Adventures In Business

What if the same mental skills that help athletes perform under pressure could help you succeed in everyday life? In this episode of Adventures in Business, Amani Roberts and Mandi Graziano sit down with Morgan Brons, founder of Winning Edge Coaching, to talk about the mental side of performance. A former Division I athlete and Big 12 Champion, Morgan shares how her experience in competitive sports led her to become a mental performance coach, helping athletes of all ages strengthen their mindset. Morgan explains how negative self-talk affects performance, why learning from failure is essential to growth, and the practical tools she uses to help athletes build a stronger mindset. Whether you're competing in sports, leading a team, building a business, or simply trying to perform at your best, this conversation offers practical ways to build resilience, stay present, and train your mind for the moments that matter most. Episode Links 🔗 Check out Morgan Brons on LinkedIn 🔗 Winning Edge Coaching on Instagram 🔗 Learn more about Winning Edge Coaching 

What separates a good speaker from one that audiences remember long after the event ends? In this episode of Adventures in Business, Amani Roberts and Mandi Graziano sit down with Zach Nadler, co-founder and CEO of VaynerSpeakers, to talk about the business of professional speaking and what it takes to build a lasting career on stage.  Since co-founding VaynerSpeakers with Gary Vaynerchuk in 2018, Zach has helped reimagine the traditional speaker bureau by building every event around one simple belief: no two events are the same. Zach shares why trust matters more than transactions, what separates great speakers from everyone else, and why the best presentations continue making an impact long after the audience leaves the room. He also offers practical advice for aspiring speakers, discusses the power of storytelling, and explains why experience, preparation, and repetition are still the biggest advantages anyone can have. Episode Links Follow Zach Nadler on Instagram & LinkedIn Checkout VaynerSpeakers Book Time With Zach Nadler  

When was the last time you actually checked in on your goals? Halfway through the year is the perfect time to stop, reflect, and celebrate your wins. Mandi Graziano and Amani Roberts share what's already on their bingo cards, what they're still chasing, and why turning goals into a game makes it easier to stay motivated and accountable.

What separates an event people attend from one they remember for years? In this episode of Adventures in Business, Amani Roberts and Mandi Graziano sit down with EJ Corporan, who leads Growth and Communications at Ansera, to discuss why the best events are about more than logistics. With experience building event strategies across aviation, technology, and live events, EJ explains why networking shouldn't be left to chance, how music can shape the energy in a room, and why planners should think more about how attendees feel than simply what they see. It's a conversation about creating experiences people still talk about long after the event ends.  Episode Links 🔗 Check out EJ Corporan on LinkedIn 🔗 Learn more about Ansera 🔗 Check out Ansera on Instagram, Facebook & LinkedIn

What happens when the guest becomes the interviewer? In this Mini Episode of Adventures in Business, Amani Roberts and Mandi Graziano pull back the curtain on one of the show's most popular features: Flip the Script. They share how the segment was created, why it has become a favorite among guests, and how it brings more spontaneity and authenticity to every conversation.

What if the thing people need most right now isn't another app, another screen, or another social network? In this episode of Adventures in Business, Amani Roberts and Mandi Graziano sit down with Hildee Isaacs and Lisa Reich, co-founders of Gotta Sing Events, a live group sing-along experience that turns audiences into the entertainment, to talk about community, entrepreneurship, and creating experiences that bring people together.  Hildee and Lisa share how a friendship spanning nearly 30 years led to a business built around group sing-alongs, why they call it "the opposite of karaoke," and how they've discovered an unexpected way to create connection in an increasingly digital world. Episode Links: 🔗 Check Out Gotta Sing Events 🔗 Gotta Sing Events on Instagram, Tik Tok, Facebook 🔗 Email Hildee and Lisa any questions: [email protected]

In this mini episode of Adventures in Business, Amani asks Mandi Graziano for advice on a challenge many business owners are facing: finding new clients in an uncertain market. Mandi explains why price isn't always the real objection, how to help people see the value of investing in themselves, and why the right opportunities often come from being around the right people.

What happens when 1,700 meeting professionals gather in one place? In this mini episode of Adventures in Business, Amani recaps his experience at MPI (Meeting Professionals International) World Education Congress in San Antonio. From educational sessions and keynote speakers to networking opportunities and industry trends, Amani shares the biggest takeaways from the event. The conversation explores why human connection remains the most valuable part of conferences, even as AI continues to reshape the business world, and why building relationships is still one of the best investments professionals can make. Episode Links 🔗 Check Out MPI

What happens when a business shuts down, a neighbor reports your garage gym to the city, and you're forced to decide whether to start over or walk away? In this episode of Adventures in Business, Amani Roberts and Mandi Graziano sit down with Earned Fitness founders Vianney and Derrick Yamada. The husband-and-wife team share how they rebuilt their fitness business after the pandemic, opened a new gym in just nine days, and created a coaching model focused on accountability, community, and sustainable results. The conversation explores entrepreneurship, fitness habits, youth sports, parenting, and why health remains one of the most important investments anyone can make. 🔗 Want to Try A Free Class? Go HERE 🔗 Earned Fitness Online 🔗 Earned Fitness on Instagram: @earnedfitnesssd 🔗 Vianney Yamada on Instagram: @vianneyyamada 🔗 Vianney Yamada on LinkedIn 🔗 Derrick Yamada on LinkedIn  🔗 Rate, review, and subscribe to our channel on YouTube!    

What if we're actually living in the golden era of storytelling?  In this episode of Adventures in Business, Amani Roberts and Mandi Graziano sit down with JT Long, Vice President and Content Director at Smart Meetings, to talk about storytelling, journalism, hospitality, and why authentic human connection matters more than ever. JT shares how media has evolved over the last 30 years, why storytelling is more accessible than ever, and how Smart Meetings grew from a magazine into a thriving hospitality community built around relationships and shared experiences. 🔗 Find JT Long on LinkedIn 🔗 Connect with JT Long on Instagram: @jtlongandco 🔗 Smarter Meetings Online: https://www.smartmeetings.com/ 🔗 Rate, review, and subscribe to our channel on YouTube!

What if one of the biggest advantages in business today is simply sitting down and reading a physical book? In this episode of Adventures in Business, Amani Roberts and Mandi Graziano sit down with author, entrepreneur, and BookThinkers founder Nick Hutchison, whose podcast and author growth agency help connect mission-driven authors with readers around the world. Nick shares how discovering business books completely changed the direction of his life and why he believes resonance matters far more than reach in today's content landscape. The conversation explores book marketing, podcast tours, live author events, creativity, and why so many authors fail to think about promotion early enough in the writing process. 🔗 Connect with Nick Hutchison on LinkedIn: @BookThinkers  🔗 Check Out BookThinkers: BookThinkers 🔗 Learn More About Live Author Readings: LiveAuthorReadings.com 🔗 Follow Nick Hutchison on Instagram: @BookThinkers 🔗 BookThinkers on YouTube: @BookThinkers 🔗  BookThinkers Live Event: https://www.bookthinkers.com/book-thinkers-live-2026

In this episode of Adventures in Business, Amani and Mandi sit down with executive coach, business strategist, and Jump Consulting founder Laurie Luh to explore intuition, leadership, and personal growth in business. Laurie shares how trusting her instincts helped guide major career decisions, from helping scale Participant Media into an Academy Award-winning company to building a coaching practice supporting CEOs, founders, and leadership teams. The conversation explores performance management, feedback, journaling, anxiety versus intuition, and why many successful leaders learn to trust the quiet inner voice guiding them forward. Laurie also shares lessons from working inside fast-growing companies and explains why growth often comes from stepping into discomfort instead of avoiding it. 🔗 Connect with Laurie Luh on LinkedIn: @laurieluh  🔗 Check Out Laurie's Website: https://www.laurieluh.com/ 🔗 Subscribe to Laurie's Substack Newsletter:  https://thatssoulbusiness.substack.com/ 🔗 Follow Laurie on Instagram: @thatsoulbusiness  🔗 Contact Laurie: https://www.laurieluh.com/contact

What if AI is not about replacing you, but about unlocking what is already inside you? In this episode of Adventures in Business, Amani and Mandi sit down with Rob Cressy, entrepreneur, coach, and AI strategist helping leaders and creators use AI to grow with intention. Rob shares how he went from running a sports marketing agency to becoming an early adopter of ChatGPT, building an AI-driven business by focusing on mindset, creativity, and real-world application.  The conversation explores the biggest misconceptions around AI, why personalization is the key to standing out, and how to use tools like ChatGPT and Claude without losing your voice. Rob also breaks down the importance of being tool-agnostic, building a "second brain," and why the real advantage in an AI-driven world is becoming more human, not less. If you've been hesitant about AI or unsure how to actually use it, this episode will shift your perspective and give you a new way to think about what's possible. 🔗 Connect with Rob Cressy on LinkedIn, Instagram , Online or on YouTube 🔗 Get Rob Cressy's AI Resource: DM the word MANDI to Rob on LinkedIn or Instagram to get his top AI resource 🔗 Listen to The Undeniable Leader podcast with Rob Cressy 🔗 Rate, review, and subscribe to our channel on YouTube! 🔗 Click here to check out this week's show notes!

On this episode of Adventures in Business, Amani and Mandi sit down with Jess Ekstrom, founder of Headbands of Hope and Mic Drop Workshop, Forbes Top Rated speaker, and best-selling author of Making It Without Losing It. This is a refreshingly encouraging episode about success, ambition, and redefining "making it." Tune in to hear Jess's story of successfully founding two businesses, how entrepreneurs can break out of analysis paralysis and take action, and what will actually grow your speaking business.  🔗 Pre-order Making It Without Losing It and get your free Success Fingerprint 🔗 Learn more about Mic Drop Workshop 🔗 Rate, review, and subscribe to our channel on YouTube! 🔗 Click here to check out this week's show notes!

Back in Episode 235, Amani and Mandi shared how they were gamifying their goals with a 2026 Bingo Card. In this mini episode of Adventures in Business, they're giving an update on how their goals are going. Tune in for a fun check-in on their progress, plus encouragement to keep pushing on your own goals! 🔗 Episode 235: Gamify Your Goals with a 2026 Bingo Card 🔗 Rate, review, and subscribe to our channel on YouTube!  🔗 Click here to check out this week's show notes!

On this episode of Adventures in Business, Amani and Mandi chat with Justin Block, a 5th generation entrepreneur, investor, and CEO of Block Ventures, an investment firm that looks for entrepreneurs who want to build better instead of just bigger. Today, he shares a wealth of wisdom for entrepreneurs: the lessons learned from exiting, the one habit that's changed his life, and what's keeping most entrepreneurs stuck (plus, how to break through). If you're ready to build momentum and take action in your business, tune into this one. 🔗 Connect with Justin Block on Instagram and his website 🔗 Tune into Born to Be Great 🔗 Rate, review, and subscribe to our channel on YouTube! 🔗 Click here to check out this week's show notes!