Exceptional People Magazine July/August 2019 by Atela Productions, Inc.

July/August 2019

Leadership Tips to Help You Quickly Build Influence Creating a Winning Company Culture Inspires IngenuityPart1

RETURNING TO THE LOVE OF HIS LIFE: MUSIC Fuller French

e l r a E l a t s i r Ch Transforming GARBAGE into GREATNESS

Founder and Publisher Editor-in-Chief Monica Davis Writers & Editors Jon Crump Marla Gem Suzanne Harris Company Writers & Contributors Donna Carletta Kathy Kentty Pat Markel Other Contributors Andrew Horton Greg Williams Jack Canfield Annemarie Cross Art and Graphics Designer Jenette Antonio Sityar Exceptional People Magazine is published bi-monthly by Atela Productions, Inc. The opinions of the contributors are not necessarily those of Atela Productions, Inc. Exceptional People Magazine is a copyright of Atela Productions, Inc. The contents of this publication may not be printed, copied or distributed without the express written consent of the Publisher. Copyright © 2019 All rights reserved.

Letter from the Publisher Dear Friend, I can say without a doubt that I’ve had such joy in fulfilling my role as a journalist and publisher – interviewing amazing people from all over the world. Though I enjoy what I do, it is much work, and there are times when I encounter guests who feel that doing the interview is not such a big deal or that they can wing it. In other words, they don’t take the interview seriously, and as a result, it impacts the story we try to get across. I’ll never forget a couple of years ago; we had a woman who for whatever reason, was not happy with the interview she gave. She emailed me afterward and said, “I didn’t realize that your magazine published interviews this way. I would have given better responses.” She asked, “Can I edit my responses?” Sometimes in life, there are no do-overs, which is why you should prepare for the opportunity you’re hoping to get. In the media business, you don’t get second chances, the interview you give is the interview that gets published, (we edit ours of course). Preparation doesn’t only apply to media interviews. It applies to everything you do in your career, business, and life. Even the most-experience people prepare themselves for the things they desire to have. She missed out on a great opportunity by not taking the interview seriously. When was the last time you missed out on an offer because you took it for granted or you thought you could “ace it” without preparation? Don’t let a once in a lifetime opportunity slip through your fingers. If you practice “ABR” – Always Be Ready – you’ll find more opportunities will open up to you. No matter what it is, always position yourself to be a winner.

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With every wish for great achievements,

Monica Davis

Contents Extraordinary Profiles

05 Christal Earle Transforming Garbage into Greatness 14 Fuller French Returning to the Love of His Life: Music Minding My Business 24

5 Communication Skills Top Leaders Can Teach You

8 Effective Habits That Drive Entrepreneurial Success

Creating a Winning Company Culture Inspires Ingenuity

How to Negotiate Your Way to Success

LIFE-FULFILLING WORK IS NEVER ABOUT THE MONEY. WHEN YOU FEEL TRUE PASSION FOR SOMETHING, YOU INSTINCTIVELY FIND WAYS TO NURTURE IT. EILEEN FISHER

e l r a E l a t Chris

Transforming GARBAGE into GREATNESS Exceptional People Magazine | July -August 2019

July-August May -June 2019 2019 | Exceptional | Exceptional People People Magazine Magazine

f anyone can make lemonade from lemons, it’s Christal Earle. In Earle’s case, the lemons are old car tires picked from landfills in the Dominican Republic. The lemonade? Brave Soles, her growing fashion company selling shoes hand-made of leather and upcycled rubber tire soles. But this is not your typical upcycled product story because Earle is not your typical social entrepreneur. Hers is one of self-discovery and relentless vision despite monumental setbacks including a major earthquake, an orphan, a divorce, international bureaucracy, and her own financial woes. In 2000, not long after the heartbreaking loss of her brother in an accident, Earle founded Live Different, a youth empowerment charity dedicated to creating positive social change through motivational presentations, humanitarian programs, and internships. As she led groups of volunteers in the Dominican Republic, she got to know the impoverished landfill workers living in the area. Deeply disturbed by the working and living conditions, Earle was particularly touched by one mother and her baby Widlene. When she learned two years later that the child’s mother had died, she and her husband requested and received permission to adopt Widlene. The paperwork took months as Widlene’s mother had been considered an illegal Haitian immigrant in the Dominican Republic. Then, the now-infamous 2010 Haiti earthquake hit. The Haitian government abruptly shut down international adoptions to combat the rampant child trafficking resulting from the devastation. Worse, Widlene’s adoption approval paperwork was lost in the destruction. The child was now stateless and Earle couldn’t bring her home to Canada. And by this time, Earle and her husband had also separated. Now a single mother, Earle split her time, alternately working as a speaker in North America and spending time with Widlene in the Dominican Republic. Financially, she was not far from the workers she was helping in the tire-filled garbage dumps. But one day she realized the opportunity in those dumps: to use the tire rubber as soles for beautiful handcrafted leather sandals. With only $250 to her name and a business plan written on sticky notes, Brave Soles was born. Earle sold 40 pairs of her upcycled shoes with her first-ever social media post. To keep up with the demand, she set up a microloan program to help local artisans obtain the machinery they needed. She also set up the Brave Soles Ambassador Program to help share the Brave Soles story across the globe. Having discovered her power even when all seemed lost, Earle is a true believer that anyone can make a positive difference, even if that difference only affects a little corner of the world. Along with Brave Soles, she continues as an inspirational speaker and blogger. She personifies the idea that the best things often happen when we face our biggest challenges. Earle knows first-hand that mentors and advisors are key to Brave Soles’ success, and that it’s the people behind the shoes that make her products meaningful to customers. Many of her products are even named after people who helped her start out or who inspired their design. And her company’s tagline? “Your soul will feel

Exceptional People Magazine | July-August 2019

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good in Brave Soles.” We think you’ll feel good reading our interview with her too. Monica: In a world where so many people have become self-centered and have the “me” mentality, and they see themselves as victims rather than victors, they miss out on some basic principles of how to live a life that is filled with a joy and inspiration. What would you say are some of things that we as a society can do to eliminate all the excess noise in our lives and truly begin to live up to our potential? Christal: That's a great question, Monica. A couple things. One is that one of my favorite books—and I say that with a lot of levity—is Viktor Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning. He recounts his experience being in a Nazi concentration camp. He was a therapist and a doctor, and what he discovered was, when people had a greater purpose in their lives, it gave them the ability to put one foot in front of the other. Everything that I've come through and everything I've built, I feel very drawn to being part of a bigger purpose, whether that's to help create opportunities for other people or whether it's to help meet people, inspire people to think differently, and to create ways to basically partner with people to build a better future together. 8

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I feel the greatest gift we can give ourselves is the ability to really find the story that's bigger than us. When we're focused on ourselves, we get tunnel vision. We can easily get discouraged, and we can lose sight of what the possibilities are. Monica: You spent over 15 years of your life working with impoverished communities in the Dominican Republic. What inspired you to become a humanitarian, and specifically in the Dominican Republic? I do know often; you have to go through valleys in order to discover your true calling. Christal: Yes. Monica: In those adversities, we oftentimes see the talents and gifts that we weren't aware of before. Were there challenges or adversities that you experienced while being in the Dominican Republic that eventually led you to your ah-ha moment of becoming a humanitarian? Christal: In order to answer that, I need to dial it back just a few years before. In September of 1998, I lost my brother. He was 20 years old, and he died in an industrial accident, trying to save somebody else. At the time, I was a community youth worker in a small town in Saskatchewan, Canada.

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When you lose someone, you can expect the stages of grief, and the shock, the anger, all those things. But then there were things I didn’t anticipate. One of the most profound things that happened as a result of losing my brother was realizing the intrinsic value he had purely because he'd been alive. He was only 20. So, it wasn't like he had accomplished all these great things. He was just a normal guy. In fact, he was working at a job trying to save money for college, and he died in an industrial accident trying to rescue somebody. That led me to some realizations. Because I had a platform, I had the ability to give people the opportunity to see the power of their own lives differently. So, we started an organization called Live Different. It's still very active and bigger than ever now. I started it with my then husband. There are about 40 of us in the organization. We started doing high school and college presentations in Canada and around the world, talking to students and audiences about the power of our choices and how we can affect change. When I went to Dominican Republic in 2004 for the first time, I went there on vacation. I was staying at an all-inclusive resort. And while all-inclusives are relaxing, they are not adventurous. After a couple of days, I said, "There's got to be more here." I knew nothing about the Dominican Republic at the time, but I remembered that I had a couple of friends who were missionaries there. I went into the internet café and I sent a message to my friends, saying, "Hey, I don't even know where you are, but this is where I am, and I would love to see what you do." I knew they were working with an organization that was building schools. They responded to the message right away. They said, "Hey, we're actually only five minutes away. If you want, we could pick you up tomorrow at 9:00 and we could show you what we do." The following morning, I went walking out through this beautiful reception area of this hotel, and I jumped in the back of this little pickup truck, and we drove seven minutes from my resort. We went down this little dirt road off the side of the highway that you wouldn't have even known was there. We came around the corner, and we were in a little tiny village. It was my first encounter with such extreme levels of poverty.

In this particular village, there were a lot of Haitian people who lived in Dominican Republic. The relationship between the two countries and between the two cultures is fraught with a lot of racism and problems—hundreds of years’ worth of hurt. The village I was in was a Haitian village, and that day, I met a woman, and I sat with her in front of her house, which was the size of my apartment bedroom. Something very profound happened that day because she invited me into her world. She shared her story with me. She gave me the gift of being able to understand her, and to be heard, and for me to be able to experience and recognize that all this time, up until then, I thought I would never have anything in common with someone like her. As she was talking, all I kept thinking was, "I have so much in common with this woman." I left that day, and I went back to the hotel where I was staying, and it was so profound, I didn't even know how to process it. When I got back to Canada with my team, we used a big whiteboard as we began to plan out what would we do. How could we take what we were doing here and with students and begin to translate that into something else? This was 2004, when the word voluntourism didn't even exist yet. We created this whole plan. The following summer, we brought 280 teenagers and volunteers to the Dominican Republic. We were partnering with organizations on the ground there. We built homes for families. Since then, Live Different has gone on to build hundreds and hundreds of homes in different parts of the world, but we always work with vulnerable people groups in those areas. So, now it was 2005, and I had these groups of students there. A local person who had been working in a garbage dump asked me if I would be interested in meeting the people there and learning about what happens in garbage dumps. So, he took me to the garbage dump, and we brought a group of people. We began to connect with the people there. At the time, there were about 80 or 90 people working. Some of them were living in this garbage dump. This was on the north coast of Dominican Republic. Recycling in a lot of the developing world is privatized, meaning people are actually digging through the garbage and collecting what is recycled and sold. So, the people that work in garbage dumps around the world are often stateless, meaning they have no country to call Exceptional People Magazine | July -August 2019

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their own. When you hear the statistics of people that live on $1.00 or $2.00 a day, this is what it is. My relationships with those people began to grow and develop in such a beautiful way. I started to bring groups, and we would work alongside them. We were literally in the garbage with these people, helping them to collect their daily wages. As I spent more time there connecting with them, I started to learn about their lives, too. By 2007, I had been regularly going back and forth between Canada and the Dominican bringing groups. There was a woman there in that garbage dump, and she had this little toddler on her hip. I didn't think much of it. One of my friends had gone back there to check on her after we had left, and I found out that the woman had passed away. I knew there wasn't really anybody who could raise that little girl. So, it led us on this journey to start to try to adopt this little girl. 2009 is when I started the journey to adopt her, and shortly after, we began signing papers in Haiti, because my daughter is Dominican-born, but she's Haitian. She didn't have the papers to be in the Dominican Republic, so we went to Haiti because there had been a process in place, and we were going to sign the papers, and Canada was going to allow us to bring her in, sort of under an emergency humanitarian situation. I was working with her grandma, who was helping to do everything. In early 2010 in January, an earthquake occurred. Everything that we had signed, even the judge who had signed the papers, was lost. So many people lost their lives in the earthquake. Everything was buried. Everything came to a grinding halt in the process. We were left with a child whom we didn't have the legal rights to protect without the ability to be able to show the papers that had been signed, and in a system that was broken, and after the UN shut it down, there was no possibility of anything changing. That was, essentially, ten years ago. To this day, my daughter is still denied access to Canada. She can't leave the Dominican Republic. She's now 14. I had to rebuild my life. As a result of a lot of things that were going on, I ended up splitting up with my husband, but we raise my daughter together. I ended up resigning from Live Different because it just became too difficult for me to be able to keep up with 10

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what Live Different needed me to be, and to be able to be with my daughter. I was speaking and writing, and traveling between the two countries, just to be able to keep things moving. But I'm a single mom, and like a lot of single moms out there, that is not the plan. You're just responding to a situation where you have no choice. During that time, there was an incredible financial crisis going on in my life. I was still at this time hosting teens, and we'd go out to the garbage dump. I remember I'd be in the garbage dump looking at the people and I'd think, "Wow, you actually have more net worth than me." I lost all ability to judge anybody for situations they find themselves in. I really began to understand something was changing inside of me, because I began to realize that we really do share this earth. I'm with these people at the garbage dump, and I'm seeing how the poor and the vulnerable never get to make the decisions that affect their lives. They always have to deal with the consequences of other people's decisions. It inspired me to think, "Well, what would I do? If I could change anything, what would I do?" In January of 2017, I was walking out of my apartment in the Dominican Republic, and my neighbor—a good friend of mine— walked out at the same time. She was wearing a really cute pair of sandals, and I said, "Hey, I love your shoes." She told me she'd just been to Cuba and she was on vacation, and they were handmade. She said, "You know what? I love them so much. I would have paid twice as much for them." As I'm holding this shoe, it was like a lightning bolt hit me on the side of the head. In the garbage dumps, waterways and in the ditches all around the Dominican Republic, there are tires and more tires. The only way they know to deal with them, like a lot of the developing world, is to burn them, or they just abandon them. Mosquitoes breed in them, and they carry deadly diseases, and they're toxic. So, I had this idea. I thought, what about handmade sandals with tires for soles? I knew people were doing that, but I'd never seen a pair that was like the style that I would have liked to wear. I had no money, but I've been blessed with an incredible level of creativity and imagination. So, I went into my apartment later that day with Post-it notes. I made a business plan on a business model on my kitchen wall with pink and yellow Post-it notes. I had talked to somebody already and I showed him. This

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gentleman had a small workshop above his house with about ten people working in it. There was a gentleman who lived down the street from him who was a thirdgeneration Haitian of men in his family who knew how to make sandals out of tires. So, I began to gather these people. And I thought, "If I could find $250, I think I could make this work." When you hear stories about micro finance and people needing a little bit of money, this is what this looks like, but I didn't even have $250. In fact, my rent for my apartment was $750, and I didn't have that. So, I tucked the idea in my heart. I said, I'm just going to sit on this because I feel like this is a really big idea inspired by God. Later that week, a friend of mine reached out to me. He's a very successful businessman. We went out for dinner. I hadn't told anybody about this idea, and I knew that I had this name called Brave Soles in my head. We talked about everything, but I never told him anything about the idea with Brave Soles. When I got up to leave, he reached over, and grabbed my hand, and puts $1,000 in it. He said, "I really feel like you'll know what to do with this." Now, my rent was $750. I thought, "Oh, my goodness, if I do not do this now, I will always be wondering what if." So, the next day, I went back to the workshop where I met the gentleman, and I said, "Here's $250. I have ideas." I had brought drawings and a picture. We built some prototypes. I started to get friends to wear them for about six weeks. I had people wearing the different styles of shoes and filling out surveys. I was working on the story plans for the whole brand, and really getting clear on what we wanted to do. On June 7, 2017, I launched through an organic post on Facebook by saying, "Hey, I'd like to introduce you to Brave Soles." And at the end of that first day, I had 40 orders from all over the world. Before I knew it, we were shipping all over the world. Our e-commerce business had begun. We started this brand. That first year, we turned that $250 into about $120,000 of just raw sales, which I know does not sound like a lot. We went from nothing to now being in stores. We have people in Canada and the US, and places in Europe that

represent us, and we host trunk shows online. We're working on spreading all over the place. And it all started with $250 and an idea. Monica: See what happens when you believe? Christal: I've had my fair share of ideas. I always tell people, "I feel like I could write endless volumes of books on what not to try." But then you have that one thing, and you think, "For this chapter in my life, this is that thing." When I first started years ago, I saw being a humanitarian as different from being an environmentalist. You are either one or the other. And slowly, my heart began to change, and what I began to realize was that with every generation, we're presented with the opportunities of what's going to be the defining thing about our generation. One of the things that I feel is defining our generation, meaning anybody who is alive right now on the earth as our generation, is what we're willing to do for people and the earth. It's not separate. What we do to one, we do to the other. Brave Soles is built around the idea of our love for people, planet, and building a prosperous future that we can all share. Our values are built around how our people are treated. And when I say "our people," I mean obviously our workers and the suppliers, because we have suppliers now. I'm working with people from the garbage dump who are supplying us with tires, and we're providing equitable employment. But when I say "our people," I also mean our customers in terms of our price points and opportunities that we want to give them to grow. And sustainable fashion is such an unattainable thing for so many people because it's often been sequestered into being an expensive thing. Our goal with Brave Soles is always to think about ways we can make it accessible and sustainable so people can make better choices and be proud of the choices they make, and they can share in the story behind those choices. Here we are, basically almost two years later, and just last May, we were nominated for a fashion award in innovative fashion in Canada. Monica: Congratulations. Christal: One of the things that has amazed me is that the most fulfilling part of all of it is that I have this chance to co-create with people, right down to the guys who are Exceptional People Magazine | July -August 2019

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in our shop. They're able to provide for their families, and they've never even had consistent employment all these years. Their lives have been defined by vulnerability.

programs within our own supply chain. When one of our suppliers needs to buy a machine or something, we help them obtain that.

Now they have health care plans. We recently had our first real team building exercise this year. We brought out LEGOs. One of my friends, who is also one of our team members, is a coach. We brought out LEGOs, and some of the guys in our workshop had never even touched toys. They’ve had no childhood.

We are always reminding them and connecting with them with the bigger story that they're a part of. They're making something out of love and passion and expression for who they are, and it's so important for them to be able to feel connected to the people who are enjoying what they've created as well.

I watched their faces light up. These are 40-year-old men who were playing with LEGOs.

Monica: How do you envision Brave Soles impacting the world in the next year or two?

As I'm sitting side-by-side with our team, and we're playing LEGOs together, we're talking about the future world that we want to build together. I felt so blessed. There have been so many things that have happened in my life that I didn't count on. But that's life, you know? And that's called a journey. It doesn't have to be about all the things that are bad.

Christal: Well, that's exciting, actually. One of the things that we're working on now is our actual supply chain and how we're providing those things. We're working internally on how to work with our suppliers. When I say "suppliers," it's very small-scale. So, number one, for us, it’s considering how we can make it better for them.

Monica: You’ve experienced such a challenging yet amazing life journey. In addition to re-using tires to create shoes, what else are you doing to incorporate sustainability in the products that you create? Christal: We also have our accessories, which all have an element of upcycle in them. They include inner tubes on the leather that we use for our accessory line. Our products are often from upcycled plane seats, or furniture off-cuts, or dead stock, where there's like half a hide left, or something like that. We use it all up cyclable materials. For example, our shoes come in a shoe bag, but that shoe bag is from the remnants and upcycled material that we reclaim from basically the last stop before the garbage dumps. Our sewing team turns that into dust bags for shoes, and our accessories. We're working together to continually think about how can we use all these materials differently. Monica: So, what do you want your customers and business partners, including your suppliers, to think and feel when they see, feel and wear your products? Christal: I want them to have the assurance that they are part of a story that we can all be proud of. Fashion can do good. Beautiful things can have beautiful stories. They don't just have to be aesthetically beautiful. We work hard to be able to give our suppliers the resources they need. We have some micro loan 12

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Number two, we're working on some experimental things with vegan materials, looking at how we can dial in a little bit more and develop this more. We're working on some partnerships with airlines to continue to be able to get the plane seats that are headed for the landfills into circulation to create some really useful products. Then, in the Dominican Republic, we're also now working on developing the model for our charitable arm of how we want that to look, and how we can build a model template for us to be able to implement it in other cultures and in other contexts as we continue to grow and expand on how we're going to do our supply chain. Inside Brave Soles, we're working on building our own foundation, so we have some very specific areas around statelessness that we are really wanting to help impact, to provide opportunities for the stateless people we work with in the garbage dumps. Monica: Your life's journey has been comprised of many twists and turns. Along those twists and turns, you have seen dramatic differences in how life positively and negatively impacts people and the planet. From your personal perspective, how have the people you've met in the different corners of the world impacted your perspective of yourself and how you live your life today? Christal: That's an awesome question. I would say the thing that has impacted me the most is the reality that if we can strip away all the labels that we put on things, and the agendas we think we should have, or the priorities

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we think we should have, we are all actually on the same team. We all should have the same goals when we're really willing to consider the other person's perspective. I don't like to say “the poor,” because it's not really how I see it. My work with vulnerable people, or with people who have found themselves in situations that would not be of their choosing, has provided me with the ability to realize that I can learn from anyone. In North America, in the western world, we tend to strive to build bigger. We have an isolationist or protectionist perspective, and we want to quickly put labels on things. In my work and in my life working with vulnerable people from communities around the world that have far less socioeconomic opportunities, there is such a sense of connectedness to the people around them. There's a lot of ease around recognizing that we can do this together, and we can do difficult things. You learn to let go of the things that are really not a big deal. Monica: What can we as citizens do to help you further your mission? Christal: One of the things around Brave Soles that we have identified is that we are about helping, but of course, we're selling also. We are an actual commerce business. We're a for-profit organization. We exist

because people buy our products. But we are a shoe and accessory company that's really about selling people on the idea of the power of their own choices. So, how we view the smallest choices we make has amazing ripple effects all around us. One of the issues that's close to my heart is statelessness and immigration vulnerability. We have a lot more power than we realize, and we can raise our voices for change. By making simple changes in how we consume and in how we see our own choices, we really do help to accomplish a much better mission. It's a legacy that we get the opportunity to be part of if we're willing to see our choices in a fresh light. Monica: This has been a refreshing interview. Would you mind ending with your last word? Christal: I'd have to say that we all have the opportunity to decide whether we want to see ourselves as a victim or a creator. How we see ourselves determines the choices we make from that point forward. Being a creator is incredibly liberating, because that means you open yourself up to limitless possibilities. Where you are today doesn't need to determine what your future will be. The choices we make helps to determine it, but we have the power to decide what kind of future version of us we want to have in the world.  Exceptional People Magazine | July -August 2019

EXTRAORDINARY uller French wants PROFILES to rekindle the romance in your life, and he probably will. One listen to his latest single, “Champagne Rendezvous,” and you’ll be lighting the candles and dabbing cologne before you know it. The Texas-bred crooner has been a piano prodigy since he was a child. He grew up in Midland, Texas, born into an established family which had found success in oil and cattle ranching early in the city’s history. Although no one else in his household was particularly musical, his worldly parents started their son on piano lessons in grade school. The boy was influenced by his parent’s record collection with names Henry Mancini, Riz Ortolani, and Serge Gainsborough, along with soundtrack auteurs Jerry Goldsmith, John Barry and Francis Lai. He was also a fan of Brazilian sambas, French chansons, Hollywood film scores, Broadway musicals and even symphonic art-rock like ELO and Kansas. By high school, he was writing his own music and lyrics, performing them along with popular Elton John covers at house parties. By college, he decided to pursue it as a career. He made connections with major musical figures such as famed singer/songwriters Carole King and Burt Bacharach. Bacharach could see that the young man had a gift and took an avid interest, calling French regularly and encouraging him to keep writing. French recorded several instrumental tracks with well-known musicians including Latin samba jazz pioneer Laurindo Almeida, Elton John bassist Bob Birch, Maynard Ferguson sax player Don Menza, and B.B. King drummer Rick Latham. But despite French’s obvious talent and enthusiasm, his smooth romantic sound didn’t fit into any of the set musical genres of 1990s radio stations and record labels. French had bills to pay, so he reluctantly moved out of music and back into the family’s oil business. After ten years of not playing the piano at all, French still had the music in him. He missed it and started playing again. By now, music had entered the digital age, opening the floodgates and providing exposure to previously unclassifiable genres like French’s. One day out of the blue, a record company called French saying they wanted to release one of the instrumental tracks he had written as a teenager. The track had been rejected by the industry years before. It was called “Something Wonderful.” When “Something Wonderful” hit the charts in 2017, four more of French’s instrumental tracks were released, including “Brazilian Sunrise” with Laurindo Almeida, “Echoes,” and “Waves Against the Shore.” French was back — and he was rarin’ to add vocals. His new EP does just that. “Champagne Rendezvous” features the title track and four additional tracks: “I’ll Leave a Key by the Door,” “Different Shores,” “It’s Just the Way Things Are,” “If You Didn’t Love Me” (subtly revealing French’s Texas country roots), plus the bonus “Champagne Rendezvous (Oh-La-La in the Afternoon).”

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c i s u M h c n e r F r e l l Fu

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July -August 2019 | Exceptional People Magazine

EXTRAORDINARY PROFILES

French’s music removes listeners from the day to day. Whether relaxed or up-tempo, his songs have a sensual, timeless quality that keeps you in the moment. French recently told us that he believes music has the power to bring people from all walks of life together, and that he hopes “Champagne Rendezvous” does the same. We think it will. Monica: What led you down the path to becoming a musician? Fuller: I started playing the piano when I was really young, and I played all through grade school and high school, and I started writing music in college. After college, I thought, "I'm going to go out and give it a try and see if I can make a career out of this." I went to Los Angeles and recorded some songs early on, in the early '90s. I couldn't get anybody to listen to them. Nothing happened. I got involved in other things to make money and to survive, and after a period of time, I moved back to Texas and got more involved in our family oil business. I even quit playing the piano for about ten years. It was depressing to me, because it just didn't work out. I gave it up. Maybe five, six, seven years ago, I started playing again. About two or three years ago, I got a call from a record company that had heard one of the original songs that I did in the early '90s. It was an instrumental. They said they could release that as a smooth jazz single, and they did. It played fairly well all around the world on smooth jazz stations, and charted, and all that. So, they wanted to release some more songs in that genre. I came up with four additional songs that I put on an album. They released that two years ago. All the songs were released as singles. They all had different levels of success, but with the second album, I really wanted to get some vocals on there. We recorded five songs for this new album, Champagne Rendezvous, and it came out two weeks ago. The music career took a little while to get rolling, but better late than never, right? Monica: Was there anyone else in your family who had a musical background? Fuller: Not at all. It was just me. It was always a place where I could go, something special for me to do, and play and learn. I felt like I could write all these things. It just took some time to recognize it.

Monica: Who within the music industry influenced you? Fuller: I've got a sizable record collection. Primarily, it's beautiful music from the '50s and '60s and even up to the '70s. But I was really influenced by the Brazilian sound, the bossa nova of the '50s and '60s, like Antonio Carlos Jobim, or Laurindo Almeida, who is credited with being the creator of that sound in the early '50s. He actually played on that first song that I did in the early '90s, "Brazilian Sunrise." So, that sound is really important to me. So is Herb Alpert and Burt Bacharach. Of course, every young piano player aspires to be like Elton John. But I'm influenced by a lot of different kinds of music. Romantic music and orchestral music is what I'm most interested in. Monica: I've heard people say many times that music, from a young kid's perspective, can certainly help them with doing well in school. So, when you were growing up and playing the piano, did you find did it have any impact on you in terms of your learning? Fuller: That is a very interesting point. I didn't realize it at the time, but I think it did. They say reading music is such a mathematical thing. It absolutely helped in mathematics for me. It helped in organizational skills and compartmentalizing things. It expands the mind, too, when you're being creative and coming up with sounds. Yes, it's helpful in all areas of education, I think. Monica: What life experiences drive and inspire you to create your music? Fuller: The music that I really enjoy writing the most are romantic songs. I love the idea of music being a force for romance. I think that taps into everybody. Everybody at heart is a romantic, and if they're inspired by some kind of romantic music, maybe that will inspire them to get out and create more romance. I love beautiful music and how that can move people to do beautiful things, which is one of the reasons why I like this new album. There are five songs on there. They're all romantic ballads. Hopefully people will resonate with those and feel romantic when they hear them. Exceptional People Magazine | July -August 2019

EXTRAORDINARY PROFILES

Monica: You've also said that your songs are about the passage of time, looking forward to the future with optimism. So, when people listen to your music, is there something specific you want them to feel or think about? Fuller: When I talk about the passage of time, there's a theme that goes through a lot of my songs, which is trying to get back to something we had in the past, or something so great that I let slip through my fingers and I'm trying to get back there. That is definitely the theme that runs through the songs. Maybe what I want people to think about when they hear that is, when you have something great, don't let it go. Recognize it now and don't let that passage of time get in the way of whatever it is that's great in your life at this moment. Monica: How do you define your music? Do you define it as jazz or smooth jazz? Fuller: The first album was issued in the smooth jazz format, but I really don't consider it smooth jazz. I think that's kind of the catch-all for anything instrumental. They're pop songs, but they were instrumental, so smooth jazz was the right genre for it. But this new music that's out, it's in the adult contemporary genre. The way I understand that is, adult contemporary is basically top-40 minus the rap. Then, they've got older artists, too. People like Jackson Browne and Bonnie Raitt. But there's a small sliver, a window for someone like me to come in. It's beautiful music. It's romantic music. There's a sophistication about it. I hope it resonates with people on a romantic level of the heart. Monica: Do you see it as taking a risk? When you first started writing music, no one really wanted to pick it up or listen to it. So, do you think it's taking a risk? Fuller: Well, maybe. But I think at the time when I wrote those early songs, they were also romantic songs on the piano, with some orchestration. My music was never going to get played or heard at that point. And with the advent of the internet, and distribution methods like that, the music industry is completely different now. There's a space, really, for anybody, now. Whether or not this music is going to resonate with everyone, I don't know. I sure hope so, because I think it really touches on universal themes, and I'm hopeful that people will buy it and enjoy it. Monica: Of course, it's been said that music is universal. From your perspective, what kind of impact can music have on humanity as a whole? Fuller: Wow. When you go to a place, you see people from different backgrounds, and different experiences. A great song comes on, and people start laughing and dancing. Music has a way of bringing people together.

July -August 2019 | Exceptional People Magazine

EXTRAORDINARY PROFILES

I think that more music, more bringing people together, is definitely a good thing. So, I like to be a part of that, if possible. Monica: As musicians, you know you have successes, and you also experience challenges just like any other type of business. I see music as a business. It's not just a performer singing or playing a piano or some other instrument. There is a business behind it. For those aspiring musicians who want to write and perform, what would you say are some important factors they need to consider before they can become a successful musician? Fuller: It takes a lot of dedication and perseverance, because people are going to say "no" constantly. That was certainly the case with me. I can't speak for everybody, but in my case, there was so much rejection early on. It definitely affected me. As I said earlier, I quit playing for ten years. It was depressing to me to even be involved in it because I felt like a failure. You can't let the people saying no to affect the way you move forward. Aspiring musicians really have to have a lot of perseverance. I feel like they need to get out and play as much as possible. Be heard. Let the people hear what you're playing. Get seen and get heard. People talk about you. If you've got talent, that will only help you. Monica: What have you discovered about yourself as a musician over the span of years that you've been doing this now? Fuller: I've discovered that I really do love writing, and I really do love playing the music. Even when I went through valleys of not playing, I still longed for it and wished it had happened, and I am grateful that something's happening right now. I'm grateful that I have this stability. I can continue to write and come up with new songs. I write in different genres. So, it's a fun thing to dabble in all kinds of different sounds and different ways of writing. I'm grateful for that. Monica: Who would you say has played a role in helping you to get to where you are now? Fuller: When I was in college, I had a mutual friend of Burt Bacharach, and he connected me with Burt. I was

Exceptional People Magazine | July -August 2019

EXTRAORDINARY PROFILES

such a huge fan of Burt's music from the '60s and '70s and the '80s. In the mid-'80s, I spent some time with Burt, and for a period of time, we talked on the phone regularly. He'd call in, and check in, and see how the writing was going. He was definitely an influence on me and was very helpful during the end of my college time when I was trying to decide what I was going to do the rest of my life. But musically, I'd say he was an influence, or an aide to me. I had another friend, Van Cliburn, who was a famous classical piano player. Van was very helpful and supportive of my music. I will say that my family and friends have all been supportive. Monica: That's wonderful because the music business can be very tough sometimes. If you're not strong at heart, you can get discouraged easily. Like you said, you have the tenacity to keep pressing forward. Fuller: That's right, and in my case, there was no money coming in from the music business, so I had to figure out other ways to make money. After a while, that can wear on you if you're not getting paid doing what it is that you love. Monica: Yes. And so musically speaking, what legacy would you like to leave? Fuller: Musically speaking, I'd like to be known as someone who wrote music that was true, that was filled with love and was inspirational to people in some way or another, and romantic. I really do like the romance angle of the music. I'm pushing forward, thinking about the next album. I'm already writing the songs for album number three, and I'm excited about those prospects. I might continue in this romantic ballad genre, and I might do some things that are a little bit more up tempo. What's fun about it is creatively, I feel like I'm evolving all the time, but there's always the core, because romance is at the core of everything. But the music might evolve from album to album. Monica: I'm glad you're having success, and I really appreciate this opportunity to chat with you. Fuller: Monica, thank you so much. I really enjoyed it. 20

July -August 2019 | Exceptional People Magazine

Monica: Would you mind closing the interview with your last word? Fuller: I think the most important thing I can say is that if one has a dream, don't ever give up on that dream. Reality can always sneak in and make you do things you have to do to survive. But if you've got the dream, always work on it. Always push forward. You never know, it could come true. 

EXTRAORDINARY PROFILES

Exceptional People Magazine | July -August 2019

EXTRAORDINARY PROFILES

July -August 2019 | Exceptional People Magazine

Minding My

Business

o you struggle with communicating effectively? Communication is a key part of success at work or in other parts of your life. Top leaders have practiced and mastered the skills that enable them to communicate so well. You too can learn these same skills! Whether you’re leading a group of five hundred or you are an employee who just wants to excel in your career, proper communication is at the center of your success.

• Pay attention during a conversation instead of being distracted by your phone or other device. Have one conversation at a time to give each person your full attention. • Practice retelling the person’s story in your mind to get better at listening.

Follow these strategies to practice essential communication skills:

• Everyone wants to be heard. Others will notice that you’re listening to them and will go away from your conversations thinking what a great communicator you are, when all you did was listen.

1. Learn to listen. Top leaders know that listening is a crucial part of communication. Learn to love listening and engage in the stories of others.

2. Avoid slang and informalities. It’s normal to use slang or other types of informal language while talking to friends or family. However, business usually requires

July -August 2019 | Exceptional People Magazine

5 Communication Top Leaders Can Skills Teach You

MINDING MY BUSINESS

By Marla Gem

a more formal language set. Pay attention to who you’re talking to and make the necessary adjustments.

• Show sympathy and empathy when it’s appropriate during a conversation.

• Slang, acronyms, and informalities can also make some people feel uncomfortable, especially if they’re not familiar with them.

• Look at things from the other person’s point of view without criticism or judgment.

3. Focus on being brief. Top leaders know that you don’t have to make a long speech to be effective. • Practice being brief and getting your point across with fewer words. People appreciate brief conversations and respect others who don’t go off on tangents. • However, ensure you’re still providing enough information while you talk. You don’t want to be vague or miss important details. • This skill may take time to develop, so practice it often. The next time you have a conversation, try to get your point across with less talking. Try to summarize the important parts and only focus on them while you talk. 4. Pay attention to other’s emotions. When you talk, take note of how the other person is reacting. Words are powerful, and communication can affect people in many different ways. • You may want to learn psychology to understand emotions better.

5. Be charismatic. Communication is easier for charismatic people, but you can learn this skill. • One of the most important aspects of charisma is confidence, but not arrogance or self-righteousness. Confident communicators know their value and worth, but they’re also respectful of others. • Another facet of charisma is optimism, and it’s also a big part of communication. Even if you’re having a difficult conversation, focus on something positive. Top leaders are good at finding the silver lining. • Charismatic communicators are interesting, but they also share interesting information with others. They focus on innovation and new ideas that give people a spark. You can learn to communicate more effectively by following these tips from top leaders. Practice these skills as often as possible. You’ll have many opportunities each day. Every time you have a conversation with anyone is an opportunity to practice a little more. And as you know, practice makes you better! 

Exceptional People Magazine | July -August 2019

8 Effective Habits MINDING MY BUSINESS

That Drive Entrepreneurial Success By Donna Carletta

very career has a set of habits that greatly increase the odds of success. The habits necessary for success will vary from career to career. Fortunately, there are many successful entrepreneurs that we can look to for guidance. It’s not surprising that many of them share the same habits. There’s no reason why you can’t have the same habits as some of the most successful people in the world! Increase your odds for success with these habits:

An incredible work ethic. It takes a lot of time and effort to grow a company. It's necessary at first to be a jack-of-all-trades. Until you can grow enough to hire others to cover all the required skills your company needs to thrive, you're going to have to carry a lot of weight.

July -August 2019 | Exceptional People Magazine

Conscientiousness. When you own a business, it's up to you to ensure that things are done properly and on time. The responsibilities are great. You don't have the luxury of putting out sloppy work. It will always come back to haunt you.

Use time wisely. Time will always be a limited resource. How you use your time dictates how successful your company ultimately becomes. That means having the knowledge and experience to make wise decisions and the mental toughness to avoid distractions.

Have a plan each day. One of the keys to using your time successfully is to plan for each day ahead of time. Avoid going to bed without having a detailed idea of what you're going to do the following day. When your feet hit the bedroom floor, you should already know what needs to be done for the day.

MINDING MY BUSINESS

• Think of all the major challenges in your life and notice that there were plenty of warning signs for all of them. The same is true with your business. Avoid putting your head in the sand and hoping for the best. Deal with challenges now while they’re still manageable.

What are your current habits? Can you see why your current habits have either helped you or harmed you on your path to business success? Think about what you want to accomplish to be successful and build a set of habits that will support those activities.

Wake up early. There are very few successful entrepreneurs that don't get up very early. Some get up even before 4 a.m. How early you get up is up to you, but if you're not beating the average person out of bed, you're behind. Set goals. It's not enough to work hard and work smart. You also must know where you're going. Goals help you make wise decisions. Know what you're trying to accomplish today, this week, this month, this year, and 10 years from now. Deal with stress effectively. Entrepreneurs have plenty of stress to deal with on a regular basis, so it's important to learn how to manage it. Have a process for dealing with stress and anxiety. Learn to recognize what you can control and what you cannot.

Look ahead for obstacles. Avoid being blindsided by obstacles and setbacks. Be aware of your future. Look ahead for the challenges that you're likely to face and have solutions in mind.

The person with the best habits usually wins. How far will you go with your habits? 

Exceptional People Magazine | July -August 2019

CREATING A WINNING COMPANY CULTURE INSPIRES INGENUITY I

t’s no accident that companies with the highestrated work cultures are also among the most successful companies. If you started out as a oneman or one-woman company, you might not have a well-defined culture. However, as your company grows, your culture plays an increasingly important role in your future and success. The earlier you decide on and establish a company culture, the better off you’ll be. It’s a mistake to wait.

WHAT IS A COMPANY CULTURE? Think of it as the shared beliefs, standards, values, and procedures of a company and its employees. The culture is created via the goals, structure, customers, strategy, and communication of the company. To determine the basic culture of any company is quite simple with a few questions: • Who gets promoted? Who gets fired? Who is stuck in their position for life? • What types of behavior are rewarded and punished?

THE BENEFITS OF HAVING A WINNING WORKPLACE CULTURE What does a good culture mean for your company? This question is often asked by new entrepreneurs. But remember, entrepreneurs don’t think like employees, or they’d still be one. You might not need a culture. You might be content with a desk, computer, phone, and some peace and quiet. However, most of us aren’t wired that way. We need a little more to be happy, inspired, and content. The benefits of a strong and positive workplace culture are well-documented:

Less stress. A positive environment that is both safe and supportive results in a less-stressed employee. When people enjoy their work environment, they are more eager to get to work and to be at work.

Less absenteeism. A pleasant and enjoyable workplace results in fewer people calling sick. Sick employees are getting paid without providing any value on that day. How many times have you called in sick just because you didn’t want to go to work? Sick days are expensive for a company, especially a smaller one.

• What’s really important to the company? • Who fits in? Who doesn’t fit in? • How would you describe this company in a few words? Take a look at a few companies you know well and ask yourself the above questions.

“Determine what behaviors and beliefs you value as a company, and have everyone live true to them. These behaviors and beliefs should be so essential to your core, that you don’t even think of it as culture.” Brittany Forsyth, VP of Human Relations, Shopify 28

July -August 2019 | Exceptional People Magazine

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Greater productivity. Lower absenteeism and a happy and inspired workforce get more work done. It’s as simple as that. The more productive your employees are, the fewer of them you need. Greater productivity leads to lower costs and greater profits.

Employee satisfaction. When employees like and respect their workplace culture, their overall satisfaction increases.

MINDING MY BUSINESS

Creativity. It’s hard to be creative in an unpleasant environment. Creativity is the key to the success of any business. Whether it’s developing exciting and innovative products and services or finding new ways to decrease costs, creativity is vital.

Better teamwork. When everyone buys into the company culture, it’s easier to work together. Teams can accomplish more than individual employees, so teamwork is essential to the long-term success of a company. Companies with inspiring workplace cultures have great teams and teamwork.

Employee retention. Companies with highly rated cultures have significantly fewer employees jumping ship. Everyone that’s had at least a couple of jobs knows the value of an enjoyable work experience.

Better customer service. An engaged employee provides better customer service, particularly if the culture emphasizes the importance of customer relationships.

"If you are lucky enough to be someone’s employer, then you have a moral obligation to make sure people do look forward to coming to work in the morning.” - John Mackey, CEO, Whole Foods Market

Your company requires a definitive corporate environment once it grows beyond a few employees. There are many benefits to finding an effective culture for your company. Failing to establish a culture means that you’re neglecting the above items. Can your business thrive that way? Exceptional People Magazine | July -August 2019

MINDING MY BUSINESS

A STARTING POINT FOR YOUR COMPANY CULTURE

• Banking is a traditionally conservative business. It might be hard to make a culture of jeans and golf shirts work.

A good place to begin is by considering the common features found in many successful cultures. While your company is unique, the most effective culture for your workplace will likely share many of the same characteristics. Consider how you would address each of these items in your own company culture.

• A tech company would struggle to find the right employees if its culture were overly conservative. Can you imagine everyone at a tech startup wearing a suit to work? Or a tech company that doesn’t value creativity and innovation?

• It’s okay to be innovative and push the envelope. Just remember that the culture has to support your business type, clients, and employees.

A successful company culture requires several things:

Clear core values. One thing all successful workplace cultures share is a set of core values that are perfectly clear to all employees. What will your company values be? There are a variety of things a company can emphasize.

• Innovation and creativity

• Home/work balance

• Aggressiveness • Results

• Casual or not?

• Team work

Employee recognition. Positive work cultures give employees recognition for their accomplishments above and beyond the norm. This can take the form of monetary awards, additional days off, lunch with the CEO, or even just mention in an email or company newsletter.

Respect. Respect is an important part of a workplace culture. This means respect between peers and between the highest-level employees and the lowest. Employees that feel disrespected quickly become disgruntled. The quality and quantity of their work suffers.

Communication. Open communication within the company fosters greater success. Again, this means between peers and between the various levels of the organization.

• Have regular communication across all levels. Company-wide meetings can be very effective if logistically possible.

The culture matches the business and the employees. Different cultures are suitable for different industries.

July -August 2019 | Exceptional People Magazine

• Regardless of the size of your company, find a way to recognize an employee when they do something exceptional.

Keep the employee’s goals in mind. No employee has the dream of working in a cubicle for the rest of their lives. Your dream isn’t their dream. It’s important to find ways to help your employees progress forward in life.

• Every manager should know his employees’ goals, whether it’s to learn a new software program, move into a sales job, or become an executive down the road.

• Strong company cultures support employees in the pursuit of their goals.

Inclusivity. Significant separation between the upper level employees and the lower level employees has often been a source of friction. Establish a corporate culture that includes all employees from the CEO to the person that empties the garbage cans.

The culture needs to go from the top to the bottom. Everyone needs to be held to the same standards. In many companies, people look the other way when an executive fails to abide by the culture or rules of the company. This breeds dissent and anger.

Employee feedback. Ask for and use employee feedback. You can’t be everywhere at once, and you don’t know the absolute best way to perform every

MINDING MY BUSINESS

job in your company. Your employees know things, and it would be wise to extract this information from them.

• Encourage your employees to provide regular feedback on all aspects of the company.

Transparency. This goes back to communication. Be as transparent as possible. The old mentality of, “You don’t need to know anything beyond what you need to know to do your job” is dead. Keep employees in the loop and be respectful. They can handle the truth.

Consistency. Consistency means it applies to all employees and at all times. If you’re willing to throw out your values during a mini-crisis, you don’t have a stable culture.

• The culture needs to come before everything else, or everyone understands that it’s all just smoke and mirrors.

Give these items some thought when crafting your own culture. Think about how you would implement each of these items in your company. What do you think would work the best for you, your employees, and your customers? Sketch something out on paper and think on it for a few days. 

"Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.” -Henry Ford, Founder, Ford Motor Company

Exceptional People Magazine | July -August 2019

MINDING MY BUSINESS

How to Negotiate Your Way to Success By Pat Markel

o you ever encounter situations when you feel very strongly about how you believe a project should be planned, carried out, or completed? Do you sometimes feel annoyed that the others involved don’t see the situation the same as you do? Here’s where good negotiation skills come in handy. Regardless of the career you’ve chosen, there will be times you’ll find negotiation necessary. Learning this critical skill will also improve your personal relationships.

July -August 2019 | Exceptional People Magazine

MINDING MY BUSINESS

Review these tips for negotiating a situation to get the results you want:

Remind yourself that you’re on same side. After all, you both want to resolve the issue. If you focus on finding common threads, that will help.

Know your material. Avoid in-depth discussions about topics and situations that you’re not yet educated about. In advance of conversations or projects you know are coming, ensure that you understand the ins and outs of the situation at hand. Preparation is your friend in negotiation!

Listen. Keep an open mind to what the other person has to say. We’ve all had the experience of rushing in and insisting on what we want, only to discover later that it’s actually quite similar to what the other person wants (we just didn’t know that because we weren’t listening).

Find areas of agreement. With a little luck, you’ll only disagree on one or two minor points. Make a list of where you’re in concurrence and where you’re split. This will concretely illustrate how much negotiating will actually be necessary and how much you really do agree.

Talk about the issue at hand first. Avoid trying to discuss solutions until you both see the problem similarly. You’ve got to be on the same page about the issue before you can possibly be on the same page for the solution.

5 6

Ask for the other person’s ideas. Solicit suggestions from them on how to resolve the situation. Listen carefully, and be willing to implement some or all of what you hear.

State your ideas for a solution. Make your case, too; tell them why you believe it’s the way to go. For example, you could say something like, “Rather than make in-person follow-up visits once per week to new customers, I think it’s a better idea to do them monthly and use the off-weeks to follow up by phone.” • To make your case in this example, you may follow up by saying, “This way, we’ve got time during the off-weeks to develop new customers. We’ll be widening our customer base while keeping contacts with customers we already have.”

Show flexibility. You’re two separate people with two separate sets of ideas and perspectives about the issue at hand. Avoid expecting to get your way 100%.

Keep your emotions out of it. Consider the situation as business. Remain objective at all times. Keep your cool.

Be honest and use integrity. If you misunderstand an element of the challenge or their proposed solution and suddenly realize it, say so. Keep your word. Respect the other person.

Learning to use effective negotiation skills will help you in accomplishing any goals you have that involve others. Skillfully listen, remain non-emotional, discover points of agreement, honestly state your ideas, and show flexibility when interfacing with others. Get what you want by putting these excellent negotiation skills to work for you! 

Exceptional People Magazine | July -August 2019

EMPOWER YOURSELF

July-August 2019 | Exceptional People Magazine

July/August 2019

Kyle Bryant

Living Life Beyond

Circumstances Success Comes to Those Who Believe and Ask

Melanie Mack

10 Secrets to Applying for Jobs When You May be Under-Qualified 8 Effective Habits That Drive Entrepreneurial Success

Contents

Extraordinary Profile 37 Kyle Bryant Living Life Beyond Circumstances 45 Melanie Mack Success Comes to Those Who Believe and Ask

Empower Yourself 58 10 Secrets to Applying for Jobs When You May be Under-Qualified 60 Create a Strategy for Being Promoted Without a Raise 62 How Do You View Your Failures? 64 Leadership Tips to Help You Quickly Build Influence

Ligher Side of Life 67 Rules of Engagement on Facebook 69

Recipes

Love is the perfect motivator. It inspires us to live our best lives and uplift others. Monica Davis

Kyle

Bryant

Living Life Beyond Circumstances

EXTRAORDINARY PROFILES

yle Bryant was crowned king of his high school prom. Growing up in Sacramento, California, he spent his childhood going to school, snowboarding, playing baseball, and riding his bike around the neighborhood with his buddies. A smart, athletic, popular boy, Bryant’s future was bright. He knew early on that he was destined to do something great with his life. Bryant was always a bit clumsy, but knee scrapes and elbow cuts are normal for an active kid. When his parents realized that his balance and coordination issues were getting worse as he grew, they started searching for answers. They travelled to different doctors and clinics for a year to find out what was going on with their son. Bryant was diagnosed with Friedreich’s Ataxia, or FA, a genetic disease affecting about 15,000 people worldwide. Often diagnosed in children age 5 to 15, FA is a debilitating, life-shortening, degenerative neuro-muscular disorder. The progressive loss of coordination and muscle strength leads to motor incapacitation and the full-time use of a wheelchair. According to the Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Association (FARA), there are currently no treatments for FA. So, at age 17, Kyle Bryant had to say goodbye to his dreams and face the specter of a short life lived in a wheelchair. While he grappled with this new future, he went to college at University of California at Davis, graduating with a degree in Civil Engineering. After school he worked for five years as an engineer. During this time, after seeing athletes with muscular dystrophy competing on recumbent tricycles, he sat in a Catrike®. Bryant loved feeling the earth move below him, propelled only by the power of his own legs. He found heaven in that recumbent trike and he started to train. Bryant had gotten used to his wheelchair and was even grateful for it. But riding that Catrike® gave him the impetus to spread the word about FA and raise funds for research. This, he realized, was his life’s true purpose. In 2007, Bryant went on his first FA fundraising ride, 414 miles from the West Coast to Phoenix, Arizona. He picked a number out of the air - $30,000 - as his fundraising goal, and was blown away when he raised $40,000. Realizing that he now served as an inspiration to the FA community, he founded rideATAXIA for FARA, producing family-friendly bike rides across the country to empower those with FA and raise funds for research. In 2010, he and three friends completed in Race Across America, one of the world’s most difficult bike races. A moving documentary, “The Ataxian,” about Bryant’s 2500-mile journey from the Pacific to the Atlantic, has won multiple film awards across the country.

July -August 2019 | Exceptional People Magazine

EXTRAORDINARY PROFILES

Exceptional People Magazine | July -August 2019

EXTRAORDINARY PROFILES

Today, Bryant is 37 and the director of rideATAXIA, currently with 6 locations nationwide. The rideATAXIA team has raised over $7 million for FA research since 2007. He travels 100 days out of the year meeting with FA families and fundraisers, sits on the executive staff of FARA, co-hosts the “Two Disabled Dudes” podcast, and inspires groups through his motivational speeches. This year is the Inaugural rideATAXIA Virtual Challenge, allowing people to join the team and connect with the FA community by riding in their own towns. Bryant’s book, Shifting Into High Gear: One Man’s Grave Diagnosis and the Epic Bike Ride That Taught Him What Matters, was recently released. In it, Bryant describes his incredible cross-country ride while showing that disability is simply an obstacle in his life, the same as any obstacle non-disabled people face. Bryant wants people to know that FA is curable and that they can be a part of finding that cure. He believes that we are all on a search for purpose in our lives, and he’s grateful that his purpose was presented to him so clearly. Most of all, he wants to share his message that perception changes reality; that life is about how we react to challenges. Read on for his own words about his journey to empowerment from total despair and the joy he has found in gratitude. Monica: Would you mind talking briefly about what Friedreich's ataxia is and how it impacts an individual who is diagnosed with it? Kyle: Friedreich's ataxia is a rare neuromuscular disease that affects all muscle coordination from the toes to the fingertips. It also has symptoms like vision loss, hearing loss, and heart complications. I wasn't diagnosed until I was 17 years old. I didn't even know about FA until I was 17. Some kids are diagnosed at age five; the earlier you're diagnosed, generally, the more severe and the quicker the progression is. So, many people see me and they think, "What's the big deal? You seem like a happy guy who is able to do 40

July -August 2019 | Exceptional People Magazine

EXTRAORDINARY PROFILES

a lot of things you want to do." And that's very true, but that's not the case for everyone who lives with FA. Monica: So, at the age of 17, when you were diagnosed, how did that impact you and your thought process from that point on, once you knew what your life was going to be like? Kyle: The first thing they tell you is don't Google it. And so that's what I did. We found out that it would only be a matter of time before I was in a wheelchair. It would only be a matter of time before I lost all ability to take care of myself. And it would only be a matter of time before my heart failed and I suffered a premature death. Those are all the things I found out, and it just makes you reconsider the vision you have for your life. I think we all have a vision, and reality often doesn't quite match up with that vision. It all kind of came crashing down, and we had to really reevaluate our lives at that point. Monica: Absolutely. What was your thought process like as you were going through the transformation of having to change those things that were the norm for you up until you were 17 to adjusting to new norms? Kyle: I really had to adjust everything, including the way I get things done. It's not that I get less done. I feel now like I'm accomplishing more than I ever have. But it's just different. I do things in a different way. I'm still going to get anything I want done. But, for example, I use a wheelchair instead of walking on two feet. And I drive with my hands instead of pushing pedals with my feet. I've put up a little pole in my shower that helps me get into the shower. Things like that. It's all the things that everyone else does, but I do them a bit differently. Monica: As you experience each day living with FA, what new things have you learned about yourself? Kyle: I’ve learned to humble myself a lot. I've learned that life has a lot to teach me. I don't Exceptional People Magazine | July -August 2019

EXTRAORDINARY PROFILES

know everything. Oftentimes, I think our pride gets the best of us. That's me, for sure.

Kyle: I like that question a lot. Because I refer to it as "we were diagnosed," not, "I was diagnosed."

To stay humble and to continue to learn is one of the biggest things. I've also learned that I'm not alone. As I reach out into the community, you feel so alone a lot of times with a rare disease. And that's the hardest thing. You get diagnosed and you're sitting at the kitchen table with your family and thinking, what the heck?

Because it really affects my whole family. Like I was saying earlier, we all have a vision in our lives, and so does my mom, and my dad, and my brother. And that includes their relationship with me, and feeling responsible for the family. So, I think this diagnosis really does affect them and their vision for their lives. I felt like I was going to be a burden on my parents and my brother. I know that's not the case, but that's one of the things you feel.

Then you meet other people who are dealing with the same thing. You find out that those people are happy, funny, productive, adventurous, and ambitious. And you think, "Well, maybe I can be that way, too." I think you learn a lot about yourself by connecting with other people with the same condition. Monica: The people you are surrounded with, including your family, how have the experiences you've gone through impacted their lives, or the way they think about themselves? 42

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So, I think it really has changed their lives and the way they think about what they do, bringing the whole family along for the ride and benefitting the whole family. Monica: You sometimes talk about the importance of realizing greater opportunities within the adversity or adversities that you are experiencing. So, why do you think some people can't see beyond their current circumstances to realize greater opportunities in their adversity?

EXTRAORDINARY PROFILES

Kyle: Oh, man. That's a good one. That's a really tough question, I think. There's probably a whole lot of reasons. One of the reasons I think I'm able to do well is because I have so much support from my friends and family. I don't pretend that I'm doing this alone. I think that's one of the biggest things. And I think that we can learn from that by saying, "You know what? We need everyone to support each other, and we'll make it through it." That tells me that I need to support the people around me, and give what I can to make everyone do well together. Monica: What is it that you want people to glean from your experiences, your passion and determination to live your best life regardless of your condition? Kyle: What I've been thinking about lately is that it really takes facing up to your challenges and not hiding from them. I don't think it does us any good when we try to ignore things until they hopefully go away. When we face up to our challenges, we can conquer them. Ultimately, I boil it down to life is about how we react. Things are going to happen to us in life. But what is under our control is the way we react to those things. Monica: Can you talk a little bit about what you're doing to raise money for FA, for a cure?

telling me how the actions that we were taking were helping them with the challenges in their life, just to be inspired to have that little bit of connection to someone who is making a positive change and tackling their circumstances. That is what drives me every single day. I think that we all want to make positive impacts on the world. It fulfills me to no end to know that I am making an impact on other people. Monica: What advice would you have for parents whose child, at any given time, could possibly be diagnosed with FA? Kyle: My advice for a parent is to get as informed as you can. It's really scary to find out all the details, but I think it's really important. I think my parents gave me the space to approach FA on my own terms. So, when I was ready, that's when we really started digging into it. But they were prepared with the answers. They knew at least a little bit about FA. If they didn't know the answer, they knew where to find it. They wouldn't even have been able to have a conversation with me at all if they didn't get informed. So, it's important to take it head-on. Learn as much as you can so that when your child is ready, you're an informed person, and you can have that conversation.

Kyle: I run a series of bike rides around the country, and we have six locations. We welcome about 2500 participants each year, and we raise about $1 million for research every year.

Monica: What do you want people who read about you and your story to think about in terms of the way they live their lives moving forward?

But beyond the dollar amount, I really think that the ride serves to provide a positive platform for the FA community. It really brings the community together so we can tackle this together. Partly, I guess, the amount of money that comes in says that. It's not me raising $1 million a year. It's not my family raising $1 million a year. It's the whole community doing this together.

Kyle: Generally, I think the method is that life is about how we react, as I said earlier. But also, disabilities come in all different shapes and sizes. I think we all deal with challenges, no matter who we are. It all depends on how you react to those challenges. I think it's natural to compare yourself to others, but everyone needs to realize we all have challenges. They're all just different.

Monica: Going on those rides, when you're actually riding, how does it make you feel to know that you are making a difference for others who have FA, as well as for yourself? Kyle: While I was riding across the country in 2007, I did a ride from San Diego to Memphis, Tennessee. It took 59 days. My dad rode with me and my mom drove the support vehicle. During the ride, I would post a blog post about every three days. I started getting e-mails and comments from people all over the world who were

No one's any better, or worse, or more, or less than anyone else. We need to get through this together. Monica: Can you talk briefly about your book, Shifting into High Gear? Kyle: In 2007, as I mentioned earlier, I did a bike ride with my parents. We left from San Diego on January 22, and we rode all the way to Memphis, Tennessee. This was really the turning point for me when we were taking action. Exceptional People Magazine | July -August 2019

EXTRAORDINARY PROFILES

It was almost ten years after I was diagnosed, and we were finally taking action. We're not going to end our lives just because of this disease. We're going to take action and make a difference and raise money and empower ourselves in the process. And you know, maybe we're going to have a good time at the same time, too." Monica: I'm sure you probably have met some very interesting people on some of those rides that you've taken. Kyle: Absolutely. We met a guy who owned a bookstore in Arizona, and he wasn't wearing pants. We met an incredible guy who was carrying a cross across the country because he felt compelled to spread the word about what he believes. We met all kinds of people in the FA community who became so dedicated to the cause and to changing the situation for themselves and for the whole community. How are you not inspired by all those stories, right? Those are the things that drive me—the interactions with

July -August 2019 | Exceptional People Magazine

the other people that I can learn from and use in my life to make my life better. Monica: You are certainly making a difference in the lives of many people, not just people who have FA. This has been a wonderful interview. Would you mind closing with your last word? Kyle: My last word is, things are going to happen to all of us—bad things. It's just all about how we respond to those things. I love seeing challenges as an opportunity to make a positive impact. I think that's how I try to live, and I think it's important for all of us to think that way in some way. Monica: That's a wonderful message. I think it's important for other people to hear it and to realize that you can turn your challenges and your adversity into something positive that others can learn from. Kyle: Yes. I like it a lot. 

EXTRAORDINARY PROFILES

Melanie Mack

Success Comes to Those Who Believe and Ask Exceptional People Magazine | July -August 2019

EXTRAORDINARY PROFILES

failed. So, she started going to cocktail parties to connect with them in person. Lo and behold, she raised $1.5 million for her fledgling companies, Bamflex and Power of the Single Mom.

Once Mack figured out what a “VC,” or venture capitalist was, she realized that she had no idea how to get meetings with them. Calling them to schedule meetings

Sounds easy, right? In fact, Mack had to sit with 30 VCs before she got that funding. But Mack isn’t one to give up, and it shows on her resume. The Los Angeles native is now the first African American to serve as Executive

f Melanie Mack doesn’t know how to do something, she’ll find out — and quick. When she wanted to start her own business in 1998, she had no idea how to create a business plan. So, she got hold of a business plan template and filled it in.

July -August 2019 | Exceptional People Magazine

EXTRAORDINARY PROFILES

Director of the Culver City Education Foundation. That means a lot in a city which used to be known as a “sundowner” town: where people of color had no police protection after the sun went down. Now known as a powerhouse fundraiser at the helm of one of this city’s most active non-profit organizations, Mack leads a team whose mission is to support and enhance quality educational programs for all of the

area’s students. As a single mom, this mission means a great deal to Mack personally. The proof is in the pudding. While her career started out in the entertainment business, Mack clearly has a passion for serving the underserved. She’s raised over $12 million over 16 years as a fundraiser and Director of Major Gifts at charitable organizations like Union Rescue Mission, Weingart Center

Exceptional People Magazine | July -August 2019

EXTRAORDINARY PROFILES

Association, New Directions for Veterans, and Angels Gate Cultural Center. So how did this one-time homeless child get to where she is today? For one, she’s not afraid to ask questions, including asking for promotions and raises. Mack started out as a producer’s assistant at Warner Bros. 48

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Entertainment, and was part of the FX Network’s original launch team in 1994. FX went on to win a NAMIC award for diversity and inclusion. Mack then worked as VP of television development at Paramount Pictures. She still has her hand in the entertainment world as executive producer of The Parlay talk show, focusing on urban civic engagement.

EXTRAORDINARY PROFILES

Naturally, Mack is an inspiration to those around her as well as those who read her books Creating Your Life: The Law of Attraction and Reboot Your Life: The Sunset Edition. She’s in her fourth season as radio host for “The Mom Power Hour” on Radio for Divas, and “A Conversation With…” on The Power of Voices. As if that wasn’t enough, Mack is a founding member of the Black

Cooperative Investment Fund and an advisory board member for California Women’s Conference, Angels Gate Park, and Girls, Inc. of Greater Los Angeles. Mack tells us she raised her boys to understand the need and the value of giving back to their community by bringing them to volunteer with the homeless Exceptional People Magazine | July -August 2019

EXTRAORDINARY PROFILES

mom, but I also have a very strong village of people in my family. Not everyone has that. Many women find themselves homeless and struggling to raise their child. Monica: So, when you meet a woman, whether she has a child or not, and she's homeless, what is the starting point in working with her? What is the starting point to get them moving in the right direction? Melanie: With different organizations I've worked with, there are different programs and there's curriculum that many people qualify for. So, the first step is getting them transitional housing and getting them into a program, finding a school for the child, and making sure there's stability first. It’s necessary to lay a foundation for stability.

during vacations and holidays. With a mom like Mack, they are sure to carry on her legacy of heartfelt philanthropy mixed with a nice dose of ambition. Monica: I noticed that one of the things you love most and you have a strong passion for is serving women and girls in underserved communities. Why has this specific group of people become a part of your life's purpose? And when did you know it would be a part of your calling to serve humanity in that way? Melanie: I don't know if I knew at the outset, but I do know that my family experienced hardship when I was younger. My family was homeless for a week. Some people don't consider that being homeless. We were in a hotel, and my brother, to this day, still thinks we were on a family vacation. It was not vacation. It's not lost on me that a large part of my career has been spent in human services and working with homeless populations. There are so many people experiencing homelessness who don’t have mental health challenges and they are not on drugs. They were simply one paycheck away from losing everything, and then they did. It became a passion of mine, meeting different women on Skid Row and seeing they were single moms. There are so many single moms who experience homelessness because they don’t have a support network. At one point, I was a single mom. I was never homeless as a single 50

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Many organizations have two-year programs for men and women, and they continue. They complete the program. There's job training. There's helping them to be competitive in the workforce. There's also assistance with job placement. Usually, when they've completed a program and they're placed with a stable job, it helps them to get their footing. I've truly had the privilege of helping families over the years to relaunch their lives, and it's the greatest feeling. Monica: I'm sure it is. You have a company called Power of the Single Mom. What is its mission? Melanie: When I was a single mother for many years after my divorce, there were people who would approach me and say, "Wow. Your children are wellbehaved. And they're doing well in school. How are you managing this? You're working. How are you managing this with your children?" And I thought, "This is something that I can monetize." I'm a fundraiser, so I'm always thinking about monetization. Not that I have all the answers, because I certainly don't, but I'm always happy to share my journey and help women to get their finances in order, to be stable, and to build a village, if they don't have family or a village. Just helping them to get their footing. That's what Power of the Single Mom has been. Monica: Speaking of raising money, you have to have a certain set of skills to know how to raise money. How did you gain the experience?

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Melanie: I gained my experience in fundraising by creating a business for myself in the late '90s. I created a business called Bamflex, and at the time, I didn't know anything about writing a business plan. I knew nothing of VCs, which are venture capitalists. So, I wrote a business plan. I used a template and followed that. I began to schedule appointments with VCs. I found it very difficult to get these meetings. So, I began going to mixers where VCs gather. That was much easier because you can have a cocktail. You can speak to someone without it being a formal pitch. I began introducing myself and I was naturally asked, "What are you doing?" It was an opportunity for me to share this business idea that I had. From there, I would get the meetings. I took 30 VC meetings before landing an investor. With that investor, I raised $1.5 million. I earned a reputation as being a fundraiser in a non-profit world. I had never worked in non-profit. I was always for profit, always on the entertainment side of the industry. I began getting phone calls asking, "Can you help us raise money?" And my answer was, " I'm not a fundraiser. I don't raise money." I create television. That's what I do. I did that for many years. I ended up selling that business and joining an organization that simply said, "Melanie, we'll create a position for you. We want you to work our database. We have about 3,000 donors, and we'd like you to – " Well, my question to them was, "What would you like me to do?" And they said, "If you could simply call them, take meetings with them, ask them to continue to give to the organization, or ask them to increase their giving, or if they've stopped, find out what's prohibiting them from supporting the organization." And I thought, "You've got to be kidding me. You have an established book of business and an established mission that's been around for many, many years, and you simply want me to cultivate that group of people?" I thought, "I'm in." I'm not afraid to ask. That's something that has served me well in my career: not having the fear of asking for what I want. I've never worked for an organization where I didn't believe in its mission, because I can't sell something that I'm not on board with. Some fundraisers view their job as begging for money.

I've never viewed my role as a fundraiser in that way. I've always seen it as an opportunity to inform a donor or a stakeholder about a mission and why it's important for them to invest in the mission. So, I see it as having a portfolio of investment opportunities, A, B, or C. Which one would you like? And here's the impact. Monica: If they believe in it, then it becomes an investment. Melanie: Absolutely. Monica: As a champion for diversity and inclusion, you have garnered several awards for your work in the entertainment arena, including an EMMY. What are some positive impacts of having a corporate culture where there is diversity and inclusion, both from an employee standpoint and from the corporate side? Exceptional People Magazine | July -August 2019

EXTRAORDINARY PROFILES

Melanie: Diversity and inclusion clearly are important to me. I will say working on the corporate side, my presence was the diversity. There were no African Americans or any people of color, for that matter, in executive roles. So that was always important to me working in television. But it was more important for me to find people I could bring in and have them work behind the scenes, because that is where the power is. Not that I'm not a fan of actors, because I think that's an incredible craft, especially those who are highly skilled and take their work seriously. But in terms of diversity, there aren't many of us; at least during my time, there weren't. I never saw another me, and if I did, it was at a different studio, and the few of us knew one another. So, we would move from studio to studio, because there were limited opportunities, and we were literally kicking in the door creating the opportunities for those coming in behind us. Monica: Even in corporate America, a lot of companies hire a diverse group of people, but there's still something that's missing when it comes to inclusion. So, what does it mean to you to have inclusion? Melanie: Inclusion to me means feeling welcomed. It's not simply stating that we're inclusive. We're diverse, and we're inclusive. But it's making people feel welcomed. It's making sure that voices that typically don't have a voice or a seat at the table have a voice in the room. It’s making sure they are part of decisions that ultimately impact them.

What that means, when you drill down a bit, is we basically support programs that fall within the framework of STEAM, and that's science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics. Within that, we are able to pilot programs at schools. We have five elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school. For example, with the high school, with the class of 2020, we have a program I think is just a brilliant idea. Next year, we will fund one college application for each and every student who wants to apply to college, to lift that financial burden for those families who find just the application fee a barrier. We're able to sustain arts programming in schools. In order to do that, it's important that we keep our donors informed, keeping this community informed, and also bringing those outside the community who simply have an interest in seeing children succeed, and playing some part in changing the trajectory of their lives in a positive way. Monica: Do you feel that what you all are doing through the foundation could potentially be a model for other school districts in the country? Melanie: I do. We've been around for almost 40 years, and we still have a lot of work to do. I wouldn't say that we're the gold standard, but we certainly strive to be. There's so much potential here. It's such a wonderful community of parents. I will say people in Culver City are dedicated beyond measure.

Are there language barriers? How is information being disseminated? Are they aware that certain meetings are taking place? Are they aware that certain discussions are happening? That's true inclusion in my opinion.

They are involved with their children. I think at some point we can serve as a model for other school districts. I'm fortunate to be part of a group of executive directors throughout the South Bay in Southern California and up through Malibu. We meet once a quarter to talk business and to discuss strategies on how to lift each other together. How do we work together to lift all our organizations?

Monica: You are currently the executive director of the Culver City Education Foundation. What is the mission of the foundation?

And that, again, is having the village, and having that support, and sharing best practices, and those kinds of things.

Melanie: Our mission here is to enhance and provide a quality education for all students within Culver City Unified School District.

Monica: You’re the first African American to lead and serve the foundation. What does being in that role mean to you?

I've seen too many times where there are people seated at the table who are making decisions about people without having those people in the room.

July -August 2019 | Exceptional People Magazine

EXTRAORDINARY PROFILES

Melanie: There's a huge responsibility because I’m noticed just in coming into this role and meeting some of the families and kids. You can see in their faces that sometimes it's a surprise to see someone who looks like them. Other times families are just very grateful to have an African American in this position, particularly at a time when Culver City is experiencing an economic renaissance. There are huge companies coming in, such as Amazon, and we still have the Culver Studios here. There are major companies that have their eyes on Culver City, and I would say the makeup, the demographic and the psychographic of this community is changing. We're experiencing a tectonic shift. I think it's appropriate to have people in places—not for show, not to just have someone who has a presence, but someone who is skilled and able to do the work, to continue moving the foundation forward. I am a forward-facing person. I don't like the words, "Well, this is what we've always done." Or, "When we did this…" We have to remain relevant and current. We need to make sure we are in lock step with how society is changing.

Monica: Other than donating money, in what other ways can people help the foundation fulfill its mission? Melanie: Other ways that people can help CCEF fulfill its mission is to spread the word, to talk to families and businesses they may know of that can offer internships to our students, that can come and participate in a lunch and learn, that can come and visit one of our campuses. They have to be fingerprinted for safety measures, etc., but it's important that our kids see a diverse pool of people. Even during my time in entertainment, corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs were probably in their nascent stages. Now there are CSR programs with many corporations. Those are some of the things people can do that does not have a monetary commitment attached to it. There's potentially serving on the board. Monica: You've taken on many leadership roles in various organizations, and you are of course a supporter of more women becoming leaders in their given fields. Exceptional People Magazine | July -August 2019

EXTRAORDINARY PROFILES

watching you, and other times you don't. I've met many people who have approached me and have said, "You know, I've followed your career," or, "I see what you're doing in Culver City," and, "I just appreciate you being there." These are people that I don't know. So, I think it's how you show up, as well. It’s about strategically being in certain places. There are certain rooms that I need to be in. I don't need to go to every assembly and every musical, but there are certain places where I need to be. How I show up is critical, as well. Monica: From your perspective, how can mothers begin to groom their daughters to become leaders? Melanie: My eldest son asked this question of me recently. He framed it differently, but he said, "Mom, what do you wish you'd known early in your career?" And I said, "I wish I had known that I didn't have to ask permission." And so, with women, I find that, especially those who are green in their career, they tend to wait to be promoted versus asking for it. I know that I'm qualified. I've been doing this for X amount of years. I'd like to do this. Be able to put those things on the table. Donna Brazile once said, "If you want a seat at the table, sit down."

Why is it important for women to become leaders? What qualities and characteristics can women bring to the table that are different from men? Melanie: The best way to advocate for a child is to empower the mother. I believe that to my core. Women are more intuitive in terms of leadership. They bring emotional intelligence to their roles. In terms of how we work, it's more relational. With men, it's more transactional. That's what I've seen. Women are able to weave these webs of connectivity to one another, and really support the work that each is doing, whether it's in the same field or not. Women tend to be much more supportive. In terms of qualities, I do think that you definitely need to be skilled in your role, because there are always eyes watching. Sometimes, you know the people who are 54

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You have to step into the role. I think the biggest thing is the permission piece of thinking that everything is a meritocracy. That's not the world we live in. It's important to work and to work in the spirit of excellence. But it's also important to know that just because you're working in the spirit of excellence does not mean someone is going to come along with a magic wand and say, "Melanie, you've done such a wonderful job. I'd like to offer this opportunity to you." Sometimes, you have to vet opportunities for yourself and ask for it. Monica: As you lead the Culver City Education Foundation, what do you see moving forward in the next year or two as your purpose in terms of growing the organization itself? Melanie: Within the next couple of years, I see that we will have more of an impact on the overall district budget. That's something that I would like to see with myself and my board pushing towards a greater impact on the budget. I'd also like to see more individuals being identified for the arts endowments.

EXTRAORDINARY PROFILES

I'd like us to continue to be fearless moving forward. Really sourcing opportunities for our students. This is an organization that started as a few moms getting together and wanting to make sure that arts programming was provided for their kids, and it has grown into an incredible non-profit. I would like to see that as we continue moving forward. If I never meet the children whose lives will be affected by the Education Foundation, I'm okay with that because I know the monies that are being raised are helping this district. Monica: More from a personal perspective, what is it that your three boys have been learning from you over the years in terms of what you're doing from a social impact standpoint, as well as working with women? Melanie: I think the biggest thing that my sons have learned from me is entrepreneurship. The goal is not necessarily to complete school, get your degree, and work for someone. The idea is more to know that you have options, to know that you can be the employer and create opportunities for people. I think that's the biggest thing they've received from me. I've always insisted they participate in giving back. My children have served homeless populations for years by going and serving meals, by going during the holidays and helping children their age and picking out gifts for their families. I remember my son, Matthew, being surprised at many of the children experiencing homelessness who were not interested in toys, but they wanted things like a brush for their hair or a nice toothbrush. They wanted hygiene items. That was eye-opening for him. I would say that's the biggest takeaway. I know that long after I'm gone, they will continue to be civic-minded and always give back. Monica: How has your life been impacted by the people, and not just at the foundation, but over the past years? How have you been impacted by the lives that you have touched? Melanie: I've been extremely humbled by the just kind words strangers have for me and by being welcomed into this community. I don't live in Culver City. I wasn't born, or raised, or work in Culver City. So, I appreciate being welcomed into this community and being entrusted to do the work that I'm doing. I feel a great responsibility in this role. Personally, I want to knock it out of the park.

Life is not a dress rehearsal. Live life to the fullest. Use all your gifts. You really have to recognize and own that your gifting is something special that is unique to you. It's important to cultivate it. I want the Culver City Education Foundation to be like none other. We have a lot to do, but I think that's the thing that has changed me the most: being acutely aware of the responsibility that I have here. It's not just the responsibility of raising money. It's the responsibility of other children of color who are paying attention to me, other families who see me in this role, community leaders who see me in this role and making sure that I am doing my best for the organization. I have an incredible assistant, Chris and sometimes I forget to acknowledge her. There's so much work because we're a band of two. I have a wonderful board of directors who are committed to this mission, and I'm proud to say that not only do we have parent involvement on the board, we also have local business owners who are within and outside Culver City. That has brought diversity of thought to the table, and that's been a wonderful thing. Monica: I'd like for you to close with your last word. Melanie: Life is not a dress rehearsal. Live life to the fullest. Use all your gifts. You really have to recognize and own that your gifting is something special that is unique to you. It's important to cultivate it. Monica: I love it. Thank you.  Exceptional People Magazine | July -August 2019

EMPOWER YOURSELF

July-August 2019 | Exceptional People Magazine

O UR Y R E S

SUCCEED & THRIVE

EM PO

EMPOWER YOURSELF

Professional and Personal Development

Exceptional People Magazine | July-August 2019

10 SECRETS

to Applying for Jobs When You May be Under-Qualified By Kathy Kentty

ou’ve probably come across job openings that sound interesting, but you notice that you’re lacking some of the desired qualifications. Is it okay to apply anyway? In most cases, it’s worth taking a chance. Of course, there are some exceptions, like when you have to be an attorney or know how to play the violin. Otherwise, it’s usually a matter of seeing if you can reframe your background to address the employer’s needs. In fact, many employment advertisements are more like wish lists than precise formulas, so there is substantial room for flexibility. Take a look at three of the most common situations where you may be able to make the case for why you’re a candidate worth considering.

WHEN YOU’RE CHANGING CAREERS Do you want to switch to a new industry or a different kind of position? Many adults have made a successful transition at various stages in their professional lives. A career change could help you discover a job you’ll love. These strategies will help you make the switch:

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R esearch the field. Before making such a big move, do your research carefully. Clarify your reasons for July-August 2019 | Exceptional People Magazine

the switch, so you can explain them to an employer as well as yourself. Look up data on starting salaries and employment prospects.

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I nterview colleagues. Professionals already working in the field are an important source. Attend networking events where you can make new contacts. Join groups on LinkedIn and reach out to someone whose profile looks interesting. ocus on transferable skills. Review your resume to F see how you can apply what you’ve done to your new area of interest. Many tasks are similar even when the job title changes. sk for referrals. Your current network is still an A asset. See if there is someone you know who can introduce you to others who may be willing to share advice and job leads.

WHEN YOU LACK EXPERIENCE Maybe you are brand new to the job market or have limited experience. You can still impress employers with your talents and accomplishments. Try these techniques for highlighting your talents and gaining some experience:

olunteer your services. Build up your resume while V you advance a worthy cause. Offer your assistance

to a charity you already support or call your local volunteer clearinghouse. Propose a project that will give you valuable experience.

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o an internship. While internships are usually D designed for students, there are also programs for adults. Contact companies where you would like to work and ask about formal or informal opportunities. olish your cover letter. Customizing your cover P letter is even more important when your resume needs support. Develop engaging stories that present your skills and abilities. Ask friends and family for feedback.

WHEN YOU’RE MISSING SPECIFIC SKILLS Soft skills can be just as important as your major or computer knowledge. With a few extra steps, you may be able to prove that you can do the job even if you’re unfamiliar with a program that could be outdated by next year anyway.

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tudy the job description. Review the qualifications S to see which requirements are essential and which are less significant. While an international company might like each employee to be multilingual, it may not be a significant part of the position you’re seeking. ick out keywords. Automatic programs and human P resources departments focus heavily on keywords these days. If a particular skill is stressed repeatedly, you may need to look elsewhere. Continue learning. On the other hand, you can keep strengthening your qualifications. Take advantage of training on the job or in your free time.

If you’ve done your homework and concluded that you’re an excellent fit for the position, ask to be considered. Even if you’re missing a few items on the qualifications checklist, you’ll feel better knowing that you made an effort. Plus, you may even land your dream job.  Exceptional People Magazine | July -August 2019

EMPOWER YOURSELF

y g e t a r t S a e t Crea d e t o m o r P g n i for Be e s i a R a t u o h Wit By Pat Markel

doing it. Almost 40% of companies frequently award promotions without pay increases, and 64% of workers are willing to accept them, according to a recent survey by the staffing firm Office Team.

Accepting a promotion without a raise can be a smart career move, and a growing number of employees are

What will you do if your boss offers you a new title without adjusting your paycheck? Prepare yourself by studying this quick guide.

ou’re excited because your boss tells you that you’re being promoted, and then you feel let down when you find out thaat your salary will stay the same. Does it make sense to do more work without receiving more money?

July-August 2019 | Exceptional People Magazine

EMPOWER YOURSELF

Weigh the Consequences: 1. Gain experience. Moving into a more senior role enables you to pick up new skills, knowledge, and contacts. You may have a greater voice in company decisions, and you may be able to focus more on the tasks you find fulfilling. 2. Broaden your options. These new experiences will add to your qualifications when it comes time to look for your next position. You may keep rising in your current company or find yourself being courted by recruiters for openings elsewhere. 3. Earn recognition. Any promotion is usually a sign that you’re performing well, and your boss appreciates your efforts. You may value positive feedback just as much as financial compensation. 4. Consider related costs. It’s easy to see the benefits of a promotion, but there can be challenges too. You might have extra expenses if you need a more formal wardrobe or eat out more frequently. Think about your life balance as well, especially if you’ll be working longer hours. 5. Avoid dead ends. While it’s usually wise to accept a promotion, there are some exceptions. Talk with your colleagues and investigate the background of the position to ensure it’s really a move up for you.

Negotiate the Offer: 1. Understand the context. Find out why the promotion lacks a salary bump. Maybe it’s company policy to adjust salaries at year end only or maybe there are legitimate issues about fair compensation. 2. Know your worth. Research average salary ranges for comparable positions in your industry. You’ll be able to negotiate more effectively if you know what it would cost your company to hire an outside candidate for the same job. 3. Ask for a raise. You may want to take the initiative to ask for more money yourself. It’s reasonable to expect your boss to be willing to discuss the possibility under most conditions. On the other hand, you could look like you’re out of touch if you ask for a raise when you know the company is having financial difficulties. 4. Seek other benefits. Keep in mind that compensation can include much more than salary. You may be able to gain other valuable perks like flex time, training, or free parking. 5. Schedule a review. If you’re still seeking a salary increase in the near future, talk with your boss about creating a timeline. Maybe you can agree on a plan for you to reach a few specific milestones within six months to qualify for a 5% raise. Ask for a written contract to summarize your discussion. 6. Decline gracefully. If you do need to turn down your promotion, try to be diplomatic. Let your boss know that you remain committed to being a valuable employee. A promotion without a raise can still be an opportunity to advance your career. Keep your longterm interests in mind as you consider the impact on your personal and professional life and negotiate the most advantageous deal possible.  Exceptional People Magazine | July-August 2019

How Do You View Your

EMPOWER YOURSELF

Failures? By Jon Crump

part of living life to its fullest means there will be times when you will struggle to keep your head above water, and other times when you will experience major successes. When something doesn’t go your way, what’s the first thought that comes to mind? Do you chastise yourself? Or do you reassure yourself that you are growing stronger and wiser with each challenge you face? In reality, it’s not the successes that make you a stronger, more successful person; it’s the failures. This may sound odd, but each failure you have is actually a success. Why, you ask? Because it gives you the opportunity to improve, learn, and try again. Let’s take a look at a couple of the world’s greatest failures that lead to the some of the most ubiquitous inventions of our time. • Did you know that 3M’s greatest failure was inventing glue that won’t stick? That glue became the basis for the sticky backing on the “Post-It Note.” 62

July-August 2019 | Exceptional People Magazine

• The scientists at Pfizer were trying to create a medication that treated high blood pressure in men. It failed to affect blood pressure, but it had one unexpected side effect. We now know this drug as Viagra and it’s considered one of the most successful failures ever. This doesn’t necessarily mean that each failure you encounter will land you with an immediate success. But it’s always a stepping-stone along the way.

You Can Only Appreciate Success After You’ve Failed Thomas Edison had an incredibly positive attitude about failure. When he was questioned as to why so many of his experiments were failures, he responded by saying that he never had a failure in any of his experiments, rather, each experiment helped him discover another way that something would not work. In reality, sometimes the only way to know whether you’ve succeeded is to fail.

EMPOWER YOURSELF

Learning How to Deal with Disappointment Dealing with the disappointment of failure can be tough for adults as well as for children. But everyone experiences failure at some point in their lives and teaching our children how to deal with the disappointment is a critical life lesson. Can you imagine a young adult, either a teen or college student, dealing with their first failures in the workplace? A tantrum at any age is not appealing, never mind from an adult who should know better. Consider the very wise words of Winston Churchill who said, “Success is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm.” What did he mean exactly? Well here are three reasons why failing is a good thing:

I nspiration – Before you laugh, think about your childhood when you didn’t get something right the first time. What did you do? Tried again and

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again! Each time the thought in your head was, “I am going to get it right this time!” What better motivation do you need? umility – No one is perfect, sometimes we H need to be reminded of that very fact! Can you imagine a world where no one ever failed and we all walked around thinking we were God’s gift to the world? earning – Success makes you feel good, but L failing teaches you a lesson. Think back to the first time you swung a bat, learned to walk, or tried to eat with a fork. Did you do it right the first time? Of course not. Did you figure out with each failure what you were doing wrong? Well if you can swing a bat today, walk and eat with a fork then I guess you did!

Failure brings positive change and success to those who are resilient. Are you? 

Exceptional People Magazine | July-August 2019

Leadership Tips to Help You Quickly Build Influence By Marla Gem

ositioning yourself as a leader will make your work more meaningful and advance your career. You can gain influence based on your title, or on knowledge and skills you already possess. While it could take years to climb the ladder up into senior management, tapping into your personal strengths is something you can start doing right now. Learn how to use your current assets to build up your clout in the workplace. Use Your Knowledge to Position Yourself as a Leader 1. Read daily. Pick up books about business advice or any topic that interests you. The more you read, the better prepared you’ll be to contribute to any discussion. You’ll sound like a leader whether you’re engaging in small talk or critiquing a new logo. 2. Sign up for training. Take advantage of programs your employer offers. Brush up on your high school Spanish or become proficient with a new software package.

July-August 2019 | Exceptional People Magazine

3. Browse during breaks. Those brief intervals you spend on hold or pausing between meetings can be put to good use. Break out your phone and search for industry news. You’ll stand out if you’re the first one to notice a major lawsuit or merger. 4. Take a course. Many adults juggle full time jobs while going back to school. Schedule an appointment at your local university to see what you need to complete your degree. 5. Consult an expert. Contact others in your network who would be willing to share their wisdom. Interview a colleague who has published a new book and promote her work on your personal blog. You’ll both benefit from increased information and publicity. 6. Shadow a star employee. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, a high performer may be pleased to show you the ropes. Let them know that you admire their style. Offer to assist them with specific tasks so you can learn from their example.

EMPOWER YOURSELF Use Your Skills to Position Yourself as a Leader 1. Take responsibility. Prove that you can be trusted to live up to your obligations. Develop a reputation for completing assignments and meeting deadlines. 2. Document your accomplishments. Make it a habit to write down your ideas and achievements. Looking over your victories will boost your confidence. Even the missteps will suggest adjustments you can make to do better next time. 3. Express enthusiasm. Attitude is an important part of leadership. Speak kindly to your coworkers and care about their welfare. Find gratification in your work and how it serves the community. 4. Take initiative. Be willing to go the extra mile. Volunteer for tasks that fall outside of your job description even if they’re less than glamorous.

Pitch in when the sales team needs a hand entering quarterly data. 5. Share feedback. Thank people for commenting on your performance and recommending steps you can take to further your professional growth. Offer constructive and tactful criticism that enables others to do the same. 6. Give generously. Above all, let your colleagues know that they can count on you when they need your time and expertise. Strive to be a valuable team member. Keep an eye out for anyone who’s struggling so you can create mutually beneficial relationships. Transform yourself into the kind of leader other employees will want to follow. Your knowledge and skills are valuable resources that can help you to develop your talents and inspire others. 

Exceptional People Magazine | July-August 2019

Lighter Side of

LIGHTER SIDE OF LIFE

Life

July -August 2019 | Exceptional People Magazine

m e e n g t a o g n n F E ace fo

k boo

Rule s

LIGHTER SIDE OF LIFE

By Dorothy Rosby

Exceptional People Magazine | July -August 2019

LIGHTER SIDE OF LIFE

’ve only unfriended one person on Facebook, and he had it coming. It was before the last election, and Misguided Fool (not his real name) posted a steady stream of mean-spirited phooey. I realize that one person’s phooey is another person’s enlightened entertainment, but civilized people of all political persuasions should recognize mean when they see it. I put up with Misguided’s venomous drivel for a long time because, not being especially Facebook savvy, I thought Mark Zuckerberg might send him a message saying, “Dorothy thinks you’re a dolt, and she doesn’t want to be your friend anymore.” But then one day, Misguided shared a doctored photo of a politician’s family member that was as idiotic as it was cruel. His comment was, “Photos don’t lie.”

That did it. I started typing. “Haven’t you ever heard of Photoshop? Maybe you should try it on your picture. Even you might look intelligent with Photoshop.” Then I sat back, took a breath and deleted every word. And I’m glad I did. I see Misguided in the real world occasionally, and it might be awkward if I’d told him that he looks as witless as he apparently is. I unfriended him instead, but only after determining that Facebook wouldn’t tell him I did it. But Misguided isn’t the only wackadoodle out there. Unless I take a hiatus from Facebook, I’ll have to deal with others like him in the upcoming campaign. More importantly, I’ll have to deal with me. Facebook is a battleground in the civil war that is a modern political campaign. Militaries have rules of engagement, and in preparation for the upcoming battle, I’m sharing mine.

1) I refuse to indulge in Last Worditus. Last Worditus is what happens when we see a post from someone who is deluded, misinformed and as wrong as a tuxedo with tennis shoes, and we’re overcome with the urge to tell them so. I’ve been sucked in before. I’ve decided to make a witty, spontaneous response to someone’s obviously erroneous post, but it takes me a long time to sound witty and spontaneous than I am. I carefully crafted my comment only to have them comment on my comment, apparently unconvinced. Also, apparently faster at being witty and spontaneous. Then I commented, they commented and days passed with me looking at my phone every few minutes to comment on their latest comment. 2) I won’t believe everything I read on Facebook, even if I really want to, and sometimes I really do want to. Before I muck up the newsfeeds of people I care about with delicious tidbits about the checkered though possibly fictional pasts of candidates, I’ll go to Snopes.com, the debunker/ verifier of internet rumors. And even if a sordid rumor is true, I still may not share it. That’s what cable news is for. 3) I pledge to be respectful to all, even those I believe to be a few chads short of a full ballot. I’ll leave the name calling to the candidates. This is not only polite, it’s practical. I’ve never been persuaded to change my mind by someone who called me names, so I imagine I’ll never change anyone else’s mind using that technique either, tempting as it may be. 4) I will never behave as badly as the people I think behave badly. There’s a race to the bottom on Facebook and, while I normally don’t do well in races, I could win this one if I choose to participate.

Two columnists I know, one from each side of the political aisle, have both told me that based on reader feedback, the other side is clearly the rudest. I would have made the following insightful comment to them, except I didn’t think of it in time: Well, duh. 68

July -August 2019 | Exceptional People Magazine

Of course the side that agrees with you is more polite— to you. They may not be so nice to someone they disagree with. If you doubt that, check out what they share on Facebook. 

LIGHTER SIDE OF LIFE

Smoked Salmon and Double Avocado Sandwich Ingredients: 1 medium beefsteak tomato 1 small red onion 1 avocado 2 lemons, one juiced, one cut into wedges 2 Tbsp sour cream 1 Tbsp mayonnaise Salt and pepper 1/2-pound smoked salmon, thinly sliced 4 medium size hard rolls Romaine lettuce leaves

2. Halve the avocado, removing pit and skin, setting half the avocado in a bowl and slice the other half into thin wedges. 3. Add most of the lemon juice to the avocado in the bowl, (sprinkling the remaining amount over the sliced avocado wedges), sour cream and mayonnaise. Add salt and pepper to taste. 4. Cut the rolls in half and place on a work surface. 5. Spread the avocado-mayo mixture on each cut side of rolls.

Directions:

6. Put the sandwiches together in these layers: lettuce, tomato, onion, smoked salmon, avocado wedges.

1. Slice the tomato and the onion into thin circles, set aside.

7. Place the top half of the roll on top and serve immediately.

Exceptional People Magazine | July -August 2019

LIGHTER SIDE OF LIFE

Zesty Fruit Salad

Ingredients:

Directions:

1 cup of blueberries 1 cup of plums, sliced 1 cup pitted cherries, sliced 1 cup cantaloupe, chopped 1 cup strawberries, sliced 1 cup peaches, sliced 1 cup of small green grapes 1 cup of raspberries 1/4 cup of lime juice 2 tbsp of honey 1 tsp grated lime peel 1 cup lemon lime flavored sparkling water, chilled Mint sprigs

1. In a 2-quart glass bowl, layer the fruit in the order they are listed above.

July -August 2019 | Exceptional People Magazine

2. Cover the bowl and chill 3 hours. 3. Just before serving place the lime juice into a small bowl. Whisk in the honey and lime peel. Add the sparkling water and stir until blended well. 4. Pour the mixture over the layered fruit. Garnish the top with the mint sprigs. Makes 8 servings Just about any combination of fruit works in this salad. Try honeydew melon, nectarines, or mangos together with a lemon-based dressing. To make the lemonbased dressing, use lemon juice and lemon peel in place of the lime.

Profile Resources Christal Earle

Fuller French

https://bravesoles.life/ https://ca.linkedin.com/in/christalearle https://www.facebook.com/bravesoles.life/ https://www.facebook.com/christal.earle https://twitter.com/christalearle https://www.pinterest.com/christalearle/

http://www.fullerfrench.com/ https://www.facebook.com/FullerFrenchMusic/ https://twitter.com/fullerfrench https://www.instagram.com/fullerfrench/

Kyle Bryant https://kyleabryant.com/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyle_Bryant https://twitter.com/KyleABryant https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyleabryant https://www.facebook.com/KyleAlanBryant

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If the path to success was totally clear, we all would achieve our goals in record time. No matter what goal you aim to achieve, the entire path to reaching that goal is never one-hundred percent clear. You have to take a few steps at a time, then based on where you are at the moment, plan the next steps. That means having patience and being willing to make adjustments and corrections along the way.

Monica Davis