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America at Work Features

America At Work Guest Features are short format audio productions - fast paced, informative and inspirational. Features run anywhere from 4 - 8 minutes, are high quality and easy-to-listen-to.

I ‘heard’ a need for improvement in the audio products that are being tossed out on the internet – many of the podcasts and interviews are simply too long and of poor quality. Get to the point…share the nuggets! Yes, that requires more production effort and more time, but I believe, it’s worth it in the end. I think you’ll agree.
Mike Berenstain


Feature Length: 9:00

Full Transcript >>
“The main thing in any career is getting some entrée, getting introduced to people, getting in the door. People are free to feel bad about that if they want, but I think they should do it anyway. It’s the only practical way to get things done. ”
Title:

Company:
Business:


Location:
Web:
Co-Creator, The Berenstain Bears
The Berenstain Bears
Multilevel publishing/entertainment company
Bedminster, PA
berenstainbearstreehouse.com

Things worth remembering...

  • USE WHATEVER CONTACTS YOU HAVE TO GAIN SOME ENTRÉE; GETTING IN THE DOOR IS CRUCIAL TO GETTING INTO BUSINESS
  • ENJOY WHAT YOU’RE DOING BUT REMAIN REALISTIC ABOUT YOUR IMPORTANCE IN THE GAME
  • INTERACTION IN A FAMILY BUSINESS CAN BE BOTH CHALLENGING AND FUN
  • MANAGE A MULTILEVEL BUSINESS BY DELEGATING TO PARTNERS, WORKING WITH TRUSTED PEOPLE AND COMPANIES
  • HAVE VARYING DEGREES OF CONTRACT APPROVAL
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Jeff Dickey


Feature Length: 7:11

Full Transcript >>
“I think we’re on the verge of a second renaissance... a communications revolution that effectively allows anybody to collaborate and anybody to mentor, and it’s all being driven by digital media.”
Title:





Company:
Business:



Location:
Web:
Current:
Founder, Vizual Networks
Former:
Co-founder DoubleClick, Advertising.com, SeeSaw Networks
Vizual Networks
Computer animated content and advertising that appeals to the active digital consumer
CA
NA

Things worth remembering...

  • IT’S ALL ABOUT COLLABORATION
  • MENTOR – IF YOU LEARN IT THEN HELP OUT AND TEACH IT
  • STAY CURIOUS
  • STAY IN TOUCH – EXPLORE THE WEB
  • READ A LOT, TALK WITH PEOPLE
  • BE OPEN TO NEW IDEAS
  • USE THE ‘SNIFF TEST’ – DOES IT MAKE SENSE?
  • BE ABLE TO DESCRIBE IT IN 10 SECONDS!
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Juliana Morgan


Feature Length: 8:42

Full Transcript >>
“When you’re excited about things people want to help you. It’s when you have a negative outlook, that turns people off.”
Title:
Company:
Business:

Location:
Web:


Books:
Author
Juliana Morgan
Self published author of children’s books
North Carolina
JulianaMorgan.com
Lulu.com


Things worth remembering...

  • Save your ideas! You never know when they’ll come to life
  • Look locally for professional guidance and support
  • Independent publishing gives you more control and creative freedom
  • Stay positive and enthusiastic to win people over
  • Sometimes you have to work really, really, really hard at something
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Diane Dedominicis - Markheim Pets


Feature Length:

Full Transcript >>
“I use my intuition for everything - big decisions, little decisions. It has to feel right.”
Title:
Company:

Business:


Location:
Web:
Owner
Markheim Tropical Fish & Pet Store, Inc.
Family owned pet store specializing in exotic pets and tropical fish
Amherst, New York
http://www.markheim.com

Things worth remembering...

  • DELEGATE
  • LIKE WHAT YOU DO
  • TRUST YOUR INTUITION
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Martha Stewart


Feature Length: 7:00

Full Transcript >>
“Spend your time being creative, doing the things. I spend my time doing rather than talking about it.”
Title:
Company:

Business:





Location:
Web:
Founder
Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia
An expansive multimedia and merchandising company: Publishing, Internet and Broadcasting Media and Merchandising
New York, New York
MarthaStewart.com

Things worth remembering...

  • Have an idea people need and that works
  • Put your own imprint on it
  • Start with as little expense as possible
  • Tap into the power of promotion
  • Reinvest - build on your success
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Chuck Hester - LinkedInPower Connector


Feature Length: 7:00

Full Transcript >>
“Treat your (social media) connections like they're standing right in front of you.”
Title:





Company:
Business:


Location:
Web:
Blog:
Book:
Director of Communications, iContact
Pay It Forward
Power Connector on LinkedIn
iContact
Email marketing service, LinkedIn specialist, speaker, author
Raleigh, NC
http://www.icontact.com
Pay It Forward Chronicles
Linking In to Pay it Forward

Things worth remembering...

  • Treat your social media connections like they’re standing right in front of you
  • ‘Old School’ business philosophies still apply – remember them and use them
  • Spend time developing your LinkedIn profile and use it to point to your websites and blogs
  • Build your Recommendations section
  • When networking, introduce yourself and then ask what other folks are about
  • Pay It Forward - help people out without the thought of return
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More with… Chuck Hester

Sometimes there’s just too much of a good thing! Read on and learn more from my conversations with A @W guests.

Deb: Interesting side story…Chuck got his current job via LinkedIn. He connected with Ryan Allis, the CEO of iContact, and his current boss, and they had a chance to meet.

Chuck: I walked in the room and sat down with him across the conference table. He only had two pieces of paper and that was the two page profile from LinkedIn. He didn’t have my résumé; he basically knew what he wanted to see through my profile. I had my résumé available and ready, but he didn’t want to see it. He was just comfortable with talking one on one and he figured he knew enough information from the profile.

Deb: The Answers section on LinkedIn makes searching for services, products and solutions a much easier process, because you can ‘tap into’ your network.

Chuck: I’m going to give you a feel on a more personal level, when we were ready to re-finance our house, we did about two or three months ago, I put out a question and asked for good recommendations for refi companies. Came back with 25 some odd different recommendations, culled through the ones that made sense and in the process we were able to re-finance the house with somebody we trusted because it was a trusted contact of somebody we knew.

Deb: Pay it Forward is the cornerstone of Chuck’s life. He has personally been the recipient of its benefits and makes it a point to ‘pay it forward’ whenever he can.

Chuck: We went through some pretty cool consulting things that we were doing, I was a PR consultant, she was a HR consultant. We formed the Hester Group, it was going very well and then 9/11 and 2001 hit and at the same time, the dot com bubble hit and basically we pretty much lost almost everything. We had to rent the house as opposed to own it, and decided that we really needed to move out and relocate. We relocated to Raleigh, North Carolina. And in the process of, we ran across a lot of folks who can solidify what we call the ‘pay it forward’ lifestyle. For instance, a college friend who I had not seen for 20 years, was in the Raleigh area and said, “Hey, you know what, come and stay with us for a week, not a problem, bring your whole family and we’ll put you up while you try to find some place to live.” That type of thing really struck a cord with both Stephanie and I, to the point where it really made sense.

A@W Blog entry about Chuck Hester and Pay It Forward

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Ann Rockler Jackson - CEO, Rockler Companies, Inc


Feature Length: 3:18

Full Transcript >>
“I think most of us are self taught. You can only learn so much in school and then you learn on the job.”
Title:

Company:

Business:




Location:
Web:
CEO Rockler Companies, Inc
Rockler Woodworking and Hardware
Supplier of woodworking hardware, supplies and tools Magazine publisher: Woodworker’s Journal
Medina, Minnesota
http://www.rockler.com

Things worth remembering...

  • TAKE SEMINARS, JOIN PROFESSIONAL ORAGANIZATIONS
  • READ!
  • EXPECT MOMENTS OF DOUBT CONCERNING WORK/LIFE BALANCE
  • BE CREATIVE INVOLVING YOUR KIDS IN YOUR WORK
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Erika Mangrum - Laser Spine Institute


Feature Length: 6:11

Full Transcript >>
“The market wins every time. It’s not you, it’s not me, it’s not the entrepreneur, it’s what the market wants.”
Name:
Title:
Company:
Business:
Web:
Location:
Erika Mangrum
VP & Executive Director
Laser Spine Institute
Spinal surgery
laserspineinstitute.com
Philadelphia, PA


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Read more...
 
Dave Thomas - Founder of Wendy's


Feature Length: 3:42

Full Transcript >>
“…don’t apologize for a minimum wage job, because it’s a starting point, a person’s opportunity…a chance to learn, a chance to be professional, a chance to get along with people.”
Name:
Title:
Company:

Business:

Location:
Web:
Dave Thomas
Founder of Wendy’s
Wendy’s International, Inc.
Wendy’s/Arby’s Group, Quick service restaurant company
Columbus, OH
wendys.com

Things worth remembering...
  • There’s value in minimum wage
  • It’s all about ATTITUDE
  • Be early
  • Do more than you’re asked
  • First, get a job and keep it
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Overflow...

Sometimes there’s just too much of a good thing! So here, I share a little more of my conversations with guests

Dave Thomas (1932-2002)

Dave was particularly passionate about adoption and founded the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. You see, he was adopted when he was six years old. Initially uncomfortable talking about it, he later realized that by discussing his adoption openly, he could have a positive impact; helping more children by bringing awareness to the issue and making adoption more affordable.

Dave Thomas died in January 2002 after a long battle with liver cancer.



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Deanna Turner - Droll Designs


Feature Length: 1:00
“Don’t appease me. I want the truth. …I guess I’d have to say, don’t be afraid. Don’t be afraid to voice your opinion.”
Name:
Title:
Company:
Business:
Location:
Deanna Turner
Owner
Droll Designs
Hand painted Dinnerware
50 Grove Street
Salem, MA 01970

Things worth remembering...
  • Enjoy your customers and listen to them
  • There is power in being a team player - even as a leader
  • Value employees and their ideas
  • Trust your instincts
  • Be truthful
  • Be open to discovering your talents
  • Think of new ways to create revenue
  • Protect your work
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