GenWhy Leaders Podcast
By Eric Hughey
GenWhy Leaders PodcastApr 28, 2019
007 – Become a Digital Nomad with Drew Taylor
Show Overview:
Some people are born with entrepreneurship in their blood. That’s Drew Taylor – Founder of Digital Nomad University. While some teenage boys grew up playing video games, Drew could be found trying to buy and sell video games and other hot-ticket items for a profit. On episode 007 of the GenWhy Leaders Podcast, Drew tells us how his love for the game (of business) has allowed him to be a successful serial entrepreneur. Identifying a desire among millennials to travel more and have more life experiences, Drew started Digital Nomad University to help our generation build lifestyle businesses that resemble the “4-Hour Work Week.” Listen to the end for The Digital Nomad 3-Step Blueprint to get your business moving.
Drews entrepreneurial journey:
Drew started with traditional landscaping and yard care jobs as a teen, and then transitioned into anything he could buy and sell for a profit. Drew tried is hand at network marketing in college, and landed a telephone sales job in the corporate sector after college. Hating the work, Drew knew there was a better way to support himself and enjoy work. Drew has since started and sold a variety of businesses across multiple industries. After starting Movement Logistics a freight brokerage company, Drew had become an influencer and mentor to millennials for starting and growing businesses. Drew then was motivated to start Digital Nomad University.
Is being a digital nomad practical? Or an Instagram mirage?
Workload while traveling is determined by your individual goals and business types, such a freelancer or an influencer, and whether you are working by the hour, or selling a third-party product. In Drew’s case, he has enough systems set up he is able to keep work to a minimum while traveling. He spent December of 2018 in Thailand and worked only 4 hours total on his freight business. If your goal is to do the same, Drew suggests setting up business systems to take you out of the equation. Keep in mind, this won’t happen overnight. So, don’t book your plane tickets the week of starting your online business.
How to contact Drew:
Website: www.digitalnomadu.com
Instagram: @SelfmadeDT
Facebook: Digital Nomad University
006 - Chris Meyers of Crane Brewing - How to “brew” a brand from scratch
Episode overview:
Do you like craft beer? Entrepreneurship? Business strategy? Then you’ll love this episode of the GenWhy Leaders Podcast. We sat down with Chris Meyers, Co-Founder at Crane Brewing Company, LLC. Chris tells us how he started Crane Brewing from scratch with fellow co-founder Michael Crane and a team of experienced brewing professionals. From branding, obtaining investment capital, supply chain and business scaling - this interview is for anyone interested in starting and growing a business.
Chris’s Why:
“It’s been a process. Not only of the business, but of myself. I never thought growing up I would want to be a business owner. I had no interest in going to business school or taking those particular courses. But this is something that became a passion of mine pretty quickly, as far as brewing goes, and I knew this is something I really wanted to do.”
Why Crane Brewing?
The company is named after Michael Crane, Chris’s co-founder. The ‘Crane” origami logo is also a play on words of Michael’s last name, but also developed brand recognition and consistency across its various beers. Origami and beer are artforms in and of themselves, and great ice-breakers for getting to know others.
How Crane Brewing got started:
Chris came from the field of veterinary medicine, but always had an underlying passion to start a brewery. Every sunday, him and his team would spend hours home-brewing small batches in one of their basements. Then they would give away a majority of that beer, hundreds of gallons at a time, while they tried to build the Crane Brewing brand. This got them connected with their first investors and distributors. It was a mix of the right people and the right pieces coming together at the right time. Crane brewed their first batch of beer in 2015.
How and when to scale:
From the start, Crane has been smart with its business strategy. Unlike most breweries, Crane took a distribution-first strategy, before opening. They believe in focusing on a few key components to be operational at each phase of the business and maximizing revenue. Once stable in each area, then they develop additional revenue streams.
Their unique value proposition was in focusing on sour beers when they started. As they perfected receipts and built trust with consumers, they branched out into more traditional beers. Crane then built a taproom attached to the brewery in Raytown, Missouri, just outside of Kansas City. Continuing to grow, Chris and his team are finding ways to enhance the consumer experience at the taproom. Harp Barbeque is now operating out of a newly added kitchen. Crane is also brainstorming ways to expanded beer garden, and partnering with the city of Raytown on opportunities for a bike trail that will soon go right in front of the brewery, and connect to the Katy Trail.
How to connect with Chris:
Chris@cranebrewing.com
005 - Matt Honeycutt on grad school and being intentional with your time
Episode Overview:
On this episode of the GenWhy Leaders podcast Matt Honeycutt, Director of Graduate Business Admissions at Rockhurst University explains how being intentional with your time can lead to an equal or greater amount success as opposed to working long hours. Bill Gates once said,”only through focus can you do world class things, no matter how capable you are.” Matt exemplifies this as he continues to thrive as a leader in one of the top business schools in the midwest while helping improve the program on a daily basis. More importantly, Matt’s ability to focus on the things that matter most at work, in turn, allows him to focus on things that matter most at home - being a great husband and father. Having a healthy and loving relationship with your significant other and family is perhaps the greatest success of all.
Matt’s Why:
Servant Leadership.
Matt’s tips for getting your next promotion:
- Be professional and timely
- Write hand-written thank you cards
- Have a good work ethic
- Make sure you’re passionate about what you’re doing
- Make sure you have the adequate skills and knowledge necessary to do the job
Thinking about going to Grad School?
Be sure to weigh all components including time, cost, employer contributions, etc. Matt also tells us about an interesting trend called “stackable credentials” that carry over from one program or university to the next.
How to be intentional with your time:
It requires focus and discipline. Be at work when you are at work. Be at home when you are at home. Limit your time on social media (book recommendation: Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport ).
Additional book recommendations from Matt:
- Them: Why We Hate Each Other--and How to Heal - Ben Sasse
- WAR - Sebastian Junger
- The Obstacle Is the Way - Ryan Holiday
- Anything by John C. Maxwell
- Anything by Jocko Willink Jocko Willink
How to contact Matt:
Work email: matthew.honeycutt@rockhurst.edu
Personal email: honeycuttm89@yahoo.com
004 - Pivot your skills when your back’s against the wall with Marie Baldwin
Episode overview:
On this episode of the GenWhy Leaders Podcast, Marie Baldwin, Digital Art Director at Trozzolo Communications Group tells us about the importance of pivoting when your back is against the wall. Being a traditional graphic designer and fresh out of college when the recession hit around 2008, Marie had to find ways to add value to herself as an employee, or risk being laid off. She did that by learning website design and development. Now being able to speak to both the creative and technical sides of digital design, Marie is blazing trails and is providing more value than ever to her employer and the clients she works with daily basis.
Special Note:
Marie designed the logo and branding for the GenWhy Leaders Podcast, and we are thankful for that. It looks great and we’ve received tons of positive feedback. Be sure to contact her for your design needs!
Email: mbaldwin@trozzolo.com
Twitter: @renabaldwinkc
Instagram: @lipstickandlager
Marie’s Why:
“I appreciate the lack of monotony in a career and in the workplace, and I think I’ve found a really great place for that here at Trozzolo, and for my personality.”
Marie’s side gigs:
In addition to being Digital Art Director at Trozzolo Communications Group, she also owns Cherry St. Studio, a custom invitation Etsy shop. Be sure to check out her shop for your next party invitation. Marie also is an Adjunct Professor for students in digital design and strategy at Avila University.
Marie’s top-3 tips for starting a website or online business:
- Don’t do it yourself
- Keep it simple
- Improve it over time - a website is a living, breathing thing. You don’t have to launch with everything 100% complete.
003 - How to be more self-aware and create better habits with Ryan Bennett
Episode overview:
On this episode of the GenWhy Leaders Podcast, we’ll hear from entrepreneur Ryan Bennett about the importance of self-awareness. This episode is not simply about learning whether you are an introvert or an extrovert, it’s about knowing your strengths, applying them with your knowledge, and creating habits that allow you to focus and improve upon them.
Listen to Ryan’s journey of becoming more self-aware as he tells us about the mentors and systems such as StrengthsFinder and the ARTT method that played a critical role in helping him become who he is today. Previously thinking he wanted to be a CEO of a large corporation, Ryan tells how us how better understanding his strengths has guided him to what he was born to do -- help empower others.
Ryan’s Why:
Empower others to become the best version of themselves by leading, coaching and encouraging them.
ARTT Method:
Ryan tells us about the ARTT method he learned from a mentor. You can learn and understand as much about yourself as you want, but until stress is applied to a situation, people either thrive or crumble. The ARTT method stands for:
- Aware - aware of what occured in an interaction with another person
- Reflect - reflect on the conversation, examining your communication and body language, as well as that of the other person
- Target - identify what you did wrong, or what could have gone better
- Try - in the next interaction, have a plan or tactics of how you will approach it differently
StrengthFinders:
A personality assessment that allows you to determine and focus on your strengths and what you’re naturally gifted at, rather than trying to improve your weaknesses. There are 34 strengths, and 4 main themes (executor, influence, relationship builder or strategic thinker).
Every strength also has a “balcony” and “basement.” Click here to learn more about StrengthFinders.
Ryan’s top 5 strengths:
- Activator
- Significance
- Self-Assurance
- Focus
- Achiever
Anchor Habits:
Trying to develop a new habit? Create an anchor or trigger that you are already doing that will cause you to do the new habit you’re trying to create. For example, you always brush your teeth, so make yourself do something before or after brushing your teeth.
How to get ahold of Ryan:
816-898-3331
About GenWhy Leaders Podcast:
Entitled, lazy, unreliable. These are just a few of the words used to describe Millennials. It wasn’t too long ago consumer and employer reports were being built about us, and how we would acclimate to the professional world. Now, we'll soon be leading the workforce. According to Forbes, 75% of the national labor force will be millennials by 2025. Despite the negative stereotypes, this generation is full of individuals already taking leadership positions at companies, starting their own businesses, and pursuing their purpose to support themselves and their families. In the GenWhy Leaders Podcast, we learn why leaders in this age group do what they do, what keeps them motivated, and how they succeed in this ever-more competitive marketplace.
002 - Take Action Now | The Journey is the Destination with Logan Freeman
Episode overview:
On this episode of the GenWhy Leaders Podcast, we’ll learn about the importance of taking action from Logan Freeman, former NFL draft pick of the Oakland Raiders turned entrepreneur and real estate mogul. Football unfortunately didn’t work out for Logan, and soon after, he lost his father. Hitting rock bottom, Logan was faced with an opportunity to find his true identity and reinvent himself. As the saying goes, sometimes the journey is more important than the destination. Although Logan was faced with a difficult road, the same persistent daily action that gave him a shot at the NFL, has now allowed him to have a successful real estate career, recently being named Kansas City’s #1 investor-specific realtor in 2018. Now married with a beautiful baby girl, Logan tells us about the habits he has built and actions he continues to take that allows him to be successful. Here’s my interview with Logan Freeman.
Logan’s Why:
Become the best version of himself so he can get to Heaven and help others get to Heaven. Logan focuses on doing his best to bring value to every individual he comes into contact with.
Key Takeaways:
- To be a person of action, is to be a person of courage and fortitude.
- Know that you will fail often, and fear will present itself regularly. But FEAR is simply False Evidence Appearing Real.
- We see the world how we want to see it. Our beliefs lead to our emotions, which lead to our actions, which lead to our results (Crucial Conversations)
Book Recommendations:
- The Bible
- StrengthFinders 2.0
- Emotional Intelligence
- Crucial Conversations
- Millionaire’s Fastlane & Unscripted
- Never Split the Difference
- The One Thing
- The 10X Rule
- Rich Dad Poor Dad
- Extreme Ownership
How to contact Logan:
- Website: Livefreeman.com
- Email: logan@livefreeman.com
001 - Sacrificing Success for Significance with Brent Vogel
GenWhy Leaders Podcast Episode 1 - Sacrificing Success for Significance with Brent Vogel.
Episode overview: On the first episode of GenWhy Leaders Podcast, we hear from Brent Vogel. Brent was a walk-on track & field athlete at the University of Central Missouri, where he eventually became a 2-time National Champion and an 8-time All-American. Being a successful athlete, Brent tells listeners about the sacrifices he made throughout college in terms of personal life and his own health to set him up for future success. Following college, Brent pursued coaching where he was named Coach of the Year for the University of Missouri - S&T’s. However, Brent would argue meeting his future wife, Rachel on campus was the bigger award. Brent sacrificed all this and put coaching behind him to be with Rachel, and now both are pursuing careers in the medical field. Brent now works as a Medical Device Sales Representative for Stryker Corporation.
Brent’s Why: Brent doesn’t believe in having a singular “why,” and the things that motivate him vary in different areas of life. He encourages listeners to double down and go all in on the areas of life when and where they mean the most. A few of the things motivating Brent:
1) His wife Rachel - fulfilling her dreams and the dreams of her family
2) The Doctors he’s serving - making sure they receive great patient outcomes
3) The patients receiving his products - knowing he has made a positive impact on their health and wellness
Book Recommendations: Brent has a lot of book recommendations and encourages listeners to read books that are in line with their goals or the areas of life they want to improve. His broader recommendations include:
1) Perfectly Yourself: Matthew Kelly - Discovering God's dream for you and being completely at peace with you who are.
2) Essentialism - Greg McKeown - The disciplined pursuit of less. Helping you discern the trivial many from the vital few.
3) The Compound Effect - Darren Hardy - Jump-start your income, life, and success.
How to contact Brent: brent.michael.vogel@gmail.com
About GenWhy Leaders Podcast: Entitled, lazy, unreliable. These are just a few of the words used to describe Millennials. It wasn’t too long ago consumer and employer reports were being built about us, and how we would acclimate to the professional world. Now, we'll soon be leading the workforce. According to Forbes, 75% of the national labor force will be millennials by 2025. Despite the negative stereotypes, this generation is full of individuals already taking leadership positions at companies, starting their own businesses, and pursuing their purpose to support themselves and their families. In the GenWhy Leaders Podcast, we learn why leaders in this age group do what they do, what keeps them motivated, and how they succeed in this ever-more competitive marketplace.
000 - GenWhy Leaders Podcast Overview
About GenWhy Leaders Podcast: Entitled, lazy, unreliable. These are just a few of the words used to describe Millennials. It wasn’t too long ago consumer and employer reports were being built about us, and how we would acclimate to the professional world. Now, we'll soon be leading the workforce. According to Forbes, 75% of the national labor force will be millennials by 2025. Despite the negative stereotypes, this generation is full of individuals already taking leadership positions at companies, starting their own businesses, and pursuing their purpose to support themselves and their families. In the GenWhy Leaders Podcast, we learn why leaders in this age group do what they do, what keeps them motivated, and how they succeed in this ever-more competitive marketplace.
On this episode:
Learn what the GenWhy Leaders Podcast is (see above)
Get to know host Eric Hughey and why he started the podcast
Know what to expect on oncoming episodes Interesting
Stats according to Forbes mentioned in this episode:
Millennials have taken over as the majority population in the workforce.
Millennials hold about 20 percent of all active leadership roles. (manager and above)
By 2025, 75% of the national labor force will be millennials.
Three keys to starting your journey to your big goal:
Get over fear
Fail fast and often, learn from it, stick to the plan
When in doubt, take more action
Preview of upcoming GenWhy Leaders Podcast Episodes:
Brent Vogel, Sports Medicine Sales Representative for Stryker Topic: Sacrificing success for significance
Logan Freeman, Owner of LiveFree Investments Topic: Taking massive action to build a business
Ryan Bennett, former VP of IdleSmart and now Business & Leadership Coach Topic: The importance of self awareness
Marie Baldwin, Digital Art Director at Trozzolo Communication Group Topic: How to pivot when your back is against the wall
Matt Honeycutt, MBA Admissions Director at Rockhurst University Topic: Being intentional with your time
Where can I find the GenWhy Leaders Podcast?
Anchor, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, and iTunes (pending).
Know someone who would be a great guest on the podcast?
Email us at genwhyleaders@gmail.com. You can also learn about new episodes by following us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.