My Life in Business Suits, Hospital Gowns, and High Heels – Tom LeNoble – Top Best Selling author

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Maui NEUTRAL Zone – My Life in Business Suits, Hospital Gowns, and High Heels – Tom LeNoble & Jason Schwartz – 2-9-2026 in beautiful Kahului Studios of Akaku Maui Community Media. Jason sits for a casual and friendly chat about Tom’s new book, My Life in Business Suits, Hospital Gowns, and High Heels”. An extraordinary life lived by an interesting, incredible man, who shares his life of love, freedom & universality with his multi-dimensional, fascinating journey through his life from us as Rita Danforth onstage or as successful high powered creator of marketing and visionary positions with large retailers and tech industry giants, or as a Living-breathing survivor of 13+ years diagnosed with metastatic cancer Twice… inspiring story and exciting man. Surely the book to check out— OH— and the fun interview! https://tomlenoble.com. https://mauineutralzone.com. https://dreammaui.org

Summary & Transcript Below…

[00:00]

1. 1. 1. Introduction and Context

• The conversation takes place at the Neutral Zone, broadcast on KAKU 88.5 FM, The Voice of Maui, and simulcast on Akaku Maui Community Media Channel, dated February 9, 2026.
• The host, Jason Schwartz, introduces his special guest, Tom LeNoble, whom he met at Unity Church on Maui. Tom is a bi-coastal (sometimes tri-coastal) individual, living between San Francisco and Maui.
• Tom is an author whose book, My Life in Business Suits, Hospital Gowns, and High Heels, recently reached #1 on Amazon worldwide. The book is described as a memoir crossing into self-help, sharing deeply personal stories to inspire readers through life’s challenges.

[02:26]

1. 1. 1. Book Overview and Themes

• Tom’s book is a vivid, journal-like memoir that readers find engaging and emotional, often inducing laughter and tears simultaneously.
• The book’s title reflects three pivotal aspects of Tom’s life: his corporate career (business suits), his medical battles (hospital gowns), and his theatrical/dramatic expression (high heels).
• The book is self-published under Tom’s brand, Opening Pathways, and has won three book awards. Recently, Tom’s book was featured on a Times Square billboard.
• He recorded an audiobook version in his own voice, adding a personal touch to the reader’s experience. The recording took over 12 hours in sessions at a historic San Francisco studio where legendary musicians had recorded.

[05:29]

1. 1. 1. Writing Process and Motivation

• Writing the book was a cathartic process for Tom. He initially shelved the manuscript but later decided to publish it to share his story and prevent it from being lost.
• The book reveals many personal secrets and challenges, emphasizing that all life experiences, even those people might find shameful or outrageous, shape who we become.
• Tom stresses the importance of embracing all parts of oneself and encourages readers to persevere through life’s storms, quoting Maya Angelou: “Every storm runs out of rain.”

[08:33]

1. 1. 1. Tom’s Career Background and Current Roles

• Tom had a notable career in corporate leadership, including roles at MCI, Walmart.com (head of customer service), Palm (global service operations), and Facebook (one of the first 75 employees, setting up customer operations).
• Other roles included chief support officer for a company integral to Geek Squad and managing a merger at a dating site acquired by Match.com.
• After his corporate career, Tom transitioned to being a coach, author, public speaker, and philanthropist.
• He is CEO of the Academy for Coaching Excellence, a 22-year-old global coaching academy, and hosts his own podcast, Opening Pathways.
• His philanthropic work focuses on underserved communities, youth in arts, first-generation students, and women’s issues.

[10:40]

1. 1. 1. Philanthropy and the “Philanthropic Mindset”

• Tom advocates a broad view of philanthropy, beyond financial donations to include kindness, empathy, and everyday positive actions.
• He developed a keynote speech titled The Philanthropic Mindset to inspire people to embrace philanthropy in all forms.
• His giving focuses on grassroots organizations with low overhead, ensuring direct impact on the people served.
• Tom emphasizes that philanthropy is accessible to everyone, not just the wealthy.

[12:47]

1. 1. 1. Upcoming Projects and Future Books

• Tom is working on two more books, including one about his time at Facebook titled My Life at Facebook, the Adult in the Room.
• This upcoming work will recount his experiences as an older employee among a very young workforce, including stories involving Mark Zuckerberg and early Facebook culture.
• He recommends reading the first book as a foundation before delving into the next.

[15:28]

1. 1. 1. Memorable Life Experiences: Business Suits, Hospital Gowns, and High Heels

• Business Suits: Represent Tom’s corporate executive life.
• Hospital Gowns: Reflect his extensive medical journey, including two life-threatening illnesses:
  • Diagnosed with full-blown AIDS in 1989, initially given six months to live; he has survived over 14 years with metastatic cancer.
  • Underwent rigorous medical treatments and clinical trials involving multiple medications (up to seven simultaneously).
  • Despite setbacks, Tom’s health improved, enabling him to return to work in technology and enjoy a long career.
• High Heels: Stem from a period when Tom performed in talent shows, pageants, and drag performances, embracing theatrical expression under the persona “Rita.”
• Tom highlights the importance of all life experiences, even those that seem outrageous or difficult, in shaping identity.

[17:49]

1. 1. 1. Medical and Health Journey

• Early career managing clinical labs and psychiatric hospital labs gave Tom medical insight before his illnesses.
• His AIDS diagnosis forced him to leave his fast-track corporate career, but he co-founded the DC Buyers Club to provide treatments and support to others during a time of scarce medical resources.
• Despite the severity of his condition, Tom survived against odds, supported by clinical trials and his own resilience.
• He continues to manage HIV/AIDS with medication and has faced prostate cancer and metastasis, employing a holistic “healing wheel” approach combining Western and Eastern medicine, massage, acupuncture, and more.
• He describes himself as a “clinical trial of one,” actively researching and customizing his treatments.

[27:23]

1. 1. 1. Life Philosophy and Coaching Insights

• Tom emphasizes living in the present and not dwelling on the past, which he views as unchangeable and a distraction from current opportunities.
• As a coach, he works with clients facing transitions—job loss, retirement, uncertainty—helping them reconnect with their passions and dreams often suppressed by others’ limitations or societal expectations.
• He believes in the uniqueness of each person’s purpose and the importance of embracing all life experiences.
• Tom describes himself as an “inspirator,” motivating others to take action toward their goals and dreams.

[33:06]

1. 1. 1. Personal Background and Early Life

• Tom grew up in a modest home (“the shack”) without modern conveniences like hot water or a refrigerator, sharing space with family members.
• Despite humble beginnings, he felt a drive early on that he was meant for more than his circumstances.
• He introduces the concept of “terrible gifts” — difficult life events (loss, illness, disaster) that ultimately carry hidden benefits or lead to unexpected opportunities, illustrated by a story about a woman who fashioned custom walking sticks after losing a leg.

[36:01]

1. 1. 1. Connection to San Francisco and LGBTQ+ Community

• Tom cherishes San Francisco as a place of acceptance and diversity, especially for the LGBTQ+ community.
• He recently attended the $41 million renovation of the historic Castro Theater, a cultural landmark.
• He advocates for more love and unity in the world, referencing the spirit of the 1967 “Summer of Love” and hoping for a renewed era of compassion.
• Tom highlights the importance of recognizing common humanity beyond differences.

[39:00]

1. 1. 1. Gender Expression and Identity

• Tom distinguishes between drag performance, cross-dressing, and transgender identity, emphasizing these are distinct experiences related to expression, identity, and gender feelings.
• For him, drag was a form of theatrical expression and fun, not necessarily tied to gender identity or sexual orientation.
• He encourages openness and education to better understand the spectrum of gender and identity experiences, urging compassion for people navigating complex journeys.
• His drag persona “Rita” was part of his life’s theatrical expression, featured at his book launch.

[44:00]

1. 1. 1. Facing Medical Fear and Serving Others

• Tom shares how he manages fear during medical treatments by engaging with others in waiting rooms to reduce anxiety through information and connection.
• He focuses on being of service during difficult times rather than succumbing to fear.
• Gratitude is central to his daily practice, acknowledging the gift of each new day and the basic comforts of life.

[46:22]

1. 1. 1. Life in Maui and Connection to Nature

• Tom has lived in Maui for about 20 years, splitting time between Maui and San Francisco.
• He appreciates Maui’s natural beauty, especially the upcountry area where he lives, and values the healing power of nature.
• The recent rains brought renewal and cleansing to the island’s landscape, which he finds restorative.
• He contrasts Maui’s environment with Northern California’s climate, emphasizing the therapeutic effects of connecting with nature.

[48:35]

1. 1. 1. Vision for Community and Nonprofit Collaboration

• Tom is considering a new initiative to link and showcase local nonprofits on Maui more visibly, creating synergy and greater impact.
• He envisions these organizations as part of an environmental and economic engine that fits together harmoniously.
• He identifies himself as a “connector” or “wizard” who spots relationships and potential collaborations rather than being the primary doer.
• His work through media and podcasts serves as a resource and local “library” of ideas to activate community engagement and solutions.

[52:05]

1. 1. 1. Reflections on Writing and AI

• Tom encourages people who want to write a book to jot down memories and organize them later, rather than forcing a strict linear structure.
• He shares that AI tools have validated the themes in his work, suggesting that embracing technology can enhance creativity and outreach.
• He believes AI will create new opportunities and that resisting technological progress is unproductive. Instead, embracing and learning about AI is essential to stay relevant.

[55:53]

1. 1. 1. Closing Remarks

• The host thanks Tom and the sponsors, encouraging viewers to read Tom’s book My Life in Business Suits, Hospital Gowns, and High Heels.
• Tom expresses enthusiasm for returning as a guest and sharing more stories and insights.

1. 1. 1. Summary Table: Quantitative Highlights

Detail	Quantity/Info
Tom’s Age	71 years old
Years living with metastatic cancer	14 years (surpassed multiple 6-month prognoses)
Number of drugs taken simultaneously	Up to 7 drugs during clinical trials
Number of book awards won	3 awards
Time spent recording audiobook	12.5 hours (two sessions)
Years Academy for Coaching Excellence has operated	22 years
Number of early Facebook employees	~75 (Tom was among first 75)

Key Insights

• Resilience and Reinvention: Tom’s life exemplifies overcoming severe medical diagnoses through resilience, embracing change, and reinventing oneself across different life phases.
• Integration of Life’s Phases: His memoir ties together corporate success, health battles, and theatrical artistry as essential parts of his identity.
• Philanthropy as Mindset: Philanthropy is framed broadly as everyday acts of kindness, accessible to all, not just financial giving.
• Embracing Authenticity: Tom advocates for living authentically, embracing all aspects of identity, including complex gender and expression issues.
• Community Building: He values connection and collaboration within communities, especially nonprofits, to foster collective impact.
• Technological Adaptation: Tom encourages proactive engagement with new technologies, like AI, to harness their benefits rather than resist change.
• Gratitude and Presence: Core to Tom’s philosophy is gratitude for life’s moments and focusing on the present rather than the past or future.

1. 1. 1. Recommended Reading and Resources

• My Life in Business Suits, Hospital Gowns, and High Heels by Tom LeNoble (available on Amazon and audiobook)
• Podcast: Opening Pathways hosted by Tom LeNoble
• Academy for Coaching Excellence (coaching training programs worldwide)

This detailed summary captures the full scope of topics discussed, highlighting Tom LeNoble’s inspiring life story, his professional and philanthropic endeavors, and his thoughtful perspectives on health, identity, community, and technology.

FULL TRANSCRIPT

Aloha, everyone. Welcome today. We’re at the Neutral Zone. Well, aloha. It’s like 9th of February, 2026. When I say that number, 2026, it’s like, wow.

00:25

I remember when we were in 1990, forget it, 1950. But you don’t want to know about that. I am just so thrilled to be here in the neutral zone. We’re at KAKU, 88.5 FM, The Voice of Maui, simulcast on Akaku Maui Community Media Channel.

00:44

Of course, we’re up on the web at MauiNeutralZone.com. We’re also up there on the web on YouTube. You can look us up and say, Maui, Neutral Zone, Jason, Schwartz, @dreammaui, all that stuff. And thousands of things have come up. We’ve been doing this a long time. And every time I do a show and I say, we have a really special guest, I really mean it. Today I have a really special, special guest.

01:13

Tom LeNoble, welcome to our show. Jason, it’s great to be here with you. I’ve been looking forward to this. Well, thank you. Tom, I met at Unity Church here on Maui.

01:24

There were a lot of nice people there in Unity Church. And as a little bit of time went on, I found that Tom was at least bi-coastal, maybe tri-coastal, because he was in San Francisco, and he was here, and he was going back and forth. And then I heard him one day talking about, oh, book, yeah, book. And then he said, well, today it’s number one in the world in Amazon. And I thought, what?

01:54

And then I looked at the book title and I got the book.

01:58

Many of you know, seeing is one of my big challenges. And so I got the book on Kindle, think I make it big. But when you have multiple devices, and every time you go back on a different device, it says, do you want to start here? And so I’ve read the same section at least three times. And then I even have a thing that reads to me. But you have a version that is actually you. I do, it’s me. Well, that’s probably the version to get along with the book.

02:26

Title of the book, My Life in Business Suits, Hospital Gowns, and High Heels. Nothing like a three-word title. My goodness. And that’s all you, isn’t it? All me. My goodness. Well, I’ve been reading in the book, and I’ve been seeing, I don’t know how to put that piece together. You know, this book, as I was reading it,

02:54

I thought, this is sort of like wine. I want to slow down here, and each sip I want to taste it a little bit, because it’s very colorful. It feels like I’m reading through someone’s personal journal, and they’re sharing with me the way they feel about each thing as it’s happening with them. And it was just, I’m enjoying it. I don’t want it to stop, so I’m going to be reading it. But

03:20

How would you describe the book? What started you on the thing to come up with this? You know, Jason, I hear that from a lot of people. They don’t want it to end, but they can’t put it down. And people say, I laughed, I cried, I did both at once. You know, I wrote this memoir

03:37

that crosses over into self-help. I’m a really private man and I’ve told all my secrets that I’ve kept for all these years and the reason I did it is because who we are today is the some parts of who we’ve been throughout our life

03:54

and some of those parts in our life we may want to keep private we might even have a little shameful or think they’re outrageous or the people just wouldn’t understand but in fact you wouldn’t be who you are today without all those parts and so i’m sharing all those parts in an effort to inspire and help people see that no matter the challenge in life

04:18

you can get to the other side. I like to say as the book starts out, a quote from Maya Angelou, every storm runs out of rain. And I’ve had a few storms. Yes, I’ve already encountered a few. The storyline is your life. Pretty accurate? It’s all accurate. And as I’m reading, I’m feeling like I’m in the earlier part of your life.

04:47

Honestly, you look like a young man, but you’re probably similar in my age. As I’m going through the book, I’m realizing this guy’s not 30. He’s lived a full life. So you’re probably like me, one of the upperclassmen here.

05:03

Yes, I am. I think I’m still hung up at 35 in my head, but I’m 71. Wow, there you go. Yeah, there you go. And yes, I’d like to say that, thank you, I’d like to say that if it ended right now, I got everything I came for, but I’m not ready for that to happen because I’m making more memories. There’s two more books coming. Oh, wow. That’s so fantastic. Yep.

05:29

Well, you’re encouraging me. All these years I said, I’m going to write a book, I’m going to write a book. And I thought that I’d be doing it through all these conversations I’m doing here online. But there’s something going on in there. I’ll tell you, it was really cathartic. It was one of those things that, in fact, after I wrote it, it was so cathartic I put it in a closet and kind of forgot about it.

05:51

and then decided a few years ago that I either needed to trash it so somebody didn’t find it after I wasn’t here, or edit it and get it out. And ever since I made that decision, every possible door, every door could open. I mean, I need to write a book about that, about how many doors opened to make this book a reality. It’s now won three book awards. And I was just on a billboard in Times Square with it a week ago Friday.

06:18

Isn’t that, can you imagine? That is something else. Who’s your publisher? Self? I’m self-published. How’d you get a billboard to Times Square? Yeah, it’s published under Opening Pathways, which is my brand, one of them. And I had some help. I had some great story about how that happened. I had two people that support self-publishers that it turned out I had no idea I was talking to them both. And it turned out they were best friends, had never worked on a book together. And they came together.

06:48

to help me with mine it was things like that that just kept happening over and over again that and Jack Canfield’s one of the top acknowledgments the chicken soup for the soul guy and he his involvement was amazing on the editors I ended up getting were just on kept saying you know things from like don’t change the title of this book no matter what anybody says and I’ll tell you here first Jason were even turning into a one-person production

07:16

Wow. Yep. Fantastic. I’m going to say I knew him when. But then everybody that’s reading the book is going, I knew him when. Because your stories open up the door. I imagine you changed the name to protect the innocent. You know, I made a rule. If you were dead…

07:34

You had no choice. You got your own name. And if you were alive, you got to choose your name. And it was fun because a few people were like, of course I want you to use my name. And then my best friend the day before the launch called me up and said, how are you feeling about sharing all this stuff? And I’m like, this phone call is like a little late. It’s launching tomorrow. You could have asked me a little sooner than this. And I said, but there’s enough secrets. Because they said, how could you have any secrets? I don’t know. I’ve known you 50 years. I said, enough that I changed your name.

08:04

he loved that yeah it was great what a great process for you amazing and for all the people out here who know you and love you yes so to say what do you do is sort of like a funny question because you seem to be you do whatever feels right in the moment for the next moment I even recall in seeing you you also are a coach a

08:33

Give us a picture. Yeah, you know, it’s interesting. I like to say I retired being retired to be inspired. I had an incredible corporate career. For those of you that are old enough to remember MCI, the long-distance carrier. MCI. I ran service for them, and then I was the head of customer service for Walmart.com in their early days.

08:56

And then I ran global service operations for Palm, the Palm Pilot Trio people that are part of HP. And I was in town because I traveled a lot. And a recruiter called. And they were from a little unknown company called Facebook. Oh, my goodness. And I didn’t know what Facebook was. They were still in colleges. So I thanked them and told them I had my dream job on Facebook.

09:19

hung up the phone and a buddy called me that I used to work with who’s now a venture capitalist and said I referred you to Facebook you didn’t even talk to them so long story short and it’s a good story in the book I interviewed with Mark Zuckerberg when he was 19 and ended up going to Facebook I was in the first 75 employees I think 57 but who’s counting and set up all their customer operations and a bunch of other stuff and

09:45

Then I was the chief support officer of a company that’s now the backbone of the Geek Squad. I worked at a dating site that Match.com bought, and I managed that merger, a variety of other things. And then I fell in love, got married, and traveled the world. But I knew I had more to share and some wisdom to give back. And so today, I’m a coach. I’m an author.

10:08

I’m a public speaker. I also have my own podcast, Opening Pathways. I’m the CEO of the Academy for Coaching Excellence, which is a coaching academy that’s 22 years old that we train coaches around the world. But my real passion, Jason, is I’m a philanthropist.

10:24

And I do everything I do to feed my philanthropy where I focus on underserved communities, youth in the arts, first-gen students, relevant women issues of today, and some other things that I just feel really passionate about.

10:40

Well, you know, when I hear philanthropy and I’m listening to your subject, my mind is saying, philanthropy, that means he’s a money source. How do I get him to see what we’re doing? So how do you find your prospects? You see what impact they’re making? Yeah. Or you see what impact they could make? How do you?

11:00

I love this question, Jason, because I have people come to me that will say, when I have money, I want to be a philanthropist. And so it drove me to create a keynote speech that’s called the philanthropic mindset. I’m actually going to be on TV sharing it soon, not just on stages, because.

11:19

What it helps you see is that you can have a philanthropic mindset, that your smile, a hello, or the comfort you give someone is actually a philanthropic gesture. It’s not all about writing checks or your name on a building or going to a gala.

11:36

in fact there’s much more to having a philanthropic mindset than that so but I find things that I’m passionate about and of course there’s a due diligence process because you want to be sure you’re giving it to the right place but most things that I support

11:52

are still not getting a lot of funding like from the government or anything like that. They’re in either grassroots or something I just feel really passionate about. But what’s required is they’re giving it directly to the people that they’re serving and not to overhead. And so that’s part of the whole mission.

12:12

I mean, as I’m listening, I’m thrilled. So to say that you’re philanthropic means you’re past the day-to-day needing to worry about money as an income. So you’re…

12:24

A free-thinking coach and speaker and author with plans for also be, I’m sure in front of the camera, it’s going to be you, I sure imagine. Yes, we’ve got this show we’re planning for a one-person show. And at least in the beginning, it’s going to be me playing all three characters. Right. And so I’m looking forward to that. And then there’s two more books coming.

12:47

I’ll tell you about the next one. How about that? Is my life at Facebook, the adult in the room. And the reason I’m doing it is when I went there, everybody was 20 or 21. They had deferred law school, business school, medical school, Harvard, Brown, Stanford, Oberlin, these families.

13:07

really bright kids and this was their dream job because Facebook was still in college so they were the one using it and here I come along at 50 old enough to be everybody’s father so I’m going to tell a fun story about the early days at Facebook through my eyes being old enough to be everyone’s father including Mark Zuckerberg’s I bet you’re not going to tell it here you’re going to tell it there

13:34

So you’re ready to buy book two. Book one is a good place to start. You know, I say that as I pick it up, it’s just as crazy. I think that the audio version with an accompanying book is really the best experience. Because I like, somehow there’s something about a physical book that feels good. But for someone that can’t read the words when they’re small…

13:58

having it in front of you, coming at you, and in your words, so you give it the personal inflection. When I hear Siri going, doesn’t quite seem right. Yeah, I have to tell you that story, Jason. They wanted me to wait to do the Audible for a few months, and I said, nope, I want it all to go out at the same time.

14:21

And so they sent me an email and it said, you have two choices. We can either send you all this equipment at home or you can go in this studio in San Francisco. And so I looked up the studio. It was built in the 60s.

14:36

Jerry Garcia, The Grateful Dead, The Beatles, Jefferson Airplane, all the way to Train and Green Day have recorded there. So I’m going to that studio. And then they told me, well, Tom, nobody can do this more than three hours. It’s going to take you like eight or nine sessions. And I’m like, they don’t know Tom Lenovo. My first session, I did six and a half hours. I went back a week later for the second one. The sound engineer says, when are you trying to get this done? And I said, today.

15:03

He goes, today we’ve got like 12 and a half hours to go. I said, I’m in, are you in? He goes, well, why are you trying to do it? I said, well, I’m going to Maui and I’m holding up the book because I told him I want the Audible to come out. So we recorded for 12 and a half hours and I was drinking throat coat tea, everything possible to keep it going. But yeah, it’s in my own voice. That really adds so much to the experience.

15:28

This may sound like a funny request. For those of you who don’t know, business suits, hospital gowns, and high heels. Pick a moment, maybe two, that you’d like to share with our audience.

15:45

That I think they would want. Yeah, well, I shared about the business suits with you. You could have heard from what I said. I was an executive at Fortune 500s to everything. And the hospital gowns, what you haven’t heard yet, viewers, is during all of this, I’ve had two life-threatening illnesses. The first was, I was told, was terminal. And I’ve lived, this year will be my 14th year with metastatic cancer. I’ve been given six months to live three times. Metastatic meaning it is traveling.

16:15

it’s in my bones and I’ve had enough radiation you could put me in the corner here I could be your light night light and yeah I have been given six months to live three times and as you can see I’m still here that’s part of the everything that’s part of the story of this book is how these these challenges we get I like to talk a lot about risk resilience and reinvention and and then the high heels I used to say you need to read the book to find out

16:43

But what you’re going to learn is there was the outrageous part early in my life where I entered a talent show that turned out to be a career for a while of four nights a week, two shows a night, traveling around and in pageants and all sorts of stuff. And yep, those high heels were real. So

17:05

Three different characters, three different parts of my life, and back to what I said earlier, we have those parts of our lives that seem outrageous or even a little crazy, but they’re still part of who you are today. A beautiful woman, huh? Thank you. That was a pageant I was in on the cover. I figured it had to be. My goodness. Tell me more. So your hospital situation and your medical…

17:34

You were also involved on the other side of medical, where you were in the care before you got sick, didn’t you? Yeah, a long time ago, I actually, before my real corporate life, I ran a clinical lab. I was the manager of a clinical lab working in a

17:49

a couple of private psychiatric hospitals that was fascinating. I was working on a lot of work with some doctors that were around depression in the early days when they were trying to figure out whether it was chemically or organically part of what caused it. And then during even my illness, I worked in the area. I ran clinical trials in a doctor’s office and did some other things.

18:13

I actually planned to be a doctor, and back then they told me things like the terms they used, and you can’t get close to patients, and if you ever meet me, you know that’s not going to work for me. But I think I did okay without that. Yeah, and so you had some, when you talk about hospital gowns,

18:35

You’re talking the ride as a patient. I’m talking about the ride as a patient. Yes, I am. I, in 1989, was diagnosed with HIV-AIDS, full-blown AIDS, right out of the gate and told I had six months to live and to leave my corporate job that I worked so hard and was on a fast track for. And

18:58

I remember I left that office and I walked to my car and I looked in the rearview mirror and I spoke to that virus and I said these words, if you want to come to my party, you’re welcome. If you think you’re going to take me out, you’re in for the fight of your life. And then I went back to work.

19:19

and that doctor a few weeks later said maybe you didn’t hear me but you’re going to die do you want to die at your desk or do you want to do something for the time you have left that you enjoy and I made one of the most difficult decisions and I left that job went on disability but I didn’t stop working myself and five other guys opened the DC Buyers Club I was living in Washington DC so think Dallas Buyers Club Matthew McConaughey

19:48

And we were a little less Hollywood, and I used to say a few less hookers, but I think we had our share of them. But when you came in, the front room of this apartment was where you could get information, maybe even a hug when nobody else would. You see there was nothing at the time to help anyone.

20:06

But once we got to know you, we invited you into the back room where we had treatments from around the world. We were doing things we didn’t even know what we were injecting or what we were doing, but there was nothing else. So we were trying to save our own lives. The interesting thing about this story is of the six of us that started that, not one of us have died from AIDS.

20:27

Which is pretty amazing. And then there’s a whole journey. I was executive director of a nonprofit during that time that was focused on kids with AIDS. We wrote the first nutritional standards and ran clinical trials. And then one day I was told.

20:46

uh… this is the best you get i thought okay i have my if any of you know anything about it i had nine t-cells you’re supposed to have like seven or eight hundred and uh… and i’d named them and given them to people to take care of and uh… but i when they told me that i think there’s a streak in me that is like when people tell me something’s impossible and kinda like watch this and so i made the decision

21:13

To go back to work. And not only that, I was in California during the dot-com madness, and I decided I’m going to go back and work in technology. I had missed the whole internet revolution. I was in downtown San Francisco and got a phone call and was offered this position as an executive director.

21:33

at an internet startup and you know I said yes as I felt like I was levitating and then I looked up and thought to myself I have absolutely nothing to wear because you had to wear a suit back then and there was a men’s store not far down the street so I went bought three suits well the doctor said it’s gonna kill you the disability company said we’re gonna give you an extra year you’ll never do this

21:56

But I did. I knew it was going to be a challenge. I knew I was fairly bright. The most incredible thing about this story is my health soared. I soon had over 200 T-cells, which when you have over 200, there’s all sorts of medications you can quit because you’re not subjected to opportunistic infections.

22:19

And I had that great career I told you about, and I was sick the whole time. And, you know, I remember going to a lot of meetings, and my first thing wasn’t where do I sit in the room. It was knowing where the bathroom was because I was on a lot of medications. And at one point I was taking a cocktail of six drugs. Six!

22:37

And all of them had unbelievable side effects. And I still, after about 25 years, had not suppressed this virus like other people. And I entered a clinical trial where they let you keep two drugs, add four drugs, count it, that’s six.

22:55

And if that didn’t work, you could add one more. And it didn’t work. I added that one more drug. So if you were doing the math, I’m now taking seven different drugs. But that’s when I finally got suppressed. And you heard about the career, but it was hard being sick during that time. You know what triggered me when you were doing that story?

23:16

I’m counting the number of drugs I’m taking now. And I’m somewhere in your category. There you go. Mine’s about a heart. I have a high blood pressure reading. And yet every so often when I read it, it’s normal, just to confuse me. Check the machine, everything. And they keep adding drugs. At what point do you stop adding drugs?

23:38

clear them off the table, let’s start and rebuild from scratch, people. Let’s look at this somehow differently. So it’s interesting. Yeah, I highly recommend people, I’m not a doctor, so I’m not going to speak to what drugs you should take, but what I will say is every now and then,

23:53

take every pill bottle you have to a doctor because often we have people that are prescribing medication that are different doctors and while they say they are they may not be paying close attention to what happens when all those drugs go inside of you and have their own party so every now and then take all those bottles and have somebody check them out to make sure that they’re not even contradicting each other vitamins absolutely when you add them in they said to me you’re taking all these things

24:20

And I was trying to supplement with all kinds of stuff. So it’s an interesting journey. It is. I’m glad to see you’re out at the other end. Do you take anything now? Oh, I do. I do. I still take four drugs for that. And then I got cancer. My father had prostate cancer. My mother, breast cancer. Both grandfathers had prostate cancer. So I was watched like a hawk.

24:45

Sure enough, it came and knocked on my door, and I had my prostate out. I’m not going to give it away, but you’ll find out about that at the end of this book. Eventually, it metastasized in my neck.

25:00

And so then you end up in some other treatments. And it was kind of interesting to have it happen twice. And I thought, okay, how am I going to approach it this time? And I remember I created something called my healing wheel, Jason. And it was, if you think of a wheel with spokes, there was a spoke for my Western medical, Eastern medical, massage, acupuncture, chiropractic, whatever I was doing. But I was the hub in the middle. I was in charge of it.

25:30

So I re-patterned that and used it again in the cancer journey. And I have an oncologist that calls me a clinical trial of one because I just don’t do what they say. I do a lot of information gathering and research before I just go with whatever plan is there.

25:47

And that’s been quite a journey. I’ll tell you, two more times of six months to live. The last time I remember they came and said, your scans are back. You’ve got this cancer is back in five places. We can’t do any more radiation. And they said, you know, you need to make plans. And I chuckled.

26:07

Now, if you want to shake up a few doctors, chuckle when they tell you got about six months to live. But you see, at that point, I knew something they didn’t know. One was I had already faced dying. If I was going to die, I had already thought about that and thought through that. And I also knew that.

26:26

And maybe that just wasn’t true. It seems like I had proved that before. And so I went on a quest, and sure enough, found another doctor that was willing to work with me with something. And while I’ll likely have metastatic cancer forever, it’s in control. Both of them are very in control today, and I’m grateful for that. I hope that’s encouraging to everyone, because it’s encouraging to me. That’s great to hear.

26:54

I also, you know, I obviously have a different kind of a path, but I’ve been also on my own journey. And if people try to kind of track it, they wonder who I am. A lot of people don’t really know how many things are under the surface. You like to say, I’ve heard you say it, who you are today is a reflection of all those things that you’ve done before. I couldn’t be doing all this and talking and all the way…

27:23

and less of the experiences I had. It’s so true, Jason. I find with my clients, so many people live in the past as if you’re going to get a do-over or like you have on your phone when you watch a video and it says you can go back 10 seconds, like you can do that in life and you can’t. And living in the past is…

27:43

kind of a waste of time because you’re missing what’s happening right here and right now. And I work with people that have either lost their job or sometimes it’s a CEO that’s retiring but doesn’t want to retire. And invariably I ask them the question, what was it you always wanted to do that you didn’t do?

28:05

And it’s so much fun because it all foots back to someone told them they shouldn’t. They couldn’t. So they think they wouldn’t. And yet when you see them and they talk about it, they still light up as if it was the first time. And, you know, we get this life.

28:24

and for whatever you believe the great mystery is when it ends this is what you’ve got and i happen to believe we all were here we’re a unique expression and we’re here to do something that only we were brought here to do that is you’re reading out of my playbook i feel uniquely qualified to be doing what i’m doing and have in mind

28:49

And it wouldn’t have been but for all these experiences that create the who I am now. Well, I can see, Jason, just by watching and interacting with you, that what you’re doing today brings you joy.

29:04

It brings you satisfaction, and I bet when you’re doing it, you don’t think about time. You have to think about how long the show is, but you’re not thinking about time and what’s next and what happened yesterday or what’s coming next week. You’re in the moment. Or even if I have questions for you. Yeah, that’s the way to be. When I started doing this, I was like, oh, no, the guests didn’t come. What am I going to do now? I have to talk for a whole hour? Now everyone around me says, will you stop talking? It’s like you’re on the radio. You’re always talking.

29:34

It is really. But being here spontaneous with guests, like, why would I want to lead you when you are an explosion of things to share? That’s a good question, I’ll ask.

29:50

What do you want to be sure you share? What do you want to share? You know, I want people to really think about things like, I start out, when you start this book, you’re going to find out that I grew up in a shack. We even called it the shack. We didn’t have hot water. We didn’t have a refrigerator. My dad brought home ice for an icebox.

30:10

And I remember he boiled the water on a kerosene stove that I could smell today for our baths. And there was a pecking order. My brother and I shared the bedroom. My parents lived in the living room. That was their bedroom. We never saw it as a bedroom. And at one point, I had a grandmother that shared the bedroom with us. She’s Minnie Ida in the book who got messages from the fans.

30:33

You know, when you’re a little kid, you don’t really understand that because we had a lot of love. So I didn’t really think anything of it until I started school at five. I was one of those. And I remember coming home after a few weeks, and in my little five-year-old mind, probably different than I would say it now, I looked around that shack and went…

30:51

Yeah, there’s something about this is not supposed to be where I’m at and what I’m supposed to be doing. And what a ride I’ve had, but truly it wasn’t. And while we had a lot of love, there was a lot more for me to do in the world than just hang out and live like that in a shack.

31:10

So I want people to know that anything is possible just as nothing is certain. You’ll read about something in this book that I call terrible gifts. What’s a terrible gift? Things happen to us that are terrible. We lose somebody we love. A relationship ends. A pet dies.

31:32

A disaster comes and we lose our house or something, God forbid. These things happen. We get sick. These things happen in our lives. They’re terrible. We wouldn’t wish them upon anybody. But what I have learned is whether it’s a month, a year, or five years, there’s a gift from it.

31:51

It’s what I call a terrible gift. This woman I know, she was an Olympia-level sports person, went in for minor surgery and got MRSA, had to have her leg cut off. As she’s sitting in the wheelchair, she has a walking stick and a cane, and she keeps looking at them and thinking, I really don’t like them. So Jason, she went and fashioned her own acrylic cane in her oven in the kitchen, made the handle by wrapping it around a wine bottle,

32:20

Well, that woman today has a global business making the most beautiful canes and walking sticks for people who need them so that when people see them, instead of seeing what is perceived as a disability or a handicap, they talk about this gorgeous walking stick. She got a terrible gift. Wow. That’s a good story. Fun. So life is that way, but…

32:50

I always see a smile. Whenever I see you, no matter where I am, I can see you’re appreciating the moment. You really exude that you’re thoughtful and there and positive.

33:06

How did you happen to come to Maui? Just happened to all these years? No, about 20 years ago, I went to a wedding on Oahu and Diamond Head is the way it happens with weddings. And I knew that that wasn’t my island. And so I came to Maui and I met somebody that had a bed and breakfast. And she and I have been friends ever since. And a couple of years later, she sold the bed and breakfast. And I was trying to, you know, stay at home.

33:35

rent stuff and then I hit my head one day on a on a roof that was I was in a garage apartment where the roof was you know pitched and I went I hit my head which woke me up if you’re going to keep going to Maui why don’t you like buy something on Maui and so I’ve been coming here ever since and it’s my second home I live here and in San Francisco and I wouldn’t miss it and

33:59

Yeah, Jason, I’m positive and I’m upbeat, but there’s a number of reasons I could give you, but one is really basic. You’ve heard the story, and I woke up this morning. Some people didn’t.

34:14

So why not get the most out of this day? As you’ve heard, it is more than a blessing that I get to spend each day. And I love what I’m doing. I love what I’m working on. And I love sharing and inspiring. In fact, this is my life work. I’m an inspirator. I inspire others to take action to reach their goals and dreams. And so I’m fired up. I had somebody come to me three weeks ago and they said, Tom,

34:41

Don’t you need some rest? And I looked at him and said, rest? I am resting. Wait till you see what I do this year. Isn’t that fun? And like you say, you know, some people say, slow down. You’re moving too fast. That does sound like a song, right? Yeah, it does. Yeah, we’re feeling groovy. Feeling groovy. I am feeling groovy.

35:04

San Francisco. I remember being in San Francisco in 1967. It just so happened my parents took a trip. My father was a manager for WT Grant Company. Yes. And now we’re going out to start a store on the West Coast. And I got to drive in places. Little did I know that was the summer of love. And the things that I was seeing there in the streets and all the places, later in life I keep to remember, that was the spirit of that thing. And you lived there. San Francisco is…

35:33

Now, it’s not a surprise, at least in these books, that being gay wasn’t foreign to you. I loved San Francisco. I never thought about gay or anything. Yeah, it’s the best. We are probably one of the top three, if not the top, of whatever your lifestyle is, whatever you’re into, whoever you are, you can be there. And certainly there’s a…

36:01

Yeah, they do. It’s a rich, also rich gay life for people with a lot of contributions. And I was just at the reopening of the Castro Theater on Friday night, which is over 100 years old, and they spent $41 million on it to renovate it. It’s closed for like four years. Somebody bought it, and they had the grand reopening. And what was so moving about being there was the mayor was there, the state senator, the councilman.

36:30

But what was so moving is when you looked at who was there, it was everybody coming together, no matter who you are, who you love, what you look like, where you work. You were coming together to celebrate something that was really important in the city of San Francisco. And, you know, I think we’re trying to have our summer of love again. It was a good time, and why not? You know, why not? We could use a little more love in the world right now. Oh, yes.

36:58

Again, you’re reading my playbook. Well, that’s a good thing. It seems that a lot of people, we all, why we have a neutral zone. We all have our different fringe opinions. But when it all comes together, the come together, we all feel the same. We all really are one.

37:19

We’ve got to express it more. I see every day I know I just can’t help it. That’s just the way I am. And I see the same with you. We’re alike more than we’ll ever be different. And you know, at Thanksgiving, I was here on Maui, which I had never been here on Thanksgiving. And it just turned out I was. And I thought, well, what am I going to do?

37:40

And so I brought together five people to my dining room table and I cooked for them. And I chose them because they were five people that would never have been at a table together. And as I was cooking from the kitchen and watching somebody who owns a business here, somebody who’s near the end of their life, an unhoused person,

38:00

Five really different people’s styles. I watched from the kitchen as I was cooking at their interactions, and it proved to me what I already knew to be true. We’re all more alike than will ever be different. We all want love. We all want to laugh. We all want to be heard. We all want to be respected. We all bleed. There’s so much about us. And in this world that wants to divide us, I’m a believer that there’s much more about us that wants to bring us together. And I believe we’ll find our way to that soon.

38:32

And from your lips to God’s ears. And being that we’re all God, we all heard it. We’re in it. That’s beautiful. We still have a little bit of time. I’d like to dig. Dig. May I dig? Playing Rita. As a little kid, I never had any fascinations with… But my partner Ariel…

39:00

has a granddaughter who used to be her grandson. That alone gives you some notion of where I’m going. This little one was playing with mommy’s high heels since first, and dressing in mom, playing with the makeup and everything, and it was sort of being, you know, that’s that. No, you can’t. No, you can’t. And then it merged as time went on.

39:25

How did that part of you… I know you talk about it in the book, about the circumstances. What is it that…

39:33

caught your attention visit from home yet you know i think first it’s important for the viewers to hear and and understand that it’s much beyond someone a feeling so there are people that are what we hear a lot of drag queens or hear about cross dressers we hear about transgender these are all very very different things for example i was a theater kid for me it was all about the theater was all about dressing up and playing a part

40:03

Whereas I have friends like this, your partner’s granddaughter, that there’s something in the wiring that we could use to be a little bit more open to where it’s not about sex, it’s about how we feel as gender in our head.

40:22

It’s not about who we desire, who we want to be with later in life. It’s really about how we feel who we are. And it usually starts very young. Some people realize that later in life. So I share that with you first. But in my experience, it really was about being a theater kid. These two buddies of mine and I were at this local bar. And we heard they were having a talent show. And we, I’m sure, over a few beers said, why don’t we do it? Let’s do it and have fun. And so we did it. And

40:52

um, there was something about it that I remember thinking, Hmm, this was a lot of fun. It reminds me of my theater days and I could probably make some money at this. Maybe not a lot, but enough. I was a college kid at the time, you know, as starving student. And so that’s how it all started for me. And then I really got into it. And later in life realized that that wasn’t

41:12

That wasn’t going to be the path I wanted to take. But Rita’s made an appearance at the launch party we had in San Francisco, 90 people, the media, everybody was there at the historic Elk Club on Union Square. And I had a famous singer there from Beach Blanket Babylon, for those of you know, that started out and then introduced me. And I came walking in the back.

41:34

and that character and came up on the stage and read some and then I did all three characters in about a 20 minute period and I remember thinking when I got through she still had it in her and you know and so for me it’s just it’s fun it’s an expression and you know I think that what I would inspire people to do is to learn a little bit more about it because we see it and you know

42:03

and group all says it often there are so many forms of drag everything that’s it that’s a drag it’s really really we all have things we’d like to dress up in we all like to put on something that makes us feel better that we have fun with we all i’ve had costumes we’ve worn in our life some of us our business suit is our costume some of us are hospital gown is our costume and some of us it might be a pair of high heels or whatever it is is uh… again it’s just people expressing

42:32

which is different from people who are really going through a transition that life is, they’re not able to live life fully. They’re not able to understand what those feelings are. And when they figure it out and start going down that path, they get to do what some of us do every day is to be able to step into who we are and how we are. And it’s not an easy journey. So I encourage people to have an open mind and maybe learn a little bit more about it.

43:01

Well, you know, this is the soft side, and you explain that very, very comfortably. And seeing that nice, a gentle introduction, there’s some people out there, I’m sure, that have all kinds of opinions that we’re not hearing here, but I know that…

43:20

The greatest part of living for me is that exploration each day and finding something new. I hope that this show is an opener. I hope everyone’s going to go out and get, I can’t see the top part, but I know it says, my life. My life in business suits. My life in business suits, hospital gowns, and high heels. Yeah, in control, being controlled, and out of control.

43:48

And you could probably move those around. Yeah, you could. You were out of control as Rita when you were totally in control. You were being controlled when you were in that medical situation, huh?

44:00

Yeah, well, I changed that into something, you know, now I manage that. People say, you know, when you go to radiation, are you scared? And I go, no, here’s what I do with that fear. I could get into the fear and freak out about the outcome and what’s going to happen. It’s going to hurt. Instead, what I do now is when I have to go, which invariably I do.

44:22

I look around the waiting room and I spark up conversations and every time I find somebody that I can tell is racked with fear because doctors tell us what’s going to happen but they don’t tell us what’s going to happen like when you walk in the room and I’m not intrusive but I enter a conversation and I dismantle what they’re thinking their fear by saying look

44:43

You don’t have to take your clothes off. There’s this machine that whirs around your body and it doesn’t hurt. And kind of share with them what to expect. And so I choose to do it that way rather than sit there and get in my own head about what that does to me. Let me be of service to others. I’ve learned something on this journey. How do I share it with those that might be willing to

45:08

And to hear it, and everyone is usually of what’s going to happen to me. And the other thing is you learn frequently that there’s always somebody in a situation that will outdo yours. And it keeps us humble and keeps us open and keeps us remembering to be grateful. Yeah, and being grateful is just a giant, giant thing. Yeah.

45:37

Absolutely. That’s the big one to me. That’s the big one. Yeah, I have a big gratitude practice that I do every night and every morning. When I wake up in the first morning, the first thing I do is say thank you because I woke up. I’m here for another day. Just like when I went to bed, I have a practice that involves a number of things, but one of those is…

45:58

thinking I have a roof over my head, a bed to sleep in, and that I’m going to sleep. It’s going to be restful. It’s going to be renewing and restorative that I get to wake up tomorrow refreshed for a new day. Good practice, huh? Well, you know, that’s very good to hear. You know, I always say,

46:22

I have my own mind as I go every day to see sunset with my partner Ariel and appreciate beautiful life, beautiful partner, how thoughtful and lucky we are to live on Maui. All the people out there that don’t live on Maui, we welcome you to come visit. You know, you’re welcome to come. We’d love to have you. Best sunsets ever. Oh, the best.

46:48

You live upcountry somewhere? I do. I live upcountry. I live in upcountry, and I love it up there. And it’s been fun, this trip, because we needed it badly. But it’s been raining and howling and everything. And, you know, people come for the sun. But this time it was kind of interesting. It was what I needed. I’m probably going to get tired of it by tomorrow. I’m ready for the sun to come back. But I can hear the trees and the plants and the earth going, thank you, thank you, thank you. Oh, isn’t it?

47:14

Yeah, and it feels so cleansing. You can see everything turning green like overnight. But it’s been kind of fun being in that environment and feeling that and having that feeling. Because we in California, Northern California, experience the same kind of thing where it doesn’t rain for most of the year. And then we get it all in parts of the year. And so everything there is turning green. And it’s great.

47:36

one of my things I will share with you and your viewers Jason is the ability for nature to heal us that getting to nature and and and here watching sunsets walking in the park watching com that the beach and and and that environment that these things I know back in San Francisco have a park and I talk to the trees I never wear music cuz I want to experience what I’m feeling I find that a clears the cobwebs in is a great reset for me

48:06

And up in that area, there’s a lot of great woods to walk. I love it. I love it. Here, too. Here, you’ve got to be sure to have the gripper shoes because it gets wet up there on these trails. It does. But a beautiful place. You know, I’ve been here all these years, and I never get tired of Maui. There’s always more to explore. You know, all these years now, after being here 37 years, I can’t believe almost 37 years.

48:35

I’m just in a new place in my life. I’m feeling a new thing coming on, a new place. I’ve been doing this a long time. It’s now a set of foundation. I’ve been thinking about doing something to link all the non-profits more visibly here. And I’m not exactly sure. As I talk to you, I know that I’m thinking I probably have to…

49:03

you with what this vision is here I’d love to hear about it I work with a lot of nonprofits obviously in my philanthropy and speak to them and build retreats for them and I’m on the board here of a couple and they’re so important and and what they do and who they serve is just so important so and it’s a it’s a hard time for nonprofits right now there’s a lot going on in that area so I think you’re onto something Jason I think you’re onto something

49:32

You know, because I’m not, in my mind, I’m not the doer. I’m the one who spots the relationships and how things can work together in a better way. I think of it like an environmental, economic engine, that it all fits together in such a beautiful way. Could have been started long ago, but then I realized, wait.

50:02

Anytime I decide it started is when it started, and it’s been happening all this time through what I’m doing. That’s what’s created this new neutral zone, realizing it all fits together and that if we can showcase that easy relationship together, we’ll all come together.

50:22

Yeah, I shared my life’s work and purpose being an inspiritor. Yours sounds like what we call the wizard who sees things and see how things can come together and work together and how we could bring people together and what possibility is. So, yes, that’s it.

50:38

In doing that over the years, I always was thinking that I had to be the one doing it, and yet I found over time, sometimes someone actually says it to me, you changed my life. You introduced me to that person, and this changed my life in this way. So I feel like what I’m doing is, and that’s why all the shows together sitting up there,

51:00

It becomes a body of work and a way for me to share just what you need. Think something, put it in the search engine, see what comes up. Talked about affordable housing on 12 shows. Talked about whatever it is. And so, to me, I see this as a local library conversation and or whatever we want to label it, peace.

51:25

We’re on an island, so the idea of accumulating good ideas that can work here locally and be activated by people that are part of this is getting more real to me every day. And so that’s how I have these shows. I point out people and things. That’s why you say I love it. Because I love it. And who knows? There may be a viewer out there that shares your vision that wants to even support you in that. Or sees something and says, wow.

51:54

That inspires me to do this or call that people. Call that people. Listen to this. Do we have Grammarly for awkward hosts? Maybe so.

52:05

Um, I think you might have a book in your future too. It could happen. Yeah. So many people, that’s one tip I’ll get people thinking about that is they think you have to write it linear linearly, like it has to be in a specific order. And what I found was I just jotted things down as I remembered them and then later organized them by time that sparked a whole nother series of remembering things and

52:30

And sometimes we think we have to just do it really structured instead of doing it in that linear fashion that there’s another way to do it. It’s funny that you say that. I asked AI, AI, and I was in chat GPT, and I said, do me a favor. Go to my website.

52:50

review all the shows and see what you think are the most common themes and see if I’m in sync with what’s happening. And it comes out with this, it made me look like a genius, but there it is. We’ve been building something that has a chance to keep growing and be more and more valuable as people realize they are part of this.

53:14

So AI thinks we’re on the right track, and I think that the more you’ll look, you’ll see that we all can be, just let it be. Be part of something greater than yourself. You’ve been a great guest here today. Thank you. I really enjoyed being with you, but I knew I would.

53:33

Well, I hope you’ll come again. I will. We could talk about AI. Well, we still have a couple of minutes. What about AI? You know, I think that people, we hear so many things about we’re going to lose jobs and stuff. And I think that if you’re not looking at AI, you might be left behind.

53:51

I think the thing to remember is I can remember I was at a company when the first fax, literally the first fax happened, and we stood back as we watched this piece of paper show up in Atlanta that we sent from D.C., and we all thought it was magic, right?

54:06

And then we came along, and I remember being in service centers that I managed, and we took the paper away and put a computer on the desk. Everybody thought they were going to lose their job. We came along with email. Everybody thought they were going to lose their job. Now we just want to get rid of email.

54:21

then the internet, we’re all going to lose our job. And I think now we fast forward with AI and many things that have come in between, and I think that there’s some thinking that while things will change, and yes, some people may have to look at something new and how they do it, but there’s a whole new world of information that creates many opportunities of how we then use that information.

54:44

I happen to believe there will always be a need for creativity, for the human touch, for how we lead. There will be things that won’t go away. But one way to make sure you’re prepared for it is to embrace it and learn more about it versus acting like it’s not happening or that it’s going to go away because it’s likely not going anywhere.

55:03

Well, that was a great thing to say, because that’s what I found of AI. When you stand off and think, I don’t want any part of it, like people that said, I don’t want any part of a computer. Now everything in your life is the computer. Too bad you didn’t want to be part of it. You lived too long. Embrace it, because the change is happening. And if you don’t get close and feel comfortable, it’s going to feel like something strange and foreign, when in fact it’s not. It can be a great tool.

55:30

Or make it fun. Yeah. Speaking of making it fun, this has been fun. In fact, I hope that you will come back more frequently than not. You know, you have any subjects or people you want to share? Come on. I do. I got a lot I want to share. Yeah, I got a lot to share. Jason, this has been great. Thank you. Thank you for joining me here today.

55:53

And we have a minute left, which means I’m going to thank everyone, including KAKU, 88.5 FM, the voice of Maui, our host, Akaku, Maui Community Media, and Channel 55. But up on mauineutralzone.com, we thank all of our sponsors and supporters. And we thank you for watching wherever you are in the world. And if you’re not, we want you to come again. Tom Lenovo, go see his book and read his book. You’re going to love it.

56:21

My life in business suits, hospital gowns, and high heels. And glasses. We are out of here. Thank you, Tom. Thank you. That was one quick show. I’m happy with it.