This is My Silver Lining

Latest Episodes:

We Should all be Daydreamers: Nik Venios on Human Creativity and the Gift of Resilience Jun 02, 2024

Show notes

Nik Venios, founder of The Ideas Agency, shares his journey of resilience and creativity. When Nik lost his mother to breast cancer at age eight it made him an outlier. The transformational impact of her death wasn’t all negative, he says. It provided him the the ability to always look at problems from a range of perspectives. Nik discusses his early career, how he discovered design thinking, and how he went from foraging for nettles in Denmark to inventing a hygienic door handle long before the 2020 pandemic. We discuss the creative process, the importance of taking the time to truly define and understand a problem before developing solutions that may not produce the best fix, and the intense value of testing and tinkering. Nik emphasizes the need to embrace curiosity, daydreaming, and playfulness to foster creativity.

Episode Links and Resources

The Ideas Agency

Free innovation course from The Ideas Agency

Big Magic

Alchemy

Think Bigger

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Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.

Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.

Support this podcast by subscribing and reviewing.

Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.

Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.

A Remarkable Little Boy and the Universal Bond of Grief with Heather Straughter Apr 28, 2024

Show notes

Heather shares her experience of losing Jake, her four-year-old son, after a still undiagnosed illness that caused constant seizures. Heather emphasizes the importance of breaking the taboo on grief and finding the light in difficult situations.
She and her husband Brian started Jake's Help From Heaven, a nonprofit organization to provide support for individuals and families confronted with complex medical needs and disabilities. She emphasizes the importance of accepting help from others and building a community of support.
Heather also discusses the challenges faced by families with children who have disabilities and the need for more support and understanding from society.
Heather believes in finding silver linings and staying positive despite the loss of her son. In her recently launched podcast, A Place of Yes, Heather shares stories of resilience and possibility with similarly affected families.

Episode Links and Resources

Charity: Jake’s Help From Heaven

Podcast: A Place of Yes

Instagram: @heatherstraughter, @jakeshelp

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Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.

Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.

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Support this podcast by subscribing and reviewing.

Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.

Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.

Find a Way to Do the Favor: Golf Pro Mike Bennett on Big Dreams, Resilience, and Helping Others Apr 14, 2024

Show notes

Mike knew he wanted to be a professional golfer when he was five years old. He talks to us about how he made his big dream come true as a golf pro. We explore how he and his business partner, Andy Plummer, created the Stack & Tilt System of golf instruction through intense study and data analysis long before artificial intelligence was a thing. Mike tells us about the controversial Golf Digest article that introduced their teaching method to the world. He emphasizes the value of connections and helping others, both in the golf world and in his personal life. As a parent, he teaches his daughters the importance of resilience and the joy of doing favors for others. In this conversation, Mike Bennett shares his insights on building confidence, creating meaningful connections, and expressing gratitude.

Episode Links and Resources

Stack & Tilt

Stack & Tilt Article

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Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.

Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.

Support this podcast by subscribing and reviewing.

Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.

Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.

From Gray to Open Skies: Travel Expert Lindsey Epperly on Growing as a Leader through Vulnerability Mar 17, 2024

Show notes

Just in time for Spring Break and with a special nod to National Optimism Month, we're thrilled to bring you this inspirational interview with Travel Expert, Lindsey Epperly, the CEO of JetSet World Travel.

Lindsey shares some of her most difficult challenges as an entrepreneur in the travel industry during a global pandemic. She also talks to us openly about how an unexpected health scare created an opportunity for her to lean into her vulnerability and become a stronger leader.

Episode Links and Resources

Lindsey Epperly

Jetset World Travel

Who Made You the Boss

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Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.

Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.

Support this podcast by subscribing and reviewing.

Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.

Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.

Patience and Presence: Sabrina Mallick Peterson on Entrepreneurship and Life’s Priorities Dec 17, 2023

Show notes

The daughter of immigrant parents, Sabrina was the consummate high achiever growing up. An Ivy Leaguer with her sights on law school, she did a summer internship at a prestigious firm that changed her plans. She took a role as a fixed income analyst on Wall Street. She was young and curious; she was great at her job. By all measures, Sabrina was a success, but she wanted more from life.

As she considered her options, the music stopped. In 2008, Sabrina had a front row seat to the downward spiral that was the financial crisis. If she ever needed a sign to define a new career path, this was it. She traded her pin stripes for sneakers and became an entrepreneur. She hasn’t looked back. Fifteen years later, Sabrina has successfully launched several consumer brands. Her journey has been anything but smooth or “balanced”. She’s had moments of doubt, regret, and feelings of failure, but she is enjoying the ride!

Sabrina is also the proud mother of three young sons. Motherhood has provided some unvarnished challenges and fresh opportunities for triumph at home and in her business ventures. This perspective has fueled her passion for creating healthy work environments where people feel appreciated and valued.

Forbes Magazine, How To Create Your Best Real Life on the Non-Linear Path to Career Success

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Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.
Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.
© 2023 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Support this podcast by subscribing and reviewing.

Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.

Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.

Learning to Walk in the Shoes of Another: a Prayer for Peace with Documentary Filmmaker and Podcaster Jamil Simon Oct 29, 2023

Show notes

Jamil Simon is a documentary filmmaker, development worker, peace activist and lifelong adventurer. Over the course of multiple capacity building projects across sub saharan Africa, the Middle East, and beyond, Jamil gained insights into the deep challenges associated with building and maintaining lasting peace in several conflict-ravaged areas. He witnessed firsthand that signing peace agreements and shaking hands in front of the cameras does little to repair divisions and discord. Peace-building is a practice that requires learning what each side needs and wants in order to find common ground. That sounds straightforward and obvious, but in an age of great division, 24/7 news, and the proliferation of misinformation on social media, finding enough daylight to cultivate meaningful peace seems almost unimaginable.

Jamil is undeterred; he believes peace is possible. We speak with Jamil about the practice of building lasting peace and the powerful role of journalists in shaping public consciousness. On his podcast, Making Peace Visible, Jamil speaks with journalists and peacebuilders who help us understand the human side of war and peacemaking efforts around the world.

Please note that in this episode, we mistakenly refer to Abraham Trail. It is the Abraham Path, a monumental undertaking and true testament to what is possible in the name of peace. Links to Jamil’s interview with Josh Weiss and Anisa Mehdi about the Abraham Path is linked below, as is his interview with Dutch investigative journalist, Bette Dam, to which we also refer in this episode.

If you would like to be notified of future episodes of the Making Peace Visible podcast, news and other publications, sign on to the War Stories Peace Stories website on the contact page: https://www.warstoriespeacestories.org/contact

Links and Resources:
Jamil Simon (http://www.linkedin.com/in/jamil-simon-245580)
War Stories Peace Stories (https://www.warstoriespeacestories.org/)

Making Peace Visible Podcast, Un-embedding Western narratives about Afghanistan with Bette Dam

Making Peace Visible Podcast, Building peace on a walk through the Middle East with Joshua Weiss and Anisa Mehdi

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Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.

Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.

How a Tough Girl Meditates: Meredith Tapper on the Lessons She Never Expected to Learn from Boxing Oct 15, 2023

Show notes

For Meredith Tapper, boxing is as much about patience and persistence as it is about landing the perfect punch. Meredith is a 38-year-old lawyer from Winnipeg, Manitoba who works on Wall Street. She’s a big thinker driven by intellectual challenge who gets things done. She is also a risk taker who won't hesitate to take a solo trip to Southeast Asia or some other far-flung destination. In 2019, she embarked on a new adventure right at home in New York City when she started taking boxing classes. She had a hard time fitting in at first. She tried several gyms. Coaches and other fighters asked her why she kept coming back - she didn’t seem like the type. Undeterred, she kept at it. There was something about boxing. She wanted to master it.
On November 2, 2023, Meredith will enter the ring officially at the Haymakers for Hope 11th Annual Hope NYC charity boxing event at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City. Haymakers for Hope gives everyday people the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to compete in their first sanctioned boxing event. Over the years, Haymakers has raised over $25 million dollars for cancer related charities. Meredith is raising funds and awareness for cancer patients who cannot afford treatment or the broader economic consequences that come with fighting a terminal illness.
We speak with Meredith about how she discovered her passion for boxing and what it continues to teach her about life outside the ring. She dispels many of the myths that surround boxing, notably that it’s all about violence. To the contrary, Meredith says she is more centered, focused and patient with herself (and others) thanks to boxing. For those who are truly committed to the sport and their community, there is love, kindness, and respect for others.
Links and Resources:
Meredith’s Fundraising Page on Haymakers for Hope
To Buy at Ticket to Haymakers for Hope 11th Annual Hope NYC Boxing Event - Make sure to type “Tapper” as the unlock code.
Haymakers for Hope
Support this podcast by subscribing and reviewing!
Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.
Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.
© 2023 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Support this podcast by subscribing and reviewing.

Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.

Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.

Art is Messy, So Just Start Writing: Children’s Author, Erin Dionne, on the Creative Process Jul 23, 2023

Show notes

When she was just seven years old Erin Dionne knew she wanted to be an author. She took all the right steps - she majored in English at Boston College, she earned a Masters in Fine Arts in Creative Writing at Emerson College in Boston, and set her sights on writing the great American novel. But a chance opportunity to take a class in children’s literature ignited a new creative spark. Today, Erin is a successful author who has written 7 books for tweens, children's picture books, and recently, a nonfiction book about writing. She also writes mystery novels –for grownups– under a pen name.

Erin talks with us about launching herself into the creative process, how she has learned to receive and accept feedback, and the generous community of writers she has found to share her experiences and challenges with. Erin confesses that she’s not one of those writers who writes every single day. She’s a busy mom and a professor of creative writing at Montserrat College. But, she finds at least 15 minutes every day to work on something related to her writing.

At a time when it’s harder and harder to get our kids to put their devices down, we talk to Erin about the importance of reading and storytelling and the connection between reading and learning empathy.

Episode Links and Resources

Erin Dionne

Montserrat College of Art

Books by Erin:

Moxie and the Art of Rule Breaking - A 14 Day Mystery

Models Don’t Each Chocolate Cookies

The Total Tragedy of a Girl Named Hamlet

Bad Choices Make Good Stories

Lights, Camera Disaster

Books Erin Recommends:

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft (A Memoir of the Craft), Stephen King

Bird by Bird: Som

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Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.

Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.

No Dead Ends, Only Obstacles: Restaurateur, Alex Wight, on Navigating the Challenges of Building a Successful Seasonal Business. . . on an Island! Jul 16, 2023

Show notes

Just off the coast of Portland, Maine, in the Casco Bay lies Great Diamond Island, the home of Crown Jewel, a unique dining hotspot where you are sure to make new friends and memories while you delight in the chef’s creative twists on seafood standards and truly smashing cocktails. A 20-minute ferry or water taxi ride will get you there, but you’ll definitely need a reservation. This gem is open Memorial Day to Columbus Day and offers an intimate dining setting, with 35 seats, in what was long-ago a Blacksmith’s shop.

Crown Jewel’s creator and owner, Alex Wight, has had a longstanding passion for creating memorable dining experiences; she has made this her life’s work. As we discuss, after studying at the Institute for Culinary Education, Alex received hands-on training in the kitchens of some of the most renowned restaurants in New York and San Sebastian, Spain. Hardwired for entrepreneurship, she knew early on that she wanted to bring her creative visions to life with her own restaurant.

As with many entrepreneurial journeys, getting to and succeeding on Great Diamond Island has not been easy. Alex learned to be a resilient and creative problem solver from her mom. Her unflappable demeanor continues to serve her well. We discuss the challenges of owning and operating a seasonal restaurant on an island with a limited water supply, making friends with neighbors, and launching a “boatside” service during the pandemic. We get Alex’s impressions on how the restaurant business has evolved during her career with respect to diversity and equity. Finally, Alex shares her thoughts on labor shortages and environmental sustainability in the industry.

Episode Links and Resources
Crown Jewel
These Maine restaurants are making the extra effort for the environment, Tim Cebula, Portland Press Herald, June 11, 2023.
The 18 Essential Maine Restaurants, Kate McCarty, Eater.com, July 21, 2022.
Saved From the Flames, Ready for Love, Sandy Keenan, The New York Times, August 27, 2014
Fabulous Femmes at Flanagan’s Table, Karen Watterson, The Maine Mag, November 2016.

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Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.

Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.

Driving Dignity with Dollars: Bram Zeigler, Founder of Capitalists for Shared Income, on Putting Cash in Hands of Those Who Need it Most Jul 09, 2023

Show notes

For Bram Zeigler, an economist and unapologetic capitalist, changing the narrative on poverty starts with dignity and self-determination. In 2021, Bram founded Capitalists for Shared Income (C4si). Inspired by the work of Milton Friedman, who advocated for a negative income tax in the late 1960s, C4si offers an innovative approach to address poverty and income inequality. Through one-time debit card cash payments of $58, C4si partners with existing nonprofit organizations that work with the disenfranchised to lift them out of poverty. While $58 may not seem like a lot to many listeners, it can make a lasting difference to someone in need of groceries, a tank of gas, or an oil change. Bram intentionally chose $58, which is "a day's pay" for anyone working a job at today's federal minimum wage. That’s a full day’s pay — $ 58.

While he sees a role for the government in addressing income inequality, Bram’s focus is on the private sector. Despite its imperfections, Bram believes that capitalism is the best economic system we have devised to allocate resources and reward individual effort efficiently. For the system to work for everyone, however, Bram believes that the individuals and organizations who reap the benefits of a free market economy are also responsible for self-regulating and addressing the widening income disparities between rich and poor. Working with his board, partner organizations, and investors, Bram is applying his expertise in Asset Management to raise an endowment to fund C4si’s cash distributions.

Through C4si, Bram has created a life with social impact, one debit card at a time.

Episode Links and Resources:
Capitalists for Shared Income
A New Year’s Resolution For Capitalism, Kevin Coldiron, Forbes, January 6, 2022
Milton Friedman - The Negative Income Tax, interview on “The Firing Line with William F. Buckley Jr.”, 1968, YouTube
Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother's Will to Survive, Stephanie Land, 2019.

Support this podcast by subscribing and reviewing.

Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.

Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.

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