5 Questions With Dan Schawbel

An interview with Killer Mike on what he would change about American politics, where his entrepreneurial spirit comes from, how he weaves political messages into his content, how he manages a company while being a good parent and his best career advice. Welcome to the 28th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions. This episodes guest: My guest today is rapper and political activist Killer Mike. Born Michael Santiago Render in Atlanta Georgia, he was the son of a policeman father and florist mother. In 1995, while attending Morehouse College, he met the producers The Beat Bullies and Big Boi of OutKast. His music debut was on OutKast’s 2000 album Stankonia with the song “Snappin’ & Trappin” and later was part of their single collaboration “The Whole World”, which won the Grammy Award for “Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group”. After being featured on Jay-Z’s album “The Blueprint 2”, he released his own album “Monster” with the hit single “A.D.I.D.A.S.” He has released other albums including two “I Pledge Allegiance to the Grind” albums, PL3DGE and R.A.P. Music. He’s been featured in films including Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Baby Driver, South Park and is the host of Trigger Warning with Killer Mike on Netflix. Killer Mike opened a barbershop called Graffitis SWAG Barbershop in Atlanta, with artwork honoring historical black leaders like Martin Luther King, Jr. He’s been a social and political activist on topics like social equality, police brutality and racism. The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode: If you could change only one thing about American politics, what would it be and why? Where does your entrepreneurial spirit come from? How do you weave in your social and political messages into your music and Netflix show? How do you manage being a husband, father of 4 and business owner at once? What’s your best piece of career advice? Follow Mike’s journey: Website Netflix Show Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube

An interview with Carly Fiorina on why you should find a path instead of create a plan, how her childhood impacted her path, what to do if you’re stuck, what men can learn from women about leadership and her best career advice. Welcome to the 27th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions. This episodes guest: My guest today is former CEO of HP and former U.S. Presidential Candidate, Carly Fiorina. Born in Austin, Texas to a mother who was an abstract painter and father who had a variety of jobs including professor, University dean, Deputy U.S. Attorney General and judge. She frequently moved in her childhood, living in London, Ghana and North Carolina. Carly studied philosophy and medieval history at Stanford University, while working as a secretary during the summers. While originally aspiring to be a pianist, she attended and eventually dropped out of law school. Carly ended up getting an MBA from the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland and a Masters at MIT’s Sloan School of Management. In 1980, she started as a AT&T management trainee and eventually became the company’s first female officer as SVP and then led its North American operations. In 1995, she led corporate operations for Lucent Technologies, playing a key role in an IPO, and then was named group President for their global service-provider business. In 1998, Fortune Magazine named Fiorina as “The Most Powerful Woman in American Business.” From 1999 to 2005, she was the CEO of HP. Since leaving HP, she has served as chairman of Good360, the world’s largest product philanthropy organization, as chairman of Opportunity International, a Christian-based organization that lifts millions out of poverty around the globe through microfinance and chair and CEO of the Fiorina Foundation that donates to a variety of important causes. Fiorina ran for the United States Senate in 2010 and the Republican presidential nomination in 2016. Her new book is called Find Your Way: Unleash Your Power and Highest Potential. Video interview from New York City: The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode: Why should you find a path instead of stick to a plan? How did moving around a lot growing up affect your path? What’s the first thing you should do if you’re stuck? What can men learn from women about leadership? What’s your best piece of career advice? Follow Carly’s journey: Website Podcast Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkedIn

An interview with Stuart Weitzman about why he decided to pursue his career, the process of developing a new shoe, how he stays relevant, stands out in his industry and his best career advice. Welcome to the 26th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions. This episodes guest: My guest today is fashion designer and founder of the Stuart Weitzman shoe company, Stuart Weitzman. Born in Haverhill, Massachusetts, he worked with his older brother at his fathers shoe factory called Seymour Shoes. Stuart designed shoes for his fathers business from the late 1950s to the early 1960s. In 1958, he graduated from George W. Hewlett High School and in 1963; he attended the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. When his father died, he and his brother took charge of the business, sold it to a Spanish company and eventually purchased it back. Stuart was known for, and got attention from, the use of unconventional and unique materials like vinyl, cork, wallpaper and gold, as well as his objective to produce something flawless. He became famous for creating a “Million Dollar Shoe”, with 464 diamonds for Laura Harring who wore them to the 2002 Academy Awards. In 2015, Coach acquired the Stuart Weitzman Company for $574 million. Stuart stayed on as a shoe designer until retiring in 2017, but maintains his title as chairman emeritus. This year, the University of Pennsylvania announced that the School of Design will be renamed the University of Pennsylvania Stuart Weitzman School of design. I sat down with Stuart a few days before his keynote at the International Trademark Associations March Conference: The Business of Brands held in New York City on March 28th and 29th. Video interview from New York City: The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode: Why did you decide to pursue this career? What’s the process of developing a new shoe? How do you stay on the latest trends and adapt to change? How have you been able to stand out among other brands? What’s your best piece of career advice? Follow Stuart’s company: Website Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube Pinterest

An interview with Marianne Williamson on how her spirituality influenced her to get into politics, overcoming insecurities, how to forgive someone, support mental illness and her best career advice. Welcome to the 25th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions. This episodes guest: My guest today is spiritual leader, bestselling author, lecturer, activist and 2020 U.S. Presidential Candidate, Marianne Williamson. Born in Houston, Texas as the youngest of three children, she graduated from Houston’s Bellaire High School. She spent two years studying theater and philosophy at Pomona College in California. She dropped out of college during her junior year to move to New York City in pursuit of a career as a cabaret singer. After reading and being influenced by A Course in Miracles, a book about achieving spiritual transformation, she opened a bookstore and coffee shop back in Houston. Then, four years later she moved to LA to lecture on the book, eventually expanding to lecture internationally. Her first book, A Return to Love, was featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show, and has led to another dozen books, with millions of copies in print. Since then, she’s founded Project Angel Food, a food delivery program-serving people with AIDS and other illnesses and The Peace Alliance, that builds peace-building projects. Marianne continues to be a social and political activist as she campaigns to be the first female President of the United States in 2020. To go along with her campaign, she is releasing her new book, A Politics of Love. The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode: How has your spirituality, teaching and entrepreneurial spirit influenced you to get into politics? How do we overcome our deepest fears and insecurities that get in the way of our fulfillment? What’s the best way to forgive someone who has caused you pain? What can we do to help support mental illness at work and at home? What is your best piece of career advice? Follow Marianne’s journey: Website Books Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube

An interview with Marcus Buckingham on how to find your purpose, discover your strengths, why you should ask for helpful attention, the importance of a freethinking leader and his best career advice. Welcome to the 24th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions. This episodes guest: My guest today is New York Times bestselling author and the leader of the strengths movement, Marcus Buckingham. Born in London, he grew up with a stutter leaving him unable to speak until age 13. He overcame it by pretending to speak to one person, instead of 300, when addressing boys at his prep school. He was educated at Pembroke College in Cambridge, graduating with a degree in Social and Political Sciences in 1987. In school, he was recruited by professor Donald Clifton, the founder of SRI, which was later acquired The Gallup Organization. There, Buckingham was part of a team that worked on a survey measuring factors that contribute to employee engagement. Based on this research, he wrote his first book, First , Break All the Rules, which went on to sell over a million copies. He followed up with Now, Discover Your Strengths and The One Thing You Need to Know before launching his own company, The Marcus Buckingham Company in 2006. Fast-forward to 2017 when ADP acquired the company and Buckingham became their Co-Head and Talent Expert. His latest book, that he co-authored with Cisco SVP Ashley Goodall, is called Nine Lies About Work: A Freethinking Leader’s Guide to the Real World. I’ve known Marcus since the beginning of my career and this is my fourth interview with him since 2010. He was generous enough to write the foreword for my book, Promote Yourself, and his co-author Ashley is a client of mine who I’ve known since his days with Deloitte. It’s an honor to support them, this book and I value their advice. The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode: What’s the best way to find your purpose and align it to the right leaders and companies? How can people discover their strengths and then use them to advance their careers and lives? Why do you think we should give helpful attention instead of constant feedback? What is a freethinking leader and why are they important in today’s workplace? What is your best piece of career advice? Follow Marcus’s journey: Website Books Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Instagram YouTube

An interview with Chris Hadfield on why he became an astronaut, why he used social media in space, what it’s like being in space, what the most common astronaut myth is and his best advice. Welcome to the 23rd episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions. This episodes guest: My guest today is the first Canadian astronaut to walk in space, Chris Hadfield. Born in Sarnia, Ontario, Hadfield was raised on a corn farm and became interested in flying at a young age and in being an astronaut at age nine when he saw the Apollo 11 Moon landing on television. He attended White Oaks Secondary School in Ontario until his senior year and then graduated as an Ontario Scholar from Milton District High School in 1977. After graduating from high school in 1978, he joined the Canadian Armed Forces and spent two years at Royal Roads Military College followed by two years at the Royal Military College. In 1983, he took honors as the top graduate from Basic Jet Training at CFB Moose Jaw and then went on to train as a tactical fighter pilot with 410 Tactical Fighter Operational Training Squadron. After completing his fighter training, Hadfield flew CF-18 Hornets with 425 Tactical Fighter Squadron, flying intercept missions for NORAD. In the late 1980s, Hadfield attended the US Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base and served as an exchange officer with the US Navy at Strike Test Directorate. In May 1992, Hadfield graduated with a master’s degree in aviation systems from the University of Tennessee Space Institute. In total, Hadfield has flown over 70 different types of aircraft. Hadfield was selected to become one of four new Canadian astronauts from a field of 5,330 applicants in June 1992. Hadfield is a civilian CSA astronaut, having retired as a colonel from the Canadian Armed Forces in 2003 after 25 years of military service. He was Chief of Robotics for the NASA Astronaut Office at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas from 2003–2006 and was Chief of International Space Station Operations from 2006–2008. NASA announced in 2010 that Hadfield would become the first Canadian commander of the International Space Station, leading Expedition 35 after its launch on December 19, 2012. In June 2013, he retired and wrote his autobiography entitled “An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth”. The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode: Why did you become an astronaut in the first place, and what did you originally want to accomplish by doing that? You’re known for your use of Twitter and Facebook in space. What made you decide to use these tools, and how did it affect your life and the people around you? What is it like being in space? What is one thing that people don’t know about you and astronauts in general that would surprise them? What are your top three tips for anyone who wants to achieve extraordinary goals like you? Follow Chris’s journey: Website Books Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Instagram

An interview with Tom Peters why listening is an important leadership quality, how he’s been impacted by his parents, how leaders can support mental health, his legacy and best career advice. Welcome to the 22nd episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions. This episodes guest: My guest today is legendary business author, Tom Peters. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Tom went to high school at Severn, attended college at Cornell University with a degree in civil engineering and then graduated with his masters in 1966. Between 1966 and 1970, he served in the U.S. Navy, making two deployments in Vietnam. After leaving the Navy, he studied business at the Stanford Business School for his MBA, followed by a PhD in organizational behavior in 1977. The title of his dissertation was “Patterns of Winning and Losing: Effects on Approach and Avoidance by Friends and Enemies.” While enrolled in the PhD, he also worked as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company, eventually becoming a partner and Organization Effectiveness practice leader in 1979. Two years later he left McKinsey and became an independent consultant. It was then, when he wrote In Search of Excellence, which has been said to have created the business book industry, selling over 3 million copies from 1982 to 1986, and was followed up with a series of PBS specials based on it and hosted by Tom. Over the last 38 years Peters calculates that he has made 2,500 speeches in 50 American states and 67 countries to over 5 million people. Along the way he has made 7,500 flights covering 5 million miles. In 2017, the Thinkers50 awarded Peters with its Lifetime Achievement Award for his paving the way for the ‘thought leadership’ and ‘business book industries’. His 17 books have sold more than 10 million copies. Last year, he released his latest book, The Excellence Dividend: Meeting the Tech Tide with Work That Wows and Jobs That Last. The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode: Why is “listening” such an important leadership quality? How have you been impacted by those closest to you? What can leaders do to support mental health at work? What do you want your legacy to be? What is your best piece of career advice? Follow Gretchen’s journey: Website Blog Books Twitter LinkedIn

An interview with Gretchen Rubin about what’s changed for her over the years, how she invests her time, how to stand out in today’s noisy world, how outer order affects inner calm and her best career advice. Welcome to the 21st episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions. This episodes guest: My guest today is #1 New York Times bestselling author, podcast host and speaker, Gretchen Rubin. Born in Kansas City, Missouri to a father who was a lawyer. She decided to pursue the same career, receiving both her undergraduate and law degrees from Yale University. At Yale, she was the editor-in-chief of the Yale Law Journal and won the Edgar M. Cullen Prize. After graduating, she clerked for Judge Pierre N. Leval of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and then on the U.S. Supreme Court for Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. After her clerkships, she served as a chief adviser to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Reed Hundt. Then, she went on to write two biographies, Forty Ways to Look at Winston Churchill and Forty Ways to Look at JFK. Then, she wrote Power Money Fame Sex: A User’s Guide, which parodied self-help books by analyzing and exposing the techniques used to exploit those who strive for those worldly ambitions. She then went on to write a series of self-help books focusing on happiness, habits and human nature, including The Happiness Project, Better Than Before, The Four Tendencies and her latest, Outer Order, Inner Calm. Combined, her books have sold more than 3.5 million copies and have been translated into more than 30 languages. Gretchen teamed up with her sister, who is also a writer, to co-host the Happier with Gretchen Rubin podcast and Gretchen continues to write on her personal blog at GretchenRubin.com. I’ve known Gretchen for over a decade, right before her book, The Happiness Project, became a global phenomenon. We’ve kept in touch and shared insights into the publishing and media world and I’ve continued to be impressed by her openness to learning new strategies and her generosity towards up-and-coming authors. Video interview from New York City: The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode: We’ve known each other for at decade. What’s changed about your work and how you see the world and what’s remained the same? How do you know where to invest your time? How do you stand out as a professional in today’s world? How does outer order affect inner calm? What is your best piece of career advice? Follow Gretchen’s journey: Books Podcast Instagram Facebook Twitter LinkedIn

An interview with General Stanley McChrystal about the biggest leadership myth, how leadership has changed, the most common leadership traits, why environment matters and his best piece of career advice. Welcome to the twentieth episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions. This episodes guest: My guest today is former four-star U.S. Army General Stanley McChrystal. Born in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, Stanley came from a line of military leaders, including his father who was a Major General and a grandfather who was a Colonel. He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1976 and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army. That year, his initial assignment was to C Company, 1st Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, serving as a weapons platoon leader. Two years later, he enrolled as a student in the Special Forces Officer Course at the Special Forces School at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Then in 1981, he moved to South Korea as intelligence and operations officer for the United Nations Command Support Group and then became battalion operations officer. In 1990, he became action officer for Army Special Operations, working in Joint Special Operations Command, then a year later he saw action in the Desert Shield and Desert Storm tours. He was commander of the Joint Special Operations Command from 2003 to 2008 and became the top commander in Afghanistan in 2009, eventually resigning in 2010. McChrystal was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal and the Defense Distinguished Service Medal. Since his resignation, he has taught courses in international relations at Yale University, started his own company called The McChrystal Group, an elite advisory services & leadership development firm, and authored of multiple bestsellers including Team of Teams and Leaders: Myth and Reality. Stanley is on both Jet Blue and Navistar International’s board of directors and Chairman of the Board of Siemens Government Technologies. The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode: What is the biggest leadership myth? How do you believe leadership has changed over the years and what’s stayed the same? What common leadership traits do YOU share with those you interviewed for the book? Why do different leaders require different environments? What is your best piece of career advice? Follow Stanley’s journey: Company Books Instagram Facebook Twitter LinkedIn

An interview with Diane von Furstenberg about being a woman in today’s workplace, how she overcame early career obstacles, who influenced her, how she’s expanded her business and what she’s looking for when hiring. Welcome to the nineteenth episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions. This episodes guest: My guest today is Belgian fashion designer and founder of DVF, Diane von Furstenberg. Born in Brussels in 1946, she initially rose to prominence after marrying German Catholic Prince Egon von Fürstenberg. Following their separation in 1973 and subsequent divorce in 1983, she continued to use his family name. After moving to New York, she met Vogue editor Diana Vreeland, who admired her clothing designs, giving her the confidence to be listed in New York Fashion Week, which launched her business. A year later, she introduced the knitted jersey “wrap dress”, which became popular and had a big influence on women’s fashion. After the success of the wrap dress, Furstenberg was featured on the cover of Newsweek magazine in 1976 and her annual retail sales grew to $150 million. Then in 1985, she moved to Paris, where she founded Salvy, a French-language publishing house. There she started a number of other businesses including a line of cosmetics and a home-shopping business. In 2006, she was elected as president of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, a position she still holds. Since then, she’s expanded DVF to over 70 countries, 45 shops worldwide and over $500 million in annual sales. Her clothes have been worn by many celebrities including, Gwyneth Paltrow, Madonna, Jessica Alba and Jennifer Lopez. In 2014, she was listed as the 68th most powerful woman in the world by Forbes and in 2015, she was included in the TIME 100. She’s the author of Diane and The Woman I Wanted to Be. I caught up with Diane back in 2015, where we both spoke at the first annual Lead On Watermark Silicon Valley Conference for Women. The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode: What do most men not understand about being a woman in today’s workplace? What were some of your early career struggles and how did you overcome them? Who were some of your greatest influences growing up and what did you learn from them? What new challenges and opportunities are created as you’ve expanded your business? What hard and soft skills are you looking for when you hire and how can an employee impress you after they get the job? Follow Diane’s journey: Company Books Instagram Facebook Twitter LinkedIn

An interview with Gary Vaynerchuk, CEO of Vaynermedia, about what’s changed for him, what the fine line is between hustle and burnout, his responsibility as a leader, how people can be empathetic and how to find positive people to surround yourself with. Welcome to the eighteenth episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions. This episodes guest: My guest today is Gary Vaynerchuk, the chairman of VaynerX, CEO of Vaynermedia, an angel investor and a bestselling author. Born in Belarus, Gary immigrated to the United States with his family in 1978 at the age of three. He lived in a studio apartment in Queens, New York with eight other family members, eventually moving to Edison New Jersey. There, he started his entrepreneurial journey by operating a lemonade-stand franchise, while selling baseball cards on weekends. At age 14, he joined his fathers wine business, renaming it Wine Library. Then in 1998, he launched Wine Library TV, a daily webcast covering wine, while growing the wine business from $3 to $60 million using email marketing, traditional advertising and Google AdWords. Then, in 2009 he launched VaynerMedia, a digital ad agency with clients including GE, Unilever, Chase and PepsiCo. Since then, he’s launched several other ventures, including The Gallery, which combines his acquisition of the media properties PureWow and ONE37pm, in addition to athlete representation company VaynerSports, and his latest serving small businesses, The Sasha Group, named after his father. Gary is the bestselling author of 6 books, including the classic Crush It!, and has invested in Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and dozens of other startups. This is my 4th interview with Gary in the past decade and the first one to be featured on his daily documentary series on YouTube called #DailyVee (episode #504). Video interview from New York City: The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode: What’s changed for you and what’s remained the same? What is the fine line between hustle and burnout? What responsibility do you have as a leader with a platform? How can people be more empathetic at work and at home? How do you find positive people to surround yourself with? Follow Gary’s journey: Company Books Blog Podcast Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter LinkedIn

An interview with Rachel Hollis, author of Girl, Wash Your Face, about how she has the courage to share her personal life publicly, how she lives fearlessly, how to take charge of your life, who motivates her and her best career advice. Welcome to the seventeenth episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions. This episodes guest: Rachel Hollis was born in Weedpatch, California and after graduating high school, moved to LA where an obsession with Matt Damon led her to apply for (and get) a job at Miramax. While there, she met her husband and founded an event-planning company, Chic Events. Then in 2015, Rachel had her breakthrough moment on social media when an Instagram photo of her celebrating her stretch marks went viral to over 10 million views. In 2018, her book Girl, Wash Your Face deputed and went onto being a #1 New York Times bestseller for twelve weeks selling more than 880,000 copies in the United States alone. Since the success of her book, Hollis, her husband Dave and four children have moved outside of Austin, Texas. Her follow up book is called Girl, Stop Apologizing. With her husband she is the co-host of the RISE Together podcast and co-founders of The Hollis Company. The company has media, products, inspiration and community to arm people with the tools they need to make positive and lasting change in their lives. For her hard work, dedication and business success, Rachel was named by Inc. Magazine as one of the “Top 30 Entrepreneurs under 30”. Both Rachel and I started out as bloggers before we were entrepreneurs and authors. I deeply respect her ability to talk about her biggest insecurities and flaws publicly. The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode: How did you originally get the courage to share your personal life publicly? What does it mean to live fearlessly? How can people stop feeling shame and start taking charge of their lives? Who do you look to for inspiration, motivation and emotional support? What is your best piece of career advice? Follow Rachel’s journey: Company Books Blog Podcast Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter

An interview with Simon Sinek, author of Start With Why, about what’s changed for him since he started, the skills that are important in the machine age, who he would give voice to, how he remains optimistic and his best career advice. Welcome to the sixteenth episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions. This episodes guest:   Simon Sinek is the author of Start With Why, The Infinite Game and other bestsellers. Born in Wimbledon, London, Sinek grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa, London, and Hong Kong before settling in the United States. He graduating from Northern Valley Regional High School at Demarest in 1991, studied law at London’s City University, and then graduated Brandeis University with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in cultural anthropology. Simon began his career at two well-known New York ad agencies: Euro RSCG and Ogilvy. Simon went on to speak at a TEDx Puget Sound in South Dakota back in 2009. The video went on to generate over 40 million views, subtitled in 47 languages, and is the third most watched TED Talk ever. With the success of the TEDx Talk, he went on to write the million-copy bestseller Start With Why, and then followed up with other bestsellers including Leaders Eat Last, Together Is Better and Find Your Why. His upcoming book is called The Infinite Game. This is my fourth interview with Simon since 2010 and I always enjoy his thoughts on all aspects of leadership, the workplace and culture. Video interview from New York City: The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode: This is our 4th conversation since your first book, Start with Why, came out. What’s most changed in how you view the world and what’s remained the same? What skills do you think will become more important in the coming age of machines? Who would you give voice to that has impacted your life? How do you remain optimistic despite the negativity around you? What is your best piece of career advice? Follow Simon’s journey: TED Profile Website Instagram Twitter Facebook LinkedIn YouTube

An interview with Chris Anderson, the head of TED, about how he keeps the TED brand fresh, what keeps him motivated, how he selects people and ideas, and which TED ideas have changed society the most. Welcome to the fifteenth episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions. This episodes guest: Chris Anderson was born in Pakistan. He studied at Woodstock School in India before moving to Monkton Combe School in England. At the University of Oxford, he studied physics, then changed to philosophy, politics and economics, graduating in 1978. Then in 1984, he was captivated by the home-computer revolution and became an editor at two of the UK’s early computer magazines, Personal Computer Games and Zzap! A year later he founded Future Publishing with a $25,000 bank loan. In 1994, Anderson moved to the United States where he built Imagine Media, publisher of Business 2.0 magazine and creator of the popular video game users website IGN, which expanded to publishing 150 magazines and websites with 2,000 employees. This success allowed Anderson to create a private nonprofit organization, the Sapling Foundation, which eventually acquired the TED Conference in 2001. Since then, the TED Conference has become one of the most prestigious stages in the world, and through the TEDx initiative over 100,000 TED Talks have been published online generating billions of views. Chris is the New York Times bestselling author of TED Talks and host of “The TED Interview”, a podcast where he speaks with some of the world’s most interesting people to dig into the provocative and powerful ideas of our time. Video interview from New York City: The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode: Over 100,000 TED and TEDx talks have been published. How do you keep the brand fresh and continue to get people interested in watching and spreading ideas? What keeps you motivated and inspired to continue to help spread ideas through the TED platform? What does the future hold? Has your process for selecting people, and their ideas changed over the years? What’s remained consistent? Which TED ideas have changed the way you work and live and why? Have any ideas shared on the TED stage turned into real life changes in society or companies? Follow Chris’s journey: The TED Interview Podcast TED Profile Twitter

An interview with Ana Kasparian, co-host of The Young Turks, about how she found her voice before entering the media world, how she deals with criticism, staying positive, preventing burnout and her responsibility as a leader. Welcome to the fourteenth episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions. This episodes guest: Ana Kasparian was born in Los Angeles California. She is the daughter of Armenian immigrant parents and learned how to speak English as a second language after watching Sesame Street. Ana was a performer in her childhood dancing ballet from 3 to 19 years old. She completed her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Journalism and a Masters Degree in Political Science at California State University Northridge. After graduating, she became an assistant producer with CBS Radio news stations in Los Angeles. In 2007, after stints at AOL News, YouTube, TidalTv and On Point, Ana became the producer and co-host with Cenk Uygur of The Young Turks, a progressive news and commentary program on YouTube with over 4 million subscribers and over 34,000 videos. She’s been recognized on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list and has won several awards including a Webby for Best Web Personality and Host, and a Streamy Award for Best News and Culture Show. She’s been teaching broadcast journalism at her alma mater and speaks at many universities, conferences and political events. The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode: Where did you originally find your voice before entering the media world? How do you have the courage to put yourself out there despite criticism? How do you stay positive despite all the negativity around you? How do you prevent yourself from being burned out? What is your responsibility as a leader for our generation? Follow Ana’s journey: The Young Turks Twitter Instagram Facebook

An interview with Seth Godin, bestselling author and speaker, about what he’s learned in his career, the importance of empathy, where his ideas come from, how to build connection and his best career advice. Welcome to the thirteenth episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions. This episodes guest: Seth Godin was born in Mount Vernon, New York, where he worked at Spinnaker Software until 1986. Using the $20,000 in savings from that job, he founded Seth Godin Productions, a book packaging company out of his studio apartment in New York City. From there, he met entrepreneur Mark Hurst to create Yoyodyne, which used contests, online games and scavenger hunts to market companies to users. After selling his packaging business, and focusing on Yoyodyne full-time until it was acquired for about $30 million by Yahoo! in 1998. Godin continued his entrepreneurial journey with Squidoo in 2006. It became one of the 500 most viewed sites in the world and Godin sold it in 2014 to HubPages. Over the course of his career, he’s written 18 books, thousands of blog posts and countless keynote speeches around the world. Some of his most famous books include Permission Marketing, Purple Cow, Tribes and Linchpin. His new book is called This is Marketing: You Can’t Be Seen Until You Learn to See. After years of winning the hearts and minds of the entire marketing industry, he was inducted into the American Marketing Association’s Marketing Hall of Fame. This is my fourth interview with Godin over the past eight years and I continue to be impressed by his perspectives, his approach to storytelling and he stays on-brand. The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode: What has 25 years of experience in marketing taught you about yourself, other people and the world we live in? In today’s society, why is empathy an important quality for leaders and marketers alike? As someone who has published thousands of blog posts, and written numerous books, where do your new ideas come from? How do we use technology as a bridge to human connection instead of a barrier? What is your best career advice? Follow Seth’s journey: Blog Books Podcast Facebook

An interview with Rachael Ray, the Daytime Emmy Award Winning TV show host of Rachael Ray, about her biggest influences, her business, being self-made, her first job and her best career advice. Welcome to the twelfth episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions. This episodes guest: Rachael Ray is a Daytime Emmy Award Winning TV show host. Raised in Glens Falls, New York, Rachael witnessed her mother managing restaurants. In 1995, she moved to New York City to work her first job at the Macy’s Marketplace candy counter. She left Macy’s to work at Agata & Valentina, a specialty foods store, and then eventually moved back to upstate New York to manage Mister Brown’s Pub in a hotel. Then, she became a buyer at Cowan & Lobel, a gourmet market, which inspired her 30 Minute Meals. The success of her 30 Minute Meals classes led to a weekly local TV segment, then a public radio broadcast and her first book. From there, she was on NBC’s The Today Show, which led to her first Food Network contract in 2001. Today, she hosts the syndicated daily talk and lifestyle program Rachael Ray, and the Food Network series 30 Minute Meals, Rachael Ray’s Tasty Travels and $40 a Day. She also founded the Every Day with Rachael Ray magazine and has written countless cookbooks, including Everyone is Italian on Sunday, Comfort Foods, Week in a Day and My Year in Meals. The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode: Who has most influenced your career and why? What do people not know about you and your business? What has surprised you the most about being successful? What did you learn from your first job at Macy’s? What is your best career advice? Follow Rachael’s journey: Facebook Instagram Twitter Books TV Show Magazine

An interview with Jocko Willink, a former U.S. Navy Seal, the host of the Jocko Podcast and author of multiple #1 New York Times bestsellers, about the biggest leadership lesson he learned, how to lead in change, why leaders have to be followers, the dichotomy of leadership and his best advice. Welcome to the eleventh episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions. This episodes guest: Jocko Willink is a Former U.S. Navy Seal, the Host of the Jocko Podcast and author of multiple #1 New York Times bestsellers. Born and raised in New England, Jocko enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1990. He served eight years on active duty, as an enlisted Navy SEAL with SEAL Team ONE and SEAL Team TWO. Willink was part of the SEAL team that seized Russian Tanker Volga-Neft-147 in the Gulf of Oman which was carrying Iraqi oil in violation of a U.N. economic embargo. Willink earned his commission at the Officer Candidate School and eventually served as a platoon commander. He completed multiple deployments to Asia, the Middle East and Europe. During Operation Iraqi Freedom he deployed to the Iraqi town of Ramadi in 2006 with SEAL Team THREE as commander of Task Unit Bruiser. Willink also served as a Navy SEAL instructor during his career. He retired in October 2010 after 20 years of service. Today, he is the host of the Jocko Podcast, which receives two million downloads per episode and is the author of multiple bestsellers, including Extreme Ownership, Discipline Equals Freedom and his latest book The Dichotomy of Leadership. The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode: What is the biggest leadership lesson you learned as a U.S. Navy Seal? How can leaders best prepare their teams for change? Why do good leaders have to also be good followers? How can a leader be aggressive yet prudent and empathetic? What is your best piece of career advice? Follow Jocko’s journey: Facebook YouTube Instagram Twitter Books Podcast

An interview with Steve Harvey, host of the syndicated talk show “Steve”, the morning radio show “The Steve Harvey Morning Show” and Family Feud, about how he overcame his biggest struggle, how to handle fear, his daily routines, letting go of negative people and what’s most important to him in life. Welcome to the tenth episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions. This episodes guest: Steve Harvey was raised in Welch, West Virginia. Some of his original jobs growing up were a boxer, an autoworker, an insurance salesman, a carpet cleaner and a mailman. In 1990, he was a finalist in the Second Annual Johnnie Walker National Comedy Search, which led him to being the host of “Showtime at the Apollo”. In 1994, his success as a stand-up comedian led to a starring role on ABC Show “Me and the Boys”. From 1996 to 2002 he stared in The Steve Harvey Show on the WB Network. At the same time, he worked as a stand-up comedian performing on the King of Comedy Tour with Bernie Mac, Cedric the Entertainer and D.L. Hughley. In 2010, he become the host of his morning radio show and at the same time began hosting Family Feud and then Celebrity Family Feud. More recently, he became the host of Steve. In the past several years, he’s written multiple bestselling books including Straight Talk, No Chaser, Act Like a Success, Think Like a Success, Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man and Jump. He is a six-time Daytime Emmy Award winner, two-time Marconi Award winner, and a 14-time NAACP Image Award winner in various categories. The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode: Tell us the story of a major obstacle in your life, how you overcame it, and how it’s helped you become who you are today. How do people not let the fear of failure get in their own way of a successful life? What are some of your daily routines that have made you more energized and happy? How do we let go of the people in our lives that are doing us harm instead of supporting our ambitions? But what role does faith, religion and family play in pushing through you know some of life’s greatest challenges? Follow Steve’s journey: Facebook YouTube Twitter Website Books

An interview with Tony Hawk, a legendary skateboarder and entrepreneur, about what keeps him motivated, how he makes time for his children, when he recognized his potential, the legacy he wants to leave and his best career advice. Welcome to the ninth episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions. This episodes guest: Tony Hawk was raised in San Diego, California. He was described as hyperactive growing up, which is how I was also described. He was gifted with a high IQ and took advanced classes in school. At age 14 he became a professional skateboarder and eventually went on to be the National Skateboard Association world champion for twelve consecutive years. Aside from his career as a pro skateboarder, he’s known for his hit video game series “Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater”, which debuted in 1999 and has produced 18 titles to date. Throughout his career, Hawk has made numerous appearances in films like Jackass: The Movie, Escape from L.A. and The New Guy. He is the founder of the Tony Hawk Foundation, which has given away over $5.8 billion for the development of almost 600 skate parks in low-income areas in the US. Hawk is also the owner of 900 Films and the RIDE Channel on YouTube. He’s been instrumental in getting skateboarding into the 2020 Olympics, which was a big deal for the sport. The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode: What keeps you motivated after your multi-decade career? How have you been able to live your dream career, while still making time for your family? At what point in your life did you recognize your potential? What legacy do you want to leave in both the skating and business world? What is your best piece of career advice? Follow Tony’s journey: RIDE Channel on YouTube 900 Films Tony Hawk Foundation Facebook Instagram Twitter Website

An interview with Dr. Drew Pinsky, a celebrity doctor, podcast host and board-certified internist, about how he stays relevant, what inspires him, well-being in the workplace, using technology and time management. Welcome to the eighth episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions. This episodes guest: Dr. Drew Pinsky was born in Pasadena, California. He attended Polytechnic School, majored in biology at Amherst College and earned his M.D. at the University of Southern California School of Medicine. From his residency in internal medicine at USC County Hospital, he became chief resident at Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena, and eventually moved into private practice. His career in the media started in 1984, one year after I was born, when he had a regular segment on KROQ-FM in LA. Then he hosted Loveline with Adam Carolla, which went national in 1995, with a TV version on MTV one year later. In 2007, Pinsky hosted the nationally syndicated radio talk show Dr. Drew Live and in 2008, he starred in Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew. Then from 2011 to 2016, he hosted his own show, Dr. Drew On Call on HLN. He is the author of The Mirror Effect and Tracked, and is currently the host the The Dr. Drew Podcast and co-host of The Adam and Dr. Drew Show. This is the second interview I’ve had with Dr. Drew since 2014 and I’ve always enjoyed his views on psychology and mental health. The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode: How have you adjusted to the changing media landscape to stay relevant in your career? You’ve interviewed all types of people who have suffered in many ways. Who has been the most inspirational to you and why? Do you think we’ve reached a tipping point for well-being in the workplace? How can we use technology to create real human connection instead of letting it isolate us? How do you manage your time? Follow Drew’s journey: Books Facebook Instagram Twitter Website

An interview with Beth Comstock, the former Vice Chair and CMO of GE, about how she broke the glass ceiling, why fear holds us back, how she shares new ideas, stays relevant and her best career advice. Welcome to the seventh episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions. This episodes guest: Beth Comstock is the former Vice Chair and Chief Marketing Officer of GE. Beth grew up in Winchester, Virginia. Her mom was a teacher and was called the unofficial mayor of Winchester because of her outgoing nature, while her father, was a dentist and was an introvert like her. In her 27-year career at GE, she held a variety of the most senior positions in the company. In 1996, she was the SVP of Corporate Communications at NBC, then held a similar role at GE two years year. In 2002, she was named GE’s first chief marketing officer in more than 20 years. Then, in 2005, she became the President of Integrated Media at NBC Universal, where she led the TV ad sales and digital marketing team, and had a hand in the early development of HULU.com. In 2008, she became the Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer, leading GE’s growth and market-innovation initiatives, then ended her career at GE as Vice Chair in 2017. Currently, she is the author Imagine It Forward, on the board of Nike, and a trustee of The National Geographic Society. Beth been recognized as one of the of “The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women” by both Forbes and Fortune, and one of the “Most Creative People in Business” by Fast Company. This is my second interview with Beth over the past two years. I remember when I was at her GE office here in New York City and I noticed that she didn’t have an office. Instead she sat with all the other employees. To me, this shows that she lacks ego and promotes collaboration and creativity, which is rare for an executive at her level. The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode: You were the former CMO and Vice Chair of GE, one of the largest companies in the world. How were you able to break the glass ceiling as a woman? You say that fear not ideas holds us back from achieving success. Can you explain? Where does your courage to come up with new ideas and share them come from? How do you personally stay relevant when the world is changing so fast? What are your top three pieces of career advice? Follow Beth’s journey: Books Facebook Show Instagram Twitter LinkedIn

An interview with Van Jones, the host of “The Van Jones Show” on CNN, about how we can all come together as a united America, the impact he wants to make on the world, how he overcame a struggle in his career, how he deals with critics and his best career advice. Welcome to the sixth episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions. This episodes guest: Van Jones was born in Jackson Tennessee. He studied political figures as a child, including Martin Luther King, Jr. and President John F. Kennedy. He majored in communications and political science at the University of Tennessee at Martin, while working as an intern at Jackson Sun and the Associated Press. After deciding he didn’t want to be a journalist, he attended Yale Law School and while a student, he was selected by the Lawyers Committee for Human Rights to serve as legal observers in the trial of four officers charged with attacking Rodney King. From there, he wrote his first book “The Green Collar Economy”, which led to an appointment as Special Advisor for Green Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation at the White House Council on Environmental Quality. Jones eventually became the host of a series of CNN shows including “Crossfire, “The Messy Truth with Van Jones” and now, “The Van Jones Show”. Van has been recognized as a “Young Global Leader” by the World Economic Forum, one of TIME Magazine’s “Most Influential People” and one of Fast Company’s “Most Creative People”. The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode: What mistakes have we made as a country and how can we make positive change? What impact do you want to make at CNN? Can you discuss one struggle in your career, how you overcame it and what you learned as a result? How do you deal with your critics? What are your top three pieces of career advice? Follow Van’s journey: Books TV Show Facebook Instagram Twitter

An interview with the 66th United States Secretary of State, and first ever African-American female Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice about her decision making process, lessons learned, use of technology, view of diversity and best career advice. Welcome to the fifth episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions. This episodes guest: Condoleezza Rice was born in Birmingham, Alabama in the racially segregated south. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Denver, her master’s degree from the university of Notre Dame and a PhD from the University of Denver’s School of International Studies. After graduating, she worked at the State Department under the Carter administration, received a fellowship from Stanford University, where she then served as provost. From there, she served on the National Security Council under President George H.W. Bush, before eventually becoming the Secretary of State. Currently, she is the professor of Political Economy in the Stanford Graduate School of Business and a professor of Political Science at Stanford University. She’s the author of Political Risk, No Higher Honor and Democracy, and sits on the board of DropBox. More recently, she partnered with Pulitzer Prize-winning historian David M. Kennedy, on American Creed, a documentary film that examines what unites Americans, and the ideals they share, that lead them to hope for the future. The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode: What goes into your decision making process? What were some of the lessons you learned as the former Secretary of State? How can technology be used effectively when trying to get a message out to others? What is your view of the power of diversity in business and politics? What are your top three pieces of career advice? Follow Condoleezza’s journey: Books Documentary Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Twitter

An interview with philanthropist, billionaire, bestselling author and Virgin Group founder Richard Branson about what motivates him, his daily routine, the importance of face-to-face, work friendships, and his best career advice. Welcome to the fourth episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions. This episodes guest: Richard Branson was born in London as the eldest of three children. Despite having dyslexia and a poor academic record in school, his parents supported him. Branson ran both Student magazine and a record business from his church. He interviewed famous people for the magazine, such as Rolling Stones front man Mick Jagger and used the magazine to advertise his record business. This enabled him to start the record store that eventually launched Virgin Records. After selling the company years later, he went on to start Virgin Atlantic Airways, Virgin Mobile, Virgin Pulse, Virgin Galactic and over 400 other Virgin brands under The Virgin Group. Combined, his companies employ over 70,000 employees and generate over 25 billion in annual revenues. From 1998 to 2017, he wrote 8 books including Losing My Virginity, Screw It, Let’s Do It and Like a Virgin. Richard has had a variety of remarkable achievements, including being knighted by Prince Charles of Wales, named in BBC’s poll of 100 Greatest Britons and Forbes estimates his net worth at over 5 billion. I’ve been privileged to interview Richard three times in my career. While he may be an intimidating figure, when you meet him in person he’s very approachable and his views have become more relevant over time. Video interview from San Francisco: The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode: You have been starting, managing and advising companies since you were a teenager. What keeps you motivated to continue this entrepreneurial journey? Can you tell me about your daily routines for maintaining your health and how that impacts your productivity as a businessperson and entrepreneur? You’ve said that technology has kept you more connected, but what role do face-to-face interactions have in your success? We’re working longer hours than ever before. The average workweek is 47 hours a week. Because of this, don’t you think it’s more important now than ever before to have real friendships with the people you work with? A lot of people have learned a lot from your experiences, and everything that you’ve said over the years, but what is one piece of advice that you haven’t really told people, and you think is vital in our society today? Follow Richard’s journey: Books Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Twitter

An interview with Wharton Professor and #1 New York Times bestselling author Adam Grant about work life balance, networking, doing favors, creativity and his best career advice. Welcome to the third episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions. This episodes guest: Adam Grant was born in West Bloomfield, Michigan, and grew up in the suburbs of Detroit, aspiring to be a professional basketball player. While attending College, he worked as a professional magician. Upon graduation, he became an assistant professor of organizational behavior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Two years later, he was hired as an associate professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where he eventually became the youngest tenured professor at age 28 and rated the best teacher by students from 2011 to 2017. Adam wrote his first book, Give and Take, back in 2013, which became a major bestseller. Then he followed up with two more books, including Originals and Option B, co-authored with Sheryl Sandberg. Today, he’s the host of the TED Original Podcast: WorkLife with Adam Grant, curator of the Next Big Idea Club, columnist at Esquire, and serves on the Lean In board and the Defense Innovation Board at the Pentagon. The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode: You’ve said that your favorite thing is being a Wharton professor. How do you balance your time between that, writing, podcasting, advising and speaking? When it comes to networking, the most common frustration people share with me is that they don’t know what to give to others. How would you respond to this? How do you personally decide whom to do favors for and whom to avoid since you’re always asked for help? Where do your most creative and best ideas come from? What is your creative process? What are your top three pieces of career advice? Follow Adam’s journey: Books Podcast Website Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Twitter

An interview with Bravo TV star, author and top New York City real estate agent Ryan Serhant about the defining moment in his life, what keeps him motivated, sales advice, how he stood out when he started his career and his core relationship principle. Welcome to the second episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions. This episodes guest: Ryan Serhant is a Bravo TV star, author and top New York City real estate agent. Ryan has born in Houston, Texas and raised outside of Boston, Massachusetts. After moving to New York City as an adult, he began his first day in the real estate business on September 15, 2008, which was the same day that Lehman Brothers filed for bankruptcy in the wake of the sub-prime mortgage collapse. While the real estate market slowly recovered, Ryan transformed himself into one of the most successful real estate brokers in the world. Through his hard work and leadership, his sales team was ranked in the top 5 nationwide from 2015 to 2017 by The Wall Street Journal. Ryan is the star of Bravo TV’s Million Dollar Listing New York and Sell It Like Serhant, which is also the title of his book. The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode: Growing up you say you were overweight, awkward and broke but now you’re fit, social, a reality TV star and wealthy. What was the defining point in your life where things changed for you? What keeps you still motivated after accomplishing so much in your career? How can your sales advice apply to anyone looking for a job, advance in their career or build their business? When you were first starting out as a real estate broker in New York City, how did you stand out? What is your core relationship principle for building long term relationships in business and in life? Follow Ryan’s journey: Book Website Facebook YouTube Twitter Instagram

An interview with social media phenomenon Jay Shetty about his career transitions, sources of inspiration, technology use, time management and best advice. Welcome to the first episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions. Over the course of my career, I’ve interviewed over 2,000 people! For each interview, I ask 5 questions in about 15 minutes or less and final question has been consistent since I started: what are your top three pieces of career advice. This interview format has forced me to be thoughtful about each question I ask and also challenges the interviewees to give the best possible advice in as few words as possible. This episodes guest: Jay Shetty was born and raised in London. At the age of 18, he met a monk and after graduating from college, at 22 he went to live as a monk across India and Europe for 3 years. After moving on from monk life, he started to speak at companies, preaching some of the lessons he learned as a monk. Then, he became Accenture’s Social Media coach for executives and helped them with online branding and their digital strategy. After posting videos online, one was spotted by Arianna Huffington who invited him to be the Host of HuffPost Lifestyle in New York. Eventually, he left the Huffington Post and focused all of his energy on his own brand and content. Now with over 2 billion views, over 12 million Facebook followers, Jay is making his wisdom go viral and having the positive impact on the world that he desired many years ago. I’ve gotten to know Jay personally and I’ve never been more impressed with another human being. He’s able to give extremely deep life advice in an approachable way. The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode: You’ve made many transitions in your life, from graduating from college to living as a monk to working at Accenture to your role at the Huffington Post to being a social media influencer. How did you decide when to make these transitions in your career? What are your sources for inspiration as someone who inspires others? How have you used technology to create deeper relationships with others and not let it isolate you/make you feel lonely? How do you manage your time so you can be fulfilled in every aspect of your life? What are your top three pieces of career advice? Follow Jay’s journey: Facebook YouTube Instagram Website