Gen X Amplified With Adrion Porter. The Personal Branding And Leadership Podcast For Gen X.

On this episode of Gen X Amplified, Adrion is joined by software go-to-market leader and the former CMO of Slack, Bill Macaitis. During this awesome interview, they both discuss all things tech, marketing, brand strategy, and team building. Bill Macaitis is considered one of the most prolific marketers within the SAAS industry. He has served as the leading go-to-market executive for 3 of the fastest ever growing SaaS companies: Slack, Zendesk, and Salesforce. At Slack, Bill served as both the Chief Revenue Officer and the Chief Marketing Officer, coming in as marketing employee #1, and building out the entire marketing, sales, customer success and customer support teams. During his tenure, Bill was instrumental in helping Slack become the fastest growing B2B company ever hitting $100M in annual recurring revenue in just over 2 years. Over his career, Bill has achieved a total of 5 exits . Now he enjoys helping other companies achieve hyper-growth with a unique customer centric approach. Bill is also passionat

On this episode of Gen X Amplified, we are chatting with reinvention strategist and life coach, Marshawn Evans Daniels. about her latest groundbreaking book: Believe Bigger: Discover the Path to Your Life Purpose. During this very value-packed conversation, Marshawn and I discuss why she wrote this book as an inspirational guide for women ready to reinvent their lives and discover a higher purpose when life doesn’t go as planned. Marshawn Evans Daniels is a reinvention strategist and life coach mentoring women around the world to live bolder in life and business. As a serial entrepreneur, TV personality, creator of the Godfidence® movement and founder of SHE Profits®, she helps women turn ideas into income and inspiration into action. A former sports attorney, Miss America finalist, and competitor on The Apprentice, she left a high-powered law firm and turned her passion for people into a multimillion-dollar enterprise. Appearing regularly on CNN, Fox Business, and ESPN, her clients range from Rolls Royce, HP

On this episode of Gen X Amplified, we are going to discuss why personal branding is very important in today's social media world. And to help us unpack the key tips and tactics to use, we are chatting with a content marketing and social media expert, Erik Deckers.   Erik Deckers is a professional writer, professional speaker, social media expert, and content marketing strategist. He is the President of Pro Blog Service, a content marketing agency. Erik is also the author of a few bestselling books, including The Owned Media Doctrine, No BS Social Media, and last but not least, one of my favorites - Branding Yourself: How to Use Social Media to Invent or Reinvent Yourself. During this episode, Erik discusses his professional journey, and how it led you to his current career as an author, speaker, and business owner. Erik and I also unpack the latest edition of Branding Yourself, and why he and his co-author Kyle Lacy decided to update the book at this time. Key Takeaways: When did Erik first decide to go int

As a leader, do you want to inspire, motivate, educate, build brands, launch movements, and change lives? Then you MUST be able to package your ideas into a compelling and concise story. On this episode of Gen X Amplified, we are actually going to talk all about the power of story.  And we could not have asked for a better featured guest, than master communicator and storyteller - Carmine Gallo.   Carmine Gallo is a communications coach for the world’s most admired brands. A former anchor and correspondent for CNN and CBS - Carmine's mission is to help business leaders craft compelling messages, tell inspiring stories, and share their ideas. He has worked with executives at Intel, Google, Disney, The Four Seasons, Cisco, LinkedIn, and many other global brands. As a prolific author, Carmine has written several groundbreaking books that primarily focus on communication, including: The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs, The Apple Experience, and Talk Like TED. Now his latest book, The Storyteller’s Secret: Fro

Peg Fitzpatrick is a speaker, author, blogger, and social media marketing expert. She is the co-author of the groundbreaking book, The Art of Social Media: Power Tips for Power Users. With over 100 tips and best practices - this essential guide presents a detailed strategy to create a compelling presence on the most popular social-media platforms. Social media is not only Peg's passion, it's her job. Day-to-day, she works in the trenches of social media, marketing, and blogging. Peg has spearheaded successful social-media campaigns for Motorola, Audi, Canva, Google, and Virgin as well as having been a brand ambassador for Kimpton Hotels. She work with the best brands and make them even better! During our conversation on this episode of Gen X Amplified, Peg and I chat about a number of fascinating topics - including her professional journey, how she built her brand as a "social media expert", how she starting working with marketing guru Guy Kawasaki, and many valuable insights on the state of social media. Thi

Do you ever dream about running your own business? Do you ever dream about more time with your family? Do you want to change the world? Then you MUST listen to this value-packed and fun episode of Gen X Amplified with someone who has been named a “thought leader for the next generation by none other than Oprah Winfrey. I am joined by the wonderful and phenomenal Marie Forleo. Marie Forleo is a quintessential entrepreneur, author, online tv host, and marketing expert. She is the creator and host of her award-winning web TV show, Marie TV - where she has interviewed some of the most phenomenal people such as Arianna Huffington and Tony Robbins to name a few. Through her content and her overall brand - her goal and mission is to help you build a life you truly love, and use your gifts to change the world. Marie is also the founder of the very popular B-School, which is an 8-week interactive video based training program that teaches smart effective online marketing strategies to business owners and aspiring entre

For this new solo episode of Gen X Amplified, I focus on how success, achieving your goals, and overall greatness can only happen, after you have truly put the work in . Particularly, what I call having some P.E.P. - preparation, execution, and patience.   Whenever we want to achieve a new goal, learn a new skill, or become successful in general - we tend to want to rush the end result. We want to be great, much sooner than later. We want success and we want it now! Well that is a very unrealistic and ineffective approach. True success and true greatness doesn't happen overnight. It requires us to put the work in. For example - think about a box of cake mix. On the front of the box, you see the nice picture of the finished product - the fluffy and moist cake. But in order to get to that finished cake, you have to turn the box over for the baking instructions and follow the recipe. You must take all of the essential ingredients, mix them together, turn up some heat, put it in the oven, and then wait for the ca

Do you know what makes a brand truly stand out and create advocates in today's economy? Well it goes beyond just products and services. It's all about how you define "experiences." On this episode of Gen X Amplified, we are joined by one of the most renowned digital leaders in today's marketplace - futurist, author and speaker Brian Solis. He's here to discuss his personal journey, and his latest book X: The Experience When Business Meets Design. Brian Solis is recognized as one of the most prominent thought leaders, speakers, and published authors in new technology and digital marketing. He is also a digital analyst, anthropologist, and futurist. Brian is a best selling author of some of the most groundbreaking books that include What’s the Future of Business (WTF), Engage!, and The End of Business as Usual. Brian is here on Gen X Amplified to discuss his latest book titled:  X: The Experience When Business Meets Design, which explores the importance of experiences, and how to design them for customers, empl

Are you looking for a more productive way to accomplish your goals this year? Well, this episode is definitely for you. That's because we are joined...again by our very first "repeat" guest. The one-and-only John Lee Dumas from the very popular EOFire podcast. John revisits Gen X Amplified this time to deep dive into the virtues of successful goal setting, and also his latest passion project, The Freedom Journal! John Lee Dumas is the Founder and Host of  EOFire, an award winning podcast that reveals the journey of today's most inspiring entrepreneurs - 7 days a week. He has actually interviewed more than 1,100 entrepreneurs since the launch of his podcast, and has over 1 million unique listens a month! During John's previous appearance on Gen X Amplified, we spoke in detail about the overall story and journey of EOFire. But for his "repeat" visit, John is here to really FOCUS on his latest and greatest project - The Freedom Journal. The Freedom Journal is John's new and (beautifully crafted) book, that he cr

If you think you’re good at delivering great customer service, then you will be surprised that your customers may not agree. Well, our featured guest on Gen X Amplified will explain why that is the case. We are joined by Jay Baer, who is a world renowned marketing and customer service speaker. He is also the author of the forthcoming book Hug Your Haters, and he's here to explain why many brands are unfortunately embracing an outdated approach to customer service that does not meet the minimum threshold in today’s digital media landscape. Jay Baer a marketing and online customer service expert and keynote speaker who has advised more than 700 brands since 1994, including Caterpillar, Nike, Allstate, The United Nations and 32 of the Fortune 500. He is also considered the world’s “most retweeted person” among digital marketers. He is a renowned business strategist, keynote speaker and the New York Times best-selling author of five books including his newest publication - Hug Your Haters - the first truly modern

Happy New Year and Welcome to 2016! Yes, we are back with a brand new episode, and it is a VERY SPECIAL one. That's because we're going to take a "listen" back, and celebrate season one of Gen X Amplified. For this special episode, we are going to showcase some of our most popular episodes, and even play some soundbites from the featured guests. I had such a blast chatting with each guest, and their were so many valuable nuggets and insightful stories that they shared. Now because timing, I needed to narrow down the episodes selected for this recap. And this was very, very hard! That's because every guest, every interview, and every story shared was extremely valuable and golden. So, I decided to primarily pick the episodes that were the most popular in terms downloads, feedback, shares, social media, etc. But again, it was very close, and at the end of the day - it’s really not about the number of downloads, It’s more about the impact that each episode and each guest delivers to YOU. So definitely go back an

How does someone leave their job as a lawyer in New Jersey, sell their house, pack their bags, and move with his family all the way to Florida -to pursue a career rooted in their passion for all things Walt Disney? Well Lou Mongello did it, and he is CRUSHING it as an entrepreneur. And he is here on Gen X Amplified to talk all about his love and career as a Disney expert.   Lou Mongello is an author, historian, speaker, podcaster, and Disney Expert. For many years he was actually an attorney living in New Jersey - but he left practicing law to follow his dream of sharing his love for Walt Disney World. He is now the host of the top-ranked podcast WDW Radio, which is dedicated to enhance the appreciation for the Walt Disney World parks - so visitors can be better prepared have an outstanding experience.  WDW Radio has also been awarded the “Best Travel” podcast for 9 years straight since 2006. Lou is also the author of the book, 102 Ways to Save Money For and At Walt Disney World, which is both in print and d

When you think of “brand” or “branding” what immediately comes to mind? Is it a logo? Or the name of a business? Or colors? These are all important, but they only touch the surface of what a brand entails. For this special solo episode of Gen X Amplified, I discuss why developing your brand is essential - even before you think about marketing, social media, etc. And, I break down what I consider to be the 5 key elements of what defines a brand.   As an entrepreneur or even a marketer -  you should not put all the weight of your brand on your logo. Your brand is the complete story of what you want to communicate about your business, and the perception that you leave in the hearts and minds of your audience. That’s why before you even think about creative, logos, or marketing – you must have clarity on what your brand truly includes. So here are what I consider to be the 5 key elements of a brand: Brand Purpose Brand Positioning Brand Promise Brand Personality Brand Identity Other Key Takeaways: Why your br

As a leader in today's marketplace, you must be able to understand why new media platforms, including content marketing, and especially social media are very critical to your business success. On this episode of Gen X Amplified, we are joined by someone who is very much considered a quintessential marketing leader and social media expert. The one and only Scott Monty is here to discuss his journey from becoming the global head of social media for Ford Motor Company, to his current role as an entrepreneur - launching his own strategic consultancy, Scott Monty Strategies. Scott Monty is an internationally recognized thought leader in digital communications, social media and marketing. For six years, he was best known for being the global head of social media at Ford Motor Company - where he advised on social media activities across the entire company. Scott also has a decade of experience at marketing agencies, where he worked with clients including Coca-Cola, American Airlines, T-Mobile, and IBM. Now, he rece

The process of starting a business can be both challenging and rewarding. But what about starting a business with your spouse and growing that business into a world recognized niche brand and movement. On this very special episode of Gen X Amplified, we not only have just one guest - but for the first time ever, we are speaking with a dynamic married couple - Lamar Tyler and Ronnie Tyler from the very popular blog: BlackandMarriedWithKids.com.   Lamar Tyler and Ronnie Tyler are the husband-and-wife power pair behind the very popular and internationally recognized brand, BlackandMarriedWithKids.com - which has become the largest independent, African American marriage and parenting website. They founded the website in 2007 after finding themselves frustrated with the negative images of black marriage in the media. Now recently, the website has grown from a small personal blog to an international brand with nearly 500,000 Facebook fans. Also through their company, Tyler New Media, Lamar directed and produced fo

For many of us, maintaining good habits can be both rewarding and challenging. Also, as we approach the end of one year and the start of another - living a happier and more successful life is without a doubt one our biggest goals. On this episode of Gen X Amplified, we have someone who is perhaps considered the "queen of habits and happiness", New York Times bestselling author, Gretchen Rubin. She is here to discuss her latest book, aptly titled Better Than Before: Mastering the Habits of Everyday Life, and to share some awesome insights on the steps we can take to change and conquer our habits. Gretchen Rubin is definitely a content creator phenomenon. She is a blogger, podcaster, speaker, and bestselling author of many books, including The Happiness Project, which really sparked her overall happiness movement. Then she "happily" put pen to paper again to write Happier at Home, which was Gretchen's personal account of what she implemented to create more happiness in the things that mattered to her at home -

Are you starting to think about your goals for next year? Have you thought about what your life should be like 5-years from now? Well, now is the time to really start planning, not just your goals for next year, but also your life and business in five years. What is your 2020 vision? To help dive more into this topic, I am introducing the very first solo episode of Gen X Amplified! This time, it's just me having a conversation with you on this very important and relevant topic, especially for Gen Xers. And, I will also provide more insights on the overall mission of this podcast. So are you ready? Let's do it! Too often, we find ourselves waiting until the beginning of the year to set our goals. Also, many times we only think short-term, and focus on the current or upcoming year. To really make the most of establishing our goals, we should look ahead - and then reverse engineer. Where is it that we want to be in the long-run? What are the key steps we need to take in order to get there. I recommend focusing a

How do you really set yourself apart this noisy and crowded world? And how do you do work that is truly remarkable? The key is to develop an authentic voice. To help us better understand to power of developing your unique voice - we are thrilled to have speaker, author, and podcaster, Todd Henry here on Gen X Amplified to discuss his latest best-selling book, Louder Than Words: Harness the Power of your Authentic Voice.   Todd Henry spends his time teaching leaders and organizations how to establish practices that lead to everyday brilliance. He is the author of three awesome books - which include: The Accidental Creative and Die Empty - which was named by Amazon.com as one of the best books of 2013. Todd's latest book, Louder Than Words, is about how to develop an authentic voice that resonates and creates impact. Bestselling author Tom Rath called it “…one of the best guides to living a meaningful life I have ever read.” He is the host of the top-ranked podcast also called “The Accidental Creative." Besides

Are you hoping to become a better public speaker, or motivate and persuade others more effectively as a leader? Then get ready for a "master class" about performance - not on stage or the screen. But how to perform on the stage of "life". That's because NY Times best-selling author, personal branding expert, and former professional actor Michael Port is joining us on Gen X Amplified to discuss his latest and greatest book - Steal The Show. Michael Port is absolutely a force to be reckoned with, especially when it comes to public speaking, coaching, and personal branding. He is called “an uncommonly honest author” by the Boston Globe, a “marketing guru” by The Wall Street Journal, and a “sales guru” by the Financial Times. Michael is a NY Times best-selling author of six books including Book Yourself Solid, The Think Big Manifesto, and now his brand new release, Steal the Show: From Speeches to Job Interviews to Deal-Closing Pitches - How to Guarantee a Standing Ovation for All the Performances in Your Life.

Do you want to live a life of time freedom, location freedom, and financial freedom? Then you will be excited for this episode of Gen X Amplified, and our featured guest Michael O'Neal, the Founder and Host of the very successful podcast, The Solopreneur Hour.   My featured guest is someone who has definitely bounced back from challenges in his life, but is now CRUSHING it as an entrepreneur. Michael O'Neal is the founder and host of the award-winning and much acclaimed business and entertainment podcast, The Solopreneur Hour. His podcast has already has more than 6 million downloads and monetized to over 200k dollars. The Solopreneur Hour features lively and engaging conversations with his guests, who share remarkable stories, advice and practical tips for an audience that badges itself as “proudly unemployable”. Michael has an extensive background and education in social media, branding, web and print design, network marketing, and internet marketing, To make things even more fascinating - he is also a pro