Category Archives: Motivational/Inspirational

Money, Money, Money

Posted by on August 1, 2011 Comments Off
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D.J. Vanasby D.J. Vanas

I often hear people say that money is the root of all evil.  However, this oft-misquoted biblical text actually says it’s the “love of money” that can be our undoing.  Few subjects are as emotionally charged as the concept of money – earning it, spending it, investing it, losing it, dreaming about it, wanting it… needing it.

We live in a society that is oftentimes contradictory, and at other times absurd, in the way we view money. If we pay a person $25 million a year to play a game, we don’t bat an eye.  But if a teacher gets more than $50k a year, they are accused of being in it for the money.  We love it, we hate others with it, we get inspired by it, we dream about it, fear for a lack of it, and yet have problems we could have never imagined when we suddenly get lots of it (study the Lottery effect and how many families are torn apart through feuding and fighting once a family member wins the lottery). Read more »

Zoe Presenter Spotlight: Tamara Kleinberg

Posted by on June 19, 2011 Comments Off
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Tamara Kleinbergby Zoe Training staff

Imaginibbles…Chief Imaginator…Creativi-Tees…these are words that originated from the creative mind of Tamara Kleinberg – an idea tinkerer, serial entrepreneur, nationally published author, innovation artist, and martial artist. She is also a speaker and trainer who helps organizations and associations looking to ignite innovation, provoke new ideas, and challenge people to unlock their creative potential.

We asked Tamara what motivates her to maintain that quirky, creative edge, and to inspire the same in others.

What are your most popular presentation topics?

“Think Sideways” and “Playing on the Fringes.” “Think Sideways” gives people a rich understanding of how imagination is the competitive advantage as well as dozens of tools to strengthen the imaginative spirit and get into a creative state of mind daily. It’s for people who want the courage to dream big and act entrepreneurially. “Playing on the Fringes” is about the expectations of the new economy and the top tools for breaking free from old patterns of thinking. It gives participants a road map to the fringes for unique and ownable ideas. Read more »

Zoe Presenter Spotlight: Avish Parashar

Posted by on May 23, 2011 Comments Off
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Avish Parasharby Zoe Training staff

Did you know that unleashing your creative side helps bring about a new way of looking at life and business? As a speaker, improv teacher, and stand-up comedian, it’s Avish Parashar’s objective to show audiences how they can learn a lot about themselves and their potential for professional excellence – while having fun in a creative format. For Avish, teaching improv is all about helping participants learn how to respond to unplanned challenges, for with all things in life – no matter how well things are planned out – things tend to go wrong or the unexpected usually happens, and it’s good to know how to maintain your sanity and achieve success during those moments the Universe throws you a curve ball.

What’s your favorite topic(s) to present on? Why?

“Ding Happens! How to Deliver Great Leadership, Service, and Teamwork – Even When Things Goes Wrong”

This topic lets me combine everything creative I love – improv comedy, stand-up comedy, and storytelling – with content and a message that resonates with audiences. I get to be funny and creative while helping people do better both professionally and personally. It’s awesome! Read more »

Three Little Pigs of Customer Service

Posted by on March 21, 2011 Comments Off
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D.J. Vanasby D.J. Vanas

We all know the classic story of the three little pigs.  To protect against the big bad wolf, one pig built a house of bricks, one of sticks and one of straw.  Similarly, we all know the different facets of customer service – the good, the bad and the downright ugly.  Put them together and we have a new twist on a classic tale.  I give you the illustration below, The Three Little Pigs of Customer Service, in hopes that it inspires you to deliver great service to others whether you’re a health care worker, a CEO, a military member, a project director or a dedicated parent.

Once upon a time, in the land of Customer Service, there lived three little pigs…

The First Little Pig – built his house of straw.  This was poor decision making from the start.  This little pig provides the most selfish model of customer service for his own good – whatever is easiest and quickest, requires the least amount of concern, care or effort.  At work, this little pig does just enough to keep his job and is often as crusty as a pork rind to anyone who dares to bother him.  In his mind, customer service is not “in his job description” (even if it actually is). Read more »

Zoe Presenter Spotlight: Diane Sieg

Posted by on December 20, 2010 Comments Off
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Diane Siegby Zoe Training staff

As part of our Zoe Spotlight interview series with our Zoe Associates, Diane Sieg – an emergency room nurse turned speaker, author, coach, and yoga instructor – reveals some of her pivotal background and reasons why she chose her current path in life.

Why did you become a speaker/trainer? After working for over 20 years as a nurse in emergency rooms across the country, I wanted to help people get out of the “emergency room of life” by empowering them to make better choices.  I wanted to help people be more proactive in their lives instead of putting them back together after the less-than-ideal decisions were already made.  Of course we teach what we need to learn most, so as I have recovered from my own adrenaline junkie and crisis caretaking tendencies, I can give practical tools and action steps that I know work with myself, my clients, and my patients. Read more »

Zoe Presenter Spotlight: Polly Letofsky

Posted by on December 6, 2010 Comments Off
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Polly Letofskyby Zoe Training staff

Polly Letofsky, the only woman to walk around the world, shares with audiences the details of her daunting journey started in 1999 to raise breast cancer awareness, and she provides inspiration and clarity on how each of us can make it through our own private daunting journeys.

Through a series of interview questions, Polly shares some of her most enlightening moments, insights into her life as a speaker, or personal quirks just for the fun of it.

What’s your favorite topic to present on, and why? My favorite topic to present on is “Little Steps, Big Feat,” because everyone can relate. Sure, not everyone has to — or wants to — take on a daunting journey like a walk around the world, yet we’re all going through our own individual journeys: getting out of debt, losing weight, raising teen-agers, starting a business. And they all have the similarity to a walk around the world in that you take one, small, manageable step at a time. Read more »

Good Trade: Giving Up Our Time and Energy for Success

Posted by on September 22, 2010 Comments Off
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D.J. Vanasby D.J. Vanas

Before Europeans arrived on the shores of North America, our Native peoples had a vibrant, robust economy not based on a currency or coin of the realm – but on trade and barter. Buffalo robes were traded for pipestone, pipestone for turquoise and turquoise for corn. It was one great stock exchange with piecemeal trade routes running from Alaska down through South America. These were all seen as good trades.

Remember the scene in Dances with Wolves where Kevin Costner traded his hat for a knife, albeit unwillingly. What did the Indian guy say once the exchange was made? You got it – good trade.

In a very real sense, our entire lives work this way, constantly making decisions to give up something of value in return for something else. Read more »

‘Tis the Season to Connect!

Posted by on December 10, 2009 Comments Off
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Sarah Michelby Sarah Michel

Let’s be honest…this time of the year can be very stressful. Shopping, decorating, addressing greeting cards, hosting and attending parties, mailing gifts, studying for school finals, housing out of town family members and winding down your business for 2009 are all stressful activities. The fact that we’re expected to do them all simultaneously forces me into the fetal position, rocking and sucking my thumb!

How did things get so out of control? The intent of this time of year is to stop momentarily and step off the merry-go-round of life and focus on the people and things in your life that you’re thankful for. Actually letting people know how much you appreciate them, is the best gift you can give someone.

I admire people who have walked away from the commercial focus of this season doing away with the traditional gift orgies that leave most of us in debt this time of year. Many of these creative people I have met have chosen to have family “white elephant gift exchanges” where everyone brings a gag gift, tacky Christmas sweaters or an inexpensive theme gift where the focus is on just being together and having fun. Read more »

Fear Factor: Facing Our Fears to Get to the Joy of Victory

Posted by on September 14, 2009 Comments Off
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D.J. Vanasby D.J. Vanas

I was flying home after a visit with the wonderful people of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Tribe in Kansas and settled into my seat next to the window. Boarding last, and very reluctantly, was a young woman who meekly climbed into the middle seat. My nose was buried in a book but I noticed the strange hand motions, as if trying to push away bad dreams, from my seatmate and looked up at her in curiosity. Her eyes were squeezed shut and leaking tears, her upper lip was pulled up and trembling as a painful grimace spread across her face. It was the face of abject fear.

We made eye contact and I gave her a reassuring smile. Seconds later she tapped me on the shoulder and I took off my headphones. She could barely get the words out. “I-I-I don’t mean to bother you. B-b-but can you please talk to me?” I put my book down and found out she was on her way to Colorado to get married up in the mountains in forty-eight hours. Due to a severe fear of flying, her doctor had prescribed Xanax. In her rush to get the flight, she had forgotten to take it until she boarded so it hadn’t kicked in yet. With each bump (and there were many on the flight) she clenched her face and fists in terror. I tried to joke with her, but it’s hard to laugh when you feel like you might die – plus, I wasn’t that funny anyway. Read more »

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