The Professor Nick Podcast

At the end of the intro class at Ventura College, Professor Nick Norris does a lesson called Who Wants to Be a Social Media Marketer? During this week or so of the class, the focus is on career development and job opportunities within the field of social media marketing. So for this episode, Nick has invited some former students who have recently graduated from the program to discuss what they’re working on. For this interview panel, please welcome Jeanne Tanner, Ximena Alvear and Nina Floyd as they discuss a variety of topics that they face at work each and every day, including community management, content marketing, investing in social capital, influencer marketing, and entertainment.

Jeanne Tanner can be found online at:

In this episode of The Professor Nick Show, Nick Norris of Ventura College interviews John Israel, Founder of Mr. Thank You and Jorge De Leon, Branch Manager and Broker Associate at Coldwell Banker about a number of topics associated marketing. From cultivating relationships to showing gratitude, Nick, John and Jorge discuss various philosophies and approaches to sales.

In this episode of The Professor Nick Show, Professor Nick Norris interviews Jeanne Tanner about the many facets of her career, from starting out in journalism to owning a franchise to becoming a photographer. They also discuss the role that travel plays in one's personal and professional life, plus Jeanne's upcoming move to Bogotá, Colombia.

In this episode of The Professor Nick Show, Nick Norris of Ventura College interviews Ariel Palmieri of Coldwell Banker about her experiences as a real estate agent, life as an entrepreneur, a unique approach to marketing as a small business owner, and shares advice to students interested in a similar career.  

In this episode of The Professor Nick Show, Nick Norris of Ventura College is joined by two very special guests: M. Ryan Gorman, CEO of Coldwell Banker, and Dr. Michael Gorman, President of Salem Community College in New Jersey. The interview with the father and son duo is a follow up to the episode last month that featured Ariel Palmieri and further discusses the overlap between community college, real estate, and economic development.

During their conversation, Professor Nick and the Gormans discuss the role that community colleges play in helping students achieve their goals, how real estate and economic development are connected, the importance of small businesses during a time of economic recovery, and how young, entrepreneurial students can leverage the resources provided by community college to pursue their dreams. 

In part two with Lawrence Joss, Professor Nick Norris of Ventura College asks him about his experiences in the stone industry. They discuss the global impact of supply and demand, product trends, innovation, and the role travel plays in business.

Barbara Wight, Chief Financial Officer of Taylor Guitars, joins Professor Nick Norris of Ventura College to talk about a wide range of topics.

First, Barbara shares her behind-the-scenes story from The Ebony Project, and how her role as CFO was instrumental in Taylor Guitars purchasing a sawmill in Cameroon.

Then, Barbara discusses how the Coronavirus pandemic has affected Taylor Guitars from a finance standpoint. This includes looking at their supply chain, revising sales and cash flow projections, and what past experiences she is pulling from to make decisions.

In this interview, Nick Norris interviews Lawrence Joss of Surfaces USA in Oxnard, California. Lawrence discusses his career path, how he got into business and grew the operations, and shares some helpful tips to young professionals and entrepreneurs.

In this episode, Professor Nick Norris interviews Tim Turner about sports fandom in the 21st century. Tim is a student at Ventura College and plays on the basketball team there. During this discussion, he speaks with Nick about being the difference between being a fan of teams vs. individual players in modern sports. Their conversation then goes to a variety of topics, including student life, experiences as an athlete and much more.

Tim Turner can be found online at a number of place:

Professor Nick Norris of Ventura College interviews Natalie Sanchez, PR and Influencer Specialist at Duncan Enterprises, about influencer marketing in the world of social media.

Influencer Marketing is not a new concept. Consider how often Oprah was able to help a business out by including them in her Favorite Things lists. But on social media, brands have been able to emulate this word-of-mouth phenomenon and find ways to reach huge communities of captive fans online by collaborating with influencers on campaigns.

In this episode, Professor Nick Norris is joined by Jeanne Tanner, a friend and colleague, to discuss the rise of social media. During their conversation, Nick and Jeanne talk about the differences between traditional media and social media, how social media empowers small businesses, the participative role that consumers play in modern business, market segmentation, niche communities, and circumventing the traditional gatekeeper model in publishing.

In this episode, Professor Nick Norris is joined by Justin Womack, Host of the Marketing Geeks Podcast, Owner of JMack Media, and Founder of Coaching Biz Mastery. Justin is a LinkedIn guru, a professional speaker, and a master networker. 

Nick and Justin talk about all things related to content marketing, especially from the perspective of social media. Hosting a podcast on Anchor.fm and/or managing a blog can add credibility to a brand and establish authority by showcasing expertise on a subject matter or business niche.

Justin Womack can be found in a variety of places online...

In this episode, Professor Nick Norris interviews Instagram and Etsy guru, Nina Floyd. They discuss the ways in which brands can add meaningful experiences to their audiences on social media, and how business profiles can initiate and engage in conversations with fans as a way of building community. 

In this episode, Professor Nick Norris interviews longtime colleague Dennis Bernstein about the importance of networking, including philosophies, tactics and how to integrate social media platforms like LinkedIn. Networking is important to any serious professional that's looking to advance in their career, and Dennis is the perfect individual to share his stories and viewpoints. 

Networking is how Dennis landed his current job as Vice President at PIASC Insurance Services, Inc. Here's how he can be found online...