Jamy Bechler

Providing Insights on Leadership and Success. Coach Bechler is a John Maxwell Leadership Team Member.

Episode 098: Leaving the Corporate 9-to-5 with Anna Lundberg

Anna Lundberg is the author of the book, “Leaving the Corporate 9-to-5”, a book that compiles the stories of 50 people who have left their corporate jobs and have found success by doing so. She is also the Founder of the company, One Step Outside.

Anna used to work for P&G for more than 6 years and has been recognized as one of P&G Alumni’s “40 under 40”. After leaving P&G, Anna built her own startup to focused on providing digital marketing consulting to beauty and luxury brands like Burberry, Dolce & Gabbana, and Hugo Boss.

Today, Anna helps people who want to achieve meaningful success in their personal and professional lives by setting clear objectives, balancing their ambitions at work with their priorities at home, and managing their time and energy effectively. She helps people create business and build the lifestyle they love.

In today’s episode, we discuss:
  • How to leave your corporate 9-to-5 job
  • Reimagining success
  • Addressing fears
  • Taking more vacations
  • … and so much more!!!

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Episode 97: Eric Platte, Atlanta Hawks Vice-President

Eric Platte is the Vice President of Ticket Sales for the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks. He has been with the Hawks since 2010 when he graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in Supply Chain Management. Eric is highly regarded for his innovative ideas for workplace culture and leadership training.  Eric believes that leaders drive culture, culture drives people, and people drives business. 

In today’s episode, we discuss:
  • His journey and career advice for others looking to get into professional sports
  • Creative ways to motivate employees and team members
  • On-boarding and training of employees
  • How leadership is important in the sales business

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Bad Food

“People ask me how I stay so positive after losing my legs … I simply ask them how they stay so negative with theirs.” (Ssgt Johnny “Joey” Jones)

There is a story of a monk who was allowed to say only two words every three years.

After the first three years, he met with his order’s Brother Superior and said, “Uncomfortable bed!”

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Episode 096: Toronto Raptors Guard Lorenzo Brown

Lorenzo Brown was the NBA’s 2018 G-League Most Valuable Player and is a member of the Toronto Raptors. He also played with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Detroit Pistons, Philadelphia 76ers, and Phoenix Suns. The six-foot-five combo guard played college basketball at NC State. He led the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) in assists as a junior before leaving early to enter the NBA Draft. He was drafted 52nd overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2013 NBA draft.

During Brown’s MVP season, he helped lead the Raptors 905 to the G-League Finals while averaging 18.8 PPG, 8.8 APG, and 5.2 RPG. On  January 12, 2018, Brown became the first player to score in both a G-League game and an NBA game on the same day. He had 24 points and 12 assists for the 905s earlier in the day and then suited up that night against the Lebron James-led Cleveland Cavs on national TV. Brown would play 19 minutes in the 34-point blowout win, scoring 6 points and dishing out 5 assists.

Brown initially attended Centennial High School in his native Roswell, Georgia, where he averaged 20.8 points as a senior and was named a fourth-team Parade All-American and the Georgia 5A player of the Year. He would eventually spend a post-graduate year at Hargrave Military Academy. 

In today’s episode, we discuss:
  • His basketball journey and lessons he’s learned
  • What he’s learned from Demar Derozan and Kyle Lowry
  • What makes Toronto’s “Bench Mob” so valuable
  • How he embraces his role on the team
  • Qualities of a great coach
  • … and so much more!!!

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Episode 095: Tim Hall, UMBC Athletic Director

Tim Hall is the Director of Athletics at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). He was also appointed President of the Division I-AAA Athletics Directors Association (ADA) in the summer of 2017 and has served as the chairman of the NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics. During the 2018 NCAA Tournament, the UMBC Retrievers Men’s Basketball team made history when they became the first ever No. 16 seed to beat the No. 1 seed when they beat Virginia by 20 points, 74-54. Tim has previously served as the Athletic Director at the University of Missouri at Kansas City.  Before heading up his own departments, he was the assistant A.D. at Eastern Kentucky University, Saint Xavier University, Youngstown State University, and Kent State University. 

In today’s episode, we discuss:
  • The historic upset that the men’s basketball team had in the 2018 NCAA Tournament
  • Social media creativity of UMBC athletic communication staff during the tournament
  • Ways to build a mid-major athletic program
  • Hiring and keeping good team members
  • What makes UMBC so special

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Who’s On First?

Poor Abbott. Poor Costello. In the classic sketch Who’s On First, they heard each other’s words but just couldn’t seem to understand what each other was saying.

It’s no secret that we all desire to be listened to and we all want to be understood.

I am right. You are wrong. Why should I listen to you? Wait, what?!? You don’t understand what I’m saying? How is that even possible?

In the book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey said, “If you’re like most people you probably seek first to be understood; you want to get your point across. And in doing so, you may ignore the other person completely, pretend that you’re listening, selectively hear only certain parts of the conversation, or attentively focus on only the words being said, but miss the meaning entirely. So why does this happen?”

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Episode 094: Worth Advisors CEO Glen Wright

Glen Wright is the founder and CEO of Worth Financial Advisory Group, a professional team of financial advisers that helps Fortune 500 retirees, business owners, professional athletes, and individuals of all walks of life preserve their assets, increase their incomes, and pursue their financial goals. Glen is a Certified Financial Planner, Accredited Investment Fiduciary, an Investment Adviser Representative, and a Top of the Table member of the Million Dollar Round Table. As a fiduciary, Glen has been assisting high net worth individuals increase their income, protect their assets, and invest wisely.  Glen is also the creator of the CoachNetWorth, a financial planning platform that offers financial planning solutions to basketball coaches.

In today’s episode, we discuss:
  • What to do with your money
  • His work with athletes and coaches
  • Traveling tips
  • Budget and everyday money hacks

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Episode 093: FitMama Jen Oliver

Jen Oliver is the founder and CEO of FitMama Global, a mindset based coaching movement whose purpose is to educate, empower, and motivate moms to be stronger and healthier than ever, after having kids. She is also the author of the international best-seller, “The Love Fit Mama Way: Transforming the Core of Motherhood.”

Jen is a certified Bellies Inc. trainer, and has a master’s degree in Exercise and Health Psychology at McMaster University. She is a sought-after speaker throughout Canada, and is the host of the popular podcast, Kaizen with Jen. She is also a nutritionist, fitness instructor, and personal management consultant.

In today’s episode, we discuss:
  • Being a basketball coach’s wife
  • How to be more healthy and have more energy
  • The 10-day silent meditation retreat that she attended
  • Motherhood and Health

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5 Tips for Better Communication

“Half the world is composed of people who have something to say but can’t, and the other half who have nothing to say but keep on saying it.”  (ROBERT FROST)

“If we were supposed to talk more than we listen, we would have two tongues and one ear.”  (MARK TWAIN)

Because I am married and I fly often, the following story is near and dear to my heart . . .

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Episode 092: Jerod Ward, Former Pro Basketball Player

Jerod Ward was the #1 high school basketball player in the country in 1994. As the top recruit, he could choose to play college ball anywhere and he chose The University of Michigan. Multiple knee surgeries kept him from achieving his NBA dream but he still had a solid four year career for the Wolverines helping them beat Duke three straight years, win the National Invitational Tournament and the Big Ten Tournament. Jerod then went on to have a long career playing professional basketball worldwide. Jerod now travels across the country as a professional speaker. He has even been on stage for a Tedx Talk presenting on the topic of EATing Adversity. Even though he is retired from playing basketball, Jerod still stays close to the game he loves as he works as a college basketball analyst with networks including ESPN, FOX Sports. Jerod lives in Sarasota, Florida with his wife Tricia and daughter Violet.

In today’s episode, we discuss:
  • His decision to attend college and not turn pro out of high school
  • What it was like being the best high school player in the nation
  • The Lebron James vs. Michael Jordan debate
  • Playing professional basketball for 14 years
  • How we can overcome adversity we face in life

[Read more…]

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