IAM253- Millennial and Podcaster Creates Thought-Provoking Conversations

Zack Peter isn't your average green-juice drinking millennial. As a writer, he has published a total of four books, with work featured on Yahoo!, Men’s Health, Bustle, People, and more. In between collagen-martinis, you can catch his signature wit and gift-of-gab as host and producer of the hit weekly podcasts, #NoFilter with Zack Peter and #Adulting: Life Hacks to Get Your Sh*t Together. He currently serves as the Executive Director for Jenny McCarthy’s autism foundation, Generation Rescue, and can be regularly seen on POPSUGAR and Maria Menounos’s AfterBuzz TV network.

• CEO Hack: (1) Morning routine of 10 minutes meditation (2)Coffee
• CEO Nugget: (1) Stop stressing about it not working out (2) Pursue the things that drive you
• CEO Defined: Being in charge of your own life

Website: http://www.justplainzack.com/

Facebook:https://web.facebook.com/justplainzack
Twitter: https://twitter.com/justplainzack
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justplainzack/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/justplainzack

Books: https://www.amazon.com/Zack-Peter/e/B008OADPDM?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_4&qid=1552450853&sr=8-4

Full Interview

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Transcription:

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Intro 0:02

Do you want to learn effective ways to build relationships, generate sales and grow your business from successful entrepreneurs, startups, and CEOs without listening to a long, long, long interview? If so, you've come to the right place. Gresham Harkless values your time and is ready to share with you precisely the information you're in search of. This is the I AM CEO Podcast.

Gresham Harkless 0:26

Hello, hello, hello. This is Gresham from the I AM CEO Podcast and I have a very special guest on the show today. I have Zack Peter of #NoFilter with Zack Peter and #Adulting: Life Hacks to Get Your Sh*t Together. Zach, it's awesome to have you on the show.

Zack Peter 0:34

Hi, how are you?

Gresham Harkless 0:43

Doing? Phenomenal, phenomenal. And what I want to do is just read a little bit more about Zach so you can hear about all the awesome things that he's doing. And Zach Peter isn't your average green juice-drinking millennial. As a writer, he has published a total of four books with work being featured on Yahoo, Men's Health, Bustle, and People in More. In between collegian martinis, you can catch his signature wit and gift of gab as host and producer of the hit weekly podcast #NoFilter with Zack Peter and #Adulting: Life Hacks to Get Your Sh*t Together.

He currently serves as the Executive Director for Jenny McCarthy’s autism foundation, Generation Rescue, and can be regularly seen on POPSUGAR and Maria Menounos’s AfterBuzz TV network. Zack, are you ready to speak to the I AM CEO community?

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Zack Peter 1:28

I am so ready.

Gresham Harkless 1:29

Awesome, awesome, awesome. Let's do it. So the first question I had was to hear a little bit more about what I call your CEO story. What led you to start your business?

Zack Peter 1:36

Well, I think I've always liked to consider myself a millennial Hustler, which I know some people may think of as an oxymoron because they don't think of millennials as hustlers. They think of them as lazy or they kind of dismissed them as you know, really insignificant or Snapchat obsessed. And like, look, let's be real, I have a ring light. I like to put on filters like I do love taking selfies. But I also like to, you know, spend the other 20 hours in my day working, you know, and doing things that kind of fuel me.

And I think for the longest time growing up, I kind of felt lost, I felt like I didn't really have a voice I felt like an outsider or you know, I just I never really fit into any of the molds I you know, as a straight D student, I was always talking in class, always getting in trouble for talking to other people in the class, always in detention, never doing my homework. So I was just kind of, you know, an outsider, so to speak.

And then eventually my brother was diagnosed with autism. And after that I kind of I had many siblings by that point. But he was the one that I really struggled to connect with. And I wanted to connect with him. And I saw how active and engaged my mother was in helping him with different treatments and trying to just help him ultimately reach his fullest potential at the end of the day. And it inspired and motivated me to get involved. And I obviously wanted to have a relationship with my brother.

So I started to do my own research. And through that realized a lot of other families in our community, were struggling with the same things. So I started hosting fundraisers in our local community, it started with a fundraiser called Playing Out for Autism, which started 10 years ago this month, ironically, and ever since then, I kind of just knew that I wanted to help people. I knew that I enjoyed talking, obviously, it's part of what put me in detention for a really long time. And I just knew that once I found my voice, which is through the advocacy work for autism, I was like, Okay, now you're not going to shut me up. And I just kind of have kept going and paved the way ever since

Gresham Harkless 3:30

I wanted to drill down a little bit deeper and hear a little bit more about your podcast and some of the other things that you're doing.

Zack Peter 3:34

Yeah, it's really funny, I started my very first podcast when I was 1510 years ago, I was on my cell phone taped in my bedroom through an online software called Blog Talk Radio. And I did it for maybe about a year and a half. And after that I was like I'm never gonna do this, again, like this is just not, you know, it's not my thing, only to find out a few years later, I ended up doing a couple of web shows on YouTube.

And then eventually one of the web shows that I really kind of loved and enjoyed was like a talk show and then ended up getting canceled by the production company that we're with and the co-host that I was with, and I was kind of like, but like I really enjoy hosting and I really want to do another show.

So I ended up talking to a couple of different radio stations at the time about doing maybe a show with them and didn't really want to get back into radio or audio but eventually, there was an opportunity to do my own podcast which was #NoFilter with Zack Peter, which I think will be I think we've just or we're just completing our fourth year of the show.

And that really just started as me wanting to host my own show and have really thought-provoking conversations with people that I thought were really interesting. I loved pop culture I love news I loved you know a lot of people on TV and different reality shows are people that I was fascinated with to build brands on social media and eventually that's kind of what #NoFilter with Zack Peter became is it's candid conversations with TV personalities and social media star is and we drink.

We play games, we have fun, and we just have very thought-provoking conversations, which I enjoy. And it's a job that I get to do every week that, you know, pays the bills that I love, you know?

Gresham Harkless 5:12

Yeah.

Zack Peter 5:13

Last year came another opportunity to host a second podcast with my friend Nikki Sharp, who I love and is another badass boss, babe, and millennial hustler. And we met through a Wellness Festival, and we kind of just vibed I invited her on #Nofilter. And she had a great time and invited her on like two more times, and a couple of my other guests had canceled and she filled in.

And we just had a very nice dynamic and chemistry that we decided to do #Adulting, which is really focused on having thought leaders and experts come on the show and asking them questions about how we can in our 20s and early 30s, get our shit together.

Gresham Harkless 5:51

There you go. And we all are in the process of getting our shit together. So that's why that name kind of, you know, sticks well. And we also had Nikki on our podcast as well, too. So she is a badass, I think that's the correct phrase. And I want to find her as well. And so I definitely would echo that. So now I wanted to ask you for what I call your secret sauce. And this could be for you, your podcast, or anything that you're working on. But what do you feel kind of sets you apart and makes you unique?

Zack Peter 6:13

I have always been really two things. I actually think one of them is my tenacity. I've always, you know, anytime any wall or obstacle was kind of set up in my way, I've always found a way to kind of navigate around it. I think people that have listened to each of my podcasts know that the past seven months have been extremely challenging, with all the new growth and career opportunities and challenges that have kind of come my way.

So I think just kind of staying tenacious and staying true to your gut and your passion will always get you through anything. And then I think, you know, one thing that is lacking, especially with the millennial community, because I feel like there is a bit of entitlement that I come across with other people, other peers in my age range is gratitude. I feel like I wake up every morning, and I'm so damn grateful that I have a job, that I have a paycheck and I have a beautiful home that I can live in.

And I know that in two seconds, this can all be gone, it can all be taken away, you know, an earthquake can come and you know, destroy my home. And I have it today. And I feel like that is so important and crucial because it keeps you humble. And I feel like every opportunity that is coming my way.

Sometimes it's taken a lot longer. Sometimes it's taken 10 years to get to where I'm at. But you know, it's by staying humble, staying grounded, and just being grateful that there's an opportunity or something in front of me today, I think has been the true secret sauce to why I've been able to be successful. So Young.

Gresham Harkless 7:33

I want to drill down a little bit deeper. Do you feel like that's something that you know, millennials are even not even just millennials, people that don't, you know, understand the act, the act of being gracious for things and having that gratitude? That's something that they can develop? Or how do you have that gratitude muscle?

Zack Peter 7:48

I think as you said, it is a muscle, and like with any muscle, like when you're going to the gym, you're trying to get those abs for your Snapchat, like gratitude is a muscle and it takes constant practice. You know, I mean, I think our culture in our society has defined gratitude as Thanksgiving, which is nothing like people aren't even thankful on Thanksgiving. It's a gluttonous holiday about consumption, you know, Black Friday and eating all the turkey and mashed potatoes.

And, you know, it's just we've, we've gotten the branding of what gratitude means, so off. and I feel like it's, it's something that you kind of have to work on every day. One thing that I really love that Nikki does is a gratitude journal. I don't personally journal every single day, but I do you know, I wake up and when I catch myself kind of being overwhelmed, I like to just kind of check myself and be like, Okay, what are three things that you're grateful for right now, doesn't have to be big, they can be simple.

They can be that I'm grateful for a job they can be grateful for, you know, that I have money in my bank account to go and have dinner with my mom tonight, like simple little things, or grand things, you know, whatever it is, just check in with yourself and be grateful for the little things throughout the day, as the chaos kind of comes up and it grounds you and you develop that muscle.

Gresham Harkless 8:57

Absolutely. I love that it puts everything in perspective. So I wanted to switch gears a little bit and ask you for what I call a CEO hack. And you might have already touched on this, but this is something that you feel makes you more effective and efficient.

Zack Peter 9:08

Something that makes me more effective and efficient. I think. I mean, well I think anyone who follows me knows that I'm a big coffee addict, I'm consuming caffeine way too much. But um, something a little more practical, I would say your morning routine, you know, that is really something that you I like to always start my morning either with a 10-minute meditation, and I like to like just go on YouTube and you know, listen to 10 minutes in your day, like that's how long it takes for your coffee to brew.

So like a 10-minute meditation or even just listening to a really inspirational or positive uplifting podcast. I think those are two really good things that help you get your day started on the right foot and help set your mindset for what is to come ahead. You know, any challenge that's to come up or any celebration that's to come up. It just puts you in the might in the right mind frame. So always start your day with something that's going to be immediate It's an investment in your own kind of mindset and personal growth.

Gresham Harkless 10:03

Yeah, absolutely. And like you, you know, touched on like having that and doing that every single day, it starts to propel you. And then you know, days start to become weeks weeks start to become months, months, weeks start to become years, and all of a sudden you are hitting those goals.

Zack Peter 10:15

Absolutely. I think meditation is probably one of the most underdeveloped, it's, it's growing a little more now. But I think one of the underdeveloped things for successful business owners or entrepreneurs or CEOs, you're starting to see it grow a lot more. But I also kind of want to touch on the fact that like, I'm not the person like Nikky Sharp can go and meditate probably for an hour on a rooftop.

And you know, with silence, I'm not that type of person, I'm somebody that can do a 10-minute YouTube video, or one thing that I really like to do is I'll play a meditation as I'm going to sleep. So it's kind of continuing to stay in my brain, even as I fall asleep, I get to hear it. And they're probably about two hours long. But I'm usually asleep within that, that first 15 minutes. So there are easy ways to kind of fit it into your schedule, if you don't have a lot of time where you're not going to be, you know, sitting on a rooftop for an hour, you know, in a cross-legged position.

Gresham Harkless 11:05

Now, that makes perfect sense. And I'm not the type to do that either. So I have not done an hour of meditation. And as soon as I did the 10 Minute ones, some days I was like okay, I need to do this the minute when so let me figure out how I can do this.

Zack Peter 11:16

Whatever works for you.

Gresham Harkless 11:17

Exactly. Exactly, exactly. So now I wanted to ask you for what I call a co-nugget. And this is a word of wisdom or piece of advice. Or if you can happen to be a time machine, what would you tell your younger business self?

Zack Peter 11:28

To stop stressing about it not working out. Because at the end of the day, I mean, just kind of look at your track record, you've always made it like today, you're still here, everything that you thought you weren't going to make it through before you've continued to push through, you've continued to overcome even the things that you thought were going to break you or the things that did break you for a minute, you know, whether that was a heartbreak, whether that was a career setback, whether that was getting fired, whether that was you know, failing your test in high school, you know, whatever that was, you've made it through every single obstacle.

So trust that you're going to continue to make it through those obstacles because you have that potential within yourself. So anytime you're going through anything challenging, or you're struggling or you feel like you know the timings are not quite there yet, just keep trusting that you're on the right path and keep pursuing the thing that drives you and fuels you at the end of the day.

Gresham Harkless 12:15

Yeah, absolutely. And a lot of times, you can look at you know, some of the small wins or things that you've done in the past and understand that you did trust the process, you did continue to follow through, just like you said, so,

Zack Peter 12:25

And it's hard, you know, sometimes the shitstorm is so overwhelming that you're just like, I really don't know how I'm gonna get through this, you know, I've been through a lot of those times. And it's really just about kind of being like, Okay, I can't control everything today, I kind of just need to take this day, hour by hour, and follow my schedule and just kind of, you know, maybe be a little robotic for these next few hours just to get through it, but I'm gonna get through it, and you will and then you'll come out on the other side, and you'll be like, Okay, that wasn't as terrible as I thought it was going to be. And you've developed all of those other muscles and all of those other skills to kind of level up.

Gresham Harkless 12:58

Yeah, I absolutely love that. And especially perspective because a lot of times it something seems so overwhelming, but like you said, you know, to drill down and say, What can I do at this hour? What can I do in this minute to propel myself in order to have that happen so that I can reach that level or that success, whatever that is, or get through that thing? And then a lot of times you can look back and say, hey, it wasn't as bad as I thought it was

Zack Peter 13:17

1,000%

Gresham Harkless 13:18

Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. Now I wanted to ask you my absolute favorite question, which is the definition of what it means to be a CEO. And we're hoping to have different, quote-unquote, CEOs on the show. So, Zack, I want to ask you, what has a CEO meant to you?

Zack Peter 13:29

Being a CEO, to me is kind of being the curator of your own life. You know, being a CEO, I think traditionally meant, you know, starting at an entry-level job and working your way up to the top of a company, and it was a big company like AT&T are like one of those, you know, mega Empire brands. And now being a CEO really is just being in charge of your own life.

If you're waking up every day, you're fulfilled, you're happy, your bills are being paid, and you have money to enjoy your life. You're a CEO, you're the master of your life today. So as long as you know, you're waking up, you're fulfilled, and you're living the life that makes you truly happy. And I think you're a CEO of your own life.

Gresham Harkless 14:09

Absolutely. I would definitely echo that as well, too. So Zack, I truly appreciate you for taking some time out. What I wanted to do was pass you the mic just to see if there's anything additional. You want to let our readers and our listeners know and then of course, how they can find you have find out more about you. And of course subscribe to your podcast

Zack Peter 14:23

Yeah, I would like you to say I have two podcasts right now. One is called #Nofilter with Zach Peter and one's called #Adulting: Life Hacks to Get Your Sh*t Together. I think they kind of complement each other. Adulting comes out on Tuesdays No filter comes out on Wednesdays. And you know, Nofilter I like to say is for the pop culture junkie that wants a little life advice but ultimately is going to be enjoying a glass of wine and watching Real Housewives of Being Today.

And Adulting you know, it's more of the mind-numbing, one that kind of makes you think about things a little differently, but you're still kind of having fun. And then Adulting is more of the practical lifestyle or wellness or career and advice and tips like concrete things that you can take notes and take away to kind of conquer your day in your life. So definitely I put everything into those shows they bring me joy.

And like look, I started out as the kid that always ended up in detention for talking to all my other classmates. And now I have two amazing podcasts that our iTunes top charting have great reviews and amazing guests. We've just finished taping the third season of Adulting. We have Jillian Michaels and Dr. Drew Pinsky. You know, we have a lot of really great guests this season and prior seasons, so stay tuned, because that's coming out in late April.

Gresham Harkless 15:34

Nice, nice, nice, absolutely love it, converting what you used to get in trouble with in school and to what you're doing on a day-to-day basis. That's definitely the American dream, I think so. I truly appreciate you for taking some time out. And I hope you have a phenomenal rest of the day and we'll make sure to have all those links and all that information in the show notes as well too, so that anybody can follow up.

Zack Peter 15:53

Awesome. Thank you.

Outro 15:55

Thank you for listening to the I AM CEO Podcast powered by Blue 16 Media. Tune in next time and visit us at iamceo.co I AM CEO is not just a phrase, it's a community. Be sure to follow us on social media and subscribe to our podcast on iTunes Google Play and everywhere you listen to podcasts, SUBSCRIBE, and leave us a five-star rating grab CEO gear at www.ceogear.co. This has been the I AM CEO Podcast with Gresham Harkless. Thank you for listening.

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