Carolyn Gable's Blog

Sunday, June 8th: Tune in for Tanya Marchiol!

Tanya Marchiol is President and Founder of Team Investments, an investment firm providing real estate investment opportunities for professional athletes and other qualified investors.  A former professional volleyball player, Ms. Marchiol has nearly ten years of professional experience, with expertise in real estate and various entrepreneurial endeavors.

 

Team Investments specializes in creating solid investments for professional athletes interested in diversifying their portfolios and sustaining their income during and after retirement.  They not only help identify lucrative opportunities but also educate on the process of creating and sustaining wealth through proper investing.  The firm offers its clients a variety of investment activities within real estate markets nationwide.  Clients include seasoned athletes and other qualified investors from the NFL, NHL, NBA and Major League Baseball. 

In addition to her real estate endeavors, Ms. Marchiol diversifies her portfolio by investing in and often managing various new business ventures.  Growing up in a family of entrepreneurs, she is well-versed in the ins-and-outs of new business and small business development. 

Her dedication to the community goes beyond new business growth.  She is involved in fundraising for multiple charities and has hosted Arizona Cardinals Charity events.  Ms. Marchiol was recently recognized by the National Republican Congressional Committee Business Advisory Board as the 2006 Business Woman of the Year presented by President Bush.   

 

Ms. Marchiol holds a BA in Telecommunications and Italian from Indiana University,

and three letters as an outside hitter while at IU from 1992-1994.

As she continues to grow her business in 2007, Tanya has been retained by several 2007 NFL Draft picks.

Sunday, May 25th- Dr. Joseph Siegler

Dr. Joe is the Founder and President of Full Life^®, a coaching organization founded in 1999, and now the nation’s first coaching center, located in Lincoln Park Chicago.  He has lived in Chicago for almost twenty years.

Almost 10 years ago, against the advice of his physician colleagues, armed with small business loans and personal savings, he left his prestigious corporate post to found Full Life, a ground-breaking coaching center in Lincoln Park specializing in coaching individuals and organizations to greatness.   Suddenly, now, coaching is of interest to just about everyone, there are television shows and everyone wants a coach.

For years he noticed that talented normal people have no place to go to work on their lives without being stigmatized and diagnosed with mental illness by the therapy fields.  Therefore, today his mission is to create an environment for talented and motivated people to actively design the next-phase of their lives or careers in a new physical space designed specifically for coaching located at 2750 Racine Avenue at Diversey.

Sunday, May 18: This week's guest is Mike Harris

Mike Harris, 47, is a proven and prolific entrepreneur. He has been involved in two business success stories where the venture capital firms that funded his companies earned more than $300 million on invested capital of $9 million. Mike has significant experience in starting and building professional and technical services firms and he also helps companies of any kind to plan and execute growth strategies. The hallmarks of his companies are a very strong emphasis on client service and delivery of the best value proposition (high quality services at fair rates) among his competitors. Harris believes that integrating the values of a company into the daily sales and delivery process is critical for success, especially in the services business.

Harris is best known as the founder of Jefferson Wells (www.jeffersonwells.com) in November 1995 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Under his leadership as Chairman and CEO, the firm grew organically to 1,600 employees, 26 offices and annual sales of $131 million in just five years. Jefferson Wells has become a widely respected alternative to the Big 4 firms for a range of financial services. Jefferson Wells was sold in July 2001 to Manpower International for $174 million in cash. The Inc. Magazine, ranked Jefferson Wells as number five of the 500 fastest-growing private companies in America for 2001.

Exciting News! CNBC Appearance On the Big Idea- May 14, 2008

What a thrill the last 72 hours have been!  On Tuesday, we received a call from the CNBC Studios in New York with an invitation to appear on “The BIG Idea” with Donny Deutsch!  Twenty-four hours later, I found myself on an airplane, headed for the “Big Apple”.  Yesterday was a flurry of activity with the hair and make-up session, pre-taping interview, and then the taping itself.  By Wednesday night, I was on a plane back to Chicagoand arrived home just in time to watch the program at 9:00pm!

I loved being on the show, but the best part was meeting so many wonderful people in the process.  I owe a special thanks to Cynthia Good, co-founder of PINK Magazine who interviewed me for an article in the May/June issue and suggested me for this TV appearance.  I enjoyed sharing the stage with Dawn Stokes, founder of The Texas Driving Experience and wish her all the future success with her business.

I’m back at work today, still buzzing from the experience and convinced, more than ever, that this is just the beginning!

Tune in Sunday, May 11th: Steven M.R. Covey

Stephen M. R. Covey is co-founder and CEO of CoveyLink Worldwide. A sought-after and compelling keynote speaker and advisor on trust, leadership, ethics, and high performance, he speaks to audiences around the world. He is the author of The SPEED of Trust, a groundbreaking and paradigm-shifting book that challenges our age-old assumption that trust is merely a soft, social virtue and instead demonstrates that trust is a hard-edged, economic driver—a learnable and measurable skill that makes organizations more profitable, people more promotable, and relationships more energizing. He advocates that nothing is as fast as the speed of trust and that the ability to establish, grow, extend, and restore trust with all stakeholders is the critical leadership competency of the new global economy. Covey passionately delivers that message and is dedicated to enabling individuals and organizations to reap the dividends of high trust. Audiences and organizations alike resonate with his informed, practical approach to real-time issues that affect their immediate and long-term performance.

He is the former CEO of Covey Leadership Center, which, under his stewardship, became the largest leadership development company in the world. Covey personally led the strategy that propelled his father’s book, Dr. Stephen R. Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, to one of the two most influential business books of the 20th Century, according to CEO Magazine. A Harvard MBA, he joined CoveyLeadership Centeras a Client Developer and later became National Sales Manager and then President & CEO. Under Covey’s direction, the company grew rapidly and profitably, achieving Inc. 500 status. As President & CEO, he nearly doubled revenues to over $110 million while increasing profits by 12 times. During that period, both customer and employee trust reached new highs and the company expanded throughout the world into over 40 countries. This greatly increased the value of the brand and company. The company was valued at only $2.4 million when Covey was named CEO, and, within three years, he grew shareholder value to $160 million in a merger he orchestrated with then Franklin Quest to form FranklinCovey.

Covey currently serves on the board/advisory board of several entities, including the Human Performance Institute—the leader in energy management technology—where he serves as Advisory Board Chairman.

This Week's Guest- Sunday, May 4th: Phyllis Lockett

Phyllis Lockett is a civic leader who has leveraged her passion for community service and business background to make a difference.  A native of Chicago’s south side, Ms. Lockett has been the “behind-the-scenes” strategist on major policy initiatives in education reform, public housing, transportation, and youth services.

Ms. Lockett is currently the President and CEO of The Renaissance Schools Fund (RSF).  RSF is a public-private partnership that guides the selection, start-up capital investment and accountability for an urban education initiative that will create 100 new schools in underserved communities throughout Chicago.  Renaissance 2010 was launched by Mayor Richard M. Daley, the Chicago Public Schools district and the Chicago business community in 2004.  Ms. Lockett designed and launched the Renaissance Schools Fund, which now has assets of more than $42 million.  She oversees the strategy, policy, fundraising and research for the initiative.

Ms. Lockett is the former Executive Director of the Civic Consulting Alliance (CCA).  CCA is a pro bono consulting firm sponsored by the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago that leads strategic planning initiatives, process improvement and program development projects for government agencies. In this role, Ms. Lockett developed and managed partnerships with top Chicagocorporations to deliver more than $5 million in pro bono consulting services annually.  In a unique approach that was the first of its kind, she established The Chicago Consulting Council, comprised of the leading consulting firms in the country, to help bring private sector solutions to city government.

Ms. Lockett has played an instrumental role in some of the largest initiatives for the City of Chicago, Chicago Public Schools and Chicago Housing Authority.  These projects include:

• The organization and program management approach for the Chicago Transit Authority’s $2.8 billion capital improvement program
• Re- organization of the management structure, resident relocation, capital construction, asset management and economic development strategies to support the Chicago Housing Authority’s 10-year, $1.5 billion Plan for Transformation
• The City-wide youth program consolidation that resulted in the establishment of the City of Chicago’s Children and Youth Services Department 
• The CPS Human Capital strategic plan to improve recruitment, induction, professional development and evaluation of teachers and principals

Prior to CCA, Ms. Lockett  led a community redevelopment effort on the near South Side that led to the building of a new elementary school and community center, the commercial redevelopment plan for 21st -26th & State Street and the Near South Job Training Center, which placed over 200 Chicago Housing Authority residents in jobs.

Ms. Lockett has over ten years of marketing, sales and business development experience with premier companies including IBM, Kraft Foods and General Mills.  She serves as a member of the City Year Chicago Board of Directors, the Irving B. Harris Public Policy School Visiting Committee at the University of Chicago, the Economic Club of Chicago Membership Committee and The Chicago Network.  She is currently a Henry Crown Fellow with the Aspen Institute. Ms. Lockett holds a Master of Management degree from the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University, with a concentration in Marketing.  She also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering from Purdue University.

Coming Up... Friday, May 9th: Wings Fundraiser

Next Friday I will be speaking at a truly inspirational event...A Safe Place to Dream: A Shower for WINGS Emergency Shelter. WINGS, Women In Need Growing Stronger, is a non-profit organization that provides critical, life-saving services to victims of domestic violence and their families.  The shower is a huge fundraiser for the WINGS Safe House, the only emergency domestic violence shelter in Chicago's Northwest Suburbs.  Guests are invited to purchase items from a "wedding style" registry of items needed for the shelter.  You can buy meals for women and children, services for the upkeep of the house, or sponsor nights of shelter...the choice is yours!  In addition to giving back in a unique way, guests will also be treated to mimosas and a fabulous lunch!  Raffle baskets and giveaways include a 7 day vacation anywhere around the world!!! The more you spend the better your chance to win.

Join me on May 9th at the Inverness Country Club for a truly fantastic event, sponsor a table and bring some friends.  You can register at www.wingsprogram.com.

Additional Facts:

In 2006-2007 WINGS Safe House provided 7,706 nights of shelter to more than 200 women and children.

In addition to the Safe House, WINGS operates 5 shared living homes and 20 apartments
in Chicago, Chicago’s north and northwest suburban Cook County and portions of Lake County in Barrington.

In addition to housing, WINGS provides an integrated line of services including career assistance, mentoring, counseling, and educational development options.

Sunday, April 27 Radio Guest: Dr. Billie Blair

Dr. Billie Blair, Author of "All the Moving Parts"

Dr. Billie Blair heads the organizational development firm, Leading and Learning, Inc., a firm of 30 business, education and health care professionals who have expertise in management practices and change associations in organizations and corporations.

Dr. Blair has a doctorate in organizational psychology and has worked with executives and CEOs for the past 25 years to institute strategic planning processes, manage organizational change, assess employees for growth potential, and lead processes of change within their businesses and institutions, including serving as a professor of management/leadership and as a college dean in California's largest public university system.

In offering the services of Leading and Learning, Inc. to leaders who appreciate the need for continuous learning in their organizations, Dr. Blair states that her firm "works with executives in organizations to finalize strategic goals and to help these leaders efficiently and effectively deal with change.

April 20: Tune In This Week for Jeff Maziarek

Jeff Maziarek is an inspirational speaker and author. His first book, Spirituality Simplified (http://www.spiritsimple.com) is an easy-to-understand and entertaining work that provides an ideal starting point for anyone with a sincere desire to pursue a path of personal and/or spiritual growth.

April 13: This week's guest- Dan Ariely

Dan Ariely is the Alfred P. Sloan Professor of Behavioral Economics at MIT, where he holds a joint appointment between MIT's Program in Media Arts and Sciences and the Sloan School of Management. He is the only person ever to hold joint appointments at MIT's business school and also at its famous Media Lab. A behavioral economist, Ariely’s research has shown that we all succumb to irrationality in situations where rational thought is expected. He is an expert on how people actually act—and why they act—in all kinds of business and economic environments, and what this means for business innovation, strategy and marketing.

Ariely is the author of the New York Times Best Seller Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions, and co-author of The Joy of Experimental Psychology. n this groundbreaking work, Ariely presents often humorous and peculiar research findings that provide new insights into human behaviour - that will help make better decisions as an individual, a corporation and as a society.

Few heavy thinkers are as funny or as engaging as he is. He says he's working on a new book, Dining without Crumbs: The Art of Eating over the Kitchen Sink, and he claims to be the founder of The Center for Advanced Hindsight. The fact is, if you're looking for insight and foresight that will enable you to eat your competition for lunch, this is the speaker you'll want to hear.