After 27 years at Walt Disney World, Dan Cockerell is leaving the Magic Kingdom for a home office. 

Dan began his Disney career parking cars at Epcot as part of the college program. He finishes his career as the Vice President of the Magic Kingdom. 

During his time at Disney, Dan had 19 different jobs and learned how to manage operations and culture from the parking lot to the iconic castle. Now, Dan is launching his own business to work with organizations to improve organizational structure, build a magical culture and select the right talent. 

You can find out more about Dan at dancockerell.com. 

Lee Cockerell and I hosted a one-day Creating Magic Mastermind event in Orlando. In this episode, I share nine things I learned during the Mastermind. 

Here are the nine lessons;

The opportunity is there if you are willing to take it. We are all surrounded by opportunities. You have to be open enough to see it and bold enough to act. 

Family comes first. Don't let your job get in front of your family. The work you do is not more important than the people in your house. 

An Organization will adjust to lack of clarity. If you aren't clear with expectations, people will adjust, and you probably won't like the direction of the adjustment. 

Make sure the right people know who you are. If people don't know who you are they can't help you. 

Don't practice on your customers. Make training a priority and don't practice on your customer. 

There are only 4 things to make people change. The only things that will lead people to change their mind or change their behavior are education, emergency, experience, and exposure. 

Beware of the HIPPO. The HIPPO is the Highest Paid Person's Opinion. Make sure everyone's opinion is heard, no matter what their position or pay grade. 

Treat a customer like a member of the family. If your mother was in the situation your customer is in, how would you want your mother treated?

You will have to repeat your message often. When you are starting to get sick of hearing yourself say your message, people are just beginning to listen. Stick with it. 

It can be scary to try something new. What if you mess up? What if it doesn't go as planned?

No matter what happens, there is one way to gain value from any situation. Reflection. 

Reflection is how you get the most out of any experience. The insight you gain from reflection can be used for anticipation. Mess up today, reflect on it, and you are more likely to be able to anticipate what will happen in the future. 

Exerpeince isn't worth much unless it is ran through the wash of reflection. 

Donald Miller built a reputation as an author with popular books like Blue Like Jazz and A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. Through writing books, Donald learned the elements of a great story. 

Now, in his book, Building a StoryBrand, Donald Miller helps businesses tell a clear and compelling story.

StoryBrand has had an impact on nearly everything I do with my business. Once you understand StoryBrand, you will get clarity in your message. When your message is clear, your marketing and content become clear. 

Listen to this interview with Donald Miller, and then get a copy of the book, and apply what you learn. It will be the first step towards attracting more customers. 

Get the book - Building a StoryBrand

Donald Miller on Twitter - @DonaldMiller

Donald Miller on Facebook - Donald Miller

Donald Miller on the Web - Storylineblog.com

Find out more about the StoryBrand workshop.

Lee Cockerell, retired EVP of Walt Disney World, and Carol Quinn, CEO of Hire Authority, team up to discuss hiring and employee motivation. 

If you want to stand out in your job and get noticed by your boss, there are 12 things you can do to set yourself apart from everyone else. 

1. Do the job in front of you. 

2. Be in service of the boss. 

3. Remember, your boss has a job to do. 

4. Think of your boss as a customer. 

5. Consider if there is a difference between what your boss wants and what your boss needs. 

6. Attitude stands out. 

7. Raise your hand when something needs done. 

8. Bring a solution not a problem.

9. Bake your bosses goals into your goals. 

10. If you have something to say, say it to your boss not a co-worker. 

11. Keep your boss informed. 

12. Produce results. 

If you want to have more impact, find someone who has had an impact and talk to them. 

On this episode of the podcast, we ask Dan Ashe, Director of the US Fish and Wildlife Service how we can have an impact. 

Director Ashe outlines three steps to have an impact;

1. Be engaged personally. Know your strengths and weaknesses. 

2. Professional engagement. Think larger than what is around you. 

3. Persistence. Pick a course and stick with it. 

Being married to an entrepreneur can give you heartburn.

Being married is always work. Worthwhile work, but still work. Being married to an entrepreneur brings a whole new level of challenges.

To help us navigate the tricky world of marriage and entrepreneurship, two special guests join the show. First, Joanne Miller gives encouragement to spouses of entrepreneurs. Next, Susie Miller offers advice for both entrepreneurs and their spouses. 

To help you have better conversations with your spouse, Susie Miller has a free guide for you. CLICK HERE to get Fast and Fun Conversation Starters for Entrespouses.

Susie Miller on the web - susiemiller.com
Susie Miller on Twitter - @susiemiller5
Susie Miller on Facebook - Susie Miller
Susie Miller's Book -Listen Learn Love

Joanne Miller on the web - joannefmiller.com
Joanne Miller' book - Creating A Haven of Peace

Sometimes things just don't go right. 

Our plans get knocked over. People don't show up. We make bad decisions and get in uncomfortable situations. 

This week's episode of the Jody Maberry Show is a message of encouragement when things don't go right. 

You only get one chance to make a first impression on a new employee. 

How you handle the first day for a new employee will go a long way with shaping their attitude about your organization. 

What do you want them to know? What do you want them to feel?

Design your new employee's first day to answer those first two questions. 

Have you ever been lost in the woods? It has happened to me more than once. 

Once, deep in the wilderness of Wyoming, I was so lost I thought I may never find my way back to civilization. 

According to Jonathan David Lewis, there is little difference physiologically between people lost in the wilderness and leaders in a boardroom dealing with an unexpected challenge. In both cases, there is a predictable response to disruption. 

People make bad decisions when they are in a difficult situation. 

At some point, your business is going to face a disruption. And people will react as if they are lost in the wilderness. 

In his book, Brand vs. Wild, Jonathan David Lewis presents research to show what organizations can learn from wilderness survival to survive disruption in business. 

Find your one thing to help you stand out. Be unique. Be different. 

Whatever is normal, do the exact opposite. 

Jesse Cole, often seen in a bright yellow tuxedo, wants you to understand you don't have to do things the same way everyone else does it. 

Jesse is the owner of the Savannah Bananas baseball team, author, podcaster, and business disrupter. 

When Jesse first became the owner of a minor league baseball team, he realized no one cared about the team. There were no fans at the games. There was no money in the bank account. 

Instead of getting discouraged, Jesse tackled the problem head-on. He knew people thought baseball was long, slow, and boring. 

Jesse encourages you to find what frustrates you about your business. Also, find what frustrates your customers about your business or industry. Now, tackle those problems directly. Do the opposite of what people expect or what others are doing.

Get a copy of Jesse's book, Find Your Yellow Tux. 

Jesse Cole's website - FindYourYellowTux.com

Jesse Cole on Facebook - YellowTuxJesse

Jesse Cole on Twitter - @YellowTuxJesse

I finished 2017 by staying at the Historic Davenport Hotel in downtown Spokane, WA. During my stay, I was reminded why it is important to focus on what is uniquely you. 

When I sampled the soft peanut brittle a chef was making in the lobby of the hotel, it set me off thinking about why they do it. Why do they make the treat in the lobby and give it out to guests? 

The peanut brittle is not about selling more of the tasty treat. It is about adding something special to guest's stay at the hotel. Something special you can only find at the Historic Davenport. 

Richard Benson said, "Make only that to which you bring a unique quality and buy everything else around the corner."

As you start the new year, think about what you can offer that is uniquely you.