December 17, 2025 • 20 mins
A blueprint for kinder leadership and sharper communication, told through the journey of speaker and author Annie Meehan. We sit down with Annie, a Certified Speaking Professional, to unpack how she transformed a personal story into actionable strategy that audiences can use right away—especially when attention is short and expectations are high. From weathering the loss of 110 bookings in 2020 to finding a new home on Fort Myers Beach, Annie shares how her “why” kept her moving: words change choices, shift mindsets, and heal.
What stands out is Annie’s “pineapple person” principle—stand up straight, wear a crown, be sweet on the inside. It’s a memorable framework for modern life where civility feels scarce and online shade travels fast. We talk about essential skills like eye contact, presence, and sincere compliments, the kind that lift strangers and rebuild trust. Annie explains how professional speakers can turn stories into strategy, give tangible tools in less time, and serve audiences who crave both inspiration and practical steps. We also explore human connection in an AI world—why a live keynote still sets the tone for culture, engagement, and belonging.
Wrapped in the rhythm of island life—daily beach walks, local music, and bike rides—this conversation offers a calm, actionable reset. You’ll learn how to turn your experience into frameworks that stick, how to choose curiosity over conflict, and how small kindnesses can create big change at work and at home. Want more from Annie? Find her books, videos, and coaching by searching her name across web and social.
If this episode brought you sunshine, tap follow, share it with a friend who loves good vibes and practical wisdom, and leave a review to help other good neighbors find us. Then tell us: what will your next small act of kindness be?
Annie Meehan
(952) 994-8356
annie@anniemeehan.com
anniemeehan.com
Ft Myers Beach-Good Neighbor
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Intro/Close (00:00):
Welcome to 45 feet podcast.
No change, just on five,following, of course.
Four fire speed.
Lights of paradise.
(00:23):
Here's the good neighbors andbusinesses that allow us to
solve our computer at firstlocal storage on divide of
island life.
Here's the celebrating all themixed Fort Fire Speech.
Lights of Paradise we all love.
Full of a beach chair, grab adrink, make this island feel
like home.
Here's your host, Cabo JimSchaller.
SPEAKER_01 (00:42):
Welcome, good neighbors.
Today we have good neighborAnnie Meehan, a certified
speaking professional.
Wow, I better watch what I say,I guess, right?
Or I'll say it.
SPEAKER_02 (00:52):
No judgment, no shade.
SPEAKER_01 (00:55):
All right, okay.
All right.
Well, thank you for that.
And you're a coach, you do a lotof different things.
So let's jump right into it.
Why don't you share a little bitwith our listeners first about
what you do?
SPEAKER_02 (01:05):
Yeah, so I'm a professional speaker, and what
that the difference between apublic speaker and professional
is professionals get paid tospeak.
So I have been doing this for 14years.
I speak 50 plus times a year allover the world.
I've written 11 books and Icoach and consult with
individuals and organizations tohelp them have more sunshine and
less shade in their life.
SPEAKER_01 (01:26):
I love it.
I love it.
So how did you get involved inall that to start with?
SPEAKER_02 (01:30):
Um, I started in the financial world.
So I grew up in the financialworld nine years, five
promotions, stayed home with ourthree kids for a couple of
years.
Then I bought my first gym in asmall town, a bigger gym a year
later.
I built in a big city.
And people kept asking me, Howare you so positive?
I want to be like you.
I want to be like you.
And I started speaking the faithcommunity, then the finance, and
(01:52):
then corporations andorganizations just kept sharing
my name.
And now I speak for a largedifferent audiences and
different topics.
But I love hospitality and Ilove the symbol of pineapples to
teach people how to be apineapple person, which is sweet
in a sometimes prickly world.
So I get to do lots of coolthings.
SPEAKER_01 (02:10):
I love that.
I love that.
And so running a business aboutthat, you found your passion,
number one.
You know, that's important.
You gotta follow your passion,and you know, sometimes it leads
you to somewhere you didn't eventhink about, but you got to
follow it, and you're doingthat.
And I love that about you.
But uh creating a business outof that, what type of challenges
(02:31):
did you come across?
You know, hey, I've got an idea,I know I'm good at this.
What do I do next?
Kind of scenario.
SPEAKER_02 (02:37):
That's a great question, Jim.
A lot of people think they wantto be speakers because they have
a good story, but a story peoplemight listen, but they won't
pay.
You've got to figure out how totake your story and put it into
strategy so that it's somethingfor the audience, not just for
you.
Um, and yes, definitely, Jim,super challenging.
In 2020, I lost 110 speakingengagements.
(02:59):
I thought it was a fluke thatwas gonna go away, but it
didn't.
And it gave me the opportunityto fulfill another passion, and
that was to come explore FortMyers Beach and consider living
here.
But um in the face of adversity,I remember my why.
Like my, I think words arepowerful.
My written and spoken words helppeople heal, help people make
better choices, shift theirmindset, shift their leadership.
(03:21):
And the reward of the hard workis that the difference it makes.
But the challenge of rejectionor people just wanting to listen
to you but not pay you isongoing.
I've been doing this a long timeand it still comes up, those
challenges.
So I think the passion behindit, like I love my work, but
more importantly than me lovingmy work, I love the impact that
(03:42):
it's been able to make onpeople's lives.
And people say, You changed mylife, you heal my life.
And I always say thank you.
And I don't have that muchpower, but I do have the power
to invite them to make thechanges they need to make so
they can live an extraordinarylife.
So I think the reward of theresult keeps me going.
Even if I quit some nightsbecause I'm so tired, I get up
(04:02):
in the morning and go, allright, I'm ready to start again.
So yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (04:06):
And and the crazy part is you never know how many
people or who you're touching.
Because I get at it a lot withme sometimes with my posts or
things that I do.
People are like, I didn't evenknow you found me, I didn't even
know you liked me, but they'rethey come up to me and say,
Thank you for posting what youdo, thank you for doing what you
do.
And I'm like, I, you know,wasn't even aware I touched you,
but uh you appreciate it.
SPEAKER_02 (04:28):
I love that total, 100%, especially with my books.
Well, I don't always know myaudiences either.
I have about 50,000 connectionson social media, and people
often ask me, How do you knowthis person?
And a lot of times they were inmy audience and they followed
me, but I don't actually knowthem, but they feel like they
know me.
But with my books, I don't evenknow who orders them or where
they go a lot of times.
(04:49):
And people will write me aletter and say, Four years ago,
I read your book, it changed mywhole life.
I quit my job, I started abusiness.
I and you're just like, Wow, howcool is that that we get to be a
positive influence in a world.
So it's a beautiful thing,right?
SPEAKER_01 (05:02):
And help people follow their passions, right?
Absolutely.
So talking about passions, youmentioned you weren't from here
originally.
Where are you from originally?
SPEAKER_02 (05:12):
It's a complicated question for me.
I was born in San Francisco,then I lived in Illinois, and
then I moved to Minnesota.
By the time I was 18, I hadmoved 83 times.
Minnesota is where I lived themajority of my life and where we
raised our three kids.
But every spring we came toSouthwest Florida, whether it
was Fort Myers Beach, FortMyers, Naples, Bonita, we came
(05:33):
for 30 years and I dreamedsomeday I'm gonna live here,
someday I'm gonna live here.
And so um we moved fromMinnesota where we raised our
three kids and where they stilllive to Fort Myers Beach, and
we're blessed to have them comevisit us here.
And I still do about 40% of mywork in Minnesota, so I'm back
there a lot, but I do not missthe snow and cold.
I love looking out at thesunshine and the beach.
SPEAKER_01 (05:55):
So I exactly mess, especially when it's minus two
up there right now, and you'rekind of like, well, it's 80 down
here.
I'm okay with that, right?
Exactly.
Snow shovel, we don't need oneof those.
What's that all about?
SPEAKER_02 (06:08):
We went for Thanksgiving to Minnesota and
they said it was the coldestMinnesota in Thanksgiving in 11
years.
I was like, oh, what are wedoing here?
SPEAKER_01 (06:15):
So you know, when I was born in Wisconsin, grew up
in Illinois, I did live inMinnesota for a year and a half,
so I understand the coldwinters.
It would it would get so cold upthere that the snow wouldn't
melt and it would just getrutted on the road because it
could plow it ice or salt on it.
It just was crazy.
I'm like, that's too cold.
I like my drinks cold, butthat's about it.
SPEAKER_02 (06:37):
That's right.
SPEAKER_01 (06:39):
So be doing what you're doing, do you see certain
things maybe trending orevolving in your industry?
SPEAKER_02 (06:49):
Sure.
Lots of things.
The first thing that comes tomind, Jim, is that I think we've
lost sight of kindness and kindof how you say Shansign and No
Shade, we decide Jim's differentthan me.
I don't like him.
And therefore, because I don'tlike him, I don't have to be
nice to him.
And then I can't work with him,and then I'm gonna quit my job.
And one thing in my industry isI get to help people shift that.
(07:11):
Like, what if we could bedifferent and still be civil?
We kind of have this, like,people are waiting to be
offended or to be mad or to notlike you.
And as a speaker, it's a prettyvulnerable position to take the
front of the room and you haveto have a level of confidence to
do it.
But for me, being able to showpeople what if instead of
judging that person and they'redifferent than you or you don't
(07:33):
like them, what if you arecurious about why they think the
way they do, what they believe,how they speak, how they do
that.
So a theme has really been morechallenging to expand people's
minds, I think, than when Istarted 15 years ago, because
people used to come hear us towant to learn and expand and be
inspired.
And now sometimes a percentageof the room is waiting to prove
(07:56):
that you're wrong or to provethat you're you're challenged.
And I always say, like, for me,I teach people to be
professional speakers, to taketheir story and put it into
strategy.
And I say, I don't care aboutstanding ovations.
I don't even care if people likeme.
And that has taken me years.
But really, what it is is removethe ego and care about them
liking themselves better, careabout them taking away tangible
tools that they can implementright away.
(08:18):
As a keynote speaker, it used tobe just tell a story, inspire
us, make us feel good.
I think more is expected and ina shorter period of time.
It used to be 60 minutes,inspire us, and now it's 45
minutes, inspire us, educate us,um, give us something, keep our
attention in a noisy, distractedworld full of cell phones.
(08:39):
How do you get people to notlook down, to stay engaged, to
be inspired, to take action andto go out?
So I think expectations higher,but I love that and I love a
challenge.
But there's a lot of threads onthe importance.
Plus, we live in an AI world.
So how do we remind people thatwe need human connection in a
disconnected?
I don't even need you, I canfigure it out myself.
(09:01):
Does a keynote speaker stillhave value?
And the organizations that getit are like, you're amazing, you
set the tone for thisconference.
But some people are like, no,we're not doing that anymore.
We don't have to pay, oreverything's on AI.
I'm like, we still need humanconnection and kindness and
sunshine.
We need all that.
SPEAKER_01 (09:17):
So I don't know if that answered your question, but
no, I I I love that I love thatand I agree.
I mean, so many times nowadays,I mean, customer service is a
whole nother animal, but peopleare so confrontational when they
meet people now.
It's kind of like, why do youfeel that way?
Why don't you feel like me?
And it's like now you've gotthat friction between each other
before you even get to knowsomebody and you're starting
(09:38):
out.
So it's you know, it I alwayssay put yourself in their shoes,
understand why they believe thatway, appreciate that they have a
different opinion, andappreciate just like you want
them to appreciate your opinion,appreciate their opinion.
And hey, we can agree todisagree.
We don't have to like everythingall the same all the time.
SPEAKER_02 (09:59):
I mean, I'm gonna be nice to you, Jim, and you're
from Wisconsin, and we arescared of those green, and I'm
wearing green, but you know, allthe cheese heads, you can still
be friends with cheese heads,even if you're from Minnesota.
So, I mean, that's the thing.
I think civility that just whocares if we're different, like
we can still be friends, and wecan be told.
I have friends, I have such adiverse eclectic group of
(10:20):
friends of all the people thatare drunk every night at the
bar, all the way to the Biblestudy every day, and everything
in between.
And I love that about my life.
All people have stories andsacredness and value.
And if we can keep our mindsopen and curious, we can create
amazing relationships.
So, yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (10:39):
Exactly.
It's I mean, I I same with you.
I I talk with a lot of people ofall different walks of life,
appreciate their their input andtheir value.
But my my tone is I'm not hereto change your opinion, I'm just
here to understand more aboutwhy people think that way, and
maybe in down the line, maybethat changes my view or or
vision or whatever.
But yeah, the more you learn,the more you're power empowered
(11:02):
to become the person you'resupposed to be and decide who
you want to be.
So I love that.
I love that.
So, what is one thing that ourlisteners need to know about I
don't know, what what you do andhow you can help them that maybe
they're not aware of.
SPEAKER_02 (11:20):
I grew up with the learning difference.
Some people would say I wasdisabled, I have dyslexia and
ADHD.
But what happened is everybodythat bet against me became my
inspiration for instead ofhearing you'll never make it, I
heard I dare you.
And so I shifted that in mybrain.
And I also learned somethingabout myself.
I learn in pictures, not words.
(11:41):
And so I want to teach as simpleas possible symbols, and I want
to be memorable, not about me,but about what I'm teaching, so
people can implement it.
And so in 2018, someone calledme a pineapple person.
I didn't know what it meant, andthen they taught me the poem,
how to be a pineapple person,stand up straight, wear a crown,
be sweet on the inside.
And it was cute.
But I believe, Cabo, thateverybody has a story behind
(12:04):
their story.
And I asked myself, how can Itake this poem and turn it into
a principle?
What's the story behind it?
And people remember pineapples.
They don't always remember me,but they remember pineapples.
And the pineapple says stand upstraight.
And I think, I honestly think ifI only spent the rest of my life
teaching the world to stand upstraight, take out your
headphones, put down your phone,and actually look people in the
(12:26):
eye, actually see people.
We've lost what used to becalled soft skills, I say are
essential.
How do we look at people andactually see them, be present,
be focused and look them in theeye and make them feel seen?
The second one is wear a crown.
So the crown could be like egoor royalty, but really to me,
(12:46):
the crown is value.
When we value ourselves, we getup, we drink water, we take a
walk, we do something, but thenwe value other people.
We look at them and we thinkthey're valuable, they look
different, they think it doesn'tmatter.
They're valuable and I'mvaluable.
And when we're sweet on theinside, the keyboard kills me
because I think people can sithome and write real mean things
about you.
You and I don't do that, but alot of people do that.
(13:08):
And they like to lay shade andget in fights.
But if we're sweet on theinside, we use our words to
encourage, to inspire, touplift, to see, to compliment,
to value.
Like I spend a lot of time onairplanes.
I request the middle seatbecause I can make two friends.
If I bug one, I got anotheroption.
I compliment people as I walkthrough the airport.
(13:29):
I look for earrings I like, or Ilook for an outfit and I just
say, you, that's so cute.
Or like people are almoststartled.
For one thing, they're so turnedin.
And so that's what I want theworld to do.
Think about a pineapple, it's aneasy symbol and use it to remind
you to stand up and actually seepeople.
People are so lonely.
Value yourself.
And if we don't value ourselves,it's hard to value others and be
(13:50):
sweet on the inside.
Use your words to spreadkindness, encouragement, and
love in the world.
So that's kind of my like, Iteach on a lot of different
things as I've written 11 books.
I get requested to speak ondifferent books.
But if people remember just onething about me, it is to be a
pineapple person to themselvesfirst so that they can be it to
other people in the world.
SPEAKER_01 (14:10):
And I think you bring up a good point too about
complimenting people because thesecond you compliment somebody,
what happens?
It puts a smile on their face.
I mean, you you've seen the wayI dress, you know.
Uh, you know, I got my my funkypants and you know, colors, and
people remember me that way.
But it's it's so interestingbecause so many people will walk
up to me and say, I love yourpants.
(14:32):
And you know, I said, I did Iput a smile on your face?
And I said, You absolutely did,and that's what it's all about,
you know.
Um, it's come to the point nowthat if I don't wear right
clothes, people are like, Areyou okay today?
Are you feeling okay?
SPEAKER_02 (14:46):
I'm like, I'm fine, I'm fine.
I know the same way.
And think about this when wecompliment someone, not only
does it make that person feelgood, it makes us feel good.
It's nice to be nice, it's funto be kind, it's fun to do
random acts of kindness, like itis just it's just joy.
So, yeah, I love it.
SPEAKER_01 (15:03):
Because, yeah, you as a person who doesn't like
getting a compliment, right?
Absolutely, right.
End of the shade, we that's whywe do it.
So, um, what else do I need totalk to you about?
I I I guess, all right, I'mgonna back up for a minute.
I should ask you this before,but being from Minnesota and
living down here in SouthwestFlorida, I know you got a very
(15:24):
busy schedule, but when you geta moment of free time, what do
you enjoy doing down here inSouthwest Florida?
SPEAKER_02 (15:29):
Well, every day, every single day, one to three
times I walk the beach.
Uh, a big reason we I love FortMyers Beach, I've loved it for
years and years, but a bigreason we decided to buy here is
that it's a dog-friendly beach.
And I have a little teeny dogthat loves to walk with me.
So, first thing every morning,he bosses me around and we go to
the beach.
Now he lollygags.
So oftentimes I will bring himfor his walk, bring him back,
(15:51):
and then I'll go for a walkmyself.
I love to walk the beach.
I love listening to music at thebeach bar.
Like that's one of our favoritethings.
My husband and I we try our bestwhen we're not going to the
airport to never get in our car.
We either walk or ride our bikeseverywhere.
I love that that it's sevenmiles of flat and you can walk.
You can ride your bike, there'sthe trolley, not to add to
traffic.
(16:11):
And also just, I love thatFlorida is such an active
community.
We have six pickleball courtshere where we live at Ocean
Harbor.
Um, we live next door to Publix.
We go to Junkinal a lot nextdoor.
Um, but we just love exploringon the beach and we feel like we
both still work, my husband andI.
And so we work full-time fromour home.
But when we look out on ourLanai or sit out there, we see
(16:33):
the water and it's like you'reworking and on vacation every
single day.
So we love the beauty and thenature of Fort Myers Beach, but
we also love the music and thepeople and and the activity.
So we do lots of things, butmore than anything, I walk the
beach.
I I love to walk the beach everymorning and every afternoon.
Um, I tend to be working duringthe middle of the day, but first
(16:55):
thing and last thing, I walk thebeach and watch the sunset and
think about this.
SPEAKER_01 (17:00):
It's very peaceful.
There's something calming aboutwalking the beach and listening
to waves and being involved innature.
But you know, the other side ofit too is you know, this is the
island life.
We're taking we're actually onan island, and it's funny
because there's times during theweek where I'm like, I haven't
been off the island in days now.
And it's like, and you go offand you're like, oh my god, I'm
(17:20):
back into the real world, put meback on the island.
I want I don't want to be outhere.
SPEAKER_02 (17:25):
That's so funny.
I just flew in two days ago fromScottsdale, Arizona, and I had
my final speaking engagement inMichigan, and then I had a
conference in Arizona, and Isaid to my husband, I came home,
and I'm like, I'm not used tobeing around people, like not at
conferences I am, but just thecity, like the streets were all
busy, and there's all I'm like,we're so chilled here.
It's like coming back to thebeach, everything's just relaxed
(17:47):
and more grounded, and there'sso many amazing writers on this
beach.
In fact, at the South End, andthat's books is having a book
signing for all of us localauthors because people come here
to relax and they write booksbecause it's like you're slowed
down and calmed down and youhave this freedom to write.
So there's lots of cool thingshappening.
Um, there's lots of hiddentreasures on Fort Myers Beach.
(18:08):
So it's kind of there we go.
SPEAKER_01 (18:10):
We don't want you to give them all away because we're
people need to come here anddiscover themselves, and we
don't want to get them toocrowded, right?
Like my little beach spot.
I want it to be quiet.
I don't want to be there.
SPEAKER_02 (18:20):
Well, and I live center island, so I have a
fairly quiet area that I live.
People go to publics, but when Igo to the beach, there's always
plenty of space.
You know, I'm not down by TimesSquare in the busy social area,
more I'm in the more quieterarea, so right.
SPEAKER_01 (18:37):
I'm down on the South End, so I think it's even
quieter down there.
It's it's nice because you know,well, some of the condos aren't
open yet, so there's nobodyaround there.
Nobody around bad, good and bad.
But we got that nice beautifulbig bridge down there now that
it's built.
SPEAKER_02 (18:51):
Yeah, we our son's an engineer and he's coming on
Christmas Day, and he I thinkhe's more excited to see the
bridge than us because he buildsbridges and he's kind of seen
the progress.
Like, I want to see the bridge.
And I'm like, You and Dad canwalk over it.
So yeah, there we go.
SPEAKER_01 (19:05):
Perfect, perfect.
So, how would our listeners goabout contact in Europe?
If they wanted to learn more orwanted some of your guidance,
want to pick up one of yourbooks?
SPEAKER_02 (19:13):
Yeah, um, my website, uh everything about me
is Annie Meehan.
So my website's Annie Meehan, myLinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube,
Instagram are all Annie Meehan.
So just Googling my name, Ishould pop up and you should be
able to find great ways toconnect.
My website has a place for youto send me a note.
Um, so whatever, however, I canencourage you and support you, I
(19:35):
try to release a lot of videoson YouTube.
So when people can't afford towork with me, I can still
encourage them.
So I do that.
SPEAKER_01 (19:42):
I love it.
Any last words for listenerstoday?
SPEAKER_02 (19:46):
Please join me in being a pineapple person.
Please join me in seeing otherpeople and valuing yourself and
others, and I'm being sweet onthe inside and using your words
written and spoken to encourageone another.
Merry Christmas.
SPEAKER_01 (20:00):
Perfect.
Annie, it's been a pleasuregetting to know you.
Thank you for being being such agood neighbor here on the beach,
and we'll see you at the beachsoon or junk canoe, right?
Intro/Close (20:08):
Sounds good.
SPEAKER_01 (20:10):
All right.
Thank you.
See you later.
Intro/Close (20:12):
Thanks for tuning in to the Fort Myers Beach Good
Neighbor podcast.
If you loved what you heard,share it with a friend and keep
the good vibes going.
Until next time, remember tocobble until you wobbo and keep
being a good neighbor.
Also, to nominate your favoriteneighbors, local legends,
heroes, or local businesses tobe off the show.
Go to fmbgoodneighbor.com.
That's fmbgoodneighbor.com orcall 2-39-42-74100.
(20:35):
We want to send out some islandlove to air tips from Edward
Jones, State Insurance USA, theTiki Pub Fort Myers Beach, and
Kurt Riders FMB.
They are the good neighbors andbusinesses that allow us to
share the soul of our communitywith every listener, from local
stories to the positive vibe ofisland life.
Here's to celebrating all thatmakes Fort Myers Beach the slice
of paradise we all love.
Welcome to 45 feet podcast.
No change, just on five,following, of course.
Four fire speed.
Lights of paradise.
(00:23):
Here's the good neighbors andbusinesses that allow us to
solve our computer at firstlocal storage on divide of
island life.
Here's the celebrating all themixed Fort Fire Speech.
Lights of Paradise we all love.
Full of a beach chair, grab adrink, make this island feel
like home.
Here's your host, Cabo JimSchaller.
SPEAKER_01 (00:42):
Welcome, good neighbors.
Today we have good neighborAnnie Meehan, a certified
speaking professional.
Wow, I better watch what I say,I guess, right?
Or I'll say it.
SPEAKER_02 (00:52):
No judgment, no shade.
SPEAKER_01 (00:55):
All right, okay.
All right.
Well, thank you for that.
And you're a coach, you do a lotof different things.
So let's jump right into it.
Why don't you share a little bitwith our listeners first about
what you do?
SPEAKER_02 (01:05):
Yeah, so I'm a professional speaker, and what
that the difference between apublic speaker and professional
is professionals get paid tospeak.
So I have been doing this for 14years.
I speak 50 plus times a year allover the world.
I've written 11 books and Icoach and consult with
individuals and organizations tohelp them have more sunshine and
less shade in their life.
SPEAKER_01 (01:26):
I love it.
I love it.
So how did you get involved inall that to start with?
SPEAKER_02 (01:30):
Um, I started in the financial world.
So I grew up in the financialworld nine years, five
promotions, stayed home with ourthree kids for a couple of
years.
Then I bought my first gym in asmall town, a bigger gym a year
later.
I built in a big city.
And people kept asking me, Howare you so positive?
I want to be like you.
I want to be like you.
And I started speaking the faithcommunity, then the finance, and
(01:52):
then corporations andorganizations just kept sharing
my name.
And now I speak for a largedifferent audiences and
different topics.
But I love hospitality and Ilove the symbol of pineapples to
teach people how to be apineapple person, which is sweet
in a sometimes prickly world.
So I get to do lots of coolthings.
SPEAKER_01 (02:10):
I love that.
I love that.
And so running a business aboutthat, you found your passion,
number one.
You know, that's important.
You gotta follow your passion,and you know, sometimes it leads
you to somewhere you didn't eventhink about, but you got to
follow it, and you're doingthat.
And I love that about you.
But uh creating a business outof that, what type of challenges
(02:31):
did you come across?
You know, hey, I've got an idea,I know I'm good at this.
What do I do next?
Kind of scenario.
SPEAKER_02 (02:37):
That's a great question, Jim.
A lot of people think they wantto be speakers because they have
a good story, but a story peoplemight listen, but they won't
pay.
You've got to figure out how totake your story and put it into
strategy so that it's somethingfor the audience, not just for
you.
Um, and yes, definitely, Jim,super challenging.
In 2020, I lost 110 speakingengagements.
(02:59):
I thought it was a fluke thatwas gonna go away, but it
didn't.
And it gave me the opportunityto fulfill another passion, and
that was to come explore FortMyers Beach and consider living
here.
But um in the face of adversity,I remember my why.
Like my, I think words arepowerful.
My written and spoken words helppeople heal, help people make
better choices, shift theirmindset, shift their leadership.
(03:21):
And the reward of the hard workis that the difference it makes.
But the challenge of rejectionor people just wanting to listen
to you but not pay you isongoing.
I've been doing this a long timeand it still comes up, those
challenges.
So I think the passion behindit, like I love my work, but
more importantly than me lovingmy work, I love the impact that
(03:42):
it's been able to make onpeople's lives.
And people say, You changed mylife, you heal my life.
And I always say thank you.
And I don't have that muchpower, but I do have the power
to invite them to make thechanges they need to make so
they can live an extraordinarylife.
So I think the reward of theresult keeps me going.
Even if I quit some nightsbecause I'm so tired, I get up
(04:02):
in the morning and go, allright, I'm ready to start again.
So yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (04:06):
And and the crazy part is you never know how many
people or who you're touching.
Because I get at it a lot withme sometimes with my posts or
things that I do.
People are like, I didn't evenknow you found me, I didn't even
know you liked me, but they'rethey come up to me and say,
Thank you for posting what youdo, thank you for doing what you
do.
And I'm like, I, you know,wasn't even aware I touched you,
but uh you appreciate it.
SPEAKER_02 (04:28):
I love that total, 100%, especially with my books.
Well, I don't always know myaudiences either.
I have about 50,000 connectionson social media, and people
often ask me, How do you knowthis person?
And a lot of times they were inmy audience and they followed
me, but I don't actually knowthem, but they feel like they
know me.
But with my books, I don't evenknow who orders them or where
they go a lot of times.
(04:49):
And people will write me aletter and say, Four years ago,
I read your book, it changed mywhole life.
I quit my job, I started abusiness.
I and you're just like, Wow, howcool is that that we get to be a
positive influence in a world.
So it's a beautiful thing,right?
SPEAKER_01 (05:02):
And help people follow their passions, right?
Absolutely.
So talking about passions, youmentioned you weren't from here
originally.
Where are you from originally?
SPEAKER_02 (05:12):
It's a complicated question for me.
I was born in San Francisco,then I lived in Illinois, and
then I moved to Minnesota.
By the time I was 18, I hadmoved 83 times.
Minnesota is where I lived themajority of my life and where we
raised our three kids.
But every spring we came toSouthwest Florida, whether it
was Fort Myers Beach, FortMyers, Naples, Bonita, we came
(05:33):
for 30 years and I dreamedsomeday I'm gonna live here,
someday I'm gonna live here.
And so um we moved fromMinnesota where we raised our
three kids and where they stilllive to Fort Myers Beach, and
we're blessed to have them comevisit us here.
And I still do about 40% of mywork in Minnesota, so I'm back
there a lot, but I do not missthe snow and cold.
I love looking out at thesunshine and the beach.
SPEAKER_01 (05:55):
So I exactly mess, especially when it's minus two
up there right now, and you'rekind of like, well, it's 80 down
here.
I'm okay with that, right?
Exactly.
Snow shovel, we don't need oneof those.
What's that all about?
SPEAKER_02 (06:08):
We went for Thanksgiving to Minnesota and
they said it was the coldestMinnesota in Thanksgiving in 11
years.
I was like, oh, what are wedoing here?
SPEAKER_01 (06:15):
So you know, when I was born in Wisconsin, grew up
in Illinois, I did live inMinnesota for a year and a half,
so I understand the coldwinters.
It would it would get so cold upthere that the snow wouldn't
melt and it would just getrutted on the road because it
could plow it ice or salt on it.
It just was crazy.
I'm like, that's too cold.
I like my drinks cold, butthat's about it.
SPEAKER_02 (06:37):
That's right.
SPEAKER_01 (06:39):
So be doing what you're doing, do you see certain
things maybe trending orevolving in your industry?
SPEAKER_02 (06:49):
Sure.
Lots of things.
The first thing that comes tomind, Jim, is that I think we've
lost sight of kindness and kindof how you say Shansign and No
Shade, we decide Jim's differentthan me.
I don't like him.
And therefore, because I don'tlike him, I don't have to be
nice to him.
And then I can't work with him,and then I'm gonna quit my job.
And one thing in my industry isI get to help people shift that.
(07:11):
Like, what if we could bedifferent and still be civil?
We kind of have this, like,people are waiting to be
offended or to be mad or to notlike you.
And as a speaker, it's a prettyvulnerable position to take the
front of the room and you haveto have a level of confidence to
do it.
But for me, being able to showpeople what if instead of
judging that person and they'redifferent than you or you don't
(07:33):
like them, what if you arecurious about why they think the
way they do, what they believe,how they speak, how they do
that.
So a theme has really been morechallenging to expand people's
minds, I think, than when Istarted 15 years ago, because
people used to come hear us towant to learn and expand and be
inspired.
And now sometimes a percentageof the room is waiting to prove
(07:56):
that you're wrong or to provethat you're you're challenged.
And I always say, like, for me,I teach people to be
professional speakers, to taketheir story and put it into
strategy.
And I say, I don't care aboutstanding ovations.
I don't even care if people likeme.
And that has taken me years.
But really, what it is is removethe ego and care about them
liking themselves better, careabout them taking away tangible
tools that they can implementright away.
(08:18):
As a keynote speaker, it used tobe just tell a story, inspire
us, make us feel good.
I think more is expected and ina shorter period of time.
It used to be 60 minutes,inspire us, and now it's 45
minutes, inspire us, educate us,um, give us something, keep our
attention in a noisy, distractedworld full of cell phones.
(08:39):
How do you get people to notlook down, to stay engaged, to
be inspired, to take action andto go out?
So I think expectations higher,but I love that and I love a
challenge.
But there's a lot of threads onthe importance.
Plus, we live in an AI world.
So how do we remind people thatwe need human connection in a
disconnected?
I don't even need you, I canfigure it out myself.
(09:01):
Does a keynote speaker stillhave value?
And the organizations that getit are like, you're amazing, you
set the tone for thisconference.
But some people are like, no,we're not doing that anymore.
We don't have to pay, oreverything's on AI.
I'm like, we still need humanconnection and kindness and
sunshine.
We need all that.
SPEAKER_01 (09:17):
So I don't know if that answered your question, but
no, I I I love that I love thatand I agree.
I mean, so many times nowadays,I mean, customer service is a
whole nother animal, but peopleare so confrontational when they
meet people now.
It's kind of like, why do youfeel that way?
Why don't you feel like me?
And it's like now you've gotthat friction between each other
before you even get to knowsomebody and you're starting
(09:38):
out.
So it's you know, it I alwayssay put yourself in their shoes,
understand why they believe thatway, appreciate that they have a
different opinion, andappreciate just like you want
them to appreciate your opinion,appreciate their opinion.
And hey, we can agree todisagree.
We don't have to like everythingall the same all the time.
SPEAKER_02 (09:59):
I mean, I'm gonna be nice to you, Jim, and you're
from Wisconsin, and we arescared of those green, and I'm
wearing green, but you know, allthe cheese heads, you can still
be friends with cheese heads,even if you're from Minnesota.
So, I mean, that's the thing.
I think civility that just whocares if we're different, like
we can still be friends, and wecan be told.
I have friends, I have such adiverse eclectic group of
(10:20):
friends of all the people thatare drunk every night at the
bar, all the way to the Biblestudy every day, and everything
in between.
And I love that about my life.
All people have stories andsacredness and value.
And if we can keep our mindsopen and curious, we can create
amazing relationships.
So, yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (10:39):
Exactly.
It's I mean, I I same with you.
I I talk with a lot of people ofall different walks of life,
appreciate their their input andtheir value.
But my my tone is I'm not hereto change your opinion, I'm just
here to understand more aboutwhy people think that way, and
maybe in down the line, maybethat changes my view or or
vision or whatever.
But yeah, the more you learn,the more you're power empowered
(11:02):
to become the person you'resupposed to be and decide who
you want to be.
So I love that.
I love that.
So, what is one thing that ourlisteners need to know about I
don't know, what what you do andhow you can help them that maybe
they're not aware of.
SPEAKER_02 (11:20):
I grew up with the learning difference.
Some people would say I wasdisabled, I have dyslexia and
ADHD.
But what happened is everybodythat bet against me became my
inspiration for instead ofhearing you'll never make it, I
heard I dare you.
And so I shifted that in mybrain.
And I also learned somethingabout myself.
I learn in pictures, not words.
(11:41):
And so I want to teach as simpleas possible symbols, and I want
to be memorable, not about me,but about what I'm teaching, so
people can implement it.
And so in 2018, someone calledme a pineapple person.
I didn't know what it meant, andthen they taught me the poem,
how to be a pineapple person,stand up straight, wear a crown,
be sweet on the inside.
And it was cute.
But I believe, Cabo, thateverybody has a story behind
(12:04):
their story.
And I asked myself, how can Itake this poem and turn it into
a principle?
What's the story behind it?
And people remember pineapples.
They don't always remember me,but they remember pineapples.
And the pineapple says stand upstraight.
And I think, I honestly think ifI only spent the rest of my life
teaching the world to stand upstraight, take out your
headphones, put down your phone,and actually look people in the
(12:26):
eye, actually see people.
We've lost what used to becalled soft skills, I say are
essential.
How do we look at people andactually see them, be present,
be focused and look them in theeye and make them feel seen?
The second one is wear a crown.
So the crown could be like egoor royalty, but really to me,
(12:46):
the crown is value.
When we value ourselves, we getup, we drink water, we take a
walk, we do something, but thenwe value other people.
We look at them and we thinkthey're valuable, they look
different, they think it doesn'tmatter.
They're valuable and I'mvaluable.
And when we're sweet on theinside, the keyboard kills me
because I think people can sithome and write real mean things
about you.
You and I don't do that, but alot of people do that.
(13:08):
And they like to lay shade andget in fights.
But if we're sweet on theinside, we use our words to
encourage, to inspire, touplift, to see, to compliment,
to value.
Like I spend a lot of time onairplanes.
I request the middle seatbecause I can make two friends.
If I bug one, I got anotheroption.
I compliment people as I walkthrough the airport.
(13:29):
I look for earrings I like, or Ilook for an outfit and I just
say, you, that's so cute.
Or like people are almoststartled.
For one thing, they're so turnedin.
And so that's what I want theworld to do.
Think about a pineapple, it's aneasy symbol and use it to remind
you to stand up and actually seepeople.
People are so lonely.
Value yourself.
And if we don't value ourselves,it's hard to value others and be
(13:50):
sweet on the inside.
Use your words to spreadkindness, encouragement, and
love in the world.
So that's kind of my like, Iteach on a lot of different
things as I've written 11 books.
I get requested to speak ondifferent books.
But if people remember just onething about me, it is to be a
pineapple person to themselvesfirst so that they can be it to
other people in the world.
SPEAKER_01 (14:10):
And I think you bring up a good point too about
complimenting people because thesecond you compliment somebody,
what happens?
It puts a smile on their face.
I mean, you you've seen the wayI dress, you know.
Uh, you know, I got my my funkypants and you know, colors, and
people remember me that way.
But it's it's so interestingbecause so many people will walk
up to me and say, I love yourpants.
(14:32):
And you know, I said, I did Iput a smile on your face?
And I said, You absolutely did,and that's what it's all about,
you know.
Um, it's come to the point nowthat if I don't wear right
clothes, people are like, Areyou okay today?
Are you feeling okay?
SPEAKER_02 (14:46):
I'm like, I'm fine, I'm fine.
I know the same way.
And think about this when wecompliment someone, not only
does it make that person feelgood, it makes us feel good.
It's nice to be nice, it's funto be kind, it's fun to do
random acts of kindness, like itis just it's just joy.
So, yeah, I love it.
SPEAKER_01 (15:03):
Because, yeah, you as a person who doesn't like
getting a compliment, right?
Absolutely, right.
End of the shade, we that's whywe do it.
So, um, what else do I need totalk to you about?
I I I guess, all right, I'mgonna back up for a minute.
I should ask you this before,but being from Minnesota and
living down here in SouthwestFlorida, I know you got a very
(15:24):
busy schedule, but when you geta moment of free time, what do
you enjoy doing down here inSouthwest Florida?
SPEAKER_02 (15:29):
Well, every day, every single day, one to three
times I walk the beach.
Uh, a big reason we I love FortMyers Beach, I've loved it for
years and years, but a bigreason we decided to buy here is
that it's a dog-friendly beach.
And I have a little teeny dogthat loves to walk with me.
So, first thing every morning,he bosses me around and we go to
the beach.
Now he lollygags.
So oftentimes I will bring himfor his walk, bring him back,
(15:51):
and then I'll go for a walkmyself.
I love to walk the beach.
I love listening to music at thebeach bar.
Like that's one of our favoritethings.
My husband and I we try our bestwhen we're not going to the
airport to never get in our car.
We either walk or ride our bikeseverywhere.
I love that that it's sevenmiles of flat and you can walk.
You can ride your bike, there'sthe trolley, not to add to
traffic.
(16:11):
And also just, I love thatFlorida is such an active
community.
We have six pickleball courtshere where we live at Ocean
Harbor.
Um, we live next door to Publix.
We go to Junkinal a lot nextdoor.
Um, but we just love exploringon the beach and we feel like we
both still work, my husband andI.
And so we work full-time fromour home.
But when we look out on ourLanai or sit out there, we see
(16:33):
the water and it's like you'reworking and on vacation every
single day.
So we love the beauty and thenature of Fort Myers Beach, but
we also love the music and thepeople and and the activity.
So we do lots of things, butmore than anything, I walk the
beach.
I I love to walk the beach everymorning and every afternoon.
Um, I tend to be working duringthe middle of the day, but first
(16:55):
thing and last thing, I walk thebeach and watch the sunset and
think about this.
SPEAKER_01 (17:00):
It's very peaceful.
There's something calming aboutwalking the beach and listening
to waves and being involved innature.
But you know, the other side ofit too is you know, this is the
island life.
We're taking we're actually onan island, and it's funny
because there's times during theweek where I'm like, I haven't
been off the island in days now.
And it's like, and you go offand you're like, oh my god, I'm
(17:20):
back into the real world, put meback on the island.
I want I don't want to be outhere.
SPEAKER_02 (17:25):
That's so funny.
I just flew in two days ago fromScottsdale, Arizona, and I had
my final speaking engagement inMichigan, and then I had a
conference in Arizona, and Isaid to my husband, I came home,
and I'm like, I'm not used tobeing around people, like not at
conferences I am, but just thecity, like the streets were all
busy, and there's all I'm like,we're so chilled here.
It's like coming back to thebeach, everything's just relaxed
(17:47):
and more grounded, and there'sso many amazing writers on this
beach.
In fact, at the South End, andthat's books is having a book
signing for all of us localauthors because people come here
to relax and they write booksbecause it's like you're slowed
down and calmed down and youhave this freedom to write.
So there's lots of cool thingshappening.
Um, there's lots of hiddentreasures on Fort Myers Beach.
(18:08):
So it's kind of there we go.
SPEAKER_01 (18:10):
We don't want you to give them all away because we're
people need to come here anddiscover themselves, and we
don't want to get them toocrowded, right?
Like my little beach spot.
I want it to be quiet.
I don't want to be there.
SPEAKER_02 (18:20):
Well, and I live center island, so I have a
fairly quiet area that I live.
People go to publics, but when Igo to the beach, there's always
plenty of space.
You know, I'm not down by TimesSquare in the busy social area,
more I'm in the more quieterarea, so right.
SPEAKER_01 (18:37):
I'm down on the South End, so I think it's even
quieter down there.
It's it's nice because you know,well, some of the condos aren't
open yet, so there's nobodyaround there.
Nobody around bad, good and bad.
But we got that nice beautifulbig bridge down there now that
it's built.
SPEAKER_02 (18:51):
Yeah, we our son's an engineer and he's coming on
Christmas Day, and he I thinkhe's more excited to see the
bridge than us because he buildsbridges and he's kind of seen
the progress.
Like, I want to see the bridge.
And I'm like, You and Dad canwalk over it.
So yeah, there we go.
SPEAKER_01 (19:05):
Perfect, perfect.
So, how would our listeners goabout contact in Europe?
If they wanted to learn more orwanted some of your guidance,
want to pick up one of yourbooks?
SPEAKER_02 (19:13):
Yeah, um, my website, uh everything about me
is Annie Meehan.
So my website's Annie Meehan, myLinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube,
Instagram are all Annie Meehan.
So just Googling my name, Ishould pop up and you should be
able to find great ways toconnect.
My website has a place for youto send me a note.
Um, so whatever, however, I canencourage you and support you, I
(19:35):
try to release a lot of videoson YouTube.
So when people can't afford towork with me, I can still
encourage them.
So I do that.
SPEAKER_01 (19:42):
I love it.
Any last words for listenerstoday?
SPEAKER_02 (19:46):
Please join me in being a pineapple person.
Please join me in seeing otherpeople and valuing yourself and
others, and I'm being sweet onthe inside and using your words
written and spoken to encourageone another.
Merry Christmas.
SPEAKER_01 (20:00):
Perfect.
Annie, it's been a pleasuregetting to know you.
Thank you for being being such agood neighbor here on the beach,
and we'll see you at the beachsoon or junk canoe, right?
Intro/Close (20:08):
Sounds good.
SPEAKER_01 (20:10):
All right.
Thank you.
See you later.
Intro/Close (20:12):
Thanks for tuning in to the Fort Myers Beach Good
Neighbor podcast.
If you loved what you heard,share it with a friend and keep
the good vibes going.
Until next time, remember tocobble until you wobbo and keep
being a good neighbor.
Also, to nominate your favoriteneighbors, local legends,
heroes, or local businesses tobe off the show.
Go to fmbgoodneighbor.com.
That's fmbgoodneighbor.com orcall 2-39-42-74100.
(20:35):
We want to send out some islandlove to air tips from Edward
Jones, State Insurance USA, theTiki Pub Fort Myers Beach, and
Kurt Riders FMB.
They are the good neighbors andbusinesses that allow us to
share the soul of our communitywith every listener, from local
stories to the positive vibe ofisland life.
Here's to celebrating all thatmakes Fort Myers Beach the slice
of paradise we all love.
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