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Explore every episode of the podcast The Edge Of Excellence Podcast

Dive into the complete episode list for The Edge Of Excellence Podcast. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.

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TitlePub. DateDuration
140: Hirad Emadi | How Hard Work Generates Passion: A Unique Path To Success16 Jul 202400:59:28

In today's episode of The Edge of Excellence, Matt is joined by Hirad Emadi, co-founder and President of Innovative Construction Solutions.

During this engaging conversation, Matt explores the journey of a successful entrepreneur who transitioned from a stable career to launching a thriving business. Hirad highlights the importance of identifying gaps in the market and consistently adding value, which can lead to repeat business and long-term success.

You'll discover the dynamics of partnerships in business, as well as the benefits and potential pitfalls of working with partners. Gain insights on how compromise and shared values are crucial for a successful partnership, and how different approaches can lead to various outcomes. 


This episode provides a rich tapestry of experiences and lessons for anyone interested in the entrepreneurial journey.


Don't miss another episode of The Edge of Excellence podcast. Leave a review and subscribe today!



What You Will Learn In This Show:

  • Why consistently adding value and addressing gaps in service can lead to repeat business and long-term success.
  • The dynamics of business partnerships, including the benefits of compromise and shared values, and how different approaches can impact the success of a venture.
  • Achieving balance between a demanding career and personal life, and the importance of family and community involvement.
  • The value of developing essential skills like people skills and writing skills early in your career, and how these can contribute to long-term success.
  • The concept that passion can emerge from hard work and success, even in areas you weren't initially passionate about, and the importance of staying open to new passions.
  • And so much more...


Resources:

Hirad's LinkedIn

Innovative Construction Solutions

139: Brad Baldridge | What Are The Best Financial Strategies For College?09 Jul 202400:46:44

In today's episode of The Edge of Excellence, Matt is joined by Brad Baldridge, certified financial planner, college funding consultant, and chief podcaster at Taming the High Cost of College.

Matt and Brad explore the multifaceted process of preparing for an important milestone that affects many families—paying for college. They discuss various strategies and options available to navigate this complex landscape, as well as the importance of understanding different types of support and how they can impact overall outcomes.


You'll discover the specific challenges faced by those in unique situations, such as owning a business or dealing with unexpected financial changes. You'll also find insights on how to leverage available resources and make strategic choices to optimize benefits.


Whether dealing with financial aid, merit-based awards, or other types of support, this episode provides valuable guidance for anyone facing this pivotal stage in life.


Don't miss another episode of The Edge of Excellence podcast. Leave a review and subscribe today!



What You Will Learn In This Show:

  • The differences between need-based aid and merit-based aid, and how to identify which type of aid you might qualify for.
  • Why top-tier schools like Harvard and Yale often do not offer merit aid and focus solely on need-based aid, and how this can affect your financial planning.
  • Specific strategies for business owners to manage their finances and maximize aid eligibility, including tax benefits and income management.
  • The importance of finding a college where you will thrive, and how this decision can outweigh the prestige of attending a more expensive institution.
  • Practical advice on leveraging available resources, doing thorough research, and making informed decisions to achieve long-term success in your educational journey.
  • And so much more...



Resources:

Taming the High Cost of College

Baldridge College Solutions 

Brad's LinkedIn



130: Kory Finley | The Drive to Excel07 May 202400:47:54

On today's episode of The Edge of Excellence, Matt is joined by guest Kory Finley, as they focus on Kory's journey to personal and professional excellence. The discussion opens with Kory sharing his definition of excellence as the consistent effort to perform at one's best every day, regardless of the circumstances. Kory narrates his life story, from being a multi-sport athlete in high school to entering the challenging world of business and cattle ranching. He emphasizes the importance of taking personal responsibility and learning from setbacks to propel oneself towards success.

During the discussion, Kory discusses his time in college and his early career, particularly his involvement with College Works, where he excelled as a freshman intern. His success was partly due to his competitive nature and the desire to be recognized as the best. Kory reflects on the moments that shaped his career, including significant sales achievements and the strategic decisions he made, like turning down financial support from his parents to foster independence and avoid any potential for guilt-driven influence.


Kory's philosophy revolves around ownership and responsibility, believing that these are critical to achieving excellence. He shares how confronting and overcoming challenges, like dealing with customer complaints and leading teams, were invaluable learning experiences. Throughout the episode, Kory and Matt highlight the importance of making deliberate choices about how to spend one's time and the value of investing in meaningful activities and relationships that promote personal growth and success.


Join Matt and Kory for this fascinating episode. 


Enjoy! 



What You Will Learn In This Show:

  • Kory's definition of excellence as the persistent effort to perform at your best daily, regardless of external conditions.
  • The importance of taking ownership of problems and failures as a key strategy for personal and professional growth.
  • How early job experiences, such as working in concrete construction and cattle ranching, shaped Kory’s work ethic and success.
  • Why Kory attributes his success to a competitive disposition, striving to be the best in his endeavors.
  • His experience of setting a high sales record as a goal, illustrating the power of high aspirations.
  • Turning setbacks into learning opportunities, and how to convert failures into stepping stones toward success.
  • The importance of financial independence from family to avoid guilt-driven decisions.
  • The importance of investing time wisely and making choices that align with long-term goals.
  • And so much more...




39: Devan O‘Dowd | Working Smarter and The Shockingly Simple Basics of Success02 Nov 202100:47:55

On today’s episode of The Edge of Excellence, we interview Devan O'Dowd, Director and Equity Partner of Global X, an exchange traded fund firm. He originally studied Environmental Economics and Law in preparation for becoming a lawyer before making the shift to finance.

In his youth, Devan had dreams of being in the NHL and spent much of his time playing hockey and trying to keep his grades up. During college he played hockey, but realized that he wanted to pursue a career as a lawyer.


His time at the University of Illinois was a busy one, as Devan joined a business fraternity and a social fraternity, played hockey and ended up being part of College Works as well. It was during this time that he really began to get to know more about himself, his strengths, and of course the areas he needed to work on.


Eventually, his desire to make an impact led to a shift in thinking, one that led him to the world of ETFs and Global X.


This show will inspire you to follow your passion and use every day as another step toward excellence.


You don't want to miss this!


What You Will Learn in this Show:

  • Examples of measurable and repeated ways to succeed every day.
  • Devan's path to a finance career as well as an introduction to ETFs.
  • Why doing what others won't, allow you to achieve what others can't.
  • And so much more...


Resources:

Edge of Excellence is Brought to you by College Works Painting Internship


College Works Paintings provides college and university students a unique, life-transforming opportunity to build business management and leadership skills, hands-on. The internship empowers students to run their own local businesses, manage their own crew of people, and provide a much-needed service within their communities - while earning money as well as an invaluable experience.


Their internship allows students to not only gain valuable work experience but to help finance their college educations as well. The company is known for having some of the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the industry.


Learn more at College Works

38: Steve Brazeel | Working Smarter and The Shockingly Simple Basics of Success26 Oct 202100:48:13

On today’s show, we interview Steve Brazeel, founder and CEO, Sunterra Produce show who shares with us his distilled wisdom on work ethic, and working smarter, and the foundational elements that contribute to success. 

Growing up, Steve spent 18-hour days helping his father on the farm. And so, while his upbringing instilled in him great work ethic, the importance of working smarter eventually dawned upon Steve.

Upon graduating from the University of Arizona, Steve worked with industry giants like Sun World International and the DiMare Co. In this segment of the show, you will learn how Steve took massive pay cuts just because he could learn more and gain more depth.

Eventually, his desire to generate greater and greater value led him to entrepreneurship.

Founded in 2000, SunTerra has grown from a one-person firm to an industry leader catering to giants like Walmart, COSTCO and Trader Joe’s.

This show will surely inspire you to put your best self forward.

Do not miss!

What You Will Learn

  • Working smarter, using your brain and not your back
  • The biggest (and shockingly simple) contributors to success
  • How to generate more and more value as a professional and as an entrepreneur
  • And so much more…

Resources

Edge Of Excellence Is Brought To You By College Works Painting Internship

College Works Paintings provides college and university students a unique, life-transforming opportunity to build business management and leadership skills, hands-on. The internship empowers students to run their own local businesses, manage their own crew of people, and provide a much-needed service within their communities - while earning money as well as an invaluable experience.

Their internship allows students to not only gain valuable work experience but to help finance their college educations as well. The company is known for having some of the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the industry.

To learn more: https://www.collegeworks.com/students-home-page/

37: John Hepworth | What Does It Take to Grow and Scale a Successful Business?19 Oct 202100:39:08

On today’s show, we interview John Hepworth, co-founder, Firstway Fundraising who reveals how he turned his charitable project into a thriving business. He also shares how he found the gumption to start a large business at the age of 25.

John credits his parents for his hardcore work ethic. From a young age, John was keen on earning money and being independent. So, he ended up doing odd jobs to get by.

When John signed up for College Works, admittedly, he thought that it was going to be a piece of cake. But he soon realized that he had a lot to learn.

In this segment of the show, John shares why you need to step out your comfort zone, and learn to work with different people who may not have the same outlook as you.

After College Works, John worked with an insurance company for a bit before starting a fundraising business with his good friend, Jaime. Eventually, he moved to the US to grow and scale his organization.

Topics discussed today include the real definition of excellence, the importance of adaptability, and continuously trying new things.

Do not miss this one!

What You Will Learn In This Show

  • The meaning of excellence
  • The importance of adaptability, and constantly trying new things
  • How to work with different people with contrarian outlooks
  • And so much more…

 

Resources

Edge Of Excellence Is Brought To You By College Works Painting Internship

College Works Paintings provides college and university students a unique, life-transforming opportunity to build business management and leadership skills, hands-on. The internship empowers students to run their own local businesses, manage their own crew of people, and provide a much-needed service within their communities - while earning money as well as an invaluable experience.

Their internship allows students to not only gain valuable work experience but to help finance their college educations as well. The company is known for having some of the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the industry.

To learn more: https://www.collegeworks.com/students-home-page/

36: Calvin Cox | Living Off Your Investments – A Roadmap To Financial Freedom12 Oct 202100:29:23

How can you truly achieve financial freedom and accumulate enough capital so that you can live off your investments?

On today’s show, we interview real estate agent and investor, Calvin Cox who shares with us his money philosophy. You will learn how to inculcate financial discipline so that you achieve the ultimate dream – living off your investments.

Growing up, Calvin worked multiple jobs in high school and college which taught him the importance of great work ethic. 

However, it was not until he was 27 that Calvin understood the power of compounding. A chance meeting with a financial advisor proved to be a complete eye-opener, and Calvin decided to invest $2,000 every month – a habit that he has stuck to for the past 23 years.

Alongside, Calvin also managed to build a large real estate portfolio and start his mortgage company – which he sold at the age of 39.

Today’s show is all about inculcating discipline and delayed gratification so that you can hit your biggest financial goals. 

If you want to live off your investments, and truly enjoy great work life balance, listening to today’s show can help you chart out a roadmap.

Do not miss this one!

What You Will Learn In This Show

  • How do I decide that real estate investing was right for me?
  • Sacrifices that I made in my twenties that I don’t regret making
  • How has my vision evolved over the years?
  • A roadmap to financial freedom and living off your investments
  • And so much more…

 

l businesses, manage their own crew of people, and provide a much-needed service within their communities - while earning money as well as an invaluable experience.

 

Their internship allows students to not only gain valuable work experience but to help finance their college educations as well. The company is known for having some of the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the industry.

To learn more: https://www.collegeworks.com/students-home-page/

35: Chris Bates | Showing Tenacity And Building A Sustainable Business05 Oct 202100:44:42

Why are most entrepreneurs unable to grow and scale their business? And in the process, unable to realize their fullest potential?

On today’s show, we interview the CEO and founder of Teacher Zone, Chris Bates who shares with us distilled wisdom on goal-setting, tenacity, and building a long-term, sustainable business.

As always, we start this show with Chris sharing his definition of excellence. You will learn that while goal-setting is important, constant never-ending improvement is imperative for those aspiring to be excellent.

Growing up, Chris aspired to be a rockstar. But unlike many of us, he actually packed up his bags and moved to Hollywood to pursue his dreams. 

After a while Chris decided to transition to real estate investing after four years, he shares some important lessons that he learned from this stint of his in this segment of the show.

You will learn why you should pick a scalable business model with the potential of generate recurring revenue. And if you have a transactional business that you are struggling to scale, listening to Chris will surely inspire you to level up.

Currently, Chris manages Teacher Zone which is a SAAS-business for teaching organizations.

You will also learn the importance of showing tenacity and following through on your ideas in today’s show.

Do not miss this one!

 

What You Will Learn In This Show

  • Why you cannot be a successful artist without being a good business person
  • The basics of creating a sustainable business with consistent, recurring revenue
  • Why did I give up on my dream of being a rockstar?

 

Resources

Winning

 

Edge Of Excellence Is Brought To You By College Works Painting Internship

College Works Paintings provides college and university students a unique, life-transforming opportunity to build business management and leadership skills, hands-on. The internship empowers students to run their own local businesses, manage their own crew of people, and provide a much-needed service within their communities - while earning money as well as an invaluable experience.

 

Their internship allows students to not only gain valuable work experience but to help finance their college educations as well. The company is known for having some of the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the industry.

To learn more: https://www.collegeworks.com/students-home-page/

34: Dr. Adnan Hussain | Building Grit and How the College Works Internship Has Helped Me As a Medical Professional28 Sep 202100:42:53

Can a College Works internship help those pursuing high-profile careers?

On today’s show, we interview the Emergency Department Chair at Amita Health, Dr. Adnan Hussain who shares with his distilled wisdom on excellence, failure, and grit.

Born to Pakistani immigrant parents, Adnan had a normal suburban upbringing. A higher performer in high school, he managed to get a full-tuition scholarship to medical school. 

And it was at this juncture that Adnan stumbled onto the College Works opportunity. Cultivating grit was the most important lesson that Adnan learned as a student painter.

He also talks about how his first year as a manager was in stark contrast to his second year as a district manager. 

Managing a team of 60 people was a huge challenge for Adnan. This experience built his foundational skill sets that are helping him to date.

As an emergency department chair, Adnan is in charge of operations, recruitment, and finances at his hospital. You will get a peek into his daily workday in this segment of the show.

Other topics discussed on today’s show include how to make yourself more and more valuable, and regaining optimism even in the most trying situations.

Do not miss this one!

What You Will Learn In This Show

  • Tackling failure, and the importance of grit
  • How my DM (District Manager) experience at College Works was significantly different from my managerial experience
  • Sacrifices that I had to make in my early years
  • How to add more value 
  • And so much more…

Resources

 Edge Of Excellence Is Brought To You By College Works Painting Internship

College Works Paintings provides college and university students a unique, life-transforming opportunity to build business management and leadership skills, hands-on. The internship empowers students to run their own local businesses, manage their own crew of people, and provide a much-needed service within their communities - while earning money as well as an invaluable experience.

 

Their internship allows students to not only gain valuable work experience but to help finance their college educations as well. The company is known for having some of the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the industry.

To learn more: https://www.collegeworks.com/students-home-page/

33: Sean Nachtigall | Shedding Your Fears And Venturing Into The Unknown21 Sep 202100:46:03

On today’s show, we interview Sean Nachtigall who shares with us his distilled wisdom on grit, belief, and embracing the unknown.

Growing up, Sean was averse to sales and marketing. He had some preconceived (and utterly false) notions that were shattered once he started working as a College Works painter.

Sean shares his big why for taking up the College Works internship in today’s show. You will learn why embracing discomfort is the only way to grow to the next level.

Admittedly, Sean was absolutely terrified in the initial phase of the internship. But having a chip on his shoulder helped him push through and finish the internship with flying colors.

As a sales engineer for Vertical Systems LLC, Sean helps design, develop and install HVAC systems. You will get a peek into Sean’s role and daily responsibilities in this segment of the show. Specifically, we discuss the importance of developing versatile skill-sets so that you can work with multiple people across a wide range of spectrums and just get the job done.

Do not miss this one!

What You Will Learn In This Show

  • The real definition of sales and marketing
  • Why you need to work on developing versatile skill-sets
  • Embracing the unknown, and getting comfortable with being uncomfortable
  • And so much more…

 

Resources

Edge Of Excellence Is Brought To You By College Works Painting Internship

College Works Paintings provides college and university students a unique, life-transforming opportunity to build business management and leadership skills, hands-on. The internship empowers students to run their own local businesses, manage their own crew of people, and provide a much-needed service within their communities - while earning money as well as an invaluable experience.

 

Their internship allows students to not only gain valuable work experience but to help finance their college educations as well. The company is known for having some of the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the industry.

To learn more: https://www.collegeworks.com/students-home-page/

32: Elaine Huang | Following Your Passion and Working For The Greater Good14 Sep 202100:46:35

On today’s show, we interview founder of Neon Owl, Elaine Huang who shares with us her distilled wisdom on following your passion, thinking outside the box, and working for the greater good. 

Neon Owl is a media company and lifestyle brand that connects artists and fans while giving back to charities across the world. 

We start this show with Elaine sharing why you need to work with integrity if you hope to tether on the edge of excellence. 

Growing up, Elaine grappled with low self confidence and imposter syndrome. She was never interested in studies and just did enough so that she could secure her admission at UC Davis.

It was at this juncture that she enrolled into College Works which gave the chance to be her own boss. And this served as a huge confidence booster for Elaine.

Upon graduation, Elaine worked as the VP of Business Development at Rayco, a company specializing in solar energy. But she was eager to make a larger impact and work for the greater good.

And this served as her big why for Neon Owl.

In the next segment of the show, Elaine gives us a peek into her business as she shares how she is combining dance, music and philanthropy.

Tune in to get inspired!

What You Will Learn In This Show

  • How to find the courage to follow your passion
  • How the College Works stint was a huge confidence booster for me
  • Working with integrity and aspiring for excellence
  • How to leverage entrepreneurship for the greater good
  • And so much more…

Resources

Neon Owl

 

Edge Of Excellence Is Brought To You By College Works Painting Internship

College Works Paintings provides college and university students a unique, life-transforming opportunity to build business management and leadership skills, hands-on. The internship empowers students to run their own local businesses, manage their own crew of people, and provide a much-needed service within their communities - while earning money as well as an invaluable experience.

 

Their internship allows students to not only gain valuable work experience but to help finance their college educations as well. The company is known for having some of the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the industry.

To learn more: https://www.collegeworks.com/students-home-page/

31: Trevor Tait | The Most Important Lesson From My Failure07 Sep 202100:54:38

On today’s show, we talk with Trevor Tait, Managing Director, Tait and Associates who shares with his distilled wisdom on adding value, failure, and stepping out of your comfort zone.

Back in high school, Trevor’s puny 90-pound build did not stop him from playing football with others who were much larger and stronger than him. This is when he first learnt the importance of “stepping out of your comfort zone”.

Trever went on to study civil engineering at Vanderbilt. And upon graduation, he was hired to work at a large engineering firm. But admittedly, this stint of his was a total failure. Rather than adding value, Trevor was just focused on “blending in”. 

But this experience made him realize that his sole focus should be helping others. 

In the latter half of the show, Trevor shares how he has applied these learnings to his own engineering and real estate development company with much success.

Among other things, Trevor shares his definition of excellence, and the importance of continuous learning and innovation.

Do not miss this one!

What You Will Learn In This Show

  • How failing at my first job taught me how to add value as a professional
  • Getting comfortable with the idea of being uncomfortable
  • How innovative civil engineering can shape the future 
  • Helping people and adding value to get to the next level
  • And so much more…

Resources

Edge Of Excellence Is Brought To You By College Works Painting Internship

College Works Paintings provides college and university students a unique, life-transforming opportunity to build business management and leadership skills, hands-on. The internship empowers students to run their own local businesses, manage their own crew of people, and provide a much-needed service within their communities - while earning money as well as an invaluable experience.

 

Their internship allows students to not only gain valuable work experience but to help finance their college educations as well. The company is known for having some of the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the industry.

To learn more: https://www.collegeworks.com/students-home-page/

30: Ally Becker | Finding Courage in Ambiguity31 Aug 202100:48:16

Would you find the strength to pivot and change course if your long-cherished dream came down crumbling in an instant?

On today’s show, we talk to the incredible Ally Becker who shares with us her distilled wisdom on keeping your focus, and showing courage in ambiguity.

As always, we start this show with Ally sharing her definition of excellence. You will learn why you cannot hope to find yourself on the edge of excellence without being present and completely focused.

Back in high school, Ally was focused on her studies and her passion – dancing. However, just a month before her dance trials, she injured herself. And her long-cherished dream that finally seemed within her grasp vanished – just like that.

Instead of wallowing in self-pity, Ally was quick to pivot and change course. 

Her YEAA internship had stoked her interest in finance. And Ally has recently finished her Masters in Financial Planning. 

Leveraging the YEAA network has enabled Ally to have multiple job offers on hand. And currently, she is figuring out the best way forward.

Tune in and get inspired!

 

What You Will Learn In This Show

  • Finding courage in ambiguity
  • Sacrifices that I do not regret making
  • How the YEAA network can help you in your job search
  • And so much more…

Resources

Edge Of Excellence Is Brought To You By College Works Painting Internship

College Works Paintings provides college and university students a unique, life-transforming opportunity to build business management and leadership skills, hands-on. The internship empowers students to run their own local businesses, manage their own crew of people, and provide a much-needed service within their communities - while earning money as well as an invaluable experience.

 

Their internship allows students to not only gain valuable work experience but to help finance their college educations as well. The company is known for having some of the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the industry.

To learn more: https://www.collegeworks.com/students-home-page/

129: Sean Phelps: Balancing Act | Entrepreneurship & Life30 Apr 202400:54:42

On today's episode of The Edge of Excellence, Matt is joined by Sean Phelps, as they explore the concept of entrepreneurship, emphasizing the importance of gaining practical experiences outside traditional educational pathways. Sean reflects on his journey, highlighting his involvement with College Works, where he developed essential business skills by managing teams and projects while still in college. He shares insights about the value of real-world applications of business concepts, advising aspiring entrepreneurs to focus on technical skills in college and seek out entrepreneurial experiences in the broader world, using resources like the Kauffman Foundation and Y Combinator.

During the discussion, Sean elaborates on his career trajectory, including the tough decisions he faced when offered a full-time position that conflicted with his existing commitments. He shares a critical turning point where he chose to prioritize his role at College Works, attributing his professional skills and opportunities to the experiences he gained there. This choice led to him eventually being fired from the FinTech company he was involved with, underscoring the challenges and sacrifices inherent in balancing multiple career paths and the unpredictable nature of startup environments.

Matt and Sean also explore the personal aspects of entrepreneurship, discussing the integration of work, family, and personal life. Sean credits his entrepreneurial flexibility with allowing him to commit time to family and personal interests, advocating for a balanced life where work does not overshadow other responsibilities. They conclude by stressing the importance of building a solid reputation through hard work and reliability, which in turn fosters professional relationships and opens up opportunities for future ventures and collaborations.


Join Matt and Sean for this fascinating episode. 


Enjoy! 



What You Will Learn In This Show:

  • How hands-on experience in the field can surpass traditional education paths for aspiring entrepreneurs.
  • Why challenging economic times, such as the 2008 financial crisis, can serve as the best periods to hone entrepreneurial skills and lead businesses.
  • How adapting to circumstances by working smarter and harder can set a foundation for success.
  • Strategies for managing a successful career while maintaining strong family ties and personal wellbeing.
  • How entrepreneurship offers the flexibility to prioritize life events without sacrificing professional growth.
  • How past failures and humility in leadership can enhance team performance and drive better results.
  • The importance of empowering team members by recognizing their potential to surpass your achievements.
  • How strategic time investment in work, relationships, and hobbies can lead to a more fulfilled and balanced life.
  • The concept of 'investing time' vs. 'spending time,' and how this perspective can lead to more effective personal and professional life management.
  • And so much more...

29: Juliet Monteleone | How to Pivot Again and Again Till You Find Your True Calling24 Aug 202100:38:18

On today’s show, we interview Juliet Monteleone who shares with us her thoughts on exploration, discovering your passion, and finding the courage to follow your dreams.

Back in high school, Juliet was admittedly timid, unambitious, and not sure about where her life was headed. As a result, she dabbled in different fields including art, marketing, and psychology before finally discovering her passion – UX design.

You will get a peek into Juliet’s role as a UX designer at Facebook. And how her job requires her to constantly learn and extensively collaborate.

Juliet also gives us an overview of the UX design process, and how it progresses from research to testing to buildout.

This show will surely inspire you to follow your dreams.

Do not miss!

What You Will Learn In This Show

  • Understanding UX, the blueprint of software
  • Why exploration is a necessary for discovering your passion
  • Is UX an extremely collaborative process?
  • My design philosophy, and what makes me good at my job
  • And so much more…

Resources

Edge Of Excellence Is Brought To You By College Works Painting Internship

College Works Paintings provides college and university students a unique, life-transforming opportunity to build business management and leadership skills, hands-on. The internship empowers students to run their own local businesses, manage their own crew of people, and provide a much-needed service within their communities - while earning money as well as an invaluable experience.

Their internship allows students to not only gain valuable work experience but to help finance their college educations as well. The company is known for having some of the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the industry.

To learn more: https://www.collegeworks.com/students-home-page/

28: Ann Chenal | Overcoming Self-Doubt And Why Challenges Propel You Towards Your Goals17 Aug 202100:36:15

Can introverts be good leaders, manage large teams, and run successful businesses?

On today’s show, we interview Ann Chenal who shares with us her distilled wisdom on overcoming self-doubt, turning challenges into opportunities, and how to combat the inner introvert.

Growing up in rural Wisconsin, Ann was instinctively driven to be good in whatever she did. However, she found herself constantly battling self-doubt.

And it was not before she stepped outside her comfort zone to travel across the US that she realized what she truly loved. And this is when she quit per bio & chemistry major to pursue marketing.

On today’s show, you will learn how running a painting business helped Ann overcome her self-doubt to massively grow her self-confidence.

Among other things you will learn how to change your perspective towards challenges. And why challenges are “launchers” that help you prepare for the next challenge more confidently.

You will also learn why you need to solely focus on what you are doing if you desire to be truly excellent.

This is a show you do not want to miss.

Enjoy!

What You Will Learn In This Show

  • Why excellence is about ignoring what everyone else is doing and solely focusing on your own work
  • How to cultivate good habits
  • Why willingness to learn is the first step to overcoming self-doubt
  • How to turn challenges into opportunities
  • And so much more…

Resources

 

College Works

27: Brent Miller | The Power of Good Work Ethic and How Building a Dream Team Can Fuel Massive Growth10 Aug 202100:44:21

On today’s show, we interview Brent Miller, VP, Home Genius Exteriors who shares with us his thoughts on work ethic, chasing growth, and hiring the right people.

As always, we start this show with Brent sharing his take on excellence. Brent reveals why excellence is a highly individualized concept. And why it can mean totally different things to different people. 

Brent then proceeds to share his incredible background story. As a young kid, Brent was always driven, entrepreneurial and looking for ways to make an extra buck. 

So, it was hardly surprising that he quickly snapped up the College Works opportunity while studying at Penn State. 

This segment of the show is particularly interesting as you will get some great lessons in integrity and work ethic. Learn how Brent managed to run a large painting business without compromising his grades

And how College Works helped Brent pay off his entire student loan within six months of graduation.

Brent started his home improvement company, Home Genius Exteriors in 2020 – the year of the pandemic. And managed to clock revenues of $1.4 million with just one employee. 

In 2021, his company had already clocked revenues of $4.5 million just seven months into the financial year.

In this segment of the show, Brent shares how building a dream team is helping him execute his audacious vision. 

This is a show you do not want to miss.

Enjoy!

What You Will Learn In This Show

  • Why excellence is a highly individualized concept
  • How familial relationships with your employees can fuel massive growth
  • How I managed to get good grades inspite of being a three-sport athlete
  • Why good old hard work always pays off in the end
  • How I paid off all my student loans within six months of graduating Penn State
  • And so much more…

Resources

Edge Of Excellence Is Brought To You By College Works Painting Internship

College Works Paintings provides college and university students a unique, life-transforming opportunity to build business management and leadership skills, hands-on. The internship empowers students to run their own local businesses, manage their own crew of people, and provide a much-needed service within their communities - while earning money as well as an invaluable experience.

 

Their internship allows students to not only gain valuable work experience but to help finance their college educations as well. The company is known for having some of the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the industry.

To learn more: https://www.collegeworks.com/students-home-page/

26: Jerome Stewart | There Is More Than One Path To Excellence03 Aug 202100:45:24

What happens when two brothers follow very different paths in life - one taking the entrepreneurial route, the other moving along the corporate path?

 

In today's show, Matt sits down with his younger brother Jerome to answer that very question. Despite their very different career paths, both ended up ringing the bell on the New York Stock exchange and have more unique perspectives on success.

 

You'll learn about Jerome's time in the Peace Corps and how it helped him discover an entirely new way of living.

 

You'll discover why he's built a career around adventure, always willing to try new things and commit the time and effort necessary to feel their full benefits.

 

You'll learn about his "craftsman" approach to life, as well as the importance of honoring yourself and the opportunities you're presented with in life.

 

You'll also discover the power of building a powerful work ethic - the willingness to do whatever needs to be done in any particular situation, no matter how menial it may appear on the surface.

 

Join Matt and Jerome as they compare their very different paths that have led them to success and of course, excellence.

 

Enjoy!

What You Will Learn In This Show:

  • How Jerome's path took him through the Peace Corps and eventually into Microsoft, Salesforce, Splunk and Dynatrac.
  • Why he takes a "craftsman" approach to everything he does and why he believes that if something is worth doing, doing it well honors both you and your opportunities.
  • How he's built his career around adventure and trying new things.
  • And so much more...

Resources:

College Works

 

Edge Of Excellence Is Brought To You By College Works Painting Internship

College Works Paintings provides college and university students a unique, life-transforming opportunity to build business management and leadership skills, hands-on. The internship empowers students to run their own local businesses, manage their own crew of people, and provide a much-needed service within their communities - while earning money as well as an invaluable experience.

 

Their internship allows students to not only gain valuable work experience but to help finance their college educations as well. The company is known for having some of the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the industry.

To learn more: https://www.collegeworks.com/students-home-page/

25: John Dijulius | Why Doing Your Best Is All It Takes28 Jul 202100:47:22

How do you go from being a hair-dresser to a highly sought-after speaker?

On today’s show, we have John Dijulius who shares with us his distilled wisdom on authenticity, finding your niche, and just doing shit well.

Growing up, John was a terrible student who suffered from massive ADD. But inspite of this, he always had his mother in his corner. John’s mother never stopped believing in him.

And, it was this innate desire to make his mother proud that pushed John to show his best self forward.

John started his career with a cushy job at UPS. But he soon realized that he had to get rid of these “golden handcuffs” in order to realize his dreams.

So, he partnered up with his better half to bootstrap John Robert’s Spa. From almost going out of business in the first month itself, today, John Robert’s employs more than 150 people across multiple locations in America.

Back in 2002, John incidentally discovered that he could make a living (and a very good one at that) as a professional speaker. 

Today, John is one of the most sought-after experts and speakers in the field of customer service. 

On today’s show, you will learn why fear is a good thing that can push you to be your absolute best. John also shares some excellent tips to help you grow and scale your business.

This is a show you do not want to miss.

Enjoy!

What You Will Learn In This Show

  • Why fear is a good thing 
  • How to discover your passion and turn it into a profitable enterprise
  • Sacrifices that I do not regret making
  • And so much more…

 

Resources

John’s Website

John’s Facebook

John’s Twitter

John’s Instagram

John’s LinkedIn

Life As a Daymaker: How to Change the World by Simply Making Someone's Day

 

Edge Of Excellence Is Brought To You By College Works Painting Internship

College Works Paintings provides college and university students a unique, life-transforming opportunity to build business management and leadership skills, hands-on. The internship empowers students to run their own local businesses, manage their own crew of people, and provide a much-needed service within their communities - while earning money as well as an invaluable experience.

 

Their internship allows students to not only gain valuable work experience but to help finance their college educations as well. The company is known for having some of the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the industry.

To learn more: https://www.collegeworks.com/students-home-page/

24: Scott Gladstone | How Authenticity and Collaboration Can Help You Attain Massive Success20 Jul 202100:54:13

On today’s show, we interview the incredible Scott Gladstone who shares with us his distilled wisdom on authenticity, teamwork, and work ethic. 

As always, we start this show with Scott sharing his definition of excellence. Here, you will learn how authenticity is the one thing without which you cannot hope to find yourself on the edge of excellence.

Growing up in an entrepreneurial family left an indelible impression on young Scott and he developed a growth-minded and creative mindset. 

After graduating from Santa Barbara, Scott had a financially rewarding but ill-aligned stint at Bear Stearns. Encouraged by his mentor, Scott decided to quit his well-paying job and pursue his passion for automobiles by joining Sparco USA at the age of 23.

A supplier of high-end racing accessories, Sparco grew rapidly until Scott’s able leadership. However, 10 years later, Scott found himself wanting to transition out after his partners decided to exit and cash in on the company’s success.

So, in 2005, Scott started working as the COO of a much larger, much structured group, Anna’s Linens. 

In 2015, fuelled by his entrepreneurial passions, Scott started a consulting business, Oceancrest Partners, LLC.

Currently, as the President of emotoring.com, Scott is massively transforming the traditional automotive experience.

This is a show you do not miss.

Enjoy!

What You Will Learn In This Show

  • How being authentic can entrench you on the path of excellence
  • Build trusting and exceeding expectations to build brand equity
  • Why there is no alternative to hard work
  • Importance of surrounding yourself with people who are smarter than you
  • And so much more…

Resources

Scott Gladstone

Edge Of Excellence Is Brought To You By College Works Painting Internship College Works Paintings provides college and university students a unique, life-transforming opportunity to build business management and leadership skills, hands-on. The internship empowers students to run their own local businesses, manage their own crew of people, and provide a much-needed service within their communities - while earning money as well as an invaluable experience. Their internship allows students to not only gain valuable work experience but to help finance their college educations as well. The company is known for having some of the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the industry. 

To learn more: https://www.collegeworks.com/students-home-page/

23: Alexis Rabadam | Turning Your Passion into Profit13 Jul 202100:47:48

On today’s show, we interview Alexis Rabadam, CEO, Finessed Media, Inc. who shares with us her distilled wisdom on motivation, entrepreneurship, and kickstarting a new business in the wake of covid.

As always, we start this show with Alexis sharing her definition of excellence. She reveals how she always strives to go the extra mile – so that they can accomplish something that she is truly proud of.

A passionate singer, Alexis recently started Finesse Media, an event company. But, then covid brought the world to a grinding halt.

Like many of us, Alexis retreated into a shell initially. But she was quick to come to grips with the situation and pivot from live to virtual events. Additionally, Finesse Media is also an e-learning platform for hip-hop artists. 

On today’s show, you will learn why Alexis considers College Works to be the best experience of her whole life. 

And towards the end, she reveals why serving others is the surest road to success. 

Tune in for some massive inspiration. Enjoy!

What You Will Learn In This Show

  • How my ability to succeed skyrocketed after the College Works internship 
  • Why College Works has been the best experience of my life so far
  • Why serving others is the surest way to success
  • And so much more…

 

Resources

Edge Of Excellence Is Brought To You By College Works Painting Internship College Works Paintings provides college and university students a unique, life-transforming opportunity to build business management and leadership skills, hands-on. The internship empowers students to run their own local businesses, manage their own crew of people, and provide a much-needed service within their communities - while earning money as well as an invaluable experience. Their internship allows students to not only gain valuable work experience but to help finance their college educations as well. The company is known for having some of the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the industry. 

To learn more: https://www.collegeworks.com/students-home-page/
22: Breanna Brady | Finding Your Zone of Excellence and Sticking to Your Convictions06 Jul 202100:36:17

How can you discover your zone of excellence? What are some of the things that you can do to find the right career path that will catapult you miles ahead of the competition?

On today’s show, we interview College Works alum Breanna Brady who shares with us her distilled wisdom on excellence, conviction, and the importance of finding your own tribe.

As always, we start this show with Breanna sharing her definition of excellence. You will learn the importance of critical self-evaluation and perseverance so that you can push yourself from being good to great.

Growing up, Breanna was admittedly confused and considered different professions ranging from law to paediatrics. Ultimately, she decided to pursue Psychology at Stony Brook University. And it was at this juncture that Breanna first came across College Works.

Owing to her competitive nature, Breanna was instinctively attracted to the College Works internship. And, she decided to give the internship her all even though her biggest advocate, her mother, was not particularly supportive. In this segment of the show, you will learn the importance of sticking to your convictions.

Other topics discussed on today’s show include the importance of optimism, flexibility, and finding your own tribe.

Enjoy!

What You Will Learn In This Show

  • Finding your tribe and how a strong support system can help you ride out challenging times
  • Why you need to be positive and open-minded to being new and exciting opportunities
  • Sticking to your conviction, listening to your gut
  • Sacrifices that I don’t regret making
  • And so much more…

Resources

Edge Of Excellence Is Brought To You By College Works Painting Internship College Works Paintings provides college and university students a unique, life-transforming opportunity to build business management and leadership skills, hands-on. The internship empowers students to run their own local businesses, manage their own crew of people, and provide a much-needed service within their communities - while earning money as well as an invaluable experience. Their internship allows students to not only gain valuable work experience but to help finance their college educations as well. The company is known for having some of the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the industry. 

To learn more: https://www.collegeworks.com/students-home-page/
21: Keith Fiscus | Discovering Your Passion29 Jun 202100:42:33

How can you avoid making some of the biggest rookie mistakes that young professionals make? 

On today’s show, we interview the incredible Keith Fiscus, CEO, Innovative Career Resources & Staffing who shares with us wisdom on career exploration, entrepreneurship, and excellence.

As always, we start this show with our guest, Keith sharing his unique definition of excellence. 

You will learn how you can get a leg up on the competition, and make massive career gains in your chosen profession.

Growing up, Keith wanted to emulate his uncle, who was a doctor by profession. So, it was hardly surprising that he went on to work in the military as a combat medic.

However, he decided to pursue entrepreneurship to satisfy his dual needs of greater freedom and better work-life balance.

So, exactly 19 years back, a newly married Keith chucked his W-2 day job and took on a loan of $50,000 to pursue his passion.

Admittedly, not having a safety net was hugely unnerving for Keith. But a supportive family helped Keith tide out this transitionary phase.

On today’s show, you will learn how you can avoid some of the biggest mistakes that young people make when they are about to step into professional life. 

Specifically, you will learn the importance of professionalism, continuous learning, and resilience. You will also learn how to pick a career that is right for you. And how to pivot and change course when you find better opportunities along the way.

Enjoy!

What You Will Learn In This Show

  • How to pick what you might love as a career
  • How to leverage your network and find a great mentor who can truly help you out
  • How to pivot and change course
  • And so much more…

Resources

College Works

 

Edge Of Excellence Is Brought To You By College Works Painting Internship College Works Paintings provides college and university students a unique, life-transforming opportunity to build business management and leadership skills, hands-on. The internship empowers students to run their own local businesses, manage their own crew of people, and provide a much-needed service within their communities - while earning money as well as an invaluable experience. Their internship allows students to not only gain valuable work experience but to help finance their college educations as well. The company is known for having some of the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the industry.

To learn more: https://www.collegeworks.com/students-home-page/

20: Adam Sachs | Self-Discovery Towards Massive Momentum22 Jun 202100:52:25

Can you achieve your moonshot goals if you play it safe and shy away from taking calculated risks?

On today’s show, we interview Executive Coach and Change management expert Adam Sachs who shares with us his distilled wisdom on discovering your passion, leveraging your strengths, and taking the path less trodden.

Like most of us, growing up, Adam was really confused about his career path. So, after high school, he dabbled in a variety of industries like construction and internet marketing. 

When Adam was in this exploratory mode, most of his friends chose to stick to the tried and tested path.

As a result, when Adam was slumming it out, his friends and peers seemingly left him far behind in the proverbial rat race.

In this segment of the show, you will learn why you need to find the courage and patience to sacrifice short-term gains for massive forward momentum.

After much trial and error, Adam finally chanced upon coaching and consulting. And he even took on debt so that he could get could the necessary certification.

Adam’s conviction paid off big time when he was hired as a coach for Edward Jones. Currently, Adam works as a business and organizational leadership coach for CACI International Inc. 

On today’s show, you will learn why you need to be a constant learner if you hope to find yourself on the edge of excellence. 

Enjoy!

 

What You Will Learn In This Show

  • Why you must sacrifice short terms gains for massive forward momentum
  • Sacrifices that I don’t regret making when I was in my twenties
  • How to discover yourself through exploration and risk-taking
  • And so much more…

Resources

College Works

 

Edge Of Excellence Is Brought To You By College Works Painting Internship College Works Paintings provides college and university students a unique, life-transforming opportunity to build business management and leadership skills, hands-on. The internship empowers students to run their own local businesses, manage their own crew of people, and provide a much-needed service within their communities - while earning money as well as an invaluable experience. Their internship allows students to not only gain valuable work experience but to help finance their college educations as well. The company is known for having some of the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the industry.

To learn more: https://www.collegeworks.com/students-home-page/

128: Steve Kearley | Leveraging Failures and Fostering Growth23 Apr 202400:59:56

On today's episode of The Edge of Excellence, Matt is joined by entrepreneur Steve Kearley, from Benson Kearley Insurance as they discuss the elements of success, the entrepreneurial mindset, and personal growth through business endeavors. Steve shares his journey from selling designer jeans out of his high school locker to becoming a prominent figure in the insurance industry. He emphasizes the significance of self-measurement and personal growth over comparing oneself to others, highlighting how his definition of excellence has evolved over the years. Steve's narrative is peppered with insights on overcoming societal expectations and focusing on one's strengths and unique abilities.

Throughout the discussion, Steve stresses the importance of networking, not in the traditional sense of merely exchanging business cards, but in building meaningful, reciprocal relationships without immediate expectations. This approach to networking, according to Steve, involves connecting people, helping others without a direct benefit to oneself, and ultimately, building a network based on trust and mutual respect. Both Steve and Matt reflect on their experiences within the Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO), underscoring how such networks have facilitated their business growth and personal development.

The conversation also delves into Steve's strategic approach to his insurance business, where he shifted focus from traditional metrics to providing real value to customers through educational seminars and resources that go beyond insurance. This value-driven approach helped differentiate his company in a competitive market. Steve's commitment to his team and ethical business practices, even post-business sale, reflects his dedication to ensuring the welfare of his employees and maintaining a legacy of integrity and trust. This episode not only explores the nuances of entrepreneurial success but also provides practical advice for personal and professional growth.


Join Matt and Steve for this fascinating episode. 


Enjoy! 



What You Will Learn In This Show:

  • How excellence isn't about surpassing others but measuring personal growth over time, understanding and leveraging your unique abilities
  • The true value of networking: building authentic relationships and helping others without expecting something in return, rather than merely exchanging contacts for personal gain.
  • Embracing failures as learning opportunities, fostering resilience, and continuous personal development.
  • The characteristics that often define entrepreneurs, such as a dislike for being employed, the necessity for freedom, and the ability to see and seize opportunities for innovation and leadership.
  • How to differentiate your business in a competitive market by providing additional value beyond the core services, using Steve’s approach in the insurance industry as a model.
  • How setting and adhering to clear company values can simplify decision-making processes and contribute to long-term business success.
  • Advice for young entrepreneurs on setting and sharing goals, the importance of mentorship, and why it's vital to understand and align with your core values.
  • And so much more...


Resources:

Benson Kearley IFG

Steve's LinkedIn


19: Dane Mauland | Discover The Meaning Of Passion and Excellence15 Jun 202100:44:18

On today’s show we interview Dane Mauland who shares with us his thoughts on excellence, discovering your passion, and hardcore work ethic. 

Dan also reveals why he considers teaching to be the most important profession in the world. And he also shares with us how his district manager experience elevated his emotional intelligence – which eventually helped him evolve into a more effective teacher. 

We start this show with Dan sharing his definition of excellence.

Contrary to the popular school of thought, Dan shares that top performance alone is not sufficient for excellence. What you are doing has to be in your wheelhouse too.

If you don’t love your work, you will find it difficult to put in the time and effort required for consistent performance.

To better illustrate his point, Dan shares with us his own work experiences. After graduating from University of Wisconsin, Dan decided to pursue investment banking. Even though he was really good at his job, Dan hated every minute of it.

Eventually, Dan decided to pursue his love for coding at App Academy – a full-stack software training program with less than a 5% acceptance rate.

On today’s show, you will also get some important lessons in work ethic and prioritization. Learn how Dan managed to run a $130,000 painting business AND a cryptocurrency mining business while majoring in business at Wisconsin.

Enjoy!

What You Will Learn In This Show

  • Why teaching is the most important job in the world
  • How my district manager stint taught me some important lessons in emotional intelligence
  • Why life is long and short at the same time
  • Time management and prioritization strategies 
  • Sacrifices that I made in my twenties that I don’t regret
  • And so much more…

Resources

College Works

 

Edge Of Excellence Is Brought To You By College Works Painting Internship College Works Paintings provides college and university students a unique, life-transforming opportunity to build business management and leadership skills, hands-on. The internship empowers students to run their own local businesses, manage their own crew of people, and provide a much-needed service within their communities - while earning money as well as an invaluable experience. Their internship allows students to not only gain valuable work experience but to help finance their college educations as well. The company is known for having some of the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the industry.

To learn more: https://www.collegeworks.com/students-home-page/

18 | Josh Esealuka | The Real Meaning of Success08 Jun 202100:41:20

On today’s show, we interview the incredible Joshua Esealuka, Enterprise Account Executive, AutoRABIT who shares with us his distilled wisdom on the true meaning of excellence, freedom, and materialism.

Growing up, while Joshua was big-time into football, he hated the structured world of academics. And it was not until he was on the verge of being kicked out of school and losing the chance to play football that Josh started to focus more on academics.

Upon graduation, Josh was determined to prove all his naysayers wrong. And he decided to venture into the world of enterprise sales. 

Initially, Josh was fuelled by a strong desire to fulfill all his materialistic ambitions. But he soon realized the futility of this. 

On today’s show, you will learn WHY your focus should be personal freedom and empowerment rather than money and materialistic success. You will learn why taking risks is the one thing that is crucial for success and excellence.

Enjoy!

What You Will Learn In This Show

  • Why your end goal and focus should be personal freedom and empowerment rather than materialistic success
  • Why taking risks is the ONE thing that is essential for your success and excellence
  • Why it is NEVER too late to start all over again
  • And so much more…

Resources

Rich Dad

CollegeWorks Website

Edge Of Excellence Bundle

 

Edge Of Excellence Is Brought To You By College Works Painting Internship College Works Paintings provides college and university students a unique, life-transforming opportunity to build business management and leadership skills, hands-on. The internship empowers students to run their own local businesses, manage their own crew of people, and provide a much-needed service within their communities - while earning money as well as an invaluable experience. Their internship allows students to not only gain valuable work experience but to help finance their college educations as well. The company is known for having some of the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the industry.

To learn more: https://www.collegeworks.com/students-home-page/

17: Danielle Whitaker | Flourish Through Professional and Personal Challenges01 Jun 202100:48:08

On today’s show, we interview Director of Corporate Development, EmpireWorks, Danielle Whitaker who shares with us her distilled wisdom on persistence, goal-setting, and finding your best path. 

We start this show with Danielle sharing how she perceives excellence. When you are on the edge of excellence, you will flourish even in the face of massive personal and professional challenges. When you are coasting along in your flow state, nothing can stop you from putting your best self forward. 

Growing up in suburban Chicago, Danielle had her fair share of ups and downs. And her parent’s messy divorce and modest financial means did not stop her from dreaming big.

After graduating with a degree in sociology from Urbana Champaign, 21-year-old Danielle moved to Vegas to help Empire Works with their talent acquisition. Eventually, she rose up the corporate ranks to become the Director of Corporate Development.

As an experienced talent acquisition expert, Danielle shares some golden nuggets guaranteed to help you out. 

You will learn that the path to success is not a linear one. And that you will have to be flexible and pivot multiple times to reach your chosen destination. 

You will learn how you can find your strengths and field that aligns well with them. 

Additionally, we share some practical interview tips guaranteed to help you get your dream job. 

Towards the end of this show, Danielle reflects back on her journey and shares some of the most important lessons that she has learned so far.

Enjoy!

What You Will Learn In This Show

  • My definition of excellence
  • Tenacity and developing a never-say-die attitude
  • How to pivot and reach your destination
  • Practical interview tips to help you out
  • And so much more…

 

Resources

Occupational Outlook Handbook

StrengthsFinder

CollegeWorks Website

Edge Of Excellence Bundle

 

Edge Of Excellence Is Brought To You By College Works Painting Internship College Works Paintings provides college and university students a unique, life-transforming opportunity to build business management and leadership skills, hands-on. The internship empowers students to run their own local businesses, manage their own crew of people, and provide a much-needed service within their communities - while earning money as well as an invaluable experience. Their internship allows students to not only gain valuable work experience but to help finance their college educations as well. The company is known for having some of the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the industry.

To learn more: https://www.collegeworks.com/students-home-page/

16: Darius Mirshahzadeh | The Real Meaning of Success and The Importance of Exploration25 May 202100:54:43

On today’s show, we have the incredible Darius Mirshahzadeh who shares with us his distilled wisdom on the importance of exploration, the true meaning of success, and authenticity.

When Darius was in his twenties, his sole focus in life was money. And while he did manage to fulfill most of his materialistic ambitions, eventually he realized the futility of his pursuit.

One of the biggest things that Darius emphasizes in today’s show is the importance of exploration.

Darius admits that “being money-centric” destroyed his twenties. And he advises those on the verge of starting their professional lives to retain a healthy, exploratory mindset. 

We also talk a great deal about “enjoying the process”. In a mad dash for material success, we end up being in professions that are not aligned with our personalities. And doing things that we do not innately enjoy.

Cliché as it sound, if you follow your passion, work won’t seem like work at all.

Towards the end of the show, we talk a bit about staying true to your authentic self.

Enjoy!

What You Will Learn In This Show

  • Why you should never abandon an exploratory mindset
  • Why being “money-centric” will only harm you in the long run
  • Being true to yourself and finding your trusted tribe
  • And so much more…

Resources

The Greatness Machine Podcast

Darius’ Website                               

Darius’ Instagram

CollegeWorks Website

Edge Of Excellence Bundle

 

Edge Of Excellence Is Brought To You By College Works Painting Internship College Works Paintings provides college and university students a unique, life-transforming opportunity to build business management and leadership skills, hands-on. The internship empowers students to run their own local businesses, manage their own crew of people, and provide a much-needed service within their communities - while earning money as well as an invaluable experience. Their internship allows students to not only gain valuable work experience but to help finance their college educations as well. The company is known for having some of the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the industry.

To learn more: https://www.collegeworks.com/students-home-page/

15: Rob Lovato | Fail to Succeed18 May 202100:44:25

Can you find spectacular success without experiencing your fair share of setbacks?

On today’s show, we interview Rob Lovato, territory sales executive, Beckman Coulter who shares with us his distilled wisdom on grit, excellence, and success. 

Growing up, Rob was lucky to study in an extremely competitive high school, an experience that made him realize the importance of excellence and continuous improvement. 

However, money was tight when he was about to enroll in college, and so he decided to go to Naval Academy instead. Life had different plans and Rob had to leave the academy midway due to a busted shoulder. 

For a while, Rob had to attend community college and he ended up feeling demotivated and depressed owing to the poor quality of education. 

This is when he ran into College Works. 

Rob stayed with College Works from 2011 to 2017, an experience that funded his education at the University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign. 

Currently, as an account manager with Beckman Coulter Diagnostics, Rob markets diagnostic medical equipment and is responsible for a territory generating $10M in annual revenues You will get a peek into the world of medical equipment and pharmaceutical sales. And learn about the critical attributes that have contributed to Rob’s success. 

Rob opens up his playbook and shares why spectacular success is not possible without making sacrifices.

 

 What You Will Learn In This Show

  • Understanding excellence and why it is a moving target
  • Being persistent and overcoming setbacks
  • How College Works can help you realize your life goals
  • And so much more…

Resources

CollegeWorks Website

Edge Of Excellence Bundle

 

Edge Of Excellence Is Brought To You By College Works Painting Internship College Works Paintings provides college and university students a unique, life-transforming opportunity to build business management and leadership skills, hands-on. The internship empowers students to run their own local businesses, manage their own crew of people, and provide a much-needed service within their communities - while earning money as well as an invaluable experience. Their internship allows students to not only gain valuable work experience but to help finance their college educations as well. The company is known for having some of the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the industry.

To learn more: https://www.collegeworks.com/students-home-page/

14: Danny Sonenshine | Aiming for Empathy11 May 202100:57:01

It only took five days...

 

Danny Sonenshine had only been working as a legal associate in a large international firm for five days when he realized that he hated what he was doing. Every day people find themselves struggling in places that leave them unfulfilled, from their relationships to their careers. 

 

In today's episode of The Edge of Excellence, Matt talks with Danny Sonenshine, CEO and Founder of Far West Restaurants and former legal associate about the importance of having a strong support system when striving for excellence.

 

You'll discover why Danny left his legal career behind just as it began and took a leap of faith - creating his own restaurant business, despite knowing nothing about the industry.

 

You'll learn how seeking out experts and mentors helped Danny fill in the gaps in his new business, and how those mentors ended up supporting him in ways far beyond business matters.

 

You'll discover the importance of applying empathy to every area of your life, not just your job or business, and that you likely have a powerful support system of friends and family around you right now... you've just never noticed it before. 

 

You'll also learn why your relationships with friends and family - those who are trying to support you - are key players in helping you to be more open-minded and optimistic.

 

Join Matt and Danny as they explore the vital role your environment plays in your path to excellence!

 

Enjoy!

What You’ll Learn in this Show:

  • Why Danny left a lucrative career as a legal associate to create his own business focused on understanding people and building relationships.
  • How he learned to turn to others in order to fill the gaps in the areas he wasn't an expert in.
  • How you can create a supportive environment for yourself, whether at home, at school or in your job.
  • Why it's key to be open-minded and optimistic when dealing with friends and family - those who are trying to support you.
  • And so much more...

 

Resources:

CollegeWorks Website

Edge Of Excellence Bundle

 

Edge Of Excellence Is Brought To You By College Works Painting Internship College Works Paintings provides college and university students a unique, life-transforming opportunity to build business management and leadership skills, hands-on. The internship empowers students to run their own local businesses, manage their own crew of people, and provide a much-needed service within their communities - while earning money as well as an invaluable experience. Their internship allows students to not only gain valuable work experience but to help finance their college educations as well. The company is known for having some of the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the industry.

To learn more: https://www.collegeworks.com/students-home-page/

13: Payson Maydew | Overcoming Adversity in Pursuit of Excellence04 May 202100:41:55

On today’s Edge of Excellence show, we have Payson Maydew who shares with us his thoughts on time management and positive mindset. 

We start this show with Payson sharing what excellence means to him. You will learn that the path to success is laden with adversity, and the right mindset can help you overcome your biggest challenges.

Even in high school, Payson liked to keep busy as he pursued a versatile range of interests like sports, theatre, and music. And he continued to pursue his different passions even after starting his CollegeWorks internship. 

Payson shares his effective time-blocking technique where he breaks down his schedule into small 10-minute chunks. Using his technique, Payson is able to do justice to all his commitments while keeping his stress in check. 

In the last segment of the show, Payson gives us a peek into his life as an accountant at Deloitte. Apart from honing his number-crunching skills, Payson shares how he strives to understand the big picture. We also talk a bit about how covid has impacted him and his organization as a whole.

Enjoy! 

What You Will Learn In This Show

  • Effective time management strategies
  • Mindset strategies and responding to adversity 
  • Importance of surrounding yourself with the right people who can help you cultivate a stellar mindset
  • And so much more…

Resources

CollegeWorks Website

Edge Of Excellence Bundle

 

Edge Of Excellence Is Brought To You By College Works Painting Internship College Works Paintings provides college and university students a unique, life-transforming opportunity to build business management and leadership skills, hands-on. The internship empowers students to run their own local businesses, manage their own crew of people, and provide a much-needed service within their communities - while earning money as well as an invaluable experience. Their internship allows students to not only gain valuable work experience but to help finance their college educations as well. The company is known for having some of the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the industry.

To learn more: https://www.collegeworks.com/students-home-page/

                                                                                                                                        

12: The Art of Building Great Relationships27 Apr 202100:11:28

Today’s show is about the importance of building relationships.

You will get a short reminder as to WHY relationships are foundational to a successful life. Additionally, you will also learn the HOW as Mike shares three critical steps to help you build great relationships.

If you are keen on leaving behind a powerful legacy, tuning in to today’s show will give you some much-needed inspiration.

Enjoy!

What You Will Learn In This Show

  • The three critical steps for building great relationships
  • Shedding narcissism, and being magnetic to others
  • Why selfless giving is the only way of forging lifelong relationships 
  • And so much more…

Resources

CollegeWorks Website

Edge Of Excellence Bundle

 

Edge Of Excellence Is Brought To You By College Works Painting Internship College Works Paintings provides college and university students a unique, life-transforming opportunity to build business management and leadership skills, hands-on. The internship empowers students to run their own local businesses, manage their own crew of people, and provide a much-needed service within their communities - while earning money as well as an invaluable experience. Their internship allows students to not only gain valuable work experience but to help finance their college educations as well. The company is known for having some of the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the industry.

To learn more: https://www.collegeworks.com/students-home-page/

 

11 : Kyle Emerick | What Is The 5 F’s Life And How You Can Use It Today20 Apr 202100:27:57

On today’s show of the Edge of Excellence podcast, we interview second lieutenant, Marine Corps, Kyle Emerick who shares with us thoughts on excellence, time management, and focus. 

For Kyle, achieving excellence is about doing well in all facets of his life. He shares with us the 5F’s which are helping him lead a well-balanced life.

Back in high school, Kyle was drinking and partying way too much. However, in college, he came in touch with his mentor who helped him sober up and set his life in order. 

Kyle was keen to separate himself from the crowd with a meaningful internship. And impressed by his incredible peers and the rigorous hiring process, Kyle chose College Works. In this segment, he shares how the internship and real-world experience that came along with it catapulted him ahead of the competition.

Currently, Kyle is a second lieutenant with the Marine Corps. He is also working on getting his engineering degree alongside. You will learn how time management and prioritization can fast-track your success in this segment of the show.

Enjoy!

What You Will Learn In This Show

  • How an internship with real-world experience can be your differentiating factor
  • The 5 F’s for leading a well-balanced life
  • How time management and prioritization can fast track your success
  • And so much more…

Resources

CollegeWorks Website

Edge Of Excellence Bundle

 

Edge Of Excellence Is Brought To You By College Works Painting Internship College Works Paintings provides college and university students a unique, life-transforming opportunity to build business management and leadership skills, hands-on. The internship empowers students to run their own local businesses, manage their own crew of people, and provide a much-needed service within their communities - while earning money as well as an invaluable experience. Their internship allows students to not only gain valuable work experience but to help finance their college educations as well. The company is known for having some of the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the industry.

To learn more: https://www.collegeworks.com/students-home-page/

10: Tackling Stress: The Pursuit of Excellence13 Apr 202100:18:40

On today’s show, you will learn some actionable, common-sense stress management tips so that you can push through unhindered on the path of excellence. 

While stress is a constant fixture in our lives, a perspective shift can help us hone in on the real stresses that truly merit our attention. Doing so will allow us to focus, build systems, and find solutions that alleviate our anxiety.

We share some easy-to-implement exercises to help you out in today’s show.

Enjoy! 

What You Will Learn In This Show

  • Why stress is inevitable when you are pursuing excellence
  • Recognizing real stresses, and learning to tackle them
  • Building systems for alleviating anxiety
  • Easy-to-implement stress management exercises
  • And so much more…

Resources

The Fall of the Human Intellect

Art of Happiness

CollegeWorks Website

Edge Of Excellence Bundle

 

Edge Of Excellence Is Brought To You By College Works Painting Internship College Works Paintings provides college and university students a unique, life-transforming opportunity to build business management and leadership skills, hands-on. The internship empowers students to run their own local businesses, manage their own crew of people, and provide a much-needed service within their communities - while earning money as well as an invaluable experience. Their internship allows students to not only gain valuable work experience but to help finance their college educations as well. The company is known for having some of the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the industry.

To learn more: https://www.collegeworks.com/students-home-page/

127: Brett Apel | Choosing Your Own Destiny16 Apr 202400:49:19

On today's episode of The Edge of Excellence, Matt is joined by Brett Apel as he shares his journey from a college student to becoming an entrepreneur and business executive. Bret emphasizes the importance of hard work, continuous learning, and pushing boundaries to achieve success. He discusses his initial uncertainty about his career path and how his experience with College Works Painting opened the door to entrepreneurship, teaching him valuable business and life skills. Bret's story is a testament to the idea that with the right mindset and work ethic, one can turn challenges into opportunities and achieve remarkable success at a young age.

The conversation explores the concept of excellence, exploring how Bret's definition of excellence as a constant pursuit of self-improvement and challenging oneself has propelled him forward. They highlight the importance of resilience, open-mindedness, and taking ownership of one's actions to overcome obstacles and seize opportunities. Bret stresses the significance of not resting on past laurels but instead, using previous successes as a foundation for future achievements.

The episode touches on the sacrifices required for success, with Bret recounting the social pressures and the need for balance between work, personal growth, and social life he faced during college. He emphasizes the value of making tough choices early in life to set oneself up for long-term success, framing his sacrifices as a means to gain a head start in life. Bret's journey underscores the message that embracing challenges, maintaining a positive and resilient attitude, and continuously striving for excellence can lead to fulfilling and successful outcomes.

Join Matt and Brett for this fascinating episode. 


Enjoy! 



What You Will Learn In This Show:

  • Brett's decision to pursue entrepreneurship, emphasizing hard work, the desire to learn, and the ambition to succeed without constraints.
  • His personal definition of excellence as the continuous pursuit of challenging oneself to be the best version possible.
  • The significance of resilience and keeping an open mind to overcome obstacles and find one's path.
  • The role of effort and time in developing strong relationships, whether with friends, coworkers, or family.
  • Brett's approach to learning from both successes and failures, without dwelling on the past.
  • The importance of balance and prioritizing long-term goals over short-term pleasures.
  • Brett's belief in embracing challenges as opportunities for growth.
  • And so much more...

9: Marissa Wiegand | How My CollegeWorks Internship Helped Me Secure My Dream Job at Caterpillar06 Apr 202100:40:20

Ever wondered how the right internship can steer you towards success?

In today’s show, Matt interviews Marissa Wiegand, Budget Accountant, Caterpillar Inc. who shares with us her thoughts on excellence, relationships, and the importance of making sacrifices.

Back in high-school, Marissa was the typical overachiever with a 4.0 GPA. However, once she started college, she was no longer a “big fish in a small pond”, and found herself out of sorts for the first semester. Admittedly, Marissa was not living up to the high standards of excellence that she had set for herself.

This is when she found CollegeWorks. 

Marissa went all out to ensure that her CollegeWorks internship was a success. She talks about sacrificing her social life and spending hours knocking on stranger’s doors. Her then-boyfriend and now husband even drove Marissa around to help her out.

Listeners will learn how this experience taught twenty-year-old Marissa to say yes to more things. And how she got the confidence and the push to join other student organizations.

What’s more, her internship helped her secure a job at Caterpillar upon graduation. Marissa’s experience helped her stand out among a sea of candidates, and she shares how the interviewer was left dumbfounded once they heard what all she had done at CollegeWorks. 

Today, Marissa manages a $200 million budget at Caterpillar. Other than her accounting and analytical skills, she reveals how building great relationships have helped her quickly rise through the corporate ranks.  

Tune in to get inspired!

What You Will Learn In This Show

  • The meaning of excellence
  • How CollegeWorks gave me the confidence to put myself out there – and to say yes to more things
  • How CollegeWorks helped me secure my dream job
  • Why building relationships is the one thing that can help you rise through the corporate ranks
  • And so much more…

Resources

CollegeWorks

 

Edge Of Excellence Is Brought To You By College Works Painting Internship College Works Paintings provides college and university students a unique, life-transforming opportunity to build business management and leadership skills, hands-on. The internship empowers students to run their own local businesses, manage their own crew of people, and provide a much-needed service within their communities - while earning money as well as an invaluable experience. Their internship allows students to not only gain valuable work experience but to help finance their college educations as well. The company is known for having some of the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the industry.

To learn more: https://www.collegeworks.com/students-home-page/

8: Darin Anderson | Excellence, Self-Belief, and Other Critical Traits of Exemplary Leaders30 Mar 202100:52:31

On today’s show, we interview Darin Anderson, Chairman, and CEO, Salas O’Brien who shares with us his distilled wisdom on excellence, perseverance, and self-belief.  You will also get some practical financial tips as Darin espouses the benefits of putting up with short-term pains for long-term gains.

Growing up, admittedly, Darin wasn’t exceptional in academics or sports. And he only discovered himself in college. 

When Darin entered college, he was intensely aware that his parents had limited means. And he did not want them to take on extra debt. So, he had to make his own share of sacrifices as he took the harder right and set out to make the life of dreams for himself.

Darin first took up the engineering route but then decided to pivot and get his CPA. While working at PWC, Darin got an opportunity to learn about industry best practices that set the tone for an immensely successful career.

At the age of 25, Darin was appointed the CFO of an architectural engineering firm. He went on to have some immensely successful stints at the Kleinfelder and ABM industries.

Today, as a business leader at the helm of a large consulting firm, Darin talks about the importance of constantly benchmarking yourself against your peers. We also discuss some critical traits that enable great leaders to build trust and find buy-in.

Enjoy! 

What You Will Learn In this Show

  • Understanding excellence and how to level up by benchmarking yourself against your peers
  • Putting up with short-term pains for long-term gains
  • Critical traits of hugely successful leaders
  • And so much more…

Resources

Darin’s LinkedIn

CollegeWorks Website

Edge Of Excellence Bundle

CollegeWorks

 

Edge Of Excellence Is Brought To You By College Works Painting Internship College Works Paintings provides college and university students a unique, life-transforming opportunity to build business management and leadership skills, hands-on. The internship empowers students to run their own local businesses, manage their own crew of people, and provide a much-needed service within their communities - while earning money as well as an invaluable experience. Their internship allows students to not only gain valuable work experience but to help finance their college educations as well. The company is known for having some of the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the industry.

To learn more: https://www.collegeworks.com/students-home-page/

7: Jack Kratcha | The Power of Making Unconventional Choices23 Mar 202100:25:58

In today’s show, we interview 22-year-old Jack Kratcha who reveals how he has managed to earn $220K in his three years at College Works.

Jack shares his distilled wisdom on excellence, taking the path less trodden, and the perks of being your own boss.

Back in high school, Jack was great at sports and academics. But, college at Madison proved to be a different ball game, as being in the midst of all 4.0 GPA students overwhelmed him. Being introverted in nature did not help at all, and Jack withdrew into a shell.

This is when he discovered CollegeWorks. 

Initially, his peers ridiculed him for his unconventional choice. But this did not shake Jack's conviction. And he chucked his $9/hour job to work as a student painter and manager. 

Today, Jack’s persistence has paid off big time.

While his classmates are finding the going difficult in the wake of covid, Jack has earned $220K over the past three years. 

Learn how not making the “normal choices” paid off big time for Jack. Enjoy!

What You Will Learn In This Show

  • Finding the courage to take the path less trodden
  • Can introverts be great managers and business owners?
  • The many perks of being your own business
  • And so much more…

Resources

CollegeWorks Website

Edge Of Excellence Bundle

 

Edge Of Excellence Is Brought To You By College Works Painting Internship College Works Paintings provides college and university students a unique, life-transforming opportunity to build business management and leadership skills, hands-on. The internship empowers students to run their own local businesses, manage their own crew of people, and provide a much-needed service within their communities - while earning money as well as an invaluable experience. Their internship allows students to not only gain valuable work experience but to help finance their college educations as well. The company is known for having some of the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the industry.

To learn more: https://www.collegeworks.com/students-home-page/

6: Rob Sprong | Building an Excellence Mindset: What Successful Leaders Do That Others Don’t16 Mar 202100:38:05

What do successful business leaders do differently? What is the “secret sauce” that enables them to outperform the competition again and again?

In today’s show of The Excel Today podcast, we interview Rob Sprong, President, KeenView, and CollegeWorks who shares what excellence means to him. He reveals his four main excellence drivers and shares why it is important to constantly benchmark yourself against your high-performing peers.  

Early on in his story, Rob realized the importance of putting his absolute best self forward. Playing baseball and football in high school and college helped Rob develop his incredible work engine. 

Additionally, at UC, San Diego, Rob set up a thriving tutoring business before he discovered College Works. College Works played a huge role in helping Rob discover his path to being an accomplished businessman as he successfully managed painting projects worth thousands of dollars.

As the President of Keenview, Rob and his team help businesses assess and address internal vulnerabilities. Particularly, he talks a great deal about what it takes to develop and nurture dream vendors who move the needle forward.

Other topics discussed in today’s show include how to manage the challenges of working from home, and tips for getting into the right headspace. 

Enjoy!

What You Will Learn In This Show

  • The four factors of excellence
  • Leadership rules of conduct that I have always lived by
  • How to find and to nurture dream vendor relationships
  • My morning routine, and how it  helps me get into the right headspace
  • And so much more…

Resources

KeenView

CollegeWorks Website

Edge Of Excellence Bundle

 

Edge Of Excellence Is Brought To You By College Works Painting Internship College Works Paintings provides college and university students a unique, life-transforming opportunity to build business management and leadership skills, hands-on. The internship empowers students to run their own local businesses, manage their own crew of people, and provide a much-needed service within their communities - while earning money as well as an invaluable experience. Their internship allows students to not only gain valuable work experience but to help finance their college educations as well. The company is known for having some of the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the industry.

To learn more: https://www.collegeworks.com/students-home-page/

 

5: Time Management Secrets12 Mar 202100:20:41

Today’s show is about time management. If you are shooting for excellence in your personal and professional life, you won’t get to your end goal without prioritization and time management.

On today’s show, you will learn why you need to work on the tasks that are “important but not yet urgent”.  Doing so will bring down your stress levels while boosting your output levels.

Planning for fun and pre-work are two other important concepts that we discuss on today’s show. 

If you are regularly putting in 100-hour weeks, are jumping from one deadline to the next, and taking no time out for yourself, you WILL get burnt out sooner or later. 

Likewise, if you are not factoring in the time and effort required for pre-work, you will miss your targets again and again.  

Matthew also shares some excellent practical tips to help you out including weekly reviews, quarterly plans, and time-blocking techniques.

Enjoy!

What You Will Learn In This Show

  • Why you should take up tasks that are important but not yet urgent
  • How to get better at time management by reviewing progress on a weekly and quarterly basis 
  • How better time management can help you reign in stress
  • And so much more…

Resources

Seven Habits of Highly Effective People

College Works YouTube Channel

CollegeWorks Website

Edge Of Excellence Bundle

 

Edge Of Excellence Is Brought To You By College Works Painting Internship College Works Paintings provides college and university students a unique, life-transforming opportunity to build business management and leadership skills, hands-on. The internship empowers students to run their own local businesses, manage their own crew of people, and provide a much-needed service within their communities - while earning money as well as an invaluable experience. Their internship allows students to not only gain valuable work experience but to help finance their college educations as well. The company is known for having some of the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the industry.

To learn more: https://www.collegeworks.com/students-home-page/

4: Omar Zarabi | Fueling Your Passion and How to Remain in the Constant Pursuit of Excellence09 Mar 202100:50:31

Ever wondered how the Kobe Bryant’s, Tom Brady’s, and Michael Jordan’s of the world stay on the top of their game? 

On today’s show, we interview the incredible Omar Zarabi, Founder and CEO, Port53 who shares with us his wisdom on excellence, passion, and goal-setting. 

As a 4-year-old kid from Afghanistan who did not know a word of English, Omar was constantly bullied by his classmates. 

And when you are picked on for being different, one of the two things can happen - either you withdraw into a shell. Or, like, Omar, you grow up with a chip on your shoulder.

Determined to prove everyone wrong, Omar was driven to excel from a very young age. So, needless to say, he was great in sports and academics in high school. He graduated with a degree in Economics from UC Davis and took up the CollegeWorks internship at this juncture.

Upon graduation, he got a sales position at OpenDNS (which was later acquired by Cisco). Alongside, he also started his first entrepreneurial venture, BlueBoard. Currently, Omar is the Founder and CEO of the cyber-security firm, Port53.

A hugely successful entrepreneur, Omar is driven by his passion and his thirst for excellence.  Learn how a firm commitment to above-average goals can motivate you to put your best self forward. And how you can stoke your passion in constant pursuit of excellence.

Enjoy!

What You Will Learn In This Show

  • How to constantly reset the bar higher and higher
  • Cheat codes for cultivating a positive mindset
  • Setting above-average goals for above-average results
  • How I started an IT company without zero coding knowledge
  • And so much more…

Resources

College Works

 

Edge Of Excellence Is Brought To You By College Works Painting Internship College Works Paintings provides college and university students a unique, life-transforming opportunity to build business management and leadership skills, hands-on. The internship empowers students to run their own local businesses, manage their own crew of people, and provide a much-needed service within their communities - while earning money as well as an invaluable experience. Their internship allows students to not only gain valuable work experience but to help finance their college educations as well. The company is known for having some of the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the industry.

To learn more: https://www.collegeworks.com/students-home-page/

3: The Secret Power Behind DISC Assessments05 Mar 202100:14:56

Are you confused with the wide range of career choices? Do you feel that you are making life-altering decisions without doing your due diligence?

If this is you, you are not alone. In fact, like you, most of your counterparts also make education and career choices without following any streamlined process.

In today’s show, Matt shares some practical and actionable tips to help you out. From taking a DISC test to researching different career options, we share some great information to help you out. Enjoy!

What You Will Learn In This Show

  • How to make career choices that align with your personality
  • How a DISC personality assessment test can help you out
  • How to research different career options
  • And so much more…

Resources

DISC Personality Testing

CollegeWorks Website

Edge Of Excellence Bundle

 

Edge Of Excellence Is Brought To You By College Works Painting Internship College Works Paintings provides college and university students a unique, life-transforming opportunity to build business management and leadership skills, hands-on. The internship empowers students to run their own local businesses, manage their own crew of people, and provide a much-needed service within their communities - while earning money as well as an invaluable experience. Their internship allows students to not only gain valuable work experience but to help finance their college educations as well. The company is known for having some of the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the industry.

To learn more: https://www.collegeworks.com/students-home-page/

2: Nicole McMackin | What It Takes To Achieve Your Moonshot Goals02 Mar 202100:40:02

Ever wanted to know how successful entrepreneurs make it happen? How do they make decisions that catapult them miles ahead of the competition? 

In today’s show, we interview Nicole McMackin, President, Irvine Technology Corporation who shares with you her wisdom on success, mindset, and workplace diversity.

Growing up, Nicole always possessed an incredible work ethic and focus. She credits her parents – both hard-working entrepreneurs for instilling in her foundational values that set the tone for her brilliant career.

Early on in her story, Nicole realized that she had to take massive action to meet her long-term goals…even if it meant making sacrifices in the short-run. And so, she did what any rational person would, and took a 50% pay cut to work as a Business Development Executive for a head hunter. 

And this gamble paid off for her – and how.

In this new role, Nicole got the opportunity to meet the recruiting heads of some of the biggest tech companies in the region.  And soon enough, she got her big break when Advecta, an information technology firm hired her as a senior account manager.

In the year 2000, armed with some great experiences, and discovering her passion for building a more diverse, inclusive workplace, Nicole decided to take the entrepreneurial plunge with ITC.  

As a thought leader in her field, Nicole shares what women should do if they are being meted out differential treatment at the workplace. You will learn how deep-rooted unconscious bias is even today, and why this issue needs to be dealt with, urgently, and strategically. 

Do not miss this incredible show! Enjoy!

What You Will Learn In This Show

  • How building a powerful network can catapult you ahead of the competition 
  • Tackling unconscious bias and building a more diverse workplace
  • Can you enjoy incredible success without compromising on your work-life balance?
  • And so much more…

Resources

CollegeWorks Website

Edge Of Excellence Bundle

 

Edge Of Excellence Is Brought To You By College Works Painting Internship College Works Paintings provides college and university students a unique, life-transforming opportunity to build business management and leadership skills, hands-on. The internship empowers students to run their own local businesses, manage their own crew of people, and provide a much-needed service within their communities - while earning money as well as an invaluable experience. Their internship allows students to not only gain valuable work experience but to help finance their college educations as well. The company is known for having some of the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the industry.

To learn more: https://www.collegeworks.com/students-home-page/

1: Mike Caito | Bootstrapping with $6,000, Scaling, and Exiting Big23 Feb 202100:39:23

In today’s show, Matthew interviews Michael Caito, CEO and owner, MAP Consulting who shares with us his life story, and his entrepreneurial wisdom. 

You will learn how he bootstrapped his food delivery business with just $6,000, sold it at an extremely attractive valuation, and the biggest lessons that he learned in the process.

Michael’s parents got divorced when he just 13, and his mother moved to Wisconsin while Mike was back in NY. Mike’s confidence took a major beating because of this, and he had a particularly rough time in high school.

Fortunately for him, he was reunited with his mother just before college. At this juncture, Mike got his first taste of entrepreneurship as he went door-to-door preaching the bible.  Additionally, once he got recognition, he was also invited to speak at congregations.

This experienced did him a world of good, and Mike was in overdrive by the time he entered college. So, when the opportunity to start a restaurant delivery business with his brother came along, Mike was quick to snap it up. 

Being single and having no other commitments helped as Mike and his partners went all out to make their business a success. In 2015, after scaling to $40 million in revenues, Mike sold off his business at an extremely attractive valuation.

Recently, Mike has come back from retirement as the owner and CEO of Management Actions Program, Inc. (MAP), a consultancy firm.

In today’s show, Mike calls out some of the most important attributes that have contributed to his incredible success. Specifically, we discuss the importance of work ethic, continuous learning, and surrounding yourself with the right people. 

Mike also shares the SIX KEYS of Excellence which have held him in good stead over the years.

Whether you are an aspiring entrepreneur or an established one, tuning in to today will surely inspire you to put your best self forward.

Enjoy!

What You Will Learn In This Show

  • The Six Keys of Excellence
  • Why curiosity is the one thing that can help you find entrepreneurial success
  • How to ensure continuous learning in a professional environment
  • Bootstrapping, Scaling, and Exiting Big
  • And so much more…

Resources

Michael’s TedX Talk

CollegeWorks Website

Edge Of Excellence Bundle

 

Edge Of Excellence Is Brought To You By College Works Painting Internship College Works Paintings provides college and university students a unique, life-transforming opportunity to build business management and leadership skills, hands-on. The internship empowers students to run their own local businesses, manage their own crew of people, and provide a much-needed service within their communities - while earning money as well as an invaluable experience. Their internship allows students to not only gain valuable work experience but to help finance their college educations as well. The company is known for having some of the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the industry.

To learn more: https://www.collegeworks.com/students-home-page/

0: How I Discovered My Ideal Career Path (And How You Can Do It Too!)18 Feb 202100:15:51

Have you discovered the right career path that can transform your life and power you ahead?

On today’s show, Matt Stewart, CEO & Entrepreneur, College Works Painting who shares with us his life story, and reveals how he found his true calling.

Growing up, Matt was fired from all sorts of jobs before he found his true path and unique ability. At the age of 20, he found the career path that was destined for him.

Matt had his eyes set on becoming a lawyer when he was studying at UC, Santa Barbara. And inspite of being hugely success-motivated, he had not bothered to explore the different career options out there. Matt was going ahead with his blindfolds on.

Once Matt discovered the right career, there was no holding him back. This discovery transformed his life and catapulted him ahead of the competition.

So, if you are young, wildly ambitious, and are aspiring to be a leader, tuning in today will particularly help you out. You will learn how you can explore different paths and discover the perfect career with perfect life balance.

Enjoy!

What You Will Learn In This Show

  • Sharing my life story
  • How to explore different career paths
  • How discovering the right career had a transformation impact on my life
  • And so much more…

Resources: 

CollegeWorks Website

Edge Of Excellence Bundle

 

Edge Of Excellence Is Brought To You By College Works Painting Internship College Works Paintings provides college and university students a unique, life-transforming opportunity to build business management and leadership skills, hands-on. The internship empowers students to run their own local businesses, manage their own crew of people, and provide a much-needed service within their communities - while earning money as well as an invaluable experience. Their internship allows students to not only gain valuable work experience but to help finance their college educations as well. The company is known for having some of the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the industry.

To learn more: https://www.collegeworks.com/students-home-page/

126: John Bruckner | Redefining Work-Life Integration09 Apr 202400:47:01

On today's episode of The Edge of Excellence, Matt is joined by John Bruckner, a consultant and advisor with a unique blend of legal and financial expertise. John shares his journey from being a finance major to becoming an influential figure in the legal consulting world, emphasizing the importance of being open to opportunities and seeking mentorship. He recounts his decision to pursue law school while working, which ultimately led him to meet Byron McFarland, who played a pivotal role as his mentor. John's story highlights the value of curiosity, perseverance, and the willingness to seek and listen to advice from those more experienced.

Throughout the discussion, John stresses the critical skills needed for success in his field, including active listening, follow-through, expertise, and perseverance. He suggests that aspiring professionals should immerse themselves in learning opportunities and build relationships with mentors to navigate their careers effectively. John's approach to becoming a successful consultant involves a mix of continuous learning, understanding the importance of client relationships, and the ability to provide expert advice while admitting when further research is needed. His insights into building a career path that blends law and finance shed light on the non-linear nature of professional growth and the benefits of cross-disciplinary knowledge.


The conversation also explores the concept of work-life integration, where John advocates for a mindset of always being "on" but in a way that allows for flexibility and geographical freedom. This approach, he argues, is made possible by a career that aligns closely with one's interests and unique abilities, thus blurring the lines between work and personal life. By accepting the opportunity costs associated with prioritizing work, John suggests that professionals can achieve a form of freedom that allows for significant personal and professional satisfaction. The episode wraps up with a reflection on the journey to finding one's niche in the professional world, emphasizing that success comes from aligning one's work with their passions and strengths, leading to a fulfilling career.


Join Matt and John for this fascinating episode. 


Enjoy! 


What You Will Learn In This Show:

  • How actively listening to clients and seeking mentorship can lay the foundation for a successful career in law or any professional field. 
  • How John's background in finance and his decision to pursue law school led him to a unique niche in legal consulting for businesses. 
  • The core skills essential for success in legal consulting, including writing, case law analysis, and the application of law.
  • The business side of law, including the job market dynamics and the financial implications of pursuing a career in law.
  • Strategies for setting oneself apart in the legal field, such as embracing curiosity, networking, and leveraging unique skill sets. 
  • The concept of work-life integration as opposed to strict work-life balance.
  • The sacrifices required for professional growth and how understanding opportunity cost can guide career decisions.
  • And so much more...


125: Goal Setting and Living a Purposeful Life04 Apr 202400:18:45

On today's episode of The Edge of Excellence, Matt encourages listeners to engage in the process of brainstorming goals, emphasizing the importance of setting SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely) goals as a fundamental approach to achieving personal aspirations. He illustrates how such goals can transform everyday objectives into actionable plans, offering the example of a fitness goal to lose 30 pounds within a year by going to the gym five days a week and burning a specific number of calories. Matt's method underlines the necessity of defining goals that are not only ambitious but also grounded in reality, highlighting the principle that what gets measured, gets done.

Matt extends the discussion to include a wider array of goals, touching on life planning and the significance of considering one's legacy. He encourages listeners to think about their goals in a holistic manner, covering aspects of life such as relationships, career, personal development, and even one's impact on the world. The episode explores the importance of writing down goals to increase the likelihood of achievement and advocates for a dynamic goal-setting process that is adaptable and regularly reviewed. This process is illustrated through the introduction of concepts like BHAGs (Big Hairy Audacious Goals) and SMART goals, stressing the power of written and flexible goals that are regularly evaluated.


The episode wraps up with a comprehensive overview of goal setting across different life stages and areas, from immediate, everyday objectives to long-term aspirations. Matt's advice encompasses setting goals with a clear, sound mind and body, the value of brainstorming in both personal and group settings, and the structured approach to translating these goals into actionable plans. He emphasizes the role of goal setting in fostering a purposeful life and achieving personal and professional growth, and invites listeners to consider their legacies beyond mere accomplishments. The episode serves as a motivational guide for listeners of all ages, particularly those in their twenties, to start setting and pursuing their goals with intention and discipline.


Join Matt for this fascinating episode. 


Enjoy! 



What You Will Learn In This Show:

  • How to establish Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely goals to transform everyday aspirations into actionable plans.
  • The significance of writing down your goals to significantly increase your chances of success. 
  • The comprehensive nature of goal setting, covering aspects such as time management, stress management, relationship management, and more.
  • Why being flexible and adaptable with your goals is crucial, especially in the face of unforeseen circumstances like the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • The importance of considering a broad range of life aspects when setting goals, including personal relationships, financial stability, physical health, and spiritual wellness, among others.
  • The often-overlooked aspect of celebrating achievements, big or small.
  • Setting visionary goals that challenge and inspire you or your organization to stretch beyond current capacities.
  • Setting goals appropriate to different life stages and time frames, from immediate daily goals to long-term aspirations, and how to align them with your ultimate life vision.
  • The necessity of a regular review process for your goals, allowing for necessary adjustments and ensuring alignment with changing circumstances or priorities.
  • Goal setting as a dynamic, ongoing process essential for both personal development and professional advancement.
  • And so much more...


124: Gavin Lantzy | Beyond the Boardroom - Cultivating a Legacy in Entrepreneurship02 Apr 202400:46:30

On today's episode of The Edge of Excellence, Matt is joined by entrepreneur Gavin Lantzy, CEO of SaaviHome, a company specializing in home technology installation and now venturing into franchising. Gavin discusses the importance of accountability and discipline in achieving business goals, emphasizing a culture of determination where goals are pursued ‘hell or high water.’ He shares his journey from an executive in home entertainment to taking over the family business from his father, transforming it into a leader in its industry. This transformation was fueled by his belief in continuous improvement and his passion, not just for the business itself, but for the process of learning and growth.

Gavin's story also explores personal challenges and pivotal moments, including a serious injury that shifted his path from aspiring professional skier to entrepreneur. This adversity led him to embrace new opportunities, including starting his own business through the entrepreneurial training program College Works Painting. He credits his early start and the mentors who guided him for his success, highlighting the sacrifice and time investment required to achieve long-term goals. Gavin's approach to balancing life and work emphasizes the necessity of occasional imbalance to ensure overall life balance and success.


The conversation transitions into Gavin's current challenges and aspirations as he leads Savvy Homes into the franchising world. He discusses the need to develop new skill sets, such as strategic vision, execution framework, and financial management, crucial for navigating the complexities of a growing business. The loss of his father in a tragic accident emerges as a profound moment, inspiring Gavin to honor his father's legacy through his work. This personal loss transformed into a driving force for Gavin, underscoring the episode's theme of finding opportunity in adversity and the continuous journey towards excellence.


Join Matt and Lisa for this fascinating conversation. 


Enjoy! 



What You Will Learn In This Show:

  • The necessity of creating a culture where goals are pursued with utmost dedication.
  • Gavin's transition from a potential skiing career to entrepreneurship after a significant injury.
  • His evolution from working in home entertainment to taking over and expanding the family business into a leading brand.
  • Gavin's personal definition of excellence as a continuous process of improvement, rather than a final destination.
  • The nuances of transitioning leadership within a family business, including setting up a formal buyout and aligning on a shared vision.
  • The new skills and mindset required as SaaviHome shifts towards franchising, from strategic vision to financial management.
  • How the tragic loss of Gavin's father became a driving force, the power of legacy and the motivational aspect of personal connections in business.
  • Gavin's choice to prioritize his career in his youth, setting a foundation for future freedom and success.
  • And so much more...


Resources:

SaaviHome


123: The College Job Search, and How to Crush the Process28 Mar 202400:28:37

On today's episode of The Edge of Excellence, Matt shares insightful strategies for navigating the college job search, emphasizing the importance of preparation and strategic application. He begins by advising against starting with the most anticipated interviews, suggesting instead to conduct several "burner interviews" for practice. He underscores the hard work required in job hunting, highlighting the culmination of 18 years of education and the need to put in additional effort to stand out.

Matt then introduces his "hack" for the job search process, which includes "wormholing" through the internet to explore industries, companies, and career paths. He stresses the significance of bundling applications to ensure that interviews, offers, and decisions coincide, making the process more manageable. Matt encourages listeners to exploit every resource available, from career centers and job fairs to alumni networks and personal connections, to secure interviews and gather information.


The episode concludes with Matt offering practical tips for preparing for interviews, including practicing answering common questions and researching companies thoroughly. He emphasizes the final push in the job search journey, where the last 10% of effort differentiates the exceptional from the average. Matt's message is clear: with diligent preparation, strategic application, and a bit of hard work, finding a fulfilling career is within reach.


Join Matt for this fascinating conversation. 


Enjoy! 



What You Will Learn In This Show:

  • The importance of sequencing interviews for optimal performance and confidence building.
  • The concept of "bundling" applications and interviews to manage job offers and decisions efficiently.
  • The significance of research in understanding a company's mission, vision, values, and news to tailor applications and interviews.
  • The importance of practicing interview questions, focusing on what you can contribute to the company rather than what the company can offer you.
  • Why the job search should be seen a marathon, not a sprint, requiring sustained effort and strategic planning.
  • The role of personal and professional networks in uncovering job opportunities.
  • The importance of exploring various industries and roles to find a good fit for your career aspirations.
  • Tips on making informed decisions based on comprehensive research and self-reflection.
  • And so much more...


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