Beyond High Street

From a geology major to an uber-successful business leader, Steve Carlin has spanned the industries of soap and cosmetics to video games and robotics over 20+ years of work. Our conversation covers all sides of his business career and is rooted in some key themes – leadership, business creation, and networking. He has successfully weaved his way forward using key attributes and learning to propel into career-advancing jobs. He is smart, articulate and his perspective is well thought out. I can’t believe we haven’t talked live in more than two decades. It felt like we were in an IFC meeting senior year on campus. And to the students listening on the pod, his statement about school is so true – “college is about learning how to learn”. Hope you enjoy it!

David Fleming is a senior writer for ESPN and has written numerous stories for The Magazine and espn.com. He has also authored two books – Noah’s Rainbow (a father’s memoir) and Breaker Boys (the stolen 1925 NFL title). The passion in his voice when talking about Miami is infectious. He uses that same passion when writing too. If you haven’t read his work, search for it. It’s worth your time. In the pod we spend time talking about the art of listening, relationships, and how to earn trust, be it with your writing subject or even family, friends or peers. When asked about Miami, he starts by saying “and when I got to campus”…what’s incredible is that everyone who went to Miami nails that sentence. There is something special driving into Oxford that keeps you there. Lastly, check out the book Noah’s Rainbow. It’s written for parents who are grieving the death of a child and is particularly geared towards fathers but it’s broad enough to appeal to anyone who has suffered the loss of a loved one or who cares abou

Andy Gloor is a Managing Principal at Sterling Bay – an uber-successful commercial real estate and development firm. Bloomberg even named Andy – “the tech industry's go-to real estate developer”. He really stresses the importance of relationships and how handshakes are often more important than lawyers in getting a deal done. He and his wife Mara (a Miami Merger) are incredibly generous and have supported Miami, including the naming of the auditorium at the Athletic Performance Center on campus which has become the multipurpose facility centerpiece for Miami Football.

Beth Herrington is a partner at Morgan Lewis, and has been named one of Crain’s Chicago Most Influential Women Lawyers….multiple times! It was so great to catch up and hear about all of her success. Her comments about gender-split in law, competitiveness and the power of a relationship are so well articulated. You can easily see why a client would want her to be on the front line in any dispute. Beth shares a great story about teaching people how to distill complex issues into a few sentences. This ‘elevator speech’ philosophy is so important in life yet not mastered by many. Thanks Beth….keep crushing it.

As PR Week wrote when Jeff Immel was honored with a 40 under 40 Award, “a leap of faith can sometimes usher in a whole new approach to marketing….when Immel left Arc Worldwide to join Weber Shandwick’s budding creative team as its first art director, he was making a bold move.” I so appreciate his risk, and the firm’s, as the public relations discipline was evolving into something much greater – a global communications and marketing business. Since then, he has grown that business tremendously. Our conversation spans from the risks brands need to take to breakthrough in today’s climate to understanding that often business success is driven by understanding that the audience now dictates the terms. Jeff shares a great analogy from a Cannes lecture, that it is now the deer who has the gun, not the hunter (listen for the whole story). And his tips for Miami students are different than some but absolutely on point. All the resumes look great so take advantage of the human side. Stand out by being the call or meet

Imagine waking up every day having to react to countless stories that came in overnight, and to determine how they impact your City. Well, that is what Lisa Schrader did for two years as Chief of Staff for Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel (and almost 15 years total working at City Hall). She shares great learnings of skillsets you acquire when working in the public sector, and how she has used that experience the jobs she has had since then. We laughed as she reminisced about times at Miami and living a ‘double life’. You will have to listen to the pod to hear that story. We close the conversation talking about her new job (I mean only a week into it…) at Luminary Media, a new podcast premium content subscription business (stay tuned for more on Luminary). I could talk with Lisa for hours, the conversation quickly reminded me (and hopefully us) of the good ‘ole days.

So good to catch up with Kevin George, the new CMO of Harvest Health & Recreation, Inc. – a vertically integrated public cannabis company. That’s right, a cannabis company. Kevin has spent the past 20+ years in global leading roles at Unilever, Beam Suntory and the marketing agency Mosaic. He is taking his plethora of experience, knowledge and relationship into one of, if not, THE fastest growing industries in the United States. He now has the chance to build a slew of brands from scratch – ones they have acquired and others they are incubating. They have raised nearly $300 million to capitalize the business and as he says, this is like the day after prohibition for the alcohol industry. The opportunity is immense with no clear leader. There are challenges ahead, it is a state-by-state industry that is not federally legal (yet). As he always does, he also shares great wisdom for Miami students in the pod.

Welcome back to Beyond High Street! One area I want to focus on with this podcast is innovation/transformation, and retail is the perfect industry for that. Our guest today is Jeff Gooding, who oversees all Marketing and Advertising for ACE Hardware. He shares great thoughts on what it takes to change in today’s business environment and how to work in a co-op environment (as he says, “it’s like having 4,500 bosses”). Jeff also shares a perspective about job hunting for college kids - that it’s easier to get a job when you have a job. Point being, internships or getting a foot in the door somehow is more important  than landing your dream job at 21. Enjoy the pod.

Happy New Year Beyond High Street friends. Marc Bushala has passion to be an entrepreneur. You can hear it in his voice in how he thinks through challenges and opportunities. He shares some great stories about taking advantage of opportunities (especially when you are young) and how to find openings in the marketplace. All of this business and entrepreneurial work led him down a path into the spirits world. And after a deep dive almost a decade ago, he has been building and creating some incredible whiskey products including Angel’s Envy and now Heaven’s Door in collaboration with Bob Dylan. Google his background. It’s very impressive. Enjoy the pod.

Jeff Tennery is the founder & CEO of Moonlighting and has spent 25+ years in senior executive leadership roles in the mobile space via Verizon, AT&T Wireless and Millennial Media. Jeff has spent the past year “moonlighting,” helping friends and co-founders on nights and weekends build the first on-demand mobile marketplace (you will hear his commentary on the 41st hour in the pod! and when/how/why to start a business). Prior to founding Moonlighting, he was responsible for delivering hundreds of millions of dollars annually across 50,000 applications worldwide, playing an instrumental role in Millennial Media’s 2012 IPO. He has incredible insight for those that want to start a business, the future of blockchain plus a stroll down memory lane at Miami talking MGT 495, being a Miami Merger and loving his cheese fries!

Mark Satkiewicz has spent the past 20+ years working with and building mission-based businesses. All of that work is guided off a simple phrase from him: are you a contributor in life or a consumer? And a recent near fatal health issue (resuscitated to life!) has made him refocus on what’s important for him and his family. He is taking that new focus back to Steamboat, CO with his family to better the community and move it forward. Like many, he credits Miami for four of the best years of his life.

The conversation with Donn Davis gave great insight into how he thinks. He is a Founding Partner of Revolution Growth as well as Co-Founder and Chairman of the Professional Fighters League. The commonality of those two businesses: disruption. And that is what we focus much of the conversation on. We also dig into the differences in being an attacker v. defender and a builder v. manager. His perspective and tips for college students and those in their 20’s is worth paying attention to. He is also the first person on the pod to create an actual business class at Miami, called Real Business after 20-years in the business world. I hope you enjoy the conversation. I did.

This podcast with Rob Snow defines Miami and the type of people that graduate from the university. I am super proud of what Rob is and will do to create change. Life presents situations that make each of us alter what we do. It’s when those situations happen that bring out the best in people. Rob’s son Henry was born with down syndrome in 2009 and immediately Rob knew he had a chance to do more. He has combined his comedic chops and personality along with his family life to create Stand up 4 Downs and the IMPROVANEERS – the world’s first ever improv team featuring a full roster of young men/women with down syndrome. They practice weekly and will perform LIVE together later this year. The IMPROVANEERS are learning eye contact, ability to think on their feet, voice projection, self-confidence and many other tools to help them socially and in the work force. It’s a must listen pod. And PS – you will love his story about Doc Shriver.

Greg Van Kirk is co-founder of Community Enterprise Solutions and Social Entrepreneur Corps. He has been recognized as the Schwab Foundation Social Entrepreneur of the Year and a member of the Clinton Global Initiative. He is very thoughtful and measured in his approach to teamwork, collaboration and combining public/private partnerships. Greg provided one of my favorite lines in all of the pods to date: “I want to solve wicked problems that are intellectually challenging.” Like many, he credits Miami’s Luxembourg program in his journey. It’s there that he learned empathy, the need for a better life for individuals and how to adjust to different cultures. I am proud to work alongside Greg on Miami’s Entrepreneurship Advisory Council.

Derek Block could give a TedTalk on the value of coaching. The discussion about this subject is something of importance to all ages. He talks about beginning to understand that when he was a Miami University varsity hockey player twenty years ago, and he has carried that lesson into present day. And not just for account coordinators but for the C-suite. This line is lasting for me – if leadership is so important, how can you not afford to give them a coach. Simple yet profound. I also enjoyed his thinking on the subject of learning and how maintaining culture and relevance keep him up at night.

P.J. O’Rourke has written nineteen books (including some New York Times bestsellers) and his most recent one, None Of My Business, is a must read. He explains money, banking, assets, liabilities and why he’s not rich and neither are you (there is always humor in everything he writes and says!). You can hear the passion of Miami in his voice throughout our conversation as he continues to give the school props. Plus, his stories about late professor David Frazier (giving him a D on a mid-term paper, turning his life around and creating a long-term bond) and Dr. Shriver are fantastic. He never knew that Dr. Shriver knew who he was, but he sure did. We even chuckle together about what technology meant to him as a blossoming writer – long hand, not even a typewriter and no spell check. We begin the conversation discussing what gives him inspiration in writing on subjects.

Mitch Barns was destined for success. Any college student willing to bike 45 miles from campus as a student to get to a job interview is clearly dedicated. A Business Administration major at Miami, Mitch has spent the past 22 years in 11 roles at Nielsen. Currently, he is the CEO and will retire from his position at the close of the year. Two subjects we brainstormed in the conversation of interest include tips for students coming out of school (always saying yes, focusing on the fundamentals and learning from mistakes) and the value of a mentee – mentor relationship. And I love that he worked at Montgomery Inn (best ribs in the world)!

Mike Fitzgerald’s High Alpha business is fascinating. Not just the venture studio and Fund they have built, but the Sprint Week competitition where all employees compete against each other to determine what business the company should incubate. I love that. That is how you build internal culture. We spent quite a bit of time on the pod discussing how to formulate ideas and how to learn (I can never get enough of that subject). We also did some digging into the investment culture and the ratio of reviewing start-ups to actual investments. Anyone exploring this space will enjoy Mike’s perspective. His calculus story at Miami is a good one and sent him down a path of communications (which he says is a blessing and helped him into a sales-oriented path). We start with a conversation about the city of Indianapolis and Miami’s influence there.

What a memorable conversation I had with our next guest. It’s been more than sixty years since Dr. Jim Bertz graduated from Miami. That’s right, 60 years! His lifelong career has been in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, helping people around the world with conditions they would not have had the resources to address otherwise. But that is just the beginning for Jim. Our conversation winds us through his incredible career, and he shares some of his philosophies on what it takes to be a good doctor and a good person. Wait until you hear about his first job interview at Miami with the CIA! My favorite life lesson he shared on the call was doing things for people who cannot pay you back. Let that soak in for a minute and you will get a sense of what type of person Jim is.

Josh Dahn and his co-founder, Elon Musk, are out to disrupt the way we teach our children, and as a result, how they learn. In today’s pod, Josh walks through the reasons why change is needed and what they are doing differently. The art dealer sample lesson for elementary school kids that he explains is simply fascinating. The practical aspect of learning is very clear in this venture. The school they have created, Ad Astra (in Latin it means To The Stars) is located on the Space X campus in Los Angeles. Even if the entire model doesn’t work for all, some teaching through real life scenarios could benefit many.