Rounding The Bases With Joel Goldberg

As we wrap up another great month on Rounding The Bases, we celebrate Sam Mellinger as he transitioned into his new role as the Kansas City Royals Vice President of Communications. After spending 21 years as a writer for the Kansas City Star, Sam made a massive pivot last winter, as he moved into his new role working for the team he covered for decades. It's a success story of changing career paths, switching industries, and continuing to pursue one's passions. Joel talked to Sam about the differences in building trust and relationships in his old role versus his new one, plus leadership, culture and some baseball.For bonus coverage with Joel and Sam please check the YouTube link: https://bit.ly/RTBSamMellinger

Joining Joel Goldberg is Chef Ashley Bare, a culinary hustler and local Kansas City food legend. Ashley is a gastro-genius whose signature flavor is defined as east meets midwestern cooking. She finds inspiration wherever she goes, and her latest creation sets her apart in the kitchen. Drawing influence from the Swedish word meaning ‘at home’, she founded Hemma Hemma KC, the premier meal delivery service that’s changing the rules of the game. With it, she’s building community around the table, one thoughtfully prepared meal at a time. To hear more from Ashley Bare, please visit our YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/RTBAshleyBareAshley's website can be found at: https://www.ashleybare.com/Hemma Hemma Website: https://hemmahemma.com/

On this episode, our audience will hear the incredible story of a former athlete who learned to fail forward. His football career was a charmed one. In college, he was a two-time all conference offensive lineman and also the MVP of his senior year. In 2003 his dreams of playing in the NFL became reality when he was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars, and his athletic success helped pave the way for a lucrative commercial construction endeavor. But within a decade, a business deal gone awry left him without a home or a car, just a choice. It was then that Marques Ogden traded eight figures in revenue for $8.25 an hour to moonlight as a janitor. Even though the work was humble, it was his first step forward on the path to rebuilding the life he envisioned for himself. Now Marques is a speaker, best selling author, executive coach who has taken that failure - and its hard won lessons - to help others succeed. For more about Marques Ogden please visit https://marquesogden.com/

Joining Joel Goldberg is a special personal guest, Marc LeBlanc, the corporate dropout turned legendary speaker, four-time author and masterful business coach. As a rookie he was accused of not having what it took to make it on his own. Determined to prove the naysayers wrong, he went into business for himself at the ripe, young age of 21 and has never looked back. After years of trial, error and choosing action over perfection, he’s become known as the grow your business guy. With unique perspectives and an approach to business that breaks the mold, it’s no wonder he’s garnered a reputation for success that reverberates around the globe.

Barry Litwin is the commercial strength CEO and ace of initiatives for worldwide supply distributor Global Industrial, a $1.1 billion distribution leader of industrial and MRO products. Barry is a veteran e commerce executive with an extensive knowledge of optimizing experiences for his consumers and his associates. With his focus kept firmly on best-in-class execution, Barry’s award-winning leadership has enabled the company to not just survive, but actually thrive, in recent years. It’s a success few can attest to and proof that no matter what, he’s got this.

Dr. Kurt Graham, the Director of the Truman Library and Museum hails from academia and has led an esteemed career that includes doctorate studies at Brown University and instructing at Cal State San Bernardino. After his transcontinental pursuits, it’s only appropriate that he would ultimately land in the Midwest, at the helm of America’s original democratic classroom. Under his direction, the Library has ushered in a new era of transformation, becoming a compelling, modern vehicle for stories that are rooted in our presidential past. With skillful leadership he’s brought change for the better, teaching the lessons that are worth learning and protecting the legacy established by Give ‘Em Hell Harry himself. To hear more from Dr. Kurt Graham please visit https://bit.ly/RTBKurtGrahamYou can find the Truman Library and Museum's website at https://www.trumanlibrary.gov/

Sam Mellinger’s career as a journalist has ranged from high school sports to Final Fours. From Super Bowls to World Series. He’s seen it all as a newspaper reporter and columnist. Sam made a massive pivot last winter, trading in his notebook for a job in media relations as a vice president for the team he used to cover, the Kansas City Royals. Joel talked to Sam about the differences in building trust and relationships in his old role versus his new one, plus leadership, culture and some baseball.For bonus coverage with Joel and Sam please check the YouTube link: https://bit.ly/RTBSamMellinger

We’re now two years into the Covid-19 pandemic, and it would be nearly impossible to find someone who hasn’t been impacted by its challenges. We all felt the collateral damage, but the very people who needed protecting the most may have actually suffered the most. Seclusion helped keep vulnerable seniors from the virus, but it also introduced them to its equally destructive companion, loneliness. Tech entrepreneur Eliot Arnold set out to help our seniors. He is the CEO and co-founder of MoodSpark, a mood-improving digital companion. By disrupting negative feelings and replacing them with emotional memories, MoodSpark actually improves the mental and biological health of its users. He’s widely regarded for his novel approaches to complex human problems, and his latest beta delivers. With a vision based on emotion but backed by science, Eliot and his team have harnessed the power of AI to help make loneliness a thing of the past.

As we wrap up another month with fantastic guests, we circle back to Anita Newton's episode in this month's "Best Of" series. Anita Newton is an innovative entrepreneur and marketing junkie, but perhaps best known as the Chief Innovation Officer of Community America Credit Union. With a proclivity for fun and willingness to say ‘yes’, she introduces groundbreaking ideas that challenge boundaries. She’s even the mastermind behind a first-of-its-kind product that has revolutionized the financial landscape for college-bound students. With her perpetually action-oriented leadership style, she aligns her team towards a singular focus, welcoming each new challenge as an opportunity to create another one of her masterpieces.

Raneem Alasmi is a woman of bravery, of strength, drive, and love. She is a young woman who has overcome more adversity than most of us will in our entire lifetimes. And even though her name probably isn't one you’ve heard before, after hearing her story, it’s one you won’t soon forget. Raneem Alasmi is a Syrian refugee with an insatiable hunger for life. After fleeing her home country, she and her family arrived stateside with no language or money, just the clothes on their backs. In a matter of years, she went from learning English by watching the Disney channel to becoming a KU undergrad, where she’s earning her degree in journalism. She knows she has a voice to promote change and speak her truth, it is up to us to listen.

Laura Sanko is the type of person who looks a challenge in the eye and gives it a wink. And even though she may not look like the fighting type, she shows up every day ready to break down yet another barrier. Over the course of her career, Laura has gone from amateur MMA fighter to promising correspondent. Now, she’s a marquee on-air talent for the UFC. Capturing the title of first-ever female analyst in ultimate fighting was no easy feat, but she always had confidence in what she could do if just given the chance. She may be fancy, but when it comes to fighting, she’ll knock you right out.

For many, April 13, 2014 was just another Sunday. For today’s guest, it marked the day her life trajectory was altered forever. Headlines circulated around the world when the open fire of an antisemitic gunman took the lives of her father and 14-year old son, leaving her as a grieving mother and daughter with a decision to make. And in the face of unimaginable tragedy, Mindy Corporon chose to respond with - what she calls - courageous kindness, a rare form of bravery that cannot be deterred by pain. She’s the former CEO of a successful wealth management firm whose ambition changed in an instant, pivoting from guiding clients financially to guiding the masses towards tolerance and common ground. Realizing that sadness and joy actually go hand in hand, Mindy began to rebuild her life. Now, she's a successful entrepreneur who uses her platforms as a speaker, author and podcast host to channel heartbreak into healing. Despite her soul shattering loss, she has spent the last seven and a half years making each new

Bringing heart, hustle and a heap of confidence into her every day, LaFarris Risby adheres to one simple tenet in life, which is that the decisions you make today will ultimately affect your tomorrow. She is dynamic, she is results driven, she is the founder and CEO of Loving Arms Enterprises. Today LaFarris boasts an impressive list of credentials, but her success story is actually rooted in necessity. With $50 in her pocket and two young children to provide for, failure was never an option. She had belief in herself and hope for the future, and managed to build a multi-million dollar business from nothing. For more about LaFarris please visit www.lafarris.com

Marquita Miller-Joshua is the Founder and President of Five Star Tax and Business Solutions, best-selling author and powerhouse motivational speaker. While she may be a masterful accountant by trade, her real business is advocating for others on a journey to their own success. A staunch proponent for acting with intention, Marquita has earned herself a reputation for inspiring entrepreneurs and audiences alike to commit. Whether that’s to break barriers or eliminate excuses, she positions them to own their goals and take action, for a result that’s undeniably impactful.

Morag Barrett is described more than as a "people person", but rather she is a "people first" person. Relationships are the cornerstone of everything she does, making it no surprise that she thrives on empowering others to show up as their best selves and maximize their potential to excel. Morag is the founder and CEO of SkyeTeam, the award-winning leadership development firm, and the best-selling author of Cultivate: The Power of Winning Relationships. In Welsh, her name means “great”, and through the power of great relationships, she helps organizations achieve extraordinary results. Calling business the ultimate team sport, Morag teaches that you can’t help but depend on others for your own success. With intention and experience, she is leading the charge on bettering business for people in business, one relationship at a time.

Episode 719's guest is a brilliant creative who delivers perfection but chooses to color outside the lines. Why? In a word, innovation. Anita Newton is a serial entrepreneur and marketing junkie, but perhaps best known as the Chief Innovation Officer of Community America Credit Union. With a proclivity for fun and willingness to say ‘yes’, she introduces groundbreaking ideas that challenge boundaries. She’s even the mastermind behind a first-of-its-kind product that has revolutionized the financial landscape for college-bound students. With her perpetually action-oriented leadership style, she aligns her team towards a singular focus, welcoming each new challenge as an opportunity to create another one of her masterpieces.

Dr. Risa Stein holds a PHD in clinical child and health psychology and an MA in Organizational Leadership, but perhaps her greatest title is mom. While raising a neurotypical child, Dr. Stein identified a need within her own family, ensuring the most vulnerable among us are seen as the extraordinary, unique individuals that they are prompting her to start her business, SeeInMe. SeeInMe assists vulnerable individuals by providing information about a loved one to those around them. Dr. Stein discovered a way to nurture the individual and empower the family, giving a voice where it's needed most showing just how much heart there really is here in the Heartland.

It's time for our "best of" episode for the month of February as we feature Brian Roberts of Lockton Companies. Brian is the Chief Diversity Officer, Executive Vice President and newly-appointed Chief Operating Officer of its Midwest Series where his primary focus is on the talent, and how he can help each and every individual achieve things even they didn’t know they were capable of. Not unlike a sports coach, his commitment to the team is unrelenting. He also equips each player, or in Brian’s case, Associate, with the resources and guidance they need to perform their best. And each win isn’t just one for the team, but a testament to the leader who helped get them there.

On Rounding the Bases, there’s one topic that continues to be a cornerstone of the stories we tell, and that is culture. Jeff King is the CEO of Barkley, an award-winning advertising agency who knows the significance of culture in business. Jeff has made a point of building his company around one very simple concept, which is to "add good." Add good to ideas, add it to a brand, and most importantly, add good to the lives of those around you. From his acclaimed diversity initiatives to his tireless work with area youths, Jeff adds a healthy serving of good wherever he goes, balancing purpose with profits and leading by example. In doing so, he imparts real change, not just within the creative genius keeping Barkley clients happy, but in his community, the industry, and arguably, the world. For more about Barkley visit: https://www.barkleyus.com/

LaTonya Wilkins is someone whose ambition is to disrupt traditional business culture in order to make a difference. As a queer woman of color in corporate America, she knows first hand that for some companies, the phenomenal culture it boasts is purely superficial. She is the founder of The Change Coaches and global thought leader on corporate culture. Her expertise is so rich that she in fact wrote the best selling book on it, called Leading Below the Surface. Using her lived experience, she now coaches executive management on how to create thriving, deeply inclusive and radically authentic workplace cultures once - and finally for all.