Jonathan Bender, MS, MFA has been leading workshops and coaching for over 20 years, focusing on self-expression, public speaking, personal growth and “the performance of your life.” The founder of WholeSpeak, LLC and the creator of Connection Jams, he spends his time teaching how to show up in life and on stage with authenticity, power, and dynamic presence, and has a mission to help our world heal the wounds of disconnection. Jonathan is also a professional theatre director, actor and writer.
Entrepreneurial Role Models:
Mark Silver owner of Heart of Business, Inc
When business started difficulties overcame:
“I am an artist and artist do not receive business training and it is a very common thing in theatre to say I’m just going to like put up show and the people are going to come. But usually people in theatre are not taught good marketing and there is this very like based starving artist mentality that pervades. So, for me having that mindset of just like oh I am this really talented coach I have been doing it forever… I had been coaching for a few years maybe around 2009/10 or something, my clients were loving what I did I was kind of the you know the “ best kept secret” and so that was difficult to work with that and I had to get significant business training to be able to just understand like what are the essentials, what’s a niche, how do you put together a package, what’s a fair price, and business model. And so, learning all of that was really hard and important and then changed things immediately when I did that”…[Listen for More]
Favourite Books:
- The Upside of Stress: Why stress is good for you (and how to get good at it) Book by Kelly McGonigal
- SuperBetter: How a gameful life can make you stronger, happier, braver and more resilient Book by Jane McGonigal
Favourite Quote:
“A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines. With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do. He may as well concern himself with his shadow on the wall. Speak what you think now in hard words, and to-morrow speak what to-morrow thinks in hard words again, though it contradicts everything you said to-day. — ‘Ah, so you shall be sure to be misunderstood.’ — Is it so bad, then, to be misunderstood? Pythagoras was misunderstood, and Socrates, and Jesus, and Luther, and Copernicus, and Galileo, and Newton, and every pure and wise spirit that ever took flesh. To be great is to be misunderstood.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
Recommended Online Resources:
- SuperBetter App – increases resilience – the ability to stay strong, motivated and optimistic even in the face of difficult obstacles. Playing SuperBetter makes you more capable of getting through any tough situation—and more likely to achieve the goals that matter most to you. Proven results in just 10 minutes a day.
- Headspace App – Live a happier, healthier life with just a few minutes of meditation a day on the Headspace App
Best Advice to Other Entrepreneurs:
“A lot of the time we are given so much advice. This is how you have to do it like I mentioned before or this is the strategy… be yourself and also grow into who you want to be… so it’s be yourself and be yourself fully and look at who you want to grow into and not be afraid of that.”…[Listen for More]
More About Jonathan Bender:
- The Performance of Your Life
- Wholespeak
Neil’s Quote at the Beginning:
“We don’t need to have the answers. We’ll never have them. They’ll come and go and change. And all we can do is figure out the best way to behave when life comes at us. Even if society says it isn’t right. Right is so subjective, after all.” Suzanne Hayes & Loretta Nyhan
Other Quotes From the Chat with Jonathan Bender:
- “if I spend too long operating as a solopreneur then sometimes that gets uncomfortable because I would rather be part of a team”
- “being comfortable spending time alone and tuning in or getting support, finding your own calling is really important. And a lot of that in a mastery of being able to turn off the outside world and listen what feels right for you”
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