Shep Gordon Part 2: The Power of Mentorship for Personal Fulfillment

Shep Gordon, legendary talent manager of multiple household names from Alice Cooper to Luther Vandross, isn’t actually passionate about music. Despite having managed Alice since 1968, what drives Shep isn’t money, but of being of service to others. 

In this part two episode of Into The Magic Shop, Shep recalls meeting the Dalai Lama for the first time: 

“We went to see his holiness, I got backstage, and I'll never forget the door opened and he walked in the room and I felt like I had taken the best shower of my life. Like I'd never been that clean ever in my whole life.”

What makes a life is caring for others, says Shep, being of service, being non-judgemental, and forgiving. That’s the source of real happiness. And the happiest people, says Shep, have a mentor. For Shep, his mentor was the pioneering chef of Nouveau Cuisine, Roger Vergé; a man Shep credits for changing his life. 

“I think everyone has something to offer to another person. And that's the message at the end of our conversation; everybody has the capacity to be a mentor. It's something you can do. And while it will take time, the joy you receive from that is extraordinarily profound.”

On today’s podcast:

• Why he doesn’t need a contract with Alice Cooper
• How Roger Vergé changed his life  
• Meeting the Dalai Lama
• The power of mentorship

What is Into the Magic Shop?

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, many were overwhelmed with stress, anxiety and depression. While this epidemic of stress has been growing over the past decade, it has been exacerbated by the pandemic and the divisive nature of political discourse. As a result, many people feel disconnected, inauthentic, and unhappy, while questioning the source of their unhappiness when they presumably have “everything”—an absence of compassion, for oneself and others, is often the source of the problem.

Many of us don’t understand the nature of self-compassion nor the power of compassion to improve our lives and alleviate our suffering. By entering the “Magic Shop”, Jim will share his wisdom and introduce a variety of techniques to change the course of one’s life and share his own lessons learned through the exchange of untold stories of his guests. He will interview authors and experts in the fields of philosophy, psychology, neuroscience, spirituality and religion, as well as individuals with unique points of view. He will also engage his listeners by answering their questions and also at times interview listeners who are willing to share their own stories of challenge and hardship.