Taking the Leap

Adam Hancock is a national award-winning State Farm Agent from Montrose, Colorado. He has a wealth of experience as a third-generation state farm agent and is a recipient of their prestigious President’s Club. Adam got his professional start in the United States Navy, owned a landscaping business, and then followed in his family's footsteps into the insurance industry. Adam studied engineering at Colorado Mesa University and has his BA in Business Management from the University of Phoenix.

In this conversation, we'll explore Adam’s journey from the Navy to State Farm and the key questions young people, middle-career professionals, and those nearing retirement should ask about their insurance coverages and needs for their life stage.

I’m interested in unpacking these questions and many more to ensure our listeners have the proper protections for their families and that your long-term objectives are being met so lets jump in!

William Norvell, the co-founder and President of Forte, a company that's revolutionizing the way businesses support their most valuable asset: their people. Under William's leadership, Forte's mission is not just to provide counseling services but to transform the culture of corporate mental health.

William brings a wealth of experience from venture capital, private equity, and investment banking. He has a degree in Finance from the University of Alabama and an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. He is a principal at Sovereign’s Capital, co-founder, podcast host, and contributor of The Faith Driven Entrepreneur.

In this conversation, we'll explore William's journey from a keen investor to a compassionate entrepreneur, the challenges and triumphs of building a startup to tackle workplace stress, and his vision for a world where mental health is prioritized as physical health in our work environments.

Join us as we unpack the story behind Forte and learn from William's incredible insights on mental health, entrepreneurship, and creating change within the corporate landscape.

To learn more about Forte visit their website: https://www.getforte.com/

To listen to The Faith Driven Entrepreneur visit their website: https://www.faithdrivenentrepreneur.org/podcast

Ryan is the Founder, President, and CEO of Niles Industrial Coatings in Fenton, Michigan which he has led for close to 21 years. NIC is a best-in-class safety, coatings, and technology company focused on commercial and industrial painting across North America. As a serial entrepreneur, Ryan has founded and led multiple companies in the home building, commercial scaffolding, commercial services, and investing areas. Ryan is a graduate of Michigan State University with a degree in Medical Technology and is currently in the Harvard Business School President’s Program. Ryan is also a member of the Young President’s Organization (YPO). Fun fact, Ryan and I both graduated from Grand Blanc High School, where I was a year ahead of him, so this was fun for me to connect with an old friend. I respect Ryan’s business intellect and how he leads by example, with humility and authenticity, and putting his people first. He has created a unique learning culture within his company and is having a noticeable impact on his community. He is an incredible husband and father who leads with character and integrity and knows how to live life to the fullest. You will enjoy this conversation, so let's jump in!

Show Notes:

4:00 – Ryan begins by sharing his origin story. He shares his experience growing up in a family business and why he wanted to leave to chart his own path, leading into why he “took the leap.” He says that his father encouraged him to get out of the family business and pursue something more “stable.”

9:00 – Ryan talks about his experience being laid off from his job in 2002 and the emotions and lessons that came with that. He then begins to start his own business but struggles to get his family to get on board. With the support of his dad, he gets his new business started.

Quote: “I see consistently that at your lowest point at your darkest hour in life, generally, that's when the seeds of your greatest successes are being planted and people just have to have faith through those dark seasons.” – Bob

12:00 – Ryan states that he wants to raise his kids to be fearless because he feels that fearlessness is what built him.

13:00 – Ryan shares how his wife supported him in the “unstable” parts of his career and how his dad’s partnership impacted his life and career.

15:00 – Rod breaks down the biggest pivots that he made and how fearlessness played into those, one of the decisions being joining YPO. How important is it to him to protect the fearless trait within him to grow and manage his business?

Quote: “It amazed me. When you really want something, how much you can get done.” – Ryan

19:00 – Ryan delves into his business endeavors with his dad, where he experiences extreme risk-taking. He emphasizes the importance of having high trust with your partner, the power of negotiation, and the efficiency that comes with valuing people and caring about the customer.

Quote: “I think it [the margin] improved more from the culture and what we did once we started investing in the people and our equipment and that's what drove the margin not the pricing, and I think people miss that so often.” – Ryan

26:00 – Ryan shares how he views risk and why he leans into it. Ryan says that recognizing his gift of connecting the dots and being aware of things around him helps him to take risks. He shares that he takes risks when he has fully thought them through and trusts that he understands the risk that he is taking.

31:00 – Ryan shares that his secret power is his ability to pick up the phone to ask questions and be open to opinions and viewpoints. How important are different points of view and perspectives when it comes to decision-making?

34:00 – Ryan talks about his upbringing and struggles with not feeling naturally smart. He talks about the importance of finding your gifts and leveraging them. He says that having humility is vital when realizing your gifts and weaknesses.

37:00 – Ryan shares the ways that he helps his team find their giftings and lean into them to help them get joy out of what they are doing. He states that teaching his team to understand themselves is the starting point as well as accepting that everyone is a different kind of leader.

Quote: “Our purpose is to unlock potential.” – Ryan

45:00 – Bob emphasizes that it all starts with asking the right questions to unlock value.

47:00 – Ryan delves into what “Niles Industrial Coatings” is doing and the notable projects that they have done and are currently working on. He states that their focus is bringing better solutions to major corporations.

53:00 – Ryan sheds light on the truth that you are going to fail. Why is it important to not always follow the status quo but to be looking for new territories to expand to? How do we learn quickly and recover quickly?

56:00...

Danny Fehsenfeld is a multifaceted talent in the entertainment industry, known for his versatile contributions as an actor, singer/songwriter, public speaker, and writer. With a rich career that spans across various mediums, Danny has left his mark on audiences worldwide. He is recognized for his role as "Gil" on "The Young & The Restless" and his compelling presence on YouTube with over 250 million views. As the face of national campaigns for brands like Jeep, Chrysler, and 5 Hour Energy, Danny's influence in advertising is undeniable, with award-winning Super Bowl commercials and notably setting trends with his viral campaign for Nordnet.

His voice acting prowess is showcased in the Oscar-winning "Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse," and he stars in several major animation features, including "Chickenhare & The Hamster Of Darkness" and "Latte & The Magic Waterstone," both acclaimed on Netflix. Danny is also the voice behind "Bogota" in the globally celebrated series "Money Heist" (La Casa De Papel).

On-screen, Danny's notable roles include Nelson Stone in the TV series "Scarlett" and appearances in "The Upshaws" and "The Day You Found Me." His vocal talents extend to the music industry, backing icons like Celine Dion and John Legend, and leading the praise band at the Crystal Cathedral.

Growing up on the road with a public speaker father, Danny's early life was filled with travel and homeschooling experiences that shaped his passion for art and communication. Today, he continues to inspire through his performances and as a speaker at various events, embodying the transformative power of creativity and imagination.

Show Notes:

• 4:00 – Danny shares his story, his “La La Land” journey, as he falls in love with singing and acting and begins to follow his dream. He talks about the tenacity and faith it takes to follow a dream to Hollywood.
• 12:00 – The entertainment industry is built on selling perception. The entertainment industry is not so much interested in what is best but what is being bought. He shares how to become and remain relevant in the industry.
• “Art itself is always a reflection of the culture from which it is derived... anytime you try to regulate art, it ceases to exist; art in its purest form is freedom.”
• 20:00 – Danny shares his first “big break” and how that altered his perception of his finances. He then talks about experiencing an empty feeling after starring in a #1 film as he immediately started to think about what came next.
• “Who I am as a man always takes precedence over my accolades.”
• 26:00 – “How soon can I buy my freedom?” Danny shares what things were most important to him– not being bound to a day job, freedom to travel, etc– and what he did to achieve those goals financially.
• 32:00 – How to be an entrepreneur in the entertainment industry, the mindset and habits needed to have success!
• “All that fear and anxiety is excitement with a negative outlook.”
• 48:00 – Danny shares his background and how he began his journey of self-discovery. He talks about how he reprogrammed his mind to restructure his life. He talks about the power that the words you speak and the thoughts you possess have over your reality.
• 1:05:00 – Major career “breakthroughs” followed a changed mindset and lifestyle. He discusses the differences in the genres he has worked within– musicals, animations, comedies, and more– and what he enjoys about each process.
• 1:10:00– Danny discusses the industry logistics of how the studio works when recording animation films and the creative methods that he can implement when acting.
• “The four deepest fears of humanity are the fear of death, rejection, failure, and public speaking. I think the fear of public speaking is connected to some of those other fears.”
• 1:15:00 – Danny talks about the different segments of voiceovers and the commercial industry segments. He then talks about the process of casting within commercials.
• 1:24:00 – Danny gives his insight on how the watching habits of America (switching over to streaming services) affect the industry. In the same way, technology and innovation impact everything, it impacts this industry.
• 1:27:00 – Danny talks about how the writer's strike impacted the entertainment industry.
• “Every time you have a strike, it’s not just the artists that are out of work; you are affecting the economy and the entire state drastically.”
• 1:33:00 – Danny analyzes where he foresees zones of opportunity in the future of his career. He shares how he can look at his life in a way where he makes the decisions. He is moving towards being in the “driver's seat” with what he delivers.
• 1:42:00 – Da...

Our guest today is Christine Assouad, the CEO of Dunkin Donuts Lebanon and Semson Lebanese Cuisine. She has been successfully growing and leading restaurant brands in the Middle East for over 27 years. She is a board member of Food and Beverage companies in the Middle East and provides business workshops at conferences in in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Lebanon. Her work also includes business development, franchising, and acquisitions across the MENA markets. Christine is passionate about supporting female entrepreneurship through the “Empowering Tribe” community, where she helps provide online classes, bootcamps, and one-on-one CEO coaching to empower female entrepreneurs to achieve their full potential.

Christine earned her Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics from the American University of Beirut. She received a Master of Science in Food Science from McGill University and a Master of Marketing from the ESA Business School. She is also a graduate of the Harvard Business School President’s Program and a member of the Young Presidents Organization, also known as YPO.

I am really excited to learn more from Christine about her journey leading various businesses, overcoming obstacles in her career, reinventing herself at 47, mentoring next-generation leaders, and her passion for spreading a little happiness and joy in all she does. I know you will be motivated and inspired to hear her story, so let's jump in.