What if we’re actually living in the golden era of storytelling? In this episode of Adventures in Business, Amani Roberts and Mandi Graziano sit down with JT Long, Vice President and Content Director at Smart Meetings, to talk about storytelling, journalism, hospitality, and why authentic human connection matters more than ever. JT shares how media has evolved over the last 30 years, why storytelling is more accessible than ever, and how Smart Meetings grew from a magazine in

What if one of the biggest advantages in business today is simply sitting down and reading a physical book? In this episode of Adventures in Business, Amani Roberts and Mandi Graziano sit down with author, entrepreneur, and BookThinkers founder Nick Hutchison, whose podcast and author growth agency help connect mission-driven authors with readers around the world. Nick shares how discovering business books completely changed the direction of his life and why he believes reson

What if the answers you’re searching for are already inside of you? In this episode of Adventures in Business, Amani and Mandi sit down with executive coach, business strategist, and Jump Consulting founder Laurie Luh to explore intuition, leadership, and personal growth in business. Laurie shares how trusting her instincts helped guide major career decisions, from helping scale Participant Media into an Academy Award-winning company to building a coaching practice supporting

What if AI is not about replacing you, but about unlocking what is already inside you? In this episode of Adventures in Business, Amani and Mandi sit down with Rob Cressy, entrepreneur, coach, and AI strategist helping leaders and creators use AI to grow with intention. Rob shares how he went from running a sports marketing agency to becoming an early adopter of ChatGPT, building an AI-driven business by focusing on mindset, creativity, and real-world application. Meet Rob Cr

On this episode of Adventures in Business, Amani and Mandi sit down with Jess Ekstrom, founder of Headbands of Hope and Mic Drop Workshop, Forbes Top Rated speaker, and best-selling author of Making It Without Losing It. This is a refreshingly encouraging episode about success, ambition, and redefining “making it.” Read on to learn Jess’s story of successfully founding two businesses, how entrepreneurs can break out of analysis paralysis and take action, and what will actuall

Back in Episode 235, Amani and Mandi shared how they were gamifying their goals with a 2026 Bingo Card. And now, they’re back for an update on how those Bingo Cards are going! Why Bingo Cards Work If you don’t remember, Mandi wasn’t exactly sold on the idea of a Bingo card at first. But after giving it a shot, she quickly saw the value: it turns goal-setting into something visual, motivating, and even fun. Instead of one overwhelming list, you’ve got bite-sized wins you can l

On this episode of Adventures in Business, Amani and Mandi chat with Justin Block, a 5th generation entrepreneur, investor, and CEO of Block Ventures, an investment firm that looks for entrepreneurs who want to build better instead of just bigger. And today, he shares a wealth of wisdom for entrepreneurs: the lessons learned from exiting, the one habit that’s changed his life, and what’s keeping most entrepreneurs stuck (plus, how to break through). Meet Justin Block Justin

In this episode of Adventures in Business, Amani and Mandi chat with a real firecracker – Megan Reilly, a professional speaker, top 12 podcast host, and President of Events & Coaching for Jesse Itzler's 100 Mile Group. Megan shares her inspiring story of realizing her own value, how she cultivates a durable community, and the lessons she learned from being on Shark Tank (and getting an offer from Mark Cuban!). Meet Megan Reilly Megan Reilly’s path has been anything but linear

This isn’t a boring rundown of “how to find business” with all the methods you’ve heard before. In this mini episode of Adventures in Business, Mandi and Amani share the non-traditional ways they’ve looked for or secured new business – and the stories behind them are just as valuable as the strategies themselves. If you’re ready for gems and nuggets on how to creatively market yourself, read on! Keep Your Antenna Up: Opportunities Are Everywhere Mandi’s advice? Keep your ante

Your brand matters – not just your logo and colors, but the feeling people get from your marketing and business. In this episode of Adventures in Business, Amani and Mandi sit down with Lauren Bayne, Founder, R.A.R.E Brand, to talk about what it really takes to stand out in a crowded market… and why playing it safe might be the biggest risk of all. Meet Lauren Bayne If you asked Lauren Bayne to describe herself in 30 seconds, you’d hear words like creative, energetic, driven,

In a world of instant messages, overflowing inboxes, and constant notifications, there’s one simple gesture that still cuts through the noise: a handwritten note. In this Adventures in Business minisode, Amani and Mandi dive into why something so old-school is actually one of the most powerful tools – plus practical ways to implement it in your business and life. Why Handwritten Notes Hit Different Let’s be honest – most of us skim emails. We scroll texts. We swipe away notif

If you hear the word manifestation and immediately think “woo-woo,” you’re not alone – but this episode of Adventures in Business will give you a new perspective. Amani and Mandi sit down with manifestation and self-leadership coach Milli Fox, who calls herself a “No BS Manifestation Mentor.” Milli takes the fluff out of manifestation to help high-achieving women stop overthinking, ditch perfectionism, and actually enjoy the life they’re building. Read on to learn how you m

In this genuine and thoughtful mini episode of Adventures in Business, Amani and Mandi chat about Black History Month. They explore what it actually means, who it’s for, and how we can all engage with it more intentionally – long after February ends. If you’ve ever wanted to celebrate and expand your understanding of Black History Month but didn’t know where to start, this episode is for you. It’s Not Just One Month When Mandi brings up Black History Month, she’s honest righ

If you’ve ever wondered what truly sets great leaders and sales professionals apart, this episode of Adventures in Business is a masterclass. Mandi and Amani sit down with Melissa Daniels, Senior Global Sales Director at Hyatt Hotels, to hear the wisdom she’s gained after 37 years at Hyatt. Melissa shares how confidence shaped her career, how she uses networking to make everyone in the room feel seen and included, and what trends she is seeing in the hospitality industry in

On this Adventures in Business minisode, Mandi is fresh off a retreat in Atlanta, and she’s got wisdom to share. She attended Jesse Itzler’s Built to Speak Retreat – an event that was two and a half days, 26 people, six coaches, and a deep dive into something every business owner needs: better communication. Not just on stage, but in leadership, sales, team meetings, and everyday conversations. Here are the takeaways that stood out for her. Big Takeaways from Jesse Itzler’s B

On this episode of Adventures in Business, Amani and Mandi sit down with Andrea Steinbrenner, CEO of Exit Consulting Group, to chat about exit strategy for businesses. While most people focus on the financial side of exiting, Andrea makes it clear: there’s much more to a successful exit, and it doesn’t have to be scary. Andrea shares why every business should be exit planning at all times, her Canopy Method, and the one piece of advice she’d give her younger self. Whether y

In this fun, fast-paced mini episode, Amani and Mandi go back and forth sharing their aspirational podcast guests. From Kendra Scott to Kelly Clarkson, these guests all spark bigger conversations about business, branding, and courage. Mandi’s Dream Guests Kendra Scott Mandi kicks it off with jewelry mogul and author Kendra Scott. There’s a personal connection here – Midwest roots, birthday traditions, and that iconic Born to Shine mindset. Mandi loves how Kendra blends asser

When you’ve been in the event production and technology business for the past 35 years, you’ve seen every tech shift imaginable – and learned a few lessons along the way. This week on Adventures in Business, Amani and Mandi are joined by Jonathan Martin, Founder of ShowTec, a production company that puts on impactful events worldwide. He shares what has made ShowTec successful through the years, what future he sees for his industry with AI, and what advice he has for students

If you’ve ever made big New Year’s goals only to forget about them by mid-January, this minisode is for you. In this fun mini episode of Adventures in Business, we dive into a creative, surprisingly effective way to approach goal-setting: turning your goals into a 2026 bingo card. Why a 2026 Bingo Card? Instead of a long, overwhelming list of goals, choose a handful of personal and professional goals and lay them out visually in a bingo-style grid. Each square represents som

We’ve got a return guest today on Adventures in Business: Dr. Alessandra Wall, an executive coach, speaker, author, psychologist, and thought partner to powerful women, joins Mandi and Amani again to discuss owning your agency and crafting the life you want. Dr. Alessandra Wall is the founder of Noteworthy and a “recovering psychologist.” Meaning, being a psychologist trained her to be careful, gentle, and methodical. But in advisory and leadership work, that approach can ge