All Episodes - Thought Talk
Best-selling author, and branding and marketing strategist Karen Tiber Leland, has engaging conversations with today’s thought leaders from the worlds of business, art, technology, science and entertainment.
View Podcast Details40 Episodes
Four Foolproof Ways to Stay Crazy Ahead of your Competition
As I head into my 79th episode of the Thought Talk podcast, I’ve decided to take a break, step back, and do a bit of reworking. The Thought Talk podcast will be back by the end of March and better than ever. So for this episode I wanted to share with you four tips I learned decades ago that can help you ensure that your brand stays crazy ahead of your competition. In all honesty, they are so simple, it’s easy to toss them off. But don’t - they can truly transform your career...
The Art of a Better Photograph with the iPhone Diva
Today’s guest, also known as the iPhone Diva, joins the show from beautiful Hawaii to give us some insight on how we can play with our phones to learn photography and practice creativity. Lynette Sheppard has taught iPhoneography throughout Europe, Canada, and the United-States. I took a class with her and was impressed with her ability to teach and her out-of-the-box imagination. When you take a photograph, is the app doing all the work? Does it still count as art? Our discussion covers what makes art and h...
COVID-19 has Changed Real Estate, but not Completely
Today’s guest is Theresa Souers, managing broker at Corcoran Global Living, and has been in the real estate business for the past 25 years. We discuss the impact of COVID-19 on the broader real estate market and the implications for buyers, sellers, and investors alike. From the déjà vus of the dotcom boom to the advantages of working with your partner and family, we cover a lot of ground. Make sure to take notes as Theresa shares her impressions on this seller’s market, the trends that are here to stay, as well as the thi...
Overcoming Multitasking Madness For a More Efficient Work Flow
Karen’s latest book, No Nonsense: Time Management: 50 Tips to Hack Your Time and Get Everything Done is now available for order, and today she tackles one of the topics addressed in the book, a problem all of us face: multitasking madness. Studies have found that when people switch back and forth between tasks, they experience substantial losses in efficiency and accuracy — in some cases as much as 50%. Overcoming multitasking is a critical part of learning to work from home efficiently in today’s non-stop technological work environment. Tips Turn...
Less Excuses, More Adjustments is the Key to Fine Tuning Your Business
On my most recent Peloton bike ride, the gentleman leading the ride said something that I found applies to so many aspects of our professional lives: “Less excuses, more adjustments.” In today's short episode, I will share five ways for you to fine-tune your business by doing just that. Oftentimes, when we work on our time management, CEO brand, marketing plan, or business development plan, if for whatever reason, things don’t go as we’d hoped, we tend to give up. The message for today is that it’s about making small...
Is an Exercise in Team Branding Right For You? With Karen Tiber Leland
The year 2021 and the new vaccine might just bring the end of COVID-19, but the trend towards a decentralized workforce seems likely to be an integral part of the new normal. With that in mind, in this episode, I want to talk about going beyond team building, to team branding, which I think is a really important topic. Team branding is really about defining a team’s brand and then translating that brand into a strategy, a code of conduct, and a series of actions. If you do it right, it can really have a pow...
Applying The 80/20 Rule For 2021 With Karen Tiber Leland
Today I am talking about a great principle you should be applying to your business for the coming year. I’ve been using the 80/20 rule for years and regularly suggest it to my clients, and although most of you may already know of the 80/20 rule, very few know where it comes from and how broadly it applies. In 1897, an Italian economist, Vilfredo Pareto identified that 80% of the wealth was owned by 20% of the population. This may seem too broad, but listen in for a breakdown and actionable tips on how this rule applies to different asp...
Finding Calmness To Reach Optimal Performance with Barbra Schulte
I recently renewed my 20-year passion for horseback riding and I met today’s incredible guest — Barbra Schulte — at the ranch where I am training. Barbra is a Professional Cutting Horse Trainer, Personal Performance Coach, Author, Clinician, and Equine Consultant. She is a Cowgirl Hall of Fame inductee, a high-performance woman and athlete, and this January, Barbra will be awarded the prestigious Women of the West Award given by Western Horseman Magazine. Barbra joins me on the podcast to discuss how she became interested in optimal human performance, and to share some of...
Keeping Your Video Audience Engaged With Karen Tiber Leland
A lot of us are still spending quite a bit of time on Zoom and in my work, I’ve found that a few things can make a big difference when it comes to keeping people attentive and interactive during virtual activities. Today I’ll share four really quick tips and one tool so that you can start engaging your audience more interactively right now. While we all know that content is the key piece, tune in for a quick rundown of why you need to keep all channels open, how to keep people engaged, why y...
Skills to Yield Outsized Returns For Your Career with Mark Herschberg
Today on Thought Talk, I welcome Mark Herschberg, author of The Career Toolkit: Essential Skills for Success That No One Taught You. 20 years ago at MIT, Mark saw employers asking for skills they were not finding, and not just at MIT but across the U.S. and Internationally. He has spent his career identifying, studying, and palliating the skill gap for what he calls firm skills. Networking, negotiating, communicating, leading, career planning… We tend to think of a lot of these as situational skills, but they are life skills and none of them are formally tau...
The Secret To Making Your Videos More Watchable
Video content has exploded in recent years and shows no signs of slowing down as a major marketing medium. But making watchable, engaging videos that are on-brand requires training and practice. I’m pleased to be joined today by Michael Dutcher, CEO and co-founder of bspoketv — a streaming TV channel that creates 30-minute episodes from proven YouTube influencer content. With Michael’s help, we’ll explore watchability. What it is, why it’s important, and how to increase it on your own videos. We’ll also discuss why you need outside eyes to give you...
How To Take Your Virtual Presentations From Good To Great with Dewitt Jones
On today’s Thought Talk, I speak with my good friend Dewitt Jones about the power of virtual presentations. Jones is an international Keynote speaker, former National Geographic photographer, and the founder of Celebrate What’s Right With the World. Dewitt went from speaking at dozens of in-person events with thousands of attendees pre-COVID to pivoting to virtual keynotes. He is currently gearing up for his first 130,000 person talk. We will discuss the keys to a great virtual presentation, what type of backgrounds work (and don’t), how to address the camera in a...
Cultivating Mental Toughness With Dr. Ellen Reed
Dr. Ellen Reed is the co-author of Relentless Solution Focus; she’s worked side-by-side with Dr. Jason Selk for 15 years and has extensive experience in mental training for consistency, accountability, and execution in business, athletics, academics, and the performing arts. She joins the show today for an in-depth discussion on achievement and how to stay consistent. We touch on how heart rate affects performance and how our brains are wired for seeing problems (problem-centric thought), and share tips on how to cultivate mental toughness, which is abnormal. Tips ...
The Importance of Critical Thinking With Helen Lee Bouygues
On this episode of Thought Talk I am joined by Helen Lee Bouygues the Founder of the Reboot Foundation an organization that funds and publishes research on improving critical thinking. Helen is joining us from Paris where she lives for a conversation on the importance of critical thinking in a world where search algorithms and social media are designed to feed us more of the same of what we already believe to be true. Tune in for a fascinating discussion on why critical thinking has become one of the top three trai...
Converting Followers into Customers With Karen Tiber Leland
Are you not getting the customers you want from social media despite a big following? I hear this all the time: people who have large social media followings but who feel it’s not translating into business… Here is the first thing I have to say about this situation: Social media is just one out of a necessary six to eight touchpoints to convert a potential customer, so doing social alone is not enough. To increase the chances of you converting someone who likes your social media into a paying customer or client, I’m go...
Preventing Self Interruption With Karen Tiber Leland
Today, I want to talk about something called self-interruption. A few of the most common ways we see it happen is when we’re working on a project and we suddenly remember an item to add to our to-do list, when an idea pops into our head and on our way to write it down we fall into the social media or Internet link-jumping rabbit hole. When you work in an office, other people can also interrupt you and this still may be a problem when you work from home as kids, friends, partners, and eve...
Preventing Zoom Fatigue With Karen Tiber Leland
I lead a webinar called How to Look Better, Feel More Comfortable and Be More Productive When Video Conferencing and something that’s brought up by a lot of executives, salespeople, and entrepreneurs I’m talking to is Zoom fatigue. Today I want to talk about why and how Zoom fatigue happens as well as five easy ways to nip it in the bud. 5 Tips to avoid video call fatigue Stop staring at yourself — You look fine, you sound fine, use the app’s functionality to only see o...
Why CEO Branding is a Necessity With Karen Tiber Leland
I often get called by CEOs who are interested in the added value of having a brand that is separate from but connected to their businesses. Today, I’ll be going over the three biggest mistakes I see when it comes to CEO branding as well as the three thought categories CEOs tend to fall into when it comes to their personal brands. About Karen Tiber Leland Karen Tiber Leland is the founder of Sterling Marketing Group, a branding, marketing, and color strategy and implementation firm helping CEOs, executives, and entrepreneurs deve...
Reputation Is About Your Say/Do Factor With Eddie Hull
My guest today is Eddie Hull, the Associate Strategy Director of FutureBrand and he is here to help us understand the biggest takeaways from this year’s FutureBrand Index for entrepreneurs and small businesses. To gain insight on how strong brand reputations are perceived and managed, listen for the six dimensions that are used for the study, as well as how the pandemic has changed how brands are seen. Tips For A Brand With Staying Power Thought leadership — Move your thought leadership outside closed doors; companies highly...
The Seven Myths of Personal Branding With Karen Tiber Leland
With COVID-19, more and more eyeballs are on us online, and our business and personal brands need to be sharp and effective. In today’s solo episode I will be busting the seven most common myths surrounding personal brands. About Karen Tiber Leland Karen Tiber Leland is the founder of Sterling Marketing Group, a branding, marketing, and color strategy and implementation firm helping CEOs, executives, and entrepreneurs develop stronger personal, business, and team brands. Her clients include Cisco, American Express, Marriott Hotels, Apple Computer, LinkedIn, and Twitter. She is...
Consistent Video Content to Grow Your Business With Nina Froriep
Video marketing has the capacity to create a connection and tell a multifaceted story that words or audio don’t always match, however, creating content consistently has to be the one biggest takeaway from this episode. I’m joined today by Nina Froriep from Clockwise productions to discuss what it takes to drive a successful video marketing campaign for a small business, why you need to be on video, what the biggest mistakes to avoid as well as some interesting tips on building self-compassion. Tips For Successful Video Marketing Onlin...
Navigating the Gig Economy With Moves’ CEO, Matthew Spoke
Most people who choose independent work in the gig economy do so because they are pursuing career fulfillment, independence, and flexibility. But the trade-off is that you need to fend for yourself: withholding and remitting taxes, putting money aside for health insurance, retirement or paid sick leave, etc. This can be overwhelming, but today I welcome Matthew Spoke, CEO of Moves Financial, to the show. Moves is a startup dedicated to helping independent workers achieve their financial goals. We discuss what the gig economy is exactly, how it was expected to gr...
Reinventing In-Person Events for a Sustainable Future With Plamen Russev
My guest today is Plamen Russev, Founder of Webit, author of Power to the People — the New Marketing and the man who successfully rebranded a whole city — not a small feat in any capacity. I’ve had the privilege to be both a panelist and a moderator at Webit’s events and I am always quite impressed by the quality and level of the people that agree to participate. I’m very excited to finally have a chance to talk to Dr. Russev about how he came to be so well connected, w...
Tweeting Your Way To The Top With Karen Tiber Leland
Today Karen talks about tweeting your way to the top — how you can use Twitter to build your business, your book, or your brand online. When you consider that 44% of Twitter users are between 18 and 34, that 69% are moms, and that 72% who follow a brand are likely to buy, it’s an opportunity you might not want to pass over. But like all social media, effectiveness boils down to a few factors that Karen breaks down in a comprehensive way for this short, informative episode. Tips for Tweets Relationships — Connect...
The Importance of Philanthropy During COVID-19 With Miracle Foundation’s Caroline Boudreaux
Today I have the pleasure of speaking with Caroline Boudreaux, a social entrepreneur and the Founder of the Miracle Foundation. The Foundation is committed to a family for every child in our lifetime. Caroline and I take some time to talk about philanthropy and charity in trying times, the three Ts of philanthropy as well as the challenges nonprofits face compared to for profit businesses. Tips In 1989, the U.N. ratified the Rights of the Child — 12 measurable things kids need to reach their full potential and the li...
Holistic Financial Planning — Finding Your Financial Quarterback With Joanna Burish
Joanna Burish joins the show today to share her expertise as a licensed holistic financial planner with Northwestern Mutual. Her family office focuses on three ways for her clients to have more power and control over their finances. We discuss the importance of listening to your financial advisor, the difference between good debt and bad debt, the three things you absolutely need to have a handle on during this COVID pandemic, and how having a financial quarterback can really help keep you on track. Tips Holistic VS...
Surprising Solutions to Magical Thinking Messing up Our Productivity
Surprising Solutions to The Magical Thinking Messing up Our Productivity Today’s episode is a little different. Instead of interviewing a guest, I’m going to share about something I’ve recently encountered with clients and that I’m dealing with myself. After a call with a CEO client, I realized that many overachievers suffer from the same productivity issue: magical thinking. Like many of us, my high-performing CEO client expected herself to be at her maximum amount of productivity all the time, no matter the circumstances. ...
How TikTok Can Help Build Your Brand — Leveraging User Participation With Evan Horowitz
Evan Horowitz is CEO and Co-Founder of the creative studio Movers+Shakers in Brooklyn New York and I am happy to have him on the podcast to help wrap my head around TikTok, a platform that is about more than just dog videos. Tune in for an engaging chat about what brands the platform is best suited for, what not to do on TikTok, and how to best leverage user participation. Tips TikTok is primarily a top-of-funnel campaign platform and is best suited for consumer products — multi...
Robots are Not Coming to Take Your Jobs — The Future of Work With Jeff Wald
Jeff Wald is the co-Founder and President of WorkMarket, an ADP company, as well as the author of the book The End of Jobs: The Rise of on Demand Workers and Agile Corporations. He comes on the show today to discuss the way COVID-19 has precipitated some of the changes forecasted for the future of work, as well as what you as a business owner or leader need to do to prepare for the future of the American workforce. We touch on subjects ranging from the absence of retraining and its li...
Accessing Your Genius Lounge — How 20 Minutes of Transcendental Meditation Can Change Lives With Bob Roth
Today I welcome Bob Roth to the podcast. He has been teaching transcendental meditation for the past 45 years, and currently serves as the CEO of the David Lynch Foundation. Bob is also the author of the 2018 New York Times Bestseller Strength in Stillness. I used to be so-so about meditation and had actually tried several different types – but none of them seemed to stick. When I found TM I loved how easy it was and how calm I felt when done mediatating. Tune in for a science-packed episode on why and how TM...
Pitch, packaging, preparation, and perseverance — Getting Into O Magazine With Susan Harrow
I am happy to welcome my friend and colleague Susan Harrow on the show; she is a top media coach and author of the best-selling book Selling yourself Without Selling Your Soul. Susan has written the guide to getting into O, The Oprah Magazine. Tune in for a quick-paced episode where you will learn what it takes to get your product, book or article into O Magazine. Tips On Getting Into O Magazine Oprah is not a magic pill — Everything has to be in alignment for your offer to work...
Leading in Extreme Conditions — Respect Trumps Harmony With Rachael Robertson
My guest, Rachael Robertson, led a team of 18 people through a 12-month research expedition in Antarctica. She was chosen to lead this expedition after a boot camp interview process measured her ability to lead with empathy. I’m excited to talk to her about what it means to lead in extreme conditions, what we can learn from her experience as we progressively open up post-pandemic, and how we can all better our leadership practices in the face of a new world. From the challenges of confinement in months of full darkness and...
11 Ways Your Business Can Survive the Pandemic — With Guy Kawasaki
Guy Kawasaki is the Chief Evangelist of Canva and the creator of The Remarkable People podcast. In this episode of Thought Talk Guy shares his thoughts on how bad times make good companies and discussed ideas from his recently published Youtube video “The Art of Perseverance: Surviving the Pandemic.” In this episode, we talk about everything from taking the time to organize your inbox (and toolbox) to actionable ways to keep your business afloat while battling the feelings of failure that may arise from the current economic circumstances. Strap in, and get ready for a...
How Millennials Have Changed Brand Building On Instagram — With Gayneté Jones
Instagram used to be all about the pretty pictures, but Gayneté Jones, CEO of G.A.M.E. Changing Industries says Millennials have altered the social media landscape. In this episode we discuss the way Millennials approach Instagram, how the way they purchase is shaping the new world of business online and why digital products are the future. Gaynete also shares her actionable tips for building a stronger Instagram audience. Join us for an engaging and enjoyable conversation about how you can increase your social reach on Instagram. </p...
Optimizing Your Immune System Response is Easier Than You Think — Finding a Silver Lining In Today’s Crisis With Dr. David L. Katz
Today’s episode is densely packed with information, tips, and incredible insights on the current COVID19 crisis. My guest today, Dr. David L. Katz, is a preventative medicine specialist and a globally recognized authority on lifestyle medicine. He is a regular guest expert on CNN, Fox News, and Bill Maher and he has just co-authored How to Eat with New York Times columnist Mark Bittman. Strap in for a deep dive on how to imagine the future even in this state of crisis, what you can do right now to balance your...
From Actualization To Transcendence — Finding Joy In Giving With Jenny Santi
How can we keep giving during the COVID-19 crisis, when many of us have seen our livelihoods negatively impacted? In order to address this question and shed light on how giving can change our lives, I welcome Jennifer Rose Santi to the show! Jenny founded the philanthropy services firm Saint Partners and has been a charity advisor to some of the wealthiest people on earth for the past 13 years. She is the author of the acclaimed book The Giving Way to Happiness: Stories & Science Behind the Life-Changing Power of Giving. She joins me in a...
Thought Talk Chat Tuesday — How Are You Going to Make Today Matter, With Michelle Young
Welcome to the first Thought Talk chat Tuesday, a weekly informal discussion with some of my close friends and colleagues. I am so very happy to welcome my guest Michelle Young — a great, great friend, enough so that we have had to promise not to swear! Tune in for a fun chat about why I said Michelle couldn’t call herself a life coach, how this COVID-19 quarantine is an introvert’s heaven, and what Michelle and I plan to do with this time that has been given to us. Chat Tuesday Tidbits! M...
The Future of Your Personal Belongings in Public Space - with Travis Hollman
When one of my colleagues first suggested that I should interview the CEO and President of Hollman Lockers — I wondered how much is there really to say about lockers? Turns out quite a bit. Join me today for a chat with serial entrepreneur and innovator Travis Hollman. We discuss his leadership style, business as a force for good, and the future of privacy in public spaces. We will also discuss the mind-boggling use of data and technology in lockers today and ways that leading-edge materials and manufacturing may prove to be useful in preventing or con...
Build Your Edge — From Adversity to Advantage — With Harvard Professor and Author Laura Huang
Today’s Thought Talk show is about overturning adversity in the workplace. I’m happy to welcome Laura Huang — Associate Professor at Harvard, the author of the new book From Adversity to Advantage. The book is based on her research on interpersonal relationships and implicit bias in entrepreneurship and in the workplace. Tune in for insight on topics ranging from the biases that women should be on the lookout for when pitching projects — and what to do with them, what “Hard work, Plus” and E.D.G.E. could mean for your career, tips and tricks to get a cleare...
Logos And The Visual Storytelling Revolution With Rodney Abbot
Rodney Abbot is a senior partner at Lippincott, the global creative consultancy behind the logos of Walmart, Starbucks, Delta, and Southwest Airlines, among others. In this podcast, he discusses the process of creating a logo for a company. Topics include using a logomark, logotype (or both), color’s impact on a logo, and the hottest logo design trends for 2020.