Absolute Advantage Podcast

Kathleen Trotter is a fitness expert, media personality, personal trainer, writer, life coach, certified Pilates and ELDOA instructor, and overall health enthusiast. Her passion is motivating others to find their fit. Kathleen does this through writing, regular TV and media appearances, working with clients (ranging from athletes of all ages to individuals living with Parkinson’s disease and osteoporosis), and speaking engagements. Kathleen holds an M.Sc. in Exercise Science from the University of Toronto and a nutrition diploma from the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition. She is a C.H.E.K. Level 3 trainer, a Level 2 Fascial Stretch Therapist, Level 1 ELDOA practitioner, and a certified Pilates Equipment Specialist. Kathleen started her work as a fitness writer at Chatelaine in 2010. Shortly after, she started blogging for the Huffington Post and filming and writing for the Globe and Mail. Kathleen has published articles in magazines, such as Canadian Running, Glow, Todays Parent, Healthy Directions, and Im

Drew Tarvin is the world’s first Humor Engineer teaching people how to get better results while having more fun. He has worked with thousands of people at 200+ organizations, including Microsoft, the FBI, and the International Association for Canine Professionals. He is a best-selling author, has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and TEDx, and has delivered programs in 50 states, 20+ countries, and 6 continents. He loves the color orange and is obsessed with chocolate. — The term ‘humor engineer’ might seem completely foreign, because Drew Tarvin coined it himself. His work focuses on becoming effective with humans, and he is driven by the discovery that similar skills are needed to be successful in both comedy and leadership. In this episode of The Absolute Advantage, Andrew Tarvin discusses a powerful shift in mentality that can generate positive momentum in the workplace and the direct benefits of integrating humor into your communication. You can use humor to get your team to pay attention

Tevis Trower is the founder and CEO of Balance Integration Corporation, focused on helping build corporate cultures that allow employees to thrive. Their remarkable client list includes companies like Google, Yahoo, Disney, Viacom, AOL, Soros, Bloomberg, Morgan Stanley and more. Tevis is considered a pioneer and leader in the field of cultural transformation at work, with significant expertise in imposter syndrome, trust, innovation, emotionally sustainable leadership, and fostering an environment of resilience. She has been featured in prominent media outlets such as Forbes, Business Week, Fortune CIO, The New York Post, Yoga Journal and many more. Early in Tevis’s business career, she recognized that there is a need for more human-focused leadership in today’s business world. Many companies say “people are their most valuable asset”, but not enough companies focus on creating powerful people-focused cultures that allow their employees to shine. Tevis believes that the key to being a stronger, more effective

Tommy Baker is a writer, speaker, author, coach, consultant, and the host of the Resist Average Academy. He is the CEO of Tommy Baker Fitness and an entrepreneur who believes in people’s endless potential and whose goal is to help them achieve their purpose and potential. After beginning his career in the financial services sector, Tommy had an awakening during the 2008 economic crash and realized that his life was on a path he didn’t want to follow. Tommy realized that he was “in it” for the wrong reasons, and so he made major life changes, took on a new mindset, and began a journey of self-discovery and growth that led him to his current work. This clarity and willingness to listen to his own internal voice were transformational for Tommy, pushing him to create the life he truly wanted for himself and achieve his personal and professional goals. Tommy believes that developing the right mindset is the key to making a change, especially for ambitious and driven high-performing leaders. In his work, Tommy teac

Juliana Stancampiano is the CEO of Oxygen, business leader, and strategist whose work involves helping business leaders and their teams modernize workplace education. With more than 15 years of experience, Juliana has helped leaders translate their company’s sales and business strategy into tangible achievements for people in sales, service and delivery, and retail channels. Juliana is the author of Radical Outcomes: How to Create Extraordinary Teams that Get Tangible Results. In her role as CEO, she and her teams partner with clients in large companies including Fortune 500 companies like Microsoft, Sony, Big Fish Games, Starbucks, Expedia, Western Digital, and many more. As a business development and strategy expert, Juliana believes in helping unburden themselves of distractions and challenges so that they can better focus, excel in their jobs, and create success for themselves and their organizations. Juliana believes that building and supporting great teams and giving them the resources and support they

Arthur Joseph is the founder and chairman of the Vocal Awareness Institute, and he is widely considered to be one of the world’s foremost communication strategists and authorities on the human voice. Arthur’s stated mission is to “Change the World Through Voice”. His trademarked, proprietary voice and leadership training program, Vocal Awareness,™ is a program to teach a mastery of communication skills to enhance a student’s leadership and personal presence. Arthur’s Vocal Awareness uses body language techniques, vocal warm-ups, and storytelling. Arthur’s clients are leaders in politics, business, entertainment and broadcasting, hospitality, athletes, motivational speakers, life coaches, actors, and singers including globally recognized talents such as Angelina Jolie, Sean Connery, Tony Robbins, Stephen Covey, Jerry Rice, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and more. Prior to founding the Vocal Awareness Institute, Arthur served as faculty at the University of Southern California School of Theatre, a visiting professor at th

Steve Gordon became CEO of an engineering consulting firm at age 28, and he grew the firm's revenue by ten times in just twelve years. He's invested the last twenty years in the study and application of selling high-ticket services. He is the editor of four business newsletters read by thousands of CEOs, professional practitioners, entrepreneurs and sales pros around the world. Steve consults with businesses in thirty different industries, all selling high-ticket products and services in high-trust selling environments. He is a bestselling author, the founder of The Unstoppable CEO, and the host of the podcast of the same name. When Steve began his role as CEO of his engineering consulting firm, he knew nothing about marketing or selling services. Steve quickly recognized the need to study sales and marketing as a way to attract new clients and keep his business thriving. Steve now shares the hard-won lessons he learned with other CEOs and growth-minded professionals through his consulting business. Steve rec

Krister Ungerböck is a keynote speaker, CEO coach, and global expert in the Language of Leadership. Krister served as CEO of one of the largest family-owned software companies in the world before he retired at age 42. As a global CEO, Krister did business in 40 countries around the world and led hundreds of employees across 8 countries. With truly remarkable employee engagement rates of 99.3%, Krister won five consecutive annual Top Workplace Awards. As a keynote presenter, Krister's highly sought and engaging wisdom addresses today's most pressing topics such as employee engagement, winning the war for talent, retaining high-potential employees, developing leaders, and business growth. He shares the hard-won skills he developed through his time as a CEO, with a particular focus on the importance of emotional intelligence. Krister’s upcoming book The Language of Leadership: Words to Transform How We Lead, Live and Love offers business leaders a way to learn a powerful new language of leadership that allows th

Johnny Wimbrey is an internationally-acclaimed talk show host, motivational speaker, and the bestselling author of From the Hood to Doing Good and co-author of several volumes of Multiple Streams of Inspiration and Conversations on Success. His mantra, "Say Increase!" is repeated all around the world by dedicated and enthusiastic audiences, and his remarkable rags-to-riches story has inspired people from countless countries around the world. Johnny's early life consisted of living in a battered women's shelter with his single mother. He was first exposed to illegal drugs at eight years old, and by the time he was fourteen, he was selling them. However, despite this incredibly difficult childhood, Johnny decided he was meant for a better life. He completely turned his life around and, starting from rock bottom, he was able to build an immensely successful life for himself and others. Today he is a celebrated and inspiring speaker and, along with his wife, founded Wimbrey Worldwide Ministries, a nonprofit organ

Regan Hillyer is a multimillionaire global changemaker, thought leader, entrepreneur, philanthropist, global speaker, and mindset coach. Regan is the founder of Regan Hillyer International, a company that offers clients personal development and business training. Regan has helped thousands of clients and has impacted millions using her unique mindset tools. She is also the author and co-author of several books, including The Abundance Codes: Fifty-Two Codes to Unlock Abundance in Every Area of Your Life. Regan strongly believes in the power of mindset changes as a catalyst for incredible personal, professional and financial growth. Regan’s specialty is in helping experts uncover their true message and launch powerful personal brands that both make an impact and leave a lasting legacy. After originally preparing to be an architect, Regan had a powerful “aha!” moment and realized that she was on the wrong path in her life. Her second “aha!” moment came when she realized that to become truly successful she would

Matt Sandrini is a high-performance and business coach, Amazon bestselling author, and an expert in time management and productivity. His coaching helps entrepreneurs find the results they are looking for through clarity, structure and accountability. He helps his clients reduce their stress, improve the productivity of their workday, and get more accomplished in less time. Matt is the founder of Time Zillionaire, a website and program designed to help entrepreneurs and business leaders cut through the endless minutia we tend to get trapped by, and instead learn to focus on those few activities that will actually benefit our quest for success and happiness. Quick weekly emails provide actionable tips and strategies and offer readers easy access to Matt’s wisdom. Matt is also the author of Invest Your Time: Work Less, Achieve More, Master Your Life, where he outlines many of the strategies he teaches to his clients. Matt learned early in his own entrepreneurial career to question the value of his time and the

Michelle Tillis-Lederman is a recognized speaker, trainer, leadership coach and consultant, and author. She was named by Forbes on their list of “25 Professional Networking Experts to Watch.” Through her company, Executive Essentials, Michelle works to help national and global businesses, organizations and individuals build stronger relationships. Michelle has been featured on NBC, CBS, the New York Times, Forbes, Working Mother Magazine and many other high profile publications and news outlets. Prior to her current work, Michelle served as an NYU professor, financial executive and CPA. Michelle’s newest book, The Connector’s Advantage: 7 Mindsets to Grow Your Influence and Impact, seeks to help readers learn to more effectively communicate, form and cultivate relationships, and ensure that their voices are heard, through smart strategies and sage advice from more than two dozen experts in the area of communication and relationship-building. Michelle Tillis-Lederman is truly an expert in the art and science o

Harry Maziar’s career as a business leader has been long, successful, and storied. Harry served as the President of Zep Manufacturing Company, a division of National Service Industries, for 27 years. Prior to his role as President, Harry served as the company’s first director of sales, where his leadership helped to create double-digit growth consistently for two and a half decades. In recent years, Harry has served on a number of business and community boards for both for-profit and charitable organizations. He is also the author of Story Selling: Sage Advice and Common Sense About Sales and Success, where he offers a collection of entertaining and informative stories as a mechanism to teach the key principles of sales in a memorable and engaging way. Harry’s passion is to inspire and empower others to pursue their life’s purpose and find true success. Harry Maziar’s wisdom, experience and talent for sales and leadership can be valuable tools for your own pursuit of being the most effective leader you can be

Petra Velzeboer is an international keynote speaker, psychotherapist, mental health consultant, executive coach, and podcast host who is dedicated to helping others through developing empathy in the workplace to create stronger connections with our teammates and improve the productivity of our organizations. Petra’s own remarkable story is one of triumph in spite of the odds being stacked against her. Having been raised in a cult, Petra experienced a level of abuse and control that led her to develop addiction problems and ultimately consider suicide as her only way out. However, Petra was able to overcome these incredible challenges, conquer her addiction issues, and attain an education that was denied to her as a child growing up within a religious cult. Petra shares her powerful and inspiring story in an effort to help lift others up and promote kindness and compassion. She believes greatly that empathy, authenticity and connection are the keys to making the world a better place and to allow us, both indiv

Dr. Daphne Scott is a leadership coach and corporate development expert with more than two decades of experience working with organizations. In addition to her own extensive coaching and leadership training and her degrees in Applied Positive Psychology and Physical Therapy, Daphne leans on her background in theater with the Second City Improvisational Conservatory Program to strengthen and diversify her coaching. Daphne is a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach, certified Hendricks Coach, a founding member of the Conscious Leadership Group, as well as a member of the International Coaching Federation. She has also studied with top-level executive coaches, consciousness experts and organizational psychologists. Daphne believes that one of our key roles as leaders is to equip and enable the people around us to succeed. This involves spending the time and effort necessary to help them identify their natural abilities, and it also involves putting them in positions that best leverage those abilities. It requir

Laura Gassner Otting is a professional keynote speaker, respected author, and successful entrepreneur. She helps innovators, idealists, and iconoclasts get “unstuck” by providing the extra push they need to achieve extraordinary results. Laura is the founder of Limitless Possibility and a founding board member of the Boston-based philanthropic group SheGives. Prior to her current work, she served as the founder and president of the Nonprofit Professionals Advisory Group for more than thirteen years. She also served as a Presidential Appointee in the Clinton White House, helping guide and shape AmeriCorps. Laura is the author of several successful books including Mission Driven and Transitioning to the Nonprofit Sector, and her latest book is called Limitless: How to Ignore Everybody, Carve Your Own Path, and Live Your Best Life. Laura is a strong believer in not letting others put you in a box and hold you back. She believes that we all have limitless potential within ourselves to set our own definition of su

Tristan White is the founder and CEO of The Physio Co., a unique healthcare business focused on delivering exceptional physical therapy for seniors that ranked number one on BRW’s list of Australia’s 50 Best Places to Work in 2014, and has consistently been placed on the list for ten consecutive years. He is also the author of the book Culture is Everything: The Story, Secrets & Systems of a Startup That Became Australia’s Best Place to Work. Tristan is a qualified physical therapist who began his career working in a nursing home. He had originally hoped to work in athletic physical therapy, but after his experience at the nursing home he recognized an immediate and urgent need for a service that could help senior citizens stay mobile, safe and happy. Tristan built his business from the ground up on a foundation of strong culture, and his own experiences have evolved into his “Culture is Everything” system that helps other business leaders develop a world-class culture in their organizations. The four pil

Terry A. Smith is the Lead Pastor of The Life Christian Church (TLCC) in West Orange, New Jersey. TLCC has grown from a small 54-member congregation to nearly 3,000 members over the course of 27 years. TLCC is widely recognized for the diversity of its membership as well as its powerful leadership culture. Terry is also the co-founder of the New York City Leadership Center and has served as a board member or leader for many organizations. He is also a respected national and international speaker and the bestselling author of “Live 10: Jumpstart the Best Version of Your Life” and “The Hospitable Leader”. Terry believes in the idea of hospitable leadership, defined as creating an environment of welcome that embraces diversity and inclusivity. In Terry’s opinion, hospitable leadership is the foundation of every other leadership style and structure. After all, if you don’t invite people in, you can’t hope to lead them. — There are many different styles of leadership, and there are countless leadership methodologi

Lila Stewart is the co-founder of Hari Mari, a high-end flip flop brand sold in stores like Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Zappos, and by hundreds of other retailers as well as through the company’s own website. These flip flops are made with high-quality materials and feature bold, bright colors and extreme comfort. They have been featured in Forbes Magazine, Vogue Paris and Business Insider among other global media outlets. Hari Mari believes in the Ripple Effect, donating 1% of their sales to the fight against pediatric cancer. Lila’s journey began in Jakarta, Indonesia, where she and her husband lived for three years. During her time there, Lila volunteered for human rights organization American Women’s Organization of Jakarta. Upon returning to the United States, Lila and her husband realized how stale and low-quality the flip flops available here were, so they set about revitalizing the market with their own high-quality brand. Lila’s philanthropic roots continue today with Hari Mari’s donations to pediatric

Steven Griffith is a respected author and speaker, researcher, performance expert, and a leading authority on the connection between time, productivity and performance. In his work, he recognizes that our use of time is a major indicator (and driver) of our success as business leaders. Steven is also the author of the new book The Time Cleanse: A Proven System to Eliminate Wasted Time, Realize Your Full Potential, and Reinvest In What Matters Most. In the book, Steven teaches valuable time management skills and helps readers reframe their relationship with time, maximizing the potential of the time they spend. For more than 20 years, Steven has worked with CEOs, entrepreneurs, athletes, business executives, celebrities and other high-profile clientele across the globe. Steven believes that we are wasting tremendous, reclaimable amounts of time without even realizing it. His own work with his clients has shown that the average person can reclaim ten, twenty, even up to forty hours a week from pointless activit