On this episode of Unconventional Genius, guest Mike Sinyard, Founder and CEO of Specialized Bicycle Components talks about the life-changing power of cycling. Mike founded Specialized in 1974 as a bicycle company made for riders, by riders. By overcoming his own personal challenges, Mike learned the true power of cycling and its ability to help others overcome obstacles in their lives. Becoming the CEO of a successful worldwide company didn’t happen overnight for Mike Sinyard. He took an unconv...
Jan 09, 2017•26 min
On this episode of Unconventional Genius, I speak with Rikard Steiber, Senior Vice President of Virtual Reality at HTC about how virtual reality can change the world. HTC has been on the forefront of the virtual reality revolution, developing cutting-edge equipment and creative content. During our conversation, Rikard tells me about his passion for this ground-breaking technology and how he is directing HTC to be a leader in the virtual reality space. When people think about virtual reality, the...
Dec 12, 2016•29 min
On this episode of Unconventional Genius, Jay Papasan, executive, speaker, and author of The ONE thing, joins me to talk about how to focus on what matters most. Jay is a best-selling author and an executive at Keller Williams Realty International. During our conversation, Jay shares about his book The ONE thing and the surprisingly simple truth behind extraordinary results. Using a wealth of research and the examples of highly successful people, Jay has discovered a path to overcoming the chall...
Nov 30, 2016•41 min
On this episode of Unconventional Genius, I talk with Greg Fadul, founder and CEO of Grace Digital and ECOXGEAR on how he is staying future focused. During our conversation, Greg shares with me how he became an entrepreneur later in life, and the philosophy by which he runs his business. Through all of his success, Greg leads with an eye toward the future. Greg Fadul started his company in San Diego, California out of a passion for music and a clear vision for opportunity. He developed a consume...
Nov 09, 2016•27 min
On this episode of Unconventional Genius, I talk with Dr. Shawn DuBravac, Chief Economist of the Consumer Technology Association about data collection and the exciting future of recommendation engines. Shawn is the author of the New York Times Best Seller Digital Destiny: How the New Age of Data Will Transform the Way We Work, Live, and Communicate (Regnery, 2015). He joins me to talk about how we can leverage mass data collection and technological advancements to enhance and improve the world i...
Oct 04, 2016•55 min
On this episode of Unconventional Genius, I’m joined by Simon Sollberger, Vice President of Brand and Design at Innovative Partners to talk about the inspiration of emotion. Innovate Partners is a company that combines venture capital and private equity with an incubator model for launching companies. They have a unique, hands-on approach that involves leveraging design to launch companies and products. Innovative Partners are known for their Bluetooth headphones and speaker companies as well as...
Sep 20, 2016•38 min
My guest on this week’s Unconventional Genius is Marty Neumeier, Director of Transformation at Liquid Agency, a branding agency located in San Jose, CA. He joins me to talk about how to build better brand skills. Marty’s mission is to help business owners and leaders accomplish their goals and more effectively serve customers. During our conversation, he shares his wisdom on how to develop personal skills, leverage a competitive business edge, and set yourself apart with a fantastic, memorable b...
Aug 30, 2016•35 min
Vikrum Aiyer, Chief of Staff at the United States Patent & Trademark Office and former Senior Policy Advisor for Innovation & Manufacturing to President Barack Obama joins me on this episode of Unconventional Genius to discuss how the USPTO is connecting the dots for entrepreneurs. Vikrum is only 30 years old, and yet he has already been entrusted to lead this agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce. In his role in the Obama administration, Vikrum manages 13,000 employees and a $3....
Aug 29, 2016•1 hr 2 min
Today on Unconventional Genius, I am joined by Doug Wead, and Author, Presidential Historian and former presidential advisor to talk about making a comeback. Doug impacted my life in a huge way, even though prior to this conversation we had never met. About 15 years ago, a friend of mine gave me a CD of a speech called “Great Comebacks” at a real low point in my life. Though I didn’t know it at the time, Doug Wead was the one who wrote and delivered the speech that helped me get my life back tog...
Jul 29, 2016•55 min
On this episode of Unconventional Genius, guest Peter Shankman joins me to talk about his life, success and why you want to be different. Peter has accomplished so much in his life and he’s done it all while dealing with the challenge of ADHD. During our conversation, Peter shares what drives him to be successful and what the future holds for him. Peter Shankman is an author, entrepreneur, angel investor, Ironman triathlete, skydiver and podcaster. He has sold multiple businesses for millions of...
Jul 25, 2016•19 min
If you’re going to start a product-based business and don’t have a clear product development strategy in place, you’re behind the eight-ball already. That’s because any successful product has to be designed to meet a very distinct need within the niche it’s targeting. That’s the conventional wisdom. But my friend Ben Dolgin-Gardner is anything but conventional. He is one of those guys who lives a lifestyle that goes against the grain of what most of society embraces. When it comes to his busines...
Jul 11, 2016•39 min
One of the most obvious but overlooked things about the day we live in is this: We don’t live in a tech-based world, we live in a tech-integrated world. My guest on this episode, Stephen Denny points out that what is possible from a technological standpoint has outpaced what is comfortable. The thing holding us back now is us. Stephen’s insight into what makes underdog brands able to become dominant in very crowded industries is revealing and will empower those willing to think through what he's...
Jun 21, 2016•50 min
The desire to create a piece of innovative technology that dominates the market has fueled founders for a long time. When Sonny Vu and his partners created Misfit, they wanted to go a step beyond that. They wanted to create technology that was innovative because it truly served people in meaningful ways, rather than the other way around. In his mind, it had to be something people actually wanted to wear, something they enjoyed using. This conversation tells how Sonny was born in Vietnam, raised ...
Jun 15, 2016•29 min
If you’re thinking about starting a company of any kind, you will quickly realize that learning how to get clients is the lifeblood of your business. Simply put: If you don’t have work to do, you don’t have a company. My guest on this episode is my friend and “brother from another mother” Pietro Ranieri. Pietro has a particular talent for getting new work, a skill he exhibited time and time again in the early days of his freelance work as a PR consultant. This conversation tells his story. He we...
Jun 10, 2016•35 min
How could a guy without a college degree and a background in landscaping create a successful smart home solutions company that works alongside Apple and other big-name tech giants? It’s not easy. It takes a lot of grit and plenty of hustle - and Chris Allen has both. This episode is a real treat. You’ll hear the story of how Chris Allen built iDevices from one product idea to a multi-product powerhouse in the Smart Home industry. He explains how he had the boldness to go for it in a tech-oriente...
Jun 06, 2016•33 min
Many businesses these days compete based on price - but Tony Van Veen says finding and optimizing a sustainable advantage is a smarter strategy. That’s because price is a sure way to put yourself into a tough arena in which to compete - and consequently, it becomes more challenging to make your business profitable. Tony was my very first client. He took a chance on me when I first started my PR company, but his influence on my career goes far beyond the fees I received as a new PR professional. ...
May 16, 2016•45 min
My guest on this episode was truly born an entrepreneur. As an example, when he was a kid he took some nail polish his mother was going to throw away and sold it door to door. He even had specials and deals his neighborhood customers could take advantage of. Entrepreneurial drive was in his blood. Jason Fass is now Director of Product Marketing at Google and has had a very wide-ranging career. He’s a product guy at heart, starting out at Apple with literally no experience in the tech world but p...
May 10, 2016•40 min•Ep. 1
