Angela McCourt 0:00
Let's get ready for some serious shift. This is a podcast shifting Inside Out hosted by your quantum shifter Angela McCourt, we are diving into ways to empower and enable a quantum shift. Inspiring topics hacks and guest speakers take us on a journey around authenticity, challenging status quo, personal power and living a purpose filled life.

In this episode, I have a conversation with Rob Giardinelli. And it's really interesting because I've known him for a very long time, I think we were in the same orientation class at Tech Data. And it's really amazing to hear his journey and how he's gone from not only the tech world and into the creative world, but also just to how his social life has shifted, how he has made decisions in where he wanted to live, and use his own timelines in his own terms to live the way he wanted to live. And I just love his story. I love how he is very open about his journey, as well as offers tips and some really great guidelines if you're making any kind of shifts. Or you are you know, finding that you have multiple talents and callings in your in multiple boxes. And basically, how are you navigating those and how are maybe you aligning those. But the biggest core message here that's really interesting is how many times Rob has reinvented himself while staying true to himself, and how he's helping companies reinvent themselves now through his coaching practice. So I hope you enjoy this episode. I'd love to hear your thoughts as you listen. You can find me on LinkedIn at AngiebeltzMcCourt on Instagram @Angie_McCourt, or on Twitter @McCourtAngie. So without further adieu, let's hear from Rob.

Rob, welcome to shifting inside out. I am so grateful to have you on this episode. To get started. Why don't you go ahead and introduce yourself?

Rob Giardinelli 2:19
Angie? Well, first of all, thank you for having me. It's a delight to be here. So I am Rob Giardinelli, I like to refer to myself as a lifelong learner, a cultural change agent, and someone who's really fascinated with engaging with others.

Angela McCourt 2:32
Oh, I love it. Beautiful. That is the best interest so far that I've heard.

Rob Giardinelli 2:38
Thank you, you know that you've had some great guests. So I feel like I'm in really good company with that.

Angela McCourt 2:42
Yes, yes, definitely. I'm so happy to have you on. So just so the audience can get to know you a little bit. I have a few quick round questions for you. So the first one is what is your morning ritual or routine?

Rob Giardinelli 2:55
So my morning ritual is every morning I go to the gym, and I do 45 to 50 minutes on the treadmill at a 30 incline. I burned 1200 calories on an empty stomach first morning, you know, it gives me it's really become. I know that that sounds tough, but it's really almost become meditative. It allows me to really kind of focus on what I want to accomplish that day. And it also allows me if someone wants to meet for a cocktail or wants to go to lunch and lit a burger, I don't feel guilty about it. Hmm,

Angela McCourt 3:28
I love it. That's so fantastic. So how do you renew your energy?

Rob Giardinelli 3:33
So for me renewing my energy is really I like to actually take time to actually read. I like reading. I like a lot of self help books. I like actually, you know our topic, today's reinvention, I just finished reading Reed Hastings book about Netflix and the culture of reinvention. So I like to kind of read and learn and learning other perspectives really does lift me up and allow me to try new and different things.

Angela McCourt 3:57
Yes, yes, I love it. And I love how many people have been putting out what I call teaching memoirs. So sharing their story, but also providing insight and tips and guidance and stuff. And that's been like probably my guilty pleasure for the past few years is reading, teaching memoirs. What about you? What is your guilty pleasure?

Rob Giardinelli 4:17
So one thing that gives me joy is watching HGTV renovation shows so we're house hunters and things like that. I like the process that people go through to get there. And you know, you know with my current role, you know, I do a lot of you know, design stuff and we cover a lot of design stuff. So it's always interesting one to keep up on trends but to to just kind of see what people's personal tastes are.

Angela McCourt 4:42
Sure. Yeah, it's a great way to stay connected to new ideas to you know, absolutely that's that's becoming, it's not just recycled, its original. I love I love finding new new ideas on those shows. So that's fantastic. I love it.

Rob Giardinelli 4:57
Absolutely. There is no such thing as an original idea. Am I.

Angela McCourt 5:02
Alright, so you had mentioned, reinvention is one of the topics for our episode today. And one of the ways that would be really awesome for you, I think to share your inspiration, your guidance, your, you know, kind of techniques and tips and tricks and anything around reinvention is to share your journey, because I think people will really resonate with your journey. It's an amazing one. And it's just, you know, crammed packed full of lots of life lessons and, you know, risk taking, and decision making and all of those fantastic things that ends up becoming opportunities for reinvention. So why don't you take it away?

Rob Giardinelli 5:44
Well, you know, one of the reasons I'm here today is you were literally the first person I met on my first day as an employee at Tech Data. We were in the same orientation class so many years ago, I know, can you believe that? I know, it's a meal. It's a month of Sundays, and then some ago, right. You know, so I had worked at Tech Data for, you know, about five years, and I was, you know, we were, we kind of had somewhat similar roles back in the day. So, I was a product manager, so I managed lines in the networking division. And I really liked it, it really challenged me. One thing I really liked about it was, I had one product line for a while I had a major vendor and this is going to really carbonate myself, but my vendor when I started was Nortel may rest in peace. And, you know, I like that. But I also am someone who likes multiple, you know, multiple, doing multiple different things like doing one thing, day in and day out after a period of time, really, it doesn't feed me, it doesn't allow me to be creative. So I eventually was able to transition into managing all the wireless networking vendors and I'll carbon date myself, again, when I initially was doing that product line, people used to have to plug in those big PC cards that would slide into the slot of a laptop to connect to the internet, or, you know, ships were embedded in a computer. So, it um, you know, that was actually much more interesting, because I got to work with multiple different vendors, it was a different product category that were different, you know, there were different things that I could do, and it really fed and, you know, fueled me, one thing that was really challenging during my time at Tech Data was I wasn't out at the time. So you know, when you're, you know, when you're, when you're not your true self, you tend to hide things. Yeah. And you can sometimes overcompensate for it. So, for example, I would dress really dowdy and down, so that I didn't look gay, quote, unquote, or I would, um, you know, or I would just,

you know, I would go and do things like sports, which I really never had an interest in, just to kind of fit the mold and fit the role. And you've talked about this in some of your other podcasts, but fitting within the box. Yes. And, you know, for me, you know, after, you know, doing it for for, you know, being a tech data from us five years, at that point, I knew that I wanted a change. And for me that change involved, um, you know, asking a really fundamental question. And it's a question that I tend to ask before I make any life change. And it's am I friends with, and people tend to think of friendships as a person to person thing, but I tend to think of companies as people with personalities, or I tend to think of cities, especially as people with personalities. And I really had to ask myself the question, am I friends with Tampa Bay, and friends doesn't mean, I hate. I hate you, and I don't like you. But you know, lots of people have friendships on a person to person level where the friendship runs its course. And it doesn't mean that you're you don't wish them well, or anything like that. But it but it's a question you have to ask yourself. And I realized, you know, the last I would say the last 12 to 18 months I was there, the answer to that question was no, you know, I'm friendly with Tampa. But they weren't. It wasn't a friendship that was challenging me anymore. You know, and the reason I probably stayed the 12 or 18 months was Tech Data was still a friend, you know, but after, after, I kind of felt like I had done everything I wanted to do. It was, you know, there's an adage that I have learned in my current life, and that is to always leave a party while you're still having fun. Ah, yeah. So, you know, I wanted to make sure I left you know, while I was still enjoying my life there. So, you know, I had looked and I had looked for probably six to nine months and I initially thought I was going to move to either the Silicon Valley or Boston, and I liked both cities Boston wasn't incredibly young city. And I really liked that. And there's a decent amount of tech stuff there, which is where I was at the time. And then obviously, Silicon Valley's Silicon Valley. So, you know, I had been looking at both of those places and trying to relocate. And that was, you know, it was still there was that tech recession in the early 2000. So in 2003, and even 2004, it was just kind of coming out of that. So, you know, I wasn't getting either the offers or the roles or the things that I was really looking for. And then, um, one of my vendors that I was, you know, managing at the time was based in Austin, and they had an opening but an open vendor role. So I decided, and, you know, it was really kind of almost the universe kind of speaking and providing so

the week before my interview, there was and anyone who was in Florida in 2004 knows that there were a zillion hurricanes. Yes. So I had already booked my flight to go when Hurricane Charley was supposed to hit Tampa, but it curved. Yes, you know, at the last second. So, you know, I had evacuated the higher ground because I lived five blocks off of Bayshore Boulevard. So I live near the water, and I was in an evacuation zone. And because the hurricane had missed, you know, there was no rain, nothing really happened, you were able to go home at five or six o'clock. So I went home at five or six o'clock, and I walked down, you know, from my house that day, just to kind of get some tranquility. But because the hurricane had just hit just self, it was mud, there was no water in the bay. And it's scary. Remember that it scared the hell out of me. And I said to myself, I don't ever want to experience this type of anxiety ever again. So, you know, the following week, I got on the plane and, you know, flew out to Austin. And I kind of have one of those. Anyone here who has listened to Oprah talk about Chicago, where, you know, as I walked up the jet bridge in Austin, I just felt this energy that it was almost like, if I don't even if I don't get this job, I have to be here. I don't know why. But yeah, I have to be here. So, you know, thankfully, you know, my, you know, the person who hired me was waiting at the escalator, and, you know, took me to one of Austin's really cool outdoor spaces and said, you know, this will require you moving, are you okay with that? And I looked around, and I had literally been in Austin 10 minutes, and said, Yeah, I can do this, there was just this feeling. And I didn't know a single person there. You know, I just really took this leap of faith. And, you know, really, you know, the main reason for it was I wanted to come out and be myself. And everyone has their own journey and timeline with that, some people it they can, you know, can do it right away. Some people have to do it gradually over time, and I was more in that category. So it really allowed me to, you know, you know, really delve into that side of myself and really, actually kind of have a personal life that was outside of work. Because when it kind of happened with my time at Tech Day, and I love the friends that I made there. But the thing was, was that my whole social life was built around it. Yeah, I didn't really have the opportunity to delve into my own social life, and really be the person that I was meant to be.

Angela McCourt 13:27
Yeah, yeah. Oh, that's amazing. Yeah. And also, you know, just back to the, you know, I mean, you were still in your in your 20s. Right. So yeah, just the fact that you were very open, even though you had these other ideas in mind of, you know, Silicon Valley, Boston, it was, I'm going with the flow, I'm open to this and accepting like, wow, this could actually be a really fantastic life here. And being open to you know, what was calling to you really?

Rob Giardinelli 13:57
Yeah. And it also really, it spoke to me in a lot of ways. Now, Austin's a very different city now than it was 20 years ago. You know, it is really, you know, it was because I wanted to live downtown, and there were literally only like four or five buildings where you could I thankfully, I was able to find a place in one of them. But it kind of allowed me because, you know, I had a life downtown and most of the people I worked at Buffalo, Americas at the time, they were all kind of in the suburbs. So I you know, it was one of those it was like, Okay, this is really because when I met the people during the interview, I was like, okay, no one lives in town. I'm like, I can really do this and kind of do it on my own timeframe. And my own terms not have to really worry about running into it. Sure. Yeah. And it really was a freeing and liberating, you know, thing and experience. And that's not to say that, you know, it's funny, because after I came out to people, most people were like, Yeah, well, we already knew. Yeah, so a lot of it you know, a lot of that was, you know, realizing that people are much more perceptive I think, than most people give other people credit for people can actually pick up on things. You know, so that it's really not, you know, it's really not a shock a lot of the time for a lot of things. But, you know, it really allowed me to kind of have that separate social life from a professional life that I had always been, you know, that I really was lacking. When I was in Tampa and I kind of had, I had a great community, but it was a very safe community. Like it was a bubble. And I knew I kind of had to pierce the bubble, to get to the next level of where I wanted to be. Yeah.

Angela McCourt 15:35
So you really had like, a clean slate, if you want to put it that way. Right. So, you know, think about the whole concept of reinvention, I am, you know, moving to a place where I don't know anyone, nobody knows me, I have these, you know, intentions of I want to, you know, be myself, I want to just start living the life that who I am and will how I want to live. So what was that process like for you of I mean, it must have been like, oh, my gosh, clean slate I can I can do be whoever and whatever I want and be here and be safe in this place. But how was that process for you?

Rob Giardinelli 16:13
Well, I do have an adage that wherever you go, there you are. So you are still you, at your core, you're just in you're just in different surroundings. So you know, for me, whenever I go into any space, I really like to you know, and you've talked about the introverted extrovert, which is, you know, I've been using that term for quite a while to describe myself, I like being with things, but I don't need to be the center of it all. I just like, I like being a part of it, and just being around the energy of others. And, you know, in researching Austin, I realized that Austin is a very philanthropic city. So you know, it, you know, I knew that if I wanted to make friends and meet people, I was going to have to get involved in things. So it's, you know, so it was like, okay, so I'll, you know, join. So I joined two or three different organizations and Bill and made a friend network that way, it was also before apps. So you know, you can go to happy hour, and you would run into a ton of people. So it allowed for, you know, you know, it really allowed me to, you know, look and do a couple of different things. One was get involved, but two was also to have fun. And a lot of you know, philanthropic stuff, and committee work is fun. So, you know, you know, meshing those two things, you know, allow me to really have fun in different ways that I had never really had fun before.

Angela McCourt 17:31
Right. Right. Well, and also you're doing good. Right, yeah. So that always feels good. And then now, you know, I know that journey. So I mean, that was an opening, that was a door opener for you as well. Like, when I when I think about that point in your journey, you making the decision to join organizations to give back to do to be part of the philanthropic community, that was an opening to a future part of your life as well. Right?

Rob Giardinelli 18:00
Yeah, it was, and it's led me to where I am today, although I had to get through, you know, go through a couple of different things, you know, to kind of get to that, you know, to get to that point, you know, and I'll delve into that a little bit. But, you know, it, you know, I had a before I met my husband, who I, you know, work with the magazine on I had a partner for several years. And, um, you know, I had done a couple of account manager jobs. And then Seagate had reached out to me about a product manager role that was going to require me to move to San Francisco. So, you know, I talked it over with him. And he was a, you know, he was an accountant, but he was much more passionate about food. And I was like, Look, we can do this, you can go pursue this, and we'll do this. So we, you know, we decided that, you know, we'll go and we'll take it. And what happened was, you know, about four weeks after I started, he, he had some issues with alcohol, and unbeknownst to me, because he a closet, drank, and he came down with cirrhosis. So I had started this brand new job where I was supposed to move, they put me in this temporary corporate apartment, but I basically had to go because he was basically he went in the hospital never came out. So basically, I had to, you know, basically come back. And, you know, that was in 2009 when no one's house sold, but we put our house in the market and it was already in escrow, so I couldn't go back. So a lot of it was having to kind of go back and forth between the two cities and when I would stay there sometimes I have to stay at the hospital a lot because I didn't have a house and then some people would have to pull me out and basically say, um, you know, spend the night here we'll go somewhere you just need some time alone. So it you know, that experience really taught me the kindness of the Austin community. And you know, when he passed away, you know, I went back to Seagate and said, you know, my time here is not up. You know, I need I need to find a way to stay here and thankfully I had really con management that Basically rejiggered the role, and I kind of became more of a sales trainer and a sales coach for the line, I was going to be product managing, so it allowed me kinda have kind of my foot in sales, which I didn't mind sales, but I knew it wasn't something I wanted to do for the rest of my life, but it allowed me to kind of still do it, but kind of do the things where I could see people progress, understand the products better, and all that type of stuff that go, you know, that goes along with it. And, you know, it allowed me you know, it was also a global role. So it allowed me it just allowed for all these different types of things to allow me to kind of grow professionally in, you know, in a, you know, in a really unique way. And, you know, about a year after I met, after he, Robert had passed away, I met my husband, Lance at a Halloween party. And he had a very different background from anyone really I had ever known. So he was just about to start his six second luxury lifestyle magazine for the state of Texas, which you know, was covering and chronicling galahs it was fashion, it was style. And I was this person, I was never known for fashion or style. And a lot of that had to do especially at Tech Data with my own insecurities. Like I had a co worker who used to joke that I wore khakis with, with whites with like tube socks, because I just, it was my way of kind of dowdy and not being out, quote, unquote, but this kind of allowed me to really just kind of open the floodgates and just be, you know, learn kind of who I was, yeah, you know, it, you know, through through my clothes, because I believe clothing. And style is something that conveys self confidence. So if you're comfortable in your own skin, and you wear clothes that make you look intelligent, or make you look successful, or make you look, you know, fashionable, whatever, whatever term or whatever thing it is you want it to be, people will treat you with a lot more respect.

Angela McCourt 22:00
Mm hmm. And so that must have been a fun journey to just to experiment and, and to, you know, really kind of decide, you know, what is it that I feel, you know, in my own skin?

Rob Giardinelli 22:11
And yeah, it is. And you know, it was interesting, because when I first got together with him, none of my friends, they were all like, what is this like? So basically, I was kind of reinventing myself without even realizing I was reinventing myself. Yeah, you know, and that's kind of the fun thing about reinvention sometimes is sometimes it's deliberate and intentional, like, you know, are you friends with, like I talked about earlier? And other times, it just pops up and you're like, well, there's, there's this whole other side of you. But you want to explore and you know, what had been, you know, I have been fully out for several, several years. So it wasn't, that wasn't a thing anymore. It was like, Okay, this is kind of the next step of, you know, what I've kind of got to learn about myself and, you know, about a year into our relationship, he asked me, you know, would you like to? Would you like to contribute as a writer, you know, you've been going with me to these events for about a year now. Do you just want to write and Chronicle them? So I was like, Okay, sure. I you know, you know, what does that entail? So, you know, he explained, you know, you got to work with the nonprofit organizations collect the photos, write, copy, get caps is all that fun stuff. And it was a really good creative outlet from technology, which technology is great, and it's a lot of things, but one thing, especially when you're in a corporate tech environment, it's not super creative. So it really allowed for me to kind of do a creative outlet. And also it really developed self confidence in me because I was the kid in high school who never got invited to any party ever, ever, ever. And here I am going to all these things that are pretty exclusive. So it was really kind of this even though I my background was nothing like that here I am at these things that most people would you know, die to go to. And you know, it, it taught me a lot and it took it probably took three or four years for me to even really feel like I belong there. Hmm. You know, and it wasn't a because I'm going to gal is it a raising a million dollars and a lot of people have a lot of wealth, it was really much more about working through I was never invited or included to stuff in high school or college and when I did have some, you know, friends it was really within the ecosystem of a you know of like a Tech Data Network where you know, you're kind of in an ecosystem and you have your friends and all that and it's kind of built in and ready made for you Miss really challenged me in all kinds of different ways to you know, realize my worth and my value and you know, one of those ways this is gonna sound this may sound a little random, but you know, it really helped with my confidence was Lance made me do put at least one photo of us in each issue and I hated taking my photo because I always thought I took awful photos. But, you know, after a while when you get the photos, you know, because you know, if you get 50, you can only pick 20. So I had to ask what I objectively put this photo of me in here based on what I'm wearing, how I look, my smile and all that stuff. And I realized after a while, I'm saying yes, I, you know, this is a good photo of me or this is a good photo, or whatever it is it but it took it took time and effort. And I think you know, the thing with reinvention is reinvention doesn't happen overnight. Yeah, it happens over time. Mm. You know, it's it's not a reinvention. It's not flipping a switch. And it, it, realizing that and having the patience to realize that, and I think that's where when people reinvent themselves, or sometimes they fail is they, they lack the patience, to kind of go through the seasons, and go through the motions and go through the journey and the steps to get you there. You know, because you got it, you've got to pay you. Anyone who gets successful has to in some way pay their dues?

Angela McCourt 26:12
Yeah. Yeah, well, and it's interesting, too, because a few of the examples that you gave that things you had to overcome, you know, when you reinvent, like, your beliefs, your limiting beliefs are the things that a lot of times you have to overcome release. Challenge, you know, the truth of, and a lot of that is carried over from childhood, a lot of that's carried over from, you know, experience from observation from things that have been said to us, you know, you'll never hang out with millionaires, you know, I mean, it's just like, there's no ill intention around saying that to a younger person, but that that right there would keep them out of that setting. Right. So and that goes for them for the rest of their life until they challenge it. So you know, not only are you trying to, from a reinvention perspective, reinvent the external, you know, how you show up, but your internal because that has to support the external because otherwise, you still you lose your authenticity, you lose your true self with it. And and you still are your true self, but you're challenging any limitations or beliefs or, or things that don't necessarily align with where you want to go. And I agree with you on the timeframe like the it is it is, it is a flow, and it's maybe not linear. Do you ever find

Rob Giardinelli 27:31
it's never linear? Yes, Neverland? No way that's linear? No, there's always, you know, you know, getting up and falling down. And, you know, but that that creates, you know, that creates the resilience. Yes, yeah, in doing that, and, you know, after a while, you know, and I had done that, basically, I was, I had kind of gotten to a point where I knew I was burning out. And that's kind of where, you know, so basically, I had a, basically a five year window where I was getting on a plane, and going somewhere three days a week, to train to visit accounts, whatever it was with Seagate, then I would have to come home. And on the weekends, I would have to throw on a tux or suit. Sometimes I'd have to drive to Houston, Dallas, or San Antonio. So not only am I coming back home, but I'm traveling again, or I'm having to stay there. And what people don't realize when you're when you're a guest at a party, and you're covering it, you have to be on. So it's so basically, it's a second job. And I don't think people realize people are like, Oh, you go to a party. And it's fun. And the thing is, is that when you're there, and you're the social editor, you have to pay attention to every single thing that's going on, around you. And someone had asked me once, you know, what are what are the three things that make, you know, a successful social columnist, and I said, basically, that you have to have an eagle eye, the discretion of a diplomat, and here's like Scooby Doo. So, you know, basically, there are three things that you have to do, and to do all three of those things is really taxing, especially if you are on planes, and playing your air travel is exhausting. You know, I'm in the Central Time Zone, which is great. But you still do have a one or two hour time difference a lot of the time when you do travel that you have to kind of deal with and combat when you get back. And I knew, you know, I knew probably about six months before I left Seagate, that it wasn't sustainable anymore. And, you know, once you know, the events started again, like in the fall of 2015, you know, right. In early September, I was basically just like, okay, you know what I've got, I've just got to go and, you know, pursue this and I'll figure out whatever the next step is, but I can't, I was just like, I can't do another not you know, the next nine months, because most of the social stuff, you know, in Texas happens from September to May. I just knew I couldn't do that. Again, like I just knew that that would that would have killed me.

Angela McCourt 29:55
But you enjoyed that. But yeah, you obviously you were you were praying kind of at that point making the decision of I'm not really enjoying this tech thing, but I really am enjoying this the creative, you know, outlet and role that you were now also building a lot of confidence around you became that social columnists? Yeah. I never intended that probably years before

Rob Giardinelli 30:17
God. Yeah, I don't even know what what was. Are you kidding? Yeah. So, you know, I kind of realized, you know, I know, the next opportunity will come. Yeah, and you know, you know, it, you know, and I'll tell you, the first two months, I slept until 930, or 10 o'clock every day, like, I realize how much, you know, a decade of travel, yeah, I wore out my body. But that's kind of really when I started listening to my body. And that's kind of when I started the morning ritual of the 30 incline, every day on the treadmill was I needed, it just, it gave me focus, it gave me energy, it gave me direction, and it gave me all these things. So it, you know, just realizing, uh, you know, realizing and listening to your body, sometimes you just have to do that. And that's kind of, you know, for me, why I knew that that was kind of the expiration date, you know, with with tech. And you know, a couple of years later, my husband was ready to start, you know, Lance was ready to start a third magazine. So at that point, I came in from, you know, and came in and was, you know, part of the, you know, the executive team, and, you know, became the associate publisher, and the CLO. So what I was really able to do, and the thing about reinvention is, you know, like you talked about, you know, the box and fitting within the box, it was a completely different box. But there were contents from your previous box that you can put in the new box, you may have discarded that ratty old box, but you didn't necessarily necessarily discard all the items that were in there. And that's kind of where, you know, and it really this role was full circle professionally, in many ways. And one is, I really got to use a lot of the skills I had learned 20 years ago at Tech Data all over again, yeah, because, you know, I always say the best first job in the world as being a distribution product manager, because you got to be a customer, you got to be a vendor, you got to see the sales side, you got to see the back off, you get to really see how an entire business operates. Absolutely. And, you know, you carry those skills with you, in all those other ways. So it's funny that I'm using my skills at Tech Data, probably more in this role than I did in any of my vendor sales roles.

Angela McCourt 32:31
Interesting. Yeah. Well, and it's so true. And I don't I don't think people realize like, what a training they get in that environment, it's very fast paced, you have to, you have to know and survival is based on prioritization and communication. And, you know, those those skills in a very slower paced environment where you don't have a lot of pressures or accountability for results, like, you don't learn as much like you have to learn in that environment. And I found the same thing when I started, not just this business, but previous business six years ago, was I'm like, Oh, my gosh, I'm using skills that I learned in the tech industry for an Etsy shop online. And now for a coaching business, because you're exposed to so much and not just exposed from a distance, like you're part of, in a lot of ways, because there's so intermingled inside of the companies. But yeah, it's so amazing that you say that, because I think a lot of times, we think, Oh, well, I don't do that title or that job anymore. So I won't need those skills anymore. But in reality, there's so part of you, they're still part of your toolbox, and there's still something that you can pull from, and that you know, and that you've learned, that you can use in a future in a future role or future job, or creating your own job, you know, whatever it is or company.

Rob Giardinelli 33:51
Yeah, absolutely. And it you know, and basically taking what you have, and you know, it's a you know, this is, you know, kind of being self employed, you kind of get to do all the things that you want to do, and you can have multiple different, you know, multiple different things. I remember, I went to lunch, a breakfast once with one of our at one of my former editors, and in Austin in particular, you know, this was a digital marketing person that was, you know, an editor, and, you know, did this as a side hustle. And you know, we were talking about that and he was bringing up other friends of his that did side hustles I was like, what percent of people in digital marketing and Austin have side? hustles? Just like 95? Uh huh. Like, everyone had one. I was like, Okay, I'm in a city where boxes don't almost say boxes don't exist, but you can have multiple boxes, and no one. No one cares. And in fact, it's not that the one doesn't care, it's often celebrated. So, you know, for me once the pandemic hit, and you know, we had a really successful first year of the magazine before the pandemic hit. You know, what I realized was 60% of my job was going to events, and with all that free time, it was like, okay, You know, there's only so much streamlining of business practices, which I was really able to do and get them really streamlined in a way that you know, when you're starting a business in the first year, you can't. So after I did that, it was like, Okay, well, what do I do now. And what I had started doing was and I gotten a certified professional coaching license through through AIPAC back in like 2016, or 17. And I decided that I wanted to start coaching businesses and nonprofits, on how they need to pitch themselves, because the pandemic, really, and I saw it in my own community first, just based on, you know, being on a boss of all the nonprofits and stuff that a lot of their services and priorities were changing. Yeah. And, you know, for me, it was okay, I want to work with organizations, but I gave myself only one role. And it was a tough role. But I did it anyway. And that was, I did not want to work with anyone in the state of Texas. And the reason for that is because, you know, I had been spending a decade running around all four cities. And again, all four of those cities are people what you can do in Austin, you could never get away with in Houston, and vice versa, as an example. And, you know, I really wanted to gain one my knowledge, because Texas in particular is known for high level from philanthropy. So I knew I could easily brand myself as an expert. And, you know, and, you know, in determining, you know, the things that make made myself unique, it was, you know, it was my background in Tech Data with and Seagate with sales and coaching and training. It was, you know, what the events that I have Chronicle for the years, they're all short form writing, so they're all 250 Words or Less of copy. That's, yeah, which is tough to do when you've got to talk about the setting, the style, and the, and the cause, all in 250. Words, Yeah, gotta cram a lot in there, in a few words, so you've got to really make, you know, you've really got to make, you know, you know, every single word count. And third, and it's an intangible is, is that I got to go to galleries for a decade, I, you know, just the ones that I've written about alone have raised $250 million. So I've probably been the galleries that have raised about half a billion dollars. And a lot of that stuff is raised through a live auction. So not everyone gets to go into a room and see how the CEO, or a philanthropist or a venture capitalist investor, what motivates them to say yes to a live auction item. Because when you're at a live auction, the the liveauctioneers, because it tends to be the same limited group of people that do them. They know who they are, because a lot of these people will go to multiple events. So you really get to see and learn. And that's kind of where being an introverted extrovert really comes in handy. You get to see and understand what makes those people tick, to get them to bid $5,000 more on an item. And it's just a really interesting perspective that I know most people don't have. So really kind of taking those three things and fusing it together. That's kind of where the idea of, okay, I'm going to work with these organizations, and, you know, do elevator pitch coaching, and you know, it, I really enjoyed it, you know, one, I'm a learner. So I got to learn about what different organizations were about. But I also got to learn what different geographies were dealing with. And their challenges were. And in a lot of cases, they were universal, because COVID In some ways, it was universal. And it was universal in nearly every organization I worked with, had a shift of services in some way, meaning something that was really not a major service. And 2019 became a major service only 20. And something that was major in 2019, was not as major in 2020. And you know, now that, you know, organizations, and this is nonprofit, and for profit, now that they're coming out of COVID, they've got to kind of figure out,

well, which of these two, you know, with which of these two things can exist should exist? How do they exist together? And that's kind of where, you know, the idea of Elevator Pitch coaching kind of came in for me as so that people can craft a narrative. And, you know, in a way these organizations are, they had to read, they had to almost traumatically reinvent themselves in 2020. Yeah, now, there's a little bit more space where they can kind of be like, Okay, here's, here's, here's, here's the damage, and we'll call it you know, a tropical storm, not not a category five hurricane, you know, things are probably not where they all need to be things are kind of scattered throughout the yard, and I need to clean it up. But it's not this overwhelming, insurmountable thing. People think that it's a category five hurricane, but it's really not. They have the tools and they have the knowledge and that's the beauty of coaching is you just coax those things out of them. And I'm, you know, working with, you know, working with those organizations to really come up with a narrative that sounds both Like the individual and sounds like the organization, and you know, the thing is, especially on the investment and philanthropy side is the stock market has done quite well. So there is from an investment perspective, and from a philanthropic perspective, there is more money out there now than there was three years ago, and how do you differentiate yourself like I did with my three things, you know, what are the two or three things, you know, for anyone looking to reinvent themselves here, ask yourself, what makes you unique, and it's gonna require a deep dive. Because most people I know, when they say that, they just sit there jaws drop, because they don't think they're interesting. And everyone's interesting, it doesn't matter the job that you have, or your place in the role in the world, you know, or anything, everyone's got something interesting and compelling about them that makes them unique, finding and understanding what those things are, and then conveying them in a in a cohesive way. Yeah, I think

Angela McCourt 40:58
even more than just, I look at the reinvention opportunity, also as a really big one, for connection, because I feel like a lot of companies got into this mode of here's what we're delivering. But they had lost the connection with their customer, they lost the connection with what the customer was needing, they lost the connection with engaging with them, right. So everybody's moving to automation, AI bots, blah, blah, blah, right? And, you know, that's just one aspect of it. But also, it's, you know, what does the customer really want, because by the way, their needs and their wants, and their lives have have changed, and some may not have been for the better, but some are for the better. And they're reinventing in a way that they want to actually live their life. But that means they want different things, and they need different things than they used to. So that is a whole other context of you know, the reinvention that companies have the opportunity to do as well, is so important. Is that connection back to their customer, because that's how they will differentiate themselves. Because the customers are going to demand more. Mm hmm. Yeah, they

Rob Giardinelli 42:11
definitely will. And it's, you know, it's part of and not only customers, but it's also employees, yes, and employee retention as well, you know, it's the great resignation is happening, because people are not, you know, a lot of that's happening because someone is not listening and dots are not being connected. And Willie, you know, those that are those that are successful in regards of any type of work that they do, are able to effectively connect the dots. Absolutely. You know, yeah, sorry, go ahead. Oh, no, I was just gonna say effectively connecting the dots, whether you're a customer, whether you're a vendor, whether you're employee, whatever it is just connecting those dots between whoever the two endpoints are on a relationship are extremely important.

Angela McCourt 42:56
Yes, yeah, exactly. And, you know, I look at the great resignation, I kind of look at it as the great opening. And it's an opener for people to grow, seek new opportunities expand, take the risks that maybe they have been hesitant to take and make a shift that they've been hesitant to take or make. Because, you know, before it was the routine, it was the safety and security of the job it was, I've been here a long time, I'm just going to wait it out. Now. They're challenging prosperity aligned values. So if I'm making my money with a company that does no no longer aligns to my values, I don't feel good about that. So it's not even just disengagement because leadership hasn't evolved enough to the times that people and employees are needing their leaders to show up to be able to navigate the unpredictable the uncertain, you know, world and, and how do we bring new skills into that leadership role, but they're also disconnected from this company? Isn't my friend anymore? Yeah, right.

Unknown Speaker 44:00
That's exactly it, this is a great opportunity

Angela McCourt 44:02
for you to come in and from an elevator pitch pitch perspective with with companies and nonprofits is it isn't just about what you can, can, you know, do for that service for that offering for that product. It's also that connection in a way that is aligned to people's values in a way that's aligned to what they believe what their purpose is to meaning, because that's what people are really seeking.

Rob Giardinelli 44:28
You know, they really are. And, you know, the one thing you know, it the one thing you know, that organizations are struggling with is they want that a lot of organizations want the through line that they had in 2019 to reapply. Yeah. And the through line has to change. It has and you're seeing that with you know, I read an article in The New York Times just a couple of days ago about how difficult it is for people in tech recruiters in particular, to find employees you know, and once one people on site every day that Forget most people, that's just not going to happen anyway. Yeah. And you know, it's becoming one with that, and, you know, trying to find the evolution with that, I believe you I take in pro, a pro site change management class, and I believe you have as well, yes, you know, the change, you know, that's more of the people side of change. But you know, companies can be people in in the fact of their culture, just like, you know, a person is a part of a culture, you know, the United States can be a person, as an example, because there is a culture within the United States of America. And it's just, it's working to try to figure those things out and figure them out in a way that you can still be true to yourself, but that you can also adapt and grow. Mm hmm. And that's it, what's going to be really interesting as five years from now, what companies are going to look like, what people's workdays are going to look like, you know, the weird thing is, is that you're seeing companies still buy, or lease office space. Yeah. But if deals, you know, like one of them, like, like, there's a major company here in Austin that basically rented like, it's gonna be one of the tallest high rises in the city, and they read it all the office space could be like, half residential, half commercial. And this is a company where they've said, you know, you can work from home, at least in a hybrid role, and you know, they're doing it because they can, and that's going to kind of be the next reckoning is, should you be doing stuff because you can, or because you should, right, and it'll be interesting to see five years from now, how that evolves? And how that works out with a lot of organizations? Yeah,

Angela McCourt 46:37
yeah, it's, um, it's really interesting, too, because that's where your point about, the employees have a voice and they have a stronger voice, and their voice will be in turnover. And their voice will be in in, you know, not as backed back to less productive, honestly, because I guarantee it, if somebody were to actually do a study on, you know, did we find more productivity, even with parents, having children at home, that they're having to stop every now and then and work on, you know, homework with them or classwork with them, because they're doing digital learning, I guarantee it, those parents were still much more productive than being in an office setting. I guarantee it, I guarantee it, but nobody's done that study at that. I know, but it would be great if they did it, because I think, you know, I mean, everybody's pushing the hybrid roll, everybody's pushing that, well, let's, let's just try to cooperate, let's just try to, you know, give everybody a little bit of something. But I really feel like the employees have a much stronger voice in this, I feel like they have more power in this and how they want to work. And you don't want to go in an office and don't force them into an office if they don't need to.

Rob Giardinelli 47:45
Yeah, and I've worked from home since 2005, or six. So you know, like, the prospect of me going into an office like, even like when I would, you know, when I worked at Seagate, and I would have to go, you know, go in, it was just, it was interesting, because I always felt less productive in an office than I did at home. And it was just like, Okay, it's just because people find you, they interrupt you, it just becomes this whole thing. And there are way

Angela McCourt 48:09
more distractions in an office setting, I'm sorry, even with your door closed, way more distractions than going and putting a load of laundry and your washer, if that's your issue with your employee being from home working from home well, and funny, people still actually have that mentality. Well, and

Rob Giardinelli 48:25
the funny thing is, is that that's usually done on a call, like, if you're on a team conference call, you're throwing that in when the other team when another member of your team is talking and it's you kind of have to sort of listen, kind of like, you know, like when the TV's on background for background noise, when the radios on, it's kind of like in that in that realm in that in that setting. But it's, you know, it's going to be really interesting to kind of see how, what the next step is for organizations, as they work to evolve themselves out of this. And you know, I just hope that, you know, I can help them kind of realize who they are, and that they're able to articulate things that sound like the organization, but they also sound like the people, person or people conveying them.

Angela McCourt 49:05
Yes, that's beautiful. What a great way to to land and end this episode. I appreciate that. That was really insightful. And I definitely want to make sure I include any information contact wise website and any information that we can in the show notes. So we'll go ahead and do that for your business so people can get in touch with you.

Rob Giardinelli 49:27
Oh, I really appreciate that. Angie, it's been a real delight being on here.

Angela McCourt 49:31
Yeah, very good. I'm excited to have you. So Rob, and now going back, you know, 22 plus years ago to our orientation day. So Rob, why don't you Why don't you give us a few ideas or tips or or recommendations that you might have for companies, books, nonprofit organizations, products, anything that you'd like to share that I can include in the show notes.

Rob Giardinelli 49:58
So what I would say You know, not, you know, giving is more than just and I see this a lot online giving is about you, not the company. So just because your company does a nonprofit thing, yeah, find something that you're passionate about outside of work. Yeah. And work with that organization. You know, it's really important to do that. And the another thing that I would say is, with with any pitch, or with any group that you work with, and engage with the most important and this is really kind of my through line Intenet in terms of a phrase, and that is, know your room. And know who your audience is, what you need to be talking about. Why you need to be talking about that and understanding who you know, understanding what to say. And even more importantly, what not to

Angela McCourt 50:54
say, Hmm, love it. Yes.

Rob Giardinelli 50:58
You know, whether that's a person place or thing. Yeah, you know, yeah, be Be Smart with that. And I've seen lots and lots of things go sideways. Yeah, because someone just brings up the wrong thing because they didn't do their homework in the race. Yes,

Angela McCourt 51:09
that's such a that's such a great recommendation and tool and trick and tip and we haven't had one of those for a while. So thank you for that.

Unknown Speaker 51:17
I try my best. So Rob, thank

Angela McCourt 51:18
you so much for joining us. This has been such a such a pleasure to have you on I really appreciate you taking the time out of your busy day to join us and share your story.

Rob Giardinelli 51:27
Angie, it's been a delight. And you know, I'm you know, I look forward to hopefully maybe one day being on again