In Episode 7, I got the opportunity to chat with Jonathan Torres, owner of Falkenburg Productions and LiveWeddings.net

Jonathan and I met years ago when we were both serving on the Game Day staff at USF. He was the PA Announcer and I was running Game Ops. Over the years, our paths have crossed many times. For me, it’s always fun to catch up with him and see what’s new. Blessed with the gift of gab, Jonathan never makes me worry about an awkward pause, or a lull in the conversation.

Episode 7 – What’s it all about?

And this time was no different. We talked about some of his role models, those who he quotes in everyday business, and best quote of all, “The riches are in the niches.”

Jonathan talked about his path to self-discovery; and how he came to realize that there was opportunity within communities and revenue brackets that others had overlooked in lieu of growth, ego and sometimes greed. (My words, not his.)

When I watch ‘motivational videos’ or read self-help books, I always find myself puzzled; thinking, “Right…I get it…but, like…how?!” Contrary to a lot of those fluffy, macro-level personal and professional development books and videos or overpriced courses, Jonathan and I dove into 4 key bits of advice to utilize on the journey of finding your passion.

What motivates you?
What do you LIKE to do?
What do you NOT like to do?
What would you do for FREE?

Although this isn’t in this video, Jonathan told me about how some of his greatest passions were right in front of his face the entire time. He continued, “It just took someone else’s input, or a sudden ah-ha moment to make me realize it.” For example, when he was younger, he would video-tape his mother’s soccer matches – just as she did when he played.

Long story short, today, Falkenburg Productions is the professional version of that, specializing in Live Stream production. Whether he’s streaming a wedding or a funeral or broadcasting a high school football game so that family and friends can watch from afar, he’s right back where it all started – behind the camera, creating something functional and beautiful. Finally, we talk about failure. This is an important piece, so be sure to watch to the end.

About Jonathan –  In his own words

Jonathan Torres is a born and raised Floridian, and the first generation American. His parents are from Colombia, where he spent his summers learning his family's heritage and culture. This also allowed him to maintain his adoption of the Spanish language. Jonathan began his career in 2001 as a production director and on-air personality at radio stations across Florida and Alabama. Jonathan has lived in Tampa Bay since 2006, where he became the Tampa Bay division marketing director for DR Horton, the nation’s largest homebuilder. In 2012 he served as the Director of Digital Integration for the Republican National Convention, and in 2014 and 2015 led Hispanic Outreach efforts for the Republican National Committee in Tampa Bay.

Since 2006, Jonathan has been heavily involved in the community's business and political circles.  He most recently served as the Gulf Coast Regional Director for US Senator Marco Rubio. In this role, he oversaw 9 counties and worked alongside county commissioners, city council members, chambers of commerce, and main infrastructure points such as Tampa International Airport, Port Tampa Bay, and the region’s VA hospitals. In January 2020, Jonathan jumped into entrepreneurship and started a digital content production called Falkenburg Productions. 

Connect!

Connect with Jonathan if you want to talk about finding your passion, or if you’re in search of a video production partner. Use the links throughout this blog to follow, connect and engage with Jonathan. 

What a joy it was to speak with Josy Martinez early in the morning (so, so early) as we recorded Episode 6 of Bright Ideas! Josy and I go way back to our Skyscanner days in Miami and draw on similar yet very different experiences in the workplace for today’s conversation.

About Josy

Josy has over 15 years’ experience in the human resources field. She’s helped raise companies from the ground up, advised c-suite executives and increased performance across the board. In terms of formal education, Josy holds a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Psychology attended the University of Miami for their Certified Professional Coaching Program. 

As she continues to evolve – both personally and professionally - Josy is expanding her personal professional aspirations into the life/career coaching world; and she recently launched her coaching business, First Coffee then Things. In her own words, "I’m a coach who works with individuals and teams, as they navigate personal and professional opportunities and challenges. Together, we create a safe space to help them explore the tools and support they have available to empower themselves and accomplish their goals.”

Episode 6 – What’s it all about?

Throughout the course of our conversation, Josy and I delved deep into passion and success as she talked about occupying spaces that weren’t necessarily built for her. Josy has developed her skills of navigating – and in a lot of cases, creating – uncomfortable conversations and situations. How does political correctness fit into the workplace? How do you flip the switch of common preconceptions?

We spoke a lot about gender and cultural issues, and what that means for you as a human, as an employee and as a manager. Though we didn’t specifically use the term during out conversation, is there a dose of unconscious bias in your day-to-day? 

And finally, we talked about success. How do you define your success? Is it based on what society tells you success is? Is it what your spouse or parents say it is? How does social media affect your definition of successful? 

This was a wonderful conversation and one I hope to continue in future episodes! 

Connect!

Connect with Josy if you want to talk about HR as a profession, or if you’re in search of a life or professional coach. Josy is an amazing listener with a ton of insight. Use the links below to follow, connect with and engage with Josy. HOT TIP: Suggest meeting up for coffee! 

In Episode 5 of Bright Ideas, I had the distinct honor of speaking with a long-time colleague, my sister, Dianne Wintermute.

Ever since one of her first high school jobs, Dianne knew she wanted a career in the hospitality field. Dianne graduated from Palm Beach Community College (now Palm Beach State College) with an Associate’s degree in Hospitality Management, and again from the University of South Florida (GO BULLS!) with a Bachelor's in Business Management. While she studied, Dianne pursued her career goal of becoming a restaurant general manager. After years of hard work and dedication, Dianne decided the Hospitality industry wasn't for her. The demands of the industry no longer aligned with her personal life. She rechanneled her learned skills into a warehouse inventory position - one that was supposed to be a stepping stone. Gainfully employed by a company that offered the ability to learn and grow and a great work-life balance, Dianne stuck around and worked her way up to Operations Manager over the past seven years.

Dianne is a new mom to my nephew, Liam, and is a force to be reckoned with in the business world. She’s created a life for herself that has spanned two very similar but markedly distinct industries: Hospitality & Restaurant Management and Distillation.

This episode brought about a conversation of paying dues, working toward a goal, and then realizing that goals change. And, by the way, that’s ok! After all, we’re all human.

We went on to discuss that point – HUMANITY IN THE WORKPLACE. It’s so important for companies to acknowledge that aspect of their employees – and as we’ve all learned over the past almost two years, no one exists in a vacuum.

We boiled it down to three concepts:
1 - Life Happens.
2 - People are a business’s most important asset.
3 - The customer is NOT always right, nor should they always be number one.

As someone who serves as the Operations Manager for her company, Dianne also gave her advice for anyone – at any stage of their career – when it comes to the type of employee they should strive to be:
1 - Be able to pivot & multi-task and effectively deal with the stressors that brings
2 - Always be willing to learn new things
3 - Stick to your morals & ethics

She specifically highlighted the third piece of advice. “[Your morals and ethics] are what make you who you are.” Dianne said. “No job should ever ask you to compromise that part of you.”

Dianne will be the first to tell you that she isn't sure what the future holds, but she is hopeful that it will afford her the opportunity to continue learning different aspects of small business!

Connect!

Check out her LinkedIn page and follow Dianne’s progress on her passion project!

I hope you enjoy Episode 5, and as always, please feel free to join the conversation in the comments! If you would like to be involved with #BrightIdeas or know someone who would make for a great guest, please get in touch!

In Episode 4 of #BrightIdeas, Autumn and I talk a lot about back-up plans and “if” versus “when” in terms of failure. We discuss how the way we frame aspirational planning to young people can completely alter their potential for success, and how the paradigm needs to shift.

Speaking with Autumn was such a pleasure! Her bright, sunny demeanor is freeing – and she says it like it is, which you know I love!

“What if we never questioned our ability to succeed?”

We talk a lot about defining success and coming into our own in terms of what that means.

What is your definition of success? Money? Power? Sitting at the table?

Is Success bigger than that? Living your purpose, maybe?

I came to a point where I reached all of the goals I set for myself, and quite honestly, it was a daunting period in my life… “What’s next?” rang loudly in my head, 24 hours a day. Shifting my perspective to purpose-based metrics allowed me the freedom to stop thinking and worrying all the time. Every day, I ask myself whether or not my actions that day made me happy, or proud, or satisfied. If they did, then it was a good day. If they didn’t, I think about what I can do differently the next day. Operating from a place of awareness and possibility is much more fun than feeling like you’re working against a timeline.

We talk about millennials and their ability to redefine success using the tools that they were raised on. Autumn says, “Maybe they’re onto something…”

Are we approaching the end of creativity?

I won’t spoil the rest of Episode 4, as it’s definitely worth the watch.

About Autumn

Normally, I would paraphrase an excerpt about my guest, but I can’t do Autumn’s writing justice, so I’ll leave it in her own words:

“I was raised on a steady diet of stories and magic by two young hippies who were more interested in adventure than rules. My wild childhood was good soil for me to bloom into an adult completely obsessed with storytelling.

Writing and storytelling are the only things I’ve ever really been interested in. I earned a BA in English from University of South Florida (GO BULLS!) and an MA in Writing from Manhattanville College. During my time in NYC, I worked as an Editor in Chief at a literary journal, a fiction associate at a literary agency, and an editor for illustrated books at Random House.

When the grind of New York City became too much, I came back home to Florida and started my digital marketing career. I’ve worked with brands like Walmart and Nestle, but I’m most proud of my work with local businesses and non-profits. I remind brands to BE human first. Only when we are all communicating as humans can we tell great stories — the brand’s stories, their customer’s stories, other stories that are simply too good to keep to ourselves. Woven into the storytelling is a strategy that moves an audience from passive viewers to enthusiastic fans.

I started my own book coaching, editing, and ghostwriting company in 2020. Like a lot of creatives, the pandemic sparked in me a desire to return to my first love — BOOKS. It is a kind of magic, to change a word or cut one line and watch a story suddenly come to LIFE. It is a beautiful alchemy when someone transforms from “I could never write a book” to “I’m a writer!”

That’s what I do M-F 9-5. When I’m not at the grind, I spend my time being a mom, baking sweets, reading just about anything I can get my hands on, writing short stories, and debating zombie apocalypse survival strategies. You know, regular human stuff.”

I’ve never met anyone like Matthew Porter, and I’m so excited for you to meet him in Episode 3 of Bright Ideas! His energy and attitude are light and refreshing; and now I feel like I’m describing a new beer. 

In this episode of #BrightIdeas, Matthew and I delve deep into management and leadership – specifically misconceptions about the relationship between management and leadership, and the inherent traits of each.

One of Matthew’s favorite quotes is “Be hard on problems and easy on people.” After all, we’re all human, even though we sometimes forget. We talk through the absence of leadership and what people and companies can do to overcome that absence. Empathy and empowerment are at the forefront of Matthew’s leadership paradigm; and he advocates that leaders know the way, go the way and show the way.

Matthew is a writer, director, producer, and creative executive. He currently serves as Executive Producer for Key Life Network with radio shows heard on 250+ stations nationwide. He owns a marketing agency, Hey Porter Media, and through his production company has an animated feature and several other TV and film projects in development. In his spare time, Matthew enjoys blogging at HeyPorter.com and embarrassing his wife and four kids by singing along to 80s hair metal.  Loudly.

Connect!

Check out his blog and connect with Matthew (info below) if you’re looking to chat more about leadership or need any sort of video production work or reference. Or if you need a karaoke partner.

• www.HeyPorter.com
• www.HeyPorter.media
• www.DirectorMatthewPorter.com
• Twitter | @mattheweporter
• LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewporter/
• Insta | @mattheweporter

I hope you enjoy Episode 3, and as always, please feel free to join the conversation in the comments!

It’s not everyday you get the opportunity to meet and chat with someone like Jinita Thakkar. As you’ll hear in Episode 2, Jinita is one of the most thoughtful and eloquent speakers I’ve ever met. She has the amazing ability to process information and rephrase or reposition the thread in a clear and concise manner. 

Jinita currently leads the Corporate Marketing team at World Fuel Services, a global supplier of energy management solutions focused on creating a sustainable, lower carbon future. Prior to her current role, Jinita was a Big 5 technology and management consultant before realizing her passion for creative freedom. Today, she continues to strive for a purposeful career and people-centric leadership.

Jinita holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and a Bachelor of Science from DePaul University specializing in Finance, Marketing, Spanish and IT.  Made in India, built in Chicago and currently based in Miami, Jinita is motivated by making authentic connections, leading with purpose and empathy, and creating value in every interaction.

In her free time, you can find Jinita continuously being inspired by her 5-year-old daughter, Lara, entertaining herself through dance, cooking, writing and listening to podcasts, and driving change through service in her community.

In Episode 2, Jinita walks us through her three guiding principles for success and happiness: 

1.       In both personal and professional life, the most important practice you can gift yourself with is taking time to regularly pause, breathe, reflect, learn, and pivot accordingly without fear or self-doubt - your intuition will rarely lead you astray.

2.       Curate your village of support intentionally - the power of your network can be infinite if it is built and maintained thoughtfully, actively, and selectively.

3.       Hard work pays off, but smart work pays off exponentially and enables you to bring balance into your personal and professional life.  Your physical and mental well-being are non-negotiable prerequisites to a successful, purpose-filled career.

She goes on to talk about grace – both giving and receiving – and we discuss gender and cultural backgrounds and their respective effects on employment and employee/workplace dynamics. 

It’s always a pleasure to talk with rockstars! There’s always something to be learned or a perspective to be gained; and this chat was no different. 

I hope you enjoy Episode 2, and as always, please feel free to join the conversation in the comments!

It’s so exciting to bring Bright Ideas to life, and I’m pumped to share Episode 1 with my friend, Mahriah Tucker. 

Mahriah is a member of the Realtors of the Palm Beaches and Greater Fort Lauderdale and is a top producing agent Compass Florida LLC in Boca Raton, FL. Mahriah's extensive real estate career actually began in corporate banking where she worked as Vice President of Residential and Commercial Real Estate for over 10 years. Mahriah’s experience managing, servicing, and liquidating bank-owned real estate portfolios paved the way for real estate success when she became a real estate agent in 2016.

Take some time to watch Episode 1 of Bright Ideas as Mahriah and I discuss not only her career path, but also some of the challenges she had to overcome in her adolescence. “Peoples’ switches flip at different times,” Mahriah said. “My switch flipped at a young age. I wanted to start living a life that was different than the one I was brought up in. However long it takes to get to where you want to get to, just do it.”

We talk a lot about schedules and expectations – what dictates your future and who you allow to impart their agenda or vision for your life. “Our thoughts came from us,” she says. “We didn’t grow up with these screens and constant pressures.” #geriatricmillennial

As many people make their own career transitions, Mahriah talks about the most important characteristics to being a real estate agent/professional in today’s world. From personality traits to dedication, Mahriah talks extensively about her passion for helping others – human or otherwise.

Mahriah’s biggest piece of advice for those who are struggling is, “Find your joy and go for it. Take a step back and do what you have to do in order to take the next baby step forward. And just keep repeating that process until you get where you want to be.” 

We talk about having kids and legacy, and what’s important in life. 

I hope you enjoy Episode 1 of Bright Ideas! Join us every week for a new installment. 

Please share your thoughts and comments as you listen!

Mahriah is a native Floridian and graduate of Florida Atlantic University. Her local knowledge of the south Florida market has been instrumental to her great success. Mahriah is an avid animal lover who spends much of her spare time with her rescue dogs Marti and Mellie. Mahriah’s family, pets, and love of helping others make their real estate dreams become a reality is her passion in life.