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Mike Ganino: A NICU baby in Mexico during a pandemic = grit and resilience


Mike Ganino on the Finding Fertile Ground podcast

This week on the Finding Fertile Ground podcast, I interview Mike Ganino, a storytelling and communication expert, podcaster, and public speaking coach. He’s also husband to Phil and dad to Viviana, who was born at 29 weeks gestation in Mexico during the first stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mike Ganino with his husband Phil and daughter Viviana
Mike (right) with his husband Phil and daughter Viviana

I loved hearing Mike’s life story, starting with growing up poor and getting diagnosed with diabetes as a kid. He also shared about coming out as gay in college and finding what he was meant to do in the world. And as a preemie mom myself, I was fascinated to hear Mike’s story about being a NICU parent in another country and during a pandemic. We also talked about how he found his own fertile ground after many different careers and the challenges and rewards of being entrepreneurs.


Mike Ganino on the Finding Fertile Ground podcast

Mike hosts the Mike Drop Moment podcast and is a published author. He has been named a Top 10 Public Speaking Coach by Yahoo Finance, a Top 30 Speaker by Global Guru, and California’s Best Speaking and Communication Coach by Corporate Vision. He’s a trained actor and coach from the world-famous Second City, Improv Olympics, and Upright Citizen’s Brigade. In addition to his track record as an executive in the hotel, restaurant, retail, and tech industries, Mike’s worked with organizations like the Disney, American Century Investments, American Marketing Association, and UCLA. Check out Mike’s beautiful new website and his free masterclass.


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Marie Gettel-Gilmartin, founder and principal of Fertile Ground Communications LLC, is a writer and marketing communications consultant who loves to take the pain and stress out of writing for her clients. She specializes in making the complex clear, using dynamic, accessible language to explain and communicate important issues. She positions her clients as experts in their fields and helps them communicate about pressing issues. Writing communications that boost employee engagement and thought leadership, she also coaches leaders and executives on how to strengthen communications and leadership. She loves to connect people and resources or solve seemingly impossible problems.


As a podcaster for justice, I stand with my sisters from the Women of Color Podcasters Community. We are podcasters united to condemn the tragic murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor and many others at the hands of police.


Fertile Ground Communications LLC is a certified women-owned business enterprise, disadvantaged business enterprise, and emerging small business.

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