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My guest for Episode #300 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Sheila Butler, a Chief Marketing Officer with over 25 years of experience shaping integrated marketing strategies, building global loyalty programs, and driving customer engagement across both B2C and B2B sectors.

She's the founder of Butler Marketing Group. Her track record includes leadership roles at Disney, JPMorgan Chase, Choice Hotels, and Axiom Bank.

She has a Bachelor of Science in Music and Business/Arts Administration from Indiana University and an MBA from UNC’s Kenan-Flagler Business School.

Today, Sheila shares her unique journey from a childhood passion for music and a stint at Disney, where she learned valuable lessons about the trade-offs between passion and pay. Despite a career start marked by lower-than-expected salaries and tough financial realities, she found that the relationships and experiences she built were invaluable. Her candid storytelling reveals how her early experiences taught her the importance of seizing opportunities—even when they seem like mistakes in the short term—to build a network that ultimately became a cornerstone for her current success.

Now, as the founder of Butler Marketing Group and host of her new podcast, "Marketing Over Bourbon," Sheila focuses on leveraging data-driven strategies to guide marketing decisions. She emphasizes creating safe spaces for experimentation, the power of testing and learning, and the need to balance strategic objectives with creative expression. Interwoven with her passion for bourbon, Sheila’s insights on marketing resonate with listeners who appreciate both practical advice and a genuine, relatable approach to career growth.

• What's your favorite mistake?
• What are you drinking?
• Do you prefer a bourbon Manhattan or a rye Manhattan?
• Have you worked with any small distillers or distilling companies?
• What drove you to launch your company?
• How do you handle it when data contradicts expectations?
• What trends are you seeing with companies becoming more data-driven in marketing?
• Is half of your ad spend wasted, or is that changing with improved data insights?

My guest for Episode #299 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Luis Velasquez, an executive coach in Silicon Valley and a Stanford Graduate School of Business facilitator. He's also the founder of Velas Consulting.

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Once a university professor and research scientist, Luis helps mid-level managers to C-suite executives around the world learn, adapt, grow, and thrive by helping them how to reframe their challenges and take the most beneficial next step.

His new book, available now, is Ordinary Resilience: Rethinking How Effective Leaders Adapt And Thrive.

Luis is a contributor to Harvard Business Review and Fast Company, and was featured in best-selling author Dorie Clark’s book, The Long Game. An avid endurance athlete, he runs marathons, ultra marathons, and ironman triathlons.

In today's episode, Luis shares his journey from being a university professor and research scientist to becoming a trusted leadership coach in Silicon Valley and a facilitator for the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Luis discusses his new book, Ordinary Resilience: Rethinking How Effective Leaders Adapt and Thrive, and outlines his unique resilience formula—commitment plus persistence multiplied by optimism. He explains that resilience isn't about bouncing back but about unlocking the inherent ability to adapt and thrive by continuously reframing challenges and learning from experiences.

Luis also opens up about a significant mistake in his coaching career. He recounts a time when he delivered 360-degree feedback in a way that was too direct and decontextualized, which led a client to become defensive and ultimately resulted in his contract being terminated. This experience taught him the importance of providing feedback within the context of an individual’s aspirations and personal growth, rather than simply relaying raw perceptions.

The conversation further explores his approach to transforming challenging personalities—like the so-called “brilliant jerks”—into effective leaders, and how embracing and learning from mistakes is key to unlocking resilience and driving both personal and professional growth.

• How long is an ultramarathon compared to a standard 26.1-mile marathon?
• Given your diverse career, what is your favorite mistake—and what did you learn from it?
• Should we express our degree of certainty when stating facts?
• How do you define resilience in leadership?
• How do you identify and connect with high-value, challenging employees—is it via referrals or direct outreach?
• How often do you coach not only the “brilliant jerk” but also intervene with their teams?
• What role does fear play as a catalyst for growth—is it simply about reframing it?
• Have you observed leaders effectively fostering optimism among their teams?
• What does “embrace the suck” mean to you, and why is it a pivotal concept in your book?

My guest for Episode #298 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Andy Paige. She's a soap opera actress, podcast host, QVC guest host, and national beauty/image/lifestyle expert. As Pearl on ABC's General Hospital, she brings real-life QVC flair to captivating audiences with innovative advertising.

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She hosts “The Dating Lab with the Hillbilly Yenta,” where she explores modern dating challenges with humor and diverse guests. Her international bestseller, Style on a Shoestring, earned her the title “Budget Bombshell” and inspired frugal style makeovers on TV worldwide.

With standout appearances on NBC’s Celebrity Apprentice, Starting Over, and TLC’s Ten Years Younger, Andy is the go-to expert for red-carpet style and practical image advice. She also delights radio audiences nationwide with playful style tips and has launched successful product lines including her patented GirlyGoGarter® and related accessories.

In this episode, Andy shares the dramatic story of how a miscalculated cliff jump not only resulted in a severe injury but also sparked a journey of innovation that led her to create the revolutionary Girly Go Garter. She reflects on the lessons learned from this life-altering mistake and discusses how it transformed her approach to both her career and personal growth.

She offers insights into the creative process behind her products, the challenges and triumphs of working in fast-paced television environments, and how embracing mistakes can lead to unexpected opportunities. Tune in for an inspiring conversation on resilience, reinvention, and the art of turning errors into stepping stones for success.

• What’s your favorite mistake?
• Did you hit the edge of the rock when you jumped?
• Was your foot catastrophically injured during the fall?
• Did you expect a long rehab period and time away from the camera?
• How many design iterations did the Girly Go Garter require—and is it still evolving based on feedback?
• Did you try pitching your product on Shark Tank?
• Did the Girly Go Garter play a role in landing your QVC gigs?
• Is QVC always broadcast live?
• How far in advance are soap opera episodes completed?
• How did your role on General Hospital come about?
• As a mother, how do you help your kids learn from mistakes?
• Do you allow your natural accent to shine through on set?