The Authority Company

In this episode of the Forbes Books Podcast, Joe has a conversation with Giovanna "Gigi" Gonzalez, the TikTok star, financial educator, and author of the new book "Cultura & Cash." Gigi quit her 10-year corporate career during the Great Resignation to pursue her passion for teaching financial literacy to young adults, especially first-generation Latinas. In their chat, she discusses the unique cultural and familial dynamics that influence how Latinas manage money, which most traditional personal finance advice fails to address. Gigi explains how she is empowering young Latinas to take control of their financial futures through relatable, tailored advice offered on TikTok and now through her groundbreaking new book. Together, Joe and Gigi explore the financial coming-of-age journey for many first-generation daughters and the cultural expectations around supporting family versus individual goals. About Giovanna "Gigi" Gonzalez: Gigi is a TikTok influencer, financial educator, and author of Cultura and Cash. During The Great Resignation, she quit her 10 year corporate career to pursue her true passion: teaching financial literacy to young adults. Gigi teaches personal finance and career navigation for First Gen at various organizations and on her TikTok account @thefirstgenmentor. She was named 40 under 40 by the Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement, "Latinx to Watch" by Hispanic Executive Magazine and Top 25 Creator by Fast Company.

This week on the Forbes Books podcast, Joe welcomes Scott Freidheim, author of the new book "Code of Conduct: Tales of the Roller Coaster of Life." Freidheim takes listeners through extreme highs and lows in his career, from working in lower Manhattan during 9/11 to navigating the 2008 financial crisis as a senior leader at Lehman Brothers. Now the managing partner at Freidheim Capital, the family-focused, community-minded, and adventurous businessman shares first-hand accounts of these pivotal historical events and extracts uplifting principles to live by that have earned praise from renowned athletes and leaders like Jack Nicklaus, Monica Seles, and Jerry Greenwald. With experience as a CEO, in private equity, on non-profit boards like the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Foundation, and running multi-billion-dollar businesses, Freidheim has invaluable perspectives on seeing the best and worst in people, including himself. Tune in to this week’s episode for an inside look at weathering life's rollercoasters.About Scott Freidheim: Scott is a family-focused, community-minded, risk-taking adventurer and businessman. He is the managing partner at Freidheim Capital. With experience as the CEO of an NYSE traded company and in private equity, a board member of numerous for- and not-for-profit institutions, including the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Foundation board of trustees, and in running businesses with revenues spanning from $1 billion to $45 billion, Freidheim has seen the best and worst in people—including in himself.

This week, host Joe welcomes Anna Papalia, a career influencer with over 1.5 million followers across social media platforms. Anna is the author of the new book "Interviewology: The New Science of Interviewing," in which she reveals a revolutionary approach to mastering interview skills based on understanding one's unique interview style. In the book, Anna introduces her groundbreaking framework of four interview styles - Charmer, Challenger, Examiner, and Harmonizer. Knowing which style you tend toward allows both job seekers and hiring managers to identify their priorities and natural tendencies in an interview. This self-awareness helps mitigate bias and ensures candidates can present their authentic selves. Joe and Anna discuss the specifics of each style and how her interview style discovery has transformed conventional wisdom on interview preparation.About Anna Papalia: Anna is the author of Interviewology: The New Science of Interviewing and a career influencer with over 1.5 million followers across social media platforms. She has consulted with Fortune 100 companies, taught at Temple University’s Fox School of Business and coached over 10,000 clients to interview better. Her groundbreaking discovery of Interview Styles revolutionized the way we teach and understand interviewing. She is also a public speaker at the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and DisruptHR. She lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Joe’s guest this week on the Forbes Books Podcast is Brian Johnson, founder of HEROIC, a social training platform that Whole Foods co-founder John Mackey has called "the best self-development platform in the world." Brian is also the author of the new book "ARETE: Activate Your Heroic Potential," where he tackles the struggle many people face in navigating life's complexities and challenges, often feeling stuck or unfulfilled. In this timely and empowering conversation, Joe is eager to unpack Brian's message on how to transcend difficulties and realize our full heroic potential. Brian offers practical insights and tools, integrating ancient wisdom and modern science into a protocol that leading well-being labs have scientifically shown can change lives. His approach is both holistic and grounded in science, providing listeners with a comprehensive roadmap to living a more heroic, fulfilled life even amidst the chaos of today's fast-paced world.About Brian Johnson: Brian is an accomplished entrepreneur and philosopher with over 25 years of experience. As the Founder and CEO of Heroic , he has successfully raised over $20 million, building and selling two leading social platforms. His Heroic membership and coaching program have impacted tens of thousands globally and are research-backed to be transformative. A digital influencer, Brian's YouTube channel has 225,000+ subscribers and 20 million views, and his podcast has 16 million downloads. He was also featured in the documentary "Finding Joe" alongside Deepak Chopra and Tony Hawk. In 2021, Heroic made history by closing a $5M Reg CF equity crowdfunding as part of an $11M Seed round backed by 2,500+ Founding Investors from 75+ countries. Brian's academic work includes a self-awarded Ph.D. in Optimal Living, 600+ PhilosophersNotes, and 50+ Optimal Living 101 masterclasses. His latest venture, Heroic, launched its MVP Training Platform in April 2022. He lives in the country outside Austin, Texas, with his wife, Alexandra, and their two kids, Emerson and Eleanor.

This week on the Forbes Books Podcast, Joe welcomes Laura Fredricks, author of the recent bestseller "Hard Asks Made Easy: How to Get Exactly What You Want." Laura trains businesses, nonprofits, and individuals in high-stakes negotiation and the art of asking. Her practical laws of asking have helped leaders land major deals and significant donations. Laura is known as The Ask Expert and has raised over $1 billion for her clients across law, philanthropy, and other industries that require tough asks. Her new book, released in June 2023, is #1 on Amazon for Business Mentoring and Coaching. In the episode, Laura will share more about her journey, best practices for asking, and stories of how her approach has transformed outcomes for clients. Tune in to pick up practical tips that can be applied to your most important asks.About Laura Fredricks: The Ask Expert, Laura Fredricks, JD trains and coaches individuals, businesses, and nonprofits on How to ASK. She has raised more than $1 Billion for her clients and comes from successful careers in industries known for making the toughest and biggest asks—law and philanthropy. Laura’s 5 Laws on Asking and her prior six books have helped hundreds of global executives, industry trailblazers, accountants, marketing and communication leaders, boards, fundraisers, entrepreneurs, teenagers, artists, philanthropists, and everyday people get their best professional and personal life possible, just by asking. Her most recent book “Hard Asks Made Easy: How to Get Exactly What you Want”, released in June 2023 is Amazon’s #1 for Business Mentoring and Coaching, #5 Personal Transformation and #17 all Self-Help Books. Laura’s book was named “One of the Top 15 Business Books for 2023” by BookBub.She is the recipient of the Ralph E. Chamberlain Award for extraordinary leadership in the field of fundraising and lifetime of service to the profession, and the New York Nonprofit Network’s 50 Over 50 Award for excellence in media and philanthropy. Since 2005, Laura has been teaching “The Art of the Ask: Effective Communications and Negotiation Strategies” at New York University School of Professional Studies. To keep life in balance Laura has mountaineered all 35 Catskill High Peaks in the winter and is working on completing the Adirondacks 46 High Peaks.

In this 2024 kickoff, Joe dives into a common obstacle: the fear of people's opinions (FOPO). Joined by Dr. Michael Gervais, a high-performance psychologist, and co-author of "The First Rule of Mastery," they explore overcoming FOPO to unlock human potential. Discover mental skills from top performers, including sports MVPs and Fortune 100 leaders. Learn how redirecting focus internally leads to a high-performance life, challenging societal norms, and reclaiming personal authenticity. Don't miss Joe's insightful conversation with Michael Gervais on navigating FOPO's impact on our actions.About Michael Gervais, PhD: Michael is one of the world's top high-performance psychologists. His clients include world record holders, Olympians, internationally acclaimed artists and musicians, MVPs from every major sport, and Fortune 100 CEOs. He is also the founder of Finding Mastery, a high-performance psychology consulting agency, the host of the Finding Mastery podcast, and the cocreator of the Performance Science Institute at the University of Southern California.

Joe and small business marketing expert Nicole Zeno delve into strategies for success in the dynamic world of startups and SMBs. Drawing from her extensive experience in shaping her family’s entrepreneurial venture, Nicole went on to establish Clever Cow Media and Clever U, guided by the belief that collaboration fuels prosperity. Recognized as a leader in innovation, with accolades such as being named to the Phoenix Business Journal’s 40 Under 40, Nicole shares valuable insights gained from her diverse career in industries ranging from music and film to technology. In this episode, she provides perspectives on goal-setting, formulating strategies for future success, and maintaining work-life balance as an ultramarathon runner. Join us on The Forbes Books Podcast for an engaging conversation as Nicole imparts her wisdom on planning for the upcoming year and offers effective techniques to empower small businesses for growth in 2024.About Nicole Zeno: At a young age, Nicole watched as her parents started and built a company from the basement of her childhood home. In that moment, she realized the impact one small business could have on not just her family but the whole community.Since then, she has achieved a lot, failed at some, and had a lot of fun along the way. Nicole dabbled in many different industries, including music, TV, movies, tech, startups, apps, and more.The epiphany came while she was working with clients and realized that the skills she had learned and her cumulative experiences had put her in a unique position to help them grow their businesses.She started Clever Cow Media and CleverU with the belief that when we collaborate, SMBs and startups thrive, local economies thrive, and we build stronger communities.

This week, Joe welcomes former Florida State star quarterback Christian Ponder, whose standout football career has led him to empower athletes in business. After being a first-round draft pick and wrapping up a run in the NFL, Christian co-founded The Post, aiming to provide a private community for athletes leveraging skills beyond sports. Having faced assumptions himself, Ponder aims to combat the “dumb jock” stereotype and enable athletes to translate teamwork, leadership, and other intangibles into entrepreneurship. Armed with finance degrees on top of athletic prowess, he brings unique acumen to guide members of The Post. Christian discusses challenging perceptions, establishing the athlete community, and transitioning from the arena to the boardroom. Tune in to hear Christian's insights on blending championship football and business vision.

Innovators like Steve Jobs have a talent for seeing room for improvement in existing products. While computers, tablets, and phones already existed, Jobs took Apple to new heights by enhancing these devices. Similarly, Steven Borrelli tapped into this mindset when he set out to transform the basic t-shirt by founding the apparel company Cuts. In just seven years, Cuts has evolved from a t-shirt startup into a leading apparel brand under Borrelli’s leadership, selling over $250 million worth of products without any outside capital. So, what unique perspective empowered Borrelli to disrupt a ubiquitous clothing item like the t-shirt? How did he rapidly scale Cuts into an apparel powerhouse reminiscent of Steve Jobs’ Apple? Tune in to hear Joe Pardavila explore Steven Borrelli’s journey to becoming the “Steve Jobs of T-Shirts” and his relentless drive to transform mundane mainstays into exceptional staples.About Steven Borrelli: Steven is a prominent figure in the fashion industry. He was born and raised in Wenatchee, Washington. Borrelli's vision, creativity, and relentless pursuit led to the founding of Cuts. The inception of Cuts traces back to Borrelli’s early career working at an advertising agency. His boss dismissed him from a meeting for wearing an athletic T-shirt that wasn’t “professional enough." It was then that he recognized a gap in the market: apparel that offers the comfort of workout clothes and the polished style of professional attire. He envisioned crafting the perfect T-shirt—a blend of exceptional quality and comfort to boost the wearer's confidence from the office to a night out. In just seven years, under Steven's leadership, Cuts has transformed from a T-shirt startup to a powerhouse full-line apparel brand, selling over $250M+ worth of products and becoming the Fastest Growing Athleisure Business in America. The company has achieved this phenomenal growth with $0 capital raised.

This week on the Forbes Books Podcast, Joe is joined by Brittany Dolin and Nicole Dayan, co-founders of The Pocketbook Agency. Drawing on decades of experience as executives and assistants, Brittany and Nicole share insights on reimagining the hiring process. They explain that their unique approach at The Pocketbook Agency is focused on building meaningful connections between employers and candidates. Tune in as Brittany and Nicole provide tips for transformational recruiting that benefit both job seekers and companies. They share stories and lessons learned from working with top leaders and organizations. Don't miss this lively conversation about bringing creativity into hiring and the secrets behind The Pocketbook Agency's success. Brittany and Nicole reveal their innovative ideas for fostering loyalty and matching candidates with the right culture.About Brittany Dolin: Brittany is the co-founder of The Pocketbook Agency. Inspired by her own career as a personal and executive assistant for high-profile families, Brittany was determined to create a search firm that fosters long-term relationships to help both clients and candidates feel more productive, successful, and fulfilled in the hiring process. Brittany’s years of experience in assistant roles allowed her to see what was missing from the traditional placement process. This critical understanding is what she turns to every day, working with Fortune 1000 companies & leaders, high-profile early-stage businesses, ultra-high-net-worth families, and everyone in between. Brittany's specialty lies within the high-net-worth family office industry, where she has advised and worked with some of the most prominent family offices across The United States. Brittany has been quoted in leading publications such as The Financial Times and Forbes as an expert in the recruiting sector.About Nicole Dayan: Nicole is the co-founder of Pocketbook Agency whose creative and distinguished career spans over 20 years, from coast to coast. A native Virginian, her innate love of people and family-oriented approach to her trade has allowed her to organically transition her fundamental values into a renowned business model built on commitment and loyalty. She is devoted to fostering strong and lasting relationships, which are the foundation for a successful business. This philosophy allows her to recruit and place extraordinary talent with a diverse list of esteemed clients in the Los Angeles area and nationwide. Her wealth of experience stems from every corner of the entertainment industry, from film and TV to radio and music production. Holding degrees in both Business and Theatre Arts, she has cultivated an acute sensibility immersing herself in the culture of both clients and candidates. Her one-of-a-kind perspective and open-minded approach have successfully led her through numerous executive-level positions at a range of established companies throughout the industry.About Pocketbook Agency: Pocketbook Agency, founded in 2014 by Brittany Dolin and Nicole Dayan, is a modern recruiting firm built for the needs of today and anticipates the demands of tomorrow. Headquartered in Los Angeles, the women-owned and operated elite agency specializes in bespoke administrative and support roles for both corporate and domestic environments. Applying years of industry experience and relationship-building to curate the very best support talent pool available in today’s market, Pocketbook serves accomplished founders, a-list celebrities, fortune 500 leaders and ultra high-net-worth clients across Entertainment & Music, Early-Stage Companies, Technology Businesses, Real Estate, Finance, Venture Capital & Private Equity, Crypto & FinTech, Beauty & Fashion, Food & Beverage, Hospitality & Luxury, Media and more. For more information, please visit https://www.pocketbookagency.com/