It's About To Go Down! with Marc & Cathey

"Paint your picture how you want to paint it and don't let life paint it for you ." - Carlin Isles, 2x Olympic athlete and the fastest rugby player in the world. In this episode, Marc and Cathey help Carlin create a shortcut to his idea, which is about how and why we need to understand and direct our emotions. The fastest route to your idea can reach the largest audience. This idea conversation po...

“I would love to make the connection for you.” - from Season 5 of It's About to Go Down. So what happens when a pair of idea creators get together to explore the connections between their thoughts? In this "rap-up" episode, Marc and Cathey catch up with five members of the Season #5 community: Rick Ornelas, Brittany Zimmerman, Cozy Stone, Nyasha-Harmony Gutsa, and Aaron Marshall. They build a play...

"I don't want to give too much attention to this thing that I think about every day that other people don't even think about." - Aaron Marshal, award-winning copywriter for an ad agency and an advocate for stutterers. In this episode, Marc and Cathey help Aaron turn his personal narrative of growing up with a stutter into a universal message about giving positive energy to your insecurities. They...

"You can't think differently unless you are listening to different voices. " - Omékongo Dibinga, expert in diversity, equity & inclusion, and race and politics. In this episode, Marc and Cathey help Omékongo add two new thoughts for his idea about how to break down stereotypes. They explore the role that agnotology (culturally-induced ignorance or doubt) plays in shaping people’s opinions and...

"They are stealing your information. You only have to get things right 100% of the time, but they only have to do it once to cause you so much pain." - Nyasha Harmony-Gutsa, CEO of Billy. In this episode, Marc and Cathey help Nyasha find a new way to intrigue people about the topic of life insurance, so that you can be prepared for when bad things happen. The conversation takes a turn when they be...

"The only time that we have is right now." - Shauna-kaye Brown, transformation speaker, coach, and trainer. In this episode, Marc and Cathey help Shauna-kaye transform her keynote message into her unique idea for a TED Talk. They go from setting goals for the future to manifesting greatness in the moment. This idea conversation explores how to package an idea for people who are not ready yet to re...

"The idea [for better education] is simple and right in front of your face: take a risk." - Dave Graber, educator and character of characters. In this episode, Marc and Cathey help Dave explore how to convince educators to take creative risks so that they can assess children authentically. They discuss why ideas that  might be simple and obvious are sometimes tough to implement, and how to ge...

"Happiness is a lifestyle. "There's a lot you cannot laugh at but you can still make humor out of it." - Cozy Stone, HumorVational speaker and pickleball fanatic. In this episode, Marc and Cathey help Cozy unveil concepts related to her topic of the Happiness Bandwagon. They discuss the marketing power of the right title for a talk, the act of sensationalizing a positive idea, the unconventional a...

"Painting [green] solutions as if there are solutions is the most dangerous thing we can do to our youth." - Brittany Zimmerman, space industry expert who is working on how to habitat on Earth and other planets. In this episode, Marc and Cathey help Brittany communicate her expert knowledge about decarbonization in a way that makes a general audience understand and care. Together, they explore how...

"Anybody can be a role model but can you be a real-model?" - Corey Pegues, law enforcement expert, community leader, and real model . In this episode, Marc and Cathey help Corey build a bridge between two ideas: the need for everyone to go through an extreme transformation and the concept of finding/becoming a real role model. Together, they explore how to create a quadrant from your idea to resem...

"We're more powerful and impactful as a group than we are as individuals, but we all have our individual work to do." - Alexis Braly James, EDI consultant/leader and founder of Construct the Present . In this episode, Marc and Cathey help Alexis find a different and unique way to frame her idea of how to help people find the joy in anti-racism. It turns out that the answer was found in her use of...

"For every single little action that we make, there is a ripple effect that goes far beyond the initial act." - Rick Ornelas, founder of iSpark Change and best selling success author . In this episode, Marc and Cathey help Rick come up with a name for his idea that will connect with audiences. The conversation addresses how to compel audiences to put your idea into practice. They exchange stories...

“Get out there and figure out what you don’t want to do before you figure out what you do want to do.” - from Season 4 of It's About to Go Down. So what happens when a pair of idea creators get together to exchange thoughts and ambitions? In this "rap-up" episode, Marc and Cathey catch up with two members of the Season #4 community: Reland Logan and Dr. Rukiya Ware Jeffers. They discuss how to spe...

"I felt so young looking at the future." - Dr. Rukiya Jeffers Ware, world-class runner, educator, and speaker. In this episode, Marc and Cathey talk with Rukiya about the idea of how not to be too late to be great at the things you wanted to do when you were younger. In the process, they explore how to reframe the impact of your idea with just one word and how to use your vulnerability strategical...

"When we have faith, there is a security inside of us that no one can take away from us." - Fleriser Bello, creative events and marketing strategist from BelloFashinistas. In this episode, Marc and Cathey talk with Fleriser  about how to become your authentic self in order to bring out your natural spark. In the process, they explore how to tower your idea by starting with something that no o...

"A million grains of sand really is a mountain. And you only see the mountain after it is made. You don't see it when it's grains of sand at a time." - Stephen Green, small business advocate who is everything from spreadsheets to sneakers. In this episode, Marc and Cathey talk with Stephen about cheating on large businesses to support small businesses. In the process, they explore how to create a...

"We subtract to add. Get crystal clear on what you want in your life outside of the material things.” - Craig Stanland, motivational speaker, author, and reinvention architect. In this episode, Marc and Cathey talk with Craig about being on a golden treadmill: having a desire for happiness but chasing the wrong things in pursuit of that happiness. In the process, they explore how to help a wider a...

"Let people know what makes you different so that they can tell your story when you are not present.” - Stephan Dyer, bilingual comedian, keynote speaker, and lifestyle entrepreneur.   In this episode, Marc and Cathey talk with Stephan about escaping competition by bringing forth your authenticity. In the process, they explore how to take the many ideas you may have gathered from other people...

To become yourself, you have to forget everything you learned in the past.” - Lennox Jeffrey, financial consultant who mentors young men in the areas of life, wealth, and emotional intelligence . In this episode, Marc and Cathey talk with Lennox about substituting the chase for wealth for the chase for life. In this idea conversation, they explore how to use TV, youtube, and podcasts to duplicate...

"Your Plan B is to work on your Plan A. So find the thing you know that you were meant to do.” - Kai Martinez, professional dancer, choreographer, and animation consultant . In this episode, Marc and Cathey talk with Kai about her journey from Jackson Heights, Queens to a Disney feature film. In the process, her idea of seeking out who you are and what you were meant to and being brave enough to f...

"Create an abundance in your life so that saying 'no' feels sexy.” - Rajiv Harry, health & wellness coach and the secret sauce behind Plant Bomb . In this episode, Marc and Cathey talk with Rajiv about reframing his idea about investing in oneself into a new concept about “unavailability”. In this idea conversation, they explore how to create your own unique intellectual property. By the end o...

"It’s not about being the best at something; it’s about doing something new and different and finding someone else to reproduce it.” - Farhad Ghafarzade, founder of Green Drop Garage . In this episode, Marc and Cathey talk with Farhad about intersecting two ideas that are least connected. In the process, they explore how to oscillate between a crazy idea and a different idea being crazy or differe...

"I learned how to smile and say 'F-you' at the same time." - Reland Logan, marketing magician and anti-Whohoo girl . In this episode, Marc and Cathey help Reland discover ways to hit audiences with something they won't expect to hear. The power of a smile is not just about happiness; it's about resilience and getting stuff done. This conversation will show you how to use research to reframe your i...

“How do you, how can you, and how will you contribute to this community?” - from Season 3 of It's About to Go Down. So what happens when a bunch of idea creators get together in the same zoom? In this "rap-up" episode, Marc and Cathey catch up with the members of the Season #3 community: J.T. Compeau, Bo Babenko, Emily Purry, Jaclyn Lee, Diane Nathaniel, Chad Phillips, and Virginia Morris. Ideas a...

"Your impact can be momentary, whereas your imprint is like you left, you’ve touched it lightly. How do [you] contribute in a way that has a lasting, positive flow to it?” - Virginia Morris, an idea creator, curator, and implementer. In this episode, Marc and Cathey talk with Virginia about how to develop an idea that you can actually execute. In the process, Virginia shares her system for generat...