind to Dr. St. John, the self-described “nerdiest nerd.” When he started out 25-plus years ago, he was living in a 300-square-foot apartment with no money, no girlfriend, and very little hope. The core idea for how to turn his life around — and that of the more than 1.8 million others he’s helped since — came to him one day in the shower. Today, Dr. St. John is happily married, lives in a 6,000-square-foot mansion on a hill, and is a highly paid consultant, speaker, and author of 20 self-improvement books and counting. His proprietary formula for success is surprisingly simple, Dr. St. John tells host and award-winning author Dean Rotbart. If it worked for a nerd like him, it can work for anyone. Popular Books By Dr. St. John
Dr. St. John’s Previous Guest Spots on Monday Morning Radio: Photos: Dr. Noah St. John |
Sun, 16 July 2023
Ricky Howard has awarded or managed more than $1 BILLION in purchase contracts, many with small businesses. In good economies or bad, his client is a reliable buyer, and once your company is selected as a vendor, it’s likely to be a vendor for years, if not decades, to come. Lieutenant Colonel (Ret) Richard C. “Ricky” Howard, founder of DoD Contract Academy, is an expert on how to win lucrative government contracts, from office supplies and HVAC equipment to sophisticated computer programming and weapons systems. During his service in the U.S. Air Force, Colonel Howard flew 555 combat hours. He understands the importance of preparation and practice. DOD Contract Academy guides, trains, and mentors small business owners and sales executives on how to pull down multi-million-dollar government contracts. Many businesses that could qualify as government contractors don’t even realize it. Once they do, their profits are on a flight path to soar up, up, and away. Photo: Lt. Colonel Richard C. “Ricky” Howard, DoD Contract Academy RECENT EPISODES: |
Sun, 9 July 2023
In 1998, Mickie Kennedy started eReleases as a discount press wire service, providing the same media reach as the industry heavies at a fraction of the cost. Twenty-five years later, Mickie’s company is still going strong and saving companies tens of millions of dollars, having helped hundreds of thousands of small businesses reach journalists, investors, trade associations, and customers. Moreover, Mickey has become a news release maestro, able and willing to share the secrets of distributing news releases that get results. In this era of Tik Tok, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and now Threads, do news releases still have a meaningful role in helping companies deliver their messages? Unsurprisingly, Mickie tells host and award-winning journalist Dean Rotbart that now more than ever, a well-crafted news release will ricochet through social media and deliver an exponentially larger impact. Get the scoop on this week’s episode. Photo: Mickie Kennedy, eReleases RECENT EPISODES:
|
Sun, 2 July 2023
For many small business owners, finding a buyer for their company is an elusive goal. Mac Lackey has done it six times. His latest venture, ExitDNA, guides entrepreneurs on how to best position their companies to be acquired, should they ever wish to sell. Monday Morning Radio host Maxwell Rotbart engaged Mac in a wide-ranging discussion about what entrepreneurs need to know at each stage of their operations — from inception to disposition. Among the advice Lackey shares is how to choose a location for your company, the role that passion plays in starting a venture, hiring strong employees, the biggest mistakes entrepreneurs make, and what pitfalls to avoid when selling your company. Mac even touches on what entrepreneurs looking to acquire other businesses need to know. How can you achieve the success that Mac has? The answers abound on this week’s podcast. Upper Photo: Mac Lackey, ExitDNA
|
Sat, 24 June 2023
Dr. Michael Lenox, a consultant, author, and business professor at the University of Virginia, is an expert on artificial intelligence, blockchain, cryptocurrency, and other agents of digital transformation. He knows both the challenges and opportunities posed by today’s rapidly advancing digital technologies. In his new book, Strategy in the Digital Age: Mastering Digital Transformation — out this week, Dr. Lenox explains that businesses need to be innovative and agile or risk going the way of so many brand-name companies — digital and brick-and-mortar — that could not adjust with the times and no longer exist. As he writes in his book, “Ultimately, your digital transformation is a journey with no end.” Dr. Lenox is interviewed by host Dean Rotbart, a flesh-and-blood journalist. But in the not-too-distant future, as this week’s podcast demonstrates, Dean could very well be replaced by a sophisticated algorithm. (Please, don’t tell Mrs. Rotbart.) Photo: Michael Lenox, University of Virginia's Darden School of Business RECENT EPISODES:
|
Sun, 18 June 2023
[This edition of Monday Morning Radio begins our 12th year of podcasting in conjunction with the non-profit Wizard Academy and its co-founder, Roy H. Williams. This is our 550th episode.] When it comes to career moves, bestselling author Joanne Lipman has been very successful and resilient. She was the first woman to become a deputy managing editor at The Wall Street Journal. She was the founding editor-in chief-of Condé Nast’s award-winning Portfolio magazine. She served as editor-in-chief of USA Today and chief content officer of its parent company, Gannett. Currently, Joanne is a regular contributor to CNBC and a lecturer at Yale University. In her latest book, Next!: The Power of Reinvention in Life and Work, Joanne provides countless examples of people who reinvented themselves - some willingly, others who had no choice. As she tells host Dean Rotbart, anyone following the methods she prescribes can make the successful leap from one career to the next and the next after that. [Joanne discussed her bestselling book, That’s What She Said, on our June 17, 2019, podcast.] Photo: Joanne Lipman, Next! RECENT EPISODES: |
Sat, 10 June 2023
Dave Albin helps business executives and employees face and overcome their fears. But that’s nothing special. Dave’s methods, however, make him unique among corporate coaches. Dave is the #1 firewalk instructor in America, having cajoled more than one-half million people to tiptoe, barefoot, over a bed of coals exceeding 1,000 degrees in temperature. A disciple of Tony Robbins, Dave ran firewalks for the mega-motivator for almost two decades before striking out on his own to form Firewalk Adventures. As Dave tells host and award-winning author Dean Rotbart, firewalking is a 1,000-year-old rite of passage. F.E.A.R., in Dave’s way of thinking, either stands for Forget Everything and Run or Face Everything and Rise. In Dave’s experience, those who muster the courage to firewalk return to their careers and personal lives with much more self-confidence. In addition to firewalking, Dave and his crew at Firewalk Adventures also offer confidence-building glass walks, board breaks, arrow breaks, and fire eating. Which you choose depends on your needs and tastes. Dave says the most challenging part of marching over hot coals or broken glass is the first step. Want to overcome your limiting fears? Your first step is clicking begins by downloading this week’s red hot episode. Photo: Dave Albin, Firewalk Adventures RECENT EPISODES: |
Sun, 4 June 2023
Amy Dockser Marcus, a distinguished author and Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter with The Wall Street Journal, has dedicated her career to exploring the complex intersections of economics, society, and health within modern medicine. In her latest meticulously researched book, We The Scientists, she delves into the remarkable accomplishments of "citizen scientists" — ordinary parents and individuals who united to revolutionize the conventional practices employed by established medical researchers and professionals. On its face, says host Dean Rotbart, Amy’s book is an inspiring medical chronicle. But the achievements and lessons learned by motivated amateurs offer far-reaching insights and invaluable lessons applicable to diverse industries and fields. All crises begin with the blurring of a paradigm and the consequent loosening of the rules for normal research … — Thomas S. Kuhn Photo: Amy Dockser Marcus, We The Scientists: How a Daring Team of Parents and Doctors Forged a New Path for Medicine POPULAR RECENT EPISODES: |
Sun, 28 May 2023
For half a century, Bob Johansen has been forecasting the future. Clients, including Procter & Gamble, Walmart, and McKinsey, trust his vision. Moreover, he is an instructor at the Army War College. Along with coauthors Joseph Press and Christine Bullen, Bob has recently released “Office Shock: Creating Better Futures for Working and Living” — his 13th book. Ostensibly, Office Shock peers a decade ahead to describe the workplace of the future — the officeverse. Today’s office towers face strong headwinds, as the purpose and function of tomorrow’s office spaces will be rejiggered to prove a more equitable, accessible, purposeful, climate-positive future for knowledge work. But host and award-winning author Dean Rotbart says Office Shock is about much more than real estate. It’s about looking to the future now to take immediate steps to better prepare for what’s to come. “It's actually easier to think ten years ahead than it is one or two years ahead,” Bob says, discussing the effectiveness of taking a “futureback” approach to planning. Bob and his coauthors are associated with the Palo Alto, California-based Institute for the Future, a spinoff from RAND Corporation founded in 1968. IFTF is the world's oldest continuously running futures research and educational organization. OTHER BOOKS BY BOB JOHANSEN:
Photo: Bob Johansen, Institute for the Future POPULAR RECENT EPISODES: |
Sat, 20 May 2023
Nick Loper is a fountain of money-making ideas and the required methods to implement them. As the founder of Side Hustle Nation and its Chief Side Hustler, Nick has shown tens of thousands of his followers how to bring in $1,000, $2,000, or even $5,000 a month in extra income. On his podcast, on his website, in books, and speeches, Nick breaks down the vast opportunities to supplement your income in your spare time — as well as how to turn a side hustle into a full-time gig providing greater income and far more satisfaction than most people experience holding down a full-time job. Whether or not any of Nick’s ideas are a perfect fit for you, host and award-winning author Dean Rotbart says they will inspire you to think of other side hustles that will work for you. BOOKS BY NICK LOPER:
[DEBUTING THIS WEEK: The Zero to Unicorn podcast, a behind the scenes look at how entrepreneur Mike Kaeding and his parents nurtured their innovative real estate business from nothing to its current trajectory on target to reach the unicorn status of a $1 billion valuation. To hear Mike’s February 2023 appearance on Monday Morning Radio, click here.] Photo: Nick Loper, Side Hustle Nation RECENT EPISODES: |
Sun, 14 May 2023
Dr. Henry Mintzberg is one of the world’s most highly regarded business theorists, having written more books -- 22-- than the Beatles produced #1 hits. He is an organization and management rock star. In his latest book, Understanding Organizations … Finally, Dr. Mintzberg likens running a company or non-profit to coaching a professional sports team: You wouldn’t use the same tactics in football as you use in hockey or baseball. Yet many CEOs mistakenly take a one-size-fits-all approach to structuring their operations. After observing and advising organizations for more than five decades, Dr. Mintzberg concludes there are seven “species” of companies and philanthropic groups, each requiring a distinctive playbook. As Dr. Mintzberg explains to host and award-winning author Dean Rotbart, correctly identifying which type of company you own or work for is crucial to its sustainability and profitability. [To listen to Dr. Mintzberg’s January 2019 appearance on Monday Morning Radio, click here.] Photo: Dr. Henry Mintzberg, Understanding Organizations … Finally RECENT EPISODES: |
Sun, 7 May 2023
When Victoria Pelletier sets her mind to achieving a goal, she won’t let anything or anyone stop her. Nor will she blame anyone but herself when things don’t go the way she planned. Those two personality traits — being unstoppable and making no excuses — have been a recipe for success since she became the chief operating officer of a multinational corporation at age 24. Decades on, after holding senior roles at American Express, IBM, and Accenture, she now advises owners, CEOs, and board members on how to adopt her approach to business and life. Victoria tells host and award-winning author Dean Rotbart that anyone, regardless of their socioeconomic background or the adversity they may have faced, can achieve professional growth and inspire others to do the same. Photo: Victoria Pelletier, Accenture |
Sun, 30 April 2023
Dave Combs is a disarmingly charming southerner, a former telecommunications executive, and a man of faith. He’s also a hardcore entrepreneur and one of the most successful musicians and music distributors you’ve probably never heard of. Since Dave and his friend, studio pianist Gary Prim, recorded their first instrumental tune in 1986 — Rachel’s Song — the duo has produced 15 successful instrumental albums which have attracted millions of worldwide fans. Dave displays more than 50,000 fan letters at his home in Winston Salem, North Carolina. The story behind Dave’s serendipitous success is fairytale-esq. Not a single mainstream music publisher or distributor would touch Rachel’s Song. So Dave turned to a non-conventional route, selling his CDs through gift shops - eventually building a network of more than 1,000 stores. The song proved to be magnetic. Shoppers would hear it playing overhead in a store and just need to buy it. One local shop alone sold thousands of Dave Combs albums. Host and award-winning author Dean Rotbart points out that fueling Dave’s serendipity were some savvy business insights — the kind that can help make anyone’s bottom line sing. Download and savor your own copy of Rachel’s Song for free from CombsMusic.com. PIck up a copy of Dave Combs’ inspirational autobiography: Touched by the Music: How the Story and Music of “Rachel’s Song” Can Change Your Life. The producer for this week’s episode is Blane Nicholas, who has worked the audio mastery behind the scenes for Monday Morning Radio for more than a decade. Blane is no stranger to working with dynamic music artists. A veteran of iHeartMedia and Apple Music, Blane has produced programs featuring Bruce Springsteen, Alanis Morissette, Kanye West, Jon Bon Jovi, Keith Richards, Sean Lennon, Metallica, Joan Jett, LL Cool J, and dozens of other music icons. Photo: Dave Combs, Combs Music |
Sun, 23 April 2023
Since 2006, serial entrepreneur Clay Stafford has produced an ever-more-popular Killer Nashville International Writers’ Conference that brings together authors, agents, exhibitors, and fans of crime and thriller literature. Pulling off a large meeting, workshop, or other live event entails countless steps. In Clay’s instance, planning for the next gathering begins a year in advance. This week, Clay pays a return visit to Monday Morning Radio to share his post-COVID-19 event blueprints with host and award-winning author Dean Rotbart, covering everything from the selection of a venue and keynote speakers to his formula for ensuring that attendees leave feeling that their time and money were well invested. “Given his many talents and occupations, any conversation with Clay would not be complete if we didn’t stray from the central topic,” Dean says. “So this week, he and I will also discuss the impact of artificial intelligence on authors and publishers; the state of the publishing market; the 12 habits of successful writers; and the one subject Nobel laureate William Faulkner — author of “The Sound and the Fury” — didn’t want to talk about. The 18th Annual Killer Nashville International Writers’ Conference will be held August 17-20, 2023. For registration information, click here. Photo: Clay Stafford, Killer Nashville [Listen again to Clay Stafford’s first Monday Morning Radio interview here.] |
Sun, 16 April 2023
The days of the imperial CEO are bygone. Today’s business and organization leaders empower everyone, regardless of rank, to be heard and contribute to success. That’s the premise of David C. Tate, a licensed clinical psychologist and lecturer in psychiatry at the Yale School of Medicine. David is the co-author of Conscious Accountability: Deepen Connections, Elevate Results. Financial performance still matters. But David teaches that in the modern workplace, the means to success often matter as much as the ends. David and his co-authors, Marianne S. Pantalon and Daryn H. David, embrace a leadership approach they dub “conscious accountability,” and offer a seven-step process — CONNECT — centered on the benefits of social awareness, values, and relationships. C — Creating Clarity O — Opening Up Engagement N — Nailing It N — Noticing E — Exchanging Feedback C — Claiming It T — Trying Again Listen and profit now as David explains to host and award-winning journalist Dean Rotbart how following the CONNECT roadmap leads to greater job satisfaction, elevated relationships, and better business outcomes. Photo: David C. Tate, Conscious Accountality |
Sun, 9 April 2023
For the head of a successful business coaching firm, Toronto-based Launch and Scale, Khierstyn Ross, founder and CEO, has an odd goal. “We actually want our clients to fire us,” the e-commerce strategist tells host and award-winning journalist Dean Rotbart. Khierstyn is crazy — crazy like a fox. Her firm’s mission is to help launch and scale online brands until they achieve $3 million in annual sales. She’s done that successfully for dozens of brands. However, by the time her clients’ sales grow to $10 million in yearly revenues, Khierstyn says her nestlings need to move on. That is, fire her before she fires them. Whether you’re a startup or long-established, Khierstyn’s growth methodology and operational discipline are sure to impress you. Photo: Khierstyn Ross, Launch and Scale |
Sun, 2 April 2023
Dux te ipsum duc is Latin for “Leader, Lead Thyself.” The concept is at the heart of business growth coach Bradley Hamner’s formula for transforming owners and executives from “slaves” to their companies into masterful architects of growth and success. Bradley is the founder of Business Growth Curator, a consultancy that coaches owners and executives on how to grow their confidence and leadership, develop an effective team, scale their companies, and make a difference. Since launching his first business in 2009, with no customers, no leads, and very little cash, Bradley has established or built seven companies, with an eighth on the launchpad. The secret to inspiring employees to improve their performance and satisfaction, Bradley tells host Dean Rotbart, is to address your own shortcomings first. He did just that and has been generating exceptional value for himself and his clients ever since. [Note: You can listen to Bradley’s podcast, The Club Capital Leadership Podcast, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and here.] Photo: Bradley Hamner, Business Growth Curator |
Sun, 26 March 2023
When Jennifer Brown sizes up business and organization leaders on how well they address today’s ever-increasing demand for inclusive workplaces, she describes them on a continuum of four stages: unaware, aware, active, and advocate. Jennifer is an award-winning entrepreneur, author, and founder of Jennifer Brown Consulting, a strategic and diversity advisory firm. She has spent more than two decades helping CEOs and other executives look inward so that they can be more effective in creating a safe and productive work environment for every employee. Among those companies that have sought Jennifer’s insights are Google, Cisco, Johnson & Johnson, CapitalOne, IBM, Disney, and Coca-Cola. You needn’t be a FORTUNE 500 CEO to benefit from her insights. All you need to do is join Jennifer and host Dean Rotbart for an insightful, actionable discussion of the steps you can take to become a more inclusive leader. [Be sure to pick up a copy of Jennifer’s book, How to Be an Inclusive Leader, Second Edition: Your Role in Creating Cultures of Belonging Where Everyone Can Thrive.] Photo: Jennifer Brown, Jennifer Brown Consulting |
Sat, 18 March 2023
![]() In the Fall of 2007, Eric Johnson, an entrepreneur and designer of satellite communications systems, was on vacation when he received a panicked call from his financial advisor. “Need permission to sell.” “Sell what?” “Everything.” Eric did sell, and his swift move saved him from getting walloped by the Great Recession and the ensuing turmoil in the markets. Eric is a renaissance man: an instrument-rated private pilot, surfer, black belt, astrophotographer, angel investor, and co-founder and former CEO of Tourmaline Networks, a software engineering firm. After weathering the Great Recession, Eric determined he never again wanted to feel financially vulnerable. So, in addition to his other personal and professional pursuits, Eric set off on a 15-year odyssey to teach himself everything investors, owners, entrepreneurs, and anyone who wants to protect their wealth needs to know about finance and economics. In his book, What the Hell is an Economy, Eric has distilled all that he’s learned into an easy-to-understand read that spells out what an economy is and how it works. If you're wondering what recent bank failures, inflation, debt ceiling, currency fluctuations, and trade deficits mean for your business — where are the risks and where are the opportunities — Eric shares the answers with host and award-winning financial journalist Dean Rotbart exclusively on Monday Morning Radio. Photo: Eric Johnson, What the Hell is an Economy |
Sat, 11 March 2023
Gene Sticco embraces three of the core tenets that Monday Morning Radio host Dean Rotbart advocates for anyone who wants to break from the pack:
Sticco is an entrepreneur and U.S. Air Force special forces veteran. He is also a newly announced candidate for the Oval Office in 2024. Rotbart describes Gene as a serious candidate with no serious chance of winning. That said, for the example Gene sets for business owners, entrepreneurs, and creatives, among others, he is already a victor. Plato once observed: “One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.” Sticco is taking the Greek philosopher’s words to heart, and they apply equally to those in every industry and profession where individuals settle for following rather than leading. Although Gene knew nothing about running an Opera company, he has funneled his experience and passion into serving as General Director of the Mystic Side Opera, a newly formed company that showcases some impressive local talents, including Gene’s wife, Natalya, who is a mezzo-soprano. Whether it's opera, the Air Force, or a run for the White House, Gene Sticco is a bold and decisive role model. You can vote for Gene with your ears right now, exclusively on Monday Morning Radio. [You’ll find Gene’s campaign website at ForThePromiseofAmerica.com] Photo: Gene Sticco, Committee to Elect Gene Sticco |
Sun, 5 March 2023
Matt Mason, who since 2019 has served as the official state poet of Nebraska, returns to Monday Morning Radio to discuss his latest collection of poems — At The Corner of Fantasy and Main: Disneyland, Midlife and Churros — and to share his ideas for making poetry and profits rhyme. Matt, a Wizard Academy alumnus, was last a guest on this podcast in March 2019, shortly after publishing his previous poetry collection, The Baby That Ate Cincinnati. On this visit, he continues to explain the relationship between poetry and creativity in business and entrepreneurship. Matt hopes that the introspections he shares in At the Corner of Fantasy and Main and The Baby That Ate Cincinnati will touch readers and help fuel his ambition to earn a living by writing, performing, and teaching poetry to a corporate audience. Turning a passion into a profitable business is never easy. This week, Matt shares his game plan for overcoming the obstacles he is certain to encounter — strategies that can help anyone who wants to be gainfully employed doing what they love. Photo: Matt Mason, At the Corner of Fantasy and Main
|
Sun, 26 February 2023
The secret to Michael Kaeding’s success as the CEO of Norhart Inc., a company that designs, builds, and rents apartments, is that he had no idea how to run his family business when his father unexpectedly passed away. “I had no preconceived notion of the way things were supposed to be done,” Mike recalls. “We just started to naively solve problems, and that was the magic.” Norhart, headquartered in tiny Forest Lake, Minnesota, is booming. Because Mike has refined a process to save 50% or more over other residential developers, he tells host and award-winning author Dean Rotbart that he plans to expand his business nationwide and take a stab at solving America’s housing shortage and affordability crisis. Photo: Michael Kaeding, CEO, Norhart Inc. |
Sat, 18 February 2023
Four sneaky obstacles prevent most business owners and entrepreneurs from becoming peerless communicators, whether in writing, on video, or in front of a live audience. There is a proven formula to vault over those hurdles, and this week’s guest, Michelle D. Gladieux, reveals how to become the best communicator you can be. Michelle, president of Gladieux Consulting, headquartered in Fort Wayne, Indiana, has taught at the college level for 18 years, starting when she was only 23. Gladieux Consulting, which serves hundreds of companies and thousands of training participants, focuses on leadership and communication topics, strategic planning facilitation, and building creative tools that yield personal and professional development. Michelle’s new book, Communicate with Courage: Taking Risks to Overcome Four HIdden Challenges, provides a step-by-step guide to triumphing over fear to deliver your message more effectively and make a difference in the world. But host and award-winning author Dean Rotbart tells Michelle that she underestimated the import of her book. As Dean observes, Communicate with Courage is really a guidebook on how to live with courage. “And who couldn’t use an extra dose of self-confidence?” Dean asks. Photo: Michelle D. Gladieux, Gladieux Consulting |