Breakfast Leadership Show

Interview with Bjørn Ekeberg

Bjørn Ekeberg is Co-founder & CEO of Recharge Health, creators of FlexBeam, the world's first targeted infrared therapy device. 
 
FlexBeam naturally accelerates recovery time for athletes, fitness and strength trainers, and works for all active individuals looking to heal injuries, muscular-skeletal pain or improve their physical energy.
 
Bjørn has a highly unusual background. With a PhD in Philosophy of Science, his speaking engagements range from cosmology to health and recovery. He is an unorthodox thinker who likes to challenge the unquestionable and promote newer and better ways of understanding and living.
 
The near-infrared technology used by FlexBeam was originally developed by NASA. In-house studies have shown it to deliver a 33% faster recovery after a muscle pull, 75% reduction in muscular-skeletal pain, 40% improvement in strength performance, and a 30% improvement in deep sleep. 
 
First launched on Indiegogo in October 2020, FlexBeam has done $5M+ in sales and has major brand ambassadors from the sports world, including Norwegian Tennis star Casper Ruud and Norwegian soccer player and Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard.
 
Quick recap
The main topics discussed in this conversation are the potential of red light technology in health and sports tech, the development and marketing of the world's first wearable infrared therapy device, the importance of investing in research and development for innovation, the non-pharmaceutical approach to health, the benefits of natural remedies, the concept of viewing the body as a natural healing system, the role of light therapy in promoting natural healing, and the significance of personal health and wellness.
 
 
Summary of the conversation
 
Health, Entrepreneurship, and Technology Focus
Michael and Bjørn discussed the focus of their upcoming conversation, agreeing to prioritize the health aspect. They touched on the possibility of including aspects of entrepreneurship and leadership, given Bjørn's personal experiences. Bjørn clarified that their conversation would be recorded in both video and audio formats. They were also set to discuss Bjørn's latest project, a health solution based on infrared technology.
Red Light Technology: Health and Sports Tech Game-Changer
Bjørn and Michael discussed the potential of red light technology in health and sports tech. Bjørn, who has been involved with this technology for about five years, explained that it is a game-changer that can improve health and shift perceptions about light and health. Michael agreed, noting the impact of sunlight on mood and mental health. Bjørn shared their journey, which began when they were introduced to this technology by friends who stumbled upon NASA research about the impact of near infrared and red light on the physiology of the body. Bjørn was surprised by the lack of awareness about this technology, given its decades-long research history.
Innovative Wearable Therapy Device Discussion
Bjørn shared about their team's journey in designing and marketing the world's first wearable infrared therapy device. They emphasized the importance of making such technology user-friendly and accessible, as part of a larger mission to raise awareness about the benefits of light therapy. Michael echoed Bjørn's sentiments, noting the tendency to undervalue and underutilize discoveries once they are made. They pointed out that there is a need to further explore the potential applications of such innovations, using the example of a new method to print a hip replacement without surgery.
Innovation and Alternative Health Approaches
Michael and Bjørn emphasized the importance of investing in research and development (R&D) for innovation. Bjørn highlighted the challenge of making these innovations accessible to the majority of people and raising awareness about them. They discussed a non-pharmaceutical approach to health, including the use of light therapy for pain relief and muscle repair, which is seen as a more powerful and broader approach than the dominant biochemical paradigm. The conversation concluded with a discussion about the resistance these alternative approaches often face due to challenging traditional beliefs about medicine.
Natural Healthcare: Benefits and Innovations
Michael discussed their belief in natural approaches to healthcare, emphasizing the potential benefits of using natural remedies over synthetic medicines due to their lower risk of side effects. They highlighted the importance of the body's ability to naturally consume and absorb these remedies. Michael also expressed their support for innovative products that promote health and wellness. Towards the end, they showed interest in learning about future developments and innovations in this field, prompting Bjørn to further discuss the paradigm shift in healthcare.
Self-Healing Mechanisms and Innovative Solutions
Bjørn discussed the concept of viewing the body as a natural healing system and highlighted the importance of understanding its self-healing mechanisms. They criticized the conventional biochemical or pharmaceutical paradigm that views health care and healing as something external. Bjørn emphasized that the body's own capacity to heal should be recognized. They also mentioned their product, 'Flex Beam', a wearable device that uses near-infrared and red light therapy to enhance the body's natural healing capacity. Bjørn pointed out that technological advancements like 'Flex Beam' were not possible a few years ago due to the high cost of LEDs, but now, due to technological improvements, they are becoming more affordable. Michael agreed with Bjørn's insights, appreciating the beauty of innovation and the potential of discovering affordable solutions.
Health, Wellness, and Innovative Solutions
Michael and Bjørn had a detailed discussion about the importance of personal health and wellness, emphasizing the need for innovative solutions that can help people manage their health actively rather than reactively. They explored the concept of the human body as a "battery" that needs recharging, and highlighted the role of light therapy in this process. Bjørn mentioned the device called Flex Beam, which has gained popularity in sports and health sectors for its effectiveness and ease of use. The conversation concluded with Bjørn providing details about Recharge Health, the company behind Flex Beam, and inviting others to learn more about the product and the team.
 
Links:
https://recharge.health/no?ref=breakfastleadership
https://www.drbjorn.com/ 
https://www.facebook.com/theflexbeam/ 
https://www.instagram.com/theflexbeam/ 
https://www.linkedin.com/company/rechargeyourhealth/?viewAsMember=true 
https://www.youtube.com/@Rechargehealth

A Discussion with LINK founder Jill Valdez

Jill Valdez is the Founder and COO of LINK, supporting executive directors with strategies to build organizational health creating more certainty for the future without service disruption.Jill has been helping people for over 20 years … helping with better systems for their company, helping with better communication, helping them with overcoming obstacles that keep them from being all that they are purposed to be.Her empathy, combined with her aptitude for assessing people and connecting their passion to a purpose, allowed her to introduce updated processes in order for the team to enjoy greater success in accomplishing their mission.https://LinkedIn.com/in/jillvaldezlink
https://Instagram.com/jillvaldezlink
 

Interview with Early Amazon Executive John Rossman

A leadership and digital transformation expert, John Rossman is the author of three books on leadership and business innovation including the best seller The Amazon Way. He is an early Amazon executive who played a key role in launching the Amazon marketplace business in 2002. Today he is a leading keynote speaker on leadership for innovation, transformation, and artificial intelligence and has given over 200 keynotes to worldwide audiences.
John is an operator and builder whose love is diving into business problems and customer needs designing innovative solutions and business models, and creating durable enterprise value.
He served as senior innovation advisor at T-Mobile and senior technology advisor to the Gates Foundation. John was a managing director at Alvarez and Marsal for twelve years leading several business turn-around situations, serving as interim CIO at a restructuring client, and leading the development of several large clients, including Walmart, Nordstrom, and Microsoft.
John is the founder of Rossman Partners, a leadership development, coaching, and advisor solutions company. He is often joined by his Frenchie, Bossman.https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-rossman/

Interview with Mike Tinney, CEO of FIX Health

Mike Tinney is the Founder and CEO of FIX Health, which powers A Step Ahead, a wellness app that leverages technology and the expertise of FIX Health’s team of health professionals to help individuals take control of their health and wellness. Under Tinney’s leadership, FIX Health has become a trusted partner for SMBs seeking to provide cost-efficient and fun ways for their teams to stay healthy.
To join in the fun, please visit: https://astepaheadchallenge.com/challenges/

The Leader Awakened- A conversation with Interview with Samreen McGregor

Samreen McGregor is an executive coach, founder of Turmeric and author of Leader Awakened. She has over twenty-five years of experience in her field of executive coaching, helping leaders and senior teams from various backgrounds and industries achieve breakthroughs and transformation within their organisations. With a unique ability to create the conditions leaders need to stretch beyond their existing capabilities, Samreen’s interventions lie in a cross-section between business performance, behavioural change and embodied consciousness.Her book, Leader Awakened invites readers to accept, embrace, and work with difficult or traumatic events and experiences. It provides tools to use as a powerful catalyst for change and enables learning, empowerment, agency, and wellbeing.
As the Executive Coach and founder of Turmeric Group, Samreen has a diverse executive coaching client base of C-suite leaders and Executive teams/boards and their recently published book (written with a clear intention to be a compass for leaders navigating the unprecedented challenges and obstacles given today’s unfolding backdrop).
The combination of strategic business context, profound behavioral change, and embodied healing underpins my work, and offerings to your listenership - not to mention their relevance in today’s tricky societal context.
Company Website: https://turmericgroup.com/
LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/samreen-mcgregor-104110/?originalSubdomain=uk
Book:  https://amzn.to/498jHgG
 
 

Interview with Richard Parker

RICHARD PARKER has been helping people achieve their dreams of owning a business for over 30 years. His ‘How To Buy A Good Business At A Great Price’ program has sold over 100,000 copies in more than 80 countries.He was hired by the Dalio family office and for several years worked as a mentor to one of Ray Dalio’s sons teaching him the art of buying small businesses.He has personally purchased 13 of his own companies plus one co-investment with purchase prices ranging from $50,000 to over $200 million.Richard has appeared in Forbes, The New York Times, TheStreet.com, Entrepreneur Magazine, Inc., and has over 200 published articles to his credit.YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@richardparkerbuybusinessFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/RichardParkerDiomoInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/richardparkerdiomo/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richparker1/

The Power of AI with Zach Giglio

Zach is a seasoned marketing and communications professional with over a decade of experience. He blends his profound expertise with cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence technology to assist organizations in scaling their marketing strategies and campaigns.
 
Renowned for his insights into the fascinating convergence of AI and marketing, Zach is a frequent guest speaker at industry conferences. Additionally, he conducts intensive 'AI in Marketing' workshops, tailored to equip organizations with the requisite knowledge and skills to effectively harness AI, fueling their marketing abilities and driving revenue growth.
 
Zach's consulting acumen spans a diverse array of organizations, from Fortune 500 companies to dynamic startups. His wide array of services includes designing and executing comprehensive communication strategies, creating award-winning corporate news sites, and aiding clients in scaling both their internal and external communication capabilities.
 
In his professional journey that has taken him from Washington D.C. to Johannesburg, Zach founded GCM, a boutique communications firm. He is deeply committed to empowering organizations to establish strong identities and devise robust marketing strategies, propelled by his passion for personalized training and service delivery.
 
Zach's love for sports and politics has refined his skills in strategic planning and team management, making him a natural problem solver. He values his client relationships deeply, striving to serve as an invaluable extension of their teams.
 
Beyond his professional commitments, Zach contributes actively to his local community, serving on the boards of two nonprofits. He indulges his personal passions in travel, wine, and conversation, underpinned by a lifelong love for storytelling, history, and culture. Zach resides in the Charleston, S.C. area with his wife and two young sons, his enthusiasm for life radiating through both his professional and personal pursuits.
Instagram: @whoisgcm/
The link Zach shared during our chat:
Copy.ai:  https://www.copy.ai/?via=zach-giglio
LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachgigliopr/
Company Website:  https://www.whoisgcm.com/

Discussing the Employee Retention Credit with Bill Hall

Michael's note:
The IRS paused the ERC credit on September 14, 2023, and it's still paused at the time of this release.  
Article discussing the pause:  https://www.grantthornton.com/insights/newsletters/tax/2023/hot-topics/sep-26/irs-pauses-erc-claims-and-prepares-settlement-offer
 
Bill hall is with ERCTREE and its CPA/Attorney Tax Credit Partners have processed about $3 billion in returns.  We work directly with the IRS and have former IRS tax credit employees work w us
 
- Offers multiple ERC refund quotes
-Is 230 Circular-Certified by the IRS as Tax Credit Experts
-Offers Advanced Funding-can get monies sooner than the typical 4 to 12 months IRS refund period
-free audit and errors/omissions insurance
-offers ten different loan options to help businesses 
-does not advertise on TV etc.  Word of mouth drives us 
 
https://www.linkedin.com/company/erctree-inc/about/
https://erctree.com/
 
https://www.alignable.com/carmel-valley-san-diego-ca/erctree