Network Marketing Heroes: Host Richard Bliss Brooke

What if the world labeled you “the dumb twin”… but you chose to believe in greatness instead?   In this rereleased episode of The Richard Brooke Podcast, Richard Bliss Brooke sits down with one of the greatest motivational speakers of our time, Les Brown.   Les’s story is the kind that grabs your heart and never lets go. Labeled “intellectually disabled” in grade school, he could have let those words define his destiny. Instead, he rewrote it.   From cleaning offices at age 10, where he overheard the voices of Peale, Nightingale, and Holmes, to becoming a Chicago-area Emmy® award winner, Ohio state legislator, and globally celebrated speaker… Les Brown has lived a life of vision, belief, and boldness.   In this conversation, you’ll hear how he turned pain into purpose and how the right message, at the right time, can spark a lifetime of transformation.   In This Episode, You’ll Learn:   Why your self-talk shapes your future How Les transformed early ridicule into relentless resilience What it really means to

What happens when your first mentor is Jim Rohn… and you become president of his company by age 25? In this episode of The Richard Brooke Podcast, Richard Bliss Brooke sits down with Don Hobbs, speaker, business strategist, and one of Realtor® Magazine’s “Top 25 Most Influential People in Real Estate.” Don’s influence in the world of personal growth and real estate spans over 40 years. He’s coached and trained more than a million professionals and helped shape the mindset of a generation. But it all started at 18 years old, sitting under the wing of a man who would become a global icon in personal development. This conversation is a rich blend of timeless wisdom and modern leadership, perfect for anyone building a team, a vision, or a life by design. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: What it was really like working for Jim Rohn How to lead with values in high-growth industries The mindset Don teaches leaders to adopt at any level How influence, integrity, and inner work create exponential results Why y

How do you lead when life knocks the wind out of you? In this crossover from The SHIFT Podcast (originally released in December 2024), Richard Bliss Brooke joins host Blake Mallen for a deep conversation on belief, adversity, and what it really takes to lead with vision when everything feels uncertain. From navigating rejection to building unshakable confidence… this episode is packed with tools and mindset shifts to help you rise, refocus, and lead with purpose. Special thanks to The SHIFT Podcast and Direct Selling News for letting us bring this powerful conversation to The Authentic Networker audience. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: The wake-up call moment that redefined Richard’s mission How to reframe “no” and use it as momentum Richard’s simple formula for lasting transformation What real leadership looks like (hint: it’s not titles or rank) How to adopt a belief system that builds legacy, not burnout Listen & Subscribe to The SHIFT Podcast Website: ShiftPodcast.com YouTube: Blake Mallen

Episode Summary: In this rerelease of one of our most downloaded episodes, Richard Bliss Brooke sits down with James Clear, New York Times best-selling author and speaker focused on habits, decision-making, and continuous improvement. James shares what he’s learned from writing for millions of readers each month, speaking to Fortune 500 companies, and working with top teams in professional sports. Together, they explore what really drives long-term behavior change and how small decisions shape the trajectory of our lives. This conversation is a masterclass in clarity, consistency, and the power of incremental improvement. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: What shaped James into who he is today How James’s writing reached millions across platforms How continuous improvement works in real life Why the small things you do daily carry the biggest impact About the Guest: James Clear is an author and speaker whose work has appeared in the New York Times, Entrepreneur, Time, and on CBS This Morning. His websi

Episode Summary: What does it take to rise from the night shift to the executive suite–across continents, cultures, and countless challenges? In this compelling episode, Richard Bliss Brooke sits down with Ben Riley, a global sales leader with over 20 years of experience in the direct-selling space. Ben shares how his leadership journey began in the warehouse, working graveyard shifts to pay for college, and evolved into leading international teams from Korea to Australia. They dive into the hard-earned lessons that shaped Ben’s approach to leadership–what it means to make tough calls, build trust across cultures, and stay grounded through global success. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: How Ben’s leadership journey started in the shipping department and scaled to global strategy What it’s like to lead teams across Korea, Taiwan, Australia, and the U.S. How learning new languages shaped his view of leadership and connection Why humility, persistence, and personal vision matter more than position Abo

Episode Summary: What does it take to lead through chaos, inspire thousands, and come out stronger on the other side? In this powerful conversation, Richard Bliss Brooke sits down with John Addison, legendary leader, speaker, and author of Turn Your Fear Into Fuel. John opens up about his experience guiding Primerica through the 2008 financial crisis and one of the most successful IPOs of the decade. He shares how fear can be reframed as fuel for growth and leadership—and why resilient thinking is more essential than ever. They also dive into the leadership lessons behind Rory McIlroy’s decade-long journey to finally win The Masters. Whether you're in business, network marketing, or simply navigating life’s pressures, this episode will leave you inspired to lead with courage and purpose. In This Episode, You'll Learn: How John led Primerica through massive disruption and came out stronger The mindset shift that turns fear into power—and how to train it The surprising leadership takeaways from Rory M

Seth Godin, a pioneer in ethical marketing, discussing his journey, the evolution of email marketing, and the principles outlined in his latest book on strategy. Godin emphasizes the importance of understanding systems, time, games, and empathy in developing effective strategies. He also explores the impact of ownership structures on business strategies and the significance of creating raving fans for sustainable growth. 

Michael DiMuccio, a young YouTube sensation, shares his journey from creating content as a child to becoming a successful content creator with millions of followers. He discusses the influence of his upbringing, the strategies he employed to grow his audience, and his transition into music. Michael emphasizes the importance of hard work, creativity, and understanding the dynamics of social media platforms. He also provides insights into monetization and the significance of delayed gratification in achieving long-term success.  

In this engaging conversation, Richard interviews branding expert Barry LaBov, who shares his journey from a creative background in music to becoming a leading figure in branding and marketing. Barry emphasizes the importance of differentiation in branding, illustrating his points with case studies from major brands like Audi and Cadillac. He outlines a proprietary five-step process for discovering brand uniqueness and highlights the significance of listening to long-term employees to maintain brand integrity. The discussion also touches on the power of naming and identity in branding, using creative examples from his experiences coaching youth sports. In this conversation, Barry Labov discusses the importance of brand differentiation, community engagement, and the power of storytelling in marketing. He emphasizes the need for brands to celebrate uniqueness, maintain their identity over time, and connect with their communities to build loyalty. The discussion also highlights the pitfalls of cost-cutting measu

Linda Lang shares her inspiring journey from a lower middle-class upbringing to becoming the CEO and Chairman of Jack in the Box. She discusses her early life, the influence of her family, her educational path, and the challenges she faced as a woman in a male-dominated corporate environment. Linda emphasizes the importance of collaboration, work-life balance, and the role of affirmative action in her career. She also reflects on her leadership style, crisis management during the E. coli scare, and her innovative marketing strategies that contributed to the company's success. Linda concludes with valuable advice for young women aspiring to succeed in their careers.  

James Clear is an author and speaker focused on habits, decision-making, and continuous improvement. His work has appeared in the New York Times, Entrepreneur, Time, and on CBS This Morning. His website receives millions of visitors each month and hundreds of thousands subscribe to his popular email newsletter. He is a regular speaker at Fortune 500 companies and his work is used by teams in the NFL, NBA, and MLB. Through his online course, The Habits Academy, James has taught more than 10,000 leaders, managers, coaches, and teachers. The Habits Academy is the premier training platform for individuals and organizations that are interested in building better habits in life and work.

Brian Biro is America's number one breakthrough speaker. He's one of the nation's foremost speakers and teachers of leadership, possibility thinking, thriving on change and team building. He's delivered more than 1800 presentations around the world in the past 30 years. His clients include such diverse organizations as Lockheed Martin, the US Army, the Naval Information Welfare Center, Price Waterhouse Cooper, the University of Notre Dame, U C L A, the Northern Carolina Association for the Advancement of Teaching Senators and representatives from 13 Western states, Deloitte,  Goodyear, the Virginia School superintendents, Kaiser Permanente, Starbucks, Pizza Hut, IHop, Microsoft, Oracle, Cisco, McDonald's, Dairy Queen, Allstate Insurance, Good Samaritan Hospital, REMAX, Shaklee, the American Dental Association, and hundreds more. A major client offered the best introduction about Brian's impact when he said Brian Biro has the energy of a 10-year-old, the enthusiasm of a 20-year-old, and the wisdom of a 75-year

Today on The Authentic Networker Podcast am talking with Makana. Makana is a Hawaiian musician, singer, and songwriter known for his innovative style and virtuosic guitar playing. He was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, and began playing guitar at the age of seven. As a teenager, he was mentored by slack-key guitar masters such as Sonny Chillingworth and Bobby Moderow Jr. Makana's music blends Hawaiian slack-key guitar with elements of folk, rock, blues, and jazz, creating a unique sound that has earned him critical acclaim and a dedicated fan base. He has released several albums, including "Ki Ho'alu Christmastime," "Koi Au," and "Venus and the Sky Turns to Clay: The Instrumental World of Makana." In addition to his solo work, Makana has collaborated with a diverse range of artists, including Sting, Jack Johnson, Jason Mraz, and Willie K. He has also performed at prestigious events such as a White House Dinner and TEDx Maui, where his performance went viral and helped to raise awareness about the Hawaiia

Dr. Joseph I. Castro is the first Californian and first person of color to serve as the chancellor of the California State University (CSU), our nation's largest, most ethnically and economically diverse four-year university.    The grandson of immigrants from Mexico and the son of a single mother, he was also the first in his family to graduate from a university, eventually earning a Ph.D. in higher education policy and leadership from Stanford University. ​As a renowned and gifted scholar in the fields of leadership and public policy, Dr. Castro has mentored hundreds of other scholars and practitioners. 

After making a series of bad decisions, one that led to devastating consequences, Sunil Godse spent thousands of hours on research and interviews to find out WHY we waste time making bad decisions.    What he found is that we ignore our intuition, a subconscious phenomenon we’re all born with. He then developed a seven-step process on how to sharpen our intuition so we can make the right decision in any given moment. Using this process, Sunil grew several entrepreneurial ventures to over $20 million before shifting his focus to teaching others.  

As one of the world’s most beloved motivational speakers, Les Brown is known for his unique charisma, warmth and humor, captivating audiences of up to 80,000 across the globe.    If he had believed the labels he was given in grade school – “the dumb twin” and “intellectually disabled,” his life would look much different today. Fortunately, Les tapped into the powers of determination, persistence and belief to unleash a course of amazing achievements in his life, including Chicago-area Emmy® award winner, TV host and multi-term state representative in Ohio.

Best known for founding Travelocity.com and serving as founding Chairman of Kayak.com (later sold to Priceline for $1.8 billion), Terry Jones is one of the leading innovators and digital disruptors of our time.    Terry began his career as a travel agent and spent 24 years at American Airlines in marketing and information technology, capping his career as Chief Information Officer of its SABRE division. While at SABRE, he led a team of six, working on a project that became Travelocity.com. He served as its CEO for seven years, transforming it into a public company with $3 billion in travel sales. 

Money tends to produce more money—when invested right. These are the words of the great Ken McElroy, who’s like the guru of real estate investing. He has over 1 billion dollars in real estate investments and is the real estate advisor to Robert Kiyosaki of The Rich Dad Company. He is also co-founder and principal of MC Companies, a full-service real estate investment and property management company.    Ken is the author of several bestselling books, including “The ABC’s of Real Estate Investing,” “The ABC’s of Property Management,” and “The Sleeping Giant,” where he shares his real-life examples and ideology of how to be successful in business and in life. He’s been featured on Cheddar, Fox and Friends, Forbes, ESPN and many others. You’ll love Ken’s unique perspective and the wisdom he has to share with you. 

Mitzi Perdue is a science and health writer. She holds a bachelor's degree with honors from Harvard University and a Masters of Public Administration degree from George Washington University.     She is a past president of the 35,000-member American Agri-Women's coalition. She’s also a former syndicated columnist for Scripps Howard. In the 1990s, she was the most widely-syndicated environmental columnist in the country.

Mark Schulman has enjoyed an unprecedented career over the last 30 years as a first-call drummer for world-class rock and pop artists. He has been voted "Top 3 Pop-Rock Drummers" in the 2014 and 2019 Modern Drummer Reader’s Poll and was the featured cover artist in the May 2019 issue. Mark has done four record-breaking world tours with P!NK. Mark has also played with Cher since 1999 including her two biggest tours.  Mark’s resume reads like a “who’s who” of international Rock n’ Roll royalty including acts such as Billy Idol, Foreigner, Sheryl Crow, Stevie Nicks, Beyonce’, and so many other world–class artists. He has drummed with Velvet Revolver at Ozzfest and for a crowd of 225,000 at Glastonbury Festival with Simple Minds. Mark has appeared on nearly every American, European, and Australian variety show including The Grammys, David Letterman, The Tonight Show, Conan O’Brian, Jon Stewart, American Idol, Paul O’ Grady, X-Factor, Wetten Das, The Arias, and more.