Unconventional Life – Podcast, Blog, Live Events

Category: Relationships

Aligning Your Values With Your Work: Creating Social Change Through Entrepreneurism

In a world plagued by climate change, food and water shortages, surging populations, and social injustice, we can no longer afford business as usual.

The damaging business models of the past, which prioritized short-term gains and growth at the expense of sustainability, are coming to an end—and consumers are making sure of it.

A recent study published in Fox Business showed that more than 90% of consumers are likely to switch to brands that support a good cause, and boycott companies that engage in irresponsible business practices.

In today’s Information Age, the veil behind corporate operations has lifted. “Information about a given company’s environmental record and labor practices is readily available—and readily tweeted and retweeted. Companies must pay careful attention to what their customers do and say,” says TIME.

On all fronts, companies are being held accountable to a higher level of social responsibility. So what does this mean for the future of business?

One millennial put it quite simply when she quit her job that didn’t measure up to her standards of integrity: businesses stuck in the past are getting left behind.

Meet Lauren Andrews, CEO of The Foundation, an online program that teaches entrepreneurs how to start a business, even if they have “no idea, no special skills, or limited cash to get started.” Andrews says The Foundation is part of the next generation of businesses that are leading with social change.

I spoke with Andrews about how entrepreneurs can make business a force for good on this week’s episode of Unconventional Life, “Why Starting A Business Is The Fastest Route For Social Change.”

Sometimes, the call to action can arrive in unexpected ways. In 2014, Andrews was on track to get a Ph.D. and in need of new a job after her former one, working second in command at a nonprofit, displayed a lack of alignment with her personal values.

Her search led her to Craigslist, where she found an unusual job posting. “I came across the most sketchy Craigslist ad you’ve ever seen,” Andrews says. “For whatever reason I applied… and within 5 minutes I had Andy’s credit card information and his keys and was hired as his personal assistant.”

Andrews is referring to Andy Drish, a cofounder of The Foundation alongside Dane Maxwell. Maxwell launched The Foundation from his parents’ garage with $123 to his name, with the company four years later generating revenue in the millions.

Little did Andrews know, but the opportunity would actually prove to be her calling to something much, much greater.

In just two years, Andrews plowed through the ranks of personal assistant, human resourcer, event planner, financier… all the way up to CEO. She says she was driven by The Foundation’s commitment to make a difference in the world by empowering people to create meaningful businesses.

“I very quickly saw that what The Foundation was doing and what so many millennial entrepreneur businesses are doing is that they’re creating social change. They’re able to create good in the world. Entrepreneurialism is what I believe to be the most effective and expedited source and venue for social change,” Andrews remarks.

What does it take for a business to become a force for positive change? Below, Andrews shares the best of The Foundation’s principles that you can apply to your business or startup today.

1. Act in community. Assembling a motivated team that shares your company’s values is key. You should be able to trust and depend on the people you work with, not just to build a company but to build each other. “When entrepreneurs come together we’re able to make a huge difference in the world,” Andrews says. Consider organizing team-building events to foster cohesion and community in your workplace.

2. Create a culture of freedom. The best employees don’t need to be micromanaged; they thrive in environments that encourage them to come up with creative solutions and contribute their unique voice. Equally important is the freedom to design a lifestyle around work that inspires employees to put forth their best effort. Andrews says “having the kind of freedom in your life where you have total control and don’t have to go into work for 8 hours to do only 4 hours of work” was key to her commitment to The Foundation’s success.

3. Host events that matter. Making events a signature part of your business is a way to gain massive exposure and stand out from the crowd, all while bringing people together and providing value. Enlist influential people as speakers, facilitate live breakthroughs, and gather at a destination location for a truly unforgettable experience. The Foundation has been hosting live events annually since 2012 that have since grown to be a trademark of the company, attracting hundreds of new and veteran entrepreneurs from around the world. Check out their upcoming event in Las Vegas, “The Foundation Experience,” to see what goes into creating a world-class event.

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March 1, 2018
The Art Of Instagram: 5 Tips To Build A Powerful Brand And Following

A picture was once worth a thousand words, but now it may be worth a thousand followers, thanks to the photo-sharing app Instagram, which Facebook acquired for $1 billion.

The social media platform allows users to archive their photos to the effect of digital storyboards that others can engage with through likes, comments, and follows.

According to The Independent, “followers represent social capital, which has an influence on monetary capital.” In other words, having a popular Instagram account can translate into status and cash.

But with over 500 million monthly active users on Instagram, how are you supposed to stand out?

If you’re like most and have been trying to gain followers with no success (the average account has 150 followers), here to help is Instagram consultant Crystal Schreiner, a brand mentor with and founder of the company Beauty Everywhere, which teaches people “how to become a walking media company.”

Schreiner shares her recipe for impact on Instagram on this week’s episode of Unconventional Life, “Instagram 101: How To Build A Profitable Profile.”

Schreiner’s expertise stems from her work with Hollywood music video directors and New York runway photographers.

She landed her first internship shooting for a former Vogue editor while studying advertising in college. “I knew I wanted to go to New York, so I emailed hundreds of fashion editors. Vogue’s former editor replied, and I asked to shoot at fashion week… She said yes,” Schreiner recalls.

In Hollywood, Schreiner learned how stars were created on camera by “creating a storyline through visual elements in the videos.” The experience would prove invaluable for her Instagram career later on, where imagery and video are the building blocks of a personal brand.

“Every brand needs a personality — a brand is human, is a person,” Schreiner says. “I teach people how to break down their story into pictures like a visual story board. Every single picture tells part of a story and the story creates a personality that’s entertaining.”

It’s through the tactful weaving of aesthetics, design, vision, and story, that Schreiner is able to create profiles that stand out… and cash in.

When an Instagram account has a significant amount of followers, it can become a powerful source of revenue. Some of the most common ways to monetize an account include obtaining sponsorships with advertising companies, selling top-liked photos, and referring traffic to your personal brand.

Below, Schreiner shares her best tips for building a successful Instagram account, whether you’re starting from scratch or are improving on an existing profile.

1. Showcase your signature style.Having a unique look that allows others to recognize you is essential. Your visual appearance is the first aspect of your profile that others notice, so what do you want your outfit, your stance, and your attitude to say about you? It’s important to construct a style that reflects your personality and develop it through each of your photos. If you’re feeling stuck, finding inspiration from others you admire is a great place to start.

2. Tell your story. Your story is the personal element of your profile that tells your followers who you are and what you stand for. You’ll want to be real and relatable, because that’s what people connect to most. Plus-sized model Iskra Lawrence is a particularly great example of this: she shares her story candidly and openly to her 2.3 million followers. Schreiner says, “you can think of Instagram like a narrative as if you’re writing the story of your life… think about how each picture adds to the last.

3. Engage with your followers. Connect to your followers by responding to their comments, thanking them, and leaving notes on their photos. If someone is particularly active on your page, you might consider following them back. It can be difficult to keep up with so many notifications, but making an effort to engage with at least a few people each day makes a massive difference and makes your followers feel like they know you and you care.

4. Market yourself. Identify who your target audience is and find out how you can connect with them. Searching hashtags related to your niche is a great way to find users who might be interested in your content. Find out who these users follow, and consider reaching out to them if they’re on the same mission as you — collaboration can help you cross-promote and get more exposure. Finally, caption your photos with popular hashtags to help people in your community find you.

5. Be consistent. “If you want momentum, you have to post every single day. You need to be seen and be putting yourself out there,” Schreiner advises. You should be posting to Instagram at least once daily, and posting three times a day can help you grow even faster.

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March 1, 2018
How To Leverage And Embrace Your Story, From One Author Who Did It

Most of the developed world is downright addicted to technology. Studies reveal we spend an average 11 hours per day consuming electronic media and check our smartphones up to 85 times daily.

With the majority Americans depending so heavily on technology, it’s difficult to imagine turning off all modern conveniences for even a day. But for over 300,000 people in the US, it’s a way of life.

You’ve probably heard of the Amish community. To the modern ear, it sounds unbelievable — a community that often lives without electricity, internet, cell phones, cars, or running hot water?

According to one woman, that was her experience for over a decade. Meet Torah Bontrager, a modern-day Manhattanite who grew up in an Amish settlement in Michigan and escaped at the age of 15.

Since then, she’s appeared on major media entities like ABC 20/20, MTV True Life, and The Blog of Tim Ferriss, and has gone on to write a memoir.

This week, Bontrager shares her compelling story on Unconventional Life: “From Amish-Escapee To Author: How To Powerfully Leverage Your Personal Story.”

Born and raised Amish, a simpler life was all Bontrager knew for years. In a typical day, she “would get up at 6 o’clock in the morning, eat breakfast, do the chores, milk the goats by hand, head off to the 1-room Amish schoolhouse in a horse and buggy for 1st through 8th grade, come home, work until sunset, eat dinner, go to sleep and do the whole thing again.”

Although Amish life may sound quaint or peaceful, Bontrager says it was anything but. She recalls feeling isolated from the outside world, disappointed her education would only carry her to 8th grade, and frustrated she was forbidden from expressing emotions like anger and sadness.

“The day that I graduated 8th grade, that was a sad day for me,” Bontrager says. “That fall, when school started again and I saw my younger brothers and sisters taking off in the horse and buggy down the road I cried… but of course I couldn’t show my mother my tears or that would be considered a sign of rebellion.”

Bontrager always knew she was destined for more. She loved learning and would read any book she could get her hands on. It was through her reading of titles like “Pippy Longstocking,” “The Secret Garden,” and “The Boxcar Children,” where she gradually found the confidence to overcome her circumstances and create a better life for herself.

“These stories all showed children who didn’t have loving adults to care for them, and they struck out on their own, and they survived, and that’s how I knew that I would be ok, that I could leave as a child,” Bontrager says.

Bontrager began planning her escape at age 11, contacting her non-Amish uncle through the community’s phone shed late at night. It took four years for her to finally secure a way out, when her uncle picked her up late one night and the two returned to his home in Montana.

For Bontrager, telling her story has been the greatest force for personal healing. Her message seeks to inspire others to be vocal about their own life experiences and create a culture of empowerment.

Since speaking out, her story has inspired thousands and is about to be published in her upcoming book, “An Amish Girl In Manhattan,” this Fall 2016.

If you’re on the fence about telling your own story, Bontrager recommends you first find others who have shared their stories — read their testimonies, follow their blogs, and learn from them.

“It’s hard to speak the truth when you’re the only one,” Bontrager says, but surrounding yourself with others can help you to find your own voice.

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March 1, 2018
5 Ways To Profit From Growing Your Personal Network

Over the last five years, my Dad has watched me attend one conference after another. New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Costa Rica, Mexico, Chicago, and Philadelphia, just to name a few. I have spent thousands of dollars on travel, event tickets, and important dinners to meet with and learn from influential industry leaders. And no matter how excited I am about what I learned, or who I met, my Dad always asks me the same question: “How is that going to translate into cash?”

Every time he says it, I could almost shake him. How does he not get it? How does he not see the value of these relationships? Even though it seems obvious to me, I know my Dad is not alone in his thinking. Historically, the path to cash has been very linear. Each person or relationship is seen like a transaction, serving a very distinct and clear purpose. Today, however, we are living in a relationship economy.

Ted Rubin, an industry leader in social marketing strategy and brand evangelism, calls this currency “Return On Relationship” (ROR). “ROR is the value that is accrued by a person or brand due to nurturing a relationship, whereas ROI is simple dollars and cents. ROR is the value (both perceived and real) that will accrue over time through loyalty, recommendations and sharing.”

Growing and building a network of relationships is essential, which is why Network Under 40’s founder, Darrah Brustein, has built a lifestyle and company out of connecting people.

I recently caught up with Darrah on this week’s podcast episode where she shares how to turn connections into cash.

Darrah says, “I can track most things that have happened in my life — both personally and professionally — back to a relationship I’ve had with someone. Once I met a man at a networking event and he asked to interview me on his podcast about my kids books. Several months later, he randomly wrote about Network Under 40 in Inc. Magazine which generated global interest that facilitated our expansion. You never know how you can help someone, as well as the power of their connections and influence.”

Darrah is on a mission to redefine the way people think about the word “networking.” In her opinion, “networking has become synonymous with selfishness, when at its root, I believe it’s about selflessness.”

To thrive in this relationship economy you have to be willing to give more value upfront than you are trying to receive. That is why the best time to cultivate relationships is when you have nothing to take–only something to offer–so that when your time comes to ask, you don’t appear self-serving. Some of the best business returns end up being the most random and you never know which connections will cash in at which time.

Want to know how to get rich from your network? Follow these 5 principles to abide by:

People are Human Beings. Look at each person beyond their perceived transactional value. See them for who they are, the interests they have, the types of things they like and speak to that. Ask them about their kids, where they want to travel, or a favorite movie they saw recently, get personal!
Be Authentic. Cultivate relationships with those with whom you naturally connect — with no self-serving agenda. Don’t be afraid to be yourself, you will find people want to help you more when they get to know the real you.

Figure Out How To Add Value. The more value you can add the higher your social currency becomes. Listen to what people need and help be the one to connect the dots for them. Every person is missing a “piece” to their puzzle, figure out the piece and when you need something you won’t be forgotten.
Keep In Touch. Always send a LinkedIn invitation with a personalized note after you’ve met someone or an email. This is a simple way to keep track of their latest job updates, birthday and other important things they might share. You can also add them on Facebook or social media so when they post something you can easily “like” it and remain a presence in their life.
Get Clear On Your Goals. When you are clear on what you need or the “pieces” you are looking for people can know how to contribute to you. Without having this clarity most people will not know how to help you. You will be surprised by how many people are willing and are just looking to you for the next step.
If you want to win a free copy of Darrah’s book “Finance Whiz Kids” subscribe to the podcast here then enter to win by following this link. Darrah has made this offer exclusively to Unconventional Life readers and listeners.

February 28, 2018
Millennials And Their Kids: Why They’re Choosing DIY Education

For millennials the conversation around raising kids is not too far off in the distant future. For many that reality is already here with over 50% already becoming parents. Unlike our parents’ generation where the procedure was get married, buy a house, and then have kids, millennials are doing things a little bit differently.

Take it from Jared Angaza who became the guardian of a 10-year-old Rwandan boy at the age of 27. He’d been studying in Africa for most of his life, and when he noticed a young boy selling peanuts outside of his office, he fell in love.

“Somebody asked me how this happened and my immediate response was I just kept saying yes,” Angaza jokes.

Angaza is the founder of Slapshot Studio, a creative branding agency that builds custom websites and developmental strategies for ambitious leaders. He’s also a philanthropist who has consulted an extensive list of human rights organizations, including the American Indian Movement, Keep a Child Alive, Genocide Intervention Fund, and USAID, as well as the US, Nigerian, Rwandan, and Kenyan governments.

Angaza is one of a growing number of millennials who are approaching the milestones of growing up nontraditionally. Increasingly, millennial parents are turning to alternative education options with 77% saying they are in support of DIY education, wherein learners craft a path to fit their needs.

This week on the Unconventional Life Podcast, Angaza shares about why he is choosing DIY education for his own kids, and why it’s a viable option for millennial parents.

Below, discover why nontraditional schooling might be right for you and your current or future family.

DIY Education Teaches Relevant Skills For An Evolving Job Market

Millennials have been dubbed the “true entrepreneur generation,” with career success looking much differently today than it did in the past. Today’s rapidly evolving job market requires millennials to be more adaptable, independent, and entrepreneurial than earlier generations.

Tomorrow’s technology will undoubtedly give rise to job titles that don’t exist yet, as we saw with social media spawning a generation of digital influencers. Which begs the question—is traditional schooling preparing our kids for the career outcomes they desire?

67% of millennials say their goals include starting a business, while only 13% say they want to climb the corporate ladder.

Bjorn Leonards, a millennial entrepreneur and alternative education enthusiast, says, “I realized that 99% of what I had “learned” in school was absolutely irrelevant for what I’m doing now. Reading, a bit of writing and basic math is really all I am using. And it can be learned very quick. We let ourselves be led by excitement and joy. I have no intention to withhold this way of inner guidance from my children.”

DIY Education Teaches Dynamic Learning

More and more millennials are recognizing that the model of being tested on information that you have been taught to memorize does not equal learning. Not every individual learns the same which is why the online course industry has grown to $255B this year.

There are infinite more options available for all learning styles online and personalization on the path to learning is one of the most key factors.

DIY Suits A Mobile Lifestyle

According to the US Census Bureau, millennials made up 43% of all movers in recent years. Nearly half qualify as “vacation movers,” meaning they’re moving to new cities without the intention of staying there long-term. Often, they’re drawn to neighborhoods with lower rents, direct access to big cities, and trendy atmospheres, including Oakland, Brooklyn, Austin, and LA.

The rising trend of the digital nomad is undoubtedly making mobility more accessible, with the number of telecommuters increasing 115% in the past decade.

With more millennials pursuing a dynamic lifestyle, traditional schooling is becoming a less viable option. Settling down in one place may have appealed to our parents, but for millennials, traveling is a high priority. Angaza has personally worked in remote locations around the world, from South Africa to Costa Rica and soon to be Kauai.

DIY Education Allows For More Connection

The average family today spends just 49 minutes together. Between the time demands of work and school, what’s left over isn’t a whole lot of quality time. More than one in five children complain they don’t get enough time with either of their parents.

With the average teen spending nine hours a day consuming media, and with ten times as many children and teens obese today compared with forty years ago, it could be that parents just aren’t actively involved enough in their kids’ lives.

Angaza says homeschooling his kids has allowed him to connect with them and foster a strong familial bond. “I’m a skywatcher—I sit outside with my daughter and we watch the stars and planets together and that’s very aligning for me,” he remarks.

Studies show homeschooled kids are happier, healthier, and perform better academically and socially than their traditionally-schooled counterparts.

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November 9, 2017