Beth Frates, M.D., Founder of Wellness Synergy
By Cheval John
March 7th 2018
Today’s episode of What’s The Word? features Beth Frates, M.D., co-author and founder of The Wellness Synergy.
The Wellness Synergy provides people the tools and skills needed to optimize their health and wellness.
Dr. Frates decided to enter the medical field after a health scare with her father when she was eighteen years old.
In that time, she earned a degree in both biology and psychology from Harvard University and earned her medical degree from Stanford University.
Dr. Frates co-authored the book “Life After Stroke: The Guide to Recovering Your Health and Preventing Another Stroke” published by John Hopkins University Press.
In this episode, you will hear:
-the transition to founding the Wellness Synergy Center
-why moving around can help your brain
-how social media helped Dr. Frates to stand out in her profession
Snippet on Vallano Media TV
Full show on BlogTalkRadio
The episode was recorded on Facebook Live via Blue Jeans Network
Dr. Frates’ Website: www.wellness-synergy.com
Twitter: @BethFrates
You can also subscribe to the show on Apple Podcast, Stitcher and Google Play Music.
Quotes from Dr. Beth Frates On:
WORK-LIFE BALANCE
There’s pressure to perform and produce.
I think it was very heavy in the 80s where my dad was living in New York City and running his own company.
I believe there’s similar pressures but I do think it’s a little better.
People talk more about family, work-life balance than they did when my dad was experiencing his health setbacks.
So I think we have made some strides.
I think especially entrepreneurs and those who are responsible for the profits of the company still feels stress about the employees and making sure they can provide a good life for the employees and for the clients or customers or whatever their business is.
I think there’s still a lot of stress.
The idea though is if you don’t take care of ourselves, if we don’t have proper nutrition, exercise, sleep, then we won’t be at our best and we won’t perform at our best.
So the tide is changing slightly in we’re understanding you cannot pour from an empty cup.
If we want to do our best job at work, we really better take care of ourselves so that we are our best for everyone else instead of I’m not important, I just have to get the work done, get the work done, get the next client.
We need to realize we can do that better if we have the energy, if we have a clear mind, if we have a sense of purpose, if we feel good about social connections, if we feel good about our relationships with those around us and with those at work, we’ll be more productive and be able to really give our best authentic selves to those around us.
EXERCISING FOR THE BRAIN
Most who people think about exercise think about the heart which is right.
Exercise is really good for our heart and our cardiovascular system.
We can reduce blood pressure.
We can reduce cholesterol.
We can do a lot of good by exercising and we can even increase insulin sensitivity.
What we don’t tend to think about is what exercise does to the brain.
A lot of physicians don’t tend to know this.
We know know that after exercising, you get an increase in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) which is also called “miracle grow” for the brain.
It helps neurons to make new connections and it also increases neurogenesis.
All very good.
Research shows that if you look at MRI’s, you can look at the hippocampus, a specific part of the brain that is intricately involved in consolidating memories.
So if you want to keep your memory for a long period of time, exercise should be on you list.
One-half of people who are 85 or older have memory problems.
So if you want to be in the half that does not have memory problems, I recommend exercising.
How much do we need, that’s the question.
There’s a lot of research still going on around that.
But, the recommendation is to accumulate 150 minutes of moderate intense physical activity in the week which is like a half hour, five days a week.
If you want to exercise more on the weekends, you could be doing half hour, both days on the weekends or you could be doing an hour both days on the weekend depending on your schedule.
You get all the benefits that exercise can give to all your organs including your brain.
The ten minutes come from the United States Health and Human Services Department which holds all the data something like 8,000 studies that were done on exercising.
They found that if you exercise ten minutes, yes, just ten minutes every day for a total of 70 minutes, your chances of getting sick or dying goes down dramatically.
If you are not exercising three days a week for 30 minutes for three months, you are considered at a sedentary level, which means sitting down.
If you are considered sedentary, you have an increased risk of a heart attack and a stroke.
SOCIAL MEDIA
I did not want to get involved with social media.
I did for a very long time use LinkedIn because that’s very professional.
You set up your account and you connect with people.
It seemed as if I didn’t have to have interaction.
You would connect or not connect and that would be it.
I wasn’t very involved with messaging or posting or anything.
So that worked for me really well.
Our department of physical medical rehabilitation at Harvard University which is based at Spaulding Rehab Hospital has a lot of great research and a great program.
In April of last year, the department said, “We’re all doing great things, but nobody knows what we are doing. We have to get up with the times. Yes, we’re physicians, but we need to promote our programs in order for them to survive and thrive.”
So they encouraged us to get on Twitter and post.
I have a colleague, Dr. Julie Silver, who basically set me up and taught me about Twitter.
I’ll never forget I did not know how to tweet.
I did not know how to retweet.
I did not understand if someone put an @bethfrates that meant they wanted you to retweet.
There’s a whole world of twitter that I did not know.
As I was figuring out twitter, I found it to be remarkably fun.
It was enjoyable.
It was not drudgery because I like learning about other people.
I like learning what other people are doing.
It’s fascinating.
It’s great to see what other people are doing and posting.
I am involved with many different physician groups and I’m also involved with other patient groups.
I feel like I’ve gotten a lot out of Twitter.
In fact, I have actually made friends from twitter that I would have never have met.
Some are not even in this country (United States).
Certainly not in my state or in my department.
I gained friends and some colleagues I might be presenting with.
I have gotten opportunities like this and other podcasts to do because of twitter.
I’m finishing a book proposal hopefully this year and I have been told that you need to have a following of some kind.
They have asked me, “How many people follow you on twitter?”
It helps if you have some followers because then the publicist thinks, “Okay, she could potentially sell this book. There are people who are listening to her.”
So that might help me.
Jen Oleniczak Brown: Author and Founder of The Engaging Educator
By Cheval John
February 28th, 2018
Today’s episode of What’s The Word? features Jen Oleniczak Brown, founder of The Engaging Educator.
The company helps organizations find their authentic voice to be successful.
Jen worked in a museum when she started the company on the side in 2012.
As of today, The Engaging Educator has served more than 30,000 students across 33 states.
Jen written a book called “Improv(e), Using Improv To Find Your Voice, Style, And Self” from her experience in running her business.
In this episode, you will hear:
-what led Jen to found her company
-why she self-publish her book
-why people should engage on social media
-how her acting background helped her to be successful with her company
This episode was recorded on Facebook Live via Blue Jeans Network
Snippet on Vallano Media TV
Full Episode on BlogTalkRadio
You can also subscribe to the show on Apple Podcast, Stitcher and Google Play Music.
Jen’s Company Website: www.theengagingeducator.com
Twitter: @JenOleniczak
Quotes from Jen Oleniczak Brown on:
SELF-PUBLISHING A BOOK
I just found a self-publisher that I liked.
A close friend designed my front and back cover.
Of a million edits beyond anything, there’s is still one error that people keep pointing out to me and I’m like, “Thank You”
OVERCOMING FAILURE
I teach people to make mistakes and to fail.
It’s better to fail than to wonder what if.
It is such a powerful thing to fail because when you are in your worst, I think you learn the most because you are at the lowest possible point you could be in.
In that same sense, when you want to create something, it’s never gonna be perfect on the get-go.
It’s always gonna be something.
How I see failure is by knowing my definition of success.
My definition of success is doing something and pushing forward.
So failure for me is doing nothing.
As long as I am not sitting back and waiting for the world to happen to me, then I’m succeeding.
If the first step back that sets you back and causes you to quit, then you probably aren’t doing the right work.
I think it’s like one of those ideas that if you love what you do, the hard times are worth it.
I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.
I couldn’t imagine being anything but what I am right now.
I look back at how upset I was when I quit acting and I was like, “Oh, that so strange” because now you can’t get me on stage.
I hate it.
I have no interest in doing it.
I’m glad I didn’t end up on a movie or something that made me a lot of money because I feel like I would not be as happy as I am right now.
IMPROV AND SOCIAL MEDIA
Improv is listening and responding.
That’s it.
At it’s core, you listen to what’s happening around you.
Not just with your ears, you’re listening with your eyes.
You are seeing what is happening around you in all senses and responding to your environment.
If you think about social media, we are not only taking it in, we are responding to it.
We are adding our opinion.
We are adding attention to it.
When you are truly thinking about being social on social media, you want to be having conversation.
You want to be responding. You don’t want to be spouting out information.
If you are spouting out information, then you have a firm reason about why you are doing this like your means to an end.
Is it just because this is what you do and this is the only thing you do?
Then that’s not social.
It’s just informative.
If we were having a conversation like this, it won’t be fun if we’re not listening or paying attention to one another.
If you ask me, “Jen, tell me about your book” and I start talking about my dog, then it’s a disjointed thing.
I think people do that often on social media for some reason.
The facebook change is attempting to bring it back to the roots of having a conversation like I say something, you say something, I say something back.
In improv, that’s actually called a three line conversation.
I see all of my interactions on social media as a three line conversation where my job is not to negate what someone else said.
My job is to add something to it, even if I disagree because it’s all just opinions.
Instead of saying like “hey you think that social media needs to be super social, but I like to consume things,” I negated what you think.
I’m just choosing to be social in this too.
I think people are running for the hills because we’ve automated so much.
You can’t schedule everything anymore.
You have to communicate.
You have to be part of something.
You can’t just say, “Well, I’ve got my month scheduled out” or “My social media intern can run this.”
Critical conversation is not attacking people.
Examining behavior isn’t attacking.
It’s asking someone to practice what they preach.
You are just calling them out on what they are saying.
Dr. Joyce Knudsen, Founder of The ImageMaker, Inc® Communications Group
By Cheval John
February 21st, 2018
Today’s episode of What’s The Word? features Dr. Joyce Knudsen, founder of The ImageMaker, Inc® Communications Group
It was recorded on Facebook Live via Blue Jeans Network
Dr. Joyce is the author of ten books including “Refusing To Quit: True Stories of Women Over The Age of 60”
She is the host of “The Twelve Minute Inspiration,” where she interviews authors, business professionals and entrepreneurs on making your time count during your lifetime.
The show is on the Gab Radio Network.
Dr. Joyce has been featured in many media outlets including Forbes.
I first learned of Dr. Joyce last year through the twitter chat called #winniesun, hosted by the co-founder of Sun Group Wealth Management, Winnie Sun.
Her simple approach to being a giver of wisdom allowed her to build over a million followers on Twitter.
In my personal opinion, she is more knowledgable of the social media industry than half of the social media professionals.
In this episode, you will hear:
-her thoughts on podcasting
-how she built over a million followers on twitter
-why people should focus on giving value on social media
-why she does not believe in retirement
Snippet on Vallano Media TV
Full episode on BlogTalkRadio
You can also subscribe to the show on Apple Podcast, Stitcher and Google Play Music.
Website: www.drjoyceknudsen.com
Twitter: @drjoyce_knudsen
Quotes from Dr. Joyce Knudsen on:
LISTENING TO YOUR AUDIENCE
People do not listen.
They are listening to figure out what to say next.
So they are not really interested in what someone else has to say.
I call those fake people because people that are interested in other people listen.
They not only listen to what they have to say, they look at the person’s expression, the nonverbal which we are being judged on.
We are not being judged on conversation.
We are being judged on gestures.
Only seven percent of what you say is really going to be heard or counted.
It’s very interesting.
I am a communication specialist.
So I know a lot about how people perceive and everything is perception.
There is no such thing as something that is true.
It is your perception of what is true.
Perception is reality.
USING SOCIAL MEDIA
There’s a lot of true takers on Twitter.
I’m a true giver.
Takers are asking you to do something, wanting to introduce you to some kind of new thing.
I’m not there for that reason.
I’m there to just spread the word about joy and love and giving around the world.
I feel that I’ve had a really good life.
I have obviously learned how to have a professional and private life that is a good one.
That is what I want to teach other people and I hope my tweets are doing that.
OBTAINING DOCTORATE DEGREE LATER IN LIFE
I think I was born wanting to learn especially since the doctors told me I could not given my eyesight.
I always was a learner.
At 38, I went back to college for a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree.
I waited a while after that because I was tired of spending time in the books.
I think at the age of 48 or 49, I went to get my doctorate degree because I figured in my image profession which a lot of people do not know what that is.
They think you only take people shopping or you do their colors or you’re a makeup artist or something like that.
Those are hard skills.
I wanted to do much more with soft skills.
With the empathy.
With the helping people to believe in themselves.
Like I say in my twitter handle, “You are enough.”
So I went back to school and I was in pyschology and maybe three-quarters through, they changed the psychology cirriculum to human services and you had to work for a doctor for two years in order to get the degree.
I said, “Wait a minute, I’ve got my own business, I had it for 20 years, I do not really want to work for somebody now and give up my business.”
I ended up getting the degree in human services with an emphasis on psychology and self-esteem image.
I can’t stop learning.
If there was another degree, I’m going for it.
I’m a continuous learner.
If you sent me a book, it would have to be an audio book or a large print book.
I take a lot of continuing education courses.
I like to learn.
Every answer you get it’s gonna be very simple.
I’m not simple, but I like to boil things down to their lowest common denominator.
DEALING WITH A VISION IMPAIRMENT
When I went to school and I was called cross-eyed and four eyes, I evaluated myself.
I did not know any other way to see it.
My eyes do not work in the middle.
They do not see up.
They don’t see down.
They don’t see the side.
They don’t work together.
So cataract surgery is something they are wanting me to do.
When I was leaving home in my early 20s, I said to myself, “Everybody’s got to deal with something.”
So this is what God gave me and I can handle it because God does not give anything you can’t handle.
So I decided at that time, I was gonna be the best I could be and help as many people as I can.
There was no looking back because I’m not going that way.
Why would I go back to when people calling me names and telling me all these things that were not true?
I actually look in the dictionary a lot of things people were calling me and I thought, “That’s not me, I’m a research company.”
I said, “Okay, you know, I look regular.”
I feel I’m special because of it.
I have a special condition.
That’s why I do as much as I do because I don’t want to let one day go by without some new experience and some new friends.
I guess that’s just me and I wish other people would be move that way.
They don’t realize how many friends they could have.
I’ve made another several wonderful friends on facebook.
I work with gab radio network and they are wonderful to me.
I feel so lucky.
But then, it is not always luck.
I’ve worked hard to get these relationships with people where they know Joyce is not full of it.
She’s really the real deal.
I was so happy to meet Winnie (Sun).
She was my first favorite person on Twitter.
I love her.
She’s just great.
I really love twitter.
I see myself as the hundred year old person who still on Twitter helping people as I have to give up my business by then.
They say when you get older, nothing changes except for that you do everything slower.
I have a sense of humor.
Jessica Ann, Author and Founder of Jessica Ann Media
By Cheval John
February 14, 2018
Today’s episode of What’s The Word? features Jessica Ann, who is the founder of Jessica Ann Media.
She is the author of the book, “Humanizing Your Brand” which she self-published in 2016.
Jessica spent years working as a producer for national media outlets including Sirius XM in Washington, D.C. before striking out on her own with her company.
She is the host of the podcast, “The Art of Humanity,” where she interviews leaders about being your true authentic self in business.
Jessica has been featured in media outlets including The Huffington Post.
In this episode, you will hear:
-What Inspired Jessica To Become An Entrepreneur
-Why She Started Her Podcast
-Why Businesses Should Be On Social Media
-Should Businesses Be On Live Video
This episode was recorded on Facebook Live via Blue Jeans Network.
Snippet on Vallano Media TV
Full Episode on BlogTalkRadio
You can subscribe to the show either in Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Google Play Music.
Website: www.jessicaannmedia.com
Twitter: @itsjessicann
Quotes from Jessica Ann on:
STARTING A PODCAST
I always love podcasts.
I love the fact that I can just be who I am and I can show up on audio and talk to my guests.
I love video too, don’t get me wrong.
But sometimes, it can take away from the experience of the intimate setting of the podcast.
We’re finding growth like through the roof across the board in terms of podcasting.
I didn’t even know it would become such a trend that it is today.
When I first started, I just kind of got this calling and I wanted to talk with people around the globe about what they are working on in a way that would not only help me personally and professionally, but also help my listeners and my potential clients and anyone really who’s listening learn something from the interviews in my podcast.
LIVE VIDEO
You got to figure out what works for you.
In today’s day and age, you have to be on video.
You really need to be on any platform that conveys your message in the most human and real way.
Video gives you that option.
I’m going to be doing more video in the coming months.
I’m excited.
I am evolving.
We are all kind of going through this huge shift in communications and how we talk to each other today.
It’s exciting.
I just need to get out of my comfort zone and I’m sure other people out there might relate to that as well in terms of how we get out in the world.
There are so many different ways we can talk to people and we want to do what number one feels right and true to ourselves.
Also, the way that can make the most impact and video is definitely an expression to do that.
UPCOMING FACEBOOK ALGORITHM CHANGE
As a person in business, I really don’t want to get freaked out over any of these changes.
Algorithms changes all the time.
Business has changed all the time.
We just have to attribute it to an ongoing evolution of the web.
We’ll see what happens over time.
I’m personally not freaking out.
I know some of my dear colleagues and friends are not freaking out either.
I also see some people not happy with it.
Looking back at how google changed their algorithm like penguin and all those silly names a few years ago.
We figure it out as we go.
You can’t freak out.
You just have to grow with what’s happening in the technology world.
They are multiple ways outside of facebook to get in front of your customers today.
Facebook is not the be-all, end-all of marketing granted it is very huge platform.
They are many other options and you don’t necessarily have to be there if it’s not working for you.
I’m a big believer in business and making an impact.
I’m also a big believer in listening and exploring and figuring out what’s working and what’s not and then moving on from there.
WRITING THE BOOK “HUMANIZING YOUR BRAND”
What led me to create this book was people in the business world aren’t accessible.
They write dry jargon language that is incomprehensible and it’s so much more simple than that.
I got tired.
There was a book that was written in 1999 called “The Clue Train Manifesto”
It really just about the evolution of communications.
That was the first point in history where people started writing about this concept.
I quoted it in my book too.
That inspired me to realize we’re shifted so much since 1999 and we need to continue to communicate with our customers in an accessible human way.
So I needed to figure out how to convey this information to the world in a way that was accessible.
The book poured through me.
I had to write it and I had to self-publish it.
I always want to peel back the layers.
It’s like an onion.
How do we really get to the core of who we are.
Not just as a business, but as a human being.
So that’s what I hope to convey in my book.
THE DIGITAL MEDIA WORLD
We can all leave a digital crumb so easy today.
Before going into any type of media or message, ask yourself, “Is This Valuable?”
Can people really get value out of what I’m about to say or broadcast to the world.
We all do that in our own unique way.
That’s a thread I like to ask myself personally and I help my clients as well and all of their communication.
How do we make ourselves a value to the world.
Be out there as much as you possibly can.
Are Entrepreneurs Really “Unemployed”
By Cheval John
I saw a commercial during the Super Bowl on how a loan company simplifies the process of getting a loan for a home.
The comedian played the person who simplifies the complicated questions in relation to the company.
Video courtesy of Quicken Loans
What got my attention during the commercial was when a lady asked about a dating account when she saw entrepreneur and the comedian said, “unemployed.”
The truth: entrepreneurs create work for themselves.
Everyday, they have to go and find customers or clients in order for the business to thrive.
For example, a public relations agency has to look for clients and make a proposal in order to convince the person or organization on why they are the right fit.
The unemployed is searching for work with an organization hoping to land the job of their dreams so they can be have a salary to provide for themselves and their families.
They will attend networking events, volunteer for non-profits,participate in twitter chats or even do a live stream show to build long lasting relationships.
Sometimes the entrepreneur who does not have consistent cash flow will have to find part work in order to keep their business alive.
That does not mean they have given up on their business.
It only means they are reducing the stress of running a business.
Barbara Corcoran mentioned in a episode of Shark Tank she had to take a part time job in order to meet payroll for her employees in the early stages of her former company, The Corcoran Group.
If you are fortunate to pick up a second job while you are running your business, you are in luck.
You can build relationships with customers at your second job because that is what they pay you to do.
The thing is you should know how to use your time wisely and also use your common sense because you do not want to create a conflict of interest.
You should also have a positive attitude and see your second job as a venture fund because the company is “funding your business indirectly through a paycheck.”
Meaning you spend the money wisely and save up for expenses or courses which can allow you to learn a new skills that can benefit your business.
Instead of complaining about how much money you are making or why you are not where you are in your business, just be grateful.
You will end up learning valuable lessons.
I will share from my personal experience.
I had worked in a small coffee chain for about two years mostly in downtown houston.
The environment was not great for growth.
Though I could have brought value to them with social media in addition to the regular work duties, they did not give me the opportunity to run their accounts.
They did not allow me the flexibility to run my business whenever I was off because most of the time, they would try and call me in to work and expect me to drop everything for them.
Despite those challenges, I managed to learn everything I can from the business and also build quality relationships with the customers because most of them worked in corporate america in the downtown area.
When I left the coffee chain, I still see half of them whenever I am in downtown and they would ask how I am doing.
I thought I would not be an employee again because I like the freedom of running my business.
The problem was I was not making money consistently.
So when I the owner of a lodging company offered me work, I knew it was the right fit because it would give me the opportunity to learn more about the travel industry since I decided to pivot my business towards this sector.
I was a bit hesitant to take the work because I knew I would have to cancel some shows I had set up weeks prior for my podcast.
After talking to a few colleagues, I decided to become an employee again and work at the lodging company.
Since this business sector is new to me, I had to train on the basics of working in the lodging company.
I can say I had completed one month of working at the lodging company.
Though I am working every day in the night shift, I am very fortunate because I am learning from the owners on how to run a business the right way.
I am also learning more about the tiny details of how a business works including being a great sales person, how to be a supervisor to a degree and how to get back to saving money from the paycheck I earned.
Working at the lodging company allows me to be super focus on managing my time wisely so I can keep the business going.
If you think you are going backwards because you decide to get a second job while you are building your business, you need to get rid of that thinking.
Just because the super successful entrepreneurs says, “you are not an entrepreneur if you work part time,” does not mean they are 100% right.
Everyone have their own journey to success and these same entrepreneurs will not pay your expenses when you are fighting to build a good business.
So do what you need to do to keep your business afloat and treat your internal and external customers right.
You will learn valuable skills which will allow you to turn your business into a cash flow machine.
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