On the Brink with Andi Simon

Latest Episodes:

237: Dave Summers—How Can You Build Your Digital Brand Effectively? Oct 12, 2020

Show notes

Learn how to break through the clutter with your story

I met Dave Summers through Peter Winick's roundtable for thought leaders. What a treat to get to know him. We spent our time talking about how you can build your brand digitally, creating a personality for yourself through social media. Quite quickly, social media has become an amazing set of tools for you to tell your story through videos, interviews, written materials and groups. If you are struggling during the economic recovery to build your business back again, you must listen to Dave and follow some of his how-tos. They are full of common sense that is often overlooked. If you need your story told, your brand built and your audience expanded, listen in.

In this podcast, you'll learn how to:

Put together a plan
Rehearse before you do anything on a video
Write a script and try it out on others
Get your story straight and tell it over and over
Use all the media channels, not just the ones you think are best for you
Track the impact watch the trendlines.

About Dave Summers

Dave was an early advocate and developer of desktop digital media, creating a massive library of web-based content. Working at Pepsi, Accenture and most recently AMA, he has consistently delivered great user experiences, partnering with recognized global thought leaders and the most compelling business storytellers in the world today. Whether through interactive business simulations, podcasts or streamed video, Dave knows how to put out killer content and keep his skills and knowledge cutting-edge current.

You can contact Dave through his website: davesummers.com

For a deeper dive, check out these blogs and podcast

Additional resources

My award-winning book: "On the Brink: A Fresh Lens to Take Your Business to New Heights"
Simon Associates Management Consultants website

236: George Finney—Are Your Habits Making You A Cybersecurity Victim? Oct 05, 2020

Show notes

Hear how to protect yourself from cybersecurity threats

We have done a number of podcast interviews on a topic that should be of great concern to you: cybersecurity. As an anthropologist, I am always fascinated by people's habits. Your habits, as today's guest George Finney tells us, may make it easy for hackers to get into your data systems and make you and your organization easy victims, stealing your data, assuming your identity, and turning a good day into a nightmare. Perhaps now's the time for you to listen to George teach you how to change your habits so you can protect yourself. You really can't afford not to.

Do you ever awake in the morning, open your computer and wonder if you've been hacked during the night? Your identity stolen? Your database wiped out? If so, you need to listen carefully to my interview guest George Finney, cybersecurity expert. His goal is for you to become more vigilante, reviewing emails with better scrutiny and avoiding dangerous phishing emails that can invade your computer, your systems and your life.

Take it from me: I had my cell phone number stolen in January 2020 and with it my identity, my Google accounts, my Apple ID...I can keep going. It is not pretty, and if George can make you deadly serious about scrutinizing your emails more carefully, please give a listen.

In our technology-dependent culture, it becomes harder every day to keep up with what's safe and what's dangerous, especially with so many employees working from home. There's no escaping the ultimate responsibility for protecting ourselves and our organizations from the very real cybersecurity threats that exist online, but it doesn't have to be an overwhelming topic to tackle. That's where George comes in.

About George Finney

As Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at Southern Methodist University, George Finney understands how our often-overlooked habits hold the solution to everyday cybersecurity challenges. In response, he developed a comprehensive approach that can help keep us secure online.

With nearly 20 years' experience, George has helped a wide variety of companies from startups to global telecommunications firms to nonprofits improve their security posture. He has been recognized by Security Magazine as a top cybersecurity leader and is a member of the Texas CISO Council. He is also the author of several books on cybersecurity, most recently Well Aware: Master the Nine Cybersecurity Habits to Protect Your Future, available Oct 20, 2020. You can connect with George through his LinkedIn page.

Want more advice on how to prepare for the future? Start with these

Additional resources

My award-winning book: "On the Brink: A Fresh Lens to Take Your Business to New Heights"
Simon Associates Management Consultants website

235: Bill Sherman—The Time Is Right For Innovative Thought Leadership Sep 28, 2020

Show notes

Hear how you too can become a thought leader!

I had a lovely conversation recently with Bill Sherman, COO of Thought Leadership Leverage, an organization that supports thought leaders and the role they play in helping businesses understand how to develop and then capitalize on new ideas, growth strategies, and even their core purpose. In our podcast we discuss how thought leaders generate solutions to complex problems by helping companies large and small focus on their priorities. I urge you to listen in.

Watch our conversation here

Learn how to take your ideas and develop a scalable growth strategy

As you'll hear in our discussion, Bill's expertise lies in working with people who are doing thought leadership work inside their organizations and helping them creating a road map for growth that takes advantage of business opportunities. If you are thinking about how to take your expertise and experiences and turn them into a business of thought leaders, you might check out Bill's website and listen to our podcast with his business partner, Peter Winick.

About Bill Sherman

Bill Sherman is a seasoned B2B thought leadership strategist for clients who want to get attention for their ideas, create impact and generate revenue. With Peter Winick, he is the co-host of the podcast Leveraging Thought Leadership which focuses on those in business who are responsible for their organization's thought leadership. Over his long and impressive career, Bill has consulted with a number of Fortune 500 and Global 1000 organizations that wanted to achieve impact by communicating powerful ideas that get people to think and act differently. When leading teams, he utilizes a wide range of cross-disciplinary skills including b2b marketing, marketing strategy, organizational design, strategic HR, product design and the psychology of influence.

You can contact Bill via LinkedIn, Twitter, his website or bill@thoughtleadershipleverage.com.

Want smart advice on how to grow? Check out these blogs and podcast

Additional resources

My award-winning book: "On the Brink: A Fresh Lens to Take Your Business to New Heights"
Simon Associates Management Consultants website

234: Shellye Archambeau—How You Can Be Unapologetically Ambitious Sep 21, 2020

Show notes

Hear how to break barriers and be the leader you want to be!

Shellye Archambeau is an amazing woman whom I was honored to interview. She has an illustrious career with a lot of firsts. But, as she will tell you, being the first African American woman to achieve her accomplishments was never easy. Instead, her career has been built on her aspirations and her ambitions. Her new book, due out in October, Unapologetically Ambitious: Take Risks, Break Barriers, and Create Success on Your Own Terms, powerfully tackles how you too can break through your own hurdles, road blocks and glass ceilings that might be holding you back. Want to surge ahead but not sure how? Listen in as Shellye tells us!

Watch our conversation here

A highly accomplished leader with an unassailable belief in herself

An experienced CEO and Board Director with an imporessive track record of building brands and high performance teams, Shellye has dynamically led technology-focused organizations for over 30 years. Her secret? "You just need a lot of personal belief in your own skills and a vision of yourself as a leader, able to break through and keep going." As I always say, If you can see it, you can be it!

Meet Shellye Archambeau

The former CEO of MetricStream, a GRC company based in Palo Alto, CA, Shellye Archambeau has held executive positions at numerous major companies, including a 15-year career at IBM where she became the first African American woman to gain an international assignment. As well as being a guest lecturer at her alma mater, the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, Shellye is an author and a regular contributor for Xconomy. She currently serves on the boards of Verizon, Nordstrom, Roper Technologies and Okta, and is also a strategic advisor to the Royal Bank of Canada, Capital Markets Group and Forbes Ignite.

Throughout her career, Shellye has received numerous awards and recognitions, including being named one of the Top 25 Click and Mortar Executives by Internet World, 46 Most Important African Americans In Technology by the Business Insider, 25 Most Influential African Americans In Technology and 50 Most Important African Americans in Technology. In 2015, she was ranked 97th in the annual Newsmax "100 Most Influential Business Leaders in America" ranking.

You can contact Shellye through her website.

Want more stories about barrier-breaking women? Here are three

Additional resources

My award-winning book: "On the Brink: A Fresh Lens to Take Your Business to New Heights"
Simon Associates Management Consultants website

233: JD Gershbein—How Is LinkedIn Your New World For Building Networks? Sep 14, 2020

Show notes

Learn how to leverage the power of LinkedIn!

I met JD Gershbein through Peter Winick's Thought Leadership Leverage roundtables which he so graciously invited me to join. JD is a LinkedIn expert and really understands how to help you leverage the world of social media. Our conversation focuses on the approaches you can take to create your own personal brand. Remember, the story you share becomes who you are, not just a story. And sharing that story, building a personal brand, and creating a business around "you" are essential in today's new "normal." Don't miss this opportunity to learn from a true innovator.

Watch our interview here

Sharing your story has always been essential

But now you have a number of platforms to help you build that story: LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram. Think about it. They offer you access to all those people you would like to reach. Where to start? Pick a focus and then listen to JD help you learn how social media and social networking along with social selling is the wave of the future, today.

Meet JD Gershbein

Bringing a keen sense of observation and a distinctive voice to the global stage, JD Gershbein draws upon his background in neuroscience, psychology and the humanities to offer a unique depth and breadth of understanding of social media, combining multiple disciplines into a uniquely artistic expression.

A highly recognized LinkedIn strategist, JD is forging new inroads as the founder and architect of a professional development platform that encompasses a stage show (revue), an original web-based video series, a theatrical podcast, and his own live, highly- interactive educational events.

JD is a broadcast media contributor on LinkedIn for business (both TV and radio), as well as a contributing writer for The Huffington Post, Forbes, NBC and SUCCESS Online. Additionally, he is the creative force behind a burgeoning media broadcast platform and the host of his own webcast/podcast, The Electric Narrative with JD Gershbein.

You can contact JD via LinkedIn or his website.

Want to learn more about successfully extending your reach? Try these

Additional resources

My award-winning book: "On the Brink: A Fresh Lens to Take Your Business to New Heights"
Simon Associates Management Consultants website

232: Tracy Higginbotham—Now Is The Time For Women To Help Women Build Better Businesses Sep 08, 2020

Show notes

Learn how to overcome challenges and hurdle over obstacles!

Tracy Higginbotham is an amazing woman who is dedicated to inspiring women to excel in business, sports and life. She is the founder and president of Women TIES (Women Together Inspiring Entrepreneurial Success), which I fell in love with as I learned how hard Tracy and her members were all working to help women succeed. You will hear us discuss her own personal journey and her determination to overcome challenges that could have easily stopped her in her tracks. Instead, she hurdled over the obstacles and became an amazing leader, helping others thrive. I know you will be as inspired as I was. Please enjoy.

You can watch our interview here

Believing in the buying and selling power of women

Women TIES specializes in promoting, publicizing and uniting women entrepreneurs and their companies. Its members understand that if women don't help each other, it will be hard for any of us to succeed. And by building strong economic relationships, women can more effectively advance their companies and eradicate pay inequality.

Meet Tracy Higginbotham

In 1995, Tracy Chamberlain Higginbotham created her first company, Five Star Events, an events management company. Then 10 years later, she embraced her passion for supporting other women entrepreneurs and established her second company, Women TIES, to create a stronger geographic buying network for women business owners across New York.

In 2011, Tracy created the "Women's Athletic Network," a division of Women TIES which promotes athletic events for women entrepreneurs to train for, participate in or support as spectators. Six years later, she created a "Women's Rights Equality" division to unite women who want to get involved with women's equality issues. From 2017-2018, she was the North America Leader of 261 Fearless, Inc., a global running organization, then its North America Head of Club Promotional Outreach.

Tracy's commitment to supporting women entrepreneurship has been recognized by the Small Business Administration twice (2005 and 2011) for her significant contribution as an outstanding small business person and for her dedicated support of small business. She has received numerous other awards as well, including the WCNY "Women Who Make America Award," Women in Business Award, 25 Women in Leadership Award, 40 Under 40 Award and the SUNY Oswego Alumni Association Community Service Award.

In 2019, Tracy published her first book, "Under the Rose-Colored Hat," an inspirational story of the true meaning of beauty, strength and acceptance of oneself especially when challenges arise.

Tracy is a graduate of the State University of New York at Oswego where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and post graduate studies in Business Management. You can contact her through her website, tracyhigginbotham.com.

Want more stories of resilience and perseverence? Here are three

Additional resources

My award-winning book: "On the Brink: A Fresh Lens to Take Your Business to New Heights"
Simon Associates Management Consultants website

231: Shannon Polson—How Can You Find Your True Grit? Aug 31, 2020

Show notes

Hear how to find your grit and be a better leader!

Shannon Polson was introduced to me through Peter Winick's Thought Leadership Leverage organization when we were both attending one of Peter's Tuesday lunch hour conversations. I just loved her grit and her personal story, and felt it was important to share it. Shannon was one of the first women to fly Apache helicopters, then became a writer, and now she is developing a program to help women create their own "True Grit." Believing that conversations, words and books can change the way we see each other and actually change the world, she has made it her job to inspire and transform. We join with her in her mission. Please make sure you listen in. To watch our conversation, click on the image below

Inspiring other leaders in ways she would have liked to be inspired herself

What I particularly like about Shannon is how she uses storytelling to help people develop the skills they need to become better leaders, find their creative solutions, and overcome the ingrained resistance to change which so many of us exhibit.

What would it take for your people to connect to their own sense of grit?

As one of the first women to fly the Apache helicopter in the U.S. Army, Shannon Polson's career spans almost a decade as an Army officer and attack aviation leader around the globe, as well as five years leading and managing in the corporate sector at Guidant and Microsoft. Today, Shannon uses her experience in the cockpit and the boardroom to speak to major companies and organizations around the world to overcome resistance, connect to their core purpose, lead from the heart, and commit to courageous ownership under the most challenging conditions.

When writing her soon-to-be released book, "The Grit Factor: Courage, Resilience and Leadership in the Most MaleDominated Organization in the World," Shannon connected with fellow trailblazing women who shared with her their candid stories of leading at the highest levels in the most complicated, challenging and male-dominated organization in the world, the U.S. military. Now she devotes herself to speaking, writing and training through the organization she founded, The Grit Institute, whose mission is to inspire leaders at all levels, especially those in transition or navigating change. It is a wonderful, vaulable resource worth investigating for your own team.

You can contact Shannon through her website.

Want more stories of terrific women leaders? We recommend these:

Additional resources

My award-winning book: "On the Brink: A Fresh Lens to Take Your Business to New Heights"
Simon Associates Management Consultants website

230: Nancy Halpern—Innovative Ways To Find Your Political Intelligence Aug 24, 2020

Show notes

Learn how to finally solve office politics!

In this podcast with Nancy Halpern, I had the amazing opportunity to learn more about how she helps companies find workable solutions to that awful problem of office politics. You might think they just come with the territory, that office cultures are all the same: inherently competitive, male-driven and toxic. Well, maybe that is not true. And it doesn't have to be for your organization. Nancy will help you see how to use her proprietary Political IQ model to assess your organization and pinpoint the sources of the disruptions that are threatening your workplace — particularly during these times of remote work and a new normal. If you want to focus on what matters most and get things done, I urge you to listen.

Watch our podcast by clicking on the image below

Who is Nancy Halpern?

A nationally recognized leadership consultant and true pioneer in the field of talent development, Nancy Halpern effectively diagnoses then helps solve political dysfunction in organizations. Leveraging thought leadership and intellectual capital from over 20 years of client engagements, she helps companies find solutions to the age-old problem of office politics. Creating customized solutions that dismantle silos, create effective communications and build dynamic cross-functional teams, Nancy help leaders both retain and develop key talent while achieving measurable business results.

Nancy's client list ranges from large Fortune 500 corporations to startups and includes Bank of America, Dow Jones, Nestlé, Novartis, Columbia University, Condé Nast, Ogilvy & Mather, Price Waterhouse Cooper, Pfizer, The World Bank and Baker McKenzie, among others. Having worked with teams in Japan, Thailand, South Africa, Singapore, Switzerland and the UK, Nancy has the unique ability to engage across cultures to help organizations create sustainable change.

You can contact Nancy at nancy@nancyhalpern.com or through her website nancyhalpern.com.

To learn more about how to bring about culture change, start with these:

Additional resources

My award-winning book: "On the Brink: A Fresh Lens to Take Your Business to New Heights"
Simon Associates Management Consultants website

229: Rita Denny—Maybe You Need Anthropology To See Yourself In New Ways Aug 18, 2020

Show notes

Hear how anthropology is transforming the world of business!

As a corporate anthropologist, I love bringing to our listeners other great anthropologists who can help them see the application of anthropology in action. Think about your own challenges as you hear about Rita Denny and her journey of discovery. In my work with clients, I often refer to her book, "Handbook of Anthropology in Business," co-edited with Patricia Sunderland, in which they discuss dozens of ways that the theory, method and tools of anthropology can be innovatively applied in business settings across the globe. We can all benefit from what Rita has to tell us!

At SAMC we were honored this year to be voted the "Corporate Anthropology Consultancy in New York for 2020," just one reason why it's such a pleasure to share with you this great woman anthropologist. Learn more about and hire more anthopologists. They can help you "see, feel and think" in new ways. Particularly in today's economic and social disruptions, you might find a new perspective is just what you and your business need.

About Rita Denny

Currently the executive director of EPIC, a global community of practitioners doing ethnographic work, Rita Denny applies an anthropological framework to consumer behavior across the globe, calling on linguistic, semiotic and symbolic traditions for interpreting attitudes, perceptions and practices. Her work has supported strategic development of products, services and brands as well as communications strategies for Fortune Global 500 companies, government agencies and public institutions.

A founding partner of the consultancy firm Practica Group and co-editor and co-author of award winning books considered foundational volumes in ethnography in business, Rita is a pillar of the business anthropology world. She is a wellspring of inspiration for those wanting to reimagine the world of possibilities for ethnography in industry and beyond.

Rita holds a Ph.D. in anthropology from the University of Chicago. You can contact her through LinkedIn.

To learn how anthropology could transform your business, start with these:

Additional resources

My award-winning book: "On the Brink: A Fresh Lens to Take Your Business to New Heights"
Simon Associates Management Consultants website

228: Gail Hayes—Now Is The Time To Empower Women To Build Better Communities Aug 10, 2020

Show notes

Learn how to hear, understand and honor those who are different from us

I had the wonderful opportunity to meet Gail Hayes through Peter Winick's group of thought leaders. Gail was as curious about thought leadership as I was. What we found and then wanted to share with our listeners is how innovative thinking is essential in today's fast-changing, totally disrupted world. You'll hear how Gail found herself a single mom raising two children without much of a job. Yet, she rethought herself, turned those proverbial "lemons into lemonade" and discovered a new "Gail," offering exceptional programs for people of all races and perspectives. Her role is to help you see things through a fresh lens — just as we at SAMC do. Take a listen!

Wisdom for our times from Gail

Need a lift? Then help someone stand. Need inspiration? Then encourage someone who is down. Need kindness? Then expend grace. It's your choice. You receive in abundance what you give in abundance!

Some of the important truths we talked about

Blackness and whiteness and how we can learn to love each other and live together
Toilet paper levels the playing field
How we need to honor the experiences and viewpoints of those different from us
Empowering women to become the women they want to be
How to take adversity and turn it into an opportunity

To watch our interview click on the image below

About Dr. Gail Hayes

An internationally recognized communicator and thought leader, Dr. Gail Hayes ignites every environment with contagious enthusiasm and a passion for purpose. An Executive Leadership Coach, media personality and award-winning author of numerous books, Gail has lived multiple years in Asia and Europe, enabling her to communicate fluidly and effectively across cultural lines. In addition, she founded and served as the Director of the European Executive Women's Forum, the first active European Network of the National Association for Female Executives (NAFE). Not only was Dr. Gail the first African American female law enforcement officer and firefighter in Chapel Hill, NC, she also served as the first African American Chair of the Orange County Commission for Women. She has worked on Capitol Hill for the National Governors Association, receiving the Outstanding Leadership in State Government award. Dr. Gail is currently CEO of the Handle Your Business Girl Empowerment Zone.

Dr. Gail has authored numerous books including:

You can reach Gail at Twitter or LinkedIn or email her here.

Want more stories of resilience and rising above difficulties? Here are three

Additional resources