Behind the Dreamers

Send us a text This week on Behind the Dreamers, we sit with Dr. Elizabeth Lombardo, the country's most widely interviewed psychologist, to talk about her journey and work, including her latest book "Get Out of the Red Zone." Dr. Lombardo combines research findings, real-life stories, and humor to provide actionable tips that individuals can benefit from immediately. Considered Shaquille O"Neals "Head Coach for Happiness," Dr. Lombardo has appeared on hundreds of radio and TV shows like Dr. Oz, The TODAY Show, Steve Harvey, CNN, and Fox Business News. She continues her mission to free people from the stress of perfectionism.You can learn more about Dr. Elizabeth Lombardo and find her latest book at https://www.elizabethlombardo.com.These are our friends. These are your friends. AND they are living the extraordinary.For a transcript of this episode, go to www.behindthedreamers.com.

Send us a text Nashville recording artist Mark Blomsteel was born and raised in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. He was diagnosed with a genetic eye disease at an early age that would leave him legally blind. That didn't stop Mark. At age 11, he began writing and went on to have his first radio show with MTV Networks. His journey in music led him to meet many greats, including producer Paul Tubbs Williams who worked with the Spice Girls, and Fred Vail, former producer for the Beach Boys. The Dutch Boy, a nickname earned by Nashville locals, has won multiple Dutch CMA awards, including song of the year and male vocalist. In this episode, we learn what it's like living in Mark's world, what he learned through his journey, and what keeps him going. You can learn more about Mark by visiting www.markblomsteel.co. Additionally, his music can be found on Spotify.These are our friends. These are your friends. AND they are living the extraordinary.For a transcript of this episode, go to www.behindthedreamers.com.

Send us a text This week we sit down with Keri Cooper, the owner of Keri Cooper Holistic Therapy, to talk about how she helps teens navigate life, parenting, and her newly published book, Mental Health Uncensored. Keri's approach in working with her clients is to look at the whole person, not just their symptoms, and through her speaking and writing, she helps educate teens and parents on the topics teens face in everyday life. You can learn more about Keri and her work by visiting https://kericooperholistictherapy.comThese are our friends. These are your friends. AND they are living the extraordinary.For a transcript of this episode, go to www.behindthedreamers.com.

Send us a text This week we sit down with Denise Liota, the creator of Artemida, eco-conscious health, beauty, well-being, and lifestyle brand created by women for women + earth. Artemida was founded on the premise of women achieving optimum health and contributing to the well-being of the planet. After 20 years in the nutritional supplement industry, Denise said she wanted to create a supplement that was not in a plastic bottle. She turned her passion into a company that focuses on plastic-free packaging, recycling, and composting. In this episode, you will hear how this company started, some of the challenges incurred, and where Denise plans to take Artemida. We sprinkle in a few knowledge nuggets and some rapid-fire questions to finish it up. You can learn more about Denise and Artemida by visiting https://artemida.loveThese are our friends. These are your friends. AND they are living the extraordinary.For a transcript of this episode, go to www.behindthedreamers.com.

Send us a text This BTD episode is not your ordinary Behind the Dreamers episode. This week we sit down with the not famous but notable father of Brianna, Anthony Fedele. He is a writer, film director, gourmet chef, and avid historian. Mr. Fedele is known for his strategic thinking, new product introductions, and high-profile concepts. He created the advertising campaign that launched Southwest Airlines to success. He was involved in the campaigns for many other product firsts, including the first handheld consumer calculator for Texas Instruments, the first nutritional snack food, and the first pizza home delivery system you will be familiar with, Domino's Pizza. He has been on the international judging committees for the prestigious CLIO and International Broadcast Awards. Additionally, he has received hundreds of creative awards, including Venice Film Festival, International Film Festival of New York, ADDY, and CLIO recognition for both print and broadcast.In this episode, Mr. Fidele talks about his latest story cookbook Little Tommy Clams, why it's unique, and why he decided to write it. He talks about his experience on Gordon Ramsay's Masterchef TV Show and drops in a few other stories. Then we jump into some fun rapid-fire questions. In this episode, you won't find many of our routine questions, and even though Mr. Fedele told us he wasn't here to entertain us, he still managed to keep us laughing. We think you will get a kick out of listening to this brief and entertaining episode of someone who has had a significant impact on the Dallas business community for over 30 years. Be sure you stick around for the outtakes at the end.These are our friends. These are your friends. AND they are living the extraordinary.For a transcript of this episode, go to www.behindthedreamers.com.

Send us a text In this episode, we sit down with Riley Mobz, filmmaker, director, musician, and founding partner of We Are Young Creatives, to talk about his passion for videography, filmmaking, and music. Riley mentions that he and his business partner Juan Gomez decided to find a way to put all their creative passions to use, and through their work, they help their clients bring their concepts to reality. This team has two movies coming out later this year, and Riley offers a little insight into them on our show. Additionally, Riley discusses some of the challenges We Are Young Creatives faces as a business. He provides some advice for aspiring creatives, and we finish up with your rapid-fire questions. If you are interested in hearing some of Riley's music, you can find him on Spotify or Soundcloud. Additionally, you can locate him on Instagram at @riley.mobz or @weareyoungceatives.These are our friends. These are your friends. AND they are living the extraordinary.For a transcript of this episode, go to www.behindthedreamers.com.

Send us a text Anita Hawkins is a mother of two, a model, a four-time author, global philanthropist, certified nutrition specialist, franchise owner, mentor, producer, and entrepreneur extraordinaire with a fierce determination to succeed at whatever she sets out to accomplish. In this episode, Anita talks about what it means to be a lifestyle expert and how she uses her various walks of life to empower others. We talk about branding, affirmations, and forgiveness. Anita shares a bit about her organization, One Reason to Smile, how she became a builder, her franchise, and her books. Her motto is just to do it, and this fierce woman is doing it all with grace and style. You can learn more about Anita and her work at http://anitaehawkins.com.These are our friends. These are your friends. AND they are living the extraordinary.For a transcript of this episode, go to www.behindthedreamers.com.

Send us a text MaiLinh Ho is the Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer at RevoGens, a mental fitness platform that helps people reach their peak performance. In this episode, MailLinh shares what RevoGens is, how it came about, and who it serves. She talks about the social giving component associated with the company, giving back to young students and young Millennials. She shares some of the newly formed company's challenges, what's keeping them in the game, and what a client might expect when working with RevoGens. MaiLinh finishes up this epsiode by suggesting that if you are going to create something, build something you would want because you have to tap into your purpose and your passion.You can learn more about MaiLinh Ho and RevoGens by visiting https://www.revogens.com.These are our friends. These are your friends. AND they are living the extraordinary.For a transcript of this episode, go to www.behindthedreamers.com.

Send us a text This week on Behind the Dreamers, we sit down with Malcolm Farmer, the President and General Manager of the Texas Legends in Frisco, TX, to talk about his journey, the organization, and what it all means.We open up this episode with Malcolm talking about his introduction to the Texas Legends. He mentioned his goal was to return to college basketball after two years, but he grew to love what the Texas Legends organization was doing on and off the court. Malcolm talks about what a spectator may experience when visiting a game, what makes this organization unique, and its impact on small businesses. He offers some advice on what to do when faced with a challenge, and we finish up with some rapid-fire questions.Thirteen years later, Malcolm is still committed to the organization. He mentions, aside from the achievement the organization has earned, that leading in community engagement, smiles on the court, and original entertainment is most important to him. If you want to learn more about Malcolm and the Texas Legends, check out http://www.texlegends.com.These are our friends. These are your friends. AND they are living the extraordinary.For a transcript of this episode, go to www.behindthedreamers.com.

Send us a text This week on Behind the Dreamers, the Starter Girlz go on location at 12 Cuts Brazilian Steakhouse in Dallas to chat with Alda Boiani, one of two owners on the husband-wife team. Alda began her journey in the restaurant industry working for Fogo de Chao and was behind its expansion when it came to the US in 1997. She says her goal was to either retire from the company or start a business, and she was too young to retire. Taking all the things she didn't appreciate about the restaurant industry, she created a company focused on providing the best customer experience combined with a unique environment for her staff. Having opened the restaurant right before the pandemic hit, 12 Cuts has continued to grow due to this team's work ethic, passion, and determination.We open this episode with Alda talking about her beginnings in Brazil, living in a poor rural area where she had no electricity until 16. As a young child, Alda said she had the vision to fly, and that vision allowed her to better her life and afford houses for her parents and all her siblings. What does Alda attribute to her success? She mentions working hard and never complaining, staying connected to her passion, finishing what she starts, and loving what she does. Of course, she has challenges as a restauranteur, but she says she delivers what she promises, and her employees are family.You can learn more about Alda Boiani and 12 Cuts Brazilian Steakhouse by visiting www.12cutssteakhouse.com and if you are in the area, go check them out. They have 12 of the best meats and promise to give you an unparalleled experience.These are our friends. These are your friends. And they are living the extraordinary.For a transcript of this episode, go to www.behindthedreamers.com.

Send us a text This week we sit down with Rob Bliss, the founder, and CEO of SmartOffice USA and Purple Cow Branding, to talk about networking, entrepreneurship, and books.We open this episode up with a conversation about the advantages of networking. Rob mentions that his passion is to change people's mindset on the subject, and to assist in that, he has created some resources. He talks about his early career in the phone business, how he became the Chief Sales Guy, and what SmartOffice USA offers. Rob shares that Purple Cow Branding came about because he saw a need to help his clients with their digital marketing and thus has created some DIY programs to assist them. We have a lengthy discussion about entrepreneurship, and Rob stresses the importance of having a mentor. There are many mentions of books and some fun rapid-fire questions worth sticking around to hear.You can learn more about Rob at https://smartofficeusa.com and https://www.purplecowbranding.com.These are our friends. These are your friends. AND they are living the extraordinary.For a transcript of this episode, go to www.behindthedreamers.com.

Send us a text This week, we sit down with Olga Wharton Newman, the DFW Pet Sitting Services founder, to talk all things about her company. We open this episode up with Olga, sharing how her need for pet sitting services inspired the creation of her company. She wanted to offer the same level of care that her pets experienced to her clients, and because her client base grew, she had to expand. Olga shares some of the challenges she incurred, highlighting that everything changed in her business when she learned to let go, trust, and not micromanage her people. Her company is now thriving with over 200 employees.We discuss the value of hiring the right people, keeping them, and the importance of the human touch. She offers excellent advice for anyone starting a company to take small risks for the big goal. Olga currently resides in CA but says she has no intention of moving her business out of Texas because she prefers to focus on giving quality service, and she loves Texas.You can learn more about Olga and DFW Pet Sitting Services by visiting https://www.dfwpetsitting.com.These are our friends. These are your friends. AND they are living the extraordinary. #btdpodcast #startergirlzFor a transcript of this episode, go to www.behindthedreamers.com.

Send us a text This week we sit down with Tricia Roos, a Dallas wife, and mother who built her career coaching young athletes. After two back-to-back state championships, Tricia would become pregnant, and volleyball season would start. As the baby grew, she would come to discover and deliver a daughter diagnosed with a fatal chromosome condition, rewriting the medical chapter on Trisomy 18. We open this episode with Tricia talking about Trisomy 18, the diagnosis, the decision to continue with the pregnancy, and the events leading up to the death of her child six days after birth. She talks about how the tragedy prepared her to make another drastic change and leave a job that she no longer felt fulfilled to pursue being an entrepreneur. She talks about what has kept her in the game and offers advice for anyone starting as an entrepreneur. Some key takeaways in this episode are:* Find support* Don't reinvent the wheel* Know yourself and what you need in times of tragedy* Pivot when needed* Find the blessing in your struggles. Be sure you stick around for the rapid-fire questions at the end. We did a pretty good job of sticking to rapid on these.You can learn more about Tricia and her story by visiting https://www.whenwisheschange.com.These are our friends. These are your friends. AND they are living the extraordinary. #btdpodcastFor a transcript of this episode, go to www.behindthedreamers.com.

Send us a text This week, in our final episode at the lovely Staycation Coffee in Richardson, TX, we sit down with Sheena Sharapata, an eight-time concussion and Trigeminal Neuralgia survivor. Sheena suffered from migraine with aura for 18 years before being diagnosed with the condition referred to as the suicide disease. We open this episode with Sheena walking us through her journey, losing an athletic scholarship to hopping on a plan to have microvascular decompression surgery on the right side of her head. She went on to have the surgery done again on her left side and now has helped over 150+ people seek treatment through her neurosurgeon. Sheena talks about what she learned going through the experience, how mindset was necessary, and that not having the diagnosis was the biggest challenge. We finish with conversations around the charitable foundation she plans to create, and the community events she and Planet Ford 635 are doing to help veterans. These are our friends. These are your friends. AND they are living the extraordinary.For a transcript of this episode, go to www.behindthedreamers.com.

Send us a text This week on Behind the Dreamers, we sit down with Ashley Kinney, the owner of Your Web Guys and Kinney Studios, to talk about her beginnings as a photographer and how it has spawned multiple businesses and new endeavors. We open this episode up with Ashley talking about her early introduction to photography and how she received the award for best photographer in Dallas. She talks about how her photography work assists her clients in all her businesses and why she loves doing it. Ashley shares a bit about Your Web Guys and DFW Accelerator, focusing on how each company adds value for small business owners. We talk about charitable foundations she works with and some of the challenges she faces managing work and life harmony. Ashley wraps it up by offering sound advice for anyone starting as an entrepreneur. We had a lot of fun with the rapid-fire questions and learning about Ashley.You can learn more about Your Web Guys by visiting https://www.your-web-guys.com.Thank you again to Staycation Coffee for letting us use their space to highlight a local entrepreneur.These are our friends. These are your friends. AND they are living the extraordinary. #btdpodcastFor a transcript of this episode, go to www.behindthedreamers.com.

Send us a text This week we took our show out of the studio and headed to a coffee shop in Richardson, Texas, to talk to Nicole Gregory. Nicole is the owner of Staycation Coffee, a business built on the idea that it's a space where people exchange ideas and stories; a place of gathering with friends and neighbors; a place to pause and enjoy this beverage the majority of us think of as "let me shoot it and go."We open this episode up with Nicole sharing a bit about her upbringing and how it taught her to embrace the simple things in life. She discusses her transition from farm life to NYC and the moment she knew coffee would be her business. We talk about the importance of personal touch with customers, taking care of employees, and understanding why you are in business. Nicole shares some of the challenges starting, what's keeping her going at this business, and she offers a tip that will help any business owner succeed.This episode has many takeaways and some great not-so-quick rapid-fire questions. You can learn more about Staycation at https://www.staycationtx.com. If you are in the area, be sure you stop by and say "hello" to Nicole.These are our friends. These are your friends. AND they are living the extraordinary.For a transcript of this episode, go to www.behindthedreamers.com.

Send us a text Justin Radeka is a serial product developer and technology evangelist who has led significant initiatives at large and small companies. He has served in various positions leading technology teams and has worked with several companies, including UK's most prominent technology firm, ARM Ltd, Hewlett Packard, Cisco Systems, and EVGA. Additionally, Justin is a four-time start-up founder, a board of advisors for multiple start-up companies, and an expert in scaled growth. Currently, he is the CEO of ONE I/e, a nonprofit organization that helps "main street" entrepreneurs take their business ideas and scale them. He also sits on the Board Chair for Kruxx, a stroller company, and Ditale an outdoor clothing company for women.In episode 5 we, open with Justin talking about his transition from a for-profit business to a nonprofit organization and how ONE i/e formed. He shares that ONE i/e provides education, mentorship, a community, advocacy, and research as part of their program. We jump into a conversation about the importance of mentors and community. When asked what the biggest challenge in creating the nonprofit was, Justin shares that it was the move from technology, but he also wants to keep learning, trying, and giving back. That is what keeps him in the game. We talk about gratitude, queso, Montana, and living outside our comfort zone. There are a lot of laughs in this one, some great conversation, and a whole lot of takeaways.You can learn more about Justin and ONE i/e by visiting https://oneie.org/.We are talking to the achiever, the creators, the magic-makers, and the creators. These are our friends. These are your friends. AND they are living the extraordinary.For a transcript of this episode, go to www.behindthedreamers.com.

Send us a text Raylene Proto is a driven entrepreneur, single mom, and the CEO of Ditale Outdoors, a women's technical outdoor apparel company. As an avid bow hunter, outdoorswoman, and former fashion law legal beagle, she was tired of poor selections and function of hunting and outdoor apparel for women.We opened this episode with Raylene talking about the inspiration behind her apparel company and what it looked like creating this business in the beginning as we were amid a pandemic. She talks about not letting go of perfectionism, recognizing that she is on a journey, and being open to learning daily. Raylene also touches upon the importance of mentorship and surrounding yourself with the right people. We finish with Raylene talking about what keeps her motivated, she offers advice to entrepreneurs starting, and we may or may not speak about Marvel characters.You can learn more about Raylene and Ditale Outdoors by visiting https://ditaleoutdoors.com/.We are talking to the achiever, the creators, the magic makers, and the dreamers. These are our friends. These are your friends. AND they are living the extraordinary.For a transcript of this episode, go to www.behindthedreamers.com.

Send us a text Drew Myers is an enlivener and story seeker. He allows others to share their story with hopes that they also embrace their story. Through his podcasts and speaking engagements, he showcases and celebrates individuals who have given themselves permission to live radically honest lives, pursue their dreams and live on purpose.We open this episode with Drew telling us what an enlivener is and how he came up with this title. He talks about finding himself after having 11 jobs in 11 years when the introduction of sports and news radio came his way, changing his life trajectory. We discuss his newly released book and the process behind it, his podcast, and what is on the horizon. Drew finishes up by sharing some great advice from his father, and we round it off with our rapid-fire questions.You can find out more about Drew, his new book, and his podcast by visiting https://www.drewmyers.life/.We are talking to the achiever, the creators, the magic makers, and the dreamers. These are our friends. These are your friends. AND they are living the extraordinary.For a transcript of this episode, go to www.behindthedreamers.com.

Send us a text Stu Massengill is a Peak Performance Strategist for Tony Robbins and the founder of Finding Direction. He helps people go from lost in life to creating a life full of passion and fulfillment through his podcast and university.In this episode, we open with Stu talking about his role as National Trainor for Tony Robbins, the inspiration for his company Finding Direction, and how he helps others discover how to do work that lights up their soul. Stu shares some insights on what it is like to work with Tony Robbins, touching upon the importance of pivoting in life, immersing yourself in things you love, and surrounding yourself with the right people. We dive into a discussion about trying new experiences, why failure is a prerequisite to success, and we learn that Stu doesn't watch tv. Good answer, by the way.You can find out more about Stu and his podcast "Finding Direction" by visiting https://www.stumassengill.com.We are talking to the achiever, the creators, the magic makers, and the dreamers. These are our friends. These are your friends. AND they are living the extraordinary.For a transcript of this episode, go to www.behindthedreamers.com.

Send us a text Seneca KMIR Alma is the founder of The KMIR Experience. Seneca has spent most of his adult life in Federal and State prisons, and through his experience in incarceration, wove many of the concepts found in KMIR "Keep Me In Remembrance." Through his workshops, products, fitness camps, and lectures, Seneca helps those that have gotten off track in life.In our first episode, Seneca walks us through his journey in prison, describes the catalyst for his transformation, his introduction to fitness, and how he came to know meditation. He talks about his organization, his brand new subscription box, and other creative things he is working on, including some music. We finish with Seneca's powerful advice for anyone wanting to start a new endeavor and some serious but not serious fun rapid-fire questionsYou can learn more about Seneca and The KMIR Experience at https://www.kmir.life/.We are talking to the achievers, the creators, the magic-makers, and the dreamers. These are our friends. These are your friends. AND they are living the extraordinary.For a transcript of this episode, go to www.behindthedreamers.com.