Rounding The Bases With Joel Goldberg

While on an assignment in London, Heath Wessling learned about the concept of wellness and discovered a strong passion for finding a healthy way in all aspects of life. After investing nearly two decades building a career in health tech, he left corporate life to pursue his passion. Now he’s the Owner and Founder of the award-winning Kansas City Wellness Club, an all-encompassing respite in the historic heart of downtown. He invites us to press pause on the modern stressors of our ever-connected world, and cultivate mindfulness of our best selves, kindly leaving hustle at the door, if only for a while. For more conversation about wellness with Heath Wessling, check out https://bit.ly/RTBHeathWesslingKansas City Wellness Club Website: https://www.kcwellnessclub.com/

Maki Moussavi is the fiercest of the anti-hustle variety, and she would like to welcome you to your discomfort zone. It’s the place conventional career advice tells you to avoid, and also where she found her authentic self. In a previous version of her life, this relentless high achiever reached heights on the corporate ladder, but that was before she started living on her own terms. Today, Maki is an author and coach who empowers you to do the same. By granting permission to reject tradition or even bend the rules, she helps uncover your own truth and pursue your most fulfilling, successful life, whatever that may be. For more with Maki Moussavi check out our YoutTube Channel: https://bit.ly/RTBMakiMoussaviMaki Moussavi Website: https://www.makimoussavi.com/

Joel's guest on this episode has an affinity for bringing the right people and organizations together. Membership is his passion, so it's fitting that his firm is dedicated to making the connections that allow them to thrive. Joining Joel on Rounding the Bases is Lucas McCann, the President and CEO of Core Affinity, whose calm is legendary and professionalism exceptional. His leadership has paved the way for growth and transformative change that are rooted partnerships. And as the undisputed expert at aligning vision with solutions, he skillfully enhances the value prop for clients and employees in equal measure.For more conversation with Lucas please visit our YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/RTBLucasMcCannCore Affinity Website: https://coreaffinity.com/

On this special Mother's Day edition, Joel Goldberg welcomes his mom Nancy Goldberg to the podcast as well as his brother Marc Goldberg. Marc and Joel's full conversation is a past episode, but we repurpose the brotherly chat as they talk about their childhood and the love and respect they have their mother. Nancy has a fantastic story, one that the boys greatly respect and admire. They tribute much of their successes to both parents, but Nancy's story is unique and incredibly inspiring. Happy Mother's Day!

Brandon Calloway is one entrepreneur with two businesses, and each is an opportunity for him to design a better kind of world. As a graphic novel artist, he founded Dark Moon Comics where his characters normalize black heroes in their crime-fighting worlds. Perhaps more notably, Brandon is also the CEO and Founder of Kansas City G.I.F.T, where he works vigorously to close the wealth gap in Kansas City and forge a path to more equitable prosperity. To date, G.I.F.T has granted more than $500,000 in assistance to local, Black-owned small businesses. By making early startup capital and technical expertise available for traditionally underserved communities, he’s playing a leading role in the fight against systemic racism. To hear more from Brandon Calloway and his mission please visit our YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/RTBBrandonCallowayKansas City G.I.F.T website: https://www.kansascitygift.org/Dark Moon Comics website: https://www.darkmooncomics.com/

On this episode of Rounding the Bases, the spirit of innovation and the tradition of music unite in perfect harmony. Innovation and music may not be the most obvious pairing, but for Danny Beckley, the two have always been inextricably linked. Danny Beckley is a peerless trombonist, distinguished leader, and most notably the Executive Director of the Kansas City Symphony. His foundation may be classical, but his approach to business is anything but. Danny’s repertoire is heavy on entrepreneurship, as evidenced by Kansas City’s evolution into an artistic stalwart on the music scene. And under his continued orchestration, it’ll continue its crescendo to the ranks of world-renowned Symphony with a sound that’s as richly unique as its distinctive style. For more conversation with Danny please visit the YouTube link: https://bit.ly/RTBDannyBeckleyThe Kansas City Symphony Website: https://www.kcsymphony.org/

As we wrap up another great month on Rounding The Bases, we celebrate Sam Mellinger as he transitioned into his new role as the Kansas City Royals Vice President of Communications. After spending 21 years as a writer for the Kansas City Star, Sam made a massive pivot last winter, as he moved into his new role working for the team he covered for decades. It's a success story of changing career paths, switching industries, and continuing to pursue one's passions. Joel talked to Sam about the differences in building trust and relationships in his old role versus his new one, plus leadership, culture and some baseball.For bonus coverage with Joel and Sam please check the YouTube link: https://bit.ly/RTBSamMellinger

Joining Joel Goldberg is Chef Ashley Bare, a culinary hustler and local Kansas City food legend. Ashley is a gastro-genius whose signature flavor is defined as east meets midwestern cooking. She finds inspiration wherever she goes, and her latest creation sets her apart in the kitchen. Drawing influence from the Swedish word meaning ‘at home’, she founded Hemma Hemma KC, the premier meal delivery service that’s changing the rules of the game. With it, she’s building community around the table, one thoughtfully prepared meal at a time. To hear more from Ashley Bare, please visit our YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/RTBAshleyBareAshley's website can be found at: https://www.ashleybare.com/Hemma Hemma Website: https://hemmahemma.com/

On this episode, our audience will hear the incredible story of a former athlete who learned to fail forward. His football career was a charmed one. In college, he was a two-time all conference offensive lineman and also the MVP of his senior year. In 2003 his dreams of playing in the NFL became reality when he was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars, and his athletic success helped pave the way for a lucrative commercial construction endeavor. But within a decade, a business deal gone awry left him without a home or a car, just a choice. It was then that Marques Ogden traded eight figures in revenue for $8.25 an hour to moonlight as a janitor. Even though the work was humble, it was his first step forward on the path to rebuilding the life he envisioned for himself. Now Marques is a speaker, best selling author, executive coach who has taken that failure - and its hard won lessons - to help others succeed. For more about Marques Ogden please visit https://marquesogden.com/

Joining Joel Goldberg is a special personal guest, Marc LeBlanc, the corporate dropout turned legendary speaker, four-time author and masterful business coach. As a rookie he was accused of not having what it took to make it on his own. Determined to prove the naysayers wrong, he went into business for himself at the ripe, young age of 21 and has never looked back. After years of trial, error and choosing action over perfection, he’s become known as the grow your business guy. With unique perspectives and an approach to business that breaks the mold, it’s no wonder he’s garnered a reputation for success that reverberates around the globe.

Barry Litwin is the commercial strength CEO and ace of initiatives for worldwide supply distributor Global Industrial, a $1.1 billion distribution leader of industrial and MRO products. Barry is a veteran e commerce executive with an extensive knowledge of optimizing experiences for his consumers and his associates. With his focus kept firmly on best-in-class execution, Barry’s award-winning leadership has enabled the company to not just survive, but actually thrive, in recent years. It’s a success few can attest to and proof that no matter what, he’s got this.

Dr. Kurt Graham, the Director of the Truman Library and Museum hails from academia and has led an esteemed career that includes doctorate studies at Brown University and instructing at Cal State San Bernardino. After his transcontinental pursuits, it’s only appropriate that he would ultimately land in the Midwest, at the helm of America’s original democratic classroom. Under his direction, the Library has ushered in a new era of transformation, becoming a compelling, modern vehicle for stories that are rooted in our presidential past. With skillful leadership he’s brought change for the better, teaching the lessons that are worth learning and protecting the legacy established by Give ‘Em Hell Harry himself. To hear more from Dr. Kurt Graham please visit https://bit.ly/RTBKurtGrahamYou can find the Truman Library and Museum's website at https://www.trumanlibrary.gov/

Sam Mellinger’s career as a journalist has ranged from high school sports to Final Fours. From Super Bowls to World Series. He’s seen it all as a newspaper reporter and columnist. Sam made a massive pivot last winter, trading in his notebook for a job in media relations as a vice president for the team he used to cover, the Kansas City Royals. Joel talked to Sam about the differences in building trust and relationships in his old role versus his new one, plus leadership, culture and some baseball.For bonus coverage with Joel and Sam please check the YouTube link: https://bit.ly/RTBSamMellinger

We’re now two years into the Covid-19 pandemic, and it would be nearly impossible to find someone who hasn’t been impacted by its challenges. We all felt the collateral damage, but the very people who needed protecting the most may have actually suffered the most. Seclusion helped keep vulnerable seniors from the virus, but it also introduced them to its equally destructive companion, loneliness. Tech entrepreneur Eliot Arnold set out to help our seniors. He is the CEO and co-founder of MoodSpark, a mood-improving digital companion. By disrupting negative feelings and replacing them with emotional memories, MoodSpark actually improves the mental and biological health of its users. He’s widely regarded for his novel approaches to complex human problems, and his latest beta delivers. With a vision based on emotion but backed by science, Eliot and his team have harnessed the power of AI to help make loneliness a thing of the past.

As we wrap up another month with fantastic guests, we circle back to Anita Newton's episode in this month's "Best Of" series. Anita Newton is an innovative entrepreneur and marketing junkie, but perhaps best known as the Chief Innovation Officer of Community America Credit Union. With a proclivity for fun and willingness to say ‘yes’, she introduces groundbreaking ideas that challenge boundaries. She’s even the mastermind behind a first-of-its-kind product that has revolutionized the financial landscape for college-bound students. With her perpetually action-oriented leadership style, she aligns her team towards a singular focus, welcoming each new challenge as an opportunity to create another one of her masterpieces.

Raneem Alasmi is a woman of bravery, of strength, drive, and love. She is a young woman who has overcome more adversity than most of us will in our entire lifetimes. And even though her name probably isn't one you’ve heard before, after hearing her story, it’s one you won’t soon forget. Raneem Alasmi is a Syrian refugee with an insatiable hunger for life. After fleeing her home country, she and her family arrived stateside with no language or money, just the clothes on their backs. In a matter of years, she went from learning English by watching the Disney channel to becoming a KU undergrad, where she’s earning her degree in journalism. She knows she has a voice to promote change and speak her truth, it is up to us to listen.

Laura Sanko is the type of person who looks a challenge in the eye and gives it a wink. And even though she may not look like the fighting type, she shows up every day ready to break down yet another barrier. Over the course of her career, Laura has gone from amateur MMA fighter to promising correspondent. Now, she’s a marquee on-air talent for the UFC. Capturing the title of first-ever female analyst in ultimate fighting was no easy feat, but she always had confidence in what she could do if just given the chance. She may be fancy, but when it comes to fighting, she’ll knock you right out.

For many, April 13, 2014 was just another Sunday. For today’s guest, it marked the day her life trajectory was altered forever. Headlines circulated around the world when the open fire of an antisemitic gunman took the lives of her father and 14-year old son, leaving her as a grieving mother and daughter with a decision to make. And in the face of unimaginable tragedy, Mindy Corporon chose to respond with - what she calls - courageous kindness, a rare form of bravery that cannot be deterred by pain. She’s the former CEO of a successful wealth management firm whose ambition changed in an instant, pivoting from guiding clients financially to guiding the masses towards tolerance and common ground. Realizing that sadness and joy actually go hand in hand, Mindy began to rebuild her life. Now, she's a successful entrepreneur who uses her platforms as a speaker, author and podcast host to channel heartbreak into healing. Despite her soul shattering loss, she has spent the last seven and a half years making each new

Bringing heart, hustle and a heap of confidence into her every day, LaFarris Risby adheres to one simple tenet in life, which is that the decisions you make today will ultimately affect your tomorrow. She is dynamic, she is results driven, she is the founder and CEO of Loving Arms Enterprises. Today LaFarris boasts an impressive list of credentials, but her success story is actually rooted in necessity. With $50 in her pocket and two young children to provide for, failure was never an option. She had belief in herself and hope for the future, and managed to build a multi-million dollar business from nothing. For more about LaFarris please visit www.lafarris.com

Marquita Miller-Joshua is the Founder and President of Five Star Tax and Business Solutions, best-selling author and powerhouse motivational speaker. While she may be a masterful accountant by trade, her real business is advocating for others on a journey to their own success. A staunch proponent for acting with intention, Marquita has earned herself a reputation for inspiring entrepreneurs and audiences alike to commit. Whether that’s to break barriers or eliminate excuses, she positions them to own their goals and take action, for a result that’s undeniably impactful.