The Psychology of Belonging In Marketing

The need to belong. 

To not just guess the words, 

But to join in the song. 

All along,

It’s what we’re searching for. 

Whether we pour our feelings in openness, 

Or keep them locked inside our secret box of silliness. 

Trombones and violens. 

Percussion of every persuasion. 

Couldn’t save a parade of boring. 

Pouring into a thirsty cup, 

will fill you up

Richer than hoarding gold

Ever could. 

Dragons should soar the sky, 

Not die for shiny metal. 

Settle? 

Never. 

Searching outside for the missing piece is an unrequited endeavor. 

It will leave you…

And then you’ll be wanting more. 

And more.

Your paper cup has a hole in it 

But what’s a flat tire

When you’re consuming fire. 

Scorched earth 

Isn’t the result of burning passion. 

It’s the consequence of individualistic sadness. 

Majestic, 

Prophetic, 

Angelic, 

Sound so bold, 

But quickly become dogmatic 

When all I see is me. 

We need to belong to something. 

Have you taken the time to write down your greatest and most important values? 

Have you traced them like a line and uncovered who buried them within you?

Uncover a great meaning, 

And you’ll have found the key. 

Belonging, 

It is one of the deepest, 

And most important, 

Of all the human needs.

P.S. 

I hope you enjoy this week’s episode. :) 

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The Elevation of Education With Dr. Shaun Woodley & Stacey Cosden

Relationships are at the heart of creating inclusive and transformative classrooms. 

That was one of the themes they rang throughout this week’s episode. 

Our guests, Dr. Shaun Woodley & Stacey Cosden, shared their expertise on where education is at and what it can be. 

Dr. Shaun Woodly has dedicated his professional career to education. He is a decorated K-12 teacher, university professor, and author whose deep passion and research have allowed him great success as an educator and entrepreneur. He is the architect behind the educator movement “Teach Hustle Inspire” and has written the best-selling book “MC Means Move the Class: How to Spark Engagement and Motivation in Urban and Culturally Diverse Classrooms”. 

Stacey is a Marketing Coach with Tom Earl at T.H.E. Celebration and Marketing Director at Blue Level Training. While she is currently in marketing, she’s spent over 20 years working with the public school system. Through her various roles in the system, Stacey has been an advocate for her community, students, and their families, and an activist for reform. Stacey’s true passion is building a healthy community that supports marginalized voices.  

Shaun and Stacey also covered the important role self-awareness & emotional intelligence plays in creating a transformative classroom. 

This interview is for anyone who is passionate about education & the power of relationships. 

I promise you will walk away with a whole new mindset. 

Do yourself the favor. 

Hit play. :) 

You can follow Shaun on Instagram - @teachhustleinspire

You can follow Stacey on Instagram - @staceyreneec 

Listen to "The Elevation of Education With Dr. Shaun Woodley & Stacey Cosden" on Spreaker.

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Staying On The Path An Interview With Warrior Poets Jamie Dawson and Sam(ira) Obeid

For all of us striving to stay on the path - this one is for you. 

This week’s episode is truly special. 

I felt so honored and grateful just for getting the chance to be in the same room as these two warrior poets. 

My guests this week, Jamie Dawson and Sam(ira) Obeid, are two of the most creative and brilliant people I have had the privilege of knowing. 

We wove through many important and timely conversations all while striving to remain open, honest, and vulnerable. 

Accountability and introspection were two themes that tied together the thoughts expressed. 

Jamie and Sam both shared their deep insights on heavy conversations such as:

-How do we process the grief, the trauma, and the roller coaster that these past 12+ months have been? 

-What does true allyship look like? 

-What role do creativity, art, and poetry play in processing? 

-What lies at the intersection of art and activism? 

Jamie and Sam both provided true gifts on this one. 

Please do yourself the favor of listening in. 

For all of us striving to stay on the path - this one is for you. 

You rock. 

Jamie Dawson is a professional writer, performer, and black arts scholar whose talents range from spoken word, theatre, and commissioned works on the topics such as black life, multiculturalism, women’s rights, healing, and connection to each other through Earth.

You can follow Jamie on Instagram here

Sam Sam(ira) Obeid is an Indian. Scholar. Warrior. Poet. Queer. Sam has been placed 5th at the Women of the World Poetry Slam in 2015. Sam has been featured on Button Poetry and an international anthology, The World That Belongs to Us: An Anthology of Queer Poetry from South Asia by Harper Collins India. 

You can follow Sam on Instagram here

Listen to "Staying On The Path An Interview With Warrior Poets Jamie Dawson and Sam(ira) Obeid" on Spreaker.

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My Special Birthday Episode: Reflections, Vulnerability & Celebration

It is my birthday week! 

Each year, I dedicate a podcast episode to speak reflections out loud. 

To give sound to the inside, 

So that vibrations can become lessons learned.

Wisdom is earned, 

Creativity burns bright through consistency. 

To be here for another year is a blessing.

Take the risk and go for it, 

Or spend your 365th-day second-guessing. 

Accountability over blame. 

I’m grateful for the losses

and the gains. 

For the downwind ease

And the uphill pain. 

There is a release of worry,

When you can learn to taste the rain. 

Each misstep a new campfire story. 

The hurricane 

And the boring. 

Even amidst the turbulence 

Finding pockets of stillness. 

I give thanks 

For the new smiles shining with brilliance.

I see now I’m supposed to feel all of this. 

No hiding. 

Sadness.

Mourning.

And then in the morning.

There you are everywhere. 

In the air, 

Alive in our memories. 

Truly, 

It is a blessing. 

To be here for another year. 

InshAllah. 

Will you join me? 

In celebrating my birthday?

I’d like to request a gift. 

Will you share with me:

A memory. 

A story.

Of how we met, 

Of a time our lines crossed.

A moment we connected. 

It would mean the world to me. 

Thank you for being a part of my journey. 

Listen to "My Special Birthday Episode: Reflections, Vulnerability & Celebration" on Spreaker.

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Give The People What They Want (Hint: It’s You) With Jeanne DeClue & Imari Graves

This one is for everyone who has something important to share, but are doubting themselves.

For those hiding their gifts…

Their vision…

Their passion…

Whether out of fear, 

Worry, 

Trauma, 

Or that lying feeling of unworthiness. 

This one is for you.

You are brilliant. 

You are enough. 

You matter. 

What you have to say is exactly what someone, somewhere, in this very moment, needs to hear. 

That video you’re thinking about recording…

That course you’re thinking about launching…

That podcast you’re considering starting…

Those words you're itching to start writing…

They are the key someone is looking for to unlock a new essence of greatness. 

In case you needed that extra push.

This one is for you.

My guests this week - Jeanne DeClue & Imari Graves - are here for you. 

And they want to share this reminder: 

Give The People What They Want 

Hint: It’s You

If that doesn’t do it for you.  Let’s drop the bios. 

Jeanne (genie) DeClue is a content strategist who thrives in driving campaigns and products for retail and CPG businesses, software companies, and online publishers. For over 10 years, she’s helped both small business and enterprise platforms solve creative problems and improve user experiences.

Imari Graves is a blogger, social media, and digital marketing specialist. She’s been featured in media outlets like voyage ATL magazine and WALB news 10 in Albany, GA. Her mission is to help small business owners create time and money-saving strategies to take their businesses to the next level.

This is one of my favorite episodes of 2021. 

Do yourself this favor. 

Hit play on this one. 

Dive in. 

And remember: 

You Rock. 

Listen to "Give The People What They Want (Hint: It’s You) With Jeanne DeClue & Imari Graves" on Spreaker.

If you'd like to learn more about T.H.E. Celebration Academy.  Here's 30 days of Free Membership.

Purpose Driven Sales & Marketing With Cody May

There are people who are just pure geniuses at marketing. 

And then there are people who are genuinely amazing human beings. 

I’m going, to be honest - it is rare to see these qualities overlap. 

My guest this week, Cody May, is one of those truly special people who is both a genius at marketing, and a kind and gracious person. 

Having been in this industry for a while, I can tell you, it is refreshing. 

On top of that, you’re going to get the chance to learn some seriously valuable marketing, sales, and entrepreneurial insights. 

Cody is the co-founder of Create Your Purpose, a motivational and uplifting brand to help people find their purpose and experience fulfillment throughout life. 

He is also the COO of the full-service digital marketing agency StudioPTBO. 

In this interview, we cover everything from marketing psychology, what’s working in Facebook Ads Land, how to book calls, and the blueprint for a successful sales call. 

Like me, Cody believes in relationship centered marketing. 

His commitment to living a purposeful life shines through in the advice he offers to all of us on this episode. 

Trust me, this is a must listen. 

Do yourself this favor. 

And hit play. 

You rock. 

You can learn more about Cody here.

Listen to "Purpose Driven Sales & Marketing With Cody May" on Spreaker.

If you'd like to learn more about T.H.E. Celebration Academy.  Here's 30 days of Free Membership.

Expand Your Impact With Facebook Ads: Tom Earl Interviewed By Dijana Llugolli.

I am a huge fan of people who have important work connecting with their community. 

With all of its controversies and confusion aside, I believe that FB / IG ads are the most effective way to do that. 

Contrary to popular belief, you can find success with even a modest budget of $1 a day. 

In this week’s episode, I share with you the strategy and systems that are getting entrepreneurs, thought leaders, and activists results. 

This is a replay from when I was a guest on my friend Dijana Llugolli’s podcast. 

You may remember Dijana was a previous guest on this podcast.  

You can check out that replay at tomearl.com/dijana. 

Whether you’re just dipping your toes into the marketing waters, or are ready to do a cannonball - you’ll discover some gems in this episode. 

Do yourself the favor of giving this a listen. 

You rock. 

And be sure to support Dijana and her awesome work here.

Listen to "Expand Your Impact With Facebook Ads: Tom Earl Interviewed By Dijana Llugolli." on Spreaker.

If you'd like to learn more about T.H.E. Celebration Academy.  Here's 30 days of Free Membership.

What Makes You Come Alive?

“Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” -Howard Thurman

Not only is this one of my favorite quotes but it is also the prompt for this week’s writing workshop episode. 

Here’s the backstory: 

I was an art major for my first 2 years in college.  It was amazing, and I met a lot of remarkable people. 

One of those people - Jordan Bierma - DMed me and asked if I “would be interested in participating in a storytelling project with my high school students.”

He shared that, “I work at a very small rural public school that follows an expeditionary learning model...With covid this year we have not been able to leave school and interact with anyone outside our small community of about 600 people.” 

I thought this would be amazing. 

Rather than focusing the entire time on myself, I suggested that instead I could host a writing workshop. 

This week’s episode is the recording of the creativity and honesty that transpired. 

I want to thank Jordan and the brilliant students at Silverton High School for being open to sharing their writing with all of us. 

Look - this is a crazy time for all of us. 

Getting centered on this question, “what makes you come alive,” is of paramount importance. 

I’d love for you to give yourself the gift of going through this workshop. 

You will come out the otherside with some newly discovered personal insights. 

Be sure to email or DM me your writing! 

I’d love to read it!

Listen to "What Makes You Come Alive?" on Spreaker.

If you'd like to learn more about T.H.E. Celebration Academy.  Here's 30 days of Free Membership.

Answering Your Facebook/IG Ads FAQs With Stacey Cosden, Nickey Rautenberg Norrish, and Tom Earl

There are so many misconceptions around Facebook and Instagram Ads.  Add to the mix the tech giants Apple and Facebook going after each other - and you can have a recipe for confusion. 

On this week’s episode, we address some of the most frequently asked Facebook Ads questions that we receive. 

I am joined by two brilliant marketers - Stacey Cosden and Nickey Rautenberg Norrish.  I also get the honor of working with Nickey and Stacey through my Facebook Ads agency - THE Celebration Media. 

Questions we covered include: 

• How long should your video ads be?

• The difference between running ads to a cold audience vs a warm audience. 

• How to set an ads budget and identify revenue goals.

• What do when people aren’t watching your videos.

• What is an income level where ads make sense? 

• Should all ads be video ads?

• How to run ads for products vs services?

• Is there a difference between a Facebook and an Instagram ad?

• The difference between an organic strategy and a paid strategy? 

Like I said - we cover a lot of questions that I know you’ll get a ton of value from.

Whether you’re just getting started with ads, or are an expert, I know you’ll gain some powerful insights from this conversation. 

And of course - let me know if you have any follow-up questions! 

Do yourself this favor.

Hit play. 

You can follow Nickey on Instagram 

You can follow Stacey on instagram

Listen to "Answering Your Facebook/IG Ads FAQs With Stacey Cosden, Nickey Rautenberg Norrish, and Tom Earl" on Spreaker.

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The Power of Presence: An Interfaith Conversation With Reverend Kate

“When you come to the edge of all the light you have and must take a step into the darkness of the unknown, believe that one of two things will happen. Either there will be something solid for you to stand on - or you will be taught how to fly.”

This quote by Patrick Overton is at the heart of my conversation this week with The Rev. Dr. Kate Cress. 

The times we live in provide ample opportunities for stress, worry, and anxiety. 

Amidst it all - how do we find presence? 

How do we cease the regrets of the past and the worries of the future, and just be here in this moment?

These are questions that those on the spiritual path have reflected upon for ages. 

For Rev. Kate, Christianity offers her insights and practice through which she can discover her highest self. 

For me, that pathway is through Islam. 

Together in this conversation we explore the ways our religious and spiritual practice fuel each other and provide us with a blueprint for awakening. 

This has to be one of my favorite interfaith conversations I’ve ever had. 

Rev. Kate asked some really great questions that allowed me to reflect upon my spirituality in a new way.  

The answers and insights we uncovered together really had me saying, “YES!”

This is a really cup-filling episode. 

Wherever you are entering this conversation from, I know you will be enriched by it. 

Do yourself this favor. 

Hit play. :) 

You can learn more about Rev. Kate here.

Listen to "The Power of Presence: An Interfaith Conversation With Reverend Kate" on Spreaker.

If you'd like to learn more about T.H.E. Celebration Academy.  Here's 30 days of Free Membership.