The Action Catalyst With Rory Vaden

Warren Struhl has spent the last 28 years starting, nurturing, and building businesses. Warren’s current business passion is MyPhoto, which is the world’s easiest way to take any digital photo and make it into a handcrafted photo product for walls, desks, and shelves. His television commercials can be seen nationally.At the age of 28, Warren founded his first business, PaperDirect, Inc., when he recognized the potential growth of laser and inkjet printers. Available for the first time in 1989, Warren’s invention of specialty paper products created a new industry. Through his catalog, PaperDirect became a highly successful business reaching $100 million in sales with one million customers when Warren sold the business to a Fortune 500 company. Since the sale of PaperDirect in 1993, Warren has started, nurtured, and invested in 30 plus companies which he documented in his book, Starting Them Up, published in 2011.Some of Warren’s most notable business activities include Popcorn, Indiana, PaperDirect, Successori

Debbie Turner recently retired after nearly three decades in the media business. Most recently, she was the Vice President of Television Operations for the E.W. Scripps Company, overseeing 33 stations in 24 markets. Prior to the merger of Scripps and Journal Communications in 2015, Turner was the Executive Vice President of Journal Broadcast Group, responsible for the group’s television stations in ten markets. She spent more than 20 years at the CBS affiliate in Nashville, TN, the majority of which was as the President and General Manager, until Landmark Communications sold the station to Journal Communications in 2012. Under Turner’s leadership, the Nashville station became the top-rated one in the market and is consistently one of the top performing CBS affiliates in the country. Turner began her career as an auditor for Price Waterhouse. A CPA, she received her BBA degree from the College of William and Mary. Turner is active in the Nashville community and has served on a variety of boards including th

Greg Muzzillo founded Proforma in 1978, one year after graduating from college. He started the company’s franchising operations in 1986. Today, Proforma has more than 700 franchise offices worldwide with over $500 million in sales. The company has been named in Inc. magazine’s list of the 500 Fastest Growing Private Companies in America three times. Prior to founding Proforma, Mr. Muzzillo worked with the auditing firm of Haskins & Sells (predecessor to Deloitte & Touche). In addition to his duties at Proforma, Mr. Muzzillo has founded a staffing franchise company, ProTalent. He serves on the Board of Directors of the University of Florida Entrepreneurship & Innovation Center, served on the Board of Directors of the International Franchise Association, and served on the Board of Trustees at the University of Tampa. Greg and his wife, Vera Muzzillo, CEO of Proforma, have 10 children and three grandchildren. Together, they serve on the Board of Directors of the University of Florida Entrepreneurship &

Mac Anderson is the founder of Simple Truths and Successories, Inc., the leader in designing and marketing products for motivation and recognition. These companies, however, are not the first success stories for Mac. He was also the founder and CEO of McCord Travel, the largest travel company in the Midwest, and part owner and vice president of sales and marketing for Orval Kent Food Company, the country’s largest manufacturer of prepared salads. His accomplishments in these unrelated industries provide some insight into his passion when speaking to many corporate audiences on a variety of topics, including leadership, motivation, and team building. Mac has authored or co-authored twenty-five books that have sold more than four million copies. Show Highlights: You’ve got to learn to manage your attitude. -Mac AndersonOne of the keys to managing your attitude is to reinforce the positive. -Mac AndersonIf you’re a leader of a team, the minute you’re down, they’re going to be doubly down. -Mac Anders

Mac Anderson is the founder of Simple Truths and Successories, Inc., the leader in designing and marketing products for motivation and recognition. These companies, however, are not the first success stories for Mac. He was also the founder and CEO of McCord Travel, the largest travel company in the Midwest, and part owner and vice president of sales and marketing for Orval Kent Food Company, the country’s largest manufacturer of prepared salads. His accomplishments in these unrelated industries provide some insight into his passion when speaking to many corporate audiences on a variety of topics, including leadership, motivation, and team building. Mac has authored or co-authored twenty-five books that have sold more than four million copies. Show Highlights: My motto is: Quality is the mother, and you don’t mess with mom. – Mac Anderson“Inch by inch, life’s a cinch. Yard by yard, life’s hard,” so let’s just make a list of all the things you gotta do and knock them off one at a time and at the en

Freddie Ravel is the GRAMMY-nominated Keynote Maestro who combines his expertise for business breakthroughs and virtuoso piano performances with a clear and concise application of music’s communicative and scientific powers to inspire, ignite and lift the minds, hearts, and potential of audiences around the world. Backed by number one hits and collaborative successes with Madonna, Earth, Wind and Fire, Prince, and Carlos Santana to leading the teams of J Lo, Jimmy Kimmel, and Lady Gaga, the #1 charting keyboard artist and composer is the Founder of “scOre,” a worldwide program that delivers customized peak performance experiences to reveal how the structure of music enhances leadership, innovation, and productivity for entrepreneurs to major corporations alike. Dubbed the “Keynote Maestro” by the City of Los Angeles, Ravel received the city’s Award of Recognition for creating a music-based system to “renew the national and international economy” while his film, television, radio, and recording credits i

Dr. Ivan Misner is the Founder & Chief Visionary Officer of BNI, the world’s largest business networking organization.  Founded in 1985, the organization now has over 8,400 chapters throughout every populated continent of the world.  Last year alone, BNI generated 9.1 million referrals resulting in $13.1 billion dollars’ worth of business for its members. Dr. Misner’s PhD is from the University of Southern California.  He is a New York Times bestselling author who has written 22 books.  He is also a columnist for Entrepreneur.com and has been a university professor as well as a member of the Board of Trustees for the University of La Verne. Called the “Father of Modern Networking” by CNN and one of the “Top Networking Experts” by Forbes, Dr. Misner is considered to be one of the world’s leading experts on business networking and has been a keynote speaker for major corporations and associations throughout the world.  He has been featured in the L.A. Times, Wall Street Journal, and the New York Times, as

Dr. Terry Lyles holds a Ph.D. in psychology and is recognized as a national/international educator, author of three books, speaker to universities, schools, Fortune 500 Companies, world-class athletes, and public audiences.  Dr. Lyles has trained hundreds of individuals including Fire Rescue workers in and around Ground Zero, International Forensic Medical Teams in the Asian torn Tsunami area and the Haiti relief effort, sharing his time-tested, scientifically-measured approach to stress utilization. Major corporations have also benefited from this training technology such as Gulfstream, Chrysler Group, GM, Banana Republic, Macy’s, Pfizer, Universal Studios, Tommy Hilfiger, and Dior to name a few.  NASCAR’s Richard Petty Motorsports, Military Special Forces, Air Force fighter pilots and Space Command have all utilized this specialized training. Dr. Lyles has appeared on CNN, CNBC, HLN, NBC, ABC, FOX NEWS, USA Today, and in U.S. News & World Report as a Human Engineering Life-Balance Specialist. He hoste

Todd Browne began his career at Tom James in August 1990. Through hard work, a steadfast commitment to staying at Tom James, and living out the principles of success that Tom James was founded on, Todd rose through the ranks and became President in 2011 and CEO in 2016. With a mediocre track record prior to Tom James, including flunking out of college after one semester, Todd credits his success first and foremost to his Lord Jesus Christ, as well as Spencer Hays, Jim McEachern, his father Chet Browne, and the many, many books he has read and made his own since 1990. As Charlie “Tremendous” Jones says, “You will be the same person in five years as you are today with two exceptions: the books you read and the people you associate with.” Todd lives in Indianapolis with his wife of 29 years, Nanci.  They have three children: twins Josh and Lindsay and son Jake, and three grandchildren: Kayla, Everly, and Magnolia. Show Highlights: The only things that happen are the things that you make happen. -Todd

In November of 2004, Kimberly Ritzer walked into a little boutique during its opening week with one intention: congratulating the stranger behind the counter for being courageous enough to open her own business. What ensued was a lesson in celebrating each other’s differences and strengths. The stranger behind the counter was Megan Tamte, a third-grade teacher turned stay at home mom, turned aspiring entrepreneur. Kimberly had been a Senior Designer of Owned Brand Product at Dayton’s, Hudson’s and Marshall Field’s before she retired to be a stay at home mom.  In that small boutique, Megan and Kimberly bonded while creating a beautiful in-store experience that made women feel amazing. Three months later, along with the support of her husband Tim, Kimberly became business partners with Megan and Mike Tamte. Thus, starting Kimberly on a whole new, uncharted path as a partner in a small business… all while navigating life as the mom of a newborn and a 3-year-old. Together, with a whole bunch of awesome p

Germain Böer is an innovator in all that he does. His courses use technology and creative assignments that challenge students to think, and feature speakers who have created unusual companies. He also conducts experiential learning programs that transform students into self-driven entrepreneurs. After working for Arthur Andersen & Co., the Institute of Management Accountants., and two universities, Prof. Böer joined The Owen School in 1977 as a professor of management accounting, Since that time, he has initiated numerous entrepreneurship activities at Owen, including an annual entrepreneurship conference; student sessions with venture capitalists; and a new course, “Adventures in Entrepreneurship,” in which Owen students learn how to start a new venture by working directly with entrepreneurs. Prof. Böer also instituted a program that connected students holding graduate degrees in biology with local biotech companies so the students could learn about the business side of the industry while earning an MBA.

Jeff Dobyns has enjoyed extraordinary success providing comprehensive financial planning to retirees, entrepreneurs, entertainers, and executives by taking the time to truly know his clients, understand their goals, and develop and execute their ongoing strategic financial plans. Jeff has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Ohio University and has held executive positions with financial planning firms for nearly two decades. After serving as Vice President of Investments of Lykins Financial Group, CPA’s, in his hometown of Westerville, OH, Jeff moved to Nashville, TN to found Southwestern Investment Group in 2002. As its President, Jeff has led Southwestern Investment Group to remarkable success, holding the distinction of being Raymond James’ top independent contractor office, and a member of its Chairman’s Council for several years running. Jeff and his wife, Amy, are raising their family in Brentwood, TN where they are members of the Brentwood Baptist Church, and their children, Gracy

Tracey C. Jones is nationally known for her leadership expertise, as well as her ability to connect on a core level with her audiences. With her signature wit, she masterfully weaves leadership concepts and actionable strategies together with humor and a deep understanding of life in the workplace. At the core of her philosophy on leadership is a simple belief that a commitment to lifelong learning results in a resilience and positive attitude that can alter the work environment for the better each and every day. With nearly four decades of experience across four industries from the military to semiconductor to publishing, Tracey has crafted organizational leadership techniques that can be implemented right away for noticeable results. She challenges her audiences to bravely embrace their challenges and take the all-important next steps toward effecting meaningful change in their personal and professional lives. Her father, the late Charlie “Tremendous” Jones, founded Executive Books in 1965 with the goal

JT Olson is a sensational speaker and an avid proponent of adoption, the pro-life movement, and orphan care. He has given talks on God’s transformation of his pain into passion, the sanctity of life, growing a healthy marriage, encouraging dreamers and entrepreneurs to pursue their calling, and coaching leaders on building a stronger organization. After being orphaned as a child alongside his four siblings, JT Olson went on to start Both Hands — a faith-based non-profit serving orphans and widows. Olson’s personal tragedy gave him an overwhelming understanding of the need to find loving homes for the world’s orphaned and vulnerable children. His new book follows his powerful journey towards spiritual restoration by recounting significant moments in his life, including his family’s life-altering decision to adopt a little girl from China. JT and his wife Sara have been married for over 30 years and have five children (four biologically and one chosen): Jeff, Daley, Nick, Max, and Grace. They now reside i

While on vacation in Mexico, the unexpected happened for Jake Hirning.  In a matter of seconds, his life was changed forever.  As Jake dove into a wave, the force of the ocean rammed him into the ocean floor, breaking his neck. A plane flew into Mexico and transported him to San Antonio, where 11 doctors took him to surgery. The surgery was successful, and Jake lived, but now he is paralyzed from the chest below and has minimal use of his hands. Through this tragedy, Jake has taken on every challenge with a positive attitude and a smile.  His determination is one that will bring him further each day. Show Highlights: This wasn’t the end. I’m in control of my life; I get to choose how I process and perceive these moments. -Jake HirningI’ve grown as a person [since the incident]. I don’t rely on a look to be confident anymore; I’m confident in myself. -Jake HirningEveryone has things that happen to them in life, but you choose if that defines you. -Jake HirningSurround yourself with people that you want t

Dacher Keltner, Ph.D., is the founding director of the Greater Good Science Center and a professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley. He is the author of The Power Paradox: How We Gain and Lose Influence and Born to Be Good, and a co-editor of The Compassionate Instinct. Show Highlights: When the role models don’t model the proper role, they’ll model the improper and it’s only a matter of time before that trickles down. -Dan MooreDisregard for morals and ethics is costly. -Dacher Keltner“The deepest craving of human nature is the need to be appreciated.” -William JamesPower is a gift that is granted, not something that one seizes (at least not for long). -Dan Moore Dacher’s closing thoughts: Work today is more emotional. We work harder than we did 30-40 years ago; it’s more stressful. One of the pieces of wisdom we can take from [Inside Out] is to be accepting…These subtle ways that we can support is a critical part of work today. The Action Catalyst is a weekly podcast hoste

Dacher Keltner, Ph.D., is the founding director of the Greater Good Science Center and a professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley. He is the author of The Power Paradox: How We Gain and Lose Influence and Born to Be Good, and a co-editor of The Compassionate Instinct. Show Highlights: Enduring leadership is sustained by service. -Dacher KeltnerYou’re only as good as the connections you have with the people you lead. -Dacher Keltner“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” -Lord John Dalberg-ActonGreat leadership requires emotional intelligence. -Dacher KeltnerWhen we feel impressed with our own power, it degrades our civility. -Christine Porath (paraphrased) Dacher’s closing thoughts: There is moral hypocrisy. People in power at work are more likely to bill things to expense accounts that are inappropriate, but when called out on it, they’re going to say the rules don’t apply to them. They only apply to other people. Next week, hear Dacher’s ideas f

Kelly Wright has over 25 years of experience in leadership, sales, operations, and strategy roles. Her deep Go-To-Market and general P&L management delivers critical expertise to the boardroom. Kelly has helped teams navigate multiple stages of growth, through an IPO, global expansion, leadership transitions, business model changes, and the demands of being a private and public company. Kelly has broad depth of experience in driving companies to best leverage technology, data, information, and the cloud in the digital age, all key board discussion areas. She recently retired from Tableau Software (NYSE: DATA) as Executive Vice President of Sales after a 12-year run. Kelly joined Tableau as the company’s first salesperson one month prior to the launch of v1.0, and she helped grow Tableau into a multi-billion-dollar public company as a key member of the executive team. She grew Tableau’s worldwide sales and field operations from zero to $850M in revenue and managed over half of Tableau’s global team as the comp

Kelly Wright has over 25 years of experience in leadership, sales, operations, and strategy roles. Her deep Go-To-Market and general P&L management delivers critical expertise to the boardroom. Kelly has helped teams navigate multiple stages of growth, through an IPO, global expansion, leadership transitions, business model changes, and the demands of being a private and public company. Kelly has broad depth of experience in driving companies to best leverage technology, data, information, and the cloud in the digital age, all key board discussion areas. She recently retired from Tableau Software (NYSE: DATA) as Executive Vice President of Sales after a 12-year run. Kelly joined Tableau as the company’s first salesperson one month prior to the launch of v1.0, and she helped grow Tableau into a multi-billion-dollar public company as a key member of the executive team. She grew Tableau’s worldwide sales and field operations from zero to $850M in revenue and managed over half of Tableau’s global team as the comp

Stan Mabry is an art seller by day and jiu-jitsu fighter by night. After dealing privately in New York and a stint at Sotheby’s, Stanford Mabry founded the Nashville, Tennessee gallery in 1987 and has since established Stanford Fine Art as the premier purveyor of historical, Impressionistic and regional art in the Southeast. Works formerly in the collection of Stanford Fine Art have been acquired by various art museums around the world from as far away as the Musee American in Giverny, France, to as close as our local Tennessee State Museum. Stan’s clients know him as an art gallery owner. But what they don’t know is that once the gallery closes for the day, he’s something entirely different — seven-time Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion Stan “The Man” Mabry. On any given night, Stan can be found at Brentwood Jiu-Jitsu, a small training facility. Though in his sixties, Stan shows no signs of slowing down now both in his business or his physical combat. Show Highlights: If it’s truly important to you