Why Not Now? With Amy Jo Martin

Nastia Liukin worked toward her goal of becoming a professional gymnast for the first couple decades of her life. She is the 2008 Olympic All-Around champion, a five-time Olympic medalist, the 2005 and 2007 world champion on the balance beam, and the 2005 world champion on the uneven bars. But a critical fall from the uneven bars shattered Nastia's 2012 Olympic dreams, and inspired a powerful Why Not Now? moment. Nastia is now an influencer and blogger with a following of more than 2 million people. She covered this year's Olympic gymnastics competition for NBC. In this episode of Why Not Now?, Nastia and Amy Jo talk about everything from navigating a 180 career shift to the topic of quitting, body shaming and mentoring. Nastia also shares something that her Mom always used to say to her when she wanted to quit, which will have you rethinking your decision when you want to throw in the towel.   Learn more about Nastia: https://nastialiukin.com Follow Nastia: www.instagram.com/nastialiukin/   Learn more about

Angie Banicki is a tarot card reader to the stars. Her client list includes celebrities, politicians, entertainment industry executives, and CEOs of major corporations, some of whom she has guided to close multi-million dollar deals.   But Angie’s client list wasn’t always filled with such high-profile individuals. Her Why Not Now? moment involves leaving her PR job in order to pursue tarot card reading. She didn’t know how she was going to pay her bills, but she knew that this career path was made for her.   At first, Angie didn’t feel comfortable charging high prices for her intuitive services. She didn’t even want to promote her services because she was scared they wouldn’t be worth it to her clients. On this episode of Why Not Now?, Angie tells Amy Jo about her journey to owning her worth, slowly raising her prices and promoting her genius in the process.   Angie tells Amy Jo that the connections she made as a PR representative eventually turned into client leads, proving your experience and connections a

NASA Astronaut and Marine Corps Colonel Douglas Hurley is on the show this week!   Doug was the Spacecraft Commander on last year’s SpaceX Crew Dragon. It was the first crewed spaceflight from American soil in almost 9 years.   Doug’s Why Not Now? moment involves applying to the astronaut program, and how that decision changed the trajectory of both his professional and personal life. Doug’s favorite part about his time in the program is that he met his wife who is also a NASA Astronaut and they now have a son together.   Doug tells Amy Jo about the week-long interview process and what NASA looks for in its candidates. He also talks about that surreal moment when he got the phone call telling him he would be an astronaut.   Doug and Amy Jo discuss how Doug overcame the mental challenge of living in space for extended periods of time. A lot of the ways he kept his mind healthy in space can easily be applied here on earth.    Doug also shares that he’s at an inflection point in his career. He recently retired f

Kyle Nel injects innovation into everything he does. He’s the President of Singularity Labs at Singularity University, the former CEO and co-founder of Uncommon Partners (acquired by Singularity University in 2019), and the former Executive Director of Lowe’s Innovation Lab.    On this episode of Why Not Now?, Kyle tells Amy Jo about applying neuroscience research to help organizations break out of incrementalism. He says innovative technology like virtual reality can disrupt education by speeding up learning, including making strides in diversity and inclusion by increasing empathy.    Kyle’s Why Not Now? moment involves leaving a comfortable job when he no longer felt challenged or fulfilled to start his own company. He tells Amy Jo about an exercise he uses to manifest his goals and avoid distractions that you can try out yourself. Every December, Kyle writes the narrative for how he wants the year ahead to unfold.    Kyle and Amy Jo also discuss surrounding yourself with people who will push you to be you

Cindy McCain, widow of the great John McCain, is a powerful Businesswoman, Philanthropist, Humanitarian, a retired Special Education Teacher, Author and US Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture nominee.   During this conversation with Amy Jo, Cindy shares two huge Why Not Now? moments. The first being the risk she took to cross political lines in the 2020 Presidential Election, why that move was so far out of her comfort zone and her advice to you when tough decisions need to be made.    Cindy also shares how the pandemic allowed her to slow down and take the time to grieve the loss of her husband, Arizona Senator and 2008 presidential nominee John McCain. Shortly after his funeral, she had gone back to work and hadn’t given herself the space to process his death and adjust to life moving forward. It was in this time of looking back through old photos and memories that led her to her second Why Not Now? moment; writing her new book “Stronger: Courage, Hope, and Humor In My Life Wi

On this episode of Why Not Now?, we're diving into the archives and revisiting a conversation with Suzy Batiz. Suzy is the wealthiest person I know. When I say wealthy, I don't just mean money. Yes, she's got plenty of that, but I mean spiritually wealthy & rich in energy. Suzy is also my mentor. In this episode, Suzy & I discuss mentorship, how to approach finding a mentor & I share the key things she has taught me over the last two years, including why a mentor will rarely give you answers & how you can learn to mentor yourself. Suzy's mentorship has literally changed the way I approach business and life. Suzy debuted on the Why Not Now? podcast back in Episode 28 and that episode is still hugely valuable today. Suzy Batiz, founder and creator of Poo Pourri, declared bankruptcy twice before the age of 40 and vowed to never deal with business again. Since then she has built Poo Pourri into a $300(plus) million dollar company.   Learn more about Suzy: https://suzybatiz.com/ Follow Suzy on Inst

Scott is one of the most successful and decorated sports executives out there. He's currently the CEO of Philadelphia 76'ers, New Jersey Devils, Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment and the author of the book "Be Where Your Feet Are". On this episode of Why Not Now?, Scott recounts his complicated feelings following the loss of one of his closest friends to suicide, and how this emotional event inspired him to write the book.   Scott O’Neil has been through extreme ups and downs in his life, but finds joy in the struggle, connections, and lessons learned along the way.    Scott and Amy Jo have an in-depth conversation about mental health and social media’s effects on happiness. One of the main themes in Scott’s book is that isolation is kryptonite. He urges listeners to ask for help during times of struggle and reach out to loved ones to check on them. Scott shares some exercises he uses to help compartmentalize and connect in order to stay truly present.    Scott also tells Amy Jo about getting fired fr

Kristen Bell and Monica Padman join Amy Jo on Why Not Now? this week! Don’t miss this incredibly honest conversation about gender equality, mentorship, confidence, and asking for support.   Kristen and Monica share some insight into their upcoming podcast, Shattered Glass. They’ll interview inspirational women like Oprah Winfrey, Gloria Steinem, and Malala Yousafzai about how they have put cracks in the glass ceiling.   The women share their Why Not Now? moments. Monica’s involves getting out of a situation that was too comfortable in order to see growth in her career, and Kristen’s involves finding more independence in quarantine.   The three women also talk about including men and accepting imperfect allies in the fight for gender equality. Kristen and Monica also say how important it is to continually lift other women up, citing each other as mentors. Kristen says one of her main goals is to help women see what have traditionally been viewed as weaknesses as their strengths.   Kristen and Monica also talk

Rachel Drori was gainfully employed and pregnant when she had the idea for Daily Harvest. She says she had all the reasons not to start the company, but knew the perfect “right time” would never come.   Beside saying “Why Not Now?” to her idea, Rachel shares the more tactical strategies she used to measure whether she was ready to start her company. She identified the worst possible case scenario that could come out of this journey (one of Amy Jo’s five Renegade Rules!) and realized it was worth taking the risk. When Rachel’s customer base was 5x the size of her inner circle, she knew it was time to go all in on Daily Harvest.   Rachel shares so many tangible tips for entrepreneurs on this episode of Why Not Now? She says she learned more from starting a company than she did during the two years of her MBA program!   Rachel also tells Amy Jo about the responsibility she feels toward her customers and her employees, the pros and cons of raising money from investors when starting a business, and investing in fe

Liz Matthews is the Senior Vice President of Global Brand, Creative & Experiential Marketing at Dell. Her Why Not Now? moment involves saying yes to joining the Renegade Accelerator program. Liz has found that, the higher up the corporate ladder you go, the less you invest in learning. She says joining a group of women from all different industries sparked her own innovation and entrepreneurial spirit.   On this episode of Why Not Now?, Liz talks to Amy Jo about how important a company’s culture is to attracting talent. During this period of remote work, Liz and her team have seen the importance of creating a culture of connection. Liz shares a quick but impactful exercise she uses in meetings to create this connection.   Liz also talks about her experience leading the work stream for Dell when they acquired EMC, a $67 billion acquisition.   Liz and Amy Jo chat about how to be your truest self in any work environment, ego getting in the way of decision making, and overcoming imposter syndrome. They also c

Colonel Dr. Roxanne Wallace serves to heal. She’s an Orthopedic Surgeon serving in the United States Army. Dr. Rox is also a Renegade Accelerator graduate. She went through the program while stationed in Afghanistan!   On this episode of Why Not Now?, Dr. Roxanne shares tactical tips with Amy Jo about leadership that she has learned in both the operating room and through her rank in the Army. Her number one tip for leaders of all industries? Be humble and kind. Dehumanizing any process will lead to trouble.   Colonel Wallace also explains some of her “Wallace-isms” that have become favorites among many of the women in the Renegade Collective. These include going from “furious to curious” to preserve relationships, how “gravity always wins” can relate to business, and “if I intimidate you, step up your game.”   Dr. Roxanne shares how she navigates working in a male dominated industry. She also shares two Why Not Now? moments, one involving her college decision and another about starting a family during her fou

Justine Lucas creates impact through innovation. She’s the Executive Director of Rihanna’s Clara Lionel Foundation and a graduate of the Renegade Accelerator Program. Formerly, Justine was the Global Director of Programs for Global Citizen and produced the 2012 - 2015 Global Citizen Festivals and the 2015 Global Citizen Earth Day event.   Justine and her small but impactful team focus on the effects of climate change on those most marginalized, funding groundbreaking education and emergency response programs around the world. In 2020, the foundation mobilized $47M in grant-giving to aid the COVID-19 relief efforts and racial justice movements.   On this episode of Why Not Now?, Justine tells Amy Jo about practicing innovation in the philanthropic space to create systematic change instead of just putting temporary band-aids on issues. She also talks about the importance of listening to local communities in order to find the best solutions to help them. Justine’s extensive travel has allowed her to connect and

Shannon Lee continues to evolve her dad, Bruce Lee’s, philosophy and legacy while adding her own learnings. Her book, Be Water, My Friend: The Teachings of Bruce Lee, started as a Why Not Now? idea and is now a reality. It’s a compilation of lessons and quotes from her father, showing how martial arts can be a metaphor for personal growth and living a fully realized life. Shannon shares her father’s teachings in a tangible way.   On this episode of Why Not Now?, Shannon tells Amy Jo that, in addition to running all of the divisions of the Bruce Lee Family Company for over 20 years, she is ready to work through her own identity and do something that is completely her own.   Shannon also tells Amy Jo about her current focus on her own spirituality. She says that intuition can mean being intune with what your body feels and the messages that it’s sending you. Shannon is also working on being in her day. She uses the opportunities that days hold to mold them as they come. Shannon and Amy Jo also talk about having

If you leave the workforce for just two years, there's less than a 50% chance you'll ever get a full time position again. Samantha Ettus realized that, when mothers take time away from corporate America to have a baby, it's one of the most financially risky things they can do.   As a speaker, Samantha felt she could motivate a room full of women, but she couldn’t offer them any opportunities. So she founded Park Place Payments: a flexible, work from anywhere credit card business that increases financial independence for populations that historically haven't had the opportunities to access it.   On this episode of Why Not Now?, Samantha tells Amy Jo how Park Place Payments injects more financially independent people into the world while also helping small businesses. Samantha also says she has been very intentional about choosing her investors, saving half of her cap table for women and people of color. She even found her last investor after pitching him on Clubhouse.   Amy Jo and Samantha also talk about work

Heather Ouida, Laura Deutsch, Rebecca Dixon, and Verta Maloney founded the*gameHERs to give women who game a place to connect. Not one, but all four of the co-founders join Amy Jo on the show this week!   Heather, Laura, Rebecca, and Verta created the*gameHERs because, when they Googled a community for female gamers, nothing came up. They saw a need in the gaming space to amplify women. Almost half of gamers identify as women, but the speaking panels at most gaming conventions are dominated by men.   The co-founders tell Amy Jo they’re passionate about creating an inclusive space in gaming and business, as it’s so important that traditionally marginalized communities are represented in spaces where there is profit to be made. Heather, Laura, Rebecca, and Verta realized their work goes deeper than a service that makes life a little easier. the*gameHERs provides a community that has changed people's lives. The co-founders also talk about the*gameHERs Awards, lessons they keep learning, the ups and downs of sta

Steven Kotler studied journalism, poetry, and writing in school. When he told others about his plans to conduct a neurobiological study, some literally laughed in his face. But Steven’s interviews with Flow State experts made him an authority on the subject, and he set out to help others reach peak performance.   He now works with entrepreneurs, athletes, and leaders of some of the biggest companies in the world, helping them reach this state of “Flow” to become up to 500% more productive. According to Steven, Flow is how you turbo boost your results beyond all expectations.   In this episode of Why Not Now?, Steven and Amy Jo talk about overcoming imposter syndrome, how to get into Flow and how living a “Flow” Lifestyle can bring more purpose and happiness into our lives. They also talk about the difference in mindset between peak performers and non-peak performers.   Steven tells Amy Jo that we have 5 major intrinsic motivators: curiosity, passion, purpose, autonomy, and mastery. To perform at our best, the

Nick Taranto is a former Marine turned entrepreneur. He was fired from his sales job when his boss found a business plan on his work computer, kick-starting Nick’s entrepreneurial journey.   Getting fired was a blessing in disguise. It was just the motivation Nick needed to create Plated, America’s first meal kit company. Nick and his co-founder ideated, grew, and then sold Plated to Albertsons for over $200 million.   On this episode, Nick tells Amy Jo that early entrepreneurs don’t receive a lot of external validation, so it’s extremely important to be internally motivated.   Nick loves building businesses that create good in the world so much that he launched a second product, HOP WTR, during the pandemic. HOP WTR is a healthy alternative to beer. It has zero calories, zero sugar, and no alcohol. It’s filled with adaptogens and nootropics that will help you destress and unwind without the next-day hangover. It even helped Nick lose the 20 pounds he had gained from drinking beer!   Nick is definitely an exp

Lisa Stone creates opportunities for women that they can take to the bank. She’s so passionate about championing women, particularly women of color, because extensive research supports the fact that diversity on teams is better for business.   After a career in journalism, Lisa founded BlogHer as a way to lift up the voices of women in response to a lack of awareness of great female writers. During the last 5 years of Lisa’s time as CEO, she was able to pay $50 million to 6,500 bloggers. Talk about opportunities that women can take to the bank!   In this episode, Lisa tells Amy Jo she realized she was never going to make a big enough difference in putting money into the wallets of women unless she went into private equity. She came to this conclusion because women manage only 1.3% of the institutions that make up this $69 trillion industry. Lisa became a Managing Partner of a Venture Capital firm. She’s passionate about the extensive research showing that the more diversity you have on an investing team, the

Jordan, Jake, and Jimmy DeCicco are three brothers with a great story. They founded what is now the $400 million company behind Amy Jo’s favorite morning drink, Super Coffee, from their college dorm room. In this episode of Why Not Now?, the brothers tell Amy Jo about the “boots-on-the-ground” days of the company. Jordan left his college athletic scholarship and Jimmy quit his job on Wall Street to fully commit to starting Super Coffee. They even did their own manufacturing in the company’s early days. The founders also chat about the steps the company took during the pandemic to not only increase their own sales, but to also help others. Jordan, Jake, and Jimmy tell Amy Jo about the values they share with the rest of the company. They realized the company needed more diversity, so they hired an ethics advisor. They also have an honest, vulnerable discussion with Amy Jo about the importance they place on mental health, and taking care of themselves even on their best days. The Super Coffee products are pac

Regan Walsh quit what she thought was her dream job after only a week. This earned her the nickname “One Week Walsh” and was the beginning of her journey to find more meaning in her life. Regan found a job where she worked more hours, but that she truly loved.   This is one of the many events in Regan’s life that inspired her book Heart Boss, a compilation of stories where she took action to turn the life she had been dreaming of into her reality.   Now, Regan is a Life Coach, a Speaker who roots fiercely for others, and a graduate of the Renegade Accelerator. She helps women who are asking “is this it?” reclaim their lives.   In this episode, Regan tells Amy Jo that we all deserve joy in whatever we do for the majority of our days. Regan says we shouldn’t punish ourselves by sticking in careers that no longer serve us. Working with powerful women everyday is what serves Regan.   Regan and Amy Jo also talk about having the courage to free yourself from obligations, having your own back, and telling your stori