Reality Check with Craig Price

Nicole Bruder (@LucyGooPets on Twitter) sits down with host Craig Price and a menagerie of critters to talk about pet sitting. We all love our pets. Many people treat them like children...some even better than that. With the Holiday Season fast approaching, pet sitting services will be in high demand as folks leave town to visit family and friends. So how do you go about finding a good professional pet sitter? What things should you ask before hiring? What can you do to make help you pet sitter keep your pets safe while you're away? Nicole has the answers for you! Plus you can listen to the first non-human on the show! Voted Houston's #1 Pet Sitting Business by Pet Talk, Nicole can be found at http://lucygoopetsitting.com  and you can like her facebook page to see cute pics of all her clients!

Dr. Craig Wiener joins host Craig Price to discuss how to treat ADHD without medication. Treating attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder can be tough, especially if your not sure what the best way to treat it actually is. Many doctors just prescribe medication but that often become ineffective over time. Dr. Wiener shows in his book "Parenting Children with ADHD"  how parents can promote cooperation by phrasing their requests in specific ways, reduce pressure on their child, and acknowledge the child’s preference as a way to make cooperation a more attractive choice to him or her. Parents learn to resolve problems related to messiness, inappropriate silliness and intrusiveness, chores and helping family members, coordinating schedules, sneaking and stealing, noise and yelling, and overreacting. Now all this parent talk makes Craig uncomfortable but the two Craig's hash out how to address issues without resorting to violence (you can tell Craig has no kids by that statement alone) what's the difference between a child with ADHD and just a troublemaking kid and why ADHD seems to be getting more widespread each year. Craig Wiener can be found at http://www.craigwiener.com and his book "Parenting Children with ADHD: A No-Nonsense Guide for Nurturing Self-Reliance and Cooperation" can be found at Amazon.com

Link Christin joins host Craig Price to discuss workplace substance abuse. Dealing with the workplace substance abuse of a co-worker is never easy. What is appropriate, when is it crossing the line from professional to personal, should you even get involved? Then there is the health and well being of the company as well. Is this person becoming less trustworthy, is their work slipping and hurting our clients? Link Christin comes to the podcast to discuss that and give a preview of his presentation (with co-presenter Jeffery Mangrum) "The Hero's Journey: Timely Confrontation of Substance Abuse in Your Firm" they will deliver on Friday, November 1st at the Association of Legal Administrators Region 6 Conference in Reno, NV. The two discuss how to approach the co-worker, how to bring it up to Human Resources, what kind of policies and programs should your company have in place to help and more importantly that a person in recovery is redeemable. This is a podcast no HR person should miss. Link is the Adviser to Hazelden's Legal Professionals Program in Center City, Minnesota and CEO of Heightened Performance LLC, a behavioral health consulting company for law firm and law schools. You can connect with him at schristin@hazelden.org  

Gina Carr and Terry Brock (@GinaCarr and @TerryBrock on twitter) join host Craig Price to explain the ins and outs of Klout! The dynamic duo layout what Klout is, how it works and why it matters. Be it posting pics via instagram to connect to yourFaceBook and twitter accounts or retweeting and wikipedia page building, there are so many ways you can use raise your Klout score and leverage it for your business. Maybe you want to find out how Klout Perks work and if you should use them (Craig has cashed in on at least 2 really cool ones!) or you just want to use it as measuring stick on how you rank against your competition.  A high Klout score has become one of the most important business assets today. It can mean the difference between business success and failure. It can affect your job prospects, how your customer service complaints are handled, and whether you’re recognized as an expert in your industry. Regardless if you are using Klout or not, many of your customers are and this is podcast to listen to to start figuring it all out. Gina is the Dean of the Social Buzz University where she hosts world-class business trainers at www.SocialBuzzTraining.com. Gina speaks and consults about influence marketing, social scoring, social media, online reputation management, and tribe building. Connect with Gina at www.GinaCarr.com Terry is a Keynote Speaker who focuses on practical ways to implement social media principles like Klout with Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin and other Networks. Connect with Terry at http://www.TerryBrock.com  And most importantly go to Amazon.com and buy Klout Matters! today!    

Allan Karl (@WorldRider on twitter) calls in to discuss his new book about world travel with host Craig Price. Allan has been everywhere...literally! He hopped onto his bike and saw the world. Along the way he blogged and took photos which led him to create a book about the whole thing. Called  "FORKS. A Quest for Culture, Cuisine and Connection" the book highlights what Allan feels connects us all to each other, regardless of where you live: Food. Craig and Allen discuss why Allan decided to take his bike transcontinental, how he managed to avoid become incontinental and how breaking your leg in another country sounds just as bad as it sounds.Set a course for adventure. Your mind on a new romance...well, maybe not romance. Either way your in for a globe trotting treat. Allan's book project can be found at Kickstarter. It's an around-the-world adventure with stunning photos, tasty recipes and inspiring stories all wrapped into a beautiful coffee table book! A great gift for anyone who want to see and taste the world (ok...that sounds weirder than it should). You can learn more about the man himself (and maybe have him speak at an event) by going to http://www.AllanKarl.com UPDATE: Forks: A Quest for Culture, Cuisine, and Connection. Three Years. Five Continents. One Motorcycle. is now available on Amazon.com. Great work done by Allan and his team!

Karen Kirkpatrick (@comply4success on twitter) joins host Craig Price to discuss healthcare reform and the Affordable Care Act. With the ACA (or Obamacare for the the layperson) front and center in the news, causing government shutdowns and general confusion among the average American, it's fortunate that last weekend's Association of Legal Administration's Region 4 Conference had Karen there to sort things out. Craig tries to figure out how companies are going to adjust, will the impact be that bad and what changes will hurt/help the most. Karen shows how compliance will be the most important part and that individuals looking for insurance need to shop around. Will Obamacare be another helpful government program or another example of government over-reach. That's yet to be determined but lack of information should be an excuse. Head over to www.healthcare.gov to learn more about the new healthcare reforms. Karen specializes in  HR and Benefit laws and her teaching style brings the legalese and government jargon to the audience in an easy/fun fashion. Her parent company Infinisource.com is always updating their newsroom with the latest information and updates http://newsroom.infinisource.com/

Jill Foer Hirsch (@JillFoerHirsch on Twitter)  joins host Craig Price to talk about her fight with breast cancer. Cancer can be a pretty intimidating word, never mind a topic for a whole book. But a book about dealing with cancer in a funny way? Impossible!! Not to Jill who's book "When Good Boobs Turn Bad: A Mammoir" shows that having cancer doesn't mean losing your sense of humor. Craig and Jill discuss dealing with friends and family who don't know how to deal with you and your illness, how to find a good doctor, saying NO to a doctor, guilting your friends into laughing at your jokes and why hats can be a lifesaver. She also turns lemons into lemonade when she realized that a new boob job is just what the doctor ordered! Full disclosure -  I did read and then write a blurb for her book: “An amusing handbook for many navigating the scary terrain of cancer, the author offers a blueprint to settle the fears of treatment and recovery. With a fun, sassy perspective, this book is a real gift for anyone starting their fight and hoping they don’t have to take everything so seriously!” — Craig Price, author of Half a Glass: The Realist's Guide You can learn more about Jill at http://www.jillfoerhirsch.com/ and you can find her book at "When Good Boobs Turn Bad: A Mammoir" at Amazon.com

Brian Brandt joins host Craig Price to discuss strategic planning. This is another  Association of Legal Administrators Region 4 conference breakout speakers spotlight! Not only join Brian and Craig in  Albuquerque NM on Oct. 4th but the two are also at the Region 6 conference in Reno, NV on November 1st! Go to http://www.alanet.org/events/regionals.aspx  to learn more.  While planning of any type can be a bit daunting, being strategic about it can be even more confounding. Craig struggles to figure out how to balance his need to be present and in the moment with the long term vision required for strategic planning, Thankfully, Brian sets Craig straight as they discuss having those usually avoided but highly necessary difficult conversations about planning BEFORE you think about implementing them, asking yourself if a new plan is necessary and how metrics are such an important part of figuring out what's working. As Brian explains, sometimes after a planning sessions understanding that no action is needed can often be better than any action you can take. And Craig can totally relate to inaction! You can learn more about Brian Brandt by visiting his company's website at www.alibriumllc.com

Anastasia Turchetta (@AnastasiaRDH on twitter) - America's Dental Hygienist - makes her annual pilgrimage to join host Craig Price for a dental health check-up. America is failing in the oral hygiene department so Anastasia is on the case. The two talk about bleeding gums, soft toothbrushes vs. hard, why men need to get to the dentist more and new advances in anesthesia (not Anastasia)...all while fighting off aggressive hotel cleaning staff desperately trying to interrupt the podcast. Spoiler alert: They do! (Craig spends the intro ranting about it.)  Despite the fact that every meeting with Anastasia makes you feel self-conscious about your teeth, she is always a fun interview and this one is no different. You can find more about Anastasia at her Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/AnastasiaRDH and subscribe to her weekly youtube show "Humpday Happenings" at http://www.youtube.com/Anastasiardh  

In this 1st ever bonus episode, host Craig Price and resident cultural liaison Alan Cerny talk about the upcoming finale of AMC's Breaking Bad. The two cover lots of ground including the show's overall themes like pride and ego, how awesome Hank is, what's going to happen to the White family and how they think the show will ultimately end including a "who lives/who dies" scorecard! It's a bonus episode, so just enjoy!

Retired FBI Agent Jeff Lanza (@lanzefbi on twitter) joins host Craig Price to discuss workplace violence. We all know that work can be a stressful enough place without worrying about the weird dude in the last cubical getting fired and shooting up the place, but that it can happen is a fact all companies face.  That is why Jeff will be presenting his session "Workplace Violence and Safety" at this year's Association of Legal Administrators Region 4 conference in Albuquerque, NM on October 4th, 2013 (10:30 am for those going!) and why Craig brought him on the podcast. They talk about identifying warning signs from potentially dangerous employees (the one mumbling at his desk angrily while cleaning his gun is just one!) what to do when there is a confrontation, how to diffuse it and even some practical tactics on what to do during an altercation that may save lives! Craig also learns that while the FBI is a highly trained and prepared organization, they cannot teach him how to diffuse anger with an eyebrow. See...You do learn things from this podcast! You can learn more about Jeff at his website .  If you are interested in learning more about the Association of Legal Administrators Region 4 Conference you can visit their website.

Jennifer Hancock joins host Craig Price to discuss the workings of workplace bullies. If you've ever dealt with workplace bullies or have seen them in action, you know that they can be relentless, draining and frustrating people. And like a virus, their obnoxiousness can be debilitating. Which is why she wrote The Bully Vaccine: How to Innoculate Yourself Against Bullies and Other Petty People. Jennifer and Craig talk about how to treat bullies (slapping them upside the head is a no-no. Whodathunkit??), techniques you can use to stop bullying effectively, how bullies and untrained animals are not dissimilar and other things you can do to stop bullying in the workplace. There are also some great tips on how kids can stop bullies as well. Her book provides very specific and practical information on how exactly to go about ending bullying. The more you understand about the dynamic of what is happening, the better able you will be able to help yourself navigate the social situations you find yourself in. And the sooner you learn these skills, the better off you are going to be. You can learn more about Jennifer at her aptly named website http://www.jen-hancock.com and her book can be found at Amazon.com  

Host Craig Price celebrates the 100th episode with a speakers roundtable. A collection of past guests (and a new one) talk about being a speaker, their mistakes and why they do it. During the National Speakers Association convention this past July, Craig gathered Avish Parashar, Robert Bradford, Steve Rizzo, Jess Pettitt and new friend Patrick Maurer to talk about the ups and downs of being a speaker. What is a professional speaker? Is it just the check that makes you a professional or is there more to it? What do other speakers do that irritates you? What monumental mistakes have you made (this is where the explicit tag comes into play!)? Why do you do what you do?  Get ready for a fun, enlightening discussion as Craig juggles 5 guests at the same time!  Some huge thanks go to Ed Rigsbee with the Cigar PEG for the location. Finding a place for 6 people to record was a daunting task but Ed made it easy peasy. Please go to CigarPEG.com and learn about this great charity and how you can contribute. Also thanks to past guest Chip Lutz for being the bouncer at the speakers roundtable. He was the sole audient (is that a word? it is now) and kept the riff-raff out of the room while the podcast was being recorded.  One of the cool things about the convention was that so many past guests were in attendance so Craig commissioned a quick group photo to commemorate the occasion.  

Nutritionist Charles Remington (@FLCCoach on Twitter) the Fat Loss Coach discusses weight loss with host Craig Price. Craig has had a long personal history with weight loss (you don't get a body like his on just  frappachinos and doughnuts alone) but his understanding on what works can be down right murky. Like most people, Craig gets confused on the constant flip flopping in the media on what you can and then can't, then can eat again foods so Charles is here to clear up some of the confusion. The two discuss myths of when to eat, how often you should eat, what kinds of foods are best as well as the importance of eating the right amounts of food. Charles also explains why you need to change up your eating patterns and also answers several listeners questions! Charles Remington is a nutritionist and herbalist who is the author of a best-selling nutritional software program. Known to his thousands of clients as The Fat Loss Coach, his concepts on healthy weight loss are well embraced by the medical community and supported by a large insurance provider. He has conducted more than 200 seminars in the corporate, municipal and education arenas and manages a nutritional practice in Cheshire, Connecticut. You can learn more about Charles at www.thefatlosscoach.com

Hayley Foster (@HayleyFoster on twitter) joins host Craig Price to discuss TEDx events. With the TEDx format becoming more and more popular, Hayley Foster explains what a TEDx talk is, what the biggest mistakes professional keynoters make when trying to take their traditional talk and put it into the TED format. Think of TED as a liquid concentrate presentation instead of the watered down sugary kool aid of a keynote. It's all about having an idea worth spreading, an idea that you can explain in a succinct yet engaging way. There's no room for extra padding here! Hayley even explains that the audience has to apply to even attended! Getting the idea in front of the right people to create innovation, it's an intriguing concept.  Hayley has just released her new 64-page mini booklet specifically written to help professional speakers called "Don't Tank Your TED Talk! 12 Mistakes Professional Speakers Make". After working with well over a hundred speaking professionals, and coaching hundreds of TEDx talks, Hayley has identified why TED.com content directors avoid professional speakers. As it turns out, some of those same behaviors and training, that have enabled your professional speaking success, are the exactly those which can contribute to one terrible TED/TEDx talk. You can learn more about Hayley at http://shorttalkexpert.com