11: Ramon Ray on Getting Fired, Selling Businesses & The Celebrity CEO Framework

11: Ramon Ray on Getting Fired, Selling Businesses & The Celebrity CEO Framework

If this conversation gave you a clearer way to think about your next move, you’ll find more episodes and insights at Success, Rewritten [https://www.successrewrittenshow.com/]. It’s all there to help you keep moving forward and build something that actually works for your life. What happens when getting fired forces you to figure it out fast with no backup plan? Getting fired forced Ramon Ray to make things work. Ramon is a serial entrepreneur who worked at the United Nations before starting multiple businesses and selling several of them. In this episode, we get into how he started building on the side while working a full-time job, installing modems and learning technology, and how that drive came with real pressure to keep providing… especially after having a child young and needing stability before he felt ready. When his contract ended, he leaned on his network and existing relationships to rebuild income from scratch. He shares how he navigated those early financial decisions, what he learned in hindsight after selling his businesses, and why he believes smaller, more intentional rooms create deeper connection than chasing big stages. Ramon is also the author of Celebrity CEO, and we talk through his personal branding framework for entrepreneurs who want to build a recognizable, trusted name in their space. This is an honest look at building out of necessity, working through entrepreneurial depression, and learning to keep moving without losing yourself. You’ll Learn: [00:00] Introduction [04:24] The UN years and the side hustle that got Ramon fired [13:16] Rebuilding income without a safety net [19:04] What Ramon learned from selling three companies [23:48] Why 20 people in a room beats 300 [25:40] How to recover when you fail a client [28:11] Experimentation as a strategy, and its limits [30:33] Genius Talks, Bitdefender, and the Celebrity CEO framework [34:16] How Ramon works on entrepreneurial depression Resources Mentioned: The Celebrity CEO [https://www.amazon.com/Celebrity-CEO-Entrepreneurs-Building-Community/dp/1948080850] (Ramon Ray’s book)  Bitdefender | Website [https://www.bitdefender.com/en-ca/] If you want practical ideas and resources built for entrepreneurs in the middle of figuring things out, head over to Zone of Genius [https://zoneofgenius.com/]. It’s a place to learn, stay informed, and find support as you grow your business. Find more from Ramon: Ramon Ray | Website [https://www.ramonray.com/] Ramon Ray | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramonraysmallbiz/] Ramon Ray | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/ramonraysmarthustle/] Zone of Genius | Website [https://zoneofgenius.com/] Zone of Genius | YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@zoneofgeniusyes] Find more from Emily: Success, Rewritten | Website [http://successrewrittenshow.com] Success, Rewritten | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/successrewritten/] Emily LoMenzo Washcovick | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-washcovick/] Emily LoMenzo Washcovick | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/lomenzowashcovick/] Bipolar Brought Balance | Website [http://bipolarbroughtbalance.com] Bipolar Brought Balance | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/bipolarbroughtbalance/]

10: The Phone Call That Made Jay Baer Quit His Job The Next Day

Explore SuccessRewrittenShow.com [http://successrewrittenshow.com] and Jay's top locations: tequilareport.com [http://tequilareport.com] and jaybaer.com [http://jaybaer.com] When Jay Baer was 30, his best friend called to say he had brain cancer. Jay quit his job the next day. That call, and the list he made afterward of what he was actually afraid of, set off a 28-year career of building, selling, writing, and starting again. Jay is a sixth-generation entrepreneur, a seven-time author, and one of the most recognizable names in customer experience. He's also taking a sabbatical from speaking after 18 years on the road to focus on his newest venture, Tequila Report. This conversation moves through parts of his story he doesn't usually tell. He explains why he sells his companies and what he chooses to build next. He breaks down why his books are built from audience stories rather than the usual Starbucks-style case studies, and why he continues to choose collaboration in industries built on competition. He also explains why responsiveness is finally a competitive advantage, a decade after he predicted it would be. It's a conversation about timing, decisions, and what actually holds up over the long run. You’ll Learn: [00:00] Introduction [02:03] Selling Budweiser.com for 50 cases of beer [04:05] The phone call that made him quit the next day [07:37] Why doing it all yourself is the trap [14:35] Where the stories in his books actually come from [18:29] The idea he was a decade early on [22:33] Selling a company is like giving it up for adoption [29:41] How a tequila hobby became Tequila Report [36:53] Walking away from 60 keynotes a year (for now) [44:37] Which parent the kids call, and why it matters Resources Mentioned: The E-Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber | Book [https://www.amazon.ca/Myth-Revisited-Small-Businesses-About/dp/0887307280/ref=sr_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.T37sO5kYmz4RdCO2gPZsFgEflx9U6q_yJ8bWG84fjvIYXBPAfCaMVzt_GdRUHcAP4GA4YxNn9ZQcXEVeQZ7X7lI58c_WciV90tWAb-8u01MkxYclfPi8W2sygutuQhO1VQkMDGvlrUPGobHfKDcRBNlNCeMch2mTn8V_ar8hLH059bmRmb4jOytkiLPCRd-7sr219kBQ9mlH848FajT67clxEsgFvZVzwu_GIXnVq1K9wDQRvq6d7XJINccvL2drcFybCgsZQWS7K4kqLZX1Sn6PeA_8l-8ZisuriaJPi68.wQEmx7f22aN7EXuyZP0ASSv39U6zAyVettvy_87x3ZM&dib_tag=se&gad_source=1&hvadid=325003319739&hvdev=c&hvexpln=0&hvlocphy=9001471&hvnetw=g&hvocijid=17244678680118419361--&hvqmt=e&hvrand=17244678680118419361&hvtargid=kwd-425370242569&hydadcr=16963_9583685&keywords=the+e-myth+by+michael+gerber&mcid=089410ab5ab6366f854b96da8ace4bfb&qid=1777586899&sr=8-1] or Audiobook [https://www.amazon.ca/Myth-Revisited-Small-Businesses-About/dp/B0722TXBCD/ref=tmm_aud_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.T37sO5kYmz4RdCO2gPZsFgEflx9U6q_yJ8bWG84fjvIYXBPAfCaMVzt_GdRUHcAP4GA4YxNn9ZQcXEVeQZ7X7lI58c_WciV90tWAb-8u01MkxYclfPi8W2sygutuQhO1VQkMDGvlrUPGobHfKDcRBNlNCeMch2mTn8V_ar8hLH059bmRmb4jOytkiLPCRd-7sr219kBQ9mlH848FajT67clxEsgFvZVzwu_GIXnVq1K9wDQRvq6d7XJINccvL2drcFybCgsZQWS7K4kqLZX1Sn6PeA_8l-8ZisuriaJPi68.wQEmx7f22aN7EXuyZP0ASSv39U6zAyVettvy_87x3ZM&qid=1777586899&sr=8-1] Behind the Review episode on Jay Baer’s Playbook for Customer Loyalty | YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYs6BNdHuZg] Find more from Jay: Jay Baer | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaybaer/] | YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/c/JayBaer] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/jaybaer/] Jay Baer’s Books | Website [https://www.jaybaer.com/books] The Tequila Report | YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8SF0JayS3bwhAcNX7VtIZA] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thetequilareport/] Find more from Emily: Success, Rewritten | Website [http://successrewrittenshow.com] Success, Rewritten | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/successrewritten/] Emily LoMenzo Washcovick | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-washcovick/] Emily LoMenzo Washcovick | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/lomenzowashcovick/] Bipolar Brought Balance | Website [http://bipolarbroughtbalance.com] Bipolar Brought Balance | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/bipolarbroughtbalance/]

09: Marketing Mistakes, Customer Avatars & Hustle Culture | Zanade Mann

If this helped you think more clearly about what you’re building and who it’s for, there’s more waiting for you at Success, Rewritten [https://www.successrewrittenshow.com/]. The same drive that made her successful is the thing she had to unlearn to protect her health. Zanade Mann is the founder of Zanade Enterprises, a full-service marketing and communications agency she built from a single client into a collaborative team of strategists and creatives. Her work focuses on helping brands, nonprofits, and public figures connect with their audiences through clarity and storytelling rather than hype. A former New York City public school teacher and single mom, Zanade later earned Entrepreneur Magazine’s Top 100 Women of Impact recognition… but the hustle that got her there came with a real impact on her mental and physical well-being.  She talks honestly about what it took to slow down without losing momentum, and the intentional wellness practices that helped her rebuild her nervous system, from yoga and hiking to learning how to truly rest and reset.  She also shares practical insights on small business marketing, including how to define your target customer, why your origin story matters, and a simple AI exercise you can try today. Zanade then introduces what she’s building next: a creator ecosystem for experienced professionals, ready to step into influencer marketing with real expertise. Whether you’re building, pivoting, or starting fresh, this episode offers both practical tools and a more sustainable way to think about success. You’ll Learn:  [00:00] Introduction [02:20] How to tell your brand story and stop marketing to the wrong people [04:02] The unexpected moment that sparked Zanade’s career shift into marketing [07:02] Why not knowing your ideal customer creates unnecessary stress and wasted effort [09:30] Zanade’s simple AI exercise to pressure-test your target audience [14:55] What a seventh-grade teacher's pay stub did to her childhood dream [26:37] What it actually took to defy every stereotype working against her [37:58] How the constant hustle took a toll on her mental and physical health [44:18] The small shifts that helped her regulate, rest, and rebuild her energy [01:00:48] Creating new opportunities that align with your life, not just your ambition Subscribe to Zanade's mailing list for the Millennial Creator Economy Movement [https://millennialcreatoreconomy.myflodesk.com/millennialcreator]. Subscribers will receive a free guide with insights on the creator economy and how they can leverage their professional and lived experience to participate in this $500B industry. Resources Mentioned: Blue Cross Blue Shield | Website [https://www.bcbs.com/] NYC Teaching Fellows | Website [https://teachnyc.net/pathways-to-teaching/nyc-teaching-fellows] The Rise of the Corporate Influencer by Zanade Mann | Article [https://shortyawards.com/shorttake/corporate-influencer-business-success/] Find more from Zanade: Zanade Mann | Website [https://zanademann.com/] Zanade Mann | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/zanade/] Zanade Mann | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/zanade/] Find more from Emily: Success, Rewritten | Website [http://successrewrittenshow.com] Success, Rewritten | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/successrewritten/] Emily LoMenzo Washcovick | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-washcovick/] Emily LoMenzo Washcovick | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/lomenzowashcovick/] Bipolar Brought Balance | Website [http://bipolarbroughtbalance.com] Bipolar Brought Balance | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/bipolarbroughtbalance/]

08: Why We Need to End the Mental Health Stigma | Dr. Ricardo Anderson

End stigma together, one story at a time, with The WISE Approach [https://eliminatestigma.org/]. How long can you run away from trauma before it catches up to you? Dr. Ricardo Anderson was a principal making six figures and finishing his doctorate, all while silently struggling with his mental health. At 32, he quit everything and moved to start addressing it for the first time. His story shows what happens when trauma goes unprocessed for decades. His mother died when he was 11. He was unhoused at 13. He started to put himself through Marquette University at 16. He spent years inside a cult. And through it all, he built a career in education while carrying experiences he hadn’t yet made sense of. This conversation walks through his recovery journey as a Black man navigating mental health, childhood trauma, stigma, and a hearing loss he didn’t talk about for years. We get into what it means to suppress those experiences, why stigma keeps people silent, and what begins to change when you finally start addressing it. Dr. Ricardo now works as a Mental Health Recovery Support Specialist for the Illinois Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery, and serves on the executive committee of WISE. He shares how he supports others in their recovery, including how to validate your own experiences and make sense of what you’ve been through. If you've ever questioned your own memories or been told your experiences didn’t happen the way you remember them, this episode will resonate. You’ll Learn: [00:00] Introduction [04:51] What being unhoused at 13 in Milwaukee actually looked like [09:06] Signing himself up for university at 16 and adulting with no roadmap [15:02] Finding identity as a young Black man at Marquette [18:20] Chasing degrees inside a cult while teaching Milwaukee's kids [26:51] The student who held up a mirror to his own unaddressed childhood [29:59] Leaving the cult, the marriage, and the identity tied to both [38:23] What rebuilding looked like after walking away from everything [47:03] Supporting people who don't yet have words for what they went through [52:13] Why group dialogue heals, and where it can go wrong [55:09] WISE's mission to end stigma and what good crisis support actually looks like Resources Mentioned: Marquette University | Website [https://www.marquette.edu/] Boys & Girls Clubs | Website [https://www.bgca.org/] Urban Learning Collaborative (formerly MTEC) | Website [https://urban-learning.org/about/] Find more from Dr. Ricardo: Dr. Ricardo Anderson | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-ricardo-anderson-a27736117/] Find more from Emily: Success, Rewritten | Website [http://successrewrittenshow.com] Success, Rewritten | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/successrewritten/] Emily LoMenzo Washcovick | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-washcovick/] Emily LoMenzo Washcovick | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/lomenzowashcovick/] Bipolar Brought Balance | Website [http://bipolarbroughtbalance.com] Bipolar Brought Balance | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/bipolarbroughtbalance/]

07: Xerxes Nabong on What His Dad's Death Rewrote

If you’re thinking more about what’s really important in life, you can get the newsletter at Success, Rewritten [http://successrewrittenshow.com]. What if success isn't about retiring someday, but funding the life you actually get to live? This week on Success, Rewritten, I sat down with Xerxes Nabong, a wealth advisor with twenty years in the business and his own firm, Wealth Avenue. Xerxes was nine years into his career when his dad passed away at 58. His dad served thirty years in the U.S. military and never got to retire. That loss rewrote the why behind his work and changed how he talks to clients about time, money, and what they're actually building toward. We also get into what he learned on a municipal golf course at fourteen, the Yelp job that doubled as a social life, the $80,000 he lost on a cafe investment, and how he ran a $2 million escape room business on three hours a month. Plus naps, phone boundaries, and what it means to build a business that can run without you for two weeks. You’ll Learn: [00:00] Introduction [05:32] Why losing his dad rewrote the purpose behind his wealth advisory work [09:28] From Yelp event planner to escape room owner, what sparked the leap [15:08] How he built a $2M escape room on three hours a month and launched Kristen's career [29:04] From 60-hour weeks to a schedule that works; how his relationship with time evolved [32:22] Whether work helped or hurt after losing his dad, and how grief shifted his perspective [37:13] How Xerxes protects his time off the clock: phone boundaries, naps, and workouts [46:22] Why people hire the advisor they like, not just the one with the best returns Find more from Xerxes: Wealth Avenue | Website [https://wealthavenue.us/] Xerxes Nabong | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/xerxesnabongfinancialadvisor/] Xerxes Nabong | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/xerxesnabong/] Xerxes Nabong | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/xerxesnabong/] Find more from Emily: Success, Rewritten | Website [http://successrewrittenshow.com] Success, Rewritten | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/successrewritten/] Emily LoMenzo Washcovick | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-washcovick/] Emily LoMenzo Washcovick | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/lomenzowashcovick/] Bipolar Brought Balance | Website [http://bipolarbroughtbalance.com] Bipolar Brought Balance | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/bipolarbroughtbalance/]