Journalist, Entrepreneur, and Advocate (Oh My!) with Kelsey Nicole Nelson

John talks with Kelsey Nicole Nelson - sports reporter & host, college professor, entrepreneur, award-winning journalist, analyst, marketing specialist, advocate for education, Director of Communications for NFYI (National Foster Youth Institute), and radio and TV host. She has worked with organizations such as SP Nation, NASCAR, ESPN Radio, Fox Sports Radio, and NFYI. Listen to this episode to learn more: [00:00] - Intro [02:42] - Kelsey’s background [06:07] - Kelsey’s passion for sports and early experiences [08:00] - The decision between sports reporting and news reporting [11:26] - Why Kelsey chose freelancing [14:03] - The importance of knowing your “Why” [15:18] - The three Ps: Pain, Purpose, Platform [18:57] - Creating your own table [24:52] - Why Kelsey became an advocate for quality education [31:57] - National Foster Youth Institute [36:06] - Kelsey’s experience as a college professor [39:40] - Will she write a book?  [44:46] - How Kelsey improves her significant relationships [45:04] - The role of vulnerability in connecting with people [49:39] - Creating viral vs. meaningful content [54:15] - The role faith plays in her business [57:31] - Kelsey’s definition of success [58:13] - Kelsey’s #1 daily habit [59:12] - The makeup of a great leader [01:00:33] - About the time Kelsey failed big and the result of that [01:02:51] - How Kelsey invests in herself [01:11:36] - Book recommendations NOTABLE QUOTES: “I truly am the definition of betting on yourself and having a village behind me that has truly supported and believed in me along the way, praising my highs, but also getting on me on my lows, and making sure that I know better, and how to improve on myself, and you need those people in your life. You don’t just need people telling you how amazing you are, how great you are.” “When you don’t have your own platform, borrow somebody else’s platform. That’s the type of platform you want to be on. Borrow their platform until you have your own.” “Zip codes should not dictate your education or your child’s educational future.” “Education is the key to unlocking the world, a passport to freedom.” “If you don’t know where you come from, you can never know where you’re going.” “If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem.” “There’s an educational bankruptcy right now happening in our country, happening to our children.” “Don’t call it a setback, call it a comeback.” “What we do in life echoes in eternity.” “The best thing you can do for yourself is to know yourself inside and out. And to know you’re going to change as you grow and go through different experiences.” “You have to know yourself before you can give yourself to anything.” “The great leaders are great listeners. And that doesn’t mean you just hear people, it means you listen to people.” “Life is a journey. It can be hard, there are days all of us sometimes just want to be done and quit, but you never know what the next day is going to bring. So keep pushing along.” BOOK MENTIONED: The Art of Effective Mentoring: Practical Tools to Equip The Next Generation of Leaders by Daon McLarin Johnson (https://a.co/d/5DOuCvn) MOVIES MENTIONED: