• Dhru and Peter Hurley Talk About Following Your Passion
    Dec 25 2023
    In this episode, Dhru interviews Peter Hurley, who shares his unconventional journey from studying human physiology and selling sailboats to becoming a highly successful headshot photographer. Starting with his unpredictable path to picking up a camera, Hurley's initial struggles in modeling and acting eventually led him to focus on photography. Driven by a desire to make a good living and pursue his passion, he overcame challenges and established himself as a sought-after headshot photographer, emphasizing the importance of taking risks and exploring new paths for a fulfilling career.Peter shares insights from this wealth of experience in the headshot photography industry including the significance of a strong work ethic, personal growth, and collaboration within the community. He stresses the value of education and learning the basics before developing a unique style. Additionally, the interview touches on the influence of mentors, childhood experiences, and the impact of travel on personal growth. Throughout the episode, there's a recurring theme of embracing opportunities, taking risks, and prioritizing personal growth to achieve greater success and fulfillment in one's career and life.About Peter HurleyPeter Hurley is a New York and Los Angeles based portrait photographer who is regarded as the industry leader in headshot photography. He’s best known for the genuine expressions he captures for his executive business portraits and actor headshots.With a wealth of diverse experiences, Peter Hurley has navigated life’s twists and turns with purpose and passion. From sailing the seven seas in preparation for the 1996 and 2000 Olympic Games to gracing the camera lens as a model for Polo Sport and Abercrombie & Fitch, Peter’s journey has been nothing short of remarkable. His peers recognize him as the foremost authority on headshot photography, a reputation solidified by his acclaimed book, The Headshot.With over two decades of experience, Peter seamlessly transitioned into the role of a director. His passion for excellence shines in every project, producing compelling videos that showcase his clients’ businesses at their best. Rooted in New York City, Peter finds inspiration in his beautiful wife and cherished twin daughters, driving his ongoing pursuit of creativity and excellence.--Contact Dhru Beeharilal | Nayan Leadership: Website: NayanLeadership.comLinkedIn: DhruBeeFacebook: NayanLeadershipYouTude: DhruBeeContact Peter Hurley | Peter Hurley: Website: Peter HurleyInstagram: Peter_HurleyTwitter: Peter_HurleyFacebook: PeterHurleyPhotoLinkedin: PeterHurleyYouTube: PeterHurleyPhotography--Transcript:Dhru 00:00Hey everybody, this is Dr. Dhru Bee. And I'm here to welcome you to my podcast, Ikigai Leadership. We're gonna be talking to leaders in all different industries from all different backgrounds and demographics from all over the world. And we'll be discussing topics like leadership development, culture, DEI, content creation and marketing, and all things business and entrepreneurship. Dhru 00:26All right, welcome, everybody. Welcome back to another edition of IIkigai Leadership. I'm here in a special place, here. This is not my normal spot. As usual. I'm sure you guys have known by now. I'm here with the amazing Peter Hurley. Thanks so much, Peter, for taking the time to talk today, man. Peter 00:42Oh my gosh, Drew, I'm so psyched you came in. This is awesome. I need, I wanted you to see the studio and hang out with you. But this is cool that we got to do this. Dhru 00:48The studio is awesome. It's actually, the location is phenomenal. But this this actually is setup. I mean, I'm I'm blown away by how amazing this for folks. I mean, I brought my photographer and Peter already has everything set up here, which is pretty cool. So I can take advantage this amazing space. Super cool. Peter 01:03So no, I was excited. Because I knew when you asked me to do this, and you were gonna come up, I was like, I'll be ready. I'm gonna have this place rockin and rollin by then. Dhru 01:11It's awesome to have you on here. And a lot of folks who are watching us will not really know you, have an idea of your background in that kind of thing. But who is Peter, would you start by going to what what made you pick up pick up a camera? I mean, we talked about this a little bit. You told us a story back in Denver, but I mean, folks who weren't there, obviously. Peter 01:28Sure. My name is Peter Hurley. I was born in New Jersey. The path for me to grab a camera was pretty random. I didn't know what the heck I was doing. I went to BU and I was studying like human physiology. And I was like, I don't know what I'm gonna do. When I graduated. I graduate and I sailed for the summer. As I always did. I raced sailboats all my life. And I just I was really into it. I grew up on the Jersey Shore in a small town called Mantaloking. That summer, I was selling sailboats at a local sailors' shop. And one of my friends ...
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    1 hr and 1 min
  • Dhru and Sajad Abid Talk Business Coaching
    Dec 11 2023
    In this episode, Dhru talks with the lawyer, entrepreneur, business coach, and CEO of the Cause and Effect Consulting company, Sajad Abid about the reality of finding success in the business world. They have an honest conversation on what it takes to find a succession business and how to tell if entrepreneurship is right for you or not. From being money-motivated to juggling plenty of hats to finding your passion in work, they discuss it all. This episode is a must-listen for anyone who needs a pep talk to feel motivated about their calling. You’ll hear real-life examples of clients both Dhru and Sajad have encountered, along with mistakes learned along the way. Sajad also shares his unique perspective on what it takes to get a business started and why you can’t be a people-pleaser if you want your business to grow. You’ll also hear what it takes to live your dream, even if it means buying a literal mountain! About Sajad Abid HusainSajad Abid Husain is a highly sought-after business mentor, coach, and CEO of Cause and Effect Consulting. Sajad is a highly sought-after business mentor/coach and sounding board for ideas and key advising. His years of experience creating successful businesses and coaching motivated entrepreneurs to do the same, has set Sajad apart from the busy world of online coaches. His raw, authentic approach, to business is informed by his experience as a lawyer, social worker, teacher, and his incredible life story. Resources discussed in this episode:Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki and Sharon LechterI Will Teach You To Be Rich by Ramit SethiThe Science of Sex Appeal imdbLes Brown--Contact Dhru Beeharilal | Nayan Leadership: Website: NayanLeadership.comLinkedIn: DhruBeeFacebook: NayanLeadershipYouTude: DhruBeeContact Sajad Abid | Cause and Effect Consulting: Website: CauseAndEffectConsulting.comCalendar BookingInstagram: CauseAndEffectConsultingTikTokFacebook: CauseAndEffectConsultingYouTube: CauseAndEffectConsulting--Transcript:Dhru 00:00Hey everybody, this is Dr. Dhru Bee. And I'm here to welcome you to my podcast, Ikigai Leadership. We're gonna be talking to leaders in all different industries from all different backgrounds and demographics from all over the world. And we'll be discussing topics like leadership development, culture, DEI, content creation and marketing, and all things business and entrepreneurship. Dhru 00:27Everybody, welcome back to another edition of Ikigai Leadership. Thank you so much for joining us. My name is Dhru Beeharilal. I'm here with a unique guest who I'm actually excited about this interview because we can talk through just really just talk shit, Sajad Abid. Sajad, thank you for joining us today. Sajad 00:42Thank you very much. It's Sajad Abid. Dhru 00:45Abid, sorry, my bad. Sajad 00:46It’s okay, well, we gotta get my dead grandfather's name right. Dhru 00:48Fair enough. My apologies. Sajad 00:50I've been called worse. Dhru 00:51That's true. That's fair. I mean, I'm sure I think we all have but yeah, I'm sure you especially have. Sajad 00:58Thanks. I think.  Dhru 00:59No, it's a compliment. So, we just talked a few minutes before we started this conversation here. And I'm actually gonna start with a little bit different than I normally do. And I want folks to hear about your idea about weekends, or lack thereof. So, we just talked about a unique perspective you have on weekdays, weekends, and just days in general. Do you mind sharing that real quick before we jump into your backstory and everything? Sajad 01:24Sure, I have no idea what day it is, until somebody tells me. There's a quote that says, “If you do what you love for a living, you never work a day in your life.” So, my life is Groundhog's Day. It's the same thing every single day and it's fun all the time. I work the vast majority of the time, but I love what I do. So, it's not like work at all. It's not like hard labour, or I've positioned my life, to be in the place where I get to do exactly what I want, be completely myself, have complete autonomy, help a lot of people make a lot of money. I help them make a lot of money, and I make a lot of money. So, it's all fun, everything's good. Every single day. Dhru 02:08The podcast title is Ikigai Leadership and that leads Ikigai, right, the whole, like, finding passion for what you're doing. And then just leaning into it and doing it, right? And finding different aspects of yourself that you want to enjoy. And then really leading to all those aspects at the same time, because there are different things that are gonna light up different parts of you, right? Sajad runs a couple of different things. One is Cause and Effect Consulting, which is a, I'll let you talk about what exactly it is. But my bad summary of it is business coaching and supporting people in positions of being business owners and leaders in organizations kind of thing, and how to grow their businesses. Right? That's my short, really bad version ...
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    57 mins
  • Dhru and Steven Kirch Talk About How to Build a World-Class Company
    Nov 27 2023
    In this episode of the Ikigai Leadership podcast, Dr. Dhru Beeharilal sits down with Dr. Steven Kirch to discuss his journey from being a physicist at IBM to becoming a successful business coach. They delve into the importance of effective management, the power of measuring leading indicators, and the significance of caring for employees. Dr. Kirch also shares insights from his time at Intel during the 90s, a pivotal era in computing technology.They explore Steven's transition from IBM to Intel and the critical role he played during the advent of the Pentium chip. Steven emphasizes the value of measuring leading indicators for success in sales and business development. He also highlights the importance of genuinely caring for employees, drawing on his experience in leadership at Intel. Listen in to discover the valuable insights and powerful lessons that Steve Kirch shares and find out how you can transform your leadership and business skills. Don't miss out on the opportunity to learn from a seasoned professional with a wealth of experience.About Steve Kirch Dr. Steven Kirch is not only a seasoned business coach and former physicist but also a visionary leader with a unique perspective forged through over two decades of experience at Intel. His expertise lies in the seamless integration of technical prowess with effective management strategies, making him a standout figure in the realm of leadership development. Beyond his impressive professional background, Dr. Kirch's unwavering commitment to employee well-being and his passion for teaching have been instrumental in shaping his distinctive approach to coaching. In this episode, he imparts invaluable insights from his journey, offering a wealth of knowledge to business owners and aspiring leaders alike.Resources discussed in this episode:IBM: www.ibm.comIntel: www.intel.comThe Seven Habits of Highly Effective PeopleAndy Grove: Andrew S. GroveICF: coachingfederation.orgRandy Haykin--Contact Dhru Beeharilal | Nayan Leadership: Website: NayanLeadership.comLinkedIn: DhruBeeFacebook: NayanLeadershipYouTude: DhruBeeContact Steven Kirch | Profit Minds: Website: profitminds.netThe Gratitude NetworkTwitter: @sjkirchLinkedin: Steven Kirch--Transcript:Dhru 00:00Hey everybody, this is Dr. Dhru Bee. And I'm here to welcome you to my podcast Ikigai Leadership. We're gonna be talking to leaders in all different industries from all different backgrounds and demographics from all over the world. And we'll be discussing topics like leadership development, culture, DEI, content creation and marketing, and all things business and entrepreneurship. Dhru 00:24Hey everybody, welcome back to another edition of Ikigai Leadership. I'm Dr. Dhru Beeharilal and I'm here with Dr. Steven Kirch. Steve, great to meet you, thanks for coming out today, I really appreciate the time. Steven 00:35Dr. Dhru, hey, great to be here. I'm really looking forward to our conversation today. Dhru 00:40Yeah. So, profit minds, it's obviously it's business coaching, for those who don't know, and particularly different lens, as Steven knows, you know, everyone, every coach has their own little lens through which they see the world through which they help the clients see the world. And so what's your lens? What does it look like for you? Steven 00:55It's interesting, because, yeah, my lens is quite different. I'm a scientist and I like to understand things in some level of detail before I prescribe some kind of a solution. And life is an experiment. So, we try something and if it doesn't work, we'll try something else. And, you know, I've learned a lot over my years. That's, you know, how I got the gray hair. Dhru 01:26You earned the gray hair writing and getting– Steven 01:28I earned it, I earned every one of them. That’s right. Dhru 01:30Yeah. So, tell us more about I know you're a PhD in physics, right? How do you go from being a PhD in physics to being a business coach? Steven 01:39Yeah. So, it is kind of an interesting story that, you know the first job I had out of graduate school, my wife and I both got jobs working for IBM, in New York, and moved there. And, you know, I had no desire whatsoever to be a manager in the IBM System, because a manager couldn't do anything technical. And I loved technology, and I loved being on the cutting edge of developing new technologies. That was the reason that I became a physicist in the first place was to discover new things and the IBM System required that managers be managers pure and simple manage. We had a minimum of 30 people reporting to you. And that meant all you could do is manage. I've been at IBM for eight, nine years, something like that. And they did their first layoffs. And it was at that point, I realized I needed to take responsibility for my own career. When I joined IBM, I figured I'd be there for the rest of my life, you were called an “IBMer”, that was the expectation. But when they made that change, I said, well, I ...
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    27 mins
  • Dhru and Thomas Gay Talk About Increasing Sales and Success Through Relationships
    Nov 13 2023
    In this episode of Ikigai Leadership, Dhru Beeharilal sits down with Tom Gay, a seasoned entrepreneur and the visionary founder of EngagePro. With over two decades of experience, Tom imparts invaluable insights into cultivating business relationships and referrals. He stresses the pivotal role of EngagePro as an enablement tool designed to streamline the process of filling sales pipelines with high-quality prospects. Tom's expertise shines through as he underscores the power of giving, building trust, and reciprocity, emphasizing that business success often hinges on teaching others how to refer you effectively. He teaches listeners about the 'know, like, and trust' paradigm, revealing how understanding the art of reciprocation can be a game-changer in business. This episode offers an informative perspective on the human factor of entrepreneurship, reminding us that genuine connections can often yield greater results than transactional approaches. With Tom's guidance, you'll be ready to reframe your approach to business, placing authentic relationships at the forefront of your strategies.About Tom GayTom Gay is a dynamic CEO renowned for his expertise in successful relationship selling, referral marketing, and serial entrepreneurship. With a rich background in merging sales skills, information technology, and problem-solving, Tom has made a mark in the entrepreneurial landscape. His primary focus centers on empowering professionals to establish systematic, repeatable processes that drive client acquisition, sales growth, and business sustainability. Tom's profound grasp of trust-building and relationship nurturing, coupled with his disciplined approach, yields extraordinary outcomes. Beyond entrepreneurship, Tom's passion for team-building, leadership development, and mentorship is palpable in every venture he undertakes. His specializations lie in sales skill enhancement, relationship marketing, and coaching, culminating in the creation of trusted communities of professionals and fostering personal growth.Resources discussed in this episode:Jim Rohn: www.jimrohn.comInternational Coaching Federation: coachingfederation.orgPygmalion by ShawThe Replacements--Contact Dhru Beeharilal | Nayan Leadership: Website: NayanLeadership.comLinkedIn: DhruBeeFacebook: NayanLeadershipYouTude: DhruBeeContact Tom Gay | EngagePro: Website: engagepro.comEmail: tom@besteversocial.comLinkedin: Thomas Gay--Transcript:Dhru 00:00Hey everybody, this is Dr. Dhru Bee. And I'm here to welcome you to my podcast Ikigai Leadership. We're gonna be talking to leaders in all different industries from all different backgrounds and demographics from all over the world. And we'll be discussing topics like leadership development, culture, DEI, content creation and marketing, and all things business and entrepreneurship. Dhru 00:26Everybody, welcome back to another edition of the Ikigai Leadership podcast. I am honored here to have my friend here, Tom Gay. He was the founder of EngagedPro among other things. Tom is a serial entrepreneur and like myself, which is why we get along, and we have similar ideas about business. But Tom's done some amazing stuff and we want to talk to him about that and have give him a chance to share a little bit about his story with you guys. Tom, thanks so much for joining us today. Tom 00:49Oh, thrilled to be with you Dhru. Dhru 00:51So, tell us more about EngagedPro, and then we'll dive a little bit under the hood later on. But I wanted to hear more about kind of what you're doing right now and what you're working on? Tom 00:58Well, I've spent the last 20 years teaching professionals, coaches, consultants, professional service providers of all types, how to build a business by focusing on relationships and referrals. So, EngagePro is the extension of that background, where we've taken the steps that you need to follow to successfully fill your sales funnel with quality prospects. And we've systemized it so that you can do this easily, quickly, and in a repeatable way. Now, in training, I still train people, I just hung up the phone from a client who I'm working with. But not everyone needs that. Sometimes you just need the tool to help you stay on track, personalize your relationship, and then understand where to take that relationship so that it becomes a win-win for both parties. So EngagedPro is fairly new as a platform. I did build one, a predecessor Tool and Company that went to almost 5 million users, sold it a few years back. And as I've described, EngagePro, it's now the grandson of that company, refer.com. I love teaching people how to bring relationships and bring people back into the forefront of their marketing to offset all the technology and noise that we're dealing with every day. And I'll guarantee you that you'll get more business by working on relationships than you will by going out and buying ads on Facebook. Dhru 02:34Yeah, no, I definitely appreciate that. And then I think that's ...
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    28 mins
  • Dhru and Dr Dorothy A Martin Neville Talk About Leadership Spirituality and Physical Health
    Oct 30 2023
    Dr. Dhru welcomes Dr. Dorothy A. Martin-Neville onto the podcast to discuss leadership, development, and personal growth. The focus of their discussion is on stress management and how stress impacts our physical, mental, and emotional health. Dr. Dorothy’s unique experience in health and wellness brings inspiring insights into how we can change our mindsets, embrace our lives, and find joy in the ordinary. Dr. Dorothy shares how stress is directly related to our susceptibility to disease, illness, and physical health. By sharing anecdotes of memorable patients and clients, Dr. Dorothy paints a picture of what can be possible when we give ourselves the opportunity to get in touch with our desires and pursue what really matters to us rather than pushing through the stress. Taking care of our mental health enables us to create better relationships with our families and employees. She encourages leaders to embrace their inner knowing and express their leadership as an authentic expression of who they are rather than a job to be done.About Dr. Dorothy A. Martin-NevilleHaving formed five companies of her own and supported 1,000s expand, change, or begin their own organizations as well as supported senior executives’ transition while transforming their careers and lives, Dorothy clearly sees through the stories and masks to what is really needed, wanted, and dreamed of. The bottom line of effective leadership begins with purpose, passion, and power. Is it time to claim yours?--Contact Dhru Beeharilal | Nayan Leadership: Website: NayanLeadership.comLinkedIn: DhruBeeFacebook: NayanLeadershipYouTude: DhruBeeContact Dr. Dorothy A. Martin-Neville | Ask Dr. Dorothy: Website: AskDrDorothy.comFacebook: AskDorothyLinkedin: DorothyMartinNevilleVimeo: DrDorothyYouTube: DrDorothyCT–TranscriptDhru 00:00Hey, everybody, this is Dr. Drew Bee. And I'm here to welcome you to my podcast Ikigai Leadership. We're gonna be talking to leaders in all different industries from all different backgrounds and demographics from all over the world. And we'll be discussing topics like leadership development, culture, DEI, content creation and marketing, and all things business and entrepreneurship. Everybody welcome back to another edition of Ikigai Leadership. My name is Dhru Beeharilal, and I'm here today with Dr. Dorothy A Martin Neville. Thanks so much for joining me today, I really appreciate it. It's an honor to have you here and talk to you about the work you do because you're also a business and executive coach. But your approach is a little bit different from most. So do you want to say a little more about that and who you are.Dorothy 00:47Because I spent 20-something years as a psychotherapist, in private practice, as well as being a pioneer in integrative health care here in the United States. What I do is combine the depth of knowledge I have around health and psychology and how leadership is impacted by their belief systems by how they hold their stress by their understanding of leadership, their understanding of who they are theoretically supposed to be. And when you move into levels of self-betrayal or levels of confusion, you may be in transition, where am I going? What am I going to do? And as a leader, you can create all kinds of illusions about what you should be doing and where you should go and all of this. And that ends up not only impacting the effectiveness of your leadership, it impacts your health emotionally, spiritually and physically, so that you don't get to bring the best of you to the table. Yeah.Dhru 01:45Yea, and I think that last part is the part people don't necessarily connect the dots on, right, that affects your physical health, we tend to prioritize physical health over other types of health, which is interesting in our society. You know, I think now it's kind of coming around a little more where mental health is becoming more of a focus. But frankly, it's become an excuse and a lot of the time sometimes, because how do you measure mental health? Right? There's no like, objective way to measure mental health and in terms of like being like, Oh, you're even pain, right? Because it's your pain? Is it a five? Well, hers is a five, two, but you guys might have different thresholds for pain. And how do you how do you talk to people with the with that kind of feeling about that?Dorothy 02:21For me, what I look at is, what's your functionality? If you're emotionally healthy in and we all have stuff, I don't care who we are, we all have stuff, you know that stuff to the day we pass. However, for some of us, we are working so hard not to see our stuff, that we spend our days pushing through it, thinking we are functioning well. And yet, when you're working with people, they can see how quickly you go into defense, how quickly you go into rage or push and will and in or collapse. And although you think it's not impacting you, it's having a huge impact. So to me, when I see somebody emotionally healthy...
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    44 mins
  • Dhru & Stefan Zavalin Talk About Being A Nerd in Business
    Oct 16 2023
    Dr. Dhru Bee welcomes Dr. Stefan Zavalin, The Professional Unicorn, to discuss a wide range of topics, from when and how to be vulnerable in your content to what it means to be creative and many topics in between. You’ll hear how to find confidence in yourself, get to the root of your motivation, and why it’s important to avoid seeking external validation. From when to fire your clients to knowing if running a business is right for you, this episode has great lessons for entrepreneurs.  In addition to talking about business and content creation, Dr. Stefan Zavalin also tells the story of how he lost his vision in graduate school and how he went on to complete his degree in physiotherapy and practice as a physiotherapist. He shares his passion for getting people to move more and sit less, which motivated him to write a well-received Ted X Talk and write the book Sit Less. About Stefan ZavalinDr. Stefan Zavalin is The Professional Unicorn. After losing his vision in graduate school, Stefan not only finished his degree, but went on to work in the clinic, start a business, write a book, and give a TEDx Talk. He went further into creating a digital interactive show for desk workers that was revolutionary for the virtual meeting era.Resources discussed in this episode:Move More. Sit Less. TedX Talk - Dr. Stefan ZavalinSit Less by Dr. Stefan ZavalinGary VaynerchukImpact Theory with Tom BilyeuTask RabbitTim MinchinContact Dhru Beeharilal | Nayan Leadership: Website: NayanLeadership.comLinkedIn: DhruBeeFacebook: NayanLeadershipYouTude: DhruBeeContact Stefan Zavalin | The Professional Unicorn: Website: StefanZavalin.comInstagram: Stefan.ZavalinTwitter: stefanzavalinTikTok: stefan.zavalinLinkedin: Stefan-ZavalinTranscript:Dhru: [00:00:02] Hey, everybody. This is Dr. Dhru, and I'm here to welcome you to my podcast, Ikigai Leadership. We're going to be talking to leaders in all different industries from all different backgrounds and demographics from all over the world. And we'll be discussing topics like leadership development, culture, DEI content creation and marketing and all things business and entrepreneurship. Hey, everybody. Welcome back to another edition of Ikigai Leadership. And my name is Dhru Beeharilal. I'm here with Dr. Stefan Zavalin. So one thing I love about Stefan, he also loves Purple, which is my favorite color as well, which is cool, makes him automatically close to my heart. On top of that, he's also a fellow nerd and fellow business owner, so we have a lot in common. And you're actually also legally blind, right? So which is amazing. You couldn't tell because again, just you operate. So I don't want to say normally, but you operate so ably, I should say. What's the politically right way to say that? I don't know. But either way, you'd never be able to tell Stefan. You know, you call yourself the unicorn. I'll start with that. Where did that come from? What does that what does that mean to you?Stefan: [00:01:08] You know, it actually it came about because I was being called a unicorn a lot of times. And then I just started sort of wearing it. It came about so I was originally born in Russia and then moved when we were seven and grew up in Nashville, Tennessee. And I think that many people don't know about Nashville, Tennessee nowadays is that if you grew up in Nashville and you're still in Nashville, you're a unicorn, that's what you're referred to as because it's so rare, most people move away. And so that kind of unicorn thing came out from being called there. And then I always loved to do things differently. I always just stand out and just do random stuff all the time and make it theatrical. I was never in theater, but I was one of those kids where you're like, That's a theater kid. I didn't get exposed to what theater even was until I got to undergrad when I joined a rock band. And all of them were theater kids, and I was like, Oh, I'm just a musician. I don't know what this is all about. So the unicorn thing was kind of always there. And I went to school. I went to grad school for physical therapy. I got my doctorate in physical therapy. I also got a parasite in grad school. That's not something that they advertise on the university brochure.Stefan: [00:02:09] But it wasn't even there. It sounds so bad now. I wasn't born blind. I became blind, as all of that. And I was in the clinic. I was doing just the usual clinic stuff and documentation got so much, and I wanted to start my own business. And I swear this relates to unicorns. It's coming. And when I started my first business, and I was still in this shell of being like, no, I have to be very professional. I have to do things this way. This is how we do it. In the clinics, they always made us wear ties even though we did exercises. I was like, Man, why? What is this? Come on. And so then finally when I really pushed out, and I was like, No, I want to be the me that everybody says, like, be yourself, do the thing that you're ...
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    57 mins
  • Dhru and Damon "DJ Realty Solutions" Johnson Talk About What It Takes To Be An Entrepreneur
    Oct 2 2023
    Dr. Dhru B welcomes Damon Johnson, President of DJ Realty Solutions, back to the show. This time the conversation covers Damon’s businesses and how things are going, including an in-depth look at the challenges and successes of working with social media.  Damon, like Dr. Dhru, is a social media consultant and he shares his thoughts on what apps are working best for engagement right now. Socials are a necessity but it’s not always as easy as simply being a quick hit influencer and Damon talks about the longer game of building steady growth. It’s the sustainable second tier growth he looks for.Dr. Dhru and guest Damon Johnson cover social media platform name changes, functionality, oversight, and what they’d like from the future in their conversation. They share the pros and cons of the most popular platforms and touch on how topics like racism are handled. In the world of consulting, Damon also urges clients to meet with more than one consultant to find one you fit with, one who matches your voice. Dr. Dhru and Damon also reflect on their time at VeeCon, where their friendship was cemented, and possibilities for the next convention. Resources discussed in this episode:Gary Vaynerchuk“Influencer: Building Your Personal Brand in the Age of Social Media” by Brittany HennessyLately About Damon JohnsonDamon Johnson, President of DJ Realty Solutions, is an experienced and professional realtor with a demonstrated history of working in the real estate industry. His skills are varied and include sales, investment properties, management, working with first-time home buyers, and leadership. Damon is also a radio talk show host for the show Music and Meatless Meals out of Detroit. He received his Master of Education (M.Ed.) focused in Educational Leadership and Administration, General from Oakland University.—Contact Dhru Beeharilal | Nayan Leadership: Website: NayanLeadership.comLinkedIn: DhruBeeFacebook: NayanLeadershipYouTube: DhruBeeContact Damon Johnson:LinkedInInstagram__TranscriptDr. Dhru: [00:00:02] Hey, everybody. This is Dr. Dhru B, and I'm here to welcome you to my podcast, Ikigai Leadership. We're going to be talking to leaders in all different industries from all different backgrounds and demographics from all over the world. And we'll be discussing topics like leadership development, culture, DEI, content creation and marketing and all things business and entrepreneurship. Damon, welcome back. Thank you, everybody. How are you doing? Damon Johnson: [00:00:31] Thank you for having me. Dr. Dhru: [00:00:32] It's great to have you back, man. Thank you, everybody, for joining in today to our Ikigai Leadership podcast. My name is Dr. Dhru B, and I'm here with my good friend Damon Johnson, aka DJ Realty Solutions. Welcome back, bro. Damon Johnson: [00:00:44] Thank you for having me. I know it's how long has it been? Has it been that long? A couple of months, maybe. Dr. Dhru: [00:00:50] Since we saw each other? It's been a few months, but since we talked, we talked on that book conversation. So we've been in touch. Damon Johnson: [00:00:56] Yeah. We try to stay in touch. I got to do a better job. I got to do better. Dr. Dhru: [00:01:00] Me too. I think. I think we're both falling to the same trap, my friend. Damon Johnson: [00:01:02] But that's okay. Dr. Dhru: [00:01:03] It's all good. How has business been so far? I know you started social media stuff. Damon Johnson: [00:01:07] I picked up a huge client last week and it was like, she's family so... It's been different because with their social I'm using their voice. With my other clients are kind of in my same realm of business, so I can kind of use my voice with their voice. So figuring out their voice is different. So we're, we laugh. And she's like, Damon, that doesn't sound like me. I'm like, Are you sure? So yeah, we're working those kinks out. But it's been great. She referred another client to me and I went to meet with both of them yesterday. So I got ahead and behind at the same time. So it's like, yay! New clients! But like, Oh, no, I'm behind on paperwork. But so yeah, it's been interesting. It's been busy, but good. Better busy than waiting for the phone to ring I always say. Dr. Dhru: [00:02:05] Yeah, agreed, man, 100%. Congratulations. That's awesome. You got a couple more clients and it's always good to get that coming in. But you know, from social media side of things, I think people don't realize that that little piece of things because, you know, everybody thinks, Oh, I got a Facebook account, I got an Instagram account, I can be a social media consultant. But no, I'm sorry. You really can't. Right? I mean, I was reading this thing today, there's a book out there called Influencer. And so, I mean, the content is good so far. It's, I forgot who was by now, you know me. I don't know authors as well as, you know, I can talk about the book titles or whatever but authors and content. Well, content I know, book ...
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    41 mins
  • Dhru and Marcus Britt Talk Technology & People
    Sep 18 2023
    Dr. Dhru Bee welcomes guest Marcus Britt, Senior Manager of Technology for Under Armour, to the show to talk about technology and people. Marcus discusses how he has an equal career history of tech and HR and how that shapes his career ideology of people first, then process, then technology.  Marcus believes technology shouldn’t be done for the sake of technology but instead done to enable and help people. He uses his HR background to relate to colleagues and C-Suite leaders alike when explaining technological advances to them. As he tells Dhru, if you aren’t in the technology for the right reasons and you don’t have your people and your process in a great place, all technology will enable you to do is finish bad work faster. Dr. Dhru and guest Marcus Britt discuss all aspects of how tech intersects with and affects people. They talk about AI and the rush to adopt it before truly understanding how it may affect people in a company, why ensuring you’re on good footing before advancing is vital, the interconnectedness of business, the best kind of leadership qualities Marcus has experienced, and why self-awareness and patience are two of the most important virtues for getting ahead in any industry. Their conversation is insightful and engaging, and shines a light on the people technology should be focused on.About Marcus Britt:Marcus Britt is the Senior Manager of Technology at Under Armour. He is a transformational leader with experience in technology, project management, continuous improvement, human resource management, planning and business continuity. Marcus has a proven ability to implement comprehensive technology solutions while maintaining a business driven mind-set.—Contact Dhru Beeharilal | Nayan Leadership: Website: NayanLeadership.comLinkedIn: DhruBeeFacebook: NayanLeadershipYouTube: DhruBeeContact Marcus Britt:LinkedInUnder Armour LinkedIn__TranscriptDr. Dhru: [00:00:02] Hey, everybody. This is Dr. Dhru Bee and I'm here to welcome you to my podcast, Ikigai Leadership. We're going to be talking to leaders in all different industries from all different backgrounds and demographics from all over the world. And we'll be discussing topics like leadership development, culture, DEI, content creation and marketing and all things business and entrepreneurship. Dr. Dhru: [00:00:26] Hey, everybody. Welcome back to another edition of Ikigai Leadership. I want to thank you guys for joining us today. I'm here joined by my good friend Marcus Britt. We just met recently. We kicked it off pretty hard at the Blackstone Technology Conference in Charlotte because we're both apparently nerds, which is awesome. Marcus Britt: [00:00:41] Absolutely. Yeah, I claim it. I own it, man. Nerds forever, man. That's what I love. Dr. Dhru: [00:00:45] Absolutely. It's the only way to be, man. So. So, yeah. Marcus, thank you so much for joining us today. We'll talk a little bit about the Blackstone Technology Conference, talk about our conversation there. But before we get into that, tell us a little bit about yourself, man. You know what kind of work you're doing right now. What do you like to focus on? And what brought you to the Blackstone Technology Conference? Marcus Britt: [00:01:01] Awesome. So a little bit about me. Currently, I have the pleasure of working at Under Armor and I am the senior manager of Digital Teammate Experience. It's a technology role, but it doesn't sound like a technology role. It's pretty cool, right? But our focus is really on kind of aligning technology and making sure that the experience for our teammates is good. Right? I mean I think that's where I can consider us to be an experience economy now, it really drives everything, right? So making sure that the processes, the systems, data, all of that stuff is good and it provides a good experience for our teammates. That's really what matters. I've been in technology now for around 20 years. I'm a little bit of a weird bird in that I've had a chance to spend time in tech and HR about equal times, equal parts of my career in both, so I have a unique perspective on really kind of understanding how people, you know, what people's needs are in the organization, how they move around an organization, how people feel in certain spaces, and then also having technology and how to enable that, right, to make that go. Because I'm a firm believer you don't do technology for the sake of technology. You do technology to enable and help people, right? If it's not a tool to make things better, it's really useless. So being in that space for a while I had an opportunity to work at some great companies and really focusing on that. And like we talked about, I'm a super nerd, I love Marvel movies, anime, Legos, I got my Lego back there, my motorcycle back there. So just enjoying being able to really understand technology in a deep way and then helping people and understanding people and helping merge those two together. That's really what my DNA ...
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    43 mins