Screw the Naysayers

Scott MacGregor is the founder & CEO of SomethingNew LLC, one of the fastest-growing talent strategy companies in the country. SomethingNew is a record five-time recipient of the American Business Award for Innovation and winner of Best of Staffing. Scott’s belief that good companies do good things led him to establish SomethingGood™, which is the social mission component of SomethingNew. His first two books, Standing O!, Standing O! Encore and now Standing O! Salute are part of that mission as all of the proceeds go to charity. Prior to starting Something New Scott was the youngest National Account Manager in the history of Fortune 500 Company, Pitney Bowes, and at age 29 joined a startup as Chief Revenue Officer where he served for almost 17 years. Cool things to know about Scott:  He grew up poor in an affluent town Scott sat on his own business plan for 10 years before making the leap into entrepreneurship. He credits his wife for giving him the support he needed to make the decision The idea for Something New came from Scott’s belief that recruiting was broken on both sides And unlike many entrepreneurs Scott is only married to his wife and nothing else Scott’s the real deal. He’s articulate, generous, a welcome addition to the Screw the Naysayers family of guests. Our discussion is full of lessons for people in leadership positions and especially current and wannabe entrepreneurs.   Scott can be reached at: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/macgregorscott/ Website: https://trysomethingnewnow.com/  Please do not hesitate to reach out to me. I’d love to hear your thoughts, comments, and stories, or just make a connection. Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/stnwithtimalison/   Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/screwthenaysayers/   LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-alison/   Screw The Naysayers- www.screwthenaysayers.com 

Marsha Shandur is the curator, organizer, and host of True Stories Told Live Toronto.   True Stories (Told Live) Toronto is a simple idea. A bunch of people having a drink in a back room in West Toronto — or, during the pandemic, their own rooms, but online — listening to other people telling true stories.   It’s not comedy, though it’s allowed to be funny. It’s not educational, but you might learn something. It’s not musical, but, each show, we include a story-telling musician.   There’s no theme each month. The only rules are that the story must be:   true about the guest told without notes 10 minutes long   Marsha also coaches people on storytelling for a living and shows people who think that they hate networking (and are bad at it), how to really enjoy it.     You can reach Marsha at:    Website: http://www.YesYesMarsha.com/screw Please do not hesitate to reach out the host of Screw the Naysayers. Tim Alison would love to hear your thoughts, comments, and stories, or just make a connection. Email-  tim@screwthenaysayers.com Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/stnwithtimalison/ Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/screwthenaysayers/ LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-alison/

Marsha Shandur is the curator, organizer, and host of True Stories Told Live Toronto.   True Stories (Told Live) Toronto is a simple idea. A bunch of people having a drink in a back room in West Toronto — or, during the pandemic, their own rooms, but online — listening to other people telling true stories.   It’s not comedy, though it’s allowed to be funny. It’s not educational, but you might learn something. It’s not musical, but, each show, we include a story-telling musician.   There’s no theme each month. The only rules are that the story must be:   true about the guest told without notes 10 minutes long   Marsha also coaches people on storytelling for a living and shows people who think that they hate networking (and are bad at it), how to really enjoy it.     You can reach Marsha at:    Website: http://www.YesYesMarsha.com/screw Please do not hesitate to reach out the host of Screw the Naysayers. Tim Alison would love to hear your thoughts, comments, and stories, or just make a connection. Email-  tim@screwthenaysayers.com Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/stnwithtimalison/ Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/screwthenaysayers/ LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-alison/ 

Jake Kelfer’s professional journey out of college took a right turn when the job he had lined up disappeared. Instead of being a NBA player’s agent raking in the bucks, Jake found himself working for the L.A. Lakers where he was influenced by the likes of Kobe Bryant and for us older NBA fans, the great Jerry West. Jake left the Lakers after Kobe’s retirement and has gone on to become a 2x bestselling author, global speaker, and founder of Pro Basketball Combine which has helped 70+ NBA draft prospects sign their first contract. Jake is also a coach to entrepreneurs and freedom seekers.  In part two of my feature interview Jake tells us that:   we have to stop giving importance to things outside of our control to grow we need to start from a place of gratitude there has never been a better time to start your own business starting over is hard, but so is staying broken and depressed It’s the hard challenges we face make us who we are The person you are is good enough to connect with the people you want    And tell us that Kobe Bryant taught him the importance of falling in love with the process of being great.   Jake can be reached at: Instagram @jakekelfer  Website: https://www.jakekelfer.com/

Jake Kelfer’s professional journey out of college took a right turn when the job he had lined up disappeared. Instead of being a NBA player’s agent raking in the bucks, Jake found himself working for the L.A. Lakers where he was influenced by the likes of Kobe Bryant and for us older NBA fans, the great Jerry West. Jake left the Lakers after Kobe’s retirement and has gone on to become a 2x bestselling author, global speaker, and founder of Pro Basketball Combine which has helped 70+ NBA draft prospects sign their first contract. Jake is also a coach to entrepreneurs and freedom seekers.    In this feature interview Jake:   Credits his parents for teaching him not to fear rejection and failure Explains how a chance meeting with basketball legend Jerry West helped him find his why Tells us why he walked away from a dream job with the L.A. Lakers Says that as human beings most of us put way to much pressure on ourselves to succeed Encourages us to resist the temptation to constantly measure traditional metrics of success Talks about the 7 main buckets that contribute to success And reminds us that we don’t need everyone to like us in our life journey   Jake can be reached at: Instagram @jakekelfer  Website: https://www.jakekelfer.com/

Angie Cole is the founder of Untaming The Wild, where she helps Business Owners, CEO's, and Startup Entrepreneurs find their power to buck society while building their business. And in Angie’s case, the need to buck society goes way beyond the sometimes rote discussion about success being about more than money. Like me, Angie bristles at the idea that there is a one size fits all approach to living the life you want or success as an entrepreneur.     In this episode, Angie:   Destroys the myth that “fear is not an option for entrepreneurs.” Insists that you don't have to be tracking all your metrics, and you don't have to repeat the template that you've been given Tells us its okay to pursue things that feel right, even if they don’t seem to make sense on paper Admits that she doesn’t really do schedules or lists anymore. Instead, she has very clear aims. Decides where to allocate her energy each day based on the information she has when she wakes up And sums it up this way. The only thing consistent about me is my persistence.   This episode is thought-provoking and will especially appeal to those who struggle with the idea that the key to success is excessive structure. As a special thank you to STN listeners, Angie has a free download available at http://www.angie-cole.com/purpose-full-design.    Angie can be reached at: http://www.angie-cole.com/

Angie Cole is the founder of "Untaming The Wild," where she helps Business Owners, CEO's, and Startup Entrepreneurs find their power to buck society while building their business. And in Angie’s case, the need to buck society goes way beyond the sometimes rote discussion about success being about more than money. Like me, Angie bristles at the idea that there is a one size fits all approach to living the life you want or success as an entrepreneur.     In Part 1 of this 2 part feature interview Angie:   She shares a story about the moment she realized that her parents were not always right. Discusses the fine line parents face when trying to raise independent thinkers and obedient children Challenges us to use play to discover our wild, untamed selves Says that many unfulfilled people stay silent for fear of being seen as selfish Calls out an oppressive system that makes us feel guilty and irresponsible if we want something different in life How she broke free from the cycle by flying to Paris on short notice to think things through   This is high energy and important reminder that we are in control of our own untamed self. Enjoy   Angie can be reached at: http://www.angie-cole.com/

Rutledge Long is an education entrepreneur and independent school consultant in Nashville, TN. A former AP Government and AP English teacher at a college preparatory boarding school, he understands the grind of SATs and APs. He founded Parachute Bridge so that high achieving students will decompress from the grind, rediscover their love of learning and build the skills, dispositions, and competencies that ensure their smooth transition into college and adult life. Parachute Bridge is a Non-Profit.    In Part two of this feature interview Rutledge: States that the future of jobs is in areas like artificial reality, virtual reality, software engineering, and coding Calls out Colleges who are graduating students into a world that is tech and digital, who are helplessly unprepared for the skills that are needed in today’s workplace. Explains why more and more students are going straight from High School into the workforce Tells us that most College Career Centres are not designed to help students explore different types of careers. They’re focused on getting graduates a job in their chosen field...which can be a heck of a problem if there are no jobs or if the student has discovered they don’t want to do that kind of work Speaks about the number of young people embracing the so-called FIRE lifestyle. (live on a fixed income now to retire early) And talks about the work they do at Parachute Bridge and how they are helping young people take ownership of their own careers   Enjoy.   You can reach Rutledge at:   Website: https://www.parachutebridge.org/ Email: Rutledge@parachutebridge.org 

Rutledge Long is an education entrepreneur and independent school consultant in Nashville, TN. A former AP Government and AP English teacher at a college preparatory boarding school, he understands the grind of SATs and APs. He founded Parachute Bridge so that high achieving students will decompress from the grind, rediscover their love of learning and build the skills, dispositions, and competencies that ensure their smooth transition into college and adult life. Parachute Bridge is a Non-Profit.    This is Part 1 of my feature interview with Rutledge:   Explains why Higher Education is not sustainable on its current track Says that his parents were angry and non-supportive when he quit his job to start his own business (at the age of 30) Calls out parents whose ego is so wrapped up in so many aspects of their child's journey in life. Shares stats on suicide rates for those who attend high schools that send their students to the most selective colleges. Brace yourself. Those students are three times the national averages by race among students. Points out that a lot of people end up doubling down on bad education because they don’t know what else to do  Explains why many students would be better off taking a gap year or even going straight into the workforce after high school   Rutledge is articulate, informed, and direct communicator. Enjoy   You can reach Rutledge at:   Website: https://www.parachutebridge.org/ Email: Rutledge@parachutebridge.org 

Susan Ibitz is a HUMAN BEHAVIOR HACKER who is on a mission to help people unlock the science behind human behavior to get more of what they want at work and in life.  Known as the “Human Behavior Hacker,” & ” Human Polygraph” Susan teaches people how to read nonverbal human behavior—body language, face reading, and micro-expressions—and how to use it to decode other people’s hidden emotions, intentions, and future behavior.   She helps people and brands use these same skills to improve sales, team productivity, employee engagement, and more. Some of the organizations she and her team have worked with are PayPal, Target, and S.C. Johnson.   She’s been trained by the CIA, the FBI, the U.S. Military, the Israeli Military, and is a certified Level III Hostage Negotiator. She also worked as a political consultant for 18 years.   In Part 2 of my Feature Interview with Susan she:   Talks about the 3 types of faces we all have. The one we are born with, the one life gave us, and the one we’d like to have Tells us that there are 32 features of our face which can change over time based upon our life experiences. These include the size of our ears, the thickness of  our lips, and the shape of our chin Explains why we should all learn to trust our gut instincts Talks about the ethics of empowering Sales Reps with knowledge that can give them an advantage over their customers. And finishes up by reading my face and sharing her observations about my big ears and how even though I come across all grandfatherly she wouldn’t want to see me if I was really pissed about something!   Ouch. I think she has me nailed.  Enjoy   Susan can be reached at: https://humanbehaviorlab.com/

Susan Ibitz is a HUMAN BEHAVIOR HACKER who was told by her professor that she would never succeed as a Human Profiler. He said this because Susan is highly dyslexic (almost functionally dyslexic).  She’s also a Jewish, Latina who speaks with a strong accent and poor English grammar. He said the good news was that she was “kind of hot” and suggested she focus on getting the right kind of husband.   Today Susan is a speaker, trainer, and internationally recognized human behavior expert who is on a mission to help people unlock the science behind human behavior to get more of what they want at work and in life.  Known as the “Human Behavior Hacker,” & ” Human Polygraph” Susan teaches people how to read nonverbal human behavior—body language, face reading, and micro-expressions—and how to use it to decode other people’s hidden emotions, intentions, and future behavior.   She helps people and brands use these same skills to improve sales, team productivity, employee engagement, and more. Some of the organizations she and her team have worked with are PayPal, Target, and S.C. Johnson.   She’s been trained by the CIA, the FBI, the U.S. Military, the Israeli Military, and is a certified Level III Hostage Negotiator. She also worked as a political consultant for 18 years.   In Part1 of my Feature Interview with Susan she: Explains how she found the strength to push through the early criticism Shares a bit of her family history including her grandmother’s escape from Auschwitz  Tells us how she can tell if a person is lying and gives us some tips we can use ourselves Says that most of us are so busy rushing through life that we're missing the little pieces that complete the picture of the people around us And talks about the influence of our parents and grandparents on our personalities.   If you’re looking for perfect English you will be disappointed. If you’re up for an awesome learning experience, this discussion is for you. Enjoy.   Susan can be reached at: https://humanbehaviorlab.com/

Jeff Harry gets paid to teach adults how to have fun.    Jeff has worked with companies such as Google, Microsoft, Southwest Airlines, Adobe, the NFL, Amazon and Facebook, helping their staff to infuse more play into the day-to-day.  ​ His playwork has been featured in media across the United States including the New York Times, the SF Chronicle, CNN.   Jeff says that while we spend most of our time pretending to be important, serious grownups, it's when we let go of that facade and just play, that the real magic happens. Fully embracing our own nerdy genius — whatever that is — gives us the power to make a difference and change lives.     In Part 2 of this feature interview Jeff:   Challenges us to go back in time and to remember the things we most loved doing when we were children Tells us how we can use those memories to help us identify what we really want to be doing as adults Talks about what it feels like to be in a state of flow Reminds us that we can’t play when we’re in a fearful or angry state Explains why the concept of work life balance is a myth Challenges us to see the world as a playground where we get a chance to experiment And much more   Jeff can be reached at: Social Media Links​ Medium - @jeffharryplays Instagram - @jeffharryplays Twitter - @jeffharryplays YouTube - @jeffharryplays LinkedIn -@jeffharryplays​ Tik Tok - @jeffharryplays

Jeff Harry gets paid to teach adults how to have fun. Try explaining that business model to all the naysayers in the world.     Jeff has worked with companies such as Google, Microsoft, Southwest Airlines, Adobe, the NFL, Amazon, and Facebook, helping their staff to infuse more play into the day-to-day.  ​ His playwork has been featured in media across the United States, including the New York Times, the SF Chronicle, CNN.   Jeff says that while we spend most of our time pretending to be important, serious grownups, it's when we let go of that facade and play that the real magic happens. Fully embracing our own nerdy genius — whatever that is — gives us the power to make a difference and change lives.     In Part 1 of this feature interview Jeff:   Talks about the strategies he uses to deal with naysayers (including his own father) Explains why most adults have forgotten how to play Shares a key question you can ask yourself when you’re trying to decide if you should do something or not Gets real with parents and cautions about the dangers of comparing their children to other children Shares a story about the creator of the famed musical “Cats” (the longest-running show of all time) Offers a different take on what it means to be authentic Explains why it takes practice to like, love, and care for yourself And so much more   Jeff can be reached at: Social Media Links​ Medium - @jeffharryplays Instagram - @jeffharryplays Twitter - @jeffharryplays YouTube - @jeffharryplays LinkedIn -@jeffharryplays​ Tik Tok - @jeffharryplays

Here's the announcement so many of you have been waiting for! Introducing Screw the Naysayers 2.0. In this Friday Tim Talks episode Tim introduces a new member of the Screw the Naysayer Team (Ramon Vela). Tim and Ramon explain why they decided to collaborate to take Screw the Naysayers to the next level. This is the first of what will be a regular Friday show featuring Tim and Ramon. 

This is Part 2 of my Feature interviews with Muyinza Kasiyre.  Born in Uganda, Muyinza emigrated to Canada at the age of 5.  After losing his mother to cancer, Muyinza and his family relocated to Boston, Massachusetts, where he began making his music. Surrounded by drug and gun violence in his new neighborhood, Muyinza decided to stay inside and make music. In 2014, he made his most life-changing investment.  He moved back home to his father’s house, worked 80 hours a week for a year, and was able to save $20K. He then took that money, moved to L.A. and invested it into an e-commerce business.  That business went on to earn him $700K over the next 4 years!  He then started a Digital Media company made up of all black individuals from diverse backgrounds that have combined their skill sets to produce world class results.   In Part 2 of this Feature Interview Muyinza talks about the problems and struggles faced by black entrepreneurs and business owners today. Warning. Muyinza didn’t pull any punches here in calling out those of us who are, in his words, long on talk and short on action. He also speaks about things white people can do to be better allies to their black colleagues. In speaking with Muyinza I found myself wanting to help, and after our on air conversation I reached out to people in my network that I thought may be able to help. I would encourage all if you to do the same.  Muyinza can be reached at: Website: https://www.aprtmedia.com/ SM: Muyinza Kasiyre

Today’s feature guest is Muyinza Kasiyre. Born in Uganda, Muyinza emigrated to Canada at the age of 5.  After losing his mother to cancer, Muyinza and his family relocated to Boston, Massachusetts, where he began making his music. Surrounded by drug and gun violence in his new neighborhood, Muyinza decided to stay inside and make music. In 2014, he made his most life-changing investment.  He moved back home to his father’s house, worked 80 hours a week for a year, and was able to save $20K. He then took that money, moved to L.A. and invested it into an e-commerce business.  That business went on to earn him $700K over the next 4 years!  He then started a Digital Media company made up of all black individuals from diverse backgrounds that have combined their skill sets to produce world class results. In Part 1 of this Feature Interview Muyinza talks about his entrepreneurial journey, the challenges he faced early on as a black entrepreneur, and the strategies he used to overcome early barriers to success.  Enjoy! Muyinza can be reached at: Website: https://www.aprtmedia.com/ SM: Muyinza Kasiyre

This is part two of my interview with Heather Moyse. Heather is a remarkable woman on so many levels. She is a multi-sport national athlete (bobsleigh, rugby, cycling), Olympic Champion, humanitarian, inspirational speaker, and a published author. Heather is a 4-time Olympian and 2-time Olympic gold medalist but is not your typical Olympian. She didn’t grow up dreaming of going to the Olympics. In fact, Heather didn’t start taking the sport seriously and lifting weights until she was 27 years old. Remarkably she competed in her first Olympics five months later.    Heather, who is from the small Prince Edward Island town of Summerside has been described as Canada’s best ever all-round female athlete. And yet while her sport bio is elite I made an instant connection to Heather when I heard her speak about the importance of living a life that aligned with her values. Heather is also the author of Redefining Realistic, where she inspires and educates all of us on how to shift our perspective, seize our potential, and own our story.    You can reach Heather at:   Website: https://www.heathermoyse.com/ Instagram:  @Heathermouse

Heather Moyse is a remarkable woman on so many levels. She is a multi-sport national athlete (bobsleigh, rugby, cycling), Olympic Champion, humanitarian, inspirational speaker, and a published author. Heather is a 4-time Olympian and 2-time Olympic gold medalist but is not your typical Olympian. She didn’t grow up dreaming of going to the Olympics. In fact, Heather didn’t start taking the sport seriously and lifting weights until she was 27 years old. Remarkably she competed in her first Olympics five months later.    Heather, who is from the small Prince Edward Island town of Summerside has been described as Canada’s best-ever all-round female athlete. And yet while her sports bio is elite I made an instant connection to Heather when I heard her speak about the importance of living a life that aligned with her values. Heather is also the author of Redefining Realistic, where she inspires and educates all of us on how to shift our perspective, seize our potential, and own our story.    This is part one of a two-part interview with Heather.   You can reach Heather at:   Website: https://www.heathermoyse.com/ Instagram. Heathermouse

This is part two of my interview with BRANT MENSWAR. Brant has been recognized as one of the country’s “Top 10 Motivational Speakers,” an author, an award-winning musician, podcast host, and the CEO and founder of Rock Star Impact, a boutique agency that teaches people and organizations how to cultivate values-based leadership.   His newest book, titled Black Sheep, uses the analogy of a black sheep to drive home the importance of defining and honoring your non-negotiable values. The book is a short, funny, read that challenges all of us to do the hard work that is needed to live a life that aligns with the things we value. Amen to that because that is what the Screw the Naysayers movement is all about.    This is a fun interview with a lot of depth. Enjoy.   Brant can be reached at:   Book Website: findyourblacksheep.com Website: www.brantmenswar.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/brantmenswar Instagram: www.instagram.com/brantmenswar Facebook: www.facebook.com/brantmenswar Twitter: www.twitter.com/brantmenswar Podcast: www.thoughtsthatrock.com

This is part one of a two-episode interview with BRANT MENSWAR. Brant has been recognized as one of the country’s “Top 10 Motivational Speakers,” an author, an award-winning musician, podcast host, and the CEO and founder of Rock Star Impact, a boutique agency that teaches people and organizations how to cultivate values-based leadership. His newest book, titled Black Sheep, uses the analogy of a black sheep to drive home the importance of defining and honoring your non-negotiable values. The book is a short, funny, read that challenges all of us to do the hard work that is needed to live a life that aligns with the things we value. Amen to that because that is what the Screw the Naysayers movement is all about.  This is a fun interview with a lot of depth. Enjoy. Brant can be reached at: Book Website: findyourblacksheep.comWebsite: www.brantmenswar.comLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/brantmenswarInstagram: www.instagram.com/brantmenswarFacebook: www.facebook.com/brantmenswarTwitter: www.twitter.com/brantmenswarPodcast: www.thoughtsthatrock.com