About Our CEO, Brett Zandes

At heart, I am a teacher, coach, and troubleshooter.  I can remember my first experience as a trouble shooter when I was in fourth grade.  I had a teacher who was brand new to the profession—we were her first classroom.  I really liked her and wanted to help her out.  So, I offered my two cents on what could be done in the classroom to help the overall culture of the room.  I went through different aspects of our classroom offering my thoughts.  As I reflect on that experience, although she did try a few of my suggestions, I am sure she didn’t appreciate my troubleshooting efforts.  I am grateful that this is less the case now.

As a certificated teacher, I started my career as an instructor for 18 special day middle schoolers.  I know they learned some things from me, but that pales in comparison to what I learned from them.  I learned how to listen, to make sense of not only the spoken words but the meaning behind those words.  I learned that there is value and worth in every human being and we need to embrace our differences.  I also learned that finding happiness and becoming all, you can be matters a great deal.

Leaving my special day class, I became the P.E. instructor (along with two peers) for the entire middle school, over 1,200 pupils.  I’m sure we taught health and wellness, skills for specific sports and the schema for being a competitor.  What I had confirmed for me was the importance of systems thinking and organization.  I practiced setting things up in systemic ways and discovered I was much more efficient and effective.  I was able to apply and enhance those lessons when I became the director of my district’s AmeriCorps program and our Expanded Learning Program at all ten sites.  

 I believe there is excellence in everyone, and I am so grateful that each person is unique.  There is an old saying, “If we were all exactly alike, only one of us would be necessary.”  There is room for all of us with our diversity and unique points of view, to become who we are meant to be, and as a result have a positive impact on the human condition.  

When I think about my life, I realize that everything I've done, even as a child, has worked together to bring me to this place in time and work.  Although the people I work with change continually, my message to them is simple: "apply systems thinking and understanding to your personal and professional life, and your goals will become achievable, and you will unleash the amazing power of you.”

I have developed three systems-the Holistic System which addresses five aspects of wellbeing:  Spiritual-Religious, Physical- Health, Family-Friends, Personal-Social and Career-Material.  The second system, the Individual System provides protocols and strategies for setting goals, developing a positive mindset and achieving your dreams.  The third is a Business System which tailors systems to meet the unique needs of individual business enterprises.  Systems provide folks with a “paint by number” blueprint.  Once the blueprint is understood and applied you aren’t finished—life and your dreams are now intentionally being pursued.  

I have learned the importance of supporting others reach their full potential and know the joy of being a thought partner and coach as folks become incredible individuals, dynamic team members, and inspiring leaders.  I’ve also learned a great deal about investing, crypto currency, and the state of our economy.  This is why I am sharing what I’ve learned through BakoBitCoin.