Why Not Now? With Amy Jo Martin

Brad Slater, Senior Talent Partner at William Morris Endeavor, wears the badge of most untraditional agent in Hollywood with pride.He has represented some of the most prominent names in entertainment, professional sports, and business, including The Rock, Lebron James and Megan Markle. He continues to push the boundaries and reinvent his role in a traditional industry - again and again. In this episode, Brad unveils his tips for maintaining success in the world of sales, along with the advice that Lady Gaga gave him early in his career, which completely shifted his perspective. Brad shares how he effectively nurtures his mental well-being and manages a balanced work-life dynamic, even in the face of escalating stakes and unprecedented success. During the conversation, Brad reveals the personal strategies he has used to reinvent his relationship with time and regain control over his life. Brad and Amy Jo also discuss the power of deal flow and angel investing, the disparities in treatment between men and women

Alexis Jones lives at an intersection few entrepreneurs journey to - the crossroads of entertainment and activism. As a three time founder, executive producer, author, activist, and former Survivor contestant, Alexis’ journey to discovering alignment and joy has been anything but boring - or linear.   In the candid interview, Alexis recounts her bold journey of upending the status quo and navigating through the initial panic of reinvention. Discover the pivotal catalyst that guided her to prioritize intuitive guidance over rigid logic, driving her from a comfortable life in Texas to a bold new chapter in the breathtaking landscapes of Montana.   Amy Jo and Alexis dive deep into core themes from Alexis' latest book "Joy Hunter," including the significance of crafting your own exceptional life story and her belief that adventure breathes life into the soul. The duo explore how joy operates as the gatekeeper to resilience, inspiration, health, and innovation, providing insights poised to alter the course of your

Alli Webb is the Co-Founder of Drybar, a New York Times Bestselling Author, Canopy President, and the Co-Founder of Squeeze and Becket + Quill. Alli is the kind of person who skips the small talk and dives right into the deep end. There is nothing off limits for her. In this episode, recorded live at the 2022 Renegade Summit, Alli discusses how she turned her simple business idea into a brick and mortar reality, then a national sensation, during a recession and in a location where all previous businesses had failed. Her journey hasn’t been without struggle, and Alli shares the pain points of scalability, the entrepreneurial hustle, communicating the end of her marriage to her team and learning that it’s ok to ask for help. For more info and to join Renegade, head to https://www.renegade.global   Follow Renegade Global on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/renegade_global/   Get Amy Jo’s newsletter: https://www.renegade.global/newsletter   Follow Amy Jo:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amyjomartin/   T

Join us on this episode of Why Not Now? as we delve into Melanie Strong's extraordinary journey from a 17-year tenure as a top executive at Nike to co-founding Next Ventures, a venture capital firm, with Lance Armstrong. Melanie shared her pivotal Why Not Now moment that ignited her career reinvention, propelling her into the realm of angel investing and funding. Despite her initial lack of venture capital experience, Melanie's intuitive approach, coupled with her background as a teacher and journalist, paved the way for a revolutionary strategy that challenges traditional VC norms. Melanie and Amy Jo explore embracing fear as a compass, the art of self inspiration and the leadership philosophy that has driven Melanie's Success.   For more info and to join Renegade, head to renegade.global.   Follow Renegade Global on Instagram Get Amy Jo’s newsletter.   Follow Amy Jo:  Instagram Twitter Facebook Why Not Now? Instagram Buy Amy Jo’s Book

Welcome to a special episode of  Why Not Now? where we are lifting the veil on the investing spectrum.. Recorded live at 2023 SXSW, Amy Jo is joined by two remarkable Renegades: Noramay Cadena, Managing Partner at Supply Chain Capital, a venture capital firm investing at the intersection of food and technology, and Britt Hiller, Renegade Global’s COO, attorney, founder, and executive lead on multiple private equity and strategic transactions.. Together, the dynamic trio open source information on raising capital, investing in private deals, and the pivotal role women play on the investing spectrum. From early stage angel investing to private equity transactions, we’re opening the playbook and lifting the veil on the investment process   For more info and to join Renegade, head to renegade.global.   Follow Renegade Global on Instagram Get Amy Jo’s newsletter.   Follow Amy Jo:  Instagram Twitter Facebook Why Not Now? Instagram Buy Amy Jo’s Book

Constance Schwartz-Morini is the co-founder and CEO of SMAC Entertainment, a talent management firm, business incubator, and Emmy-nominated production company she has created in partnership with Michael Strahan. Constance has developed the modern playbook for how athletes and entertainers navigate their multifaceted careers while developing businesses and strategic partnerships that expand reputation and onboard audiences.In this week's episode, Constance reveals her strategic negotiation tactics, ensuring clients like Snoop, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews and Nikki and Brie Bella, walk away from the negotiation table with a deep sense of satisfaction and a strong foundation of trust in their partnerships. Amy Jo and Constance also discuss the power of nurturing both the mind and body and how that serves as a key driver in their success and overall fulfillment. Constance dives into the correlation between prioritizing health and wellness with achieving enhanced business outcomes, and offers valuable advice that sh

Jesse Draper is one of the 50 most connected women in America, and a true trailblazer.    Jesse is not only a highly successful venture capitalist, but is also a dedicated mother of three. As the founder of Halogen Ventures, a female focused venture fund, she has built an impressive portfolio of over 70 companies, focusing on accelerating access to capital and deal flow while championing the empowerment of female investors and female entrepreneurs.   In this week’s episode, Jesse shares her inspiring journey, exploring the challenges she faced while entering the venture capital space and running a successful operation. She also addresses the need for more women managing capital and offers advice on fostering a more equitable and diverse landscape.   You’ll also hear Jesse’s take on the unique struggles faced by working mothers, the constant juggle between professional demands and family life, and her passion towards transforming the realm of child care.   Join Jesse and Amy Jo as they unpack the state of the

Jason Mraz is a Grammy Award winning singer-songwriter. But what you may not know is that he's also a passionate farmer, philanthropist, and entrepreneur. In this episode, Jason talks to Amy Jo about music's power to harmonize humanity in a time where many of us feel divided. Jason and Amy Jo also discuss his Why Not Now? moment that took him from Farmville, Virginia to sunny California. After visiting the west coast for the first time, he knew he had to go back. So unsure of the road ahead, Jason dropped out of college, packed his car, and set off on a new adventure in California. This move was life-changing for Jason and crucial for his musical career dreams to come true. Jason shares how he’s developed his craft of storytelling, not only in music, but in all facets of his life and work. He talks about how he began Mraz Family Farm, growing avocado, coffee, and fresh fruit. Jason tells Amy Jo that sharing his farm's story has helped make connections locally and globally. He discusses the importance of takin

Kerry Michaels is the Co-Founder & CEO of William Murray Golf. Yes…as in the actor, Bill Murray.   Kerry oversees millions of dollars in annual revenue. Hers is a true story of asking for forgiveness instead of permission. This conversation is all about taking control of your own career, taking action and getting sh*t done. Kerry, and her Why Not Now? moment which you’ll hear, are hard proof of this.   In this episode, Kerry shares the story of how she got into business with Bill and his brothers. As you can imagine it has been quite a ride, and the origin story itself is definitely unique.   You’ll learn Kerry’s entrepreneurial lessons and challenges, especially as it relates to her role within William Murray Golf as CEO and how that has changed over time as the business has grown. She shares how she prioritized input from the entire family so the brand felt authentic from the outset, the importance of having a support system, planning for the downside of business and how delegating has been one of her b

This episode is the final in our “Best Of 2022” series.   Regan Walsh, Chief Renegade Officer at Renegade Global, is an incredible people leader who has coached some of the top executives at Nike, Wall Street and everything in-between.   She navigates her own life with constant curiosity and guides others around healthy boundaries by shifting the way people lead.   In this episode, Amy Jo and Regan discuss their point of view on perfection and provide tactical steps you can take to optimize your day, as well as your relationship with perfection before paralysis kicks in. They break apart the “disease to please” and differentiate between a preference versus a requirement.   Regan also explains how you can operate with a full tank of gas by taking out your head trash, shedding your shoulds and being brave before good, instead of faking it until you make it.   You’ll learn the key ways Amy Jo and Regan integrate these tactics into Renegade programming. They provide personal examples of how they have reclaimed ti

This episode was another of our most popular, and most listened to, episodes in 2022.   Phyllis Newhouse has quite the resume. She is the first African American woman to lead a Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC), the first woman ever to win the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of the Year award in the technology category, she’s on the board of the Women’s Presidents Organization and is a pioneer in business.   She is a retired senior military officer, a CEO, an investor and serial entrepreneur. Phyllis also happens to be a “frientor” to Amy Jo (a friend and mentor).   Phyllis is changing the game and rewriting the business play book, especially for women. One way she does this is with “ROCs,” which stands for Resources, Opportunities and Connections. Phyllis generously gives these out all day every day. Amy Jo has personally been a beneficiary, as Phyllis has opened many doors for her.   In this wide-ranging conversation, Amy Jo and Phyllis talk about business, their relationship with money, how Phyllis

This episode was our most popular, and most listened to, show in 2022! Vanessa Van Edwards is the Lead Behavioral Investigator at Science of People - a company she founded over 15 years ago. She is an internationally acclaimed speaker and author of two books, Captivate and Cues.    Vanessa guides people on mastering the secret language of charismatic communication, and in this episode, Vanessa dives into the specifics of charisma. We ask the question “Are you born with it or can you learn?” and Vanessa’s answer may surprise you.    Vanessa grew up with social anxiety issues, leaving her feeling very awkward. She is an ambivert, which means she is somewhere in-between the introvert and extrovert spectrum. She details the Why Not Now? moment that set her on the path to being a Behavioral Investigator and how she has discovered that “Awkward” characteristics show up differently for different people, whether you are highly intelligent, the alpha in the room or constantly try to please everyone.    Vanessa lists h

Kristen Bell and Monica Padman joined Amy Jo on the Why Not Now? show for our 250th Episode. Don’t miss this incredibly honest conversation about gender equality, mentorship, confidence, and asking for support.   Kristen Bell and Monica Padman share some insight into their podcast, We Are Supported By... They interviewed inspirational women like Oprah Winfrey, Gloria Steinem, and Malala Yousafzai about how they have put cracks in the glass ceiling.   The women share their Why Not Now? moments. Monica’s involves getting out of a situation that was too comfortable in order to see growth in her career, and Kristen’s involves finding more independence during the pandemic.   The three women also talk about including men and accepting imperfect allies in the fight for gender equality. Kristen and Monica also say how important it is to continually lift other women up, citing each other as mentors. Kristen says one of her main goals is to help women see what have traditionally been viewed as weaknesses as their stren

Marcus Buckingham is the author of two of the best selling business books of all time. He studies psychometrics for a living and brings research into everything he does. Both his insight, and storytelling, are unrivaled.   In the episode, Marcus exposes the key to life as he sees it. He dives into the fact that as humans, when we are in love, we are smarter. On the flip side, he also explains how there are consequences when love is repressed. The bio-chemical make up of our brain is unimaginable.   Marcus explains how who you are, and how you contribute in the world, is massively connected to what you love. Therefore, we must find the love in what we do. We cannot sustain without love.   You’ll learn how to identify what it is about your days that you love, and the 4 questions he believes you should ask every week so that you are clear on the things you love. Marcus also shares his book writing tips as well speaks to what he thinks leadership is.   Additionally, Marcus showcases the similar benefits of love i

Mike Evans, the founder of Grubhub, author of “Hangry” and founder of Fixer, is one of the most grounded and passionate workers around. He knows how to start from nothing and build success. Mike took Grubhub public. The company had a multibillion dollar IPO. Even though that might sound “successful” to everyone else, Mike defines success for himself. He says success is all about alignment. In this week’s episode, Mike challenges the question of “why stay?” and flips it to “why leave?”. He discusses how inertia is a terrible reason to stay in any situation. Mike and Amy Jo cover many topics ranging from Mike’s emotional leadership style to transitioning from Founder to CEO, to making decisions based off data and the idea of a perfect work life balance being a complete lie. In particular, Mike and Amy Jo discuss Mike’s evolution as an entrepreneur. You’ll learn his key takeaways from starting Grubhub and how that experience changed his business model for Fixer. Mike shares many of his tangible business tactics,

Alli Webb is the Co-Founder of the wildly successful Drybar, a New York Times Bestselling Author and Canopy President. She is also a Co-Founder of Squeeze and Becket + Quill.   Alli is the kind of person who skips the small talk and dives right into the deep end. There is nothing off limits for her.   In this episode, recorded live at the 2022 Renegade Summit, Alli discusses how she turned her simple business idea into a brick and mortar reality, then a national sensation, during a recession and in a location where all previous businesses had failed.   Her journey hasn’t been without struggle, and Alli shares the pain points of scalability, the entrepreneurial hustle, communicating the end of her marriage to her team and learning that it’s ok to ask for help.   Alli shares how she fumbled a lot during the rapid growth of her business and the many lessons she’s applied through that experience.   You’ll also learn Alli’s approach to being a role model for her kids, the importance of instilling a strong work eth

Brad Slater is one of the top talent agents in the world and a Senior Talent Partner at William Morris Endeavor. He represents some of the biggest names in Hollywood, Professional Sports and Business. Amy Jo and Brad have been friends for over a decade and she has learned so much from him, both personally and professionally, during that time.   This conversation was recorded live at the 2022 Renegade Summit.   Brad starts by discussing his Why Not Now? moment - in which he took the most untraditional route to becoming an agent. Additionally, you’ll hear some of of Brad’s tips and tricks to remain successful when it comes to selling. Spoiler alert…Brad truly believes in what he is doing.   Even as Brad has risen to the top, and the stakes have gotten higher, he has managed to keep a grip on his mental health and work life balance. You’ll learn his secrets and what he has found to be most helpful.   Brad and Amy Jo also touch on the power of deal flow and angel investing, the difference in treatment between men

Renegade graduate Syrita Steib is running for US Senate in the state of Louisiana. If elected, she will be the first black women to ever hold that position. Her story is remarkable. She grew up in a small rural town surrounded by sugar cane, spent 10 years in prison and has successfully created, and passed, legislation that is changing the narrative for many people. In this discussion with Amy Jo, Syrita talks about her trauma that led her to prison and the moments since that have motivated her down the current path she is on. She details the lack of access to bare necessities she faced after incarceration. Syrita has taken Renegade Rule #3 (turn adversity into an asset) to a whole new level as she has leveraged adversity over and over again. Syrita has always been a fighter and her mindset is that the only way is forward. Syrita’s resilience and fierce commitment to doing what she sets out to do is apparent. She has started the non profit, Operation Restoration, passed Louisiana Act 276 which banned a bo

Nadya Okamoto is the Founder & CEO of August, a company that makes sustainable tampons and pads. She is also an influencer with 3 million TikTok followers. Entrepreneurship is in her bones. She started her first non profit, at the age of 16, to find a solution to a problem that she faced growing up. She is now 24 and has started multiple companies. The non-profit is still growing. Nadya has grown from a place of understanding and processing who she is. She is incredibly self aware, unapologetic, humble, has a smart approach and a very strong worth ethic. Despite her accomplishments, her level of “experience” is often questioned. In this episode, Nadya walks you through her childhood and many personal moments that have shaped her career. She discusses her struggle with mental health, self hatred and a dangerous work ethic as well as the positives of social media and how her insecurities keep her humble. Nadya does not expect perfection. Nadya also reveals her unique selling point and how she had to over

Renegade Grad, Chanel Dokun, helps women step into a calling greater than their career. She is a master at guiding others to find their life purpose and build a plan around it. Her new, and first, book “Life Starts Now: How to Create the Life You’ve Been Waiting For”, was released this week.   Chanel used to work in magazine publishing. She thought it was her dream job, but found herself with the growing feeling that it was not enough. None of her strategies were working. As a result, she left to pursue her own life purpose of being a safe space for others to grow and thrive.   In this wide ranging discussion, Amy Jo and Chanel talk about the path to pivot and how to take those steps in building a plan around your life purpose. Chanel also dives into the process of writing her book, including a touching story about her powerful Mom, and talks about her experience sharing the stage with the one and only Oprah.   Chanel has a radical commitment to honesty. Her beautifully written book is full of truth, humor, d