In this episode, I welcome John Walsh to the podcast. John is a bestselling author, speaker, coach, and business advisor with a passion for helping students and young professionals accelerate their potential and stand out when it matters most. As the president and CEO of STANDOUTX, he and his team work with other experts around the world to inspire and develop the next generation of high performers, leaders, and difference-makers in business and in life. Before becoming the leader of the Standout movement, John spent 20+ years as a successful finance and strategy executive with the Walt Disney Company and the Madison Square Garden Company. John has completed multiple marathons, including last year’s race in New York City and he lives in central Florida with his wife and three children. You won’t want to miss our conversation as John talks about his journey from homeless in high school to business executive, to entrepreneur. His STANDOUTX company is all about making a difference in the world, and he has a pretty lofty goal of reaching 10 million people in 10 years. During our conversation, John offers lots of great advice for parents, including how to help our teens get to know themselves, who they are and where they’re going, how to find their purpose and fulfill it, and why we shouldn’t protect our kids from the downside, but rather help them explore the upside.
About John Walsh
John is currently the President and CEO of his own company. It’s called StandoutX and they do coaching, mentoring, training, and development for students and young professionals. Their goal is “10 in 10”. They are trying to impact 10 million students over the next 10 years to help them get ready for life after school. John was in corporate America for a while. Before that, he had spent just over two years as the senior vice president of finance and strategy for the Madison Square Garden Company in New York, which meant that he was involved in Radio City Music Hall, The Forum in LA, and Madison Square Garden. They were building a billion-dollar venue out in Las Vegas. His job was a lot of fun. Prior to that, John helped launch the Disney+ streaming service. John spent 18 years working for Disney in Orlando, in parks and resorts and had a great career there.
Unlike other folks, John didn’t have a traditional career. He started his career when he was in his late twenties. He didn’t go to school right away. He battled homelessness during his senior year of high school and probably for a good year after that. He went through a period of time like everyone else goes through in their early and mid-twenties when you ask yourself “What do I want to do with my life? Where am I going?” All of those wonderful questions.
Episode Highlights
- The Standout Movement
- John’s decision to leave corporate America
- The Standout Experience
- The STANDOUTX Process
- Helping teens find their purpose
- Encouraging teens to discover and explore
- Focus on the upside rather than the downside
- John’s advice for his high school self
Resources
The Standout Experience: How Students and Young Professionals Can Rise, Shine, and Impact When It Matters Most by John Walsh