Join Up Dots - Business Coaching Made Easy (With A Bit Of Life Coaching Too)

How Do You Take Fun And Improvisation Into The Biz World My guest today, on the Steve Jobs inspired Join Up Dots free podcast interview is a man after 20 years of performing hundreds of improv comedy shows across the country has learned that the same principles that apply to improv comedy also apply to business, mental, and leadership skills .As an author, speaker, coach, improv comedian, and the Founder of Live Yes And!, he as been helping businesses and athletes apply the cornerstone improv mindset-“YES, And! To succeed in life and business for the last 10 years. In the world of improvisation, “YES, And” means accepting whatever is being given to you, and then responding and building on that reality. Most of us live life in denial – saying “no” to reality. This leads to a life unfulfilled and lived in fear. Living “YES,And” is about accepting and embracing everything that is happening–even the bad stuff! Why? Because good or bad, the only way to move forward is by facing it and moving through it. As a professional public speaker and coach, he has trained thousands of people and dozens of organizations like the Chicago Cubs, Boston Red Sox, University of Georgia Football, US Soccer, Gatorade, PepsiCo, and Under Armour on the principles of improvisation and how developing a “YES,And” mindset will help create an engaged, creative, collaborative, and healthier life and work place. So was this a dawning realisation that his skills could be transferred into more and more lucrative areas, or a "God i need some more cash what can I do quickly?" route? And why are so many people frightened of "Yes" when it always brings some potential for growth in their lives? Well lets find out as we bring onto the show to start joining up dots with the one and only Travis Thomas Show Highlights During the show we discussed such weighty topics with Travis Thomas such as: Why the concept of "Yes, And" was born from a desire to prove support and mindset to the corporate world which can lead to the kind of success that are required everywhere. Travis shares how throughout his journey there have been times when quite frankly he didn't have a clue...but that's ok. You can always figure things out. We discuss how the best comedy isn't about finding the joke, but is instead finding the truth. The connection with reality is where real humour is formed. and lastly.... Why sometimes, no matter how positive you are as an individual you have to wallow in your despair. You have to sit in the goo ready for the big transformation to occur.

Acadium Founder Moe Abbas is todays guest joining us on the Steve Jobs inspired Join Up Dots. He is the am CEO and co-founder of Acadium, where anyone can launch a career in digital marketing for free. These include roles in social media, content writing, graphic design and more. There mission is to accelerate economic mobility by making access to a new career accessible to anyone with an internet connection. The reason he is doing this, well he has been on a bit of a journey. As he says "My family came to Canada as refugees when I was 3 where we were graciously accepted and supported. We grew up impoverished financially but rich with morals and love. I remember going door to door at 10 years old selling services and products to help my parents. I've only ever been an entrepreneur, building and learning. At nineteen years old, I founded my first two companies which I later sold. How The Dots Joined Up For Moe At 21 I founded Ottawa General Contractors with a few childhood friends. In 5 years, I led the group from a basement office into Canada’s leading residential design build company with 20+ million in sales and design centers across the country. At 26 years I won the NKBA 30 under 30 award and I was the youngest recipient ever of the OBJ 40 Under 40 Award. I have also won the Immigrant Entrepreneur award from the City of Ottawa and many others. In my late 20's I decided to become an entrepreneur in tech because I believed technology could provide the most leverage in creating a positive impact. After a few failed starts, I co-founded Acadium, the number 1 place in the world to launch a career in digital marketing. So what is it that truly lights him up in the entrepreneurial world, as for many the constant movement and grind wears them out? And of course once the "Big Idea" hit, and he could see the birth of investing, how hard was it to get it off the ground? Well lets find out as we bring onto the show to Join Up Dots with the one and only Moe Abbas

My guest today, on the Steve Jobs inspired Join Up Dots free podcast interview is a lady who has stumbled into the entrepreneurial world. She is the owner of Ash Said It LLC, which is a full service public speaking boutique, hosting receptions, fashion expos as well as upscale soirées. Which sounds great, but its the joining up the dots which is the most important part of this show. So how did the ex-military lady transition from Uncle Sam to Fashion Avenue? Well as she says “I had no plans to build a company. The thought never even crossed my mind. The past few years have been tough. I took care of my mom for 3+ years, and being a full time caregiver is a lot, although I would easily do it again. My mother never taught me how to be a lady. She showed me through her actions. She never let anyone take advantage of her meek yet resilient spirit. Thank God I inherited that spark! I buried my mom in 2014, which was the most difficult thing I’ve ever done in my entire existence. I was lost. My heart was no longer in military service. I needed to leave but I had no blueprint on where to go. I did many odd jobs that year. Helped build multiple brands & had nothing to show for it. Then one day a light bulb went off in my head. Why the heck am I wasting time helping people disinterested in helping themselves? Why don’t I pour my 13+ years of industry experience into something I can call my own. That’s when Ash Said It was born! And at that point we will start the show, as it is a moment that every one of our guests have hit in their own lives. That moment when they realise that their life is their own, and everything they do should be on their own terms. It’s the responsibility to create their own future. So how did she move from this idea of creating her business, to actually earning her first dollars and attracting her first clients? And looking back on it all, has it been harder than she could have imagined or simply a dream from start to finish. Well lets find out as we bring onto the show to start joining up dots, with the one and only Ash Brown

Todays guests on the show are freedom junkies and prolific content creators who have launched over a dozen businesses.They have also been coaching, speaking, writing, and teaching for more than a decade.After almost losing it all due to a sudden illness after travelling overseas, they converted their coaching and training programs into online courses.Today, they’ve created over 200 hours of content and more than 75 online courses, taken by more than 100,000 students from 191 countries.As a former psychology professor and k-12 educator, Joeel has a unique perspective on the changes occurring in education today.They are advocates for the democratisation of education and capitalising on current and emerging educational technologies to help expand access to real-world knowledge.Through their online education company, Transformation Academy, they empower other entrepreneurs to leverage their time, diversify their income, and ensure their legacy by teaching what they know and love online.So why are they so passionate about showing the world how to transform themselves?And where do they see the world of online business heading moving forward?More and more transparency and connection with the founders, or perhaps somewhere different?Well lets find out as we bring on to the show to start joining up dots with the one and only Joeel & Natalie RiveraShow HighlightsWe discuss how you can build an online business simply by researching a subject and developing material.Why so many of the successful businesses left them burnout and miserable until true passion was found.The reasons why it is so powerful to show daily gratitude in your life. Be grateful for the small things to gain from the big.Natalie shares her guilt of having a lovely life as a youngster, with nothing to truly rally against. And lastly.....Joeel reveals how he built the process of celebration into their lives, which is so important as you build success.

Travel blogs make great reading, but do travel blogs make a good business? Today’s guest joining us on the Join Up Dots podcast believes in travel, more travel and then when she is finished and wants a bit of rest: Travel. And this is not the pack your bags for two weeks each year, or for as many weekends as you can get, kind of adventure. She is a believer that “Your life does not have to fit in a box. You don’t have to live behind the picket fence, slave away at that full-time job that sucks you dry, and the monotonous peak hour traffic runs. You can have the picket fence and a job you love of course, but, we’re pretty sure you at least want to escape your everyday life for weekend getaways or a three-week vacation every year.” But what is the fascinating thing about today’s guest, is how close she came to buying into the status quo that life seems to be lived by. Settling into the routine or a life lived on other peoples terms. After meeting each other, falling madly in love and then beginning a five year honeymoon as they travelled the world teaching English, things came to a halt As she says “We returned home after the honeymoon and hit a major slump. This travel life we loved was over. That thinking changed everything and before we knew it we were chasing money making schemes all over the world trying to get the riches we needed to keep travelling. Let’s just say $500,000 and no self-esteem later we woke up.” “Why do we need to wait until we have the money to live what’s in our hearts? Why not just start with what is in the heart today?” And with that thought, and I’m sure more than a touch of apprehension they set off on what has become their life, travelling, blogging and helping others to buy into the start the dream today mentality with their top ranked blog “Y Travel” and now with two children in tow, their success, and ability to grab more experiences in a month than most of us have in a lifetime is assured. So what was it about the nomadic lifestyle that had such a pull on them? And is it something that they think everyone can do, or does it take a certain type of mindset? Well lets find out as we bring onto the show to start joining up dots, with the one and only Caroline Makepeace. Show Highlights During the show we discussed such weighty topics with Caroline Makepeace such as: Why the words of Steve Jobs send shivers down her spine, as she has learnt from life that everything works out for the best. You may not know how this will happen but it does. How she is so aware that she can’t escape the mundane routines of life that everybody else has to deal with, but can make sure that the experiences of life in between are so much better than everyone else. Why it is so important to get back to the things that you really loved as a kid, to build a life around the passion. Doing this helps you push through the hard times so much more easily. How her parents were so supportive with her dream to travel the world, although they would have been very happy for to get a safe job too. And lastly......... Why it is so important to watch out for the energy vampires in your life, and to ensure that you pull away as much as possible from the naysayers, and dream slayers.