Aisha Ceballos-Crump is a first-generation Hispanic American who is the founder of two beauty brands, Botanika Beauty and Honey Baby Naturals, both multi-million dollar brands that are sold in Walmart, Target, and Sally. She is also a member of The Global Beauty Alliance and Target's Business Partner Council, serving as the only minority woman focusing on diversity and inclusion in Target's stores. Aisha was born and raised in Indiana. Both of her grandparents immigrated to Gary, Indiana during the steel industry boom to create a better life for their families, but when the steel industry crashed, so did the city. The entire city changed nearly overnight, and Aisha grew up determined that she would not stay in that place. At 28, and with a kid, she realized that she wanted to start her own business. She heard a casting call for Richard Branson’s TV show Rebel Billionaire. She went for it, and, out of 250,000 applicants, she was selected to be on the show. This became the turning point where she decided she would do anything she wanted to do, and find a way to make it happen. Determined to show everyone what she was capable of, Aisha flew out to London to be on the show… only to be eliminated in the first episode. Devastated, she went back home, feeling like a failure, but the producers called her back for the finale and she had an amazing time. She felt like she belonged. She decided then and there that she was going to put her all into making her business dreams come true. She quit her high-paying job, put her entire life’s savings on the line, and, eventually, Honey Baby Naturals was born. Aisha later founded Botanika Beauty to embrace her heritage, and, in her first year, got into 300 Target and 1,200 Walmart locations. In her place on the Small Business Council at Target, she fights for diversity, inclusion, and representation. What Brett asks: [01:01] Can you tell us about the beginning? Where you grew up, the family dynamic, all of it? [03:19] What do you remember about being in this environment and seeing it “go away?” [07:33] How did you learn to embrace your gifts instead of dumbing them down? [14:30] Can you tell me about your performing arts school experience? [18:09] Tell me about how your college life and early career emerge? [24:24] What happened when you realized that you didn’t want to become an engineer? [30:28] When did you realize how everything in your life started coming together? [41:54] Can you tell us a little about Honey Baby and what you’re up to now? To learn more about intentional living, and for the complete show notes, visit: https://gravityproject.com/ (gravityproject.com) Resources: https://www.honeybabynaturals.com/ (honeybabynaturals.com) https://botanikabeauty.com/ (botanikabeauty.com) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aisha-ceballos-crump-3154676 (linkedin.com/in/aisha-ceballos-crump-3154676) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aisharc/?hl=en (@aisharc) Gravity is a production of http://crate.media (Crate Media).

Gravity

88. Elevating Beyond Your Environment with Aisha Ceballos-Crump

Content warning: this episode features mentions of suicide. If you or anyone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, please reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 800-273-8255. Dr. Mark Goulston is the co-founder of Michelangelo Mindset. Founders, entrepreneurs, and fortune 500 CEOs hire him when there is a critical or urgent problem they want to deal with or an amazing opportunity they don't want to miss. He coaches them to tap into the way Michelangelo saw his masterpiece sculptures in blocks of marble. He would carve until he set them free.  Mark is also the author or co-author of nine books, with his book, Just Listen, being translated into 28 languages and becoming the top book about listening in the world. He hosts the highly rated My Wakeup Call podcast, and is a former UCLA professor of psychiatry and FBI hostage negotiation trainer. Mark considers his greatest personal accomplishment to be graduating from medical school after dropping out on two separate occasions. He didn’t drop out because he changed his mind or he wanted to see the world, but he had untreated and undiagnosed depression that was holding him back. He could not retain all of the information contained in his textbooks, so he quit. Mark started working blue collar jobs after that first absence, and this ended up having a very calming effect on his mind. But something in him convinced him to go back to medical school again, and the same thing happened: his mind just wasn’t working. One day he was called into the dean’s office and was told that he’d essentially been kicked out. Growing up being taught that you are only worth what you can do in life, this was a severe shock to his system. He thought about ending his life that day, but the dean told him, “Mark, you didn’t mess up, but you are messed up.” He said if he got fixed up, the school would not regret giving him a second chance. And he did. Mark fixed himself up and returned to medical school a third time, this time graduating, and now he’s focused on paying it forward. In that moment where he almost gave up and his dean gave him a chance, Mark began focusing on suicide prevention and helping others who may have been in his shoes. What Brett asks: [04:36] Can you paint a picture for us about your early years? [17:55] What has it been like to fight back against the conditioning that told you to stop being creative? [41:36] Why is it so hard to do what we know matters? To learn more about intentional living, and for the complete show notes, visit: https://gravityproject.com/ (gravityproject.com) Resources: https://markgoulston.com/ (markgoulston.com) https://michelangelomindset.com/ (michelangelomindset.com) Listen: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/my-wakeup-call-with-dr-mark-goulston/id1439752757~ (My Wakeup Call) Audio Course: http://himilaya.com/defeat (himilaya.com/defeat) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markgoulston (linkedin.com/in/markgoulston) Watch: https://youtu.be/OqZmDLTFntI (TEEN MENTAL HEALTH WEBINAR) Gravity is a production of http://crate.media (Crate Media).

87. Crafting a Michelangelo Mindset: Finding the Angel in the Marble

Wanona Satcher is the founder and CEO of Mākhers Studio, a green manufacturing and modular design build company. She’s a graduate of Auburn University College of Architecture, Design and Construction, and Dartmouth College Tuck School of Business. She’s written for The Huffington Post, and participated in both the CityLab Aspen Institute, and Bloomberg Philanthropies National Innovation Program. Wanona was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, and that had a profound impact on who she grew into. Not only was she surrounded by family and community members who were entrepreneurial in spirit as well as community-focused, but she was also surrounded by civil rights leaders and the bedrock of the civil rights movement. She grew up knowing that there is always an obligation to do more for others and do it in a way where you meet people where they are. All of this led to her asking: what does it mean to build conscious communities? While working a government job after college, Wanona created an innovation lab. She was working at the intersection of tech, research, agriculture, music, and more. She began submitting proposals to build community labs where low-income residents could work with high-income residents, create new technologies together, and enable upward mobility. It didn’t become a reality, but ideas from that started gaining traction – particularly the idea of using shipping containers – a sustainable resource – to provide value instead of having them just sit around like normal. After leaving her government job, she created Mākhers Studio with the idea of utilizing small spaces for big impact. This brought together her passion for curating to allow people the opportunity to create their own experiences, while also using sustainable resources. Wanona believes that we need spaces to bring together people of different backgrounds to create a common language: common ground. She physically does that with Mākhers Studio, and she advocates for empathy and mindfulness to create those emotional connections necessary to make it happen and forward social impact. What Brett asks: [01:21] Can you start at the beginning and tell us about your early childhood? [07:35] How much of what you experienced as a kid was a part of who you are today? [14:02] How did mindfulness become a part of your parents’ life to pass on to you? [21:30] What emerged for you during high school and college? [31:22] How did dealing with that uninformed teenager shape your career? [36:18] What are these communities that you’re building? What shape are they taking? [47:40] How has mindfulness come and gone in your life? To learn more about intentional living, and for the complete show notes, visit: https://gravityproject.com/ (gravityproject.com) Resources: https://www.wanonasatcher.com/ (wanonasatcher.com) https://makhersstudio.com/ (makhersstudio.com) Gravity is a production of http://crate.media (Crate Media).

87. Making Change, Your Way: Building New Systems from the Background with Wanona Satcher

Today’s episode is a speaking engagement that Brett Kaufman had recently with the Conscious Capitalism organization. Conscious capitalism is the way forward. We have to be not only creating consciously, but also recycling good, quality capital back into the market – into the hands of young entrepreneurs who will define the future of business, and, more importantly, the future of our world. Conscious Capitalism offers opportunities to engage, to meet other like-minded people, to grow, and to be a part of the change we’d all like to see in the world. Topics discussed: [05:27] How Brett’s early trauma shaped him [08:48] Discovering creativity and being an artist [10:27] What it means to be on this journey as human beings [23:35] Brett’s one piece of advice for other conscious capitalists [28:14] How to take risk without getting stressed [30:28] How investors and VCs can apply conscious capitalism to what they do [35:44] Where Brett sees real estate evolving over the next few years [38:06] Recommendations on starting a new business using conscious principles [41:14] Brett’s stress management strategies To learn more about intentional living, and for the complete show notes, visit: https://gravityproject.com/ (gravityproject.com) Gravity is a production of http://crate.media/ (Crate Media).

85. We Are All Having a Shared Experience: Brett Kaufman on Conscious Capitalism

Kelly Mooney grew up the 8th of 10 children. Her family was a huge influence on her as she launched a career that placed her in the heart of the then-emerging industry of internet commerce. Now, she’s a CEO and Strategic Advisor recognized for leading organizations in customer insight and digital experience. She recently founded a pre-leadership organization focused on helping young professional women excel at work and in their personal lives. More importantly, Kelly is a dear friend who I was fortunate enough to sit down with to hear her story. We talk about how important creativity is and the ways we can pursue it from a business perspective without compromise – as she did. We also explore the impact of the digital landscape on the world and what it’s like to be at the forefront of such an exciting, emerging field as the internet and digital media. Nowadays, Kelly is focused on mentorship so I also take the opportunity to hear her experiences with handling everyday sexism, as well as some of her best business advice and we explore the idea that we should always keep the faith in ourselves and our abilities – even though that’s often easier said than done. What Brett asks: [00:02:25] Let’s start at the beginning. Tell me about your childhood. [00:04:18] What was it like growing up with so many siblings? [00:06:20] How did your dad fit into your early life? [00:08:50] What were you like as you moved through school? [00:13:00] Did you feel much support for creativity in your life? [00:18:00] Where did the idea of combining art with business come from? [00:23:55] What happened as you got a degree and started working? [00:26:00] Did the passion you had for your work make you more teachable? [00:33:00] What was it like being part of an emerging industry? [00:38:40] How would you summarize your professional experience? [00:40:40] Tell me about the hard times in your line of work. [00:43:55] What’s it like being a woman in your leadership role? [00:48:00] Do you have any specific examples of sexism that you’ve experienced? [00:51:00] What are you doing now? [00:57:00] How important is trusting in yourself? [01:04:40] Any final thoughts? To learn more about intentional living, and for the complete show notes, visit: https://gravityproject.com/ (gravityproject.com) Resources: https://www.ibm.com/blogs/think/author/kellymooney/ (Kelley at IBM) https://www.linkedin.com/in/pkmooney/ (Kelley on LinkedIn) https://twitter.com/pkmooney (Kelley on Twitter) Gravity is a production of http://crate.media (Crate Media).

84. Combining Creativity with Commerce: Emerging Industries, Self-Confidence & Mentorship with Kelly Mooney

Phil Franks is the co-founder of Owl & Key, a lifestyle design agency aiming to help people design extraordinary lifestyle freedom. His co-founder is his wife and co-host of their podcast Unlocked, which further explores the work they’re doing and how you can apply it to your own life. Phil was adopted when he was just six weeks old. The honest and open nature in which his adoptive parents treated that fact shaped much of Phil’s positivity and gratitude that extends into his world view today. Sport was a huge part of Phil’s life, too. From a young age, he was taught to follow his passions and that meant that he spent a lot of time playing baseball. He was so good that even the coach of his rival high school team saw his talent – to the point that he ended up pulling strings to get him onto a college roster. Phil acknowledges that he likely owes much of his baseball career to the kindness of this man. We talk about the role that sport played in further shaping Phil’s approach to living an intentional life, as well as how his life seems designed to have led him to the career he now has, helping build the perfect lifestyles for others. We even get into the idea of nature vs. nurture and how we can feel secure when trusting in the universe and our own intuition.  What Brett asks: [00:01:40] Tell me about the early days. What was your childhood like? [00:09:55] What was the impact of moving so often as a kid? [00:20:50] What was challenging about being adopted? [00:25:00] Have you ever spoken to your parents about why they chose to be so open with you about your adoption? [00:30:15] What was life like as you moved into being a teenager and a young adult? [00:39:30] How do you maintain trust in the universe and God? [00:50:10] What are you doing with your life now? [00:54:00] What qualifies you to do the work that you’re doing, how did you get to where you are, and how does it make you feel to be there? [01:07:00] Any final thoughts? To learn more about intentional living, and for the complete show notes, visit: https://gravityproject.com/ (gravityproject.com) Resources: https://www.owlandkey.co (Owl & Key) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unlocked/id1576289623 (Unlocked podcast) https://www.linkedin.com/in/philfranks/ (Phil on LinkedIn) Gravity is a production of http://crate.media (Crate Media).

83. Adopting the Right Attitude: How Intentionality Leads to Positivity & Gratitude with Phil Franks

Chet Scott joins us for something we don’t do very often on Gravity: a returning guest. He’s a leadership and development coach for some of the world’s most influential people. After “waking up” in 1993, he set about pursuing his life’s opus – something his organization, Built to Lead, strives to help everyone discover for themselves. Last time he joined the show, we explored how his upbringing led him to where he is today, but we didn’t get into the personal health revolution he went through after a client convinced him that he was “skinnyfat.” Chet had been getting some bad data in health tests but was unable to figure out why. It turned out that, although you’d never know it to look at him, his relationship with sugar was causing him to have worryingly high glucose and blood pressure levels. He was pre-diabetic. In Chet’s words, he had been a sugar addict who had used the substance to self-medicate.  Ever since then, Chet’s been an intense follower of his health regime, prioritizing core workouts and fitness plans aimed at building longevity. That’s why it was a total surprise when he suffered a heart attack in March, earlier this year. As the doctors put it, it was a one-in-a-million fluke that it happened, but it was also a one-in-a-million fluke that he survived. This completely reframed how Chet looked at the world and, now, he’s even more focused on his life’s work than ever before. Built to Lead is still about finding our opus. As Chet puts it, everything we do is work, so we should find our labor of love and do it right. What Brett asks: [02:10] How would you describe yourself and your work? [08:45] Do you think finding your identity is a life’s work? [11:35] Can you tell us about the journey of health and discovery you went on after learning that you were “skinnyfat”? [17:00] What happened after your health journey? [27:00] Is it fair to say that your heart attack was a fluke? [35:00] You decided to get straight back on the horse after your heart attack, but did you take some time to reflect and experience gratitude first? [37:00] Tell me about your prayer at the hospital. [42:00] How do we get to a moment of truth from our words and actions? [49:20] Is there anything you’d like to get across to the audience based on your learnings? To learn more about intentional living, and for the complete show notes, visit: https://gravityproject.com/ (gravityproject.com) Resources: https://builttolead.com/about/ (Built to Lead) https://www.linkedin.com/in/chet-scott-0440559/ (Chet Scott on LinkedIn) https://www.amazon.com/BECOMING-BUILT-LEAD-DISCIPLINES-MASTER-ebook/dp/B08PNKX74S (Read: Becoming Built to Lead by Chet Scott) Gravity is a production of http://crate.media (Crate Media).

82. A Heart Attack’s Teachings: Finding Your Opus with Chet Scott

We’ve gathered some of the most informative and inspiring voices to appear on the show since we launched almost two years ago into this fun compilation episode featuring their tales of childhood entrepreneurship. It turns out that people drawn to business often start young and you can learn a lot from them, even if they were only just starting to learn things themselves.  We hear about lemonade (and beer) stands, buying low and selling high, and realizing our worth as creators and suppliers. We hear about early experiences balancing checkbooks and catching bank errors. Nothing gets past these young entrepreneurs. And in broader strokes, we hear about the moment lightning struck with inspiration for many of our past CEOs and Founders, be it being raised around business owners, learning life lessons from our parents, or turning stigma and unease into something more productive.  No matter what specific form it takes, most of us have a tale of inspiration and, more often than not, these moments of growth happen young.  Keep an ear out for some pretty interesting commonalities throughout the episode, as a certain happy-to-play-along audience tends to pop up in many of these sales scenarios. To learn more about intentional living, and for the complete show notes, visit: https://gravityproject.com/ (gravityproject.com) Resources: Episode #12: “https://brett-kaufman.com/g12-chris-olsen/ (On the Cutting Edge: Having the Courage to Take Big Risks & Love Failure with Chris Olsen)” Episode #21: “https://brett-kaufman.com/g21-david-schottenstein/ (Behind Every Success is a Dozen Failures with David Schottenstein)” Episode #25: “https://brett-kaufman.com/g25-jeni-britton-bauer/ (Discovering the Art of Ice Cream with Jeni Britton Bauer)” Episode #45: “https://brett-kaufman.com/g45-scott-donnell/ (Hapbee Days: Empowering Kids & Hacking the Human Experience with Scott Donnell)” Episode #50: “https://brett-kaufman.com/g50-claire-coder/ (People Helping People, Period: The Origins of a 23-Year-Old Founder & Transforming Your Business in a Pandemic with Claire Coder)” Episode #60: “https://brett-kaufman.com/g60-rob-dube/ (Do Nothing: The Power of Stillness with Rob Dube)” Episode #61: “https://brett-kaufman.com/g61-debbie-penzone/ (Recognizing Beauty From the Outside In with Debbie Penzone)” Episode #63: “https://brett-kaufman.com/g63-alex-frommeyer/ (Transforming Insurance with Wellness with Alex Frommeyer)” Episode #64: “https://brett-kaufman.com/g64-ilya-bodner/ (Creating the American Dream: Learning Through Action with Ilya Bodner)” Episode #65: “https://brett-kaufman.com/g65-howard-getson/ (Love as the Primary Energy: Simplification, Collaboration & Healing with Howard Getson)” Episode #67: “https://brett-kaufman.com/g67-mikey-sorboro/ (Start With an Experiment: The Best Ingredients for Brand Building with Mikey Sorboro)” Episode #76: “https://brett-kaufman.com/g76-joe-deloss/ (Hot Chicken is Good for the Soul: Business as Spiritual Nourishment with Joe DeLoss)” Episode #78: “https://brett-kaufman.com/grv-78-nick-nanton/ (A Helping Brand: Storytelling as a Means to Learn with Nick...

81. Learning the Ropes of Entrepreneurship with Past Gravity Guests

Will Zell made his mark at an early age when he ran for a city council seat in his hometown of Bellefontaine, Ohio at the age of 17. He’s since gone on to serve as Executive Chairman of Nikola Labs and as CEO of Zell Capital, which he also founded. Zell Capital was designed to open investment opportunities to all – not just the wealthy.  We look at Will's entire life, from his upbringing surrounded by maturity and female role models, to his early experiences in politics, and how they led him to where he is today. He believes that having an older-than-average father instilled a greater sense of maturity in him from a young age, as though he matured quicker than most to keep up. We also get to the bottom of how he built up a wealth of invaluable experience – all despite, as he says, being formally unqualified for every job he’s ever had. He’s living proof that outsiders with passion and belief in themselves can bring fresh ideas that rejuvenate their fields and how we should never dismiss people based on their background. From his early attempt to join the city council right up to his current work democratizing finance and making it accessible to all, it’s clear that Will is ethically minded and intentional in all aspects of his life, so he’s completely aligned with Gravity. His story should hold value for us all. What Brett asks: [00:01:05] Tell me about your early days. [00:03:00] Did you find the maturity of your older father helped you? [00:07:30] What were your siblings like? [00:10:20] What was it like having an older father as a child? [00:11:05] Where did your decision to run for a seat on the city council during High School come from? [00:17:30] Do you think you believed in yourself because you hadn’t been conditioned not to? [00:19:20] Do you think you owe a lot to your parents’ support? [00:22:30] Do you see value in failure as a way to learn? [00:33:00] Can you highlight some of your failures that led you to where you are today? [00:41:15] Can you tell us about Nikola Labs? [00:46:30] How did you transition away from Nikola Labs and into launching Zell Capital? [00:52:40] Tell us about Zell Capital and what you’re doing. [01:00:00] Would you agree that it makes sense that you’re helping democratize finance so that people who aren’t rich have access to the same tools as those who are? [01:01:30] Do you think outsiders are better suited to jobs because of their unique viewpoints? [01:03:10] Any final thoughts? To learn more about intentional living, and for the complete show notes, visit: https://gravityproject.com/ (gravityproject.com) Resources: https://www.linkedin.com/in/willzell/ (Will Zell on LinkedIn) https://twitter.com/willlzell?lang=en (Will Zell on Twitter) https://e-leap.com (Entrepreneurial Leap) Gravity is a production of http://crate.media (Crate Media).

80. Failing Forward: Knowing When to Never Give Up with Will Zell

Simeon Schnapper is a psychedelic philanthropist, futurist, and managing partner of JLS Fund, formed to aid investment in the booming intersection of science, technology, and neurology investigating the use of plant-based and psychedelic medicines to heal illness and enhance wellness.  Simeon initially found his way into a burgeoning career in the world of the performing arts, becoming a staple of the Chicago theater and improv scene, and even releasing a feature film, “Dot,” as a star-writer-producer-director in 2002. He taught thousands of students in his time as a faculty member of the Second City Conservatory. That list of achievements would be more than enough for most people, but Simeon was slowly drawn away from the arts in favor of work in the world of tech and business. He founded Youtopia, a highly successful engagement platform, as well as the world’s first Visionary Art Gallery and Medical Marijuana Dispensary, and co-founded The Family Office Funding Challenge. He even spent time as President of The Hinman Foundation, a nonprofit focused on providing grants to community-based organizations, and now he works for the JLS fund, furthering their assistance and research in the field of psychedelic and plant-based medicines.  We start off by discussing Simeon’s upbringing after being born to Peace Corp parents which set his early life up as a constant discovery and exploration across different countries and cultures. With that diverse foundation, a personal ethos of exploration and helping those in need became deeply ingrained in his belief system.  We also discuss the world of psychedelics and plant-based medicines, as well as how the associated social landscape has changed. It’s still a volatile subject, politically; Simeon weighs in on the stigma and stability of the industry, as well as where anyone interested in the benefits of psychedelics can start their own journey to enlightenment. What Brett asks: [00:57] Let’s start at the beginning. Tell me about your childhood. [06:15] What were you like as a child?  [08:20] Were you an entrepreneurial kid? [11:30] What was it about business that drew you away from your creative pursuits? [20:40] Was growing up with Peace Corp parents exciting? [23:00] Where did the freedom of your childhood lead you? [30:00] How do you feel about the notion that your entire life experience has fed into what you do now? [37:20] How does it feel to be doing good in an area that’s so heavily stigmatized? [45:10] Do you worry that things in the area of psychedelics are changing so fast that it could all be shut down? [53:30] Where do you recommend people start with psychedelics? [58:20] Any final thoughts? To learn more about intentional living, and for the complete show notes, visit: https://gravityproject.com/ (gravityproject.com) Resources: https://www.jls.fund (JLS Fund) https://www.linkedin.com/in/simeonschnapper/ (Simeon on LinkedIn) https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/03/health/mdma-approval.html (The New York Times: “MDMA Reaches Next Step Toward Approval for Treatment”) Gravity is a production of http://crate.media (Crate Media).

79. Weaving a New Type of Magic: The JLS Fund & Psychedelic Philanthropy with Simeon Schnapper

Nick Nanton is a multi-Emmy-award-winning documentary filmmaker and the Founder and CEO of DNA Films, through which he’s produced countless works, including, “Dream Big: Rudy Ruettiger Live on Broadway,” a sell-out one-man show he wrote and directed. In Nick’s words, he came from a childhood where he had “more love than he could spend, but money was scarce”. He soon learned that if he wanted something in life, he would have to be the one to make it happen. Learning a lifestyle of entrepreneurship from a young age, he’s gone on to enact an intentional life of spirituality and manifestation – at one point, he Googled “How to win an Emmy.” He’s since won over twenty of them.  Among his many tenets are that we must learn how to lose, and lose to learn. He also believes that we never stop learning – and that that fact is one of life’s joys, infinitely exciting and personally fulfilling.  Nick is also the CEO of the Dicks + Nanton Agency, founded to help celebrities, entrepreneurs, and experts in their field put their best selves forward to the world. In this edition of Gravity, we discuss how anybody at all can set about achieving their goals simply by addressing their branding. As Nick says, “Branding is storytelling” and sharing our stories is the central philosophy of the Gravity podcast. What Brett asks: [01:30] Tell me about your childhood. [06:20] What was it like being a child in a family where money was an issue? [12:40] Do you think you’re a natural hustler? [19:00] Let’s talk tennis. [28:00] Tell me about going from law school into adulthood. [36:50] Why did you finish your law degree if you wanted to quit? [42:00] Connect how you went from graduation to present day. [52:10] How do you think you went and other people can go about gaining undeniable wisdom? [56:00] Do you have any advice for people doubting that they can achieve their dreams? [58:00] How do you continue to grow, learn, and provide value to the world? To learn more about intentional living, and for the complete show notes, visit: https://gravityproject.com/ (gravityproject.com) Resources: https://nicknanton.com (Nick Nanton’s Website) https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4479660/ (Nick on IMDb) https://www.instagram.com/nicknanton/ (Nick on Instagram) https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicknanton/ (Nick on LinkedIn) https://www.amazon.com/Case-Didnt-Know-Nick-Nanton/dp/B07KWHYPY3 (In Case You Didn’t Know with Nick Nanton) Gravity is a production of http://crate.media (Crate Media).

78. A Helping Brand: Storytelling as a Means to Learn with Nick Nanton

This week, we’re joined by Rachel Friedman, the founder and CEO of TENFOLD: a cultural, strategy, and creative firm aiming to build brands from the inside out by leveraging what makes them special. Their award-winning solutions connect people to place in a meaningful way and they will soon be launching TENSPACE, a sister brand dedicated to creating physical showcases for brands and their stories. Rachel was aware of a sense of “not-enoughness” from a young age and harnessed it to live an intentional life. She identified the creative spark within her after discovering her passion for Interior Design at school. That energy combined with her longing for more to meld a high-achieving creative who’s gone on to forge an extremely impressive career. She’s now a three-time recipient of the Business First C-Suite Award for Most Admired CEO.   As well as exploring the steps in her life that led to where she is today, we get into all things creation, starting with recognizing the creative drive within us and knowing how to act on it. We also explore what qualifies as creation, the ways creativity can be utilized to help others, and our creative processes.  Then, we explore the more philosophical side of things such as the relationships we choose to maintain, how to give them our best, and the very nature of following our passions and drives.  What Brett asks: [02:10] Tell us a bit about your early life. [04:06] How did the early version of you form in childhood? [08:10] What was it like having two very different parents? [13:45] At what point did you recognize the desire for more instilled in you from a young age? [18:30] Tell us how you started to emerge as a creative within your career? [24:30] Do you agree that all forms of creation are valid? [28:00] How much of the hunger to become more than just a designer came from your childhood want for more? [34:00] What is your creative process? [38:00] What’s it like being a CEO as a woman? To learn more about intentional living, and for the complete show notes, visit: https://gravityproject.com/ (gravityproject.com) Resources: https://www.tenfoldbrand.com (TENFOLD’s website) https://www.linkedin.com/company/tenfold-brand/ (TENFOLD on LinkedIn) https://twitter.com/tenfoldbrand (TENFOLD on Twitter) https://www.instagram.com/tenfoldbrand (TENFOLD on Instagram) Gravity is a production of http://crate.media (Crate Media).

77. Healing a Disconnected World Through Creativity with Rachel Friedman

Joe DeLoss is a social entrepreneur who’s focused on building transformational brands that leave a positive thumbprint on the planet. The owner and head fryer of Hot Chicken Takeover, Joe has been called “the best marketer in Columbus.”  Starting out as a humble pop-up, Joe generated such incredible demand backed by positive word of mouth for Hot Chicken Takeover, that the Kickstarter he launched to fund the purchase of a food truck raised over $63,000. Now, they have six locations. Joe calls himself a social entrepreneur for a reason. Hot Chicken is a fair chance employer that provides employment opportunities to those who are often overlooked, be it due to criminal histories or just a long gap in their employment history. At one point, over 70% of their workforce was made up of people who had been formerly incarcerated or affected by homelessness.  He states that the company employs anyone with “an orientation towards personal growth”, something that’s reflected in the way he’s lived his life. On today’s episode of Gravity, we get into where that drive stems from and how Joe is driven to take action both for himself and for the world.  Joe is a spiritual person and takes us through his philosophies, from finding and fanning the flames of spirit in others to filling up our cups so much that they overflow into those of the people around us. It’s an optimistic and in-depth conversation that I know you’ll be inspired by. What Brett asks: [01:45] Tell me about your childhood. [07:20] What was it like dealing with hardship as a child? [12:20] Can you elaborate on the idea that you adopted a persona each time you joined a new school? [20:30] What drove you to be an entrepreneur at such a young age? [21:50] Did your entrepreneurial spirit continue into high school? [24:45] Did you see yourself being an entrepreneur after high school? [27:00] How did you shape an identity coming out of school? [35:00] How did pursuing coolness help or hurt you? [40:40] What led you to start Hot Chicken Takeover? [46:00] How does Hot Chicken Takeover fit into your life, spiritually? To learn more about intentional living, and for the complete show notes, visit: https://gravityproject.com/ (gravityproject.com) Resources: https://hotchickentakeover.com (Hot Chicken Takeover’s website) https://www.joedeloss.com (Joe DeLoss’ website) Hot Chicken Takeover on: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_Chicken_Takeover (Wikipedia) https://www.facebook.com/hotchickentakeover (Facebook) https://twitter.com/ChickenTakeover (Twitter) https://www.instagram.com/hotchickentakeover/ (Instagram) Gravity is a production of http://crate.media (Crate Media).

76. Hot Chicken is Good for the Soul: Business as Spiritual Nourishment with Joe DeLoss

Dr. Don Wood, PhD, lived an idyllic childhood with loving and supportive parents. It cultivated a sense of confidence and optimism that he’s carried throughout his life. This high vantage point instilled in him an appreciation for the wildly diverse atmospheric conditions we all face, and how they make us unique in so many ways. After struggling to find a way to combat his daughter’s Crohn’s and his wife’s autoimmune disease, he decided to dig deeper – past their symptoms, which had been the focus of conventional medical science. He eventually realized that their bodies were responding to mental and emotional trauma with a stress response that was destroying their immune systems. Our bodies aren’t designed to experience the fight or flight response permanently, after all. This insight was the seed for something amazing. Leveraging his background in psychology and clinical counseling, he developed a system to address the problem: the TIPP method, which he’s used to successfully cure not only his family, but help professional athletes, world record holders, and CEOs alike break through deeply held mental barriers that limit their physical and intellectual performance or well-being. He joins us on this edition of Gravity for a fascinating discussion of how trauma (or a lack thereof) shapes us, how sport is a wonderful tool for us to learn life’s lessons, and the power of positivity when trying to achieve inner peace. We also hear his firsthand account of the creation of his TIPP program, how it fits into medicine as we currently know it, and how he’s hoping to use it to help the world in the future. What Brett asks: [01:30] Tell me about your childhood. [07:00] What were your interests as a kid? [09:00] How do you feel about having such a nice upbringing now that you know how rough some people’s are? [11:30] How do you feel about the notion of us being responsible for our choices? [15:50] Did you enjoy being able to play sports without carrying stress into your games? [17:05] Tell me about your experience of becoming a young adult. [23:00] Do you agree that sports are a good place to learn? [25:50] Tell me about the career you had prior to your current work? [27:00] Was the decision to leave your family business, in part, driven by the confidence and optimism of your upbringing? [31:30] What’s it like to walk away from something without worrying about it? [34:40] Tell us about making the jump to your current career? [37:30] Tell us about the medical system today and the things that we don’t know yet. [41:00] How did you find out what was medically wrong with your daughter? [44:05] How did you arrive at the techniques of your program? [46:25] What’s next for you and the program? [48:30] Describe the processes that the program involves. [53:00] Tell us how this can be helpful to everyone. [58:00] Do you have any final thoughts? To learn more about intentional living, and for the complete show notes, visit: https://gravityproject.com/ (gravityproject.com) Resources: https://www.inspiredperformanceinstitute.com (Inspired Performance Institute) https://www.drwoodphd.com (Dr. Wood’s official website) https://www.inspiredperformanceinstitute.com/books (Books written by Dr. Wood) https://www.drwoodphd.com/about-me (Dr. Wood’s other podcast appearances) https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdonwoodphd/ (Dr. Wood on LinkedIn) Gravity is a production of http://crate.media (Crate Media).

75. TIPP of the Iceberg: Understanding Trauma to Overcome It with Dr. Don Wood

Elizabeth Brown was elected to Columbus City Council in 2015 and holds the office of President Pro Tempore. She’s the executive director of the Ohio Women’s Public Policy Network, a member of the Columbus Women’s Commission, and serves on various committees, such as for the CelebrateOne Policy.  An accomplished writer, Liz initially pursued a career in journalism, working for WOSU Public Radio and being published by New York Magazine. Eventually, she realized that her work wasn’t satisfying her life calling and decided to follow in her father’s footsteps by turning her hobby of politics into a career. To this day, she maintains that writing is one of the most important and practical skills a person can have.  One thing led to another and she was able to turn her work as a Campaign Manager into a seat on the Columbus City Council, where she’s now led the city through a pandemic and beyond.  Our conversation covers her entire life story, from the stressful early years through to her city council job and beyond as we get into what the future might hold – both for the city and for Liz. We explore her gratitude for her difficult childhood, we grapple with the idea of a politician as someone who serves popular opinion versus someone who makes independent decisions based on what they believe is right, and we examine the benefits of injecting fresh, outsider perspectives into organizations and groups where things have gone stale.  What Brett asks: [00:02:30] How did you get to where you are today? [00:05:10] Do you believe fresh, outside perspectives can be valuable in politics? [00:10:30] Let’s go back to the beginning. Tell me about your childhood. [00:15:00] You talk about there being silver linings in the negatives of your upbringing but was that how you saw things at the time? [00:18:20] Did your parents maintain a good relationship after their divorce? [00:20:50] What were you like as a child once you started school? [00:23:55] Was your desire to follow in your dad’s footsteps evident in childhood? [00:25:18] What was your mom’s line of work? [00:28:00] What role have the arts had in your life? [00:29:50] What happened once you finished school and began thinking about your career? [00:35:20] What was your first job in the world of politics? [00:39:40] What was your path from campaign manager to being on the city council? [00:42:00] You spend so much time taking care of other people, how do you manage to recharge your own batteries? [00:46:30] Coming out of the pandemic, how are you finding your role as a leader in the city, today? [00:53:00] Would you say it’s accurate that you have no separation between work life and personal life? [00:54:55] What does the future look like for you and for Columbus? [01:00:10] Any final thoughts? To learn more about intentional living, and for the complete show notes, visit: https://gravityproject.com/ (gravityproject.com) Resources: https://twitter.com/lizforus (Liz Brown on Twitter) https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-brown-4a81903/ (Liz Brown on LinkedIn) https://lizforus.com (Liz for Us) https://www.columbus.gov/council/ebrown/ (Liz Brown at The Columbus City Council) Gravity is a production of http://crate.media (Crate Media).

74. The Value of Adversity & Cost of Stale Perspectives with Elizabeth Brown

When someone shares their experience openly and honestly, something magical happens: you’re able to see yourself in that story, connect with them, and grow together. The Gravity Project is an experiment in consciousness, community, and connection, and we invite you to join us in our mission to elevate humanity by inspiring, connecting, and empowering individuals and communities. The human experience - shared fully, insightfully, and profoundly. These are journeys worth hearing.

hubhopper

Gravity

hubhopper