June 2012

No one likes a boss constantly hounding them, all the while making just enough money to make ends meet with little left over. Today, Vicki’s guests share advice to free you from these burdens! Financial advisor Gary Sirak and America’s #1 small business expert Melinda Emerson… only on Conversations Live with Vicki St. Clair!

The economic crash of 2008 exposed Americans tendency to overspend and live above our means. Since then, we have cut back and beefed up our savings, but as financial advisor Gary Sirak points out, “We have no memory at all. We will be freaked out and more conservative with our money, but as soon as any signs of an economic upturn show up, we will be right back to our old spending habits”. So how do we change our money habits for good? In his book If Your Money Talked… What Secrets Would It Tell? author Sirak approaches crucial factors in spending, including why do we tend to go back into overspending when it feels safe, what is the most common money mistake people make, and why is it so important to “keep up with the Joneses”? Gary Sirak is the president of Sirak Financial Services Inc., and has over 30 years experience in financial planning, insurance, investments, and employee benefits.

The only thing better than having a good job is having a good job and not having to answer to anyone! In the bestselling Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months, author Melinda Emerson provides a tool for people who are unhappy with their jobs and have always dreamed of owning their own business. Rather than just giving advice, she provides a realistic, month-by-month planning guide to starting a sustainable and profitable small business. Emerson began her career as a television producer, and within five years left tv to pursue her entreprenurial dreams. She is currently CEO of Quintessence Multi-media, developing audio, video, and written content to provide a link between her Fortune 500 clients and their small business partners. Staying busy, she also writes a weekly column for the New York TImes, hosts a weekly talk show on Twitter called #SmallBizChat, and publishes a resource blog at www.succeedasyourownboss.com.

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Take your life, your work, your team from ordinary to extraordinary with one of the most dynamic adventure racers in the country! Don’t miss Conversations Live with Vicki St. Clair, every Monday at noon Pacific on KKNW 1150AM!

If Robyn Benincasa sets out to do somthing, you better believe it’s going to get done! She is a 2-time Adventure Racing Champion, 2-time Guiness World Record distance kayaker, and a full time San Diego firefighter. It is that very drive and determination, coupled with a marketing degree from Arizona State University, that has also led Robyn to be one of the nation’s foremost speakers and analysts of leadership styles in business environments. Her new book, How Winning Works, 8 Essential Leadership Lessons from the Toughest Teams on Earth, is the focus of a new Fast Company article. Robyn’s leadership and teamwork presentations have been inspirations to industry leaders such as Starbucks, Aflac, Microsoft, Nestle, and many more!

Communication is a huge factor in developing strong, synergistic relationships.  Sylvia Henderson’s coaching programs, events and online resources help individuals and organizations communicate to build and strengthen relationships.  With a Bachelor’s in Education and a Master’s in Business Administration, plus over 30 years of corporate, non-profit, and entrenprenurial experience, she is well equipped to help you clarify, strategize, and implement your ideas.  She has authored several books, including Hey, That’s MY Idea!  How to Speak Up and Get Recognized for What You Know and Think.  Get your complimentary chapters of Sylvia’s book and stay connected with her at IdeaSuccessNetwork.com.

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How would you feel if you found out the government has taken away your right to full disclosure on what you eat and where it comes from? That is reality in Iowa, and several other states may be soon to follow. Vicki returns live and welcomes one of the country’s foremost experts on the meat packing and processing industry for an inside look at how large corporations have achieved such power, and what can be done about it!  Plus, a special look at returning to the way a doctor-patient relationship should be.  Don’t miss a single episode of Conversations Live, every Monday at noon Pacific on KKNW 1150AM! 

Recently in Iowa, the state government passed an extraordinary legislation to protect factory farms in their state from undercover investigation, making it a crime for job applicants to not disclose if they are affiliated with a news organization, animal rights group, or a union. This controversial bill was pushed through by large corporations who had repeatedly been exposed for engaging in animal cruelty and not maintaining sanitary facilities. Mere weeks later, millions of Americans were shocked to learn they were eating “pink slime”, the industry term for lean finely textured beef. In light of these alarming developments, industry expert Professor Donald Stull, co-author of Slaughterhouse Blues, feels it is more important than ever for the public to learn the truth about the U.S. meat and poultry industry. Professor Stull examines how the corporations came to such power, as well as sustainable solutions that respect everyone involved from the animals, to the workers, to the small farmers having an increasingly difficult time competing in the marketplace. Professor Stull has studied the meat and poultry industry for 25 years in North America, focusing on it’s effects on farmers, ranchers, workers, and the rural communities where processing plants are located.

There is no more trying time in a person’s life then when a serious medical condition presents itself to you or a loved one.  The doctor entrusted with diagnosing and treating the condition must build trust quickly… or lose it for good.  In The Cancer Experience: The Doctor, The Patient, The Journey, retired Dr. Roy B. Sessions examines the critical topics of medical ethics, doctor-patient relationships, and the methods of decision making during treatment.  Dr. Sessions promotes a return to more traditional medical values in which the relationship between the doctor and patient becomes a partnership.  Dr. Sessions is currently professor of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery at The Medical University of South Carolina.  Over his nearly 40 year career, he has been responsible for over 140 scientific publications, and has lectured extensively across the globe.

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