People First Then Profit: Recent Episodes
Don Mamone | Relationship Marketer, Speaker, Educator
Entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart. You’re the first one in, last one out and you do whatever it takes to succeed. Nevertheless, 25 Million Americans have chosen the entrepreneurial life because it's equal parts demanding and fulfilling!
Join hospitality veteran and successful entrepreneur Don Mamone each week as he and his guests discuss and teach you how to develop enduring relationships, reimagine profit and build a brand people love when time is your most precious resource.
Whether you're just now ready to embrace your entrepreneurial spirit, looking for creative solutions to own your market or struggling to survive and thrive this podcast is for you!
It is no secret that I believe in the power of relationship marketing. In fact, most people would tell you that I am down right LOUD and PROUD about it. So, as you can likely imagine, anyone with the word RELATIONSHIP in the title of their business is destined to be a colleague and a friend. I met Christopher on my entrepreneurial journey and his ROR Method is something that every business owner, entrepreneur and career driven professional should know about.
Take-aways from this week's episode are:
-
How relationships are the foundation of your business
-
Why you should start creating these powerful and meaningful relationships in your life and business
-
How the story of when to dig a well and when to plant a tree can help you understand the ROR Method.
Resources:
Set Up Your Coaching Discovery Call
https://mamone.as.me/coachingdiscovery
Find the People First Then Profit Facebook Community Here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/peoplefirstthenprofitHQ/
CONNECT WITH CHRISTOPHER
Connect with Christopher on Facebook
Join his FREE Facebook Group
Enroll in ROR University
Like entrepreneurship, the event and hospitality industry is not for the faint of heart. Take this high stressed, faced paced environment and operate in the entertainment industry container and you will find yourself in a proverbial pressure cooker! It is there that you will routinely find JORDANAH events. I met Stacey when I was the Director of Events at The Beverly Hilton and I was immediately impressed by her capability, commitment and core values. When she left her corporate job and joined Jessica at JORDANAH events I knew that they were destined for event greatness and I am not at all ashamed to say that I was right! Their successful and sought after event planning firm is a major player in the industry and they stopped by the People First Then Profit Podcast to talk about the importance of Core Values and how they have faithfully and effectively serve their clients and team for a good many years.
Takeaways from this week's episode are:
-
The importance of identifying your core values and ensuring they are a part of your company culture.
-
Why "how you do" is equally important as "what you actually do" (maybe more).
-
The importance of the decisions we make regarding how we treat our clients, our team and OURSELVES.
Resources:
Set Up Your Coaching Discovery Call
https://mamone.as.me/coachingdiscovery
Find the People First Then Profit Facebook Community Here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/peoplefirstthenprofitHQ/
- FIND JORDANAH EVENTS -
Web – http://www.JORDANAH.com
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/teamjordanah/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/JordanahEvents
I met Paul quite some time ago through our mutual friend Kathryn Jones and I knew early on (if not immediately) that he was intelligent, dedicate and deeply passionate about his mission and his message. In this week's episode I talk with Paul about a four-letter word. No, not that one. We talked about time and how you can shift your mindset as well as take actionable steps towards accomplishing all the things you want to get done.
Your takeaways from this week's episode are:
“How are most business owners managing their time?”
“Why is time management so difficult for business owners?”
“How do we fix this time management issue?”
Resources:
https://www.instagram.com/paulvanbloem/
www.Timemastersgroup.com/event
Wanna hear about the story about the artist I mentioned in this episode book your Coaching Discovery Call with me here: https://mamone.as.me/coachingdiscovery
From the moment I met and started chatting with Emily I knew that we were aligned, that we would collaborate and that she would make an exceptional guest on the People First Then Profit Podcast. Fortunately for me (and you) she did not disappoint. As a matter of fact she CRUSHED IT.
Emily has been a marketing mentor, brand stylist, website whisperer and SEO wizard for courageous entrepreneurs for the last 20 years. She also co-owns a manufacturing company with her husband and has been homeschooling since 2011. In this week's episode she shares:
-
The origin story behind Tiny Giant Marketing
-
People pay you to solve problems. They buy the end result.
-
Fail as fast a possible so you can find what works.
-
Radical consistency is more important than experience.
-
Her simple and effective "one thing" she recommends for every business owner and entrepreneur.
Resources:
Find Emily on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tinygiantmarketing/
Get Emily's Ultimate Branding Bundle for FREE: https://www.emilyfontes.com/
This week's episode is brought to you by the letter "o" for overachiever! My friend and professional associate Leah was a commercial real estate attorney before she was a New York City based wedding planner and creator of Color pop Events and NOW she is a soon to be best selling author. Her most recent contribution to the wedding industry is the eagerly awaited book, "The Wedding Roller Coaster". This book was written for couples and their family as well as any and every wedding professional out there!
Your take away's from this week's episode are:
-
The inspiration for this book and the title I ALMOST convinced Leah to use.
-
How it will benefit and be a resource to couples and their families.
-
How it can help members of the wedding industry relate to their clients and other event industry professionals.
-
How the contents of the book align with the People First Then Profit rally cry.
Resources
ORDER PAGE: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0578883015?psc=1∣=ATVPDKIKX0DER&ref_=chk_typ_imgToDp
CASH GIVEAWAY*
- Buy a copy of The Wedding Roller Coaster on Amazon before 11:59 p.m. PDT on April 6th.
- Email me (leah@colorpopevents.com) a copy of your receipt, also by 11:59 p.m. PDT on April 6th. Plus, for each copy you buy, you'll get an additional entry to win the $500 prize.
Open to U.S. residents only. Ongoing Professional Perk: If you're a wedding professional, purchase 10 or more paperback copies (and send me a photo of your receipt), and you'll get access to my book club for The Wedding Roller Coaster - a 4-part virtual conversation about the book. Over the 4 weeks, I will give you a more in-depth understanding of what your clients are experiencing emotionally during the wedding planning process and how best to help them navigate through it. Imagine the level of client service you can provide if you meet your clients with empathy, compassion, and an understanding of what they are going through! The first round of the book club starts on April 20th, so the timing of your purchase will determine whether you join the first round or the next. Ongoing Couple's Perk:* If you're getting married, purchase 5 or more paperback copies (and send me a photo of your receipt) and you'll get access to a 90-minute Ask Me Anything webinar about wedding planning. Why would you need 5 copies? Start an engaged friends book club! Gift the book to parents, siblings, or bffs! Anyone involved, even on the periphery, in your wedding planning process will benefit from reading The Wedding Roller Coaster.
The live event industry is rather similar to a champagne bottle that has been shaken but not yet opened. When it pops, it is going to POP OFF. The question is, are you ready? It's game time baby! Which means that getting back into shape, running drills, learning new plays and working on your fundamentals is going to be the key difference between the champions and, well, the others. In my last solo-cast, at least for the time being, I am talking about the second part of my shiny new beacon statement as it relates to the reemergence of the Live Events industry.
Your take-aways from this week's episode are:
-
Understanding what the (4) foundational elements of business are and what that means to you.
-
A mini audit that you can take to see where you are weak and in which areas you may have opportunity to improve.
-
Information regarding my interactive workshop being offered on April 8 to provide you with the knowledge and resources you need to get out of the gate better, smarter and faster than your competition so you can get more than your fair share of that coveted event market.
Interactive Workshop Link: https://mamone.as.me/attractingdreamclients
Say WHAT, another solo-cast? Yep, you heard it right. I have been so inspired by the process of digging deep and creating my brand new beacon statement that I have decided to break it down for the podcast audience and share what each part means to me. Here is the refined version of my beacon statement.
I teach creative entrepreneurs how to revolutionize their business by building unforgettable brands that attract their dream client for life!
Notice I said refined and not final. That is because I doubt it will ever be truly done but rather will be a work in progress (just like us and our brands).
This week I am focused on the opening part of the statement. Creative entrepreneurs. The DJs, Photographers, Videographers, Florists, MUHA, Designers and planners. The struggle is real in these disciplines because of saturated markets and the competitive industry.
In this episode I introduce you to the high-level solutions to these challenges with you branding, marketing, sales and experience creation.
Resources:
You be Lewis and I'll be Clark and let's discover something together. Book your call with me TODAY:
https://mamone.as.me/lightningchat
Welcome to my second-ever solo podcast since the People First Then Profit relaunched in August of 2020. I decided to record this format this week to practice getting outside my comfort zone and to share a valuable experience and important message.
After hearing a bit too often that people loved my enthusiasm, content, messages and rally cries but just did not understand what it is that I actually do, my coaches encouraged me to create a well structured, thorough but succinct BEACON STATEMENT. The process felt a little like childbirth but, much like the analogy, here I am with my new baby that I am going to love, nurture and devote all my care and devotion to.
Your simple call to action this week is to consider clicking on the link below to schedule a discovery call with me to discuss your brand, leads, conversions and how I can help you maximize your profit so you can stop surviving and start thriving. I'll be Lewis & you can be Clark and we can discover something together!
Resources:
Schedule Your Discovery Call | https://mamone.as.me/coachingdiscovery
I first knew him as DJ Alex Nepa but I soon realized that, like most people, what they do is not really reflective of how truly great they are. Yes, he was a GREAT DJ but he's clearly so much more. He is a tremendous business owner, brilliant marketer, a genuine creative and now a fellow podcast host.
Your take-aways from this week's episode are:
-
Maintaining a successful business for over two decades.
-
The importance of creativity in marketing
-
The benefits of feeding a need by starting something that you have always wanted to do with no hope or agenda.
Resources:
Mint DJ Events: mintdjevents.com
Sips & Ish Podcast: sipsandish.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/djalexnepa/
SCHEDULE YOUR DISCOVERY CALL FOR THE BUILD A BETTER BUSINESS COACHING PROGRAM: https://mamone.as.me/coachingdiscovery
Are you sitting down? If not, you may want to because what I am about to tell you may knock you off your feet and it may be better to be knocked out of your chair. I met this week's guest on CLUBHOUSE. Megan is a veteran wedding planner, podcast host and international speaker dedicated to making life easier for her fellow wedding pros. She is also a loud and proud relationship marketer so, as you can imagine, we fast friends.
Today's conversation focuses on how Megan's love for mentoring blossomed from her tumultuous entrepreneurship journey. gs For Real podcast, Megan now offers new wedding planners an easier way to grow their businesses through her education and community membership, The Planner’s Vault.
Your take aways from this week's episode are:
-
Great advice on what to do in the first 5 years of your business.
-
How Megan strategically selected the components of and structured The Planner's Vault.
-
How to overcome feelings of doubt, the inner critic and imposter's syndrome if you want to embark upon a journey like this!
Resources:
Download Megan's EPIC 5 - Day Networking Challenge: https://www.theplannersvault.com/networkingchallenge for free!
You can find Megan online at theplannersvault.com, weddingsforreal.com and asouthernsoiree.com
Automation and Outsourcing saved her sanity. After a life-altering stroke, at the age of 36, she had to start all over again. From a successful MBA in Finance to a second grade IQ level...overnight.
Since her Stroke, she had to learn how to automate and outsource as much as humanly possible. It touches everything she does. Now, Michelle is on a mission to help free people from all the unnecessary tasks they do and will stop at nothing to help them get their freedom back!
Your take aways from this week's episode include:
- How to create systems to automate your business?
- How to you hire a rockstar Virtual Assistant?
- The output and costs associated with outsourcing to a Virtual Assistant.
- The one thing that Michelle recommends you do that will have an immediate impact in your business and life?
Resources:
Download the task discovery list so they know what to automate, delegate or delete: https://awesomeoutsourcing.com/task-discovery
Website: https://awesomeoutsourcing.com/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/AwesomeOutsourcing
LinkedIN: https://linkedin.com/in/michellethompson
Last week Kaci and Jorge joined me to talk all about Clubhouse. Well, I met this week's guest ON Clubhouse and it was immediately obvious to me that she was changing people's lives with her knowledge, experience and perspective.
Ruthie is a US Army combat veteran, wife, and mother of four young children. She helps her clients create emotionally intelligent and authentic marketing content through consulting and her "Unleashing Authenticity" program. In her free time, she loves to play guitar, paint, and take care of her growing homestead!
Your take-aways from this week's exceptional episode with Ruthie are:
-
The most common first feeling people experience when then are on the cusp of expressing authenticity?
-
How to welcome, use and overcome the fear, worry, or trepidation?
-
How to know the difference between authenticity and "over-sharing" so you can share one without the other.
-
The first thing that Ruthie recommends you do to make progress towards unleashing your Radical Authenticity!
Resources:
Ruthie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruthie-bowles/
Ruthie on Clubhouse: @ruthiemarketing
Love it or hate it Clubhouse is here to stay. This revolutionary new social platform has seen massive growth (despite its invite only access and iOS specific app) and for good reason. It is the most authentic and genuine way to interact with your friends, fans and followers with little to no friction. I suspect many of us would welcome this opportunity under the most normal of circumstances so in a world gripped by a once in a century pandemic Clubhouse is more than welcome, it's cherished and adored.
I am joined this week by two of my favorite humans on the planet, Kaci Brown and Jorge Vasquez. As a fellow relationship marketer Kaci and I share a heart, mind and soul and provide each other with considerable strategic ideas and tactical implementation. As a personal development and leadership expert Jorge helps me reflect, audit, align and grow in ways that I have doubted were even possible
Your takeaways from this week's episode are
- The benefits of Clubhouse based on our considerable time on the platform since late November.
- Contrary to some people's opinions, why Clubhouse is a great use of your time (provided invest strategically and intentionally).
- Some of our favorite connections or outcomes tied directly to our presence in Clubhouse.
Resources
On Clubhouse: @donmamone | @kacibrown | @iamjorgevasquez
Our Facebook Clubhouse Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/clubhouseconnect
Impact & Influence Challenge: https://impactandinfluencechallenge.com
Andrea and I met in one of my favorite cities in all the world...New York City. We were in the city documenting an event for a financial services hotel and she was speaking at a WIPA meeting at the legendary JW Marriott Essex House hotel on Central Park South. I was impressed by her presentation, professionalism and you know what they say, if you can make it in NYC you can make it anywhere.
Fast forward just over a year and we are both providing inspiration, motivation and education to our fellow members of the events and hospitality industry as they suffer through the challenging times forced upon us by the pandemic. It only made sense that we chat about her experience, perspective, and business secrets that helped her go from stressed to successful to scalable.
Your helpful take-aways from this week's episode include:
-
The balance between mindfulness and systems and structures in a successful and scalable business.
-
Andrea's secrets for when it is hard to find harmony amongst the insanity! She is even going to share her H.O.S.T concept with you.
-
Andrea shares the one common pitfall many if not most entrepreneurs struggle with as they run their businesses.
Be sure to visit http://www.Peoplefistthenprofit.com for a ton of great content, free resources and links to the People First Then Profit Community
Resources:
Website: https://www.andreafreemanconsulting.com/
FB Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/uplevelcollective
Anastasia is more than just an exceptional hair and makeup artist and even industry professional, she is a close family friend and a truly great person. She is such a close family friend she has known Emily longer than Emily has known me. They met in the fashion and beauty industry, have collaborated on countless projects and we have had the pleasure of working along side her at a good number of weddings and events! To say that we appreciate her is an understatement. We love her.
In this week's episode Anastasia and I discuss the importance of and some specific ways you can become an invaluable member of any team. Your valuable take-aways will be:
-
How to
-
When things do not go as planned what are some ways to create a plan A...B...C and so on.
-
How to ensure the team you create well represents your brand and exceeds the expectations of your most important and valued customers.
Resources:
Visit www.anastasiastrattan.com for more information.
Find her on Instagram at http://www.instagram.com/anastasia_stylist
Leslie's first photographic passion was photojournalism. We are not talking about PJ style here folks, we are talking about the putting your life at risk to tell stories about atrocities and injustices that are taking place all over the world.
As her family grew she realized that she needed to find a way to blend her passion with a paycheck. Believe it or not, putting your life at risk does not pay particularly well. Leslie started second shooting weddings with ZERO intention of opening her own wedding photography business. Well, after seeing her work, her friends and fellow photographers were not about to let that happen. She quickly became the talk of the town and The Reluctant Wedding Photographer. Fast forward to 2020 and Leslie was ready to retire and once again had ZERO intention of picking up her photojournalism career where she left off. As the Black Lives Matter movement mobilized towards the midwest to protest the murder of George Floyd Leslie decided to do the same. Accompanied by her fiercely loyal, loving and dedicated husband she was ready to once again document world events as seen through her camera's lens and her creative vision!
Takeaways from this week's episodes:
-
Leslies is a force to be reckoned with that casually drops into the interview that she was almost killed a few times.
-
How she blended her passion with a paycheck to support her family with a safer and more stable artistic outlet at the intersection of art and commerce.
-
The importance of bringing your whole self to any effort you make so that your brand can be loved, cherished and adored by your audience, fans and clients.
-
How unforeseen events can impact you and your live's path and work.
Resources:
Follow Leslie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lesliespurlock/
View Leslie's work featured in the press by Google searching Leslie Spurlock and Zuma Press
In 2019 Marley Jaxx attended Funnel Hacking Live in Nashville. Like most people that attend Russell Brunson's annual live event she was inspired and motivated by his words and by the words of the speakers that he carefully curates to educate his nearly 5,000 funnel hackers in attendance. It was there and then that Marley pulled out her phone, started recording and "called her shot" by saying that she would be ON THE FHL stage in 2020. We enjoyed watching her prepare in the months leading up to the conference and were honored to be there as presented her game changing content to the crowd. Here are your takeaways from this week's episode:
With all the ways that we can create content and reach out audience and community, why video?
What's the big difference between YouTube and social media sites like Facebook, Instagram etc and what does that mean?
Why people (including Marley's clients) say they are afraid of or hate the camera?
If given the chance what things would Marley do back and do sooner, differently or not at all.
Be sure to visit http://www.Peoplefistthenprofit.com for a ton of great content, free resources and links to the People First Then Profit Community
Resources:
https://www.instagram.com/marleyjaxx/
https://www.youtube.com/marleyjaxx
HAPPY NEW YEAR. I hope that all our faithful listeners had a great holiday season and New Year celebration. We decided to go to this place called "The Living Room". I am sure you've all heard of it because it is a really popular spot these days. There was no cover, the dress was casual and we put the bouncer to bed at 8. All Dad jokes aside welcome to 2021. We are happy to be here with you and we are excited and committed to creating high energy, informative and fun episodes again this year.
Our first guest of the year certainly brings the heat and sets the bar high. Jacqueline is a black belt in karate, an avid CrossFit athlete and 69 years young. She has traveled the world and bring with her a wealth of knowledge and experience helping her audience and clients to find their fearlessness.
In this week's episode we explore:
How Jacqueline defines “fearless”.
How fear impacts the entrepreneurial journey and why Jacqueline believes that many entrepreneurs suffer setbacks and periods of failure.
How, as a blackbelt in Karate, Jacqueline has applied what she learned in the dojo to being fearless and succeeding.
The importance of authenticity in minimizing and mitigating fear at work. Spoiler Alert: Jacqueline calls this “Standing in your own shoes”
Thanks again for joining us in the new year and be sure to visit http://www.Peoplefistthenprofit.com for a ton of great content, free resources and links to the People First Then Profit Community
Resources:
Website | https://thefearlessfactoratwork.com/ FB | https://www.facebook.com/JacquelineWales/ LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacquelinewales/
This week's episode is a bit different than the typical People First Then Profit Podcast conversation. Not long ago an associate of mine, Erica Ross-Krieger presented me with the creative idea to essentially co-host a podcast episode discussing a topic that will resonate with both of our audiences and publish on the same date. Well, December 15, 2020 is that date and this is that episode!
Erica Ross-Krieger, M.A, is a nationally acclaimed Business and Success-Mindset Coach, author of the inspirational book, Seven Sacred Attitudes®—How to Live in the Richness of the Moment, and an EFT (Tapping) Expert. We spend our time together discussing
- Ways that we define intensity and some of our experiences with it
- How intensity affects our relationships and our people
- How internal and external create, are related to and impact intensity
- How mindset and EFT practices can impact intensity
As you get ready to settle in and listen to this informative episode get ready for all of these great take-aways:
- Everyone defines, manages, and thinks about “intensity” differently and it thereby affects us each differently.
- Intensity isn’t inherently positive or negative...it’s up to us to define it, and is also up to us for how we experience it.
- Entrepreneurship provides many “opportunities” to experience intensity.
- It’s worth considering whether we are “addicted” to intensity.
- There are many techniques for managing intensity and stress and learning to stay present in the moment. We need to find the ones that work for us.
Be sure to visit http://www.Peoplefistthenprofit.com for a ton of great content, free resources and links to the People First Then Profit Community
Resources:
Website | http://EricaRossCoach.com
FB Page | https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheECafe
FB Group | https://www.facebook.com/EricaRossCoach
Twitter | https://twitter.com/EricaRossCoach
Erica's Free Resources:
• For the free Entrepreneur’s Wealth Kit containing the free EFT video http://EricaRossCoach.com/Toolkit
• For course outline and upcoming dates of the “10-Day Money Mindset Makeover course”: https://ericarosscoach.com/courses/
Man did I have a great time chatting with Sanger Smith. Clearly some of the important qualities of an effective financial adviser and money manager are protecting and growing funds but they are not the only thing that matters. Sanger is celebrating 10 years with Clearfork Wealth Management, and is a Managing Partner at a firm that manages half a billion dollars. So, he know's about the money side of his business but it was exceedingly refreshing to learn more about how Sanger takes a deep interest in the core values and beliefs of his clients to ensure he can properly advise them on both how to save as well as how to spend their money. In this way, he can ensure they get the most by way of financial return but also quality of life. Key takeaways for this week's episode include * The importance of defining your core values and making decisions (including financial oriented one) in close alignment with those values.
-
Asking about your prospective clients core values, and/or helping them define them, can act as a very effective filter in determining if they are truly a great fit for you and your company.
-
The way that this knowledge can systematize and objectify what, on the surface, can appear to be subjective decisions with many conflicting variables that promoted could be confusing and paralyzing.
-
How much like an individual, each company needs to leverage their leadership team to "crowdsource' their culture and core values to ensure that all the decisions are being made in accordance with those guiding principles.
Be sure to visit http://www.Peoplefistthenprofit.com for a ton of great content, free resources and links to the People First Then Profit Community Resources: Website | clearforkwealth.com LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanger-d-smith-b1690647/ Kolbe Method: https://www.kolbe.com/
This episode could not have aired at a better time. This week, I am joined by Roger Burnett. Roger is the founder of Social Good Promotions, a social enterprise built to teach and deliver purpose-based marketing strategies to businesses of all sizes while also donating marketing services to non-profit organizations in the communities they serve. Self-designated #GOODnessWarriors, soGOOD employees connect commerce with purpose to help companies tell the story of their brand, using promotional marketing campaigns, creating lead generating virtual and in-person events and performing sales & marketing consulting for businesses looking to improve results.
We recorded our episode on the eve of World Kindness day and we are releasing the episode on the heels of the Thanksgiving holiday so it is rather appropriate that our conversation focuses on integrity trust, social good (among other things). Here is your TL;DR take aways from this episode:
- Roger routinely hid from door to door salesmen as a kid so it was no wonder that he came to think of "sales" as a dirty word.
- Sales is about being the expert your audience needs
- Trust has exponential value as your potential clients move along the sales path
- It is critically important to be memorable and for people to remember your story
Be sure to visit http://www.Peoplefistthenprofit.com for a ton of great content, free resources and links to the People First Then Profit Community
Resources
Website: https://socialgoodpromotions.com/
Book: Link to Purchase on Amazon
This week's episode looks quite a bit different than our traditional conversational style. Today is dedicated to GRATITUDE. Largely based on my interview with The Biz Bros and their Content is Profit mantra, I decided that for the month of November I would commit to creating unique content EVERY DAY. (link to that episode below). Given it was November, I initially thought I would post something that I was thankful for each day. Then I realized that I would rather post SOMEONE I was thankful for instead. In that moment the Thankful 4 People First effort was conceived. I have learned so much throughout this process and I still have another week to go. This idea has allowed me to focus on the most important people and the contribution they made to my life and reminded me that it’s not the vanity metrics that matter but rather the impact each post has. In alignment with my People First Then Profit rallying cry here is my challenge to you. Commit to identifying and recognizing these people in your life. Here are your calls to action in ascending order of awesomeness... * Connect with someone by phone, text, email etc to tell them how much you appreciate them and why.
-
Level up by doing something unexpected and thoughtful like send a card or a small gift or gesture of gratitude.
-
Reach Gold star status by making this a consistent habit
Be sure to visit http://www.Peoplefistthenprofit.com for a ton of great content, free resources and links to the People First Then Profit Community Resources: Biz Bros Episode Link | https://donmamone.com/blog/ep-3-10-content-is-profit-with-the-biz-bros/ Website | https://peoplefirstthenprofit.com FB | https://www.facebook.com/donmamoneHQ Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/donmamone/ LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/donmamone/ Twitter | https://twitter.com/donmamone
Spoiler alert, not all entrepreneurs are refugees trying to escape the pain and anguish of the rat race. Many take this huge leap of faith in search of fulfillment and based on a deep desire to serve their audience. Dr. Lindsay Padilla is one such person. (and an academic to boot).
Dr. Lindsay Padilla is the ex-professor-turned-entrepreneur behind On Course Social, the dynamic prompt calendar tool, and Build a Better Beta, an online program that helps experts and educators alike launch their first courses quickly and easily. She is also the CEO and co-founder of Hello Audio, which takes your content and creates private audio feeds to make consumption easier for your people. All of her frameworks were born out of her tenure-track years teaching adults online at a community college, the ridiculous amount of learning she's done in all things education, and the years spent growing her course creation business online.
Lindsay shares her journey and passion to help others curate their content, create their courses and successfully teach their online audience.
Key take-aways from this week's episode:
- It was at her first live event in the entrepreneurial industry that Lindsay first heard "If my students would just finish my course they would absolutely get results". She quickly learned that she could help considerably more people with her education and experience as a coach and course creator.
- Once again a successful entrepreneur reassures us with her journey and achievement that it is rarely an A to B processes. There is a steep learning curve and a trial and error process that is simply a part of entrepreneurship.
- In order for things to CLICK you need to bring your whole self along to include the past knowledge and experiences that brought you to where you are today.
- Take stock in your achievements and accomplishments. EVERYONE has a unique experience that can be distilled into a framework that has value and can be taught. This can be the jumping off point for how you determine your area of expertise and how you can start finding your niche.
- Just as important as overcoming the fear and taking the first step is the need to continuously reevaluate your progress, your business and how you measure success.
- And finally, embrace your inner extrovert and taking LEAPS (not steps) toward Relationship Marketing in your business to find the people that you can serve and can support you in your efforts.
Resources:
Hello Audio: http://Helloaudio.fm
FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/drlindsaypadilla/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsaypadilla/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drlindsaypadilla/
Wealthy Teachers: https://courses.wealthyteachers.com/
Build a Better Beta Course: https://omg.lindsaympadilla.com/bbbinfo
On Course Social: https://omg.lindsaympadilla.com/ocs
OH MAN, this episode is packed full of interesting and insightful information regarding communication strategy, pitfalls and concrete advice on conversational intelligence, the future of communication and how you can side step getting caught in the "Addiction to Being Right" trap.
My guest this week, Jennifer Thornton, has developed her expertise in Talent Strategy & Leadership Professional Development over her exciting 20+ year career as an HR Professional. She’s led international teams to expand into new markets, managing franchise retailers, and developing key strategic partnerships - all while exceeding business objectives and financial results.
The rapid growth of her consulting firm 304 Coaching has been largely due to Jennifer’s unconventional approach to building innovative workforce development solutions for companies who are facing breakthrough growth and accelerated hiring patterns. She is a sought-after business strategist, specializing in start- ups and large value-based organizations. She assists her clients in building talent strategies that complement their business strategies to ensure exponential growth.
Key Take-Aways From This Episode:
-
Did you know that the Addiction to Being Right is just like any other physical addiction? It originates with the introduction of dopamine, the neurotransmitter responsible for pleasure, because we like being right. We continue wanting (and needing) to be right because we like that dopamine hit.
-
What the future of communication looks like and how the various generations in the work force will shape that change.
-
Learn how to create trust and safety in team and other collaborative spaces.
-
The importance of process planning and standard operating procedure creation in your business regardless of team size (or even if it is just you)
Be sure to visit http://www.Peoplefistthenprofit.com for a ton of great content, free resources and links to the People First Then Profit Community
Resources:
https://304coaching.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferrthornton/
Marketing in the digital age has changed the medium and methods that we use to reach our audience but the fundamental principles of marketing persist. This week I have the pleasure of chatting with digital marketing expert Ronan Walsh.
Ronan has been working in Digital Marketing, specifically SEO for close to 10 years and today is hopefully going to help you understand the digital marketing landscape a little better. Starting off as a freelancer helping agencies Ronan saw that many service level agreements weren’t being met and so went out to start his own agency, Digital Trawler in 2018, who specializes in SaaS marketing.
Ronan is also a lecture in Digital Marketing in his home town and loves nothing more than helping others with their marketing
Here are a few key take-aways from my conversation with Ronan:
- The marketing funnel and understanding the various stages of awareness is critical to your success.
- Even in the digital age it is critical to nurture your relationships and carefully curate your marketing messages to each person's level of awareness
- PRO TIP: When creating your online content 1) Write for a human 2) Review like a search engine 3) Finally, poof read it again for a human.
- My mind was blown when this digital marketing expert shared with me that the Google Algorithm is a RELATIONSHIP MARKETER.
- Understand the TOP 3 things that keep your client up at night and create long form content strategy around that!
- Is the marketing flywheel going to replace the marketing funnel? Ronan believes it is more of a compliment than a replacement. Is your flywheel spinning without friction so your business can blossom. Marketing Funnel is to acquisition as the marketing flywheel is to loyalty.
Resources:
Website: www.digitaltrawler.com
Free Resources: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronanwals/
FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/Digitaltrawler/
https://search.google.com/search-console/about
www.answerthepublic.com
Thanks for being a part of the People First Then Profit Revolution! If you are joining us for the first time or you need a reminder one of the goals of this podcast is to provide successful business owners and entrepreneurs an opportunity to share their stories and expert secrets with you. Y’all are in for a real treat today because Holly Flick is not only a brilliant and beloved entrepreneur she is also a heroine that has long championed the importance of relationship marketing and the value exchange economy as a core value in any business. Grab a pen and plenty of paper because she’s here and she’s ready to share her journey with you!
-
Learn about what The Value Exchange Economy is and how critical it is for business owners and entrepreneurs.
-
Understand the importance of embracing your inner extrovert so you can meet people and form deep bonds with even the most prestigious and influential of people.
-
Holly landed a job as the Director of Content for ClickFunnels and attributes that new opportunity to the genuine relationships she formed with people with no immediate concern or expectation for return from those people.
-
The down cycles in her business were often based on turning attention away from relationship marketing in the digital space. It allowed her "relationship muscle" to atrophy and will therefore always be a heavy focus of her businesses.
-
Challenge yourself and ask "How Do You Define Profit" based on what you value and also how you define wealth!
Find Holly as @hellohollyflick on all the social media channels (but she is most active on Instagram)!
https://www.instagram.com/hellohollyflick
She is also getting ready to launch her eagerly awaited podcast titled Content Empire Radio this fall!
Growing up, they fought. Now, they work together. The journey shaped the skills...but the drive to help has always been there. Piece by piece The Biz Bros built their own “Content Machine”. Later, they decided it was time to help others do the same. Now, they help businesses turn their long-form content into value-packed assets to build an audience and achieve frictionless sales.
In today's digital age your online presence and footprint is one of the most important elements of your business. We live in a golden age of marketing opportunity with direct access to seemingly endless publishing channels. Matter of fact, there are so many it's nearly impossible to know where to start or where to dedicate you time and effort to ensure efficiency and maximize your return. What's an entrepreneur to do?
On this week's podcast, the Biz Bros share their Content is Profit method and help you understand the importance of understanding your Minimum Viable Content threshold so you can crush your content CONSISTENTLY. As an added bonus they explain the basics of their Publishing Pyramid and how we need to understand it from the top down but build from the bottom up so we have a solid and unshakable foundation.
Resources:
Website: Content is Profit
Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/content-is-profit/id1503613963
FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/BIZBROSCO/
You dedicated a great deal of time and hard work to succeed and I suspect that you're REALLY good at your job! You love what you do and you adore who you work with and appreciate the professional partners you collaborate with to exceed expectations. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, something goes awry and you are faced with a conflict that you need to resolve. Well, you are not alone. We can safely say that it has happened to each and every one of us at one time or another.
Throughout her career, this week's guest has witnessed (and help resolve) her fair share of conflict. Using her considerable education and on-the-job-experience, Jennifer Trotter has keenly identified that most (if not all) conflicts can be prevented with exceptional communication skills. And, in the event of a miscommunication there are some proven tactics you can employ so you can resolve it quickly and without further incident.
Here are just a few tidbits from this week's conversation:
-Just because you know learn to identify the miscommunication and employ the communication strategies does not make it easy.
-
Choose your battles. Sometimes it is better to let go of an off comment, misunderstanding and potential conflict if situational and with little to no potential for future challenge. Something that seems to happen repeatedly or is acute enough to cause real friction needs to be addressed.
-
Prevent conflict at every opportunity. If it is a persistent challenge you MUST fix it to prevent it from continuing to cause pain and friction. This means you need to be paying attention so you can identify these challenges and take corrective action.
-
When friction develops take action as soon as you possibly can. Utilize your communication skills and ensure you select the best communication method. As an example, use calm and patience and and do it over the phone rather than via email or text.
-
Even when there is a challenge that is on the verge of becoming a potential conflict resist the urge to over apologize. Take responsibility and then move immediately into the solution
-
Don't assume the worst case scenario when someone is asking questions, looking for clarification or just needs a little extra help.
-
In many cases we have to take a long hard look at ourselves to determine if we are in some way creating or amplifying these challenges. Admittedly not always an easy process but the payoff when we do is HUGE. You can stay in business and LOVE what you do and with whom you work with day in and day out for a VERY long time!
Jennifer shows us that strong communication and prevention techniques can ensure that conflicts won't steal or diminish our joy.
Resources:
http://lipservicemakeup.com
http://instagram/lipservicemakeup
http://thejentrotter.com
http://instagram.com/thejentrotter
One of the most intimidating elements of striking out that bold new path towards entrepreneurship is financial uncertainty! Nevertheless, a great number of professionals leave established well paying careers with tremendous benefit packages for the all too often precarious life of an entrepreneur! We should all be exceedingly grateful that they have taken this courageous step because the contributions they have made to us and to society are considerable. Rest assured there is no need to go it alone!
There is a community of us ready to help with support and resources. Speaking of support and resources...
This week's guest, Janet Fish is a reformed corporate executive turned serial entrepreneur and found her passion in coaching others. She is known as a PAK, (professional ass kicker) and challenges her clients to get out of their own way and get into massive action. Janet is the host of the Breakaway Entrepreneur Podcast and author of the Amazon best selling book Quit Your Day Job – 10 Steps to Finding Financial Freedom 2nd Edition.
Janet and I chatted about the rewarding journey that is entrepreneurship while reviewing the first few steps in her 10 Steps to Financial Freedom process. Her advice for how to get started by determining how you can use your unique skill set to solve a problem or challenge and how you can do it more efficiently than your competition is something every new entrepreneur should know. From there Janet keenly highlights the importance of your revenue model, marketing plan and the plan to routinely review and gauge the success of all your efforts. You won't want to miss the difference between aspirin and vitamin marketing...that's just gold!
Resources:
Ultimate Podcast Launch Formula*: https://turnkeypodcast.mykajabi.com/a/35914/5TzrchXL
Janet's Website: https://breakawaybusinesscoaching.com
Janet's Book Link: https://breakawaybusinesscoaching.com/product/quit-your-day-job/
Janey on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janetfish/
*Please note that as an affiliate of the Ultimate Podcast Launch Formula I receive a commission for those that enroll in the course. Rest assured, I recommend this course because it worked for me and if you want the education, tools and community to successfully launch and host your podcast I am confident it can work for you too!
I like to think that all our episodes are exciting but this week’s guest takes exciting to a whole new level. I am joined today by none other than Paige Mejia. She is something of a celebrity in the DFW event and hospitality industry. She is the founder of the “This Week in Networking” series and she legit gets to blow stuff up for a living.
Paige's journey in the events industry is both fun and interesting. She started as a business owner that provided a valuable service. When it was time to move along she tested the waters of corporate America once again to quickly learn that was not the right move. Her post on Facebook presented her with an opportunity to join a new team as a sales representative and, unbeknownst to her, would once again usher her into ownership of an event related business.
In an effort to increase her presence in the industry, Paige became something of a local celebrity by joining most, if not all, the industry associations and with the creation of her "This Week In Networking" series. This effort became an exceedingly successful branding and marketing effort for both Paige and Pyrotex.
As if that were not enough for our friend Paige, she recently worked with event professionals in Ohio and Colorado and trusted partners right here in Texas to create the Reopen TX Guide. This resource tries to make sense of the rules, mandates and creates best practices for event industry professionals as we navigate reopening in a pandemic riddled world.
This episode reinforces the importance of Living a Life by Design, the value of relationship marketing and paying it forward without waiting for change.
Resources:
North Texas Event Services Reopening Guide: https://qrcodes.pro/iiVDrD
Pyrotex on FB: https://www.facebook.com/PyrotexUS
Pyrotex on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pyrotexus/
Paige on FB: https://www.facebook.com/paige.mejia
Paige on LinkeIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paigemejia/
Ep. 3.6 | Personality Assessments, Dreams and Other Stuff
You have likely heard of the DISC Personality Assessment, The Myers Briggs Test, The Enneagram Personality Test, The Five Love Languages and so so many more. You may have taken some (or all) of these personality tests as a part of a corporate mandated team building or a personal quest to take inventory of your strengths and opportunities. Regardless the reason, I think we can all agree that the more we know about our own personalities, the better off we are...right up until we aren't. Yes, these tests can facilitate reflection, growth, adaptation and evolution in ourselves as well as prepare us to better manage our interpersonal and professional communications and relationships. There can; however, be pitfalls that we need to be keenly aware of as we delve into the in recesses of our personality.
Thankfully my guest this week is well equipped to educate us on the many benefits and potential draw backs to personality assessments. Jorge is a Personal Development and Leadership Coach, Trainer, and Speaker that leverages a no nonsense approach to personal responsibility to help business owners and entrepreneurs breakthrough and create extraordinary results. As a John Maxwell Certified Coach and DISC Certified Consultant he uses his unique style and techniques to support his clients through their journey from six to seven figures and beyond
That is just the tip of this week's proverbial iceberg. Jorge also reminds us the importance of dreaming (not sleeping dreams but rather the dreaming we used to do back when we were kids) and how embracing and validating them allow us to Live a Life by Design. Finally, he shares with us a tactical exercise we can do that will IMMEDIATELY shift our perspective and energy to a more positive and productive place.
Be sure to visit http://www.Peoplefistthenprofit.com for a ton of great content, free resources and links to the People First Then Profit Community.
Resources:
DISC Assessment & Information: amplifymyimpact.com/disc
Website: http://amplifymyimpact.com
FB: https://www.facebook.com/iamjorgevasquez/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamjorgevasquez/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamjorgevasquez
There is no magic formula for creating a life you love to live. It takes courage, adaptability, trust and faith. It means being completely honest with yourself and taking bold action in the direction you truly believe will move you closer to that life you love to live. And, as we find out in this week's episode there is often some luck and trial and error involved.
Megan and Chris are both twenty year veterans of the hospitality industry. In 2018, after two decades in sales, she shifted gears to accept a new position that was a huge promotion and increase in pay only to discover in 7 short months that it was not a great fit. An unlikely opportunity came knocking and she answered. He held an executive committee position as an F&B Director; however, thanks to COVID-19 he lost his job (and his six figure salary) in March. Nevertheless, Meghan and Chris have never been happier.
This powerhouse couple tell their story reveal some of the most valuable lessons they have learned along the way. Megan and Chris share their thoughts on relationship marketing, caring about more than just the business, the importance of trust and how to take transitions in stride
Resources
Website: https://www.geckohospitality.com/
FB Megan: https://www.facebook.com/megan.applegate.9828
Insta Megan: https://www.instagram.com/meganlapplegate/
LinkedIn Megan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meganapplegatecpce/
FB Chris: https://www.facebook.com/chris.shatto1
Insta Chris: https://www.instagram.com/chris_shatto
LinkedIn Chris: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-shatto-73b7978/
Ep. 3.4 | When Your Passion Becomes Your Profit
You heard it right there in the podcast intro. Entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart. It's an in first out last do whatever it takes to get it done kinda life. If you care going to go the distance and succeed, you have got to find and follow your path from passion to profit.
This week's guest is my friend and fellow entrepreneur Tony Caggiano. He started his entrepreneurial journey earlier than many of us at the ripe old age of 10. He's is a technology industry veteran, a serial entrepreneur and a dedicated husband to his wife Kim and loving father to Dylan 14 and Aiden 10. It was from deep within these professional and personal roots that the ADA Comply Guy was born. Tony’s son Dylan was diagnosed with Autism at the age of two. Since then, he and his wife Kim have dedicated much time and effort to allow Kim the opportunity to write a book to help other parents with autistic children which will be published in October.
Based on his experiences with Dylan and the Autism community over the years, Tony developed a heightened awareness of and desire to help other differently abled communities live full and complete lives. The ADA Comply Guy understands the importance of and is on a mission to ensure every website and sales funnel is accessible to users with disabilities in an effort to enable or improve their experience. With his simple to install software, business owners and entrepreneurs can immediately increase their audience, ensure their site is ADA compliant and, greatest of all, help ensure the internet is accessible to people of all abilities.
Follow along as two old Italian entrepreneurs discuss our unique paths to entrepreneurship and the courage it took to say goodbye corporate careers in exchange for this crazy life. We dig into the importance of relationship marketing (of course), how to put the People First Then Profit principle to work for you and we creatively expand on the often heard Know, Like and Trust concept.
Tony and I have a profound mutual respect and admiration for each other that is founded in our shared experiences and belief that making your Passion Your Profit is the best way to find true success!
Resources:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Tony.ADAComplyGuy/
Instagram: http://instagram.com/adacomplyguy
Website: https://adacomplyguy.com/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8VHqb8LQQhESQ6pejz2dCQ
Ep. 3.3.| How to Define Your Ideal Client Avatar & Curate Your Client List
The benefits of truly defining your avatar and curating the ideal client list are far reaching in your business. Image, if you will, a business in which the clients you work with every day perfectly align with your core values and the principles on which you founded you business. Imagine charging premium prices for the goods and services you offer and a client that feels like they are getting a tremendous bargain because they understand your true worth and appreciate the considerable value you are contributing to them. Imagine brand fans, clients and champions shouting from the mountaintops how wonderful your brand is and that anyone would be just silly not to work with you at any opportunity. These are just a few examples of what happens when you dig deep to define your ideal client so you can carefully curate client list.
I am joined this week by KC Cloud, owner and creative director of KC Cloud Events. For nearly seven years, she has built a reputation in the industry as one of the top planners in her area by providing value and service to her clients and professional partners. For the first few years, KC worked with just about anyone that was interested in hiring her but she quickly learned that this was contributing to working harder longer hours, with people that did not always align with the core values of her brand and frequently for less money than she would have liked. That all stopped once KC understood the importance of defining, finding and talking directly to her ideal client.
This process takes quite a bit of time and effort. You have to begin by digging deep (and I mean REALLY DEEP) into yourself and your brand. Then you have to create a client avatar that perfectly aligns with your core values, brand and business model. Trust us when we tell you that it is well worth all the hard work because the payoff is working with clients that are a great fit to you and your business that understand your worth and are willing to pay premium prices because of the tremendous experience and value you provide. So, who's ready to define their ideal customer avatar and curate the perfect client list?
Be sure to visit http://www.Peoplefistthenprofit.com for a ton of great content, free resources and links to the People First Then Profit Community
Resources:
Website: https://www.thekccloud.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CloudCreativeEvents
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kccloudevents
Saving Hope Animal Rescue: https://savinghoperescue.org/
This episode is all about relationship marketing. What it is, why you should be doing it and how it will benefit you, your clients and your business. This style of marketing and business management ensures you curate a client list of people that genuinely want to work with you and are well aligned with your core values. The value of that client is considerably more to you and your business because they will reward your kindness and generosity with loyalty and by championing you and your business. Even those that are not current or former customers can be valuable members of your community as brand fans that appreciate, advocate and refer your business. Let's just go ahead and say it, relationship marketing makes the world a better place because you will have created an emotional journey and genuine bond with clients, partners and brand fans. We've titled this The Maya Anjelou effect. See, she is noted for saying, “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” This is how you create a brand and business that people love!
I am joined this week by fellow relationship marketer and people person Kaci Brown and boy did we have a great time defining relationship marketing, dispelling some common misconceptions and telling stories from our professional past to illustrate the power of relationship marketing and the positive impact it can have on your business and your life.
Resources:
Amplify My Impact
on Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/AmplifyMyImact
on Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/amplifymyimpact/
Website | www.amplifymyimpact.com
Be sure to visit http://www.Peoplefistthenprofit.com for a ton of great content, free resources and links to the People First Then Profit Community
Hello and welcome to the People First Then Profit Podcast. This episode represents the official relaunch of a podcast that was originally conceived as an afterthought. Initially, I was creating educational videos and hosting thought provoking Facebook live conversations and figured I would meet people where they were by providing them with an opportunity to listen to rather than watch the content. Although not a terrible idea, my friend and Master Podcaster Doug Sandler encouraged and educated me on how to do this better.
I’m a people person. I’m a self proclaimed relationship marketer that understands the importance of establishing and nurturing genuine connections with others. I believe the personal and professional network of people in your life is of considerable value and your MOST powerful resource to achieve great success. My heart is firmly dedicated to serving others because I recognize that Winston Churchill was spot on when he said “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give”. I’m a partner in business and in life to my immensely talented, creative and beautiful wife Emily. I’m a dedicated and loving parent to our nearly 4 year old daughter Frankie. She is the most amazing little girl, I love every minute I spend with her and she actively makes me want to be a better person every single moment of each and every day!
Each Tuesday I’m going to welcome a successful business owner or entrepreneur for a no holds barred conversation about important business topics such as branding, marketing, sales and the experience you create for your partners, clients and brand fans. We’ll identify and discuss the perils and pitfalls of business ownership and entrepreneurship (of which there are many). In addition to sharing some stories and anecdotes from my personal and professional life, I am going to encourage my guests to do the same because they are oftentimes emotional, entertaining and a great way to see how the secrets we share can be applied in real life situations. Ultimately the intention of this podcast is to provide you with inspiration to set daunting goals of enormous proportions, motivation to crush those goals and education to increase efficiency and maximize your return. That’s right, this podcast is a weekly catalyst for you and your business. Who doesn’t want to succeed faster and with less work?
As a loud and proud Relationship Marketer I anticipate that my guests and listeners will form an ongoing community of professionals committed to everyone’s mutual betterment and success. We’re stronger together and we succeed together! I welcome you to the People First Then Profit revolution. See you next week.
In this video I am joined by life long educators Jamie and Jason. Jamie is originally from Arlington, Texas where she studied and taught dance to children and adults beginning in 1999. She transitioned into Early Childhood Education after having her boys.
Jason hails from Maryland and has been an educator and coach for 18 years. The couple met in Southern California in 2009 and moved to North Dallas in 2017. They both teach at private schools in the Dallas area.
In addition to being educators, Jason and Jamie have two beautiful sons Isaiah | Age 6 and Dominic | Age 4. In this episode we hear a little about their journey as an interracial couple and family as well as their experience as educators. We discuss talking with your children about tough topics like racism, injustice and inequality and answer questions such as how you should respond to your child's questions about differences they observe. Jamie and Jason provide us with guidance on what to say (and in some cases what not to say), how to react and resources to use as we endeavor to educate our children and ourselves.
Let's face it, 2020 has presented society with a unique and considerable list of challenges. In light of recent conversations regarding racism, inequality and social justice I wanted to take a moment to share ideas on how to:
Educate - yourself and others around you on these very important matters.
Donate - to organizations both locally and nationally that fight for equality and other rights for those individuals that have largely been marginalized and discriminated against for far too long
Act - so that you can first learn, then contribute and ultimately take action to combat these atrocities yourself
Today is the day and now is the time that we can each make a difference and leave it better than we found it.
In this Live Listening Series episode we begin with Shelby, a proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community, sharing her story with us. From there we take a trip back in time to New York City in June of 1969 to discuss the infamous Stonewall Riots. We compare and contrast the protests and riots of that time to the ones that we are experiencing today. We further identify the organizations whose origins can be traced back to these outcries for social justice and equality and how much they share in common. (Gay Liberation Front and Black Lives Matter)
BIO: This week I am joined by DJ Shelby Haun. Shelby attended Western Kentucky University where she got her Bachelor’s and Master's degrees in Social Work. After graduating, she worked as a targeted case manager and worked in Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral therapy with children in rural Kentucky. Shelby relocated to Dallas/Fort Worth in 2015 and worked as a program therapist with the intensive outpatient program of a psychiatric hospital and now works as a service coordinator for children (up to age 21) with mental disabilities. The depth and breadth of Shelbys work in both Kentucky and Dallas has honed her skills in rural and urban social work. Shelby started DJing 2013 and did so with a certain wild abandon. She has provided DJ/MC services for wedding receptions, awards banquets, parties, fundraisers and school dances. Since moving to Dallas, she has been working alongside and learning from her mentor DJ Rod Baker for six months and is already considered an invaluable part of the DFW Parties team.
This week I am joined by Christopher Harmon Jr of Harmland Visions LLC with the hope and expectation that, based on the recent events, we could have the tough conversation about racism. Until now, the title of this series has been the Live Conversation Series. That no longer represents the intention of the series so I am changing it to the Live Listening Series. I realize more than ever how important it is that I support those that have a voice that needs to be heard. I am committed helping them share their story through this platform.
Moving to Dallas in 2010 from Monroe, Louisiana, Christopher Harmon started his company, Harmland Visions in the Events industry. Providing clients with Videography, Photography, DJ, Lighting, and Special Effects services, Chris was able to take Harmland to the top of the industry and created one of the strongest entertainment brands in the area. Chris also began a second company within the brand called High School Hype. During Chris’s career, he has represented the Weddings and Events industry well by being a member of all of the local organizations as well as serving on the board of SWP, Txacom and NACE.
LINK: If you have not already listened to my episode "How To Create a Brand People Love" please take a moment to listen to that FIRST.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-005-how-to-create-a-brand-people-love/id1500987210?i=1000472344255
When professionals, business owners and entrepreneurs spend considerable time and energy creating a brand people love it ensures that their Brand Fans journey from knowing about the brand to forming a deep emotional connection to their brand. I define Brand Loyalty as a strong devotion and allegiance to your brand based on the formation of a strong emotional connection that is nurtured and protected over time!
In this episode we discuss the origins of branding from the 19th century and how ranchers used branding irons to establish ownership and identify their cattle. We talk about why branding is so critical when starting and running a business and I share with you three ways you can ensure your audience forms an emotional connection to you and your business so you can create a brand people LOVE!
Increasing the customer service experience begins with better understanding the customer journey so that you can guide them through that process in the hopes you get them to the coveted last step where they form an emotional connection to you and your company.
In this episode I discuss what customer service is and why it is so important. I offer specific benefits of customer service and teach you my five step framework for creating exceptional client experiences. I even share a bonus tip that teaches you what you can do to elevate your brand ahead of all your competition!
Create & follow a business networking framework to increase efficiency and maximize your return after every networking opportunity.
_Transcript_
I know how much effort networking takes. We need to increase your efficiency and maximize your returns. At the end of this video, I'm going to tell you the one biggest mistake professionals, business owners and entrepreneurs make so you don't!
So what type of networking are we talking about anyway? We're talking about traditional networking. Association meetings, open houses, essentially any special event where you have the opportunity to interact with other professionals in your industry. So why should we be networking anyway? In large part, people network to grow business. They also do it for professional development or brand recognition. But the biggest reason why we should all be networking is you're building a resource for anything and everything you may need in the future.
So with all those wonderful benefits, why wouldn't we be networking? The one that I hear the most is time and energy constraints, but also, for some people, the idea of being in a networking environment is intimidating. And lastly, like we've talked about already, if you're not feeling like you're getting a return, why would you dedicate all that time and energy to networking? If some of these pain points sound familiar to you, it means you're not networking to the best of your ability. Let's network smarter not harder.
The best thing you can do in order to increase efficiency and maximize return, is create a networking workflow. Don't show up day of and expect to get great returns, you've got to put the work in upfront. Here's what that looks like. If you're attending an association event, those are usually larger and hosted by bigger organizations. Familiarize yourself with the association! Check out their website, look at their upcoming events and their goals for the year. Familiarize yourself with their board of directors. If the registration list is public, you can look and see maybe there's a professional that's going to be attending you wanted to meet and get to know anyway. And lastly, if you're one of those people where networking environments creates anxiety or is intimidating to you, consider bringing a friend.
Now, if it's an open house, these are usually smaller events hosted by companies or individuals. Consider reaching out after you RSVP. Ask the host if there is something you can do to help ensure that their events is a success. If it's open to the industry, share it on your social media. One of the scariest things we do is host an event in and fear that there's not going to be enough people in attendance. And then lastly, after the event, send them a thank you note, an actual thank you note for inviting you and telling them that you hope their event was a huge success. So let's talk about some networking pitfalls. If you're one of those people that's anxious or intimidated in networking environments and you've brought someone with you, or if you see people that you know there resist the urge to talk to them all night long, it's definitely not the best way to get a return on the networking opportunity. You want to meet new people and when you meet those new people, keep in mind you want to focus on them, ask them questions about their business, how they're doing and how you can support them. Essentially what I'm telling you to do is ditch the elevator pitch it's disingenuous and I just don't think people want to hear them anymore.
So earlier I promised you that I would tell you the one biggest mistake that professionals, business owners and entrepreneurs make when it comes to networking and that is they think that the networking opportunity ends at the end of the event. In truth, the biggest networking opportunity starts when that event is over. At the end of every networking event, I take all the contacts I've just made and I separate them into three categories: lead & referral sources, professional partners and connection opportunities. For the lead and referral sources, I immediately follow up with them and I try to set up another meeting, a one-on-one where we can get to know each other better. For the professional partners, I send them a note and tell them how wonderful it was to meet them and I look forward to working with them soon. For the connection opportunities, and this is a big one, it means that we may not have an opportunity to work together directly, but I hope that I can connect them to somebody that can either provide them a service or be their client. Okay, so there you have it. If you follow this workflow & adhere to this process, you're going to have to put up just a little bit of work upfront in order to maximize your return on every single networking event you attend. Effectively, every person you meet will have a place in your network because you never know when you're going to be able to help someone & when they might be able to help you.
In this episode I share my experience and process for overcoming fear! Starting and running a business can be scary but fear doesn't have to hold you back or stop you from achieving your goals. Get inspiration to set BIG GOALS, motivation to TAKE ACTION and application to GET RESULTS!
Don't forget to subscribe to the show!
TRANSCRIPT
Hey everybody, thanks for being here today. In case you don't know me, I'm Don Mamone. I'm a hospitality veteran, I'm an artist, I'm also an entrepreneur. Today we're going to talk about a four letter word. No, no, not that four letter word. Today we're going to talk about fear and more importantly, we're going to talk about how to overcome fear to achieve your goals.
What is fear anyway? Fear at its base level is an emotion. Don't get me wrong, I understand it's a very powerful emotion. It can oftentimes feel paralyzing and something that you can't overcome but I guarantee, fear is something that you can move past so that you can achieve your goals. I want to tell you a story. I'm going to tell you a story about a time in my life where had I not been able to overcome fear, it would have changed the course of my entire future. It's 2007, I'd spent eight long years in hospitality. I say long years because of the hours. It's nights, it's weekends, it's holidays, it's whatever it takes to get the job done. I took a job at the corporate office largely nine to five Monday through Friday, and I suddenly found myself with an abundance of free time. So what did I do?
I picked up my camera. For two glorious years, I was working that job and photographing in my free time and I was loving everything about it right up until my project got canceled, unexpectedly. And here's the circumstance. I could either go back to the life that I knew or I could strike out this bold new path and I can become a photographer. See, what brings about fear are things that we don't expect, things that we can't control and oftentimes things that we can't understand. So I remember that that fear was overwhelming and almost paralyzing. So I sat down with my fiance, she's now my wife, business partner and the mother of my daughter and we made a list. We had a very long list of all the things that I was scared of and that were inducing that fear. As I started to talk to people in my life about it, I found that people were supportive, loving, caring, enthusiastic and those things were wonderful and I've now called those people my cheerleaders. That wasn't really helping me with the list or with the fear.
So it was then that I identified that I needed to find a group of people that had been through what I was about to go through. I call those people our trailblazers. A trailblazer is someone who has been through what you're about to go through. So I was about to start a business. I didn't know how to start a business. I didn't know how to run a business. And so my list spoke to a lot of the things that have to do with that.
So I reached out to people that had started and were currently running successful businesses. And when I sat down with those people and they looked at my list, they were able to say things like, "Don, when I was in that circumstance, I was just as fearful as you are and these are the ways that I was able to achieve that goal. These are the resources I used." And suddenly those things that I was afraid weren't quite as scary and so I could cross them off my list. So as you talk to your trailblazers, they're going to look at your list and they're going to provide you with action and experience. Here's the magic. As you cross those items off the list and it gets shorter and shorter and inevitably disappears, so does the fear. So let's recap. Hold dear the cheerleaders in your life that provides you kindness and love and support, encouragement and enthusiasm. But when you're facing a fear, find the trailblazers, have them help you with your list. Ask them to provide you with actions and experience. And as that list disappears, so does the fear.
Okay, that's it for today. I know you enjoyed this video. I know you did. So make sure you give me a thumbs up. I ask you to please consider the subscribe button because we're going to be sharing lots of future content. And for this video in the content section, I would really love it if you would tell us some stories of ways in which you've overcome fear in your life to achieve your goals. Or if you're stuck in one of those places where that fear is overwhelming, tell us about that and I'll bet you we can crowdsource some answers to make sure that you overcome that fear and you can achieve your goal. All right. Thanks again for being here and have a great day.