Interviews with interesting people
When in college Brad Hill and I spent many a psych class together. He was tall and thin; I was less and more. He was always a runner (always double tie your shoe laces). The only thing I ran for was the bus. I went on in psych but Brad spent many years in Congo. The experience tested his cultural assumptions and shook him to the core. And you’ll learn why community is so important to him.
I tracked Terry Hart to Cody, WY. It’s apparently where ex-police officers hang out. They go there to get away from crime, drink coffee and shoot at fence posts. But back when he was a cop in LA, things were quite different. Terry explains the best part of job, the value of martial arts, and why you should be prepared before you go to a police academy. He also shares how he got through taking someone’s life.
Do you remember Roz from the sitcom Fraiser? She was the producer of his (fictional) radio show. She ran the board, arranged for guests, and handled lots of details. Jason Howell does the same thing for a variety of tech-oriented podcast video shows. He also explains a visit by the Secret Service, the joys of fatherhood, and what it’s like to be late for your college graduation… and you’re speaking.
You can catch Jason at Tech News Today. And for his website click here.
Kevin Jessip went from selling burgers at MacDonald’s to selling jewelry at Zales to selling marketing solutions to the Fortune 500. The secret to his success: making strong relationships with the people you meet. You probably have him to thank for getting a free plane ticket for buying a computer, or a free cruise for buying a car. Selling is a life-long passion for him. And he gives us the short course of how to sell.
You know how it is. You start out studying civil engineering at UC Berkeley and the next thing you know you’re marketing records internationally for Motown. It happens to everybody…everybody named John Loken. His has seen the music industry change and die. But the principles of marketing remain. He not only uses terms like demand generation, D2C, end cap positioning and site analytics; he knows what they mean. He’s the kind of guy who decides to do a triathlon (bike, run, swim) before knowing how to swim.
He speaks well, tells jokes, stays in shape and travels a lot. He is a one man show. And manages to make a good living doing an unusual job. Brian Brushwood is a magician. He can do cards and sleight of hand. But he is best known for bizarre tricks: escapes, eating fire, and pounding a steel spike up his nose. For the college crowd, his live show is the biggest event on campus. Brian is the Conan O’Brien of magic. For Brian Brushwood’s site click here. It will magically open.
If you’re heard albums by Ray Charles, Johnny Mathis, Elton John, or Willie Nelson, you’ve heard Mike Vaccaro. He was on the road with the big band sounds of Count Basie, Woody Herman, Paul Horn and Stan Kenton. If there’s an orchestra in a movie, a Broadway show, or a ballet in town, Mike will be close by. He explains what it takes to be a professional musician, how the size of the audience matters, his 2 regrets, and how the music business has changed.