Elevation Nation

The difference between leading and managing is vast. Yet many people are managers, without being leaders. This leads to stress, ambiguity, and lack of connection. Sam and Parker discuss their thoughts on the difference between leading and managing through their experiences and what you can do to distinguish between the two.

AG Liber has had some very unique experiences after graduating from the University of Southern California in 2019. He started full time at VISA as a software engineer and soon quit his job after a few months to double down on a project called Banqdrop. However, and you’ll hear it in the episode, Banqdrop, as AG puts it, was a “successful flop”.Now, AG is working on a new job at the autonomous technology company called Nuro. In just two years since graduation, AG has experienced a TON of change in his life with many ups and down. In this episode, we talk through those experiences and how he uses mental fortitude to keep going as he continues to elevate himself in the real world. LinkedInPersonal WebsiteNuro

As many marathons are happening across the United States, Sam had the privilege to stand at the end of the Boston marathon and witness all the runners cross the finish line. On the other hand, Parker is gearing up to run his first marathon in a month; a goal that he set out to achieve in January. This week, the conversation is centered all around what we can learn from the mindset that marathoners have to adopt in order to overcome the battle of running 26.2 miles. You could say they have a whole lot of mental fortitude.

Matt Dutko is a White House Advance Associate and a graduate student at Johns Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies where he is focused on studying the intersection of climate, energy technology and global economies. As we were recording this interview, Matt was in Poland where he was part of the US Department of Energy delegation collaborating with US allies on the important topic of climate change.In this episode, we talk with Matt about where his passion and drive for civil service comes from, his thoughts on "our responsibility" of mitigating climate change and how he continues to try to use mental fortitude to reach his goals.LinkedInInstagram

It's been a long, stressful, and exhausting pandemic... And we are tired! More and more, people are claiming they are burnt out. We explore what burnout really means, how to prevent it and the new realities our generation faces in the working world compared to our parents. If you are feeling tired and uninspired, this is the episode for you!

Six years ago, Rob Lawless jumped full-time into entrepreneurship. But he didn’t have a product or a service like the typical entrepreneur…. He set out on a mission to meet ten thousand people one-on-one for at least an hour. Now in 2021, Rob has met over 4,600 people from all over the world. He has shared his wild experiences with Ryan Seacrest, The Today Show, The Kelly Clarkson Show and stages around the country to discuss his “crazy” idea. We talk with Rob about what he has learned about the power of human connection through his project. But we also have a deep conversation about his transition from college to the real world where he started on a “typical” graduate route and how he uses mental fortitude to continue to reach his major milestone of meeting 10K people.InstagramWebsiteInterview on Today ShowInterview on The Kelly Clarkson Show

After we listened to an episode on the How I Built This Podcast, we talk through a story that their guest shared about weaknesses. We continued the conversation about how we use self-awareness to understand our weaknesses and double down on our strengths. It seems like a dilemma at times, but hear us out! For the perspective of the week, we shout out Don Miguel Ruiz who author of the book “The Four Agreements” on a legendary quote.

Mallory (Mal) Rothstein is an Administrative Business Partner at Google. Outside of Google, she is the founder of More Than an Admin, a community for assistants to share their experiences and support each other. She is also founder of Learn What Matters which has a mission to help high school students invest in their personal development. AND she is a Tedx speaker!Mal joins us for a conversation to talk about her experiences in making a difference in the real world and how she prioritizes self-awareness to chase her dreams.LinkedInInstagramMore Than an Admin

It takes time to get into a good routine. Things become more comfortable and we become familiar with what we expect to come our way on any given day. However, often times, our routines are interrupted and can leave us feeling a bit uneasy. This week, we talk through how we handle a change in routine both in the working world and our professional lives. Also, Parker shouts out Los Angeles Lakers “star” Alex Caruso for the quote of the week.

Jesse Kay is not your average college student. While he goes to class, loves to socialize and explore his college campus, Jesse spends most of his time focusing on bettering himself and his businesses. He wakes up early eager to take on the next challenge he faces. Instead of running away from the uncomfortable, Jesse uses mental fortitude to elevate him towards his goals. And although he just turned 21, Jesse has done some pretty cool things…✅ Started a company before graduating high school✅ Interviewed some of the biggest names in entrepreneurship and sports like Mark Cuban, Adam Schefter, Jack Dorsey and Candace Parker on his podcast✅ Raised $100,000+ for COVID-19 reliefIn this episode, we speak with Jesse about his love for entrepreneurship, where his drive comes from, how he faces his anxiety and so much more.LinkedInInstagramTwitterMakin’ Lemonade Fund for COVID-19 ReliefTrendsetters Podcast

Sam turned 26 last week and was able to take the time to celebrate with friends and family. However, on the inside, Sam didn’t necessarily feel the joy that he was displaying to others on the outside. In this episode, we talk through the realizations of growing up and getting that much closer to 30 years old than 20….. Parker shouts out Rich Keller, the brand master and our mentor, for the quote of the week.

Morry Zolet is an Executive Director at Morgan Stanley where he advises his clients on creating wealth. However, Morry is so much more than a financial advisor. He is a philanthropist, mentor, family man and a lover of life.Morry is a guy that never hesitates to get a little introspective. We jump into a deep conversation with him about how he was able to elevate himself in the real world when he graduated college, his advice for young adults who want to live a “wealthy” life beyond just finances, and how he uses mental fortitude to make a difference in the world.LinkedIn

We all go through change in our lives. Sometimes its voluntary, sometimes it’s good and sometimes it might be bad. But change is inevitable. This week, we talk through a recent change that Sam has gone through in his life and how he is acclimating to his new norm. Later in the episode, Parker shouts out the well respected writer Mitch Albom with an all-time quote.

Brett Dashevsky always knew he wanted to be an entrepreneur. After graduating college a little more than a year ago, Brett is already making his mark on the real world. Fueling his passion for entrepreneurship, Brett co-founded Healthcare Huddle with his brother while working as a full-time employee at Capital One. Healthcare Huddle is a free weekly newsletter with the goal of changing the way the healthcare community stays up to date on all things healthcare. We talk with Brett about where his desire for entrepreneurship comes from, what it’s like to handle a full time job with building a business from the ground up, digital media in 2021, and life as a young adult in the real world.Brett may not think it, but we certainly took one thing away from the conversation… He exudes mental fortitude.LinkedIn

To elevate ourselves in the workplace, we more likely than not will have to have difficult conversations with leaders, managers, or other people who make decisions. It almost seems like nervousness and anxiety is inevitable. However, we discuss some helpful techniques that have worked for us to prepare and manage a difficult conversation in the workplace. And of course, it starts with exercising some mental fortitude.

Jack Settleman is the Founder of Snapback Sports, a sports media company that has cemented itself as a leader in the new age of sports media. SnapBack Sports has the largest sports Snapchat account in the world with over 1 million followers and over 500+ million views and a top sports podcast called SnapBack Podcast.While Jack is killing it as a CEO and content creator, he is so much more than what he does for work. Jack has a passion for community service, NFTs, the Baltimore Ravens, and showing love to his fans, friends, and family each day.This week, we go beyond sports and have a deep conversation with Jack about who he is and how he got to where he is now… because at the end of the day, he is just another young adult trying to figure out the real world.InstagramTwitterSnapBack PodcastWikipedia

As a young adult in the real world, it can be difficult to decide how and where to put our money. Whether our cash is going towards rent, a savings or brokerage account, retirement fund or the local sushi spot, figuring out a balanced system can be overwhelming. We talk through our very different financial mindsets and how we sometimes need a little mental fortitude to stay true to our goals.

Cassidy Burns is a Real Estate enthusiast. He is currently a Team Lead at Keller Williams Capital Properties and owner of BPG, a property management firm based out of D.C. However, Cassidy attributes much of his success in real estate to a prioritized focus on his mindset.We talk with Cassidy about…How his first job out of college as a fitness trainer was one of his most impactful learning opportunitiesPersonal finances for people in their 20sReal estate Cassidy’s mental fortitudeInstagramTikTokLinkedInBPG Residential

It is getting to that time of the year when college graduates are starting their first jobs. As a common theme on The Elevation Nation Podcast, we take the time to get vulnerable and share what we struggled with in our first few weeks in our first job. More importantly, we talk through our advice to new hires on how to use mental fortitude to find footing in this new environment.

After college Jeremy Stauffer was on a typical engineering route. Graduate with an engineering degree and join the corporate world. Although he liked his job, Jeremy has always had a love for boating. So much so, that he tried starting a boating company while working his full time job. When he realized that he found himself focusing so much more time and attention on boating, he quit his job to go all in.We talk with Jeremy about this experience and how we uses mental fortitude to run his own boating company brokering, operating and captaining all types of boats. You could say that he is the “captain of his own life” now. LinkedIn

After getting a bit vulnerable with the girls from the Before We Make It podcast, we continue the conversation around relationships, love and using mental fortitude to be a better partner.

Emma Garza and Dasom Lee, co-hosts of Before We Make It Podcast, recently graduated college and similarly are trying to figure out the “real world”. In over 70+ episodes of The Elevation Nation Podcast, we have not discussed in detail one very important topic that we all experience as young adults and Emma and Dasom were the perfect guests to talk about…DATING AND LOVE IN THE REAL WORLD!In this episode, we all get a bit vulnerable sharing our experiences, lessons learned and insights into how to use mental fortitude to be a better partner and/or figure out dating as a young adult. As you can imagine, things get fun…Before We Make It PodcastIG: Emma GarzaIG: Dasom Lee

After speaking with Dr. Adam Possner, we discuss how navigating health care in the real world has been a challenge for us. We have had a few eye opening experiences when it comes to doctor visits, paying bills and figuring out ways to make the best decisions for our own health. You can it was a rude awakening.

This week we are fortunate enough to have Dr. Adam Possner of North Bethesda Primary Care join the podcast. We jump into an insightful conversation about what young adults should consider when it comes to physical and mental health. Also, we discuss the basics of the health care industry, health insurance and making informed decisions for your well-being.

United States gymnast Simone Biles is the face of this year’s Olympics. However, while competing for gold alongside her team, she decided to take herself out of competition…Not for a physical injury, but a mental one.We talk through Simone’s decision and how she is the perfect example of someone displaying mental fortitude.

Brenner London is now an expat (someone who lives outside of their native country). Not too long ago, Brenner took advantage of an opportunity that was presented to him at work and moved from the United States to Amsterdam, Netherlands. As a young adult, Brenner is navigating new cultures in Europe. He is making the most of his experience by doubling down on his self-awareness and vision. This week, we talk with Brenner about his decision to move abroad, some of the crazy experiences he has had and the challenges he faces while immersing himself in a new culture.Brenner is also a podcast host himself! Check out the Expat Podcast on Spotify to hear more about life as an expat.Expat PodcastLinkedIn

Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks just captured their first NBA title in 50 years this week. Elevation Nation might recall after Game 4, Giannis said something remarkable about his mindset to the media. We break down what Giannis had to say and how much his mindset relates to the concept of mental fortitude.

Professor, recruiter, and business guru Mike Poerksen has spent his career in the corporate world. As a director of recruiting for many organizations, Mike knows exactly what companies are looking for when hiring for internships and full-time jobs. The guys talk to Mike about what skills students need to land their dream job, as well as how to stand out to get hired in this "post" COVID world. LinkedIn

We will be honest. Last week, we hit a wall. But then we had a conversation with our mentor Rich Keller. Two hours later, we were back on track and more inspired than we have been in months. Mentors give us advice and hold us accountable, but more importantly provide us with reminders of the important things in life that we may have forgotten about. This week, we talk about the power of mentors and how to go about making a mentor/mentee relationship more impactful.

After his collegiate basketball career came to an end, Eric Porter was looking for a way to stay close to the game he loved. Upon the end of his playing career, a joke conversation about making a shoe turned into a Chicago footwear brand taking the country by storm. The guys talk to Eric about how he utilized his ability to learn on the fly and his Mental Fortitude to help create the apparel movement, Stria Sport. Stria SportStria InstagramEric InstagramLinkedIn

After their conversation with Hayden Humphrey on taking time to slow down, the guys talk about their week off of work for the 4th of July holiday and how they are taking time to slow down and get introspective.

Self-awareness is a skill that isn't taught in school. Yet, it is crucial to developing Mental Fortitude and finding fulfillment in the real world. For coach and entrepreneur Hayden Humphrey, he needed to slow down and learn who he was in order to find his path. And now, he's helping others do the same, exact thing. Hayden Humphrey CoachingLift ApparelLinkedInInstagram

After talking with Alex Sheinman this week, the guys were inspired by his "just do it attitude". Sam and Parker discuss ways you can take the first step towards your goals and hold yourself accountable to keep the momentum going.

You can either wait for opportunities to come to you, or you can go out there and create them yourself. Alex Sheinman (@alexsheinman) chooses to make his own fate. From creating one of the most successful events at Penn State to raising more than $125k for COVID-19 relief, Alex has learned to not wait for things to happen, and to just do it yourself.InstagramLinkedInBoardroom University

This week, Professor Jennifer Gershberg shared her thoughts on where Gen Z and Millenial students excelled and where they needed to improve. Funny enough, Parker and Sam came across a music video by Kenny Chesney called "Rich and Miserable". In it, the professor asks the students to write one word to replace “miserable” with what they want to give to the world. It was the perfect conversation starter for this week. The guys discuss try to figure out why more young adults don't ask themselves this meaningful question.

As a professor at the University of Maryland, Jennifer has a major impact on the lives of young people each year. In this week's episode, she provides an honest perspective of where Millenial and Gen Z students excel... and where they might need some work! LinkedInMaryland Profile

People don't realize, being young has huge advantages. People WANT to help you. The guys talk about how they utilized this hidden secret to help them excel in the real world.

Questions can be extremely powerful. Especially if they come from a genuine place. The guys talk to Zach Garelik about how he used a simple question to kickstart his career and get his dream job, a place to live, and more.LinkedInInstagram

After talking with Jesse Cohen, Sam and Parker share ways they push themselves and each other to push outside their comfort zones and grow.

Jesse Cohen has followed an eerily familiar path to Parker and Sam. They all grew up in similar towns, went to Big 10 schools, and got the normal, corporate job. But Jesse soon realized this was not the life he wanted, so he did something about it and starting living by his own rules, helping himself and other people create their ideal lives. The guys talk to Jesse about introspection, living true to yourself, and how to break out of societal expectations.InstagramJesse Cohen CoachingFree Call with Jesse!

After talking with Alex Myers this week about his difficult transition from college to the real world, the guys decide to reflect on their first year out of school and compare it to now. Sam and Parker talk about the struggles they had in year one, what they know now in year three, and the issues they are still facing as young adults.

You prepare your whole life for it. You think you know what to expect. But the "real world" can hit you, hard. On the show this week, the guys talk with one of the first members of Elevation Nation, their mentee, Alex Myers. Sam and Parker have been working with Alex, helping him with his transition to the real world. They talk with Alex about his struggles, his future plans, and how Elevation Nation helped him conquer the real world. Time Out with Alex MyersInstagram

Parker and Sam talk about a big change in Parker’s life; his move from DC to NYC! With both Parker’s move and recent college grads joining the real world, the guys discuss how new chapters are perfect times to get introspective, reset and assess goals.

Our generation has the ability to share their opinions easier than ever before thanks to social media. But typically, our voices end up in an "echo chamber" only hearing similar thoughts to our own. Sophie Beren is on a mission through her organization "The Conversationalist" to amplify and unify the voices of Gen Z to help people have conversations from all points of view. The guys talk to Sophie about her mission and why self-awareness is so important for young people in the real world.The ConversationalistInstagramSophie's Instagram

For the 50th episode of the Elevation Nation Podcast, Sam and Parker reflect on the highlights of their many incredible conversations. If you want a quick summary to figure out which episode to listen to next, listen up! The guys also give a sneak peek at some of the exciting developments in store for Elevation Nation. Here's to another 50 episodes!

Professional golfers have very little margin of error. Bennett Wisner is at the top of his game, but it is his mental mindset that truly allows him to dominate on and off the golf course. The guys talk to Bennett to learn about life on tour and how he approaches mastering his mindset before rounds, in between holes, after the tournament, and most importantly the real world. InstagramPGA Tour Profile

After their discussion with the Beneficial Pain guys this week, Parker and Sam reflect on what they can do to make the world a better place. If young adults have a hard time figuring out the value they add to the world, giving back can be a great place to start.

Beneficial Pain is a non-profit focused on redirecting the mindset around pain and making a positive impact on their communities. After going through painful events in their lives, Billy, Devin and their team set out to turn their struggles into strengths for themselves and others. Sam and Parker talk to the guys about their own painful pasts, including the timely events surrounding social injustices.Beneficial PainInstagramBilly WingoDevin HarvinChange the Pain Day Video

The guys continue the conversation they had with Rich Keller this week on defining your personal brand. Sam and Parker talk about an issue plaguing young adults in today's world as more and more people let careers define who they are. Learn how Parker and Sam struggled with this reality, and what they did to define themselves on their own terms.

Rich Keller is a speaker, podcast host, influencer, father, cancer survivor, and "The Catalyst". Rich has been an indispensable coach and mentor for Parker and Sam on their entrepreneurial journey the past two years. The guys talk to Rich about his inspiring story, how he became "The Catalyst" and how he is on a mission to help one million people craft their personal brand with “One Word”Learn More About RichRich's Podcast "The Catalyst Effect"