Reality Check with Craig Price

Kathleen Quinn, executive director of Pilots N Paws (@PilotsNPaws on twitter) joins host Craig Price to discuss her unique animal rescue organization. Four million former pets are euthanized in the United States every year and are killed because they don’t have homes. Pilots ‘N Paws is a national charity helping to change that. Working with rescue groups across the country, pilots donate their time, their planes, and their fuel, to transport animals to places where they will be adopted. Craig and Kathleen talk about the various kinds of animals they transport (SNAKES ON A PLANE!!), how the pilots coordinate with each other as well as shelters to get these animals to their destinations, how the animals are transported and even the educational programs they've created to try and make sure educate kids so no pets will ever need a shelter. Pilots N Paws  is a 501c3 non-profit organization. Please check out http://pilotsnpaws.org and see if you can help, donate your time, your plane or even your money! APP BONUS: If you want to help Pilots N Paws out, please download their flyer, print it out and put it up in all the airports you visit.

Ed Rigsbee (@edrigsbee on Twitter) joins host Craig Price to talk about the ROI of association membership. Many of podcast listeners are either currently part of an association or even in the leadership of that association. My first question: When are you booking me for your next event? My second question: What are you doing to grow or at the least maintaining your membership? I hear from associations all across the country that they’re always worried about the membership numbers. People don’t see associations in the same light anymore. Thankfully Ed’s got a new book called The ROI of Membership-Today's Missing Link for Explosive Growth.  This is what he does, find ways for associations to increase membership by increasing their value to their members. The two talk about how to stop giving the cow, the milk and anything else bovine-related away for free. If you don’t know Ed, he’s also the founder of Cigar PEG which is a charity that raises money for several charities but especially the National Speakers Association Foundation. I’ve partnered with Ed to create Cigar PEG radio, a weekly podcast highlighting some of the people you might find hanging out in the Cigar PEG suite at the NSA convention. APP BONUS: I've added the first episode with me interviewing Larry Winget so be sure to check it out and if you like it, subscribe to that podcast as well.

Don Cooper (@DonCooper on twitter) joins host Craig Price to discuss pricing. Figuring out how much to charge, when to increase or decrease fees or even when to discount fees can be a challenge for many. Often, in a services environment where competitors fees are rarely publicized, it can be difficult to balance getting what you are worth with what customers are willing to pay. Often people judge you by your price. Too low and you must not be worth the money, too high and you're out of their budgets. Don helps Craig navigate through the maze and offers great tips on why you shouldn't discount your fees, should you be the best bargain in an industry or should your fee reflect your expertise and results.  The two also talk about the emotional side of increasing fees. It can be a scary proposition for many who don't want to price themselves out of their market. If you are a professional speaker, this is a great listen! Don Cooper can be found at the self titled  http://www.DonCooper.com

Sylvie di Giusto (@sylvie_digiusto on twitter) joins host Craig Price to discuss professional image. If you're like Craig, hearing the term "image consultant" makes you think of executive make-overs and suit fittings with strange old men running measuring tapes into your crotch. But there is more to a professional image than just clothes. Sylvie and Craig talk about how you present yourself digitally, in person as well as socially. It's not just looking good, but acting good and being perceived as a professional all while still being authentic to who you are. They also discuss the casualization (is that a word?) in the work place. Not just in appearance but in attitude as well. This image stuff is all pretty foreign to a jeans and ballcap guy like Craig but having the appropriate image at the proper time and proper position in the workplace is a reality of life and Sylvie offers some great advice. You can learn more about Sylvie at www.executive-image-consulting.com

Kirby Lammers (@kirbydynabiz on twitter) returns to discuss his book Mind, Body and Business: The New Generation of Leaders with host Craig Price. Leadership and leadership styles need to adapt for businesses to thrive if not just survive. Kirby and Craig discuss the first book in a series on leadership in which they discuss Ted Williams, managers vs. leaders, grooming potential and how to properly return a failed leader back into their original position. Kirby's book aims to energize the workforce, strengthen business with a “FEEL GOOD” environment, increase morale, produce passion and purpose, provide a sustainable motivation, reduce employee turnover and build a culture for prevention of disease and illnesses. And if anyone has the personality for it, Kirby sure does! It's been almost 120 episodes but Kirby is back and ready for more. You can learn more about Kirby, his book and his executive coaching at http://www.mindbodyandbusiness.com/ 

Connie Allen joins host Craig Price to talk about casinos and her life as a blackjack dealer. Gambling can be fun or can be destructive. Thankfully, Craig and casinos fit firmly in the fun category and he deals straight with Connie about cheating, misconceptions people have about casinos, proper gambling table etiquette and much more. Her new book The Casino through a Dealer's Eyes covers the rules of many common casino games, money management and various table game techniques. There's more to casinos than just walking and throwing your money away. It can be a really great time if you have the right perspective! You can learn more about Connie and her book at www.thecasinothroughadealerseyes.tateauthor.com

Jeff Korhan (@JeffKorhan on twitter) joins host Craig Price to discuss social marketing. By now, it's pretty well established that Craig has a love-hate relationship with social media. Jeff, along with his latest book Built-In Social: Essential Social Marketing Practices for Every Small Business talk Craig down off the ledge as they talk about how every business must be a media company moving forward. Videos, podcasts, blogs and more are just part of the new marketing landscape and if you don't learn about it, you will be left behind! They also talk about how Facebook's new algorithm has made their business pages more and more uselesss to the small mom and pop shops. They also discuss how important Google+ will be moving forward and how important content marketing is to your overall social media marketing strategy.  You can learn more about Jeff and his book at http://www.JeffKorhan.com 

Dawnna St. Louis (@DawnnaStLouis on twitter) joins host Craig Price to discuss confidence. Typically, Craig wouldn't have a speaker come talk about confidence because it usually ends up in the realm of unicorn fart and rainbows. You know, too much fluff not enough real stuff. But Dawnna proves her ideas on confidence and entrepreneurship are more than grounded in reality. The two realists talk about her soon to be released book "Mojo Mogul",  Steve Jobs, Hitler (not at the same time!), what are gut feelings and intuition and how there is more to confidence than being over-confident. It’s a wide ranging episode that covers many issues entrepreneurs face every day on their way to mogul-dom.  You can learn all about Dawnna at her obviously named website  http://www.dawnna.com - She's like Prince, Cher and Sade! 

Nancy Hartwell joins host Craig Price to discuss the horrors of human trafficking. Craig puts aside his goofiness to talk about a serious subject that many may not know is still going on. The two discuss what kinds of women are targeted, how they are coerced into bad situations and what it is like living the life of a sex slave.  Nancy has gathered storied from over four decades of research and combined them into The Human Trafficking Series, a true-based fictional series of books that take an inside look at what victims of human trafficking really live through. Presented in a matter-of-fact, restrained tone, they describe the daily horrors of enslavement and how the people who find themselves in this unthinkable situation try to cope.  You can learn more about Nancy and her works at http://www.NancyHartwell.com and her books are currently available on Amazon.com.

David Dye (@DavidMDye on twitter) talks with host Craig Price about the importance of proper leadership communication.  David's new book "7 Things Your Team Needs To Hear You Say" covers many of the issues with today's leaders and how they can lead more effectively. Craig and David cover a lot of ground that includes: Fear as is a poor yet popular tactic that usually only gets the least amount of effort acceptable, Craig getting robbed at gunpoint and why leaders need to humanize themselves instead of setting themselves above their employees.  In The Seven Things Your Team Needs to Hear You Say, David shares practical and encouraging leadership communication tools you can use to cultivate engaged, responsible, and results-oriented teams. Whether you're a new front-line leader, a small business owner, or a veteran manager, The Seven Things Your Team Needs to Hear You Say will inspire you to inspire your team. You don't need buckets of charisma - they just need to hear you say these seven things.  You can learn more about David at http://www.trailblazeinc.com

Rick Barongi, Director of the Houston Zoo (@houstonzoo on twitter) joins host Craig Price to discuss what goes into the running and expansion of a major zoo.  If anyone follows Craig on instagram (craigprice47) or on Google+ you'll know right away how much he likes zoos and appreciates animals through his photography. Getting the opportunity to talk to the director of a zoo like the Houston Zoo was quite a treat. The two discuss the unusual situation at the Copenhagen Zoo regarding the euthanasia of a healthy giraffe and how it affects all zoos, the planned expansion of the Houston Zoo to include gorillas in 2015, the not so planned expansion of 6 additional chimpanzees recently as well as what goes into deciding which animals breed, like the new baby elephant and giraffe the zoos delivered this February. You can learn more about the Houston Zoo at http://HoustonZoo.org. This episode is also being used to raise money for Orangutan Outreach! Past guest Richard Zimmerman's Apps of Apes is being utilized by the Houston Zoo so Craig thought helping out Orangutan Outreach indirectly would help out the orangutans at the Houston Zoo too! DISCLOSURE: The Houston Zoo is not aware or affiliated with this specific charity drive. Any questions should be directed to Craig@SpeakerCraigPrice.com NOT the Houston Zoo. How can you donate? If you purchase a 2014 calendar of Craig's nature photography all of the profits will be donated to http://redapes.org. Several of the animals featured were photographed while at the Houston Zoo. Simply follow this link to buy the calendar and help out!  

Alan Cerny (@nordlingAICN) joins host Craig Price to discuss the 2014 Oscars Race. Season 4 kicks off with Craig gushing about all things Gravity and Alan gravitates (see what I did there) towards Wolf of Wall Streets many nominations but both agree that the movies discussed are all worthy of recognition. The two talk all the big categories and who will win  vs. who should win. This year's nominees are:  Best Supporting Actress Jennifer Lawrence, "American Hustle" Sally Hawkins, "Blue Jasmine" Lupita Nyong’o, "12 Years a Slave" Julia Roberts, "August: Osage County" June Squibb, "Nebraska"   Best Supporting Actor Barkhad Abdi, "Captain Phillips" Bradley Cooper, "American Hustle" Michael Fassbender, "12 Years a Slave" Jonah Hill, "The Wolf of Wall Street" Jared Leto, "Dallas Buyer's Club"   Best Actress Amy Adams, "American Hustle" Cate Blanchett, "Blue Jasmine" Sandra Bullock, "Gravity" Judi Dench, "Philomena" Meryl Streep, "August: Osage County"   Best Actor Christian Bale, "American Hustle" Bruce Dern, "Nebraska" Leonardo DiCaprio, "The Wolf of Wall Street" Chiwetel Ejiofor, "12 Years a Slave" Matthew McConaughey, "Dallas Buyer's Club"   Best Director Alfonso Cuarón, "Gravity" David O. Russell, "American Hustle" Steve McQueen, "12 Years a Slave" Alexander Payne, "Nebraska" Martin Scorsese, "The Wolf of Wall Street"   Best Picture "12 Years a Slave" "American Hustle" "Gravity" "The Wolf of Wall Street" "Dallas Buyers Club" "Her" "Nebraska" "Philomena" "Captain Phillips"   The 2014 Oscars start March 2nd at 7pm EST on ABC.

Colleen McCarty (@Colleen_McCarty on twitter) calls in to discuss her novel "Mounting the Whale" with host Craig Price. Writing any kind of book is no easy feat. But writing a novel? That's a whole other level of commitment and talent! Colleen and Craig talk about plotting out a novel, how sharing character traits on family members can lead to some awkward conversations and that the "Mounting" in the title is not what you think (you dirty minded people!!).  From the back cover: The self-made and affluent Pierce family is hurled into a seamy kidnapping plot when they receive a text message from Janine—the most troubled of all the Pierce children. Cartel got me, tell mom The siblings, drowning in their own problems, are forced to focus on the task at hand: a half-cocked rescue mission that involves a borrowed yacht, a favor from a notorious drug kingpin, and a shocking reunion none of them expected. When the family decides to sneak into Mexico, mother Cybil is forced to deal with a rival CEO whom she’s developed feelings for in secret. Her only son, Tom, is willing to risk bodily harm to save Janine while his other sisters, Carlyle and Valerie, suspect that the kidnapping is less than legitimate. The long sea voyage tests the limits of the family’s already frail bonds. Dark secrets of infertility, drugs, gambling and extreme taxidermy begin to float to the surface. But nothing compares to what they begin to learn about their missing sister.  If they’re going to make it out alive, they must realize that they are fighting the same battles and facing life’s greatest challenges: love, loneliness, and the struggle to find a place in the world. Amidst all the chaos, the Pierce family is brought face-to-face with the ugliness of Janine’s addictions, the truth about their mother’s fortune and the most terrifying question of all: Can you really save someone who doesn’t want to be saved?   "Mounting the Whale" is available at Amazon on Dec 5th and if you want to learn more about Colleen, go to her self-named blog site http://colleen-mccarty.com/ It's the last podcast of 2013. Thank you to everyone who listens and shares the show! See you in 2014!!

Alan Cerny (@nordlingAICN on twitter) and host Craig Price give their annual holiday movie preview. With the holidays approaching, we're all looking for ways to spend hours with family, yet not have to talk to them. Take them to the movies!  The two cover their anticipated movies as well as identify traditional December Oscar Bait!   Movies include:  Frozen OldBoy Inside Llewyn Davis The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug American Hustle Saving Mr. Banks Her Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues 47 Ronin The Secret Life of Walter Mitty The Wolf of Wall Street Enjoy the upcoming movie season and have a happy Thanksgiving!

Elsie Escobar (@yogeek on twitter) joins host Craig Price on location to talk about podcasting.  Recorded live on location in beautifully crisp Pittsburgh, this episode gets pretty meta and special bonus points for anyone who counts how often the word podcast is used! Podcasting seems to be getting larger and larger each year. Getting into podcasting is fairly easy, but getting one out on a consistent basis and growing an audience? Totally different story. Elsie and Craig talk about engaging your audience to grow listenership, some of the trends that Elsie sees as the Social Media Community Manager for Libsyn, the largest podcast host provider out there and how gravity can effect microphones. The also discuss what topics are on the rise and how podcasting can elevate your business.  Elsie has her own podcast award-nominated podcast called “Elsie’s Yoga Class” at http://www.elsiesyogakula.com as well as her latest podcast she does for Libsyn called The Feed. Full disclosure: While the podcast media is hosted on Libsyn servers and even though Craig is a paying customer of said Libsyn - this is not an advertisement nor a sponsored episode.  It’s a podcast for podcasters from the biggest name in podcasting. Yeah…I’ll stop using the word podcast now. Podcast!