I first met Anton von Rueden about 4 years ago at the first offsite retreat I facilitated for the TechStyle Fashion Group. The company was only a few years old and Anton was a relatively new player on the scene and already making an impact. He’s a pretty large human and reminded me right away of Bruce Springsteen’s song “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out” where Bruce memorializes Clarence Clemons joining the E Street Band.
This week I spoke with Dr. Melanie Matheu, the Founder and CEO of Prellis Biologics.
Dr. Matheu has a background in Immunology, Chemistry, Physiology, & Biophysics…and what have you done lately? I first met Melanie when we were virtually introduced by a mutual acquaintance.
My pal Bruce King is like that proverbial brother from another mother. Bruce is a leading researcher, author, and advocate for The New Carbon Architecture, which happens to be the name of his recently published second book. It's a way to slow the accumulation of greenhouse gases which are released by the burning of fossil fuels. It's both important and timely work.
I first met Walter through mutual friends some 25 years ago when he was a Regional President for Whole Foods Market. After stints as COO and Co-President, Walter became Co-CEO of Whole Foods Market in 2010, a position from which he retired a short time ago. In addition to being a super well-respected icon in the natural products industry, Walter was and still is a beloved leader in the Whole Foods Community.
I have known Deena Metzger for about 15 years..and I’ve known about her for many more. She’s been both a teacher and a role model of mine. In some ways it’s hard to describe Deena. Probably the most accurate thing I could say is that she is unconventional. And in a way that’s too bad. Because Deena, in addition to being a writer and author (her latest novel is A Rain of Nightbirds), is also a teacher, a global activist and healer, a Warrior Woman and a Shaman in the classical sense of being a bridge from indigenous ways to the modern world. And I believe the world would benefit from more of this kind of un-convention. We’re chatting on a hot day at the top of one of the canyons outside of LA. We’ve got the company of a puppy that’s a bit frisky some of the time so we enjoyed that as well. Deena’s one of those folks that I learn something from every time I’m around her. Today was no exception. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did
If you've been a client of mine any time in the last 20 years, you will have heard of Dan Harrison. You most likely completed the preference inventory he designed, and listened to me bend your ear about it.
Wow, in this edition I get to talk to my older brother Matt, who in addition to being my very first roommate he is also one of the coolest guys I know. He’s been an independent bookseller for over 40 years and still going strong. I could say if you ever go to the Berkshires in western Massachusetts you should stop in at his shop in Lenox but really, you should make the pilgrimage and visit him. He knows just about everything you’ll ever want to know about books and authors and after you speak with him for 5 minutes he’ll make recommendations for you that will surprise and delight you. And, when other booksellers started putting coffee shops in their stores Matt put in a Wine Bar. It’s called Get Lit. Check it out.
Special thanks to my Co-Producers Danise Lehrer and Ari Andersen, to sister Rose for the fabulous artwork and Dustin Bath and BLKMKT Music for the dulcet tones throughout.
This one falls in the category of life more than leadership. And you'll soon hear why. Today you're going to hear a conversation with Sheela Alex, a friend and kindred spirit. One of the reasons I want to record a podcast with Sheela is that she was involved for many years with Osho, an Indian guru and teacher also known as Bhagwan Shri Rajneesh.