Mastering Midlife Podcast

Unlocking the Power of the Midlife Woman with Stephanie Raffelock

Stephanie Raffelock is an author, blogger, and renowned speaker who seeks to empower women to embrace their personal journey. She began her career as a graduate from Naropa University with a focus on writing and poetics. After graduation, she spent many years as a blogger for online magazines before pursuing her passion for uplifting women and helping them to find their strengths and gifts in middle age. She is the author of the best-selling book, A Delightful Little Book On Aging, and of th...

What Dolly Parton Can Teach Us About Antifragility

The lessons I can learn from Dolly Parton are vast and deep.  From her kindness, to her work ethic, to her unceasing service to the community.   And of her many “Dolly-isms,” there is one that struck me as particularly impactful. "I’m not bothered by dumb blonde jokes.  I’m not dumb, and I know I’m not blonde.”  – Dolly Parton Why we get triggered and offended Where to look and what to do, when we are How to be “unf_ckwithable” Are you a busy, overwhelmed business leader? Through...

Growing Up and Healing Wounds with Tucker Max

Tucker Max is the Co-Founder of Scribe Media, a publishing company that helps writers get their stories out through affordable and high-quality media services. Some of the notable authors he’s worked with include David Goggins, Todd Herman, Mark Divine, and Chris Kresser. Tucker is also the author of a series of books categorized as “fratire,” where he writes about being a man in a politically incorrect fashion. Tucker joins me today to share how he found success as a writer and what made ...

Defining Your Own Fulfillment with Tony Martignetti

Tony Martignetti is a mentor, leadership advisor, career navigator, and podcast host. He is the Chief Inspiration Officer at Inspired Purpose Coaching, a coaching company with a mission to help leaders elevate themselves through finding meaning and purpose in their careers and personal lives. He is the host of The Virtual Campfire Podcast, a show where he invites inspiring and motivational mentors to talk about their journey and how they found their purpose in life. Tony is also on the way t...

Slightly Fight or Flight is the New Normal

Check your body. Check your breathing. Do you notice the tension, the shallow breathing? Are you relaxed and supple? Probably not. That is because we have been condition to accept this state of high alert, or “fight or flight” as the new normal. But it doesn’t have to be. Take 5 minutes with me and let’s reset our bodies (and our minds) to a more creative, relaxed, and clear state of being. "One minute of breathing, a few times a day, can be a game changer." – Mark J. Silverman Today on ...

Why Authenticity is Overrated with Varian Brandon

Varian Brandon is a leadership coach, expert facilitator, and sought-after speaker. With degrees in Corporate Communication & Technology and Organizational Communication, she is considered a master of communication. As a leadership coach, Varian works with top leaders, fresh and ambitious entrepreneurs, and high-achievers who want to level up in their respective industries. Varian also hosts the Audacity Podcast, a motivational show for people who want to show up from a position of power and...

Staying on Top of Your Game with Jay Scherr

Jay Scherr is a business consultant and coach that leads by experience and example.  He lives, eats and breaths the tools, strategies and accountability that help his clients build a solid foundation for success.  Jay brings more than 30 years of corporate and entrepreneurial experience leading teams and crushing goals at companies like Berkshire Hathaway.  Jay is also the host of Business Minds Coffee Chat. In today’s episode, I asked Jay to go off his usual topic of nuts-and-bolts busine...

Self-Awareness In Leadership with Brian Souza

Brian Souza is the Founder and CEO of Productivity Drivers, a sales leadership training and consulting firm specializing in building world-class, high-performance teams and organizations. He is also a New York Times bestselling author and a highly sought-after keynote speaker. His book The Weekly Coaching Conversation is an informative and accessible coaching framework backed with years of thorough research. He has influenced and instructed over ten thousand sales leaders and managers worldw...

Hitting Singles, Small Wins and Tripover Goals

When a topic gets repeated by three people you respect in the same week, you listen. Sure, big goals and big vision are needed to accomplish great things.  But they are usually accomplished playing small ball.  Little wins every day that add up. "Have big goals and big dreams, have a posse’ of people to hold them, then concentrate on the small wins”  – Mark J. Silverman Are you a busy, overwhelmed business leader? Through my work as an author and executive coach, I’ve discovered the ...

Authenticity is Overrated!

Warning: The podcast host is in a bit of a grumpy mood.  What starts off as a rant about the coaching industry (maybe I should have cut it out) turns into a discussion about “authenticity.”  Is authenticity really a thing?  How do we find it?  Create it?  Live it? Join me for this exploration… "We relive the first seven years of our lives, unless we interrupt those patterns.”  – Mark J. Silverman Today on Mastering Midlife: Media Mark vs Private Mark. Tim Storey, coach to the st...

A Healthy Life In Recovery with Peter O Estevez

Peter O Estevez is the Host of the Coming Clean Podcast, a show committed to connecting international thought leaders who help others to thrive in our ever-changing world. Sober for 18 years, Peter’s advocacy for addiction support has led to him writing his upcoming new book, From Lies to Riches - 13 Steps to a Healthy Life in Recovery. Born in Mexico City and living in the US since he was ten years old, Peter is now an irrepressible entrepreneur. He is Co-Founder of EGO Mergers & Acquisitio...

The Power of Public Declarations to Get to Your Goal

In 2009, I ran the Marine Corps Marathon.  I couldn’t run a mile when I declared it publicly, but I was determined, it was a “10.”  What got me through the time challenges, the exhaustion, the whining, the pain?... The fact that I said it to the world, documented my progress and took people’s money for charity.  I couldn’t back out. "Now that people were giving me money for every mile I ran, I couldn’t back out?”  – Mark J. Silverman Today on Mastering Midlife: Decide what you want to d...

A Caring Business Will Succeed with Tom Mendoza

Tom Mendoza currently resides as a Director on the boards of several companies including Unipath, Veronis, and VAST Data. He is the former President and Vice-Chair of NetApp, a hybrid cloud data service and data management company that has ranked in the Fortune 500 list since 2012. After 25 impressive years with NetApp, Tom retired from the company to share his wealth of knowledge and experience by guest lecturing on the power of corporate culture to benefit the younger business generation. ...

Before 40... After 40

Before 40, your body takes care of you, after 40 you take care of your body.  But it’s not just your body.  So much of life needs to be deliberate and conscious in order to work, let alone grow and thrive. "Now you have to plan sex… do I like it in the morning? Are the kids around?  Is my spouse up for it?”  – Mark J. Silverman   Today on Mastering Midlife: Before 40, we are on automatic After 40, we need to take care of our body, our relationship, friendships, our career etc. M...

Leading with Your Heart, Gut & Brain with Fierce Femme Lou George

Lou George is the host of the Fierce Femmes Podcast and Founder and Head Coach of Fierce Femmes, a practice supporting successful purpose-driven entrepreneurs, creatives, celebrities, and leaders since 2014. Lou has been on her entrepreneurial journey for over 12 years, helping businesses grow from 0 to six figures after their first year. As an expert coach, Lou is in demand around the world, speaking at events such as The Awakened Woman Conference in Bali, The Positivity Summit In NYC, and ...

So I Got A Salt Water Fish Tank

Silly name for a podcast.  Sounds like a 5-year-old recorded it.  And that’s the point. Hint: This podcast is not about a fish tank. "What makes your soul sing?  Do you allow yourself to experience it?”  – Mark J. Silverman Today on Mastering Midlife: Way too much detail on setting up a tank Covid fatigue is real, even if things aren’t that bad for you, you need relief What brings YOU joy? Real Joy? Give yourself the gift of what brings you that joy Are you a busy, overwhelmed ...

Profitable Questions for Life with Jos Willard

Jos Willard is the creator of the Profit for Coaches program, a system to guide great coaches through the business of running a profitable coaching practice. He is the host of the Profit for Coaches podcast, a show filled with resources, advice, expertise, and support for coaches who deserve to be rewarded for making a meaningful difference in their client’s lives. Jos is also a Book Yourself Solid Master, training entrepreneurs and small business owners with the Profit First method to ensur...

As a Business Leader You Must Learn to be Visible with Steve Renard

Steve Renard is the founder of Crowned Fox Adventures, where he is dedicated to helping leaders and executives connect with their audiences, on camera and on stage, by mastering their presence and telling powerful stories. He spent 20 years as a corporate video producer, and developed a unique process for working with people who frequently didn’t want to be in front of a camera, but knew they had a responsibility to be there. He uses an inside-out approach, focusing on the particular challen...

The Back Forty with Darrell Gurney

Darrell Gurney, aka The Career Guy, is an Inspirational Career Strategist & Coach who has helped thousands of people achieve business success and make game-changing career moves. He is the author of several books, including Finding the S Spot: Career Pleasure Secrets for Merging Skills, Pay and Play. Darrell has featured on numerous national media outlets and publications, including CBS Moneywatch, Fortune.com. Forbes.com and Businessweek Online and has been a regular guest on local and nati...

The 10 Leadership Qualities I Learned From Tom Mendoza

I have worked for quite a few excellent and inspiring leaders in my career.  I have been fortunate enough to be mentored directly, or indirectly at every step of my journey.  And, one man stands out, decades later, who’s influence on me has only deepened with time and age.  Tom Mendoza, former President of NetApp and current Board member of UniPath, Varonis and VAST Data. Every leader after had big shoes to fill.  Without Tom’s guidance, wisdom, passion and direct influence on me… I would ...

From "Suck" to Success with Todd Palmer

Todd Palmer is the Founder and CEO of Extraordinary Advisors, a collaborative business advisory firm that promises to ‘Get. S#!t. Done.’ He is a coach to entrepreneurial CEOs, a strategic advisor to business leaders, and a keynote speaker, a confessed ‘Chief Rulebreaker.’ Todd is also the Founder and President of Diversified Industrial Staffing, a company named by INC Magazine as one of the fastest-growing companies in America and one of CORP! Magazines “Michigan 50 One to Watch”.  Todd is a...

Are You Chasing Intrinsic or Extrinsic Goals?

Even a hundred dollar bill that’s been stepped on and crumpled and maybe even used as drug money is still worth….$100.  What it’s been through doesn’t determine its value.  We tend to carry all our past with us, and measure ourselves with the weight of it tipping the scales negative.  I have a different take. "What if I treated myself the way I treat all those I love in my life.”  – Mark J. Silverman Today on Mastering Midlife: The first time I thought to “put myself on the list,” w...

The Pursuit of Happiness & Early Retirement with Steve Adcock

Steve Adock is an entrepreneur, writer, and photographer who left a 15-year career in corporate Information Technology to pursue the unconventional life of ‘off-grid’ living in the desert with his wife, Courtney, to make adventure and travel their priority. ‘Retiring’ at the age of 35 has allowed Steve to focus on his passion projects and allocate time to causes and start-up businesses in which he truly believes. He is the author of Big Money: A Professionals Guide to Financial Freedom and a...

Sometimes Blessing is a Six Lane Superhighway, Sometimes a Traffic Jam

The perfect Saturday morning.  All is right with my world.  It’s easy to feel love, joy and blessed.  But what do you do when it isn’t so easy to find? "My job, if I want a better experience of life, is to find the joy in whatever situation I am in.”  – Mark J. Silverman   Today on Mastering Midlife: When we are out of sorts it’s because we don’t like the way the world is being. “When you argue with reality, you only lose 100% of the time,” Byron Katie The benefit of meditation an...

Structured Flow for Your Personality Type with Trey Stinnett

Trey Stinnett has earned the moniker The Flow Coach by helping entrepreneurs ‘grow through community and scale through team’. He began his entrepreneurship journey at the ridiculously young age of 13 and, by the age of 21, had equity of $1 million with his first real estate company. The financial crisis of 2008, coupled with the personal tragedy of losing his father saw Trey hit a rock bottom from which he sought real financial education. This led him on to the path of becoming a seminal spe...

The News, Dopamine, and Taking Back Our Attention

I don’t always walk my talk.  Especially when there are insurrections, impeachments and inaugurations going on.  For the past several years (and weeks) it’s been intense.  The world is shouting for our attention.  A.D.D. is running rampant So how do I get back on the wagon of paying attention to my 10s? "When I do Only 10s, you would never know I have A.D.D.”  – Mark J. Silverman   Today on Mastering Midlife: It’s not about staying on the wagon, it’s about being able to get back on ...

Breaking Down Blocker Barriers with Erin Pheil

Erin Phiel is the Founder of The MindFix Group, a company aiming to identify and eliminate the root causes of self-sabotage that our minds create to hold us back. She is also the Founder & CEO of FellowBright Web Agency, an award-winning boutique website development and consulting agency which she has run for nearly two decades. Erin has a BA in Psychology and an MA in Digital Media, a combination that has given her a double edge in understanding people and technology. Erin’s work has been f...

Politics, Opinions and Relationships

So many friends and family are having a hard time maintaining relationship with the polarization we are experiencing everywhere we turn.    There are people in my family, who I love more than life, who’s choices and “opinion” I absolutely cannot understand.   I refuse to allow this divide to destroy my cherished relationships.  Today, I discuss how.   "It’s not about opinion… WE DO NOT LIVE IN THE SAME WORLD.”    – Mark J. Silverman   Today on Mastering Midlife:   We are a...

Letting Go and Achieving Flow with Tej Dosa

    Tej Dosa is a Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) copywriter and agency owner servicing e-commerce and info-product companies. From age 14, he started building and failing at the game of online business until he discovered Direct Response marketing, on which he doubled down. This decision led to numerous successful companies while generating great results for clients in the online space. When business started booming, Tej shifted his focus inwards to ask the big questions in life such as, ‘Who ...

Only 10s - Walking The Walk (Chapter One)

    “Mark, why don’t you practice reading for your audiobook and share it with the podcast audience?”   “Sure, ok….”   And there you have it.  Dive in with me as I stumble through reading how “Only 10s 2.0” came about.  What I learned in both success and failure with the system.  And, how you can finally get honest with yourself and make all those “time management” hacks, actually work. "I was a hard no to updating Only 10s.  Then something amazing happened.”  – Mark J. Silver...

Your Mindset is not Set In Stone with David Taylor Klaus

    David Taylor Klaus is a speaker, author, and leadership coach. He is the owner of the coaching practice, DTK Coaching, where he works with successful entrepreneurs and senior executives to enable them to reach their full potential. Since 2008, David has empowered his ‘tribe’ to take an active, intentional, and dynamic role in their development and create the kind of life-work rhythm that will enable them to build profitable businesses. He is the author of the bestselling new book Min...

The Psycho Roomate In Your Head

    Beliefs and thoughts have been plaguing us for 1000s of years.  They stop us from doing things we want to do; they distract us from the good in our lives and can make us believe the craziest things.    Is there a solution?  Yes.   But it’s going to take some practice.   "The jig is up when you get wise to the tricks of your mind.”  – Mark J. Silverman   Today on Mastering Midlife:   Realize that the mind is “a drunk monkey stung by a scorpion” If you had a friend...

The Rational Animal with Gregory Sadler

    Gregory Sadler is the Founder and President of ReasonIO, a professional training and coaching company based in Milwaukee, WI, where he is an educator, public speaker, author, and content creator.  Gregory is a consultant that makes resources from philosophical texts and thinkers understandable and accessible to a global audience. He is also an Adjunct Professor at the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, where he teaches Philosophy and Design courses. Robert is currently the Lead E...

The Uncomfortable Gift of Resentment

    Feeling inadequate, fuming and resenting the luminaries in my profession made for an uncomfortable morning.  Journaling and self-inquiry, uncovered the gift.  The resentment tells me more about what is going on with me, then with the person I am judging.  And that’s the good news.   "If I have a resentment, it usually means I haven’t set a boundary, I haven’t asked for something I want or need, OR that I am a bit petty and jealous.”  – Mark J. Silverman   Today on Mastering M...

Being Grateful Will Change Your Life with Jessica Koch

    Jessica Koch has been a National Sales Professional for more than 25 years. She spent 10 years working with a consulting company, expanding that firm’s client base to include National Government Accounts, Fortune 500 clients, National Power Utilities, Hospitals, and Universities/Colleges. She secured a National Government Contract that was applicable to 1000’s of government entities without having to go out for an additional bid. She also trained and managed sales teams nationally fo...

Sitting Calmly With Uncertainty with Yaron Engler

    Yaron Engler has been ‘coaching men to find their greatness’ since 2012. A coach and facilitator of men’s programs, he implements The CROP Method, a 4 step method to help men find their real values, gain focus, build confidence, detach from negative patterns and enjoy living again. Yaron is a professional drummer who has performed in front of over 500,000 people worldwide. He is a Summa Cum Laude graduate from Berklee College of Music and an alumni of John Wineland's Embodiment Men's...

Are You as Chill as Jack Johnson?

    Jack Johnson is a the definition of chill.  His music is the surfer, light hearted, sitting by the fire vibe. The other day, my son, Jake couldn’t wait to share how Jack took a potentially embarrassing moment in front of 10,000 people, and treated it like he was in a living room with his best friends.    It got me thinking… can I be as chill as Jack Johnson?   "The love isn’t over “there.”  – Mark J. Silverman   Today on Mastering Midlife:   Jack’s not so embarrassin...

Strong Foundations for Self Esteem with Rob Chevez

    Rob Chevez is the CEO of The CASA Companies, a real estate and property management firm based in Reston, Virginia. The son of a Foreign Service Officer, Rob moved 11 times across seven countries before the age of 17. This unique experience gave him an equal appreciation of different cultures and people and the importance of a healthy family unit. By the time he graduated from Washington DC’s  American University with a degree in Psychology, he had already formed a passion for real es...

Encore: We Gotta Learn to Embrace Uncertainty To Thrive

If we want to make it through the next few months with our sanity, we are going to have to get used to not knowing what the %$# us going to happen. The politicians don’t know, the news doesn’t know, and social media sure as sh_t doesn’t know. We must cultivate a strong inner game and clear values to know we are safe when the world spins out of control. "Actually, things have always been uncertain, it’s just that things have happened predictably enough for long enough, that we believe we ...

Raising Healthy, Amazing Kids with Dr. Ali Lankerani

Dr. Ali Lankerani is the Founder and CEO of Appreciable Designs, delivering nutrition, healthy lifestyle, child development, and sciences training to kids, parents, and teachers. Internationally published, he is the author of The Parent Whisperer and also runs Nesting Amazing Kids, an online course supporting new parents and their children by encouraging healthy, growing relationships. Known affectionately as Dr. L by his patients, Dr. Lankerani is a clinical neuroscientist with a chiropract...

The (My) Truth about Love

We all want it.  Crave it.  Set up our lives to get it.  But is that really how to achieve our goal? Join me as I explore, in 6:37 minutes, how I pursued and ultimately found… love. "The love isn’t over “there.”  – Mark J. Silverman Today on Mastering Midlife: My love language is words of affirmation and touch, so what does that mean? The songs, the feelings that crush you when you get broken up with The revelation that changed everything Where love actually comes from What ch...

Massive Accountability with Todd Palmer

Todd Palmer is a coach to entrepreneurial CEOs and a strategic advisor to business leaders with over 25 years of experience in the ‘self start’ space. He’s a keynote speaker whose goal is to ‘improve lives by teaching, guiding & empowering entrepreneurs’ by adopting a growth mindset and teaching necessary business skills. Todd is the Founder and CEO of Extraordinary Advisors, a platform of Advisory Services and has been featured by media publications that include INC Magazine, The Detroit Ne...

Mark's Improbable Road To Midlife Mastery

The Only Way is Up At 47.2 with Brian Clark

    Brian Clark is the founder and CEO of Copyblogger Media and Tangible Digital. Launched in 2006, Coppyblogger evolved quickly from a one man website into an influential trade magazine for the content marketing industry. He is the host of the Unemployable podcast and website, providing advice and support for freelancers and entrepreneurs with the mission to ‘help tiny businesses create an outsized impact’. Brian also created the personal growth newsletter Further, a weekly publication ...

Sure Fire Formula for Results

Empathy and Supported Opinions with Sherron Washington

    Sherron Washington is a marketing strategist, author, speaker and CEO of The P3 Solution, a company providing design, branding, and social media marketing solutions for companies. Sherron is also the author of Market Simple: The Blueprint to a One-Page Marketing Plan, and The Oops Moment, a guide to help businesses avoid common mistakes in marketing. With a BA Honors Degree in Communication & Media Technology and an MA Degree in Communication, Sherron is now a Professor of Marketing ...

Feed the Right Wolf!

    How do you believe in fantastic results when the gremlins are always there to pull you down?   You’ve heard the old Native American story of our internal battle between dark and light forces where a Black and a White Wolf represent our waring natures.  This is my take on feeding the wolf you want to win that day.  If you haven’t read the story, click here.     "I spend every morning on the floor of my office, reading, journaling, meditating. That’s how I get centered and g...

Tackling Difficult Conversations with Jen Dalton

    Jen Dalton is the Founder and CEO of BrandMirror, a brand under which she uses her certified master brand strategies to coach thousands of individuals, CEO’s, and entrepreneurs on how to stand out since 2012. In 2016 she published the bestselling book The International Entrepreneur to share her process for building an entrepreneurial brand. Jen is an international keynote speaker who specializes in helping leaders clarify their purpose and passion in order to stand out. She is curren...

Election Outcome Preperation

    It’s late October and “The Election” is heading here fast. Are you ready?   Ready for your candidate to lose?   Ready for your candidate to win?   Ready for the insanity that is in the making if the election is…..close?   Uncertainty is always with us… but events like November 3rd bring that fact front and center.   Today, I will take a few minutes to prepare you, for whatever happens.   "I only want you to deal with what’s real. I do not want you to be dealin...

Optimistic Realism with Todd Henry

Todd Henry is the co-author of The Motivation Code, a book teaching us to decode our motivational type so we can structure projects, have conversations, make decisions, and even choose career paths to amp up engagement and achieve fulfillment. Todd has written 4 other books and is also an international keynote speaker, consultant and advisor. A self confessed ‘arms dealer for the creative revolution,’ Todd’s work has been featured in publications and media that include Forbes, Harvard Busine...