Episode 180: When You Question Everything, You Can't Help But Create Your Own Path
Laura DiBenedetto goes down rabbit holes regularly, exploring random thoughts that drive her deeply into a variety of questions, leading her to nowhere and everywhere. Her curiosity is what drives her, what has always driven her to question authority, traditional roles, and beliefs. She is one of those people who has always marched to the beat of her own drum, who has chosen whatever path looked less traveled.
What Stories Created Your Most Powerful Personal Narratives?
Laura DiBenedetto goes down rabbit holes regularly, exploring random thoughts that drive her deeply into a variety of questions, leading her to nowhere and everywhere.
Laura DiBenedetto episode 180 podcast cover art
Her curiosity is what drives her, what has always driven her to question authority, traditional roles, and beliefs. She is one of those people who has always marched to the beat of her own drum, who has chosen whatever path looked less traveled.
Her book is a result of her curiosity, her sense of wonder about what happiness is all about, and why some people are happy and others struggle in their search for it.
Our conversation began with a question about whether and how the name we're given impacts our personalities, and continued down the path of personal identity and how it's shaped.
Laura's TEDx caught my attention, and her book of the same title, The Six Habits of the Happiest People made me want to invite her to be a guest on this podcast.
Laura DiBenedetto episode 180 podcast cover art
She is full of energy and ambition in her legacy of guiding others toward happiness, whatever the definition at any piont in their lives.
When you've heard how she got to where she is, you'll want to connect with her on LinkedIn, follow her on Instagram and Facebook, and grab a copy of her book.
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TEDx Speaker, #1 Bestselling author of The Six Habitsand Life Mastery Coach, Laura DiBenedetto teaches how to create the life of our dreams without sacrificing what we love. As Founder and CEO of Vision Advertising, a company that she built aged 19, she has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs build and grow profitable enterprises entirely on their terms.
ABOUT SARAH:
"Uncovering the right stories for the right audiences so executives, leaders, public speakers, and job seekers can clearly and actively demonstrate their character, values, and vision."
In my work with coaching clients, I guide people to improve their communication using storytelling as the foundation of our work together. What I’ve realized over years of coaching and podcasting is that the majority of people don’t realize the impact of the stories they share - on their internal messages, and on the people they’re sharing them with.
My work with leaders and people who aspire to be leaders follows a similar path to the interviews on my podcast, uncovering pivotal moments in their lives and learning how to share them to connect more authentically with others, to make their presentations and speaking more engaging, to reveal patterns that have kept them stuck or moved them forward, and to improve their relationships at work and at home. The audiobook, Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will is now available!
Included with your purchase are two bonus tracks, songs recorded by Sarah's band, Spare Change, in her living room in Montana.
Episode 179: If an Event Creates a Story, How Do You Want it to Be Told?
Nicole Santer has been in the event industry since she was a child. She remembers helping her family fold napkins and set tables for huge banquets and gatherings.
She knows all the things that can go wrong, and she knows exactly what can make an event absolutely magical. Nicole's combination of strategic and creative thinking are what make her extraordinary at what she does.
Planning an Event with the End in Mind
Nicole Santer has been in the event industry since she was a child. She remembers helping her family fold napkins and set tables for huge banquets and gatherings.
It wasn't until after she enjoyed a career in completely different fields for many years that she came back to events, and when she did, it felt exactly right to her.
Podcast cover art with image & quote from Nicole Santer, EventsBuzz360
She knows all the things that can go wrong, and she knows exactly what can make an event absolutely magical. Nicole's combination of strategic and creative thinking are what make her extraordinary at what she does.
During our conversation, Nicole shared her vision for her event company, Event Buzz 360. As an event planner myself, I am intrigued and excited about the potential. The idea is to create an interactive directory of services for event planners - across the globe. It's brilliant, though the timing was tricky. She launched in early 2020, just weeks before the global shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
You are going to love this high energy conversation!
From her LinkedIn profile:
Nicole Santer, descendant in a strong line of Event Organisers, still talks of the 'buzz’ she felt when table setting with the wait staff at the tender age of 5.
Now, a captivating speaker, and ardent events industry expert, Nicole’s latest entrepreneurial venture brings to the industry the Ultimate Online Search Engine for Events.
It is from Nicole’s 20 years of industry expertise and knowledge gained while running her signature company Extraordinary Events Pty Ltd that we find the seed for EventBuzz360.
There is no denying that EventManagement is in Nicole Santer’s blood.
Aspiring to empower the next generation of Event Managers, Nicole’s establishment of the Extraordinary Events ‘7 Steps to Event Management Mastery' 7StEMM Program’ is a first-of-its-kind.
Nicole’s commitment to enabling the industry to provide memorable world-class events, coupled with her foundation values of honesty, integrity, and reliability, are ensuring the continual growth of the events industry.
Event Management has never looked so exciting.
After hearing Nicole's stories, you'll want to follow her on LinkedIn, and connect with her there.
To learn more about Nicole and her brilliant idea, visit the EventBuzz360 website, and follow them on Instagram.
ABOUT SARAH:
"Uncovering the right stories for the right audiences so executives, leaders, public speakers, and job seekers can clearly and actively demonstrate their character, values, and vision."
Quote from Sarah Elkins plus image of Sarah with her dog, Toby
In my work with coaching clients, I guide people to improve their communication using storytelling as the foundation of our work together. What I’ve realized over years of coaching and podcasting is that the majority of people don’t realize the impact of the stories they share - on their internal messages, and on the people they’re sharing them with.
My work with leaders and people who aspire to be leaders follows a similar path to the interviews on my podcast, uncovering pivotal moments in their lives and learning how to share them to connect more authentically with others, to make their presentations and speaking more engaging, to reveal patterns that have kept them stuck or moved them forward, and to improve their relationships at work and at home. The audiobook, Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will is now available!
Elkins Consulting logo plus an image of Sarah Elkins and her book cover
Included with your purchase are two bonus tracks, songs recorded by Sarah's band, Spare Change, in her living room in Montana.
Episode 178: Do Personalities Change? Can We Change Our Personality Intentionally?
Christian Jarrett remembers being interested in psychology as a young teenager. It was when he applied to be a stocker at a grocery store when he was 16 that he became even more eager to learn about why people do what they do, and whether people's personalities change over time.
At the Tesco store near his home in the UK, his application was accepted and he went on for the personality assessment, which he failed.
Christian Jarrett, Author of Be Who You Want, Says Yes!
Christian Jarrett quote, podcast cover art
Christian Jarrett remembers being interested in psychology as a young teenager. It was when he applied to be a stocker at a grocery store when he was 16 that he became even more eager to learn about why people do what they do, and whether people's personalities change over time.
At the Tesco store near his home in the UK, his application was accepted and he went on for the personality assessment, which he failed.
He took it again a few weeks later, thinking he might be able to answer the questions to show he was really a team player, outgoing and friendly. He failed again.
A third opportunity arrived, and this time he answered the questions with the intention of coming across as a lone wolf, a solitary person who could really focus and get the job done. He failed again.
This incident made him even more curious about personality, not just how it changes over time, he was curious whether we could change our personality intentionally.
Christian Jarrett book cover, quote on podcast cover art
I reached out to Christian after my husband shared his article with me, The Way You Tell Your Story Shapes Your Personality. It was exactly what I needed to read as I was writing my book, Your Stories Don't Define You, How You Tell Them Will.
When I reached out to interview him in May of 2019, he was working on his book, in the middle of a move, and changing jobs, and promised to get in touch with me for a podcast interview when things settled down.
This episode fulfilled the promise, and boy was it worth the wait.
Christian's book is confirmation of much of my work with clients and teams over the past 5+ years, my work is the practical, individual, intentional application of what Dr. Jarrett researched and wrote about in the book.
I couldn't be more grateful for our time together as we recorded this episode, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
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From his website:
Dr. Christian Jarrett, Author of Be Who You Want: Unlocking the Science of Personality Change
Dr. Christian Jarrett, Deputy Editor, Aeon+Psyche
A cognitive neuroscientist by training, Christian was the founding editor of the British Psychological Society’s Research Digest and an award-winning journalist on The Psychologist magazine. His books include The Rough Guide to Psychology, 30-Second Psychology and Great Myths of the Brain. His next, Be Who You Want: Unlocking the Science of Personality Change, was released and available in the US in May 2021. Christian will never forget holding a human brain in his hands as part of a neuroanatomy class, the grey mass so heavy as if filled still with memories and dreams. Find him on Twitter @Psych_Writer.
ABOUT SARAH:
"Uncovering the right stories for the right audiences so executives, leaders, public speakers, and job seekers can clearly and actively demonstrate their character, values, and vision."
Sarah Elkins quote
In my work with coaching clients, I guide people to improve their communication using storytelling as the foundation of our work together. What I’ve realized over years of coaching and podcasting is that the majority of people don’t realize the impact of the stories they share - on their internal messages, and on the people they’re sharing them with.
My work with leaders and people who aspire to be leaders follows a similar path to the interviews on my podcast, uncovering pivotal moments in their lives and learning how to share them to connect more authentically with others, to make their presentations and speaking more engaging, to reveal patterns that have kept them stuck or moved them forward, and to improve their relationships at work and at home. The audiobook, Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will is now available!
Included with your purchase are two bonus tracks, songs recorded by Sarah's band, Spare Change, in her living room in Montana.
Episode 177: The Art of Caring Leadership: What Stories Do They Tell About You?
Heather Younger's book, The Art of Caring Leadership, offers 9 key aspects to consider, and a free assessment to quantify what appear to be qualifying character traits.
What I love about the book is that the expectation isn't for every leader to be caring in the same way. Heather knows that each of us must be true to ourselves in how we lead, while being self-reflective enough to know when we're getting in our own way, and making gradual, consistent adjustments when necessary.
Heather Younger Demonstrates Care In Everything She Does
How do you describe a caring leader?
Podcast cover art with image of Heather Younger
Heather Younger's book, The Art of Caring Leadership, offers 9 key aspects to consider, and a free assessment to quantify what appear to be qualifying character traits. And to make the book and assessment even more actionable, Heather has created a free community site for people to exchange ideas, ask questions, and share experiences.
What I love about the book is that the expectation isn't for every leader to be caring in the same way. Heather knows that each of us must be true to ourselves in how we lead, while being self-reflective enough to know when we're getting in our own way, and making gradual, consistent adjustments when necessary.
Our conversation might just be what you're looking for to get you thinking about what kind of leader you are, where you can improve, and why it matters.
Heather Younger, Author of The Art of Caring Leadership
Heather Younger is a best-selling author, international speaker, consultant, adjunct organizational leadership professor, and facilitator who has earned her reputation as “The Employee Whisperer.” Her experiences as an entrepreneur, manager, attorney, writer, coach, listener, speaker, collaborator, and mother all lend themselves to a laser-focused clarity into what makes employees of organizations and companies—large and small—tick.
ABOUT SARAH:
Elkins Consulting image of Sarah and book cover
"Uncovering the right stories for the right audiences so executives, leaders, public speakers, and job seekers can clearly and actively demonstrate their character, values, and vision."
In my work with coaching clients, I guide people to improve their communication using storytelling as the foundation of our work together. What I’ve realized over years of coaching and podcasting is that the majority of people don’t realize the impact of the stories they share - on their internal messages, and on the people they’re sharing them with.
Audiobook promo image
My work with leaders and people who aspire to be leaders follows a similar path to the interviews on my podcast, uncovering pivotal moments in their lives and learning how to share them to connect more authentically with others, to make their presentations and speaking more engaging, to reveal patterns that have kept them stuck or moved them forward, and to improve their relationships at work and at home. The audiobook, Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will is now available!
Included with your purchase are two bonus tracks, songs recorded by Sarah's band, Spare Change, in her living room in Montana.
Episode 176: Her Brave Journey, a Book by Swati Singh
Based on a collection of true stories from a variety of women, Swati Singh's Her Brave Journey is a fictional tale, bringing them together as if one woman experienced it, offering a deeper exploration of how each experience shapes a woman living through abuse, emotional transformation, and eventually discovering her strength and resilience.
Our Stories Shift with Each Telling of Them
Based on a collection of true stories from a variety of women, Swati Singh's Her Brave Journey is a fictional tale, bringing them together as if one woman experienced it, offering a deeper exploration of how each experience shapes a woman living through abuse, emotional transformation, and eventually discovering her strength and resilience.
“Each of us looks at the world through our own cultural lens, molded by parenting, education, economics, politics, religion, and personality. This is a book of profound hardship buffeted by the drive to survive, a rocky journey to a destination of kindness, generosity, and forgiveness… met with success by a brave, intelligent, and strong woman. A hero of her time.” ~ Editors of Her Brave Journey
It's not uncommon for an author to take real life experiences and build a book around them, but to do it in an authentic, powerful voice is uncommon.
Our conversation began as most episodes do, when Swati answered my question about something people might not know about her, something not on her bio or LinkedIn profile. Her answer was unique and somewhat surprising: She worked for her local police department when she was in high school.
Having that experience brought her a completely different perspective and shaped how she saw herself and her place in the world.
Swati mentioned that when she looks back at who she was at that time, it surprises her that she got the job - and even more that she would have even applied for it. She was shy, quiet, and avoided socializing outside of her normal routine.
"I think I underestimate my younger self sometimes."
The conversation took a surprising turn at that, with a deep discussion about how we see our younger selves, and the warped perspective we have of ourselves when we look back.
People who knew us in our younger years would most likely look at us now and say: "Oh yes, you always had this in you, you just didn't know it yet."
To learn more about Swati Singh and to order her book, visit her website, follow her on Instagram, and connect with her on LinkedIn.
ABOUT SARAH:
"Uncovering the right stories for the right audiences so executives, leaders, public speakers, and job seekers can clearly and actively demonstrate their character, values, and vision."
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
In my work with coaching clients, I guide people to improve their communication using storytelling as the foundation of our work together. What I’ve realized over years of coaching and podcasting is that the majority of people don’t realize the impact of the stories they share - on their internal messages, and on the people they’re sharing them with.
My work with leaders and people who aspire to be leaders follows a similar path to the interviews on my podcast, uncovering pivotal moments in their lives and learning how to share them to connect more authentically with others, to make their presentations and speaking more engaging, to reveal patterns that have kept them stuck or moved them forward, and to improve their relationships at work and at home. The audiobook, Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will is now available!
Included with your purchase are two bonus tracks, songs recorded by Sarah's band, Spare Change, in her living room in Montana.
Episode 175: Is Your Team Missing Something? To Find Out, You Must Know What You Have vs. What You Don't
As a Communication & Inclusion Trainer, Alissa guides people in addressing awkward situations, helping them quickly adjust to things out of their control.
In a recent training, when she had to demonstrate that kind of adaptability because of technical glitches, she realized what a gift it ended up becoming for her and for the participants.
Diversity Isn't Enough, We Must Value and Celebrate Differences to Maximize the Extraordinary Benefits of a Diverse Team
As a Communication & Inclusion Trainer, Alissa guides people in addressing awkward situations, helping them quickly adjust to things out of their control.
In a recent training, when she had to demonstrate that kind of adaptability because of technical glitches, she realized what a gift it ended up becoming for her and for the participants.
By having to shift gears quickly and abandon her slides - her plan - she connected more deeply with the audience. They couldn't help but see how she navigated the technical challenge, move through it and adapt, and end up with an even better product in the end.
When she acknowledged the challenge, Alissa demonstrated a level of vulnerability that had a positive impact on her audience, likely far bigger than if everything had gone as planned.
During our conversation, we talked about the situation as an opportunity, a gift, even though in the moment we rarely can see it in that light. But our reality is that lots of lessons happen that way.
We also covered a lot of ground about Strengths, where we've seen our own strengths as talents vs. obstacles, and how we've guided our clients toward valuable self-reflection about where their strengths might also be getting in their way.
Connect with Alissa on LinkedIn, grab a copy of her book, How to Listen and How to Be Heard: Inclusive Conversations at Work, and check out her website, Everything's Not Okay and That's Okay.
ABOUT SARAH:
Elkins Consulting logo with image of Sarah Elkins and book cover
"Uncovering the right stories for the right audiences so executives, leaders, public speakers, and job seekers can clearly and actively demonstrate their character, values, and vision."
In my work with coaching clients, I guide people to improve their communication using storytelling as the foundation of our work together. What I’ve realized over years of coaching and podcasting is that the majority of people don’t realize the impact of the stories they share - on their internal messages, and on the people they’re sharing them with.
My work with leaders and people who aspire to be leaders follows a similar path to the interviews on my podcast, uncovering pivotal moments in their lives and learning how to share them to connect more authentically with others, to make their presentations and speaking more engaging, to reveal patterns that have kept them stuck or moved them forward, and to improve their relationships at work and at home.
Audiobook promotional image
The audiobook, Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will is now available!
Included with your purchase are two bonus tracks, songs recorded by Sarah's band, Spare Change, in her living room in Montana.
Episode 174: Rodney's Raptors: Life Changing Birds
This career wasn't part of his life plan as young man, and when you hear what his interests were, what he did when he skipped school, you'll appreciate the trajectory he took.
He was well on his way toward violence and incarceration, selling drugs in his corner of Washington DC. When he started applying for jobs, it wasn't because he needed money, it was because he needed a paystub - proof of consistent, legal income in order to rent an apartment.
They Saved His Life: A Story of an Unconventional Relationship
Rodney Stotts podcast episode 174 cover art with image and quote
He was told not to look a bird of prey in the eyes, that it would be considered aggressive and would damage his relationship with the animal.
But when that gigantic Eurasian Eagle Owl, Mr. Hoots, turned as Rodney went to move him, their eyes met, and neither of them looked away. Rodney described the moment as electric, and when he shared the story, I could practically feel the magnetic gaze they shared, and felt the hairs on my neck rise as he described it.
I met Rodney when I participated in GISH, the Great International Scavenger Hunt this year. He was interviewed as part of the event, and I just loved how he spoke about his animals and his work with young people.
GISH Promotional image with Rodney Stotts
This career wasn't part of his life plan as young man, and when you hear what his interests were, what he did when he skipped school, you'll appreciate the trajectory he took.
He was well on his way toward violence and incarceration, selling drugs in his corner of Washington DC. When he started applying for jobs, it wasn't because he needed money, it was because he needed a paystub - proof of consistent, legal income in order to rent an apartment.
Rodney Stotts episode cover art with image from a Christian Science Monitor article.
His job with Earth Conservation Corps is where his life dramatically changed direction. He realized he had a choice, to spend more time with the raptors in a related program, or to spend more time selling drugs on the street. You can imagine what choice he made.
The rest, as they say, is history, and you're in for a treat with this interview.
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When you're ready to learn more about Rodney's programs for young adults, visit his website, and perhaps you'll feel compelled to contribute. You'll also want to check out the trailer for the movie The Black Falconer, and read this great article on Audubon.com, and this one in the Washington Post.
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ABOUT SARAH:
"Uncovering the right stories for the right audiences so executives, leaders, public speakers, and job seekers can clearly and actively demonstrate their character, values, and vision."
In my work with coaching clients, I guide people to improve their communication using storytelling as the foundation of our work together. What I’ve realized over years of coaching and podcasting is that the majority of people don’t realize the impact of the stories they share - on their internal messages, and on the people they’re sharing them with.
My work with leaders and people who aspire to be leaders follows a similar path to the interviews on my podcast, uncovering pivotal moments in their lives and learning how to share them to connect more authentically with others, to make their presentations and speaking more engaging, to reveal patterns that have kept them stuck or moved them forward, and to improve their relationships at work and at home.
The audiobook, Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will is now available!
Included with your purchase are two bonus tracks, songsrecorded by Sarah's band, Spare Change, in her living room in Montana.