Screw The Naysayers Podcast

Chris Widener is widely recognized as one of the top speakers in the world. He’s a member of the Motivational Speakers Hall of Fame, has been recognized by Inc. Magazine as one of the top 100 Leadership Speakers, and NYT and WSJ Bestseller. Chris had what can only be described as a rough upbringing that included living in 28 different homes and a High School teacher who told Chris he would never amount to anything. Hardly the kind of words you would expect to be directed at man who went on to work closely with  two of the legends of the speaking world Jim Rohn and Zig Ziglar. Chris and Jim co-authored the Jim Rohn One Year Success Plan and the international best seller The Twelve Pillars.   Zig Ziglar, considered to be the greatest motivational speaker of the 20th Century, personally chose Chris to co-host his television show, True Performance. You can still catch episodes of that show on Youtube.  Along with co-hosting True Performance, Chris also hosted his own show, Made for Success, where he interviewed

People often ask me how I found the courage to quit my job and start my own business. A lot of those people assume I had everything figured out when I quit. Nothing could be further from the truth. I started my business with zero customers, zero products, and only a vague idea. I made the leap into a very uncertain future yet somehow it didn’t seem that crazy at the time. You see I knew in my heart that I needed to be my own boss.  I’ve been self employed now for 31 years and counting. In fact I often joke that I am chronically unemployable. Mostly because the thought of working for someone else makes me want to throw up. But make no mistake the life of an entrepreneur is not a fit for everyone. A lot of people make the leap telling themselves that it is a lifestyle that they want. In many cases, people are attracted to the freedom and independence, but fail to take into account the key attributes of successful entrepreneurs. Today I want to share with you 5 signs that you may be ready to be your own boss. 

Trish Leto is a U.S. Navy veteran, an entrepreneur, a public speaker, and a mother of two young children.  The thing I liked about speaking with Trish was her willingness to speak the unvarnished truth. We went deep on the challenges she faced transitioning from the military, to the life of a civilian employee, and eventually the creation of her own business. This is no hero’s journey. This is the real truth. Trish talked about: Going 7 months without work after leaving the U.S. Navy Getting a good job, getting laid off, and then facing another 7 month job hunt Her experiences with network marketing, where she said she felt like she was product vomiting on people Having two children in 2 years, and the reality that daycare is like adding two additional mortgage payments The leaving corporate America was both scary and exciting The process she used to design her own business (trust me it did not involve reinventing the wheel) Why she believes that none of us are entitled to anything Reminds us that mo

When I was 34 years old when I started a side gig that turned into $10m. My goal was pretty simple- I was looking for ways to make more money. In this episode of Tim Talks I explain the series of decisions I made that turned a simple market experiment into a business with customers from coast to coast. Words of wisdom for anyone that has or is thinking about starting a side gig, as well as any small business owner that is having difficulty scaling their business.  Enjoy. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me. I’d love to hear your thoughts, comments, and stories, or just make a connection. Email-  tim@screwthenaysayers.com Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/stnwithtimalison/ Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/screwthenaysayers/ LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-alison/ Screw The Naysayers- www.screwthenaysayers.com   

Ron Carucci is the co-founder of leadership consultancy Navalent, a Harvard Business Review & Forbes Contributor. Ron is also the author of 8 bestselling books, 2 TEDx speaker and his talk on power is profound has been watched by over 100,000 people. Ron has spent the last thirty years in the passionate pursuit of helping organizations and their leaders strengthen their path to the aspirations they desire. Ron consults to Silicon Valley startups, household names, and Fortune 10 CEO's. He is also a top 100 Marshall Goldsmith coach. Early on in my conversation with Ron the depth of his experience and the research behind his words became so evident. We had a wide ranging conversation on topics that included: Why he will only coach executives that have a nutritionist, personal trainer and a therapist-  Why entrepreneurs have to be healthy enough (physically and mentally) to get what they want from their business  Founderism and the impact of not being able to separate your identity from your business Wh

Shelly Elsliger is an entrepreneur, Senior Career Educator at the University of Toronto and a globally recognized LinkedIn trainer having delivered well over 300 workshops, talks, and keynotes. Full disclosure: I am a graduate of U. of T. My main intent in reaching out to Shelly was to discuss her work as a LinkedIn educator. But I also couldn’t pass up the opportunity to talk with Shelly about the value of a 4 year degree. While Shelly acknowledged that we can question some things, she went on to offer a reasoned justification for pursuing a university education.  We also talked about the path Shelly took to become a globally respected LinkedIn expert. She began that journey long before most of us saw the real value in LinkedIn (more than 10 years ago). In this episode Shelly explains: How the career centre she works in helps students build community Why it takes 3-4 years to build that community How paying a coffee forward set the stage for much of her future success That LinkedIn  is about networking

Reece Looder is a former U.S. Marine, an entrepreneur, a storyteller, a man who frequently defies conventional wisdom, and a person who demonstrates an amazing degree of resilience.  Reece spent 8 years in the Marines, first working as a combat correspondent in Afghanistan and later as a marketer in Marine recruiting based in Seattle. Before transitioning from active duty, Reece started his own brand development agency, Lede Creative.  After leaving the Marines Reece, his wife Krissy, and their 2 children moved back home to Everson, Washington, a small town about 2 hours north of Seattle. At the time a fellow Marine told Reece he was crazy for moving home, given the opportunities he had in front of him in places such as Seattle, San Diego, and Washington, DC.  Transitioning from military service is never easy. In addition to the move Reece also st to work finishing his degree. A mere two months later he woke at 2:00 am to find his wife having a grand mal seizure. Krissy was airlifted to Seattle where she h

Ava Wettrick is an entrepreneur and a podcast host who has had the opportunity to speak with top authors and entrepreneurs including people like Tom Bilyeu. Colour me jealous. Ava has been featured in Forbes Magazine (sitting with Seth Godin), is a well known LinkedIn content provider, and has also participated in the UN World Investment and Youth Forum. Not bad for someone that just graduated from high school. Ava is also the daughter of Don Wettrick, who you may know was guest number 1 on Screw the Naysayers. This was a fascinating discussion on so many levels. During our conversations Ava: Opened up about the mix of fear and excitement she’s experiencing when she thinks about the future Gave us her definition of an entrepreneurial mindset Talked about her decision to attend Ball State  Shared what the conversations about college were like around the dinner table  Gave us her thoughts on the student debt problem. She thinks students need to make better choices when it comes to taking on debt Had me

Matthew "Griff" Griffin is an author, TedX speaker, and co-founder and Chief Storytelling Officer for Combat Flip Flops.  Griff is also a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point with a degree in Engineering Management. Griff served in the 75th Ranger Regiment as a Rifle Company Fire Support Officer with three tours to Afghanistan and one tour to Iraq.   Combat Flip Flops is a fascinating story on so many fronts. His entrepreneurial journey began the day he walked into a factory in Kabul Afghanistan that was manufacturing combat boots. In that moment Griff visualized a world where people living in Afghanistan could be manufacturing flip flops. It didn’t work out exactly as he first imagined.  The flip flops are not manufactured in Columbia while workers in Afghanistan make jewelry out of scrap metal from unexploded landmines. Griff and his two co-founders are flipping the view on how wars are won and seek to empower the mindful consumer to manufacture peace through trade. Griff opened

Denise Alison is an Entrepreneur, Live Video Creator, Social Media Strategist, Comedienne, and a Public Speaker. She is also the host The Art Of Online Branding, a weekly Facebook Live Show that has been running for more than two years. Denise eats, drinks, and sleeps social media. We had a wide ranging conversation that touched on: The impact of changes in the job market on her generation Why Social Media is really about talking to people Her thoughts on the benefits of her post secondary education Why she loves working with established women entrepreneurs Strategies that can be used to repurpose content (you won’t believe the mileage she gets out of one FB live video) That risk of creating content to get noticed vs. creating content to connect Why she is big on live video but is questioning where she will host her show in the future Denise also shares her entrepreneurial journey, which included earning a Masters Degree in Public Policy and Public Administration, a 4 month internship in government

Thomas Miller is an Entrepreneur, Coach, Public Speaker, Therapist, and a dad who practices what he preaches. Thomas has been a licensed Therapist since 2002 and his work experience includes being a  Clinical Director of a Wilderness Therapy Program for teenagers, Director of a Mental Health Clinic, & being the Family Wellness Director at an Addiction Treatment Center for adults.  In 2016 Thomas and his wife made the leap into entrepreneurship when they purchased a building to house their own business and also provide rental income We had a free flowing conversation about a wide range of social and mental health issues including: Parents hitting the eject button and using technology to replace their own attention The rise of addictive behaviours, especially for teenagers Why leaders and parents have to choose the right altitude The harm that is inflicted on children through helicopter parenting The dangers of using chemical solutions when alternative strategies are available The therapeutic bene

Reesy Floyd-Thompson is an entrepreneur, professional storyteller, and the founder of a support group called Prisoners Wives Girlfriends and Partners. Ressy’s story is inspiring and educational on so many levels. It begins in 2005 when she stood in a Pennsylvania courtroom where her husband, a Desert Storm Veteran, was sentenced to prison for 12.5 to 25 years. To use her words, for better or worse, she was now a married-single woman legally separated by the Department of Corrections. In that moment Reesy lost all sense of personal identity. She began to call herself Mrs. GE6309. People around her saw Reesy as just another African American woman with her husband in jail. Shock turned to reality when a UPS box arrived at her doorstep with all of her husbands belonging. Then the bills started to pile up. A 15 minute collect call from an out of state prison ran around $20. Going to see her husband involved a 10 hour trip. For the first few years Reesy operated on auto-pilot. She began to do side hustles to pay

Rocky Romanella is blue-collar guy who rose through the ranks at UPS and at one time oversaw an operation with more than 78,000 employees. He then became a CEO and Board member of a small telecom company. These days he is the Founder and CEO of 3SIXTY Management Services and the author of a killer leadership book titled Tighten the Lug Nuts. I know that you will enjoy hearing the story behind the title. This episode is packed full of advice on leadership, living your life with purpose, and legacy. Rocky shares with us: His views on naysayers and how he deals with them Two things his dad told him that have served him so well Why he believes that what really counts is what we do when people are not watching Why he encourages young people to think about one word they want people to remember them by when their career is over Why he thinks millennials are getting a bad rap simply for asking questions Why he wrote his recent book His concept of balanced leadership And why he decided to use a unique writing

“Only dead fish go with the flow. I direct the flow. I swim upstream.” This one sentence less than a minute into my interview with Jordan Paris set the stage for a discussion between two kindred soles, even if there is a 40 year biological age difference. At the tender age of 21 Jordan is a published author and Host of the Growth Mindset University podcast, ranked #26 on Itunes in Education and #3 in Training. He’s been featured in Yahoo Finance, NASDAQ, Market Watch, Men's Health, and many high profile podcasts. His guest list includes the likes of James Altucher, Dan Lok, Mark Manson and many more. This episode is reminiscent of episode 1 of Screw the Naysayers when Don Wettrick talked about the big lie, being that the only path to success is through a four year college program. Jordan is heading into his senior year (his parents insisted on College) but pulls no punches in calling out a system that is bankrupting an entire generation while in his words simultaneously enriching College Presidents and bloa

Tim's been getting a lot of flack on social media for raising awareness around the hordes of so called "experts" who are using social media to separate people from their hard earned money. One of those so called experts even said that Tim was lazy and that if we wasn't prepared to name names, he should be quiet. Tim does not name names but in this episode he calls out the tactics that are indicative of "experts" whose brand promise does not align with their actions. It's fun, it's short, and for those that are playing the scam game, likely a little uncomfortable.  Screw the Naysayers. We're Not Gonna Take It.    

Ash Playsted is an entrepreneur, mentor, and Mindset Transformation coach. He calls himself the dragon slayer because his mission in life is to help people tame or slay the “inner dragons” that keep them awake at night. Ash has started and exited five different businesses, a significant achievement in a world where most startups close when the founder leaves.  Ash and I hit our stride early and had a free flowing conversation about mindset and his journey of discovery. We talked about: The impact his family upbringing had on his mindset, and why he decided he had to break free from a belief system based upon staying in his comfort zone.  The power of following doubting voices The importance of not allowing external events or emotions into our minds The importance of developing good habits in deciding what to take into your mind Centering your mindset around learning from everything Learning to use situational gratitude to block out negative emotions or ideas The risk associated with a tortured artist

Jordan Gross is a two-time startup founder, a TEDx speaker, and a #1 best-selling author of a book called Getting COMFY: Your Morning Guide to Daily Happiness. He has another book on the way titled Your Journey To Cloud Nine. I guess I should mention that Jordan is an ancient 24 years old. As some of you will know I love talking about happiness (it’s been at the core of my life philosophy for more than 30 years now). In preparing for this interview I was ready to take on this young expert, almost 40 years younger than me. Partly because the way we experience happiness definitely changes over time. So I’m thinking this youngster has a lot to learn. It turns out that I’m the one who did the learning. This was such an enjoyable conversation. In this episode Jordan shares with us the process he’s using to write his next book. This includes asking people of all ages and all walks of life to share when they last felt free and electrifying joy, or in his vocabulary a “cloud nine” moment. He even sat down with home

In this episode Tim talks about the 5 types of people who offer advice to anyone that wants more in their life, but has allowed the world to see their doubts. The first four characters make up 99% of the people you will engage. They are described as: Frustrated Failures Desperate Desperadoes Predatory Pimps Clueless Cheerleaders Truthful Trailblazers Learn how to recognize each type of advice giver. 

Marc Champagne is the co-founder of KYŌ ((kee-oh) meaning “today” in Japanese.  KYŌ is an app that fuel people's daily reflection through questions from some of the most inspiring figures in the world. This was a fascinating conversation that touches on three of the big topics we speak often about on Screw the Naysayers. We went deep on the importance of being mindful and living in the present. We talked about Marc’s transition from the world of corporate employee with a steady paycheck to co-founder of a tech company (his mother supports him but still doesn’t understand). And we dug into the realities of starting a new business. In Marc’s eyes there are three big phases in the life of a Tech Startup. The honeymoon period, which lasted about six months for Marc, was followed by the “messy middle.” That’s where Marc is now. He’s three years into the process and expects this to be reality for another 1-2 years. When people ask “how’s business,” Marc replies “it’s good. We’re building.” The last stage is where

René Michele equips and empows female survivors of child sex abuse and trauma with the keys to overcoming their past, and thrive in every area of their life. Transformational strategies include smashing limiting beliefs, rebuilding Identity, restructuring mindsets, and reframing experiences.  René speaks and teaches from a place of deep understanding after experiencing 25 years of sexual, physical and psychological abuse beginning when she was ten years old.  For me the thing that stood out when I spoke with René was her strong, confident demeanor. In this episode René talks about: Growing up with an alcoholic mother who made a series of bad choices in partners Being a drug-addicted, broken and hopeless The strategies that enabled her to transform into a woman of determination and purpose, motivated to succeed and rise above the events that nearly took her life  Her new book which is titled "Battle Scars are Beautiful, from Victim to Victory."  How she learned to ignore the Naysayers that constantly sa