• Episode 288 – Unstoppable Leader in a Mosaic World with Susan Popoola
    Nov 29 2024
    “Mosaic world”? Meet Susan Popoola from the UK. Susan will tell you that she supports leaders in optimising and bringing out the best in people and organisations. As we learn, Susan was born in Great Britain to Nigerian parents. During part of her younger life she was, what she calls, “private fostered” and did not live directly with her parents. Susan attended college in Nigeria where she received her Bachelor’s or “First Degree” in Social Sciences. Later in England she obtained her Master’s Degree in HR Strategy and Change. After working for other organizations Susan decided to leap out on her own and put her entrepreneurial spirit to work and formed her own company to work with leaders who work with established and emerging purpose driven people to create Harmony, Impact and Legacy within their organizations. Susan is the author of three books and has begun working on a fourth. Our conversation is far ranging going from a discussion about stress to talking about Inclusion. She will tell us about how she created the concept of a “mosaic world” as a model to incorporate all persons by embracing each individual’s gifts and skills. About the Guest: With a first degree in Social Sciences, Diploma in Systems Thinking & Masters in HR Strategy & Change, Susan works with established and emerging purpose driven leaders to create Harmony, Impact and Legacy, for a Mosaic World in which everyone is valued for who they are and what they have to offer. Her deep rooted belief in human value, and her ability to understand and connect with people from a rich diversity of backgrounds enables her to support leaders in optimising and bringing out the best in people and organisations. Her belief in human value is reflected in her podcast, “Leading in a Mosaic World, and her books: Touching the Heart of Milton Keynes: A Social Perspective, Consequences: Diverse to Mosaic Britain, and Male Perspectives on The Value of Women at Work. She is also the creator of the Legacy Alignment Programme that enables senior professionals to design a legacy plan that ensures their work is extremely fulfilling and makes a positive impact now and into the future. She has extensive cross-sector and international experience working withorganisations and delegates from Europe, Africa, the Middle East, China and the US. She is also a South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership Ambassador, Royal Society of Arts fellow, Good Work Guild member, and former Fellow of Windsor Castle’s Society of Leaders. She was recently designated a Black Female Pioneer by Milton Keynes City Council. When she’s not working with organisations, you are likely to find her on the Golf course, working to support young people who have been in the care system, or working on her latest book on multiculturalism. Ways to connect with Susan: Website: www.MosaicWorld.live LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/SusanPopoola/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susanpopoola/ Publications: https://www.mosaicgold.org/publications About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog. Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children’s Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association’s 2012 Hero Dog Awards. https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/ accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset . Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank ...
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 9 mins
  • Episode 287 – Unstoppable Nervous System and Resilience Coach with Sarah Giencke
    Nov 26 2024
    Sarah Giencke describes herself as halfway between being a Gen Y and a Gen Z. However she describes herself, she is a life-long Wisconsin person. She finally migrated to Madison Wisconsin around nine years ago. After college she held a few sales jobs, but four years ago she decided to start her own business. Today she uses a somatic/embodiment tool called TRE®. Her work is dedicated to helping individuals & leaders reconnect back to their bodies, and to build a relationship with their nervous systems. We have a fascinating and informative discussion about stress, trauma and the differences between them. I think that what Sarah will discuss with us is worth everyone hearing and exploring. She is the Founder of Riset Resiliency, a wellness consultancy on a mission to reduce suffering in the workplace by co-regulating nervous systems. What, you may ask, is “co-regulating”? Listen to our episode and discover for yourself. About the Guest: Sarah Giencke is a Nervous System and Resilience Coach, Certified in TRE® (Tension & Trauma Releasing Exercises). She is the Founder of Riset Resiliency, a wellness consultancy on a mission to reduce suffering in the workplace by co-regulating nervous systems. Her work is dedicated to helping individuals & leaders reconnect back to their bodies, and to build a relationship with their nervous system. She also helps people become trauma informed, and provides her clients with a somatic/embodiment tool called TRE®. Through her work, Sarah educates her clients on the core concepts of the nervous system, empowering her clients with this essential knowledge. Sarah helps people reclaim power and balance over their nervous systems so that they can live less stressful and more peaceful lives - moving from being reactive towards being responsive. Having an intimate relationship to trauma, Sarah deeply understands the connection between the body's trauma response and adverse life effects - being easily triggered, hypervigilant, and experiencing physical pain. Sarah found TRE® over 4 years ago when she took a TRE® class at her gym; despite being hesitant about this strange "shaking" sensation, Sarah decided to continue down the TRE® path. It wasn't until she brought the practice into her own home, where her practice grew and where she felt the power of neurogenic tremoring. Fast forward 4 years, Sarah is now a certified TRE® practitioner (from Red Beard Academy, in Madison, WI) who teaches others this incredible self-regulation tool. Sarah emphasises creating safety with her clients so they too can experience the power of tremoring. Sarah helps her clients gain self-agency & self-awareness - something that gets lost when we experience trauma. Clients have said that Sarah helped them create space in their lives, improving their daily lives and overall wellbeing. Outside of her work, Sarah loves to regulate her nervous system through meditation, being in nature, going for walks, journaling and playing tennis. Ways to connect with Sarah: Website: Risetresiliency.com Email: sarahg@risetresiliency.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahgiencke/ About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog. Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children’s Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association’s 2012 Hero Dog Awards. https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/ accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset . Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our...
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 6 mins
  • Episode 286 – Unstoppable Wellness Universe Founder with Anna Pereira
    Nov 22 2024
    My guest and conversation partner for this episode is Anna Pereira. Anna grew up in New Jersey. She tells us about growing up in a home where she was discouraged by her father from going to college. She tells us that while her mom typically exceeded to the wishes of her dad, Mom did insist that Anna should be able to go to college if she wished. And so Anna did, but only stuck it out for three semesters. Anna then joined the workforce holding a variety of jobs and becoming successful at most of them. In 2009 she met and married her husband. That story is one I leave for Anna to tell, but suffice it to say Anna’s story is an inspirational and fascinating one you should hear from her. Anna’s husband is a sports expert as you will learn. A few years after marrying Anna and her husband moved to Portugal for a job and have been spreading their time between New Jersey and Portugal ever since. In fact, not just travels to Portugal but also to other countries around the world. The Wellness Universe concept was created by Anna to help bring wellness to leaders and others. Through The Wellness Universe, and now Wellness Universe Corporate Anna has reached thousands of people. Her programs are in large part membership-based endeavors that help promote well being and a more positive outlook on life. Our conversation is not only informative and inspirational, but it also is quite animated in a positive way that I believe will keep you engaged. Please enjoy your time with Anna and reach out to her afterward at www.thewellnessuniverse.com. I think you will see why Anna believes she is truly changing the world. About the Guest: Anna Pereira is the CEO of The Wellness Universe, and Wellness Universe Corporate, creator of wellness events, projects, community, programs, author of 4 best selling books, and founder of Wellness for All, donation based wellness programming and leads a woman-owned business, where they believe happy, healthy, healed humans lead to peace globally. She’s an inspirational leader, mentor, and connector for business owners who help humans to live and lead their best life. Anna has worked with thousands of wellness business owners bringing their transformational resources to those seeking wellbeing and now taking those people to help transform organizations through the lens of company culture and well-being. Her contribution and impact are well documented through those she has worked with, evident in over 150 written recommendations in her Linkedin profile. Anna resides between Portugal and her birthplace, New Jersey, USA, with her husband, sports expert, Hugo Varela. The couple has adopted pets (one dog and two cats) and cares for strays and their African Gray is a quite conversationalist speaking two languages. Her relationship with her loved ones and others is top priority. Anna finds balance in being creative, in nature, and at the beach. She’s dedicated to serving her calling and leaving her legacy as a ‘conduit for change’ by bringing more health, happiness, and wellbeing to the world with a collaborative spirit and intentional action. Ways to connect with Anna: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annapereira1/ https://www.thewellnessuniverse.com/world-changers/annapereira https://www.facebook.com/CirclesOfInspiration IG - @annapereiraofficial Books - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08VFFJPN9 About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog. Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children’s Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association’s 2012 Hero Dog Awards. https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/ accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or ...
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 7 mins
  • Episode 285 – Unstoppable Blind History Lady: Part Two with Peggy Chong
    Nov 19 2024
    We had Peggy Chong as a guest in episode five of Unstoppable Mindset back in October of 2021. Peggy spends a great deal of her time researching blind people, she calls them her blind ancestors, to learn and write about their histories. For example, did you know that five blind people in the 1930s served as congressmen or U.S. senators? True. Did you know that the typewriter was invented for a blind countess? Did you know that it was a blind person who invented automobile cruise control? Peggy will talk about all these stories and others. Recently she spent two weeks at the library of Congress researching one project that she will discuss. Spoiler alert: we don’t get to hear the end of the story as Peggy has more research to do and more documents to uncover. However, the story she tells us this time is intriguing and spellbinding. So join me on a journey to learn more about the history of blind people and learn why you should even thank blind people for some of the inventions you take for granted today. About the Guest: Peggy Chong’s first book in print, Don Mahoney: Blind Television Star is on the shelves at many book sellers. She writes and lectures as The Blind History Lady. Her infatuation with stories she heard of those she now calls her “Blind Ancestors” surprised and inspired her to learn more, for herself at first and then bring their light to the world. Peggy researches their stories and brings to life the REAL struggles of what it was and is still, to be a blind person in the United States. Her works have been published in _The Iowa History Journal, Dialogue Magazine, The Farmington Daily Times, The Braille Monitor and Future Reflections. _ Each month she sends to her email followers another story of a blind ancestor to inspire blind and sighted alike. Currently, Peggy Chong chairs the Preservation of Historical Documents for the National Federation of the Blind of Colorado, to save the single-source files, records, news clippings and correspondence of the blind of Colorado dating back to 1915. She has been an active part of the blind community for more than forty years. Determined to imbue the service delivery system for the blind with a more positive and forward-looking philosophy, Peggy joined with other blind people in Minneapolis, Minnesota to establish Blindness: Learning in New Dimensions (BLIND, Inc.), a training center for the blind designed to encourage its students to achieve self-sufficient and productive lives. In 1985, Peggy Chong accepted the position of President of the Board of BLIND, Inc., a position she held for ten years. During that time, she worked with many students of all ages and varying levels of vision, encouraging them to learn the alternative nonvisual techniques of blindness and fueling their imaginations to dream of a life where each of them could live and work in their communities on a basis of equality with their sighted peers. She also helped many of them to make intelligent decisions about their vision--when it would be helpful and when it would hinder progress toward independence. After moving to Baltimore Maryland in 1997, Peggy secured a position with BISM as an outreach/instructor. In 1998, Peggy left BISM accepting a position with the Job Opportunities for the Blind program at the National Center for the Blind in Baltimore, Maryland. For more than a year, she led a succession of intensive two-week training sessions designed to teach computer and other important job-readiness skills to blind individuals seeking employment. She also worked individually with each job candidate to refine the job search according to the unique needs of each, and she worked with numerous employers to ensure that the characteristic of blindness was accurately perceived and the blind job applicant treated fairly. When a job was offered to any of her students, she provided assistance before and after securing the job to ensure that each of them had the tools needed to succeed in the new position. Sometimes this involved connecting her student with other blind persons doing that same job somewhere in the United States. At other times, she provided information and advice about new, non-traditional techniques that could be used to perform the job successfully. Later, Peggy served for three years as the National Program Manager for NFB-NEWSLINE®, out of the Baltimore MD offices. In this position, she formed valuable relationships with national and local newspapers, community-based service delivery organizations and rehabilitation programs, and literally thousands of blind men and women--many of them newly-blind--across the country. After moving to Iowa in 2002, she became a private contractor providing consulting services and employment training to governmental agencies and nonprofit organizations. Her work involved the dissemination of job-search, résumé creation and distribution services designed to help ...
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 19 mins
  • Episode 284 – Unstoppable Adaptive Sports Advocate with Michael Rosenkrantz
    Nov 15 2024
    Our guest this time, Michael Rosenkrantz grew up in California and had, what he says, was a normal childhood. I would say that Mike grew up as a very curious individual. He went to college at the University of California at Irvine, and then, after receiving his Bachelor’s degree, went East to Boston where he attended graduate schools at Northeastern University and Boston College. He earned Master’s degrees in Sociology and Business. Michael then traveled around the United States quite a bit working in part for various nonprofit organizations. In 2009 he moved to India where he worked for the National Trust and became involved in helping persons with disabilities. By 2011 he had found himself involved with adaptive sports. He not only worked to help persons with disabilities become active in sporting events, but he also began working to educate others about becoming more inclusive. He eventually moved back to the States where he continued to promote adaptive sporting efforts. In 2019 Mike was a co-founder of SoCal Adaptive Sports. He will tell us about the organization. Even more relevant, Michael discuss Inclusion and its importance. This episode is not only quite inspiring, but it also helps put a lot of issues surrounding persons with disabilities into perspective. About the Guest: Michael Rosenkrantz has been working in the adaptive sport space since 2011 when he learned about wheelchair basketball. From 2009-12 Michael volunteered/worked as a Voluntary Services Overseas Volunteer with the National Trust which is part of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment-Government of India. He then worked in Nepal from 2012-16. Coming back to the US Michael was an Assistant Women’s Wheelchair Basketball Coach at the University of Arizona and co-founded Southern Arizona Adaptive Sports. He then went onto to work in North Carolina with Bridge II Sports and moved back to California in 2019. In 2020 he co-founded SoCal Adaptive Sports and has been the Board President and Executive Director. Bio-Michael see greater societal inclusion as a social justice issue, having learned this from working overseas. His path to working with people with disability has been varied, having worked for numerous municipalities and non-profits including the oldest longest operating public market in the US in Lancaster, PA and Director of the Alliance for Living an HIV/AIDS Services organization in Connecticut. Ways to connect with Michael: Web: Socaladaptivesports.org https://www.facebook.com/palmstopinesparasports About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog. Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children’s Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association’s 2012 Hero Dog Awards. https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/ accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset . Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts. Transcription Notes: Michael Hingson ** 00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore ...
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 5 mins
  • Episode 283 – Unstoppable Advocate for Equity and Inclusion with Danielle Marshall
    Nov 12 2024
    Our guest this time, Danielle Marshall, is an executive coach especially in the nonprofit sector. As she tells us she also works with small businesses to help them build a stronger foundation for working within their organizations as well as with customers and elsewhere. Danielle grew up in Queens and describes her childhood as living in an apartment building among many and diverse cultures. This experience helps her even today to understand and embrace the differences between all of us. Danielle attended Howard University where she received her Bachelor’s degree in Speech Pathology. However, she never got a job in that field. She went on in her studies and received a Master’s degree in industrial organizational psychology. After working in Americorp and other nonprofit agencies for many years, the pandemic forced her to open her own full-time coaching business in March of 2020. She still coaches nonprofit leaders as well as others to help them better understand and actively support people no matter their cultural and other differences. I get to have a GREAT discussion with Danielle about how all of us, no matter our differences are all part of the same environment. While Danielle mainly concentrates on racial differences she clearly recognizes and understands that race is not the only issue she must address. She is quick to point out, for example, that persons with disabilities are just as part of the racial makeup of society as race itself. As she says, while she is not an expert on disabilities, when she encounters in her work someone with a disability she seeks out a partner more knowledgeable on disabilities to help her. I found Danielle to be very open minded, curious and very willing to help create a more inclusive world for all. I think you will be inspired by her and hopefully some of you will reach out to her. About the Guest: A dedicated advocate for equity and inclusion, Danielle is the founder of Culture Principles and a Certified Diversity Professional. Her career is focused on guiding organizations to integrate Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion into their operational frameworks. With an insightful understanding of industry trends and a commitment to collaborative growth, Danielle develops tailored strategies that enhance team dynamics and problem-solving skills. Her influential work includes a partnership with the Conscious Collaboratory, where she co-created the program Reimagining Racial Equity, aimed at helping business leaders incorporate racial equity into their organizations. Danielle also excels in coaching senior leaders to develop their cultural competencies, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to lead inclusively in diverse environments. Her approach involves personalized coaching sessions and workshops that focus on understanding and appreciating cultural differences, fostering empathy, and enhancing communication skills within multicultural contexts. As a compelling speaker and ICF-certified Executive Coach, Danielle's engaging presence inspires audiences globally. Holding a Master's degree in Industrial-Organizational Psychology, her deep commitment to equity and inclusion has established her as a respected thought leader and agent for meaningful change. Ways to connect with Danielle: Website: https://www.culture-principles.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danimarshall/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cultureprinciples/ About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog. Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children’s Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association’s 2012 Hero Dog Awards. https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/ accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates ...
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 11 mins
  • Episode 282 – Unstoppable Disability Advocate and Snowball Creator with Simon Sansome
    Nov 8 2024
    Simon Sansome was born, raised and continues to live in England. He had what he considers a normal childhood except for the fact that he did have and has today dyslexia. As he describes it, reading even to day some forty-two years after he came on the scene, is extremely difficult for him. He does, however, write well. He will tell us about his growing up, going to a British college, then joining the workforce and eventually going to a university. Yes, college as he will tell us is different from university. In 2014 he was struck with a slipped disc. Unfortunately, the chiropractor who then attempted to fix the problem only made matters much worse and Simon became paralyzed from the waist down. Simon determined to move forward and went back to the university where he graduated in 2018 with a degree in journalism. Along the way Simon created a Facebook page and a community called “Snowball Community”. As the community evolved Simon and later others began posting information about accessible places first in England and then elsewhere as well. Today Snowball has received countless awards for all it is doing to promote accessibility and Simon tells us that they expect to have over a Million viewers on a regular basis. Snowball Community will soon be providing opportunities for restaurants, shops and other places to obtain in-person accessibility assessments and the ratings from those assessments will be available to promote the businesses that are evaluated. Simon by any standard is unstoppable and inspiring. I trust that you will agree. About the Guest: Simon sustained a life changing injury when he was 32 which left him disabled from the waist down. It forced him to take early retirement and he decided to go to DMU to study Journalism and pursue his passion for writing. In 2016, while at DMU, Simon set up a Facebook Snowball Community with the idea of raising awareness of, and improving, disabled access. His award-winning campaign has had a global impact and the page now reaches more than 20 million people a month. Simon is also an award winning film/documentary producer after his life story was brought by Amazon Prime and his film ‘Access All Areas’ won 16 international film awards including best film. Simon is also founder of Snowball Community a global disability app where you can leave reviews on how accessible a place is. Which is available on Android and Apple devices. The app has had 40,000 reviews in 12 months making it the biggest disability app in the world helping thousands of people daily. Simon has won a number of major awards he is widely considered to be one of the most influential disabled people in the UK. He was named in the top ten of the most influential people in the UK 2023 and this yeas won the Digital and Tech award at the Disability Power 100 and won the prestigious Santander X national award and will represent the UK at the Santander Global awards 2024. Ways to connect with Simon: https://www.facebook.com/FreezeSnowball https://twitter.com/FreezemySnowbal https://www.instagram.com/freezesnowball?igsh=MTl5ZHMxb3FvdzV1dA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr https://www.tiktok.com/@snowball.community?_t=8jKD9oRZmPw&_r=1 About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog. Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children’s Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association’s 2012 Hero Dog Awards. https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/ accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/...
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 6 mins
  • Episode 281 – Unstoppable Transformational Person with Lisa Kohn
    Nov 5 2024
    When you read about our guest this time, Lisa Kohn, the first thing you read is “The best seats Lisa ever had at Madison Square Garden were at her mother’s wedding, and the best cocaine she ever had was from her father’s friend, the judge.” Lisa’s mother’s wedding was a group affair with 4,000 marriages taking place. It wasn’t nearly as romantic as one might think as you will discover. You will also get to read about her childhood drug use caused by her father in The Village in New York City. More important, you get to travel with me on Lisa’s journey as she eventually overcomes these and other challenges. Lisa did get to attend college and obtain a degree in Psychology and later an MBA in business. Lisa’s journey has been a hard and long one, but you will see just how unstoppable Lisa became and is today. She started her leadership consulting and life coaching business, Chatworth Consulting Group, in 1995. The business has thrived and grown. Lisa shares with us her thoughts on life and how easy it can be for all of us to fall into traps that can take our lives in what she would call bad directions and down not good rabbit holes. This episode contains a lot of relevant content we all can use. I hope you enjoy it and, of course, feel free to reach out to Lisa. About the Guest: Lisa Kohn is a transformational keynote speaker, leadership consultant, executive coach, and award-winning author of The Power of Thoughtful Leadership and to the moon and back: a childhood under the influence, a memoir that chronicles her childhood growing up in the Unification Church (the Moonies) with her mom and a life of “sex, drugs, and squalor” in New York City’s East Village with her dad. Lisa’s unique background has given her a perspective on life, people, and leadership, as well as an expansive array of tools, mind-shifts, and best practices she’s found and created, that help her clients find their own paths to powerful, authentic, Thoughtful leadership. With over 25 years of experience supporting senior leaders in areas such as leadership, managing change, interpersonal and team dynamics, strategy, well-being, and life-fulfillment, Lisa partners with her clients as they not only uncover core issues to implement real changes in themselves and their organizations, but also successfully address their own inner challenges and effectively connect with others to ensure the changes stick. Lisa has been described as “leading with love,” and she’s honored to teach C-suite leaders of not-for-profits and Fortune 50 organizations about the compelling impact of self-compassion, self-love, fun, delight, and Thoughtful Leadership – being more present, intentional, and authentic. She works with organizations across a broad range of industries, in companies such as New York City Department of Education, GroupM/WPP, Verizon, World Wrestling Entertainment, American Civil Liberties Union, and Comcast. Lisa brings insight to clients that transforms the way organizations develop and manage their people and the way leaders lead their people and live their lives. Lisa earned her BA in psychology from Cornell University and her MBA from Columbia University’s Executive Program. She has taught as an adjunct professor at Columbia University and New York University’s Stern School of Business and has been featured in publications addressing topics on leadership, communication, effective teaming, authenticity, selfcare, and, of course, healing from trauma. She has been awarded the designation of Professional Certified Coach by the International Coach Federation. Lisa is an Accredited Facilitator for Everything DiSC®, The Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team™, The Leadership Circle™, and Myers-Briggs Type Indicator®. Lisa lives in Pennsylvania but will always tell you that she is “from New York.” Ways to connect with Lisa: Instagram and X @lisakohnwrites LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisakohnccg/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/lisakohnwrites My websites are www.lisakohnwrites.com and www.chatsworthconsulting.com About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog. Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children’s Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association’s 2012 Hero Dog Awards. https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/...
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 6 mins