Today’s guest, who came highly recommended by former guest Nick Loper, really put my robot dancing to shame. And, more importantly, he dropped some serious wisdom about how doing more awesome shit and putting it out into the world has shifted the way he leads and runs his business. Kurt Elster shares with me how one stupid auto-correction error in a text led to an overnight success we call “Calming Manatee.” Creative entrepreneurs…this episode is especially for you! Watch the show (uncensored & unedited)  Listen to the podcast SHARE SOME SHUT UP LOVE: Step 1: Do awesome shit. Step 2: Tell people about it! – @kurtinc via @_TheShutUpShow #shutupshow (click to tweet) FUN FACTS: * Kurt has worked with a variety of clients including a Superbowl campaign, Verizon, small businesses and startups. * Kurt is the co-founder of Calming Manatee, a website reaching millions of visitors every month who are looking for peaceful ways to reduce overwhelm. * Kurt is a web designer, creative director, entrepreneur and now podcaster (what what!). * After we recorded Kurt’s episode, he took my advice and started his own podcast, The Unofficial Shopify Podcast. DEFINING SHUT UP MOMENT: One Tuesday morning at 8 a.m. while tying his Converse All-Stars before work, Kurt started full-on sobbing at the prospect of having to go to a job he hated. It was the job he had told everyone he loved. A job where he kept earning more responsibility but never any more money. A job where he was denied a raise due to budgetary limits; his boss was shopping for a Porsche. In that moment, Kurt knew he was going to quit his job and start his own business. He didn’t know what he wanted it to do. What he did know was quitting would light a fire underneath him. In less than two weeks, he decided to start a SaaS business and partnered with a friend who had been recently laid of from a software engineering job. Today, Kurt is working on his own terms, helping small businesses impress the hell out of their customers through his digital agency and making a positive difference through his creative projects. KURT’S SHUT UP TIPS: The first two years after I went out on my own, I realize I took all the experience I had learned up to that point to help me in the beginning. – @kurtinc In your first entrepreneurial endeavor, you think you can’t fail. But you’ve got to pivot to survive. Most businesses do that. – @kurtinc I wasn’t listening to our audience. I was trying to sell to people that didn’t know I existed. – @kurtinc If you have a vendor and they don’t talk about how they can help you make money, fire them right away. – @kurtinc Viral is an accident, it’s something you can’t force. – @kurtinc If you want things to go viral, you have to do something that helps others. It has to be selfless. – @kurtinc

Today’s guest has a remarkable story, which is why I couldn’t wait to get him on the show. I met Nelson de Witt at MisfitCon in Fargo this past spring where I learned of his story about being separated from his biological family during El Salvador’s civil war and how he was reunited with them at the age of 16. Today, Nelson works on entrepreneurial art projects that challenge him to push through fear and express himself creatively while doing meaningful and relevant work that fuels his misfit spirit. Watch the show (uncensored & unedited)  Listen to the podcast SHARE SOME SHUT UP LOVE: Had a decision been made differently, I might not be sitting here with you today. – @dewittn via @_TheShutUpShow #shutupshow (click to tweet) FUN FACTS: * Nelson is a working to produce a documentary film about El Salvador’s disappeared children. * Nelson graduated cum laude in Business, Management, and Information Systems. * Nelson is the author of the popular Kickstarter Guide, helping you successfully crowdfund your creative project. DEFINING SHUT UP MOMENT: Nelson was adopted as a child with a fairly typical upbringing in Boston. He knew he was adopted but didn’t ask a lot of questions. In 1997, when Nelson was 16 years-old, his father answered a phone call to discover Nelson’s biological family had been looking for him. After confirming this information to be true, Nelson discovered his biological parents were revolutionaries in El Salvador’s civil war. Joining the revolution just out of high school, Nelson’s father was shot near the heart and survived; however, his mom was captured and killed by the Honduran army. Over 900 cases were brought up about children who disappeared in the chaos of war with 350 solved and only 250 that have led to reunions. Roberto–Nelson’s birth name–has such an incredible legacy and remarkable story to tell while Nelson–the American–loves the challenge of bringing a bright idea to life. Today, Nelson/Roberto is working on the documentary film Identifying Nelson, a project that will help the search for the 500 disappeared children who are still missing. NELSON’S SHUT UP TIPS: Had a decision been made differently, I might not be sitting here with you today. – @dewittn I don’t have a lot of memories from the Civil War. I was one when I was separated from my family. I was two when I was adopted from the orphanage. – @dewittn You look at the picture and you know that’s you but you don’t feel like it’s you. – @dewittn As I moved over to the creative side, that’s when I got more traction in my work. – @dewittn If you give people too much they get lost in your work. – @dewittn I’m hovering over that launch button and I’m freaking out because I’m going to put myself out into the world. – @dewittn Understand the biology. You’re not going to get eaten by a tiger walking down the street. Understand what your brain is doing. – @dewittn Study famous entrepreneurs and artists to help you work through your fear the way they have. – @dewittn I’m afraid but not because I’m going to die. Maybe I need to pick up the phone and talk to somebody in this situation to help me through it.

Today’s featured guest, Craig McBreen, talks to us about the art of breaking out. How he moved from a 3,500 sq. ft. home to a 1000, sq. ft. apartment–by choice–to escape the shackles of homeownership and reignite his life as a middle-aged, location-independent traveling vagabond. If you think you’re too old to shut up and make shit happen, this episode is especially for you. Watch the show (uncensored & unedited)  Listen to the podcast SHARE SOME SHUT UP LOVE: I don’t care if you’re 35 or 65. If you want to change, there’s no better time than now. – @CraigMcBreen @_TheShutUpShow (click to tweet) FUN FACTS: * Craig has over 25 years of experience in branding, marketing and design. * He is an introvert, misfit, and loner. * He is the founder and host of the Art of Breaking Out blog and podcast. * He lives with his wife and children in Seattle, Washington (one of my favorite cities on earth!) DEFINING SHUT UP MOMENT: Craig was an only child, overweight, and teased in school. Growing up, he didn’t know how to socialize. It was then he realized he was a natural introvert. Recently, after witnessing a family member go through a very dark, challenging time, Craig was brought back to his youth. Confronting depression and introversion once again, Craig and his wife decided to downsize their lifestyles and become middle-aged traveling vagabonds. CRAIG’S SHUT UP TIPS: If you’re going to do something, it’s never going to be easy. – @CraigMcBreen I used to be all over the place but now I’m learning how to get past fear and be more productive. – @CraigMcBreen By nature, I’ve always been too cautious. Selling my home and moving into an apartment was the first time I did anything that seemed like it was impulsive. – @CraigMcBreen My wife and I haven’t done a whole lot. We wanted to travel and have a location-independent life. It can’t only be for the 20-somethings. – @CraigMcBreen I don’t want to be later in life going why didn’t I do this? – @CraigMcBreen You can always find an excuse, the origin is usually fear. – @CraigMcBreen I actually do want to help people. If it translates to business, fine. – @CraigMcBreen when i was a kid i liked writing but never got into it, three years ago when i started blogging it became a morning ritual I don’t care if you’re 35 or 65. If you want to change, there’s no better time than now. Put the wheels in motion. I’d be completely lying if I said I wasn’t scared every single moment of this change; I’m slightly terrified, but it’s a good feeling because my fear is energizing me. – @CraigMcBreen The more you put on your plate, the more comfortable you become with every single situation. – @CraigMcBreen When I’m feeling stuck, I get into more creative activities throughout the day: combining average Joe yoga with meditation. – @CraigMcBreen NOTABLE MENTIONS: The Top 5 Regrets of the Dying – Huffington Post Why I Would Rather Shoot Myself In the Head Than Own a Home – James Altucher

Thanks to my mastermind friend Charlie Poznek, I had the complete pleasure of being formally introduced to Nick Loper, Chief Side Hustler at Side Hustle Nation. Nick is the author of the popular book Work Smarter: 350+ Online Resources Today’s Top Entrepreneurs Use to Increase Productivity and Achieve Their Goals. We had a great conversation about how he built a side hustle to create a risk-averse way to start a business while he was still working full-time. Nick encouraged us to view our entrepreneurial journey as a scientist conducting a lab experiment. Check out our fun-filled conversation to find out what Nick encourages side hustlers to do to build real financial freedom.  Watch the show (uncensored & unedited)  Listen to the podcast SHARE SOME SHUT UP LOVE: The 9 to 5 will make you a living, the 5 to 9 will make you alive. @nloper #sidehustle via @_TheShutUpShow #shutupshow (click to tweet) FUN FACTS: * Nick speaks Spanish–only after few beers. * Nick wants to play for the Mariners when he grows up (inside joke). * Nick is a family man, traveler and online entrepreneur. * He knows way more about shoes than anyone should. * He has a giant shih-tzu named Mochi. So do I! Well, minus the giant part and my dog is not named Mochi. DEFINING SHUT UP MOMENT: Nick had his first stint in sales and business back in college when he answered an ad to start an independent painting company. This experience taught him how to cold-call as a door-to-door salesman. After college, Nick got a corporate job. He moved from Seattle to Washington D.C. not knowing anyone outside of work. He was bored from 5 to 9 and didn’t want to waste that time watching TV. So instead, Nick decided to make an investment in learning affiliate marketing and launched his first side hustle. NICK’S SHUT UP TIPS: Once you’ve had that taste of closing a deal–the entrepreneurial bug–it’s real tough to go back. @nloper The 9 to 5 will make you a living, the 5 to 9 will make you alive. @nloper Side hustle is a lower risk to become an entrepreneur. It gives you time to build a buffer. @nloper If you can work on something you care about, the process of creation has inherent value. @nloper I blogged for four years and no one ever read it. The process of writing on a regular basis gave me practice. @nloper Know your why. If you’re just chasing the next dollar, it’s not going to work out. There are faster ways to earn income that are not as time-leveraged as starting a business. @nloper The idea of helping people who are working corporate and want to find an escape route is fun for me; I get to experiment how to do these things. @nloper Making the wrong choice still scares me. It’s probably not going to be life-threatening. It could be life-changing. There’s big upside and very little downside to a lot of the decisions we look at. @nloper School was a formula. Ninety percent of it was showing up. @nloper If you don’t ask, don’t be surprised if nothing happens. @nloper Think like a scientist. A scientist’s experiment never fails. He has a hypothesis he has to prove or disprove. It lessens the fear of failure. @nloper NOTABLE MENTIONS: The 10 Top Distinctions Between Millionaires and the Middle Class (Amazon link) From Foe to Friend: Jia Jiang’s Love Story with...

It’s rare to find other young mommy misfitesque entrepreneurs like me who’ve shared a similar turbulent past…from high school drop out to doing amazing work in the world that uplifts, inspires and empowers other women today. My spiritual doppelganger Laura Aiisha Haykel joins me on today’s episode to talk about her journey from leaving home at 16 years old to becoming a soulful coach, speaker, singer and performer. This conversation will get you up and out of your own way.  Watch the show (uncensored & unedited)  Listen to the podcast SHARE SOME SHUT UP LOVE: We hold the power to really truly create our greatest lives based on what we’re choosing moment to moment. @lauraaiisha #shutupshow (click to tweet) LAURA ON GETTING UP AND PLAYING YOUR ROLE: I just kept showing up and I just kept showing up. – @lauraaiisha I have wanted to give up so many times, throw in the towel and say fuck it all. What I choose to acknowledge is I have a purpose just like everyone else. – @lauraaiisha I’m lucky to be alive so there must be a big purpose for me in this world. – @lauraaiisha Trust the inner knowing as opposed to trusting the illusions I’m experiencing out in the world. – @lauraaiisha Anyone can create a mantra and put a melody to it. Start to tell yourself a new story. And be the witness to your life and thoughts and words you use. – @lauraaiisha I’m here to live as fully as I possibly can until I transition over to the next phase. – @lauraaiisha Recognize the gift that you be in the world. No matter how many other amazing people you see out there, you are a gift. Everyone is a gift to this world and we all play a purpose and a role. Let’s keep playing that powerfully. – @lauraaiisha CONNECT WITH LAURA: Check out Laura’s first music video at LauraAiisha.com. Download Laura’s music for free at LauraAiisha.com/lah-musique. Get Laura’s debut EP “I Am” at LauraAiisha.bandcamp.com.

On today’s episode I welcome “The Gordon Ramsey to Your Online Kitchen Nightmare” Jessica Kupferman, founder and host of Lady Business Radio. We jam-packed the show today with conversations about being a woman entrepreneur (and we’re not only talking about business), the dangers in losing sight of the thing you’re good at, and mimicking others instead of honing your voice and craft.  Watch the show (uncensored & unedited)  Listen to the podcast SHARE SOME SHUT UP LOVE: You only have another 25 years to live, why do something you really hate? – @jesskupferman #shutupshow (click to tweet) JESSICA ON HELPING LADIES IN BUSINESS: Tech and fear go together. – @jesskupferman It’s an online world. When you don’t have control over your web site you don’t have control over your business. – @jesskupferman You can see a path forming of how you get to the places you are. – @jesskupferman If you’re going to teach people how to do something, you have to know what you’re doing in order to answer the questions. – @jesskupferman It’s hard to stick to what you’re good at if you’re bored with it. – @jesskupferman The same message may need to be delivered ten different ways to ten different people. You have to know who you’re talking to so you can know how to say the truth without making them cry or hate you. – @jesskupferman When you appear accessible, it will be hard to be productive. – @jesskupferman It’s an odd balance between being grateful constantly and overwhelmed that you even have the attention in the first place and setting boundaries so that you’re not being taken advantage of. – @jesskupferman A CHALLENGE FROM JESSICA: Start a post with “What’s the deal with xxx?” and see how people engage with you. (Let Jessica know how it went!) CONNECT WITH JESSICA: LadyBusiness.biz PodcastingSchoolForWomen.com

It still boggles my mind that today’s guest did not consider herself an author or writer until publishing book six of her collection of 12. I was so excited to chat with Honoree Corder, who was kindly referred by our friend and former guest Andrea Waltz (who taught us how to say NO!).  Honoree is an executive coach, entrepreneur, author and mom who I had the complete pleasure to talk to about navigating through the mindset challenges of feeling good enough to wear all these hats. This episode is packed with a lot of practical advice to help you strengthen your confidence and hone your voice, especially when you’re feeling doubtful and hopeless that you have what it takes to succeed.  Watch the show (uncensored & unedited)  Listen to the podcast SHARE SOME SHUT UP LOVE: I chose to listen to someone else’s voice until my voice was strong enough. @Honoree #shutupshow (click to tweet) HONOREE ON BEING RELATIONAL AND AUTHENTIC: If you really want to be an entrepreneur but you stayed in the safety of your position because of your fear, eventually someone is going to fire you. And it’s going to force you into where you want to be. Do it of your own volition. Or, volition is going to step in and whoop on you. – @Honoree Authenticity is so attractive. – @Honoree Be unapologetic for who you are–not only for everyone else–but mostly for yourself.  – @Honoree Be kind to yourself. Be kind to others. We’re all dealing with something.  – @Honoree You’re not going to be fully awesome all the time either and that’s okay.  – @Honoree We see ourselves in other people and we see their humanity and that allows us to embrace our humanity.  – @Honoree Love and hate are twin sisters. That’s why people who love each other fight.  – @Honoree Success is not important. Money is not important. At the end of the day, it’s about the people closest to you. Do they think you’re awesome? – @Honoree Go hug your kid. Ask them what they need. – @Honoree I don’t want to give her that gift of self-doubt or inherit the glitch in my software that I have. So everyday I am trying to feed her with self-confidence and help her to see she’s amazing and she doesn’t need someone to tell her that. – @Honoree I’m not about good, bad or wrong. I’m about being effective. I’m not transactional. I’m a relational person. – @Honoree CONNECT WITH HONOREE: CoachHonoree.com Honoree Corder on Amazon Get her latest book: Vision to Reality: How Short Term Massive Action Equals Long Term Maximum Results

Thank you everyone who joined us for The Shut Up Show LIVE event on Friday. If you missed it, we brought back Amy Clover of Strong Inside Out on to the show as she stopped in my former home city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin along her 10-city national tour to bring inspiration through movement. Amy and I sat down together in-person to talk about everything that has evolved for both of us since our first collaboration over 16 months ago. In this #shutupshow exclusive, Amy shares highlights of her brand new motivational online program&#8211;incorporating mental health + fitness to move your body and mind forward in life + supportive community of people&#8211;and offers The Shut Up Show community a ridiculously amazing offer at the end of the episode. What&#8217;s even more absurd&#8230;so do I (please forgive me for not being able to do math&#8211;details on the bonus offers are included at the end of the show notes).  Watch the show (uncensored &amp; unedited)  Listen to the podcast SHARE SOME SHUT UP LOVE: Nobody&#8217;s doing what you&#8217;re going to do for the world in your own voice. &#8211; @stronginsideout #siotour #shutupshow (click to tweet) AMY ON UNLEASHING YOUR STRONG: Everybody thought I was a troubled kid. But really I was dealing with so much of this pain I was scared to talk about. &#8211; @stronginsideout I held the pain inside for a long time. In my 20s I medicated myself to deal with it and almost took my own life. &#8211; @stronginsideout When I paired fitness with cognitive behavioral therapy, this became my saving grace. &#8211; @stronginsideout We have all of this energy within us; we&#8217;re not meant to sit all day. &#8211; @stronginsideout You always have the opportunity to choose something different; refuse to be defeated or accept defeat. &#8211; @stronginsideout One of the first things you should do when you&#8217;re feeling depressed is go help somebody else. &#8211; @stronginsideout It&#8217;s not about finding your purpose, you create your purpose. &#8211; @stronginsideout Give yourself&#8211;in its truth and its entirety&#8211;and give love to people without judgment or expecting anything in return; if you do that, you&#8217;ll be successful. &#8211; @stronginsideout Exercise has been proven to lessen the effects of depression, stress, anxiety. &#8211; @stronginsideout Everyone struggles. It&#8217;s okay to not be okay. &#8211; @stronginsideout WAYS YOU CAN HELP: * JOIN #siotour when Amy comes to a city near you * SHARE this link with others impacted by depression or suicide * DONATE to the cause and help bring hope for suicide depression BONUS BENEFITS IF YOU DONATE BY 11:59PM CST ON AUGUST 8TH: Donate $25: * Enter &#8220;shut up show&#8221; in notes, Amy will offer 1 month FREE to access her new online program (approx. value $50). * Email Berni with your donation confirmation at [email protected], you&#8217;ll also receive 30-minutes of coaching or strategy consulting (approx. value $125). <a href="http://www.

It&#8217;s not often I get to say I talked to someone who has sat inside Shawkshank Prison. This conversation was deeply moving. So moving I was nearly in tears. We talked about handling depression and finding the courage to break out of your prison&#8211;whether that is a job, relationship or health. What you didn&#8217;t hear, which was equally amazing was the conversation Kary and I had after I stopped recording. I found out we were both originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin and had never crossed paths till now&#8211;it took a guy from Israel (thanks Meron!) to connect us to each other. Go figure =) This episode couldn&#8217;t have been more timely and relevant&#8230;if you feel alone and misunderstood, this one is especially for you.  Watch the show (uncensored &amp; unedited)  Listen to the podcast SHARE SOME SHUT UP LOVE: When you numb your pain, you numb your potential. &#8211; @karyoberbrunner via #shutupshow #DJtoDJ (click to tweet) KARY ON IGNITING YOUR SOUL: To be a soul on fire you need to know three things: * Identity (Who am I?) * Purpose (Why am I here?) * Context (Where should I invest my life?) KARY QUOTABLES: Do I want to die a thousand deaths slowly over time? Or do I really want to take a risk and break out of Shawshank? &#8211; @karyoberbrunner  When I&#8217;m alive and creative, I call it being connected to your creator, core and community&#8211;when I&#8217;m in alignment, amazing things happen. &#8211; @karyoberbrunner  Literally, day jobs are killing people. When we feel stuck and we&#8217;re not able to progress, something in us dies. You begin numbing your pain. &#8211; @karyoberbrunner  Pain is inevitable, misery is a choice. &#8211; @karyoberbrunner  If you don&#8217;t show up in your life, there&#8217;s something wrong. &#8211; @karyoberbrunner  Life&#8217;s too easy, video games are hard. &#8211; @karyoberbrunner  Many people who reach success play life so they don&#8217;t lose, instead of playing life to win. &#8211; @karyoberbrunner  CONNECT WITH KARY: Get Day Job to Dream Job book for over half off + 3 exclusive bonuses ($119 value)

This episode is brought to you by our amazing partner for almost a year now, Selz.com, who has backed us up making selling online easy, sexy and fun even if you don&#8217;t have a web site yet! Today on Shin Kicking Mondays we&#8217;re going to talk about a long overdue topic. Last week we talked about showing up to do good and hard work no matter how difficult the journey can be. This week we cover something more important: Who are you showing up to be? If you know you have a story or an important message to tell&#8230;you don&#8217;t quite know how to tell it&#8230;or you&#8217;re deathly afraid to share it&#8230;this episode was hand-crafted by me just for you. Watch the video (uncensored &amp; unedited) Listen to the podcast SHARE SOME SHIN KICKING LOVE: Be who you say you are. Do what you say you&#8217;ll do. You don&#8217;t want to be a BS brand, do you? @BerniXiong #shinkickingmon (click to tweet) WHAT&#8217;S IN TODAY&#8217;S SHIN KICKING TOOLKIT? Here are some things you can ask yourself to gain clarity about who you want to be when you show up: * Why did you get into this work to begin with? * Who were you trying to help? * What outcome will they achieve with my help? THE YEAR OF THE BRAVE BEAR HITS THE KINDLE STORE AND SELZ.COM THIS WEEK! * Pre-order your book + receive instant access to download the unabridged copy of the book at BraveBearMedia.com! WATCH US LIVE EVERY MONDAY AT NOON (CENTRAL U.S. TIME) Shin Kicking Mondays (The Shut Up Show&#8217;s free weekly coaching series) will help you kick start the week with more confidence and a great mental attitude! You&#8217;ll be so inspired to jump out of bed and get shit done. By the week&#8217;s end, you&#8217;ll already be looking forward to next Monday. Every Monday we deliver a swift kick to the shins with FREE COACHING to help you: * Do work you love while making an impact in the world. * Stand out and get noticed by like-minded and like-hearted peeps. * Attract more paying clients to help you build a steady income stream. [call_to_action link=&#8221;http://bit.ly/shutupnow&#8221; button_label=&#8221;SUBSCRIBE&#8221; rounded=&#8221;false&#8221; btnsize=&#8221;large&#8221; color=&#8221;&#8221;]JOIN OTHER BRAVE ENTREPRENEURS WHO ARE SHUTTING UP AND LIVING ON THEIR OWN TERMS.[/call_to_action]