My guest today is singer, songwriter, and pianist, Tori Amos. Tori has composed songs that focus on a broad range of topics including politics and religion since the 1980s. She’s been listed as VH1’s “100 Greatest Women of Rock and Roll” and has received 5 MTV VMA and 8 Grammy Award nominations. I spoke to Tori about the times and tribulations of her career, as she wrote in her book “Resistance”, during this podcast episode.
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
Unlike your siblings, you didn’t need piano lessons growing up because it came naturally to you. When did you realize that you had musical talent and what motivated you to turn that talent into a career?
In the 1980s you signed with Atlantic Records, moved to LA, and formed a band producing an album that wasn’t successful. What did you learn from this experience that proved to be useful later?
How has your role as an artist changed since you first started your career and what obstacles do today’s artists have to overcome to sustain themselves?
You have created decades worth of music influenced by social and political movements. Our world feels more divided than ever, yet issues like the coronavirus pandemic, climate change, and income inequality require all of us to band together. How do you think your music and this book can provide encouragement to people who want to make a difference?
My guest today is the star of Netflix’s Queereye, Bobby Berk. Bobby struggled growing up gay in a Christian conservative household and then overcame homelessness to build a successful interior design company and star as a member of The Fab Five on the Emmy-winning Netflix show Queer Eye. We discuss his experiences in this podcast episode.
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
Can you share some of your childhood difficulties growing up gay in a conservative Christian household, and how you were able to escape it to pursue a new authentic life?
You are a prime example of a “rags to riches” story having been homeless to eventually start a successful business and starring in a Netflix show. What motivated you to pursue your career ambitions and what lessons did you learn along the way?
The Covid-19 pandemic amplified our mental health crisis, leaving many of us isolated in our homes without human connection or even a job. As an interior designer, what changes can we make to our home environment that will help us live healthier and work better?
We are living through a period of great political, racial, and social division. What are some ways to connect with people who are different than you?
My guest today is the star of CNBC’s The Profit and Streets of Dreams, Marcus Lemonis. Marcus is not only the CEO of Camping World but is an investor and champion of numerous small businesses with over $75 million invested. He recently added a Business Learning Center to his website to promote the business education we discuss in this podcast episode.
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
In your childhood, your family supported you as you were starting your first business and now you’ve pledged $50 million to support other small businesses. How did the support you received inspire you to give back to others?
The Covid-19 pandemic has enriched major corporations while decimating small businesses with about 800 closures every day. What tactical advice can you offer entrepreneurs who are trying to navigate through this crisis?
You and I are both believers in lifelong learning. What have you learned about yourself and American business during your experience hosting Streets of Dreams?
You’ve said that most of the businesses you’ve worked with don’t work out even after your capital investment. What are the similarities between those that are successful and the ones that fail?
My guest today is researcher and author, Jim Collins. Jim is a student and teacher of what makes great companies tick, and a Socratic advisor to leaders in the business and social sectors. He is most known for his book Good to Great and his timeless business concepts. I spoke to him about the framework in his new book BE 2.0 for this podcast episode.
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
You wrote BE 2.0 originally with the late Bill Lazier who you consider a mentor. What lessons did you learn from him that have changed the way you think about business, entrepreneurship, and life as a whole?
You and I both love researching and throughout the past 30 years, you’ve used your research to create an integrated framework called “The Map”. What do you believe are the most important elements of the map that entrepreneurs should consider as they start and grow their companies?
It is estimated that 60% of all business closures during Covid are now permanent. With such a grim picture, and an uncertain future, what inspiration and advice can you share with entrepreneurs on how to create an enduring company that survives and thrives?
Today’s employees are looking for their leaders to have a purpose behind profits, invest in their education, take a stance on social and political issues, give them flexibility, and support their mental health. Why do you think organizations have to do more and be more to be relevant, competitive, and successful in today’s workplace?
My guest today is actor, comedian and writer, Michael Ian Black. Over his 30-year comedy career, Michael has created and starred in TV shows, movies like Wet Hot American Summer, and a series of books for children and adults. I caught up with him to discuss his new book, A Better Man, which has a letter he wrote to his son about masculinity before he leaves for college, for this podcast episode.
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
The Sandy Hook school shooting got you interested in gun violence because you noticed that it was boys who pulled the trigger. How do you think teaching boys about emotions, vulnerability, and empathy can create a better and safer society for everyone?
I only learned the power of vulnerability in the past few years when I would open up on dates and discovered that it formed a stronger connection and they would reciprocate because they felt more comfortable. How have you been vulnerable with others and what opportunities has that created in your work-life?
What conversation do you wish your dad had with you before he died and how do you think that would have shaped who you are as a man today?
Over the past decade, gender roles have evolved with women becoming breadwinners, earning higher degrees, and assuming more of the household responsibilities. How can men adjust to our ever-evolving culture?
My guest today is actor, comedian, producer and author, John Cleese. John is most known as the co-founder of the legendary Monty Python comedy group, writing and performing in the TV series and in films that include Monty Python and the Holy Grail and Monty Python’s Life of Brian. He has appeared in many other films, from James Bond to Harry Potter, and has guest-starred in numerous TV shows. After decades in the entertainment industry, John wrote about his views on Creativity in his new book by that title, which we discuss in this podcast episode.
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
You dispel the myth that creativity is something you have to be born with. What are some ways to bring out our creativity even in professions and industries that don’t require it like the legal and accounting fields?
As children we are always playing then we get older and we become serious adults, disregarding play. How have you created space in your life for playfulness and how has that led to more creative projects?
I find that the act of being creative is an outlet for me. How can creativity help us through this dark period of time where people are suffering mentally and physically?
A lot of people have creative ideas and many of them produce creative work, but fewer are able to get their work published and viewed by a mass audience. You recently said that Monty Python “would not get commissioned today”. What’s your advice for overcoming the resistance that gets in the way of bringing our creativity to life?
My guest today is one of the bestselling authors of all time, James Patterson. Patterson has written 147 novels since 1976. He has had 114 New York Times bestselling novels and holds The New York Times record for most #1 New York Times bestsellers by a single author, a total of 67, which is also a Guinness World Record. But, what he’s most known for is his enduring fictional characters like Alex Cross and Michael Bennett. I caught up with James to learn how he became a prolific author, his connection to historical figures like John Lennon, his writing approach, and why he cares so much about childhood education for this podcast episode.
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
What would you say the biggest turning point in your life was that led to your success at an ad agency and as a bestselling author?
You’ve written about historical figures such as your recent books about John Lennon, The Kennedy’s, and Muhammad Ali, and even collaborated with former U.S. President Bill Clinton. Why are you so fascinated with their lives and how have you told their stories in your own unique way?
How do you decide on your approach to writing each book and which collaborators will be the best fit for each genre and audience?
You’ve donated to libraries, classrooms, and indie bookstores. Why is childhood education the most important cause that you champion?
My guest today is Academy Award-winning actress, Natalie Portman. She started her acting career at the ripe age of 12 and has since starred in blockbuster movies like the Star Wars prequel trilogy, Black Swan, V for Vendetta, and No Strings Attached. Currently, she’s in Sydney Australia, where the upcoming Marvel film “Thor: Love and Thunder” will be filmed early next year, while promoting her new children’s book, “Natalie Portman’s Fables”, which we discuss in this episode.
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
Your acting career started at age 12! Why did you decide to become an actress, how did college reaffirm that decision, and what keeps you motivated to continue?
How have you been able to stay grounded and maintain your image for so long while many celebrities have fallen victim to the corruption of fame?
How has the practice of retelling fables reinforced the lessons you’ve learned in your life and why do you feel the need to pass them down to future generations?
In what ways has storytelling, in both movie and book form, helped you cope with your biggest life challenges and grow as a person?
My guest today is holocaust survivor and author, Dr. Edith Eger. At 93-years-old, Edith is one of the very few remaining Holocaust survivors old enough to remember life at the concentration camps. Now as a clinical psychologist, she’s processed her life trauma and shows us all how to stop being victims in our own lives in her book “The Gift”. I’ve compiled questions from my Jewish friends to ask Edith for this special podcast episode!
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
Jenn Sutton: A recent study found that 23% of young Americans believe the Holocaust is a myth or the death toll is exaggerated and 11% think Jewish people caused the holocaust. What is the best way to teach forthcoming generations about the Holocaust in order to change these numbers?
JR Rothstein: What obligation do young Jews have in preserving Jewish culture, heritage, and history in light of the Holocaust?
Katie Sanders: What’s something you’ve learned in your life that you’d like to pass on to future generations?
Sasha Kopp: How have you coped with uncertainty amidst our current societal issues and what advice do you have to others who are overwhelmed right now?
Dan Schawbel: What is your best piece of career advice?
My guest today is the host of The Dr. Phil Show, Dr. Phil McGraw. After achieving his childhood goal of becoming a psychologist, Dr. Phil co-founded Courtroom Sciences, Inc providing litigation psychology, jury selection, and other services to major companies. It was there where he began working with Oprah who invited him on her show and the rest is history. I caught up with Dr. Phil to ask him timely questions about the impact of the pandemic on our lives and get some advice, for this podcast episode.
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
The mental health epidemic has worsened due to the impact of Covid and we recently celebrated World Mental Health Day. I just led a global study with Oracle finding that 70% of people say that this is the most stressful year ever. What can both institutions and individuals do to start addressing our growing mental health needs?
People generally feel lonelier now because they are remote working, self-isolating, and social-distancing. What are some ways we can build meaningful relationships from afar?
You’re not only a TV host, author, and clinical psychologist but also a business person. How has this crisis impacted you as a leader and what are some ways you’ve continued to build trust with your employees during this time?
Our education system has been highly disrupted this year and I’m thankful that I graduated over a decade ago. What impact do you think school closures and remote learning will have on children’s lives as they eventually transition to the workforce?
My guest today is the host and author of How I Built This, Guy Raz. He started his career as an intern at NPR’s “All Things Considered”, then became a foreign correspondent before taking a two-year stint at CNN. Guy then returned to NPR, starting hit shows like the TED Radio Hour and the How I Built This podcast, where he interviews famous entrepreneurs from companies like Allbirds, Yelp, and Airbnb. Now Guy has turned his podcast into a book by the same name, which we discuss in this podcast episode.
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
What lessons did you learn early on in your career when you were with NPR and CNN that helped you become an effective interviewer and storyteller today?
I’ve interviewed about 2,300 people in my career and you’re at over 6,000. Which guest was most surprising to you and what was the most inspirational moment that had a lasting effect on you?
It seems like so many entrepreneurs have a safety net, in the form of family money or a full-time job, that enables them to execute on a big idea. Do you believe there is such a thing as “rags to riches” and “self-made” or do all entrepreneurs have a financial advantage when they start?
In two previous episodes I asked billionaire venture capitalists Ben Horowitz and Chamath Palihapitiya about the qualities all successful entrepreneurs have in common and they said they are original thinkers, have leadership skills, a learning mindset, and deep-seated insecurity. Do you agree with this list and would you add anything to it?
My guest today is fashion designer, Betsey Johnson. Betsey has been rocking the fashion industry with her unique designs since the 1960s. She became known for her over-the-top fashion and doing cartwheels ending in a split at the end of fashion shows. Her journey from dancing in her childhood to filing for bankruptcy is captured in her new memoir titled “Betsey”, which we discuss in this podcast episode.
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
In your book, you talk about fearing death as a child. How does your fear of death impact your decision making throughout your life?
You admit that you inherited your father’s work ethic and your mom’s energy. How did both of these qualities help you as you build your career and brand?
You’ve encountered many hardships in your life like cancer, divorce, and bankruptcy. How were you able to overcome these challenges and what life and business changes did you have to make?
In a previous episode of this podcast, I spoke to Stuart Weitzman about how he’s kept his brand fresh and relevant for so long. How have you been able to sustain your brand and diverse customer base for multiple decades?
My guest today is Academy Award–winning actor, Matthew McConaughey. You might know Matthew as the A-list actor that has appeared in over 40 feature films that have grossed over $1 billion like “Dazed and Confused” and Dallas Buyers Club”, but he’s also a deeper thinker, family man, and professor. After decades of keeping a journal, he captured much of his life experiences, quotes, and stories in his new book “Greenlights”, which we discuss in this podcast episode.
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
How did journaling for 35 years help you better understand your life and career through both your hardships and successes?
In your memoir, you use the analogy that on the highway of life we have red, yellow, and green lights. How did your father’s death eventually become a blessing for you, turning a red to a green light?
I completely agree with you that the first step to knowing who you are is knowing who you aren’t. How did you use the process of elimination to discover yourself and choose the right career path?
People around the world are suffering from stress, anxiety, and depression. What prescribes do you have to help others manage difficult situations and improve their mental health?
I know you don’t consider yourself a preacher and this isn’t an advice book, but I ask every guest this one last question. What is your best piece of career advice?
My guest today is fashion designer and entrepreneur, Steve Madden. Steve started his first company back in 1990 with a mere $1,100 selling shoes out of the trunk of his car and today his company is worth over $3 billion. Along the way, he struggled with alcohol addiction and went to jail for over two years for stock fraud. Steve’s story of both failure and success is captured in his new book, “The Cobbler”, which we discuss in this podcast episode.
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
After you dropped out of college you got a job as a traveling salesman for a shoe company but didn’t have a driver’s license because you had so many DUIs. This didn’t stop you from being successful at your job though. How did this early experience shape you as a business person and become the foundation for your future company?
What motivated you when you were building your company from scratch and how were you able to grow the brand while simultaneously battling your alcohol and drug addiction?
In your memoir, you talk openly about the high and low points in your life. One of your lowest points was when the FBI arrested you for participating in a “pump and dump” scheme that was orchestrated by Jordan Belfort and illustrated in The Wolf of Wall Street movie. What led you down that path and what lessons did you learn during your 2.5-year prison term that can be applied to business and life?
You credit your team for many of your company’s achievements and I find in business that hiring is stressful and time-intensive. What are some of the unconventional hiring strategies that have allowed you to build a team that led to your success?
My guest today is singer and former Fifth Harmony member, Ally Brooke. Ally rose to fame as part of the multiplatinum music group Fifth Harmony before launching her solo career last year. She competed in ABC’s Dancing With The Stars then embarked on her Time To Shine Tour at the start of this year. After receiving billions of streams for her music through the course of her career, she wrote her memoir “Finding Your Harmony”. I spoke to Ally about her early struggles and insecurities, music influences, and her uplifting advice, which is especially important in these turbulent times, for this podcast episode.
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
Even though you are of Mexican-American descent, you didn’t know Spanish as a child because your parents wanted to protect you from discrimination at school. How do you think their decision impacted your childhood and how have you embraced your heritage ever since?
Since you’re the only entertainer in your family, who did you look up to how they did they influence you as an artist and your career choices?
You said that you struggled with self-confidence growing up and that insecurity was heightened while you were part of Fifth Harmony, where you were compared to the other members and bullied. How has your experience with Dancing with the Stars and breaking out as a solo artist helped you gain self-confidence, feel empowered, and be fulfilled?
I believe the hardest moments in our lives shape who we become. What was your greatest challenge, how did you overcome it and what did you learn about yourself in the process?
My guest today is the co-founder of The Home Depot, and owner of The Atlanta Falcons, Arthur Blank. Arthur built The Home Depot from an idea back in 1987 to a $50 billion-dollar company with 2,285 locations and is the leading home improvement retailer in the world. In this episode, we delve into what makes a “Good Company”, based on his new book, and discuss the importance of both building, and working for, a values-based organization that supports society, while making a profit.
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
Many prominent leaders I’ve spoken to during this pandemic, like Reed Hastings, John Mackey, Jon Taffer, and Former General Martin Dempsey, have said that trust is the most important asset leaders can build right now. How were you able to create a culture of trust at Home Depot that led to both a positive work environment and higher financial returns?
I’ve always believed that values give us a framework that guides our decision-making process. How did you decide on Home Depot’s values of giving back, building strong relationships, and doing the right thing and how do these values reflect your own? 3) Last year the Business Roundtable defined the purpose of a corporation to focus on all stakeholders instead of just making a profit, even though we are in a capitalistic society. In what ways can companies support society, while also turning a profit?
One of the trends I’ve been studying over the past year is stakeholder activism. Today’s employees and consumers expect companies to take a stance on social and political issues, but it can be very tricky to do so. What do you recommend to leaders on how to manage stakeholder activism?
My guest today is the chef and founder of Momofuku and the star of Netflix’s Ugly Delicious, David Chang. Since opening Momofuku Noodle Bar in New York City back in 2004, he’s been honored with six James Beard Awards and has been recognized as a TIME 100 honoree. In this episode, David opens up about his many life struggles as he illustrates in his new memoir, “Eat a Peach”.
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
You had a lot of insecurities in your childhood, such as not being a great chef and feeling like an outsider as a Korean when most chefs were white. How were you able to cope during that dark period in your life and what did you learn about yourself in the process?
You are extremely self-aware through the pages of this book. You said that “working so hard was a side effect of depression” and I felt like that during my 20s working over 100 hours a week. The work was my outlet. How did your mental health issues motivate you to become a successful chef?
In the book, you explain that despite your success you feel like you’ve created your own prison because you’re a workaholic with numerous responsibilities between the book, your show, restaurants, and your kid. Plus, you’ve had to close restaurants due to the pandemic. Now that you’ve reached the top of your profession, what are some ways you can escape the prison you created for yourself?
Your father was a pivotal player in helping you break into the restaurant industry by getting you a $100,000 loan. Can you describe the complicated relationship you had with your dad, what you learned from him, and his impact on your life?
My guest today is the co-founder and CEO of Whole Foods, John Mackey. John grew Whole Foods from founding it in 1980 to becoming a $13 billion Fortune 500 company, with over 80,000 employees, which he eventually sold to Amazon in 2017. I first interviewed him back in 2013 when he was starting to evangelize the conscious capitalism movement, then caught up with him in 2017 when he released his first cookbook. That’s why I was overjoyed that I got to catch up with him again to talk about his new book “Conscious Leadership” for this podcast episode.
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
Your father was a role model for you in your childhood and even an investor in your company. What life lessons did you learn from him that has helped you become the leader you are today?
Business values are at the core of Conscious Capitalism and Leadership. How did you originally identify your personal values and then embody them through your company for so many years?
In today’s society, people work for and buy from companies that have a clear purpose not just make a profit. Employee and consumer activism have been heightened by recent political and social events like the killing of George Floyd. How can leaders focus on operating their businesses while also being sensitive to the global issue’s stakeholders care about?
I’ve spoken to a lot of business leaders about what it takes to lead during a crisis such as the pandemic we’re living through right now and they say that trust is critical to sustainability. How have you been able to build trust with your workforce during this time?
My guest today is the Co-Founder, Co-CEO, and Chairman of Netflix, Reed Hastings. After speaking to the other Netflix Co-Founder, Marc Randolph, for episode 53, I was delighted at the opportunity to speak with Reed to get the other side of the Netflix story, as well as learn from his experiences building the company and their workplace culture. Since Co-Founding Netflix back in 1997, Reed has revolutionized the entertainment industry, growing the company to over 183 million subscribers in 190 countries. He captures his journey, and lessons learned in his new book “No Rules Rules”, which we discuss in this episode.
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
When you were the CEO of Pure Software you learned that tightly controlled management policies stifle creativity, which is why at Netflix you created a flexible work culture. Today’s professionals desire flexibility and that’s been made even more clear during this pandemic, where remote work has been normalized. How does a flexible work culture enable companies to adapt to changes and innovate faster?
By promoting employee freedom, and eliminating rigid policies, you built organizational trust. How does giving employees the freedom to build the trust that leads to a healthier and more productive workforce?
In the book, you said that hiring talented, creative, and diverse people was the “most critical dot for the foundation of the whole Netflix story”. What’s your approach to competing for and retaining the best talent, while promoting diversity and inclusion?
In your childhood, you concealed your emotions from your family, which eventually became an issue for you as a leader and husband. What did your marriage counselor teach you about sharing your feelings, being honest, and giving transparent feedback and how did you apply that advice to your work relationships?
My guest today is a former monk turned social media phenomenon and author of Think Like a Monk, Jay Shetty. I first met Jay several years ago in New York City and right away, I knew he was someone very special with a bright future. In one of our early conversations, he mentioned his interest in writing a book called “Think Like a Monk” and that book was just published today! This is our fourth interview and he’s my only return guest! I caught up with Jay to dive deep into the major themes and ideas in the book for this podcast episode.
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
You start your book talking about values. How do you figure out what your values are and then start to notice them in other people?
So many things are competing for our time now, especially with social media, the fear of missing out, and we are bombarded with news, even fake news. How do we what to listen to and get into a headspace so that we can do what we’re meant to do and not what others expect of us?
Values follow intentions. Can you talk about setting those intentions and then following through on them?
You talk about getting to the root of the problem and the importance of asking why. How did you do this in your own life?
My guest today is one-third of the Grammy Award-winning hip-hop music group Naughty by Nature, Vin Rock. Since the group formed in the 1980s, they’ve produced hits including “O.P.P.”, “Feel Me Flow” and “Hip Hop Hooray” and worked with everyone from Queen Latifah, who mentored them originally, as well as Easy-E and Run-D.M.C. More recently, they unveiled a new limited-edition clothing line with Champion. I caught up with Vin Rock to get his perspective on everything from the origins of the group, how he’s maintained his friendships, and his perspectives on the social movements going on today for this podcast episode.
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
What brought all three of you together in high school and when did you realize that your combined efforts would pay off?
We’re living through a period of civil unrest caused by systemic racism, police brutality, and economic inequality in a pandemic and recession. As hip-hop moguls with a platform, how are you using your voices to make a difference, challenge the status quo and encourage activism?
Like many successful groups, you broke up and came back together. How have you been able to maintain your friendships despite your business and personal disagreements?
The music business has changed drastically since you came up in the 90s. If you were to start fresh today, what would do differently to stand out and what would you avoid based on what you’ve learned throughout your career?
My guest today is psychotherapist, author, and podcast host Lori Gottlieb. Lori is best known as the author of the bestselling book, “Maybe You Should Talk to Someone”, which has helped start a global conversation about human connection, which is what I’ve also been promoting. She writes the weekly “Dear Therapist” advice column for The Atlantic and co-hosts the “Dear Therapists” iHeart Radio podcast with Guy Winch. In this episode, you’ll learn about the ideal therapist relationship, why people avoid therapy, and how we can remove the stigma around mental health. I believe mental health is the biggest topic of our time, which is why I wanted to bring Lori on the show.
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
After seeing multiple therapists in my life, and self-reflecting, I feel that many of the questions I asked my therapists I already knew the answer to. I was seeking validation from my therapists instead of advice. Is this common?
What is the ideal therapist and client relationship?
What would you say are the biggest mental and emotional obstacles that keep people from making changes in their lives and how do they overcome them?
You’re a therapist who needed therapy. What did you learn about yourself when you went through therapy and what impact did it have on your own practice?
Mental health is one of the most important topics in our culture right now, yet it’s often misunderstood, mistreated, and even dismissed entirely. How do you think we can remove the stigma around it and support those who are suffering?
My guest today is actress, producer, and author, Patricia Heaton. Patricia is best known for her starring roles in the sitcoms Everybody Loves Raymond, The Middle, and Carol’s Second Act. In this episode, you’ll learn how her mom’s death impacted her life, how she’s reinvented herself, overcome obstacles, and why being both a leaper and planner have led to her success.
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
How did the death of your mom during your childhood affect how you see the world, your work ethic, and life choices?
Most people struggle during major life transitions because as humans we fear and are uncomfortable with change. How did you overcome the mental and emotional obstacles you faced as you transitioned from your first to your second act, and then commit to pursuing your new goals?
Like my dad and his brother, I’m a lifetime worker with no plans to retire because I believe that being productive is good for our mental health. You recently said that you want to “die on a soundstage”, but what motivates you to continue to stay productive, juggle multiple projects and challenge yourself?
Personal fulfillment is a lifetime journey of self-discovery, followed by both personal and professional accomplishments. How have your humanitarian efforts made you more personally fulfilled and shaped this next phase of your life?
An interview with Gretchen Carlson about the biggest career decisions she’s made, standing against sexual harassment, being courageous, finding common ground, and her best career advice.
You’re listening to the 5 Questionspodcastand I’m your host, Dan Schawbel. In fewer than 10 minutes, my goal is to extract the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is former Fox News host turned author, activist and speaker, Gretchen Carlson. After hosting Fox & Friends and The Real Story with Gretchen Carlson, she filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against Fox News CEO Roger Ailes, which inspired the film Bombshell. Since then, Gretchen wrote Be Fierce, became one of TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People, and is on a mission to eliminate non-disclosure agreements. I caught up with her to talk about her experiences, learn more about where her courage comes from, and to seek advice for those who have suffered from sexual harassment for this podcast episode.
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
You’ve had a unique career trajectory, starting off as a violinist in your childhood, then entering beauty pageants, then transitioning to hosting a TV show and now you’re an activist, author, and speaker. What were the biggest decisions you made that allowed you to make these career transitions, were they intentional, and why?
Sexual harassment like what you experienced during your tenure at Fox News was an example of abuse of power. How should people stand up to their boss when they feel suppressed, taken advantage of, or harassed knowing that they may lose their job by doing so?
When you filed your lawsuit against Fox News, you gave other women the courage to follow suit. And now, you’re doing the same with your mission to void nondisclosure agreements so the public can hear the stories of all these women. Where does your courage to stand up for yourself, and others, come from knowing that there may be a backlash or repercussions as a result?
We live in a time of radical social, racial, and political division that is exasperated by social media. What are some ways that we can find common ground, create connections, and be at peace even in social-isolation?
An interview with D.L. Hughley about how he turned his life around after joining a gang as a teenager, where he gets his work ethic from, how to create a more equal society, why comedy is effective in addressing political and social issues, and his best career advice.
Welcome to the 94th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is standup comedian, radio host, and author, D.L. Hughley. Born in Portsmouth, Virginia, D.L. grew up in South Central, Los Angeles where he spent his teenage years in a gang and was eventually kicked out of high school. After turning his life around, which we will explore in this episode, he got his first job at the Los Angeles Times. From there, he hosted ComicView on BET before writing and starring in the TV sitcom series, The Hughleys. D.L. went on to star in the Spike Lee film, The Original Kings of Comedy, with costars Steve Harvey, Cedric the Entertainer, and Bernie Mac. More recently, he is the host of the talk show The D.L. Hughley Show which is syndicated in more than sixty markets and is the author of the new book, “Surrender, White People!”. I caught up with D.L. to learn more about his perspectives on the political and social issues that we are facing in America for this podcast episode.
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
After joining a gang and getting kicked out of high school as a teenager, how were you able to turn your life around so that you could pursue your career?
In the last episode, Al Roker told me that his father said to him in high school, “you’re going to have to work twice as hard and be twice as good to get half as far as the white kid next to you”. Does this statement reflect your life experience and if so, what did you have to do in order to overcome it?
The killing of George Floyd created a national conversation about racism, oppression, and inequality that’s existed in our society for over 400 years. What can individuals and institutions do to address these issues in order to create a more inclusive, equal, and prosperous society? You’ve tackled race issues throughout your entire career as an entertainer.
Why do you think comedy is such an effective vehicle for addressing the social and political issues we face?
An interview with Al Roker about why we should avoid long-term career plans, why he decided to move to New York to pursue his career, how he landed his first job, manages multiple side hustles, and his best career advice.
Welcome to the 93rd episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is the co-anchor of NBC’s The Today Show, Al Roker. Born in Queens, New York, Al wanted to be a cartoonist growing up until he went to college. During college, he worked as a weather anchor at WTVH in Syracuse, New York, while also DJ’ing at the campus radio station. Upon graduation, he took weather casting positions at both WTTG in D.C. and WKYC in Cleveland. In late 1983, Al returned to New York City to work at WNBC-TV before becoming a national weather forecaster at NBC’s The Today Show, eventually becoming a co-anchor beginning in 2012. Over his career, he’s hosted programs on Food Network, MSNBC, and The Weather Channel. His other achievements include losing 100 pounds, running a marathon, having the Guinness World Record for reporting for 34-hours straight, and being part of the Broadway musical Waitress. I spoke to Al about his weight loss in 2013 and today I talk to him again about his new book “You Look So Much Better in Person” for this podcast episode.
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
You start your book saying that you never had a career plan. Why should people avoid crafting longer-term career plans and what should they do instead?
You mention that you respected WTVH anchor Ron Curtis’s decision to stay in Syracuse with his family instead of move to New York City for a more prestigious position. Even though you respected that Ron prioritized his family over his career, you eventually decided to make the move that he didn’t. What motivated you to make such a major career change knowing that you would be leaving important relationships behind?
I can relate to your persistence getting your first job, but unlike you, I would have given up before a restraining order was issued. To get my first job it took 8 month’s meeting 15 people for 3 different positions at the same company. While many people apply to multiple companies, why do you think to have a singular focus was key to landing your first job?
You say that the secret ingredient to your career has been being open to new opportunities and while you have a full-time job, you also have 7 side hustles. I own a research company with 4 side hustles. How do you balance all of your gigs and know what to prioritize each day?
An interview with Chamath Palihapitiya about what he learned during his identity crisis, how people can sustain themselves right now, what all successful entrepreneurs have in common, why he gave up social media, and his best career advice.
Welcome to the 92nd episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is the CEO of Social Capital, Chairman of Virgin Galactic and the part-owner of the Golden State Warriors, Chamath Palihapitiya. Born in Sri Lanka, Chamath immigrated to Canada at age six where he and his family lived on welfare. He worked part-time to help his family while attending the Lisgar Collegiate Institute. After graduating from the University of Waterloo he worked as a derivatives trader before moving to California. Several years later, Chamath became the youngest Vice President in AOL’s history before joining the Mayfield Fund and then became a Vice President at Facebook. He left Facebook to start Social Capital with successful investments in Slack, Box, and Yammer. Today, he’s the Chairman of Virgin Galactic, an investor in the Golden State Warriors, and has been regarded as the “next Warren Buffett”. After telling Chamath’s story during my keynote speeches around the country, I was happy to speak to him personally for the very first time.
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
In my keynote presentation, I talk about your story of going through an identity crisis, where you realized that you were unhappy even after accumulating wealth and achievements. Can you describe what you discovered through your recovery and share any lessons you learned?
You recently went viral after speaking out against the government bailing out mismanaged companies, billionaires and hedge funds while leaving the average person behind. What do you recommend to average citizens trying to sustain themselves during this crisis?
In a previous episode, I asked fellow venture capitalist Ben Horowitz about the common qualities all successful entrepreneurs have and he said they have to be original thinkers and have leadership skills. Would you add anything to this list and what can entrepreneurs do during this crisis to survive and thrive?
Even though you were an early executive at Facebook, you have since stopped using social media and don’t let your kids use it. How has the decision to keep social media out of your life affected your mental health and relationships?
An interview with R.L. Stine about his decision to become a writer, the most important storytelling elements in a book, how he writes books so frequently, adapts his writing to different age groups, and his best career advice.
Welcome to the 91st episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is bestselling children’s book author, R.L. Stine. Born in Columbus Ohio, R.L. began writing at age nine after discovering a typewriter in his attic. While at Ohio State University, he edited the school’s humor magazine The Sundial before moving to New York City to pursue his writing career. There, he created the humor magazine Bananas that printed 72 issues between 1975 and 1984. Then, he wrote his first horror novel called Blind Date and the Fear Street series a few years later before launching his famous Goosebumps series. Throughout his career, R.L. has penned hundreds of books with over 400 million copies sold. The Guinness Book of World Records cites him as the most successful children’s book author of all time and he won the Horror Writers Association’s Lifetime Achievement award in 2014. More recently, he published the children’s book, “Just Beyond: The Horror at Happy Landings”. When I was growing up, I never wanted to read until I picked up the Goosebumps collection, which my parents still have in their home today. That’s why I was so excited to speak to R.L. for this podcast episode.
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
As a child, your teachers told you not to write and you received criticism about your comic book drawings from your classmates. How did this harsh feedback influence your decision to become a writer?
I refused to read books in my childhood until I came across your Goosebumps series. What do you think are the most important storytelling elements that capture the hearts and minds of readers even those who resisted reading like me?
You’ve said that you could write a Goosebumps book in about 2 weeks, whereas I’ve written 3 books in 10 years. How have you produced quality work in such a short period of time and what habits make you so efficient?
How have you adapted your writing style, characters, and themes to different age groups and audiences of readers?
An interview with Richard Marx about how he originally became a musician, what he learned from Kenny Rogers, how his father’s death affected him, his new album, and his best career advice.
Welcome to the 90th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is singer, songwriter, and record producer, Richard Marx. Born in Chicago, Illinois, Richard’s mother was a singer and father was a jazz musician and the founder of a jingle company. He started his music career at age five singing jingles for his dad’s company. Then, as a teenager, a tape of Richard’s songs reached Lionel Richie and he moved to Los Angeles to work with him. In the 1980s and 1990s, he had several top Billboard hits including “Endless Summer Nights” and Right Here Waiting”, collaborating with Kenny Rogers, N’ Sync, and Cher. I caught up with Richard during the release of his twelfth studio album called “Limitless”.
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
You started your music career at age 5. I don’t remember doing anything memorable at that age. How did you originally get into music and when did you know that your love for music would turn into a lifetime career?
You’ve surrounded yourself with a loving family and the support of some of the most prominent artists of all time like Madonna and Lionel Richie. What life lessons did you learn from the people who most impacted your career?
You’ve had very high points in your life like topping the Billboard music charts, but you also lost your father and went through a divorce. How have your biggest life struggles given you a sense of gratitude and made you a stronger person?
The music world has completely changed since you became established back in the 1980s. Why is your new album “Limitless” special to you and how will you promote it differently than your previous ones?
An interview with Stacey Abrams about inspiring people during this pandemic, how people can make a positive change, the importance of voter rights, why she wrote several romance novels, and her best career advice.
Welcome to the 89th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is a politician, lawyer, entrepreneur, and author, Stacey Abrams. Born in Madison Wisconsin, Stacey grew up with five other siblings in Atlanta. As a teenager, she was hired as a typist for a congressional campaign and was then hired as a speechwriter. She studied political science and economics at Spelman College, public policy at the University of Texas at Austin’s LBJ School of Public Affairs, and received her Juris Doctor from Yale Law School. Upon graduation, Stacey was a tax attorney at Georgia law firm Sutherland Asbill & Brennan. Starting in 2007 she served in the Georgia House of Representatives before resigning in 2017 to run in the gubernatorial election where she became the first African-American female major-party gubernatorial nominee in the United States. Then in 2019, Stacey became the first African-American woman to deliver a response to the State of the Union address. More recently, she’s the founder of Fair Fight Action and Fair Count, which fight for fair elections and for a fair count in the U.S. Census. Stacey’s new book “Our Time is Now”, and her upcoming documentary, both focus on voter suppression, which is part of what we talk about in this podcast episode.
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
Can you offer any inspiration and advice to those who are struggling right now as they suffer from unemployment, illness, mental health issues, racism, or any other issues?
Over the past month, we’ve witnessed the LGBTQ+ and African American communities protest systemic and perpetual social, political, and economic injustice, with some positive outcomes for both groups. What tangible actions can both institutions and individuals take to support these suppressed communities above and beyond posting activist content on social media?
The right to vote is essential to America’s democracy. How did your loss during the 2018 Georgia election inspire you to be an advocate for voter protections and what steps will you take to ensure there’s election integrity for future races?
What most people might not know about you is that aside from being a politician and a lawyer, you are also a novelist and entrepreneur as the author of 8 romance novels and founder of NOW Corp. and Nourish, Inc. What role have these pursuits played in your career and life goals?
An interview with Debra Messing about how her parents supported her career, how she’s challenged the status quo, staying positive in the face of adversity, the global health crisis, and her best career advice.
Welcome to the 88th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is the star of Will & Grace, Debra Messing. Born in Brooklyn, New York, her family moved to Rhode Island to attend high school, where she acted and sang in musicals. Before pursuing her acting career, she was urged by her parents to attend college at Brandeis University. Upon graduating with honors, she attended New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. After appearing in the film A Walk in the Clouds, she was chosen as a co-star for the TV sitcom Ned & Stacey, which led to roles in other shows like Seinfeld and Prey. In 1998, she co-starred as Grace Adler in mega TV hit show Will & Grace. The success of the show led to other roles in movies like Along Came Polly, The Wedding Date, and the remake of Dirty Dancing. More recently, Debra reprised her role in the revival of Will & Grace with a ninth Golden Globe nomination and is the co-host of The Dissenters Podcast. I had the pleasure of speaking with her about the impact of Will & Grace on the gay community, which is timely since the Supreme Court just ruled that workers can’ be fired for being gay or transgender.
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
Part of why I was able to pursue my career path as an author, podcaster, and researcher was the support of my parents. How important were your parents encouraged you to pursue your dream of becoming an actress and what advice did they give you during your pursuit?
Your new podcast The Dissenters features nonconformists like Glennon Doyle who was recently on this podcast. In what way have you challenged the status quo and what inspires you about others who have done the same?
You said that acting is 90% confidence. As both a social activist and actress, you’ve faced criticism, rejection, and obstacles. How do you stay positive, confident, and motivated in the face of adversity?
How has your involvement and activism around HIV and Aids in Africa shaped your understanding of the global health crisis we are dealing with today?
An interview with Patrick McGinnis about starting a side business while working full-time, how to start a business, prevent FOMO from affecting our daily lives and his best career advice.
Welcome to the 87th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is author and venture capitalist, Patrick McGinnis. Born in Sanford, Maine, Patrick coined the term FOMO, or “fear of missing out”, while studying at Harvard Business School back in 2004. Six years later, he founded Dirigo Advisors working with investors and fast-growing companies in Latin America, Europe, Africa, Asia and America. Then, went on to work at AIG Capital Partners before writing his first book entitled “The 10% Entrepreneur”. In 2018, Patrick released the first episode of the FOMO Sapiens Podcast, and I was recently featured this April to talk about working from home and corporate culture. The success of the podcast led to his TEDx talk in 2019 and his new book, “Fear of Missing Out”. As a fellow entrepreneur, I was curious to hear about Patrick’s perspectives on what we should all be mindful of before we start a business.
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
I was a part-time entrepreneur from 2006 to 2010, sacrificing nights and weekends outside of my big corporate job to work on projects that I was passionate about. I had no idea that eventually those passions, and the hard work, would turn into a full-time job. How do you know if you can make it on your own versus staying at your company?
If you do start a business outside of your full-time job, what’s the best way to meet the demands of both without being burned out?
Can you share some tips for people who have great business ideas, but don’t know how to start them and fear failure?
How can we prevent FOMO from affecting our daily decisions and instead focus on activities that bring us meaning and purpose?
An interview with Meg Whitman about the difference between leading a Fortune 500 company and a startup, how to decide what risks are worth taking, what she learned from politics, how to manage during a crisis, and her best career advice.
Welcome to the 86th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is the CEO of Quibi, Meg Whitman. Born in Cold Spring Harbor, New York, Meg graduated high school in three years in the top ten of her class. She originally wanted to be a doctor but ended up studying math and science at Princeton University, but later changed paths after spending a summer selling magazine advertisements. Meg went on to obtain her MBA from Harvard Business School and starting her professional career at Proctor & Gamble. From there, she worked as a consultant at Bain & Company eventually becoming a Senior Vice President before leaving to become an executive at Disney, Stride Right, and Hasbro. From 1998 to 2008, Meg was the CEO of eBay growing the company from 30 employees and $4 million in revenue to more than 15,000 employees and $8 million in revenue. Then in 2009 she ran for Governor of California later dropping out in 2010. A year later, Meg went back into the corporate world as the CEO of HP before stepping down in 2017. Then in 2018, she became the CEO of Quibi, a short-form original mobile-only platform. I’ve wanted to speak with Meg for years because of her breadth of experience, both in politics and at different companies, has fascinated me.
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
You’ve been the CEO of two Fortune 500 companies and are now the CEO of a startup. What do you find are the differences, similarities, opportunities, and obstacles between being a CEO at a large versus a small company and how did your prior positions prepare you for this new role?
You’re a believer in the importance of risk-taking and while you’ve received a lot of support for Quibi, most startups don’t succeed. How do you decide what risks are worth taking?
What did you learn from the experience of running for Governor of California that helped you become a better business leader and what did you learn from your business career that made you a better politician?
The workplace has changed so much since you started your career and is currently going through another transformation amidst the Covid-19 pandemic. What should leaders do to effectively manage their workforce during this crisis and how do you think the workplace will be transformed in the aftermath?
An interview with Andrew Yang about how he created a political movement, how Universal Basic Income can enable people to follow their passion, how to prepare for the future of work, his decision making on the campaign trail, and his best career advice.
Welcome to the 85th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is former U.S. Presidential candidate, Andrew Yang. Born in Schenectady, New York, Yang was bullied growing up as one of the few Asians in his hometown of Westchester. He was a gifted child skipping a grade, attending the Center for Talented Youth at Johns Hopkins University, and then attended elite boarding school. Yang majored in economics and political science at Brown University and has a law degree from Columbia. His first job was as a corporate attorney, but eventually quit to launch his first startup, Stargiving that eventually failed during the dot-com bubble. From there, he became the CEO of Manhattan Prep, a test prep company, which was acquired in 2009. Yang then started the non-profit fellowship program Venture for America. In 2017, he launched his presidential campaign but later dropped out to endorse Joe Biden. Yang’s new non-profit is called Humanity Forward, which is dedicated to continuing his UBI and data security movements. More recently, he launched his podcast “Yang Speakers” and a few UBI experiments. Since I focus on employment topics and issues, I was excited to hear Yang’s perspectives on the future of work and careers.
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
You started off as a political unknown, yet you were able to create and grow a movement with legions of supporters who call themselves “the yang gang”. What do you think were the key elements in your ability to start the movement, rapidly scale it, and sustain it for so long?
You’re credited with raising awareness for Universal Basic Income (UBI) and are now suggesting that all American’s should receive $2,000 each month during the pandemic. One of the hidden benefits of UBI that isn’t talked about is the leverage it gives citizens to make better career-related decisions. For instance, if you have a toxic manager, you’re more likely to leave that job if you have a UBI safety net. Can you please explain how UBI can be a game-changer for a citizen’s career prospects?
While many people think that companies are less likely to invest in automation during a crisis, the opposite is true. When revenues decline the cost of labor increases and a study by EY found that over 40% of companies are spending up plans to automate their businesses. You say the economy is going to become more “inhuman”. What can people do right now to prepare for the future of jobs and work?
You’ve made some difficult decisions during your campaign. How did you evaluate when it was time to keep pushing forward, change paths, or quit while continuing to motivate your supporters? What would you have done differently if you ran again?
An interview with Jon Taffer about how entrepreneurs can build trust during a crisis, how his first job as a bartender made him empathetic, what successful relationships have in common, how he’s addressed his own excuses, and his best career advice.
Welcome to the 84th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is the star of Bar Rescue, Jon Taffer. Born in Great Neck, New York, Jon first entered the restaurant industry in 1973 as a bartender in West Hollywood, California, while performing as a drummer in a band. From there, he held his first management position at a nightclub, eventually leaving to open his first bar in 1989. Over the next two decades, he rose to prominence in his industry as the President of the Nightclub and Bar Media Group and is recognized in the Nightclub Hall of Fame. In 2011, Jon’s hit reality TV show “Bar Rescue” premiered on Spike TV and is now in its seventh season. The show’s success led to the spinoff show “Marriage Rescue”, two bestselling books, a podcast called “No Excuses” and a new restaurant chain called “Taffers Tavern”. I’ve been meaning to get together with Jon for a while now and was especially interested in his business views during this pandemic.
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
Jon, your industry has been greatly affected in this pandemic with many restaurants and bars that may never recover. You’ve said that the most important asset that people in any industry can build right now is trust and I agree. How can restaurant owners, or anyone else in business, build the trust that will put them in a better position in the aftermath of the pandemic?
Even though you are a prominent figure in your industry, you started as a bartender in your youth, which is why I think you’re able to empathize with workers more than most. I also believe everyone should have a service job. I was a caterer for my temple! How did your first job as a bartender prepare you for your future in the industry?
While your Bar Rescue and Marriage Rescue TV shows are different, both focus on relationships. Can you explain why most relationships fail and what all successful ones have in common?
Over the course of your career, you’ve heard all kinds of excuses from people who are afraid to address their underlying issues. What is one excuse that you’ve made, how did you address it and what did you learn about yourself in the process?
An interview with Steve Aoki how he monetized his passion, his reflections from being in isolation, how Avicii’s death impacted him, how he recovered from failure, and his best career advice.
Welcome to the 83rd episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is DJ, record producer, and music executive, Steve Aoki. Born in Miami, Florida, Steve is the son of Rocky Aoki, the legendary owner of the Japanese restaurant chain Benihana. During college at the University of California, Santa Barbara, he produced do-it-yourself records and ran underground concerts and eventually launched his own record label called Dim Mak back in 1996. Steve’s label released music from a variety of electro house artists like Felix Cartal and Bloc Party while remixing songs from a variety of artists like Kanye West, Eminem, and Drake. He rose to international fame for his surfing stunts, cake throwing, champagne spraying, and riding rafts during his hundreds of performances each year. Steve’s first solo album, Wonderland, was nominated for a Grammy in 2013, which is the same year he was ranked in the top ten best DJ’s in America. Since then, he’s released four other hit albums, Neon Future I, II, III, and IV, launched his own comic book titled “Neon Future” and his memoir titled “Blue”. I first interviewed Steve eight years ago for a series I wrote for Forbes called “The World’s Greatest DJ’s” and out of everyone I interviewed, he was the most authentic and vulnerable. That’s why I was excited to catch up with him again for this podcast episode.
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
Steve, we are constantly told to “follow our passion” and you’ve not only found your passion but turned it into a thriving career. What do you recommend to others who have either not found their passion or haven’t been able to monetize it?
As someone who has toured the world many times over you’ve witnessed how your music has impacted different cultures. Now that you’re in isolation in your home, how have you reflected on your life journey and what will you do differently when your life gets back to normal?
This month marks the two-year anniversary of Avicii’s death, one of the most celebrated DJ’s ever that I interviewed and you collaborated with. How did his passing affect you personally and made you think about the life you want to live and the legacy you want to leave behind?
When you first started your label you were signing big acts, while simultaneously losing money. What steps did you take to become profitable again and how did this time in your career prepare you for the future?
An interview with Martin Dempsey about how to lead during a crisis, how conflicts in his career shaped his life perspectives, the common expectations that form relationships, the military figures that have influenced him, and his best career advice.
Welcome to the 82nd episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is retired U.S. General and the 18th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Martin Dempsey. Born in Jersey City, New Jersey, Martin attended the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. After graduating he served as a company-grade officer, then went on to become an executive officer during Operation Desert Storm. He rose up the military ranks during the war in Iraq eventually becoming a General in 2008 and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under President Barack Obama in 2011. Four years later, Martin retired and was named to TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World. After over forty years of military service, he now teaches leadership and public policy as a Rubenstein Fellow at Duke University and serves as Chairman of USA Basketball. More recently, Martin authored the new book, “No Time For Spectators”, which is the basis for today’s podcast episode.
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
Leaders in every institution are being tested
right now with how they’re dealing with the Coronavirus pandemic. Based on your
experience as a General in the U.S. army, what are your recommendations to
leaders on how to manage this crisis or any crisis?
As someone with over 40 years of military
service, how have major conflicts impacted your leadership, perspectives on the
world and how you live your life?
In your book “No Time for Spectators” you
examine the common expectations that forge the strongest relationships. What
are the key mutual expectations that make any relationship successful?
Over the course of my career, I’ve interviewed
major military figures like Colin Powell and Stanley McChrystal. What military
figures have influenced your leadership style and what did you learn from
them?
An interview with Hilarie Burton about how she transitioned from Hollywood to a farm, how her life has changed, the most challenging skill she learned on the farm, the power of human connection, and her best career advice.
Welcome to the 81st episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is One Tree Hill actress turned farmer and author, Hilarie Burton. Born in Sterling, Virginia, Hilarie was very active in high school as the captain of the cheerleading squad, the student council president, and homecoming queen. She started her career as a VJ on MTV’s Total Request Live then made an appearance on Dawson’s Creek before getting cast for her breakout role on One Tree Hill. Since then, she’s played lead roles in films such as Our Very Own, Solstice, and The List, and TV shows like Grey’s Anatomy, Forever and Lethal Weapon. More recently, Hilarie wrote her memoir “The Rural Diaries” and became a co-host, with her husband, of AMC’s “Friday Night In with The Morgans”. In this episode, Hilarie introduces us to her life on the farm and what she’s learned from her experience.
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
How were you able to transition from being a bi-coastal Hollywood actress to raising a family on a farm and what were the hardest sacrifices you had to make?
How have your views on life and work changed from the time you spent living in big cities to a small town?
Reading your book reminded me of the reality show “The Simple Life” in that you’ve had to learn new skills to survive and thrive in your new environment like raising animals and running a candy store. What was the most challenging skill you had to learn and how did you learn it?
While the coronavirus pandemic has resulted in isolation, job loss, and death, the silver lining is that many of us are getting closer even from a distance. What has this crisis, and your new life, taught you about the power of human connection?
An interview with Jim Kwik about how his childhood brain injury serves as his motivation, what his superpower and kryptonite are, what he’s learned from Will Smith, how to accelerate our learning, and his best career advice.
Welcome to the 80th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is the CEO of Kwik Learning, Jim Kwik. Born in Westchester, New York, Jim suffered a brain injury when he was five, which hurt his brain performance and motivated him to study the power of the brain. He’s spent the past few decades training his brain for speed-reading and memory improvement. Jim has used his talents to coach clients including Google, Virgin, Nike, Harvard, and some of the most celebrated entertainers of our time like Will Smith and Hugh Jackman. He hosts the “Kwik Brain” podcast and his online training courses have impacted students in over 180 different countries. His advice and experiences have been captured in his new book “Limitless”, which teaches us how to learn so we can dramatically improve our performance. I first connected with Jim through Instagram, have since met him in person and I was excited to speak with him for this podcast episode.
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
How did your childhood brain injury motivate you to master your own brain and then help others do the same?
You and I both love superheroes and you talk a lot about superpowers when you communicate to audiences or through your content. What would you say your superpower is and what is your kryptonite?
What’s fascinating about your life story is that you actually work with the actors behind the most beloved superheroes, helping them speed read their scripts so they can perform better. While it’s clear that you helped them become better actors, what did you learn from spending time with them that has furthered your education and brain performance?
We both believe in lifelong learning. We aren’t students for 4-years, we are students for life. Can you tell me the most effective technique that can accelerate our learning so that we can become smarter as we age?
An interview with Erika Nardini about being the CEO of Barstool Sports, how to stay relevant, handling pressure, her biggest challenges and best career advice.
Welcome to the 79th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is the CEO of Barstool Sports, Erika Nardini. Born in New Hampshire, Erika studied sociology and philosophy at Colby College. While at first, she aspired to be a lawyer, she eventually decided to go into advertising and marketing. Early in her career, she was a Media Manager at Fidelity, where she learned first-hand the potential of the Internet for media purposes. Erika went on to hold executive positions at Arnold Worldwide, Modelina, Yahoo!, Demand Media and eventually became the Chief Marketing Officer at AOL. In 2016, she stepped into her role as the CEO of Barstool Sports, a satirical sports and lifestyle culture brand, which has grown to become the tenth largest distributed media company in America with 66 million unique visitors each month. Under Erika’s leadership, the company has grown from 15 to 201 employees, with revenues approaching $100 million and with a valuation of $450 million after an investment by Penn National Gaming this past January. As one of Fast Company’s Most Creative People, I was excited to speak to Erika about how she stays relevant, handles the rapid business growth and what it’s really like being a CEO.
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
What does your daily schedule look like that enables you to manage a well-known brand like Barstool?
I believe the biggest challenge for a company, product and human today is staying relevant in a world, industry, category and profession that’s constantly changing. How do you keep yourself and your company relevant?
How have you been able to handle the pressure to exceed expectations with all of your stakeholders and continue to be a leader in the market?
Can you talk about your biggest challenges and how you’ve navigated through them?
An interview with Jim Ross about why he continues to be a wrestling announcer after decades of work, how he’s dealt with setbacks, what he’s learned from wrestlers, what makes for a compelling story and his best career advice.
Welcome to the 78th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is wrestling hall of fame announcer Jim Ross. Born in Fort Bragg, California, Jim played high school baseball, was a two-time all-conference football player and was president of the student body. During college, he was given his very first broadcast position filling in for a local NWA wrestling event. Jim ended his tenure by calling his first NWA World Heavyweight Championship match between Ric Flair and Ted DiBiase. In the next six-year period, he joined Jim Crockett Promotions, which was purchased by World Championship Wrestling (WCW), where he became the head of broadcasting. After his contract ended, he was hired by World Wrestling Federation (WWF) debuting at WrestleMania IX. Jim was fired by the WWF two weeks after suffering his first attack of Bell’s Palsy but was eventually hired back. He became the voice of WWF’s “Raw Is War” and was promoted to serve as EVP of Talent Relations for WWF, which was becoming WWE, before once again being fired. In 2007, Jim was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by Steve Austin. He returned to WWE multiple times after until 2019 when he signed a 3-year deal with All Elite Wrestling to be a commentator and senior advisor. Currently, Jim has his own line of BBQ sauces, hosts the Grilling JR podcast and is the author of “Under The Black Hat”. It was great to speak with Jim after interviewing DDP for a previous podcast episode because he’s had a forty-year career and has learned so much from his experiences both personally and professionally.
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
Your voice was part of my childhood growing up watching
wrestling and you’ve maintained your career as an announcer ever since. What
fuels your desire to continue to do what you do?
How have you dealt with the grievances, health issues
and setbacks you’ve encountered throughout your life from losing your wife to
your Bell’s palsy and loss of eyesight?
Over the years, you’ve had the opportunity to connect
with a variety of wrestling stars, most notably Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson,
Stone Cold Steve Austin and John Cena. What personal and professional advice
did you both give them and receive from them?
The wrestling industry was built on compelling
storylines. What do you think separated the stories that captured the hearts
and minds of your audience versus the ones that came up short?
An interview with Glennon Doyle abouthow she overcame her struggles, how to trust yourself, how parenthood changed her, how being brave can make us luckier and her best career advice.
Welcome to the 77th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is bestselling author Glennon Doyle. Born in Burke, Virginia, Glennon struggled with bulimia and addiction growing up and shared her experiences in her 2013 TEDx talk “Lessons from the Mental Hospital”, which has been viewed over 3.4 million times. Her writing career started in 2009 with her blog Momastery, which led to her first book Carry On, Warrior, that was selected as part of Oprah’s Book Club. Glennon went onto write Love Warrior and her latest, Untamed. Aside from being an author and speaker, she’s the founder of the all-women led nonprofit organization Together Rising, which has raised millions of dollars for women, families and children’s in crisis. In this episode, Glennon shares some incredibly powerful life experiences and lessons that will both challenge and inspire you.
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
Every successful person I’ve interviewed over the past 10 years has overcome significant work and life challenges and it’s the source of their courage, confidence, and power. How have your struggles with bulimia and addiction shaped the person you are today?
One of the biggest personal challenges we face in today’s culture is the relentless pursuit of validation from others, which has been amplified by social media. How can we start trusting ourselves instead of striving to meet the expectations of the world?
I’ve heard from all of my friends that parenthood changes you and all of them say that you can’t prepare for it, it just happens. How has parenthood put your life in perspective, helped you deal with your past and made you a better version of yourself?
In your book Untamed, you say “The braver we are, the luckier we get”. Can you explain what you mean by this phrase and give an example from your life when you got lucky by being brave?
An interview with Diamond Dallas Page aboutthe lessons he learned from his family, how his dyslexia is both a strength and a weakness, his favorite and least favorite part of being a wrestler, why he decided to start a yoga business and his best career advice.
Welcome to the 76th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My
guest today is former pro wrestler turned entrepreneur, Diamond Dallas Page.
Born in Point Pleasant, New Jersey his name came from his love of the Dallas
Cowboys football team. After attending Coastal Carolina University in South
Carolina, he started work full-time running a nightclub in Florida, while being
a wrestling manager in the American Wrestling Association. A year later, he
worked as a color commentator in Florida Championship Wrestling, which became
Professional Wrestling Federation, working alongside Gordon Solie before
becoming a wrestler himself. He was eventually brought into World Championship
Wrestling after Dusty Rhodes offering him a contract. At WCW, DDP started as a
manager then eventually rose up the ranks to become the United States Heavyweight
champion. He continued to wrestle for the World Wrestling Federation after they
bought WCW and went on to win the WWF Tag Team Championship and WWF European
Championship during his time there. After
suffering from a neck injury, he retired, but eventually came out of retirement
and has made appearances in WWF, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, All Elite
Wrestling and others since. More recently, he was inducted into the WWE Hall of
fame, published his second book “Positively Unstoppable” and launched his fitness
program DDP Yoga. DDP was my favorite wrestler when I watched WCW so I was
excited to learn more about his experience as a wrestler, life lessons and what
he’s working on right now.
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
As a child, you were raised by your father and then your grandmother. What impact did they have on your life and what life lessons did you learn from them?
In your autobiography, you admitted your dyslexic and it’s common that many of the world’s most successful people are dyslexic. How was your dyslexia both a strength and weakness as you grew up?
Even though my friends loved the WWE, I was a WCW fan and you were my favorite wrestler because I enjoyed your charisma and of course the Diamond Cutter finishing move! What was your favorite and least favorite part of being a pro-wrestler and what would you say your legacy is?
When did your wife introduce you to yoga and what transferable skills from wrestling enabled you to create a successful yoga fitness program?
An interview with Molly Yeh about how her Chinese Jewish heritage and Midwest roots influenced her career, how she made a big life transition, how she maintains work-life balance, where she gets her inspiration for her recipes and her best career advice.
Welcome to the 75th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is the star of Girl Meets Farm on The Food Network, Molly Yeh. Born in Glenview, Illinois, Molly is of Chinese and Jewish descent with parents who are musicians and a sister who is also a chef. After following in her parents’ footsteps as a member of two percussion ensembles, which won gold medals, She moved to New York City to attend Julliard. Molly turned the journals she kept in her childhood into a blog back in 2009. After attracting a large following on the blog and on social media, Molly published her first book, Molly on the Range in 2017. The next year, Molly became the star of her own TV series on The Food Network called Girl Meets Farm, which is now in its fifth season. My good friend and middle eastern foodie Jeff Gabel told me about Molly years ago before she had her own TV show so I finally had the chance to speak with her about her life, inspiration, and advice.
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
You’re very proud of your Chinese Jewish heritage and Midwest
roots. How do think about your identity as it relates to the brand you
developed?
After studying at Julliard in New York, how were you able to
adapt to life in the Midwest and what advice would you give to people in a big
life transition?
How do you maintain a work-life balance between blogging, being
a mom, and your TV show?
Where do you get the inspiration for your recipes and
decide which ones to write and talk about on TV, in books and online?
An interview with Jessica Pels about what prepared her for her job as Editor-in-Chief of Cosmopolitan, why ageism doesn’t affect her, the ideal mentor relationship, what she wants her legacy to be and her best career advice.
Welcome to the 74th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is the Editor-in-Chief of Cosmopolitan, Jessica Pels. Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Jessica moved to New York City at age 14 to study ballet at the American Ballet Theatre. After earning her degree in film production at the New York University Tisch School of the Arts, Jessica held various editorial positions at The New Yorker, Vogue, Glamour and Teen Vogue before becoming the Digital Director for Marie Claire magazine. She left the magazine to accept a similar role at Cosmopolitan, which eventually led to her becoming the youngest person in the history of the magazine to be the Editor-in-Chief at age 32. In her position, Jessica oversees the content and editorial operations for the magazine, web, social, video, and editorial innovation projects. As someone who has contributed articles to magazines in the past, I was excited to speak with Jessica about her journey, perspectives, advice, and legacy.
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
What did you
learn in your prior job roles that prepared you for your current role?
As a fellow
Millennial leader, I encountered a lot of ageism in my early 20s as I was
trying to grow my career. What obstacles did you have to overcome to be the
youngest person to ever hold your prestigious position?
You speak a lot
about the importance of mentorship, which is a topic that is often talked about
but misunderstood. Can you describe your ideal mentor relationship?
Over the course
of my career, I’ve interviewed those who have held your position before you
like Joanna Coles and Kate White. How do you think you’ll be different from
your predecessors and what unique contribution are you looking to make?
An interview with Dr. Mark Hyman about how he originally got into the medical field, how to know what to eat and what to avoid, how to structure your day so you’re healthy, avoiding burnout and his best career advice.
Welcome to the 73rd episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is a bestselling author and founder of The UltraWellness Center, Dr. Mark Hyman. Born in New York, Mark moved to Idaho after graduating from medical school. Then, he worked as an emergency room doctor in Massachusetts before becoming the co-medical director at Canyon Ranch. After leaving the Ranch, he opened The UltraWellness Center. Over the past seven years, Mark has written countless bestselling books, including his latest entitled “Food Fix: How to Save Our Health, Our Economy, Our Communities, and Our Planet–One Bite at a Time”. He is the Medical Director at Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Functional Medicine and is a medical advisor to Bill and Hillary Clinton. As someone who went from eating fast food, and hot dogs on George Foreman grills to being a pescatarian, I have an appreciation for food as it relates to our health. That’s why I wanted Mark to share his insights with all of you because eating healthy transformed my life and it can do the same for you.
Video interview from New York City:
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
How did
you originally get into the medical field?
There’s so
much information about what to eat and what not to online. How do you know what
to trust?
How do
you structure your day so you can manage all aspects of your health?
What is
the best way to prevent burnout and is food part of that?
An interview with Patrick Lencioni about why he decided to become a leader, the biggest mistakes leaders make, the behaviors that drive high performing teams, a leader’s responsibility at work and his best career advice.
Welcome to the 72nd episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is a leadership consultant and bestselling author, Patrick Lencioni. Born in Bakersfield, California, Patrick was a management consultant at Bain, Oracle, and Sybase before launching The Table Group, a firm focused on executive team development and organizational health. He is best known as the author of the multi-million copy bestselling book The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, and has followed up with a series of other books, including his latest entitled “The Motive”. Patrick is new to the podcast world with his show “At The Table”. I first discovered Patrick’s work back in 2009 and have since interviewed him several times. He’s one of the most respected figures in my industry, an incredible communicator and his team have a long tenure, which speaks volumes to his leadership ability. He’s also represented by my literary agent and hero, Jim Levine! In this podcast interview, we learn about Patrick’s own leadership style and what really drives team performance.
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
Why did you originally choose to be a leader and
what experiences helped shape the leader you are today?
What pitfalls do leaders make that hurt their
team when their intent was to help?
You’ve written 12 books on how leaders build
effective teams. What behaviors are most important for forming, engaging and
growing a great team?
With the workplace becoming increasingly
automated, and where mental health issues are widespread, what is a leader’s
role and responsibility as we start a new decade?
An interview with Vinny Guadagnino about how he was able to change his diet, how losing 50 pounds changed his life, how fame has impacted him, managing criticism and his best career advice.
Welcome to the 71st episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is MTV Jersey Shore star, Vinny Guadagnino. Born in Staten Island, New York City, Vinny was cast for the Jersey shore back in 2009 and remained on the show for all six seasons up until 2012. He then went on to host the MTV talk show The Show with Vinny in 2013 then co-hosted Vinny & Ma Eat America with his mom on The Cooking Channel. In 2018, he reunited with his Jersey Shore castmates for Jersey Shore: Family Vacation, and also co-starred on A Double Shot at Love on MTV with DJ Pauly D. Vinny has supported campaigns around issues like anti-bullying and gay rights. As an advocate for the keto diet, he wrote “The Keto Guido Cookbook”. I sat down with Vinny to talk about the lessons he’s learned from keeping such a strict diet and how it’s impacted his life for this podcast.
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
Like you, I grew up eating unhealthy without even realizing the harm it was causing me. What obstacles did you face as you changed your diet and how did you overcome them?
How has losing 50 pounds impacted how you feel about yourself, your career trajectory and the people closest to you?
You’ve been in the public eye for a decade. What aspects of fame have been most beneficial and harmful to your life?
You were bullied in high school, just like me, and have since used your platform to bring attention to the issue. How have you been able to prevent bullies and critics from hurting your self-confidence?
An interview with Steve Gorman about how he was able to handle the highs and lows of being in a band, what the most important qualities of a teammate are, what he would have done differently, what he learned as an artist and his best career advice.
Welcome to the 70th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is the founding member of the Black Crowes, Steve Gorman. Born in Muskegon, Michigan, Steve joined his elementary school’s band playing the drums. At age 10, he moved to Kentucky, aspiring to be a guitarist. Then in college, he was a broadcasting major, while playing drums with several bands. In 1986, he formed the band Lack of Interest with his friends to record their first demo tape. A year later, he started playing with the Black Crowes for their first 9 albums, then eventually rejoined in 2005. More recently, Gorman founded the band Trigger Hippy and authored the book, “Hard to Handle”, which is named after the Black Crowes hit song. I caught up with Steve to learn more about how he was able to navigate a multi-decade career in such a celebrated band and what he’s learned along the way.
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
You’ve been part of The Black Crowes for over two decades, witnessing the success, struggle, and breakup first hand. How were you able to mentally and emotionally handle the highs and lows?
You say you’re a team-oriented guy. What do you believe are the most important qualities of a teammate, or in your case a band member, and which are the ones to avoid and why?
If you were to start another band right now, what would you differently base on what you’ve experienced and why?
What is the most important business advice you’ve learned as an artist that you wish you knew when you first started?
An interview with Melissa Ben-Ishay how she benefited from losing her job, how she overcame her biggest obstacle as an entrepreneur, where her work ethic comes from, how she’s managed her work and personal relationships and her best career advice.
Welcome to the 69th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is the creator, President and Chief Product Officer of Baked by Melissa, Melissa Ben-Ishay. Born in Hillsdale, New Jersey Melissa graduated Syracuse University with a Bachelor’s in Child and Family Studies. Her first job was as a sales assistant at Telerep Inc., then she worked at Deutsch Inc. as an Assistant Media Planner, where she was fired at age 24. Her side hustle during this time was baking tie-dye cupcakes for friends, family and co-workers. Two weeks after being fired, Melissa partnered with her brother Brian to create the Baked by Melissa company. Fast forward to today, where Baked by Melissa is in 14 locations and ships nationwide. Melissa is also the author of Cakes by Melissa and invests her time in philanthropic initiatives like Make-A-Wish and the Side with Love campaign to help spread kindness. While I don’t eat cupcakes, I see Baked by Melissa stores walking around in New York City and at JFK Airport so I was interested in learning how she made all of this happen!
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
How was losing your job as an Assistant Media
Planner a blessing in disguise?
When you initially had the idea for your
company, what was your biggest obstacle and how did you overcome it?
Like you, I remember working over one hundred
hours a week when I started a company in my 20s. Where does your work ethic
come from and how have you continued to sustain it after 12 years in business?
You co-founded your company with your brother
and have since married your husband who works under you. How have you been able
to manage these relationships without letting work get in between you?
An interview with Suzanne Somers about how she’s had a sustainable career since the 1960s, the habits that have had the biggest impact on her heath, how she handles obstacles, how people can age better and her best career advice.
Welcome to the 68th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is actress, author and singer, Suzanne Somers. Born in San Bruno, California, Suzanne attended the San Francisco College for Women, then got married and had a child at age 19. A year after her divorce, she became a prize model on the syndicated game show “Anniversary Game”, where she married the host Alan Hamel. In 2000, Suzanne was diagnosed with breast cancer, which she treated with a medical plant instead of chemotherapy. While her acting career started in the 1960s, it took off when she was cast in the popular ABC sitcom Three’s Company and was the breakout star. She also starred in the TV series She’s the Sheriff, Step by Step and The Suzanne Show. In addition, she appeared on the 20th season of Dancing with the Stars, two Playboy magazines, infomercials and was portrayed in South Park. Suzanne has written countless books that cover a variety of health and wellness topics, including her latest “A New Way to Age”. I’ve wanted to interview her for many years, not just because my mom is one of her customers, but because she’s been able to stay relevant for many decades which is so rare in her profession.
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
You’ve been in the media and entertainment
business since the 1960s. What do you think has allowed you to sustain such a
long career in one of the most competitive industries?
When did you decide to take your health
seriously and what habits have you created that have had the biggest impact on
your health?
What’s the first thing you do when you encounter
a big obstacle?
People are living longer but aren’t necessarily
wealthier and healthier than previous generations. Based on the conversations
you’ve had with doctors, other experts and through your own experience, what
can people do right now to set themselves up for a better life as they age?
An interview with Nas Daily about his struggles being an Arab growing up in Israel, how he committed to posting so much content, what he’s learned from his travels, life lessons and his best career advice.
Welcome to the 67th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is a video blogger, author, and entrepreneur, Nas Daily. Born in Israel to a Muslim-Arab family of Palestinian descent, Nuseir Yassin graduated Harvard University, while co-founding his own social media search engine. After Harvard, he became a software developer at Venmo for two years before creating the Facebook page “Nas Daily”. His ambition was to create a new video every day for 1,000 days in different countries, from The Philippines to North Korea, which is now captured in his new book “Around the World in 60 Seconds.” I had the opportunity to meet with Nas in Singapore recently when I was on vacation to learn more about who he is and how he’s been able to grow his platform to over14 million followers and over 4.5 billion video impressions.
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
What were some of your struggles as an Arab born in Israel, why did you create content to discuss the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and what impact do you feel you made?
You quit your job to travel around the world as a content creator committing to one new video posted every day for 1,000 days. How did you get the courage, and make that level of commitment, without knowing if it would turn into a career?
What have you learned about yourself and the world we live in after traveling to 64 countries in just a few years?
Can you talk about the career and life lessons you learned from your conversations with the people you’ve met while traveling the world? How have they affected you personally and professionally?
An interview with Ben Horowitz about how entrepreneurs should prepare for pitch meetings, what all successful entrepreneurs have in common, what he’s learned about leadership from historical figures, how to find the right career and his best career advice.
Welcome to the 66th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is the co-founder and general partner of Andreessen Horowitz, Ben Horowitz. Born in London, England, Ben was raised in California. He graduated from Columbia University with a BA in computer science then got his master’s in computer science from UCLA. From there, Ben had his first job at Silicon Graphics before joining Netscape founder Marc Andreessen as a product manager. When Netscape was acquired by AOL, Ben became AOL’s Vice President of eCommerce. He and Marc left Netscape to co-found Loudcloud eventually taking it public and transforming it into enterprise software company Opsware. Ben grew the company to over $100 million in annual revenue before selling it to HP for $1.6 billion. Once he left, he joined forces again with Marc to create venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, which has invested in Box, Facebook, Slack, Instagram, and Airbnb. I caught up with Ben for this podcast to hear his perspectives on raising capital, leadership, choosing the right career and to learn about his new book “What You Do Is Who You Are”.
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
What should entrepreneurs do to prepare for a pitch meeting with you and what are your criteria for which companies you invest in?
What do all successful entrepreneurs have in common?
What have you learned from studying successful leaders of the past and present on how to create a highly engaging and productive organization that lasts?
How do you align what you do, and who you are with the right company?
An interview with Kris Jenner about why she thinks Keeping up with the Kardashians is so appealing, how she decides what business opportunities to take, the role social media plays in her life, her typical day and what she hopes her family achieves.
Welcome to the 65th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is TV star and entrepreneur, Kris Jenner. Born in San Diego, California, Kris’s first job was as a flight attendant for American Airlines, which was around the same time when she married Robert Kardashian and had four children: Kourtney, Kim, Khloe, and Rob. After getting divorced thirteen years later, she got remarried to retired Olympian Bruce Jenner and had two more daughters in Kendall and Kylie. Then in 2007, she met Ryan Seacrest and launched the E! TV series Keeping Up with the Kardashians, which has become one of the longest-running reality TV shows in history. Kris manages the family’s multi-billion-dollar brand, which includes clothing lines, mobile apps, cosmetics, books, shows, and merchandise. When it comes to getting and monetizing attention, she is a mastermind! In this podcast from an interview I did with Kris back in 2012, we learn more about her priorities, mindset and how she does business.
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
What do you think was most appealing about “Keeping up with the Kardashians” when you first launched it?
How did you decide what opportunities were best for your brand?
What role does social media play in your life, both personally and professionally? Does it help you grow your business or inspire episodes of your show?
What does your typical day look like?
What are the biggest challenges in managing your family members’ careers and what do you hope they will achieve?
An interview with David Meerman Scott about being a successful author, why entrepreneurs should focus on community building, what he learned from his daughter, his view on the top marketing trends and his best career advice.
Welcome to the 64th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is author, speaker, and marketing strategist, David Meerman Scott. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, David graduated from Kenyon College with a BA in economics. He had multiple jobs as a clerk on Wall Street before working at publisher Knight Ridder in their online newsroom. David moved back from Boston to join Desktop Data, which was acquired by NewsEdge Corporation then sold to Thompson Reuters. Throughout his early experiences in the publishing world, he learned the power of using content to drive customers. David’s ideology of using social media, blogs, and podcasts to earn attention, instead of buying it, become the basis for his book “The New Rules of Marketing & PR”. The success of the book led to a global speaking career, an advisory position at Hubspot and a series of other books, including his latest entitled “Fanocracy”. David was an early mentor of mine back in 2009 when I was publishing my first book and has been at the forefront of the latest marketing trends for decades. That’s why I was excited to speak with him for this podcast episode.
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
When people ask me for my best advice on book publishing, I refer them to what you told me before my first book, Me 2.0, was published 10 years ago. You suggested that I should market, promote and sell the book without relying on the publisher. Can you explain how being accountable in this way has helped you achieve success?
Why should every entrepreneur focus on purpose, values, and community not just selling products and services? How can they make this shift if they aren’t currently doing it?
You co-authored Fanocracy with your daughter. What have you learned from each other that has made you a better marketer and her a better student?
Throughout your 25-year career in the marketing field, you’ve been at the forefront of some of the biggest trends like the rise of social media. What are some marketing tools, strategies, and techniques that you would recommend to people looking to build their brand?
An interview with Flea how the relationship he had with his mom affected future relationships, why his stepfather was a blessing and a curse, why he views his friends as his family, how vulnerability has been his strength and his best career advice.
Welcome to the 63rd episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is the bassist and co-founder of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Flea. Born in Melbourne, Australia, Michael Peter Balzary was nicknamed Flea as a teenager based on his inability to sit still. After moving to California, he attended Fairfax High School, where he started his lifelong friendship with Red Hot Chili Peppers lead singer Anthony Kiedis. Originally a jazz trumpet player, Flea later was introduced to rock music and the bass guitar by Hillel Slovak. Flea co-founded the Red Hot Chili Peppers in 1984 and since then they have released 11 studio albums that have sold over 80 million copies worldwide. In 2012, the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Rolling Stone Magazine ranked Flea as the second-best bassist of all time. Flea is also the co-founder of the Silverlake Conservatory of Music, a non-profit music education organization for underprivileged children. I was very excited to speak to Flea about his relationships, life experiences and views that he wrote about in his new memoir “Acid for the Children” for this podcast.
Video interview from Hachette’s New York City offices:
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
You said in the book that you don’t have a deep relationship with your mom growing up. How did that impact your relationships as you aged?
Your stepfather was a blessing and a curse for you. Can you share some of the lessons learned from your experiences with him?
Growing up, why did you see your friends like your family?
Why do you view vulnerability as a strength instead of weakness?
An interview with Anthony Daniels about why he dropped out of law school to pursue a career as an actor, what he learned from meeting George Lucas, why C-3PO has resonated with audiences, the hardest moment he’s had to overcome and his best career advice.
Welcome to the 62nd episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is the actor best known for portraying C-3PO in the Star Wars saga, Anthony Daniels. Born in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England, Anthony studied law for two years at a University before dropping out to pursue amateur dramatics at Rose Bruford College. Upon graduating in 1974, he worked at BBC Radio and for the National Theatre of Great Britain. During his time there, he was invited to meet George Lucas, who was casting for Star Wars. Anthony got the part of C-3PO and has played the character in more Star Wars movies than any other actor. His Star Wars journey spans forty years and his perspectives, insights, and stories are captured in his new book “I Am C-3PO”. I’m a big Star Wars fan so I was excited to speak with Anthony right before seeing the new Rise of Skywalker film. I attempted to get some insider information from Anthony, but to no surprise, he wouldn’t tell me anything! So instead, I asked him about his experiences over the past several decades, what he’s learned and how he connects to the legendary character he portrays on film.
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
You dropped out of law school to pursue a now-legendary career in entertainment. Why did you decide to make this career switch especially when lawyers (on average) have more job security and higher pay than entertainers?
You originally turned down a meeting with George Lucas who was casting for Star Wars. Why did you turn it down, then reconsider and how did the meeting change you professionally and personally?
C-3PO is a robot but displays human qualities. How are you like the character you play on-screen and why do you think he resonates with so many people?
What was your hardest moment as a performer that tested you and made you a stronger person? What can we learn from that experience?
An interview with John Jantsch about how being self-reliant can help you achieve success, the role of our mind, body, and spirit in our entrepreneurial journey, the most common frustration entrepreneurs have, how to overcome self-doubt and his best career advice.
Welcome to the 61st episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is author, speaker, and entrepreneur, John Jantsch. Born in Kansas City, Missouri, John attended the University of Kansas City before creating his now widely popular Duct Tape Marketing System, which trains and licenses small business consultants. Throughout his career, he’s written several books, including Duct Tape Marketing, Duct Tape Selling, The Referral Engine, and The Commitment Engine. John has been an early adopter of new technologies, including blogging and podcasting, which he uses to communicate strategies and tactics to help small business owners succeed.
The 5 questions I ask in this episode:
How can remaining self-reliant help people achieve success?
What is the role of mind, body, and spirit in the entrepreneurial journey?
You’ve coached many businesspeople in your career. What is the most common frustration they have and what advice have you given to help them overcome it?
How do aspiring entrepreneurs overcome self-doubt?
An interview with Steve Schwarzman about what he learned from his father growing up, where his drive comes from, how he decides which charities to donate to, what money hasn’t bought him and his best career advice.
Welcome to the 60th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is Chairman, CEO and Co-Founder of Blackstone, Steve Schwarzman. Born in Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania, Steve went to Abington Senior High School before enrolling in Yale University. When he graduated, he had a brief stint in the U.S. Army Reserve before enrolling and graduating from Harvard Business School. Steve’s first job was at investment bank Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette. Then, he became a managing director at Lehman Brothers at age 31, before co-founding The Blackstone Group with his former boss and former CEO of Lehman, Peter Peterson. Today, Blackstone manages about $545 billion in assets, with over $7 billion in annual revenue, leaving Steve with a net worth of over $17 billion. I had the opportunity to visit Steve at his New York City offices to talk about the lessons he’s learned and his business perspectives, that are captured in his book “What it Takes”.
Video interview from Blackstone’s New York City headquarters:
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
Your dad operated a linen store growing up that he never expanded despite its success. What did you learn from that experience and how was that incorporated into your thinking moving forward?
What drove you to build such a big company and have so much influence and power?
You’ve donated over $1 billion to charities. How do you select what causes to donate to and what is the criteria for the selection?
What can money not buy you that brings you happiness and joy into your life?
An interview with Ash Carter about leading the U.S. pentagon workforce, how he empathizes with soldiers, his personal conduct, making hard decisions in turbulent times and his best career advice.
Welcome to the 59th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is the 25th U.S. Secretary of Defense, Ash Carter. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Ash’s father was a doctor and military veteran and his mother was a teacher. In Philly, he was fired from his first job at a local car wash. After graduating Abington Senior High School as the president of the Honor Society, he went on to Yale College then became a Rhodes Scholar at the University of Oxford. From 1993 to 1996, Ash served as Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Policy during President Bill Clinton’s first term. During this time, he was responsible for strategic affairs, including the U.S.’s nuclear weapons policy. He continued to work his way up the hierarchy until 2014, when President Barrack Obama appointed him to be the 25th U.S. Secretary of Defense. After over 35 years of service, Ash wrote a book called Inside the Five-Sided Box about what he learned during his time at the Pentagon. In this episode, Ash gives us his insider perspective of his decision-making process, relationship with the troops and advice that’s applicable to our lives outside of the Five-Sided Box.
Video interview from New York City:
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
Most people don’t understand the magnitude of the Pentagon workforce. What is the responsibility of managing so many people?
You’re in the Pentagon and part of your workforce is on the battlefield fighting for us. How are you able to empathize with them and their families?
The word conduct is what I most associate with you. You’ve mentioned that’s how you hire and part of why you fire and dress the way you do. How has your personal conduct impacted your career?
What is the responsibility and role of a leader during turbulent times?
An interview with Lucie Fink about how her parents have influenced her creative process, how she’s turned her passion into her career, having the courage to put yourself out there, the secret to social media engagement and her best career advice.
Welcome to the 58th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is video producer and lifestyle host for Refinery 29, Lucie Fink. Born in White Plains, New York to a radio DJ father and designer mother, Lucie has been a natural creative her entire life. After graduating from Johns Hopkins University, she worked as an Associate Producer at Ogilvy & Mather then became a producer and on-camera talent for Refinery29. At Refinery 29, Lucie created and hosts the award-winning YouTube series “Try Living with Lucie”, where she performs and documents her regular social experiments. She’s worked with brands such as Under Armour, M&M’s, Chase, Revlon, Reebok and many others. I’ve admired Lucie’s thoughtfulness and creativity when it comes to both content production and audience engagement for a while now so I was excited to speak to her for this podcast episode.
Video interview from New York City:
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
Your family is extremely creative. Your mom is a designer and your dad is a radio DJ. How have they influenced your career and made you more creative?
You’ve been able to turn your passion into profit and into a full career. A lot of people fear putting themselves out there. How do you get past that fear?
In your TEDx talk you spoke about the importance of trying. How do you have the courage to continue putting yourself out there even if you fail?
You get so much engagement on your content compared to people who have many more followers. What leads to this level of engagement?
An interview with Neil deGrasse Tyson about how writing letters has impacted his life, how he became an effective storyteller, why we should look inside ourselves to find meaning, the impact of artificial intelligence in our lives and his best career advice.
Welcome to the 57th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is astrophysicist, author and head of the Hayden Planetarium, Neil deGrasse Tyson. Born in New York City to a gerontologist father and sociologist mother, he grew up in the Bronx. In high school he was the captain of the wrestling team and the editor-in-chief of the Physical Science Journal. Neil first became interested in astronomy following a visit to the Hayden Planetarium, where he enrolled in various courses there. He started gaining notoriety as a 15-year-old lecturing in his community. He went on to earn his BA in Physics from Harvard and his PhD in Astrophysics from Columbia. In 2001, President George Bush appointed him to serve on a commission studying the Future of the U.S. Aerospace Industry and in 2004, he was reappointed to focus on the implementation of the U.S. Space Exploration Policy. In 2006, he was appointed to serve on the NASA Advisory Council and was awarded the NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal. Currently, Neil is the head of the Hayden Planetarium, a research associate of the Department of Astrophysics at the American Museum of Natural History and the host of the StarTalk podcast. He has written sixteen books including his latest, Letters from an Astrophysicist, that we discuss in this podcast.
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
You’ve written countless letters over the past 30 years and have documented them in this book. Writing letters is a lost art form in the age of email, texting and social media. How has reviewing and publishing these letters impacted how you live your life?
You have blended science and pop culture in an entertaining way that has gotten people who don’t like or understand science interested in it. How did you learn to be such an effective communicator?
You say that people tend to look outside of themselves to find meaning in their lives. Why do you suggest people instead look inside themselves and how have you benefited from doing that?
This year, I worked on a global study focused on artificial intelligence with Oracle. We found that people are now embracing AI and have an overall positive relationship with it, despite privacy and security concerns. How can AI improve our lives instead of cause us harm?
An interview with Dan Carlin about how he became an effective storyteller, his most proud moment, how he produces Hardcore History, a time when he became more resilient and his best career advice.
Welcome to the 56th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is the host of the Hardcore History podcast, Dan Carlin. Born in California, Dan is the son of actress Lynn Carlin and film producer Ed Carlin. He obtained his degree in History at the University of Colorado Boulder before breaking into TV news in the 1980s as reporter for KVAL-TV in Eugene, Oregon. From there, he hosted Common Sense, a podcast where he evaluated current political trends, from 1994 to 2014. In 2015, he launched Hardcore History, a podcast that explores topics throughout world history such as The Cold War, The Asia-Pacific War, a series on Genghis Khan, the fall of the Roman Republic and a series on World War 2. The podcast has won several awards and has a massive following of over seven million listeners. I spoke with Dan about his new book The End is Always Near, his personal history, how’s he’s built his following and his best career advice.
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
How did you become an effective storyteller and how can others do the same?
What was one milestone in your life that you are most proud of and why?
Take us behind the scenes with your hit podcast show Hardcore History. What does it take to produce a quality show like yours and then build a loyal following?
Can you give an example from your career on how a tough moment made you stronger and more resilient?
An interview with Steph Korey about how traveling in her childhood impacted her life, her biggest business challenge, the person that’s helped her the most, her guiding leadership principles and her best career advice.
Welcome to the 55th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is the co-founder and CEO of Away, Steph Korey. Born in a suburb in Ohio, Steph grew up traveling to visit her family in the Middle East and Europe. After graduating college, she worked in the merchandising and buying departments at both Kate Spade and Bloomingdales. Then, Steph joined Warby Parker as their Head of Supply Chain, where she met her Away co-founder Jennifer Rubio. After leaving Warby Parker, she got her MBA, while working as a consultant for Casper, before launching Away with Jennifer. Away is a global lifestyle brand that’s transforming the entire travel experience. Away has raised over $100 million, with a $1.4 billion valuation and has been recognized as one of Fast Company’s “Most Innovative Companies”. I must disclose that I’m an Away customer after I was nagged by my parents to buy a navy blue carry-on suitcase last year, and I’m happy that I did. In this episode, you’ll learn more about Steph’s background, how’s she’s been able to grow her company so fast and advice that anyone could benefit from.
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
How did traveling the world as a child shape your identity, perspective and future career?
In just 3 years your company has grown to a $1.4 billion valuation, congratulations! Despite this success, what are some of your biggest struggles that keep you up at night?
Who has made the biggest impact on your career and how?
Which leadership principles have you used at work that you learned in school? Can you give an example?
An interview with Tegan Quin how being a Virgo explains her life decisions, how high school prepared her for the future, how she’s dealt with poor mental health, how she became a business woman and her best career advice.
Welcome to the 54th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is Canadian indie pop band musician, songwriter and author, Tegan Quin. Born in Calgary, Canada Tegan is an identical twin to Sara Quin and they are both openly gay. At the age of 15, the twins began playing guitar and writing songs, eventually forming a band called Plunk using their school’s recording studio to produce two demo albums. A few years later, they released their debut album under the name “Tegan and Sara”. During the course of their twenty-year career, Tegan and Sara have sold well over one million records and released eight studio albums. They have performed on some of the world’s biggest stages, from Coachella to the Academy Awards. In 2016, they created the Tegan and Sara Foundation, which fights for health, economic justice, and representation for LGBTQ girls and women. More recently, they released their memoir “High School”, their ninth studio album “Hey, I’m Just Like You” and have been on tour. I spoke to Tegan about the events that have shaped her life, how she deals with her internal struggles and how her life purpose has guided her journey.
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
You and your sister are Virgos like me. In what way does being a Virgo explain the career and life decisions that you’ve made?
Your book is called “High School”. What experiences did you have in high school that prepared you for your future?
Mental health is a very important topic in our society and is more common in the LGBTQ community. LGBTQ individuals are 3 times more likely to experience a mental health condition than straight individuals. How did you overcome periods in your life when you suffered from mental health and what advice can you share with others who are suffering?
How did you learn how to be a businesswoman and how have those skills helped you as an artist?
An interview with Marc Randolph how his family influenced him growing up, how to craft a compelling business pitch, how to overcome rejection, his relationship with his Netflix partner Reid Hastings and his best career advice.
Welcome to the 53rd episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is the co-founder and first CEO of Netflix, Marc Randolph. Born in Chappaqua, New York, Marc’s father was a nuclear engineer, his paternal great-granduncle was psychoanalysis pioneer Sigmund Freud and his paternal great-uncle was PR legend Edward Bernays. After he graduated college in 1981, he began working at Cherry Lane Music Company based in New York and was in charge of the small mail-order operation. It was there where he learned marketing techniques, how to sell music directly to customers and used technology to track buying behavior. Marc continued to gain experience building direct-to-consumer marketing operations at Borland, then at various Silicon Valley start-ups, before becoming a founder of Integrity QA. A year later, Pura Atria acquired his startup and CEO Reed Hastings retained Marc as VP of Corporate Marketing. Later that year, Rational Software acquired Pura Atria for $850 million. Marc and Reed decided to join forces to launch Netflix in 1998, with Marc as the first CEO. Today, Netflix has over 150 million paid subscribers worldwide watching over a billion hours of video content each week with $15.8 billion in revenue annually. I sat down with Marc to learn more about his fascinating background, hear stories from his new book “That Will Never Work” and get advice on everything from pitching an idea to overcoming criticism.
Video interview from New York City:
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
You come from a family of overachievers and pioneers. How did they influence you growing up?
What makes a good pitch to influence others to buy into you as a person or your business idea?
Early in my career, a lot of people said, “that will never work”. People didn’t believe in me early on. What does it take to overcome that resistance and continue to follow your path?
Different from your business partner Reid Hastings, you’ve been more behind the scenes. Where does your humility come from?
An interview with Morgan Spurlock about how he gets ideas for his projects, how documentaries get made, how he learned to be a storyteller, what his life purpose is and his best career advice.
Welcome to the 52nd episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is documentary filmmaker and producer, Morgan Spurlock. Born in Parkersburg, West Virginia, Morgan graduated from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts in 1993. He started his career as a successful playwright before eventually producing Super Size Me, an Academy Award-nominated documentary that tracked his health as he ate three McDonalds meals each day for thirty days. I get sick to my stomach even thinking about it! This film completely changed my diet and led to my pursuit of a health lifestyle. Morgan has gone on to produce several other documentaries, including Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden?, Freakonomics and The Greatest Movie Ever Sold. More recently, he released his big follow up documentary, Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken, which explores how the fast food industry has rebranded itself as healthier since the first film. The film isn’t what I expected at all. Morgan literally goes through the entire process of opening a fast food restaurant, called Holy Chicken, in order to expose the food industry. I had the opportunity to sit down with him the same week when he opened a pop-up restaurant in New York City.
Video interview from New York City:
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
How do you get the ideas for your documentaries and what are the first steps for producing them?
What are some things that people don’t know about what it takes to create a documentary?
When did you decide to be a storyteller and when did you know you were effective at it?
All of your films make a huge impact and have changed the food industry. Do you feel like you have a sense of purpose? What mark do you want to leave on the world?
An interview with Ryan Holiday about his life philosophies, how to disconnect from technology to be more present, achieving stillness, stoicism’s affect on his parenting and his best career advice.
Welcome to the 51st episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is bestselling author, marketer and entrepreneur, Ryan Holiday. Born in Sacramento, California, Ryan dropped out of college at age 19 to apprentice under notable authors including Tucker Max, Tim Ferriss and Robert Greene, supporting their book marketing campaigns. After helping launch The 50th Law, Robert connected Ryan to American Apparel founder Dov Charney. Ryan served as the Director of Marketing for the company from 2009 until 2014, where he was responsible for many notable media stunts, which became the inspiration for his first book Trust Me, I’m Lying. Since then, he’s written several other books, including The Obstacle Is The Way, Ego Is the Enemy and his latest, Stillness Is the Key. I’ve known Ryan for many years and have always been impressed by his dedication to writing a book each year, how he supports the author community and his unique lifestyle, living on a farm outside of Austin, Texas. I was especially excited to have a discussion with Ryan about his new book because it’s relevant to my book, further emphasizing the importance of taking time away from technology to be present.
Video interview from New York City:
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
It’s been seven years of knowing you and this is our fourth interview. So after all of this time, what’s most changed for you and what’s remained the same in terms of your philosophy and how you live your life?
People feel like they need to constantly be connected. How can people start to disconnect so they can be more present?
How do you define stillness, what’s the feeling like when you’re achieved stillness and why should people try to do that?
How will raise your kid differently after studying stoicism and other ancient philosophies?
An interview with Elvis Duran about how he overcame mistakes in his childhood, how losing 100 pounds changed his life, coming out as gay, how do build a personal brand and his best career advice.
Welcome to the 50th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is nationally syndicated radio host, Elvis Duran. Born in McKinney, Texas, Elvis started his career as an on-air personality at WIOQ, Philadelphia’s top music radio station, and eventually became the program director before getting fired back in 1990. A year later, he became the program director and morning show host of KGSR in Austin, Texas. From there, he had a stint at Z-93 in Atlanta and 104 in Houston, before finally landing at Z100 in New York City. As the daily host of the Elvis Duran and the Morning Show, he and his team grew to thirty stations in a single year. Today, the show is America’s most-listened-to Top 40 morning show and one of the 10 most-listened-to programs in all of radio, heard live by nearly 10 million people in more than 80 markets across the country. Like me, Elvis has interviewed many successful people, but is rarely the one being interviewed. That’s why I was excited to talk to him about his new memoir “Where Do I Begin?” at his legendary studio here in New York City.
Video interview from iHeart Radio in New York City:
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
Looking back when you were a teenager, what were some of the biggest mistakes you made and how did you overcome them?
What is your several years ago you underwent a surgery where you lost over 100 pounds. How did that experience change your life?
You came out as gay many years ago. Was it hard coming out on air as gay?
What do you recommend to people who want to build and elevate their personal brand?
An interview with Chase Jarvis about the fine line between being a creative and entrepreneur, how he had the courage to pursue his career, what inspires him, how he decides whom to collaborate with and his best career advice.
Welcome to the 49th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is photographer and CEO of CreativeLive, Chase Jarvis. Born in Seattle, Washington, Chase attended San Diego State University on a football scholarship. While his original goal after graduating was to attend medical school, his plans changed after his grandfather died and Chase inherited his photography equipment. He instead went on a trip to Europe to follow his passion to be a photographer, leading to an extremely successful career. He was hired by the likes of Volvo, Nike, Apple and Pepsi to shoot lifestyle, sports and landscape photography and has won numerous awards for his work. In 2010, Chase co-founded CreativeLive, an online education platform, with millions of students globally and three billion hours of education consumed. A year later he started his podcast, Chase Jarvis Live, and you can listen to my episode on it called “Less Phone, More Human.” I’ve known Chase since the early part of my career, which is why it’s a pleasure to have him on my podcast to talk about his book, Creative Calling. As a fellow creative and entrepreneur, I was interested in learning more about how he sees himself and how his creative pursuits ended up turning into a business.
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
Is there a fine line between being a creative and an entrepreneur?
What gave you the courage to pursue your dream instead of living someone else’s?
An interview with Brian Grazer about how face-to-face conversations have impacted him, how having dyslexia impacted his career, how he recovered from a poor connection, how technology can be a bridge to human connection and his best career advice.
Welcome to the 48th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is film and TV producer and screenwriter, Brian Grazer. Born in Los Angeles, California, Brian graduated USC’s School of Cinema-Television in 1975 as a psychology major. After quitting USC’s Law School after one year, he pursued a career as a producer focused on TV projects for Paramount Pictures in the early 80s. There, he met friend and business partner Ron Howard, embarking on one of the longest running partnerships in Hollywood history. Together, their films and TV shows have been nominated for 43 Oscars and 195 Emmys and he won the Best Picture Oscar for A Beautiful Mind. In addition, Grazer produced hit films like American Gangster, Apollo 13, The Nutty Professor, 8 Mile, and Liar Liar. His films have generated more than $13.5 billion in worldwide theatrical, music, and video sales. His endless honors include having a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, being named one of TIME Magazine’s most influential people and a cameo on The Simpsons. His more recent projects include the Wu-Tang: An American Saga TV series and his new book Face to Face: The Art of Human Connection.
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
Why did you decide to write your book and how have face-to-face conversations impacting you personally and professionally?
How did having dyslexia as a child affect you and put you on a new path to forming meaningful human connections?
Can you give us an example of a poor interaction you’ve had and how you corrected it using the power of a face-to-face conversation?
I always say, “Use technology as a bridge to human connection instead of letting it be a barrier between you and the relationships you seek.” How can we use technology to create more human relationships?
An interview with Gary Chapman about the most common relationship mistake people make, how our love languages can bring us closer together, the balance between self-care and caring for others, using technology to strengthen relationships and his best career advice.
Welcome to the 47th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Five Love Languages, Gary Chapman. Born in China Grove, North Carolina, Gary graduated the Moody Bible Institute, received Bachelors and Masters degrees from Wheaton College and Wake Forest. He continued his education at the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, receiving both a Master of Religious Education and a Doctor of Philosophy degree. In 1971, Gary joined the Calvary Baptist Church, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and now holds the title of senior associate pastor. In 1992, he published his first and his most notable book, The Five Love Languages, which has now sold over 11 million copies in 49 languages. Since then, he’s authored many other books in the Five Love Language book series, including his latest entitled, Love Language Minute for Couples. Currently, Gary travels the world presenting seminars about building health relationships between couples, families and teams.
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
You’ve spent decades as a counselor and pastor. What is the most common mistake people make that hurts their relationships and how do they stop making it?
How can knowing our love languages help bring us closer together at work and at home?
What is the delicate balance between self-care and care for others?
How has technology impacted relationships and what’s the best way to use it to get closer to others without letting it get in the way?
An interview with Sophia Amoruso about how her mental health issues affected her childhood, how she recovered from the lowest point in her career, why we need to promote our personalities, how women can break the glass ceiling and her best career advice.
Welcome to the 46th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is the Founder of Girlboss Media and author of #GIRLBOSS, Sophia Amoruso. Born in San Diego, California, Sophia was raised in the Greek Orthodox church and later dropped out of school and began homeschooling after being diagnosed with ADHD and depression. Her first few jobs were working at a Subway restaurant, a bookstore and a record shop. After she graduated from high school her parents got divorced, which led to her living a nomadic lifestyle, including hitchhiking, dumpster diving and stealing. At age 22, she opened an eBay store called Nasty Gal Vintage, which then led to launching a Nasty Gal retail store of her own. Nasty Gal grew to a $23 million dollar company in just three years. She then wrote the bestseller, #GIRLBOSS, which was later adapted into a Netflix series. Then, between 2015 and 2016 she stepped down as CEO of Nasty Gal, filed chapter 11, until the company was bought in 2017. Then, she launched Girlboss Media, with content geared to a female audience, which recently turned into a networking platform. Our last interview was four years ago so it was great to catch up with Sophia to better understand what she’s been through and how she’s overcome obstacles to push forward in her life.
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
Mental health is one of the most important yet misunderstood topics in our culture. How did being diagnosed with depression and ADHD in your childhood affect you?
You’ve had ups and downs as an entrepreneur. What was your lowest point and how did you recover from it?
Why do you believe that we need to promote our personalities, not just our resumes, when searching for a job? How can we do this?
Part of my commitment with this podcast is to interview women. Women have always been underrepresented in leadership roles. How can women break the glass ceiling and what can men do to help?
An interview with Sanjay Gupta about what influenced him to get into the healthcare profession, how traveling the world covering healthcare changed his life, how we can combat the loneliness epidemic, his predictions for the future of healthcare and his best career advice.
Welcome to the 45th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is neurosurgeon and Chief Medical Correspondent for CNN, Sanjay Gupta. Born in Novi, Michigan, Sanjay earned his degree in biomedical sciences at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, his M.D. from the University of Michigan Medical School and completed his residency in neurological surgery in the University of Michigan Health System. Today, Sanjay is an Emory Healthcare general neurosurgeon at Grady Memorial Hospital. Parallel to his medical career, he is a multiple Emmy-award winning correspondent for CNN and is the host of “Vital Signs”, where he travels the world to examine the most important medical stories like the future of food. Throughout his career, he’s famously covered the medical aspects of the Iraq war, the medical benefits of marijuana and social media’s impact on teens’ mental health. In this podcast, Sanjay talks about his career in the medical field, the future of our health and how we can overcome loneliness.
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
What were your childhood influences that inspired you to go into healthcare and media as an adult?
How has traveling the world covering the biggest health topics of our time changed how you live your life?
We have a loneliness epidemic that is affected about half of American adults. What can we do to make people feel less lonely?
What are you most hopeful for, and most concerned about, when it comes to the future of our health?
An interview with Kevin Pollak about how he’s been on the leading edge when it comes to media, having a sustainable career, his early mentor, how doing standup comedy prepared him for TV shows and his best career advice.
Welcome to the 44th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is actor and comedian Kevin Pollak. Born in San Francisco, California, he’s had a multi-decade career in both film and TV, spanning over 80 movies and over 40 TV shows since I was born back in 1983. His most notable movie roles in the 90s include A Few Good Men, End of Days and The Wedding Planner. As a standup comic, he’s had his own HBO and Showtime specials and Comedy Central named him one of the Top 100 Comedians of All Time. In 2009, he started Kevin Pollak’s Chat Show, a podcast where he interviews his friends in the entertainment business. In 2017, Kevin joined the cast of the original series from Amazon called The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. The show will be in its third season and won the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy in 2017 and the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series in 2018. We sat down on the set of the show at Steiner Studios in Brooklyn, New York, to talk how what he’s learned throughout his career.
Video interview from the set of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel in Brooklyn, New York:
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
What draws you to new mediums, like podcasting, and how do you know what to do next?
You’ve been in over 80 movies. What do think the key is to having a sustainability career like you’ve had?
Who was an early mentor to you?
How did your career as a standup comedian prepare you for doing TV shows? What skills transferred over?
An interview with Cameron Russell about how she handles the pressure as a model, being authentic in today’s superficial world, where her courage comes from, why she decided to be an activist and her best career advice.
Welcome to the 43rd episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is model, TED speaker and activist, Cameron Russell. Born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, which is not far from where I grew up. Cameron lived a very privileged life as the daughter of Robin Chase, the founder of Zipcar, and Roy Russell, the former CEO of GoLoco. She began modeling in 2003 at age 16 walking in several fashion shows sporting various designers including Versace, Prada, Chanel, and Victoria’s Secret. She’s graced the cover of magazines including PORTER Magazine, Vogue Magazine, and Harper’s Bazaar UK. In 2012, she gave a TED Talk entitled “Her Looks aren’t everything. Believe me, I’m a model.” which has gone on to becoming one of the top 10 most viewed TED Talks of all time with over 27 million views to date. In 2017, she reached out to her network to contribute to the #MeToo campaign to bring further awareness to sexual harassment. In 2018, she received the Harpers Bazaar Women of the Year Award and the GCFA’s Changemaker Award. She’s the co-founder of Model Activist, a network of models that are trying to make the fashion industry more equitable and sustainable. In this podcast interview, we learn more about who she is and her motivations for making a positive change in her industry, and in the world.
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
How do you handle the pressure to look and act a certain way as a model?
How do you be authentic in today’s superficial world, especially on social media?
When did you gain the courage to speak your truth?
What sparked your social and political activism? How can others be activists?
An interview with Scott Harrison about how he found his life’s purpose, got others onboard with his mission, took action, what he’s learned from his journey and his best career advice.
Welcome to the 42nd episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is the founder and CEO of charity: water, Scott Harrison. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Scott spent his early years as a nightclub promoter and was eventually hired by the likes of MTV and VH1 to throw parties. After experiencing a nightclub shooting in Paraguay, he quit his job and volunteered as a photojournalist for Mercy Chips, a charity that provides humanitarian aid for terminally ill patients. During his time there, he was exposed to the impoverished conditions in Liberia and started charity: water to serve Liberia and other developing nations by providing drinking water. Since it’s founding in 2006, charity: water has funded over 38,000 water projects supporting 9.6 million people around the world. After making such an impact, Scott wrote his book, Thirst, in order to use his story to inspire others. In this podcast, we delve deeper into his story to uncover how he was able to realize his life’s purpose, take action to realize his purpose and how his journey changed how he lives his life.
Video interview from charity: water’s New York City headquarters:
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
What was the moment when you found your life purpose?
How did you get other people on board with your mission?
A lot of people have ideas but few execute on them. How do you take ideas, manifest them and then perform the right actions that push you into action?
How have all of these stories, your travels, the people you’ve met who have suffered, changed your outlook on life?
An interview with Amanda Palmer about how art is her therapy, balancing online versus offline relationships, how she gets people to invest in her, asking others for help and her best career advice.
Welcome to the 41st episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is singer, songwriter, musician and author Amanda Palmer. Born in New York City, Amanda grew up in Lexington Massachusetts where she went to high school and was involved in the drama department. While attending Wesleyan University, she staged performances based on work by Legendary Pink Dots before forming the Shadowbox Collective, which was devoted to street theatre. In 2000 at a Halloween party, Amanda met drummer Brian Viglione and formed The Dresden Dolls, eventually releasing their debut album two years later. In 2008, she established her solo career with her solo album, Who Killed Amanda Palmer. She was first brought to my attention after my friend and mentor, David Meerman Scott, blogged about she was able to raise over a million dollars on the crowd-sourcing platform Kickstarter to fund her next album. In 2014, Amanda released her memoir, The Art of Asking, which was based on her TED Talk a year earlier that has now amassed nearly 11 million views. She recently released her first album in more than six years called “There Will Be No Intermission”. In this uncensored episode (yes that means there’s swearing), Amanda gets raw about her art, relationships and life experiences.
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
How is creating art like therapy to help you handle pain, tragedy and failure?
What is the balance between connecting with fans, family and friends online versus offline?
You’re known for self-funding your music through crowdsourcing. How do you get people to invest in you, your art and message?
How would you encourage someone who has a problem but is afraid of asking for help?
An interview with Mike Posner about his journey walking across America, the truth about fame, how he’s found peace in loss, why mentoring is important to him and his best career advice.
Welcome to the 40th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is singer, songwriter, poet and producer, Mike Posner. Born in Detroit Michigan, Mike’s father was a criminal defense lawyer and his sister is a civil rights attorney. While many people follow in their family footsteps, he had a completely different career trajectory in the music business. While attending Duke University in 2008, he produced his hometown friend Big Sean’s first mixtape. During his junior year, he followed up with his own mixtape, which led to signing with J Records. Mike got his next big break after releasing his debut album, 31 Minutes to Takeoff, when his first single “Cooler Than Me” reached number six on the US Billboard Hot 100. Despite his newfound celebrity and financial success, he wasn’t comfortable in the spotlight and struggled with depression. In 2015, he released his next single, “I Took a Pill in Ibiza”, which was later mixed by Seeb, gathering over 3 billion streams on Spotify globally. Over the course of his career, he’s produced and/or worked with artists including Pharrell, Snoop Dogg, Avicii and Maroon 5. In 2017, he lost his father, who had battled with cancer, and performed at his funeral to commemorate his life and their relationship. More recently, on April 15th he started his walk across America, a 2,800-mile journey from New Jersey to California, in order to get back to nature, meet a variety of people and promote his new album “A Real Good Kid”. In this episode, Mike and I have a conversation while he’s in Gilberton, Pennsylvania. You can literally hear the nature in the background as he delves into deep thoughts that will make you rethink how you live your life.
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
How has your journey walking across America impacted your life?
What do most people not know about fame and how to deal with it?
How have you found peace through pain and loss?
Why is “Mentor/produce a younger artist” on your bucket list and how would you help them?
An interview with Ben Mezrich about how to get paid as a writer, how the stories he’s written changed how he lives, what he wish he knew before his first book, the elements of a compelling story and his best career advice.
Welcome to the 39th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is New York Times bestselling author Ben Mezrich. Born in my hometown, Boston, Massachusetts, Ben is the son of a lawyer mother and radiologist father. He graduated Harvard University in 1991 with a degree in social studies. Over the course of a near two-decade career as a professional writer, he penned twenty books with over 4 million copies in print. His most famous work was Bringing Down the House, which was the story of MIT graduates who used a card counting system to make millions playing blackjack. The story was turned into the movie 21, which was released in 2008. Another notable book Ben wrote, and my favorite, was The Accidental Billionaires, which was adapted by Aaron Sorkin into the hit film The Social Network. In the story, he paints Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg as a villainous college student who steal the idea for Facebook from Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss. In his latest book, Bitcoin Billionaires, Ben tells a redemption story of how the Winklevoss twins got rich by investing in Bitcoin. Dozens of people have tried to explain Bitcoin to me over the past few years and I still don’t get it, which is why this interview focuses more on Ben’s advice for becoming a professional writer.
Video interview from New York City:
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
What does it take to get paid to write?
Have the stories you’ve written changed how you live your life?
What do you know now that you wish you new before you wrote your first book?
An interview with Guy Fieri about how being a foreign exchange student shaped who he is today, how he’s stayed true to himself, the impact his dad had on his life, the life lessons he’s taught his children and his best career advice.
Welcome to the 38th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is Food Network star, game show host, restaurateur and author, Guy Fieri. Born in Columbus, Ohio, Guy grew up in California and was a foreign exchange student in France, where he initially discovered his passion about food and cooking. In his early career, he was selling pretzels from his “Awesome Pretzel” cart. In 1990, after graduating from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, he worked as a manager at a restaurant in California, and then became a district manager at Louise’s Trattoria, managing six locations. Then in 1996, Fieri and his business partner Steve Gruber opened their first restaurant, “Johnny Garlic’s” in Santa Rosa, California. After expanding to multiple locations, they started other restaurants like Tex Wasabi’s and Guy’s American Kitchen and Bar. Guy recently opened Guy Fieri’s Dive & Taco Joint and Guy Fieri’s Pizza Parlor, both in Hampton Roads, Virginia. They will soon open Guy Fieri’s Tequila Cocina in Boston, where I’m from. My foodie friends will be lining up to go! Aside from his successful career in the restaurant business, he won the second season of The Next Food Network Star, earning his first show “Guy’s Big Bite”. His second series, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives won two Emmy Awards and is currently in its 29th season with 384 total episodes! Guy also hosts two other Food Network shows: Guy’s Grocery Games and Guy’s Ranch Kitchen. This year, after over a decade in the entertainment business, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In this interview, we get personal with Guy to understand where he came from, who he is and what advice he can offer us.
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
How did being a foreign exchange student in France shape who you are today?
How did you adapt to the entertainment industry while staying true to yourself?
What impact did your dad have on the man you’ve become?
What life lessons have you shared with your children?
An interview with Chris Kattan about the lessons he learned from his dad growing up, how he prepared for his SNL sketches, why comedy is important to our culture, the biggest obstacle he faced and his best career advice.
Welcome to the 37th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is former Saturday Night Live star, comedian and author, Chris Kattan. Born in Culver City, California, Chris had an unusual upbringing. His father who was an actor, his mother was a model and his stepfather was a monk. He was raised on a Zen retreat outside of LA and lived in Bainbridge Island, Washington where he attended high school. Chris was a member of the improv comedy group The Groundlings in LA then moved to New York City to work on SNL from 1996 to 2003. With fellow SNL cast member Will Ferrell, he starred in the hit 1998 film A Night at the Roxbury. Chris also appeared in many other films including Hotel Transylvania 2, Superbad and Undercover Brother. In 2017, he was a contestant on Dancing with the Stars and in 2018; he reunited with SNL alumni at The Tonight Show. His new memoir is called “Baby, Don’t Hurt Me”.
Video interview from New York City:
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
What lessons did you learn from your dad growing up?
How did you prepare mentally and emotionally for your SNL sketches?
How important is comedy to our culture day?
What was the biggest obstacle you had in your career and how did you overcome it?
An interview with Chelsea Handler about why she went on a journey to self-discovery, how therapy changed her life, how connecting with diverse people changed her, overcoming self-doubt and her best career advice.
Welcome to the 36th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is comedian, actress, TV host and author, Chelsea Handler. Born in Livingston, New Jersey as the youngest of six children, Chelsea experienced pain and death growing up. Her mom died of breast cancer in 2006 and her eldest brother died when she was only 9 years old. When she turned 19, she moved to LA where she lived in her aunt’s home in Bel Air. While she was a waitress, she was also pursuing her acting career as many do. Then at age 21, she decided to be a stand-up comic. Chelsea broke into TV as a regular commentator on E! and as a correspondent on NBC’s The Tonight Show. In 2006, she started hosting The Chelsea Handler Show on E! and a year later she performed in Comedy Central’s Hour Stand-Up Comedy Tour. In 2010, she was ranked on the Forbes Celebrity 100 list and in 2012, TIME named her as of the 100 most influential people in the world. She hosted her own half-hour late-night comedy series, Chelsea Lately, on E! In 2016, she hosted Chelsea Does, a documentary series, and Chelsea, a comedy talk show, both on Netflix. She’s the author of six bestselling books, including her latest Life Will Be the Death of Me:….and you too!, which is the basis of this podcast interview.
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
Why did you decide to go on a journey of self-discovery and what was your first step to embark on that journey?
What changes have you made to your life as a result of therapy?
How has connecting with a diverse group of people around the country affected you personally and made you rethink aspects of your life?
How have you overcome self-doubt throughout your career?
An interview with Moby about how growing up poor impacted him as an adult, how he recovered from the lowest point in his career, the positive influences in his life that came to his rescue, how he handles mental health and his best career advice.
Welcome to the 35th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is songwriter, producer and author, Moby. Born Richard Melville Hall in Harlem, New York City, Moby was named after Herman Melville, who authored the classic Moby-Dick. His father died in a car crash while drinking when he was only two years old. His mother struggled to support him, relying on food stamps and welfare to make ends meet. His first job was a caddy on a golf course then took up music when he turned nine. Moby played guitar and his mom taught him how to play the piano. In 1983, he became the guitarist for the punk band The Vatican Commandos and started producing electronic music. After dropping out of college, he pursued his career as a DJ, eventually signing with Instinct Records in the mid-1990s. In 1999, Moby released his fifth and most well known album entitled Play, which sold over 12 million copies worldwide, and he went on tour for almost two years. He’s written two memoirs, Porcelain and his latest Then It Fell Apart, which we will be discussing in this episode.
Video interview from New York City:
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
What long-term impact did growing up in poverty have on you?
When you were at your lowest point what was the first thing you did to revive yourself and your career?
Who were some of the positive influences in your life that helped get you through hard times?
How do you best deal with mental health and being empathetic to others you interact with?
An interview with Elaine Welteroth on how she breaks barriers as being a minority, what she learned early in her life that has helped her today, how being authentic makes you more confident, who has influenced her the most and her best career advice.
Welcome to the 34th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is the former Teen Vogue editor-in-chief and current judge on Bravo’s Project Runway, Elaine Welteroth. Born in Newark, California to a white father and African American mother, Elaine majored in mass communication with a minor in journalism. Her first job was as a mascot wearing a bird suit. When she graduated college, Elaine went on to be an intern at advertising agency, Ogilvy & Mather. Then, she became a content producer at digital media company SomaGirls.TV. She broke into the magazine world with an unpaid internship at Ebony Magazine, where she later became editor-in-chief’s Harriette Cole’s assistant. From 2008 to 2011, Elaine worked full-time as the magazine’s beauty and style editor. Then, she joined Condé Nast, becoming the beauty and style editor at Glamour Magazine, followed by becoming the first ever African American beauty and health director at Teen Vogue. In 2017, She became the magazine’s youngest ever editor in chief. Elaine is a judge on Bravo’s Project Runway and is the author of the new book, More Than Enough: Claiming Space for Who You Are (No Matter What They Say).
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
How did you break the barriers in your career as a minority?
What lessons did you learn early on that have allowed you to make better choices today?
How can being authentic, instead of blending in, build self-confidence?
Who has most influenced your thinking and what changes have you made as a result?
An interview with Paul Stanley on how he’s sustained his career for decades, how you can be hard on yourself while being your biggest fan, why you should make others feel worthwhile, how to overcome barriers and his best career advice.
Welcome to the 33rd episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is the co-lead vocalist of KISS, Paul Stanley. Born in New York City to parents who were avid listeners of classic music and opera, Stanley took interest in the works of Beethoven growing up. His right ear had a birth defect called microtia so he wasn’t able to hear on that side, and was bullied by other children because of it, but still enjoyed listening to music. At age 13, he received his first guitar and started playing songs by Bob Dylan and other artists. After playing in a few local bands, he joined his friend Gene Simmons’ band Wicked Lester, which eventually fell apart. Then, they formed Kiss, releasing their first album in 1974. Each member of Kiss took the persona of a character on stage and Paul chose “The Starchild”. Over the course of his career, Kiss has become one of the best-selling bands of all time with 100 million records sold with mega hits including “Rock and Roll All Nite”, “Shout It Out Loud” and “I Was Made For Lovin’ You”. In 2014, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Paul is the author of Face the Music and his latest book, Backstage Pass. He and Kiss are currently on their Farewell Tour.
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
What do you think has allowed you to sustain your career for decades?
How can you be tough on yourself while also being your biggest fan?
How does making others feel worthwhile improve our own lives?
How do we overcome the barriers we inherit or create?
An interview with Adam Savage on how to not be a perfectionist, the types of people that bring out his creativity, his recommendations those in non-creative jobs, if you need to fail in order to succeed and his best career advice.
Welcome to the 32nd episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is former co-host of MythBusters, host of Savage Builds and author of Every Tool is a Hammer, Adam Savage. Born in New York City and raised in Westchester, New York, his father was a creative known for his work on Sesame Street. As a teenager, he regularly visited the local bike shop to have flat tires fixed, where he learned how to do repairs himself. At five years old, Adam started acting and his early credits include Sesame Street and Star Wars. He later abandoned his acting career in favor of doing things with his hands like graphic design, animation and specific effects. This led him to co-host the 17 season 296 episode show MythBusters, which originally premiered on the Discovery Channel back in 2003. He worked as a model maker on the films Galaxy Quest, Bicentennial Man, Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones, The Matrix Reloaded, and Space Cowboys. Savage is currently an editor and contributor at Tested.com and his new show Savage Builds will have him collaborating with notable experts in their fields, friends, colleagues, and some of his favorite people on the planet.
Video interview from New York City:
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
How do we stop trying to be perfectionists and start creating?
What types of people bring out your creativity?
What do you recommend for people in non-creative jobs to be creative?
Do you believe you have to fail multiple times before you succeed?
An interview with Rebecca Minkoff on how she broke into the fashion industry, how she manages her time, who her mentors are, how she keeps her employees motivated and her best career advice.
Welcome to the 31st episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is fashion designer and entrepreneur, Rebecca Minkoff. Born in San Diego, California, she became interested in design in high school working in a costume department. Then, she moved to New York City at age 18 to pursue her dream as a fashion designer. In 2001, she designed an “I Love New York” t-shirt, which appeared on NBC’s The Tonight Show and became an overnight sensation. Then in 2005, she designed her first, and now iconic, handbag called “The Morning After Bag”. It was so successful, that she started her company with her brother Uri under her name. In 2009, she created her first ready-to-wear apparel collection. Then in 2011, she received the Breakthrough Designer Award from The Accessories Council. Today, she’s grown her lifestyle brand to include accessories, footwear, watches and a men’s line, distributed in over 900 stores worldwide. Rebecca hosts the “Superwomen” podcast, where she talks to women in different professions to show you what their lives are really like.
Video interview from New York City:
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
How were you able to break into the highly competitive NYC fashion world?
How do you balance your time between your company and being a parent?
Who were some of your mentors that have had an impact on you?
An interview with David Brooks on if you need to achieve your life goals before serving others, why commitment is the key to a meaningful life, how to overcome loneliness, why attachment is more important than freedom and his best career advice.
Welcome to the 30th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is New York Times op-ed columnist and bestselling author, David Brooks. Born in Toronto, Ontario, he spent his childhood in New York City and then Philadelphia. In 1983, he graduated from the University of Chicago with a degree in history. During school, he wrote reviews and satirical articles to campus publications. Upon graduation, he was the police reporter for the City News Bureau of Chicago, which influenced his conservative political views. Then, he was an intern at the National Review. When that ended he spent time at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University and wrote movie reviews for The Washington Times. Two years later, The Wall Street Journal hired him to edit the book review section. In 2000, Brooks penned his first book called Bobos in Paradise: The New Upper Class and How They Got There. In 2003, he became an Op-Ed columnist for The New York Times. Since then, he has written several other books including his latest, The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life, which we’ll be discussing in this episode.
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
Do we have to achieve personal goals before serving others?
Why is commitment the key to creating a meaningful life?
What’s the best way to overcome loneliness?
Why should we choose attachment over personal freedom?
An interview with Alyssa Milano on how her family influenced her career, how to overcome the fear of rejection, when she decided to be a political activist, how to stay true to yourself instead of conforming and her best career advice.
Welcome to the 29th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is actress, political activist and podcast host Alyssa Milano. Born in Brooklyn, New York, to a fashion designer mom and film-music editor dad. She began her career at the age of 7 when she auditioned for the national touring company of Annie. She was selected from over 1,500 other girls for one of the top parts. During the tour, her and her mother were on the road of 18 months. Then, when they returned, Alyssa appeared in several television commercials, off-Broadway shows and eventually landed an agent. Milano made her film debut in the coming-of-age drama Old Enough, which won First Prize at the Sundance Film Festival, then had her big break as Tony Danza’s daughter on the sitcom Who’s the Boss? Since then, she’s had other famous roles including on Melrose Place, Charmed, Wet Hot American Summer: 10 Years Later and her latest, Netflix’s Insatiable. Her latest project is her podcast called Sorry Not Sorry, where she tackles social, political and cultural issues as she speaks to key figures.
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
How did your family influence and support your early career?
How do people overcome the fear of rejection in your industry?
When did you decide to become a political activist?
How do you stay true to yourself instead of conforming?
An interview with Killer Mike on what he would change about American politics, where his entrepreneurial spirit comes from, how he weaves political messages into his content, how he manages a company while being a good parent and his best career advice.
Welcome to the 28th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is rapper and political activist Killer Mike. Born Michael Santiago Render in Atlanta Georgia, he was the son of a policeman father and florist mother. In 1995, while attending Morehouse College, he met the producers The Beat Bullies and Big Boi of OutKast. His music debut was on OutKast’s 2000 album Stankonia with the song “Snappin’ & Trappin” and later was part of their single collaboration “The Whole World”, which won the Grammy Award for “Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group”. After being featured on Jay-Z’s album “The Blueprint 2”, he released his own album “Monster” with the hit single “A.D.I.D.A.S.” He has released other albums including two “I Pledge Allegiance to the Grind” albums, PL3DGE and R.A.P. Music. He’s been featured in films including Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Baby Driver, South Park and is the host of Trigger Warning with Killer Mike on Netflix. Killer Mike opened a barbershop called Graffitis SWAG Barbershop in Atlanta, with artwork honoring historical black leaders like Martin Luther King, Jr. He’s been a social and political activist on topics like social equality, police brutality and racism.
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
If you could change only one thing about American politics, what would it be and why?
Where does your entrepreneurial spirit come from?
How do you weave in your social and political messages into your music and Netflix show?
How do you manage being a husband, father of 4 and business owner at once?
An interview with Carly Fiorina on why you should find a path instead of create a plan, how her childhood impacted her path, what to do if you’re stuck, what men can learn from women about leadership and her best career advice.
Welcome to the 27th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is former CEO of HP and former U.S. Presidential Candidate, Carly Fiorina. Born in Austin, Texas to a mother who was an abstract painter and father who had a variety of jobs including professor, University dean, Deputy U.S. Attorney General and judge. She frequently moved in her childhood, living in London, Ghana and North Carolina. Carly studied philosophy and medieval history at Stanford University, while working as a secretary during the summers. While originally aspiring to be a pianist, she attended and eventually dropped out of law school. Carly ended up getting an MBA from the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland and a Masters at MIT’s Sloan School of Management. In 1980, she started as a AT&T management trainee and eventually became the company’s first female officer as SVP and then led its North American operations. In 1995, she led corporate operations for Lucent Technologies, playing a key role in an IPO, and then was named group President for their global service-provider business. In 1998, Fortune Magazine named Fiorina as “The Most Powerful Woman in American Business.” From 1999 to 2005, she was the CEO of HP. Since leaving HP, she has served as chairman of Good360, the world’s largest product philanthropy organization, as chairman of Opportunity International, a Christian-based organization that lifts millions out of poverty around the globe through microfinance and chair and CEO of the Fiorina Foundation that donates to a variety of important causes. Fiorina ran for the United States Senate in 2010 and the Republican presidential nomination in 2016. Her new book is called Find Your Way: Unleash Your Power and Highest Potential.
Video interview from New York City:
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
Why should you find a path instead of stick to a plan?
How did moving around a lot growing up affect your path?
What’s the first thing you should do if you’re stuck?
An interview with Stuart Weitzman about why he decided to pursue his career, the process of developing a new shoe, how he stays relevant, stands out in his industry and his best career advice.
Welcome to the 26th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is fashion designer and founder of the Stuart Weitzman shoe company, Stuart Weitzman. Born in Haverhill, Massachusetts, he worked with his older brother at his fathers shoe factory called Seymour Shoes. Stuart designed shoes for his fathers business from the late 1950s to the early 1960s. In 1958, he graduated from George W. Hewlett High School and in 1963; he attended the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. When his father died, he and his brother took charge of the business, sold it to a Spanish company and eventually purchased it back. Stuart was known for, and got attention from, the use of unconventional and unique materials like vinyl, cork, wallpaper and gold, as well as his objective to produce something flawless. He became famous for creating a “Million Dollar Shoe”, with 464 diamonds for Laura Harring who wore them to the 2002 Academy Awards. In 2015, Coach acquired the Stuart Weitzman Company for $574 million. Stuart stayed on as a shoe designer until retiring in 2017, but maintains his title as chairman emeritus. This year, the University of Pennsylvania announced that the School of Design will be renamed the University of Pennsylvania Stuart Weitzman School of design. I sat down with Stuart a few days before his keynote at the International Trademark Associations March Conference: The Business of Brands held in New York City on March 28th and 29th.
Video interview from New York City:
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
Why did you decide to pursue this career?
What’s the process of developing a new shoe?
How do you stay on the latest trends and adapt to change?
How have you been able to stand out among other brands?
An interview with Marianne Williamson on how her spirituality influenced her to get into politics, overcoming insecurities, how to forgive someone, support mental illness and her best career advice.
Welcome to the 25th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is spiritual leader, bestselling author, lecturer, activist and 2020 U.S. Presidential Candidate, Marianne Williamson. Born in Houston, Texas as the youngest of three children, she graduated from Houston’s Bellaire High School. She spent two years studying theater and philosophy at Pomona College in California. She dropped out of college during her junior year to move to New York City in pursuit of a career as a cabaret singer. After reading and being influenced by A Course in Miracles, a book about achieving spiritual transformation, she opened a bookstore and coffee shop back in Houston. Then, four years later she moved to LA to lecture on the book, eventually expanding to lecture internationally. Her first book, A Return to Love, was featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show, and has led to another dozen books, with millions of copies in print. Since then, she’s founded Project Angel Food, a food delivery program-serving people with AIDS and other illnesses and The Peace Alliance, that builds peace-building projects. Marianne continues to be a social and political activist as she campaigns to be the first female President of the United States in 2020. To go along with her campaign, she is releasing her new book, A Politics of Love.
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
How has your spirituality, teaching and entrepreneurial spirit influenced you to get into politics?
How do we overcome our deepest fears and insecurities that get in the way of our fulfillment?
What’s the best way to forgive someone who has caused you pain?
What can we do to help support mental illness at work and at home?
An interview with Marcus Buckingham on how to find your purpose, discover your strengths, why you should ask for helpful attention, the importance of a freethinking leader and his best career advice.
Welcome to the 24th episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is New York Times bestselling author and the leader of the strengths movement, Marcus Buckingham. Born in London, he grew up with a stutter leaving him unable to speak until age 13. He overcame it by pretending to speak to one person, instead of 300, when addressing boys at his prep school. He was educated at Pembroke College in Cambridge, graduating with a degree in Social and Political Sciences in 1987. In school, he was recruited by professor Donald Clifton, the founder of SRI, which was later acquired The Gallup Organization. There, Buckingham was part of a team that worked on a survey measuring factors that contribute to employee engagement. Based on this research, he wrote his first book, First , Break All the Rules, which went on to sell over a million copies. He followed up with Now, Discover Your Strengths and The One Thing You Need to Know before launching his own company, The Marcus Buckingham Company in 2006. Fast-forward to 2017 when ADP acquired the company and Buckingham became their Co-Head and Talent Expert. His latest book, that he co-authored with Cisco SVP Ashley Goodall, is called Nine Lies About Work: A Freethinking Leader’s Guide to the Real World.
I’ve known Marcus since the beginning of my career and this is my fourth interview with him since 2010. He was generous enough to write the foreword for my book, Promote Yourself, and his co-author Ashley is a client of mine who I’ve known since his days with Deloitte. It’s an honor to support them, this book and I value their advice.
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
What’s the best way to find your purpose and align it to the right leaders and companies?
How can people discover their strengths and then use them to advance their careers and lives?
Why do you think we should give helpful attention instead of constant feedback?
What is a freethinking leader and why are they important in today’s workplace?
An interview with Chris Hadfield on why he became an astronaut, why he used social media in space, what it’s like being in space, what the most common astronaut myth is and his best advice.
Welcome to the 23rd episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is the first Canadian astronaut to walk in space, Chris Hadfield. Born in Sarnia, Ontario, Hadfield was raised on a corn farm and became interested in flying at a young age and in being an astronaut at age nine when he saw the Apollo 11 Moon landing on television. He attended White Oaks Secondary School in Ontario until his senior year and then graduated as an Ontario Scholar from Milton District High School in 1977. After graduating from high school in 1978, he joined the Canadian Armed Forces and spent two years at Royal Roads Military College followed by two years at the Royal Military College. In 1983, he took honors as the top graduate from Basic Jet Training at CFB Moose Jaw and then went on to train as a tactical fighter pilot with 410 Tactical Fighter Operational Training Squadron. After completing his fighter training, Hadfield flew CF-18 Hornets with 425 Tactical Fighter Squadron, flying intercept missions for NORAD. In the late 1980s, Hadfield attended the US Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base and served as an exchange officer with the US Navy at Strike Test Directorate. In May 1992, Hadfield graduated with a master’s degree in aviation systems from the University of Tennessee Space Institute. In total, Hadfield has flown over 70 different types of aircraft. Hadfield was selected to become one of four new Canadian astronauts from a field of 5,330 applicants in June 1992. Hadfield is a civilian CSA astronaut, having retired as a colonel from the Canadian Armed Forces in 2003 after 25 years of military service. He was Chief of Robotics for the NASA Astronaut Office at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas from 2003–2006 and was Chief of International Space Station Operations from 2006–2008. NASA announced in 2010 that Hadfield would become the first Canadian commander of the International Space Station, leading Expedition 35 after its launch on December 19, 2012. In June 2013, he retired and wrote his autobiography entitled “An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth”.
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
Why did you become an astronaut in the first place, and what did you originally want to accomplish by doing that?
You’re known for your use of Twitter and Facebook in space. What made you decide to use these tools, and how did it affect your life and the people around you?
What is it like being in space?
What is one thing that people don’t know about you and astronauts in general that would surprise them?
What are your top three tips for anyone who wants to achieve extraordinary goals like you?
An interview with Tom Peters why listening is an important leadership quality, how he’s been impacted by his parents, how leaders can support mental health, his legacy and best career advice.
Welcome to the 22nd episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is legendary business author, Tom Peters. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Tom went to high school at Severn, attended college at Cornell University with a degree in civil engineering and then graduated with his masters in 1966. Between 1966 and 1970, he served in the U.S. Navy, making two deployments in Vietnam. After leaving the Navy, he studied business at the Stanford Business School for his MBA, followed by a PhD in organizational behavior in 1977. The title of his dissertation was “Patterns of Winning and Losing: Effects on Approach and Avoidance by Friends and Enemies.” While enrolled in the PhD, he also worked as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company, eventually becoming a partner and Organization Effectiveness practice leader in 1979. Two years later he left McKinsey and became an independent consultant. It was then, when he wrote In Search of Excellence, which has been said to have created the business book industry, selling over 3 million copies from 1982 to 1986, and was followed up with a series of PBS specials based on it and hosted by Tom. Over the last 38 years Peters calculates that he has made 2,500 speeches in 50 American states and 67 countries to over 5 million people. Along the way he has made 7,500 flights covering 5 million miles. In 2017, the Thinkers50 awarded Peters with its Lifetime Achievement Award for his paving the way for the ‘thought leadership’ and ‘business book industries’. His 17 books have sold more than 10 million copies. Last year, he released his latest book, The Excellence Dividend: Meeting the Tech Tide with Work That Wows and Jobs That Last.
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
Why is “listening” such an important leadership quality?
How have you been impacted by those closest to you?
What can leaders do to support mental health at work?
An interview with Gretchen Rubin about what’s changed for her over the years, how she invests her time, how to stand out in today’s noisy world, how outer order affects inner calm and her best career advice.
Welcome to the 21st episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is #1 New York Times bestselling author, podcast host and speaker, Gretchen Rubin. Born in Kansas City, Missouri to a father who was a lawyer. She decided to pursue the same career, receiving both her undergraduate and law degrees from Yale University. At Yale, she was the editor-in-chief of the Yale Law Journal and won the Edgar M. Cullen Prize. After graduating, she clerked for Judge Pierre N. Leval of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and then on the U.S. Supreme Court for Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. After her clerkships, she served as a chief adviser to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Reed Hundt. Then, she went on to write two biographies, Forty Ways to Look at Winston Churchill and Forty Ways to Look at JFK. Then, she wrote Power Money Fame Sex: A User’s Guide, which parodied self-help books by analyzing and exposing the techniques used to exploit those who strive for those worldly ambitions. She then went on to write a series of self-help books focusing on happiness, habits and human nature, including The Happiness Project, Better Than Before, The Four Tendencies and her latest, Outer Order, Inner Calm. Combined, her books have sold more than 3.5 million copies and have been translated into more than 30 languages. Gretchen teamed up with her sister, who is also a writer, to co-host the Happier with Gretchen Rubin podcast and Gretchen continues to write on her personal blog at GretchenRubin.com. I’ve known Gretchen for over a decade, right before her book, The Happiness Project, became a global phenomenon. We’ve kept in touch and shared insights into the publishing and media world and I’ve continued to be impressed by her openness to learning new strategies and her generosity towards up-and-coming authors.
Video interview from New York City:
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
We’ve known each other for at decade. What’s changed about your work and how you see the world and what’s remained the same?
How do you know where to invest your time?
How do you stand out as a professional in today’s world?
Episode 20: General Stanley McChrystal
Feb 19, 2019
An interview with General Stanley McChrystal about the biggest leadership myth, how leadership has changed, the most common leadership traits, why environment matters and his best piece of career advice.
Welcome to the twentieth episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is former four-star U.S. Army General Stanley McChrystal. Born in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, Stanley came from a line of military leaders, including his father who was a Major General and a grandfather who was a Colonel. He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1976 and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army. That year, his initial assignment was to C Company, 1st Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, serving as a weapons platoon leader. Two years later, he enrolled as a student in the Special Forces Officer Course at the Special Forces School at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Then in 1981, he moved to South Korea as intelligence and operations officer for the United Nations Command Support Group and then became battalion operations officer. In 1990, he became action officer for Army Special Operations, working in Joint Special Operations Command, then a year later he saw action in the Desert Shield and Desert Storm tours. He was commander of the Joint Special Operations Command from 2003 to 2008 and became the top commander in Afghanistan in 2009, eventually resigning in 2010. McChrystal was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal and the Defense Distinguished Service Medal. Since his resignation, he has taught courses in international relations at Yale University, started his own company called The McChrystal Group, an elite advisory services & leadership development firm, and authored of multiple bestsellers including Team of Teams and Leaders: Myth and Reality. Stanley is on both Jet Blue and Navistar International’s board of directors and Chairman of the Board of Siemens Government Technologies.
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
What is the biggest leadership myth?
How do you believe leadership has changed over the years and what’s stayed the same?
What common leadership traits do YOU share with those you interviewed for the book?
Why do different leaders require different environments?
An interview with Diane von Furstenberg about being a woman in today’s workplace, how she overcame early career obstacles, who influenced her, how she’s expanded her business and what she’s looking for when hiring.
Welcome to the nineteenth episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is Belgian fashion designer and founder of DVF, Diane von Furstenberg. Born in Brussels in 1946, she initially rose to prominence after marrying German Catholic Prince Egon von Fürstenberg. Following their separation in 1973 and subsequent divorce in 1983, she continued to use his family name. After moving to New York, she met Vogue editor Diana Vreeland, who admired her clothing designs, giving her the confidence to be listed in New York Fashion Week, which launched her business. A year later, she introduced the knitted jersey “wrap dress”, which became popular and had a big influence on women’s fashion. After the success of the wrap dress, Furstenberg was featured on the cover of Newsweek magazine in 1976 and her annual retail sales grew to $150 million. Then in 1985, she moved to Paris, where she founded Salvy, a French-language publishing house. There she started a number of other businesses including a line of cosmetics and a home-shopping business. In 2006, she was elected as president of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, a position she still holds. Since then, she’s expanded DVF to over 70 countries, 45 shops worldwide and over $500 million in annual sales. Her clothes have been worn by many celebrities including, Gwyneth Paltrow, Madonna, Jessica Alba and Jennifer Lopez. In 2014, she was listed as the 68th most powerful woman in the world by Forbes and in 2015, she was included in the TIME 100. She’s the author of Diane and The Woman I Wanted to Be. I caught up with Diane back in 2015, where we both spoke at the first annual Lead On Watermark Silicon Valley Conference for Women.
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
What do most men not understand about being a woman in today’s workplace?
What were some of your early career struggles and how did you overcome them?
Who were some of your greatest influences growing up and what did you learn from them?
What new challenges and opportunities are created as you’ve expanded your business?
What hard and soft skills are you looking for when you hire and how can an employee impress you after they get the job?
An interview with Gary Vaynerchuk, CEO of Vaynermedia, about what’s changed for him, what the fine line is between hustle and burnout, his responsibility as a leader, how people can be empathetic and how to find positive people to surround yourself with.
Welcome to the eighteenth episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
My guest today is Gary Vaynerchuk, the chairman of VaynerX, CEO of Vaynermedia, an angel investor and a bestselling author. Born in Belarus, Gary immigrated to the United States with his family in 1978 at the age of three. He lived in a studio apartment in Queens, New York with eight other family members, eventually moving to Edison New Jersey. There, he started his entrepreneurial journey by operating a lemonade-stand franchise, while selling baseball cards on weekends. At age 14, he joined his fathers wine business, renaming it Wine Library. Then in 1998, he launched Wine Library TV, a daily webcast covering wine, while growing the wine business from $3 to $60 million using email marketing, traditional advertising and Google AdWords. Then, in 2009 he launched VaynerMedia, a digital ad agency with clients including GE, Unilever, Chase and PepsiCo. Since then, he’s launched several other ventures, including The Gallery, which combines his acquisition of the media properties PureWow and ONE37pm, in addition to athlete representation company VaynerSports, and his latest serving small businesses, The Sasha Group, named after his father. Gary is the bestselling author of 6 books, including the classic Crush It!, and has invested in Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and dozens of other startups. This is my 4th interview with Gary in the past decade and the first one to be featured on his daily documentary series on YouTube called #DailyVee (episode #504).
Video interview from New York City:
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
What’s changed for you and what’s remained the same?
What is the fine line between hustle and burnout?
What responsibility do you have as a leader with a platform?
How can people be more empathetic at work and at home?
How do you find positive people to surround yourself with?
An interview with Rachel Hollis, author of Girl, Wash Your Face, about how she has the courage to share her personal life publicly, how she lives fearlessly, how to take charge of your life, who motivates her and her best career advice.
Welcome to the seventeenth episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
Rachel Hollis was born in Weedpatch, California and after graduating high school, moved to LA where an obsession with Matt Damon led her to apply for (and get) a job at Miramax. While there, she met her husband and founded an event-planning company, Chic Events. Then in 2015, Rachel had her breakthrough moment on social media when an Instagram photo of her celebrating her stretch marks went viral to over 10 million views. In 2018, her book Girl, Wash Your Face deputed and went onto being a #1 New York Times bestseller for twelve weeks selling more than 880,000 copies in the United States alone. Since the success of her book, Hollis, her husband Dave and four children have moved outside of Austin, Texas. Her follow up book is called Girl, Stop Apologizing. With her husband she is the co-host of the RISE Together podcast and co-founders of The Hollis Company. The company has media, products, inspiration and community to arm people with the tools they need to make positive and lasting change in their lives. For her hard work, dedication and business success, Rachel was named by Inc. Magazine as one of the “Top 30 Entrepreneurs under 30”. Both Rachel and I started out as bloggers before we were entrepreneurs and authors. I deeply respect her ability to talk about her biggest insecurities and flaws publicly.
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
How did you originally get the courage to share your personal life publicly?
What does it mean to live fearlessly?
How can people stop feeling shame and start taking charge of their lives?
Who do you look to for inspiration, motivation and emotional support?
An interview with Simon Sinek, author of Start With Why, about what’s changed for him since he started, the skills that are important in the machine age, who he would give voice to, how he remains optimistic and his best career advice.
Welcome to the sixteenth episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
Simon Sinek is the author of Start With Why, The Infinite Game and other bestsellers. Born in Wimbledon, London, Sinek grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa, London, and Hong Kong before settling in the United States. He graduating from Northern Valley Regional High School at Demarest in 1991, studied law at London’s City University, and then graduated Brandeis University with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in cultural anthropology. Simon began his career at two well-known New York ad agencies: Euro RSCG and Ogilvy. Simon went on to speak at a TEDx Puget Sound in South Dakota back in 2009. The video went on to generate over 40 million views, subtitled in 47 languages, and is the third most watched TED Talk ever. With the success of the TEDx Talk, he went on to write the million-copy bestseller Start With Why, and then followed up with other bestsellers including Leaders Eat Last, Together Is Better and Find Your Why. His upcoming book is called The Infinite Game. This is my fourth interview with Simon since 2010 and I always enjoy his thoughts on all aspects of leadership, the workplace and culture.
Video interview from New York City:
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
This is our 4th conversation since your first book, Start with Why, came out. What’s most changed in how you view the world and what’s remained the same?
What skills do you think will become more important in the coming age of machines?
Who would you give voice to that has impacted your life?
How do you remain optimistic despite the negativity around you?
An interview with Chris Anderson, the head of TED, about how he keeps the TED brand fresh, what keeps him motivated, how he selects people and ideas, and which TED ideas have changed society the most.
Welcome to the fifteenth episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
Chris Anderson was born in Pakistan. He studied at Woodstock School in India before moving to Monkton Combe School in England. At the University of Oxford, he studied physics, then changed to philosophy, politics and economics, graduating in 1978. Then in 1984, he was captivated by the home-computer revolution and became an editor at two of the UK’s early computer magazines, Personal Computer Games and Zzap! A year later he founded Future Publishing with a $25,000 bank loan. In 1994, Anderson moved to the United States where he built Imagine Media, publisher of Business 2.0 magazine and creator of the popular video game users website IGN, which expanded to publishing 150 magazines and websites with 2,000 employees. This success allowed Anderson to create a private nonprofit organization, the Sapling Foundation, which eventually acquired the TED Conference in 2001. Since then, the TED Conference has become one of the most prestigious stages in the world, and through the TEDx initiative over 100,000 TED Talks have been published online generating billions of views. Chris is the New York Times bestselling author of TED Talks and host of “The TED Interview”, a podcast where he speaks with some of the world’s most interesting people to dig into the provocative and powerful ideas of our time.
Video interview from New York City:
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
Over 100,000 TED and TEDx talks have been published. How do you keep the brand fresh and continue to get people interested in watching and spreading ideas?
What keeps you motivated and inspired to continue to help spread ideas through the TED platform? What does the future hold?
Has your process for selecting people, and their ideas changed over the years? What’s remained consistent?
Which TED ideas have changed the way you work and live and why?
Have any ideas shared on the TED stage turned into real life changes in society or companies?
An interview with Ana Kasparian, co-host of The Young Turks, about how she found her voice before entering the media world, how she deals with criticism, staying positive, preventing burnout and her responsibility as a leader.
Welcome to the fourteenth episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
Ana Kasparian was born in Los Angeles California. She is the daughter of Armenian immigrant parents and learned how to speak English as a second language after watching Sesame Street. Ana was a performer in her childhood dancing ballet from 3 to 19 years old. She completed her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Journalism and a Masters Degree in Political Science at California State University Northridge. After graduating, she became an assistant producer with CBS Radio news stations in Los Angeles. In 2007, after stints at AOL News, YouTube, TidalTv and On Point, Ana became the producer and co-host with Cenk Uygur of The Young Turks, a progressive news and commentary program on YouTube with over 4 million subscribers and over 34,000 videos. She’s been recognized on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list and has won several awards including a Webby for Best Web Personality and Host, and a Streamy Award for Best News and Culture Show. She’s been teaching broadcast journalism at her alma mater and speaks at many universities, conferences and political events.
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
Where did you originally find your voice before entering the media world?
How do you have the courage to put yourself out there despite criticism?
How do you stay positive despite all the negativity around you?
How do you prevent yourself from being burned out?
What is your responsibility as a leader for our generation?
An interview with Seth Godin, bestselling author and speaker, about what he’s learned in his career, the importance of empathy, where his ideas come from, how to build connection and his best career advice.
Welcome to the thirteenth episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
Seth Godin was born in Mount Vernon, New York, where he worked at Spinnaker Software until 1986. Using the $20,000 in savings from that job, he founded Seth Godin Productions, a book packaging company out of his studio apartment in New York City. From there, he met entrepreneur Mark Hurst to create Yoyodyne, which used contests, online games and scavenger hunts to market companies to users. After selling his packaging business, and focusing on Yoyodyne full-time until it was acquired for about $30 million by Yahoo! in 1998. Godin continued his entrepreneurial journey with Squidoo in 2006. It became one of the 500 most viewed sites in the world and Godin sold it in 2014 to HubPages. Over the course of his career, he’s written 18 books, thousands of blog posts and countless keynote speeches around the world. Some of his most famous books include Permission Marketing, Purple Cow, Tribes and Linchpin. His new book is called This is Marketing: You Can’t Be Seen Until You Learn to See. After years of winning the hearts and minds of the entire marketing industry, he was inducted into the American Marketing Association’s Marketing Hall of Fame. This is my fourth interview with Godin over the past eight years and I continue to be impressed by his perspectives, his approach to storytelling and he stays on-brand.
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
What has 25 years of experience in marketing taught you about yourself, other people and the world we live in?
In today’s society, why is empathy an important quality for leaders and marketers alike?
As someone who has published thousands of blog posts, and written numerous books, where do your new ideas come from?
How do we use technology as a bridge to human connection instead of a barrier?
An interview with Rachael Ray, the Daytime Emmy Award Winning TV show host of Rachael Ray, about her biggest influences, her business, being self-made, her first job and her best career advice.
Welcome to the twelfth episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
Rachael Ray is a Daytime Emmy Award Winning TV show host. Raised in Glens Falls, New York, Rachael witnessed her mother managing restaurants. In 1995, she moved to New York City to work her first job at the Macy’s Marketplace candy counter. She left Macy’s to work at Agata & Valentina, a specialty foods store, and then eventually moved back to upstate New York to manage Mister Brown’s Pub in a hotel. Then, she became a buyer at Cowan & Lobel, a gourmet market, which inspired her 30 Minute Meals. The success of her 30 Minute Meals classes led to a weekly local TV segment, then a public radio broadcast and her first book. From there, she was on NBC’s The Today Show, which led to her first Food Network contract in 2001. Today, she hosts the syndicated daily talk and lifestyle program Rachael Ray, and the Food Network series 30 Minute Meals, Rachael Ray’s Tasty Travels and $40 a Day. She also founded the Every Day with Rachael Ray magazine and has written countless cookbooks, including Everyone isItalian on Sunday, Comfort Foods, Week in a Day and My Year in Meals.
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
Who has most influenced your career and why?
What do people not know about you and your business?
What has surprised you the most about being successful?
An interview with Jocko Willink, a former U.S. Navy Seal, the host of the Jocko Podcast and author of multiple #1 New York Times bestsellers, about the biggest leadership lesson he learned, how to lead in change, why leaders have to be followers, the dichotomy of leadership and his best advice.
Welcome to the eleventh episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
Jocko Willink is a Former U.S. Navy Seal, the Host of the Jocko Podcast and author of multiple #1 New York Times bestsellers. Born and raised in New England, Jocko enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1990. He served eight years on active duty, as an enlisted Navy SEAL with SEAL Team ONE and SEAL Team TWO. Willink was part of the SEAL team that seized Russian Tanker Volga-Neft-147 in the Gulf of Oman which was carrying Iraqi oil in violation of a U.N. economic embargo. Willink earned his commission at the Officer Candidate School and eventually served as a platoon commander. He completed multiple deployments to Asia, the Middle East and Europe. During Operation Iraqi Freedom he deployed to the Iraqi town of Ramadi in 2006 with SEAL Team THREE as commander of Task Unit Bruiser. Willink also served as a Navy SEAL instructor during his career. He retired in October 2010 after 20 years of service. Today, he is the host of the Jocko Podcast, which receives two million downloads per episode and is the author of multiple bestsellers, including Extreme Ownership, Discipline Equals Freedom and his latest book The Dichotomy of Leadership.
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
What is the biggest leadership lesson you learned as a U.S. Navy Seal?
How can leaders best prepare their teams for change?
Why do good leaders have to also be good followers?
How can a leader be aggressive yet prudent and empathetic?
An interview with Steve Harvey, host of the syndicated talk show “Steve”, the morning radio show “The Steve Harvey Morning Show” and Family Feud, about how he overcame his biggest struggle, how to handle fear, his daily routines, letting go of negative people and what’s most important to him in life.
Welcome to the tenth episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
Steve Harvey was raised in Welch, West Virginia. Some of his original jobs growing up were a boxer, an autoworker, an insurance salesman, a carpet cleaner and a mailman. In 1990, he was a finalist in the Second Annual Johnnie Walker National Comedy Search, which led him to being the host of “Showtime at the Apollo”. In 1994, his success as a stand-up comedian led to a starring role on ABC Show “Me and the Boys”. From 1996 to 2002 he stared in The Steve Harvey Show on the WB Network. At the same time, he worked as a stand-up comedian performing on the King of Comedy Tour with Bernie Mac, Cedric the Entertainer and D.L. Hughley. In 2010, he become the host of his morning radio show and at the same time began hosting Family Feud and then Celebrity Family Feud. More recently, he became the host of Steve. In the past several years, he’s written multiple bestselling books including Straight Talk, No Chaser, Act Like a Success, Think Like a Success, Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man and Jump. He is a six-time Daytime Emmy Award winner, two-time Marconi Award winner, and a 14-time NAACP Image Award winner in various categories.
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
Tell us the story of a major obstacle in your life, how you overcame it, and how it’s helped you become who you are today.
How do people not let the fear of failure get in their own way of a successful life?
What are some of your daily routines that have made you more energized and happy?
How do we let go of the people in our lives that are doing us harm instead of supporting our ambitions?
But what role does faith, religion and family play in pushing through you know some of life’s greatest challenges?
An interview with Tony Hawk, a legendary skateboarder and entrepreneur, about what keeps him motivated, how he makes time for his children, when he recognized his potential, the legacy he wants to leave and his best career advice.
Welcome to the ninth episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
Tony Hawk was raised in San Diego, California. He was described as hyperactive growing up, which is how I was also described. He was gifted with a high IQ and took advanced classes in school. At age 14 he became a professional skateboarder and eventually went on to be the National Skateboard Association world champion for twelve consecutive years. Aside from his career as a pro skateboarder, he’s known for his hit video game series “Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater”, which debuted in 1999 and has produced 18 titles to date. Throughout his career, Hawk has made numerous appearances in films like Jackass: The Movie, Escape from L.A. and The New Guy. He is the founder of the Tony Hawk Foundation, which has given away over $5.8 billion for the development of almost 600 skate parks in low-income areas in the US. Hawk is also the owner of 900 Films and the RIDE Channel on YouTube. He’s been instrumental in getting skateboarding into the 2020 Olympics, which was a big deal for the sport.
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
What keeps you motivated after your multi-decade career?
How have you been able to live your dream career, while still making time for your family?
At what point in your life did you recognize your potential?
What legacy do you want to leave in both the skating and business world?
An interview with Dr. Drew Pinsky, a celebrity doctor, podcast host and board-certified internist, about how he stays relevant, what inspires him, well-being in the workplace, using technology and time management.
Welcome to the eighth episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
Dr. Drew Pinsky was born in Pasadena, California. He attended Polytechnic School, majored in biology at Amherst College and earned his M.D. at the University of Southern California School of Medicine. From his residency in internal medicine at USC County Hospital, he became chief resident at Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena, and eventually moved into private practice. His career in the media started in 1984, one year after I was born, when he had a regular segment on KROQ-FM in LA. Then he hosted Loveline with Adam Carolla, which went national in 1995, with a TV version on MTV one year later. In 2007, Pinsky hosted the nationally syndicated radio talk show Dr. Drew Live and in 2008, he starred in Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew. Then from 2011 to 2016, he hosted his own show, Dr. Drew On Call on HLN. He is the author of The Mirror Effect and Tracked, and is currently the host the The Dr. Drew Podcast and co-host of The Adam and Dr. Drew Show. This is the second interview I’ve had with Dr. Drew since 2014 and I’ve always enjoyed his views on psychology and mental health.
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
How have you adjusted to the changing media landscape to stay relevant in your career?
You’ve interviewed all types of people who have suffered in many ways. Who has been the most inspirational to you and why?
Do you think we’ve reached a tipping point for well-being in the workplace?
How can we use technology to create real human connection instead of letting it isolate us?
An interview with Beth Comstock, the former Vice Chair and CMO of GE, about how she broke the glass ceiling, why fear holds us back, how she shares new ideas, stays relevant and her best career advice.
Welcome to the seventh episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
Beth Comstock is the former Vice Chair and Chief Marketing Officer of GE. Beth grew up in Winchester, Virginia. Her mom was a teacher and was called the unofficial mayor of Winchester because of her outgoing nature, while her father, was a dentist and was an introvert like her. In her 27-year career at GE, she held a variety of the most senior positions in the company. In 1996, she was the SVP of Corporate Communications at NBC, then held a similar role at GE two years year. In 2002, she was named GE’s first chief marketing officer in more than 20 years. Then, in 2005, she became the President of Integrated Media at NBC Universal, where she led the TV ad sales and digital marketing team, and had a hand in the early development of HULU.com. In 2008, she became the Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer, leading GE’s growth and market-innovation initiatives, then ended her career at GE as Vice Chair in 2017. Currently, she is the author Imagine It Forward, on the board of Nike, and a trustee of The National Geographic Society. Beth been recognized as one of the of “The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women” by both Forbes and Fortune, and one of the “Most Creative People in Business” by Fast Company. This is my second interview with Beth over the past two years. I remember when I was at her GE office here in New York City and I noticed that she didn’t have an office. Instead she sat with all the other employees. To me, this shows that she lacks ego and promotes collaboration and creativity, which is rare for an executive at her level.
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
You were the former CMO and Vice Chair of GE, one of the largest companies in the world. How were you able to break the glass ceiling as a woman?
You say that fear not ideas holds us back from achieving success. Can you explain?
Where does your courage to come up with new ideas and share them come from?
How do you personally stay relevant when the world is changing so fast?
An interview with Van Jones, the host of “The Van Jones Show” on CNN, about how we can all come together as a united America, the impact he wants to make on the world, how he overcame a struggle in his career, how he deals with critics and his best career advice.
Welcome to the sixth episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
Van Jones was born in Jackson Tennessee. He studied political figures as a child, including Martin Luther King, Jr. and President John F. Kennedy. He majored in communications and political science at the University of Tennessee at Martin, while working as an intern at Jackson Sun and the Associated Press. After deciding he didn’t want to be a journalist, he attended Yale Law School and while a student, he was selected by the Lawyers Committee for Human Rights to serve as legal observers in the trial of four officers charged with attacking Rodney King. From there, he wrote his first book “The Green Collar Economy”, which led to an appointment as Special Advisor for Green Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation at the White House Council on Environmental Quality. Jones eventually became the host of a series of CNN shows including “Crossfire, “The Messy Truth with Van Jones” and now, “The Van Jones Show”. Van has been recognized as a “Young Global Leader” by the World Economic Forum, one of TIME Magazine’s “Most Influential People” and one of Fast Company’s “Most Creative People”.
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
What mistakes have we made as a country and how can we make positive change?
What impact do you want to make at CNN?
Can you discuss one struggle in your career, how you overcame it and what you learned as a result?
An interview with the 66th United States Secretary of State, and first ever African-American female Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice about her decision making process, lessons learned, use of technology, view of diversity and best career advice.
Welcome to the fifth episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
Condoleezza Rice was born in Birmingham, Alabama in the racially segregated south. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Denver, her master’s degree from the university of Notre Dame and a PhD from the University of Denver’s School of International Studies. After graduating, she worked at the State Department under the Carter administration, received a fellowship from Stanford University, where she then served as provost. From there, she served on the National Security Council under President George H.W. Bush, before eventually becoming the Secretary of State. Currently, she is the professor of Political Economy in the Stanford Graduate School of Business and a professor of Political Science at Stanford University. She’s the author of Political Risk, No Higher Honor and Democracy, and sits on the board of DropBox. More recently, she partnered with Pulitzer Prize-winning historian David M. Kennedy, on American Creed, a documentary film that examines what unites Americans, and the ideals they share, that lead them to hope for the future.
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
What goes into your decision making process?
What were some of the lessons you learned as the former Secretary of State?
How can technology be used effectively when trying to get a message out to others?
What is your view of the power of diversity in business and politics?
An interview with philanthropist, billionaire, bestselling author and Virgin Group founder Richard Branson about what motivates him, his daily routine, the importance of face-to-face, work friendships, and his best career advice.
Welcome to the fourth episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
Richard Branson was born in London as the eldest of three children. Despite having dyslexia and a poor academic record in school, his parents supported him. Branson ran both Student magazine and a record business from his church. He interviewed famous people for the magazine, such as Rolling Stones front man Mick Jagger and used the magazine to advertise his record business. This enabled him to start the record store that eventually launched Virgin Records. After selling the company years later, he went on to start Virgin Atlantic Airways, Virgin Mobile, Virgin Pulse, Virgin Galactic and over 400 other Virgin brands under The Virgin Group. Combined, his companies employ over 70,000 employees and generate over 25 billion in annual revenues. From 1998 to 2017, he wrote 8 books including Losing My Virginity, Screw It, Let’s Do It and Like a Virgin. Richard has had a variety of remarkable achievements, including being knighted by Prince Charles of Wales, named in BBC’s poll of 100 Greatest Britons and Forbes estimates his net worth at over 5 billion. I’ve been privileged to interview Richard three times in my career. While he may be an intimidating figure, when you meet him in person he’s very approachable and his views have become more relevant over time.
Video interview from San Francisco:
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
You have been starting, managing and advising companies since you were a teenager. What keeps you motivated to continue this entrepreneurial journey?
Can you tell me about your daily routines for maintaining your health and how that impacts your productivity as a businessperson and entrepreneur?
You’ve said that technology has kept you more connected, but what role do face-to-face interactions have in your success?
We’re working longer hours than ever before. The average workweek is 47 hours a week. Because of this, don’t you think it’s more important now than ever before to have real friendships with the people you work with?
A lot of people have learned a lot from your experiences, and everything that you’ve said over the years, but what is one piece of advice that you haven’t really told people, and you think is vital in our society today?
An interview with Wharton Professor and #1 New York Times bestselling author Adam Grant about work life balance, networking, doing favors, creativity and his best career advice.
Welcome to the third episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
Adam Grant was born in West Bloomfield, Michigan, and grew up in the suburbs of Detroit, aspiring to be a professional basketball player. While attending College, he worked as a professional magician. Upon graduation, he became an assistant professor of organizational behavior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Two years later, he was hired as an associate professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where he eventually became the youngest tenured professor at age 28 and rated the best teacher by students from 2011 to 2017. Adam wrote his first book, Give and Take, back in 2013, which became a major bestseller. Then he followed up with two more books, including Originals and Option B, co-authored with Sheryl Sandberg. Today, he’s the host of the TED Original Podcast: WorkLife with Adam Grant, curator of the Next Big Idea Club, columnist at Esquire, and serves on the Lean In board and the Defense Innovation Board at the Pentagon.
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
You’ve said that your favorite thing is being a Wharton professor. How do you balance your time between that, writing, podcasting, advising and speaking?
When it comes to networking, the most common frustration people share with me is that they don’t know what to give to others. How would you respond to this?
How do you personally decide whom to do favors for and whom to avoid since you’re always asked for help?
Where do your most creative and best ideas come from? What is your creative process?
An interview with Bravo TV star, author and top New York City real estate agent Ryan Serhant about the defining moment in his life, what keeps him motivated, sales advice, how he stood out when he started his career and his core relationship principle.
Welcome to the second episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions.
This episodes guest:
Ryan Serhant is a Bravo TV star, author and top New York City real estate agent. Ryan has born in Houston, Texas and raised outside of Boston, Massachusetts. After moving to New York City as an adult, he began his first day in the real estate business on September 15, 2008, which was the same day that Lehman Brothers filed for bankruptcy in the wake of the sub-prime mortgage collapse. While the real estate market slowly recovered, Ryan transformed himself into one of the most successful real estate brokers in the world. Through his hard work and leadership, his sales team was ranked in the top 5 nationwide from 2015 to 2017 by The Wall Street Journal. Ryan is the star of Bravo TV’s Million Dollar Listing New York and Sell It Like Serhant, which is also the title of his book.
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
Growing up you say you were overweight, awkward and broke but now you’re fit, social, a reality TV star and wealthy. What was the defining point in your life where things changed for you?
What keeps you still motivated after accomplishing so much in your career?
How can your sales advice apply to anyone looking for a job, advance in their career or build their business?
When you were first starting out as a real estate broker in New York City, how did you stand out?
What is your core relationship principle for building long term relationships in business and in life?
An interview with social media phenomenon Jay Shetty about his career transitions, sources of inspiration, technology use, time management and best advice.
Welcome to the first episode of 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel. As your host, my goal is to curate the best advice from the world’s smartest and most interesting people by asking them just 5 questions. Over the course of my career, I’ve interviewed over 2,000 people! For each interview, I ask 5 questions in about 15 minutes or less and final question has been consistent since I started: what are your top three pieces of career advice. This interview format has forced me to be thoughtful about each question I ask and also challenges the interviewees to give the best possible advice in as few words as possible.
This episodes guest:
Jay Shetty was born and raised in London. At the age of 18, he met a monk and after graduating from college, at 22 he went to live as a monk across India and Europe for 3 years. After moving on from monk life, he started to speak at companies, preaching some of the lessons he learned as a monk. Then, he became Accenture’s Social Media coach for executives and helped them with online branding and their digital strategy. After posting videos online, one was spotted by Arianna Huffington who invited him to be the Host of HuffPost Lifestyle in New York. Eventually, he left the Huffington Post and focused all of his energy on his own brand and content. Now with over 2 billion views, over 12 million Facebook followers, Jay is making his wisdom go viral and having the positive impact on the world that he desired many years ago. I’ve gotten to know Jay personally and I’ve never been more impressed with another human being. He’s able to give extremely deep life advice in an approachable way.
The 5 questions questions I ask in this episode:
You’ve made many transitions in your life, from graduating from college to living as a monk to working at Accenture to your role at the Huffington Post to being a social media influencer. How did you decide when to make these transitions in your career?
What are your sources for inspiration as someone who inspires others?
How have you used technology to create deeper relationships with others and not let it isolate you/make you feel lonely?
How do you manage your time so you can be fulfilled in every aspect of your life?