Today’s guest on the “Phil with Forbes 30” podcast is Austin Martin – CEO of Rhymes With Reason

Forbes List: USA

Year: 2020

Category: Education

San Diego native Austin Martin was not considered the best of students, but he was a bright kid. Ironically he earned the Forbes 30 under 30 award in the education category. Austin is the CEO of Rhymes with Reason (RWR), an online vocabulary and literacy centered learning tool that is powered by a student’s favorite music.

• RWR has been used in more than 100 schools and education programs across the United States. The company and product have been covered by Bloomberg, NPR, EducationPost, HuffingtonPost, and other media outlets.
• In 2019, RWR launched a collaboration with Chance the Rapper’s Social Works and was awarded the 2019 Echoing Green Fellowship.
• Austin’s story centers around his good fortune of meeting Cliff Weitzman (another Forbes 30 under 30 interviewed on our very first episode) when he got involved in social entrepreneurship at Brown University. Austin learned the importance of researching and validating his idea and he shares his unique “light bulb” moment that got him started in developing his concept.
• Austin’s inspiration for his company really comes from a high school passion. He was almost addicted to his love of studying rap music, primarily for the art of the lyrics and appreciation of how those words were conveyed in music.
• Austin believes that studying lyrics provided him with a wider vocabulary. He says, “I had a better grasp of figurative language. I understood all the allusions and references that are made in rap music including pop culture and history.”
• RWR program executes a strategic use of “the world’s most popular and equitable word bank” with popular music to engage young people in academics, and to increase access to vocabulary by presenting vocabulary and English language learning within a context (popular music) that most of the world already understands and enjoys. 

Austin’s approach to education certainly is one of a kind. Enjoy the show and be sure to get his gift listed below.

“Under 30 Seconds Round”

1. What is the book you’ve gifted more often than any other book, and why?

• The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success, Deepak Chopra because of my learning the importance of self-awareness and happiness.

2. What’s one of the best investments and one of the worst investments you’ve ever made and why?

• Best - I bought a domain name, created a website and just went to work.
• Worst - Even if you make a mistake you always learn something.

3. What’s the most impactful thing you do in your Morning routine and most impactful thing you do in your Evening routine?

• AM - I get outside and run or walk to wake up my mind.
• PM - I plan out specific objectives for the next day.

4. Pretend you won the Peter Thiel Fellowship and you were going to get money to start a business instead of going to college, what’s the very first thing you’d do to start a new business?

• I’d make sure I’d do an inventory on myself and know that the business I am starting is one I believe in and care about. Then I would hire developers and start the marketing plan.

5. What’s something you never knew you needed?

• I’m slowing down because taking a couple of steps back is really taking a couple of steps forward.

GUEST INFO: Austin Martin – CEO of Rhymes With Reason

• CONTACT: On Instagram @rhymeswithreason and @life.withreason
• WEBSITE: http://www.rhymeswithreason.com/
• COUPON CODE DISCOUNT: rhymeswithreason.com/covid-19 and use code "PHIL"

HOST INFO: Phil Michaels

• SOCIAL: @iamphilmichaels
• YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/philmichaels
• PODCAST WEBSITE: www.philwithforbes30.com
• PHIL’s WEBSITE: www.iamphilmichaels.com

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