Story Samurai

Iliana Sutton, owner of two LLCs focused on workforce training and language access, discusses the barriers faced by underserved communities in accessing equal opportunities. She emphasizes the importance of removing these barriers and providing career paths to empower individuals. Sutton highlights the role of apprenticeship programs in upskilling employees and enabling companies to save money whi...

Bryce Givens shares his journey from rock bottom to building communities and supporting individuals struggling with addiction and mental health issues. He emphasizes the importance of self-love, listening, and building connections in the recovery process. Bryce has created three organizations: Elevate Recovery Homes, a sober living organization; True North Recovery Services, a licensed behavioral...

Cheryl Mason, author of 'Dare to Relate: Leading with a Fierce Heart,' shares her journey from a military spouse to becoming the first woman and military spouse chairman of the Board of Veterans Appeals at the Department of Veterans Affairs. She emphasizes the importance of people and relationships in leadership and highlights the impact of suicide in her life. Cheryl discusses the dangers of hidi...

In this conversation, Ari Block interviews Dawn Bates about her life experiences and her journey from a small rural village in England to living in Egypt during the Arab Spring. They discuss topics such as gratitude, curiosity, and the importance of family, work, and hobbies. Dawn shares her reasons for converting to Islam at a young age and her fascination with the Arab world. She also talks abou...

Fabienne Guichon Lindholm shares her journey from working in the beauty industry to becoming a coach and trainer in the self-development field. She discovered her passion for beauty at a young age and enjoyed being around people and making them feel good. This led her to pursue a career in aesthetics and skincare. Later, she found herself drawn to education and training, which eventually led her t...

In this conversation, Ari Block interviews Kevin Loux, the Chief Impact Officer at Charlotte Works, a local workforce development board. They discuss the importance of economic development in creating environments for businesses to thrive and create jobs. They also touch on the significance of infrastructure, such as broadband internet, in attracting companies to a region. Kevin emphasizes the nee...

Gary Baker shares his inspiring life journey, including his difficult moments and transformative experiences while traveling around the world. He faced challenges in his personal relationships, embarked on a solo trip across the United States and Europe, and explored various cultures in Asia. He encountered cultural differences, experienced reverse culture shock upon returning to the United States...

Dr. Melvin Mahone shares his journey in criminology and sociology, inspired by his love for civics and his training in the Marine Corps. He worked in various areas of the criminal justice system and transitioned to teaching as an adjunct professor. He highlights the importance of education and support for women in criminal justice. Dr. Mahone also discusses his experiences with stress and PTSD, em...

MindBank is a platform that allows individuals to create a digital twin of themselves, capturing their knowledge, experiences, and personality. The digital twin can be used for personal reflection, mentoring, and even afterlife communication. The platform also has applications in various industries, such as education, healthcare, and customer service, where it can augment intelligence and provide...

In this conversation, Duchess interviews Karley Cunningham, a keynote speaker and brand strategist. They discuss how Karley integrates her background as an athlete and her passion for freedom into her work. Karley emphasizes the importance of defining what freedom means for oneself and finding enjoyment in what one does. She also shares her approach to helping clients implement plans and achieve s...

In this conversation, Chris Duprey shares his journey from joining the military to transitioning into the business world. He discusses his motivation to join the military, the impact of 9/11 on his career, and his experiences as an infantry officer. Chris emphasizes the importance of hard work, self-awareness, and continuous improvement in his military career. He then explains how he transitioned...

In this conversation, Thomas Baker, a youth coach and martial artist, discusses the perspective on injuries and the importance of agility, both mental and physical. He emphasizes the value of developing skills and flexibility through injuries and the appreciation for the body's importance. Thomas also talks about the balance between teamwork and individuality in sports and the support system that...

Kim Mailes, a writer, humanitarian, and volunteer at the American Red Cross, shares his journey from the business world to becoming a communicator. She discusses the motivation behind his career change and the satisfaction she finds in helping others. Kim emphasizes the importance of storytelling in his work, highlighting the power of personal connections and empathy. She also talks about the chal...

Marcia Drake shares her experiences working with immigrants and refugees and the impact it had on her. She emphasizes the importance of listening deeply to people's stories and understanding their experiences. She discusses the different aspects of poverty, including physical, emotional, and spiritual, and the challenges in addressing them. Drake also highlights the power of data in creating posit...

The Warrior Bonfire Program is a nonprofit organization that provides bonfire retreats for Purple Heart recipients, focusing on recreational therapy and building support communities. The retreats offer activities such as skiing, hunting, fishing, and kayaking. The organization also supports spouses and couples through separate retreats that address the challenges they face. The program relies on f...

John Gartin shares his coaching journey, starting from coaching high school students to building successful rowing programs at universities. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the needs of novice athletes and meeting them where they are. Gartin also highlights the significance of small wins, embracing failure as a learning opportunity, and providing challenges to foster growth. He discu...

James Rowe shares his journey from cutting hair to becoming a senior leader in an organization. He emphasizes the importance of confidence and having tough conversations as a leader. James also discusses the concept of leading from behind, where you empower and support the talents of the people around you. He shares tips on building trust and establishing relationships with team members. James hig...

In this conversation, Ari Block interviews Ben Gioia, author and book coach, about the power of influence and building authority. Ben emphasizes the importance of serving others and understanding their needs before creating a product or service. He also discusses the value of trust and how it can be cultivated through genuine interactions. Ben shares his personal journey of self-discovery and how...

In this conversation, Jordan discusses the importance of building trust with different stakeholders in product management, including the engineering team, customer success, sales, and marketing. He emphasizes the need for transparency, clear communication, and collaboration. Jordan also highlights the significance of aligning the product strategy with the company strategy and the importance of hav...

Kaushik Kannan, a former member of the e-commerce marketing team at Capital One, shares his experience of launching an A/B test that generated significant revenue. The test involved adding conversion-focused calls-to-action (CTAs) to an informational page for balance transfer cards. The hypothesis was that these CTAs would drive more conversions. Kaushik and his team collaborated with cross-functi...

The conversation revolves around the technical difficulties of live streaming on various social media platforms and the power of storytelling. The guest, Karen Eber, shares her personal story of having two different colored eyes and how it became a superpower for her in social interactions. She also tells a story about a friend who dropped her phone down an elevator shaft and the unexpected soluti...

Summary Eleanor shares her journey of moving to Brazil, learning Portuguese, and transitioning from a career in finance to becoming an executive emotional coach. She emphasizes the importance of following your intuition and feeling your feelings to create your reality. Eleanor discusses her vision of creating a healing center and how she manifested it through focus and determination. The retreat s...

In this conversation, the guest discusses the importance of problem identification in product management and the tendency for teams to jump to solutions without fully understanding the problem. They emphasize the value of spending time on the problem and challenging assumptions. The guest also highlights the need for psychological safety in teams, where individuals feel comfortable expressing them...

Summary Haley, a private investigator specializing in missing persons cases, discusses her work and the challenges she faces. She handles a variety of cases, including cold cases and finding birth parents. Haley emphasizes the importance of time in missing persons cases and the difficulties of finding evidence and witnesses after a long period of time. She also highlights the limitations and drama...

Summary In this conversation, Ari Block interviews Rudy Krabbe, discussing his proudest moment in his professional history, his experience working at Swatch, the challenges of meeting incredible demand, the history and innovation of Swatch, the differences between markets, the importance of honest communication and feedback, and the difficulties of restructuring and firing employees. Rudy emphasiz...