The Journey

Coachability.  The core value Dwight Cooper has attributed to his success as not only an individual but as a business owner and entrepreneur as well.  For over two decades, PPR Talent Management Founder and Hueman People Solutions CEO, Dwight Cooper, has been a pioneer for a world-class culture in the workplace.  While doing so he led the company to a #1 spot in 2013 for Best Places to Work!  How has he done it? * Culture * Culture * Refer to #1 and #2 On today’s episode, I got to sit with the well-respected CEO, father, husband, friend, and community leader, Dwight Cooper.  From learning about his fear for scary movies to his time as a collegiate basketball coach, we covered it all.  Well, except for who’s a better ball player, him or his brother.  Nevertheless, it was an episode that we all can learn from.   Whether you’re an athlete, professional, entrepreneur, or if you’re looking for suggestions on impactful books, tune in for an insightful episode! If you haven’t already, subscribe to my podcast on iTunes, Google Play, or Overcast and write a review.  You don’t want miss this episode, the previous six, and the many more powerful ones to come! Enjoy! CO

“The only thing better than being the child a great parent, is being the parent of a great child.”   I decided to do something special for this episode and since Father’s Day is just around the corner, I was compelled to reach out to the man, the myth, the legend – my father.  I have learned many valuable lessons from my father.  Have I always taken them in stride?  Absolutely not, but I am the man I am because of my father and couldn’t tell you where I would be without him.  He is an exceptional individual.   We all have stories, lessons or events that stick with us but listening to my father recall every detail of his childhood and what he learned from his father was inspiring.  This episode is full of wisdom and comedy.  From unforgettable moments with his father and grandfather to filling in as a Hooters waitress, there is no stone left unturned in this episode.   My father isn’t a man of few words but when he speaks you better believe it is well thought out and intentional.  You’re either going to learn something from it or get a great laugh.  Whether you are celebrating Father’s Day with your father or parent that means the world to you, I highly encourage that you get out your notepad to take some notes.  I had to go back and take notes from this episode because there were many moments that hit home for me.   Legacy.  Compassion.  Discipline.  Action.   You’ll notice a few instances where there are extended pauses between my father’s answer and my response.  On a few occasions, there was much to digest and it was difficult for me to quickly put my thoughts into words.  And for that, I understand if it either makes you laugh or confused ;).   I hope you all enjoy!

Asparagus, Hawaii, prison, and film – we get into some heavy stuff on this episode and it is something I have wanted to share with you all for a very long time.  An episode with my brother, Dariq.  Dariq is a photo journalist out in Hawaii and has been living the Aloha life for several years.  For those of us who know him well know that there was no way in hell he was coming back after moving there.  But why move to Hawaii?  Why move half way across the world to start a new life?   In today’s episode, we begin with how Dariq ended up in Hawaii, which leads us into discussing life behind bars.  We also give you all some insight as to what the meaning of “get my hands right” means!  I am upset we didn’t dive into prison cakes but we scratch the surface with life behind bars and the importance of confidence, not only in prison, but in life.  We also talk about film, something Dariq is very passionate about.  He explains the different styles of movie directing – something I was not aware existed – and we also discuss some of his inspirations.  From piano, recording, to writing, we discuss the many art forms that Dariq has familiarized himself with over the years, and it is truly inspiring.  Be on the lookout for an Oscar-winning movie!   A few things you may notice.  I say Episode 4 in the intro but this is technically Episode 5.  This is what happens when you record until almost 3 in the morning – you lose track of time and who you are.  I also sound like I need to go to bed.  The interesting thing is I sound more tired at the beginning than I do near the end.  Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy the episode more than the lack of detail I showed to what episode I was on ;).  

  I have been away for quite some time – almost 7 months to be exact.  The biggest question I have asked myself during this time is, “why?”  Why did I stop recording?  Why did I start recording in the first place?  Do I enjoy it enough to keep pressing forward?  The truth is, I slipped into a dark and unproductive place.  During my absence, I have learned much about myself – the most important, being patient.  Three episodes into The Journey and I thought I should have been making money by then or at least had a sponsor.  After not yielding and additional stream of income, I figured it was time to hang it up.  Despite the positive feedback I received from my episodes, I let my lust for making a shit load of money cloud the underlying reason for why I started podcasting.  I love meeting people, developing relationships, and sharing stories. It isn’t about money – life isn’t about making large sums of money.  Yes, being financially free is important and it is one less thing to stress about if you’ve achieved it, but it’s not everything.  If there is one thing I have learned from podcasts that I listen to, I must give much credit to Gary Vaynerchuk – “do shit you love.”  The simplest, yet most powerful message I have read and heard. With that being said, why do we waste so much time in life focusing on dumb shit?  I could list a myriad of reasons why but I want to keep this episode brief.  It feels good to be back and I look forward to finishing out 2017 by providing you with some great content.  Stay tuned…

“When was the first appearance of Jabba the Hutt, in the Star Wars series?” One of the most controversial trivia questions The Same Mitchell has ever had to ask (his words not mine).  When Sam is not busy hosting the best trivia nights in Jacksonville, Florida,  he is helping find jobs for healthcare professionals, being a local hero, and just being all-around awesome at life.  And yes ladies, he is single. I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know Same through work and he is an exceptional story-teller.  He has an awesome perspective on the art of story telling and jots down unique events that happen on a day-to-day basis.  You can’t make up the stories we talk about in this episode! Get ready for plenty of laughs and brief pauses due to Star Wars fact checking!   ….and again, Sam Mitchell is single so don’t miss your chance ladies.

What is life like, transitioning from the military to the civilian world?  For many, it is a scary thought, especially for those who have only known the military life for their entire professional career. Julianna O’Neal, better known as “Jules”, is a retired Army Captain.  She is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, and also was deployed to Iraq during her tenure in the military.  Jules retired in 2013 and began her career in corporate America.  A seemingly effortless transition, military to civilian world can be a completed and yet, stressful process. On today’s episode, Jules talks about her transition from the military into the civilian world.  She is currently a Sales Execution Manager for the Dr Pepper Snapple Group – a position she has held for more than 2 years.  Prior to her current role, Jules was part of the emerging leaders program – a program developed by DPSG to leverage military skills within the business.  We also discuss how she leveraged these military strengths to make her an ideal candidate and how the leaderships skills she gleaned from the Army has helped launch her career in the corporate world. If you’re on the cusp of of this transition, you’re going to find several great tips in this episode!  Even if you are a civilian with no military experience, you may find some gems if you are making a major career change.  Grab some popcorn, or order a large pizza because this episode is going to be jam packed with knowledge bombs!

For the inaugural episode of The Journey, my cousin, TY Henry will be talking to us about being a 9-5 entrepreneur.  Ty works 9-5 as the VP of Operations for a local healthcare marketing firm in Jacksonville, Florida.  From 5-whenever the job is done, he focuses on building his design and print company. On today’s episode, Ty talks about how he got into running his own business, and the perks and challenges that come with running a business on the side.  Ty is someone I look up to as a mentor and as a source of inspiration.  Are you a business professional looking to branch off and do your own thing?  Maybe you are already pursing a new career on the side. Look no further, as you will find many gems in this episode.  This first episode may have some issues with the audio, and I may sound like a robot at times, but I can assure you that if you are sitting in your car and tired of bumper-to-bumper traffic, this episode may help pass the time.  Enjoy!