Today, we see crime, abuse, alcoholism, drugs, anger, and anxiety everywhere. Jails and prisons are crammed on an industrial scale. Recovery centers are packed with patients. Extreme political and religious groups regularly trap more members. Too many schools are simply factories for dropouts. All of this is the result of unresolved trauma. Ultimately, the quality of our lives depends on our ability to successfully process our heartbreaks and catastrophes. By college age, 66-85% of all people have been impacted by at least one traumatic experience, and COVID has arguably traumatized everyone.
My first guest, Dr. Randall Bell, is an economist and sociologist who is known for his ability to analyze complex situations and present his findings in an interesting, organized, and intelligent way. This “Master of Disaster” joins us today to discuss post-traumatic thriving, the three options in the aftermath of disasters, and the cycle of disaster, recovery, and prosperity. Dr. Bell shares how individuals go about trying to survive disasters and provides insight on the journey from the depths of the initial shock to the pinnacle of ultimate healing and growth.
When presented with an unfamiliar threat in the form of a novel coronavirus, life as we knew it came to a halt. Without having much clarity on how things would unfold or an understanding of the true risk to our health or our economy, we responded with panic. How are you going to not only survive but also thrive in the post-pandemic economy?
My second guest, Founder and CEO of Accounting Seed, Tony Zorc, is an Iconoclast, technology entrepreneur, Forbes Books author, and CPA for 20+ years who embodies iconoclasm, the idea of challenging the prescribed way of doing things, and coming up with a better, more innovative solution. He joins us today to share strategies and insight for how company leaders can create a culture of financial awareness and help employees to create a stable financial future on their own.
Tony also talks about what it means to be an iconoclast, some of the biggest opportunities that have been created from the pandemic, the future of remote work, the importance of taking financial risks and being okay with failure, and some predictions for industries that took some of the biggest hits during the pandemic.
Randall Bell, PhD, is a sociologist and economist who specializes in disaster recovery projects.
No stranger to how harsh the world is, Dr. Bell has consulted in more tragedies around the world than anyone. He was retained for the World Trade Center, Flight 93, Sandy Hook, BP Oil Spill, Hurricane Katrina, the Bikini Atoll Nuclear Test sites, the BP Oil spill, the Northridge earthquake, OJ Simpson, Jon Benet Ramsey, Heaven's Gate, and hundreds of other cases.
Dr. Bell has been retained by the Federal Governments of the United States, Canada, and Australia to help resolve numerous crises, and his work has generated billions of dollars to rebuild damaged communities. His investigations have taken him to 50 states, and seven continents.
Having met with countless victims, Dr. Bell earned the nickname of "Master of Disaster." In every case, he's observed the emotional consequences and how some fared better than others, and was inspired to put his unique research skills to work and study the cycle of trauma.
This experience has given him unprecedented access and insights into the cycle of disaster, recovery, and prosperity. He is known for his ability to analyze complex situations and present his findings in an interesting, organized, and intelligent way. Dr. Bell’s work has generated billions of dollars for his clients.
A frequent guest of the media, Dr. Bell is the featured expert in Topic's "Distressed Real Estate" documentary series directed by Jason Stefaniak. His career has been profiled by NBC's Today Show, Rolling Stone Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, People Magazine, ABC's 20/20, Hallmark's Home & Family, and many others.
Dr. Bell is the author of MeWeDoBe and the founder of Core IQ, a non-profit educational foundation that provides free online training on life skills. He is certified through the Insight Prison Project to facilitate group discussions with victims and offenders at San Quentin Prison. Dr. Bell has been active in jail ministries and a volunteer in homeless shelters.
In his book, Post-Traumatic Thriving: The Art, Science, & Stories of Resilience, Dr. Bell lays out the academic research and speaks freely about his trauma of being born with a congenital heart defect. Diagnosed with PTSD, he utilized these principles to heal from his childhood trauma and summit Africa's Mt. Kilimanjaro at 60.
Tony Zorc is an Iconoclast, Founder and CEO of the world’s first accounting platform, Accounting Seed, technology entrepreneur, Forbes Books author, and CPA for 20+ years.
He embodies iconoclasm, the idea of challenging the prescribed way of doing things and coming up with a better, more innovative solution.
Tony designed a flexible technology with a “CRM mindset”—that doesn’t force users to perform business processes the way a software maker designed but rather provides a toolset that empowers users to determine how to best organize and manage the back office.
He envisioned an accounting solution that can grow with your company and accommodate your specific needs. This vision became the Accounting Seed platform.
In 2008, Tony started Accounting Seed, creating a robust accounting system with the same flexible, fast, and efficient functionality as Salesforce. Now, more than 10 years later, Accounting Seed is an international company with over 15,000 licenses sold to customers worldwide, and in all industries.
Tony’s unique approach to accounting software has earned Accounting Seed a place among CFO Tech Outlook’s Top 10 Accounting Solutions Providers – 2018. Tony has also been featured as a guest on Worldwide Business with kathy ireland®, where Accounting Seed was recognized as a revolutionary and successful business tool.
His book, Iconoclasm: A Survival Guide in the Post-Pandemic Economy, outlines the strategies and insights of iconoclasm and how to not only survive but thrive in the post-pandemic economy. Iconoclasm is about unlocking doors that seem to be shut―and ushering everyone through them. In this book, as you learn about the methodology of the iconoclast, you’ll discover the key to unlocking success in the current and post-pandemic panic economy, professionally and personally.
A father, leader, person of faith, and avid CrossFitter, Tony brings a rare mix of personal and professional experience to the table and seeks to inspire other leaders to create innovation in places where innovation is scarce.