The Anxious Voyage with Mark O’Brien

The Anxious Voyage with Mark O’Brien: What’s the Big Idea

What’s the Big Idea: Craig and Sue James (Part Two)
Thirty-seventh Episode: Craig and Sue, Partners and Co-Founders of CatalystStrategies (a.k.a Cat-Strat Services), return for a second visit. Cat-Strat Services works with organizations and individuals to help them get unstuck, to envision their goals, and to execute their plans with creativity and confidence, offering everything from sales to strategic advisory services, from leadership development to coaching. And it earned a mention in the book, INside INnovation: Looking from the Inside Out. You can find that mention here.
Craig hosted the podcast, Big Audacious Idea, which I encourage him to bring back. And he’s the current co-host of the program, Distinction Dialogues, that appears on LinkedIn Live and Zoom. Sue is the quiet one. Because that’s true, you don’t want to miss a word she says because every one of them is important.
We had a great conversation the first time they joined me. I’m sure we’ll do it again. And we hope you join us.
Video Version: https://youtu.be/MjnQy8BVCl0?si=Re0I3qIwEPMaqSTI
Learn more about Mark here:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4cXoftnMYJ7bREYG-K9eng
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The Anxious Voyage with Mark O’Brien: No Uniform Required

No Uniform Required: Roberto Alfaro
Thirty-sixth Episode: Roberto is a retired, decorated Hartford, Connecticut, police officer with more than 26 years on the job. He’s also a SAG-AFTRA actor and professional model, a writer of dozens of poems and short stories, a motivational speaker, an inventor, a Salsa dancer and instructor, a former bodybuilding champion and Personal Trainer, a Hartford Mounted Police Rider and Instructor, and an author of two books. His memoir, Fighting Through the Hurdles of My Life, captures his story of survival, heartbreak, redemption, and beating the odds in a way no one expected. He’s now working on his third book, a children’s book about his life as a Hartford Mounted Police Officer with Alex the Wonder Horse. Roberto’s intent for sharing his journey is to make a difference in the lives of others. Through his faith, family, tenacity, and determination to exceed the expectations of others, he never stopped believing in himself. His personal mantra is, "Never stop dreaming because no dream is too big to dream." Please join us for an inspiring and reassuring conversation.
Video Version: https://youtu.be/KyGxtoPVjoE?si=mUDPOsNxDNK_rsls
Learn more about Mark here:
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The Anxious Voyage with Mark O’Brien: My Charmed Life

My Charmed Life: Anne O’Brien
Thirty-fifth Episode: Anne is the founder of The ArtFitters, an interior decorating and design firm. She re-imagines ordinary spaces (residential, commercial, historical, or institutional) to create the extraordinary — beautiful, organized, functional, and comfortable — through adaptive re-use and creative utilization. At an early age, she found herself drawing house plans, enjoying visits to furniture stores, and continually re-staging her bedroom. At age eight, she was more interested in picking out wallpaper, re-upholstering furniture, and re-decorating rooms than going out to play. In her professional life, the scopes of her projects grew larger. Her exposure to styles, materials, and furnishing became more broad. With more than 20 years of experience behind her, Anne is a visually inventive conceptual thinker who always sees the big picture. Because it informs her work, Anne made time for art. She had instruction in sculpting, pottery, Norwegian folk art, wood carving, dress, jewelry, and interior design. She studied painting at the Borgo Rinascimento International School of Art in Farnesi, Italy, and with numerous artists. I'm fortunate enough that Anne is also my spouse.
https://theartfitters.com/
Video Version: https://youtu.be/0Hk6TkgRN3Y?si=zRg54EKtMkdroyJc
Learn more about Mark here:
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The Anxious Voyage with Mark O’Brien: Undaunted: Shell Sawyer

Undaunted: Shell Sawyer
Thirty-fourth Episode: Shell’s dad was her hero. He paid bills at the kitchen table, telling her everything he was doing. She was fascinated by his organization, his green ledger paper, and his pens. Wanting to do everything he did, she got a master’s degree in accounting. A short, disastrous marriage left her having to get her financial house back in order. She married again, had a daughter, and built a life and a family. Divorce knocked again after 14 years, leaving her devastated … but determined. She’s now a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA) and a Certified Divorce Coach (CDC), guiding clients through the process, helping them make informed decisions to transition into the next phase of their lives. And she’s the author of the book, You Are Not Alone: Your Guide for When Divorce is on Your Doorstep. Please join us for what will surely be revealing conversation.
Video Version: https://www.youtube.com/live/6TUhMVWHhVY?si=mzWxpzMkWu47BTe3
Learn more about Mark here:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4cXoftnMYJ7bREYG-K9eng
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The Anxious Voyage with Mark O’Brien: Courage Under Fire

Courage Under Fire: Greg Dillon
Thirty-third Episode: After graduating from the University of New Haven in 1978, Greg joined the Branford, Connecticut, Police Department. He left in 1985 to accept a position as an FBI special agent. He was first assigned to the Criminal Reactive Squad in Alexandria, VA, and was then transferred to the Violent Crime Squad in the Washington DC Field Office. He left the FBI in 1990 to take a position as an inspector in the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney, Division of Criminal Justice, in Connecticut. He retired in 2009 after 30-plus years in law enforcement.
In 2002 Greg joined Shepherds, a non-profit, non-denominational charity that serves the needs of inner-city Connecticut high school students who wish to attend a private college preparatory high school under the guidance of a dedicated adult mentor. Since joining, Greg has mentored 9 students and currently sits on the board of directors.
He is also the author of The Thin Blue Lie: An Honest Cop vs The FBI. Ten percent of Greg’s book profits are donated to Shepherds.
Video Version: https://www.youtube.com/live/fvSbJ6Fpdwo?si=OPdbwYVKKk7VTXPG
Learn more about Mark here:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4cXoftnMYJ7bREYG-K9eng
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The Anxious Voyage with Mark O’Brien: The Media Man

The Media Man: Ted Czech
Thirty-second Episode: Ted’s spent years on both sides of the communications coin, in journalism and public relations. Referring to himself as a recovering reporter, he’s now written a book called, Saving the Beast, in which he reflects on America’s broken media and suggests ways in which it can be fixed. He’ll join me to talk about some of the things that need to be restored to our media and taught to aspiring journalists — things like honesty, integrity, responsibility (personal and professional), objectivity, research, fact-checking and whatever else might occur to us. This conversation will be as important as it is timely. Please join us.
Video Version: https://youtu.be/_evb0o60WHg?si=eeiltnSKgNDgZNiK
Learn more about Mark here:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4cXoftnMYJ7bREYG-K9eng
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The Anxious Voyage with Mark O’Brien: The Sport of Business

Thirty-first Episode: Brian Sommer is a Partner with CDI Global LLC, an international M&A firm. A former Assistant Professor at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida, he designed, developed, and taught in the Entrepreneurship Program and is a Fellow of its Institute for Achievement and Learning. He also led classes at the Watson Institute for Social Entrepreneurship in Boulder, Colorado, consulted with The Advisory Board for the University of North Carolina Asheville’s Department of Management and Accountancy in its development of a Center for Organizational Innovation, and served on the Advisory Board for Academic Innovation and Strategy at Palm Beach State College and Stetson University’s Disruptive Leadership Program. Brian is a former Golf Teaching Professional at the Stratton Golf University in Stratton Mountain, Vermont. He holds a Ph.D. in Leadership from Concordia University Chicago, an MBA and a BA from Lynn University, and graduate level Finance Certifications from Cornell University and the University of Miami. Please join us for what surely will be a wide-ranging conversation.
Video Version: https://youtu.be/K8o-8Btt4fk?si=TWVBPF9LEEj__gYD
Learn more about Mark here:
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The Anxious Voyage with Mark O’Brien: What’s the Big Idea?

What’s the Big Idea? Craig and Sue James
Thirtieth Episode: Craig James and Sue James are Partners and Co-Founders of CatalystStrategies (a.k.a. Cat-Strat Services). They help organizations and individuals get unstuck, envision their goals, and execute their plans with creativity and confidence.
For 23 Years Cat-Strat Services has worked with organizations and leaders on everything from sales to strategic advisory services, from leadership development to coaching. And it earned a mention in the book, INside INnovation: Looking from the Inside Out. You can find that mention here.
What sets Craig apart for me is the way he thinks. He’s hosted the podcast, Big Audacious Idea, at which he was brilliant. And he’s the current co-host of the program, Distinction Dialogues, that appears on LinkedIn Live and Zoom.
Sue is the kind of person who might inspire one to coin the expression, “If you think big, you don’t have to talk big.” My impression of Sue is that she misses nothing, thinks of everything, is content to let others contribute what they will, and will happily chime in to make sure nothing goes overlooked or unconsidered. She brings a positive, complementary energy that makes sure what needs to work does work, exactly when it’s supposed to.
Whenever someone says, “Hey, O’Brien. Can you tell if two people love each by looking at them on a computer screen?” I think of Craig and Sue, smile, and say, “Yes.”
Please join us. You’ll smile, too.
Video Version: https://youtu.be/AHMRoxV7igI?si=vRoA6qHP1CSI7nCZ
Learn more about Mark here:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4cXoftnMYJ7bREYG-K9eng
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The Anxious Voyage with Mark O’Brien: A Man for All Reasons

A Man for All Reasons: Mark Reid
Twenty-Ninth Episode: Mark Reid is a professor, a lawyer turned Japanese paper maker, and the creator and host of Zen Sammich, a podcast for the independent thinker and anyone who embraces life despite — or perhaps because of — its absurdity. If that doesn’t seem to make sense to you, it’s only because you haven’t met Mark (yet). He’s a man who’s not afraid to be curious, not afraid of change. He’s a man who knows he doesn’t know what he doesn’t know and is undaunted by the challenge of trying to know it. Please join us for this conversation. You don’t need a better reason than that to meet Mark.
Video Version: https://www.youtube.com/live/74P0puoh_p4?si=JXG_JoRyolRHyCYU
Learn more about Mark here:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4cXoftnMYJ7bREYG-K9eng
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The Anxious Voyage with Mark O’Brien: Coffee and Connections

Coffee and Connections: Joi Brooks
Twenty-Eighth Episode: Joi is the creator and host of the podcast, Email and Coffee, curating conversations with captivating personalities, experts, and individuals who redefine the ordinary. She also leads the Women in Email Marketing Mastermind, which aims to nurture profound connections, to amplify targeted objectives, to celebrate triumphs, and to obliterate obstacles. In her vocation as an email marketing professional, Joi strives for the perfect blend of short-term gains and long-term sustainability. She helps small-business owners who are wrestling with time constraints, offering them strategic guidance at every step of their journeys. As Joi puts it, “It’s not just marketing: It’s rich strategy infused with creative finesse.” Please join us for an engaging conversation about coffee, connections, context, and credibility.
Video Version: https://www.youtube.com/live/xbx4Ts2d1Dc?si=h3bxSjA6pVljKHUf
Learn more about Mark here:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4cXoftnMYJ7bREYG-K9eng
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