“Don’t discount what feels obvious to you—what’s obvious to you is magic to someone else.” Notable Moments 01:45 Dennis shares his Disney origin story and the leap into speaking 04:30 Why so many professionals undervalue their own expertise 09:10 The biggest challenges Dennis faced going out on his own 14:20 Building a speaking brand that isn’t all…

"There's good and bad to being a really nice guy, I guess. The good outweighs the bad, but sometimes when you're nice to everybody, some people can take advantage of it." Notable Moments 00:43 Unexpected Acts of Hospitality 03:37 The Unexpected Realities of Being a Park Ranger 07:11 Transition from Agency to Company 12:03 Escape Room Adventure High…

"You don't need to be the opposite of the rest of your category just for the sake of being different." Notable Moments 00:53 The Adventure Factory 05:10 Teamwork is Essential in Designing and Escaping Rooms 06:39 Accessible and Story-Driven Experiences 10:30 Revamping Escape Game Marketing 14:27 Developing Virtual Games During Pandemic 19:28 Guest …

"You absolutely have to understand why we're all here, who we're serving, what's the important role that we're serving in someone else's life, and then how we're connecting, communicating with each other." Fresh off his second mastermind experience with us, David Hancock, founder of Morgan James Publishing, shares why he returned and how these even…

"We would go to an event and the speakers are the heroes of the event. All the attendees are in the shadows. We wondered what would happen if we make the attendees the heroes." Notable Moments 00:37 Hallway Magic at Professional Events 05:45 The Unconference Experience 09:00 Opportunities for Feedback-Driven Improvements 11:55 Relentless Pursuit of…

"If you take an opportunity and it doesn't work out, you can always go back and find that next window that's going to open and you do something different." Notable Moments 01:11 Embracing Risks and Opportunity 02:24 Mentor and Role Model Growing Up 05:13 Memorable Guest Service Excellence 09:40 Purpose of Luxury Experiences Barry Jacobson is a seas…

"Luxury means that I'm going to have this innate ability to have intuitive service radar. It's going to allow me to understand you as an individual and to be able to ensure that your needs are met no matter who you are." When most people hear the word luxury they think about dollar signs or exclusivity. For Barry Jacobson, luxury is about creating …

"I have a show that I've had in mind for a couple of years, and I wouldn't say I'm too scared to pursue it. I just look at it and say, okay. I'd have a good time with that, but it would take a lot of work." One of the benefits of audio storytelling isn't just in the words we share; it's in the experiences we create. Recently, I welcomed back Rick A…

"Having a relationship based culture is going to beat everything else you try to do when it comes to guests." The magic of Disney isn’t just in the attractions; it’s in the people. That’s at the heart of my conversation with Rick Allen, a Disney veteran of 43 years. Rick has seen firsthand how relationships shape the culture of an organization. Rea…

"Have other people around you that have different points of view, or related points of view with different perspectives. I think that benefits a lot of people." Isn't it funny how those unplanned "hallway conversations" drive creativity and collaboration? Bob Weis, retired president of Walt Disney Imagineering, returns to share how our unexpected c…

"If you want to invent an innovative future, first, you have to start where you are." Ever wonder what a crow named Bernice has to do with innovation? Bob Allen returns to share more from his fascinating journey from executive leadership with Disney to his latest venture, Zenovation. Our conversation highlights how blending personal passions can le…

"You have to push through that first fear barrier because it's one of those universal themes in storytelling, the fear of failure." The spark of a great story can come from the most unexpected places. In my recent conversation with Matthew Luhn, an accomplished storyteller and former Disney/Pixar creative, we talk about the magic of universal theme…

"If you go through the process of doing the research and showing up prepared with questions, you may never get to ask any of those questions. And I say it doesn't matter. The fact that you were prepared with questions will make the conversation that much better." Preparation is key to an unforgettable conversation. This was front and center of my m…

"When you open this mailbox to put a letter in, do you think it squeaks or it doesn't squeak? And I said, oh, it probably doesn't squeak. And he said, but if you were on Main Street in small town, Missouri, would it squeak? I said probably." Bob Weis, retired President of Walt Disney Imagineering and author of "Dream Chasing," returns to turn the t…

“We endeavor to make those worlds authentic by doing great research and make them kind of a pushed reality of what it might be to be there. To not have any contradictions. To make it as authentic and real as we can so that it's telling the story you want to tell." Few people have had a hand in shaping the magic of Disney parks and experiences like …

"This industry doesn't work unless you have repeat visitation as a part of your of your revenue model." Connect Theron Skees CreatingMemorableWorlds.com Order the Book – Creating Memorable Worlds Theron Skees Connect with Jody www.jodymaberry.com About Jody - https://jodymaberry.com/about-jody-maberry/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sugarjma…

"The idea of the alter ego can be really powerful to help you plus up so that you can genuinely connect and help." Recently a wonderful guest and friend, Lauren Gaggioli, launched a new podcast called the Digital Entrepreneur's Toolkit Podcast. After having her on the show a couple of times, I was honored to be one of the first guests on her new sh…

Eric Gray, the founder of Maverick Content Studio, returns to ask me a few unscripted, unexpected questions. His first one got right to the point: “What’s a surprising thing you learned about Disney executives? There challenges many of us face in staying relevant, both in our personal and professional lives. The surprising yet relatable journey the…

"Create interesting valuable content and invite people in to participate. That's the community side that will build an audience. And when you build an audience you can do anything because they know, like, and trust you. Leaving a "dream job" for the unknown can be daunting, but it can also be the most fulfilling decision you'll ever make. When Eric…

"How do you untangle a really hard knot? Just a little bit at a time." Notable Moments 00:40 Liz's success on the show Survivor. 04:20 Looking to revitalize an existing email list. 08:08 Reintroduce podcast, set expectations, communicate updates. 13:01 Repurpose relevant podcast stories to content shared nationwide. 16:40 Include personal stories/p…

"Spend more time asking and listening than you do talking and telling stories. There are times where stories are the right thing to do, and telling them will help you build a better relationship." Connect with Jody www.jodymaberry.com About Jody - https://jodymaberry.com/about-jody-maberry/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sugarjmaberry Linked…

"Do your best and forgive yourself. I don't know if there is any better advice than that." Notable Moments 01:03 Staying Positive in Challenging times 02:45 Best Advice Ever Received 05:12 What Will They Say When You Get to Heaven 08:18 Reasons for Favoring The Lion King 12:08 Joy in Disney Broadway Musicals Order Michael's Books: Michael offers si…

"Treat writing a book like a road trip. Have a starting point and destination, but be ready for detours. Who knows? Your side journey might just be the chapter you need. Notable Moments 03:10 The Golden Age of Animation in the 90s 06:12 From Freelance to Disney and Back Again 08:12 Writing Tips Related to a Road Trip 14:50 Staying Productive While …

"It is a very helpful thing to have a singular person in mind that you are reading to. In the same way that your copy will be more resonant when you write it for that." Connect with Lauren https://laurengaggioli.com/ Connect with Jody www.jodymaberry.com About Jody - https://jodymaberry.com/about-jody-maberry/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/…