HAPPENING OSUCHLUCK Productions

Roff Smith is an award-winning magazine writer and photographer, as well as a long-time contributor to National Geographic and many other high-profile outlets, like Time Magazine, Newsweek and Conde Nast Traveler, just to name a few.

Smith's latest work, NatGeo’s 100 Bike Rides of a Lifetime: The World’s Ultimate Cycling Experiences takes readers to six continents with an amazing list of bike rides.

There are more than 33-million small businesses in the United States. I’m a small businessman myself and I celebrate anyone who has an entrepreneurial spirit. It takes a lot of courage to set out on your own to build anything, but if you have an idea, the resources, and a plan… big things can happen!

The U.S. Small Business Administration finds small businesses employ about 62-million Americans, that’s the majority of jobs created since the mid-90’s.

If starting and running a small business is a dream of yours, this episode is for you! It is packed with brave and bold people who trusted their guts and went for it! There are stories that will help inspire you to dig deep and get on your way.

Sybil Steele is a NYC-based creative director who develops brands and films. A couple of her big achievements include the launches of Solento Organic Tequila and most recently S’eau Prima, a foundational face mist.

She shares the secrets to her success, including an approach to life that is filled with abundance and a never-ending belief in herself. She takes on the big question of, "What if you were to put yourself first?"

Sybil also talks about her favorite "P" words—purpose, profit, and pleasure. This creative force is not afraid to mix her heart with the source of her mighty dollar, and win all the way to the bank. Steele has a series of rituals and routines that start her day off in a positive way, ultimately setting her up for personal and professional growth.

The U.S. Bureau of Labour Statistics finds there are more than 4,000 food trucks in the United States. It is a growing industry, generating about 1.4 billion dollars each year.

Jose Balaguer is the CEO of The Chicago Donut Company. For years he sold luxury vehicles, until he made a professional pivot. Now, his life is all about good vibes and donuts.

Balaguer admits his thriving food truck business was born out of market research, connections, and a love of people. The passion for donuts came later, while working with other Chicago vendors, renovating a used truck, and lots and lots of taste-testing.

He does not believe in "Faking the Funk," and stays true to himself and his community. Jose also discusses the sacrifices it takes to achieve and maintain success, including saying goodbye to friendships that no longer serve you or your entrepreneurial spirit. Balaguer leaves us wondering if small biz ownership grows self-discipline, or is it the other way around, does our own discipline grow the business?

Whatever it takes, both Sybil and Jose agree having a plan is essential to long-term success. This often includes a weekly, monthly, quarterly, and yearly approach to aligning dreams and realistic expectations in order to generate revenue.

Sparking Your Creative Genius is easier than you think, even in business. Sometimes all you have to do is shut out the noise and shift your perspective. Once you do that, it is time to own the possibility that great things will happen in your life. Now is the time to let your sparks fly!

What comes to mind when you hear the word “Travel” or“Vacation?”  

For me, it’s the soft white sand that sneaks in between my toes while walking along Miami Beach. I can close my eyes and immediately see the turquoise-colored water transforming into white ripples as it reaches the shoreline. The salty air makes my skin feel so much smoother and my hair… just a little rougher and coarser than usual… but, I like it. It comes with the territory—different place, different people, and a different state of mind. Isn’t that what travel is all about?  

As peak travel season sails into view, many of us have our eyes set on dreamy destinations all around the world. What are you thinking up? The deserts, wine country, and dramatic cliff tops of Western Australia? How about the brilliant blue waters, expansive coral reefs and hundreds of peaceful islands of Fiji? We can’t forget about the mouthwatering Southern fare of Charleston, South Carolina—where it’s all about red rice with sausage, fried chicken and lima beans. 

No matter what strikes your fancy, we’re ready to go… 63% of U.S. adults plan to travel this summer. WanderlustUnleashed! It’s time to embrace the magic of unplanned escapes.

This episode is all about the thrills and chills associated with travel. Laura Lindsay is a global travel expert for Skyscanner, a search engine and travel site. She’s a seasoned traveler who’s filled with stories from all over the globe, and she shares some of her favorite spots, provides insights—like travel hacks for scoring the best airfare, and talks about the latest trend—spontaneous travel. 

Spontaneous travel is supposed to alleviate some of the pressures associated with vacation planning, because it eliminates certain expectations like picking the best hotel, eating dinner at that hard to reserve restaurant, and having an overly ambitious itinerary. 

Laura and I chat about our favorite vacation memories, destinations inspired by TV and film, and her three secret hot spots sure to motivate you to book a trip. 

I also hit the streets of New York City to find out how our lives can be transformed by travel. One man shares his story about openly supporting gay rights in a place where being LGBTQ could lead to jail time or even death. We meet a woman who was in England during one of this year’s biggest news stories, and we’re going to answer the question… where in the world can we find the best schnitzel?

No matter near or far, embracing the magic of unplanned or planned escapes adds a sense of excitement and adventure to our lives. Whether following a detailed itinerary, or ditching the plan, grabbing your passport and letting the wind guide your way… one thing is certain, travel enriches our lives.

We spend a lot of time on our smart devices. On average, there are 6,000 tweets on Twitter every single second. When added up, everything equals 350K per minute, 500M per day, and 200B per year. That's a whole lot of engagement going on and it's not even counting Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and SnapChat. When we include those channels the overall numbers are astounding.

According to the latest data, the average amount of time spent on social media worldwide is set to hit about two and a half hours a day. That’s a lot of time to comment on, or like and share all types of content. It's in these moments we can make mistakes that could cost us pretty big—maybe lose some friends, offend colleagues, and possibly get fired from a job and miss out on future career opportunities.

This episode is all about taking responsibility for our online behavior. Stephanie Humphrey is a former engineer and technology expert. She is author of Don't Let Your Digital Footprint Kick You In the Butt! and is currently a technology contributor for Good Morning America .

Stephanie is on a mission to help us become better digital citizens by being more mindful about what we post, comment on, and apps we download. Overall, she says it's important to be more considerate regarding all of our online activities.

With Humphrey's innovative program, 'Til Death Do You Tweet!, she travels the country speaking to students and guides them through issues of cyber bullying while helping them understand how social media can shape their lives.

As technology continues to advance and 500M of us turn to social media each and every day, we can and should consider ourselves a Digital Citizen.

Alex Hitz is an award-winning celebrity chef, culinary columnist, event designer, and tastemaker. He has a new book out called, Occasions to Celebrate – Cooking and Entertaining with Style. Our conversation is packed with all types of recipes and memories that smell delicious.

Alex has prepared dream meals for some of the world’s most iconic people, including the Reagans and the Royals. He shares stories of his early days attending dinner parties with his parents, lazy Sunday afternoons with L.A. socialites, and how he ended up on the Orient Express with a birdcage hat on top of his head.

The Wall Street Journal calls him the very best host in the world, and by the end of our conversation you will be taken with his wit, style and charm.

At times, we get caught up with fast-tracking and pop culture does not help. Popular shows like American Idol and The Voice offer pathways to big audiences. However, nothing is immediate, and the people we see on stages in local theaters or on Broadway in New York City, are people who have refined their talents over years and years.

Nikita Burshteyn is an up-and-coming musical theater performer and breakout talent from the off-Broadway musical, Romeo & Bernadette.

He shares the secrets to his success, which is the accumulation of years of vocal training, tap and jazz dance classes, and lots of blood, sweat, and tears. Nikita explains what he does in the space between gigs, which offers him time to refresh and refocus his attention and intentions.

He trusts his gut when it comes to auditioning for parts, but also knows his range—which has his eyes set on some very well known roles.

"P" is for passion, one thing Nikita felt the moment he started playing the violin in the second grade, which led him to musical theater. "P" is also for performance, something he makes look natural based on multiple hours of preparation. Finally, "P" is for process, how he decides on a role, develops a character, and brings it all to life under the warm inviting lights of the stage.

Sparking Your Creative Genius is something that comes naturally, and is easier to do if you stay motivated and have the courage to bring your ideas to life on a regular basis.