In this video, I want to talk about something that's been on my mind lately: COBRA and Marketplace insurance. I want to talk about some of the lessons learned after my wife's breast cancer diagnosis.

I hope that this podcast will help you understand COBRA and Marketplace insurance and make the best decisions for your health insurance needs. I want you to know that you're not alone and that there are people out there who understand what you're going through.

www.whatwedomattersnow.com

https://www.facebook.com/whatwedomattersnow

https://youtu.be/SFRrvKKTuYs

#breastcancer, #breastcancerawareness, #insurance, #insurancemarketplace, #leadership

The lessons discussed will help you on your journey if you care about being a better leader. Listen to Simon share his story about Noah and share your thoughts in the comment section!

In This episode I talk about the top 4 qualities leaders need based on my late 2021 Linkedin survey.

Pleaser share your thoughts!

On this episode of In The Back Room, I sit down with comedian and actor Lenny Clarke for a free-wheeling discussion touching on his alcoholism, stroke, charity work, dramatic weight loss and more. Lenny features in the new Halloween Kills film, starring Michael Myers, realizing a childhood dream of his to be killed in a Hollywood horror film.

Lenny and I start off by talking about some great American comedians who were friends and heroes of Lenny, from Stephen Wright to Steve Sweeney. Lenny was inspired by these guys to pursue a career in acting and comedy, but he’s faced many challenges along the way, from a childhood growing up in poverty to an addiction to drugs and alcohol. He was also overweight, weighing 388lbs at his heaviest, and worked hard to eventually bring his weight down to 188lbs. His weight loss was actually spurred on by me and a discussion we had during a golf game, which we go into more detail about in this episode. Lenny also talks about the massive stroke that he had, which temporarily damaged his speech and affected his mobility. He was lucky enough to be saved by doctors at the Martha’s Vineyard hospital, who had him airlifted to a specialist stroke unit.

Throughout this episode, Lenny goes into detail about some of the charities that he works for and the causes he represents, which are all very near to his heart. He volunteers for the Globe Santa organization, which provides books, toys and games to children in underprivileged families and he is also participating in the Cape Cod Getaway bike ride to raise funds for Multiple Sclerosis, a disease that affects his two of his sisters.

Stay tuned to the end to hear how Lenny helped to boost Joe Rogan’s career, and you can also find links to support Lenny’s charities in the show notes.

Timestamps

[01:40] Where should I retire?
[04:14] Lenny Clarke on the Jimmy Kimmel show [05:35] Lenny Clarke on Halloween Kills
[08:20] Bostonian comedian Stephen Wright
[10:02] A clip of comedian Steve Sweeney
[13:33] Lenny’s alcoholism
[15:45] Lenny and I discuss his charity work with Globe Santa 
[25:50] Lenny's fathers sickness
[32:00] When Lenny had a stroke
[35:25] Bob and Lenny on being a little portly
[42:40] Joe Rogan’s early career and how it was boosted by Lenny 
[45:28] Being friends with Joe Rogan

Links

Lenny Clarke on IMDb Globe Santa
Lenny’s MS fundraiser Alcoholics Anonymous

In The Back Room website

Leissa Miller is a wife, mother of an 11-year old son with Down Syndrome, and advocate for people with disabilities. She has been making the world better for him and other parents of children with Down Syndrome.

Bob and Leissa are taking the principles of leadership beyond The Back Room and into our communities. Leissa discusses her son's diagnosis, the medical staff that made a difference, and the programs, like Gigi's Playhouse, paraprofessionals, teachers  & Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)  that have supported her family throughout their journey.  

In this episode, we celebrate children with Down Syndrome and the various programs and initiatives that are making a difference.

• [00:01:24] Get to know Leissa's story 
• [00:13:20]The different levels of Down Syndrome.
• [00:16:39] The benefits of sign language for nonverbal children
• [00:19:11] How leaders can get involved and Down Syndrome Initiatives
• [00:31:32] The one thing Leissa wants to share with new parents who have a child with Down Syndrome 
• [00:33:42] Misconceptions about children with disabilities

Takeaways:

• Resources are available on the federal, state, and local levels, but what can organizations do to support the Down Syndrome Community? In this episode, Bob and Leissa share a few resources.
• Leissa shows how you can take on a leadership role in your community by advocating for individuals with disabilities.  
• Last week we discussed mindfulness and its benefits in the workplace but did you know that studies show that mindfulness practice is equally beneficial for individuals with disabilities and their support network. 

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Resources Mentioned In This Episode: 

•  GiGi's Playhouse
• Down Syndrome Creed
• U.S. Dept of Education The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
•  National Down Syndrome Society

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Get to Know the Host:

Bob Howard has over 30 years of sales and management experience and has spent the last 16 years leading a subsidiary of a Fortune 1,000 technology solutions company. He currently resides in New Hampshire. 

Want to connect further?

LinkedIn

FacebookGroup:

http://www.inthebackroompodcast.com

If you have any ideas or suggestions on who would be an excellent guest to interview, or if you would like to appear on the show, don't hesitate to reach out!

Send me an email: Bob@inthebackroompodcast.com

What if leaders could wave a magic wand and instantly improve their company culture while reducing their employee's stress? Military organizations and Fortune 500 companies accomplish these results every year through mindfulness-based programs.  No magic. Just time-tested techniques that deliver results.

 In this episode, I am speaking with Cecilia Howard, mindfulness and meditation workshop leader, to address misconceptions around mindfulness practices and explain how leaders can embrace the positive results from this practice. 

Leaders, join us In The Back Room, where we discuss: 

 ●    The Dalai Lama's thoughts on mindfulness & leadership

●     How one CEO used mindfulness to create the world's most powerful CRM system

●    The one thing leaders can do to overcome their trepidation around creating mindfulness practices

●     Myths surrounding mindfulness in the workplace

●     A quick exercise to manage stress

Key Takeaways:

●     Discover the biggest misconceptions about meditation- and how you can create a mindfulness practice

●     Learn what a beginners mind is - and how leaders can benefit from it

●     The practice of mindfulness meditation is not dependent on any religion or spiritual beliefs.

●     Unlearning negative responses to stress so that you can manage your life and business with more ease

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Get to Know the Host:

Bob Howard has over 30 years of sales and management experience and has spent the last 15 years leading a subsidiary of a Fortune 1,000 technology solutions company. 

Want to connect further?

LinkedIn

FacebookGroup:

Email 

If you have any ideas or suggestions on who would be an excellent guest to interview, or if you would like to appear on the show, don't hesitate to reach out!

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You can reach Cecilia Howard at cbhoward@mac.com or Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/cecilia-howard-9b4191a4

Resources Mentioned In This Episode: 

UMass Center for Mindfulness: https://www.ummhealth.org/umass-memorial-medical-center/services-treatments/center-for-mindfulness

N.Y. Times Mindfulness Strategy: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/05/health/military-mindfulness-training.html

Dalai Lama HBR Article: https://hbr.org/2019/02/the-dalai-lama-on-why-leaders-should-be-mindful-selfless-and-compassionate

 CNBC Article on Salesforce.com Mindfulness Zones

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/11/05/salesforce-ceo-marc-benioff-why-we-have-mindfulness-zones.html

If you have any ideas or suggestions on who would be an excellent guest to interview, or if you would like to appear on the show, don't hesitate to reach out via
Linkedin or Email Bob@inthebackroompodcast.com

Are you making a true impact on the lives of others through your current career? In this episode of In the Back Room, I welcome Tom Looney to share his unique perspective on leadership and innovation in business and education, highlighting the characteristics of great leaders, offering expert advice for new salespeople, and sharing ways business can help optimize the efficiency of educators in 2021.

Tom gives insight into his first sales job and how he grew and leveraged his skills in sales, product development, and information technology over the years. He shares his candid thoughts on retaining clients, gaining new clients, and building trust through video conferencing, as well as how resellers can build trust and win business with field organizations from major manufacturers.

“Time kills deals. You have to be responsive, you have to think creatively. Don’t give the same pitch twice.”                                                                                                        - Tom Looney

Tom speaks on his work in joining businesses with community colleges to integrate more technology and boost students’ success, including his partnership with Lenovo in creating powerful internships for students at Wake Technical Community College. He also shares about other projects he’s been working on such as his collaboration with the North Carolina Coastal Federation to show there’s economic development associated with environmental work.

“Change people’s lives… and don’t wait until the end of your career.”         - Tom Looney

Join me every week In the Back Room! Now available to stream on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Buzzsprout, Castro, and Overcast!

 
Connect with Tom Looney on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomaslooney

NC Community Colleges: https://www.nccommunitycolleges.edu

National EstuarineResearch Reserve System Science Collabrative: https://nerrssciencecollaborative.org/project/Darrow16

Get to Know the Host:

Bob Howard has over 30 years of sales and management experience and has spent the last 15 years leading a subsidiary of a Fortune 1,000 technology solutions company  1,000 technology solutions company subsidiary and is based in New Hampshire and is based in New Hampshire. 

Want to connect further?

Visit my website: www.Inthebackroompodcast.com

Connect with me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/roberthoward3rd

Join the Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/inthebackroomwithbobhoward

Follow me on Instagram: 

Subscribe to my YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/channel/UCmLGNWse31-3g_ANvl-kYpQ

Send me an email: Bob@inthebackroompodcast.com