Choose Positive Living with Sara Troy and her guest Joe Templin, on air from June 7th
Every day, we either get a little worse or a little better, and the natural tendency is to decline. Yet if we invest a few minutes consistently every day, we can slowly and continuously improve (Human Kaizen) and ultimately end up in a good place.
Excellence is a habit. Habits need to be acted upon daily. Every day we have to fight the entropy of age, the creeping chaos of the world. Each day we must make the investment of time and energy, just to maintain where we are relative to inflation, progress, and our own dreams.
If we invest just a bit more of ourselves than that minimum, we can improve daily. Slowly, inexorably, polishing the jewel that is us. It is the little daily sacrifices and choices that compound over years and decades to make us priceless sparkling multifaceted works of nature and nurture. So today, make the better choices. That’s all you have to do. Just do what you should, today.
Reformed physicist, financial planner, startup founder, and autodidactic polymath best described as a Swiss Army Knife, Joe Templin has invested the past two and a half plus decades in helping others reach their financial potential as a planner, trainer, mentor, and creator.
Joe has served as a member of NAIFA (the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors) on the local, state, and national levels, and including three terms on the NAIFA National Young Advisors Team (YAT) Subcommittee and was honored as one of the 2011 Four Under 40. He is a graduate of the Leadership in Life Institute of NAIFA as well as Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and is an alum of Johns Hopkins University.
Joe served as the President of the Castle Alpha Tau Foundation for Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity and as the Chapter Advisor and is currently a Vice President of The Autism Society of the Greater Capital Region. He has been a member of The Ancient Order of Hibernians for over 20 years, and is the Lieutenant of the Honor Guard.
Templin is the Managing Director of the Unique Minds Consulting Group, LLC, and is the author of “Every Day Excellence”, the Kindle #1 New Release in Professional Development. Joe also co-authored “Do You Want To Make MDRT, Or Not?” with Dr. John Stolk as well as “Choices: Creating a Financial Services Career”.
Joe is a Co-Founder and President of The Intro Machine, Inc. an organization dedicated to teaching professionals in a variety of fields how to build an Introduction Based Business. He has spoken all across the US and Canada on ethical business development.
In his free time, Joe enjoys running Ragnars (200 ish mile team relay races), and ultramarathons, and is a 4th Dan from the Kukkiwon in Seoul, Korea and a former International Champion. He lives in Gansevoort, New York, with his hooligan boys Danny, Liam, and Colin. They are huge Yankees fans.
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Supporting the Supporters with Sara Troy and her guest Michael Solomon, on air from June 7th
Along with a long strategic career in both the Air Force and Law Enforcement spanning over almost 15 years, Michael is perfect for helping our Vets and other survivors feel both safe and protected. He offers tips on safety and how to be aware of your surroundings. Michael can also assist you in what to expect when and if you have to appear in court (however he cannot provide any legal advice). Michael is very easy-going, patient, laid back and trustworthy. He has been there to assist his wife in her recovery from being a domestic violence victim to a thriving survivor. When he is not working, he loves to spend time with his wife, Victoria and their three kids. Michael also enjoys fishing, hunting, woodworking, as well as paying it forward in assisting special needs families being that he and Victoria also have a daughter who has special needs. President and Security Advisor.
Giving is not just about making a donation. It is about making a difference.
We are currently in the process of building a kennel system so that we can begin breeding our beautiful golden retriever support dogs. We have been doing all of this plus everything you see on our website out of our own pockets. When we do charge for say some of the classes, we do it for what we pay for the materials. Here soon we will have to take on the expenses of more vet bills, dog food, and so much more. Michael knows first hand how impactful a dog can be, being a Vet who has his own P.S.T.D. he used to wake up with shadows coming through the walls cause him to go for his gun, now with a dog sleeping with him, he no longer has those nightmares.
A dog can sense the pain, anguish, the anxiety the health needs and the fear and more, and with their undying love, they are there for us in a way like no one else can be, so support Michael with his program to get dogs to those in need so they can help those with life challenges navigate life more easily.
All of our shows/interviews are done by donation, if you enjoyed this show please support us here with either a one-time donation or subscribe and support on Patreon.
Their Story Matters with Sara Troy and her guest JoAnn Erwin, on air from June 7th
JoAnn Ewin was an exemplary nurse working at Little Sandy Correctional, but one day she said no to a date with the warden and her life was sent upside down. Today nearly 8 years later she is still fighting for her wrongful dismissal and the justification of being blacklisted and persecuted.
Former Prison Nurse tells all in her memoir. Sexual harassment, lies, and court cases that seem to never be brought to a closure. Elliott County, Kentucky, 2022 JoAnn Erwin has released her first book, a memoir about her time as a prison nurse, for preorder. Her ongoing court case, because of her wrongful termination, is continually delayed. While waiting for the judge to make a final ruling, JoAnn is ready to tell her story to the public. Preorder will be available till June 30, 2022, when the eBook will be available for purchase. A paperback edition is planned to be released after June 30, 2022, as well.
Will justice prevail or will she be caught in the big man’s cluTS20-20 Sexual harassment and wrongful dismissal accountability of sweeping it all under the rug? She shares her story with us and prays that justice will prevail in June at her next court hearing.
JoAnn set out to write her memoir to bring awareness to the corruption in the prison and court systems in the state of Kentucky. Her experiences are not exclusive to just her own story but have happened to others. What started as a hostile work environment where favoritism and sexual innuendos were prevalent turned into a wrongful termination when JoAnn refused to have a drink with the warden. After daring to stand up for the rights of inmates to receive doctor ordered medical care provisions and refusing the warden’s proposition for a date, JoAnn found herself declared a security risk. She was also blocked from holding any nursing position at any of Kentucky’s state prisons. Now, after several years of court, her case is still unresolved.
Sexual harassment, lies, cover-ups, mistreatment of staff and inmates. These wrongs have happened at one time or other in the thirteen Kentucky state prison facilities. Every attempt is made to keep things that happen behind these walls quiet. The public does not know what goes on in a state prison. I have experienced all the above and more during my employment at Little Sandy Correctional Complex. I am Jodie Erwin, and this is my experience as a prison nurse. This memoir includes firsthand experiences inside of a Kentucky state prison. A must read for those considering going into the field of prison nursing. This memoir gives insight into nursing inside of a prison and the challenges that arise from being a caregiver for prisoners. With the constant pressure to both give adequate medical care and to do what is in the prison’s inner circles’ best interests, this book exposes the brokenness of the system and those who are in charge. Even working inside a prison for a short time has emotional, mental, and physical consequences. With the added pressure of unchecked sexism and harassment, this memoir reveals the darker side of this type of work. Behind These Walls will be available for purchase in both eBook and paperback editions
JoAnn (Jodie) Erwin was born in Olive Hill, Kentucky. She is the oldest of six children. She worked as a factory worker in Morehead, Kentucky till she lost her job in 2002. Seeking a more stable career she returned to college to pursue a nursing degree. Jodie was forty-seven years old when she went to nursing school. In December 2005, Jodie graduated from the LPN program and went to work at a nursing home. It was 2012 when she took a position at a prison and her life was set on its current course. She would face some of the darkest and most difficult times of her life. Turning to writing Jodie has started a journey of healing by sharing her memories of being a prison LPN with her readers.
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Sara’s View of Life with Sara Troy, on air from June 7th
It is hard for me to believe that I have had my own Podcast network for 9 years now. I had no idea of what I was doing when I first started out, and over the years I have created my own style in interviewing, show postings, and platforms to view and hear on. It has been quite an adventure and one I still love doing.
I have hoped to be further ahead with certain things, like my Orchard of Wisdom site and the Fund-Action program and the second book; but life has a way of either redirecting you and slowing you down, and some of those goals have not been met yet, but I do hope soon.
When I first started out I had Bill who edited my audios for me and put them up on SoundCloud, and when I ran into issues, he would help, but as of around early 2016 I was on my own and had to learn fast. Now I do all the editing, audio files, video, show postings, graphics, sharing and etc and I do my very best to give my podcast guest and representation that serves all their info and show.
I want to do more, but simple for one person there is no more time, each show is about a 5 hour production and I do anything from 4-8 shows a week, that is before the sharing. I have also created 3 more platforms. Mentorshipswhere coaches can share their skills and program’s that serve you the audience. Practitioners, those who offer hands on programs, and Supporting the Supporters, where we support the organizations who are doing exemplary work in supporting others.
We already have onE-Book, but I hope by years end to have a collaborative book on ourForgotten Childrenseries out too. Hopefully by the time this goes live, my new site will be up Orchard Of Wisdom where all our programs will be laid out will be up. It all depends on chiseling through some tech issues of which is not my strength.
So as I go into this new year of exploration and continue to bring you the most awesome liberating and illuminating people to inspire you, guide you and empower you, join me and help us get there even faster. I do all my shows via donation, some people are very generous, some not. We are on Patreon where you can support the SHOWS, the POD-BOOKS, the FUND-ACTIONprogram, we ask humbly for your support so we can continue to bring these shows and the Pod-Books and much more. You can give a one time donation on the blue donate button, of go to Patreonand support us there on any or all our programs, every drop fuels the productivity.
You are not just donating, you are building up hope and solutions for those in need.
All of our shows/interviews are done by donation, if you enjoyed this show please support us here with either a one-time donation or subscribe and support on Patreon.
Choose Positive Living with Sara Troy and her guests Nick Zafonte and Jacky “J.D.” Singer, on air from May 31st.
At any given moment as they collaborate on everything from successful indie films, music videos, and original web content to a young adult fiction trilogy and children’s picture books, the freewheeling chemistry between Nick Zafonte and Jacky “J.D.” Singer transcends genres and traditional media classifications that Nick has fondly taken to explaining their collective magic in offbeat mathematical terms: “One plus one equals three.”
Best friends since discovering a mutual passion for storytelling and philosophical conversations in college, the two all-around manic-expressives live and breathe their creativity in a safe space where ideas fly freely, random thoughts and notions are never judged (because any may spark their next big scene, chapter, or project) and they never limit themselves to single solutions that could stifle their vibrant exchanges. Nick’s the big picture/concept, three act structure guy who grooves on cool plot twists, flashbacks, and mindf***s of a premise. Jacky is the British comedy aficionado/chief character motivator whose intuitive understanding of psychology lends itself naturally to fleshing out characters and discovering their hidden truths.
While the two are highly successful in their chosen fields – Nick is Group Creative Director of Civic Entertainment Group (a Ryan Seacrest company) and Jacky is a Registered Senior Client Associate at a prominent Wall Street wealth management firm – each new project provides them an outlet for pure storytelling.
To date, the duo’s most impactful calling card has been the independent full length feature film “No Retreat,” which had its premiere at the Austin Film Festival before receiving acclaim on the indie festival circuit and scoring worldwide distribution on Amazon. Written, directed, and produced by Nick and Jacky, it tells the story of two old college friends, both “failed” artists, reconnecting for a weekend writer’s retreat. Their last attempt to do something meaningful and creative with their lives falls apart as old regrets, insecurity, and unfinished romantic business rear their ugly head.
Nick has produced award-winning ad campaigns for some of the world’s most famous brands, including Pepsi, Lincoln, LG, and Target. His Office Max “Elf Yourself” campaign had a record-breaking half a billion hits in less than five weeks. He’s directed commercials, music videos, web content, including a music video/trailer for Coldplay with Amex. His first feature film, No Retreat, made its premiere at the Austin Film Festival before getting worldwide distribution on Amazon. He’s currently a Group Creative Director, overseeing creative campaigns for some of the world’s top tech and entertainment brands.
J.D. SINGER, Filmmaker Jaclyn started her creative career writing poetry, short stories, and fantasy novels before moving into screenwriting, editing, and producing. With a background in the financial world, working at one of the world’s largest wealth management firms, she combines her varied artistic talents with an extensive knowledge of business, finance, and contractual law.
SHARED BIO
Nick & Jacky have been best friends and collaborators since he helped edit her first book of poetry and she performed practically every job (except animal wrangler) on his first music videos. As an advertising Copywriter and Creative director, Nick has produced award-winning work for global brands including some you may know – ever “Elf Yourself”…? While Jacky rose up the ranks as a financial executive, managing the money of celebrity clients, yes, some you may have heard of – sorry, NDA binding. They have written short stories, novels, and together have produced films, commercials, and music videos, including the feature-film No Retreat, that made its debut at the Austin Film Fest. With an equal love for 3-Act Structure (Nick) and British comedy (Jacky), they are drawn to inspirational stories that explore true human psychology.
As they expand their creative and promotional team, Nick and Jacky have been developing a treasure trove of new concepts, with a number of dynamic projects currently “on the front burner” in the development stages. The first, tentatively titled “In The Shadows,” is a feature length horror/psychological thriller film that draws on Nick’s own traumatic experiences of sleep paralysis, a state between waking up or falling asleep in which a person is aware but unable to move or speak. It often involves frightening visual and auditory hallucinations. Beyond being a personal catharsis, the experiences of the protagonist – who returns to his family home after the death of his parents – is culturally relevant in that they connect deeply with those people in isolation felt (and still feel) during the pandemic lockdowns.
Nick and Jacky are also working on a young adult book series. It’s a futuristic trilogy about a man living a nomadic life in the desert during a time when humanity has fallen from its reign of scientific and technological mastery. In a story driven by curiosity and the need for connectivity, the protagonist is exposed to three unique scientific enclaves – pure biology, pure chemistry, pure physics – and contemplates how the human race arrived at this future state. Their interest in stories at all age levels has even led them to write a pair of children’s picture books.
“We have a large back catalog of ideas that interest us,” Nick says, “so when it’s time for a new project, we pull them out and talk about what interests us most at this stage of our lives, which ideas really call out to us and feel right. Sometimes it’s just personal, but often we consider what would fit well with culture right now. Just as we feel the characters we create often guide the next steps in the narrative, the stories we want to pursue feel more natural in one specific medium as opposed to another. Some simply lend themselves to a sprawling novel trilogy rather than a film or TV screenplay.”
According to IMDB, Nick and Jacky launched their unique partnership on the 2012 short film “The First Day.” Off the record and perhaps less glamorously, their creative exchange actually began when he helped edit her first book of poetry and she performed practically every job (except maybe animal wrangler, though you know how some actors can be), on his first music videos. As an advertising copywriter and creative director, he has produced award-winning work for numerous global brands (including Pepsi, Lincoln, LG, Target).
Originated in 2006, Nick’s Office Max “Elf Yourself” campaign had a record-breaking half a billion hits in less than five weeks. Now a perennial experience, it’s an interactive website where visitors upload faces of themselves or friends and have the option to post the creative video on social media. Globally, over two billion elves have been created to date. Starting his career as a copywriter, he soon moved into directing commercials, music videos, and web content, including a music video/trailer for Coldplay’s Unstaged performance with Amex. In his role as Group Creative Director at Civic Entertainment Group, he oversees creative campaigns for Amazon Fire TV, NBC Peacock, HBO Max, Instagram and Facebook (now Meta), and more.
They’re excited to take their next steps. Jacky says, “My favorite part is diving in and realizing that this is the direction we’re going to go in, starting with those random ideas and plot points and developing them in service of the narrative we’re creating. I love being enveloped in all these different worlds.” While Nick adds, “What I love is finishing one project we’ve been immersed in and leaving that topic behind so that we can explore the next character, story, or idea we’re passionate about. Like, we just made that indie rom com type thing, and now we want to do a horror film, or maybe a sci-fi novel.” And it’s that differing approach to storytelling that makes the sum of their partnership greater than the parts.
– No Retreat – Award-winning Feature Length Indie drama
All of our shows/interviews are done by donation, if you enjoyed this show please support us here with either a one-time donation or subscribe and support on Patreon.
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