Kenversations with Ken Okonek

Ken Okonek
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My singular goal is to share nuggets of wisdom and interview the best of the best from all walks of life to provide valuable content to you to build and grow the skills and perspective you need to be a master relationship builder.

  1. 17h ago

    #59: Entrepreneurship Beyond Unicorns: Passion, Failure, and Fixing Mental Health with David Crane

    Entrepreneurship Beyond Unicorns: Passion, Failure, and Fixing Mental Health with David Crane   Ken Okonek interviews veteran entrepreneur David Crane about myths of entrepreneurship, emphasizing that most founders are middle-class people working 80–100 hours and should pursue passion over money. Crane shares his healthcare-focused career, advice on finding passion by intersecting what you love with what you’re good at, and the importance of research, coachability, and building advisory teams to improve odds in a space where most startups fail. He describes learning through failure, managing founder anxiety by stepping out of the weeds, and the challenges of rapid growth. Crane explains his healthcare ventures focused on communication and care coordination, and his pivot into mental health after his sons’ struggles during COVID, including ListenRing for on-demand urgent mental health therapy and a peer-support platform for parents. Both discuss stigma, employer underuse of mental health resources, and giving back through volunteering.   00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 00:45 Entrepreneurship Beyond Unicorns 02:31 Myths and Realities of Startups 03:42 Chase Passion Not Money 04:54 Finding Your Passion Sweet Spot 09:38 Turning Ideas Into Action 11:30 Overcoming Paralysis by Analysis 15:48 Failure as a Business Requirement 18:05 Advisory Boards for Growth 19:07 Healthcare Roots and First Venture 22:21 Care Coordination and Communication 23:18 Mental Health Pivot and New Platforms 27:41 Peer Led Advice 29:37 Liz Finds Support 31:15 Stigma And Pay 34:04 Workplace Stigma 36:07 EAP Not Used 37:59 Founder Anxiety 41:48 Panic Coping Skills 43:19 Owner To CEO 46:58 Managing Growth 50:02 Purpose And Giving 52:06 Wrap And Subscribe

  2. Apr 29

    #58: Navigating the Cold Waters: Fred Drake's Snorkel Alaska Adventures

    Navigating the Cold Waters: Fred Drake's Snorkel Alaska Adventures Join Ken Okonek in this riveting episode of Kenversations: with Ken Okonek,' where he chats with Fred Drake, the visionary owner of Snorkel Alaska. Fred shares his incredible journey from learning scuba diving as a child, working on Norwegian Cruise Line ships, to pioneering snorkeling tours in the chilly waters of Alaska. Discover the unique challenges and exhilarating experiences that come with snorkeling in a place many wouldn't consider—a land of glaciers and cold water! Hear about Fred's most amazing encounters with marine life, the challenges of running a specialized small business, and his tips for aspiring entrepreneurs. Dive into this fascinating conversation filled with passion, adventure, and the beauty of Alaska's underwater world. 00:00 Welcome and Introduction 00:42 Fred's Journey into Snorkeling 01:55 Life on Cruise Ships 03:23 Transition to Alaska 06:04 Starting Snorkel Alaska 07:31 Challenges and Growth 16:07 Breaking Away from Cruise Lines 20:11 Going Independent 27:02 Transitioning to a New Partnership 27:31 Innovative Tour Ideas 29:51 Marine Life in Alaska 32:54 Logistics of Snorkel Tours 35:36 Memorable Encounters 40:30 Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs 43:50 Balancing Work and Play 49:23 Closing Remarks and Reflections

  3. 03/02/2025

    #57 Chad Briley Box truck to moving company empire

    In this episode, we dive into the mindset and journey of Chad—how his personal story led to building a moving company that’s now dominating the industry in Alaska and expanding all the way to Idaho. Chad shares key lessons on growth, from mastering employee retention to creating a strong company culture that keeps teams engaged. One of his biggest insights? The power of self-awareness—knowing your strengths and weaknesses and delegating to those who can do it even better. This conversation is packed with wisdom for anyone looking to scale a business and build a winning team.

  4. 12/13/2023

    #56 ”You have to always go 100!” Brady Cox The extreme sport flying, mudd bogging machine self taught master mechanic entrepreneur

    This one was a special one for me. Brady has been someone I have know from High school and we have walked in a lot of smilier paths and I just knew that it would be a good time. This man has done so many things and whatever it has been he has done it 100!  He gives massive perspective that will help you gain motivation to pursue things with an energy that gives you traction while getting a ton of joy while doing it.  We dig deep into what it takes to have fun learning again. We grow up in a society that really burns us out on learning and Brady has found a way to make that learning a passion that has led to massive joy in what he is doing and making a living while doing it and if you ask me. I can not think of a more admiral and impressive feat in this current day an age.  The meaning of life is to enjoy the passing of time and there are many nuggets in this one that I really think you will enjoy.

  5. 10/28/2023

    #55 Dan Redfield When a door closes a window opens. Dan share’s his story and the mindset he has forged along the way.

    I have to first say how grateful I am to have Dan on my podcast and to call this man a friend. His journey and what he has overcame is hard to put in words. We go through his amazing background of video and cinematography and his passion for it and what pushes him to create amazing work.  But along the way life packs punches and Dan has had a few stack up along the way and he shares how he went through that process and what came out of it on the other side. He has turned in what I would imagine to be one the greatest pains and made it an amazing purpose that touches so many lives every day.    For anyone that has had hard times you need to take the time and litsen to the incredible mindset and wisdom that this man has to share.

  6. 09/19/2023

    The Lady exec that plowed her way to the top

    Todays guest is Amanda Kramer she is a top business exec at a Fortune 500 company. Gartner is an information and technology company that is turning information into power when it comes to leadership and companies growing their business. We spend they entire podcast discussing. How she reached the C suite and what she contstaly coaches and mentors business leaders across the great state of Alaska.

  7. 09/19/2023

    The Lady exec that plowed her way to the top

    Todays guest is Amanda Kramer she is a top business exec at a Fortune 500 company. Gartner is an information and technology company that is turning information into power when it comes to leadership and companies growing their business. We spend they entire podcast discussing. How she reached the C suite and what she contstaly coaches and mentors business leaders across the great state of Alaska.

  8. 05/11/2023

    #52 Nate D is back on Kenversations we go deep in the 3 pillars of Identity, Your Perception and how you create Culture.

    Nate Is just a the most humble human you ever meet. He would never say how he leads 1000's of people to their financial and physical freedom and combat the thing we are all fighting which is aging. Nate has been a dear freind and close mentor of my in the world of leadership and coaching. He has grown and given so much to others and his team. We go deep dive into Identify and how one finds theirs or a process on how to refine it and grow it if you have not found that mission for yourself.  Next we talk about your perception and how to gain the wisdom to have the right filtering process of what to and how to listen to yourself and others.  Lastly we talk about culture. Which is totally a trending topic but given this post Covid pandemic world we live in. It is becoming a true lost art in what everyone needs in their own life, family, friends and work.

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

My singular goal is to share nuggets of wisdom and interview the best of the best from all walks of life to provide valuable content to you to build and grow the skills and perspective you need to be a master relationship builder.

Information

  • Creator
    Ken Okonek
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    59
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2021 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Kenversations with Ken Okonek