Anything But Typical

Vanessa Vaughn Mathews was sitting in her car, when within seconds the winds picked up, things were flying past her windows, and a lady was holding on to a lamp post to prevent herself from flying away. This experience changed Vanessa's perspective on crises and led her down a career path of risk management. After working for The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Lowe's, and Gulfstream Aerospace, Vanessa founded a business resilience advisory firm. In this conversation, Vanessa lays out how companies should be preparing for crises ahead of time, how to handle an unexpected issue, and how to appropriately build a diverse and inclusive work culture. Vanessa also dives in to the racial discrimination within our country, what we can be doing about it, and how business leaders should be responding. To learn more about Vanessa, connect with her on LinkedIn , check out Asfalis Advisors, or on social media @AsfalisAdvisors.

It's difficult building a business and selling it. It's difficult coaching and helping mid market CEOs steer their companies. It's difficult being a pro mountain bike racer. It's even more difficult to become pro at age 40 racing against people half your age. This episode's guest, Robert Fish, has done all of those things at an elite level. Robert shares about changing directions in your life, why the word pivot is typically the wrong way to think about making a change, and how to build upon your passions. Robert also takes us through his incredible journey of becoming a pro mountain bike racer at 40 years old after having tremendous business success and still being in his career. If you are looking for a great business book about achieving epic wins, Robert's book The Break Away Move is the book for you. Reach out to Robert at [email protected], or check out his company here.

Hilary Porta took a massive pivot from a successful corporate strategist career to starting her own company helping others shape the life they desire. But it didn't stop there. Hilary saw the value in topics most coaches ignore. Hilary took years to develop in areas such as neuropsychology, neuroscience, cognitive behavior, and metaphysical anatomy. The result was a practice where Hilary is able to help individuals shatter their deepest limits and architect their best lives. In our conversation, Hilary discusses the biggest hurdles she sees in her clients. She talks through specific stories and scenarios to give you a peek behind the curtain. Hilary addresses how you can play big while also staying in the present. This episode with Hilary dives in to topics that are on most of our minds every day. The struggles and internal conflicts we all experience. Buckle in for this episode and open your mind to how what she is discussing can apply to your life. Follow Hilary on LinkedIn, Facebook, or on Instagram @hp_the_life_architect. Her site was hacked and they are working on it, but you can still check it out at hporta.com.

Chris Elmore has been with AvidXChange, the first unicorn (billion dollar valuation of a private company) in Charlotte, NC. Stacy Cassio is the Founder & CEO of the Pink Mentor Network, which is a high growth female mentorship community, and the first of its kind in Charlotte. So when these two accepted coming on to Anything But Typical together to discuss mentorship, we knew it would be a powerful episode. Chris & Stacy packed this episode with nuggets of wisdom. Stacy shared her 6 Mentorship Levels. Chris, who has published 9 books and over 500 articles, gave us insight on his writing process. Each went in depth on each side of mentorship- including how to approach getting a mentor and what the mentor can get out of the relationship. Be sure to check out TheChrisElmore.com and follow Chris on LinkedIn. Also check out PinkMentorNetwork.com, follow Stacy on LinkedIn. Follow @PinkMentorNetwork and @TheChrisElmore on Instagram.

Mark Linsz helped safely steer Bank of America through the worst of the financial crisis as Corporate Treasurer. He now uses this experience, along with leadership roles within Bank of America on 3 continents, as Co-Founder and Senior Managing Partner at My Next Season. My Next Season serves individuals that are going through a transition in their lives and careers. In this podcast episode, Mark shares the most important tips for anybody attempting to navigate a transition. He breaks down his large corporate America leadership experience and what has played a role in his startup. Mark dives deep on lessons learned from living and working on different continents. He elaborates on purpose and how that can serve as a north star in your career. Tune in for priceless insight on how you can retrain your mindset around your career and life. Check out Mark on LinkedIn and look in to My Next Season as well.

Colin Pinkney has a passion for lifting up others and creating positive impact that is at a level most never reach. Colin is the Executive Director at The Harvest Center in Charlotte, NC where he leads the nonprofit in the battle on homelessness. Colin is also the chaplain for the Charlotte Hornets. Colin created a book club at Olympic High School in Charlotte which has led to 350 young men graduating with a 100% success rate. Inspired by the mentoring Colin was doing at Olympic, he authored the book Blueprints: Mentoring Designs for Young Black Males. In this episode, we dive in to the transition from corporate America to the nonprofit space. We discuss the hurdles faced in nonprofits. We discuss leadership, failure, culture, and vision. Unique to the Anything But Typical show, we talked about racial discrimination and what is going on in our country today. Colin shared his perspective as well as thoughts on how we can be moving forward in a positive direction. To check out more on Colin, go to his Facebook page. Be sure to look in to The Harvest Center as well. Enjoy this wide ranging conversation!

This episode's guest, Daniel McCollum, runs Torrent Consulting as a Purpose-Driven Company. Torrent is a Salesforce Platinum Consulting Partner focused on serving mid-market companies in the US. We dive in to creating and growing a successful business while maintaining a focus on the core purpose of the organization. Daniel also shares their in depth 3 year vision planning process. The thought and organization behind this is certainly worth emulating. Prior to starting Torrent, Daniel was a Economic Development Consultant in Africa for a year. He calls this a "life clarifying" experience in his life. In our conversation, Daniel also goes deep in to micro niching. Be sure to pay attention to how he has grown and succeeded by decreasing his potential client size. Check out Daniel on LinkedIn and look in to Torrent Consulting on their Web Site.

Chad Jenkins began his entrepreneurial journey before most people were reading chapter books. Throughout elementary and high school, Chad ran multiple successful business ventures while employing his friends. Today, Chad owns and operates many businesses in different industries. In this episode he discusses how owning a technology company and a waste management company intersect and relate. One of Chad's superpowers is replicating himself to spark growth and find opportunities. In this episode, we dive in to how SeedSpark, Chad's technology solutions company, takes empowering employees to a level I've never seen before. The attention to detail, creativity, ingenuity, and problem solving we discussed in this episode makes this a must listen. Check out Chad on LinkedIn and be sure to look in to SeedSpark.

This episode is a throwback to when Ben and Gary first met in 2018. In this episode, Gary shares the lessons he has picked up throughout his journey. We hit on an array of topics such as company culture, CEO responsibilities, leadership traits, and more. Although this was recorded a couple of years ago, the lesson still apply and will carry forward. Enjoy the insight and a peek in to Gary's mind!

Running a business can be extremely difficult. But running a business with your brother, while making sure the primary focus is serving others at all times, that is another level. This is exactly what this episode's guests, Nick & Giovanni Gallo, do. These brothers own and run ComplianceLine as Co-CEOs. In this wide ranging episode, we get to hear about the leadership heritage of these brothers, back to their entrepreneurial grandfather to had to flee Cuba and their grandmother who held the standard in the family for serving others. Nick & Gio dive in to the dynamics of running the company together, the 2 year process of searching all over the country for the right business to buy, why they didn't go the startup route, the effects of their decision to utilize an outside investor group, and so much more. Be sure to check out Nick and Giovanni on LinkedIn, as well as ComplianceLine on their Web site.

As technology progresses, we have all seen the nonstop gimmicks and marketing strategies to win business or close a sale. This episode is throwing the gimmicks away as we discuss how to be thoughtful, attentive, and meaningful in business. Caleb Musser founded Craftom.io because he believed that growing a business should not be done by sending cheap swag that instantly ends up in the garbage. His business takes gift giving to an entirely new level with their hyper-personalized gifts to prospects and clients. Even after hearing sayings such as business being all about relationships or providing a unique experience, we see businesses try the manipulative sales techniques from the 80's. This episode will open your eyes to the power of personalizing your process and the success that comes along with thought and meaning. Check out Caleb on LinkedIn and be sure to head to Craftom.io for more inspiration and ideas on gift giving in business.

Jeni Bukolt created Haven Creative, a multimedia marketing agency, in 2012. Jeni started the business like most do, with a laptop and figuring things out by herself as she went. Haven Creative has morphed in to a leader of creating communities using branding and digital marketing. And she certainly is not figuring things out by herself anymore. Jeni has created a culture inside Haven Creative that rivals any business out there. She is intentional about everything within her company. In this episode, we dive in to the "why" behind brands, how their 5 values have led to creating a winning culture, and mistakes made around building the right culture. We also go deep on tactical advice for branding. Jeni shares about her "8 to Great Maven Method". Enjoy this episode packed with information and authenticity! Find Jeni on LinkedIn and check out Haven Creative on their Web Site.

When Clean Juice was still only an idea, Kat & Landon Eckles had an audacious goal of opening 10 stores. Today, with over 90 locations and over 50 more in development, the vision for the company has evolved. In this episode, Landon shares the journey of starting the business, what things are like running a company with a spouse, how to create and adjust a vision for a business, and much more. Landon discusses how profit is not the goal, but it is the outcome. That is due to creating an experience that focuses on the guest instead of the profit margins. Even as Clean Juice continues to grow, they have never strayed from aligning themselves with the right franchise owners who fit what the brand represents. That is probably why the company has hundreds of thousands of followers and fans. Enjoy the wide ranging conversation that goes well beyond business, and be sure to check out Clean Juice on Instagram @cleanjuice . The best place to find Landon is on his LinkedIn.

If you're in an airport and you see a yellow blur run past you, that's just Jesse Cole on his way to his next speech. This episode will open your eyes to how you can set yourself apart from your competition and industry. Jesse's stories, lessons, and experiences all empower you to stand out by being different and focusing on your fans and clients. Fresh out of college, Jesse took over a college wooden bat league baseball team that had no money in the bank account and made it one of the most successful and profitable baseball teams in the country. He did that by realizing that he wasn't in the baseball business, he was in the business of creating memories and experiences. Jesse now owns the Savannah Bananas baseball team. After going in to a stadium that has hosted professional teams that have failed for almost 100 years, the Bananas sell out every single game and have achieved recognition on the national level with ESPN, CNN, and MSNBC featuring their story. The experience their fans receive interacting with the Bananas brand is all the marketing the company needs. If you're ready to find a better way to give your clients the experience they deserve and eliminate your marketing budget, this is the episode for you! Check out Jesse's book, Find Your Yellow Tux. You can hear him on his podcast, Business Done Differently. Be sure to reach out and ask questions after this episode on his LinkedIn. If you want to transform your business, you can book Jesse for speaking engagements and more at findyouryellowtux.com/.

A young David Privitera happened in to the construction industry. Having a tangible result from projects caught his interest and kept the pursuit for more opportunities alive. So when David was moved from Western New York to Charlotte, NC for a potentially great opportunity, he was ready for the challenge. Today, David is the President and CEO of Concorde Construction Company. This episode takes us through David's journey, the hurdles he's faced, and lessons he's learned along the way. He shares why Concorde's 3 Words are Execution, Communication, and People. David goes in depth on flipping the pyramind structure you see in most businesses and having "bottom up leadership". His examples as a leader show how David is truly there to serve those in the company and those working with Concorde Construction. Find David and reach out to him on LinkedIn. Check out Concorde Construction, and be sure to look in to and support The ROC Charlotte Nonprofit, of which David is a board member. Please subscribe, share, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform. Feel free to reach out to [email protected] with any questions or comments.

The journey of Tana Greene, from her beginnings to owning and running a 5 Time Top Fastest Growing National Company by Inc Magazine, is nothing short of awe inspiring. Tana is the Co-Founder and CEO of MyWorkChoice, a company that builds localized communities of highly productive, engaged, W-2 employees, transforming the way companies meet their contingent workforce needs through an easy to use mobile app. She is also the author of Creating A World of Difference, in which Tana shares her philosophy and approach to business, creating a culture of engagement that results in high performance. On top of running an unbelievably successful business and being a published author, Tana finds the time to share her story and lessons through speaking engagements. In this episode, we dive in to finding your competitive advantage, understanding and utilizing your strengths, and how people and culture breed competitive advantage. Tana expands on how core values act as a north star. She hits on the mentality of choosing to be a victim or a survivor. This is a must listen as Tana not only is an incredible example, but you will finish the episode motivated and energized! Check out My Work Choice and Tana on LinkedIn. Subscribe and leave a review. If you have additional comments, feel free to email [email protected]. Check out other episodes on your favorite podcast platform or here.

Today's episode is all about Growing With Purpose. We couldn't have asked for a better guest than Charlie Malouf, CEO of Broad River Retail, DBA Ashley HomeStore. Charlie takes us through his journey and gets authentic about the difficult decisions that come with running a business with a purpose. He shared how the culture of Broad River has led to a purpose focused business; not a company growing just for the sake of growth. A theme throughout the episode is taking responsibility as a leader of an organization. Charlie stressed the need of having a pulse on what's going on inside the business with employees as well as the customer experience. Be sure to reach out to Charlie on LinkedIn. Also see how Broad River Retail is living their purpose. Connect with Gary Frey and Ben McDonald

In our first episode, Ben and Gary have a conversation about the Anything But Typical podcast. Anything But Typical is designed to highlight different paths, decision making, and leadership to share how you can go against the norm and be successful. In this episode you will hear about Ben and Gary's background story, how we connected, and more. Enjoy the first episode and subscribe to the show to be notified about the release our full episodes with guests starting mid January.