Shine on Success is a dynamic, story-driven podcast where extraordinary entrepreneurs, visionary leaders, and resilient change-makers share their journeys to success, revealing both the challenges and the strategies that led to their breakthroughs. Each episode offers a unique blend of inspiring personal stories, practical business insights, and actionable advice, allowing our guests to connect with an engaged, growth-oriented audience ready to be motivated and uplifted. By joining us, you’ll not only have the opportunity to showcase your expertise and inspire listeners but also to be part of a powerful platform that celebrates ambition, innovation, and the courage to turn dreams into reality.
The magnetic Sydnee Bagovich joins us, transforming the very concept of networking into an art form that touches lives. She's not just a guest; she's the quintessential 'Good People Magnet,' with an entrepreneurial spirit that has nurtured a thriving community through her People Connectors initiative. In her company, you'll discover the life-changing power of connection, whether it's through the shared rhythm of a jazzercise class or the communal spirit of a blood drive. Sydnee's journey is a vibrant celebration of the communal joy found when good people unite, and this conversation promises to leave you with a renewed appreciation for the relationships that shape our lives.
As we navigate the ebbs and flows of human experience, our episode unfolds tales of resilience that affirm the strength of the human spirit. The poignant stories shared serve as a testament to the fact that regular connections can indeed catalyze personal growth and healing. I get real about my family's grappling with loss, uncovering the paradoxical growth that stems from grief. Meanwhile, Sydnee's insights on fostering connections, whether through the uplifting beats of jazzercise or the refined taste of clean crafted wines, beckon you to become a part of something larger. If you're seeking inspiration or a sense of belonging in this vast world, our exchange will surely resonate with you, encouraging you to reach out, share your story, and find your place within the vibrant tapestry of People Connectors.
Do you ever ponder the power of connections in transforming your day , your life or even the world around you ? Today , we're thrilled to explore this fascinating concept with Sydnee undefined , a self-proclaimed good people magnet whose life , work is all about connecting people for good , in both senses of the word , from energizing jazzercise meetups to meaningful blood drives and even the joy of clean crafted wines . Sydnee's story is a testament to the impact of good connections . Let's discuss how she makes the world a better place , one connection at a time . I'm so excited to have you here . I know what it took to get you here and I know how stressed you are about it , but it's so fun and and easy . It's just the two of us . So , hi , Sydnee , hi , how are you doing today ? I'm doing all right . Post eclipse yeah , so we made it like isn't that the craziest thing ? Like it did get pretty dark , though I was looking out there and I actually looked into the sun , so my eyes had little sparklers for about 20 minutes .
Dionne Malush
So my eyes and I knew it , that I wasn supposed to , but I moved the glasses and I went up and there it was . I'm like , oh no , and I saw all these sparkly sprinkler things in my eyes . So let's talk a little bit about you . Your title as a good people magnet is unique . I've really never heard anyone called that . Can you share the story behind the title and how it reflects your mission in life ?
Sydnee Bagovich
Oh , my goodness , it actually came quite by accident . I was at lunch and talking with people about what I do and somebody said , oh , so you're a good people magnet . I said , oh , I like that . So so when , when I formed people connectors with my business partner , I said that's it . My title is GPM . And you look at a card , you say GPM . Whoa , what's that ? General ?
Dionne Malush
Practice Manager . Yeah right , you just never think good people gain it Like it's so good , I love it so much . So tell me about that , that organization that you've formed because of this .
Sydnee Bagovich
People . Connectors came out of the fact that something that I was doing , a job that I was doing that I loved , went away and I knew it was a void that I needed to fill . And I talked with a whole bunch of people and a whole bunch of people finally distilled down to you know what I'm a connector . I'm a connector by , just by by life . I just who I am and , um , my longtime friend and entrepreneurial partner over the years , cindy Ellick , and I , just I just knew , I knew she was the one , I knew she was the one that I was going to do this with again . I said that's it and I'm tired of it . I'm tired of thinking small and all the little things that we've done . Let's do this , damn it . Let's do something for real , let's do something for good , let's connect for good .
Dionne Malush
So you said something . So this has been the way you've been your entire life .
Sydnee Bagovich
No , no , woven in and out of my entrepreneurial life with Cindy .
Dionne Malush
Yeah , the connecting that you've been doing . Have you been doing that , like , is it just something that's just started as you were older , or have you been a connector I've been a networker for a very long time .
Sydnee Bagovich
I didn't put together the pieces that I'm a connector until I don't know , maybe in the past couple of years Like wait a minute , this is who I am . It just happens , naturally . You know , some people don't know how to connect , don't know how to network , don't know how to meet people . I just do it everywhere , do it grocery store . It just happens .
Dionne Malush
You have such a way about you and it's lovely to see , and you know , through your work with Vitalant , people Connectors , jazzercise and Scout Cellar , you connect people across various platforms for good . Which of these connections has been the most impactful for you personally and why ? Maybe it's hard because there's four great organizations there . So if you had to pick one , though because we're doing this we're picking one .
Sydnee Bagovich
Yeah right .
Dionne Malush
You're going , you're gonna make me yeah , which one is most impactful ?
Sydnee Bagovich
they're all so different . Um , you know , vitality impact , because that's blood , that's saving saving people's lives and and people connectors , good stuff and wine , but you know what jazzercise ? Ah , those are some . I mean , every relationship is special , but I'm getting goosebumps now . I'm a big nerd , but those people are so incredibly motivating to me . I stand up at that stage and I crack myself up , but they're the energy they're , they're why I do that . I just get so much from just seeing them . That's great .
Dionne Malush
Did you leave any ? How about Scout Cellar ? Scout Cellar is a newbie thing for me .
Sydnee Bagovich
It came so naturally . A friend of mine was providing the wine for an event that People Connectors was doing . I tasted it . I said I like this . I bought some . I liked it . I tasted it some more .
Dionne Malush
I liked it some more , tasted it , I said I like this .
Sydnee Bagovich
I bought some , I liked it , I tasted it some more , I liked it some more and I said , hey , do you think I could sell this , kim ? You think , sure , you could sell this . So now I am . But it's kind of taken a backseat because , you know , there's this thing called a full-time job and some other things that I do .
Dionne Malush
I think it's pretty good . It's a great story , so all of them are such great organizations to be a part of . So let's talk about a little bit about how we met , because I think that story is great and because you know how much I love Thinking Very Rich and Napoleon Hill and his principles of success . Then can you explain what that the beginning , look like ?
Sydnee Bagovich
Yes , and you know I love this story . I love it too . I love this story . Years ago I was addicted to the Secret by Rhonda Byrne , addicted . I was listening to it in my Walkman . Okay , that's how long ago it was . Every time I walked I would listen to it . And then I fell away from that and somewhat recently I woke up in the morning and I said that's it , that's it . I have to get back to the secret . I have to get back to that .
Sydnee Bagovich
And that day I went to a lunch and you were the . You were on the panel , you were the first one to speak . I knew your name had never met you . And the panel you were the first one to speak . I knew your name , had never met you . And first thing you say is how many of you have read the secret ? No , kidding , I sat there , probably got goosebumps , and then you said something about being a certified Napoleon Hill and my head could have exploded because years prior , a friend of mine and I tried , we tried to read Napoleon . You know , we tried and we were dedicated and we stopped and we tried again and I hadn't heard anything about it again until you said that , and I don't know if you remember . I don't know if you're a little frightened , but I came up to you right after that .
Dionne Malush
You were hunting me down . I remember clearly . I loved it , though . It was such a great reason for you to be told you we wanted to meet . So , yeah , go ahead . Finish the story .
Sydnee Bagovich
And then we met and we had lunch and I think we both were amazed at the number of parallels that were in our lives and how we just connected . And there at lunch , what did you do ? You gave me a copy of Think and Grow Rich and I'm like , oh my God , I don't know if I can read this book . And you invited me to your mastermind and I've been actively involved . And what are we on our third , third book , now going on our fourth ? Um , yeah , and , and it's just been so , we really this really are going on our fourth book
I forgot that we had that other one in the science of person , that other one in the middle . Oh , it's so good too . They're all just amazing , and what a help it is to do this once a week , right ? Yep , yeah , I know , when we don't have a week like we barely miss . But if if we do that two week gap is so long and , to be honest with you , I used to do thinking garbage once a month and we meet in person , which I loved , it was great and I saw amazing things happen to people in their lives .
Dionne Malush
But doing this every week has really shifted it for me . I can feel any time that I feel like I'm getting drained or mentally exhausted , which happens when you're busy . Right , we have a lot in our lives . I know you do and you know as well I do so it's the pick-me-up . It's the pick-me-up that we need on Tuesdays at 8 o'clock at night . Who has Zooms at Tuesdays at 8 o'clock at night , but us ? Right , and it's hard . Everyone's tired , it's been a long day and so I love that . I'm glad that you're involved in it . I'm so glad that you're on the call with me , so let's get into the point of the call , which is can you share a challenging moment or adversity you faced in your journey of your life , making connections and how you overcame it ?
Sydnee Bagovich
I don't know , dionne , and I thought about this a lot because I know that's the purpose of your call , but I just couldn't make the connections because , yeah , everybody has adversity and I told you I wasn't sure , geez , do I go the route of the family and that stuff ? And all right , I'll go there for a minute .
Dionne Malush
I mean , why not ? Because families have things right , yeah , yeah and and you direct me .
Sydnee Bagovich
Um , but um , I'm the oldest of five , right , and the youngest . My brother was the only boy . In the 1999 , on his 26th birthday , he didn't wake up , and so you can imagine that that was so incredibly devastating to my family , because everybody doted on Justin . Everybody , every family , like every holiday . He'd be getting ready to leave and he'd have his coat on . Wait , wait , wait . We got to get pictures . We gotta get pictures . Circle around Justin . He'd have his coat on , but , um , uh , that happened . And then , five years later , my sister , stephanie , developed melanoma and a year later she was gone . And then , seven years later , my dad was gone and , and you know , people say life is short and you have to appreciate and I don't know if I ever did , I just I don't know if it ever really hit me the impact of all of that . Sure , it did , sure , absolutely it did , but sometimes I feel like , did I learn anything from that ?
Dionne Malush
Did I grow from that ? I don't know , I don't't know . I'm sure that you did , and that is so much . I it's , it's just too much . You know , he was so young , I mean , it's just like a baby and I , I don't know if you know this , but we , uh , jason's nephew , he I think he was 26 as well he was on a quad and got hit by a Mack truck and literally instantaneously he died .
Dionne Malush
And I remember the moment that Jason's stepdad called us to say that Levi's gone , and we're like what Couldn't possibly be like . He was like , he's just young , he has his whole life , you know . And so I feel that , not because it was my sibling , but it was because our nephew , and it was hard , it was so shocking and every day you just couldn't believe that he was never going to get married , he was never going to , you know , enjoy his children or get to be a father , grandfather , any of that . So there's a lot of emotion that goes with a young person . But I think what some people don't understand is there's a lot that goes with an old person dying too , and they've been with you your entire life , right . So the suddenness of someone dying young , but to the length of someone being in your life , your whole life , for every minute , whether you're 50 or 60 or 70 , and you still have your parents or your grandparents . Oh my gosh , it hurts so bad . So you have to learn from it . I mean , look who you are today . All of that goodness comes from the bad , and there are some people I do a lot of reading and studying and there's a lot of people that will say that people sometimes look forward to the bad because they know on the other side of it is something amazing . So it's not that they're sitting there waiting like , well , I can't wait for a bad thing , but when they notice it's bad and they know it's something that's harder to get through , they do realize the goodness is coming . So for you , you're an amazing human being , and so to think that it didn't affect you or didn't change you , it it had to , because look who you are today . Thank you , you're welcome .
Dionne Malush
So life is hard and I think it's getting harder . I know that it wouldn't be so hard once you're dealt with things in your life as you were , you know , growing up , I think it's just you . It affects you differently at all ages and all people and men are different than women . I think it's just . It affects you differently at all ages and all people and men are different than women , and it's just different . There's all kinds of differences . But so we've been highlighting stories of success and resilience and I wonder , like with you , what are you most resilient about ? Is it jazzercise , like you're really dedicated to that and you push through ? Is it ? What is it about you that makes you resilient ? Oh geez , is it the people you hang around with ?
Sydnee Bagovich
I I say this so many times that , but it's so true . I am so incredibly fortunate to be surrounded by so many good people . That's what gets me through the stuff my people , my people . And I'm very fortunate to have many different circles of people , like I have my local friends , I have my jazzercise friends , I have my friends from other work , I have my network friends . I have a number of circles of friends and I love when I can bring them together and and they make I just did this on Saturday they make connections and then when I see them again they're oh my God , how are you ? I haven't seen you . Those are friendships . That's the for good right , that's the for good for life , for long term . Some of these people have known each other for so long and it just warms my heart that I connected them . They're friends now . They're not just connections , they're friends .
Dionne Malush
That gives me so much joy and I think that that is my support , that is my strength , that is my foundation , right , your foundation , and you said something about long-term connections and share with me a connection that's been a long one in your life , like do you have a best friend from high school college ? Do you have a friend ? That's because for me it's it's not like that , like my . It's very seasonal to be in my life and it's it's kind good , but it's also kind of sad , right , because it's like the long-term people aren't really involved in my life and it's kind of weird . So is there someone in your life that's been there for a while ?
Sydnee Bagovich
Oh yeah , I'm finding it a hard time picking one , pick two . Well , you know , I have two really really , really good friends from high school . Now , cindy , my business partner , is one of them . She and I met in high school .
Dionne Malush
You did . I didn't know that . That's cool .
Sydnee Bagovich
She's really . Yeah , we met in high school and , just like I do this intersection because she was busy in Florida working there she came back , we got together , we did , we did whirlwind events , we did , we did whirlwind events , we did wine . Now I'm doing wine again . He is one of the most trustworthy , dependable , loyal , true hearts that you will find . She , she's an incredible Um so of course , she's my business partner . The second one who comes to mind is my friend , Jan from high school . She and I worked at King's restaurant in high school . So many silly memories and and and you know , she went to school and I went to school and our we separated , came back and when we see each other , it's like we've not been apart and she's somebody I can say anything to and she's a very different life . She has four children I have none and but yet there's so much that we share and have in common that it's like we haven't been apart have in common that it's like we haven't been apart .
Dionne Malush
So if someone said to you , like how do you nurture and maintain meaningful relationships ? What do you do to make them last so long ?
Sydnee Bagovich
I mean that's , those are pretty long relationships I , I don't know , I just I don't know .
Dionne Malush
I a lot . Do you spend time together ? Do you talk on the phone a lot ? Do you spend time together ? You , just when you see each other , it's just like you never left .
Sydnee Bagovich
Yeah , it's like we , we've not been apart , but um , we , we do stay connected . Like I'll just out of the blue , think of somebody and send them a text how are you doing , I've been thinking about you , or , um , I or I do a lot of social stuff . I'll plan brunches or happy hours or whatever , and I like to bring my people together . But really it's just so simple as that , connecting over something like that .
Dionne Malush
What's your favorite thing to ?
Sydnee Bagovich
do , who doesn't ?
Dionne Malush
love brunch . Yeah , I mean , who doesn't love to eat , right ? What's your favorite thing to do ? Who doesn't love brunch ? Yeah , I mean , who doesn't love to eat ? Right ? What's your favorite thing to do ?
Sydnee Bagovich
oh my goodness , oh my goodness hobby well , my life has changed a whole lot , but um , um , jeez , I love Jazzercise . I do , I could smell it .
Dionne Malush
I would love it too . It sounds like it's a lot of fun .
Sydnee Bagovich
You know , dionne , I think I might have told you this , but when I get up on that stage , it's not like I'm teaching , it's like we're having fun , and I just happen to be up on stage with a microphone .
Dionne Malush
I mean , you seriously made exercise fun . The whole idea of jazzercise is fun .
Sydnee Bagovich
I tell people who come to my class for the first time I said my job is to stand up on stage and crack myself up , and I'm very good at my job .
Dionne Malush
That's so great . So if there's anything that you want to say to people that are listening today about connecting and how much that has meant to you in your life , what kind of ? What's our last piece of advice ?
Sydnee Bagovich
I don't know advice I . I love people connectors because our tagline is we're good people connecting good people for good . And we're having a little bit of a hard time getting off the ground because , um , we both underestimated , grossly underestimated the impact of having a full-time job on building a business . But here's something I learned , Dion , from one of our sessions when you believe in something in your heart , you know , you know that it's right , it's the right thing to do , regardless of what kind of comments you get from people , what kind of pushback you get from people , what kind of negativity you get from people , whatever else . You know in your heart that it's the right thing to do . Keep doing it , Keep doing it . And that's hard for me because I want it now and it's taking far longer than I wanted it to or expected it to . But I believe in my heart that what Cindy and I are doing is right and good and needed . We're sincere and authentic and we're doing something good .
Dionne Malush
You surely are something good you surely are . So having a conversation about Sydney and her journey through the power of connections and the magnetic pull of good energy was great . I'm glad that you were able to get over your fear of getting and you helped me . Thank you . I know I always try to help and it's very clear that making the world a better place starts with one good connection at a time
. So if you're inspired to learn more about Cindy's work and want to become a part of this incredible network of good people , how can our listeners reach out to you or get involved so we can help you ?
Sydnee Bagovich
build it . Okay ? Well , people Connectors we have a website , we're on Facebook and we're on LinkedIn at People Connectors , usa Jazzercise . You're going to have to email me personally about that , but we're at Jazzercise in Carnegie . I'm on LinkedIn , I'm on Facebook . Sydnee Bagovich and my geez . You can reach me at sydneebagovich@ gmailcom .
Dionne Malush
So easy with the Gmail . Everyone has their name at Gmail , which is great . So also , don't forget , you can connect with us on all of our social media channels to share your stories of connections and success . We love hearing from you and building our own community of good people . Until next time , keep shining and stay connected .
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