Wisdom of Friends with Kal Aras

Season 10 - Think Bigger with Olympian Champ Lina Taylor- Episode 94

When life doesn’t hand you opportunities, you create them. Think Bigger Lina has never stepped away from a challenge and inspires others to face the impossible and experience unprecedented success. At just age 14, growing up in communist Bulgaria, she realized that her future lay in earning a scholarship to an American university. Undeterred by the overwhelming political and social challenges, Lina pioneered a way for countless other student athletes to achieve the same dream. After graduati...

Season 10 - Think Bigger with Olympian Champ Lina Taylor - Episode 94

When life doesn’t hand you opportunities, you create them. Think Bigger Lina has never stepped away from a challenge and inspires others to face the impossible and experience unprecedented success. At just age 14, growing up in communist Bulgaria, she realized that her future lay in earning a scholarship to an American university. Undeterred by the overwhelming political and social challenges, Lina pioneered a way for countless other student athletes to achieve the same dream. After graduati...

Season 10 - From Boardroom to Bobsled with Olympian Lauren Gibbs - Episode 93

Lauren Gibbs is a bobsled brakewoman who has been on the U.S. national team since the 2014-15 season. In her Olympic debut at the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018, Gibbs earned silver with pilot Elana Meyers Taylor. Gibbs has also earned 2016 world championships bronze and 14 world cup medals. Follow her journey to the 2022 Winter Games on Instagram and Twitter.  

Season 10 - Achieving your best self with 2 time Olympian Jillian Vogtli - Episode 92

Born from a cumulation of my skills as an Olympic Athlete, my love of fitness, coaching, Shamanic training and teaching while working with clients worldwide in helping them to step into their highest and best selves and lastly as a student of life. I have a holistic view on fitness, health and overall wellbeing (healing). While my coaching style works with the conscious mind, much of the healing work I offer works patterns, new life skill while working with the subconscious mind to identify ...

Pearl of India |2020 President's Medal & National Award Winner for Children| Peal Colvalcar

Pearl Milind Colvalcar was recently honored with the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar 2020 (President’s Medal - National Award Winner for Children 2020) by President of India Ram Nath Kovind, for her excellence in sports. The 13-year-old student is a champion at sailing – skiff and windsurfing – and aims to represent India at the Asian level in near future. “Skiff sailing is not known to many. It is heart-warming to see Pearl Milind Colvalcar excel in this unique area. Interacting wit...

Season 10- Olympic Gold Medalist|Professional Speaker & Mentor for Young Athletes|Breeja Larson: Episode 91

Breeja Larson is an American competition swimmer who specializes in the breaststroke, and is an Olympic gold medalist. She earned a gold medal in the 4×100-meter medley relay at the 2012 Summer Olympics. Larson was born in Mesa, Arizona, one of seven sisters. She later moved to Boise, Idaho where she attended Centennial High School in Boise, Idaho for three years and graduated from Mountain View High School in Mesa in 2010. She swam for the Centennial Patriot and Mountain View Toros high sch...

Season 9 - Self Care Sanctuary with Michelle Dalbec - Episode 87

Michelle Dalbec, E-RYT 500, is a passionate professional level teacher and educator.  Michelle hosts educational and experiential yoga programs, delivers dynamic and motivational workshops, and directs professional teacher trainings all over the country.  She teaches with the intention to inspire authentic alignment, expression, and movement.  Whether she’s teaching restorative yoga or vigorous vinyasa, meditation or conscious communication, she leads with an inquiry based approach that empo...

Season 9 ~ Mindful Leadership with Holly Duckworth - Episode 86

Holly Duckworth, CAE, CMP, LSP is a trailblazing keynote speaker and applied mindful leadership advisor. As a contributor to the New York Times, Producer/Host of the Everyday Mindfulness Show, and columnist to countless industry publications she works with stressed-out leaders to create, peace, presence, and profits. Holly’s career began in the world of non-profits and volunteer leadership teaching thousands of association staff and volunteers how to “reboot” for success. Today she takes the...

Season 9 - Brilliant Branding worthy of going viral with Melanie Asher - Episode 85

Melanie earned her Executive MBA at the University of Washington, Foster School of Business. As a powerful national speaker speaking on topics about brand building, customer experience, generational marketing, and social media. She is the founder and president of Omicle LLC, a brand experience firm and Brand or Culture, a publishing company. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her two children, a four-legged cat and a two legged son. She loves to hike, experiment in the kitchen, and danc...

Season 9 - The Power of Gratitude with David Brooke - Episode 84

David George Brooke – That Gratitude Guy, has been a speaker, coach, and bestselling author for over 25 years. His published works include “The Brooker’s Daily Gratitude Journal”, “Six Word Lessons to Embrace Gratitude”, and a number of other books on gratitude. Show Notes: Website, Books, Coaching

Season 9 - The new rules of engagement in a multigenerational marketplace with Anna Liotta - Episode 83

Anna Liotta, creator of Generationally Savvy™ Communication Solutions, is an award-winning speaker, business consultant, and author. She engages audiences with her practical strategies for attracting, growing, and retaining top talent and loyal clients from every generation. Anna integrates communications, sociology, business psychology, and demography to unify workplaces and dramatically improve company performance. Her expertise and insight have helped such companies as Pike Place Market...

Season 9 - Connect the dots with multiple Emmy award winner Bill Stainton ~ Episode 82

Bill Stainton is a multiple Emmy Award-winning TV producer, writer, and performer; an author; a business humorist; and an internationally-recognized Beatles expert. He blends the business smarts he learned from twenty years in corporate management with the show biz sparks he garnered from working with people like Jerry Seinfeld, Ellen DeGeneres, and Bill Nye the Science guy to create entertaining and enlightening presentations enjoyed by audiences around the world! As the executive produce...

Season 9 - The Philosophy of Appropriateness with Elevia DeNobelia and Syl Sabastian - Episode 81

Elevia DeNobelia  Elevia is like an Alice in Wonderland; a perpetual explorer. Her curiosity informs and instigates her journey.     Elevia’s origins lie in simple but sublime beginnings. In the midst of what others would describe as trying circumstances, she made the most of her wonderful family life, developing a solid foundation of sturdy character. A focus she has spent her life extending and refining. From unusual relationships, living in a desert without electricity and running w...

Season 8- Cathy Fyock - Your possibility partner and book strategist - 80

Cathy Fyock is is Your Possibility Partner, providing you with the intensive support you need to get your book DONE.  She is the author of eight published books and several forthcoming books, six workbooks, four e-learning modules, chapters in four books, website tool kits, as well as hundreds of articles, blog posts, white papers, and newsletters, and has mastered the art of getting a book on paper quickly, and then using her speaking and writing to generate revenue streams and create new b...

Season 8 - Your sacred wealth code with Prema Lee Gurreri -79

Prema Lee Gurreri is committed to creating a world where everyone is empowered to live according to their soul blueprint: on purpose, in a way that is aligned with their high-value gifts and their birthright of true wealth. Prema guides and teaches entrepreneurs, visionaries, and change agents to lead with their unique, divine gifts and talents, and fully align with their purpose and passion to create wealth for themselves and the world simply by being who they are and doing what they love...

Season 8 - The Enneagram Expert - Herb Pearce - Episode 78

Herb Pearce, M.Ed., is one of the most knowledgeable and skilled teachers of the Enneagram today. He has taught well over 2000 Enneagram workshops, trainings and presentations to the public and to hundreds of organizations. Having vast experience working as a psychotherapist using this system, Herb Pearce has worked with hundreds of individuals and couples to understand and communicate well to all types of people. He leads team building trainings in companies, is a public speaker, workshop p...

Season 8 - The art of communication and language of leadership with Patricia Fripp - Episode 77

When your message must be memorable, your presentation powerful, and your sale successful, call Patricia Fripp. One of the few professional speakers who can transform the presentation skills of others, she is an executive speech coach and sales presentation skills trainer. Kiplinger's Personal Finance wrote that one of the best investments you can make in your career is Patricia Fripp’s presentation skills training. Patricia simplifies and demystifies the process of preparing and presenting ...

Season 8 - Transform your self-expression with Andrew Prokopis - Episode 76

Andrew Prokopis is a licensed and practicing clinical psychologist in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and California. He also provides professional and life coaching to clients. He has a wide-range of formal education and professional trainings. In addition, he has many years of practicing meditation and studying various mindfulness approaches. He has offices in Massachusetts and New Hampshire and provides services in-person, on the telephone, and through video-conferencing.  

Season 8 - Staying Power with Cara Silletto - Episode 75

Workforce thought leader Cara Silletto, MBA, works with organizations of all sizes to reduce unnecessary employee turnover by bridging generational gaps and making managers more effective in their roles. As a Millennial herself, she knows first-hand what it is like to have a heightened sense of entitlement, very little employee loyalty and a dependency upon her smart phone. However, unlike many Millennials, Cara has figured out exactly how these attributes were cultivated during her formativ...

Season 8 - Business lessons from Rock with John O'Leary - Episode 74

John O’Learyis the only management consultant who has studied New Testament Greek at the Yale Divinity School, lived with the Grateful Dead, and hosted a cable TV talk show. He has also been a band leader/musician who opened shows for two dozen Rock & Roll Hall of Fame acts and shared dressing rooms with the likes of Eric Clapton, Joni Mitchell, Michael Bolton, Frank Zappa, and Muddy Waters.  But for over three decades John has been primarily immersed in organizational consulting, team tra...

Season 7 - Transforming Stressors Into Confident Performances On Cue with Jeff Renner- Episode 73

Jeff Renner is a Professional Speaker, Moderator and Guide for Personal/Team Growth. He was a meteorologist and broadcast professional who forecasted the weather for KING 5 News, and NBC affiliate, in Seattle for more than 35 years. He holds the prestigious Certified Broadcast Meteorologist (CBM) designation from the American Meteorological Society, of which he is a member.  Accomplishments • Nine-time Emmy award winner • 40+ years in television news • 30+ years Chief Meteorologist ...

Season 7 - An Ontological Approach to Peak Performance with Pat Johnson- Episode 72

Pat Johnson started her professional career responsible for various aspects of learning programs within the Ministries of Health;   Community, Aboriginal, and Women Issues; Forests; and Advanced Education Training and Technology.  Pat was Director of Business Education and also Assistant Director of Learning & Development at BC Pension Corporation; and went to CRD as Manager, Workforce Development and Strategies. She has also trained with her own company internationally and within segments o...

From sound of music to real-estate excellence with Carla Cross - Episode 69

For the first thirty years of her life, Carla was a performing and teaching musician. She earned a B. A. in piano performance (high honors, Phi Beta Kappa), and a masters’ degree in arts, major in music theory. For several years, Carla taught flute and piano in colleges and gave private lessons. Moving to Seattle, Washington while pregnant with her son Chris (yes, it’s Chris Cross, and he owns a real estate company now….), Carla started selling real estate as a fluke when Chris was 14 mon...

Season 7 - Stumbling towards God ~ A spiritual memoir by Russell Perkins - Episode 71

Season 7 - Educational Leadership with Kent Bicknell - Episode 70

Kent Bicknell grew up in central New Hampshire and resides there still. In 1973 Kent became founding head of Sant Bani School and stayed as a teaching head for 44 years, retiring in 2017. He was a Scholar of the House at Yale University, and holds a master’s degree from Goddard College and a doctorate in curriculum from Boston University. Kent has been involved in education for five decades, including over forty years on the Advisory Council of the New Hampshire Commissioner of Education and...

Season 7- From Zelda Wisdom to MaxDaddy with Carol Gardner - Episode 68

She’s back! .... At age 52 Carol Gardner was divorced, depressed and in debt for over a million dollars. Her divorce attorney laughingly suggested that Gardner needed a new chapter in her life and that she now had a choice: get a therapist or get a dog. Gardner chose ‘DOG.’ And that dog turned her life around. Zelda, a short, stout English bulldog became an instant success, appearing on Hallmark greeting cards, books, calendars, cookie jars and just about every other imaginable product.  ...

Season 7- Tap with Brad - Episode 67

Brad Yates is known internationally for his creative and often humorous use of Tapping, also known as EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques). Brad is the author of the best-selling children's book "The Wizard's Wish," the co-author of the best-seller "Freedom at Your Fingertips," and a featured expert in the film “The Tapping Solution,” He has also been a presenter at a number of events, including Jack Canfield's Breakthrough to Success, has done teleseminars with “The Secret” stars Bob Doyle an...

Season 7 - Service and Servant Leadership with Gary Schmidt - Episode 66

Gary Schmidt is the Director of Public and Government Affairs for Clackamas County, Oregon.  He previously worked for Oregon United States Senators Mark Hatfield and Gordon Smith, as a Field Representative, speechwriter and constituent services coordinator.  Gary has been a Toastmaster for 23 years and served as the International President of Toastmasters International in 2009-2010. Show Notes: Toastmasters International Gary Schmidt - LinkedIn Profile

Season 7 - Creating Heart-Centered Profitable Businesses with Rose Harrow - Episode 65

For over 30 years Rose has coached and mentored business and professional change makers so that they can do well financially while making a difference in the world. As past director of an international non-profit, she understands the challenges that large organizations face, and has a wide angle perspective of what it takes personally as well as professionally to run a business or organization.  Her early education included the diverse interests of brain re-wiring, therapeutic massage, a...

Season 6 - Succeeding in business and life with Terry Beard - Season 6 Episode 64

Terry Beard is an entrepreneur with many years of experience building and leading successful ventures in retail, manufacturing, brick and mortar, and internet enterprises. Synopsis of his new Book: Squelched: Succeeding in Business and Life by Finding Your Voice Too many of us live with our inner voices reinforcing the feeling that we are "not good enough." Squelched is living testimony that we need not succumb to the negative messages life may serve up to thwart our aspirations and best...

Season 6 - Accelerating Revenue and Business with Lenora Edwards - Episode 63

Lenora Edwards is a business development consultant for entrepreneurs & executives. Her clients hire her to help them design, develop, and build their businesses--on their own terms. Her value-add is acceleration of the revenue-generating process. She is known for helping those of us with especially unique value propositions and many regard her as their “ad hoc business partner who never tries to take equity.” Her expertise spans retail, manufacturing, and professional services in both domes...

Season 6 - Spirit in Motion with Cycling Champion Maureen Manley - Episode 62

Maureen’s exceptionalism first came to international attention as a world class cyclist.  She had no preconceived limits on what she could accomplish as a member of the US Cycling Team.  She won a National Championship, set a national record, earned a silver and bronze medals at the national level.  She won a silver medal in the World Championships and had her eye on the 1992 Olympics.   At the height of her cycling career, her dreams came to an abrupt halt with the sudden onset of a colos...

Season 6 - First Impressions and People Packaging with Sylvie Di Giusto - Episode 61

“People Packaging is what I do" says Sylvie di Giusto who helps individuals and organizations to explore how people make up their minds very quickly about them, their leadership potential, or their company, and either open the door or slam it shut. Twenty years of corporate experience and her ability to empower people to influence the success of own career has led to her launching Executive Image Consulting, based in New York City. It’s where she uses her extensive corporate expertise as a ke...

Season 6 - How gender affects the way we communicate, identifying your IT factor with Nick McArthur - Episode 60

Nick McArthur is a dude with a wife, five kids, and an online business. He also happens to have spent much of his life living as a woman...even though deep down he always knew he was a man. When he embraced his identity and came out as transgender, he realized just how much gender affects the way we think, talk, and function. He now speaks from his experience on both sides of the gender coin, empowering both men and women to live authentically and powerfully no matter what their gender might...

Season 6 - Redesigning your Inner Space with Paul Sokolski - Episode 59

Paul Sokolski, founder of Redesign Your Inner Space, is a visionary leader, and has a passion to truly help change the way the world sees what's possible.   Paul speaks worldwide and focuses on helping people live with total abundance. Paul brings a unique approach to his performance catalyst company, and how he coaches individuals from a background of over 25 years in business and a personal journey that fuses authenticity, love and forgiveness, to create a space of peace for the individu...

Season 6 - A story about commitment and retiring young with Galina Lipina - Episode 58

Galina Lipina, is a coach at "Turning Point"and she specializes in supporting successful professionals who want more in life, who are ready to uplevel. She has been though a few transitions in life (moved to US all by herself at the age of 24 , transitioned from a job to being a consultant to then retiring at the age of 33)  She supports her clients with: Clarity. Defining the next goal. Fulfillment. I will help you get clarity on your fulfillment and make sure it is integrated into y...

Season 6 - Transform yourself, your relationships, and your world with Ryel Kestano- Episode 57

Ryel is the lead designer of ART's curriculum, and runs operations. Prior to co-founding ART International, Ryel oversaw all training operations at the Integral Center in Boulder, a world-renowned leader in transformational workshops. He has been a course leader, course supervisor, facilitator and coach since his own transformation several years ago. Ryel is also the co-founder and visionary behind Virtuance, one of the largest providers of real estate photography in the world, and the co-fo...

Season 6 - Hacking the Gap with Greg Voisen - Episode 56

Greg Voisen, creator and host of Inside Personal Growth, is an author, creative consultant and thought leader in the human potential movement. Inside Personal Growth was born out of Greg’s passion for personal growth and mastery. He continually strives to improve his own life – spiritually, emotionally and physically – as he learns from the hundreds of authors interviewed on this website. Greg’s professional journey began with a career in insurance sales and financial planning, during whic...

Season 6 - Wisdom of Friends Intro

“You do not need to leave your room. Remain sitting at your table and listen. Do not even listen, simply wait, be quiet, still and solitary. The world will freely offer itself to you to be unmasked, it has no choice, it will roll in ecstasy at your feet.” - Franz Kafka Dear Friends,  I am Kal Aras and I want to welcome you to the Season 6 of Wisdom of Friends Some of you may wonder - What is Wisdom of Friends? Well - Wisdom of Friends- is a talk show distributed as a podcast where I ...

Season 5 - From communication chaos to profit, performance and productivity- Episode 54

Lisa, founder of Lisa Copeland Communications, is a communication specialist with 25+ years of corporate speaking experience. While maintaining her corporate position, she also leads business teams with radically different perspectives to synergy via customized communication and enhanced understanding of the workplace dynamics. As a business consultant, workshop facilitator, corporate coach / educator and highly skilled dental hygienist, Lisa’s dynamic presentation style motivates her audi...

Season 5 - Your Communication Connection with Jan McLaughlin - Episode 52

Jan M. McLaughlin, CSP works with professionals who want to positively influence the responses they receive.  Jan had been a teacher, retail manager and actress in television commercials when she established the image consulting firm, J'Ambry.  Referred to in the Seattle Times as a "pioneer in the image industry" and "the most frequently-quoted image professional in the Northwest," she was a popular guest on television and radio and in demand as a speaker.  At the urging of clients, she expa...

Season 5 - Don't just Wow the crowd, change them with Tamsen Webster - Episode 51

Part "idea whisperer," part message strategist, and part presentation coach, Tamsen Webster helps people and organizations like Verizon, State Street Bank, Ericsson, Johnson & Johnson, and Disney find and communicate the power of their ideas. For four years, she was the Executive Producer of TEDxCambridge, one of the oldest and largest locally organized “TED talk” events in the world. In former lives, she worked in both agencies and at nonprofits heading up brand, marketing, and fundraising ...

Season 5 - Turning Your Knowledge, Experience and Expertise into Ongoing Streams of Cash - Peter Thomson - Episode 50

Peter Thomson is now regarded as the UK’s most prolific information product creator. Starting in business in 1972 he built 3 successful companies – selling the last to a public company, after only 5 years trading, for £4.2M enabling him to retire at age 42. Since that time Peter has concentrated on sharing his proven methods for business and personal success via audio and video programmes, books, seminars, conference speeches and mentoring programmes. Peter now specializes in helping coa...

Season 5 - Extraordinary Impact with Elisa Hays - Episode 49

Would you like extraordinary leadership at every level in your organization? Then you need to hear Elisa Hays’s astonishing story. After an 18-wheeler truck going 65 miles-per-hour hit her body, she was propelled 90 feet through the air and ultimately into the position she is in now as a speaker, consultant and executive coach empowering organizations, individuals and audiences internationally. With honesty, humor, and heart-wrenching stories Elisa reveals the simple but powerful truths she ...

Season 5 - The Reluctant Leader - Owning Your Responsibility with Ron Rael - Episode 48

Ron Rael, the CEO and founder of the High Road® Institute works with the everyday leader to become a person who leads with intention and impact. Ron is a vanguard on leadership topics. His 40+ years of business experience comes from working in two Fortune 500 companies, as well as from leading employee teams in closely held businesses. Ron’s has worked with Cabela’s, Costco, Starbucks, Microsoft, Bright Horizons, Moss Adams, Radio Shack, the U.S. Navy, and several northwest Universities. R...

Season 5 - Designing Global Learning Solutions with Eric Ellefsen - Episode 47

Eric Ellefsen is a learning & development leader focused on delivering evidence-based training solutions that build skills to meet business needs. Currently, he is a global learning design leader at EY (Ernst & Young), a “big 4” professional services firm, where he develops learning design processes and standards to ensure a high quality learner experience. Over the past 20 years, he has served in a variety of learning roles at Kaplan Education (higher education), ITT Corporation (manufactur...

Season 5 - Insights from this Two-Time World Championship Finalist with Katina Hunter - Episode 46

Katina Hunter has spoken all over to audiences spanning the generation spectrum & in front of people all over the world as one of the Top 10 Speakers in the World Championship of Public Speaking in both 2016 & again in 2017. Her theatrical background comes through in her boisterous presentations & motivational speeches.  Described as "Maverick!" with speeches that are "... for the history books," Katina is a masterful storyteller with a knack of revealing the special from within the simple...

Season 5 Intro - Compelling Speakers: The Art of Public Speaking - Episode 45

Hello Folks; Welcome to Season 5 of the Wisdom of Friends Show. I am your host Kal Aras. The theme for this season is an extension of Season 4 : Compelling Speakers – The Art of Public Speaking In this season, we are going to learn the tricks and trades of Public Speaking and Presence from some of the top notch speakers in the world.  I have tried to focus on an eclectic mix of speakers from the realm of business, arts, and spirituality. Each of these speakers has established their mark ...

Season 4 - Winning in Business and Baseball with Earl Bell - Episode 44

Earl Bell is an author, consultant and success coach/trainer for business owners and leaders.  His expertise comes from the world of business, where Earl was CFO for a $17 billion Registered Investment Advisory firm AND the world of youth sports where he coached 22 baseball and softball teams over 10 years.  Earl is the author of Winning in Baseball and Business, Transforming Little League Principles into Major League Profits for Your Company.  Show Notes:  Earl Bell - Linked In Profile ...

Season 4 - The Philosophy of Leadership with Toastmasters International President Balraj Arunasalam, DTM - Episode 43

Balraj Arunasalam, DTM, of Colombo, Western Province, Sri Lanka, is chairman/managing director of Gemtrans Engineering Company, a maker of industrial belts. Active in his community, he serves as President of the Iyyappan Temple management board, as Vice President of the Aarunadu Velalar Society of Sri Lanka, and is a member of both the local Chamber of Commerce and Rotary Club. In 2011, Arunasalam helped establish an English course for Rural Voices Unlimited, a project designed to educate ...