“Creative nerdery is my personal brand.” – Mike Montague Imagine for a moment you’re an HR rep reviewing resumes. Along comes a successful web designer turned DJ who later became an acclaimed sales expert, podcast host, and author, who later became an improv comedian—all while being a smash at each thing. Where would you put this person in your organization? If you’re completely stumped, join the club. No one has ever known exactly where to put Mike. That never stopped him. Like many entrepreneurs, Mike’s resume is long and varied. But what makes him unique is that, whether inside a massive organization like Sandler or within his own company, his “creative nerdery”—best defined as playful intelligence—shines through. Every job becomes uniquely his own, whether it was asked for or not. And that’s made all the difference. If stories of challenging the status quo & imparting your personal brand on your work make you happy, this is the episode for you.

Famed author Dodinsky said, “Be there for others, but never leave yourself behind.” It sums Mike up perfectly. It’s also great advice for each of us.

Find him on LinkedIn or at PlayfulHumans .

“I’m just generally curious about a lot of things.” – Hollis Carter Entrepreneurs, inquisitive & risk-tolerant by nature, tend to have diverse backgrounds. Hollis’ is almost dizzying. This master of the side hustle has started more companies than you can count, beginning in early childhood. But it’s the SAAS company he built into a 7-figure virtual business in less than a year & becoming a (very young) founding investor in one of the nation’s most unique ski resorts that grabs your attention. Then, of course, there’s his membership-based community for entrepreneurs (with arguably the funniest name you’ve ever heard) that makes you wonder. Is he just skipping randomly from one thing to the next? Hardly. Coursing through the heart of every one of Hollis’ companies is community, & his knack for building it in the most natural & mutually beneficial ways will leave you wondering why it’s ever been tried any other way. To learn more: Find him at BabyBathwater.com or @HollisC on Instagram. Hollis’ endeavors are proof of Akio Morita’s assertion: “Curiosity is the key to creativity.”

“I’m a relationship person at my core.” – Todd Hirschfeld Growing up, Todd had a seat at some impressive dinner tables, a perk of being the son of a celebrity attorney. Athletes, movie stars, and even the legendary Muhammad Ali graced his family’s dinner table on many occasions. For most people, kids especially, that kind of limelight would be blinding. For Todd, it illuminated a vital lesson: Connections and genuine personal relationships, over everything else, open doors & bring life to new opportunities. It’s a lesson he’s carried with him ever since. Whether trying to break into NASCAR as a driver, becoming a team liaison, or now marketing and directing over-the-top experiences for sporting and special event guests, Todd has prioritized people and relationships to conceptualize new businesses and overdeliver on expectations. The result? He’s created one of the most unique, successful, and diversified companies his customers adore, and he’s not done yet. To learn more, find him at HMSworldwide.com or LinkedIn. Looking at Todd, it’s easy to see that Alan Cohen was right. “Success in business depends more on relationships than spreadsheets.”