George Wang, Comedian, Invasian 2.0, Skateboard Coach

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Rick is joined by comedian, turned skateboard coach, George Wang this week.

May marked the start of AAPI Heritage Month, AAPI which stands for Asian American/Pacific Islander, is an important and impactful month for Pan-Asian individuals everywhere in the face of #StopAsianHate, and as we navigate the changing landscape for AAPI folk in the media at large.

While we have made great strides for progress in terms of representation and equity in entertainment and beyond, there is still much to be done in terms of progressing our narratives and our stories. Enter Comedy InvAsian 2.0, a live taped comedy special which saw its nationwide premiere on May 1st on all streamers including Peacock and Tubi. Comedy is healing, and in the face of such violence and negative attitudes towards AAPI people, such a necessary tool to combat that

George is a great guest and talks comedy and his career as a skateboard coach.

Now streaming…

The series of 8 episodes open with Thai-American Eli Nicolas, followed by Vietnamese-American Rosie Tran by way of Louisiana, queer HIV+ advocate Korean-American comedian Aidan Park, half-Indian/Pakistani-American Nishy XL, Indian-American Vinayak Pal, former Chinese beauty queen Jiaoying Summers, veteran comedian turned skate coach George Wang Jr, and lastly closing with Lin Sun of Cambodian descent juggling comedy and mommy duties. Each episode will feature a half hour set from a breakout comedian.

Produced by Little Nalu Pictures with distribution by Viva Pictures Distribution LLC, Season 1 of Comedy InvAsian had its world premiere on Hulu as an exclusive in 2018. Season 2 sees Quentin Lee and Koji Steven Sakai showrunning through Sakai’s Little Nalu Pictures.

“Global audiences are demanding diversity and Comedy InvAsian is proving to be one of those outlets without compromising quality”, said Victor Elizalde, President of Viva Pictures, as well as producer and distributor of Entre Nos, the leading LatinX standup comedy show on HBO currently in its 5th season.

Comedy InvAsian 2.0 will feature original music created by The Slants, the legendary all Asian-American dance rock band who took on the supreme court and won the right to their name in a landmark case. The Slants’ founder Simon Tam and Quentin Lee are developing a scripted limited series about the band’s battle against the US Government to trademark their name.

George Wang Jr. is a full time sk8 coach & professional stand up comedian living out of Monterey park. He wishes they told him in high school all those times he got in trouble for making the class laugh and getting his skateboard taken away, would actually be the 2 things he has made his career off. Funny how life works, he worked so many different jobs only to realize the things he worked hard at for free was the real investment into his future.
IG: @georgewangjr

Peggy Sullivan, SheCan! and Author ‘Happiness Is Your Responsibility’

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Peggy Sullivan joins Rick this week. Peggy is the Author of the book, “Happiness Is Your Responsibility”. The book is a combination of emotion, humor, and straight talk to inspire others to believe and see how they can have the life they want. By sharing practical wisdom and touching personal stories, Peggy provides insight into how to cultivate what makes people happy through a set of strategies and behaviors that anyone can practice. You can purchase “Happiness is Your Responsibility” at https://bit.ly/3B61rmg

Peggy is the CEO of a national women’s nonprofit that empowers women to grow personally and professionally. With a strong and supportive community, SheCAN! provides continuous learning and support to help women step into their power, as well as grow, thrive, and find their vibe.

Jotham S. Stein, ‘Negotiate Like a CEO’

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Rick is joined by author and lawyer, Jotham S. Stein this week.

What does it mean to negotiate like a CEO? How important are employment agreements? How can you learn to protect yourself and your family if the worst does happen? These are all questions that Jotham S. Stein addresses in his book Negotiate Like a CEO, with the goal of equipping individuals with the tools they need to safeguard themselves in business and employment.

A lively, engaging read, Negotiate Like a CEO outlines how employees, executives, and entrepreneurs have protected themselves in the past, and gives readers eye-opening advice on how to make sure they won’t get taken advantage of. The book describes best practices, common pitfalls, and sky’s-the-limit possibilities at any career stage, whether you’re just out of college or you’re gunning for that C-suite job.

This book isn’t just for top executives but is for anyone at any stage of their career. It’s never too early or too late to start learning what to look out for, how to negotiate a better deal, and, most importantly, how to protect yourself.

“It is imperative to protect yourself in business and employment,” says Stein. “It’s essential to understand the dynamics at play in any work situation and how best to use them to protect yourself, your family, and your friends.”

Stein is the principal of the Law Offices of Jotham S. Stein P.C. He has more than two decades of experience representing entrepreneurs and C-Suite executives, board members, venture capitalists, private equity principals, and investment bankers as well as less senior employees of all size companies.

He is a graduate of Stanford Law School and Princeton University. He is admitted to practice in California, Illinois, New York, Colorado, and the District of Columbia as well as the United States Supreme Court, and several United States Courts of Appeals and United States District Courts. He is also a member of multiple bar associations, including the American Bar Association.

Stein is the author of Executive Employment Law: Protecting Executives, Entrepreneurs and Employees, a how-to guide for practitioners.

CJ Stroud, Ohio State Starting Quarterback, now with Express NIL Deal

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Rick is joined by Ohio State starting quarterback this week on ‘Tech of Sports!”

Stroud is Express’ first-ever Collegiate Athlete Style Ambassadors along with fellow local Columbus collegiate football player Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

He spent his true freshman year at Ohio State as a backup to Justin Fields. He did not attempt any passes but had a 48-yard rushing touchdown.

Stroud was named the starting quarterback as a redshirt-freshman following the departure of Justin Fields to the 2021 NFL Draft. He was chosen over freshman Kyle McCord and fellow redshirt-freshman Jack Miller III. Coach Ryan Day credited his decision-making, leadership skills and accuracy as the reason he earned the starting spot.

Stroud started all his regular season games except for one against Akron in order to rest a shoulder injury he sustained in the season opener. Over the season, he earned first team All-Big Ten Honors, won Big Ten Freshman of the Week six times, was a finalist for the Davey O’Brien Award, and was the only quarterback in Ohio State history to throw for five touchdowns against Big Ten competition four times in a single season. He led the team to a 10-2 record in the regular season, losing to Michigan in their final game. However, he and Ohio State bounced back from this disappointment at the Rose Bowl, coming back from a 14 point deficit against Utah to win 48-45 in a thriller. Stroud threw for a school and Rose Bowl record 573 yards in the win, and also tied a school record and set a Rose Bowl record with 6 touchdown passes.

In April, Express, announced its partnership with hometown athletes CJ Stroud and Jaxon Smith-Njigba as its first-ever collegiate style ambassadors. The announcement is part of the retailer’s goal to connect with new customers through a range of influential partners, which includes style editors, influencers, ambassadors and now, college athletes. Stroud and Smith-Njigba will work alongside Express and leverage their platforms to share how they approach dressing for off-the-field occasions and inspire others with their personal style.

Dave Duecker, CEO of Bike.com

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Rick is joined by Dave Duecker, CEO of Bike.com this week.

Bike.com is officially live! The online marketplace looks to become the one-stop-shop for both experienced bicyclists and those graduating from training wheels. They have created a community where anyone interested in riding can come to learn, explore and purchase a bike, while also ensuring that customers will have a best-in-class experience as they begin and progress in their riding journey.

Duecker, elaborates, “We are excited to launch Bike.com and the new Denago eBike line. We’ve gathered an impressive team of industry experts who’ve been heavily involved in every aspect leading up to the launch.” He emphasizes, “Above all, we all share a love for riding. And I think that is readily apparent in our attention to detail.”

In developing Bike.com, the team not only wanted to offer a vast array of bikes – including their own line of Denago eBikes – but their goal was to have the best possible customer experience from the first click. They are continuing to build and strengthen their US-based support team in Dallas, as well as are partnering with top brands and post-purchase services to ensure complete customer satisfaction.

In Bike.com’s pursuit to offer a full-service online marketplace that’s adaptive to the category demands and interests, the website launch also meant developing this Denago line. Two comfort eBike models are currently available, with more models, styles and brands due to hit the market later this year.

“As the electric bike category continues to grow, we saw the opportunity to create high quality bikes for men and women that can give people confidence to get up and get out on the road,” explained Duecker. “Denago eBikes hit that sweet spot for consumer adoption, with their user-friendliness, quality design and price point.”

In creating Denago eBikes, the Bike.com team not only tapped the best in eBike technology, but they also conducted a deep dive in market trends and research with quantitative and qualitative studies. With eBike trends anticipated to hit double digit percentage growth by 2028, Denago intends to capitalize on renewed consumer focus on wellness, mental health and green living, in tandem with nationwide infrastructure improvements to bike networks and dedicated lanes.

Whatever direction people want to ride, and however they want to ride, Bike.com will be there every step (or pedal) of the way. For more information, and to learn how to submit your bike brand for consideration, visit Bike.com.

 

Joel Holland, Travel Expert and CEO of Harvest Hosts, a Membership Platform for RVers

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Even though I’m not an RVer, I think about traveling the country in an RV often.

This week, Rick is joined by Joel Holland, travel expert and CEO of Harvest Hosts, a membership platform for RVers to find unique overnight stays.

Harvest Hosts, a membership program giving RVers access to unique overnight stays, finds that in a recent survey, 63% of respondents sleep in parking lots–such as Walmarts, Cracker Barrels and rest stops–less often as a result of being a member. Additionally, a full 23% of Harvest Hosts members report using their RVs more frequently each year as a result of being part of the program. Members are going on multiple trips each year, and during those trips they’re staying at a mix of Harvest Hosts locations as well as traditional campgrounds. Since Harvest Hosts locations offer boondocking (no hookups) for 24 hours, the data shows that members are more likely to spend additional nights in campgrounds before and after visiting small businesses in the Harvest Hosts network.

“Our stay at Belle Marie [a Harvest Hosts location] was a one night stay between week-long campground stays for us,” says Steve and Sigrid, members of Harvest Hosts. “We very much enjoyed many of the wines at Belle Marie.”

RV ownership and rentals are reaching record levels. According to RVIA, 72 million Americans plan to go RVing this year. As they set out on the open road, the more options there are to stay overnight in their RVs, the better. Campgrounds and Harvest Hosts locations enable RVers to commune with the outdoors, connect with fellow road travelers, support small businesses, and take in some incredible views. Both options are actively helping RVers avoid spending the night in a public parking lot. With Harvest Hosts and traditional campgrounds as options, RVers are doing more of what road trips are intended to do – explore the country, not just park in it.

“As 2022 is going to be yet another record year for RVing, road trippers are looking for amazing things to do and see. For most, this doesn’t include seeing the parking lots of America,” says Holland, of Harvest Hosts. “We’re finding most of our members are going on more trips per year since joining the Harvest Hosts program, leading to more total bookings that help support small businesses and traditional campgrounds overall.”

The RV industry is bracing for another busy summer for road travel. Harvest Hosts locations complement traditional campgrounds across America to provide RVers with an incredible overnight experience no matter where the road takes them. In 2022, Harvest Hosts members will spend over $40M directly with the small businesses and communities they visit, and the company does not take any cut of that additional revenue.