Life Passion and Business

In this show, we are exploring freedom, making choices and living the life you want to live, but more importantly, we are looking at the value of caring.  

We all care about those close to us, family and friends, but what about other people? Caring is an underrated value. My guest's formative years were at a unique school where he learned the value and importance of caring. It has shaped his life and work, bringing him everything he ever wanted.

Matt Ward was born the 3rd child to a low-income family with problems. He is the only sibling to finish High school, go to college and avoid prison.

How he avoided the path to jail is down to the universe giving him a break. At the age of 10 (sixth grade), he received a scholarship to the Milton Hershey Boarding School.

Attending this school put Matt on a new path; it taught him values, one of which was caring, and it became the theme of his life.

He left the Hershey School and went to college, he was interested and hotel and restaurant management, but that did not work out for him, as he did not have the interest or patience for cooking.

While volunteering at a youth football club in 1999, an opportunity appeared.  They needed a website for this new internet craze, and Matt got asked to build it. Once other clubs saw the result, they all wanted a website, so he started a web design business. 

The business grew year on year and employed eight people. Matt’s focus was always sales and relationships. He particularly enjoyed speaking at events and meeting people.

By 2018 the business was still growing but not feeding his soul; he was working hard but felt he was going nowhere. He sold it to one of his employees for a seven-figure sum and stepped out into the world of professional speaking.

Our conversation as always is about the journey. It is about self-discovery,  the moving towards freedom and living by the phrase “ Do me ”. 

We talk about friendship and building relationships, it is a place where men often struggle when the context is outside of work.  Matt thrives around the idea of freedom and the joy of living. His purpose is speaking and sharing the concept of caring but also about sharing the school that changed his life.

Since starting on his speaking journey, Matt has written three books,  The host at The Mass Business Podcast, a paid keynote speaker and a word-of-mouth referral consultant.

Further details about this podcast along with my Guest’s website and social links are all available at:

https://www.lifepassionandbusiness.com/matt-ward-the-value-of-caring

Life Passion & Business is dedicated to exploring what it takes to be Extraordinary, to face challenges and rejoice in the opportunities they bring, and expand our vision into new ways of thinking and living.

There is a lot to gain from listening to other people’s stories, however the real work begins by taking action in your own life.

For full details of Events, Resources and Services visit:
www.lifepassionandbusiness.com

Are you setting your course, are you taking that first step?  

My guest on the show is an example of someone living a good life by design a man who came from humble beginnings.  

Rocky Lalvani was born in India, when he was two years old, the family emigrated to the US, and while it was a great opportunity, the family had to start at the bottom. 

It was a tough beginning, but they worked hard as immigrant families do, the American dream inspired them, and they built their wealth.

During Rocky’s early life, there were lots of success and money conversations with other ex-pat communities.  While listening to these family chats, he learned the importance of negotiation and how to hustle. 

Starting with his paper route, he discovers how good service leads to good tips. At college, he was buying and selling stuff until he secured a real-estate licence to sell properties.

After finishing high school and going to college, he did a degree in Economics and went out into the world to work.

He did many jobs and eventually built a solid business creating operational and management spreadsheets for small businesses.

Rocky’s challenge was that he found it almost impossible to take the first steps and move his life forward. Our conversation is not about the work he did but the wisdom he developed. We touch on mentors, health, fitness, food and more. All of the steps that help him move forward and build the life he wanted.

Today Rocky calls himself the Chief Profitability Adviser for business owners. He teaches them how to ensure they get paid and that they make pro

Further details about this podcast along with my Guest’s website and social links are all available at:

https://www.lifepassionandbusiness.com/rocky-lalvani-taking-the-first-step

Life Passion & Business is dedicated to exploring what it takes to be Extraordinary, to face challenges and rejoice in the opportunities they bring, and expand our vision into new ways of thinking and living.

There is a lot to gain from listening to other people’s stories, however the real work begins by taking action in your own life.

For full details of Events, Resources and Services visit:
www.lifepassionandbusiness.com

I have a special admiration for those with a natural talent for music and performance, I had the acting bug in my 20s, and still, I love singing in groups. 

Our guest in the show is a creative powerhouse; she has written and performed numerous one-woman shows and has three musicals to her name. She plays, sings, composes and, has written five books plus she speaks at live events. 

Deborah Johnson's life is about the expression of creativity; that journey began when she was nine.

She was born to a musical family with a sister playing the violin. Deborah was guided to the piano and progressed quickly in her ability to play and sing. 

She was the young little pianist who would do a solo piece at events and fairs. 

Deborah took on her first students when she was 13. After college with an MA, she taught music at all levels, but her passion has always been creation and performance. That has been a story of discipline and dedication to her craft. As she says, “ It is putting in the reps,” she believes in hard work to get a result..

In our conversation, we touch on her process, her fear, and what drives her.

Deborah is a solopreneur and is constantly looking for the next creative project. She has been nominated for multiple GRAMMY Awards after more than  20 years in the entertainment industry. She's built numerous self-driven businesses and is an expert on how to constantly reinvent yourself in the gig economy.

Deborah is actively speaking and performing for both live and virtual events and will continue with her creative projects, as she said, “ Until my kids put me in a home.”

Join us for this delightful conversation with Deborah Johnson.

Further details about this podcast along with my guest's website and social links are all available at:

https://www.lifepassionandbusiness.com/deborah-johnson-real-and-authentic

Life Passion & Business is dedicated to exploring what it takes to be Extraordinary, to face challenges and rejoice in the opportunities they bring, and expand our vision into new ways of thinking and living.

There is a lot to gain from listening to other people's stories, however the real work begins by taking action in your own life.

For full details of Events, Resources and Services visit:
www.lifepassionandbusiness.com

Support For Podcasters:

Running a podcast is fun, but it takes time and dedication. Whenever you enjoy a podcast please share your appreciation with comments, likes, shares and reviews. It helps other listeners find good content and supports the content creators and their guests.

Another way you can support the Life Passion & Business podcast is with small donations: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/lifeandpassion

In this show, I am exploring the destiny of luck and exploring how you could bring more luck in your direction. 

Does it needle you when you hear about someone getting crowned with success or life's prizes? Do you see other people as just lucky?

I was thinking about this after a conversation with a guest AJ Lawrence; he told the story of an intern who left his company and became employee no five at eBay.

I can only imagine what those stock options must have been like for early investors.

Was that guy just lucky to find that role? I am sure millions of people became interns at companies that went nowhere.  We only hear about the ones that made it.

But what if you could create your luck?

I think you can check out the show and explore that idea with me; listen to the end, and there are some resources to help you on that road.   

Life Passion & Business Podcast is about finding answers to life’s big questions through weekly interviews with guest speakers. The Shortcast is my ongoing commitment to staying inquisitive and passionate about life with whatever is alive for me each week. Follow the links below to discover what else is on offer

The Five Questions eBook: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/the-five-questions
Focus Coaching: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/focus-coaching/

Support The Podcast:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/lifeandpassion
Midlife Survey: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/midlife-challenge/

However we look at life, most of us would agree that a good life is a journey that we share with someone special. A partnership or marriage where we are seen, honoured and loved for who we are. It is a life success goal for most people.

But life goes up and down, relationships and marriages often fail. Thankfully most societies have moved on from the stigma associated with a marriage failure. 

However the truth of that for many people finding “the one” can be a bumpy journey with high lows and lots of pain or disappointment. 

This brings me to our conversation today with Tim Kellis and he is on a mission to solve what he calls the marriage problem.

Further details about this podcast along with my Guest’s website and social links are all available at:

https://www.lifepassionandbusiness.com/tim-kellis-the-marriage-solution

Life Passion & Business is dedicated to exploring what it takes to be Extraordinary, to face challenges and rejoice in the opportunities they bring, and expand our vision into new ways of thinking and living.

There is a lot to gain from listening to other people’s stories, however the real work begins by taking action in your own life.

For full details of Events, Resources and Services visit:
www.lifepassionandbusiness.com

Support For Podcasters:

Running a podcast is fun, but it takes time and dedication. Whenever you enjoy a podcast please share your appreciation with comments, likes, shares and reviews. It helps other listeners find good content and supports the content creators and their guests.

Another way you can support the Life Passion & Business podcast is with small donations: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/lifeandpassion

How courageous are you?

The podcast was born of my search for more meaning in life, and the reality is that meaning does not just appear; it has to be found, nurtured and developed. On some level, we have to fight for it because that is the nature of the hero's journey. To find meaning, we have to become more visible and have the courage to do it.

On this show, I encourage you to look at what you stand for and I will be exploring the benefits gained from standing firm in a cause that we believe in and want to champion.

Over the last week,  I took part in a 5-day challenge to be more visible in my mission and I will let you into my world and share thoughts on where I am heading.

I explore how the cause and our values are mixed and what that means.

Are you standing up for what you believe in? Because when we stand in our courage and be visible in our cause it is powerful. That means when stuff comes at us we experience it from a place of power and strength. Our ability to deal with it is far greater than if it would come at us in a place of weakness.

I will share with you some of my next steps and how I am going to take my mission forward.

Do the exercises and tell me how you get on I would love to know what you do with it.

The links mentioned can be found on the website. 

Life Passion & Business Podcast is about finding answers to life’s big questions through weekly interviews with guest speakers. The Shortcast is my ongoing commitment to staying inquisitive and passionate about life with whatever is alive for me each week. Follow the links below to discover what else is on offer

The Five Questions eBook: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/the-five-questions
Focus Coaching: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/focus-coaching/

Support The Podcast:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/lifeandpassion
Midlife Survey: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/midlife-challenge/

We all want a bit of joy in life, but what if I were to tell you there's a way to experience double the pleasure?

My conversation with you this week was brought about by a secret plan hatched with my son to surprise his Mum with a visit on Mother's day. I knew she'd be surprised; so enjoyed imagining and anticipating her delight. The reality was like taking a second helping of joy.

I remember when my son was very young the prospect of a birthday, Christmas or even a play date with friends would have him bursting with excitement. As adults we seem to forget the simple delight of planning and anticipating joy. But it's easy to regain...  it's all about planning.

In this show, we explore how the benefits of planning and adding fun dates to the diary, offers an opportunity to experience the joy of a single event twice.

Join me on this exploration of anticipation. 

Life Passion & Business Podcast is about finding answers to life’s big questions through weekly interviews with guest speakers. The Shortcast is my ongoing commitment to staying inquisitive and passionate about life with whatever is alive for me each week. Follow the links below to discover what else is on offer

The Five Questions eBook: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/the-five-questions
Focus Coaching: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/focus-coaching/

Support The Podcast:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/lifeandpassion
Midlife Survey: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/midlife-challenge/

Some of us dream about dropping everything and taking off, but what happens when you do and more to the point what is that makes an entrepreneur with a growing business cash it all in, get on a plane with his family and become nomads.

Our show is about the call to adventure.

Sometimes it takes a wake-up call to see life for what it is, “fragile”. We all assume it will go on forever, and the story will play out well. In reality, we cannot make those assumptions; all we can do is live our best life by taking control of the story. 

Graham Brown was a star in the telecoms industry, a leader in data research and trends. But it was the death of his father that made him ask the important questions and give it all up for 3 plane tickets and no plans.

As you will hear life in paradise is not all Instagram moments. 

Graham is a gentle soul that has learnt much on his travels, above all, it was the importance of finding your story.

Today Graham has produced over 1500 podcasts, written 4 books, speaks live on podcasts and helps major brands define and tell their story.

Let's join the conversation with Graham Brown.

Further details about this podcast along with my Guest’s website and social links are all available at:

https://www.lifepassionandbusiness.com/graham-brown-3-plane-tickets-no-plans

Life Passion & Business is dedicated to exploring what it takes to be Extraordinary, to face challenges and rejoice in the opportunities they bring, and expand our vision into new ways of thinking and living.

There is a lot to gain from listening to other people’s stories, however the real work begins by taking action in your own life.

For full details of Events, Resources and Services visit:
www.lifepassionandbusiness.com

Support For Podcasters:

Running a podcast is fun, but it takes time and dedication. Whenever you enjoy a podcast please share your appreciation with comments, likes, shares and reviews. It helps other listeners find good content and supports the content creators and their guests.

Another way you can support the Life Passion & Business podcast is with small donations: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/lifeandpassion

On today's show, I am looking at some tools that could help you stay centred while those around you are losing it.

I am talking about the power of creativity, about taking care of what you read or watch and we explore why it is important to listen to your quiet voice 

The world is not a happy place at the moment and the news and media will make it their job to feed us all of the gory detail on a 27/7 basis.

It is very difficult to avoid, and also highly addictive.

I am not immune to getting caught up and I have used every tool I have to keep me on point this week and for a while, there even that failed.

The point is we owe it to the world to share our gifts and that means we are responsible to manage our inner resolve and stay strong when the going is hard. The upside to that is when we do make a commitment that is when we received the greatest gift.

It is when we do the work that feeds us that is when we feel good when we get to feel alive. 

For more resources, check out the podcast website through the links below.

Life Passion & Business Podcast is about finding answers to life’s big questions through weekly interviews with guest speakers. The Shortcast is my ongoing commitment to staying inquisitive and passionate about life with whatever is alive for me each week. Follow the links below to discover what else is on offer

The Five Questions eBook: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/the-five-questions
Focus Coaching: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/focus-coaching/

Support The Podcast:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/lifeandpassion
Midlife Survey: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/midlife-challenge/

Is there an 'unlived' adventure story lurking somewhere inside of you?

Lets face it, we all love a good adventure story. yet for most of us the fix generally comes through reading fiction or biographies, watching movies, or listening to podcasts and celebrating the hero's journey in somebody else. But what if it were your turn? What would you choose, and given the opportunity, would you actually say yes?

Today, not only do we get to hear Jane Taylor's story, we also get the opportunity to be part of her adventure. (details below).

When Jane Taylor's son Emmit graduated, her husband John had the idea to celebrate with a road trip. The plan was to buy three motorcycles and ride across country from Vermont to California and back. That is a 10,000 mile round trip, and for a Mom who hadn't been on a motorbike for 40 years, that's no small challenge!

Jane said Yes to the idea, even though she was terrified!

“I jumped in, because I tend to lead, but I was terrified.”

Motorcycles were in her family's blood when Jane was a child.  In 6th-grade, her mother owned a motorcycle business, so her early years were around bikes and bikers. But her family sold the business and moved on, and riding a motorbike was now just a distant memory. In her teen years, writing was her thing; she went to college earned her degree in literature and music history and always knew writing would be part of her life, but not sure how. 

On leaving college Jane skirted around, working in restaurants, cooking for a Baroque orchestra running a welding shop,  and being an event organizer. But it was always writing that held her interest, so she eventually became a freelance 'pen for hire' and a professional CV writer.

But, at 50 years, old approaching mid-life, it was this family adventure that changed everything. The podcast is part of a celebration of that journey and the launch of her book “Spirit Traffic – A  Mother's Journey of Letting Go”  inspired by her travels and the gifts it gave her. 

The book is out on April 19th 2022, and there is a book tour beginning in May. The fun part is that Jane and her husband John are reprising the adventure by travelling across the US, from New England to California, for readings at independent books shops and in people's homes.

So you can be part of the tour by hosting an event. All the details are here:-

https://cjanetaylor.com/barnstorm

Further details about this podcast along with my Guest’s website and social links are all available at:

https://www.lifepassionandbusiness.com/jane-taylor-mom-biker-warrior

Life Passion & Business is dedicated to exploring what it takes to be Extraordinary, to face challenges and rejoice in the opportunities they bring, and expand our vision into new ways of thinking and living.

There is a lot to gain from listening to other people’s stories, however the real work begins by taking action in your own life.

For full details of Events, Resources and Services visit:
www.lifepassionandbusiness.com

Support For Podcasters:

Running a podcast is fun, but it takes time and dedication. Whenever you enjoy a podcast please share your appreciation with comments, likes, shares and reviews. It helps other listeners find good content and supports the content creators and their guests.

Another way you can support the Life Passion & Business podcast is with small donations: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/lifeandpassion

In today's show, we're going to explore why it's so critical to believe in your story and what happens if it runs out.

Last week would have been the 95th birthday of my father, so it seems fitting to explore his story and how I came to create the podcast through that journey.

Life is unpredictable, and when things feel uncertain, we look with hope for a better future. How we develop that hope into reality is by creating a vision or story where we achieve the goal or desired outcome.

Having a strong narrative and believing in that narrative, enables us to be resilient in the face of challenges and change. The problem, of course, is that life doesn't always manifest the picture we have been holding in our minds eye.

With the current situation, still dealing with COVID and now facing the prospects dealing with international conflicts, there's a lot of uncertainty around that threatens our internal peace of mind.

If you are struggling with your narrative or setting goals, join me in exploring some ways to re-discover the dreams and aspirations you might have left behind.

For more resources, check out the podcast website through the links below.

Life Passion & Business Podcast is about finding answers to life’s big questions through weekly interviews with guest speakers. The Shortcast is my ongoing commitment to staying inquisitive and passionate about life with whatever is alive for me each week. Follow the links below to discover what else is on offer

The Five Questions eBook: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/the-five-questions
Focus Coaching: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/focus-coaching/

Support The Podcast:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/lifeandpassion
Midlife Survey: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/midlife-challenge/

Tom Libelt's story expresses the impact that a hard upbringing can have on a young man, how he experienced the realities of a corrupt communist country and the struggle as immigrants coming to America. 

Tom was never going to follow the working path of his parents. His journey to wealth and freedom started with music, but he has owned a coffee shop, a retail store, a record label, created and filmed a documentary, and released two albums with five hits on top ten Polish radio. Today he has a thriving business in online course creation.  

As I am on a break from editing, this show is a re-release. It was popular when it came out, and as it highlights the challenges many people face escaping communist rule, it seem pertinent to share it with you again today.

Further details about this podcast along with my Guest’s website and social links are all available at:

https://www.lifepassionandbusiness.com/tom-libelt-music-business-life

Life Passion & Business is dedicated to exploring what it takes to be Extraordinary, to face challenges and rejoice in the opportunities they bring, and expand our vision into new ways of thinking and living.

There is a lot to gain from listening to other people’s stories, however the real work begins by taking action in your own life.

For full details of Events, Resources and Services visit:
www.lifepassionandbusiness.com

Support For Podcasters:

Running a podcast is fun, but it takes time and dedication. Whenever you enjoy a podcast please share your appreciation with comments, likes, shares and reviews. It helps other listeners find good content and supports the content creators and their guests.

Another way you can support the Life Passion & Business podcast is with small donations: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/lifeandpassion

Today’s shortcast explores the relationship between sacrifice and commitment to goals, and how to avoid the pitfalls and dangers that this union brings. 

Be it work, home, relationships or possessions we all make commitments in some form or other. The greater the goal or desire, the more we are likely to sacrifice to achieve or maintain it. These sacrifices usually put a strain on time, energy, finances or health, but what happens when the price becomes too high.

For as long as we can remember humans have made sacrifices in return for the promise of something better. Why is it we are prepared to do this?

Early in human existence, it would most likely have been connected to some sort of religious rituals or rites of passage, often in some form of payment to a deity in return for good fortune and may have included the sacrifice of a highly priced animal, a companion or even a child.

Thankfully we have mostly moved away from the blood sacrifice of a loved one, but we have not given up the idea of commitment and obligations in return for the hope of something better.

When the sacrifices made have become all-consuming or unhealthy, at what point do we make the decision that enough is enough?

Life Passion & Business Podcast is about finding answers to life’s big questions through weekly interviews with guest speakers. The Shortcast is my ongoing commitment to staying inquisitive and passionate about life with whatever is alive for me each week. Follow the links below to discover what else is on offer

The Five Questions eBook: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/the-five-questions
Focus Coaching: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/focus-coaching/

Support The Podcast:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/lifeandpassion
Midlife Survey: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/midlife-challenge/

Are you taking action or sitting in resistance. Or worse, are you tricking yourself with non-action? 

We all want to achieve things, make our goals and intentions happen and live a better life. It is easy to create vision boards and 90-day letters, but for some reason moving forward can often be tricky.

Why is it so hard to take action towards the life we say we want? 

In this show, we explore that question, and you get to hear where I am at with some of this stuff.

We look at the non-action tricks that we play on ourselves. These are often actions that make us feel like we are moving forward even though we are not. We affirm why writing stuff down is non-negotiable in our quest to build the life we want. And after all that, we explore tasks and strategies to help you move out of resistance and into the life you want. 

Life Passion & Business Podcast is about finding answers to life’s big questions through weekly interviews with guest speakers. The Shortcast is my ongoing commitment to staying inquisitive and passionate about life with whatever is alive for me each week. Follow the links below to discover what else is on offer

The Five Questions eBook: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/the-five-questions
Focus Coaching: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/focus-coaching/

Support The Podcast:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/lifeandpassion
Midlife Survey: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/midlife-challenge/

I have been so looking forward to sharing this conversation with you, as my guest on the show today is a professional Frisbee player. It just makes me chuckle.

In this discussion, we discuss the gap between thought and implementation, fear and failure and the evidence that life always works out.

There are specific rules that people like to live by. One of them is that we have a place to live,  somewhere to call home, sleep and keep our things. But who said that was a rule? 

Could you live a nomadic life on the road traveling from city to city and living in hotels? That is the life that my guest Scott Stokely has chosen, and as you heard in the intro, he made that decision when he was 19. Now in his 50s, he jokes with me that he is probably the most well off homeless person I will ever meet. 

Scott Stokely is a professional disc golf player, and when he started in the sport 30 years ago, the game was in its infancy. He left home and set out to become a professional player with no plan B. What is so unique about the conversation is that he has always jumped into things.  

Scott is an entrepreneur and a good one. He always had innate confidence in himself, knowledge that it would be fine, and that is how the world works. For Scott, failure is just information and means adaptation is needed.

“I will be fine wherever I am. If I fail at something, I will just do something else and that will be fine.”   


He explains how he turned his hobby into a profession and how he invented the funding model that most professional disc gold players use today. He also wrote the first book on disc golf techniques.

This is a discussion about freedom opportunity and Scott shares his business and life model that anyone could replicate.

Further details about this podcast along with my Guest’s website and social links are all available at:

https://www.lifepassionandbusiness.com/scott-stokely-wealthy-homeless

Life Passion & Business is dedicated to exploring what it takes to be Extraordinary, to face challenges and rejoice in the opportunities they bring, and expand our vision into new ways of thinking and living.

There is a lot to gain from listening to other people’s stories, however the real work begins by taking action in your own life.

For full details of Events, Resources and Services visit:
www.lifepassionandbusiness.com

Support For Podcasters:

Running a podcast is fun, but it takes time and dedication. Whenever you enjoy a podcast please share your appreciation with comments, likes, shares and reviews. It helps other listeners find good content and supports the content creators and their guests.

Another way you can support the Life Passion & Business podcast is with small donations: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/lifeandpassion