It’s easy to think of business challenges as separate and distinct from our personal challenges, yet the two so frequently go hand in hand. Running a business, large or small, consumes a large part of one’s day, and also a large part of one’s emotional capacity. Khris Reina, a father of 5, a successful commercial real estate investor, entrepreneur, and the owner of The Oakley Kitchen + Cocktails, a popular restaurant and bar in Nutley, NJ shares how the past two years challenged him in ways he n...
Dec 14, 2021•44 min•Ep 42•Transcript available on Metacast Resilience is often learned and developed through early life experiences. As we continue this resilience series, we are joined by a very special guest known as Laura Graziano to most, but mom and wife to us. Not only is she the woman that keeps the heart of our family beating, she also has an inspiring story of resilience. Growing up with a mother afflicted with mental illness, Laura learned from an early age to accept what is, use writing as a creative outlet, and spend time outdoors. These exp...
Dec 07, 2021•49 min•Ep 41•Transcript available on Metacast This is the Sunday before Thanksgiving Day. We decided to step out of the resilience series to say thank you. We thank you, our listeners, and we express just how thankful we are for all that we have and how far we have come. Joining us this episode is Joe’s beautiful wife, and Cristina’s Mom, Laura. Laura has been with us every step of the way with this Podcast, so we brought her on to chat, and reminisce about some of the early podcast planning. Curious how we came up with the name? We’ll play...
Nov 22, 2021•24 min•Ep 40•Transcript available on Metacast Life is unpredictable. This week we are joined by a very special friend, Sam Morovati. Sam is a customer experience leader in big tech, an avid car collector, father, husband, and SURVIVOR. This week’s episode tells the story of the accident that almost killed Sam Morovati on October 18, 2020. That accident is just the beginning of a long journey to recovery and resilience. Sam shares how the experience of fear, pain, and trauma has impacted his outlook on life for the better. You’ll hear about ...
Nov 15, 2021•51 min•Ep 39•Transcript available on Metacast We are joined this week by Pete Radigan, a husband, father, author, entrepreneur, and Heart Transplant Recipient, along with his friend and editor, Jim McGrath. Our previous episode focused on a family that turned to organ donation as a means of coping with the tragic loss of their son. This week’s episode delves into the perspective of the recipient of the ultimate gift: life. Pete shares insights from the book that he wrote with Janet Mauk, whose son Tom was tragically killed in a motorcycle a...
Nov 07, 2021•49 min•Ep 38•Transcript available on Metacast A seven-year-old boy from California, Nicholas Green, was killed by highway robbers in 1994 while vacationing in Italy with his family. His parents agreed to donate his organs and corneas, which went to seven Italians waiting for transplants. Reg and Maggie Green spoke openly to the media, with no bitterness, about their loss and decision. The world took the story--and the Greens--to its heart. Organ donations in Italy have tripled since Nicholas was killed so that thousands of people are alive ...
Nov 02, 2021•40 min•Ep 37•Transcript available on Metacast The noun resilience stems from the Latin resiliens , “to rebound, recoil.” Resilience is a person’s ability to recover from unfortunate circumstances or illnesses. What’s important about resilience is knowing what YOUR capacity for resilience is. Think about the little, micro rebounds you’ve made. Then think about the times you perhaps did NOT rebound. What will happen when a major event occurs? In this episode, we introduce our new series on resilience. These episodes will delve into the topic ...
Oct 25, 2021•23 min•Ep 36•Transcript available on Metacast Innovation can be described as “the creation, development, and implementation of a new product, process or service, with the aim of improving efficiency, effectiveness or competitive advantage.” People have innovative thoughts all day long as they go through their routine activities. Joe’s work in consulting and process improvement has shown that almost every employee has an idea for a “better way” to do things. Why is it so rare then for those ideas to be shared and put into practice? Do they t...
Oct 18, 2021•22 min•Ep 35•Transcript available on Metacast How many of you feel guilty when you take time to do nothing? Sounds silly, but Leisure time, relaxation, even just doing nothing, is important. Equally important is making sure the way you are spending that precious downtime is truly recharging your batteries. In this episode, we take a look at Leisure time and share some of the ways we like to relax. We also dig into ways that downtime can drain us if we aren’t using it thoughtfully. Cristina and Joe certainly have different concepts of relaxa...
Oct 11, 2021•27 min•Ep 34•Transcript available on Metacast Selling, like dating, takes insight, intuition, and discretion to know when a prospect is interested. Will they return my calls? Are they telling me the truth? Have they been open about their selection process? Do they seem willing to take the next step? Are they leading you on? Further complicating this is the type of opportunity…is it an RFP, or a query from your company’s website, or a cold call you made? All of this needs to be part of the decision-making criteria. There is no clear formula ...
Oct 04, 2021•27 min•Ep 33•Transcript available on Metacast Human beings are naturally social creatures. Being in a business setting doesn’t change that. Good relationships with colleagues will make our jobs more enjoyable. In the episode, we interview Martina Davitkova of Coconut Software. Martina discusses the topic of Professional Relationships. As you listen, you’ll notice her genuineness and sincerity. Martina reveals these traits and gives you the tools she uses that have led to her and Coconut Software’s success. So, if you’d like to deepen the pr...
Sep 27, 2021•46 min•Ep 32•Transcript available on Metacast Joe certainly has his phobias! You’ll hear him talk about them while Cristina also shares one of hers. As usual, Cristina’s phobia has some merit. But Joe’s? So what’s the difference between a fear and a phobia? Fear is a natural emotion that protects people from harm when they face real danger. A phobia is an excessive fear or anxiety, out of proportion to the actual danger they might present. In this episode, you’ll hear from Cristina and Joe how to handle your phobias so they take their prope...
Sep 20, 2021•26 min•Ep 31•Transcript available on Metacast A visit with Your Advocate Alliance (YAA)- Entrepreneurship, fatherly wisdom, and auto advice Join us this week as we visit with Ray and Zach Shefska, founders of Your Advocate Alliance (YAA), a father-son duo that is revolutionizing the auto industry as advocates for everyday consumers through the car buying process. They are a pair that inspired us as we began our father-daughter journey with Morning Coffee and Mimosas. The excitement we have for this episode is hard to contain. Listen with us...
Sep 12, 2021•55 min•Ep 30•Transcript available on Metacast The best leaders are masters at delegation. They know how to empower their teams to get work done. Delegating isn’t just giving work to others. It’s also creating an environment where employees are proud of their work and can call it their own. Delegating is giving the right work to the right people. It’s about sharing a task and decision-making responsibilities. This results in increased commitment, better results, and the development of the skills and sophistication of your staff. In this epis...
Sep 06, 2021•26 min•Ep 29•Transcript available on Metacast Are You Listening to Me? How many times has someone said that to you? How many times have you said that to someone? Listening is something so important, yet so easy to NOT do. But why? Seems like an easy thing to do, but in actuality, listening takes work, and it takes paying attention. Good listening skills make YOU more compelling! Your value to others increases, you’ll notice fewer misunderstandings, and you’ll actually be happier! In this episode, we have fun exploring this topic. We give yo...
Aug 30, 2021•32 min•Ep 28•Transcript available on Metacast In the world today- the majority of communication is written. What you put in an email or text is forever. Don’t let poorly written or improperly crafted emails or texts embarrass you or tarnish your image. Writing clear, concise, and well-constructed messages is critical for you to be understood and viewed as the professional you are. At any point in your career, or in everyday life, being an effective communicator is key to your success. In this episode, we conclude this three-part series by t...
Aug 23, 2021•31 min•Ep 27•Transcript available on Metacast Communication is by far one of the most valuable skills in any person’s toolkit. At any point in your career, or in everyday life, being an effective communicator is key to your success. Do you want to communicate better? In this episode we break down three concepts that will help you become a more effective and influential communicator, thus greatly improving your work and personal relationships. Join us to learn and laugh this week as we celebrate 6 months of Morning Coffee and Mimosas!...
Aug 15, 2021•24 min•Ep 26•Transcript available on Metacast The purpose of communicating is so everyone involved understands the information. That sounds simple enough. But is it really? Miscommunication happens so frequently causing challenges in all aspects of business and personal life. For everyone involved to be able to understand what has been communicated, we need to communicate in a way that is simple, straightforward, and targeted to the audience. The truth is you’ll never be able to sell your ideas, or product, or service unless you can distill...
Aug 09, 2021•24 min•Ep 25•Transcript available on Metacast Having self-confidence is an attitude and mindset about your skills and capabilities. Your goals and dreams are limited unnecessarily when we limit or diminish our own abilities. It’s easy to lose confidence if you don’t believe in yourself. That’s why it’s important to build self-confidence and self-esteem. Self-confidence means trusting in your abilities, capabilities, and decision-making. Self-confidence is important in maintaining a positive mindset about yourself and your life. When you val...
Aug 01, 2021•27 min•Ep 24•Transcript available on Metacast What motivates you to buy a certain product or choose a specific brand? Do you often purchase the least expensive item or will you pay more when there is a lower-cost alternative? Why? It’s useful to think about our own behaviors as consumers to better understand the motivations of the buyers of your products or services. This past week, Joe had such an amazing experience with Weber Grill’s customer service that it inspired today’s topic! A Great customer experience leaves a lasting impression. ...
Jul 25, 2021•20 min•Ep 23•Transcript available on Metacast A Little Known Message from the Past Contains your Success Secret for today and the future. In this episode, Joe shares a story from 1889. (No, Joe was NOT born in 1889!) This story from the past expresses the timeless value individual initiative plays in accomplishing the tasks and responsibilities placed in front of us. The concept of individual initiative is worth exploring. When tasked with a project, do you begin tapping into your creativity to problem solve or rely on others to tell you ho...
Jul 18, 2021•21 min•Ep 22•Transcript available on Metacast We are all bombarded daily with calls, texts, emails, work, and family responsibilities. No wonder it’s so easy to have an entire day go by with nothing of importance accomplished. Just thinking about these daily distractions can make your head spin! What if you were able to adopt an easy practice to make each day YOUR day, and not be pushed around by other people's priorities? In this episode, we give you simple, easy-to-follow tips to conquer your morning and own your day. Creating a morni...
Jul 12, 2021•24 min•Ep 21•Transcript available on Metacast If you find yourself working hard with lots to do, yet little fulfillment, maybe it’s time to step back and ponder the following quote by Billionaire investor Warren Buffett: ”The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything." A personal mission statement will help you decide when to say no. It points you in the direction of what you truly desire to accomplish or to be, thus saving you for what matters most. In...
Jul 04, 2021•24 min•Ep 20•Transcript available on Metacast Giving back. What does this mean to you, or for you? There’s no doubt that volunteering your time, giving back to others, has benefits that far exceed the obvious. But what are some of these benefits? What can we glean from some of those who have chosen to make “giving back” part of the fabric of their lives, and the lives of their families? We recently spent time with our community’s Rotary Club. This is the Club Joe has been a member of for over 33 years. In this episode, we discuss a little a...
Jun 27, 2021•25 min•Ep 19•Transcript available on Metacast Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there, all those celebrating the father figures in their lives or missing a father. Fathers are ordinary men, given superhuman strength at different times when raising children. In this episode, we talk about the many seasons of fatherhood. Joe and Cristina reminisce, illustrating the way their relationship has evolved through the years. We explore how people change and adapt to the different stages of their children’s growing years. The result is a heartwa...
Jun 20, 2021•31 min•Ep 18•Transcript available on Metacast Opportunity costs can be easily overlooked, even missed entirely. That’s why awareness of this concept is so important. Does Joe install an appliance himself to save money or record this podcast? Does Cristina clean her house, or plan a strategy that wins new business? The challenge is to make these decisions with data and critical thought, rather than on autopilot. In this episode, we dig into this concept in a simple and relatable way. You’ll come away inspired to re-evaluate your own decision...
Jun 14, 2021•19 min•Ep 17•Transcript available on Metacast Is it really possible to be caught up? Is being caught up even something desirable? We all have so many tasks, responsibilities, and obligations. Just thinking about them can be overwhelming. And guess what? They’re not going away. Every day brings routine tasks that have to be done, responsibilities and obligations to be met. The issue isn’t can we ever be caught up. The issue is to think about the “being caught up” mindset in different and unique ways, so we don’t introduce stress and disappoi...
Jun 06, 2021•20 min•Ep 16•Transcript available on Metacast Have you ever struggled with a challenge, or perhaps can’t figure out how to say something? Then, when you least expect it, the answer amazingly comes to you, or the words just start flowing? That’s what this episode is about. Those are Eureka moments. Eureka moments are one of life’s little pleasures. We struggle, ponder…get stressed, only to have that flash of brilliance! In this episode, we discuss the techniques we have used to successfully cause eureka moments to happen more routinely. Who ...
May 30, 2021•20 min•Ep 15•Transcript available on Metacast Experts are everywhere these days. There is much to learn from them, but we must also be careful. It’s easy to feel inferior or believe their methods are the best methods, to be followed to the letter. In this episode, we put this into perspective. Join us as we banter about a healthy appetite for the opinion of experts and laugh our way to a whole new perspective. A perspective that will motivate you to learn all you can from the expert of your choice, yet make it your own. There’s never been a...
May 23, 2021•18 min•Ep 14•Transcript available on Metacast We hear stories every day as we go through life...have you ever wondered how many of those stories are true? In this episode, we reveal a family secret that Joe discovered and what it taught us about the stories we’ve accepted as truth for years and the reasons why they are told. Join us to challenge your own thinking and the preconceived notions you’ve likely carried for years. Here is the link to Joe’s article, published on Medium: https://medium.com/crows-feet/death-in-syracuse-ny-august-1920...
May 16, 2021•16 min•Ep 13•Transcript available on Metacast 
