Unconventional Leaders

Peter Dankelson is the inspiration and musician for Pete’s Diary, a company that amplifies the power of positivity and self-acceptance.   Pete's Diary was originally a journal Peter's Mom kept after he was born prematurely with more than ten birth defects. Peter was diagnosed with Goldenhar Syndrome and lived in the NICU for nearly 4-months.  He is 19 years old and has undergone 35 surgeries. Peter found his passion for playing guitar at the age of 15 and used it to get through his toughest recoveries. He is a lover of blues and classic rock. Pete's Diary social channels are fueled by music and motivation for the purpose of empowering others to live a life they love. We also sprinkle in a dose of humor because laughter, along with great music, makes us all feel good! Connect with Peter and Dede: https://www.petesdiary.com/ QUESTIONS ASKED: How has your view of humanity shifted through your experience and putting content out online? How does someone begin the journey of being more comfortable with who the

After working his way through and up to corporate America and reaching the perceived success level of managing a $580M labor line and over 22,000 employees across the US, Canada, & Puerto Rico. Josh Knutti says he was never satisfied. So he set out on his own to acquire a $10M corporation. After working and negotiating to get the deal done for over a year it finally was revealed to him that the seller had used him to increase the price and sold the company 3 days later for cash. This sent Josh in a negative mental health spiral so bad that he ended up in a fleabag motel with Jack Daniel, cocaine, & a shotgun ready to end his life. Thankfully the gun literally malfunctioned and it did not go off.  After he did A LOT of work virtually trying everything to regain his mental health & positive self-image it was at that point that he realized that one of the main reasons why he was in that motel was because of his thoughts and the way he viewed the world. It was at this time that he vowed to spend the r

As a little girl, she wanted to become a writer, but after her parents encouraged her to go into marketing, Karla Singson found a way to use her creative skillset to not only make money but do so unconventionally. From writing wedding vows, Tinder bios, and being super funny on Facebook, Karla shares with us how to lean into what makes us unique in order to become a successful (not starving) artist.  Karla Singson is an award-winning writer, speaker, and entrepreneur. She founded a couple of online and physical businesses and continues to lead the marketing for these brands in the events, PR, recruitment, and gifting space. To date, she leads Scalewind, a company that does managed outsourcing for tech, creative, and support services.  Connect with Website: www.karlasingson.com/  and www.scalewind.com QUESTIONS ASKED: How do we find ways to get paid to be creative? How do we market ourselves while BEING ourselves? How do you bring more of YOURSELF into your business?   FROM TODAY’s EPISODE: How to marke

As leaders, we often pursue goals that can leave us rejected or ignored, Laura Lewandowski joins us today and encourages us to keep going after what we want. The people who turn us down are still just people. Then we can motivate others with our story of pursuing our goals in the face of rejection. Laura Lewandowski is a Top 30 under 30 journalist, columnist for Business Insider Germany, entrepreneur, and podcast host for Red Bull. She tells stories that shape a better tomorrow and inspire a new era of change-makers.    Connect with Laura:  www.laura-lewandowski.com QUESTIONS ASKED: What did you envision yourself doing with your life? What were some of the first few steps you started taking? Is there ever any self-doubt or second-guessing yourself? What’s your advice for being creative but also implementing your ideas? How do you balance business with social media?   FROM TODAY’s EPISODE: Moving people with storytelling  Courage and making opportunity for yourself Being hard on yourself vs. taking time f

In January 2015, Jesi was the passenger on a motorcycle when it collided with a car. She woke up a week later in an intensive care unit without the use of her legs secondary to a spinal cord injury. Instead of accepting disability as her reality, she rejected the prognosis that she would be wheelchair dependent for the rest of her life. In the face of adversity, she is recovering from her disability and using it as a platform to reach the world. Since the onset of her injury, she has achieved more than she previously dreamed possible. Over the past several years, she has generated a significant following among both the spinal cord injury and able-bodied community. Her goal is simple: show the world there is an opportunity in their obstacles, restoring hope during life’s difficult moments. She helps people achieve their dreams through the importance of goal setting and showing what’s possible.   Connect with Jesi: www.jesistracham.com   QUESTIONS ASKED: How has your perception of life changed since building y

As leaders, we often have an idea of how we think things should go.  Joe Atang joins us today and reminds us to trust ourselves and take action. This teaches us to be better even when we currently aren’t where we want to be. Joe Atang says he is literally your "average joe" who has an incredible passion for people and branding. He is from Houston, Tx (born and raised) but currently living in the Indianapolis IN area. He is the Father of 2 Beautiful Children (Twins: Boy & Girl - Jude + Josslyn) and his partner is Courtney (Whom many of the gang knows).  His family is from West Africa - Cameroon to be exact. Thanks to the Houston Rockets winning back to back championships, he fell in love with basketball and was fortunate to accomplish his goal/dream of playing all four years of collegiate basketball.  He thought it would be cool to play basketball overseas, but realized it's cooler to join his mom in business. She is a cosmetologist in the beauty industry and started her salon company in 2009. He graduated

Today’s guest believes that having better conversations will not only grow your business but will also improve your life. Mario Porreca joins us to share how we can connect better with one-on-one conversations, how to tune in and hear that “still small voice”, and make massive career changes when you feel God “pulling” you. Mario Porreca, also known as “The Conversation Guy,” is the founder of mediaMAR where he and his team help thought leaders craft and distribute conversations that convert. He is a podcast host, soon to be 4x author, speaker, an expert in all things media, and a former professional chef—who still loves to get in the kitchen and roll up his sleeves. His mission is to help thought leaders craft and share their transformational ideas with the world and in doing so make their unique fulfilling impact.   Connect with Mario: marioporreca.com QUESTIONS ASKED: How do you get comfortable enough with yourself where you can be comfortable with others?   FROM TODAY’s EPISODE: Getting more comforta

It’s easy to be ignored in the middle of all the noise in the world today, but as leaders we have to fight through that noise to help others. Rich Cardona joins us today and reminds us why it’s okay for things to get harder when we’re on the path we want to pursue. Rich Cardona is a first generation American and retired Marine Corps attack helicopter pilot. After getting a Masters in Business Administration out of fear he wouldn’t be marketable, he ventured into the traditional workplace and landed a job with Amazon. While he admits the company is the tip of the spear, his experience in fulfillment was extremely ... unfulfilling. He left, moved into his in-laws basement and searched for which of his curiosities could potentially lead to a business of his own. After spending time with and documenting Claude Silver, Vayner Media’s Chief Heart Officer, he realized that there was a need for executives like her to become more visible. Rich Cardona Media was born. Rich’s team helps executives and entrepreneurs beco

As leaders, we have the opportunity to really see people who are often overlooked or misunderstood. Adam Lucio joins us and to teach practical ways to include others rather than simply going along with assumptions we have about them. At the fragile age of five months old, Adam and his family were in a car accident resulting in him being confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life. However, "confined" is the last thing you'd call his drive for success.  He's reached  many milestone accomplishments from being the first wheelchair athlete to compete in Jr. High and High School varsity sports in his hometown, to being recruited to play D1 Wheelchair Basketball for Oklahoma State University. Today, he’s a Life & Mindset Coach, Motivational Speaker and a tennis coach at Odessa College, making him one of the only two wheelchair coaching professionals in Texas. Along with basketball and tennis, Adam is an avid 5K and 10K road racer and aspires to one day complete a full Iron Man Triathlon.  Adam is dedicate

As content creators, it’s easy to get discouraged when something doesn’t work. We can even be disheartened when we have a success that still isn’t enough to carry us long-term. We have to keep going. Jenn and Chase Pickett (Salty Mermaid Entertainment) join us today to give us ideas for being consistent in sharing content even when we don’t feel inspired. Jenn and Chase are a comedy duo and entertainment team. They primarily produce comedy sketches and funny videos, as well as occasional vlog- style updates pertaining to their family and personal lives. ​It's more than just entertainment for them, though. They thrive on being authentic and real with all of you, and sometimes that means skipping the comedy sketches and telling you about their current heartbreaks or triumphs.  Connect with Jenn and Chase: Saltymermaidentertainment.com QUESTIONS ASKED: Tell us about the courage it takes to share your content. What was the process like of building your own thing? How do you stay true to yourself while listen

As leaders, we have an endless amount of tasks, and we often start out doing everything ourselves. Paul shows us practical ways to slowly free up time in both our business and our personal life by delegating tasks. He reminds us of the importance of knowing our personal vision rather than following everyone else’s path.  In 2011, after less than 4 years in Corporate America, Paul knew there was more to life than just do a job that's "okay" for 40 years and then retire & enjoy life.Paul ventured out and started his rst business in 2011. He was soon working 60-80 hours a week with a business that couldn’t survive without him.  So Paul started systematizing everything while empowering a team to run the business better than he could. Before he knew it his revenue doubled to almost $500k while the number of hours he worked dropped below 40. Paul then sold his business for 3x net prot. He’s now back into business ownership with 2 local businesses while also helping ambitious business owners automate their busin

Tara Jean Stevens joins us today to discuss her popular new podcast, Heaven Bent and why exploring a revival’s history is the “best story” she has ever known. Tara Jean Stevens is a captivating storyteller with an infectious spirit of curiosity and fun! In Vancouver, she's a popular radio & television host and, man, is she ever adventurous. In 2018, she focused on family with a trip around the world with her husband and two young kids. Tara Jean is a two-time winner of the British Columbia Association of Broadcasters’ “Performer Of The Year” award. And she's the host & creator of the new podcast "Heaven Bent" on the Frequency Podcast Network.  Listen to Tara’s podcast: https://frequencypodcastnetwork.com/podcasts/heaven-bent/ QUESTIONS ASKED: Was there resistance for you when you started this project? What was one of the hardest parts of putting this together? What was it like listening to the final product? What did you learn about yourself through the process?   FROM TODAY’s EPISODE: Questio

Richard Ellis  is a retired school teacher (23+years), Motivational Speaker, College Headhunter, and Entrepreneur. He specifically helps disabled individuals especially if they have the same disability he has (Arthrogryposis).   Today we talk about how he has helped young people embrace difference, love and accept themselves. We also dig into embracing change and leaning into discomfort. This is a powerful conversation for anyone who has a young person in their life!   Connect with Richard:  Website: https://richardellisspeaks.com/ Facebook Business page: https://www.facebook.com/Richard-Ellis-Motivational-Speaker-100192064795171/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/richardellisspeaks YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGfplxEzeAc QUESTIONS ASKED: What themes have you seen in young people after your years of experience as a teacher? How do you help young people embrace differences? How do we help kids find value and worth in themselves? What can we learn from young people?   FROM TODAY’s

As unconventional leaders, we can feel like we don’t fit in. This can cause us to waste time worrying about how we are perceived. Megan Reilly is proof that you can be yourself and hold onto your values, while thriving in the business world. Megan Reilly is the co-owner of Tippi Toes Dance, a successful dance franchise and also the host of Who Is Your Momma, where she speaks to amazing moms who raised exceptional people to find out what it is like to raise kids who turn into happy and thriving people.   Connect with Megan:  https://whoisyourmomma.com/ https://www.tippitoesdance.com/ QUESTIONS ASKED: What does greatness mean to you? What common themes have you seen from the people you interview? What do you see as the best way to grow? Who do you share your dreams with?   FROM TODAY’s EPISODE: Franchising and making things work Championing you and your child’s natural abilities Podcasting and getting guests Feeling like you can’t have a big business because you don’t look the part Balancing risk and ste

At the age of two years old he suffered severe burns after being in a terrible car accident. His father shortly after abandoned him and he was subjected to abuse and ridicule from other adults in his life. However his story does NOT end there.  Our guest this week, Billy J Brown shares with us about the power of forgiveness and how he is using his story to help others and shed light on the power of forgiveness.   Connect with Billy:  https://www.billyjbrown.com/   FROM TODAY’s EPISODE: The power of being yourself and leaning into WHO YOU ARE Forgiving those who hurt you and reframing your painful experiences The role of spirituality in healing and why he prays on TikTok   RESOURCES: Text us! +1 (501) 214-4307 Join our Private Facebook Group: https://bit.ly/2lPut5A Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/unconventionalleaders/message

As leaders, we have leaders we look up to. If we aren’t careful, we can let their criticism keep us from important work. Our words also have the power to influence the path of those we lead. John Perkins joins us today and teaches us to change our perception of fear to help us lead ourselves and others better. John Perkins is an author and activist whose 10 books on global intrigue, shamanism, and transformation including Touching the Jaguar, Shapeshifting and the classic Confessions of an Economic Hit Man has been on the New York Times bestseller list for more than 70 weeks, sold over 2 million copies and are published in 35 languages.  As chief economist at a major consulting firm, he advised the World Bank, United Nations, Fortune 500 corporations, US and other governments. He regularly speaks at universities, economic forums, and shamanic gatherings around the world and is a founder and board member of the nonprofit organizations, the Pachamama Alliance and Dream Change.   Connect with John:  https://john

He was a professor studying moral psychology and what makes things wrong..when a student asked him a question that he couldn’t answer…”What makes something funny?” Since then he has shifted his career and research and now even does stand up comedy. Find out today why Dr. Peter McGraw teaches business leaders why THINKING funny and the willingness to break rules will help you SUCCEED. Dr. Peter McGraw is a behavioral economist and global expert in the scientific study of humor. He directs The Humor Research Lab (HuRL), hosts the podcast I’M NOT JOKING, is the co-author of The Humor Code: A Global Search for What Makes Things Funny, and is the author of the recent book Shtick to Business: What the Masters of Comedy can Teach You about Breaking Rules, Being Fearless, and Building a Serious Career. He’s a sought-after speaker and professor who teaches MBA courses for the University of Colorado Boulder, University of California San Diego, and London Business School.  Connect with Dr. McGraw:  https://www.petermc

As leaders, we often have many things we’re good at, but we don’t always know how to make them work together. Estie Rand gives straightforward tips on how to leverage our skills so that we can provide services and products for people who will truly benefit from them. In this interview, she displays a lovely and fun example of the advice she shares on getting in front of your target audience and connecting with them in a meaningful and sincere way. Estie Rand built a six-figure business with zero dollars in ad-spend in under two years, with a fully virtual team (while raising five kids!) The founder and owner of Strand Consulting, an LA based boutique consultancy, this marketing maven guides business owners ranging from multi-millionaires to freelancers on how to earn more money with less headache. After a decade in non-profit, rising in the ranks to become CIO, Estie left her job to bring her skills of doing more with less to small business owners around the world. She is also the host of the acclaimed Busine

As leaders, sometimes we are waiting years before we see the growth we’ve hoped for from the start. Ty Riley shows us how to persist, rest in facing the unknown, and change people’s lives through pursuing an unconventional career. Ty Riley is a 33 year-old entrepreneur from Texas.  He started his first business at 22 years old and has had the pleasure of still running and growing it to this day. His company is called Streetz Dance Convention and Competition.  They are an all styles dance convention focused on a no dancer left behind mentality. Their mission is to bring a fun, personable, and inspiring event to areas across the United States. At Streetz, they want to be more than just a dance convention, but a family.  Currently, they have over 20 tour stops across the country which hold anywhere from 500 to 1000 dancers per event.   Connect with TheStreetzDance.com QUESTIONS ASKED: What got you interested in entrepreneurship and dance? How do you make sure no one gets overlooked? What are your tips for mak

As leaders, we have actions we want to take and values we want to follow, but we often find ourselves unable to focus on what is most important to us. Nir Eyal teaches us the four steps of becoming indistractable. He dives into understanding the root causes of our distractions. Nir Eyal writes, consults, and teaches about the intersection of psychology, technology, and business. Nir previously taught as a Lecturer in Marketing at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford. Nir co-founded and sold two tech companies since 2003 and was dubbed by The M.I.T. Technology Review as, "The Prophet of Habit-Forming Technology." He is the author of two bestselling books, Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products and Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life. Indistractable received critical acclaim, winning the Outstanding Works of Literature (OWL) Award as well as being named one of the Best Business and Leadership Books of the Year by Amaz