Meant For It With Polina Rubin, Yelena Mugin & Amber Greene

Have you ever wondered why scandals slide off certain politicians like water? Jessica Tarlov, co-host of Fox News Channel’s The Five, cable’s highest-rated program, actually did her PHD dissertation examining how scandals impact politicians' careers. As the lone, democratic voice on The Five, Jessica shares how she handles the daily debates and how she decides to pick her battles. Given our upcoming elections, Jessica has a lot of thoughts on this topic including the phenomena of teflon Don. Jessica loves her job on The Five and feels fortunate for the opportunity to bring alternative opinions and analysis to the most important news stories. 
 
Topics Discussed
(04:10) Political economy professor says none of Trump's scandals have affected his popularity (10:32) People reject the direction that the Democratic Party is going (19:29) 40% of Americans now identify as an independent (21:00) Thoughts on how Fox is covering the Israel war compared to other networks (24:49) What's going on on college campuses (40:25) What it’s like to work on The Five  
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Jared Armstrong, a professional basketball player, is using his love for sports as a tool for uniting, educating, and creating social change in our kids and communities.
Growing up in the vastly different environments of the Maryland suburbs and the inner city of Philadelphia, Jared learned to move between different cultures, ethnicities and religions. Jared’s love for basketball, led him to play professionally in Israel, and Jared’s desire to help others led to starting Jab Camp, a sports camp with a goal of connecting kids of different religions and backgrounds. 
We love Jared’s passion and commitment to using sports as a tool for positive change. We discuss the importance of introducing kids to diversity early on. While it’s easier to send your kids to the same local camp where their friends are going, getting uncomfortable, and stretching yourself to be around people different than you is where the magic happens.
https://www.jaredarmstrong.net/about-jared
 
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Connect with us on Instagram @meantforit and reach out via email at contact@meantforit.com with your thoughts or suggestions for future episodes. Visit www.meantforit.com for more inspiring stories, and if you leave us a review on iTunes, we'll celebrate with a happy dance!
Favorite Quotes from the Podcast:
"I'm just looking to try to make a difference, make a change. I think, you know, where we're at in society, not just jab camp, but any type of sports camp that can help bridge the gap between communities."
"I think the biggest, I would say fault that I see in my experience so far is more so parents than kids. You know, so many parents are afraid or, they're just used to being in that comfort zone of sending their kids to the same camp with the same kids, same people."
"So ​it's ​kind ​of ​just ​of ​a ​bigger ​picture ​here, ​you ​know, ​to ​show ​kids, ​you ​know, ​that ​number ​one, ​basketball ​and ​or ​any ​sport ​can ​take ​you ​all ​around ​the ​globe, ​but ​also ​can ​introduce ​you ​to ​so ​many ​different ​people ​from ​so ​many ​different ​walks ​of ​life, ​you ​know, ​that ​you ​never ​thought ​you ​would ​meet ​and ​you ​may ​one ​day, ​you ​know, ​end ​up ​doing ​business ​with ​them ​or, ​you ​know, ​becoming ​close ​friends ​or ​marrying ​someone, ​you ​never ​know. So ​I'm ​just ​trying ​to ​use ​basketball ​as ​a ​tool."
 
Topics:
(09:57) How did you end up wanting to apply for Israeli citizenship
(14:23) Fell in love with Israel on birthright trip
(19:17) What does it feel like to be black and living in Israel
(21:16) You were there on October 7 - what happened?
(30:32) Sarted a nonprofit to bring kids from different backgrounds together


 

Grit, resilience, strong values and a work ethic instilled in her from a young age propelled Jane from her dirt poor Iowa upbringing to an executive role at Microsoft where she was one of the top 10 women at Microsoft at 40.  By 52, Jane had launched three billion-dollar businesses. We discuss Jane’s new book, "Worthy: From Cornfields to Corner Office of Microsoft,"  and the story that led her to a life she never could have imagined.
When a door opened, Jane leapt through it and went all in. When she felt like a fraud, and was flooded with fear and insecurity, she kept going. When she felt like she didn't belong among the upper middle ivy leaguers, she kept going. Jane wants you to know that your background does not define your future. If you find it hard to relate to people who have all the answers, and don’t have major issues they are struggling with, this is the book for you. Jane doesn;t shy away from the uncomforable memories, including her recovery from the bulimia that nearly destroyed her. 
From the Jane's Gottman Institute bio:
"Unwilling to let circumstances, fear or others define her, Jane was penniless and married at 20, earned an MBA at 24, saw the ocean at 25, commuted to South America each week at 31, brought two sons into the world by 35, was a millionaire at 37, and one of the top 10 women at Microsoft at 40.  By 52, Jane had launched three billion-dollar businesses, been VP of the largest merger in the history of the US, forged global alliances, won lots of awards and left a legacy of strong leaders in her wake.
Along the way to the corner office, Jane was hit on, spit on, shot at, yelled at, a zero and a hero. She’s been called a bulldog, a bitch, an idiot and brilliant, all in the same week.
Married to her high school sweetheart, Jane lives in Washington state and works to make a difference, serving on boards including Boys & Girls Clubs, writing, speaking, and consulting. 
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Connect with us on Instagram @meantforit and reach out via email at contact@meantforit.com with your thoughts or suggestions for future episodes. Visit www.meantforit.com for more inspiring stories, and if you leave us a review on iTunes, we'll celebrate with a happy dance!
Favorite Quotes from the Podcast:
"I never look at a no as a no. I always think of it as a not yet."
"I'm no longer afraid to be afraid. And that being afraid means that I am stretching, I am growing, I am trying to do something I've never done before."
"Nobody has the full meal deal. Know what you're good at, embrace that and own it."
"In sharing your secrets and having the courage to share your secrets, that's when you heal."
"Everybody has a secret. And it's the secrets that kill."
"I worked my heine off and I took jobs that required me to travel overseas when my child was one and a half years old and commute."
 

If you have ever dreaded going to work because of a nightmare colleague or manager you are  not alone. Dr. Ramani joins us again to discuss a topic rarely discussed in corporate environments: narcissism in the workplace.
Did you know narcissists are more likely to be found in certain professions and certain high-status jobs within competitive, elitist environments, such as finance, law, media, entertainment, and even certain medical fields. 
From extreme competitiveness to gaslighting, Dr Ramani gives examples and  discusses the subtle tactics narcissistic bosses use to keep talented employees from advancing and creating a 'frozen talent' scenario that keeps high performers stuck in the same roles. Hiding information, stealing ideas, gaslighting, colluding behind your back are all examples of narcissistic behavior at work.
What can you do if you find yourself in a toxic environment? Dr. Ramani has a few suggestions. If you've ever felt alone in your workplace struggles or unsure how to handle a narcissistic colleague or boss, this episode is a must-listen. 
Quotes:
"Narcissistic bosses absolutely sap people's talent." "Workplace bullying is actually not against the law." "Me Too was not a women's movement. Me Too was a narcissism movement." “It's almost like corporations are almost like cults, right? They have their messaging, they have their programming, they have their leader."
Topics Discussed
Introduction to the podcast discussion on dealing with narcissism in the corporate workforce. Dr. Ramani highlights the industries where narcissistic behavior is prevalent. Identifying narcissistic traits in the workplace, such as lack of empathy and secretive communication, gaslighting, colluding. Importance of documenting interactions for protection in toxic work environments.  Strategies for setting boundaries and handling confrontations with narcissistic individuals. Leveraging documentation to address HR concerns and ensure psychological safety in the workplace. Encouragement to find allies and mentors within and outside the organization. Seeking reality checks from mentors on industry standards and strategic decision-making support. Naricssism in other countries Why The Devil Wears Prada movie does not reperesent a narcissist  SIGN UP FOR OUR newsletter here
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Dr. Stanger works with families to help them recover and get their loved ones back from substance addiction. Dr. Stanger is also the mother of a previous guest, Shelby Stanger who shared how outdoor adventures shaped her life. Dr. Louise Stanger and Shelley Stanger are also our first mother and daughter guests on the podcast (how cool is that?!)
In this episode, we discuss what an introductory call with Dr. Stanger is like and how to pay for interventions or how to find other resource options through SAHMSA for people who can’t afford an interventionist.  Dr. Stanger has helped thousands of families with interventions and speaks with passion about her work,"I love it. Love it. I absolutely love it”, says Dr. Stanger.  
Dr. Stanger's own family history with anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and suicide allows her to understand the pain families are feeling. Dr. Stanger's expertise and dedication remind us that even in life’s darkest moments, there are people who have devoted their lives to helping others recover.
To learn more about Dr. Stanger's work, visit her website and sign up for her blog. And if you know a family in need of an intervention, you can confidently refer them to Dr. Stanger.
Dr. Stanger
Shelby Stanger
SAMHSA
Dr. Stanger's Books on Amazon

When Graham Cochrane had to choose between his lifelong dream of being in a rock band or supporting his new family, he made the biggest pivot of his life. Newly married, on food stamps and between jobs, Graham had an idea to help musicians by sharing his knowledge of audio engineering and music. Shortly after Graham started creating online courses and videos to help people with audio engineering, his new career as an online sales rockstar was launched. 
We love that even during Graham’s most challenging times on food stamps, he and his wife committed to donating a portion of their income to charity. They have kept that practice and these days are ,giving an astonishing 50% of their earnings to charity. Graham says,"we committed to increase our standard of giving every year, not just our standard of living.".
 If you want to capitalize and earn money in your online business or by sharing what you know. Listen in for tips on how to make it happen.