Most People Don't... But You Do‪!‬ Bart Berkey

Today’s podcast guest is Robert Shelton.  A recently retired executive from Microsoft.  He is so much more than “the dude from the coffee shop”, despite initially meeting him this way.

 

He reveals a ton of life lessons and useful information on
how to treat people while moving through corporate America.  How to “do” what he didn’t “do”. 

 

We discuss:

-Feeling safer in the hood sometimes than in his exclusive
gated world now

-Learning how not to judge people by appearance

-Everyone has it within them the ability to succeed

-Obtaining whatever success looks like for you, regardless
of what you look like

-Putting on the suit of an extrovert when going to work

-Fixing computers at a young age, excelling at programming
classes at age 15

-Graduating college in his 40’s, when he didn’t need to get a degree, setting example for others and his son

-Being dedicated to education outside of the education
system

-Reprogramming his mind to get out of the hood, while
reprogramming computers

-Leaving bodies on the side of the road on the way up the
corporate ladder, while now helping others and mentoring people to succeed

-Removing the shield of Darth Vader and
exposing himself – leaving the dark side of focus and selfishness to give back and be kind

-No longer needing to carry the sword out of fear (of being exposed, of being fired, of being passed over)

-Having his wife protect him after
removing his armor and being his vulnerable self at home, before retirement when he still “had to fight”

-Learning lessons from your success

 

Robert Shelton is a retired senior technology executive with over 20 years of experience at Microsoft. During his
tenure, he served as the Senior Technical Director and Chief Technical Officer for the National Intelligence Business Unit. His expertise lies in IT Executive Management, cloud computing, enterprise software sales, and the applied uses of artificial intelligence.

 

However, this professional bio only scratches the surface of who Robert truly is. Growing up in an economically
disadvantaged area, he faced challenges that shaped his journey. Through hard work and connections with incredible people, he managed to break free from
those circumstances. Robert’s passion for technology ultimately led him to fulfill his childhood dream of working at Microsoft. The twists and turns along the way provided the necessary background for him to achieve his life goals. He learned that it’s the challenges and “negative experiences” that offer valuable training, but only if you learn from them. The greatest gifts often come from
persevering through adversity.

 

Robert’s favorite quote, attributed to Zig Ziglar, encapsulates his philosophy: ‘You can get what you want out of life if you will just help enough other people get what they want.’

 

Today's guest is Jean-François Lappas, the founder of a company called Wabya (which stands for "We Are Because You Are").

He left a six-figure corporate job amid a pandemic and burnout to find his true purpose. After a journey of self-discovery fueled by self-help books, self-awareness, and
self-compassion, JF now lives in harmony with their core values.

He founded a business that embodies his identity and mission, dedicated to helping individuals from all walks of life uncover and realize their purpose, increasingly through the platform-wabya.

The name represents the reliance that we have on each other. We can't exist without others, and others can't exist without us.

His company now helps people through individualized coaching for self-realization. More about JF and his organization can be found here:
we are because you are (wabya.com)

I was so careful to get his title correct. He didn't mind.

I wanted to share how important his role was. It wasn't his focus.

I wanted to celebrate his accomplishments. He turned toward his team.

One of the most humble individuals I've ever met, yet one of the most empathetically aware leaders I've interviewed.

Today's guest: Joe Youssef, Executive Vice President, Commercial North America for Amadeus’ Hospitality Division.

This podcast episode was recorded live at HITEC 2024 from the Charlotte Convention Center in between educational sessions and my keynote presentation. Joe took the time to share with our listeners valuable skills that he has learned during his career, and how others might be able to implement them.

My greatest learnings:

-Why "will" can often be more important than "skill" when finding the right talent

-How the "Jetsons" cartoon influenced his views about technology as a young child

-Growing up in Egypt and feeling the need to always prove himself

-Sharing essential values with his children

-Never forgetting the sacrifices of his parents

-Offering similar sacrifices for others; its not about him as a leader, it is always about HIS TEAM


He has more than two decades of executive
experience in travel technology, distribution, strategy, and marketing.
Prior to his current role in Hospitality, Joe served as EVP of BI and Data Solutions as well as the global leader of Strategy, Marketing, and Corporate Development for
Hospitality in Amadeus.  Leading both the organic and inorganic growth strategies as well as the marketing strategy for Amadeus Hospitality globally.

Having joined Amadeus in 2006, Joe was previously Madrid-based Global Director for Operations and Business Development for the Hospitality division. He has also served as Regional Director - Marketing & Operations, and Markets Director for Middle East and North Africa. As Head of the Arab Air Carriers Organization (AACO) Program, Joe, and his team elevated Amadeus into a regional leadership position in Middle East and Africa region.

 
Prior to Amadeus, Joe worked for several global blue-chip companies, including American Express Travel, as Director of Operations & Business Travel, SHOWTIME networks and Kanoo Travel.

Joe holds a BA in Business Administration with a major in Marketing from the University of Cairo. He completed executive management post graduate studies at Canfield
University in the UK and speaks both English and Arabic fluently.



Connect with Joe on LinkedIn here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ahmed-youssef-joe/



More about Amadeus here:

https://amadeus.com/en



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Chris White has found his destiny. He was meant to be an author and an entrepreneur. He LIVES IN THE TREE, he doesn't just visit.

He attributes this example to his business coach as it defines his journey and his passion. We talk about:

-The encouragement of his wife; "you need to do this."

-Working for the right reason

-Realizing that he was good at sales engineering and finding a need to help others

-Writing a best selling book

More about Chris and his company:

https://www.techsalesmastery.com/


Chris White is the author of the Amazon best-seller "The Six Habits of Highly Effective Sales Engineers", Co-Founder of Tech Sales Mastery, and host of the
LinkedIn Live program Tech Sales Advice (#techsalesadvice).  After spending 15 years as an IT professional, he moved into a technical selling role
and discovered very quickly that he didn’t know anything sales.  He turned that learning experience into the book he published in 2019, and now teaches other high-tech professionals how to make the transition into the rewarding profession of technical sales.

As a young child, a teacher recognized Frank's intellect and shared with his parent, "he needs different work." He was ready to be challenged more.

Frank Wolfe, CEO of Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals, continues to challenge himself as a leader and encourages growth for HFTP and it's members.

This interview was conducted live from HFTP's largest conference called HITEC (https://hitec.org) in which professionals enhancing technology for the hospitality industry gather.

We discuss growing up, treating people like they want to be treated, meeting housekeepers and presidents of countries, all while remaining true and authentic to his roots.

He mentors people around the world, shows support for his members, and encourages HFTP to act like a start up by taking risks for growth. Finally, the conversation turns toward the impact and benefits of technology for service. It will allow choices for customers and promote even better service delivery as consumers.



More about Frank Wolfe:

He joined HFTP in March 1991 as the association's director of education and became executive vice president/CEO of HFTP in 1994, becoming one of the youngest association CEOs in North America at the time. As CEO, Wolfe oversees the association’s operations and represents the association worldwide at industry events, on industry boards and committees, and via the news media.

As the spokesperson for HFTP, Wolfe frequently speaks on hospitality finance, technology, social media and travel issues to varied audiences and has presented in more than 25 countries. He is also a regular columnist for Hotel Management and The Boardroom magazines. He has been featured in association, conference and industry publications including Convene magazine, Association Management magazine, MeetingTech Online, CIO Review and Hospitality Upgrade magazine. He has appeared on several television network interviews and programs including CNN, CBS, ABC, NBC, TVAsia and Bloomberg. He received CV Magazine's 2019 Corporate Excellence Award for "Most Influential CEO of the Year — Hospitality Finance and Technology."

Today's guest left a very lucrative business in the salon industry because he knew he could help so many more people. His name is Kelly Cardenas and he shares his story from salon celebrity to motivational speaker.

We discuss:

-cutting his dog's hair, turning the clippers on his buddy, and realizing he could make a living as a hairdresser

-"doing" as a point of desperation as a kid, not from a point of inspiration

-having parents that never cared about "what he did" but rather "how he did it"

-the influence of his mother and pops

-having the permission to try

-Using the structure of culture, vibe, process, procedure, productivity, innovation, and the ability to adapt to expand his business and now sharing with others to enhance theirs

More about Kelly:


Kelly Cardenas is a dynamic force in personal development and entrepreneurship. Host of a top-ranked podcast, the Co-host of Secret Knock, and creator of the Vibe Room, he embodies the art of harnessing the right energy for extraordinary accomplishments. Kelly's bestselling books have inspired and empowered readers to unleash their boundless potential. Being a featured Success a magazine top keynote speaker, he captivates audiences with his magnetic storytelling, impactful insights and unrelenting desire for greatness.

Find additional details on his website: https://kellycardenas.com