Maria Uspenski’s company, The Tea Spot, is in the sweet spot of the $170 billion American beverage industry, which is undergoing a sea change, as consumers shift from sugary drinks and those that rely on artificial sweeteners, to all-natural refreshers.

Maria’s signature whole leaf blends and single-estate teas not only offer satisfying alternatives to sodas and coffee, they are rich in anti-oxidants, vitamins, and other healthful ingredients.

An MIT educated mechanical engineer, Maria discovered the marvels of tea after surviving a harrowing battle with cancer. Tea transformed Maria’s life and health.

In addition to serving as CEO of The Tea Spot, Maria is the author of the recently published Cancer Hates Tea – a paperback that is part easy-to-understand health primer, part tea bible, and part lushly illustrated recipe book.

Host and reputation coach Dean Rotbart, an avowed coffee drinker, recently visited with Maria at The Tea Spot’s world headquarters in Boulder, Colorado, and drank in her business and health wisdom, as well as some freshly brewed organic Sugar Tamer exotic herbal infusion.

Photo: Maria Uspenski, Cancer Hates Tea
Posted: April 3, 2017
Monday Morning Run Time: 47 minutes 15 seconds 

Todd Lemense built a highly successful business with 80-plus employees and seemingly could do no wrong.  At least that’s what he thought.

Turns out Todd let his success-fueled pride get the better of him and, confident in his judgment above all else, led his business to crash and burn.

From the ashes, Todd rebuilt his life and developed a passion for helping others escape his ill-fated ego trip. His bestselling e-book, Lose Your Ego – Gain the World, has helped tens of thousands of CEOs, owners, and entrepreneurs better manage their success and keep their proper perspective.

Todd shares his life story, his hard-earned insights, and his infectious inspiration on this week’s podcast with host and reputation Dean Rotbart.

Photo: Todd Lemense, Lose Your Ego
Posted: March 27, 2017
Monday Morning Run Time: 40 minutes 16 seconds 

Last year, Lem Lewis attended The Wizard Academy’s Reputation Tool Chest workshop taught by our very host Dean Rotbart. The two entrepreneurs hit it off, and earlier this year, with Dean's help, Lem launched his very own podcast – RANCHCAST –  that serves ranchers, farmers, and other rural producers.

This week DEan and Lem co-host a joint edition of Monday Morning Radio and RANCHCAST featuring special guest Michele Payn, a nationally recognized influencer in the large, growing, and very successful farm-to-table movement.

Michele is CEO of Cause Matters Corp., a consulting firm that advises companies and individuals on how to influence public discourse surrounding agriculture, health, and nutrition topics. This week is the official publication of Michele’s newest book: “Farm Truths – From Farm to Table.”

The pairing of Dean and Lem is ideal, especially this week. Lem is a 4th generation Texas Rancher, who knows cattle, crops, wildlife, and rural real estate. Dean, of course, is an award-winning business journalist, small business expert, and reputation coach.

Dean and Lem: Just one of thousands of productive partnerships and new friendships made possible by Wizard Academy.

Photo: Michele Payn, Cause Matters
Posted: March 20, 2017
Monday Morning Run Time: 37 minutes 52 seconds 

They are everyday business-world expressions that we all use and take for granted. But they are costing American companies a fortune in missed opportunities and bad decisions.

For example: 

• The customer is always right
• We can probably do that in-house
• You get what you pay for
• We’re too swamped for that now

Jack Quarles, an entrepreneur and procurement expert, is author of “Expenses Sentences,” a book that promises to debunk our most common expressions and rewrite the business vernacular.

Tune in this week as Jack not only shares with host and reputation coach Dean Rotbart some of the business world’s costliest sentences, he also offers wise ways to reply to the bosses and colleagues who utter them.

Photo: Jack Quarles, Expensive Sentences
Posted: March 13, 2017
Monday Morning Run Time: 48 minutes 34 seconds 

Do you have what it takes to be the next Thomas Edison or Nikola Tesla? You might just be surprised.

Filip Valica, a freelance engineer and founder of The Product Startup, specializes in empowering small business owners and professionals – especially doctors – to succeed at do-it-yourself product development; coaching first-time inventors along a 16-step path from idea, to prototype, to manufacture, and ultimately, to shipping.

Join Filip and host Dean Rotbart as they explain how you, too, can turn a product idea into a profitable reality.

Photo: Filip Valica, The Product Startup
Posted: March 6, 2017
Monday Morning Run Time: 38 minutes 48 seconds