Talking Business Now

What do you do when you’re a guy strolling down the skin care aisle of a department store and you don’t like the experience you're having?If you’re Kelley Thornton, you create a men’s skin care empire that's changing the face of men's grooming. Thornton, the founder and CEO of Chicago-based Tiege Hanley, joins Talking Business Now host Kelly Scanlon, to talk about how he and his partners have built a multimillion dollar company featuring a skin care system that's easy for regular guys to understand and use. Thornton drew on his 20 years of experience in consumer goods and collaborated with his college roommate turned software industry guru, Rob Hoxie, to help mastermind the new skin care solution. The two soon met Aaron Marino, a men's lifestyle expert, grooming guru and YouTube sensation (with more than 5 million subscribers), who became the company’s third partner.Tune in to find out the behind-the-scenes story of a brand that's built a cult following:■ The incident that inspired Thornton to start the busin

The story of Crazy Richard’s Peanut Butter is a family story that began in 1898 in Columbus, Ohio, with the oldest peanut butter company in the United States. Its most recent chapter began when the current owner, Kimmi Wernli, was six years old. Wenli joins Talking Business Now host Kelly Scanlon to talk about bringing the natural peanut butter company into the 21st century—with sales in every state—and provides loads of takeaways you can use to grow your own business. Tune in to find out how, in the short time since taking over Crazy Richard’s Peanut Butter from her father, Wernli has:·         Merged two companies into one.·         Overseen a major rebranding effort.·         Embraced social media to create a community of peanut butter lovers.·         Embarked on a mission to make it fun to eat healthy.·         How she’s using peanut butter to help alleviate childhood hunger.· 

Think about the times in your life when you’ve had to reimagine your future. Maybe it was leaving school and starting your career—or changing your career. Often, during these transitional times, we’re faced with many options and we’re concerned about making the RIGHT decision. Many times, there’s not a clear map for which path will lead to success. My guest on this episode of Talking Business Now is Tina Seelig, author of "What I Wish I Knew When I Was 20: A Crash Course on Making Your Way in the World." Seelig, who is a Professor of the Practice at the School of Engineering at Stanford and a faculty director of the Stanford Technology Ventures Program, encourages us to toss out old models and old rules and provides a model for reaching our potential. Seelig’s model has applications for students, entrepreneurs, business executives and others who want to throw out old assumptions for achieving success, want to discover how to have a healthy disregard for the impossible, learn a new approach for recovering from

Conflict has become a dirty word in the workplace. But, according to our guest on this episode of Talking Business Now—New York Times bestselling author Dr. Liane Davey—companies that avoid or defer conflict find themselves struggling with "conflict debt.” Davey, an organizational psychologist, is the author of The Good Fight: Use Productive Conflict to Get Your Team and Organization Back on Track. She says: "Think of conflict debt like credit card debt. Conflict debt is the sum of all the contentious issues that need to be addressed to be able to move forward but instead remain undiscussed and unresolved. Like credit card debt, conflict debt compounds as leaders who avoid conflict pay interest dealing with drama, tamping down passive-aggressive behavior, and trying to patch eroded trust."Tune in to learn:Why we need more conflict in our organizations.How to have conflict productively.Why tension that is healthy and productive should be encouraged.The 3-step process for communicating with someone who disagree

Jeff Green was a teacher and elementary school principal for 16 years. In fact, he thought he would eventually retire as a school superintendent. But, after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings, Jeff, a father of three, wanted to find a better way to protect his own children and the children and staff under his watch. On this episode of Talking Business Now, Green joins host Kelly Scanlon to discuss his journey from school principal to entrepreneur and how his company SafeDefend, specializing in emergency alert and lockdown systems and training, helps people survive an active shooter event.Jeff said, "I was a principal during the time of the Sandy Hook shooting, and also a father of three. And after that, I realized that my building wasn't any better protected than Sandy Hook's and shared a lot of similarities. So, I just really never started out as a business. I was just a dad and a principal trying to figure out a better way to protect my students, my staff and my own children ... and just really sat

Karen Walker, author of "No Dumbing Down: A No-Nonsense Guide for CEOs on Organization Growth," joins Talking Business Now host Kelly Scanlon to discuss how to align the skills and efforts of top management in your company. Karen offers five proven strategies that your senior leaders can capitalize on to create internal processes and strategies that support profitable and sustainable company growth. Karen honed her expertise during the 14 years she worked at Compaq Computer. She joined the fast-growing company as its 104th employee and helped lead it to its first $1 billion in revenue. As vice president of operating services, she helped spur the company to more than $15 billion in value. After leaving Compaq, she started her own consultancy, Oneteam, to work with the senior leaders of startups, Inc. 500 and Fortune 500 firms. The outcomes of the executives she advises include IPOs, acquisitions, market share increases and leadership development. Tune in to discover: ■ Why an emphasis on sales and revenue grow

In many cases, the solutions to our business challenges can be found if we only ask the right questions. On this episode, Greg Bustin joins Talking Business Now  host Kelly Scanlon to discuss what today’s leaders can learn and which questions to ask by studying decisions made throughout history.He’s written a book called How Leaders Decide: A Timeless Guide to Making Tough Choices. In it, he presents 52 stories featuring pivotal decisions that previous leaders—such as Alfred Nobel, Marie Curie and Winston Churchill—have made during some of the most critical moments in history. Those decisions had consequences for business, war, peace, sports, science, technology, government and the arts.  At the end of each chapter, Bustin offers leadership questions that the situation prompted, and readers are encouraged to consider them in the context of their own circumstances.Tune in to find out:■ How to use questions to conquer tough decisions■ The most commonly occurring decision-making mistakes■ How to safegu

Bob McClure, co-founder of McClure’s Pickles, joins Talking Business Now host Kelly Scanlon to talk about his entrepreneurial journey and what it’s like working in a family business that grew into a nationally recognized brand. McClure's is a specialty pickle brand with raving fans. Bob McClure grew up making pickles, using a recipe from his great grandmother. But he didn’t think the pickle industry was where he’d land as an adult. In fact, he left Michigan to work in New York, an actor. He has performed in commercials for several major brands, including Visa, The NFL, Verizon, Time Warner, Staples, and Quiznos. His film work includes The Brave One with Jodie Foster and the Brass Teapot. His work can also be seen on The Burg and All's Faire. Nowadays, you'll find him back in Detroit at McClure's World Headquarters. He oversees business administration, key account management and brand development for the company. What we're Talking Business Now about in this episode:  The company's origin story: maki

Most experts make the mistake of choosing just one way to deliver their expertise. The result? They never achieve the recognition and revenue they deserve.Think about it. Accountants make money through accounting. Trainers make money from training. Chef’s cook. You get the picture. The secret to becoming a niche leader and having more revenue is to diversify how you deliver what you do. That's the advice of Ronan Leonard, the founder of Eccountability. Also known as The Mastermind Guy, Leonard joins Talking Business Now host Kelly Scanlon to discuss how to leverage your intellectual property—in other words, the knowledge and expertise you've gained through years of experience—into additional revenue and a more pronounced industry profile. Leonard calls this Return on Intellect. Tune in to discover:• What Return on Intellect is—you may be surprised!• How to leverage your Return on Intellect into additional revenue streams• How Ronan's experience on a sinking cruise ship of the coast of South Africa in 1991 inf

August Turak joins Talking Business Now host Kelly Scanlon to discuss the business lessons he learned from the Trappist monks.Turak was a founding employee of MTV and the A&E Network. Later, he founded software companies that eventually sold to BMC Software for $150 million. He currently runs a not-for-profit called the Self-Knowledge Symposium Foundation.As a successful entrepreneur and award-winning author, Turak attributes much of his success to his 20-year stint as a frequent monastic guest of the Trappist monks of Mepkin Abbey. As a monastic guest, he lives and works alongside the monks sometimes for months at a time.In 1996, a skydiving accident triggered the emotional crisis or “Dark Night of the Soul” that sent Turak to Mepkin Abbey in search of the spiritual solace he so desperately needed and the monks so graciously provided.In 2004, at the encouragement of some former students, Turak decided to enter the John Templeton Foundation’s Power of Purpose essay contest. He had 3,500 words in which to

The speed of change is 10 times faster now than it was a decade ago—and 40% of today's Fortune 500 companies won't exist in 10 years. To stay ahead of that change, there is an urgent need for proactive leaders and entrepreneurs to proactively develop strategies that create the future of work.So says futurist Cheryl Cran, the founder of NextMapping and the author of "NextMapping: Anticipate, Navigate and Create the Future of Work." But don't misunderstand. Although technology is driving much of the change, the common theme of all  Cheryl's work is a "people first" and digital second approach that creates a more human future, one in which technology can enhance outcomes for people.In this episode of Talking Business Now, Cheryl joins host Kelly Scanlon to discuss digital disruption in the workplace and the impact on jobs in the future of work.Tune in to learn: - How the “always-on culture” has shifted the traditional work dynamic.- The benefits of technology transformation/adoption in the workplace.- How a

Jennifer Rock and Michael Voss join Talking Business Now host Kelly Scanlon to discuss their journey from corporate communications professionals to business humor novelists.  During their tenures with some of the country's largest corporations, Rock and Voss stockpiled insider stories and cautionary tales that have inspired the characters and plot lines of their business novels. Their latest book, Operation Clusterpuck, was released in November 2018.Although their workplace novels are humorous, they carry serious messages about life balance and personal legacy. Tune in to find out the lessons their books hold for businesses everywhere..Voss and Rock live near Minneapolis and own a communications agency called ROCKdotVOSS. In addition to business novel writing, they speak to groups of all sizes and share their perspectives in various publications.Connect with Jennifer Rock and Michael Voss:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rockandvossbooksTwitter: https://twitter.com/jenniferrock /https://twitter.com/mvo

Have you ever promoted someone in your organization with stellar performance to a senior position? Or maybe you’ve hired someone who has an outstanding track record in other organizations? And then that person failed – failed BIG TIME – in the new role? Why does this happen in companies all across America every day? My guest on this episode of Talking Business Now is Ron Carucci. Ron has a new book out called "Rising to Power: The Journey of Exceptional Executives."It’s the result of a ground-breaking 10-year study on executive transition—and it comes to some surprising conclusions about why so many executives fail—and on how fast they fail. Ron shares with us why that happens and how your organization can avoid those landmines.Here are a few of the insights you'll gain from listening to this episode:■ Why 50% of leaders fail within the first 18 months■ The 4 characteristics that set successful leaders apart■ How organizations can prepare newly appointed executives for their new position■ Tips for startup fou

Sarah Wirth, co-author of The Coaching Effect, joins Talking Business Now host Kelly Scanlon to discuss the missing piece in leadership: the coaching factor. Wirth is the vice president of client services at EcSell Institute.  She has 20 years of experience in employee assessment, leadership development, sales executive coaching and customer service.  Using evidence-based findings and numerous examples, Wirth discusses how to get the people you hired to perform at their peak capacity. Tune in to discover: ■ Why managers are one of the biggest drags on performance. ■ The difference between managing and coaching—and what differentiates high-growth coaches from their less effective peers.■ Why exponential growth can only occur in a state of discomfort.  ■ The four steps to high-growth coaching. ■ The secret to effective feedback.■ Why career development should be part of any high-growth coaching model.■  How to know if you're being an effective coach.Visit the archives to listen to all the ep

As a business leader, do you ever feel like you're conducting an orchestra? Trying to get all the people and parts moving harmoniously?On this episode of Talking Business Now, Maestro Roger Nierenberg joins host Kelly Scanlon to explore how an organization's culture mirrors the organizational dynamics within an orchestra. Nierenberg is an orchestral conductor, leadership consultant and the author of Maestro: A Surprising Story About Leading by Listening. He’s also the founder of The Music Paradigm, a learning experience he uses to show how crucial organizational development issues can be powerfully brought to life within an orchestra.Tune in to discover how the lessons of an orchestra can enhance your company’s organizational development:■ Why an orchestra is such an effective learning tool for organization■ The lessons an orchestra teaches us about leadership■ The ways in which an orchestra mirrors diversity in an organizationNierenberg made his New York conducting debut at Avery Fisher with the Pro Arte Cho

James Geary joins Talking Business Now host Kelly Scanlon to discuss how developing wit is essential to business innovation. Geary is the author of "Wit's End: What Wit Is, How It Works, and Why We Need It."According to Geary, wit is more than being able to deliver snappy comebacks. Rather, it is quick, instinctive intelligence that allows us to think, say or do the right thing at the right time in the right place. Tune in to discover:■ The relationship between wit and wisdom.■ How wit manifests visually and verbally as well as physically and intellectually ■ Why wit is essential to scientific discovery, entrepreneurship and business innovation ■ Simple techniques for improving your WQ—your Wit Quotient.■ How to develop the ability to juggle unrelated ideas and combine opposites■ Why puns can sharpen your business acumen■ Why habit is the enemy of witGeary is also the author of four other books, including New York Times bestseller "The World in a Phrase." He is the deputy curator at Harvard University’s Niema

What if your team looked forward to Mondays instead of Fridays? You may laugh and not be able to imagine that kind of reality. Our guest in this episode of Talking Business Now is Don Rheem. Don insists this type of workplace culture is possible and—already in place—in many organizations today. Don has a new book out called "Thrive By Design: The Neuroscience that Drives High-Performance Cultures."  In his book, Don presents the science—yes, the science—of great leadership that offers managers and senior leaders deep insights into what drives employee performance from a brain-based perspective.   Don discusses how to apply approaches and tools so your team can achieve increased productivity, well-being, accountability, and retention. You'll discover:■ How companies can use basic neuroscience to inspire employees in their workforce■ The difference between employee satisfaction and employee engagement—and why you should  measure engagement, not satisfaction■ How to create "emotional vel

Marketing can be a confusing proposition for many business owners and executives. These days, new platforms and opportunities seem to pop up every week in an already crowded field of “opportunities.” Enter Influencer Marketing. You’ve probably experienced it, but you may not have realized it. And it’s likely your company hasn’t used it. Our guest on this episode of Talking Business Now is Stacy Jones, the CEO of Hollywood Branded, an influencer marketing, branded content and product placement agency in Los Angeles. Stacy joins us to explain the ins and outs of Influencer Marketing and how your company can benefit if you work with the right people.Tune in to discover:■ Just what Influencer Marketing is■ How big the landscape is for specialty influencers—and what that means for brands■ How to find the right influencer to work with—including potential red flags■ The difference between micro, macro and celebrity influencers■ How to determine a budget for working with an influencer■ The biggest mistakes brand

Why do some people seem to get promoted easily, and why do others always seem to be passed over? Our guest on this episode, Pamela Green, says often it comes down to whether or not you have executive presence. She joins Talking Business Now host Kelly Scanlon to talk about how to develop executive presence and become a more successful leader.Tune in to discover:■ What is executive presence and why it's so important for leaders■ The consequences of not having executive presence■ The challenges people encounter as they work at developing an executive presence, including passive aggressiveness and the Imposter Syndrome■ Why you don't have to be an executive to have presence■ Tips for boosting your executive presencePamela Green is a business executive leadership consultant, executive coach, keynote speaker and published author with more than 30 years of business leadership experience. As the principal consultant of the HR Coaching and Career Institute, she works with leaders to help them develop and improve thei

Athlete and celebrity brand expert Frances Reimers joins Talking Business Now host Kelly Scanlon to talk about creating and protecting an often-overlooked professional asset: our personal brand. Reimers  believes your personal brand matters—even if you're not a celebrity. Tune in to discover: ■ Why your personal brand matter if you're in business. ■ The elements of a personal brand. ■ How to develop your own personal brand—it's not a one-size-fits-all proposition. ■ How to "speak your mind" yet preserve the integrity of your personal brand. ■ Tips for protecing your personal brand online in the Digital Age. ■ Why helping employees develop their personal brands can benefit your business. ■ Targeted philanthropic strategies for growing your personal brand. Reimers is the founder and CEO of Firestarter, a personal brand consultancy that’s located in Alexandria, Virginia. The company helps celebrities and business professionals develop, manage, enhance, and protect their personal brands.  Prior to launching Fires