The Morning Spotlight with Mike Ham

Pablo Gonzalez is the inventor of the Relationship Flywheel™️, host of the B2B Community Builder and Not Your Average Investor Shows, and Co-Founder of BeTheStage.live- a marketing agency that turns clients into community and community into your greatest business development asset.

He’s obsessed with human connection, and he’s used his expertise to grow non-profits, sell $60M+ construction projects, rescue fledgling start-ups, set record breaking quarters for $100M+ companies, and be named a Latino Leader of the Future and a Top 20 Under 40 various publications.

More than anything, he’s dying to be your friend.

bethestage.live/bootcamp

About Rhino Julie:

I was nice, hardworking and miserable. It wasn't until I claimed command over my body once and for all that I was able to claim command over my life.   I own 3 gyms in Las Vegas, NV and I am on a mission to help nice, hardworking people live the life they deserve by claiming command over their body once and for all so they can have the energy and confidence to reach their potential. Claiming command over your body doesn't have to mean sacrifice and losing your sanity through strict dieting or hardcore programs.   Claiming command over your body can be fun, rewarding and last forever.  I specialize in helping entrepreneurs and professionals live their happy AND shed unhelpful weight forever.

rhinojulie.com

@camprhinojulie

Born in Burlingame, California, Ed Parcaut moved multiple times between California and Colorado during his childhood. Therefore, he is a die hard Bronco Fan. After his father’s death, Ed wound up in Turlock, California. During high school he would work on his grandfather’s dairy. Which helped him learn many trades and realized this would not be the path for him.

He enlisted in the Navy as a Hospital Corpsman to see the world and got to see San Diego, CA. After 18 months in the Navy, it came time to choose a specialty. He ended up studying physical therapy and Emergency Medicine. During the rest of service, he went to college getting a bachelor’s degree in marketing and a master’s in international business and marketing.

After getting out of the Navy, he gave the tech world a try before realizing it was not for him. He turned to work for his neighbor’s mortgage company, which is what stuck. Ed’s love for numbers and helping people have kept him in the mortgage field ever since.

He is also the host of a local talk radio show, Real Estate Jerky, and 2 podcasts, Inner Edison and Helping the Brave. 

edparcaut.com

Martha Krejci is a high-vibin’ mama, wife, life coach, business-growth strategist and social media marketing powerhouse who has taken the internet by storm. Featured in Oprah Magazine, Fast Company, Cosmopolitan, Shape and Huffington Post among other places, Martha’s intuitive marketing expertise has helped her make her first million in less than a year using a strategy she teaches openly through courses, group coaching and other tried-and-true resources. From finding your passion to building a business that works, she teaches it all — and it’s all ready and waiting for you.

withmartha.com

Co-Managing Partner of Riker Danzig in Morristown, NJ, Mike O’Donnell provides a range of commercial litigation services to clients, particularly title insurance companies and financial institutions.  His work includes title disputes, mortgage fraud claims, lender liability claims, loan work-out, commercial foreclosure and evictions, judgment collection, fraud and fraudulent transfer claims, defense against RESPA, TILA and other consumer protection laws and class action defense for the banking and title insurance industries. Mike believes in working with his clients to set end goals at the inception of any matter and striving to get there in the most efficient manner without ever sacrificing flexibility needed for changing circumstances.

Mike has represented every major title insurer including Chicago Title Insurance Co., First American Title Insurance Co., Fidelity National Title Insurance Co., Old Republic National Title Insurance Co., Stewart Title Guaranty Company, Westcor Land Title Insurance Co., North American Title Insurance Company,  WFG Title Insurance Company and Connecticut Attorneys Title Insurance Co., as well as their insureds.  He has served as coverage counsel for title underwriters on numerous wide-ranging real estate frauds, some of which losses exceeded $45 million.  Finally, he represents title agencies in similar matters.

As to lending clients, Mike has represented most of the major financial institutions such as Wells Fargo, Bank of America, and JP Morgan Chase, as well as smaller regional banks including Investors Bank, Carver Federal Savings Bank, Lakeland Bank and Manasquan Savings Bank.  He also represents Simon Property Group in commercial litigation and rent disputes in New Jersey and New York.

Mike has tried to verdict a wide range of commercial cases from lender liability claims, boundary-line disputes, to a 31-day dispute among the members of a family-owned real estate business valued at over $50 million.  He has also litigated numerous class actions from the overcharging of recordation fees to funds availability practices. 

When he is not practicing law, Mike is active in the community.  He currently is a member of the Board of Directors of Zufall Community Health Centers. He served as Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Colonial Symphony in Morristown, as well as teaching CCD and Pre-Cana classes in his parish.  Mike is also Past Chair of the District XB Ethics Committee.  Mike is a Life Fellow of the American Bar Foundation.  He is a member of the American Bar Association (TIPS Title Insurance Committee), Title Counsel Section of American Land Title Association, the Association of the Federal Bar of New Jersey, New Jersey State Bar (Banking, Real Estate and Federal Bar Sections) and Morris County Bar Association (Financial Services Committee).  Finally, Mike had the honor of serving five years in the United States Marine Corps.

riker.com

There’s really no other songwriter whose work touches the soul like James Taylor’s does. There’s an authenticity, a human connection that’s undeniable. As a six-time grammy award winner and Rock and Roll inductee, he has sold more than 100 million albums since the release of his debut album in 1968. Today, more than five decades later at the age of 73, James Taylor is still on the road filling concert stadiums and touching the hearts of adoring fans worldwide. His song “That’s Why I’m Here” is a dedication to his fans who “are like summer coming back every year.”

Rebecca Gold is one of those millions of super fans who credits him with turning her life around. As a “latchkey” teen  in the 1970s, she was lured into a cult until the music and lyrics of James Taylor spoke to her soul and she felt understood. Her story is not unique. James Taylor has inspired, consoled and has been a friend to so many others who have stories of how his music has been a source of healing throughout their lives.

Water scarcity is an increasing global problem threatening the health and welfare of large populations. The importance of using our limited water resources efficiently is moving into the spotlight in this decade. The need and urgency of water conservation and sustainability practices is urgent, and technology start-up AquaSeca, an emerging leader in intelligent water management, has announced its first offering – AquaWatch. When installed in a facility – this innovative technology reduces damage from unexpected water events, mitigates operational risks, enables water hygiene monitoring, and most importantly supports water sustainability programs. Designed specifically for complex plumbing in commercial properties, the data-driven platform is focused on the vision of efficient use of water resources across all industries.

AquaSeca considers its customers as partners in improved water use and sustainability practices. The technical support team assists from installation to usage data to custom analysis and reporting. “Energy efficiency has been a facilities driver for the past two decades. However, water efficiency, while in its infancy, is absolutely critical in smart building management and sustainable operations as well. We are dedicated to bringing the best resources to our customers with AquaWatch and its future capability expansions,” commented AquaSeca CEO, Nancy Hartsoch.

The AquaWatch water management system is a living platform; as additional capabilities are added over time, customer systems can be remotely upgraded to benefit from future capabilities and enhancements without a change in system hardware.

About AquaSeca

AquaSeca is a young company dedicated to data-driven solutions for smart building management and efficient use of our limited water resources. It’s first offering – AquaWatch - provides the foundational base for an ongoing platform of increasing capabilities for its customers. The company is headquartered in California, with development operations in both California and Washington.

The AquaSeca whole building solution provides the broadest water damage protection coverage inside and outside your facility.

https://www.aquaseca.com/

Sabrina Osso is Founder and CEO of OSSO SAFE…Feel Safe Where You Live, Work, and Play.   She is a speaker, a Tedx Speaker, and consultant on promoting safety and preventing violence in the workplace, schools, and in places of residence.  With her products and services, clients can save lives and bottom lines.  Her personal and professional experience with the subject allows her to bring a unique and holistic approach for employees, landlords, tenants, students, and teachers.

She was honored and grateful to have been one of the featured TEDx Talk Speakers at New Jersey City University’s TEDx TALK Event on April 5th, 2018.  Her presentation was very well received and is now broadcast.

Sabrina has long dealt with violence on a personal level.  She knows how difficult it is to live in such a chaotic environment.  Sabrina and Osso Safe want to make a positive impact in people’s lives, whether they’ve been directly affected by violence or not.

It is Osso Safe’s strong belief that the eradication of home violence must not be in the hands of the victims, but instead, the responsibility of the institutions of society, namely schools, workplaces, the real estate industry, the sports industry, lawmakers/politicians, hospitals and in our everyday conversations.

Sabrina and her company were featured in the July/August 2013 issue of the Meadowlands Chamber of Commerce magazine, Meadowlands USA.  Sabrina has done numerous speaking engagements throughout NY/NJ, including several radio interviews with Golden Life Living with Charise Colbert, Ordaining Reality with Dr. Joseph Donlan, Discover A New Future with Faith Saunders, The Billionaire Lifestyle Podcast with Emmitt Muckles, Healthy Relationship Talk Radio with Daaiyah Cixx, Erupt Online Podcast from Nigeria with Akinjobi Sodiq, and Viewpoints Talk Radio with Donell Edwards .  She was invited by Director and Media Consultant, Desiree Kinney, to speak on the subject of Preventing Home Violence at the American Cancer Society in NYC.

She graduated from Montclair State College with a B.S. in Computer Science.  Sabrina regularly takes Continuing Education Courses at Rutgers University to keep abreast of issues associated with home violence and its effects in schools and workplaces, violence against women, impacts on children, and a multitude of other courses relating to the topic.  She is also a professional dancer/actress who uses her performance talents to educate on the subject.

Some of her clients include Better Homes and Gardens-Rand Realty, the Haverstraw Community Center, the Children’s Aid and Family Services, and the Metropolitan Mobile Home Community.  Sabrina has been hired as a speaker for numerous venues and OSSO SAFE Workshops and Seminars have also been presented at various civic and community organizations.

https://www.ossosafe.com/

In the field of medicine Vikram is an award winning cardiologist, international speaker, and functional medicine specialist. He has helped thousands of individuals overcome their heart and health challenges and eventually pioneering a pro-active cardiology paradigm that has led to the launch of the Vitology institute.

Through his real estate company, Viking Capital, Vikram has a total of over $370 Million of assets acquired and is growing, while raising over $100 Million of private capital. His vision is to get to the elusive $1 Billion of acquisitions in the next 3 years.

He has been honored by Forbes Business Council and has been named Top 50 Outstanding Asian Americans in Business.

Having studied high performance, motivational psychology, business, and behavioral metrics, Vikram is now mentoring, teaching, and coaching others on how to uncover their inner legend. He has launched Viking University, which teaches the fundamentals on how to start, grow, and scale a real estate syndication business from scratch.

Vikram also shows people how to live their lives with true vitality through Vitology Institute, which allows others to optimize their human potential through functional medicine and bio-hacking. He also guides an small elite but extraordinary group of physicians with his coaching program Limitless MD in business and high performance.

Vikram and his amazing wife Ramona strongly support providing education to impoverished girls in developing countries with the charity Girl Rising.

Recently invited to speak at CNN Center and share the stage with Dr. Oz, Dr. Drew and Evander Holyfield, Vikram discussed the principle of the 5 Freedoms which created a major pivot in his life.

What drives Vikram is to viscerally pierce through a person’s limiting anchors and elevate them to a world class performer in any field or profession.

He loves to give back by teaching others how they can truly live an epic life on their own terms, whether it’s through building wealth, forging a bulletproof mindset, or establishing an invigorating life.

vikramraya.com

From pro-snowboarder to money mogul, Chris Naugle has dedicated his life to being America’s #1 Money Mentor. With a core belief that success is built not by the resources you have, but by how resourceful you can be.

His success and national acclaim have come in large part to what he’s learned first-hand from seeking a better way to wealth creation and preservation than he learned growing up.

Chris has built and owned 19 companies, with his businesses being featured in Forbes, ABC, House Hunters, and his very own HGTV pilot in 2018. He is currently founder of The Money School™, and Money Mentor for The Money Multiplier.

His success also includes managing tens of millions of dollars in assets in the financial services and advisory industry and in real estate transactions.

As an innovator and visionary in wealth-building and real estate, he empowers entrepreneurs, business owners, and real estate investors with the knowledge of how money works.

Chris is also a nationally recognized speaker, author, and podcast host. He has spoken to and taught over ten thousand Americans delivering the financial knowledge that fuels lasting freedom.

chrisnaugle.com

How do you go from pro soccer player to VP of one of the largest mortgage companies in America – more importantly what did he learn along the way, the answer is A LOT!

Once an Olympic USA Soccer Player, Brian quickly learned how to get “cut” and literally… get cut. Fitness and mindset became masteries for Brian very early as his career was affected by the 2007 market crash just years after his soccer team days came to an end, right when he was raising toddlers with his wife Nicole.

Brian has mastered the art of a growth mindset, the art of winning, and the art of staying fit. He believes in integration and health over all things. Brian is an executive at loanDepot, a proud father, an influencer, a top rated podcaster and, just simply, a fabulous soccer dad. He throws the suit down and coaches his daughters league with joy several times a week. It’s Brian’s mission with his new book, “Conversations with Covey”, to highlight some of the most incredible stories he’s gotten to share on his podcast, the Brian Covey Show.

Its all about balance!

Ever since Brian was a child he has had this instinctive urge for expansion and growth. “To me, the function and duty of a quality human being is the sincere and honest development of one’s potential.”

Growing up in Memphis, TN his love for the sport of soccer led him to travel the world, compete at the highest levels & experience so much that has shaped him into the husband, dad & leader he is today.

Today, Brian is a VP in the mortgage industry with loanDepot, one of the top 5 lenders in the country. He is still very passionate about being part of a championship team and equipping his team with the tools to excel, leadership development & leading change in the mortgage industry.

https://www.briancovey.com/

M.C. Laubscher is a Husband, Dad, Podcaster & Cashflow Coach.

As a cashflow investor & serial entrepreneur, M.C.’s passion is to assist investors & business owners to create, recover, warehouse & multiply cashflow through advance strategies.

Having figured out how to escape the rat race and replace his income through cashflow investing, he shares how highly paid professionals and business owners can replace their incomes through cashflow investing strategies to escape the matrix.

M.C. is a member of the Forbes Finance Council and has shared his strategies on Forbes Magazine, Entrepreneur Magazine, Grant Cardone TV, and Biggerpockets.

M.C. is the creator & host of the top-rated business and investing podcasts, Cashflow Ninja & Cashflow Investing Secrets and Chief Cashflow Coach at Cashflow Ninja LLC.

The Cashflow Ninja Podcast has been downloaded over 4.5 million times in over 180 countries and has been featured as one of the top 48 podcasts for entrepreneurs by Entrepreneur Magazine & is regularly featured as one of the top 100 podcasts by Apple Podcasts.

M.C. is also the President & Chief Executive Officer at Producers Wealth, a virtual wealth creation firm that assist investors, and business owners to set up and implement Infinite Banking.

cashflowninja.com

cashflowninja.com/21niches

Coffee Sponsor: Linda

Handi Capable Fitness (HCF), was born from the inspiration of founder James Norris and his trainer, Joe. Joe realized that the journey James was on—from enthusiastic, but not-so physically fit to hosting the annual HCF Walk—had the potential to encourage others to take on the same challenge. James created an Instagram account to share both his successes and failures with other Handi Capable athletes. After just the first few video posts of James working out, the positive feedback was overwhelming. There was clearly a need for an organization like HCF.

HCF is a platform designed to help folks achieve their goals—whatever they may be. We want others to experience the huge satisfaction that comes from overcoming challenges of all forms. When that’s a physical challenge, that means actively willing your body to be stronger, better and capable of pushing harder.

From James:

I was born three months premature. I weighed 2.5 pounds and measured 11.75” from head to toe; that’s shorter than a Velveeta box. I stayed in the hospital for three months, and my Mom would tell me years later she would wear the same perfume everyday so I would know she was there. About a month after being released, I was rushed to the hospital to undergo an emergency hernia surgery. During the procedure, the tube that was to deliver my oxygen was not taped to my mouth; I moved during surgery and was deprived of oxygen for five minutes. At the time, it was unclear if I was going to survive. By the grace of God, I did.

Before my second birthday, I was diagnosed with cerebral palsy (CP). There are many different types and severities of CP; my type affects my legs and left arm, leaving me with poor balance and limited use of my arm. As a child, I had many surgeries on my back, ankles, hips, and hamstrings, each with the goal of loosening the muscles to increase range of motion and flexibility. This, of course, was followed by years of physical therapy . . . and let me tell you, I HATED IT! That being said, my parents, teachers, and physical therapist didn’t let me off the hook that easy, and thanks to them, I was able to use braces and a walker.

I’d always been a huge sports fan, so my parents got me involved in Challenger baseball and basketball. I immediately fell in love. Every Friday night, I became either Mo Vaughn or Michael Jordan.

My whole fitness journey has inspired me to learn more so I can help other adaptive athletes (which I call handi-capable athletes) achieve their goals. HCF has become a platform for me to do this as effectively as I possibly can. Through HCF, I now communicate with folks from Boston, from all corners of the US, and from all around the world. I’ve participated in and assisted others through Spartan Races, lost more than 50 pounds, climbed 40-foot rock walls, and am in the gym 1-2 times a day. I push my own physical limits to show myself and the HCF community that with the right mindset, the right community, and the right motivations, there is literally nothing that can hold us back.

Handi Capable Fitness exists to help, inspire, and highlight others who are faced with challenges. No challenge should stop someone from doing amazing things.

handicapablefitness.com

@handi_capable_fitness

Coffee Sponsor: Bee Evans

Mike Deaton is a successful real estate investor, experienced Supply Chain executive, coach and entrepreneur. He has over 30 years experience running international Supply Chain organizations in Fortune 50 companies and has successfully transitioned into business entrepreneurship, owning and operating 3 successful companies with his wife Ligia.

Mike’s experience in leadership, operations and coaching gives him a unique perspective and the sharpened skillsets necessary for finding, analyzing, and executing on superior investments. Understanding macro-level market forces; building outstanding, high-performance teams; and translating those resources into sharp execution yield superior results.

Mike believes the true joy in life comes from giving back and as such, he finds purpose in providing as much value to others as he can. He loves nature and finds ways to spend as much time outdoors – hiking, trail running and simply appreciating the beauty of life as he can.

Ligia spent the early years of her career contributing in multinational companies of various sizes, where she learned the importance of building strong networks with a diversity of people and having a keen attention to detail. Since she and her husband began their own business in 2017, her interest in creating wealth through real estate investments has continued to grow. She now sees multifamily investment opportunities as one of the best ways to deliver substantial, recession-resistant returns.

Ligia is a proud Romanian-American who enjoys hiking in the Colorado mountains, being outdoors and spending time with her husband. And when not outdoors, her primary focus is to educate and leave a legacy of generational wealth for her beautiful and growing family.

deatonequitypartners.com

Coffee Sponsor: Bee Evans

Jeremy Goodrich owns Shine Insurance Agency with McKenzie. He’s a teacher at heart and he simplifies insurance by giving step by step guidance along the way.

Before Shine, he was an elementary school teacher, helping countless kids fall in love with art, math, science, and writing. Former students remember learning to play hockey in gym class, opening epic businesses in a virtual world called The Businesses Project, and learning to use a sewing machine.

After 13 years of teaching, he decided it was time to change the way people feel about insurance. Jeremy carried the heart of an educator over and he's been making insurance simple for first time home buyers and real estate investors even since.

Andrew Myers began in sales and marketing at 16 years old selling toys door to door and eventually stumbled into the world of selling cars at staffed event sales all over the country. Both jobs required a keen understanding of short, succinct, powerful sales language that worked more often than not! In 2008, he explored a passion for making videos and successfully started a nationally recognized custom video studio with his brother in the heart of Seattle that was focused on the Automotive Industry and creating strong sales-optimized videos. What’s Next Media was later purchased by an automotive advertising company.

His second venture was systematically built to address all the problems he encountered in the large agency setting and doubled down to be an even more video-centric organization. He focused on using a series of video ads in concert with each other to digitally mimic the naturally more conversational sales process, rather than just producing “one-off” offer announcement type ads. The new idea helps small business owners build a system for their brand’s prospects where they are consistently seeing the right ad, served at the right time, with the right messaging to influence and engage anywhere in the purchase journey.

While training clients and their staff, Andrew began teaching across the country the skills needed for business people to create their own ad content he uses in-house to populate the ads his agency creates. Providing quality training and removing this large barrier for both salespeople and organizations to create or obtain quality video content was key to finding success.

Combining his extensive knowledge of selling people, not products and a videographer's storytelling ability he has compiled an extensive library of tips, tricks and examples to help anyone with a cell phone make “videos that don’t suck” that influence prospects and provide a more engaging experience.

Branden Ushio is a long term podcaster, technology consultant, and a creative problem solver. He helps podcasters with big dreams turn them into reality by creating a customized strategic plan. He runs podcasting events both in person and online, such as the Share Your Pod Summit.

Mike and Branden discuss fandom, what it means, and how it has impacted his life. They also discuss a wide variety of podcasting topics and Branden even gives Mike a demo on various microphones that would be suitable for any podcaster!

Twitter: @overgrownasian

Instagram: @TheOvergrownAsian

shareyourpod.com

www.ushiolabs.com

fandompodcast.com

Coffee sponsor: Linda

As both a residential and commercial real estate investor, Dave Seymour has become one of the most recognizable experts in his field.

His unabridged passion for business and real estate put him on the radar of A&E television network as well as multiple news organizations including CBS, ABC, CNBC, FOX News, and CNN. New York Times reported that Dave Seymour’s series ‘Flipping Boston’ posted the highest ratings ever for the A&E network at the time of airing.

Dave has been sought after as a ‘tell it like it is’ mentor and motivator in the real estate world with a track record of unmatched success everywhere he reaches.

https://www.freedomventure.com/

@daveseymour343

Coffee Sponsor: Bee Evans

Adam Lathan is the Co-Founder and Chef at The Gumbo Bros. Adam started cooking at a young age and creating the perfect pot of gumbo soon became his obsession. Having learned the "proper" gumbo technique from his great-grandmother Nanny, Adam is still pursuing the perfect gumbo and works tirelessly to ensure his customers have their culinary minds blown.

Adam’s cooking has gone on to receive high praise from customers and press alike, having been positively reviewed and featured in: The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Today Show, New York Magazine, Grubstreet, Eater, and many other publications. Adam has been selected to cook at the Food Network’s New York Food and Wine Festival for 3 consecutive years and has been a guest speaker at the New York Restaurant Show in 2017 and 2019.

Adam is a native of Mobile, Alabama, is a graduate of Louisiana State University, the International Culinary Center (formerly the French Culinary Institute), and a member of the James Beard Foundation.

When he isn’t cooking, Adam is likely cheering for or talking about his beloved New Orleans Saints.

thegumbobros.com

@thegumbobros

Coffee Sponsor: Bee Evans

Wayne Kurtz has 26 years of senior level experience in financial services industry including operations management, marketing/sales, fiscal planning, M&A, P&L management. He has been recognized for articulating vision and direction, turning around poorly performing divisions, guiding joint ventures, and establishing strategic alliances and advisor/consultant to capital raising for entrepreneurial ventures.

He is CEO of the O1 Challenge, LLC and CEO of Green Trail Investments, LLC and partner of Carr & Associates Family Advisors. The last two years while in London he was Chief Commercial Officer with an agriculture investment company (project based in Brazil).  Wayne’s responsibilities includedexecuting long-term strategic/tactical plans, leadership,and strategic partnerships, to achieve company specific goals.

Prior to the time in London, Wayne was President & CEO of Karlsberg International Insurance Corporation based in Belize.  Wayne’s responsibilities included execution of long term strategic/tactical plans along with overall management and operations of the company. Typical clients were family offices and UHNW individuals. Also, his experience included a Senior Vice President role of Fortune 500 company – Aon Hewitt – Executive Benefits division, responsible for the Northeast region and working with the management team and board of directors of global Fortune 1000 clients.  Prior to that, his experiences included general securities principal and the director of client development and management for a national benefits consulting firm and senior director of the tax and financial services practice for a “Big Four” accounting firm – Arthur Andersen, LLP.

He owns several tax consulting practices in Ohio and PA and advises family office clients in the Bahamas and California.

Wayne has a BS degree in finance and math from Robert Morris University and a Master’s degree in taxation from Duquesne University. He also earned a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation from The College of Financial Planning. Wayne is an accomplished global speaker on tax, finance and alternative investments.  His Master’s Thesis on “The Tax Aspects of Life Insurance” was a national award winner by the US Tax Fraternity/Deloitte along with publication in several tax journals.  Wayne has taught finance and tax courses as adjunct faculty at The University of Pittsburgh and Robert Morris University.

He is a 29-year passionate endurance athlete and founder of The Rhodes Marathon.  He is the author “Beyond The Iron”, “Never Have to Say, I Wish I Had – 30 Days to Goal Achievement”, and “Stronger ThanIron” (the story of the Guinness World record Triple Ironman event in Lake Garda, Italy) He is the founder of two non profit foundations, Run for Books Inc. and The O1 Foundation for inter city children and the life benefits of travel and literacy.

https://www.wayne-kurtz.com/

https://www.transamtri.com/

Coffee Sponsor: Lanel Gramatica

Ellie Laks is the original founder of The Gentle Barn Foundation, a national organization that rescues and rehabilitates unwanted animals and helps to heal people with the same stories of abuse and neglect. She is a powerful speaker, celebrated animal welfare advocate, humane educator and author of My Gentle Barn: Creating a sanctuary where animals heal, and children learn to hope.

She founded The Gentle Barn in 1999 and invented her own “gentle-healing method” that allows old, sick, injured and terrified animals to fully recover using a mixture of Western medicine, holistic healing modalities, holding therapy and lots of love. Ellie is an expert in healing orphaned and sick animals, like puppies with Parvo and calves from veal crates. She has hosted hundreds of thousands of at-risk, inner-city and special needs children, war veterans, seniors, victims of domestic violence, children in foster care and those in recovery from drug, alcohol and gang affiliation.

The Ellen Show, People Magazine, Life Magazine, Animal Planet, The Huffington Post, Turning Point, Women’s World, NBC, CBS, ABC, PBS, and The New York Times are just some of the influential media outlets in which Ellie has been featured. She is also a highly sought-after guest speaker who has presented at animal rights conferences, environmental conferences, eco-feminist summits, self-discovery retreats, corporate functions and universities nationwide that serve to motivate their audiences towards higher awareness, profound compassion, realizing dreams and an enhanced sense of purpose. Ellie is a TEDx speaker, and the keynote speaker at West Coast Eco Feminist Conference, Animal Wisdom World Summit, The Difference Maker series, Phoenix House, Winnipeg’s Vegfest, UCLA, USC, The Los Angeles Green Fest and many more.

To date, Ellie has saved thousands of animals and hosted over 500,000 visitors. The Gentle Barn is currently home to approximately 200 animals and has three locations in Los Angeles, California, Nashville, Tennessee and St Louis, Missouri. It is her goal to be the voice for animals, share their stories and open the hearts of humanity towards all living beings, “Teaching people kindness and compassion to animals, each other and our planet.”

https://www.gentlebarn.org/

@thegentlebarn

Coffee Sponsor: Linda

Caroline Shelly is a LEED AP – a Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design Accredited Professional. She also earned the CID – Certificate of Interior Design – from the state of New Jersey.

Caroline has over 25 years of experience in facility design, and is dedicated to helping corporations by maximizing their work environment.

She is involved with every project, whether it is as the Account Manager or the background support.

Caroline’s dedication to every project helps ensure accuracy in each step of the project to result in a quality design and a lasting relationship with the client.  She has the ability to respond to the everyday chaos, is quick to make fair judgments, drives her team by helping to avoid time-consuming distractions, and keeps everyone on point.

Caroline is recognized as a Leading Woman Entrepreneur for 2017 by the Leading Women Entrepreneur & Business Owners organization.  Additionally, she is an active member of NJ IFMA, and on the Gala committee for the Cancer Hope Network.

As a part of the business development team, Alexandria Rodriguez is excited to ensure that customers’ needs are being met by bringing them the unique HF Planners, LLC experience. She is excited to connect with our clients.

Alexandria graduated from Felician University. She utilized her skills to gain experience in retail management and commercial furniture. Her past experiences have given her the opportunity to gain in-depth industry knowledge. She aspires to continue to share that knowledge to connect clients with the best design possible. Alexandria’s favorite part about interior design is making the clients’ vision of their space come to life and exceeding their expectations.

hfplanners.com

@hfplannersllc

Coffee Sponsor: Todd Giannattasio

Adrian Davila is a third-generation pit master, barbecue chef and restaurateur at his family’s acclaimed Davila’s BBQ in Seguin, Texas. He continues to honor his family’s legacy and the traditions of Mexican-American cooking, all while exploring his own unique identity. His grandfather, Raul Davila, opened Davila’s in 1959, and passed the secrets of his smoked barbecue to Adrian’s father, Edward. The family is proud of their commitment to creating the best barbecue in Texas. Adrian credits his grandfather and father with teaching him the value of hard work. Most of his youth was spent in the kitchens of the restaurant, learning the special techniques until he could prepare everything on the menu to perfection. 

Adrian still practices those skills today, and has since created his own unique recipes for the restaurant as well as its extensive catering business. He has also taken some of those creations on the road to special events across the state in the restaurant’s food truck. He continues to expand his culinary knowledge and skills through research and travel, most recently throughout Europe, with a special stop in the city from which his family once hailed, Avila, Spain. In 2018, he ,finished his first book, Cowboy Barbecue, working alongside noted culinary author Anne Volkwein, and has promoted the book across the country. Adrian has been featured on Cooking Channel’s Man Fire Food, as a judge on the Travel Channel’s American Grilled, as a contestant (and first-place winner) on the Food Network’s BBQ Blitz “Texas Takedown,” as a guest chef on the Food Network’s The Kitchen, as a judge on the Food Network’s BBQ Kids Champion, and on Tastemade. He has recently completed filming in Food Network’s newest show, “BBQ Beatdown,” soon to air. 

As the restaurant’s spokesman, he has appeared on The Today Show, Tastemade, KSAT 12’s SA Live, WOAI News 4’s San Antonio Living and KENS-5’s Great Day SA. He and the restaurant have been featured in the San Antonio Express-News, Texas Monthly’s BBQ issue, San Antonio Edible Magazine as well as the Seguin Gazette and Seguin Magazine.

davilasbbq.com

@davilasbbq

Coffee Sponsor: Bee Evans

Before becoming a real estate entrepreneur, KeePon Cashflow’s founder Billy Keels worked in the corporate world. In fact, he was one of the best “corporate soldiers” you’d ever want to meet.

During his corporate career Billy put his leadership and relationship-building skills to good use to help clients get to the root of issues that were holding them back from full success. Billy earned his stripes as a true problem-solver, a skill he carried into his new entrepreneurial life.

What made him popular with employers who sent him across the globe to meet with Fortune 500-level clients is the same thing that makes him popular with investors, buyers and sellers in real estate today… his skills in coming up with real solutions that work in the real world for real people!

Billy says that he was happy enough in his J.O.B., but something was missing. An emptiness and longing for a different life chewed on him, pulling him to what he knew he wanted to do more than anything else. Billy wanted to be an entrepreneur who brought two worlds together. He wanted to give individuals where he lives the chance to invest in properties on U.S. soil.

So he took steps and kept on the path to his goals. KeePon Cashflow is the result of his efforts.

Today Billy is an international real estate entrepreneur, problem-solver, author, coach and mentor. He sees opportunities where others often don’t in real estate.

No “overnight success,” Billy continues to work toward his vision and goals. Topmost on his list? Building a bridge between investors and buyers in Europe with sellers in the U.S.

billykeels.com

In a world loaded with self-described “motivational gurus” who are far, far more interested in your cash than they are in your consciousness, Steve Sims refuses to compromise his principles, which include:

• Telling the truth the only way he knows how: directly, blatantly, fearlessly and with no holds barred.
• Delivering visionary insights that are deeply rooted in pragmatic reality and practical action: because it’s all about results.
• Sharing everything he knows about being successful on a professional and personal level, right down to the last grizzly, intimate, “oh wow, did he really just say that?” detail.

Many speakers who claim to be “onions” – i.e. wrapped in mystical and magical layers of enigmatic meaning – have their metaphors mixed up, because they’re typically nothing but smoke and mirrors; get too close, and it’s all style and no substance.

Steve ain’t no onion.

What you see IS what you get. And what you see and get is a man who you’d probably avoid making eye contact with in an alley — or anywhere else for that matter. After all, a shaved head, Harley Davidson garb and body piercings on a 5’ 11”, 240 lb. frame don’t scream “let’s be friends!”

But that’s the irony of it all, because despite his gruff exterior, Steve is remarkably open, engaging, generous, intuitive, insightful and competent – and he’s leveraged all of this to build a remarkably successful entrepreneurial career.

Steve is the visionary founder of the world’s first luxury concierge that delivers the highest level of personalized travel, transportation, and cutting-edge entertainment services to corporate executives, celebrities, professional athletes, and other discerning individuals interested in living life to its fullest.

Just some of the extraordinary experiences that Steve and his team have made possible for his A-list clientele include:

• Closed a museum in Florence for a private dinner party for 6 at the feet of Michelangelo’s David and had Andrea Bocelli come in and serenade the guests
• Taking a submarine trip to the Titanic
• Becoming James Bond for a weekend in Monte Carlo
• Hanging out and jamming with celebrity recording artists, such as Guns & Roses drummer Matt Sorum and playing guitar with ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons
• Taking private cooking lessons with the world’s finest executive chefs
• Trekking on a luxury safari in the Amazon & Serengeti
• Joining a filmed marine conservation expedition to the Pacific Islands
• Heading out on the legendary Sardine Run in Southern Africa
• Singing live on stage with legendary rock band Journey
• Having Florida Georgia Line sing “Happy Birthday” in a private backstage concert
• Meeting and greeting renowned recording artists and celebrities
• Enjoying a walk-on role on a hit TV show
• …and the list goes on

stevedsims.com

@stevedsims

On July 14th 2021 The Morning Spotlight turned 1! We were joined by former guests and other Spotlighters at celebrate our community and this great milestone!

Special thank you to everyone who joined us:

Brian Apfel 

Rafael Di Furia

Jessica Devlin

Karen Devlin

Jenna Devlin

Deena Baikowitz

Wally Conway

Axel Meierhoefer

Pedro Maciel

Tiffany Callahan

Faith Williamson

Coffee Sponsors: Chris Vaglio & Todd Giannattasio

The Morning Spotlight podcast records live from the Beers and Referrals Networking Palooza on August 4th 2021. The event was held at HOPS Craft Beer and Wine Bar in Morristown, NJ.

The lineup:

Greg Markowitz markowitz@brkthrudigital.com

John Edwards johnedwards442@gmail.com

Zach Kramer zkramer@progressivepayment.com

Thomas Clark thomas@cinematrocity.com

Dan Long dan.long@mendhamcapital.com

Brian Sebak brian@sm-cpas.com

Catherine Rabidis crabidis@ft.newyorklife.com

Monica Dema monica@mdinc.co

Dr. David Cunic david@ucsadvisor.com

Marc Mustachio mmustachio@krausmarketing.com

Dan Johnson djohnson@randjsc.com

Etan Tammam etan@midtowncre.com

Kim Dobbs kdobbs@weichert.com

Eric Anderson eanderson.lanna@gmail.com

Dana Reynolds dreynolds@holdergroup.com

Chris Fiduccia cfiduccia@jamesaconnors.com

Kaitlin Shala kaitlin.shala@rate.com

Sponsors: 

Dan Burkard left the corporate world in 2019 and moved to Nashville with his partner Michelle Carilli to taste their way through the city and document their journey on their Instagram page @wickedtasty, to give well-deserved local restaurants exposure. With the professional photography and the lively personality they portrayed, the page has grown in popularity to over 10K followers and the couple has embraced the community in the Nashville hospitality scene who helped them along the way. When COVID-19 hit, it left their new community struggling to stay afloat. Dan and Michelle wanted to do everything in their power to be there for the community who helped them build @wickedtasty, and MENU was the way to do that.

MENU is a digital menu platform for restaurants that uses photos to sell food and connect restaurants with their customers. By integrating photos with digital menus, MENU gives customers a better dining experience elevating the way you order food. As opposed to traditional paper menus, QR codes and other touch-free versions, MENU’s interactive platform allows restaurants to customize their offerings in real-time so guests have an easy-to-view and visually appealing way to see what is available at that very time. MENU’s mission is to not only help businesses survive during this tough time, but thrive.

@wickedtasty

@thebettermenu

www.wickedtasty.menu

Coffee Sponsor: Todd Giannattasio

Oak Leaf was born out of a dream Trevor Andersen had watching his father in the service industry take care of his family, friends, and clients with the utmost integrity, respect and transparency. In today’s digital world there are endless outlets to reach new service providers, and with that comes risk. Oak Leaf's goal is to mitigate all risk by providing a proven process and a seasoned group of talent with diverse expertise to compliment and support your business ambitions. In this episode we highlight Oak Leaf's "First 10," a group of seasoned business experts that will be the support system for Oak Leaf's clients.

Trevor Andersen https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevorandersen/

Pat Fiore https://www.linkedin.com/in/patfiore/

Kerry Barrett https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerrybarrett/

Rob Drolet https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertdrolet/

Marc Pickard https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcpickard/

Michelle Dickinson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-e-dickinson-mm-7882013/

Sid Vaidya https://www.linkedin.com/in/sidvee/

Michael Minella https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-minnella-chfc%C2%AE-2b5302112/

https://www.oakleafpartner.com/

Coffee Sponsors: Todd Giannattasio & Chris Vaglio

Chris Fiduccia is in a risky business by day and a rockstar by night. In other words he is a Commercial Insurance agent by trade and in a band as a hobby. Chris has been in the insurance business since 2012. Over the years he has developed a specialty in real estate (apartments of 20 units and up as well as Condo Associations), larger construction/contractors, and manufacturing business sectors. Since joining James A. Connors Associates, Inc. in 2020, Chris has continued to enhance his experience in serving these important business sectors.

Chris is also an extreme fitness enthusiast. When not engaged in the sale of insurance or rockin' out, he enjoys competitive running events including 10k, half-marathons, obstacle races, cycling, weightlifting, and trail running.

https://www.jamesaconnors.com/team/chris-fiduccia

https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisfiduccia

Josh Cary spent 40 years in hiding! That’s right. He was hiding every aspect of himself and showing up with a ‘mask’ on in all areas of life trying to gain the approval of everyone else.

At 19, he changed his name and entered into, what would become, a 15-year career as a professional actor and filmmaker. The applause and external accolades didn’t completely heal his feelings of anxiety and insecurities and he found himself more isolated than ever.

Mike Bonadies focuses on the ugly side of real estate investing and is interested in the properties that nobody else wants. He is the Co-Owner and Operator of TerraVestra Property Management, which is a South Jersey Property Management company by landlords for landlords. They specialize in C & D assets primarily in rural areas of South Jersey. 

They also have a maintenance and construction company that specialize in pre-1940 multifamily construction. They work primarily with landlords, real estate agents, and flippers to complete investor work. This work ranges from repairs to punch list to full on rehabs. 

Currently Mike owns 26 doors across Camden and Gloucester counties. He had some incredible, and sometimes hilarious, stories to share about his experiences in real estate investing!

https://www.terravestrapropertymanagement.com/

@terravestrarentals

Coffee sponsor: Chris Vaglio

Alex Sanfilippo started his first business at the age of twelve; selling used golf balls. From there, he went on to real estate investing and a technology start up which he sold years later. For the past decade, Alex has been an executive in the aerospace industry. During his time in corporate America, he stayed active with his side hustles; which mainly consisted of conference speaking and business coaching.

Many of us waste time and money while growing our brands. Alex is in the same boat even though he was trying to do the opposite. He spent money that he didn’t need to spend and wasted time that he didn’t need to waste. All because he wasn’t sure where, or even how to start or what to do next. As you can tell, he was confused and felt alone on his journey.

At this point, Alex became passionate to help others. He didn’t want people to struggle as he did. He began a business coaching agency and was able to help many people. However, it still didn’t feel right. He couldn’t help as many people as he wanted (there is only so many hours in the day) and other people who needed his help the most couldn’t afford it.

Then one day, he had an idea! It was an idea that he knew would help a lot of people succeed.

Whether you’re just getting started or have an established brand, the Creating a Brand Masterclasses are full of like-minded entrepreneurs. It is a community that is passionate about helping you succeed on your journey.

The heart behind Creating a Brand is to become your primary resource for growing your business. At the same time, they want it to feel like a family/tribe. You’re not alone in what you’re creating, and you should never feel that way. This masterclasses will help you focus on what matters, expanding your reach and create a more profitable brand. Your brand succeeding is our ultimate goal.

Kathy Samaan Noumi, artist and designer, launched Samaan Design Group, her namesake brand after 10 years of renovating and selling her own homes across multiple U.S. states. What seemed like a windy road culminated in an interior design company which specialized in monochromatic, elegant, and above all else synergistic designs. Her goal is to bring an enlightened atmosphere to every space she creates.

Kathy’s design philosophy goes hand in hand with the simple idea that subtlety and elegance can still pack a lot of personality. Her luxe spaces are not just impactful but serenely beautiful.

Samaan Design Group produces work for public, commercial, and residential clients. Whether it's for multi-family, private homes, corporate offices, and everything in between, this design firm can transform any space with professional ease. Our design firm also does interior branding and packages for businesses. We create special moments within businesses so they can outshine the competition at every level brining brand awareness into their physical spaces.

https://samaandesigngroup.com/

@samaan_design_group

Coffee sponsors: Faith Williamson & Chris Vaglio

The BizBros, Luis & Luis Camejo, have spent the last four years learning the strategies and techniques from some of the top marketers in the world on how to create content that turns into profit.

Come join them on this wild journey, where they discover the secrets and strategies on how your business can achieve the Frictionless Sale.

They explore frameworks, strategies, tactics and work with other special people to bring their audience and their clients all of the information you need in order to turn your Content into Profit. 

Over the last few years, they have helped companies like Orangetheory, Redbull, JWB Property Management, the CSI Companies, Think Different Theory, University of North Florida, Smile Stylist, F45 Fitness, and many more.

Find the correct messaging and consistent content structures are just the beginning of the pursuit of the Frictionless Sale. 

They are currently working with long-form content creators (Podcasts & YouTube shows) to turn their content into bite-sized, value-packed, cash-generating assets so they can multiply their message and impact more people. 

contentisprofit.com

@bizbrosco

Coffee Sponsor: Faith Williamson