Mantalks Podcast: Purpose | Legacy | Relationships | Self Mastery | Business

Michael Bungay Stanier was banned from his high school graduation for "the balloon incident", was sued by one of his Law School lecturers for defamation, and has held a number of jobs where he had little or no impact. Through his experiences, he founded Box of Crayons, a company that helps organizations do more great work. On today's show, he discusses his latest book with Roger, The Coaching Habit and how you can say less, ask more, and change the way you lead others.   Key Takeaways: [1:45] What was Michael's defining moment? [6:45] What is Michael up to these days? [8:20] Michael talks about his latest book, The Coaching Habit. [13:30] Slow down on giving advice, but stay curious for longer. [17:00] If Michael could pick one type of person to read his book, it would be the busy manager. [20:30] Did you know that boys are much more emotionally expressive than girls are in early childhood? [22:00] There are seven essential questions you need to ask yourself. Michael explains further. [25:40] Believ

Jason Connell is a speaker, former magician, and a writer on personal development. Jason discusses with Roger and Connor on today's show about successfully moving through life transitions and accepting the new challenges that come from taking action. Jason also talks on the subject of manhood and some of the key things our everyday modern man struggles with in a society littered with social media.   Key Takeaways: [1:35] What was Jason's defining moment as a man? [4:00] It's hard to follow/discover a path you were meant to follow. Many people wake up to a 9-5 job they hate. [5:40] Millennials are feeling much more disconnected with others. [7:40] Jason talks about his career as a magician. [9:25] You don't have to follow the same path for the rest of your life. [10:40] Men suffer from the 'lack of money' barrier. [12:15] Jason is slowly winding down on his 8-year company, Ignited Leadership. [15:20] We're prone to stick with what we know – even if it makes us unhappy. [17:20] Your own brain is ofte

Frank Warren is the founder of PostSecret.com, where he publishes some of the secrets strangers have mailed to him on postcards. Frank has received over 500,000 postcards since November 2004. Some of these postcards are funny, shocking, littered with confessions, sexual desires, and more. Frank discusses why such a novel idea has turned viral and why people need a confessional outlet on today's show.   Key Takeaways: [2:25] What was Frank's defining moment as a man? [4:15] How did PostSecret get started? [7:45] Frank has given his real home address for people to send postcards to. [8:10] What is the magic that happens when someone reveals a secret to Frank? [10:50] What men decide to reveal and conceal defines them every day. [11:45] Frank reads some anonymous secrets. [15:45] Despite so much technology that helps us to connect, there's still a lot of loneliness and isolation. [16:05] Are we posting too much on social media? [19:00] Frank used to work on a suicide prevention hotline. How does he de

Chris Guillebeau is the New York Times bestselling author of The $100 Startup, The Happiness of Pursuit, and other books. On today's show, Chris discuses how you can find your dream job and do work you were meant to do. You can learn more by listening to this podcast and by checking out Chris's book on the subject entitled, Born for This. At the end of the show, Roger mentions that if you're feeling alone in your journey, don't be! Chris has a huge community of people searching for their dream as well, so feel free to visit Chris's website to find out more.   Key Takeaways: [0:45] ManTalks has officially launched in Toronto and LA! [3:00] Please keep spreading the word about ManTalks. [5:10] What was Chris's defining moment as a man? [7:10] Why did Chris write The $100 Startup and Born for This? [8:45] Are you dissatisfied with the traditional path? Then Chris's book is for you. [9:55] How can you hack the job of your dreams? [10:25] If you're working for a company, you should think about yourself as

Sam Fankuchen is the founder of Golden, a company that makes it easy to volunteer as well as helps non-profits manage their volunteers. Golden now has an app you can download directly to your phone where you can work for a non-profit that is aligned with your mission and purpose. Sam says that 25% of Americans volunteer every year, but the impact could be much greater if there was an easier way to manage the gap between non-profits and volunteers. Find out more about Sam's story in today's episode.    Key Takeaways: [0:30] Connor and Roger welcome Sam on to the show, the founder of Golden. [0:35] What is Golden? An app that helps to make volunteering effortless. [2:10] Why is Golden so important? We all want to give back. [2:50] What was a defining moment for Sam? [5:10] Sam explains what Golden is. [6:25] Why would a non-profit need this? [6:45] Staffing is the most costly expense for a non-profit. [8:05] There's only a few core things that help drive our happiness. Volunteering is in that list. [

Greg McKeown is the author of Essentialism and the CEO of THIS Inc., a leadership and strategy design agency located in Silicon Valley. Greg tells the audience that if you want to break through to the next level and contribute more to your life, you must go big on fewer things. If you say yes to everything, you will simply stretch yourself too thin and exhaust yourself.    Key Takeaways: [2:55] Don't forget ManTalks is hosting another event! [4:25] What was Greg's defining moment? [7:00] Our failures lead to some of our biggest lessons. [8:10] The only time we really learn is when we have expectation failure. [9:05] True wealth is the ability to be present at any given moment. [9:20] Don't let a defining moment in your life pass you by. [10:00] Are you just too busy living to think about life? [10:30] Greg believes there's only two kinds of people in this world – the people who are lost and the people who know they're lost. [10:50] To be in the second category requires humility, self-awareness, and

Brad Lomenick is a strategic advisor and leadership consultant. He has written two books on the subject of leadership, The Catalyst Leader and, his latest book, H3 Leadership. Brad discusses the three big Hs that every leader needs in order to inspire and propel them to the next level. He also not only talks about why millennials are different but offers some compelling advice to anyone who is just beginning their career or journey.   Key Takeaways: [0:35] Thank you to our sponsor Vancity Buzz. [2:45] What was Brad's defining moment as a man? [6:30] So many aspects of Brad's story have been built on the shoulders of other people who have helped him. [6:40] What does Brad currently do? [8:00] Brad wants to impact the next generation. [9:10] Brad focuses on building strong leaders. [12:40] What is the secret sauce to creating a movement? [16:45] As soon as you're feeling big, you need to go back to the same thinking you had when you first started. [17:15] How do you influence a millennial? [18:55] M

Jonathan Becker founded Thrive Digital, a company dedicated in user acquisition, lead generation, and more. Jonathan is a serial entrepreneur and has a lot of advice to share for others who are looking to break out and thrive on their own. One piece of advice Jonathan gives to other aspiring entrepreneurs is to quit while you're ahead and use your newly learned skills to build something even better.   Key Takeaways: [2:50] What was Jonathan's defining moment? [4:45] What does Jonathan currently do? [6:45] Jonathan offers his best online marketing tip for someone who is trying to break into the marketing industry. [11:30] SEO is much more difficult today than it was a couple of years ago. [12:25] Don't invest massive amounts of money on an unproven idea just yet. [12:45] Good businesses are doing something exceptional. [13:45] Jonathan talks about the online porker company he tried to start. [16:25] Jonathan couldn't tell his parents about what he was doing. [19:10] Don't be afraid to quit while you

Lee Eisenberg was the editor-in-chief of Esquire magazine for two decades. In 1995, he joined Time Inc. as a consulting editor and helped launch a series of new initiatives such as Time.com, Time for Kids, and The Time 100. In 2006, he published The Number, which became a national bestseller. Today, Lee talks to Connor and Roger about his latest book, The Point Is, and why having a personal narrative is so important for our life journey.    Key Takeaways: [0:30] As of today, we're in Toronto, L.A, and Vancouver. [0:35] If you're in any of those cities, come out to our event. [2:55] What was a defining moment for Lee as a man? [4:25] How do we really build a life story for ourselves? [5:00] Why did Lee write The Point Is? [7:15] Why do we endure certain memories and re-write others? [8:50] Personal narrative requires a lot of self-reflection. [9:00] Were there any commonalities in how people saw themselves? [10:35] Lee has only kept a diary once in his life. [12:20] When you record events in real t

Tim Urban is the creator and blogger of Wait but Why, a website that is anti-click bait and extremely informative. Tim originally started his website on a bet because he knew deep down that other people, too, craved for meaningful and substantial content on the web. The idea worked! Not only does his content go viral, but he was able to get the attention of people like Elon Musk, and more.    Key Takeaways: [2:35] What was Tim's defining moment? [5:40] Those who have a fall back plan, fall back but that didn't apply to Tim. [6:10] Even though Tim had a fall back plan, he was still very desperate to achieve his creative dream. [6:20] You need to have a runway, a game plan that you're able to carry out in a certain amount of time, but it also has to be realistic. [6:55] Some people work best when they burn their other options, others do not. [7:15] Why did Tim create Wait but Why? [11:20] Tim had an advantage where he could work 60 hours a week focusing on nothing but blogging. [11:45] Connor never re

Shea Emry is a former Canadian football player who played eight seasons in the CFL. When Shea experienced a serious concussion back in 2011, he struggled with depression and was left feeling unsure about who he was outside of being a pro-athlete. He has since taken the journey to rediscover who he is as a person and is a huge advocate on redefining masculinity. His mission is to break down social stereotypes on the definition of hyper-masculinity and to help support and guide young male youth.   Key Takeaways: [0:55] ManTalks is moving to Toronto! [4:15] What was Shea's defining moment? [5:50] Shea had an incredibly bad concussion in 2011 and has battled back and forth between retirement, ever since. [6:50] It was hard for Shea to walk away from sports because he identified so strongly as an athlete. [7:30] What was it like to be a pro-athlete? [10:25] How did Shea get into pro sports? [12:15] Shea talks about his concussion and how he recovered from it. [19:10] How can parents, spouse, or friends h

Clint Emerson is a retired Navy SEAL and the author of 100 Deadly Skills. In his book, Clint shares how you can be an overall badass and detect threats from people who are armed. You will learn how to escape a locked trunk, evade a kidnapping, and so much more in Clint's book. Clint talks on what must-have items you should keep in your car at all times and how to detect someone trying to follow or stalk you, in today's show.   Key Takeaways: [2:55] Clint shares one of the more intense stories he has experienced while he was a navy SEAL.  [6:45] Why did Clint want to be a SEAL? [8:45] What kind of tests did Clint have to go through? [17:35] What is the 100 Deadly Skills book about? [20:35] You can put a razor in the sole of your shoes and use it to get out of some handcuffs. [21:55] Key things to look out for in a bad guy? [25:35] What are some of the key things for infiltration? [31:35] What should people carry in their vehicle? [33:15] How do you build your own compass? [39:20] What were some of

Oren Klaff has raised over $400 million of investor capital from high net-worth individuals and financial institutions. He is also the author of Pitch Anything, and he teaches others on how they can get the competitive edge in any negotiation scenario. Oren talks about how you can frame a negotiation to your advantage and how to get a buyer's interest in 150 words or less.   Key Takeaways: [2:20] What was Oren's defining moment as a man? [3:30] How did Oren discover that monogamy was what he wanted? [5:05] What does Oren do? [6:20] What's Oren's book, Pitch Anything, about? [7:40] The strength of your status and quality of your presentation = the amount of attention you get. [8:30] Nobody is going to listen to you for 3 hours. People are busy. [8:50] Pitch Anything is about how to raise your status so people will pay attention to you. [11:00] The human mind is built to protect you in social situations. [11:35] It's natural to act nice in high-risk situations to lower tensions, but it hurts you in n

UJ Ramdas is a passionate entrepreneur who incorporates practical psychology into easy-to-use products. He is the creator of The Five Minute Journal and The Productivity Planner. UJ explains why he and his team created The Five Minute Journal and The Productivity Planner and also shares why gratitude can make you a more successful person.   Key Takeaways: [2:00] What was UJ's defining moment? [3:45] What does UJ do? [6:30] Why did UJ want to study behavioral science? [9:30] You use business as a vehicle to help create a bigger impact in the world. [10:10] UJ explains the difference between the conscious mind and the unconscious mind. [13:55] Why would you want to use The Five Minute Journal? [15:55] Why does The Five Minute Journal work? [20:30] Why should you journal? Every journal has a purpose. [23:55] What is the Productivity Planner about? [29:45] What's UJ most excited about in the upcoming months?  [31:30] So many people want to be productive, but they don't know how to measure it. [32:05

Mark Brand opened his first restaurant in 2007 and went on to restore Save On Meats, a butcher shop founded in 1957. Save On Meats is not like any other butcher shop or lunch counter, because Mark has created a sustainable business model that serves the community. Mark states that by creating a business that stands for something, not only does that help the community as a whole, but he has seen fewer turnovers from his staff because they also believe in the bigger picture.   Key Takeaways: [1:45] Thank you Vancity Buzz for sponsoring us! [2:45] What was Mark's defining moment? [6:55] How did Mark get started in the hospitality industry? [9:20] Mark had an addiction problem, but he decided that wasn't going to be his story. [10:10] Mark opened his restaurant in a bad neighborhood and everybody told him it was a bad idea. [15:25] Mark talks about the reality show he was a part of. [18:10] Save on Meats isn't just a restaurant; it has a big social component too. [21:45] What's one piece of advice Mark

Lewis Howes is a lifestyle entrepreneur, business coach, author, and podcaster. He is also a contributing writer for Entrepreneur magazine and Yahoo.com, and has been featured in Forbes, Men's Health, and The New York Times. Lewis shares with us why he has such a passion for greatness and how being a pro athlete has made him not only a better entrepreneur, but a better person as well.   Key Takeaways: [1:30] ManTalks is hosting an event on April 9th, 2016. [2:25] What was Lewis's defining moment? [3:25] How did Lewis take his power back? [4:50] Ask your friends where your blind spots are. [6:40] The greatest leaders in the world learn how to connect in intimate and vulnerable ways. [8:25] Where did Lewis's passion for greatness come from? [13:05] Lewis talks about the 'seasons' in his life. [15:10] What lessons did Lewis learn when he was a pro athlete? [17:45] What does a champion's mindset look like? [19:30] Your results are your credentials. [19:50] Belief carries you to the championships. [2

Stephen Mansfield is a bestselling author and a leadership coach. Stephen has written a number of books including The Faith of George W. Bush, Killing Jesus, and Mansfield's Book Of Manly Men; which has inspired men's events worldwide. He is currently working on a new book to help accompany Mansfield's Book Of Manly Men titled Building Your Band of Brothers, and sheds some light on how men can build better relationships with other men.   Key Takeaways: [1:40] Thank you Vancity Buzz for being a sponsor! [2:15] What was a defining moment for Stephen. [5:10] What is manhood? [7:15] What kind of values should a man look for? [7:55] Take responsibility for your actions. [9:25] Men in the Western world are mostly walking alone. [12:20] How can men become more vulnerable amongst each other? [14:55] Stephen shares a story on how his band of brothers has helped him. [18:15] How can you build accountability and responsibility within a group? [23:15] What kind of guys should you surround yourself with? [26:

Chris Bailey has conducted countless productivity experiments on himself and has interviewed several successful CEOs and business professionals on the subject of productivity. He has condensed everything he has learned into a 300 page book titled The Productivity Project. Listen to this interview to find out what productivity is -really- about and how you can use it to your full potential.   Key Takeaways: [2:03] Thank you Vancity Buzz for sponsoring the podcast! [4:03] What was Chris's defining moment? [5:38] Who is Chris? [6:58] Why is Chris interested in productivity? [8:18] How did Chris find the courage to start The Productivity Project? [9:23] Follow your passion now. The time is now. [10:58] Measuring and defining productivity was difficult for Chris. [12:23] Productivity isn't about how much we produce; it's about how much we accomplish. [13:18] Productivity is a combination of balancing time, attention, and energy. [14:03] Has Chris met the most productive person in the world yet? [14:58

Dan Millman is a former world champion athlete and the author of several books including: Way of the Peaceful Warrior, The Life You Were Born to Live, and many more. Dan talks about his latest book, The Four Purposes of Life, and what it really means to 'live a life of purpose'.   Key Takeaways: [0:30] Thanks to our sponsor Vancity Buzz. [0:45] What's cool in Vancouver that people should check out? [2:15] What was a defining moment for Dan Millman. [5:55] Dan talks about his book, The Four Purposes of Life. [7:30] Dan briefly explains the four purposes in life. [8:40] How can we accomplish these four purposes? [9:10] Why does Dan write books? [10:00] It's impossible to fail at anything as long as we learn a lesson from it. [10:35] What is personal growth? Dan explains the 12 concepts. [13:15] 'What am I here to do?' [15:05] Our career's primary focus is to provide an income for us. [16:20] You don't have to love your work all the time. [17:10] How can you discover your calling? [20:15] Choosin

Zander is a writing coach and a ghost writer. He helps his clients bring out their best stories to better serve and help their audience. Zander speaks on how someone can discover their own story, refine it, and write it in a way that benefits others. Zander is also a father of two and talks about the kind of legacy he wants to leave behind.   Key Takeaways: [1:30] Please help us out by reviewing us on iTunes. [2:20] What does Zander do? [4:00] What is a ghost writer? [8:10] How can someone refine their own story? [15:35] Ask yourself: What were your defining moments last year? [17:30] What happened in your life that really shifted/changed you? [20:30] Take small steps. Start a journal. [24:25] The way you tell your story needs to help the reader. [29:00] How does Zander define success? [34:25] Don't visualize it, do it! [40:00] Zander recommends The War of Art by Steven Pressfield [47:30] What kind of challenges do men face today? [50:05] Zander loves being a dad, but it's also the hardest thin