Why Not Now? with Amy Jo Martin

Latest Episodes:

Episode 254: Kyle Nel - Personal & Professional Innovation Jul 19, 2021

Show notes

Kyle Nel injects innovation into everything he does. He's the President of Singularity Labs at Singularity University, the former CEO and co-founder of Uncommon Partners (acquired by Singularity University in 2019), and the former Executive Director of Lowe's Innovation Lab.

On this episode of Why Not Now?, Kyle tells Amy Jo about applying neuroscience research to help organizations break out of incrementalism. He says innovative technology like virtual reality can disrupt education by speeding up learning, including making strides in diversity and inclusion by increasing empathy.

Kyle's Why Not Now? moment involves leaving a comfortable job when he no longer felt challenged or fulfilled to start his own company. He tells Amy Jo about an exercise he uses to manifest his goals and avoid distractions that you can try out yourself. Every December, Kyle writes the narrative for how he wants the year ahead to unfold.

Kyle and Amy Jo also discuss surrounding yourself with people who will push you to be your best, manageable discomfort, and sustainable development goals.

Learn more about Kyle:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kylenel

Follow Kyle on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/Kyle_Nel

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http://www.renegadeaccelerator.com/

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Episode 253: Cindy McCain - Growing Stronger & Thriving Through Loss Jul 11, 2021

Show notes

Cindy McCain, widow of the great John McCain, is a powerful Businesswoman, Philanthropist, Humanitarian, a retired Special Education Teacher, Author and US Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture nominee.

During this conversation with Amy Jo, Cindy shares two huge Why Not Now? moments. The first being the risk she took to cross political lines in the 2020 Presidential Election, why that move was so far out of her comfort zone and her advice to you when tough decisions need to be made.

Cindy also shares how the pandemic allowed her to slow down and take the time to grieve the loss of her husband, Arizona Senator and 2008 presidential nominee John McCain. Shortly after his funeral, she had gone back to work and hadn't given herself the space to process his death and adjust to life moving forward. It was in this time of looking back through old photos and memories that led her to her second Why Not Now? moment; writing her new book "Stronger: Courage, Hope, and Humor In My Life With John McCain".

She discusses how she's dealt with loss in her life and the lessons that have come each time. From the importance of not letting the opinions of other people get in the way of allowing yourself to process changes in your own way, to working through unexpected intimidating situations.

Cindy also talks about the importance of women in leadership, how she invests in herself and what she recommends for those who are disenchanted with our current political environment.

Purchase Cindy's book "Stronger: Courage, Hope, and Humor In My Life With John McCain":

https://amzn.to/3r10DeQ

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https://twitter.com/cindymccain

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Episode 252: Suzy Batiz - How To Find A Mentor and What Amy Jo Has Learned From Her Mentors Jul 03, 2021

Show notes

On this episode of Why Not Now?, we're diving into the archives and revisiting a conversation with Suzy Batiz. Suzy is the wealthiest person I know. When I say wealthy, I don't just mean money. Yes, she's got plenty of that, but I mean spiritually wealthy & rich in energy. Suzy is also my mentor. In this episode, Suzy & I discuss mentorship, how to approach finding a mentor & I share the key things she has taught me over the last two years, including why a mentor will rarely give you answers & how you can learn to mentor yourself. Suzy's mentorship has literally changed the way I approach business and life.

Suzy debuted on the Why Not Now? podcast back in Episode 28 and that episode is still hugely valuable today. Suzy Batiz, founder and creator of Poo Pourri, declared bankruptcy twice before the age of 40 and vowed to never deal with business again. Since then she has built Poo Pourri into a $300(plus) million dollar company.

Learn more about Suzy:

https://suzybatiz.com/

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https://www.instagram.com/suzybatiz/

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Episode 251: Scott O'Neil - Be Where Your Feet Are Jun 26, 2021

Show notes

Scott is one of the most successful and decorated sports executives out there. He's currently the CEO of Philadelphia 76'ers, New Jersey Devils, Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment and the author of the book "Be Where Your Feet Are". On this episode of Why Not Now?, Scott recounts his complicated feelings following the loss of one of his closest friends to suicide, and how this emotional event inspired him to write the book.

Scott O'Neil has been through extreme ups and downs in his life, but finds joy in the struggle, connections, and lessons learned along the way.

Scott and Amy Jo have an in-depth conversation about mental health and social media's effects on happiness. One of the main themes in Scott's book is that isolation is kryptonite. He urges listeners to ask for help during times of struggle and reach out to loved ones to check on them. Scott shares some exercises he uses to help compartmentalize and connect in order to stay truly present.

Scott also tells Amy Jo about getting fired from his dream job. Because he was no longer consumed with work, Scott says the vacation he took with his family following this was one of the best trips he's ever taken. Scott also talks about his failed startup, losing 15 million dollars, and making 200 phone calls in a few days in order to land a job at the NBA.

Scott and Amy Jo also talk about underestimating what you can accomplish in a year when you have a vision and starting small in order to get into investing.

Learn more abut Scott:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-o-neil

Follow Scott on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/scottoneil

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http://www.renegadeaccelerator.com/

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Episode 250: Kristen Bell & Monica Padman on Shattering the Glass Ceiling and Knowing Your Worth Jun 19, 2021

Show notes

Kristen Bell and Monica Padman join Amy Jo on Why Not Now? this week! Don't miss this incredibly honest conversation about gender equality, mentorship, confidence, and asking for support.

Kristen and Monica share some insight into their upcoming podcast, Shattered Glass. They'll interview inspirational women like Oprah Winfrey, Gloria Steinem, and Malala Yousafzai about how they have put cracks in the glass ceiling.

The women share their Why Not Now? moments. Monica's involves getting out of a situation that was too comfortable in order to see growth in her career, and Kristen's involves finding more independence in quarantine.

The three women also talk about including men and accepting imperfect allies in the fight for gender equality. Kristen and Monica also say how important it is to continually lift other women up, citing each other as mentors. Kristen says one of her main goals is to help women see what have traditionally been viewed as weaknesses as their strengths.

Kristen and Monica also talk about imposter syndrome, confidence, and how that plays into negotiating. Monica and Kristen talk about the mindset shift from feeling greedy to asking for what you deserve. Kristen says her husband, Dax, supports her while negotiating.

Follow Kristen on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/kristenanniebell

Follow Monica on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/mlpadman/

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Episode 249: Rachel Drori - Tactical Tips On Starting A Business From Daily Harvest's Founder Jun 12, 2021

Show notes

Rachel Drori was gainfully employed and pregnant when she had the idea for Daily Harvest. She says she had all the reasons not to start the company, but knew the perfect "right time" would never come.

Beside saying "Why Not Now?" to her idea, Rachel shares the more tactical strategies she used to measure whether she was ready to start her company. She identified the worst possible case scenario that could come out of this journey (one of Amy Jo's five Renegade Rules!) and realized it was worth taking the risk. When Rachel's customer base was 5x the size of her inner circle, she knew it was time to go all in on Daily Harvest.

Rachel shares so many tangible tips for entrepreneurs on this episode of Why Not Now? She says she learned more from starting a company than she did during the two years of her MBA program!

Rachel also tells Amy Jo about the responsibility she feels toward her customers and her employees, the pros and cons of raising money from investors when starting a business, and investing in female founders.

Learn more about Rachel:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/racheldrori

Follow Rachel on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/racheldrori/

Learn more about the Renegade Accelerator:

http://www.renegadeaccelerator.com/

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Episode 248: Liz Matthews - A Corporate Renegade: The SVP of Global Brand, Creative & Experiential Marketing at Dell Jun 05, 2021

Show notes

Liz Matthews is the Senior Vice President of Global Brand, Creative & Experiential Marketing at Dell. Her Why Not Now? moment involves saying yes to joining the Renegade Accelerator program. Liz has found that, the higher up the corporate ladder you go, the less you invest in learning. She says joining a group of women from all different industries sparked her own innovation and entrepreneurial spirit.

On this episode of Why Not Now?, Liz talks to Amy Jo about how important a company's culture is to attracting talent. During this period of remote work, Liz and her team have seen the importance of creating a culture of connection. Liz shares a quick but impactful exercise she uses in meetings to create this connection.

Liz also talks about her experience leading the work stream for Dell when they acquired EMC, a $67 billion acquisition.

Liz and Amy Jo chat about how to be your truest self in any work environment, ego getting in the way of decision making, and overcoming imposter syndrome. They also connect over Austin, as Amy Jo just moved there and Liz has been there for over 20 years!

Learn more about Liz:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizamatthews

Follow Liz on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/lizzimatt

Learn more about the Renegade Accelerator:

http://www.renegadeaccelerator.com/

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Episode 247: Colonel Dr. Roxanne Wallace - A Lesson In Leadership From A Colonel & Surgeon In The US Army May 29, 2021

Show notes

Colonel Dr. Roxanne Wallace serves to heal. She's an Orthopedic Surgeon serving in the United States Army. Dr. Rox is also a Renegade Accelerator graduate. She went through the program while stationed in Afghanistan!

On this episode of Why Not Now?, Dr. Roxanne shares tactical tips with Amy Jo about leadership that she has learned in both the operating room and through her rank in the Army. Her number one tip for leaders of all industries? Be humble and kind. Dehumanizing any process will lead to trouble.

Colonel Wallace also explains some of her "Wallace-isms" that have become favorites among many of the women in the Renegade Collective. These include going from "furious to curious" to preserve relationships, how "gravity always wins" can relate to business, and "if I intimidate you, step up your game."

Dr. Roxanne shares how she navigates working in a male dominated industry. She also shares two Why Not Now? moments, one involving her college decision and another about starting a family during her fourth year of medical school.

Learn ore about Colonel Dr. Roxanne:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-roxanne-wallace-54bab372

Follow Colonel Dr. Roxanne on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/sportsdocrox/

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Episode 246: Justine Lucas - Creating Impact Through Innovation May 22, 2021

Show notes

Justine Lucas creates impact through innovation. She's the Executive Director of Rihanna's Clara Lionel Foundation and a graduate of the Renegade Accelerator Program. Formerly, Justine was the Global Director of Programs for Global Citizen and produced the 2012 - 2015 Global Citizen Festivals and the 2015 Global Citizen Earth Day event.

Justine and her small but impactful team focus on the effects of climate change on those most marginalized, funding groundbreaking education and emergency response programs around the world. In 2020, the foundation mobilized $47M in grant-giving to aid the COVID-19 relief efforts and racial justice movements.

On this episode of Why Not Now?, Justine tells Amy Jo about practicing innovation in the philanthropic space to create systematic change instead of just putting temporary band-aids on issues. She also talks about the importance of listening to local communities in order to find the best solutions to help them. Justine's extensive travel has allowed her to connect and empathize on a human level with so many.

Justine also tells Amy Jo about her career-changing interview with Rihanna, a self-help exercise that involves identifying and analyzing the best 10 days of your life, and writing as a creative outlet.

Learn more about Justine:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/justine-lucas-4a835515

Learn more about the Renegade Accelerator:

http://www.renegadeaccelerator.com/

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Episode 245: Shannon Lee On Evolving Bruce Lee's Legacy And Finding Her Own Identity May 15, 2021

Show notes

Shannon Lee continues to evolve her dad, Bruce Lee's, philosophy and legacy while adding her own learnings. Her book, Be Water, My Friend: The Teachings of Bruce Lee, started as a Why Not Now? idea and is now a reality. It's a compilation of lessons and quotes from her father, showing how martial arts can be a metaphor for personal growth and living a fully realized life. Shannon shares her father's teachings in a tangible way.

On this episode of Why Not Now?, Shannon tells Amy Jo that, in addition to running all of the divisions of the Bruce Lee Family Company for over 20 years, she is ready to work through her own identity and do something that is completely her own.

Shannon also tells Amy Jo about her current focus on her own spirituality. She says that intuition can mean being intune with what your body feels and the messages that it's sending you. Shannon is also working on being in her day. She uses the opportunities that days hold to mold them as they come. Shannon and Amy Jo also talk about having important, sometimes difficult, conversations to give yourself more positive energy.

Learn More About Shannon:

https://brucelee.com/shannon-lee

Follow Shannon on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/therealshannonlee/

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http://www.renegadeaccelerator.com/

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