The Eric Koester Creator Institute

On this bonus "library" episode, you'll hear what Donna Khalife -- the founder and CEO of children's educational company Surprise Ride, author and Shark Tank alum -- is reading, writing and thinking about creating next.

How do you decide?  Experts say our decision-making process as either rational or emotional -- meaning we are carefully deliberate, or just act and go with our gut. For Donna Khalife her life was a series of rational, deliberate decisions that led her to the top Business School and job offers in Wall Street and Silicon Valley.  And she took "none of the above", choosing a life following her passions that has led her to the hills of Hollywood, a top rated author and today a Shark Tank alum who's company Surprise Ride has raised millions after first being passed over by the Sharks.  In the second part of our discussion, we'll explore her experiences as an entrepreneur -- how a chance opportunity to appear on Shark Tank forced her and her sister to find their way, overcome rejection and build the business that would make their parents proud.  You'll understand how to prepare for your moment when the clock counts down, the lights go on and it's your chance to pitch in front of millions on a nationally televised stage. 

How do you decide?  Experts say our decision-making process as either rational or emotional -- meaning we are carefully deliberate, or just act and go with our gut. For Donna Khalife her life was a series of rational, deliberate decisions that led her to the top Business School and job offers in Wall Street and Silicon Valley.  And she took "none of the above", choosing a life following her passions that has led her to the hills of Hollywood, a top rated author and today a Shark Tank alum who's company Surprise Ride has raised millions after first being passed over by the Sharks.  In the first part of our discussion, you'll hear how Donna acted 'rationally emotional' by choosing to create her own path that in hindsight isn't all that risky or crazy -- and how you can do the same.  It's a fascinating conversation showing the power of winning in the decision-making moment. 

On this bonus "library" episode, you'll hear what Aneesh Chopra -- the founder and CEO of CareJourney and the country's first Chief Technology Officer under President Obama -- is reading, writing and thinking about creating next.

How can we convince people to bet on us?  It happens all the time -- getting hired, landing an investment in our startup and even people the people who we convince to date or eventually marry us!  For President Obama's first Chief Technology Officer, Aneesh Chopra, he'd assumed politics was his path and ran for Lt. Governor of Virginia... but he lost.  Hoping to break into startups, he soon realized he'd need to raise big bucks to attack the huge problems he saw in the health care sector.  So what could a lifetime policy wonk and government bureaucrat do to get cofounders, VCs and employees to bet on him?  Eric talks with Aneesh about his time in the White House -- including being coined "The Indian George Clooney" by John Stewart on the Daily Show -- and how sometimes what we create is often just as important as what we've done to get others to bet on us.  Eric shows how making a bet on ourselves can help us learn where to go, and offer powerful evidence to others we hope to influence.

New episodes every Tuesday.

New "library" episodes every Thursday (these are short,