Wild Business Growth Podcast #23: Brian Fanzo – Expert Translator of Geek Speak, Founder of iSocialFanz

Could you imagine a career path that includes UPS, the Department of Defense, and keynote speaking? You better – that’s the journey of this week’s podcast guest, Brian Fanzo! Episode #23 of the Wild Business Growth podcast is FANZ-TASTIC and features the international keynote speaker, who’s an expert at translating “Geek Speak” and is the founder of iSocialFanz. Listen on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, and your other favorite audio platforms – subscribe and leave a 5-star review if Brian blew your mind!

What is the Wild Business Growth Podcast?

Hear how entrepreneurs & innovators unleash creativity to grow bigger and better businesses. Hear from an exciting new guest every single week who’s turning wild ideas into wild growth. Guests include startup founders, product inventors, social media influencers, and much more. Hosted by our digital marketing dude Max Branstetter – that’s me!

Episode #23: Brian Fanzo – Expert Translator of Geek Speak, Founder of iSocialFanz

Brian Fanzo, the Millennial Keynote Speaker, Change Evangelist, Social Media Influencer, and Podcaster joins the show to share his journey from cybersecurity in the Department of Defense to international keynote speaker. Brian is one of the most genuine and kind people I’ve ever spoken to, and despite all the successes and unique experiences he’s had in his professional career, he proudly asserts the best job he’s ever had is being the dad of his 3 girls. You’ll never hear such a fun and friendly conversation between a die-hard Browns fan and die-hard Steelers fan! This episode covers everything from how to stay ahead of the curve with new technology to tips on reading body language from Brian’s career in the World Series of Poker. Here’s a small sample of what you will hear in this episode:

• How to translate skills across industries
• Why you need to be consistent with content
• How to hear about the latest inventions and technology trends
• The most exciting tech trends for the next few years
• Why you should care about people before they care about you
• How cybersecurity and poker skills translate to business
• Why you should consume more content than you create
• Brian’s ultimate goal for his professional career and personal life

Connect with Brian on your favorite social media platform at @iSocialFanz, at brian@isocialfanz.com, and his podcasts FOMOFanz and SMACtalk.

Enjoy the show and be consistent! Check out the show notes below for much more detail.

Show Notes

• Intro
  • [0:33] Email me at max@hippodirect.com for help starting and building your own podcast or with digital marketing
  • [0:43] Brian Fanzo website, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube
  • [0:55] U.S. Department of Defense
  • [1:45] Brian’s podcasts FOMOFanz and SMACtalk
  • [2:01] Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers
  • [2:30] Browns-Steelers tie
  • [2:37] Hard Knocks
  • [2:50] Baker Mayfield
  • [3:01] Browns had 6 wins at the time of this recording – 6 more than the previous year
  • [3:24] Wild Business Growth Podcast Episode #14: Devon Cajuste – Hard Knocks Breakout Star, Positivity Pro
  • [3:46] Brian’s background
  • [3:51] Radford University, Virginia Tech
  • [4:10] Cybersecurity, The Pentagon
  • [4:30] Technology Evangelist
  • [4:57] Artificial Intelligence (AI), Augmented Reality (AR)
  • [5:10] How many countries Brian’s traveled to
• How Cybersecurity at the Department of Defense & Poker Have Led to Business Success
  • [6:16] How Brian got his cybersecurity role with the Department of Defense
  • [6:29] UPS
  • [6:45] Kappa Delta Rho (KDR)
  • [7:05] Computer Science, Vulnerability, Patch
  • [7:30] Security Clearance
  • [8:02] BAE Systems
  • [8:07] When everything started changing for Brian
  • [8:17] Why he traveled to Korea on short notice
  • [9:10] YouTube
  • [9:35] Blackberry
  • [9:49] Army
  • [10:07] Why Brian got a triple promotion
  • [10:20] How much he grew the role
  • [10:39] How many countries he traveled to in the role
  • [11:01] Why he moved to Arizona
  • [11:20] Why he left the job
  • [12:11] How much that role helped him
  • [12:20] How to learn on the fly
  • [12:37] Joint Chiefs of Staff
  • [12:42] Navy, Air Force
  • [12:45] Why Brian had the hardest collaboration job in the US
  • [13:17] What that job taught him
  • [13:59] How his poker career has helped business career
  • [14:05] Why he’s studied poker more than business
  • [14:18] World Series of Poker (WSOP)
  • [15:12] What Brian focused on with poker
  • [15:25] Reading body language
  • [16:24] Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals
  • [16:30] How Brian gets into opponents’ heads
  • [16:55] Chuck Taylors
  • [17:20] Why people fall in love with Brian on stage
  • [17:42] ADHD
  • [17:50] Brian’s most zen place
  • [18:02] Adderall
  • [18:49] The most common sign someone is bluffing
  • [19:45] What you do with your feet when you get excited
• Embracing New Digital Technology & Thoughts on the Future
  • [21:18] how Brian got interested in technology
  • [21:22] SportsCenter
  • [21:40] What Brian always liked about computers
  • [22:00] What he looks at with technology
  • [22:30] Virtual Reality (VR)
  • [22:40] The biggest faults in security now
  • [23:10] How passwords often get hacked
  • [24:50] IBM Watson, Machine Learning, Data Science
  • [25:45] Why you can learn anything from YouTube
  • [26:48] How Brian started covering new technology
  • [26:58] Super Bowl, IBM, Dell, Facebook Live, Periscope
  • [27:09] How podcast consumption helps learn new technology
  • [27:20] Why Twitter is Brian’s favorite social media platform
  • [27:30] Flipboard
  • [28:12] Why you should consume more content than you create
  • [28:35] Instagram Stories
  • [28:47] Gary Vaynerchuk
  • [28:54] How many podcasts Brian listens to a week
  • [30:03] Why GaryVee doesn’t consume others’ content
  • [30:08] How Gary took Brian under his wing
  • [30:30] Apple, Amazon
  • [31:22] Impostor Syndrome
  • [31:49] New York Jets
  • [31:58] Brian’s ultimate goal
  • [33:03] VaynerSports
  • [33:57] Why you should study why marketers are doing things, not what they’re doing
  • [34:09] Brian’s secret to success
  • [34:20] Why you need to care about people before they realize you care
  • [35:03] What brian’s most excited about in tech the next few years
  • [35:33] Why video is the great disruptor
  • [36:11] iPhone
  • [36:25] Why personalization using video is exciting
  • [36:42] Black And Yellow
  • [38:05] Why AR is more exciting than VR
  • [38:22] Yelp
  • [38:50] Great content vs. Content for content’s sake
• Inspiration & Creativity: People, Hobbies, and Resources
  • [39:30] Word-of-mouth marketing (WOM)
  • [39:35] Away luggage
  • [39:55] Away Instagram
  • [40:18] TSA
  • [40:28] Hint water, Hint Instagram
  • [40:35] Kara Goldin, AOL
  • [41:05] Drew Davis
  • [41:19] Loyalty Loop
  • [41:31] Mastermind
  • [41:36] Wild Business Growth Podcast Episode #22: Drew Davis – Top Marketing Keynote Speaker, Muppet Man
  • [42:18] Gonzo, The Muppets
  • [42:51] Brian’s favorite hobbies
  • [43:10] Why he loves to travel
  • [43:25] Why he’s studying CrossFit
  • [43:38] Influencer Marketing
  • [44:08] The best job Brian’s ever had
  • [44:22] The Grinch
  • [44:50] Why Brian studies what his daughters do
  • [44:55] iPad
  • [45:35] Armchair Expert, Dax Shepard, Punk’d, Kristen Bell
  • [45:52] Joe Rogan, Howard Stern
  • [46:39] Spotify
• Wild Business Shoutout of the Week
  • [47:30] Google Assistant
  • [47:38] Brian’s favorite ad of the holiday season
  • [47:40] Macaulay Culkin, Home Alone
  • [48:05] The nostalgia trend
  • [48:25] What Millennials and Generation z love
  • [48:40] Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood
  • [48:45] The Sandlot
  • [49:12] Voice assistants
  • [49:20] Beverly Hills, 90210
  • [49:32] Saved by the Bell
  • [49:50] Macaulay Culkin Twitter
  • [50:17] Brandscaping by Drew Davis
  • [50:30] Cell phones would have ruined the plot of Home Alone
• Rapid-Fire Q&A
  • [51:32] Brian’s favorite food in Pittsburgh
  • [51:34] Primanti Bros.
  • [52:02] Sour Monkey by Victory Brewing Company
  • [52:28] Golden Monkey
  • [52:40] Brian’s biggest pet peeve
  • [53:32] Heat, Robert De Niro, Al Pacino
  • [53:38] The Fugitive
  • [54:12] How to stand out online
  • [54:20] Why the #1 thing you can do is be consistent
  • [54:24] Connect with Brian at @iSocialFanz on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn
  • [54:31] Visit Brian’s website at iSocialFanz.com
  • [54:34] Email Brian at brian@isocialfanz.com
  • [54:43] Listen to Brian’s FOMOFanz podcast
  • [55:01] Why Instagram is Brian’s favorite social media platform right now
  • [55:36] Brian’s final thoughts
  • [55:45] Why you should show you care
  • [57:10] Subscribe to the Wild Business Growth podcast and leave a 5-star review on iTunes (Apple Podcasts) and more!
  • [57:18] Connect with Hippo Direct at HippoDirect.com and on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, or YouTube
  • [57:22] Connect with me on Instagram and Twitter at @MaxBranstetter
  • [57:27] Sign up for the Hippo Digest – your Weekly Recap of Creative Marketing
  • Theme music: Freestyle Percussion Magik – Jungle Tribe – provided by Jamendo

How do I start a podcast?

Email me at max@hippodirect.com if you have questions on any part of the podcasting process:

• Podcast Planning
• Podcast Production
• Podcast Promotion
• More!

We’ll start out with a free 30-minute consultation and provide some helpful resources that have been instrumental in getting the Wild Business Growth Podcast up and rolling and connecting with high-quality guests. We love making your podcast the best it can be. Let your podcast Run Wild!

That’s all for this episode, folks! Stay tuned for a new wildly wonderful guest every single week! Let us know any guests you’d like to see on the show and follow along for your favorite marketing tips, business tips, and podcasts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Sign up for the Hippo Digest email newsletter for your weekly recap of creative marketing. Let your business Run Wild…and Bring on the Bongos!!