Excited to have my friend Eric Schneider join me for what I hope you’ll agree is a really interesting conversation.The Narrativ was created to bring interesting people to you who you may not have heard of (or from) before with the common thread of those people being great storytellers.Eric is a great storyteller, and uses interesting mediums to tell his stories, some of which won’t translate to an audio format.So, when you’re done listening, go check out Eric’s blog at https://ericschneiderr.wordpress.com/ or his LinkedIn profile.Eric’s currently a consultant in enterprise software and advises executives in using data to bring their customer strategy to life. He started his career in mechanical engineering, shifted to training and selling engineering software, and continued building his career by continual learning and following his interests. That took him to eCommerce, salesforce automation, marketing technology, analytics, and more. Along the way, Eric built an approach to sketching and writing which helps him think, understand problems, and engage others in solving them. He lives in Atlanta with his wife, two sons, and dog. For fun, he enjoys biking, reading, and cooking. If you want to gain 5 pounds by proxy, just go look at the cooking photos on Eric’s Instagram. Eric is fascinating, I think you’ll enjoy meeting him.

This episode is very different from any I’ve done to-date. We’ve met and talked to people who are great storytellers and who have remarkable personal backstories that have framed their strengths in storytelling. For this episode, we are meeting someone who has a very powerful, and at times difficult story.Paul Bocanegra was condemned to Life Without Parole at the age of 17. Paul served twenty-five and a half years, more than twelve of those in solitary confinement, before being paroled under Senate Bill 9 which gave youth with Life Without Parole sentences an opportunity to petition the court for a second sentencing hearing. Paul transitioned back into the community in September 2017 and discharged parole in 2021 obtaining agency in his life for the first time.Today, Paul is living his life to the fullest, advocating for more reforms that would ensure that the criminal justice system never deprives another youth of a fair and meaningful opportunity to work toward restoration.Paul is a Certified Drug and Alcohol Counselor, a Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (JJDP) Commissioner for San Mateo County, a personal mentor for transitioning community members, and an expert witness in criminal justice cases involving youth.Paul has testified at the California State Capitol and helped to defeat legislation that threatened current reforms, has co-authored legislation in his county, and is a member of the Latin X Advisory Committee to Sen. Josh Becker.Paul co-founded ReEvolution to use his lens of lived experience to help ReEvolution provide meaningful support in prevention efforts, with an emphasis on youth, and person-centered reentry programs for all the transitioning community. Paul is a motivator and educator and seeks to bring out the full potential in each life he touches.He is ReEvolutionizing transitional thinking and providing safe spaces for those thoughts to congregate and grow as a community within a community.

Constanza Roeder is the founder and CEO of Hearts Need Art: Creative Support for Patients and Caregivers and host of the podcast Arts for the Health of It.As a singer, adolescent leukemia survivor, speaker, and thought leader in the field of Arts in Health, Constanza is on a mission to humanize healthcare through the arts. Constanza is the recipient of the 2018 Graceann Durr Humanitarian Award and was selected as one of the Top 100 Healthcare Visionaries by the International Forum on Advancements in Healthcare for 2021.Her work has been featured in various publications such as ThriveGlobal, Authority Magazine, Ticker News, National Association of Teachers of Singing, and the cover of MD News Magazine. Constanza has a powerful, touching story and I think you’ll enjoy meeting her.

Bem Joiner believes in Atlanta.Born and raised in the city, he has a pure passion for its people and its progress. In his words: he “majorly contributes to what makes culture in Atlanta cool and captivating”. As a culture curator and co-founder of the civic-minded creative consultancy & brand, Atlanta Influences Everything, Bem has managed and consulted a variety of lifestyle brands and designed meaningful programs for clients like Sprite, the Mississippi Dept. of Education,truth.org, Jack Daniels, Nissan, the National Black Arts Festival and countless others.He is heavily involved in the Atlanta hip-hop music scene, and even booked "early-adopter" shows for Drake, Kendrick Lamar and the Goodie Mob reunion.Bem is also one of the founders of CreativeCall.org which is a community service effort & collaboration between Atlanta and Stockholm creatives, and was previously the Community Engagement Coordinator for the Center for Civic Innovation in South Downtown Atlanta.Bem recently joined the leadership team at 8 Strains, a cannabis & crypto start-up in San Francisco as the Culture & Community lead.He also currently serves on the boards of three non-profits: The Grove Park Foundation, The Wren's Nest and the Atlanta Film Society.Bem is fascinating, and I think you’ll enjoy meeting him.

Jesse is the founder of Fans First Entertainment and the owner of the Savannah Bananas baseball team.He’s the infamous “dude in the yellow tux” and a man who’s truly disrupting the way baseball is played, presented and consumed.Jesse is to baseball what PT Barnum was to Circuses.Fans First Entertainment has been on the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest growing companies in America & Jesse’s teams have welcomed more than a million fans to their ballparks and have a quarter of a million more Tik Tok followers than any major league team, at a time when baseball is viewed as increasingly tedious and not able to reach younger audiences.Jesse released his first book “Find your Yellow Tux” and launched it in the most perfect way – with a World Tour… A World Tour that took place entirely within EPCOT. Jesse owns seven yellow tuxedos and even proposed to his wife Emily while wearing one in front of a sold-out crowd, and they later married in the stadium.Jesse also hosts the Business Done Differently Podcast.Strap in for this, Jesse is energy exemplified and a true business innovator. Totally fascinating.

To mark the end of Season One of The Narrativ Podcast, join me for a retrospective on the first season, with some great segments, and also a look back at the movies, TV series, documentaries, books, podcasts and music that my 13 guests offered up as suggested content.Looking forward to Season Two, early in 2022.

Bryan Kramer is the co-Founder of H2H Companies. He is a renowned business performance coach, and a noted keynote speaker who has presented on the main stage at events all around the world, including Ted events. In his performance coaching Bryan teaches other speakers, entrepreneurs and executives how to up-level their storytelling.Bryan is the author of two bestselling books, Human-To-Human and Shareology, that explore the changed landscape of interactions in the digital age, and he is also a contributor to Forbes.Bryan was the president of Pure Matter, a marketing agency that did innovative powerful work for me at Tealeaf, and for many other companies in Silicon Valley and around the world.Bryan’s story is powerful and insightful.I think you’ll find it as fascinating as I do.

Dr. Jeffrey C. Smith and I go way back, before the prefix doctor was added to his name.In fact, Jeff was my boss for a couple of years – he was the founder & CEO of Tumbleweed Communications, where I lead the marketing team.After Jeff sold Tumbleweed, he tried to pivot away from technology, and returned to Stanford to follow his first love – music. In fact Jeff’s mother was his first piano teacher, starting when he was only 4-years-old.Ultimately, after a surprisingly winding journey, Jeff earned a doctorate in computer-based music & acoustics from Stanford.But like the Mafia, technology…or maybe venture capitalists – can suck you right back in, especially after you and a friend created an idea during your studies that was perfect for the times – a thing that became Smule.At the start in 2008, Smule was just a company with a fun name and a big dream. They aspired to bring music back to its roots and empower anyone to join in.Today, Smule is a vibrant, global community of music lovers where millions of people across the world come together each day to share their passion for music, make new friends, cheer each other on, and simply have fun.The story of how Jeff got there is a lot of fun. I think you’ll find it as fascinating as I do.

“There is no vaccine for homelessness” Gale is a street photographer and photojournalist that I met a couple of months ago in a very random way. Gale is telling the story, visually, of homeless men and women living on the streets of Sacramento.We had a brief conversation that morning after we randomly met at a coffee shop, and from that I learned a little about Gale, his work, his background, and his activism & advocacy. In this episode, we’ll learn much more.Gale began his photographic storytelling after retiring from a career as an environmental prosecutor and he also served the State of California as an appointed government official.He is a graduate of the University of San Diego School of Law .  For Gale, photography is a powerful means to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves and a catalyst for altering public perception by evidencing social and environmental conditions.  We have a wide-ranging discussion about the environment, economy, Covid-19 and about how homelessness is a result of all of these, and other, factors. I think you’ll find Gale as fascinating as I do.

We start with a little Step, and we'll end with some Bad Tequila. Between those moments, Nicholas Niespodziani is joining me for this Episode.Nick is one of the founders and frontmen of the wildly successful band Yacht Rock Revue, a band that literally created its own genre, Yacht Rock, and even owns the trademark to prove it.They’ve risen from humble beginnings in a basement all the way to headlining shows all over the country in partnership with LiveNation and Sirius XM.Yacht Rock Revue began in the least-yachtiest of states, 2,000 miles from breezy Marina del Rey.Nick Niespodziani and Pete Olson met in the fourth grade in suburban Indiana, then went on to Indiana University in the late Nineties, formed the band Y-O-U, and then escaped – Rupert Holmes reference intended – to Atlanta.One night, Y-O-U tucked their tongues deep in their cheeks and played a show of Yacht Rock songs. The rowdy (which is a nicer way of saying drunk), sold-out crowd loved it.Over the years, YRR (where there’s also a Dave, a Greg, and literally three guys named Mark) have turned themselves into human wine spritzers, playing 120 to 150 shows a year, mastering Yacht Rock’s slick chords and mellow grooves, and partying like it’s 1979.What began as a joke among friends soon put a ripple in the zeitgeist, starting a national trend through YRR’s concerts, which have been lauded as “unabashedly joyous affairs” by Entertainment Weekly.They’ve accumulated an extensive wardrobe of white belts and polyester shirts. Today, Yacht Rock Revue is revered and well compensated! Their life is a tenor sax solo!This is what every musician wants.Now THAT’S Storytelling!I think you’ll find Nick as fascinating as I do.

Brian Finney is an accomplished author of eight different books, across the genres of biography, non-fiction and fiction. Brian is also a longtime professor of English at the University of London, UCLA and USC and most recently at California State University, Long Beach, where he is now retired, but holds the honor of being a professor emeritus.Brian was born in London, served as an officer in the Royal Air Force, and received a BA degree from Reading University, and a Ph.D at the University of London. Brian emigrated to the United States in 1987.Brian’s most recent two books are works of fiction based on recent timely events, Money Matters, an unconventional detective story and Dangerous Conjectures, a gripping story about a couple threatened by both the coronavirus pandemic and the rise of conspiracy theories. I think you’ll find Brian as fascinating as I do.

Megan Burns is a world-renowned thought leader in customer & employee experience. She is the principal of her own consultancy Experience Enterprises, and prior to that spent more than 10 years at as a vice president & distinguished analyst at Forrester Research, where she was a leader in the customer experience practice.Megan was one of the creators at Forrester behind the idea of Experience-Based Differentiation.Megan is a sought-out keynote speaker, experience management coach and adviser who has worked with more than half of the Fortune 50. You can learn more at megan-dash-burns.com.Megan and I have done webinars, speaking engagements at events and corporate videos together many times, but this is the first we’ve been able to just have a public conversation about her backstory, her work, her thoughts about the pandemic and return-to-work, and a wide array of other subjects.I think you’ll find Megan as fascinating as I do.

Stephanie Stuckey is CEO of Stuckey’s, the roadside oasis famous for its pecan log rolls. Stuckey’s was founded by Stephanie’s grandfather, W.S. Stuckey, Sr. as a pecan stand in Eastman, Georgia in 1937 and grew into over 350 stores by the 1970’s, but the brand took a downturn after her father retired more than 10 years ago.Stephanie took over the company in November 2019 and, under her leadership, Stuckey’s has purchased a new pecan shelling and candy manufacturing facility, revamped their distribution operations, acquired a healthy pecan snack company, undergone a rebranding, added four new franchised stores, expanded its B2B retail customer base, and increased online sales 550%.Stephanie received both her undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Georgia. She has worked as a trial lawyer, was elected to seven terms as a Georgia state representative, ran an environmental nonprofit law firm that settled the largest Clean Water Act case in Georgia history, served as Director of Sustainability and Resilience for the City of Atlanta, and taught as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Georgia School of Law. Stephanie’s achievements include being named one of the 100 Most Influential Georgians by Georgia Trend Magazine and a graduate of Leadership Atlanta. She is active in her community, a longstanding member of Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church, and serves on many nonprofit boards, including the National Sierra Club Foundation, EarthShare of Georgia, and her local zoning review board.Stephanie’s story is fascinating.

Sam Mitchell is a podcaster. Sam Mitchell is an entrepreneur. Sam Mitchell is 18 years old, and just graduated from high school. Sam Mitchell is Autistic.Sam was diagnosed with Autism at 4 years old. For this episode, Sam, and his Mom, Gina, join me to discuss his journey. Sam runs his own podcast called, Autism Rocks and Rolls. It has grown and has become very successful. Sam has a mission: To take the stigma off of autism and show people that he is not broken. Sam is not ashamed. His podcast is helping him change the world just a little bit at a time. Sam, at the end of the day, wants to be the voice of those who do not have one.Sam’s story is fascinating.

Most people who know me know that I married into Ohio State sports fandom. Maybe even fanaticism.  Like I do with most things that I’m passionate about, I devour information about Ohio State sports. Early in that fandom I discovered that one of the leading voices covering the Buckeyes was Austin Ward.I am really excited that Austin is joining me on this episode of The Narrativ.Austin is Lettermen Row's senior writer covering Ohio State football and basketball, an award-winning journalist who has covered the Buckeyes since 2012, spending five of those seasons working for ESPN. Prior to joining ESPN, Austin had previous stints at the Casper Star-Tribune and the Knoxville News Sentinel. Lettermen Row is a unique digital outlet that combines deep Ohio State coverage from leading journalists, alongside a group of former Buckeye players who serve as contributors and collaborators. We explore Austin’s background, the changing landscape of journalism & social media, the challenges of reporting during the pandemic and we pivot to our shared loves of other sports – because to choose to become a sports journalist – you obviously need to be passionate about sports.Austin’s story is fascinating. You’ll enjoy meeting him.

Peter Wardell is a remarkable storyteller who uses comedy and award-winning classical magic not only to entertain people, but also to communicate and simplify complex stories for business audiences as well. From doing street corner shows in London’s Covent Garden to working on cruise ships and at trade shows, and across countless headliner performances, Peter has honed his craft to the level that he is the first performer in the 100-year history of the world-famous Magic Circle to win BOTH Stage Magician of the Year and Close up magician of the year awards, and he was invited to perform at the highest level of magic – the Palace Theatre at the Magic Castle in Hollywood.He’s also hosted a show on the Discovery Channel.All after starting his career as a chemical engineer. It’s an amazing story. Maybe even a magical one.

David Fishman and I are former colleagues who have been friends for a long time, staying in touch largely via Facebook, but we haven’t actually had a conversation in 25 years.Until now.Why now?Because David had a stroke a couple of years ago. And I learned about it from seeing his TEDx speech about it and his recovery. An amazing story. Which fascinated me.And I needed to hear more about it, and pivot to lots of other subjects.But we’re gonna start with the stroke.

Katy Howell is the founder and CEO of immediate future where she pioneered social media marketing, 17 years ago, just as Facebook made its way onto university campuses. Often called in as the UK expert on social by TV, Radio and the press, she appears regularly on BBC news,The Telegraph, FT and Guardian. She’s considered the 4th most influential social media marketing expert, and was named one of the 25 women who have made an outstanding contribution to digital by the Drum. Katy was named to Provoke’s Innovator 25 EMEA list for 2020, and was named one of the Top 100 Asian tech entrepreneurs in the UK. She speaks at conferences, runs masterclasses, and guest lectures at two universities. And, she’s co-authored 4 books on social. Immediate future does award-winning work with brands including: lastminute.com, Princess Cruises, Selfridges, Mission Foods, Google, Diageo, JD Williams, Fujitsu, Sony Music, and many more. Katy’s work, and her background, is fascinating. Let’s talk about it.

The idea behind this podcast is to meet people who are great storytellers and to get to know them, because I think their own personal backstories are also really interesting. Hearing people describe what they do, and why they do it. In some cases, the unique ways they do it. I learn from them every time, if I just listen. I am so excited about my first guest, Joe Megibow. Joe’s the CEO of Purple, a digitally-native vertical brand with a mission to help people feel and live better through innovative comfort solutions. You’ve probably seen a TV commercial for a Purple mattress, or maybe you are as lucky as I am and sleep on one every night! Joe was a Member of the Board of Directors at Red Lion Hotels from 2017-through their recent acquisition. Joe spent a few years as Senior Vice President and Chief Digital Officer at American Eagle Outfitters, building out their ecommerce organization and online competence. Prior to that, he held several senior roles with Expedia, including Vice President and General Manager of Expedia.com. During his time at Expedia, he launched their mobile business and was chairman of Mobiata, their mobile development subsidiary. And of course, we spent a few years together at Tealeaf, before all of that. Joe was recognized in 2011 as Practitioner of the Year by the Digital Analytics Association and is now Director Emeritus after serving 4 years on the DAA Board. I have been aware of the DAA for a long time, and I’ve known a lot of members and leaders of the DAA, and my gut feel is that few, if any, other people who’ve won practitioner of the year later became the CEO of a wildly successful consumer products company. There is an amazing story arc there, and I think you’ll appreciate it.

In this "trailer", I describe The Narrativ podcast, and the idea behind it, and set the stage for what's to come.