My Favorite Mistake: Business Lessons from Failures and Success

Getting Burned Out and Separating From His Wife: What Carlos Hidalgo Learned and How He Adjusted

Show Notes: https://www.markgraban.com/mistake114
My guest for Episode #114 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Carlos Hidalgo, an author, International & TEDx Speaker, marketer, consultant, coach, and advisor.
Carlos is a co-host of The Life Design Podcast (with his wife Susanne) and is the author of the book Book: The UnAmerican Dream: Finding Personal and Professional Happiness Establishing Work-Life Boundaries.
In today's episode, Carlos shares his “favorite mistake” story about getting off track and burned out, professionally and personally, by putting his identity and purpose into his profession.
We talk about that and other topics including:
My mention of a previous episode #31 Greg Jacobson – cohabitating with your spouse
What happens when business doesn’t go well?
2015: came to a head, was burned out… relationship struggles, then separation
Hustle culture… can be problematic (“garbage”)
LinkedIn – “it’s OK to not have a work/life balance”
What do you mean by “Designing Your Life”? Podcast?
Allowing life to just happen? Or designing it?
Find Carlos on Social Media:
Twitter
LinkedIn
Instagram
Facebook
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CEO Gena Cox Was Cavalier in Quitting a Job

Show page: https://www.markgraban.com/mistake113
My guest for Episode #113 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Gena Cox, PhD PCC, an industrial psychologist, executive coach, author, and speaker. She has advised corporate leaders for 20+ years how to build organizational cultures that support innovation, inclusion, and employee engagement.
Gena earned a Ph.D. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from the University of South Florida and is also the Founder/CEO of Feels Human, Inc. She has a book coming out in 2022 called Leading Inclusion.
In today's episode, Gena shares her “favorite mistake” story about leaving a company in a way she thinks was “cavalier” — regretting that she couldn't recreate that same culture elsewhere. Sometimes, yon’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone.
We talk about that and other topics including:
How did recognition of mistake reveal itself?
Feels Human, Inc. — what is a “human first organization”
Human first doesn’t mean human only?
“Inclusive leadership matters” — Beyond being the right thing to do from a human perspective, what are the connections between D&I to business results?
Inclusion as a component of “effective leadership”
Behaviors that are more inclusive?
Diversity easier to measure than inclusion?
Definition of inclusion?
Blog post — “Why are you always talking about race?”
The book — coming 2022, Leading Inclusion
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Coach Brian Buck’s Darkest Moment in a Workplace Turned Toxic: Should Have Quit Sooner

Show notes: https://www.markgraban.com/mistake112
My guest for Episode #112 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Brian Buck, a “success curator” who helps people have masterful communication & powerful relationships so they achieve amazing results — transformational coach for small- and medium-sized businesses. He's also co-host of the "People, Purpose and Profits Business Coaching" show on YouTube -- and it's also a podcast.
In today's episode, Brian shares his “favorite mistake” story about waiting too long to address being in a good workplace that turned toxic. Why was this his “darkest moment”? Why was this all a “never again moment” for Brian?
We talk about that and other topics including:
Leaders were undermining everything, passive aggressive
They were little things… Brian said “I can handle it” — but it kept going
Can you believe leaders when they say things like:“This is a safe place to talk”
“My door is always open”
“I’m not political”
How to have empathy for managers
Bringing up elephants in the room without being a jerk
Non-violent communication
The book Crucial Conversations
Find Brian on Social Media:
LinkedIn
YouTube
Twitter
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Sales Expert (and Stand Up Comedian) Merit Kahn Didn’t Read the Room

Oops -- fixed the audio gap that was there early in the episode. My most recent mistake!!
Show notes: https://www.markgraban.com/mistake111
My guest for Episode #111 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Merit Kahn, a sales expert, Certified Emotional Intelligence Expert, business speaker, and CEO of her training company, SELLect Sales Development. She has coached & trained entrepreneurs and sales teams form more than 20 years and she's also a stand up comedian.
In today's episode, Merit shares her “favorite mistake” story about taking the wrong approach with a sales prospect earlier in her career. Why was Merit focused on a particular sales technique, in a way that had her disconnected from the moment. What happened and what did she learn from the experience?
We talk about that and other topics including:
Being a stand up comedian – can’t be a low-confidence person, right?
Reading the room, in sales or comedy?
Bombing on stage? What does that teach you?
What is the Open for Business framework?
Common sales mistakes?
Your website says “WARNING: Our programs are not a perfect match for everyone.” — why is that important to say?
The SELLect Sales System — Stop selling and start being selected
She dated a well-known comedic actor… listen to find out who!
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Software Engineer Moses Harris Tried Bowing to Power and Got Fired Anyway

Show notes: https://www.markgraban.com/mistake110
My guest for Episode #110 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Moses Harris, a software engineer and technical leader at IBM, and the co-founder and Head of Outreach for Tech Can [Do] Better, an organization that helps technology companies create equitable outcomes for underserved populations, starting with the Black community.
Moses graduated from the University of Illinois Chicago with a degree in architecture. Born, raised and schooled in Chicago, he now lives and works in Austin, Texas.
In today's episode, Moses shares his "favorite mistake" stories about being fired two different times as a young professional.
We talk about that and other topics including:
His mistake: He tried to bow to power instead of having conversation and keeping pride more intact
Q: Was it a racial component to interactions with the VP?
“The lessons you learn are the fuel…”
Is being told "you're not a good fit" a code for other things?
Should we look for "culture fit" or "culture add"?
Tell us about Tech Can [Do] Better -- why was it founded?
Controversy about Black people fired by Google
Mistakes companies make when trying to close gaps in racial equity?
"ERGs [Employee Resource Groups] aren't a mistake, but there's a risk they become social clubs"
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Business Coach Karie Kaufmann on the Illusion of Balance

Show notes page: https://www.markgraban.com/mistake109
My guest for Episode #109 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Karie Kaufmann, a “business coach who gets results.” Since 2005, Karie has helped over 1000 business owners and executives achieve their goals and take their business to the next level.
Coach Karie lives what she teaches by putting family first, based on her philosophy that:
“being in business should give you more life, not suck the life out of you.”
She uses that phrase in the episode today, and I love it.
In today's episode, Karie shares her “favorite mistake” story about a “mistake of omission,” of having an “illusion of balance” and not having enough time or capacity to help a friend in need.
We talk about that and other topics including:
What let to that realization, over time, that it was a mistake?
What was the adjustment?
The book Slack on needing buffer time
Is it time to retire the ‘lack of time’ excuse?
Why don't more people brag about effectiveness instead of busyness?
“Collect experiences and learn from them”
“You either win or you learn”
Has she had to work at work/life balance?
Find Karie on Social Media:
Linkedin
YouTube
Instagram
Facebook
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A Martial Arts Black Belt on Overpaying for a Company and Other Negotiating Mistakes: Cash Nickerson

Chairman of the North American business unit of AKKA Technologies
Notes: https://www.markgraban.com/mistake108
My guest for Episode #108 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Cash Nickerson. He's the chairman of the North American business unit of AKKA Technologies, a negotiation instructor, and a black belt in karate. He's a visiting professor at Washington University in St. Louis School of Law and has MBA and JD degrees.
Cash is the author of six books including his latest, a WSJ bestseller: Negotiation as a Martial Art: Techniques to Master the Art of Human Exchange.
In today's episode, Cash shares his “favorite mistake” story about advising a company in a deal where they ended up overpaying for a major acquisition. Why did Cash see this mistake and then repeat it, before eventually learning the lesson?
We talk about that and other topics including:
How and when did you take interest in the martial arts?
How has that helped you in business and negotiating, more specifically??
Why observing your opponent closely is so important in negotiating or in martial arts
Things to look out for if you’re concerned about a rash decision, overcommitted?
Find Cash on Social Media:
LinkedIn
Twitter
Facebook
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Bookkeeping Wasn’t Her First Career Passion: Ean Price Murphy

Founder of Moxie Bookkeeping
Show notes and more: https://www.markgraban.com/mistake107
My guest for Episode #107 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Ean Price Murphy, who founded Moxie Bookkeeping & Coaching Inc in 2003 to work with creative businesses and nonprofits.
In today's episode, Ean shares her “favorite mistake” story about believing financial advice without questioning it. She was told, and believed, the idea of “follow your passion and money will come?” Is that always true? It wasn't true for Ean in her first career, but she did, thankfully, find another field to be passionate about, as you'll hear her discuss.
We talk about that and other topics including:
Why it was a mistake to think she needed to just work harder to earn more
How did you, personally, get into this line of work?
What would you have done differently? Do that sooner?
What are your thoughts on so-called “hustle culture”?
What makes your firm different than other bookkeepers?
You have an approach called “Profit First” system? What is this?
“The 5 Money Myths” — free download
Find Ean and her company on Social Media:
LinkedIn
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram
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Feeling Ashamed of Being Dyslexic and Getting Past That in Business and in Life: Scott Ballard

Coach, author, and speaker
Show notes and links: https://www.markgraban.com/mistake106
My guest for Episode #106 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Scott Ballard, a coach, speaker, and author, based in Portland, Oregon. His company is Confidence Coach LLC.
From his bio, Scott “has used that superpower [of encouragement] to help create insight and breakthroughs for hundreds of people to take their life and their business to the next level. [Scott] can do this because his dyslexia blinded him from seeing his own genius for many years, so he became brilliant at seeing the genius superpower in others.”
In today's episode, Scott shares his “favorite mistake” story about feeling shamed for having dyslexia. How did he learn that it wasn’t shameful? How did he decide to share his dyslexia with people?
We talk about that and other topics including:
Joking about “being dyslexic” in a meeting — inappropriate?
Learning from business failures, wife’s encouragement
“Fail fast”
New business – learned not everybody is an ideal client
Coaching dyslexic leaders?
Find Scott and his firm on social media:
LinkedIn
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The Time Value of Life: Andrea Jones on Taking Years to Get Over Feeling Like a Failure

Consultant with two degrees from MIT
Show notes: https://www.markgraban.com/mistake105
My guest for Episode #105 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Andrea Jones, founder and principal at her firm Andrea Jones Consulting.
Andrea Jones has focused on efficient and effective Project Management and Change Implementation for over 20 years. She also loves process improvements, and has a natural instinct to always seek a better way to execute work.
Andrea began her career at Intel Corporation, as a Process Engineer, and grew to love the use and analysis of data to make actionable recommendations.
Andrea has an MBA from MIT Sloan, an Engineer Masters from MIT, a Masters in Chemistry from the University of Oregon, and a Bachelors in Chemistry and Japanese from the University of Oregon, and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP).
In today's episode, Andrea shares her “favorite mistake” story about how she took a buyout from Intel, but then “felt like a failure” because “they didn't find a role” for her. Why did it take years to get over the “emotional baggage” and what did Andrea learn from that experience?
We talk about that and other topics including:
“The time value of life”
Part-time consulting work models for moms (and for dads)
Is it a mistake to not want to manage others?
So hard to keep working moms in the workplace
Might not have all the answers when we go into something
Treat it as an experiment and “fail fast”?
Admit failure, accept reality
Simon Sinek's book The Infinite Game
Do organizations crave certainty?? Do our brains?
Find Andrea and her firm on Social Media:
LinkedIn
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