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Welcome to the first episode of my new podcast the podcast for thought leaders, change-makers and entrepreneurs! Join me each episode as I interview a diverse mix of the planet’s most innovative minds in business, psychology, personal development, leadership and more for game-changing ideas, transformational stories, and entrepreneurial best practices to help YOU create more freedom, more fortune, more fulfillment and more fun, in your business and life. Guaranteed. As a professional speaker, business consultant, and Superstar Activator I teach professionals about how to position and promote their personal brands to get ahead. In this episode you'll get to know me a little better, learn about what to expect from the podcast, and what it means to be a Superstar. I hope you enjoy the show, because it's your time to shine Superstar! Consider Leaving a Rating & Review! “Monthly recurring revenues are the key to sustainable business, especially if what you’re selling is you.” - Michelle Villalobos Show Notes: What this podcast is about What is a Superstar Why the best time to step into your Superstardom is NOW What you can expect from this podcast Some of our upcoming guests and shows Who is Michelle Villalobos Her story (the short version) Michelle's intention and commitment for this podcast “My intention is that you discover how to build a brand and business around your strengths, which is WAY more effective than trying to fix, manage, or overcome your weaknesses.” - Michelle Villalobos Links Mentioned: Find me on Facebook and Instagram Learn more about Superstar Activator Please Comment, Subscribe and Leave me a Rating and Review on Apple Podcasts! “I used to joke that 2014 was the worst year of my life that ultimately lead to my best life of all my years.” - Michelle Villalobos

Alina Villasante is the founder and designer of the lifestyle brand, Peace Love World, and an advocate of loving and inspiring every person to be their best self. Born in Cuba, raised in New York and Miami-based, Alina found her purpose in the world of fashion after 17 years in the Aviation business. She founded Peace Love World in 2009 and since then it has grown into the influential multimillion dollar brand it is today – just recently landing a coveted spot on QVC. Alina recognized that everyone was starving for the same thing: peace love and happiness. She decided to make it her mission to find a window to the world where she can inspire people to not only feel loved, but to love others. She found her voice for positive energy and affirmations, and used clothes as the canvas to spread this message. Tune in as we discuss business strategies and tactics, Alina’s behind-the-scenes struggles, challenges, heartbreaks, and much more. Consider Leaving a Rating & Review! “What could you say about yesterday if you didn’t enjoy it because you were waiting for tomorrow?” - Alina Villasante Show Notes: The history and message of the Peace Love World brand Alina's superstar story What life was like growing up as a child of Cuban immigrants How to create your freedom The importance of focusing on joy, passion and gifts How your biggest challenges can turn into opportunities Alina’s vision for the future of Peace Love World Inspirational mentors who guide and teach Alina Favorite books “Your darkest days can be your best tools to sit back and keep trying because you never really lose until you quit.” - Alina Villasante Links Mentioned: Alina's recommended books: Mastery of Love by Don Miguel Ruiz Seat of the Soul by Gary Zukav The Vortex by Esther and Jerry Hicks The Universe Has Your Back by Gabrielle Bernstein Meditations for Manifesting by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer Connect with Alina Villasante: Facebook | Twitter | Peace Love World “You have right now what you prayed for last year and maybe now you want different things, but don’t forget what you were given.” - Alina Villasante

Dr. Ivan Misner is the Founder and Chief Visionary Officer for BNI, the world's largest business networking organization. He has been called the "father of modern networking" by CNN and one of the “Top Networking Experts to Watch” by Forbes. He is a New York Times Best-selling author who has written 22 books. Ivan started BNI as a way to establish a strong referral network for his and his friends' businesses. Then it grew amazingly fast and has become the largest business networking group in the world. Tune in and glean over some of Ivan's wisdom as we discuss his career, philosophy, and influences. Learn how to follow your "flame" and delegate your "wax", how to become more lucky, and how to find your "why." Consider Leaving a Rating & Review! “Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do to get to do what you want to do.” - Ivan Misner Show Notes: Ivan's genesis story of BNI -- necessity is indeed the mother of invention! How to avoid feeling trapped by your business Delegating authority rather than responsibility The flame and wax analogy about following your passion Ivan’s relationship with money growing up "The harder you work, the luckier you get" How Ivan found his “why” On Ivan’s career mentors, cheerleaders, and guides About Ivan’s cancer diagnosis and The Misner Plan that was born as a result “If you want to scale a business, do six things a thousand times; not a thousand things six times.” - Ivan Misner Links Mentioned: The E Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber Chicken Soup for the Soul by Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen Success Principles by Jack Canfield Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus by John Gray Learn more about Misner Plan Learn more about BNI Get a copy of Ivan's books: Healing Begins in the Kitchen Avoiding the Networking Disconnect Connect with Ivan Misner: Facebook | Twitter | Website “Sometimes your ‘why’ can be healthy or unhealthy but recognizing it is a nexus point in one’s life.” - Ivan Misner

Marci Shimoff is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, world-renowned transformational teacher, and expert on happiness, success and unconditional love. She’s authored the international best-sellers, Love For No Reason and Happy For No Reason, co-authored six titles in the Chicken Soup for the Woman’s Soul series as well as Inspirations for Women: Color Your World Happy. She currently co-leads a global online program called Your Year of Miracles to help people live more miraculous lives. In this episode Marci teaches us secrets to hardwiring our brains for happiness. You'll also learn exercises that shift your brain into a state of love rather than a state of fear, and habits that raise your baseline levels of happiness permanently. This episode is chock-full of practical information that you can immediately incorporate into your life to become happier, healthier, and more successful. Consider Leaving a Rating & Review! “I call it ‘happy for no reason,’ which means you have an inner state of peace and well-being that doesn’t depend on your circumstances.” - Marci Shimoff Show Notes: Why happiness must come first Marci's journey into becoming a happiness expert How Marci's life changed after she came up with the “happiness for no reason” concept What is your "happiness set point" and how you raise can it The 7 categories of happiness habits 3 practical steps to hardwire your brain for happiness Marci’s mentors and leaders Most influential books “Anybody I meet who is living a joyful life aligned with their soul message, I consider them to be my inspiration.” - Marci Shimoff Links Mentioned: Yes I Can by Sammy Davis Jr. A Return To Love by Marianne Williamson The Untethered Soul by Michael Singer Watch Sean Achor's TED talk Learn more about Your Year of Miracles Get a copy of Marci's books: Happy For No Reason Love For No Reason Chicken Soup for the Woman’s Soul Connect with Marci Shimoff: Facebook | Twitter | Happy for No Reason “When there is light in soul, there will be beauty in the person. When there is beauty in the person, there will be harmony in the house. When there is harmony in the house, there will be order in the nation. And when there is order in the nation, there will be peace in the world.” - Chinese Proverb

In this episode, our guest is global business celebrity Jeffrey Hayzlett, the host of C-Suite TV’s C-Suite with Jeffrey Hayzlett and Executive Perspectives LIVE. Jeffrey is a well-traveled public speaker, best-selling author, former CMO of a fortune 100 company, and chairman of C-Suite Network. We discuss Jeffrey’s life and career, how to prepare for and cope with failure, creating work-life balance, and about the interplay of masculine and feminine energies in the business place. In this interview, Jeffrey is absolutely relentless in dispensing wisdom, so get ready to take notes! Consider Leaving a Rating & Review! “I look up to all people in all things. I’m always learning things from people.” - Jeffrey Hayzlett Show Notes: On Jeffrey's life and career journey How companies should be heroic How teams need tension to be great The importance of being your authentic self Being OK with failure How to be engaged and involved with your family while working your butt off About Jeff’s mentors Masculine energy vs feminine energy in business The importance of doing things your own way “The more I’ve gotten into it, being me, the less I look into the mirror to say ‘Gosh, is that who I want to be?’” - Jeffrey Hayzlett Links Mentioned: Get a copy of Jeffrey's books: Think Big, Act Bigger: The Rewards of Being Relentless Running the Gauntlet: Essential Business Lessons to Lead, Drive Change, and Grow Profits The Mirror Test: Is Your Business Really Breathing? Learn more about C-Suite TV and C-Suite Radio Listen to All Business with Jeffrey Hayzlett Watch C-Suite with Jeffrey Hayzlett Watch Executive Perspectives LIVE Connect with Jeffrey Hayzlett: Facebook | Twitter | Hayzlett “The world would be a better place if we all just sat down and had bacon.” - Jeffrey Hayzlett

In this episode I interview Alexis Neely (artist name Ali Shanti). Alexis is a bestselling author and frequent guest on numerous talk shows and news broadcasts. After graduating summa cum laude from Georgetown Law, she went on to build her own law practice into a million-dollar a year firm in just 3 years. And then realized she was miserable. Hear her story of how she completely turned around her life and brought it into alignment with her authentic self – while building 2 more million-dollar businesses – is epic. And as she tells the story, she drops truth bomb after truth bomb (no joke, I took 8 pages of notes!) about ways to develop the kind of self-awareness and self-acceptance that lead to joy, prosperity and fulfillment in your business and life. Consider Leaving a Rating & Review! “Everything we see outside of ourselves is a reflection of our own internal consciousness” - Alexis Neely Show Notes: How we tend to make many of our life choices based on unconscious wounds we carry with us from our past Avoiding reactivity: Learning to step back and make a different choice How learning to safely feel our bad feelings will prevent them from exploding Discovering the masculine and feminine aspects that live within you Entrepreneurial models Alexis's long-term goals How to give your desires appropriate attention and permission “Every business problem is an opportunity for you to see something that you are not seeing in yourself.” - Alexis Neely Links Mentioned: Learn more about Eyes Wide Open Find out more about Law Business Mentors Connect with Alexis Neely: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Alexis Neely “It is part of our cultural collective that we have not been taught that it is safe to feel.” - Alexis Neely

Hello, Superstar! Today's episode is a SOLO round in which I walk you through my 7-steps to building a "Superstar" business. Following this framework will ensure that you have a sustainable, scalable business based on your gifts, passions, and purpose, and a business that grows in a way that is lifestyle friendly, leveraged and impact driven. Listening to this episode will help you gain clarity on where you and your business are misaligned, and the questions you need to answer to bring it back into alignment. You can follow along just by listening, or you can download the Superstar Business Model worksheet, so you can also have a visual representation of what we'll be discussing. Consider Leaving a Rating & Review! “It’s not who you know, it’s who knows you and what they say about you when you’re not around. That’s your brand!” - Michelle Villalobos The Superstar Business Model - Build a business that is founded on your strengths, gifts, and purpose: Discovering your identity and working to your strengths Defining your mission and designing your lifestyle Aligning your model with your mission and lifestyle Building your brand Market your mission, your message, and your movement Monetize your magic and sell to serve Optimize and scale “When your brand is a good reflection of who you are, its a helluva lot easier to promote yourself.” – Michelle Villalobos Links Mentioned: Superstar Business Model worksheet (no longer available) Get a copy of Your Life Your Legacy by Roger Hamilton “You are perfect the way you are. You’re perfect! You are whole and complete and perfect. And if you focus on your strengths and what makes you amazing, you really don’t have to worry as much about the weaknesses.” – Michelle Villalobos

All over the globe, women are speaking up, stepping up and shaking up the status quo. My guest on this show is one of those women. Claudia Chan isn't he founder and CEO of S.H.E. Global Media, an initiative to help Fortune 1000 companies accelerate their diversity initiatives and achieve gender parity by 2030. In this interview we discuss her new book, This Is How We Rise, and this "3rd Wave of Feminism," in which women honor their feminine nature, empower each other, rise above "victim" status and step into being agents of change in their communities, companies and countries. I hope that this interview leaves you as inspired and motivated as it did me! Enjoy. Consider Leaving a Rating & Review! “The 2000s were the Sex and The City, shopping party, fluff era where women and shopping and cocktails and girls-night-outs were the main offering out there and form of entertainment. Today it’s all about empowerment.” - Claudia Chan Show Notes: The current state of "feminism" Femininity as an asset in the workplace How empowered women are agents of change The common "victim mentality" that doesn't serve women, and what it takes to rise above The role of the media in forwarding gender equality About Claudia’s new book, This is How We Rise “All the things that you have experienced, your natural born skills, are all for you to bring you closer to a greater purpose in life.” - Claudia Chan Links Mentioned: Watch Claudia's TED Talk Get a copy of This Is How We Rise by Claudia Chan Get a copy of The Athena Doctrine by John Gerzema and Michael D'Antonio Get a copy of Half the Sky by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn Learn more about S.H.E. Global Media Connect with Claudia Chan: Facebook | Twitter “Women are the greatest untapped resource in our world.” - Claudia Chan

Get ready for some amazing content in this show from one of the wisest people I’ve ever had the pleasure of interviewing. My guest, Sharon Lechter, is a financial literacy expert, keynote speaker, and the New York Times Bestselling Author – along with Robert Kiyosaki – of the 14 books in the Rich Dad Poor Dad, series. In fact, Sharon has been called “the GENIUS” behind that brand. In her current role with the Napoleon Hill Foundation, Sharon has also co-written several OTHER bestselling books including Think and Grow Rich for Women, Three Feet From Gold, and Outwitting the Devil, a VERY intriguing book originally authored by Napoleon Hill and never released because it was too “out there” (my words, not hers) for its time. Get ready to learn about the inside scoop on those books, plus the difference between a "Celebrity" business and a "Mission-based" business, and how to optimize BOTH usingsystems that can be maintained by your employees without your intervention. Consider Leaving a Rating & Review! “Everything you’ve done in life is an experience that’s preparing you for what you need to do tomorrow and the next day. Be open to the possibilities and ask yourself, why not?” - Sharon Lechter Show Notes: Sharon’s journey from CPA to international superstar What Sharon was NOT prepared for on her career journey – and how you can plan ahead The #1 key to making ANY business scaleable and sustainable How to systemize and scale a "Celebrity" driven business that is built around an individual The inside scoop on Think And Grow Rich and Napoleon Hill How women must approach the steps to success differently from men The common maladaptive behaviors Sharon had to shift to become successful The prayer of Jabez – Sharon's guiding mantra for life and work “Do you own a business or do you own a job?” - Sharon Lechter Links Mentioned: Sharon Lechter's Books: Rich Dad Poor Dad Three Feet from Gold Outwitting the Devil Think and Grow Rich for Women Good To Great by Jim Collins The Go-Giver by Bob Burg Listen to Sharon's podcast: Your Money, Your Business, Your Life Visit Cherry Creek Lodge Connect with Sharon Lechter: Facebook | Email | Twitter | Sharon Lechter “If you want to be successful in life, you’ve gotta understand your numbers.” - Sharon Lechter

Once upon a time... I interviewed a fantastic guest on my podcast named Andy Henriquez! Andy is an expert storyteller who helps people strategically transform their everyday stories into powerful tools to elevate their brand, create more connection and wield more influence. Clients include the Office Depot Foundation, Accenture, Pratt & Whitney, and Bacardi, to name a few. In this interview, we learn the (very strange) reason why telling stories is SO much more effective than any other method of creating connection and influence. And we learn how to strategically CHOOSE the right story for every occasion, then the key ways to develop and refine them into their most potent forms. Then, Andy workshops a simple every day story LIVE and turns it into a masterpiece before your very eyes -- or ears, I guess. This episode is super information rich! It contains everything you need to begin mining your own experiences for storytelling gold. As Andy likes to say, note-takers are money-makers, and I think that is absolutely applicable to this episode! Consider Leaving a Rating & Review! “Facts tell, but stories sell!” - Andy Henriquez Show Notes: How stories are much more effective for connecting with people than facts and details. Why the descendants of storytellers were naturally selected. How we can use storytelling to influence, inspire, and educate. How to find and develop your signature story: look for challenges, transitions, and defining moments in your life. Finding the universal theme of your story DEMONSTRATION: Andy workshops Michelle’s story The component parts of a story: context, conflict, and conclusion. Andy’s own story “Never make a point without telling a story and never tell a story without making a point.” - Les Brown Links Mentioned: Get a copy of: Show Up for Your Life by Andy Henriquez Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill Instinct by T.D. Jakes The 5 Second Rule by Mel Robbins Learn more about The #1 Strategy to Get Your Audience to Connect with your Story Connect with Andy Henriquez: Facebook | Andy Henriquez “Sometimes your biggest challenges are going to be you versus you.” - Andy Henriquez

What if work felt like play, every single day? That's the topic of my recent podcast episode #12, all about how to bring your work into alignment with your natural gifts and strengths, such that you can barely tell you're working because it feels so damn good! In this episode, I address step #1 of my Superstar Business Model and provide concrete questions and a methodology for aligning your business with who you are and what you really care about. Consider Leaving a Rating & Review! "The master in the art of living makes little distinction between his work and his play, his labor and his leisure, his mind and his body, his education and his recreation, his love and his religion. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his vision of excellence at whatever he does, leaving others to decide whether he is working or playing. To him he is always doing both." – L.P. Jacks Show Notes: How following curiosity helped me discover a misalignment between who I was and what I was doing. What is your TRUE identity? (Note: most of us have no clue!) How to find your flow by discovering your most natural strengths and reconnecting with your passions. How to make your weaknesses and dislikes IRRELEVANT. Choosing your identity versus ending up with a "default" identity, designed by and for everyone but you. The simple question that will transform everything in your life, in the blink of an eye. How to "find your fuel" in any given moment. “Identity is the intentional integration of who you are naturally with who you choose to be.” - Michelle Villalobos Links Mentioned: Identity Worksheet Learn more about Wealth Dynamics Get a copy of StrengthsFinder 2.0 by Tom Rath Get a copy of Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni “We’ve gotta know it before we can shift it!” - Michelle Villalobos

Do you communicate "dynamically?" Dynamic Communication is communication that drives ACTION, and as such is linked to more influence, more sales, more credibility and more PROFIT. And who doesn't want more of that? In (lucky) Episode 13 of Awaken Your Inner Superstar, Jill Schiefelbein teaches us about how Dynamic Communication works. And how to incorporate more of it into our everyday language and business strategies. You'll learn how to avoid some common (and deadly) communication pitfalls in business, and how to claim a position of power in any negotiation, among other things. Jill is an award-winning entrepreneur, author, and recovering academic. She taught business communication at Arizona State University for 11 years before venturing into entrepreneurship. Her business, The Dynamic Communicator®, helps organizations increase sales and create consumer advocates. And her program, The Dynamic Accelerator, helps solo- and micro-entrepreneurs accelerate growth. Her latest book, Dynamic Communication: 27 Strategies to Grow, Lead, and Manage Your Business hit stores March 2017. Consider Leaving a Rating & Review! “So much time in organizations is, quite frankly, wasted in meetings.” - Jill Schiefelbein Show Notes: How dynamic communication can generate more profit for a business The 3 essential variables of dynamic communication How to enter a business communication from a position of strength The distinction between information and knowledge, and what it means in your communication Common communication pitfalls in business What Jill teaches that you won't find in any other model of communication On the importance of consumer efficacy – AKA: How your customers feel in using your product, process, or service On Jill’s escape from Kansas and subsequent adventures On Social Media: “The shares, the messages — those are action. The other stuff — it’s all vanity numbers.” - Jill Schiefelbein Links Mentioned: Jill's favorite digital business tools: Meet Edgar rev.com TurboScan (no longer available) Calendly Get a copy of Jill's book Dynamic Communication Read Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert Read What Would Google Do? by Jeff Jarvis Connect with Jill Schiefelbein: Facebook | Twitter | The Dynamic Communicator “And of course I got a smack across the face for using the H-E-double-hockey-sticks word.” - Jill Schiefelbein