Calling all entrepreneurs... You've got the ideas and the means, but not necessarily the funds. Raising capital is a necessary part of the process, and it can certainly be an intimidating one as well. Getting that meeting with a potential investor is difficult in itself, but have you ever wondered what's going through the head of that person sitting across from you? This week on Awesome Office, Sean sits down with venture capitalist Rick Smith to give you just that insight. Founder and Managing Director at Crosscut, Rick is a huge player in the Los Angeles venture capitalist community. Tune in to this episode and learn what venture capitalists like Rick look for in a company, so that you can take that next step in raising money for your very own.

Understanding Venture Capital with Guest Rick Smith

On this episode of the podcast, we welcome a guest from one of the most exhilarating markets in Los Angeles. Where technology and Hollywood intertwine... the videogame market provides people with countless interactive worlds within worlds to escape to. "What sorts of people?" you may ask... and to that, our guest Grant Johnson (CEO at Interpret) could give you an answer.  Grant and his team at Interpret provide not only an understanding of client demographic, but also the behavior, trends, and attitude around the products and value they provide. Beyond video game publishers, Interpret works with social media platforms, esports leagues and advertisters, telecoms, consumer electronics firms, digital entertainment producers and distributors, advertising agencies, and media planning firms.  This week, join us as Sean and Grant dive into what it means to grow in experience and understanding, both as an individual and a company. 

Identity, Attitude, and Behavior: Understanding the Consumer with Grant Johnson

Welcome back to the Awesome Office Podcast! Today, we welcome Larry Charlip, an industry superstar in Facilities Management and Workplace Experience. We are in the middle of a workplace and office revolution, with people just like Larry paving the way. In the past, companies simply payed attention to the "office space" they create. Today, it is imperative for companies to pay attention to the "office space before the office space" and everything in between, if they hope to even stay relevant. In this episode, Sean and Larry dive into exactly what that means and how to achieve it.  Tune in to listen to Sean and Larry in their element, talking about the past, present, and future of officespace experience. 

Reinventing the Workplace with Larry Charlip

Heyo! You ever heard of Hiyo? Well in today's episode, we all have the pleasure of getting to know Hiyo's co-founder, George Youmans. Back in 2019, George took the leap of faith to move away from his then-current job and go full entrepreneur. How he did it? Well you'll just have to listen to find out! Sean and George's relationship goes all the way back to high school, as do their aspirations for greatness. Tune in as Sean and George dive into the power of momentum and the steps to take in order to create that momentum and take control of your own destiny!

The Power of Momentum... Controlling Your Own Destiny with George Youmans

 Scott Alderton is both a laywer and an entrepreneur, imbedding his widespread influence from the likes of West Los Angeles.  Owner and Partner at Stubbs Alderton & Markiles, LLP, Scott advises clients across the board stretching from cyber security and life sciences to interactive entertainment and video games. Perhaps one of his more notable endeavors, the precellerator, assists in accelerating select early-stage startups at the Santa Monica office of SA&M. This episode, Sean and Scott dives into everything an entrepreneur may run into on their journey should they choose to take that path, acknowledging the highs, lows, and hard questions one may have to ask themselves. Tune in and gain some insight into your own journey and "precellerate" yourself!

Finding Partners and Place as an Entrepreneur with Scott Alderton

This week on the Awesome Office Podcast, we welcome Executive Vice President of Business Development at Tangram Interiors, Mitchel Zelinger! Tangram is a full-service office furnishings and commercial interiors company that is certainly doing their part in helping companies create their own "awesome offices" across the globe.  Mitchel lives by his own catchphrase: "one more". You never know what incredible things could come from one more phone call... one more email... one more ounce of effort. And if you have a team of people living out the "one more" philosophy... (as they do at Tangram)... the compounded results put you worlds ahead of the competition. So tune in! And learn a thing or two about networking, collaborating, and creating a fruitful office culture.   

"One More" Call... Email... Podcast! with Mitchel Zelinger

One of the missions of the Awesome Office podcast is to redefine what "office" really means. It's not always your stereotypical corporate cubicle grid! The "office" can look and feel incredibly different (in fact, it should!) from company to company depending on their missions, goals, services, etc.  Shawn Gehle, Principal at Office Untitled, might be THE poster child for that mission. Since 2013, Shawn and his fellow "OUers" (fancy title for members of Office Untitled) have been helping companies create the right environment for their teams to flourish in. Tackling achitecture, interiors, and design strategy, Shawn and his team have truly become trailblazers in the latest renaissance of work environment. 

Awesome "Studio"? Redefining The Workspace with Shawn Gehle

In an industry with plenty of demand for work, but not enough manpower to get it done, Troy Smith has been on an expedition to make accounting "sexy" again with his company, The Pandora Group.  Troy has dedicated years to helping his clients invest their money not only the "right" places, but the places that make the most sense for that individual. He breaks down the concept that there is no "one size fits all" approach to investing, and the importance of figuring out what that "size" is for you. Tune in this week and learn a thing or two about what investing may look like for you!

Where? When? Why? Investing Talk with Accountant Troy Smith

Welcome back to the Awesome Office podcast! Before starting the episode, think about this question: why do we listen to podcasts like this one at all? The answer is simple. To continue to learn.  This week's guest, Tangram CEO Joe Lozowski, would applaud you for doing just that by joining us today. In his book, you're doing the most important thing whenever you tune into a podcast, read a book, read the news, etc. The list goes on and on.  This week, we dive into the importance of continuing to educate yourself as well as how that concept has shaped the fruitful journey that Joe has come to know. 

Educate Yourself! Today's "Teacher": Joe Lozowski

Pro skateboarder turned entrepreneur turned city council member, Mikey Taylor is a jack of all trades and a master of... well, apparently all of them! Join us as Sean and Mikey take us through the lifelong journey of one of southern California's most recognizable entrepreneurs. Everybody wants to make a living doing what they love, and Mikey certainly has and continues to embody that. This week, Mikey enlightens us with his very own methods of gaining and sustaining financial freedom as well as advice for those looking to take their first step. Not to mention, balancing that with being an incredible family man and going above and beyond for his community.  Ladies and gentlemen, Mikey Taylor. 

Managing Wealth and Growing as an Entrepreneur: The Story and Insight of Mikey Taylor

Boy it's great to have the Awesome Office podcast back! But who is this new voice? We all remember Sean, but now get to know...... Sean! Sean Spear that is!  Sean Spear, former co-host of the podcast, has taken it upon himself to return Awesome Office to its ever-lasting glory! Last episode, we all got to experience the passing of the torch from one Sean to the next. Now, before diving into a new wave of episodes with our impressive lineup of guests - both new and returning - we felt a deeper introduction was necessary.  In this episode, Sean shares with us the many truths and lessons he has uncovered in his journey to where he is today. So without further ado, here are the 34 Things Sean Spear has learned in his very own 34 years of life. 

Sean Spear's 34 Things

Ladies and gentlemen... the moment you've all been waiting for... The Awesome Office Podcast is back! This episode, we are taking it all the way back to where we started with our guest: Awesome Office's former host Sean Kelly! As many of you listeners know, Sean Kelly is a serial entrepreneur who in addition to starting and growing a number of his own businesses has taken it upon himself to inspire a whole new generation of entrepreneurs in building their own great businesses and lives.  In this informal "passing of the torch", Sean and Sean discuss what it takes to not only be a great entrepreneur, but to live a complete, fulfilling life as well. Believe it or not, you can have both. 

Awesome Office Relaunch with Sean and Sean

Reminder - we’re combining the Awesome Office and Brand Builder podcasts into one show. (Think of it as Awesome Office 2.0.) What’s different? In a way, not a lot. We’ll still do culture-focused features and interviews every other Thursday, led by host Sean Kelly. But now they’ll be available in a different feed, so make sure to subscribe to Brand Builder in Apple Podcasts.  In addition, every Monday we’ll have new content focused on building your brand and scaling your business.  We just launched our first culture-focused Brand Builder, and here it is - a conversation with Traci Fenton, the CEO and founder of WorldBlu.  -- Have you ever worked in a fear-based environment? One where you spend every waking minute walking on eggshells? Where the wrath of a demanding boss is always top of mind, stifling creativity and innovation? If you have, you know it's not fun. In fact, it can be downright miserable for employees. And, ironically, it doesn't produce great results either. Instead of precise, high quality output, you're much more likely to see uninspired, unimaginative work - and an anemic bottom line to match. So what’s the antidote to a fear-based workplace? Today’s guest has something to say about that. In our inaugural Culture Builder edition of Brand Builder, we speak to Traci Fenton, a globally recognized researcher, speaker, author, and the founder and CEO of WorldBlu. Traci founded WorldBlu in 1997 and has helped spark and lead the global conversation around reinventing workplaces using freedom and organizational democracy rather than fear and control. She and the team envision one billion people living, leading, and working in freedom worldwide. SnackNation CEO Sean Kelly spoke with Traci about what it takes to create a Freedom Centered Workplace, and the astounding results you can achieve within the WorldBlu framework. Links  WorldBlu Connect with Traci on LinkedIn  Have an idea for the show? Drop us a line! Brandbuilder@snacknation.com. Brand Builder is a co-production of SnackNation and ForceBrands.

How to Achieve 7x Growth While Giving Your Team More Ownership, with WorldBlu Founder and CEO Traci Fenton

Exciting news - we’re combining the Awesome Office and Brand Builder podcasts. Think of it as Awesome Office 2.0. What’s different? In a way, not a lot. We’ll still do culture-focused features and interviews every other Thursday, led by host Sean Kelly. But now they’ll be available in a different feed, so make sure to subscribe to Brand Builder in Apple Podcasts (or however you listen). In addition to that, every Monday we’ll have new content focused on building your brand and scaling your business. Over time, we realized how interconnected these topics are, and consolidating these shows in one place just made sense. To give you a feel for what you can expect, we’re bridging the gap between Awesome Office and Brand Builder with an episode with Tyler Merrick, the CEO and founder of Project 7. Project 7 is a gourmet specialty candy brand dedicated to creating one of a kind customer experiences while giving back to 7 areas of need. Basically, Project 7 comes up with totally out there flavors – like birthday cake flavored gum or moscow mule flavored organic gummies – and then partner with non profits who are making an impact both in America and abroad. We chose this episode because it gives you a good sense of the Brand Builder content that we think you’ll enjoy. It covers some familiar ground in terms of topics - and it’s just a great story. We’ve combined a two part episode into one episode. Takeaways  In social entrepreneurship, is your cause a lead actor or part of the supporting cast? Project 7 was founded on Tyler’s desire to bring more purpose to his life’s work. Finding the right way to position the causes he cared about involved a giant learning curve. Tyler shares how he found the balance that would allow the causes to shine and the business to flourish. Stay lean. Think your business can’t reach the next level without hiring a bunch of CPG heavy hitters? Well, Tyler and Project 7 expanded to 12,000 stores with fewer than 10 full time employees. He shares a very specific tactic for figuring out whether or not you really need to make that next hire. How to bounce back. One of the most interesting parts of Project 7’s success story… is that it could have easily ended. Tyler answers the question - how do you recover from the brink of failure? If you really want to make a difference, lead with product and brand. It doesn’t matter how great your cause marketing is or how charitable your customer. At the end of the day, features and benefits drive consumer behavior. You need a thriving business before you can give back. Hire smart. Not sure whether or not make that next hire? Only pull the trigger if you’re confident the revenue they bring in will be 2.5x their salary. Let your sales numbers tell a story. Start with the buyers who are on board with your concept in order to provide proof of concept - show some momentum and you&#39;ll have a nice little velocity story to bring to the more skeptical bu

How “Inside the Box” Innovation Helped Project 7 Disrupt the Gum Industry

We’re currently experiencing a golden age for startup brands. It’s easier today to launch, build, and scale a consumer brand than perhaps any other time in history. But that’s not to say it’s easy. Startup brands still face obstacles, old and new, including how to stand out from the glut of new brands, how to adapt to the constantly shifting landscape of retail, and how to best leverage the wide array of data and tools now available at their fingertips. Luckily for us, Courtney Reum is here to answer those questions. Courtney and his brother Carter are the authors of the best selling new book Shortcut Your Startup, and he shares some of the top insights with us in this updated episode. Courtney gives a glimpse into the book with a few of his shortcuts -  Role of brand in frictionless scaling. How to make sure you don't miss out on a key insight. Why it's important to know whether your brand is a “speedboat” or a “sailboat.” The power of “heart-based” momentum. Why success doesn’t necessarily equate to an exit.  Links  M13  Shortcut Your Startup by Courtney and Carter Reum Connect with Courtney on LinkedIn   Like this episode? Then let us know! Subscribe, rate, and review the show in Apple Podcasts. This show grows by word of mouth, and the more we grow, the more Awesome we can all create together.

Top 5 Shortcuts To Scale Your Brand, an updated conversation with M13's Courtney Reum

This week’s Awesome Office guest is a builder of disruptive brands. We’re talking about Scott Painter, probably best known as the founder and CEO of both True Car and Cars Direct. He’s made a name for himself by launching and leading companies that anticipate consumer behavior and then capture huge markets. This time out, Scott has his eyes on something no one has really done before - building a global brand around the concept of fairness.

How Scott Painter is Turning Fairness Into a Global Brand, with Fair and True Car founder Scott Painter

Today is Employee Appreciation Day, but this week’s Awesome Office episode is not about that. (Well, not really....) Our focus this week isn’t how to appreciate your employees once a year - or even once in a while. It’s about creating a year-round culture of appreciation that permeates your organization - one that not only drives results, but that improves everyone’s quality of life in the office.   You see, while we think Employee Appreciation Day is a great thing, it’s also sort of like Valentine’s Day. If you only show your significant other that you care that one day of the year, you probably don’t have the strongest relationship. And while Employee Appreciation is simple, it’s not easy. There are definitely some best practices and a few pitfalls to avoid. AO host (and SnackNation CEO) Sean Kelly has made appreciation a priority for a while, and shares his top dos and don’ts. Here’s a recap of Sean’s tips: Do  Understand how those you lead want to be recognized - not everyone is the same. Force moments of recognition (both personally and as an organization) Always specifically call out why you’re recognizing someone AND be very careful about what you’re recognizing people for (I think you should always recognize people around company core values) Write thank you cards - perhaps more powerful than any other form of recognition Ensure you're recognizing people at all levels of the organization (especially if you’re a leader) And of course show people you care by giving them the most phenomenal snacks that’ll actually improve their lives and make them happier and healthier  Don’t  Equate recognition to coddling Only recognize people for results Don’t recognize people inauthentically because you think you should - it’ll always backfire whether it’s your boss or anyone else Push away recognition when it comes your way - accept it gracefully (at the same time understand you may not receive it when you deserve it) Don’t recognize people only when they agree with you (in fact you should recognize people for dissension and going against you if you truly want to build a strong culture of innovation) Don’t forget to recognize that you are good enough - without self love you simply won’t be a good appreciator or other people  Links   Joey Joyce teaches you how to create a Culture Committee at your organization.

The 12 Dos and Don’ts of Employee Appreciation

This week we dig into the Awesome Office archives to bring you one of our absolute favorite conversations. From kid programmer in 1971 to Forbes cover story in 2003, Joy, Inc. author and Menlo Innovations CEO Richard Sheridan has never shied from challenges, opportunities, nor the limelight. His focus has always been around technology, but his passion is actually process, teamwork and organizational design, with one overarching goal: unlock the business value of Joy. Strangely enough, it all began in 1967, when a ten year old Richard decided to surprise his parents by building a piece of furniture while they were away for the evening. Hear his incredible journey to Menlo, and how culture became such a focus for Richard in this uncut interview. Key Takeaways   Richard takes us back to one of the most formative experiences of his life, and explains why he credits this lesson as the inspiration behind Joy Inc. Richard explains that, while he’s a technologist, his greatest innovation came in the way he thinks about people, organization design, and process. Richard describes why we typically lose our sense of joy as we transition from childhood to adulthood, and why that’s detrimental to our businesses and our lives. Richard opines why most managers fall into the trap of mimicking their predecessors, and how that has perpetuated harmful organizational cultures and management practices. Richard explains how playfulness and productivity aren’t mutually exclusive, and how the TV show M.A.S.H. actually demonstrated that levity can exist in the midst of stressful or important work. Richard tells us the utterly unique way that Menlonians schedule all-staff meetings, and how the company is able to conduct these meetings in under 13 minutes. Richard explains why ear buds are forbidden at Menlo, and why he believes chatter helps fuel creativity. Richard describes the Menlo hiring process, which actually involves no resumes and no interview questions whatsoever. Richard tells us why he had to first rethink his own role in the organization before he could start to think about organizational change. Richard shares the insight that his eight year old daughter gave him regarding his own leadership style. Richard explains why low attrition isn’t necessarily the sign of a good company culture, and how some of the worst cultures he’s seen are ones in which no one ever leaves. Richard explains how boomerang employees can be a source of fresh ideas and innovation, and why so many companies miss out on them. Richard describes the tours he gives at Menlo, and how this daily story telling benefits himself and his team. Richard tells us why he believes the most important breakthroughs won’t be technological, but will be based on the expanding concept of what it means to be human. Richard shares why the biggest people-oriented crisis facing businesses today is a crisis of human energy - and why this represents a huge opportunity for organizations. Finally,

How to Maximize Joy in the Workplace, Richard Sheridan Redux

Building an authentic, employee-led company culture is what most of aspire to. It can be the key to making your org a magnet for talent. Retention and engagement suddenly become a breeze. The problem - it’s a lot easier said than done. As always, we’re here to help. This week we’ve got Joey Joyce on the podcast to share the secret to creating a culture inspired by your values, but built by your employees. Joey is a senior team member at SnackNation, and the president of SnackNation’s Culture Committee. His insights provide a framework for launching a Culture Committee at your organization. That’s what we dig into in this interview - tactics for launching, scaling, and maintaining an employee-led culture committee at your company. Here are Joey’s tips for launching a successful culture committee at your organization:  Select a Representative from each department. Every department has its own needs, challenges, and subculture. Your committee should give everyone a seat at the table, and work towards a culture that works for all. Write a Mission Statement. Your committee should have a specific, culture-related purpose in sight. It might be to improve communication, make the office healthier, or to just make the day more enjoyable. Our Mission Statement was to live the company’s values, spread joy and optimism with events that the team would enjoy, and break down departmental silos and increase collaboration. Chart a Roadmap. Once you nail your mission, work backwards to create measurable goals and a path to achieve them. Capture and Incorporate Feedback. Some initiatives you’ll knock out of the park, others will require some adjustment before you get them right. You won’t know what works unless you ask your team. Field surveys… or better yet, just talk to people! When times are tough, AMF (Always Move Forward). One of the biggest challenges with a Culture Committee is that it’s basically extra work for everyone involved. Each member has her primary job responsibilities, which always come first. In any given week you might have an engineer struggling to ship a product on time or a salesperson feeling the pressure to hit her goal. The key, according to Joey, is to find the right balance and always move cultural initiatives forward. If only two people can meet for ten minutes, meet for ten minutes. Just AMF. Break out into subcommittees. Scale your committee as your company grows by creating specialized subcommittees. Practice Radical Responsibility. Ultimately, your Culture Committee will only work if members hold themselves accountable.

How to Build an Authentic Culture from the Bottom-Up, with SnackNation's Joey Joyce

Is your company locked in departmental silos? Has communication stalled out? Is energy down, or morale dipped a little low? A Company Summit might just be what the doctor ordered. Company Summits are a great way to unleash your creativity and tap into your team's collective brain power. But let’s not beat around the bush - company summits can be expensive. On top of out-of-pocket cost for things like venue, catering, coffee, and snacks, there’s the opportunity cost of having your entire company away from the office for half a day or more. You have to be strategic in order to make your summit worth the investment.  So how do you make sure that your Summit is a hit and not a flop? AO host Sean Kelly has thrown a ton of these over his 12+ year entrepreneurial career. He's here to tell you how to design your next summit for maximum ROI. Sean's Top Tips for Throwing an ROI-Positive Company Summit  Prepare. The old adage that failing to prepare is prepare to fail definitely holds true here. You need clear cut goals, a dialed itinerary, and quality presenters. Determine the top problems you want your team to tackle. Figure out the biggest challenges your company faces, and unleash your team on them. Choose a moderator or facilitator. You'll need someone MCing to keep the group focused and schedule on track.  If you don’t have someone on your team who fits the bill, consider hiring someone.  Maximize cross department collaboration. Break up those cliques! Don't allow people to pick where they sit or who they team-up with. Instead, purposefully seat people from opposite sides of the house together for lunch and for break out sessions. Solicit high quality, vetted presentations by your best speakers. Keep these in the morning, have lots of back and forth and audience participation, ad reserve afternoons for breakout sessions. Put your teams of employees to work. Allow for teams to present their findings and compete with other teams to keep them accountable for putting in real work and presenting in a fun way Slot in lots of breaks and movement. Jumping jacks and hi-fives help keep the mood and energy up. Do NOT allow for a heavy lunch or energy-zapping snacks/food/drinks. (SnackNation can help you with all your snacking needs.) Book an inspiring space that allows for breakouts. A good rule of thumb - the venue should be cooler than your office space! No hotel ballrooms or lame event spaces. Provide alcohol at the end of the day. (But not too much.) Don't make your summit too long! This should feel like intense work, but should not be massively draining Take notes. Designate someone to capture the best ideas. Remember, you want to walk away with more than just good vibes! Follow up. Make sure you connected with your leadership team afterwards and are aligned around expectations.

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