Innovation Crush

As the former founding director the Ogilvy Labs, Nicole Yershon set new precedents in how companies connect with connect with culture. Equal parts brain and brawn, the multiple Cannes Gold Lion award winner has been referred to as "an irresistible force against immovable objects," a metaphor that simply translates into knowing how to get sh*t done. She is also now the author of Rough Diamond, a collection of personal philosophies and experiences that illuminate the innovator's path to success.  On her second appearance on Innovation Crush, Nicole breaks down many of the methods to her madness, the personal hardships she's faced, and how she turned those hardships into even greater potential in her business. More at https://www.nicoleyershon.com/rough-diamond/

With a collective 12+ million followers, and presence across multiple platforms from YouTube to Live.ly to Gas Station TV, Shira Lazar and Bart Baker are a true new-era power couple. On this episode, Shira, the award-winning host and CEO of What's Trending, and Bart, a comedy and music-parody maven, both discuss navigating the ever-changing ecosystem of content creation. From audience demographics and cultural appetites, from deciding which new platforms to be on, changes in algorithms and technology, working with brands, and the growth of their careers and personal points of view. Recorded live at www.lapodfest.com.

Recorded live at Success Magazine's 2nd annual "Success Live" event, Tom Bilyeu and Peter Voogd join Innovation Crush for a pair of conversations centered on their journey's toward success. Tom, a filmmaker turned serial entrepreneur turned CEO and host of Impact Theory is on a mission to help people increase their capacity. Peter is the king of millennial entrepreneurial culture, launching several businesses himself, and helping brands and fortune 50 companies better understand one of the most sought after generations. www.successliveevent.com/

Recently named one of INC's 30 Inspiring Women in Tech, Jessica Naziri is the ultimate combination of geek and chic. Teaching tech to the masses through her own Tech Sesh platform, as well as in classrooms at the famed Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, Jessica has figured out an almost magical way of translating the most complicated trends across technology and culture to laymen's terms. Her work has been coveted by the likes Mashable (check out her tech themed wedding), Entrepreneur, Forbes, CBS, and more. On this installment of the Crush, the former start-up exec and technology anthropologist dishes on the secrets to her success, her experiences with sexism, and attempts at disconnecting from technology. Recorded live at www.sae.edu.

Currently valued at over $160,000 per member, WeWork boasts over 156 global offices, and caters to more than 120,000 entrepreneurs and team members from Fortune 100 companies. With a global community he describes as one big support system, co-founder Miguel McKelvey has built a network of likeminded workers and businesses that support one another through an exchange of products, services, collaborations, along with WeWork's premium experiences. Recorded live at C2 Montreal, the handyman, turned architect, turned billion-dollar real estate poster child, breaks down what makes WeWork work and what the future of the "thousand-year company" looks like. More at www.c2montreal.com

Responsible for over $18 billion worth of product launches, and having worked alongside the likes of Apple, Symantec, Logitech, Autodesk and more, Nilofer Merchant is an expert at making wild ideas reality. She has graced the illustrious TED stage, been awarded the Future Thinker Award by Thinkers50, and has traveled the world preaching the innovation gospel to startups, Fortune 500 companies, and industry audiences. Fresh off the heels of her 3rd book, The Power of Onlyness: Make Your Wild Ideas Mighty Enough to Dent the World, Nilofer stops by Innovation Crush to break down the theory of how and why great ideas are making their way into the world at a faster pace than ever before. More at www.nilfermerchant.com

As the CEO and co-founder of Who What Wear, Katherine Power took her passion for fashion from a newsletter to a multi-million dollar brand empire in just under 10 years. Who What Wear's parent company, Clique, owns and operates a handful of massively successful retail and content properties designed to accompany women at any stage of life, from college to home to the boardroom. With brands like Gucci, Target, Barney's, Urban Outfitters and more as partners, the former professional dancer turned fashion mogul is setting new trends in retail and lifestyle. On this is installment of the show, Katherine breaks down successfully navigating 10+ years of digital culture, moving back into brick and mortar, and how dance shaped her life as an entrepreneur. Recorded live at www.sae.edu

What do BP, McDonald's, architecture, and eSports have in common? The genius of Ann Hand. As Chairman and CEO of Super League, Ann is quite literally changing the game. What the NFL is to football, or MLB to baseball, Super League is becoming for gaming. With professional team franchises, and sold out competitions popping up all over the country, Super League is now at the forefront of this $90 billion industry. On this episode, Ann breaks down her spirited fearlessness, her leadership style, the cognitive and social benefits of gaming, the company's recent $15 million investment from Nickelodeon, and everything it takes to change the game. Recorded at www.sae.edu

After serving 12 consecutive years in federal prison for the largest MDMA bust in history, Louis Ziskin decided to take the world by swarm... of drones that is. His company, DropIn, Inc pairs on-demand drone pilots with insurance companies, enabling customers to leverage streaming video and high-res photos and achieve better insight into auto and property damage. A first of its kind, Ziskin recently closed over $2M in funding, a handful of major insurance providers as clients, and close to 4000 drone pilots around the world. On this episode, Louis helps us imagine the parallels of prison life with entrepreneurial life, discusses his philanthropic efforts, and walks us through his unique perspective on business. Recorded and edited at www.sae.edu.

Recently inducted into the speaker hall of fame, Simon T. Bailey has worked with the likes of AT&T, Microsoft, Chevron, Marriott and more to help individuals and leadership teams achieve new levels of brilliance. With most companies facing what he's dubbed "VUCA" (Volatility Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity), the best selling author has become a master at navigating the age of reinvention. On this episode of Innovation Crush - in partnership with Success Magazine - Simon talks us through his personal failures, his professional wins, maintaining a personal brand, cutting through the clutter, and a few tips on how to unlock your own brilliance every day. Catch Simon alongside the likes of Keith Ferrazzi, Chalene Bailey, Peter Diamandis, Scooter Braun and others at http://successliveevent.com/. Recorded live at Dash Radio.

For Dr. Michael Gervais, getting your head in the game is more than a motivational catch phrase, it's what his entire life's work has been about. The high performance psychologist - who once trained Felix Baumgartner for the Red Bull space jump - is one of the world's best when it comes to training your mind for success under pressure. From CEO's to athletes to the military and even a partnership with legendary NFL coach Pete Carroll, Michael helps others reach their highest performance potential. He also hosts the Finding Mastery podcast, focusing on mental skills for pushing boundaries. On this episode, we're joined by guest co-host, fellow thrill seeker, and host of The Art of Manufacturing podcast, Z. Holly.

As the newly appointed CMO of Starbucks China, Emily Chang is on a mission. With a stint heading Apple retail marketing in the region, and another at the helm of commercial functions for the InterContinental Hotel Group under her belt, Emily is prepared to take on the company’s deepest dive into China since it began. While most US companies are pulling out of the region, Starbucks is projecting the creation of over 10,000 jobs a year, and more than 5000 locations (doubling the current number) in the next 4 years. To put that in perspective, Shanghai currently has twice as many locations as New York City. On this episode, Emily discusses her upbringing, her 11-week immersion into Starbucks, her upcoming TED talk on opening her home to strangers in need, being a parent, and of course, coffee. Recorded at www.sae.edu.

With over 30 million viewers each week, heart surgeon turned political satirist, Bassem Youssef quickly became dubbed "the Egyptian Jon Stewart." His show-- and his very existence as television host-- challenged the powers that be, made people laugh, empowered viewers to take take action, and put himself and his team in constant danger. Like many entrepreneurs, the odds are typically never in your favor, yet through his challenges, Bassem became an important voice and brand within the entertainment ecosystem. In 2016, he and his family escaped Egypt and landed in America. Fresh off TICKLING GIANTS, a documentary about his journey, Bassem joins innovation crush to discuss his past, present, and bright, shiny future.  Recorded and edited at www.sae.edu

As the former global head of design for the Jordan brand, Jason Mayden is no stranger to the world of icons and heroes. In his role, he worked with world class athletes to refine their performance, and define their brand. Over the past 3 years, Jason has put himself through the entrepreneurial school of hard knocks, teaching at Stanford, working for startups, learning the ropes of finance, and then some; all in effort to launch www.superheroic.com, a brand built to re-engineer play and fashion for kids. On this installment of Innovation Crush, the Chicago born Mayden discusses everything from leadership to invention to design thinking, and even identifying his weaknesses as he becomes Super Heroic. Recorded and edited at www.sae.edu.

Courtesy of www.WORLDZ.us. Combining technology, engineering, circus antics, play, robots, and big business entrepreneurialism, Brent Bushnell is no stranger to creating wonder. Throughout his career, the big kid turned CEO has helmed creative projects alongside the likes of The White House, Google, Microsoft, Pepsi, The CW, OK Go, to name a few. in 2018, his company, Two Bit Circus, will open the first of a series "mini amusement parks," a phrase that describes an arcade hopped up on Two Bit steroids, combining virtual reality, augmented reality, room escapes, physical feats, and more. On this installment of the Crush, Brent talks us through the pains of being ahead of the curve, becoming an effective leader, engineering as a service and more. For a video of this interview and to Two Bit Circus at work, click here: http://bit.ly/2uASQcT

Troy Carter doesn't mind being known as "the VC formerly known as Lady Gaga's manager." The bets he made to move the iconic artist from obscurity to super-stardom are the same bets he's made for organizations like Lyft, Uber, Spotify, Warby Parker, and countless others. His ability to spot winners in both entertainment and business is uncanny, fueled by his one true skill--empathy. It's this empathy that gives him the wherewithal to think like a consumer, feel like an artist, move like hustler, and make money like a BOSS. On Innovation Crush, Troy dishes on the science of his success, dropping out of high school, diversity in entrepreneurship, his personal heroes, and how he constantly manages to shift perceptions of who and what he is. visit

Courtesy of www.WORLDZ.us. With a roster of celebrity talent like Katy Perry, Robert Downey Jr., Eminem, and Arnold Schwarzenegger to name a few, Omaze has set a new precedent for those seeking to do good in the world. The organization creates once-in-a-lifetime fan experiences that range from playing dodgeball with Ben Stiller to being a cast member in STAR WARS and pairs them with charitable causes and brands to accelerate change. To date they've raised 100's of millions of dollars for dozens of organizations around the world. Co-Founder Ryan Cummins - a former filmmaker who has worked with the likes of Amy Pascal and Spike Jonez - joins Innovation Crush to walk us through their humble beginnings, their humble hearts, and their Omazing future. To see a video of this interview, and see the Omaze space, click here: bit.ly/2seEfni. Ryan will be speaking at WORLDZ. taking place July 31-Aug 1 in Los Angeles.

Probably one of the nicest guys to ever fired by, JT McCormick is the consummate CEO. A master of scale, JT recently made the transition from president of a software company, to heart-wrenching autobiography writer, to CEO of the company that helped him write his book. As he states, "I'm not your zero to one guy. I'm your one to a billion guy." On this installment of the Crush, JT walks us through building a culture of service, his beginner's mindset philosophy, his less-than-humble childhood, and how they all shape his outlook on work and life. Recorded live at www.sae.edu

The adult industry is one of the most oversaturated and simultaneously innovative industries in the world. For 10 years, punk genre pioneer and Burning Angel CEO, Joanna Angel has mastered the art of calculated risks, evolving her company's brand and her business acumen slowly and carefully. From virtual reality to sub genres to custom products, Joanna continues to find ways to reinvent her presence in the industry, keep fans engaged, and retain a position of category leadership. On Innovation Crush, Joanna dishes on Burning Angel's growth, her plans for the future, and how her Jewish upbringing affects her approach to the psychology of business. Recorded and mastered at www.sae.edu.

Comedian, intellectual, television host and cultural challenger, Adam Conover has mastered the art of getting down the why's behind societal beliefs. Whether debunking the jewelry industry, staring death in its many faces, fighting the idea of generational marketing, or uncovering the origins of jay-walking, the host of Tru TV's Adam Ruins Everything is adept at questioning our so-called realities, and searching for universal truths. On the cusp of his third season, Adam stops by Innovation Crush to talk leadership, his family of PhD's, his approach to asking the right questions. Recorded, edited and mastered at the www.sae.edu.