Obstacles are inevitable, whether you run a business, hold down a job, or simply just try to get through your day. Who would want to face them if we didn't need to? Well, I know a few people who can't wait! Spartan Founder and CEO Joe De Sena is one of them! My #MakeYourMark Podcast guest is the true definition of a badass! “Rather than wrapping the kids up in bubble wrap like most of us parents do, you wrap them up in barbed wire. You give kids obstacles and make it harder for them. You make them take the stairs and walk to school. We’re not looking to put them in danger but we are looking for them to learn how to navigate the world. Because once we’re gone they are expected to have the tools necessary to know how to survive.” Barbed wire, mud, medicine balls, burpees, climbing, and sprinting are just some of the obstacles you will face as a participant in a Spartan race. It goes without saying that once having completed a Spartan race course you will feel nothing short of a badass yourself! “If business were a sport it would be rugby. Our goal is to keep growing, because if you aren’t growing you’re dying! I want it to be a healthy growth, and anything we bolt onto the Spartan brand has to be rugged and has to be hard.” Make sure to catch the next Spartan Race in your neck of the woods, sign up, and find that moment where everything lines up, and you’ll have a new level of excitement you’ve never felt! Go here to get all the info you would need about the races, and my favorite barbed wire-loving guest, Joe De Sena! Go here: https://www.spartan.com/en If you see Joe tell him I say hiya! Thanks Mat Guido and his Decibel Studios for hosting the podcast, top of the field sound studios! “I decided to start my own business, and it didn’t work on the first try, because you know at some point the student thinks they're smarter than the teacher, and I thought I knew too much. I made some fatal mistakes but recovered, and then built a thriving business for the following decade.”   Some Topics we talk about in this episode:    2.00 - Welcome to the Big Kahuna 2:20 - The first time recording a podcast in a studio  4:40 - My mom was the original Spartan! 8:40 - “Going to the Army” in a mob neighborhood  9:40 - Fireworks and gasoline on the street! 12:00 - The mobster was killing the architect because he asked for money 12:30 - Had 700 customers from Brooklyn all the way to the Hamptons 16:00 - The journey to Wall Street  17:00 - Taking on multiple roles in the finance world 17:30 - Starting my own business didn’t work on the first try 19:00 - The first version of a Spartan race 21:00 - The first “the real survivor”- Sports Illustrated 22:45 - If business was a sport it would be rugby 26:30 - That incomparable top of your game feeling 27:50 - It has to be tough! 29:15 - I like to suffer  29:45 - Huge Surprise for the Listener Here! 30:30 - How to train like a Spartan 32:15 - Celebrities in Spartan  34:30 - Launching Deka in the cities 37:30 - Favorite places to live 41:00 - Did the Iditarod by foot through Alaska 42:15 - Doing a full feature film 45:00 - Wrap your kids in barbed wire 45:50 - Mom locked me out of the house 48:00 - Society today has made us weak, we are learning helplessness 49:00 - Hit Your Mark!  How to get involved Be sure to connect with me on Social Media @MarkMoyerCoach and go to my website, www.markmoyer.com to get access to the tips and strategies that my coaching clients get directly.   If you would like to be a guest on the Make Your Mark podcast and/or know someone else who has either been an athlete, in a role within the sports industry, or a military veteran, and have made a successful transition into a new role, I’d love to hear from you! Just send me an email Mark@MarkMoyer.com and we’ll discuss!   If you would like more information on how I can get you unstuck and moving forward with your transition, let’s talk. We can see whether it makes sense to work directly with me, or I can give you other options, but don’t let your transition wait another day, let’s connect!   Be sure to subscribe and leave me a quick review on iTunes. Your reviews and ratings will help me reach more people with ways to make their mark in life, business and career!   How are YOU going to Make Your Mark today? Go get ‘em!  

Make Your Mark

EP62: Joe De Sena - Spartan Founder, Mobster Neighbor, and not That Pool Guy!

A dramatic pivot from sport to a totally different career is what truly excites me about the potential of athlete transition, and today’s guest on my #MakeYourMark podcast, Dale Moss, has become an impressive entrepreneur, and oh, did I mention, one of the first professional athletes to become a professional model? Hundreds try to sign with world-renowned Wilhelmina Models, and Dale has made the cut!   “The biggest thing I can say to any athlete who is 100 percent into their sport and doesn’t have or has not begun the process of building outside of that, is to start building a team. You have to focus and put extreme effort, mindfulness and consciousness into everything that you’re doing in your profession. It’s not your job to be an expert of all things because if you try to you’ll be a master of none.”    Dale and I had the chance to sit down in between all of the other events during Super Bowl week in Miami and have a chat, and I was truly impressed with his composure, his plan, and his ability for himself and his team balancing his variety of ventures and projects!    “I think we’re in this day and age now that if you can get that brand recognition and reach, but you also understand the marketing and advertising on the other side, and the collaborations, you can do anything. That forms numerous streams of revenue that can all come back into your LLC or whatever enterprise you’re building.”    Dale has been on magazine covers and on TV, but he’s just scratching the surface. Make sure you give this episode a listen to hear so much more about a truly inspiring story of athlete transition!   “I was actually one of the first NFL athletes to sign with Wilhelmina models, which is a big time modeling agency. I knew that this wasn’t the end game, but I could see a shift in the trend coming with fitness, athleticism, and athletes were becoming at the forefront of all things sports, wellness and entertainment. I knew that would be an in to get me in the right circles, the right places, and I knew that it was an advantage being an NFL athlete.”  Some Topics we talk about in this episode:    2:30 - Welcome to Miami, Dale Moss!  3:45 - The start of an athletic mindset in Brandon, South Dakota 4:30 - My uncle Johnny Rogers won the Heisman Trophy 7:35 - If they can do that I can do that 9:00 - I’m doing exactly what I want out of life 10:00 - The transition from the Bears into the next chapter 10:45 - A new perspective of the game  13:00 - I recruited Wilhelmina  13:45 - Remained persistent towards a deal 14:00 - Trail blazing into modelling 15:00 - Nike was the low hanging fruit 15:30 - It’s critical who you align with  16:30 - A vision from Day 1  17:00 - TV Host - production, docu-series  18:30 - Understanding the power of media  19:30 - Michael Strahan is doing it right 20:00 - Advice for athletes  21:00 - Build a team and play to your strengths 23:00 - Financial consciousness created financial freedom  26:00 - Gratitude  27:00 - Coming around full circle  28:30 - Hit your Mark  How to get involved   Be sure to connect with me on Social Media @MarkMoyerCoach and go to my website, www.markmoyer.com to get access to the tips and strategies that my coaching clients get directly.   If you would like to be a guest on the Make Your Mark podcast and/or know someone else who has either been an athlete, in a role within the sports industry, or a military veteran, and have made a successful transition into a new role, I’d love to hear from you! Just send me an email Mark@MarkMoyer.com and we’ll discuss!   If you would like more information on how I can get you unstuck and moving forward with your transition, let’s talk. We can see whether it makes sense to work directly with me, or I can give you other options, but don’t let your transition wait another day, let’s connect!   Be sure to subscribe and leave me a quick review on iTunes. Your reviews and ratings will help me reach more people with ways to make their mark in life, business and career!   How are YOU going to Make Your Mark today? Go get ‘em!  

EP61: Dale Moss - From the Gridiron to the Glossy Magazine Covers!

Dancing grandmas? Baseball players skydiving to their positions? Just a normal day at the office for one of the most exciting, interesting, and big-picture thinking owners in sports, and my guest on the Mark Your Mark podcast, Jesse Cole. Oh, did I mention the yellow tuxedo and top hat that he wears more often than not? “I found out only 200 fans were coming to the games, and the team had been there for seven years. I made ten phone calls out to the community. The first seven phone calls no one had even heard of the team, the next two wouldn’t work with us, and the last one hung up on me. That was my first day in the office.” Jesse has completely transformed how baseball fans experience the game at the ballpark, and he’s just scratched the surface! If you stopped going to games for any reason, you have to hear this episode! “As a kid I never would’ve said yeah one day I want to be the owner of a baseball team. I just wanted to play the game. I was a kid who was hungry, who was in love with practicing, playing batting practice with my dad, fielding ground balls.”  Jesse and his Bananas will make you laugh, his team will make you cheer, and you’ll have a great time watching baseball again! This was a rollicking episode to record, laughs at every turn, and lessons learned throughout! Happy listening! “I believe if you aren’t upsetting anyone you aren’t doing anything. We embrace criticism, we’re ok with it. That means we are doing something that’s interesting, different, and exciting. If you play it safe you’re in trouble.”  “I tore my shoulder Junior year in college, and that was the end of that. In that moment it was realizing that you’ll never do what you always thought you would do the rest of your life. I broke down and was emotional, I thought about the advice my dad gave me with staying positive, and it was tough, and at that moment I had no idea what I was gonna do. But also was the best thing that ever happened to me.” “I learned then that I fell in love with playing the game, but I didn’t love watching the game. When you get injured and you have to sit and watch the game you realize the game wasn’t as executing as when you used to play.” “I heard over and over again that people didn’t like baseball, they didn’t want to take their company to a baseball game. They all thought it was too long, too slow and too boring. After the calls, and meeting with potential fans, I realized we could no longer be a baseball team. I called the team’s owner and told him we can’t be a baseball team, it needs to be like a circus. Our players need to have choreographed dances, we need to have grandma beauty pageants, I need to get in the dunk tank, we need to have Salute to Underwear nights, we need to make it ridiculous.”  “We stand against that boring game of baseball that so many people hate, and that we are going to try to make non-stop fun and exciting. We are standing for the fan. The fan deserves the game back. It’s not just about the players, the money, the owners revenue, it’s about the fan experience.”   Make sure to catch the Savannah Bananas live starting on May 28, 2020 vs. the Macon Bacon! Go here to get all the info you would need about the team and my favorite team owner Jesse Cole!  https://thesavannahbananas.com/ If you see him tell him I say hiya!   Learn how to put your company’s customers into fans with Jesse’s Fans First University https://fansfirstu.com/. His model truly works, make sure you give this a look, you’ll be thrilled you did!   Some Topics we talk about in this episode:    2.35 - Welcome  3:00 - The man in the yellow tux  4:25 - A shared passion for the fans first experience  5:10 - 42 page spread in entrepreneur magazine  6:00 - The spark for baseball  7:00 - A new perspective of baseball  8:00 - The injury  9:35 - That’s where it all changed  11:45 - Just start! 12:05 - I fell in love with the idea of getting people excited  13:35 - The internship  14:50 - I never questioned what I am doing  15:10 - People didn’t like baseball so I changed that  15:40 - We need to make the game a circus  16:55 - Our game is not a game, it’s a show  17:15 - Measuring the success in moments  18:10 - The best show in sports  19:45 - Proposing marriage at the Gastonia game  21:25 - Taking over in Savannah 23:00 - We embrace criticism!  23:20 - This is who we are and it’s outrageous  25:40 - What do you stand for? We stand for the fan.  26:15 - Making it interactive, against the traditionalists of baseball  28:40 - Already a waitlist for 2021 30:50 - The idea book 32:00 - We put ourselves in the customer’s shoes and go undercover   33:45 - Test things and consider your next at bat  36:00 - Fans first experience workshops 36:30 - Your fans are your biggest marketers  36:45 - PFT - Perfect Fan Testimonial 40:45 - Bringing fan first to the world 42:20 - What’s the leadership style of the post office?  42:50 - Hit Your Mark  43:10 - Nomar Garciaparra and Pedro Martinez 43:50 - First time booed on a podcast! 46:15 - How I want to be remembered 47:00 - Thousands of thank you letters 47:45 - Caller ID Unknown was Simon Sinek 49:30 - Play the long game, don’t reach out to ask 50:40 - The human connection How to get involved   Be sure to connect with me on Social Media @MarkMoyerCoach and go to my website, www.markmoyer.com to get access to the tips and strategies that my coaching clients get directly.   If you would like to be a guest on the Make Your Mark podcast and/or know someone else who has either been an athlete, in a role within the sports industry, or a military veteran, and have made a successful transition into a new role, I’d love to hear from you! Just send me an email Mark@MarkMoyer.com and we’ll discuss!   If you would like more information on how I can get you unstuck and moving forward with your transition, let’s talk. We can see whether it makes sense to work directly with me, or I can give you other options, but don’t let your transition wait another day, let’s connect!   Be sure to subscribe and leave me a quick review on iTunes. Your reviews and ratings will help me reach more people with ways to make their mark in life, business and career!   How are YOU going to Make Your Mark today? Go get ‘em!

EP60: Jesse Cole - Fans First! Running a Baseball Team in a Yellow Tuxedo!

Hurtling down a mountain on ice skates at 50 mph in 35 seconds! Pitching his sport for the next Winter Olympics! Starting his own all-natural CBD company. And Jack Schram, this week’s #Make Your Mark guest, gives me advice on staying fit while sitting behind my computer screen, no easy task!   “After awhile working at what I thought was my dream job originally on Wall Street, I decided I really couldn’t see myself doing this long term. I went back to what I would’ve liked to have done as a kid and I wanted to get back into the fitness industry. I just figured life is too short to not be pursuing your passions, and decided I wasn’t going to let fear of what will or won’t work out hold me back.”   OK, so I’ll be honest. I play ice hockey, and skating is hard enough, but can you imagine sharing the same few square feet with three other skaters, all trying to outskate and outmaneuver each other over a ½ mile sheet of ice straight down a mountain? It takes a certain mix of bravery, balls, and insanity to do this, and you’ll hear all about that from Jack! We also discuss Rooted Athlete, his company that produces cold pressed CBD products meant to relieve pains associated with sports.    “I’m very strict with what I put into my body, so when I started this company, I told myself I wasn’t going to deliver a product that I didn’t think was the best in the world.”    We cover a lot of ground in this episode, including the importance of Progress Over Perfection, and keeping in motion! Happy Listening!   “People have this view in their mind of where they want to go and it seems so unattainable, So I always tell people to focus on progress over perfection, and I really try to do this with everything I’m doing. When it comes to exercising, if your goal is to run a marathon, start by running one mile, or just walking around the block.”   “It’s important to stay focused on what you’re going to do during the race, vs. looking at everyone else around you and their styles. That goes the same for life. You have to stay on your path, and not let other things dictate where you’re going to go.” Some Topics we talk about in this episode:    2.20 - Welcome 3:15 - Born in Canada and Skating Since 2 Years Old 3:50 - Rutgers Hockey 5:18 - A completely different path 7:00 - “Fail Fast, succeed faster.” 8:00 - Side Hustles 10:30 - Ice cross downhill by Red Bull 13:07 - Incidental Contact  15:15 - The normal course Duration 16:00 - Bonding with the team 17:00 - Staying focused 19:00 - Money made is Performance based 21:00 - Extreme Tennis 23:45 - The Future of Ice Cross 25:00 - New features added to the courses 25:20 - The Rooted Athlete 28:45 - Standing Out From The Noise 31:40 - How to use 33:00 - Athletes Using CBD 37:00 - Powerful Testimonials 40:00 - The Power of LinkedIn 44:00 - Progress Over Perfection 46:15 - Comes Down to Movement 47:30 - Hit Your Mark How to get involved   Be sure to connect with me on Social Media @MarkMoyerCoach and go to my website, www.markmoyer.com to get access to the tips and strategies that my coaching clients get directly.   If you would like to be a guest on the Make Your Mark podcast and/or know someone else who has either been an athlete, in a role within the sports industry, or a military veteran, and have made a successful transition into a new role, I’d love to hear from you! Just send me an email Mark@MarkMoyer.com and we’ll discuss!   If you would like more information on how I can get you unstuck and moving forward with your transition, let’s talk. We can see whether it makes sense to work directly with me, or I can give you other options, but don’t let your transition wait another day, let’s connect!   Be sure to subscribe and leave me a quick review on iTunes. Your reviews and ratings will help me reach more people with ways to make their mark in life, business and career!   How are YOU going to Make Your Mark today? Go get ‘em!

EP59: Jack Schram: Skating Downhill at 50 mph, and Healing Power

The Quote Machine! One pearl of wisdom after the next, and my guest on today’s #Make Your Mark podcast, Lauren Brill, shows very clearly why she was such an impressive sports reporter, and why she is making such a positive impact with her new company, The Unsealed. It’s hard enough to put it out there that you have gone through a traumatic event, but she’s made it easier to make those small steps towards recovery by creating a forum and a community, and you will hear all about how she got it going and where she’s heading with it!    “Starting your own business is like being dropped in the ocean and being told to go find land - it’s a roller coaster! But if you’re passionate about it, it's a fun ride, but there are days when I’m like ‘What am I doing?’, and then there are days when I’m like ‘I got this!’.”   What you will appreciate about Lauren is her sheer honesty, her transparency about what happened to her, and her mission to help others who have suffered through trauma. She is shedding a light on those who want a voice to speak with and creating a revolutionary platform to create bonds, growth and awareness.   “I think when people are really honest and truthful, those are the best stories. Not necessarily the most famous player or most high profile, biggest personality, it’s the people who are the most authentic and real that stand out. Their story doesn’t need to be really unique or unusual to be compelling...they just need to speak from the heart.”   This is one episode you will want to listen to all the way through, you’ll not only benefit from Lauren’s special insight, but you will be thrilled to hear about her efforts and how they are making such a positive impact with whoever she touches. Happy listening!   “I asked her what made her decide to come forward and talk about something so publicly and powerful, and she said, ‘I realized it was the silence of victims who allowed predators to continue with their predatory behavior,’ and I realized, there I was asking her to share her story, and I’m silent about my own...so I felt like a hypocrite.”   “Cleveland picked me and I say that because it’s such a hard industry you don’t get to just say I’m going to go work in L.A or Charlotte or Buffalo, it’s where the opening is…and that’s the nature of the business. You don’t get to pick where you want to go, it picks you based on openings and opportunities.”   Some Topics we talk about in this episode:   2:00 - Intro  3:00 - A spark for sports at 10 years old 4:22 - College in the City 5:40 - Live Sportscasting  6:22 - Telling a Story that’s Meaningful and Powerful  7:08 - Cleveland Picked Me  7:45 - The First Job in TV 8:30 - Can I call my Dad? 9:50 - Learning on the Air  12:45 - Interviewing the Athletes  15:30 - Authenticity  16:45 - The Unsealed  18:34 - I Was Assaulted  19:25 - An Open Letter  20:45 - Being Vulnerable is Not Easy  23:00 - Everyone Has a Story  24:27 - The Future of The Unsealed  27:29 - People’s Hearts, Pain and Triumphs  28:30 - Starting Your Own Business  30:20 - Even if you Fail, You have to Enjoy the Journey  31:36 - Before the “Me Too” movement  32:45 - Not going to Judge You 39:42 - Sink or Swim  40:48 - Maintaining a Balance is Key  44:00 - Sports Built Me  46:18 - Hit Your Mark  How to get involved   Be sure to connect with me on Social Media @MarkMoyerCoach and go to my website, www.markmoyer.com to get access to the tips and strategies that my coaching clients get directly.   If you would like to be a guest on the Make Your Mark podcast and/or know someone else who has either been an athlete, in a role within the sports industry, or a military veteran, and have made a successful transition into a new role, I’d love to hear from you! Just send me an email Mark@MarkMoyer.com and we’ll discuss!   If you would like more information on how I can get you unstuck and moving forward with your transition, let’s talk. We can see whether it makes sense to work directly with me, or I can give you other options, but don’t let your transition wait another day, let’s connect!   Be sure to subscribe and leave me a quick review on iTunes. Your reviews and ratings will help me reach more people with ways to make their mark in life, business and career!   How are YOU going to Make Your Mark today? Go get ‘em!

EP58: Lauren Brill - From Sports Reporter to the Revolutionary 'The Unsealed'

Nearly 20 Years strapping on an NFL helmet. Several NFL records. A right foot that accounted for over 2000 points in his career! But today’s guest on my #MakeYourMark podcast, Matt Stover, is just getting started. He’s taken his deep interest in philanthropy and is channeling it into his company, helping charities raise money for great causes with fewer challenges. And he was ready for all of this even during his rookie year!   “Right at the very beginning I understood that I needed to start thinking about the fact that my career will come to an end one day, and I will be a young man when that happens.”   Matt was never sure which season, much less game, would be his last, and he felt a strong sense of responsibility in being fully prepared for his next career. Winning a Super Bowl at the age of 42 was the perfect send off, and he did it on his own terms, which in football, happens all too rarely.    “As an athlete, if the financial piece is what motivates you to be great, it will let you down. It has to come from your heart and be a passion of yours for you to be the greatest for your team.”   You’ll hear about Matt’s transition, his company, outworking and outsmarting, and so much more! Score some points and give this a listen! “With the NFL you’re constantly evaluated, even in practice, and then you’re evaluated in public every time you go out on the field. But you take that on because we’re in the entertainment business.”   “When you look at how it turned out for me, it was based on the understanding of what my limitations were, and then refining what talents I did have, and then I just outworked everybody.”     “I always planned financially on what amount I would have to make if my career was over that year, and what did I have in the bank to replace the expenses that I had.” Some Topics we talk about in this episode:    2:00 - Introduction   3:56 - A short spark to a nearly 20-year career  5:37 - “Give me the ball, Coach” 6:59 - The punting technique   7:00 - Outworking & Outsmarting  8:00 - Injured reserve  9:40 - Developing a lot of grit  10:29 - Mistake by the Lake  11:00 - Browns Move to Baltimore  12:50 - Everyone thinks being in the NFL is so glamorous   14:30 - Never missed a game  17:29 - A deep snapper  19:00 - The athlete transition  19:40 - Why not me?  22:00 - Understanding your worth 24:00 - Doing what you love  25:00 - A revolutionary program  26:45 - The Player’s Philanthropy Fund  30:30 - The goal is to get more funds into the market   33:50 - Creating relationships in the market  35:43 - There to protect the individual, the athlete and the brand  37:00 - Utilize the funds  39:00 - Educating the athletes  41:00 - When the reality hits  43:00 - You’ve got to want it  44:35 - Hit Your Mark - the # 2004? 45:30 - 38 straight games with a field goal  How to get involved   Be sure to connect with me on Social Media @MarkMoyerCoach and go to my website, www.markmoyer.com to get access to the tips and strategies that my coaching clients get directly.   If you would like to be a guest on the Make Your Mark podcast and/or know someone else who has either been an athlete, in a role within the sports industry, or a military veteran, and have made a successful transition into a new role, I’d love to hear from you! Just send me an email Mark@MarkMoyer.com and we’ll discuss!   If you would like more information on how I can get you unstuck and moving forward with your transition, let’s talk. We can see whether it makes sense to work directly with me, or I can give you other options, but don’t let your transition wait another day, let’s connect!   Be sure to subscribe and leave me a quick review on iTunes. Your reviews and ratings will help me reach more people with ways to make their mark in life, business and career!   How are YOU going to Make Your Mark today? Go get ‘em!  

EP57: Matt Stover - 19 Years, NFL Records, and Helping Charities

One of the hardest things to do in sports is to shoot a puck into a net, while skating fast, wearing a bunch of equipment, all while being pursued by your opponent looking to hit you into the boards. Hockey players need to have extraordinary peripheral vision, and my guest on this #MakeYourMark podcast, TJ Galiardi, shows us how that vision has extended into his company that he co-founded once his NHL career ended.   “It’s really about walking before you run. But if you want to run, you need to have all the available pieces. You can only do so much on your own. You really want to find people that can help you grow and scale.”   TJ underscores the importance of preparing for life after your athletic career ends while you are still playing, while you still have that feeling of invincibility. It’s commonly said, you have a 1% chance of making it into the pros, and a 100% chance that your career will end. You will hear about TJ’s hockey career, playing in Russia, getting started in real estate investment, and how his company, Beyond Food, will stand out in a crowded industry!   ”I just started to learn more about other things other than hockey. I think I always knew my career was going to end at some point, so I was just trying to figure it all out by starting to dip my toe in everything to see what I actually enjoyed, and at the time it was real estate.”    Whether you are a hockey fan, an athlete of any sport, and/or a businessperson, you will learn how to leverage your athletic mindset into business. Take it from TJ, he’s done a great job with it! Happy listening!    “My wife is vegan, and my stubborn ways started to unfold. The more animal products I took out of my diet the better I felt, and I always did things around performance. So if I felt like I was recovering faster, I did it. I eventually went cold turkey, and I haven’t looked back since.”  Some Topics we talk about in this episode:      2:00 - Introduction 4:00 - the start of a passion for hockey/ hearts in hockey  5:54 - a Flames fan  6:52 - Dartmouth freshman 8:30 - Got the call to play  9:30 - My first goal  11:00 - Almost a fifth assist!  12:00 - From the NHL to Europe 13:21 - The only Canadian guy on the team  14:31 - The benefit of tearing my MCL 15:14 - Fulfilling my childhood dream  16:05 - Experience in the KHL  19:52 - Ready to move on 20:59 - Preparing for life after Hockey  23:30 - Going vegan  25:50 - The start of a new company  27:50 -  Nobody else was doing it  29:47 - It’s all about transparency  31:07 - Beyond Food & TDF Sports Nutrition  34:21 - Understanding the process  36:00 - Growing the visibility of Beyond Food  40:41 - Walking before you run 45:00 - The importance of LinkedIn  51:40 - Hit Your Mark    How to get involved   Be sure to connect with me on Social Media @MarkMoyerCoach and go to my website, www.markmoyer.com to get access to the tips and strategies that my coaching clients get directly.   If you would like to be a guest on the Make Your Mark podcast and/or know someone else who has either been an athlete, in a role within the sports industry, or a military veteran, and have made a successful transition into a new role, I’d love to hear from you! Just send me an email Mark@MarkMoyer.com and we’ll discuss!   If you would like more information on how I can get you unstuck and moving forward with your transition, let’s talk. We can see whether it makes sense to work directly with me, or I can give you other options, but don’t let your transition wait another day, let’s connect!   Be sure to subscribe and leave me a quick review on iTunes. Your reviews and ratings will help me reach more people with ways to make their mark in life, business and career!   How are YOU going to Make Your Mark today? Go get ‘em!

EP56: TJ Galiardi - Scoring Goals in the NHL and Going Beyond Food!

“My near death experience…” When you hear those words from today’s guest on the #MakeYourMark podcast, Zane Schweitzer, you’ll see how it renewed his sense of purpose, and as a 15X World Champion across several water sports, Zane has travelled the world many times over, happens to have a vibrant non-stop energetic personality, all packed into his 26 years! Zane has so many incredible stories, messages of hope, things you can do to save the environment, and how to ride 60 foot waves, all in one episode!   “Not many people look out at what’s in front of them and see the potential of what it can bring to their life. Most look out at an ocean and see a pool of water, of emptiness. I see a church, a playground, a place of refuge that’s open 24 hours, 7 days a week!”   Zane filled an hour + with great advice, deep insight, and a perspective I have yet to have experienced on this podcast! He probably set a record for quotes I could have used, and he truly is a remarkable young man who’s been riding the waves for years!   “With big wave surfing you don’t have that moment to stop and think ‘Oh I’m not ready for this.’ The ocean is always going to keep coming, and you have to know the time to fight and the time to surrender.”   Zane will stir something inside of you, and lead you to positive action, whether it’s for yourself, your friends and family, or the environment that surrounds you. I really look forward to you tuning in to this, you’ll be thrilled you did. Mahalo!   “Swimming was something my parents had me doing before I could walk because I was surrounded by the water.”   “One of my biggest motivations to do well in school was that my parents wouldn’t let me compete or travel if I didn’t have good grades!”   “My near death experience...was a driving factor to not only be the best I can be for my craft, but also consider the actions I’m taking, and the ripple effect they cause. It gave me a much more grounding sense of purpose overall, to leave a positive footprint wherever I go.”   “I want to challenge you to embrace the power of choice, and to make choices through your day that not only benefit yourself, but the people around you and your environment.” Some Topics we talk about in this episode:     2:00 - Intro 3:00 - Stoked for Zane Schweitzer  4:40 - It all started in Maui, a strong presence of Hawaiian culture  6:40 - One with the waves  8:04 - A Maui funeral, we bring them back to the ocean  9:27 - Winning a competition at just three years old  10:34 - School vs. The Ocean  13:00 - 11 years old and on tour for two months  17:15 - What fueled the fire behind “Beneath the Surface”  19:10 - The Attitude of Gratitude  20:15 - My grandma’s honor  21:30 - Paving the way of stand up paddle surfing & hydro foiling  25:15 - The danger related to the sport  26:41 - When preparation meets opportunity you have success  27:22 - Embracing growth or defeat  28:00 - The big wipe-out scenario 31:00 - It’s the uncertainty that eats you up  33:30 - Turning on that switch  37:50 - The impact zone  40:13 - I was lifeless for almost 8 minutes: a near death experience  44:25 - A newfound revelation to leave a positive footprint wherever I go 45:23 - Struck with compassion  47:00 - The impact one action can make on a person 48:40 - What you can do right now for the environment 56:00 - Bamboo straws 60:10 - Still going strong  67:31 - Challenge you to embrace the power of choice   How to get involved   Be sure to connect with me on Social Media @MarkMoyerCoach and go to my website, www.markmoyer.com to get access to the tips and strategies that my coaching clients get directly.   If you would like to be a guest on the Make Your Mark podcast and/or know someone else who has either been an athlete, in a role within the sports industry, or a military veteran, and have made a successful transition into a new role, I’d love to hear from you! Just send me an email Mark@MarkMoyer.com and we’ll discuss!   If you would like more information on how I can get you unstuck and moving forward with your transition, let’s talk. We can see whether it makes sense to work directly with me, or I can give you other options, but don’t let your transition wait another day, let’s connect!   Be sure to subscribe and leave me a quick review on iTunes. Your reviews and ratings will help me reach more people with ways to make their mark in life, business and career!   How are YOU going to Make Your Mark today? Go get ‘em!

EP55: Zane Schweitzer: 15x World Champ - Big Waves and the Attitude for Gratitude!

When I heard that someone had written a book on advice for athletes transitioning out of their sport, I had to speak to him, after all, it’s what I do! And today’s guest on my #MakeYourMark podcast, Phil Costa, does not disappoint! Between snapping footballs to Dallas Cowboys QBs including Tony Romo, struggling after retirement from the game, witnessing hundreds of heart procedures, and spending a year in Madrid, Phil certainly has so much he brings to the podcast!   “I was speaking with a former NY Giants player, and I said to him, ‘You’re making it all look so easy, now you’re professional commentator, what’s the trick?’ And he said the three words to me that completely changed things. He said ‘I struggled too’. He’s a tough-as-nails guy, and he made me realize that it’s okay to be vulnerable.”   Phil and co-author Rob Curley have written The Transition Playbook for Athletes, pulling together 100+ athletes who give their insight and advice into how to make the transition smoother and less stressful. I’m excited to be sharing the stage with Phil in the upcoming Tackle What’s Next Summit in the DC area, as any athlete who is looking for a more targeted focus post-playing days, a reason to get excited to win again, but this time in the business world, should join Phil and I.   “When you go to these events, don’t show up as a celebrity, show up as someone who wants to network and meet people.”   So much advice packed into this episode, make sure you give it a listen, twice!   “People are receptive, people want to help other people, especially if they think they’re being true and their values align. Just (start by) sending a message on LinkedIn, an email on any social platform. We’ve reached out over time to build our network. We heard a lot of yes, a lot of no, but it’s a numbers game.”   Some Topics we talk about in this episode:     3:30 - Friendly competition with his brother  4:36 - I think I can do this professionally 5:12 - University of Maryland  6:20 - started off with criminal justice in mind  8:00 - a balancing act  10:00 - I was the one calling the agents 11:11 - plan B sounds like failure  12:15 - playing for the Cowboys  13:30 - knowing my time was up  14:27 - didn’t know what was next  15:48 - watching 100s of heart procedures  17:48 - getting an MBA at Columbia University 18:42 - speaking Spanish and writing his first book  19:00 - most important 3 words - “I struggled too” 21:30 - reaching out to athletes  22:25 - the athlete transition  25:00 - the power of shared experience  27:35 - the #1 goal now  29:15 - getting the word out  30:00 - the importance of being humble  34:30 - so much more to advice to offer  37:45 - people are receptive  40:00 - short and sweet 41:48 - Hit Your Mark      How to get involved   Be sure to connect with me on Social Media @MarkMoyerCoach and go to my website, www.markmoyer.com to get access to the tips and strategies that my coaching clients get directly.   If you would like to be a guest on the Make Your Mark podcast and/or know someone else who has either been an athlete, in a role within the sports industry, or a military veteran, and have made a successful transition into a new role, I’d love to hear from you! Just send me an email Mark@MarkMoyer.com and we’ll discuss!   If you would like more information on how I can get you unstuck and moving forward with your transition, let’s talk. We can see whether it makes sense to work directly with me, or I can give you other options, but don’t let your transition wait another day, let’s connect!   Be sure to subscribe and leave me a quick review on iTunes. Your reviews and ratings will help me reach more people with ways to make their mark in life, business and career!   How are YOU going to Make Your Mark today? Go get ‘em!

EP54: Phil Costa: Snapping to Tony Romo, life after sports, and a year in Madrid!

“I am more than just a tennis player!” exclaims today’s guest on my #MakeYourMark podcast, Kady Pooler. This is a common refrain from the majority of the athletes who I have met, coached and interviewed, and for non-athletes, it can be hard to understand. Kady lays out why it’s so critical for an athlete to expand their identity, to develop other areas of interest, as this will be crucial to an easier transition out of their game. Getting your head in the right position to succeed is the most important step in being able to run with the “how” of getting to your next career!   “Athletes need to realize - for 100% of them, their sport will come to an end one day. What that looks like is going to be different for everyone, maybe it’s an injury that’s career ending, maybe you’re retiring in debt or with $100M in the bank, whatever it is, your career is going to come to an end. I think understanding and accepting that is the best place to start.”   Kady and I share advice on how to make a successful career transition, how to be positioned for less of a steep dropoff that most athletes face when they leave their game, and how to leverage that athletic mindset into great value. Oh, and let’s not forget, Kady started playing tennis at the age of 4 and never looked back!    “When I reflect now on why didn’t I make it, I don’t think it had to do with my athleticism, and my tennis game was there, but I think it was the mental side. I never came out with that killer mentality and the confidence that goes with it.”   You’ll really enjoy this episode, as you’ll hear about her growth within professional tennis, her adjustment and success off the court, and so much more! Happy listening!   “I had never given thought to life after tennis, I pushed it off to the side. For me dreaming as a child meant be like Steffi Graf, winning multiple grand slams, be at the US Open, and that was it, that was the end picture. I wasn’t ready for it and I think I dissociated, and just started going through the motions, not really accepting the full reality that it was over.”  Some Topics we talk about in this episode:   2:30 - Intro  4:36 - California born and raised  6:45 - 7 years old and knew her talent  9:37 - similar to a child TV star  11:45 - tennis was the focus...something had to give  13:26 - fitness training started young  14:07 - going pro  15:55 - the confidence wasn’t there  17:00 - knowing it was time to hang up the racket  18:19 - life after tennis  20:30 - preparing for life after sport 25:00 - HS Math teacher  26:55 - the coaching hat didn’t come off even when not teaching 28:15 - the road after college  32:20 - Kady’s coaching company  35:20 - getting athletes back on their feet  37:21 - the toughest teaching hurdle  38:48 - the humble ones vs. the egotistical  44:44 - the importance of a call to action on a LinkedIn post  46:42 - Hit Your Mark   How to get involved   Be sure to connect with me on Social Media @MarkMoyerCoach and go to my website, www.markmoyer.com to get access to the tips and strategies that my coaching clients get directly.   If you would like to be a guest on the Make Your Mark podcast and/or know someone else who has either been an athlete, in a role within the sports industry, or a military veteran, and have made a successful transition into a new role, I’d love to hear from you! Just send me an email Mark@MarkMoyer.com and we’ll discuss!   If you would like more information on how I can get you unstuck and moving forward with your transition, let’s talk. We can see whether it makes sense to work directly with me, or I can give you other options, but don’t let your transition wait another day, let’s connect!   Be sure to subscribe and leave me a quick review on iTunes. Your reviews and ratings will help me reach more people with ways to make their mark in life, business and career!   How are YOU going to Make Your Mark today? Go get ‘em!

EP53: Kady Pooler - I am more than just a tennis player!

Imagine it’s your major league baseball debut, and you’re batting 2nd in front of Sammy Sosa. You’ve been told to swing hard in your first at bat, but you get quick-pitched, and you roll a grounder to second base. But your next time up, you hit a ringing double to right-center. Today’s guest on my #MakeYourMark podcast, Brendan Harris, tells us how he was able to play several years in MLB in a variety of roles, and after earning his Executive MBA from Wharton, is ready to make big strides in his next career!   “You get to spring training and you see 250 guys, and you think that you have to beat them all out, and you’re not even in big league camp up the street where there is another 60 guys. But you focus on what you can control, work on getting better, narrow it to each at bat each day and be consistent, put up some numbers and move up a level. Just get a little bit closer every day.”   Brendan and I share advice on how to make a career transition, in his case from a professional athlete towards a career in finance, and also thoughts on how to be prepared as an athlete, how to focus as a student, and plenty of baseball stories along the way!    “Find some of your contemporaries or your favorite players and watch the way they prepare, and get the fundamentals down so you can do it over and over again. You create a neural pathway so you can repeat it over and over again. I also recommend that you develop yourself physically and monitor your fitness, nutrition and sleep, and especially balance your studies as a student.”   You’ll really enjoy this episode, as you’ll hear about his ascent into MLB, some of the struggles he’s been through, and so much more! Happy listening!   “When people say that you need an approach or get yourself mentally ready, know what that means for yourself. Be able to know what it means to be mentally strong. When you go into a game, it’s important to know how to visualize various scenarios, especially as a young athlete.”   Some Topics we talk about in this episode:   1:30 - Intro  4:05 - Basketball was my favorite sport  7:05 - From I probably can get drafted to I will get drafted 8:42 - Getting the call 10:00 - 20 years old at Low A 11:00 - The right mindset  12:00 - I knew bigger things were coming  13:10 - Mixing in with major leaguers  15:06 - My first hit  17:30 - Realizing that the iconic big leaguers are people just like you 19:55 - Career highlights  21:29 - Best advice for baseball and softball players  24:10 - Being traded was a frustrating experience  26:24 - Hanging up the spikes 29:00 - Life after the game  30:55 - A new scene: business school  32:30 - Dealing with adversity 34:15 - A man of many trades  35:45 - The game day experience  40:13 - Accessing information on the athlete transition 43;43 - Networking  48:50 - Talking points  52:30 - Tips for the 25 year old athlete  54:15 - Clark Griswold in real estate!  55:55 - Hit Your Mark  How to get involved   Be sure to connect with me on Social Media @MarkMoyerCoach and go to my website, www.markmoyer.com to get access to the tips and strategies that my coaching clients get directly.   If you would like to be a guest on the Make Your Mark podcast and/or know someone else who has either been an athlete, in a role within the sports industry, or a military veteran, and have made a successful transition into a new role, I’d love to hear from you! Just send me an email Mark@MarkMoyer.com and we’ll discuss!   If you would like more information on how I can get you unstuck and moving forward with your transition, let’s talk. We can see whether it makes sense to work directly with me, or I can give you other options, but don’t let your transition wait another day, let’s connect!   Be sure to subscribe and leave me a quick review on iTunes. Your reviews and ratings will help me reach more people with ways to make their mark in life, business and career!   How are YOU going to Make Your Mark today? Go get ‘em!

EP52: Brendan Harris - Batting in front of Sammy Sosa, a Wharton MBA, and Next Big Steps

Every elite athlete knows how hard it is to reach the pinnacle of their sport, the amount of training, effort, time and commitment necessary to get there. My guest on today’s #MakeYourMark podcast, Chris Hale, is a great example of how you can overcome tremendous odds to make it onto the big arena that is professional sports. What those of us who may watch the game from the stadiums or on TV don’t realize is what the athletes have to go through to be ready for those few moments on the field, and Chris shines a spotlight on that, and so much more!    “An athlete never says it’s time to go, there’s about 1 percent that say that. The league says it’s time to go.”   This episode flows so well: you’ll get great guidance and advice from Chris and I on what you can do to be prepared for life after sport, and how important it is to have a plan B while you are in the midst of plan A!     “The brain is like a sponge, you can do what you set your mind too. You can do anything you think you’re capable of, you just have to do it.”   Make sure to give this a listen, as you’ll also hear how you can end up with a free copy of my job search playbook for athletes, Win Again! Chris is an awesome guy with a super personality, this is a super episode to tune in to! Happy Listening!   “You have to set your priorities to what’s happening in your life, where you want to be. What younger people don’t realize is those high school years are years that go by fast as heck, so your focus can’t be on what’s going on at the high school, it has to be what’s happening beyond that school.”   Some Topics we talk about in this episode:   Intro - 2:00 Being in LA - 3:00 A 9-Year old with Big Dreams - 6:47 It seemed like there was no chance - 9:05 I had to Fight my Way in Football to Prove I could do it -11:59 I Quit for a Year - 14:00 Decided to give it One More Shot - 15:00 An all-American in Junior College - 16:00 Ended up with America’s Team - 16:50 A Lot of Luck involved - 19:04 Advice for Current Student-Athletes - 21:00 Make it your Priority - 25:41 The Moment I found out I was Going To Be a Pro - 28:02 Even when you Make the team it’s a Constant Battle - 33:00 I was the only one to make the team on defense - 34:00 Fueled my fire - 35:47 An athlete Never Says It’s Time to Go - 38:20 Out of Football Forever - 41:00  Preparing for Life After the Game - 44:47 When the Obstacles Come - 48:07 Go Back to your School - 49:50 The Skills an Athlete Has Over Others in the Business World - 51:52 Broadcasting - 53:42 Hit Your Mark - 59:11 How to get involved   Be sure to connect with me on Social Media @MarkMoyerCoach and go to my website, www.markmoyer.com to get access to the tips and strategies that my coaching clients get directly.   If you would like to be a guest on the Make Your Mark podcast and/or know someone else who has either been an athlete, in a role within the sports industry, or a military veteran, and have made a successful transition into a new role, I’d love to hear from you! Just send me an email Mark@MarkMoyer.com and we’ll discuss!   If you would like more information on how I can get you unstuck and moving forward with your transition, let’s talk. We can see whether it makes sense to work directly with me, or I can give you other options, but don’t let your transition wait another day, let’s connect!   Be sure to subscribe and leave me a quick review on iTunes. Your reviews and ratings will help me reach more people with ways to make their mark in life, business and career!   How are YOU going to Make Your Mark today? Go get ‘em!

EP51: Chris Hale - Interceptions, Perseverance, and a Cheetah?

The Big 5-0! And who better to be my 50th guest on the #MakeYourMark podcast than Kevin Dineen, NHL star player and head coach, Canadian women’s gold medal winning coach in 2014, and the list goes on and on. I was thrilled to hear from him a few weeks ago as he had seen a couple of my how-to interview videos via the NHLCA, used my tips and strategies, and has just accepted the head coaching job with the San Diego Gulls, the AHL affiliate of the Anaheim Ducks! But will he trade in his skates for a surfboard?   “The fact is that the actual percentage of the guys who are going to make a living out of the sport is extremely low, so you find (like you say) something you’re passionate about. I’ve been incredibly lucky to make a living out of hockey. I’ve tricked some people for a long time!”   I’m a big time hockey fan, and had the chance to dig deep into the sport with Kevin. He shares great advice for up-and-coming hockey players, and tons of stories, including how he nearly punched out his brother when he was told he was drafted by the Hartford Whalers!   “Find what your strength is and don’t say ‘Ok, I know that is my strength I have to work on other areas of my game.’ If you’re a skater continue to work on your skating, if you have a great shot, you make sure that shot stays lethal.”   We could have gone on for hours, and we will over golf and dinner later this summer. But you can get a head start on it all by sharing less than an hour with us, you’ll be glad you did!   “The moment that I realized the skill was just not there, it was hard to get out of bed some mornings, it's not an easy transition, I would say the majority of players really dread when it;s time to hang up the skates and decide what's next, and like a lot of things I went through a real funk when i retired.”   "Scotty Bowman called me up out of the blue and said, 'When you retire it’s almost like you lost an appendage, the game is so much a part of you, you’ve lost your identity.' From saying ‘Oh yeah I’m a hockey player’, well, no you aren’t. So what are you? You go through that, and then you go through what I call this 2-year mourning period of ‘What’s next? Where am I going?’. Until it hits you personally, you just go about like you think you’re a big strong guy, but when you're in that funk, it’s no fun.” Some Topics we talk about in this episode:    Intro - 2:45 There’s a New Coach in Town! -  4:05   Kevin’s Story - 7:04 Always on the Go - 10:45 Academics Vs. Athletics - 14:26 Future of Sports - 16:00 Being Drafted - 21:11 The Hartford Whalers - 22:00 Claim to Fame with the Whalers - 27:05 Canadian hockey- will do absolutely anything to win - 30:28 Time to Hang up the Skates - 33:33 Not an Easy Transition - 36:00 Portland, ME - 39:00 Involved with Women's Hockey - 41:36  It was like Stepping on a Fast Moving Train - 44:12 The Coach does not get a Medal, It’s all about the Players! - 46:31 A New Chapter - 48:00 Prime Pieces of Advice from a Renowned Coach- 50:10 Coaching the American Hockey League - 55:20 What to do during the Downtime - 57:50 The Influence One Video can have - 1:01:00 Hit Your Mark - 1:01:04 How to get involved   Be sure to connect with me on Social Media @MarkMoyerCoach and go to my website, www.markmoyer.com to get access to the tips and strategies that my coaching clients get directly.   If you would like to be a guest on the Make Your Mark podcast and/or know someone else who has either been an athlete, in a role within the sports industry, or a military veteran, and have made a successful transition into a new role, I’d love to hear from you! Just send me an email Mark@MarkMoyer.com and we’ll discuss!   If you would like more information on how I can get you unstuck and moving forward with your transition, let’s talk. We can see whether it makes sense to work directly with me, or I can give you other options, but don’t let your transition wait another day, let’s connect!   Be sure to subscribe and leave me a quick review on iTunes. Your reviews and ratings will help me reach more people with ways to make their mark in life, business and career!   How are YOU going to Make Your Mark today? Go get ‘em!

EP50: Kevin Dineen - The Gulls are his new flock, NHL player, coach, & gold medal winner!

My first reaction was - holy cow, I have a General on my #MakeYourMark podcast! Even better was getting to know today’s guest, Major General Jeffrey Milhorn, Commanding General of the US Army Corps of Engineers for the Northeast, Europe and Africa. The MG brings 29 years of military experience to bear as he oversees a critical group of military and civilians. He is an avid environmentalist, and yes, an impressive surfer!   Oftentimes when people join the military, it’s never about ‘me’ or ‘I’, it often is service. The word service itself is indicative of joining something bigger than one’s self. You’re serving with and for others.   Jeff and I share a passion for helping veterans once they leave the service and make the often challenging transition into civilian life, and in this episode you will hear him not only describe the great work that the Army Corps of Engineers is doing, but also the importance of service to our country and how we need to educate and encourage men and women from all backgrounds on the far-reaching benefits of joining the military, and the 150+ functions and roles that can be pursued.   “As a young lieutenant at 22 or 23 years of age you’re now responsible for 30 other soldiers in this case, and their families, and so you grow up pretty quickly because now you realize it isn’t about you, it’s about the team and how you build that team and move down towards whatever objectives are set before you.”   Make sure you give this one a listen - Jeff’s nearly 30 years of service to our country has truly  made an indelible mark wherever he has served, and his focus on partnering with Mother Nature to help save our environment through his work with the Army Corps of Engineers is inspiring!   “I know what we need to do to continue to prepare ourselves and protect lives and property as best we can, and we’re doing those things but still, we’re just scratching the surface.” Some Topics we talk about in this episode:    2:50 “You get less focused on yourself and start thinking, ‘how do I contribute to something much bigger than myself?’” [Initial interest in the military]   4:45 “I was kind of supplementing gas and pizza money on the side” [University of Florida and early military experience]   6:10 “You raise your right hand and pledge the oath to support and defend the Constitution of The United States and then you’re off and running” [Transitioning after graduation]   7:21 “Now, you’re not only responsible for yourself, but everyone else around you” [Challenges of a young leader]   9:38 “You’re constantly assessing people in terms of their ability to accomplish what they’ve been tasked to do” [Moving up the ranks]   10:35 “You still do have an opportunity to express your desire in terms of what you want to do”  [Individual freedom within the military]   12:58 “Bollywood to Hollywood, polar bears to penguins” [Being stationed in Hawaii]   15:03 “Everybody’s gotta give way together… if the majority do, and others don’t, you’re going to still have problems” [Capability of sustainability efforts]   19:15 “It is real, and just look at the last couple of years...” [Climate change and recent natural disasters]   26:50 “It’s really about meeting people wherever you go, and that’s what I enjoy most about what I’m doing” [Favorite military station]   28:56 “How do you protect them as they transition from your organization into the world again?” [Life after the military]   35:18 “You see the opportunity to give back and thank this nation” [Passion for military service]   42:29 Hit Your Mark How to get involved   Be sure to connect with me on Social Media @MarkMoyerCoach and go to my website, www.markmoyer.com to get access to the tips and strategies that my coaching clients get directly.   If you would like to be a guest on the Make Your Mark podcast and/or know someone else who has either been an athlete, in a role within the sports industry, or a military veteran, and have made a successful transition into a new role, I’d love to hear from you! Just send me an email Mark@MarkMoyer.com and we’ll discuss!   If you would like more information on how I can get you unstuck and moving forward with your transition, let’s talk. We can see whether it makes sense to work directly with me, or I can give you other options, but don’t let your transition wait another day, let’s connect!   Be sure to subscribe and leave me a quick review on iTunes. Your reviews and ratings will help me reach more people with ways to make their mark in life, business and career!   How are YOU going to Make Your Mark today? Go get ‘em!

EP49: Major General Jeffrey Milhorn - Moving Mountains and Making Waves

If you are a current or retired athlete, this is the episode to listen to! The #MakeYourMark Podcast focuses on guests who are inspiring and are making an impact. My guest today @Grant Clitsome is using his NHL experiences to help build a program designed for athletes to transition out of their sport easier. Talk about finding my sweet spot! We could have gone on for hours on such a critical topic!   “I remember at the end of the camp, Hitch [Ken Hitchcock] pulls me into his office and he says, ‘Grant, you’re gonna be an NHL defenseman, you just need to go back to Clarkson and keep doing what you’re doing.’ So that was pretty inspiring, and that was a moment where I said to myself, ‘okay maybe I can do this.’”   Grant had to retire earlier than he had hoped because of a back injury, but he has taken advantage of his athletic mindset, and been able to recreate the daily structure that was such a critical part of his athletic career and turn it into the After The Game program.   I’m excited to collaborate with Grant and elevate the athletes that he’s working with, showing them all that they have an incredibly bright future ahead of them after they leave their sport. Make sure you give this episode a listen, especially if you are closing in on the end of your career, or have retired from your sport. Send me your experiences, would like to hear from you!   “I had no idea what was going to happen with hockey and I didn’t anticipate to make a career out of it. That was my goal, but if it didn’t work out or I had an injury or whatever I wanted to make sure I had a backup plan and I had my education. So, that was the big selling feature for me.”   “After the surgery, I came back and played a little bit the following season, then re-herniated the same disk. I had a second surgery and that’s when it just didn’t heal the same way and the doctor’s recommended I stop playing.”   “When you’re playing in the NHL you have a schedule every month that’s handed to you and tells you where to be and what to do at every second of the day. Your meals are all lined up and ready for you, your travel is all lined up and ready for you. There’s just so much structure. Then you go from that environment to just the complete opposite, which is no structure and you’re the one now having to create your own structure. (you can end here for website quote if that helps) It’s challenging but I think the biggest thing for me was to stay busy. If I was just sitting doing nothing I would go crazy, and that’s when you start to get into that dangerous spiral of depression and mental struggles.”   “I think if we can help players prepare for this [life after hockey] before they’re even close to retiring, I think it does so many things for them. From simply a mental health standpoint, I think it gives you a very healthy distraction during the season. There’s so much pressure associated with performing at such a high level throughout the season. It gives you something else to focus on, and channel your energy, and grow and develop as a person outside of just the athlete.”  Some Topics we talk about in this episode:    4:29 “When there was no snow on the whole lake you could just skate for miles and miles” [Growing up in northern Ontario]   8:02 “I was woken up by my mom knocking on my door saying, ‘the Columbus Blue Jackets are on the phone’” [NHL draft experience]   10:37 “The pep bands and the whole student section - it was love at first sight...I wanted to make sure I had a backup plan and I had my education” [Decision to play college hockey]   12:43  “It came down to opportunity and the ability to play and be able to develop” [Attending Clarkson University]   16:18 “That was kind of a moment where I said to myself, ‘okay maybe I can do this’” [Realizing that pro hockey was within reach]    19:35 “I didn’t sleep for a second. There was no way I was falling asleep” [First NHL call up]   21:57 “Wrist shot top corner on Roloson...it was pretty cool having everyone there to see it” [First NHL goal]   24:38 “I was looking forward to a fresh opportunity and being able to re-establish myself” [Trade to Winnipeg]    26:34 “It just didn’t heal the same way and the doctors recommended I stop playing” [Conclusion of hockey career]    29:28 “You kind of go from feeling totally sheltered and supported to just feeling like ‘okay, now what’” [Adjusting to new life]   31:06 “I like wine a lot, and I like to learn. So I thought, ‘what better thing to learn about’?” [Post hockey endeavors]   37:45 “Every athlete goes through some sort of major adjustment” [Involvement with the After the Game Program]   45:46 “It can always be better. There can always be more engagement and more awareness” [Resources provided by the NHL]    50:10 “Get them working on it while they’re still playing, to me that’s the ultimate goal” [The objectives of the ONE Sports’ transition program]    52:25 “An athlete brings so much more to the table than they often realize” [Leveraging your athletic background]   53:53 Hit Your Mark How to get involved   Be sure to connect with me on Social Media @MarkMoyerCoach and go to my website, www.markmoyer.com to get access to the tips and strategies that my coaching clients get directly.   If you would like to be a guest on the Make Your Mark podcast and/or know someone else who has either been an athlete, in a role within the sports industry, or a military veteran, and have made a successful transition into a new role, I’d love to hear from you! Just send me an email Mark@MarkMoyer.com and we’ll discuss!   If you would like more information on how I can get you unstuck and moving forward with your transition, let’s talk. We can see whether it makes sense to work directly with me, or I can give you other options, but don’t let your transition wait another day, let’s connect!   Be sure to subscribe and leave me a quick review on iTunes. Your reviews and ratings will help me reach more people with ways to make their mark in life, business and career!   How are YOU going to Make Your Mark today? Go get ‘em! 

EP48: Grant Clintsome - Using his NHL Mindset to Help Athletes Transition

Mark Moyer is a business and career coach for athletes, guiding them through the challenging transition from sport to their next career. He wrote "Win Again", the first job search playbook for athletes. Mark & his guests offer the listener tips and advice on how to make a positive impact and achieve their greatest potential drawing from the athlete’s transition experiences. Check out much more at www.markmoyer.com

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Make Your Mark

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