CHARGE Podcast: Recent Episodes
Gary Wilbers: Author, Keynote Speaker, Leadership Trainer, Certified Coach
The CHARGE Podcast will be a place where you can find stories of real people that have had success in their business and life. Our guests will share their journey with you so that you can take away tips and strategies that you can implement into your own business and life.
Mastering Success and Balance
Small company entrepreneurs who deal with stress, loneliness, and excessive demands are the focus of this episode. It offers helpful guidance for striking a balance between one's personal and professional lives, conquering obstacles daily, and succeeding in the long run. The last episode delivers timeless advice to help listeners take charge of their path while reflecting on lessons learned over the past seven years.
Show Notes: * Reflections on seven years of empowering small business owners with expert advice and actionable strategies. * Insights on the importance of being a lifelong learner and continuously striving for personal and professional growth. * Listeners are encouraged to create meaningful goals that align with their vision and serve as a compass for life and business. * Gary highlights the significance of building a support system, whether through coaching, therapy, or a mastermind group. * Emphasis is placed on the value of creating moments that matter and living with purpose to achieve significance beyond success. * Gary invites listeners to revisit past episodes featuring exceptional guests and transformative insights.
Advice: * Commit to lifelong learning to grow and adapt in business and life. * Set clear goals that provide direction and inspire action. * Seek support through coaching and mentorship to navigate challenges. * Focus on creating meaningful moments and building significance, not just success. * Revisit past lessons and resources to reinforce growth and knowledge. * Surround yourself with a strong network that shares your vision and uplifts you. * Get Your Custom Plan To Optimize Your Small Business Now! You need a plan to grow your small business.
Take the 10-minute assessment, and you'll get a FREE, customized plan that will optimize your small business so it generates more revenue and profit. https://mybusinessreport.com/assessment?ref=garywilbers Powered By Business Made Simple
Connect with Gary Wilbers:
YouTube
Website
Clarity Navigator Discovery Session – Sign Up HERE
Transform Your Business From Struggles to Sustainable Growth The podcast is all about the struggles that entrepreneurs go through when it comes to business management with particular emphasis on falling short in profitability; difficulty in defining product strategy; and poor alignment of market offerings as some of the major issues. It also provides you with great action points to help improve what should be covered by the product, profitability-generating solutions, and - very importantly - sustainable business operation models. This podcast is the complete solution for balancing entrepreneurial success with personal satisfaction.
Show Notes: * Learn the steps to implement a product optimization playbook and ensure every product supports business growth. * Explore how to conduct effective market research to align products with customer needs and preferences. * Understand the importance of calculating profit margins to ensure healthy pricing strategies and profitability. * Discover techniques for collecting and using customer feedback to refine product offerings. * Find out how to prioritize high-performing products while phasing out underperforming ones. * Access a free business assessment and strategy session to create a customized plan for sustainable growth. * Get Your Custom Plan To Optimize Your Small Business Now!
You need a plan to grow your small business.
Take the 10-minute assessment, and you'll get a FREE, customized plan that will optimize your small business so it generates more revenue and profit. https://mybusinessreport.com/assessment?ref=garywilbers Powered By Business Made Simple
Advice: * Regularly audit your product lineup to identify profitable and non-profitable products. * Conduct thorough market research and engage with customers for valuable insights. * Focus resources on high-performing products and let go of those that don’t align with your goals. * Use tools like surveys, Google Trends, and profit calculators to inform business decisions. * Embrace continuous improvement by iterating and refining products based on feedback and performance.
Connect with Gary Wilbers:
YouTube
Website
Clarity Navigator Discovery Session – Sign Up HERE
The Key to Thriving Businesses: Purpose and Principles Small businesses often face unclear mission statements, unengaged teams, and unmeasurable goals. These gaps lead to inadequate alignment, poor performance, and lost motivation. This podcast provides a structured approach to creating inspiring missions, actionable objectives, and systems that drive growth, increase productivity, and foster long-term success.
Show Notes: * Discover how to transform an uninspiring mission statement into one that drives results and motivates your team every day. * Understand why most small business mission statements are destined to fail and how avoiding the three common pitfalls of vagueness, lack of urgency, and irrelevance can save your mission from such a fate. * Understand the importance of measurable economic goals that make it possible for every team member to see their contribution to the company. * Know how deadlines impart a sense of urgency, sharpen focus, and keep your team on track to achieving their goals. * Learn how to take action and become one of those who provide your team with a compelling "why" for connecting their activities to a larger purpose. * Comprehend what the key characteristics would involve in fostering a culture that supports a mission and sustains interest over the long term. * Learn how to establish daily actionable steps for your team to move closer to achieving the mission while boosting productivity. * Gain tips on embedding guiding principles into the fabric of your organization for consistency and improved outcomes. * Access practical tools and resources, including a free business assessment and personalized coaching, to optimize your small business operations. * Hear real-world examples from various industries, showing how businesses can thrive when they embrace mission-driven strategies.
Advice: * Start by identifying three measurable economic objectives that directly impact revenue, profit, and growth, and ensure these priorities are clear to the entire team. * Be clear on the end date of your goal to develop focus and encourage accountability for realizing the aims. * Foster an atmosphere where your organization knows the reason behind your mission and engages each team member by showing them how their work contributes to something larger than themselves. * Identify and communicate the attributes necessary for success as part of the team and for contributing to the company's culture. * Establish daily actions that are simple, repeatable, and directly tied to achieving your mission objectives. * Open staff meetings by revisiting the mission statement and celebrating team members who exemplify your guiding principles. * Use stories and examples to highlight how the mission has positively impacted the business, customers, or community. * Regularly review and update guiding principles to keep them relevant and actionable for your organization. * Create onboarding materials, such as videos or workshops, to immerse new hires in your mission-driven culture from day one. * Leverage expert resources like business coaching and assessments to refine your mission and ensure sustainable growth. * Get Your Custom Plan To Optimize Your Small Business Now! You need a plan to grow your small business.
Take the 10-minute assessment, and you'll get a FREE, customized plan that will optimize your small business so it generates more revenue and profit. https://mybusinessreport.com/assessment?ref=garywilbers Powered By Business Made Simple
Connect with Gary Wilbers:
YouTube
Website
Clarity Navigator Discovery Session – Sign Up HERE
Mastering Business: From Chaos to Control The episode of the podcast deals with some struggles faced by small business owners with the daily chaos of operations and the feeling of being controlled by the business. They offer practical advice on how to transform your business, emphasizing structure and clear communication. The episode provides actionable steps to help entrepreneurs regain control of their business, streamline operations, and improve team alignment, ultimately achieving business success and work-life balance.
Show Notes: * The episode introduces the concept of transforming your business to run smoothly with the help of a simple management and productivity playbook. * Focuses on creating clarity in business and life, ensuring you can achieve your goals without sacrificing family time. * Offers insights from Gary Wilbers, a certified Business Made Simple coach, sharing his own experiences. * Discusses the need for five key meetings to enhance communication and productivity. * Provides a framework for simplifying operations and increasing engagement within your team. * Emphasizes the importance of consistency, proper preparation, and including the team in the evaluation process for better results. * Introduces a free 10-minute business assessment to help identify areas for improvement. * Stresses the significance of using these meetings and playbooks as scalable tools for any business, whether a solopreneur or a larger team.
Advice: * Assess your current business operations to identify improvement opportunities before implementing any new systems. * Begin with small meetings and slowly introduce the five key meetings for better alignment and productivity. * Always involve your team in the process of change to ensure they understand and support the initiatives. * Prepare well for each meeting, ensuring clear action items and defined objectives. * Be consistent with meeting schedules, and don’t skip them as they are vital for building trust. * Encourage open communication within the team, especially in leadership and department meetings. * Use visuals like dashboards to track progress and keep everyone motivated. * During one-on-one meetings, focus on listening actively to address employee challenges and offer support. * Use quarterly reviews to set goals and offer feedback, helping employees grow and align with business priorities. * Get Your Custom Plan To Optimize Your Small Business Now! * You need a plan to grow your small business.
Take the 10-minute assessment, and you'll get a FREE, customized plan that will optimize your small business so it generates more revenue and profit. https://mybusinessreport.com/assessment?ref=garywilbers
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Connect with Gary Wilbers:
YouTube
Website
Clarity Navigator Discovery Session – Sign Up HERE
What problem do we solve? This podcast examines the vital issues concerning cash flow management suffered by small business owners. It addresses how cash flow mismanagement can halt business growth, payroll, tax obligations, and even business failure. Gary Wilbers provides actionable steps to empower business owners with strategies to create financial stability, prevent crises, and ensure sustainable growth.
Small Business Answer Man Show Notes
- This episode delves into the vital role of cash flow management in small business success, offering a structured approach to avoid common pitfalls like missed payroll and unpaid taxes.
- Learn about the "Small Business Cashflow Made Simple Playbook," which introduces a five-account system to maintain financial stability and clarity for sustainable growth.
- Discover how effective cashflow strategies help secure your team’s trust and operational stability, enabling employees to focus on driving your business forward.
- Gain actionable tips on planning for tax obligations throughout the year, ensuring that your business remains compliant and penalty-free.
- Understand the importance of building an emergency fund for unexpected expenses and long-term financial security.
- Hear practical insights into diversifying revenue streams through investment accounts to create a balanced financial portfolio.
- The episode concludes with a free business assessment offer, providing a customized plan to strengthen weak areas and optimize overall business performance.
Gary Wilbers Advice for Leaders:
- Separate your personal and business finances by maintaining distinct accounts, ensuring clarity in managing expenses, and avoiding unnecessary confusion.
- Set clear financial thresholds for your operating account, ensuring enough reserves to cover upcoming payrolls, taxes, and monthly expenses without interruptions.
- Establish a dedicated tax account where some of your profits are allocated regularly, This will allow stress-free tax payments when due and avoid last-minute financial scrambling.
- Gradually build an emergency fund with reserves equivalent to six months of business expenses, giving you peace of mind and protection against unforeseen challenges.
- Use a profit account to hold surplus funds from the operating account, creating a financial buffer and preparing for growth opportunities or unexpected needs.
- Consider an investment holding account to diversify income streams, such as real estate or stocks, ensuring long-term financial stability beyond your business revenue.
- Regularly monitor and transfer excess funds between accounts, maintaining the balance needed for smooth operations while maximizing potential growth and savings opportunities.
- Get Your Custom Plan To Optimize Your Small Business Now! You need a plan to grow your small business.
Take the 10-minute assessment, and you'll get a FREE, customized plan that will optimize your small business so it generates more revenue and profit. https://mybusinessreport.com/assessment?ref=garywilbers
Powered By Business Made Simple
Connect with Gary Wilbers:
YouTube
Website
Clarity Navigator Discovery Session – Sign Up HERE
What problem do we solve? This podcast provides clear, actionable strategies for anyone looking to make 2025 their most successful year. It addresses the challenges of goal setting, personal growth, and habit formation, helping listeners reflect on the past year while preparing to tackle their dreams for the future. The episode offers practical tools to guide listeners in achieving their goals, whether personal or professional and establishes a mindset for growth and achievement in the new year.
Small Business Answer Man Show Notes
- Tune into the Gratitude Challenge to reflect on what personally and professionally has shaped you the most by 2024.
- Recall the calendar entries from last year, a privilege that may not be enjoyed often, and share a few exciting memorable events and achievements.
- The Achiever Loop starts with defining your goal clearly and has five steps to setting and achieving goals.
- Now visualize this goal in great detail, focusing on how it would feel and what it looks like when you have reached success.
- Goals must broken down into achievable steps.
- Concentrate time on forming habits and behaviors that go in line with the accomplishment of the goals.
- Set the emotion and the reward you will associate with the achievement of your goal into motion to keep you motivated and dedicated to the goal.
- You can also download files like the Gratitude Challenge, Achiever Loop, and Habit Maker, which would provide useful templates for your journey to achieving success.
Gary Wilbers Advice for Leaders:
- Take a personal and professional stock for 2024; it'll help any positive tone you wish to set for 2025.
- Frame your goals within the SMARTER method so they stand clear, achievable, and time-bound.
- Picture yourself succeeding in everything you want to do, wherein you'll be assured that the motivation backing your willpower shall be made twice as solid.
- Segregate the objectives into smaller, easily achievable bits so that they do not seem to cause any pressure on you and also help you to focus.
- Consider the key behaviors and habits that will help you to move toward a goal.
- Consistency is the key: work out your everyday habits and activities to match your objectives.
- Follow the Habit Maker method to not break the chain and to develop habitude systems to keep a solid life.
- Progress: it takes time and effort, enjoy the journey, and keep going.
Here are links for downloads:
Habits: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1NUb-htS1ngps6WpEzEUKmtl0ELDw7_bm?usp=drive_link
Gratitude Challenge: https://drive.google.com/file/d/18o8ykkNG1OoPg8f_isgcIvHFbdDomTbU/view?usp=sharing
Connect with Gary Wilbers:
YouTube
Website
Clarity Navigator Discovery Session – Sign Up HERE
What problem do we solve? For small company owners who feel stuck in the daily grind of running their companies, this podcast provides priceless advice. It offers practical guidance to assist business owners in becoming strategic leaders rather than overburdened operators. Listeners discover how to scale successfully, enhance their work-life balance, and accomplish long-term success by becoming proficient in crucial systems, leadership, and innovative tactics.
Small Business Answer Man Show Notes
- Gain insights on the three stages of the entrepreneurial journey: Business Owner, Entrepreneur, and CEO.
- Learn how to escape the hamster wheel of working in your business and start working on it.
- Find key strategies to develop systems and processes for sustainable growth.
- Get practical advice for building leadership and delegating operations effectively.
- Learn tips for creating a vision and achieving financial stability during growth phases.
- Find out why finding the right team and leadership is crucial to scaling your business.
- Learn the steps to adopt the mindset of a CEO and shift from "me" to "we" thinking.
- Find out the importance of balancing work, family, and personal growth for long-term success.
- Get exclusive details about the free 10-minute business assessment for actionable insights.
- Be encouraged to leverage coaching and networking for a thriving business future.
Gary Wilbers Advice for Leaders:
- Start with small but impactful changes in your day-to-day processes to gain control over your time.
- Prioritize hiring the right talent who aligns with your business vision to ensure smooth scaling.
- Use KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) to measure and track success effectively.
- Embrace networking and join mastermind groups to learn from other successful entrepreneurs.
- Regularly assess your business's financial health and adjust strategies as needed.
- Set clear goals for the next year and break them into achievable milestones.
- Practice delegating tasks to free yourself from higher-level planning and decision-making.
- Invest time in personal development to enhance your leadership skills.
- Always balance business growth with personal relationships for holistic success.
- Remember, the goal isn’t just success; aim for significance by creating a lasting impact.
Connect with Gary Wilbers:
YouTube
Website
Clarity Navigator Discovery Session – Sign Up HERE
Quentin Hafner is an international coach to ultra-performers, licensed therapist, and 2-time best-selling author with nearly two decades of experience guiding high-performing individuals toward unparalleled success in both their personal and professional lives.
What problem do we solve? This podcast addresses the common struggles entrepreneurs face, such as burnout, lack of clarity, and feeling stuck in their personal or professional lives. Exploring the nine transformative questions from Quentin Hafner’s book, Go Next Level offers actionable strategies to help listeners define their goals, understand their deeper motivations, and overcome limiting beliefs. Entrepreneurs will learn how to slow down, reflect, and create a roadmap for sustainable success while balancing their personal and professional ambitions.
Small Business Answer Man Show Notes
- Quentin Hafner discusses strategies to achieve clarity and overcome challenges in business and life.
- He gives insights from his book Go Next Level—a blueprint for success and personal fulfillment.
- Discussion on why slowing down can help entrepreneurs make better decisions and avoid burnout.
- Quentin and Gary explore nine questions designed to unlock your next level of growth.
- Quentin explores the critical role of identifying what truly matters in business and personal life.
- Learn to connect your goals to a meaningful “why” for lasting motivation.
- Overcome fears and step out of your comfort zone to break through plateaus.
- Build a support system that keeps you accountable and inspired.
- Conversation on how daily habits drive consistent progress toward ambitious goals.
- Perfect inspiration for anyone planning to make 2025 their most impactful year yet.
Quentin Hafner Advice for Leaders:
- Reflect on what you truly want in business and life; clarity starts with introspection.
- Identify the deeper purpose behind your goals to stay motivated through challenges.
- Embrace risks by addressing internal fears and limiting beliefs.
- Surround yourself with supportive people who push you toward success.
- Make slowing down a habit; intentionality leads to better decisions.
- Balance professional growth with personal fulfillment for sustainable success.
- Regularly evaluate what’s holding you back and eliminate distractions.
- Focus on creating small daily habits that align with your larger goals.
- Reframe failures as learning opportunities to keep moving forward.
- Infuse fun and joy into your journey; entrepreneurship is meant to be fulfilling.
Connect with Quentin Hafner:
Website
Clarity Navigator Discovery Session – Sign Up HERE
Get Your Custom Plan To Optimize Your Small Business Now!
You need a plan to grow your small business. Take the 10-minute assessment, and you'll get a FREE, customized plan that will optimize your small business so it generates more revenue and profit. https://mybusinessreport.com/assessment?ref=garywilbers
Powered By Business Made Simple
What problem do we solve? This podcast tackles common challenges like fear, fatigue, and frustration, which often hinder personal and professional success. Gary emphasizes the importance of overcoming these obstacles through consistent habits and high-performance strategies. Listeners learn how to address inefficiencies by seeking clarity, boosting energy, and maintaining focus on essential goals. The podcast also highlights the significance of aligning personal development with leadership skills to create lasting impact in both business and life. Through practical advice, Gary Wilbers guides listeners toward achieving success with discipline and purpose.
Small Business Answer Man Show Notes
- Explore the six secrets of the world's most successful people.
- Learn how to overcome fear, fatigue, and frustration to achieve high performance.
- Discover the importance of clarity, energy, and productivity in reaching your goals.
- Gain insight into balancing personal growth and professional success.
- Learn practical tips on creating consistent habits for long-term results.
- Find highlights from the world's largest study on high performance.
- Develop strategies to enhance leadership, influence, and presence in your life and career.
- Sign up for a free high-performance coaching discovery session details in the show notes.
- Learn how to prepare for a successful 2025 with actionable advice.
- Share this episode with someone who can benefit from high-performance strategies.
- Explains how clarity, energy generation, and raising necessities are essential for personal growth.
- Focuses on the importance of increasing productivity, influence, and demonstrating courage.
- Shares the definition of high performance as succeeding consistently while maintaining well-being.
- Emphasizes the need for consistency, discipline, and developing habits to achieve lasting results.
- Highlights the importance of focusing on service and growth, rather than just personal strengths.
- Shares personal experience with maintaining discipline and consistency in fitness and life.
- Introduces the six pillars of high performance: physiology, psychology, productivity, people, presence, and purpose.
Call to Action: Ready to take your performance to the next level?
Fill out the form for a free discovery call with Gary! Gary will contact you within 48 hours to schedule your free high-performance coaching discovery session. Don't miss this opportunity to enhance your success.
Book your session here: High-Performance Coaching Discovery Session
Garry Wilbers' Advice for Leaders:
- Seek clarity on your goals and why you want to achieve them.
- Prioritize energy generation and raise necessity when working toward goals.
- Focus on developing influence and demonstrating courage in social and professional settings.
- High performance is about consistency, discipline, and building effective habits, not just relying on strengths.
- Develop a mindset focused on service and growth rather than personal gain.
- Regularly assess your thoughts and actions to ensure they align with your true values.
- Focus on maintaining physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual energy through healthy habits.
- Eliminate distractions and prioritize what truly contributes to your productivity and long-term success.
- Cultivate leadership skills to influence and inspire others in both personal and professional life.
- Be fully present in every aspect of your life to maximize your impact and engagement.
- Stay committed to your purpose, even when faced with distractions or challenges.
- Consistently work on improving habits and behaviors to maintain high performance across all areas of life.
- Use coaching and feedback to enhance your growth and continuously push your limits.
Get Your Custom Plan To Optimize Your Small Business Now! You need a plan to grow your small business.
Take the 10-minute assessment, and you'll get a FREE, customized plan that will optimize your small business so it generates more revenue and profit. https://mybusinessreport.com/assessment?ref=garywilbers
Powered By Business Made Simple
Connect with Gary Wilbers: Facebook
YouTube
Website
Clarity Navigator Discovery Session – Sign Up HERE
Achieving Productivity with the Power of 3 and Smarter Goals In this solo episode, the host provides practical strategies to enhance productivity using the Full Focus System. Key highlights include:
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The Power of 3:
- Daily Big 3: Identify 1-3 essential tasks each day.
- Weekly Big 3: Focus on three key tasks that align with larger goals.
- Quarterly Big 3: Choose three major goals to accomplish each quarter, balancing personal and professional priorities.
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Smarter Goals Framework:
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Specific: Clear and focused objectives.
- Measurable: Track progress with set criteria.
- Actionable: Use clear, action-oriented steps.
- Risky: Stretch beyond comfort zones.
- Time-bound: Set deadlines.
- Exciting: Choose goals that inspire enthusiasm.
- Relevant: Ensure goals align with larger aspirations.
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Habits and Automation:
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Create routines that support productivity, such as morning rituals and habit loops.
- Use triggers (e.g., laying out workout clothes) to reinforce habits.
- Track progress with tools like habit trackers for consistency.
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Energy Management:
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Recognize that time is fixed, but energy fluctuates.
- Prioritize rest and routines to recharge energy and enhance creativity.
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Time Blocking and Mega-Batching:
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Design an ideal week by blocking out time for high-priority activities.
- Batch similar tasks together for increased efficiency.
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Systemized Planning:
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Adopt quarterly, weekly, and daily reviews to stay aligned with goals.
- Implement an email management system to reduce overwhelm.
The episode concludes with an invitation to join a Full Focus Planner training class, emphasizing the importance of consistent planning for long-term success.
Key Takeaway: Achieve more by doing less—focus on essential tasks, set meaningful goals, and build sustainable habits for lasting productivity.
For Full Focus Class dates and times, email feedback@goascend.biz. Include your interest in Full Focus Classes as well as your name and contact information.
Get Your Custom Plan To Optimize Your Small Business Now! You need a plan to grow your small business.
Take the 10-minute assessment, and you'll get a FREE, customized plan that will optimize your small business so it generates more revenue and profit. https://mybusinessreport.com/assessment?ref=garywilbers
Powered By Business Made Simple
Bobby Shaw is an influential, collaborative and high-energy restaurant executive recognized by FastCasual.com as a Top 25 Executive. Bobby authored the best-selling book, "Cutting Onions: Leadership Lessons Learned from the Restaurant Industry" in 2020 and hosts The Cutting Onions Podcast.
What problem do we solve? In this podcast, helpful advice is offered on dealing with important issues that business owners face. Methods for assessing and enhancing employees' abilities, which benefit the company's expansion as well as the growth of its employees are discussed. The importance of a productive workplace that aligns with the ideals of younger generations, such as Generation Z and Millennials is also emphasized. Additionally, guidance is provided on how to identify and assist high performers, emphasizing motivation, competence, and effort. Additionally, the episode discusses how the workplace is evolving and what businesses can do to adapt.
Small Business Answer Man Show Notes
- Bobby explains how company owners may identify and nurture talent in their workforce.
- He provides methods for generating expansion prospects that are advantageous to the company and its staff.
- Gary and Bobby investigate creating a powerful people culture that appeals to future generations, such as Gen Z and Millennials.
- Bobby emphasizes how crucial talent, drive, and effort are in spotting and developing high achievers.
- He discusses the evolving nature of the workforce and how successful firms may adjust to these changes.
- He also offers advice on how to promote cooperation, development, and a common goal inside the company.
- Bobby talks about how important it is to treat people with respect and consideration at work.
- One-on-one discussions might promote development, participation, and trust.
- They discuss how a focus on creating an environment where workers feel appreciated and heard.
- A real-world illustration of Chipotle's leadership style is the Development Journal and how it affects staff development.
- Bobby talks about how improved performance and retention may result from deep and ongoing involvement with employees.
- He talks about how asking "why" is crucial to identifying the underlying causes of issues rather than only treating their symptoms.
- Insights are discussed from Harvard Business Review about creating a work environment that prioritizes meaningful interactions.
- Bobby discusses how investing in people and creating a supportive culture leads to business success.
- He talks about how leadership is about surrounding yourself with talented people to drive growth and performance.
- Bobby shares lessons from his time at Chipotle, showing how leadership principles apply across industries.
- True leadership focuses on empowering others, which creates long-term success.
Bobby Shaw Advice for Leaders:
- Assess your organization's talent and create growth opportunities that benefit both the business and employees.
- Build a people-centric culture that aligns with the values of younger generations, focusing on a shared mission.
- Prioritize hiring individuals with the effort, ability, and desire to perform at a high level.
- Foster a workplace environment where employees are motivated to grow and support each other.
- Adapt your leadership style to the evolving workforce dynamics and generational shifts.
- View employees not just as workers but as potential future leaders to enhance long-term business success.
- Talk to staff members one-on-one frequently to learn about their objectives and give them the assistance they require.
- Demonstrate genuine interest in staff members beyond their job performance to foster a compassionate, people-centered workplace.
- To monitor the objectives, difficulties, and progress of your staff, use tools such as a Development Journal.
- When dealing with problems at work, try to grasp the underlying causes rather than make snap judgments.
- To avoid reoccurring problems, use the "Five Whys" technique to identify the underlying cause of any issue.
- Create training and onboarding programs that are clear to make sure new hires are prepared and comfortable in their positions.
- Encourage a culture of mutual respect and trust in the workplace since it increases productivity and employee retention.
Connect with Bobby Shaw: Website
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Dre Baldwin is CEO and Founder of Work On Your Game who’s done 4 TEDxTalks and has authored 35 books after a 9-year professional basketball career.
What problem do we solve? This episode focuses on helping business owners and entrepreneurs tackle common mental hurdles—like self-doubt, lack of discipline, and fear of failure—that hold them back from achieving their full potential. Dre Baldwin shares powerful insights on building mental toughness, developing discipline, and fostering a confident mindset. Listeners will learn practical strategies for staying motivated and making confident decisions, empowering them to grow their businesses and set themselves up for a successful 2025.
Small Business Answer Man Show Notes:
- Discussion on overcoming mental blocks that limit business growth, such as self-doubt and fear of failure
- Dre Baldwin’s journey to mastering discipline, resilience, and confidence, and how these skills have shaped his career
- Practical strategies for building a strong mindset and improving mental toughness in challenging times
- Key habits and routines for maintaining motivation and focus as an entrepreneur
- Tips for making decisions with confidence, even when faced with uncertainty
- Insights on turning negative thoughts into opportunities for growth and progress
- Advice on setting realistic goals for business success in the coming year
- How to handle rejection and failure in a way that builds resilience
- Actionable steps to cultivate discipline, consistency, and productivity daily
- A look into Dre’s philosophy on "Work On Your Game" and how it applies to entrepreneurship
- Dre emphasizes the importance of defining goals before offering advice, noting that without understanding a person’s specific goals, it’s impossible to provide meaningful guidance.
- He illustrates the difference in goals using an example: two people in a gym may have different objectives—one aiming for the NBA and the other to become a YouTuber.
- Dre outlines a framework for success: develop your skills, perform consistently, produce results, and ultimately achieve rewards aligned with your goals.
- He also discusses the importance of discipline over motivation, explaining that motivation is fleeting, while discipline allows for consistent performance regardless of external circumstances.
- Professionalism means delivering consistently to get paid consistently—this reliability cannot be built on motivation alone.
- Dre shares three "future-proof" skills: strong communication, sales skills, and discernment, stating these will always be in demand.
- He introduces his book The Third Day, which covers discipline and the idea of consistently delivering top effort, even when challenging.
- He suggests mindset as the foundation of success, mediocrity, and failure, emphasizing the importance of mindset in achieving business results.
- Dre concludes with a call to action, encouraging listeners to focus on discipline and min
Dre Baldwin Advice for Leaders:
- Focus on showing up every day, even if it's just small progress. Consistency builds trust, skill, and results over time.
- Instead of fearing failure, treat setbacks as valuable lessons that contribute to personal and business growth.
- Define specific, realistic goals to stay motivated and focused, breaking them into actionable steps to make progress manageable.
- Push yourself outside of your comfort zone regularly to strengthen mental toughness and adaptability.
- Surround yourself with mentors and like-minded individuals who encourage and challenge you to grow.
- Prioritize your physical and mental health to maintain energy, focus, and a positive outlook on your journey.
- Always clarify the other person's goals before giving advice—assuming can lead to misaligned guidance.
- Rely on discipline rather than motivation; discipline ensures consistency even when motivation fades.
- Develop "future-proof" skills, such as communication, sales, and discernment, which remain valuable in any field.
- Focus on mindset as it shapes all outcomes; a strong mindset leads to actions that drive results.
- Set clear goals and track progress regularly, especially in the last quarter of the year, to propel long-term growth.
- Get Dre's book at https://www.thirddaybook.com/
Connect with Dre Baldwin: Website
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Dr. Andy Garrett is the world’s leading authority on Radical Resilience. He’s a clinical psychologist with over two decades of experience working with executive clients at his Newport Beach practice. In addition to growing a thriving in-person clinical practice, Dr. Andy is a prolific course creator, author, and keynote speaker teaching corporate radical resilience to top companies around the country.
What problem do we solve? How to deal with problems by learning to be strong and learn from mistakes. Andy also offers tips for handling stress and making good choices when things get tough, helping people stay focused during hard times. He stresses the value of staying motivated, making good friends, and being flexible. Lastly, the podcast supports mental health by encouraging self-care and emotional strength, promoting kindness to oneself and a positive outlook to improve overall happiness.
Small Business Answer Man Show Notes:
- Andy talks about how to bounce back from setbacks stronger than ever.
- He covers the significance of resilience and methods to cultivate it for personal and professional challenges.
- Andy discusses essential leadership traits every leader should possess and how to use them in everyday life.
- Developing a growth mindset and setting long-term goals for lasting success.
- Practical strategies for mental resilience and advice for dealing with setbacks.
- Guiding with a clear vision and becoming an inspiring, dependable leader.
- Balancing long-term impact with short-term achievements for sustainable success.
- Techniques to build a resilience toolkit for tough times.
- How to encourage resilience in team members and lead by example.
- Recognizing personal strengths and using them to build mental strength.
- Overcoming typical challenges leaders face in maintaining resilience.
- Real-life stories of successful leaders who demonstrate resilience.
- Understanding the distinction between resilience and persistence in leadership.
Andy Garrett Advice for Leaders:
- Stay consistent in your actions, even during setbacks. Small daily efforts build resilience over time.
- Train yourself to quickly shift focus from problems to actionable solutions. This mindset reduces stress and increases productivity.
- Surround yourself with positive, supportive people who can offer encouragement and different perspectives.
- View failures as learning opportunities. Analyze what went wrong and apply those lessons to future challenges.
- Taking care of your mental and physical health is key to sustaining resilience. Make time for relaxation, exercise, and hobbies.
- Be open to change and adaptable. Resilient leaders adjust their strategies as circumstances evolve.
- Set goals and hold yourself accountable. Building self-discipline enhances resilience and decision-making.
- Cultivate a positive outlook. Optimism helps you see possibilities, even in difficult times, keeping morale high for you and your team.
- Embrace personal and professional growth. The more skills and knowledge you acquire, the more resources you have to overcome challenges.
- Practice empathy with yourself and others. Compassion fosters a resilient and cohesive environment.
Connect with Andy Garrett: Website
YouTube
Clarity Navigator Discovery Session – Sign Up HERE
Learn more about Gary’s Mastermind group at goascend.biz/the-mastermind-solution
Curtis Hunnicutt is a dad of three and married to a Swede that he met while in Australia. Mathilda and Curtis started a church in Maryland in 2017. As the church grew, Curtis worked in a leadership development role for their church network while consulting businesses on growth and team development.
What problem do we solve? Curtis Honeycutt talks about the main problems that entrepreneurs face, like how to include their beliefs in business choices, especially when things get tough. He tells his own story of getting through hard times with the help of his faith and strong character. He motivates business owners to take big chances while believing in a greater purpose. Curtis also stresses the importance of concentrating on tasks that help grow the business and gives tips on turning ideas into practical actions for long-term success.
Small Business Answer Man Show Notes:
- Curtis Honeycutt believes that business owners should integrate their faith into their business practices.
- He argues that many business owners keep their faith separate from their business, but this can lead to problems.
- He emphasizes the importance of letting go and trusting God.
- Curtis shares a story about how he and his wife took a leap of faith by selling everything they owned and traveling the U.S. This led to the founding of The Oasis Project, a nonprofit that helps businesses get on mission.
- Curtis highlights the importance of self-awareness and delegation. He talks about how he had to learn to identify his strengths and weaknesses and delegate tasks accordingly. This allowed him to focus on his core competencies and grow his business.
- Curtis commends actionable strategies that evoke why business owners should aim at building purpose-driven and sustainable business models. From overhauling the construction business to leaning more actively toward commercial clients to relations and time considerations Curtis does not hold back.
- He emphasizes the value of margin and silence. Curtis suggests that business owners need to make time for reflection and prayer. This allows them to hear from God and receive guidance.
- Curtis Honeycutt's website is and his nonprofit is The Oasis Project.
Curtis Honeycutt's Advice for Leaders:
- Ensuring that trust is kept as the core value in your venture, learn to draw a line, do not neglect it, nor let it take over your choices.
- Have it in you that there is a God of business and therefore in all tasks pray, meditate, and read relevant scriptures to Him.
- Understand what you are good at and what you are not and assign duties in that manner.
- Let your workers understand that they are responsible for the work and are free to make decisions. Instead, anticipate the unexpected and know how to cope with it.
- Make sure that you are aware of your principles, benefits, and limitations.
- Courted experts should be sought to enhance your ability to lead. And so, aim to know what is happening now in your field and the best practices for operating.
- Outline the areas in some parts of your business that tend to bring the maximum income in the minimum amount of time.
- Streamline or eliminate processes that do not help achieve the strategic objectives of the organization.
- Articulate the mission and vision of your business.
Connect with Curtis Honeycutt: Website
YouTube
Clarity Navigator Discovery Session – Sign Up HERE
Learn more about Gary’s Mastermind group at goascend.biz/the-mastermind-solution
Derek Champagne is a serial entrepreneur with over 18 years of experience developing effective marketing campaigns. He is the Founder & CEO of The Artist Evolution, A full service agency building memorable brands, marketing tools and campaigns for startups to household brands. Derek is also the author of the best-selling marketing book: Don’t Buy a Duck and the host of the Business Leadership Series podcast.
What problem do we solve? The podcast solves the problem of ineffective marketing for small business owners. It provides practical advice and strategies to help businesses stop wasting money on marketing and focus on what works. The expert discusses the five common mistakes businesses make in marketing and offers solutions to avoid them. Derek also emphasizes the importance of understanding your brand and target audience having a well-defined marketing plan, and consistent execution.
Small Business Answer Man Show Notes:
- Many businesses make impulsive marketing decisions, leading to wasted money and ineffective campaigns.
- Knowing who you are and what makes you unique is essential for effective marketing.
- Understand your target audience and their needs to create relevant and engaging content.
- Utilize the appropriate tools and platforms for your business to reach your target audience.
- Develop a well-thought-out plan that outlines your goals, strategies, and tactics.
- Consistently implement your marketing plan to achieve results.
- Make marketing decisions based on data and strategy, not emotions.
- Plan, Execute, Track, Measure, Adjust, Grow.
- Consult with marketing professionals or mentors to get expert guidance.
- Focus on the most effective marketing channels and strategies for your business.
Derek Champagne Advice for Leaders:
- Clearly define who you are and what makes you unique.
- Understand your ideal customers’ needs, pain points, and online behavior.
- Evaluate your website, social media, and email marketing for effectiveness.
- Set goals, develop a strategy, and allocate a budget.
- Track results, make adjustments, and stay committed to your plan.
- Consider hiring a marketing consultant or agency if needed.
- Learn from their experiences and share best practices.
- Keep informed about the latest techniques and technologies.
- Make informed choices based on strategy and data.
- Focus on what works and eliminate ineffective tactics.
Connect with Derek Champagne: Get your free book and a free marketing assessment at assessmymarketing.com
theartistevolution.com
DerekChampagne.com
Clarity Navigator Discovery Session – Sign Up HERE
Learn more about Gary’s Mastermind group at goascend.biz/the-mastermind-solution
Kyle Smith, CPA, is a dedicated champion of small and medium-sized businesses. Beginning his career in Austin, he honed his skills as an accountant and Controller for various bar and restaurant groups. Kyle’s journey continued at Scalefactor, where he advised clients across diverse industries. His ultimate ambition was fulfilled when he became a co-partner at Strata Cloud Accountants, where he provides top-tier advisory and CFO services. Strata Cloud Accountants was founded on shared principles, focusing on family and freedom to grant financial independence to clients and foster a healthy work-life-family balance for their team.
What problem do we solve?
This podcast tackles critical financial challenges faced by entrepreneurs, such as financial mismanagement and lack of financial literacy. Kyle simplifies complex financial concepts, offers tax optimization strategies, and emphasizes the importance of strategic planning. By addressing these issues, he empowers business owners to take control of their finances and adapt to an ever-changing economic landscape, ensuring long-term success.
Small Business Answer Man Show Notes:
- Today, we dive into essential strategies for mastering your business finances as we approach 2025.
- Understanding your finances is crucial for long-term success, and we discuss the fundamentals to get you started.
- We identify common financial pitfalls and the signs of mismanagement that can threaten your business's stability.
- Boost your financial literacy as we simplify complex concepts and share valuable resources to enhance your knowledge.
- Discover effective tax optimization strategies that can help you minimize liabilities and maximize deductions.
- We guide you in creating a strategic financial roadmap for 2025, leveraging various tools and resources for effective planning.
- Key takeaways recap the main points discussed, providing actionable steps to improve your financial health.
- Finally, we encourage listeners to take charge of their finances and prepare for a successful year ahead.
Kyle Smith Advice for Leaders:
- Start by assessing your current financial situation: review income, expenses, and cash flow to identify areas for improvement.
- Establish a realistic budget that aligns with your business goals, ensuring you account for both fixed and variable costs.
- Regularly track and analyze your financial performance to spot trends and make informed decisions.
- Invest in accounting software or hire a professional to maintain accurate financial records and streamline processes.
- Prioritize building an emergency fund to cover unexpected expenses and maintain financial stability.
- Take advantage of tax planning opportunities by staying informed about potential deductions and credits applicable to your business.
- Consider diversifying your revenue streams to reduce reliance on a single source of income and enhance financial resilience.
- Engage in continuous learning about financial management through books, courses, and industry seminars to improve your skills.
- Set measurable financial goals and regularly review them to stay accountable and make adjustments as needed.
- Collaborate with financial advisors or mentors to gain insights and guidance tailored to your specific business needs.
Connect with Kyle Smith:
Website
Clarity Navigator Discovery Session – Sign Up HERE
Learn more about Gary’s Mastermind group at goascend.biz/the-mastermind-solution
Anthony Witt specializes in guiding high-performing entrepreneurs and executives. He helps clients achieve sustainable growth, personal fulfillment, and work-life balance by focusing on clarity, problem-solving, and holistic well-being for lasting success.
What problem do we solve?
To help entrepreneurs overcome the mental and emotional challenges often hindering their success. By focusing on mindset shifts, resilience, growth, productivity, and balance, The Entrepreneurial Mindshift provides practical strategies and actionable advice to help you unlock your full potential, navigate challenges with confidence, and achieve lasting fulfillment in your entrepreneurial journey.
Small Business Answer Man Show Notes:
- Learn from a seasoned entrepreneur and coach who specializes in guiding high-performing individuals.
- Discover the importance of understanding yourself and your business goals to achieve lasting success.
- Explore the interconnectedness of biological, psychological, relational, spiritual, and career aspects of your life.
- Understand why striving for perfect balance can be counterproductive and how to achieve rhythm instead.
- Learn practical strategies to break free from negative thought patterns and cultivate a positive mindset.
- Discover how to bounce back from setbacks and challenges with resilience and determination.
- Embrace continuous learning and improvement to fuel your entrepreneurial journey.
- Optimize your workflow, eliminate distractions, and maximize your productivity.
- Explore how to find meaning and purpose in your entrepreneurial endeavors and achieve a healthy work-life balance.
Anthony Witt Advice for Leaders:
- Take time to understand your values, goals, and limiting beliefs to create a solid foundation for your entrepreneurial journey.
- Consider the interconnectedness of the five areas of design (biological, psychological, relational, spiritual, and career) and work towards improving them all.
- Strive for a healthy balance across all areas of your life, but remember that it's okay to prioritize certain areas at different times.
- Embrace challenges as opportunities for growth and learning, and continuously seek new knowledge and skills.
- Be kind to yourself and avoid self-criticism. Celebrate your successes and learn from your failures.
- Surround yourself with supportive people who can offer encouragement, advice, and accountability.
- Avoid overwhelming yourself with large, unattainable goals. Instead, break them down into smaller, manageable steps to stay motivated and focused.
- Optimize your workflow, eliminate distractions, and maximize your productivity to achieve more in less time.
- Identify what truly matters to you and align your entrepreneurial endeavors with your values and passions.
- Don't hesitate to seek the guidance of a therapist, coach, or mentor if you're struggling with mental health challenges or need additional support.
Connect with Anthony Witt:
Sign up for Anthony's Video series to Unlock Clarity, Focus, and Sustainable High Performance at https://anthonywitt.com/podcast
Website
Clarity Navigator Discovery Session – Sign Up HERE
Learn more about Gary’s Mastermind group at goascend.biz/the-mastermind-solution
As the President and Founder of InnerAction Media, an award-winning marketing and branding agency, Jim Matuga has been helping companies simplify, clarify, and amplify their brand messages for over 35 years. Jim has a proven track record of delivering cost-effective and strategic solutions to clients across various industries, using his expertise in High-Quality video production, inbound marketing, PPC campaigns, social media management, and website development.
What problem do we solve?
They help small business owners create more effective marketing messages by using storytelling techniques. They offer practical tips for crafting engaging content, building relationships with customers, and cutting through the noise in a crowded marketplace.
Small Business Answer Man Show Notes:
- Effective storytelling helps businesses connect with customers on a deeper level, fostering loyalty and trust.
- The customer is the central character in the marketing story. The business acts as the guide, helping the customer overcome challenges and achieve their desired outcome.
- Genuine storytelling is more effective than scripted or generic content.
- AI can be used to assist with content creation, but it should not replace human creativity and judgment.
- Video can be a highly effective way to tell stories and capture attention.
- Before creating a story, define what you want to achieve. Are you trying to increase brand awareness, generate leads, or drive sales?
- Understanding your target audience is essential for crafting a story that resonates with them.
- Avoid overly complex or convoluted stories. Keep your message clear and concise.
- Images and videos can enhance your story and make it more engaging.
- Track the performance of your storytelling efforts to determine what’s working and what’s not.
Jim Matuga Advice for Leaders:
- There are many different ways to tell a story. Try case studies, testimonials, blog posts, and other formats to see what works best for your audience.
- Storytelling can be a powerful tool for building relationships with customers. By sharing your brand’s story, you can connect with customers on a personal level and foster loyalty.
- Social media is a great platform for sharing stories. Use storytelling to create engaging content that will capture your audience’s attention.
- Track the performance of your storytelling efforts to determine what’s working and what’s not. This will help you to refine your approach and improve your results.
- If you’re struggling to create compelling stories, don’t be afraid to ask for help. There are many resources available to help you improve your storytelling skills.
Connect with Jim Matuga:
X
Clarity Navigator Discovery Session – Sign Up HERE
Learn more about Gary’s Mastermind group at goascend.biz/the-mastermind-solution
Leslie Shreve, Founder of Productive Day® and creator of Taskology®, enhances workload management and productivity for C-level leaders and professionals. With over 20 years of experience, she helps clients regain hours in their workday and reduce email time significantly.
What problem do we solve?
Leslie Shreve addresses key productivity challenges for small business owners. She highlights the issues of inefficient task management and the drawbacks of using outdated paper systems. Shreve advocates for centralizing tasks in a digital system, prioritizing important activities, and breaking tasks into smaller, manageable steps. Her advice includes setting clear action dates and protecting time blocks to enhance productivity and reduce stress. She aims to help business owners become more organized and efficient.
Small Business Answer Man Show Notes:
- With so many responsibilities and deadlines, entrepreneurship may be stressful, especially around the end of the year. Effective time management is essential to juggling work and personal obligations.
- Leslie Shreve, the developer of Taskology and the founder of Productive Day, wants to lower stress levels and help people discover hidden time to boost productivity.
- Managing chores across several platforms, such as paper, planners, emails, phone calls, texts, and social media, is a common time waster that can lead to inefficiencies and missed opportunities.
- Instead of utilizing paper, centralize tasks into a single digital system to get around this. Microsoft, Google, Asana, Trello, and Todoist are a few of the well-known programs.
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Create a thorough list of all the assignments, initiatives, and concepts in the digital system. Divide work into manageable, smaller steps to prevent feeling overburdened.
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Pay particular attention to what has to be done and when. This method aids in making wise choices regarding how to use one's time.
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Prioritizing tasks that affect the bottom line is crucial for small business owners to avoid becoming bogged down in less crucial duties like managing emails excessively.
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Leslie highlights the inefficiency of managing tasks with outdated paper systems.
- She advocates for centralizing tasks in a single digital system and emphasizes prioritizing important activities to focus on high-impact tasks.
- Leslie suggests breaking tasks into smaller, manageable steps and setting clear action dates and recommends protecting time blocks to enhance productivity and reduce stress.
- Her aim is to help business owners become more organized and efficient.
Leslie Shreve's Advice for Leaders:
- Don't just put chores on your calendar. Manage tasks independently instead to keep an accurate picture of your actual time obligations and accessible windows of time.
- Set up specified time slots for finishing assignments and answering emails. This aids in workload management and keeps work from interfering with personal time.
- Establish a time-blocking strategy to protect your calendar. Establish precise rules for how often you should complete things each day and how to handle unforeseen problems.
- Establish dependable routines and habits to boost output. Wholesome systems that incorporate every facet of the workday are more efficient than piecemeal ones.
- Schedule some wiggle room so you can deal with unforeseen circumstances and rearrange priorities as necessary.
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Avoid working long hours on the weekends and at night. Make sure the way you organize your workday promotes productivity without taking away from personal time.
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Long-term success depends on your ability to sustain your productivity strategy with discipline and consistency.
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Rather than depending on discrete tools or recommendations, select and adhere to a comprehensive technique that handles duties, time management, email processing, and information handling.
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Establish a clear strategy to increase productivity and decrease the need to look for shortcuts or productivity hacks.
- To avoid burnout and dissatisfaction, try to establish a productive work environment that also permits you to keep a healthy work-life balance.
Connect with Leslie Shreve:
Website
YouTube
Clarity Navigator Discovery Session – Sign Up HERE
Learn more about Gary’s Mastermind group at goascend.biz/the-mastermind-solution
Michael Barbarita has owned retail, manufacturing and service companies over the last 40 years. He is the Author of the Book "Powerful Business Strategies" and Host of an Iheart Radio show of the same name.
What problem do we solve?
Michael solves the problem of lead generation and conversion for small business owners. He provides practical advice and strategies to help businesses attract more high-quality leads and effectively convert them into paying customers.
Small Business Answer Man Show Notes:
- Being an entrepreneur can be demanding because there is never enough time to do everything.
- Despite obstacles, it is possible to achieve balance and success in business.
- Michael Barbarita talks about how to generate great leads and turn them into paying clients.
- Steps of the Conversion Formula:
- Captivate: Create a headline identifying the customer’s problem.
- Fascinate: Engage with the solution they can’t find elsewhere.
- Educate: Detail how the problem is solved.
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Offer: Make a compelling offer using:
- Scarcity and Urgency
- Risk Reversal
- Adding Value
- Packaging and Bundling
- Indifference to Outcome
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The conversion formula is essential for business differentiation.
- "I Hope So Marketing," which makes general statements that don't set the company apart, is a common marketing problem.
- Emotional factors are the first and rational factors are the second targets of effective marketing.
- Position of Market Dominance is attained by drawing customers in and holding their interest.
- It is possible to avoid being merely another price-based decision by using the conversion formula.
- Differentiation requires a dominant market position.
- Dominance in the market demands work and an organized 13-week program.
- begins with comprehending the customer's avatar to determine their issues.
- A compelling customer avatar makes a company stand out and support higher prices.
- Putting the 80/20 rule into practice and concentrating on high-impact tasks is essential for both revenue development and time freedom.
- Owners of businesses should concentrate on developing original tactics rather than copying rivals.
- In addition to offering free downloads of the book, Next Step CFO does interviews for it.
- To dominate the market, Michael Barbarita stresses the significance of differentiating your firm.
- Seven-Step Pathway to Profit Formula:
- Quality Leads: Generate high-quality leads.
- Conversions: Focus on conversion rates within the sales process.
- Closing Rates: Increase the percentage of leads converting to customers.
- Client Retention: Retain and add value to existing clients.
- Average Dollar Per Sale: Enhance the average revenue per sale through additional products or services.
- Frequency of Sale: Increase the frequency of sales to existing customers.
- Cost Management: Manage both fixed and variable costs efficiently.
Michael Barbarita's Advice for Leaders:
- Steer clear of ambiguous statements like "best service" or "highest quality," as they don't provide any value to your company. Instead, to differentiate yourself from the competition, use a targeted and distinctive marketing strategy.
- Employ the techniques of enthrallment and amazement to establish a solid position of market supremacy. This lets you stand out from the competition by addressing certain consumer issues and offering customized solutions.
- Create a thorough customer avatar to pinpoint their particular issues.
- Instead of trying to outwit rivals, concentrate on what makes you unique.
- Focus on the 20 percent of your endeavors that provide 80 percent of your outcomes.
- Customize your solutions to meet the needs of each consumer so that you can provide greater value.
- A distinctive value proposition will allow you to charge more for your goods or services.
- Make a name for yourself in your industry by standing out from the competition.
Connect with Michael Barbarita:
Website
Clarity Navigator Discovery Session – Sign Up HERE
Learn more about Gary’s Mastermind group at goascend.biz/the-mastermind-solution
Ed Meek, CFP is the founder and CEO of Edge Financial Advisors, a registered investment advisor firm that exists to provide small business owners with confidence, freedom, and hope about their financial futures. Ed’s passion is providing holistic financial planning and customized solutions that fit the unique life situation of entrepreneurs and give them a plan to achieve the lives they have only dreamt about. After more than a decade as a financial adviser for a retail branch of Fidelity, Ed founded Edge Financial Advisors in 2005 intending to work with fewer clients more comprehensively and effectively. Today, he has built a team currently helping more than 300 clients thrive financially. Ed is on a mission to help over 1,000 people achieve financial well-being in the next 5 years.
What Problems Do We Solve?
Ed offers advice on financial diversification, thorough planning, and smart investment to help business owners overcome the difficulties they encounter in managing their finances. He highlights how crucial it is to have a well-organized financial strategy, comprehend the advantages of defined benefit plans, and get ready for business exit tactics. Ed also offers advice on keeping a long-term investment perspective and using professional assistance to help you make wise financial decisions.
Small Business Answer Man Show Notes:
- Join this episode to talk about financial planning tactics for small business owners with Ed Meek, a Certified Financial Planner and the founder of Edge Financial Advisors. Customized planning is how his firm assists clients in achieving financial assurance and independence.
- Beyond the business itself, Ed highlights the importance of diversity. He tells a sobering story of tech boom investors who lost money because they weren't diversified enough. Owners of businesses shouldn't get their entire riches from their venture.
- Defined benefit plans are introduced by Ed as a useful tool for planning for retirement and reducing taxes.
- In contrast to standard 401(k) plans, larger tax-deferred contributions are permitted in defined benefit plans which can greatly increase retirement savings.
- Ed talks about financial management and investing techniques following a company sale. When receiving a lump sum or installments over time, it's important to reduce taxes and make long-term financial security plans.
- Ed cautions against basing financial decisions on the results of upcoming elections or brief changes in the market. Successful investing requires long-term investment plans as well as emotional self-control.
- Ed emphasizes how crucial it is to have a financial planner or coach. They ensure that business owners are not overwhelmed by handling every part of their finances alone, provide specialized guidance, and assist in navigating complex financial landscapes.
Ed Meek's Advice for Leaders:
- Create a thorough strategy with a financial planner that addresses both short- and long-term objectives. This involves being aware of retirement programs and tax tactics.
- A defined benefit plan can be an effective tool for high incomes. Compared to conventional 401(k) plans, it permits larger contributions and can drastically lower taxable income.
- If you intend to sell your company, think carefully about how you will handle and allocate the proceeds. Investigate strategies to reduce taxes and improve your financial situation after the sale.
- Discover the dangers of placing all your eggs in one basket, such as your business, and discover smart diversification strategies.
- Learn about effective tax-saving techniques that can help you save thousands of dollars and hasten your retirement, such as the less well-known Defined Benefit Plan.
- Recognize the value of financial planning for both your personal and professional life to prevent having to start over in the event of unanticipated events.
- Learn strategies for navigating market volatility, particularly in unpredictable periods like election years.
Connect with Ed Meek: Website
YouTube
Clarity Navigator Discovery Session – Sign Up HERE
Learn more about Gary’s Mastermind group at goascend.biz/the-mastermind-solution
Adam Goldman is a franchise consultant who is an experienced investor, serial entrepreneur, franchisee, and Master Franchisor.
What problem do we solve? Adam Goldman tackles many significant issues that prospective franchisees may have. He eliminates the difficulty of locating a franchise that complements one's abilities and interests, busts stereotypes regarding large initial outlay and time commitments, and provides possibilities for low-cost franchises and financing schemes, such as 401(k) rollovers. Adam also offers advice on how to grow a business and efficiently manage time, which is very helpful for people with hectic schedules.
Small Business Answer Man Show Notes: * Adam Goldman talks about how to look for a business that fits your interests and skill set. * He dispels notions about franchises requiring large initial investments and long-time commitments. * Adam provides options for inexpensive franchises and financing plans, including rollovers of 401(k) accounts. * He offers guidance on efficiently growing a business. * He provides time management advice, particularly for people with hectic schedules. * Adam assists listeners in navigating the complexity of franchising and making well-informed judgments about it.
Adam Goldman's Advice for Leaders: * Assess individual abilities and preferences to select a franchise that fits them.
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Explore innovative financing solutions such as 401(k) rollovers and take into account reasonably priced franchise choices.
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To expand the company sustainably, concentrate on efficient scaling techniques.
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Set time management strategies as a top priority to manage a busy calendar and business obligations.
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Do a lot of research and comprehend the complexity of franchising before making any decisions.
Connect with Adam Goldman: Website
Clarity Navigator Discovery Session – Sign Up HERE
Learn more about Gary’s Mastermind group at goascend.biz/the-mastermind-solution
John Hannum was a CFO who spent his corporate finance career growing companies exponentially. He is now the founder and CEO of PPS Solutions which brings the power of large-company finance to small and medium sized businesses that need it most by adding experienced CFOs to their teams on a fractional basis.
What problem do we solve? John Hannum addresses the issue of small and medium-sized enterprises' ineffective financial management and strategic decision-making. He offers professional financial advice and risk reduction without the expense of a full-time executive by providing fractional CFO services. This facilitates firms in making well-informed decisions, streamlining processes, and successfully achieving their growth goals.
Small Business Answer Man Show Notes: * John Hannum, CFO and Founder of PPS Solutions.
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Emphsis on the vital role CFOs play in managing and executing corporate strategy.
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CFOs participate in executive-level strategic decision-making in addition to managing money.
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CFOs, as opposed to CPAs, offer insights into operational choices and risk management, coordinating financial plans with corporate objectives.
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Learn how to enhance operations and management in your company to promote efficiency and development.
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Discover the value of making thoughtful, calculated decisions to overcome obstacles and take advantage of opportunities.
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Examine the relationship between successful financial management and individual and company financial stability.
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John Hannum offers his knowledge on the advantages of hiring seasoned CFOs for small and medium-sized businesses on a fractional basis.
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Investigate innovative marketing techniques to expand your brand's reach and attract new customers.
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Learn the essential characteristics of successful leaders and how to develop leadership inside your company.
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Examine several strategies for growing your company and attaining long-term success.
John Hannum’s Advice for Leaders: * CFOs supervise money, but they also have a significant impact on executive-level strategic decision-making.
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CFOs, as opposed to CPAs, provide financial insights into corporate plans while concentrating on operational choices and risk management.
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Financial data and key performance indicators (KPIs) are vital for corporate growth and efficiency, and CFOs assist owners in understanding and acting upon them.
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A CFO's responsibilities include risk management and making sure financial plans complement organizational objectives. They also frequently involve accountability and tough love.
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Successful CFOs have a strong sense of commitment to the company's mission and collaborate closely with CEOs to carry out strategies and assess outcomes.
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CFOs act as coaches, helping companies through day-to-day difficulties and helping them make decisions based on financial information.
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Having a CFO who breaks down difficult financial concepts and concentrates on critical indicators to prevent analysis paralysis is advantageous for business owners.
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For small and medium-sized enterprises, fractional CFOs provide flexibility and cost-effectiveness in the form of top-notch financial advice without the overhead of a full-time role.
Connect with John Hannum: Website
Clarity Navigator Discovery Session – Sign Up HERE
Learn more about Gary’s Mastermind group at goascend.biz/the-mastermind-solution
Brian Lawrence is a dad to 4, husband to 1, follower of Jesus, and founder of Winsight Leadership.
What Problem do we solve: Our solution to the issue at hand is assisting leaders in realizing the importance of vulnerability in leadership and how to use it to foster a culture of trust, improve team relationships, and increase overall organizational performance. We address the difficulties leaders encounter in striking a balance between transparency and authority, and we offer doable solutions to create a positive work atmosphere that encourages cooperation, well-being, and sustained company progress.
Small Business Answer Man's Shownotes:
- Examining how crucial vulnerability is to leadership.
- Realising the benefits of vulnerability in fostering trust and fortifying teams.
- The effects of trust on teamwork and output.
- Leaders may take certain actions to help their teams develop trust.
- The importance of an open and encouraging work environment.
- Techniques for team leaders to encourage cooperation and well-being.
- How vulnerable leaders may yet be in positions of control?
- Successful leaders who have managed to strike a balance between authority and vulnerability.
- Practical suggestions for integrating vulnerability into a leader's approach.
- Some pointers for establishing a transparent and honest line of communication in teams.
- Case studies of businesses where the leadership embraced vulnerability and the result was a success.
Brian's Advice for Small Business Owners:
- Own up to your shortcomings, errors, and limits. This openness fosters trust and demonstrates that flaws are acceptable.
- Promote open communication by fostering an atmosphere where team members may freely express their ideas and worries without worrying about criticism or reprisals.
- Show vulnerability in your interactions to set an example for others to follow. Talk about the obstacles you've faced and the steps you've taken to overcome them.
- Engage your team in active feedback gathering and listening. This candour can encourage a culture of ongoing development and provide insightful discoveries.
- Be genuinely concerned about your teammates' emotions and general well-being. Recognize their viewpoints and attend to their needs.
- Encourage a culture within your team where being vulnerable is seen as a strength rather than a weakness.
Connect with Brian Lawrence:
Website
Youtube
Clarity Navigator Discovery Session – Sign Up HERE
Learn more about Gary’s Mastermind group at goascend.biz/the-mastermind-solution
Timothy Wingate Jr is the founder, and president of G+F Business & Financial Consulting, a licensed Enrolled Agent, and a construction accountant. Timothy provides specialized accounting and tax services helping business owners gain a better understanding of their finances and costs, allowing them to win better, more profitable bids. With first-hand knowledge of the construction industry, Timothy offers tools and financial guidance to improve his client's understanding of their finances and cash flow. He has a proven track record of success, including increasing a client's gross revenue by 75%, helping a new construction company finance Big CAT equipment in less than a year, and helping a client avoid criminal charges for over $500,000 in back payroll taxes.
What problem do we solve?
In today's episode, Gary Wilbers talks to Timothy Wingate Jr., a licensed enrolled agent and founder of G Plus F Business and Financial Consulting, about how to effectively manage finances for construction business owners.
Small Business Answer Man's Shownotes:
- Timothy shares his approach to managing finances for construction business owners, highlighting the importance of understanding cost codes, estimating jobs correctly, and having a system in place for recording receipts.
- He discusses the need for business owners to have a good understanding of their financials, including accounts payable, accounts receivable, and cash flow, in order to make informed decisions about their business.
- He emphasizes the importance of having a good accountant and working closely with them to ensure that financial planning and tax planning are aligned.
- Timothy provides practical tips and strategies for construction business owners to overcome common challenges such as missed scheduling, lack of focus, and financial stress.
- Timothy recommends using a cloud storage system like DEXT to manage receipts and track financial documents.
- He also suggests having a strategic conversation with your accountant starting in October to plan for tax season.
- Get access to Timothy's resources on financial management and consulting for construction business owners.
- Check out Timothy's website for more resources on financial management and consulting for construction business owners.
Timothy's Advice for Construction Business Owners:
- Understand your cost codes and estimate jobs correctly to ensure accurate financial projections.
- Have a system in place for recording receipts to track cash flow.
- Work closely with your accountant to ensure financial planning and tax planning are aligned.
- Focus on managing your thoughts and staying organized to reduce stress and increase productivity.
Connect with Timothy Wingate:
Website
Linkedln
Youtube
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Today’s guest, Lori Saitz, is the host of The Practical Wealth Show
Lori Saitz is the leading authority on improving productivity and engagement through workplace well-being. She is the founder of the Zen Leadership Program for Results Focused Professionals. With a comprehensive background in wellness and communication strategies, Lori helps executives create focused, resilient, and collaborative teams that can move projects forward with less stress and drama.
Listen to Lori on her own podcast too, called Fine is a 4-Letter Word, where she engages guests in conversations about how they've grown from a time in their lives when things were decidedly NOT fine.
What problem do we solve?
In today's episode, Gary Wilbers talks to Lori Saitz, an expert in improving productivity and engagement through workplace well-being, about how to boost productivity and manage stress as a small business owner.
Small Business Answer Man's Shownotes:
- Lori shares her approach to boosting productivity and managing stress in the workplace.
- She discusses the importance of recognizing that time management is not the solution to productivity issues, but rather managing the thoughts in our heads that distract us from focusing on our work.
- She explains how grounding exercises can help calm the mind and reset our nervous system in just two to five minutes.
- She emphasizes the power of gratitude in the workplace, which can transform our work life by radiating a positive energy and attracting more success.
- Lori provides practical tips and strategies for small business owners to overcome common challenges such as distractions, stress, and lack of focus.
- Check out Lori's digital course called Staying Calm in Chaos that is available at https://www.stayingcalminchaos.com/sp
Lori's Advice for Small Business Owners:
- Practice grounding exercises to calm your mind and reduce stress.
- Focus on gratitude to transform your work life and attract success.
- Recognize that time management is not the solution to productivity issues, but rather managing your thoughts.
- Use gratitude to set a positive tone in your workplace and attract more success.
Connect with Lori Saitz:
Website
Linkedln
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Today’s guest, Curtis May, is the host of The Practical Wealth Show
Podcast and the creator and owner of Practical Wealth Advisors. Curtis has been planning for individuals for more than 35 years, and he is passionate about helping his clients save money and live the very best life they can right now. The primary focus of his financial planning firm is to help businesses and families become financially free by following the principles of wealth creation that have endured for centuries around the world.
What problem do we solve?
In this episode, Gary Wilbers interviews Curtis May, a financial advisor and host of the Practical Wealth Show podcast, about mastering cash flow management for business owners. Curtis shares his insights on achieving financial stability and freedom by prioritizing profit, paying yourself first, and creating a business that generates passive income.
Show Notes:
- Curtis May, a financial advisor and host of the Practical Wealth Show podcast, who shares his approach to mastering cash flow management joins Gary on the podcast.
- Curtis explains his philosophy on cash flow management, emphasizing the importance of paying yourself first, just as you would your employees, and setting aside money for taxes.
- He recommends creating a profit-and-loss statement weekly and allocating 15% of gross revenue for owners' pay.
- Curtis highlights the importance of building a business that generates passive income and assets that produce income without active involvement.
- He advises business owners to focus on creating a business that can operate independently, rather than relying on active income from their business.
- Curtis stresses the need for a solid financial foundation before investing and cautions against placing money in a 401(k) or other investment vehicles that may limit liquidity and control. Instead, he recommends investing in cash-flowing assets like real estate or notes that provide a steady income stream.
- Curtis concludes by recommending Jay Abraham's book, "Business Without Risk," as a resource for business owners looking to grow their revenue without spending money on advertising.
Curtis May's Advice for Leaders:
- Prioritize profit and pay yourself first
- Set aside money for taxes
- Build a business that generates passive income
- Focus on creating a business that can operate without you
Website
Connect
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Daphna Horowitz is a sought-after CEO Coach, MCC, and trusted advisor, working with clients around the globe, to create the extraordinary and build future leaders in their business. Working as an actuary at Director level in a large consulting firm, she learned the importance of developing a leadership mindset that takes you from being an expert top performer to an extraordinary leader.
She keenly understands what it takes to lead a business and teams in a complex, ever-changing environment and provides a practical approach to leadership.
Author of Courage to Lead (2014), & Weekly Habits for Extraordinary Leaders (2020), both considered essential reading for leaders and aspiring leaders.
When she’s not helping leaders master their mindset and elevate their business, you’ll find her in her favorite places – hosting her podcast, Leadership Live, writing articles for various publications, and raising three kids with her loving husband.
What business problem do you solve? In today’s episode, Gary Wilbers talks to Daphne Horowitz, a CEO, Coach, and Author, about how to become a better leader and achieve success in business and life. Daphne shares her ABC Cubed model, which consists of self-awareness, bold moves, and connected relationships. She provides practical tips and strategies for leaders to overcome common challenges and achieve success.
Small Business Answer Man’s Shownotes: * Daphne discusses the importance of self-awareness in leadership, explaining that understanding your strengths and weaknesses is essential for making better decisions and building stronger relationships. * She explains how bold moves are necessary for leaders to drive growth and success, and provides examples of how taking calculated risks can lead to new opportunities. * Daphne emphasizes the importance of open communication in leadership, sharing tips on how to build trust with your team, clients, and stakeholders. * She shares her philosophy on the importance of self-awareness, stating that when you know yourself, you can start doing the things you’re really good at. * Daphne explains that bold moves are essential for leaders to stay ahead of the curve and make progress toward their goals. * She introduces her ABC Cubed model, which consists of self-awareness, bold moves, and connected relationships. * Daphne explains how each element of the ABC Cubed model is crucial for achieving success as a leader, emphasizing the importance of understanding yourself, taking calculated risks, and building strong relationships. * She concludes by emphasizing the importance of curiosity and being open to learning from others as a key component of effective leadership. * Get access to Daphne’s book “The ABC Cubed Leader” (Amazon/Audible) and online course “Leadership Essentials” to take your leadership skills to the next level. * Mindset Quiz – check if you have a fixed or a growth mindset – https://daphnahorowitz.com/mindset
Daphna Horowitz’s Small Business Tip: 1. Develop self-awareness to understand your strengths and weaknesses. 2. Make bold moves to drive growth and success. 3. Communicate openly with your team, clients, and stakeholders. 4. Build connected relationships to drive results.
Connect with Daphna Horowitz: LinkedIn
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Michael Morrison is a small business consultant and coach, mentor, serial entrepreneur, husband, and father with a passion for helping others live a life they love. Why? Because he’s been there and even wrote a book about it.
Having owned businesses for over 2 decades, he understands what it’s like working long hours, ending the day, and not feeling like you’ve accomplished anything, constantly putting out fires and the chaos of managing cash.
What business problem do you solve? In today’s episode, Gary Wilbers interviews Michael Morrison, a small business consultant and coach, about effective business management. Michael introduces his philosophy of being a “Boss” (Business Ownership Simplified for Success) and shares practical tips and strategies for small business owners to overcome challenges and achieve success.
Small Business Answer Man’s Shownotes: * Michael Morrison explains his approach to running a business effectively. * He emphasizes the importance of having a clear vision and strategy to stay focused and motivated. * Michael discusses overcoming common challenges like lack of time, resources, and skills through task prioritization and effective delegation. * He shares his “Boss” philosophy, which has helped him and his clients achieve success. * Michael highlights the value of having a coach or mentor for guidance, support, and accountability. * He stresses the need for a sales strategy to drive growth and revenue. * Practical tips include implementing a sales playbook, using a CRM system, and tracking leads and sales. * Access Michael’s book “Business Ownership Simplified for Success” (B.O.S.S.) and his online course for more insights. Delegation Quadrant Workbook – https://www.businessownershipsimplified.com/delegation-quadrant-workbook
Michael Morrison’s Small Business Tip: * Run your business like a boss with a clear vision and strategy. * Prioritize tasks and delegate effectively to save time and resources. * Seek guidance and support from a coach or mentor. * Develop a sales strategy to boost growth and revenue. * Utilize a CRM system to manage leads and sales.
Connect with Michael Morrison: Website
YouTube
TikTok
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Mark Scherer is the CEO and Founder of Encompass Life. He has developed the Quantum Leap Technique (QLT) which produces profound results in all areas of one’s life with velocity.
What business problem do you solve? In today’s episode, Mark Scherer shares his Quantum Leap Technique (QLT) and how it can help business owners overcome stuck patterns and negative emotions, reprogram their subconscious minds, and achieve rapid and profound results in their personal and professional lives.
Small Business Answer Man’s Shownotes: * Gary introduces his guest, Mark Scherer, a mindfulness expert, CEO, and founder of Encompass Life, who shares his unique approach to reprogramming the subconscious mind. * Mark discusses the importance of understanding the subconscious mind and its impact on business decisions and overall success. * He explains how the subconscious mind can hold us back from achieving success and how it can be reprogrammed to support our goals. * Mark shares his Quantum Leap Technique (QLT) and how it can be used to overcome obstacles and achieve rapid and profound results in business and personal life. * He discusses the role of emotions in decision-making and how to overcome fear, anxiety, and self-doubt. * Mark emphasizes the importance of having a clear vision and setting goals for success. * He shares his mission to help business owners overcome stuck patterns and achieve their full potential. * Mark encourages listeners to take action and start reprogramming their subconscious minds for success. * He provides practical tips and strategies for applying the QLT in daily life.
Mark Scherer’s Small Business Tip: 1. Reprogram your thinking and overcome limiting beliefs and self-doubt, allowing you to focus on growth and success. 2. Develop a clear and compelling vision for your business, aligning your actions and decisions with your goals and values. 3. Cultivate a resilient mindset, learning to navigate challenges and setbacks with confidence and optimism, rather than getting bogged down in fear or anxiety.
Connect with Mark Scherer: Website
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Mags Bell is an international speaker, author, and awareness expert who works with major influencers and leaders around the world, to Cut, Polish, and Reset their inner diamonds through LeadingME®.
What business problem do you solve? In this episode, we’re tackling a common problem that many small business owners face: self-doubt and inner criticism. Mags Bell, an international speaker, author, and awareness expert, joins us to share strategies for overcoming negative self-talk, building confidence, and achieving success. Her expertise helps entrepreneurs recognize and silence their inner critic, break free from limiting beliefs, and unlock their full potential for growth and prosperity.
Small Business Answer Man’s Shownotes: * Mags Bell is an international speaker, author, and awareness expert. * Mags introduces the concept of self-doubt and inner criticism as a common obstacle for small business owners, highlighting its impact on their confidence and success. * She explains the importance of recognizing and challenging negative self-talk, offering practical strategies for reframing negative thoughts, and building self-awareness. * Mags presents a real-life example of how she helped an entrepreneur overcome self-doubt and achieve success, demonstrating the effectiveness of her approach. * The discussion turns to the role of mindfulness in silencing the inner critic, emphasizing the importance of self-compassion and self-acceptance. * Mags shares actionable tips for entrepreneurs to cultivate a growth mindset, build resilience, and develop a positive inner dialogue. * Throughout the episode, Mags emphasizes the importance of self-care, highlighting the need for entrepreneurs to prioritize their mental and emotional well-being to achieve long-term success. * She also discusses the importance of setting boundaries, prioritizing personal time, and the role of gratitude and positive affirmations in cultivating a more positive mindset. * Mags shares her struggles with self-doubt and how she overcame them, offering relatable insights and inspiration for entrepreneurs who are facing similar challenges. * Here is the link for the Free Webinar on Silencing Your Inner Critic: http://bit.ly/SilencingYourInnerCriticWebinar1
Mags Bell’s Small Business Tip: 1. Reframe self-doubt as a normal part of the entrepreneurial journey and challenge negative self-talk with positive affirmations. 2. Prioritize self-care and mental well-being to stay focused and motivated. 3. View failures as opportunities for growth and learning, and celebrate your successes along the way.
Connect with Mags Bell: Website
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Husband & wife team Eric & Melissa Broughton are on a passionate mission to help small business owners legally reduce their tax liability.
What business problem do you solve? In today’s episode, Melissa from Busy Bee Advisors shares expert advice on how to legally reduce tax liability and achieve financial success as a small business owner.
Small Business Answer Man’s Shownotes: * Melissa, a tax expert from Busy B Advisors, emphasizes the importance of staying on top of your business’s finances and not just relying on gut feeling. * Melissa explains the complexity of the tax code and how it can be overwhelming for business owners, highlighting the importance of being proactive and educating clients throughout the year. * Melissa discusses the benefits of becoming a corporation (S-Corp or C-Corp) to alleviate self-employment taxes. * She emphasizes the importance of keeping accurate bookkeeping and staying on top of finances every month. * Melissa encourages small business owners to shift their mindset and adopt proactive tax planning strategies. By taking a proactive approach to tax planning, entrepreneurs can identify tax-saving opportunities, leverage deductions and credits, and optimize their financial position. * She explains that her company’s mission is to help small business owners legally reduce their tax liability. * Melissa shares her mission to empower small business owners to take control of their finances and minimize their tax burdens. * She emphasizes the importance of having a clear understanding of the tax code and its implications for small business owners.
Melissa Broughton’s Small Business Tip: 1. Stay on top of your finances and don’t wait until the end of the year to do taxes. 2. Consider becoming a corporation to alleviate self-employment taxes and take advantage of business expenses and deductions. 3. Educate yourself and work with a good accountant or tax advisor to proactively manage your financial situation and reduce your tax liability.
Connect with Melissa Broughton: Free Download of the book discussed on the podcast send an email to: info@busybeeadvisors.com Just put in the message: Send the book.
Company’s Website
Website
The 4-Hour Book Keeper
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Rich Moyer is a dynamic serial entrepreneur, investor, and franchisor who is revolutionizing the business world with his flagship Franchise, Hoppin’. Rich’s journey embodies resilience and triumph from his early days as a Professional PGA Golfer to founding his first company at age 26, to earning $11.9 Million in just 3 years. As the driving force behind Hoppin’, he’s not just a business visionary but a mentor who has guided hundreds on the entrepreneurial path. Rich’s insights into scaling businesses and embracing failure for growth have positioned him as a sought-after expert. Beyond business, he’s on a mission to improve the world in entrepreneurship & business.
What business problem do you solve? Many entrepreneurs face the challenge of effectively scaling their businesses while maintaining quality and profitability. In today’s podcast episode, we delve into the strategies and insights necessary to navigate the complexities of business growth, from overcoming initial hurdles to implementing scalable models for sustained success.
Small Business Answer Man’s Shownotes: * In this episode, Gary welcomes Rich Moyer, a dynamic serial entrepreneur, investor, and franchisor of Hoppin. * Rich starts by talking about the importance of taking action and learning from failure. * He shares personal insights into early challenges, including hiring the right people and managing finances. * According to Rich, prioritizing employees and creating a culture of ownership within the organization is important. * He says, understanding employees’ personal goals and supporting them in achieving those goals is crucial. * According to Rich, sales are the heartbeat of any company. * The importance of leadership, marketing, and cash flow for growth were also some of the topics that were discussed in detail. * Rich asks the listeners to focus on taking one step at a time and doing the right thing consistently. * Gary and Rich discuss the benefits of franchising, including proven business models and support systems for franchisees. * Lastly, Rich discussed unique aspects of Hoppin’s franchise model, centralized digital marketing support, and creating a differentiated consumer experience.
Rich Moyer’s Small Business Tip: Rich Moyer shares his perspective on growth and overcoming fears associated with scaling a business:
- Focus on taking action and addressing growth struggles.
- Don’t let fear hold you back from pursuing opportunities.
- Consistency and persistence are key to success in business.
Connect with Rich Moyer: Website
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Stewart Heath, CPA, is the CEO of Harvard Grace Capital, an extension of Harvard Grace Corporation. Stewart has been a real estate investor for over 20 years focusing on commercial real estate – including retail, self-storage, gymnastics facilities, and medical offices.
What business problem do you solve? In this episode, Gary welcomes Stewart Heath, CEO of Harvard Grace Capital, to explore strategies for generating passive income and building wealth through real estate investment.
Small Business Answer Man’s Shownotes: * Stewart defines passive income as income received without active work, highlighting real estate as a prime source due to its potential for consistent returns and tax advantages. * The discussion delves into real estate’s tax benefits, including depreciation, cost segregation studies, bonus depreciation, tax-free refinancing, and tax-free exchanges, offering listeners valuable insights into maximizing returns while minimizing tax liabilities. * Stewart emphasizes the stability and cash flow of real estate investments compared to other assets, urging listeners to consider real estate as a cornerstone of long-term wealth building. * Insights are provided into the various types of office spaces and their viability post-pandemic, encouraging investors to explore opportunities in suburban offices, medical offices, and specialized buildings as part of a diversified portfolio strategy. * Stewart advices on seizing opportunities in the current market conditions, despite higher interest rates, by focusing on long-term value and leveraging professional management for a truly passive income experience. * Gary underscores the importance of diversification, tax benefits, and inflation hedging through real estate, directing listeners to Harvard Grace Capital’s resources for further guidance and support in their investment journey.
Stewart Heath’s Small Business Tip: 1. Consider diversifying income streams through real estate investments. 2. Educate yourself on the tax benefits and long-term wealth-building potential of real estate. 3. Focus on long-term value and utilize professional management for a truly passive income experience. 4. Take advantage of current market conditions and explore opportunities in stable real estate assets.
Connect with Stewart Heath: harvardgracecapital.com
Company’s LinkedIn
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Lisa Ealy is known as the “HR Profit Strategist,”. She is the proud CEO and founder of Purple Squirrel Group and HR For Profit. With more than a quarter-century of dedication to Human Resources and coaching, she has unlocked a game-changing truth: at the core of every thriving business are its PEOPLE. They are the essential element—the pivotal piece that can catapult your business to unprecedented heights.
What business problem do you solve? In today’s episode, the HR profit strategist, Lisa Ealy provides invaluable insights into retaining top talent within small businesses. Her expertise empowers business owners to cultivate an environment where employees feel valued, thus reducing turnover rates and ensuring continuity in business operations.
Small Business Answer Man’s Shownotes: * Gary emphasizes the importance of retaining top talent in small businesses and sets the stage for the conversation with Lisa Ealy. * Lisa delves into the particular hurdles that small businesses encounter when it comes to retaining top talent and underscores their ability to swiftly make decisions as an advantage in retaining employees. * The conversation delves into practical strategies for making employees feel valued, including regular one-on-one meetings and recognizing milestone dates. * Lisa shares actionable tips for implementing low-cost retention strategies, such as offering perks like reserved parking spaces and investing in employee development. * The importance of fostering a positive company culture to retain employees is emphasized, with examples of aligning actions with company values. * Gary reflects on the discussion and emphasizes the need for small business owners to prioritize employee appreciation. * Gary challenges listeners to take one small action this week to demonstrate appreciation for their employees. * Listeners are encouraged to explore https://www.hrforprofit.com/ for further resources on HR strategies.
Lisa Ealy’s Small Business Tip: Lisa recommends that small business owners, whether they are starting out without a team or already have one in place, prioritize their first hire and contemplate how their team can expand and bring more value to the business. She stresses the significance of investing in employees and ensuring that actions align with the core values of the business.
Connect with Lisa Ealy: Free chapter in my book Profit Amplified: HR Strategies that Every Small Business Owner Must Master, https://www.hrforprofit.com/free-chapter
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Cameron Bawden, CEO of Green Mango Pest Control, began his entrepreneurial journey in 2010 with one truck. 13 years later, having done over $24 million dollars in revenue, Green Mango is the fastest-growing pest control company in Arizona. Cameron’s goal is to hit $50 million in the next 5 years.
What business problem do you solve?
In today’s episode, payment expert Cameron shares strategies to slash those hidden costs and boost your business’s bottom line.
Small Business Answer Man’s Shownotes:
- Cameron is an expert who will share strategies for establishing systems and processes.
- Awareness was brought of the detrimental effects of stress, burnout, and the potential for business failure caused by the lack of efficient systems and processes.
- Cameron also briefly discusses the impact: stress, burnout, and potential for business failure.
- The episode acknowledges the common challenge faced by small business owners – having too much to do and not enough time.
- Cameron guides on how to put systems and processes in place to streamline operations and reduce stress.
- The podcast has a brief segment with inspiring stories of entrepreneurs who have benefitted from implementing systems and processes.
Cameron Bawden’s Small Business Tip:
While the benefits of systems and processes are significant, It’s essential to begin with a few critical areas and gradually expand. Starting small allows for manageable implementation and sets the foundation for long-term success.
Connect with Cameron Bawden:
Website
YouTube
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As a successful investor, national speaker, and International best-selling author Derek Dombeck has surfed the ups and downs of the market since 2003.
What business problem do you solve? In today’s episode Derek Dombeck, an accomplished investor and best-selling author, offers expert advice on creative deal structuring and effective negotiation. His insights empower entrepreneurs to navigate finance intricacies, stack financing strategies, and align business goals with personal visions for enduring success.
Small Business Answer Man's Shownotes: * Derek emphasizes the importance of creativity in deal structuring, advocating for innovative finance methods over traditional banking routes. * Insights shared on effective negotiation techniques, highlighting the significance of understanding communication styles and adapting strategies accordingly. * Derek presents a real-life example illustrating the effectiveness of stacking multiple financing strategies to address a homeowner's problem, showcasing the power of creative deal structuring. * Gary and Derek explore various negotiation techniques, emphasizing the importance of rapport-building and establishing upfront agreements for successful discussions. * During the podcast, Derek focuses on the importance of having a clear personal and business vision in order to attain both fulfillment and success, particularly in the context of building generational wealth. * He encourages listeners to define their vision for life and business, emphasizing alignment between business strategies and personal goals. * Gary and Derek conclude by discussing the transformative potential of intentional breaks and business model reassessment in prioritizing personal well-being and long-term success. * Derek introduces his own podcast called “The Generations of Wealth” where he helps people create their personal vision and business vision to support their personal life. * The episode highlights the crucial aspect of ensuring that business strategies are in harmony with personal objectives, leading to a more holistic form of success.
Derek Dombeck's Small Business Tip: Reflect on your personal and business vision, considering what you want your life to look like and how your business can support those aspirations. Take five to ten minutes each day to contemplate and jot down ideas, focusing on aligning business strategies with personal goals.
Connect with Derek Dombeck: Website
The Generation of Wealth Facebook
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Michal Stawicki is a bestselling author in the personal development field and a business coach. He is obsessed with changing the world through daily habits, starting with his own habits and his world. In the last decade, he published 19 books, sold over 85,000 copies of them, created dozens of new good habits, coached over 100 people in developing new habits, started a book advertising business, and quit his day job as a database administrator.
Michal preaches and practices consistent daily action. He believes this is the means to achieve success in any area of life, from parenting to business.
What business problem do you solve? In today’s episode, Gary and Michal share their insights on how consistent daily actions can lead to significant improvements in various areas of business.
Small Business Answer Man’s Shownotes: * The discussion covers how to translate business goals into daily or recurring actions. * Michal emphasizes the importance of consistency in developing sustainable habits, linking them to specific business goals. * Gary and Michal explore the impact of negative self-talk and the need for self-awareness to counter self-sabotage tendencies. * The conversation delves into the value of networking and the principle of providing value first to establish meaningful connections. * Michal underscores the importance of aligning personal values with business goals and maintaining balance across life domains. * Michal offers listeners access to a mini-course for self-coaching, providing tools for goal-setting and action planning. * Michal shares his final advice for business owners, align yourself with personal values. * For more information, you can visit Michal’s website expandbeyondyourself.com, and find out more about Michal.
Michal Stawicki’s Small Business Tip: Michal advises achieving a work-life balance. Also, you should first clearly define where you want to be in terms of your personal and professional life.
Connect with Michal Stawicki: Website
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Jeremy is a serial entrepreneur, investor, and former global marketing & communications executive. Over the past two decades, Jeremy has founded and led 8 of his companies to successful exit. Jeremy is currently the Founder & CEO of Payment Brokers, a fintech company, focused on AI-enabled cost reductions.
What business problem do you solve? In today’s episode Jeremy Lessaris, founder and CEO of Payment Brokers, shares his goal of putting money back on the table for businesses by addressing transaction costs.
Small Business Answer Man’s Shownotes: * Gary introduces Jeremy Lessaris, founder and CEO of Payment Brokers, as the guest for today’s episode. * Jeremy explains the complexity of credit card processing fees and their impact on businesses. * Jeremy describes Payment Brokers as a fintech company focused on AI-enabled cost reductions in credit card processing. * Gary emphasizes the significance of credit card processing fees for small businesses, especially with most transactions being conducted via cards. * Jeremy elaborates on how Payment Brokers’ technology breaks down complex statements to identify potential savings * Jeremy discusses the challenges of negotiating rates with existing providers and the need for advocacy in reducing fees. * Gary highlights the importance of community and mentorship in business success * He invites listeners to visit Payment Brokers’ website for a free analysis of their credit card processing statements.
Jeremy Lessaris’s Small Business Tip: Jeremy encourages business owners to seek mentorship, prioritize clarity of purpose, and enjoy the journey of solving business challenges. Invest in mentorship, guidance, and mastermind groups early in your career.
Connect with Jeremy Lessaris: Website
Jeremy’s LinkedIn
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Wade Swikle is the founder and CEO of 2 College Brothers Moving, Storage and Franchising, host of the Grow Your Moving Company Podcast, and co-founder of Moving Titan Retreats. Wade started his moving company with $600 and a pickup truck at the age of 21 while a student at the University of Florida over 11 years ago, grew it to a multi-million dollar business with multiple locations, and is now franchising the concept. He hosts the longest actively running moving industry podcast and is co-founder of Moving Titan Retreats, a mastermind retreat that brings together ambitious moving company owners from around the world to uplift the moving industry. Wade has a Master’s Degree in Entrepreneurship from UF and is currently an owner of 5 businesses.
What business problem do you solve? In this episode, Wade founder and CEO of Two College Brothers Moving Storage and Franchising, shares insights into how his company helps individuals solve their moving-related problems, whether it’s through their moving services or franchising opportunities.
Small Business Answer Man’s Shownotes: * Wade recounts his journey of starting Two College Brothers at the age of 21 with just $600 and a pickup truck. * He explains how his entrepreneurial spirit led him to establish the company and grow it into a multi-million dollar business over the years. * Wade discusses the evolution of Two College Brothers from a local moving company to a franchising organization. * He shares his vision of helping aspiring entrepreneurs enter the moving industry through the franchise model. * Wade highlights the value of systems and processes in the success of a franchise business. * He explains how having a well-defined set of procedures and protocols streamlines operations, facilitates training, and ensures consistency across locations. * Wade emphasizes the company’s focus on building relationships, providing comprehensive support to franchisees, and fostering a culture of excellence and customer service.
Wade Swikle’s Small Business Tip: Wade emphasizes the importance of effective marketing strategies for home service businesses. He expressed the significance of search engine optimization, social media engagement, and traditional marketing channels like direct mail in reaching and engaging potential customers.
Connect with Wade Swikle: Website
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Jason Howe’s expertise in addiction recovery, trauma, and mental health isn’t just professional — it’s deeply personal. As a respected bestselling author, speaker, and consultant who has collaborated with Fortune 500 companies, the U.S. Military, and the USO, Jason brings a unique perspective to the field. His role as the Executive Director for K9s on
What business problem do you solve? In this episode, Jason Howe, an expert in addiction recovery, trauma, and mental health, shares his personal and professional journey in these fields. The episode explores individuals’ challenges, the importance of authenticity and vulnerability, and the power of finding purpose.
Small Business Answer Man Shownotes: * Jason shares his journey, including hitting rock bottom, losing everything, and finding hope through a service dog named Soby. * He emphasizes the significance of acknowledging one’s struggles and deciding to change. * Jason introduces the “Adapt” philosophy, which includes acknowledging challenges, making decisions, being aware of triggers, persistence, and taking gradual steps toward success. * The philosophy serves as a tool for overcoming obstacles and finding personal growth. * Jason highlights the importance of support systems, including family, friends, and organizations like Canines on the Front Line Missouri. * Stories of transformation and healing demonstrate the impact of support and purpose in overcoming adversity. * Gary and Jason discuss the significance of recognizing signs of mental health struggles and reaching out to offer support. * Jason shares insights on supporting veterans and individuals struggling with mental health issues and addiction.
Jason Howe’s Small Business Tip: Jason emphasizes the importance of authenticity, vulnerability, and self-awareness. He suggests always being open-minded and never judging anyone. He also says that growth and success in business are closely tied to personal growth and overcoming challenges.
Connect with Jason Howe: Website
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Solomon Thimothy is a highly accomplished entrepreneur with over 17 years of experience in marketing and sales. As the co-founder and CEO of OneIMS, a leading inbound marketing and sales agency, as well as Clickx, he has helped businesses double their revenue using the 10X Framework. Solomon is also an expert in lead generation and customer acquisition, as well as a USA Today and Wall Street Journal best-selling author.
In addition to his work, Solomon is also an angel investor and startup advisor. He has helped numerous startups grow and scale, leveraging his expertise in marketing, sales, and business strategy.
What business problem do you solve? In today’s episode, Gary and Solomon discuss how entrepreneurs often grapple with feelings of overwhelm and stress, especially when navigating the complexities of marketing and sales.
Small Business Answer Man’s Shownotes: * Gary introduces the Six P Business Owner Formula, focusing on people, productivity, pricing, promotion, process, and profits. * With expertise in lead generation and customer acquisition, Solomon shares practical strategies honed over nearly two decades in the field. * Solomon breaks down the essential equation for business success—acquisition plus retention equals growth. * Solomon introduces the Growth Formula, highlighting the importance of acquisition and retention in achieving business growth. * Solomon emphasizes the significance of searching your business name on Google. If it doesn’t rank within the top three results in the “near me” category, it indicates the necessity to enhance your business’s visibility and reach. * Solomon discusses the importance of leveraging free resources, such as social media and educational content creation, to build brand authority and drive demand. * Gary and Solomon encouraged business owners to overcome fear and embrace video content as a powerful tool for building authority and engagement. * Solomon shares practical advice for small business owners, emphasizing low-budget marketing strategies and actionable steps for tangible results.
Solomon Thimothy’s Small Business Tip: Solomon emphasizes the importance of leveraging free resources like social media to attract and retain customers effectively. He also encourages entrepreneurs to embrace video content as a powerful tool for brand building and establishing authority in their industry.
Connect with Solomon Thimothy: Website: https://www.oneims.com/
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Robb Green is a lifelong learner constantly seeking knowledge to empower himself and others. Robb has owned 8 brands over the course of his career and currently hosts the podcast “I’m the One,” which provides practical guidance on building wealth, maintaining healthy relationships, and achieving well-being.
What business problem do you solve? In today’s episode, Gary hosts Robb Green, a seasoned entrepreneur and host of the podcast “I’m the One.” Rob brings a wealth of experience from owning multiple brands and is passionate about sharing practical guidance for building wealth, maintaining healthy relationships, and achieving well-being.
Small Business Answer Man Shownotes: * Robb emphasizes the importance of pricing strategy, highlighting how many business owners struggle to effectively price their products or services. * He discusses the mindset shift required to overcome pricing challenges, focusing on delivering value to customers across different pricing tiers. * The concept of “good, better, best” pricing model is explored, along with the significance of understanding customer demand and market positioning. * Robb shares strategies for managing overwhelm and stress, emphasizing the importance of integrating family and business activities. * Integrating customer feedback and market demand into pricing decisions helps businesses align their offerings * He advocates for protecting dedicated family time and adopting a mindset of productivity and prioritization. * Lifelong learning is highlighted as a crucial aspect of personal and professional growth.
Robb Green’s Small Business Tip: Rob stressed the importance of protecting time for family activities and creating a schedule that allows for quality time with loved ones. By prioritizing family and setting boundaries, entrepreneurs can achieve a healthier work-life balance and avoid burnout.
Connect with Robb Green:# Website: http://imtheone.com
LinkedIn:
YouTube:
Robb has a Podcast: https://therobbgreenshow.com/
Listen Score = 29
Global Rank = 5%
What is Listen Score? Listen Score (LS) is a metric that shows the estimated popularity of this podcast compared to other rss-based public podcasts in the world on a scale from 0 to 100. The higher, the more popular. Calculated from 1st and 3rd party data. Updated monthly.
What is Global Rank? This podcast is one of the top 5% most popular shows out of 3,263,427 podcasts globally, ranked by Listen Score (the estimated popularity score).
FYI Small Business Answer Man
Listen Score = 32
Global Rank = 5%
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Tim is a versatile entrepreneur, investor, consultant, and podcast host who helps service business owners uncover the profits hidden inside their existing business. By the age of 25, Tim had raised over $325mm for his investment company before moving on to building a 7 figure tech-enabled fitness business alongside his wife. Most recently, Tim was one of the 4 Executive Team members at GymLaunch alongside Alex and Leila Hormozi. He oversaw the development and launch of ALAN, a machine learning SaaS company, which grew from zero to $20M ARR in 6 months. Currently, Tim helps make founders’ dreams come true by implementing his Product to Profit TM Framework as a sought-after #2 to ambitious founders.
What business problem do you solve? In today’s episode, Gary is joined by Tim Khalise, a versatile entrepreneur, investor, and consultant. Tim shares valuable insights into building and optimizing the recurring revenue component of service-based businesses.
Small Business Answer Man Shownotes: * Tim emphasizes the importance of recurring revenue in building a successful business. * He explains how businesses can leverage their existing customer base to establish long-term relationships and drive profitability. * Tim discusses the significance of offering high-value services that address customers’ core needs and aspirations. * Tim highlights the role of affiliates and partners in expanding business reach and acquiring new customers. * Gary and Tim encourage business owners to shift their mindset from competing on price to delivering exceptional value. * They stress the importance of believing in the value of one’s offerings and pricing accordingly. * They advised to focus on delivering solutions that provide tangible value and enhance their quality of life.
Tim Calise’s Small Business Tip: Look for strategic partners and affiliates who can help you reach new audiences and expand your business network. Collaborate with like-minded businesses to create mutually beneficial opportunities for growth.
Connect with Tim Calise: Website: https://timcalise.com/
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Today we’re talking to Henry McIntosh, the founder of Twenty One Twelve Marketing, a partnership marketing agency otherwise known as the commercial collaborations agency and GLOW Festivals – an apres ski music festival with absolutely no snow in sight.
What business problem do you solve? Today’s episode discussion revolved around unlocking business growth through partnership marketing. Our guest, Henry McIntosh, founder of Marketing and Glow Festivals, shares insights and strategies for leveraging partnerships to drive lead generation and propel your business forward.
Small Business Answer Man’s Shownotes: * Partnership marketing involves collaborating with complementary but non-competitive businesses to achieve mutual goals. * Three key approaches: value exchange, sponsored collaborations, and incentivized collaborations. * Henry shares the story behind Glow Festivals, an apres-ski music festival born out of COVID restrictions. * Despite the absence of snow, the festival leverages partnership marketing to create a unique experience for attendees. * Precision marketing emphasizes targeted and focused strategies tailored to specific audiences. * Henry highlights the importance of going deeper rather than wider to maximize impact. * Henry advises established businesses to focus on scalability and predictability in their marketing efforts. * Henry discusses the transition to remote work during COVID-19 and the communication challenges it presents. * Remote work offers benefits such as access to a broader talent pool but requires intentional communication and robust processes. * Henry emphasizes the need for small business owners to maintain authenticity and creativity amidst technological advancements.
Connect with Henry McIntosh: Website: http://www.twenty-one-twelve.com
Company’s LinkedIn
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Jon Bassford is the Founder and CEO of Lateral Solutions, an operations management company specializing in launching and managing internal operations for startups, small businesses, and nonprofits. Jon is a visionary entrepreneur and operations professional who thrives on creating and driving change.
What do you problem do you solve? In this episode, Gary Wilbers and John Basford dive into the critical issue facing many small business owners: the overwhelming burden of day-to-day operations.
Small Business Answer Man’s Shownotes: * The podcast starts by introducing Jon Bassford, an expert in operations management, focusing on helping startups, small businesses, and nonprofits optimize their internal operations. * The conversation delves into the importance of efficient internal operations in accelerating small business growth. * Jon discusses his background in operational roles and consulting, emphasizing the challenges small business owners face in managing day-to-day tasks. * He highlights three key areas of service: recruitment of operational staff, coaching and mastermind programs, and assessment to identify areas for improvement. * John emphasizes problem-solving skills and resource management as crucial for operational roles. * He discusses the importance of documenting processes systematically to ensure continuity and scalability. * Gary and Jon explore the significance of analytics in optimizing workflows and driving business growth. * Jon underscores the value of lead indicators and forward-thinking approaches enabled by data-driven decisions.
Jon Bassford’s Small Business Tip: Jon encourages business owners to invest in operational roles to shift focus from tactical work to strategic growth. He emphasizes the foundational role of efficient operations in scaling businesses and achieving long-term success.
Connect with Jon Bassford: Website: https://jonbassford.com/
YouTube
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Tanya Alvarez, founder of a New York ad agency at 25, battled odds and achieved $1M in revenue. With OwnersUP, she helps you win at work while living what matters most.
What business problem do you solve? In this episode, Tanya Alvarez, founder of a New York ad agency, shares insights on maintaining focus, achieving life fulfillment, and combating overwhelm in entrepreneurship.
Small Business Answer Man’s Shownotes: * Tanya Alvarez shares insights on maintaining focus in entrepreneurship. * Gary emphasizes the importance of maintaining focus and achieving life fulfillment amidst the challenges of entrepreneurship. * Tanya explains the significance of self-awareness and conducting a task audit to prioritize activities effectively. * Tanya suggests implementing simple productivity habits like idea ranking and the “RAP” method (Review, Assess, Prioritize) to combat overwhelm. * Tanya shares examples of clients who have successfully scaled their businesses while reclaiming their time through accountability groups. * Listeners are encouraged to visit Tanya’s website, ownersup.com, and connect with her on social media for additional resources and support. * Tanya offers a free resource accessible via her Instagram handle, @TanyaCAlvarez, providing a detailed framework on prioritization and maintaining focus.
Tanya Alvarez’s Small Business Tip: Tanya emphasizes the importance of self-awareness and conducting a task audit to prioritize activities effectively. By understanding where time is being spent, entrepreneurs can ensure they are focusing on the tasks that truly matter for their business success.
Connect with Tanya Alvarez: Website: https://ownersup.com/
https://grit.ownersup.com/RAP
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Brian Will is a seasoned entrepreneur, bestselling author, and sales expert with over 35 years of experience. He’s created seven highly successful companies worth over half a billion dollars at their peak. Today, Brian owns thriving ventures in restaurants, insurance, technology, and real estate.
What business problem do you solve? In this episode, Gary and Brian discuss the significance of active listening and connective response in sales, along with the importance of explaining product benefits to overcome objections.
Small Business Answer Man Shownotes: * Gary emphasizes the importance of setting clear goals for your business and reverse engineering them to create a path to success. * Brian highlights the need for entrepreneurs to understand why customers should buy their products and why they should buy from them. * Brian shares insights from his book, “The Dropout Millionaire,” focusing on the psychological aspects of building and running a business. * Gary stresses the value of understanding your weaknesses as a business owner and bringing in people who can complement those weaknesses. * Brian talks about the importance of having a board of directors or a personal coach, even for successful entrepreneurs like Tim Cook of Apple. * Gary emphasizes the need for entrepreneurs to have a clear plan for their business. * Brian discusses the importance of delegation in scaling a business and the role of soft skills in entrepreneurship. * Gary and Brian talk about the common mistakes entrepreneurs make in sales and how to overcome them. * Brian explains his coaching assessment process, which helps entrepreneurs understand their business’s current state and plan for future growth.
Brian Will’s Small Business Tip: Understand why customers should buy your product and why they should buy from you. Use active listening and connective responses in sales to overcome objections. Delegate tasks according to your weaknesses to scale your business effectively.
Connect with Brian Will: Website: www.brianwillmedia.com
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Bocar Dia is a Partner at Forum Ventures sitting at the intersection of investing and working 1:1 with portfolio founders through the early stages of building, including go-to-market, founder-led sales, and fundraising.
What business problem do you solve? In this episode, Bocar Dia discusses the challenges entrepreneurs face in the early stages of building their businesses, particularly the transition from the zero to one phase. He emphasizes the need for validating market pain points, understanding customer needs, and developing scalable business models for success.
Small Business Answer Man’s Shownotes: * At the start, Gary introduces Bocar Dia, a partner at Forum Ventures, who discussed the challenges entrepreneurs face in the early stages of building their businesses, particularly the transition from the zero to one phase. * Bocar emphasized the need for entrepreneurs to adapt their approach to sales based on the stage of their business. * He shared insights from his experience at Hootsuite and as a founder, highlighting the significance of focusing on customer validation and building a scalable business model. * He further discusses the essential skills entrepreneurs need to develop for effective go-to-market strategies, including prospecting, discovery, presentation, and customer success. * Bocar emphasized the importance of creating a systematic approach to sales and customer satisfaction to drive business growth and success. * Gary underscored the significance of implementing these strategies across different industries, emphasizing their universal applicability for entrepreneurs.
Bocar Dia’s Small Business Tip: Focus on validating market pain points and understanding customer needs before developing and selling a product. Implement a systematic approach to sales and customer satisfaction to drive business growth and success.
Connect with Bocar Dia: LinkedIn
Company‘s LinkedIn
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Kayvon, CEO of The Sales Connection and a foremost sales authority has transformed sales strategies globally. Excelling in teaching professionals to connect authentically with prospects, he’s guided the creation of multimillion-dollar businesses and trained over 21,000 sales reps across 100 countries. With over $300 million in sales, Kayvon is a celebrated international speaker and an expert in advancing sales techniques and business growth.
What business problem do you solve? In today’s episode, Kayvon shares insights on the overlooked element of self-connection in sales, providing strategies to enhance authenticity and drive sales success.
Small Business Answer Man Shownotes: * This episode revolves around discussing essential qualities for success in sales. * Kayvon emphasizes the importance of self-connection, resilience, and authenticity in driving sales. * He stresses that genuine self-connection far surpasses mere tactics and strategies. * The conversation delves into the distinction between selling and closing, highlighting the significance of building trust and maintaining genuine human connections. * Kayvon underscores the distinction between selling and closing, elucidating why both are indispensable in the sales process. * Kayvon addresses the role of AI in sales, asserting its value while underscoring the irreplaceable human element. * He further discusses how The Sales Connection website, has multiple resources available for business owners and sales professionals.
Kavyon Kay’s Small Business Tip: Foster genuine connections, listen attentively, and prioritize authenticity in sales interactions to drive success.
Connect with Kavyon Kay: Website: http://thesalesconnection.com/
TikTok
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Aaron Marcum holds a Master’s in Positive Psychology from UPenn under Dr. Martin Seligman. With two decades of business scaling experience, he’s an award-winning leader and speaker empowering entrepreneurs. Aaron has just recently launched his book, “EntreThrive,” today. I can’t believe we were able to get him on the podcast but we are excited he made time for us.
What problem do you solve? In today’s episode, Aaron Markham shares insights into the importance of positive psychology for entrepreneurs, highlighting its proactive approach to helping individuals thrive amidst uncertainties.
Small Business Answer Man Shownotes: * Gary mentions Aaron’s recent book launch, “Entra Thrive Today,” underscoring its relevance to the discussion. * Aaron delves into the concept of positive psychology and its significance for entrepreneurs. * Aaron explains positive psychology as the science of well-being, emphasizing its proactive approach to helping individuals. * He discussed the six entrepreneurship aspects discussed his book:
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EntreClarity
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EntreGrit
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EntreConnections
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EntreFaith
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EntreHabits
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EntreVigor
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He further discusses the concept of “EntreClarity,” indicating his keenness to explore this foundational aspect of his book.
- Aaron elaborates on the importance of establishing guiding truths and gaining self-awareness.
- According to Aaron, acceptance to achieve clarity in personal and professional life aligns with understanding practical strategies for personal and professional growth.
- Find Aaron’s book at Amazon or entrethrive.com
- Get your EntreThrive EntreClarity Guide Guide at https://www.entrethrive.com/smallbusinessanswerman
Aaron Marcum’s Small Business Tip: Aaron advises taking gradual steps toward success. He says that, by starting with small actions and building momentum, entrepreneurs can avoid feeling overwhelmed and steadily progress toward their goals.
Connect with Aaron Marcum: Website: http://www.entrethrive.com
Aaron’s LinkedIn
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Chris Mannina, CPA and CFO, works primarily with mid-market businesses in a variety of industries, including professional services, technology, government contracting, and non-profits. His areas of expertise include reporting, compliance, strategic planning, FP&A, monitoring, and internal controls.
What business problem do you solve? In today’s episode, Chris Mannina addresses the critical financial challenges businesses face, emphasizing the shift from traditional accounting to strategic financial planning.
Small Business Answer Man Shownotes: * The podcast starts with Gary introducing Chris Meninian, a seasoned CPA and CFO, to delve into the crucial role of financials in business success. * Key discussion points include strategic accounting focus, essential financial insights for CEOs, and navigating cash flow challenges. * The conversation further explores the impact of technology and automation in accounting, highlighting high ROI wins and the benefits of outsourcing finance departments. * Chris offers a free rapid finance assessment through KWC Advisors, providing valuable insights into enhancing your business’s financial health. * Gary discusses common cash flow challenges faced by small and medium-sized businesses. * Chris addresses the seasonal variations in cash flow and provides insights on managing cash flow struggles effectively. * Gary and Chris discuss the benefits of outsourcing finance departments for small to medium-sized businesses. * Chris emphasizes the scalability and access to diverse skill sets offered by outsourcing. * In the end, Chris discusses the assessment process, providing a brief overview and offering a 30-minute call to assess the financial health of your business.
Chris Mannina’s Small Business Tip: Chris suggested unlocking the power of proactive financial planning, understanding your cash flow, leveraging technology, and embracing strategic accounting to elevate your business profits.
Connect with Chris Mannina: Website: http://kwcadvisors.com/
KWC CPAs’ LinkedIn
KWC CPAs’ Facebook
Chris’s LinkedIn
The Expert Bookers: www.expertbookers.com
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JoDee is a CSP and a SHRM-SCP; she owns Purple Ink, an HR consulting firm serving clients throughout the Midwest. JoDee has written 5 books in the JoyPowered® Series; her most recent one, an Amazon #1 best seller, is JoyPowered® Networking; in addition to running her firm for the past 14 years, she is a speaker and trainer on many leadership and/or HR topics.
What problem do you solve? In this episode, Gary Wilbers and JoDee Curtis crack the challenges hindering joy and success in the business world, offering practical solutions and insights for a thriving workplace.
Small Business Answer Man Shownotes: * Gary introduces the six P business owner formula: People, Productivity, Pricing, Promotion, Process, and Profits. * Insights into the evolving workplace dynamics in 2024 and the impact on small business owners were discussed. * JoDee shares her goal of helping individuals overcome the fear of networking. * JoDee Acknowledges the vital role of networking in driving business success. * Highlights from JoDee Curtis’s book, “Joypired Networking,” emphasize practical networking tips. * The significance of joy in the workplace and its contribution to employee engagement and loyalty. * Reflecting on the generational shift in work values and the need for finding passion in work. * Exploring the reciprocal nature of networking and practical strategies for creating lasting connections. * Find Jodee’s book at https://getjoypowered.com/ and use coupon code: ANSWER
JoDee Curtis’s Small Business Tip: JoDee suggests to make joy a priority in your workplace. She says, happy employees lead to engaged teams, increased productivity, and long-term success. You should always find ways to infuse joy into your company culture.
Connect with JoDee Curtis: Purple Ink LinkedIn
JoDee’s LinkedIn
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Heidi Schalk is a business strategy and leadership coach, author, speaker, and host of the Be S.H.E. Podcast (Be Seen. Be Heard. Be Empowered.). She has been featured on FOX, ABC, NBC, CBS, and The Daily Herald. Heidi spent the past 5 years helping entrepreneurs achieve their goals and build 6 figure businesses they love through her M.O.N.E.Y Mastery System.
What business problem do you solve? In this episode, Heidi Schlack, business strategy and leadership coach, shares her journey and expertise in helping entrepreneurs overcome challenges and achieve success.
Small Business Answer Man Shownotes: * The podcast starts off by introducing Heidi Schlack as a business strategy and leadership coach, author, speaker, and host of the Be She podcast. * Heidi's expertise in helping entrepreneurs achieve their goals and build successful businesses. * Heidi's journey started six years ago during a challenging period. * She navigated a divorce and the need for financial security. * Despite starting with health and wellness, she shifted her focus to coaching women in leadership. * Heidi emphasizes on the significance of human connection, live interactions, and the collaborative power of networks. * She also talks about the necessity of asking for help, reaching out for support, and building a collaborative community. * Furthermore, she emphasizes on the importance of finding the right fit when selecting a coach. * She also highlighted the significance of a compatible partnership. * In the end, Heidi addressed challenges related to email and time management. * She encourages entrepreneurs to set boundaries, prioritize tasks, and create dedicated time for self-care.
Heidi Schalk's Best Small Business Tip: Heidi Schlack emphasizes the importance of embracing vulnerability and seeking support. Small business owners can benefit by acknowledging that they don't have to navigate the entrepreneurial journey alone.
Connect with Heidi Schalk: Cultivate a Millionaire Mindset Guide: www.heidischalkcoaching.com/summitgift
Website: heidischalk.com
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Dr. James M. Smith is a licensed professional counselor in Jefferson City, MO. He currently works as the outpatient lead therapist at SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital Behavioral Health. He has been in the mental health field for 18 years and specializes in addiction, severe, persistent mental illness, and trauma. His dissertation explored the lived experiences of men disclosing childhood sexual abuse. Jamie (as most people call him) is married to his amazing wife Lesley and has three supervillain genius-level kids, Jacob, Caitlin, and Nathaniel. He is the proud servant of a Golden Retriever named Trooper. He is an avid St. Louis Cardinals fan.
What business problem do you solve? In this episode, Dr. Jamie Smith, a licensed counselor, explores the practical application of psychologist Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. The discussion revolves around gaining a deeper understanding of our mental well-being and enhancing leadership abilities.
Small Business Answer Man Shownotes: * Dr. Jamie Smith provides an insightful exploration of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, starting from the foundational levels of physiology and safety, and progressing towards higher stages of belonging and esteem. * He further discusses the importance of understanding how our brain works to take care of ourselves and others. * He emphasizes that losing a sense of safety amidst business uncertainty can impact mental well-being. * Dr. Jamie Smith talked about how “Living on purpose” and aligning actions to values prevents sacrificing what’s most important * He also talks about the importance of being intentional about how time and energy are invested, enabling individuals to exert control over their genuine priorities. * The conversation highlights the significance of belonging, not only within the team but also in personal relationships. * Finally, Dr. Jamie Smith talks about how a dilemma emerges as entrepreneurs sometimes prioritize business success to the detriment of family and intimate connections, prompting reflection on the balance between professional and personal spheres.
Dr. Jamie Smith’s Best Small Business Tip: According to him, burnout can hinder productivity and creativity, so stepping back when needed ensures long-term success. Remember, a well-balanced life contributes to sustained business growth.
Connect with Jamie Smith: LinkedIn
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Scot Drinkard has been an entrepreneur for 30 years, with a portfolio of over 20 companies. Scot has faced many challenges along the way, in business and personal life.
What business problem do you solve? In this episode, Scot delves into the intricate challenge entrepreneurs often face: the delicate balance between the demanding nature of their work and the imperative of maintaining personal health.
Small Business Answer Man Shownotes: * Scot discusses the difficulty entrepreneurs have balancing intense work demands with personal health. * He shares the trajectory of his early entrepreneurial journey, recounting the inevitable growth pains and the burden of an overwhelming workload. * Scot shares his early entrepreneurship journey, growth pains, and excessive workload. * He credits joining a mastermind group with providing entrepreneur support. * Scot shares insights into his leadership philosophy, highlighting the crucial role of promoting open communication and empathetic leadership within his team. * He views the importance of treating his team like family and fostering a supportive environment that encourages growth and well-being. * Scot draws strength from his spirituality and faith in navigating the professional and personal obstacles inherent in entrepreneurship. * According to Scot, building company culture starts with clear communication, empathy, and treating staff like family. * His story emphasizes the vital role played by support networks, empathetic leadership, and the grounding impact of spirituality when navigating the intricate challenges involved in establishing and maintaining a thriving business.
Scot Drinkard’s Small Business Tip: As an entrepreneur, it’s easy to blur the lines between personal and professional life. Scot emphasizes the importance of carving out personal time, nurturing relationships, and avoiding the pitfalls of overworking for sustained mental and emotional well-being.
Joshua Brown has been married for 25 years to Jennifer. He is a father of six, which includes three girls, and three boys. Joshua is the founder of a vocational ministry experience. He opened a side hustle and turned it into a national brand where ministers are invited to enter into the marketplace so they can create jobs, make disciples and serve the city.
What business problem do you solve? In this episode, Joshua will guide us in cultivating mental resilience, emphasizing the importance of persevering through challenges, staying committed, and ultimately completing our life journey with faith and determination.
Small Business Answer Man Shownotes: * Joshua starts by expressing the importance of navigating through life’s experiences with faith and perseverance. * He further opens up about his early life, marked by adversity and struggles. * He stresses the significance of facing challenges head-on and the resilience required to resist the temptation to give up. * Joshua challenges the conventional perception that ministry is confined to denominational or vocational roles. * He goes on by sharing his personal experiences of being labeled a “pressure-washing pastor” even outside traditional ministry settings. * He encourages a broader perspective, asserting that pastoral calling is not restricted to traditional roles. * Joshua draws parallels with the experiences of John Wesley, underscoring moments of uncertainty in his spiritual journey. * He emphasizes that uncertainties in one’s relationship with God are both common and transitory. Joshua advocates for seeking God’s presence through prayer as a means to rejuvenate and strengthen spiritual connections. * Joshua stresses that entrepreneurs are stewards, not owners, of their businesses. * He underscores the importance of surrendering business to God to alleviate the burden of constant worry. * Lastly, Joshua offers guidance to entrepreneurs, suggesting that they recognize God’s responsibility for their businesses and prioritize the crucial aspect of rest.
Joshua Brown’s Best Small Business Tip: Joshua recommends that small business owners prioritize self-care, emphasizing that effective leadership serves as the cornerstone for every aspect of business. He encourages them to assess their fitness, finances, faith, and family, identifying areas of strength and weakness. By doing so, entrepreneurs can strategically focus on enhancing their strengths and addressing areas that require improvement.
Connect with Joshua Brown: Website: https://www.pressurewashingpastor.com/
YouTube
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As the founder of more than a dozen companies, over three decades of entrepreneurial experience, and with 10+ years coaching businesses, Gary Wilbers is an expert businessman. His primary focus is on helping small business owners achieve success and balance in business and in life through his own peer advisory groups.
Gary is a founder, speaker, author, trainer, and coach. His profound familiarity with the daily challenges that small business owners face has instilled in him the belief that everyone is able to reach their full potential. This mantra led him to establish The Ascend Mastermind, a peer advisory group, where small business owners can connect with like-minded individuals, share their struggles, and hold each other accountable in order to achieve growth and freedom in their lives.
Gary is also an accomplished author, with several best-sellers, including “The High Achiever Leadership Formula,” “21 Ways to Attract, Retain & Engage Millennials,” “Positive Culture Wins,” and “Cultivate Positive Culture.”
What business problem do you solve? In this episode, Gary tackles the crucial task of crafting a well-organized business roadmap for success in 2024. He underscores the necessity of conceptualizing a vision and attaining clarity on the specific steps required to bring it to reality.
Small Business Answer Man Shownotes: * Gary starts the first episode of 2024 with great enthusiasm, highlighting the significance of not just having a vision but gaining clarity on the path to achievement. * Gary quotes Dr. Alistair McCormick on the mental battle of a marathon, emphasizing the need to break through challenges for life goals. * He further talks about “Six Steps to Success in 2024”. * Step 1: Develop a vision statement for life, business, and personal goals. * Step 2: Create a three-year life domain analyzer. * Step 3: Formulate a three-year business strategy. * Step 4: Break down the three-year plan into a one-year business plan with 90-day actions. * Step 5: Develop a Life domain plan with 90-day action items and necessary behaviors. * Step 6: Review and analyze the plan for building the dream life. * Gary offers one-on-one coaching tailored to individual needs. * Benefits include effective workload management, burnout prevention, and optimal time utilization. * Please Sign up here: https://bookme.name/garywilbers/clarity-navigator-discovery-call
Gary Wilber’s Small Business Tip: As a small business owner, make sure to seize the opportunity everyday and make it yours. Ascend to the top of the mountain, but real success and significance come from assisting others in reaching the top of the mountain alongside you.
Connect with Gary Wilbers: LinkedIn
YouTube
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Tom Schwab believes the best things in life come from conversations. It’s these powerful, sometimes awkward conversations that propel us from where we are personally and professionally to where we dream of being.
As an engineer, a Navy Veteran, and Nuclear Propulsion Plant Operator, Tom thinks differently. Tough Minded, Skeptical, sometimes even Cantankerous, but always technically competent, always thinking – “What if”, is how the head of the Nuclear Navy described it.
As a small business owner and entrepreneur, he understands the unique challenges of business owners. This led him to be an early pioneer of using inbound marketing for eCommerce and targeted podcast interviews for marketing that connects.
Tom is the author of two books: Podcast Guest Profits: Grow Your Business with a Targeted Interview Strategy, called the bible of podcast guesting, and One Conversation Away: A Manifesto for a Rich Life and a Profitable Business.
What business problem do you solve? In this episode, Chief Evangelist Officer at Interview Valet, Tom Schwab talks about solving the significant problem of obscurity in businesses.
Small Business Answer Man Shownotes: * In today’s episode, Tom Schwab shares valuable insights into the dynamics of promotion and underscores its potential advantages for small business owners. * Tom emphasizes that the major challenge businesses face is obscurity, where potential customers are unaware of products or services that they might like to purchase. * Tom Schwab suggests overcoming obscurity by tapping into existing audiences through podcast interview marketing, highlighting the importance of being known to potential customers. * The conversation delves into the Six P Business Owner Formula, with a specific focus on the Promotion aspect and how Tom contributes to promoting businesses through podcast interview marketing. * Tom predicts that small businesses may face challenges in the 2024 election due to attempts to outspend political campaigns in advertising, affecting ad costs and audience attention. * The importance of strategic marketing for businesses in 2024 is discussed, emphasizing the role of podcast interview marketing in adapting to the evolving advertising landscape. * Tom provides a practical example with a Call to Action, directing listeners to visit Interview Valet’s welcome page at InterviewValet.com/Answerman, explaining the three calls to action. * The conversation further explores the concept of making marketing more human by focusing on relationship sales and the significance of building trust through giving value before seeking commitment. * Tom’s final advice is centered on the idea that businesses are just one conversation away from success, emphasizing the importance of human connection and meaningful conversations.
Tom Schwab’s Best Small Business Tip: According to Tom, you are one conversation away, not one funnel away. Building authentic human connections with customers can deliver more value than depending on AI tools or not putting in enough effort.
Connect with Tom Schwab: Take the FREE Business Owners’ Life Domain Assessment HERE
Website: https://interviewvalet.com/
Tom’s Twitter
YouTube
Dave's mission is to Align the Misaligned through the Five Facets of Business™ framework— a dynamic small business operating system that aligns systems and people so businesses and the people in them can flourish.
What business problem do you solve? In today’s episode, Dave will help businesses overcome obstacles more effectively, promoting a transition from a state of grinding to achieving sustainable growth using a systematic approach.
Small Business Answer Man Shownotes: * Today’s episode is structured toward helping entrepreneurs in navigating challenges and minimizing stress in their businesses. * Dave stresses the importance of effective prioritization, diagnosis, and leveraging time for optimal outcomes. * Dave introduces the three stages of company alignment: misalignment, alignment, and realignment. * Misalignment is when symptoms become overwhelming, alignment is when systems and people are in harmony, and realignment is an ongoing process of adapting to challenges. * Dave discusses the challenges businesses face when hitting the complexity threshold, where progress becomes difficult. * He emphasizes the required mindset shift from a "big dog operator" mentality to sustainable growth achieved through simplification and scaling. * The five facets of business, presented as a framework for assessment and improvement, are culture, strategy, operations, story (sales and marketing), and finance. * An analogy using a map underscores the significance of knowing a business's current state before planning its future. * Dave highlights that businesses often excel in a few facets but struggle in others, resulting in overall challenges. * According to Dave, the goal is to identify and elevate different aspects of the business to achieve holistic success. * Dave elaborates on operationalizing culture by translating values into actionable behaviors and integrating them into performance reviews and hiring processes. * The conversation explores the dual contracts in employee engagement—market and social contracts. * Dave further talks about the impact of underdoing the social contract, leading to issues such as feeling underpaid or dissatisfaction with tasks. * Dave outlines key elements in operations, including clarity on the core business, documentation of essential processes, and the establishment of a structured meeting flow called the "rhythm of the business." * Dave introduces essential financial practices, including planning for profit by rearranging the income minus profit equals expenses formula and the crucial role of forecasting in making strategic decisions. * During the podcast, Dave highlights a few benefits of forecasting, not just for predicting but for preparing businesses for potential decisions, reducing reactivity, and promoting strategic and logical decision-making. * The free assessment with 26 questions provides a baseline roadmap to help focus on business priorities. Please find the link below.
Dave Newell's Small Business Tip: Dave suggests that you should aim to eliminate confusion in your communication. When customers understand what you offer and how it benefits them, they are more likely to engage with your business. By providing clarity, you are addressing potential doubts or uncertainties in the customer's mind.
Connect with Dave Newell for additional resources Take the FREE Business Owners’ Life Domain Assessment HERE
Dave’s Free Assessment: https://theevolvedifference.com/sbam
Website: http://www.theevolvedifference.com
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Learn more about Gary’s Mastermind group at goascend.biz/the-mastermind-solution
As the founder of more than a dozen companies, over three decades of entrepreneurial experience, and with 10+ years coaching businesses, Gary Wilbers is an expert businessman. His primary focus is on helping small business owners achieve success and balance in business and in life through his own peer advisory groups.
Gary is a founder, speaker, author, trainer, and coach. His profound familiarity with the daily challenges that small business owners face has instilled in him the belief that everyone is able to reach their full potential. This mantra led him to establish The Ascend Mastermind, a peer advisory group, where small business owners can connect with like-minded individuals, share their struggles and hold each other accountable in order to achieve growth and freedom in their lives.
Gary is also an accomplished author, with several best-sellers, including "The High Achiever Leadership Formula," "21 Ways to Attract, Retain & Engage Millennials," "Positive Culture Wins," and "Cultivate Positive Culture."
What business problem do you solve?
In today's episode, Gary addresses the common challenge of effectively setting and achieving goals, particularly in the context of preparing for success in the upcoming year.
Small Business Answer Man’s Shownotes:
- Gary Wilbers kicks off the Small Business Answer Man podcast, emphasizing the significance of setting goals in December to pave the way for success in the upcoming year.
- He shares a compelling story from 1998, highlighting his achievement of a three-year goal to own his corporate and retail location within eleven months, showcasing the power of strategic planning and action.
- Gary further delves into the analogy that goals act as headlights, providing direction and clarity in your journey. He stresses the role of goals in offering focus, accountability, and growth, referencing Charles Chua's insights on the perils of lacking clear objectives.
- Later, he introduces Achiever Loop, a five-step process tailored for high achievers. This process involves visualizing the desired self, taking actionable steps, cultivating habits and behaviors, celebrating milestones, and framing goals in the SMARTER framework.
- In addition to this, Gary begins by sharing his weight-loss journey and associates it with the concept of the SMARTER framework by Michael Hyatt, where goals should be Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Risky, Time-bound, Exciting, and Relevant. This framework aims to enhance the effectiveness of goal-setting.
- He also discusses seven key secrets for goal achievement, including the importance of visualization, writing goals down, making SMARTER goals, establishing a compelling "why," identifying action steps and habits, celebrating milestones, and rewarding oneself.
- Gary introduces a downloadable tool called the Yearly Target, designed to assist individuals in setting yearly goals with quarterly milestones and self-assessment to track progress.
- He shares insights on overcoming resistance to change, referencing Rick Goodens' perspective that people resist change when focusing on losses rather than gains, emphasizing the need to anticipate and navigate various challenges.
- Gary discusses the three types of pain associated with change—Loss pain, Process pain, and Outcome pain—underscoring the necessity of pushing through these challenges to achieve behavior change successfully.
- Find the Downloads to Achieve Your Goals in 2024 HERE
Gary Wilber’s Small Business Tip:
He underscores the significance of accountability by recommending individuals get an accountability partner, whether a coach, a friend, or participation in a group class. This may help to stay on track and stay focused towards your goal.
Connect with Gary Wilbers:
YouTube
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Learn more about Gary’s Mastermind group at goascend.biz/the-mastermind-solution
Andy Hite is a recognized leadership coach who supports .entrepreneurs, executives, and their teams as they navigate the world of building businesses and lives filled with prosperity, meaning, & freedom
What business problem do you solve? In today’s episode, Andy delves into the often overlooked factor in business challenges: the owner or leadership team.
Small Business Answer Man Shownotes: * Andy emphasizes that the key to overcoming business challenges lies within the leadership team and that the success or failure of a business is profoundly influenced by effective leadership. * He stresses the importance of business owners being hungry for growth and continually recognizing untapped potential. * He highlights the significance of a proactive mindset in fostering business development. * Andy defines success as a combination of psychology and skill, emphasizing the need for a broader perspective. * He talks about the analogy of an archer needing a clear bullseye, correlating it to the importance of goals in propelling a business forward. * He discusses the role of ambitious goals in energizing and motivating business leaders. * Andy stresses the need for a holistic reflection at the end of the year, learning from challenges, and implementing changes for growth. * Andy outlines practical steps for business owners, including reflection sessions, monthly progress check-ins, and seeking coaching. * Andy offers valuable resources on his website, including an entrepreneurial fitness assessment and a leadership assessment. * Listeners can access a complimentary 60-90 minute coaching session to explore the possibilities of coaching.
Andy Hite’s Best Small Business Tip: Andy suggests that for small business owners looking to enhance their growth, seeking help from a professional coach can be instrumental. He recommends asking two crucial questions:
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What am I good at? Soak it in and celebrate it.
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Acknowledge and appreciate your strengths and accomplishments.
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Celebrate your successes to build confidence and motivation.
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Where should I look to grow? And then work on it.
- Identify areas with potential for improvement and expansion.
- Focus on developing skills or aspects of your business that contribute to overall growth.
- Actively work on areas identified for growth to enhance business development.
Connect with Andy Hite: Website: http://www.scalingminds.com/SBAM
Book a Mastermind Discovery call With Gary HERE
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Learn more about Gary’s Mastermind group at goascend.biz/the-mastermind-solution
Ramon Ray is publisher of ZoneofGenius.com and brand strategist at CelebrityCEO.com - he's an in-demand motivational speaker, best-selling author, and serial entrepreneur. He's started 5 companies and has sold 3 of them.
What problem do you solve?
In today’s episode, Ramon will help us solve problems regarding the need for more attention and its impact on sales and trust for small business owners.
Show Notes:
- Ramon introduces the concept of being a “celebrity CEO,” emphasizing the importance of personal branding. He suggests that business owners should put themselves out there, become a recognizable face in their industry, and leverage their personal brand to gain trust and attract more customers.
- Ramon stresses the importance of attention in building trust and making sales. In a crowded marketplace, getting noticed and standing out can be a critical factor for success.
- Ramon highlights the value of podcasts as a medium for gaining visibility and showcasing expertise. This is a valuable tool for small business owners looking to share their knowledge and connect with their target audience.
- Regularly posting on social media is considered a great strategy to capture attention. It keeps your business in the minds of your audience and helps maintain an active online presence.
- Hosting local events or awards can showcase expertise and help gain recognition in your community. This is particularly relevant for businesses with a local focus.
- Ramon emphasizes the power of writing and promoting a book as a strategy for gaining attention. It positions the author as an expert in their field and can open up various opportunities.
- Ramon discusses the importance of tailoring your strategies based on the scope of your business, whether it’s local, national, or international. What works for one may not work for another, so customization is key.
- He emphasizes the importance of persistence and the ability to adapt to changing circumstances. Small business owners must be flexible and willing to make necessary changes to stay competitive.
- He shares insights from “The Like Switch” highlighting the gradual process of building trust. Trust is not something that happens overnight, and it requires consistent effort and positive experiences.
- Creating positive experiences for customers is vital for building loyalty. Satisfied customers are more likely to return and recommend your business to others.
- Ramon suggests various strategies, such as podcasting, social media, events, and books, to gain attention and proactively work on personal branding.
- He advises business owners to add value to others, emphasizing the long-term benefits of this approach. Building strong relationships and providing value can lead to sustained success.
- Ramon mentions a blueprint on his website derived from his book “Celebrity CEO,” which can guide businesses in personal branding. This resource may provide practical steps for small business owners.
- Ramon encourages listeners to share recent successes on social media as a form of self-promotion. Sharing achievements can help showcase expertise and build trust.
Ramon Ray’s Best Small Business Tip:
Small business owners are urged to keep going, tweak, innovate, navigate challenges, learn from others, and not give up. Perseverance is key in the entrepreneurial journey.
Connect with Ramon Ray:
Website: http://www.celebrityceo.com/blueprint
Access the Celebrity CEO Personal Blueprint – www.CelebrityCEO.com/blueprint
Clarity Navigator Discovery Session – Sign Up HERE
Book a Mastermind Discovery Call With Gary HERE
Learn more about Gary’s Mastermind group at goascend.biz/the-mastermind-solution
Danielle Hayden is a reformed corporate CFO (chief financial officer) who is on a mission to help rule-breaking female entrepreneurs understand their numbers so they can gain the confidence needed to create sustainable profits. After spending 10+ years in the boardroom as a corporate finance officer, Danielle is now in her sweet spot as the CEO of Kickstart Accounting, Inc. where she helps business owners with bookkeeping, financial analysis, and education. She is the author of the Profit Planner book series. When Danielle isn't in her money mindset you can find her hiking or spending time with her family.
What problem do you solve?
In this episode, Danielle Hayden, the CEO of Kickstart Accounting Inc. With a mission to help entrepreneurs understand the importance of numbers for sustainable profits.
Show Notes:
- The number one tip Danielle shared was about the significance of using numbers to manage a business throughout the year. She emphasized the importance of maintaining proper bookkeeping from day one.
- Danielle stresses the importance of regularly reviewing financial statements, including the income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement, preferably monthly.
- She shares the top three numbers that every business owner needs to know: Gross Profit, Net Income or Loss, and Monthly Cash Output.
- She talks about the money mindset and discusses the impact of personal money stories and categorizes different types like free spender, keeper, balance seeker, and perfectionist.
- She shares some tools and strategies for changing one’s money mindset including applying gratitude lists to financials, taking clarity breaks, and using financial dashboards for a high-level overview.
- She says simplifying financials for CEOs involves focusing on high-level information, utilizing financial dashboards, and snapshots to avoid overwhelm.
- The concept of Atomic Habits and the power of making manageable adjustments by changing one thing by 1% at a time is discussed.
- Business owners are reminded to be leaders and visionaries rather than attempting to do everything themselves.
Danielle Hayden’s Best Small Business Tip:
As a small business owner, you should not wait to find help, instead, you should avoid the superhero syndrome and ask for assistance to prevent burnout.
Connect with Danielle
Website: https://kickstartaccountinginc.com/
Danielle’s podcast: Entrepreneur Money Stories
Clarity Navigator Discovery Session – Sign Up HERE
Book a Mastermind Discovery call With Gary at https://bookme.name/garywilbers/ascend-mastermind-discovery
William Vanderbloemen is the CEO and Founder of the top executive search firm Vanderbloemen Search Group and author of Be the Unicorn: 12 Data-Driven Habits that Separate the Best Leaders from the Rest (HarperCollins Leadership, November 14, 2023).
William Vanderbloemen is known for his expertise in executive search and leadership consulting, he has authored books and spoken at conferences on topics related to leadership, team building, and organizational culture. He is widely recognized for his insights into leadership and organizational development.
What problem do you solve?
In this episode, William Vanderbloemen provides insights into the challenge of standing out in today’s crowded business world and amidst the constant social buzz.
Show Notes:
He talks about the key concepts and traits highlighted in his book, “Be the Unicorn: 12 Data-Driven Habits that Separate the Best Leaders from the Rest.” These include:
- The book introduces twelve practical and rarely practiced behavioral habits that set individuals apart.
- William Vanderbloemen emphasizes the importance of responsiveness in customer engagement and how it can impact businesses positively.
- He further talks about sales strategies and discusses the critical role of response time in maintaining and enhancing customer communication.
- He talks about the skill of asking more questions than providing answers and highlights its role in building strong connections.
- He shares his insights regarding the significance of self-awareness during job interviews, enabling candidates to stand out.
- At the end of the podcast, William talks about a tool for self-assessment that allows individuals and teams to measure themselves against others, providing valuable insights into their strengths and areas for improvement.
- William’s advice for hiring managers is to focus on the question “What am I hiring for?”
William Vanderbloemen’s Best Small Business Tip:
As a business owner, focusing on simplicity and the significance of delivering on promises is essential. Moreover, spending time on self-awareness will always come in use in the professional world.
About the Book:
“Be the Unicorn: 12 Data-Driven Habits that Separate the Best Leaders from the Rest.” is recommended for graduates entering a volatile job market and appeals to Gen Z, as well as anyone preparing for interviews and facing career challenges. The book offers practical insights that can significantly impact one’s professional life.
Please visit https://www.vanderbloemen.com/be-the-unicorn for helpful resources and the first free chapter of the book.
Amazon Link Be the Unicorn: 12 Data-Driven Habits that Separate the Best Leaders from the Rest.
Connect with William Vanderbloemen
https://www.vanderbloemen.com/be-the-unicorn
Clarity Navigator Discovery Session – Sign Up HERE
Learn more about Gary’s Mastermind group at goascend.biz/the-mastermind-solution
Trevor Rosenthal is passionate about personal growth and learning new things. He recently completed a Crossover Into Business program at Harvard Business School, where he gained insights and skills on how to leverage his sports background in other domains. He is also a board member of the Baseball Assistance Team, a nonprofit organization that provides financial and medical assistance to former baseball players and their families. Trevor's mission is to make a positive impact not only on the baseball field but also in his sphere of influence. He is always looking for new opportunities to share his stories of overcoming adversity, building self-confidence, and the role sports have played in shaping him into the person he is today.
What problem do you solve? Today, Trevor will help us overcome difficulties in a world full of distractions, both positive and negative.
Show Notes: * Trevor begins with talking about his unique perspective as a professional athlete and his journey into business by sharing insights into his career as a Major League Baseball pitcher. * He highlights the importance of the intense daily dedication, discipline, and preparation required for success in professional sports. * He further talks about the challenges and obstacles he encountered during his career from minor league to major league. * Trevor emphasized the crucial role of supportive parents and the importance of creating a loving home enviornment for aspiring athletes. He advised parents to offer opportunities and resources without imposing undue expectations. * Trevor share his experiences in managing the mental aspects of being a professional athlete including skills like resilience, focus, stress management and goal setting. * He further talk about how it is crucial to focus and deal with one thing at a time. * His keen interest in business led him to pursue education at Harvard, underlining the significance of lifelong learning, regardless of one’s career choice. * He talks about the connection between business and sports, both being united by discipline, focus, and quick decision-making. * He discusses the importance of steering clear of distractions and staying committed to what works best for your business. * Furthermore, he discusses the significance of striking a balance between personal and professional life.
Trevor Rosenthal's Best Small Business Tip: As a business owner, it is vital to stay committed to the tasks at hand, valuing the effort you put in, rather than being solely focused on the end result.
Connect with Trevor Rosenthal: Twitter
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Learn more about Gary’s Mastermind group at goascend.biz/the-mastermind-solution
Cam Hall is a husband, father, educational leader, and entrepreneur. Cam believes that all Men are called to live Fit, Healthy, and Fulfilled lives, and that every man can make a positive impact on those around him. He is founder of the Fight the Dad Bod coaching program, host of the Dads Making A Difference Podcast, and Leader of The DMD Mastermind.
What problem do you solve? Cam is going to solve effectiveness. He is going to help you be more effective by optimizing your health. Controlling your health will allow you to control your time and money. You will become effective and efficient in all you do.
Show Notes: * Cam thinks business owners neglect their health because they don’t prioritize it. They aren’t being lazy but they might drift with all the activities that are happening in their lives. * The 4th quarter is the best time to prepare yourself for success in the new year. * To prioritize our health we have to change or shift our mindset. Changing our health will optimize our business. We will be more effective and make more sales and make a bigger impact. * When we think about food, we realize we enjoy food when we are with others. We do not enjoy it when we are not using it appropriately. * A healthy relationship with food is when we realize it is fuel. When we fuel our body effectively we have a clear mind, we sleep better, we handle the stresses of life better, and we can build muscle better. * We need to provide as a business owner but we also need to be present. * Diet is a bad word. When we hear it we think depravation. * You need to make a plan and follow it. Take 1 step and build on it. The foundation is to get more sleep. Then work on the food aspect. And third, implement more activity. * When we think about sleep, we think about recharging our body. * To figure out sleep, start with 7 and then move up in 15-minute increments. Set a bedtime and go to bed at the same time and get up at the same time. The next week, put 15 minutes on the beginning or end of your bedtime. * Fuel the body: PFC every 3 = Protein, fats and carbohydrates every 3 hours. * Within 1 hour of waking eat a breakfast. In 3 hours fuel your body again. * The balance is 5 ounces of protein, 5 ounces of carbohydrates and 1-2 ounces of fat. This will help balance your blood sugar. * For activity, start simple. Just do it! You can progress from there. * We also need to build muscle to help burn calories. Start simple with bodyweight exercises. * 7 steps to lose 7 pounds in 7 days at www.fightthedadbod.com.
Cam Hall’s Best Small Business Tip: Take care of yourself. If you don’t take care of yourself, you can’t do the rest.
Connect with Cam Hall: Website: fightthedadbod.com
Clarity Navigator Discovery Session – Sign Up HERE
Learn more about Gary’s Mastermind group at goascend.biz/the-mastermind-solution
Miriam Schulman is an artist and founder of The Inspiration Place, where she helps other artists learn how to profit from their passion or become better artists. She’s helped thousands of artists around the world develop their skill sets and create more time and freedom to do what they love.
What problem do you solve? Miriam is going to talk with us about pricing.
Show Notes: * Miriam believes email marketing is better than social media marketing. * Instagram engagement was 1% several years ago and now it has dropped to 0.6%. * The engagement rate of influencers is 1.2% * Open rate on email averages 24%. This means you have to have 4000 people on Instagram compared to 100 on email. * Romance your buyers. Don’t just hand out your business cards. You need to gather their contact information and then stay in touch. * When someone asks for your card, it is your opportunity to ask for their contact information to send them your freebie or lead magnet. * Prestige pricing vs. charm pricing. Prestige pricing is usually used more with higher dollar, higher quality items or services. * Passion to profit framework: + Every business is producing something. Does what your producing make sense. If people aren’t valuing the product you may need to package it or present it differently. + You also need to look at your pricing to make sure you are charging appropriately. + People also enjoy spending money on something that is exclusive. It gives them a dopamine release. * Miriam’s book is Artpreneur: How to Build a Creative Business
Miriam Schulman’s Best Small Business Tip: Keep taking action. Keep putting one foot in front of the other.
Connect with Miriam Schulman: Website: schulmanart.com
Free chapter of Miriam’s book: SchulmanArt.com/believe
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Learn more about Gary’s Mastermind group at goascend.biz/the-mastermind-solution
John Briggs is the founder of Incite Tax. His theme is, “The IRS Sucks”, and business owners should keep more of their money to build long-term wealth. John is a man on a mission to give entrepreneurs an actual work-life balance so they don’t get burned out. He helps them increase their cash immediately so they can have confidence in their choices and become financially resilient.
What problem do you solve? Today John will give us expert advice on cash flow management problems and he will share tax strategies.
Show Notes: * Cash flow is the lifeblood of our business. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in the emergencies and urgencies of day-to-day business that we forget to address cash flow. * One mistake is assuming that the IRS is right. While they have a lot of authority, the employees there may not be competent. * Parkinson’s law for cash flow would say that we will expand to spend all the cash available. We need to be careful not to fall into this trap. * John recommends using the Profit First method. (See Gary’s interview Ep: 061 Mike Michalowicz – Ascend Business Mastermind (goascend.biz) * John equates taxes and the IRS to playing a board game. If you read the rules, there is likely something you can take advantage of to decrease your tax burden. * The 4th quarter is an excellent time to plan tax strategies. * Make sure your accountant isn’t using the plug and chug method. — They just plug in your numbers and submit them to the IRS and chug along instead of being proactive to seek tax advantages for you. * John works with clients all over the US. * Paying yourself first is really important. * John has a book coming out called The 3.3 Rule. John shares the importance of taking breaks to increase your productivity.
John Briggs’s Best Small Business Tip: Your best advice may be different than someone else. Be aware that you are at a different point in your business than what others are so just realize you need to work on what you need to work on.
Connect with John Briggs: Website: incitetax.com
Clarity Navigator Discovery Session – Sign Up HERE
Learn more about Gary’s Mastermind group at goascend.biz/the-mastermind-solution
Kurt Uhlir is known for being at the front lines for creating several of the marketing channels we all use today, including social media management, influencer marketing, and location-based marketing. In addition to his experience building and/or operating dozens of companies, he has advised hundreds more. The unique experience of being inside hundreds of high-growth companies with the opportunity to analyze, scale, make changes of leadership, and advisement has labeled him “the king of scaling businesses”.
What problem do you solve? Kurt will help us think about how to scale operations specifically around marketing and sales.
Show Notes: * Batching, scheduling and automation of marketing is crucial. * Keep engaged with past customers. * Start the conversation with your potential customers before they are ready to buy. * Send follow-up messages to your customers. If you think about all the messages at once and what the best timing is, you will have better content. * Marketing thrives more on influence than authority. It comes from offering your expertise. * You must understand your client. You don’t have to agree with them but you do need to understand why they are thinking what they are thinking. * Most companies should be spending more than they are on marketing. However, they should spend it wisely. * Kurt’s recommendation for most businesses is to spend 2 to 10 percent but to be sure to put “Profit First”. If you abandon your Profit First mentality you endanger your business. * Be sure to review where you have recurring spending.
Kurt Uhlir’s Best Small Business Tip: Small business owners should look at netweaving. This is looking at what you can do for others to benefit them.
Connect with Kurt Uhlir: Website: kurtuhlir.com
Clarity Navigator Discovery Session – Sign Up HERE
Learn more about Gary’s Mastermind group at goascend.biz/the-mastermind-solution
RICHARD A. MORAN is a Silicon Valley-based business leader, workplace pundit, bestselling author, venture capitalist, former CEO and college president. He is best known for his series of humorous business books beginning with the bestselling, Never Confuse a Memo with Reality, and is credited with starting the genre of “Business Bullet Books.” His body of work includes 10 books about using commonsense in business. He is the host of the CBS syndicated radio program, “In the Workplace.” Rich has appeared on CNN, NPR, and most major media outlets.
What problem do you solve? Richard will help business owners solve the problem of decision making and simplify it.
Show Notes: * Richard’s message is to stop saying the word “Whatever” because you come across as a slacker. You also are not making a decision and every decision matters even the small ones. * When you are faced with a decision – make it. * Research shows that the decision you would make in the first few minutes is usually also the decision you would make 2 weeks later so go ahead and make the decision instead of delaying. * Gut decisions are okay as long as you a very familiar with a topic. You can also use pros and cons or an algorithm such as if this then that. * Do not let your emotions be a part of your decision-making. Be self-aware of your feelings. * You need to clarify your intentions. If you have the clarification it makes your decisions easier. * Sometimes, it can be very efficient to make the same decision. * Richard’s book is Never Say Whatever: How Small Decisions Make a Big Difference
Richard Moran’s Best Small Business Tip: Pay attention to the small decisions. Sometimes it’s the small decisions that really end up mattering.
Connect with Richard Moran: Website: richardmoran.com
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Learn more about Gary’s Mastermind group at goascend.biz/the-mastermind-solution
Josh Fonger is a consultant, coach, and speaker who is recognized as the leading authority in Business Performance Architecture and CEO of WTS Enterprises. He helped hundreds of businesses grow simply using the WTS Method, from working “in” their businesses to working “on” their businesses.
What problem do you solve? Help ambitious business owner break free of the day-to-day and working their tails off by working on systems and processes.
Show Notes: * Yoyo business is where a business grows and then they hit a plateau and then just kind of go up and down. The business is often their own deterrent to growth. This comes from a continuous back and forth shift from sales to customer service. * Working on systems and processes can help alleviate the yoyo situation. * It’s important for business owners to realize their business is a separate entity from themselves. That allows them to look at their business more objectively. * Concentrate on doing the important, not urgent thing. Create the system. It makes your business scalable. * It is crucial to document your systems and processes. * Look at your company as a collection of systems. * Take your biggest problem and create a system and then hand it over. * Document it, delegate it and free up your time.
Josh Fonger’s Best Small Business Tip: You probably don’t need more information. You need to assimilate the right information in the right order to take you where you want to go. Get someone from the outside to hold you accountable.
Connect with Josh Fonger: Website: wtsenterprises.com
Clarity Navigator Discovery Session – Sign Up HERE
Learn more about Gary’s Mastermind group at goascend.biz/the-mastermind-solution
Lisa is the CEO of SMITH Co., a sales consulting firm focused on modern midsize B2B businesses. She understands her client’s challenges because she’s been there as a “COVIDpreneur”. Despite the turbulent economic landscape, she reached six figures in her first year of business.
What problem do you solve? Businesses often want to off set sales and she will help with the question of when to hire outside sales and what to pay them.
Show Notes: * The right time to think about adding a sales person is when things slow down, when you just can’t keep up or when your referrals dry up. * You need to know what your sales cycle looks like. You need to arm them with as much information and processes as possible. What is your Unique Selling Proposition. * You do not want to hire someone without the tools. Else, you are hiring them to create the process and organization for you. * Be sure you are doing the things necessary to keep your current customers happy. * 80% of revenue with B2Bs is from their current customer base. * The lowest price is not the best. You have to create value for your customer. * 5 Simple steps to reframe your sales. + Look at your data to be proactive. + Team – look at who is involved. You may have too many or you may have too few. + Automation is important but don’t rely too heavily on it. + Follow up is crucial. You can do this without sounding aggressive by taking the right tone. + Understand your messaging. Remember sales is about psychology and story telling. * Introverts make great salespeople because they have learned to be good listeners and know how to ask great questions. However, you will need to provide them with time to recharge.
Lisa J. Smith’s Best Small Business Tip: You wear a lot of hats as a business owner. It’s important to start removing those hats and delegating so that you can work ON your business instead of IN your business.
Connect with Lisa J. Smith: Website: smithcous.com
Podcast gift: Sign up for a FREE 30-minute call to reveal your Sales Blindspots by going to Lisa’s website simthcous.com
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Mickie Kennedy is the Founder and President of eReleases, the small business leader for press release distribution, now celebrating 24 years in business. He is an expert at helping small businesses increase their visibility and credibility and he’s here today to share some valuable insights.
What problem do you solve? How to build a strategic PR campaign using press releases and building one that’s effective and will succeed.
Show Notes: * Mickie started with PR releases in the telecommunications world and slowly built his database. * A press release is written in third person. It is great to include a company quote. You provide data and facts and then the hook of what you are offering. You hope that it turns into original content. * When a journalist covers your company in an article, it makes you an expert in that field. * Press releases can distinguish your company in the marketplace. * When putting a press release together, make sure to include all the elements of a good story. * Being authentic can be helpful. * Including surveys or studies can be useful. * You need to know how you are different that others in your industry. * Go to ereleases.com/plan for Mickie’s podcast gift.
Mickie Kennedy’s Best Small Business Tip: Don’t waste your money. Measure everything. Split test everything – advertising to onboarding – to determine if there are better ways to do things.
Connect with Mickie Kennedy: Website: ereleases.com
Podcast gift: 8 Steps to Getting Media Coverage
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After growing up in Houston, Jesse Rubenfeld began his career in New York City at the Lime Group of companies doing the books for a variety of companies, gaining experience with non-profit, software industry, hedge fund, and management company accounting. After serving as LimeWire’s CFO for his last four years there, he joined the D. E. Shaw Group as the controller of the research division that builds supercomputers to revolutionize drug discovery. From the beginning, Jesse’s interest in technology led him to automate financial operations, first with spreadsheets, then Perl, and most recently Python. He founded FinOptimal to help QuickBooks Online-based businesses streamline their financial operations, optimizing value-per-dollar with an outsourced accounting service heavily focused on automation. Jesse has bachelor’s degrees from UPENN and Wharton, and an MBA from Columbia, and he lives in Houston with his wife and four children.
What problem do you solve? Keep your books on accrual basis as quickly and cheaply as possible. Identifying your margins.
Show Notes: * Jesse says it’s an exciting time to be an accountant. They are moving towards being strategic advisors and are learning to use technology to their benefit. * It’s important to know how much profit you are making. How are you evaluating how much money you are making? * Jesse’s company helps make software that automates makes adjusting entries that can help predict profits. This software makes things faster and cheaper. * Doing all of the adjusting entries manually can be time consuming and can get sloppy. * API – Application Programmer Interfacer * API help QuickBooks interface with other programs such as payroll and inventory systems. * Some 3rd party sites pass in too much information or not enough information. * Data entry is automatable. * “If you can’t measure it, you can’t move it.”
Jesse Rubenfeld’s Best Small Business Tip: Care about accrual accounting.
Connect with Jesse Rubenfeld: Website: finoptimal.com
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Mastering the Art of Business Success – Register HERE Ron Story Jr. was born and raised in East St. Louis, IL. He started his first business as a kid, collecting and recycling aluminum cans so that he could buy the toys he wanted. That drive to solve a problem in order to get the things that he wants continues today, just on a larger scale.
Ron’s mission is to help people become financially independent without sacrificing everything to do it.
Many of the mistakes that entrepreneurs make, he’s already made. Ron’s businesses try to solve the two biggest problems that he believes most entrepreneurs have when getting started. Those problems are related to lead generation and closing deals. That’s what he’s spent his life doing, from age 21 to 34 as a financial advisor and the last 10 years as a consultant to software companies as he’s traveled around the world.
What problem do you solve? Ron’s superpower is cold outreach. He is going to show us how to do that without experiencing any of the rejection that come with it.
Show Notes: * The first thing Ron did was to change his mindset about outreach. * Realizing that all marketing starts as outbound can help relieve some of the pressure and alleviate feeling like a greasy salesman * Automation can help you. * Don’t start and stop your automation. * You can dial in and target your audience better than ever before because of the data available. * This helps you get the right message in front of the right person at the right time. * For those that say email is dead — Don’t let your emotions get involved. Let the data determine if you should use email. * 2 Things you need + Look for email sales software: Woodpecker, MailShake, Outreach.com, Outplay, Breakcold (Not Mailchimp which does email blasts) + Get your data source that is valid + Then write your emails to send * Ron will reach out to 500 people for you to show you how his method works. Go to pitchdb.com/calendar
Ron Story Jr.’s Best Small Business Tip: No one has ever died because of cold outreach. So just get started and try. Don’t attach the outcome to your personal ego.
Connect with Ron Story Jr.: Website: ronstoryjr.com and pitchdb.com
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Mark Carpenter is a serial storyteller. He teaches people how to lead intentionally by telling stories that teach, lead, sell, and inspire. He is the co-creator of the best-selling book and workshop “Master Storytelling: How to Turn Your Experiences Into Stories that Teach, Lead, and Inspire”.
What problem do you solve? Mark is going to focus on connecting with people through storytelling to achieve business goals.
Show Notes: * We are always dealing with people. * How are we going to get to know, like and trust people? We can do this through story. * Research shows that people that learn information through stories, retain the information better and find you to be more credible. * Storytelling can be a game changer. * Learn the skill and structure, get feedback and practice to get good at storytelling. You won’t get better by sitting on the sidelines. You’ve got to do it! * One of the biggest mistakes in storytelling is to not knowing what your purpose and point of the story is. “You’ve got to know how to land the plane.” * You need to know your audience. Your story is more about your customer than it is about you. * The extraordinary lives inside the ordinary. If you have an experience that you have an emotional reaction to, it is likely there is a lesson and a story to be shared.
Mark Carpenter’s Best Small Business Tip: Your stories matter. Don’t discount the things that happen to you. They have the power to connect with those inside and outside your organization.
Connect with Mark Carpenter: Website: master-storytelling.com
Podcast Gift – Mark’s E-book: master-storytelling.com/podcastgift
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Justin Janowski has helped hundreds of coaches build their dream businesses from the ground up. Driven by his faith, he founded Faith2Influence to help people learn what it takes to turn coaching into a profitable business venture. Justin has guided Christian and non-Christian coaches alike through the rewarding process of optimizing business models, pricing, and sales strategies so that they can scale their income alongside their impact. He has a passion for sharing this process with emerging Entrepreneurs to help them simplify and grow their businesses the right way. Justin currently lives in Milwaukee with his beautiful wife, Kara, and their playful kiddos, Grace and Gavin.
What problem do you solve? Justin is going to help us sell more with ease in an honest way.
Show Notes: * Justin has been in sales since he was 18. * Justin wants to encourage others. If you are called to do something, go and do it even if you are scared. * Fear around selling can come from old stories or bad experiences. These stories might say that sales are pushy or greedy. * You can rewrite that story. Sales with you can feel good, fun and easy. * Many Christians self-sabotage because they feel money is evil. They need to remember that the love of money is evil. If you use your money to help others it can be a benefit. * Being transparent is an important part of sales. A good start is to start with a pre-frame so that the customer knows what the conversation is going to look like and what they can expect. * We can be persistent without being pushy by asking good questions, being curious and validating what they are feeling. * Be focused in your business to do the things to increase sales.
Justin Janowski’s Best Small Business Tip: Make sure you keep the main the the main thing. The main thing is SALES!
Connect with Justin Janowski: Website: salesisgood.com
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Mastering the Art of Business Success – Register HERE Rhea Lalla is an Emotional Intelligence Specialist and Founder of BuildGreatMinds.com. She help parents heal inner wounds and cultivate deeper connections in their families. She has worked with the UN , Children’s Aid and supports parents globally in transforming relationships so their children thrive and create empowered lives they love.
What problem do you solve? How to make impactful interactions with their family now and in times to come so that they have something to be proud of.
Show Notes: * Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is: + Self Awareness – Do you know what you are feeling and why you are feeling it. Can you also recognize it in others. + Perspective thinking – Can you climb into another person’s situation and take a look around + Self Regulation – How well we can calm ourselves + Social Savy + Motivation * Business owners need to use EQ not only with their families, but with their clients and customers as well. * Most of the ways we react now are a result of things we learned or felt in our childhood. There are 5 areas that each child needs. + Attention + Acceptance + Appreciation + Affection + Allowing * Trauma wounds can even be from not receiving the things we think we should have had. * Ask the question: What is the best thing or way I can love you that will prove that I love you.
Rhea Lalla’s Best Small Business Tip: Every decision we make as humans is based on how we feel. So, it is crucial to use perspective to see how you are viewing others and how they are viewing you.
Connect with Rhea Lalla: Website: buildgreatminds.com
Get Rhea’s 100 questions by going to her website. https://buildgreatminds.com/gift/
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Sign Up For the Full Focus Training HERE David is a Husband, Father, entrepreneur and coach… and loves to sing. He lives just outside of Nashville, TN with his wife Lisa and their two children. David has a product in over 3000 retail stores (The keyless StatGuardPlus – a thermostat guard with a combination lock). He is also the lead coach for Dr. Andy Garrett’s True North Blueprint.
What problem do you solve? David started off as a business owner that developed thermostats with locks. He now helps people solve and answer the question of how individuals are made uniquely and how they show up in the world and how to use their uniqueness.
Show Notes: * Self-awareness can be your bedrock to success. If you start comparing yourself to others, it can lead to imposter syndrome and doubt. * David recommends Kris Kelso’s book, Overcoming the Imposter. Kris recommends considering yourself an explorer instead of an imposter. * Sometimes it takes courage to admit that you don’t know what you don’t know. You’ll need to ask for help. * You have to learn how to get through your own unknowns and fears. * If you are feeling unsure, own your own journey and stop comparing yourself to others and their journeys. * Dan Sullivan’s book, Who Not How, is a helpful book to help you realize that you don’t always need to know the how. * Be aware of what is authentic in you. Become more self-aware and you can have more fulfillment. * Be aware of what rocks you are standing on to make your decisions. * Email hello@DavidAsk.com for a free tool to help you better understand what you are feeling and why that matters.
David Ask’s Best Small Business Tip: You become like the people who you surround yourself with. Have people that will call you up and help you to be better.
Also, early in his business, David thought he had to do all things and know all things and then he realized he had to get himself in the right seat on the bus and then pick up people to fill in the other seats.
Connect with David Ask: Website: statguardplus.com and davidask.com
Email hello@DavidAsk.com for a free tool to help you better understand what you are feeling and why that matters.
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Sign Up For the Full Focus Training HERE Herb Cogliano leads his own advisory practice leveraging the Scaling Up Performance Platform, described in Verne Harnish’s award-winning book, Mastering the Rockefeller Habits-Scaling Up. As a Business Coach, experienced CEO Scaling Up Practitioner, and Professor of the Scaling Up Masters Business Course, he has learned firsthand what it takes to overcome many business challenges.
What problem do you solve? Herb helps businesses scale impact, reduce drama and unless the potential of the people in their company.
Show Notes: * We all started our business with a dream to help people. Then as our business grows, complexity sets in and starts to cause drama and nightmares. Then the business owner might fall out of love with their business. All because no one helped them learn to navigate the scaling of their business. * Scaling may not be for everybody. Only 4-5% of companies make $1M or more. Many businesses are lifestyle or single entrepreneurs. * Herb sees 3 big barriers for business owners to get to the next level. * First, Many businesses face challenges when they go from a few employees to several. When they had a few employees, they were able to directly manage them. Now with several, they have not developed their team to help others manage and share their message. (Scalable leadership) * You can also have scalable infrastructure challenges. The organization chart, decision making and communication breakdown. (Scalable infrastructure) * A third challenge may be when market dynamics change and you have not pivoted your business to move with the change. (The ability to navigate changing market dynamics) * 3 core things to look at for great leaders + The ability to repeat your core values and your purpose. + The ability to delegate. + The ability to predict. * Look at 7 simple but very effective levers to move your business. These 7 moved in the right direction can make a huge impact. + Price lever. Have you looked at your pricing? Have you updated it? Consider bundling. Have you considered inflation? + Volume. Not all volume is good. + Cost of Goods Reduction + Overhead Reduction + Reduction in AR days + Reduction in inventory stock days + Increase in accounts payable days * Read the Scaling Up book
Herb Cogliano’s Best Small Business Tip: Herb wants every business owner to be running their business not their business running them. To do this business owners need to learn to scale up the right way.
Connect with Herb Cogliano: Website: aspiregrowthadvisors.com
Get a Free Scaling Up readiness assessment from Herb. Find it on his website home page.
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Mastering the Art of Business Success – Register HERE In the 30 years Dave Kahle has been in practice, he has worked with over 459 individual companies. He has presented in 11 countries & 47 states. Dave has authored 13 books, including The Good Book on Business and How to Sell Anything to Anyone Anytime. His books have been translated into 8 languages and are available in 20 countries.
What problem do you solve? How to begin to create a sales system to grow your business methodically and predictably.
Show Notes: * You have to invest time and mental energy into how you are going to sell something. * If you create a system you can save time and energy. * Your first step in sales is to think about your customer, not your product * Dave has a formula for the 5 stages of sales + Identifying suspects + Review those and determine if they are truly prospects + Turn a prospect into a customer. This has happened once money changes hands. + Turn the customer into a client. + Turn some of those clients into partners. These clients are committed to you. * You need to look at each of these stages and ask how you can do them better. * You need to look at sales as relational instead of transactional. * Money and sales is a result of this relationship. * Every company benefits from having a sales system in place. * Create the system and then train your salespeople to your system. * Everyone can sell better. It is a learnable skill. * The best practices of a successful salesperson are the same as the best practices of a Christian salesperson. * The majority of your sales will come from your “partners” * Create a sales dashboard to measure and track your sales. * Review your sales dashboard regularly to see what is working and refine it. * Find access to his free e-book on his website.
Dave Kahle’s Best Small Business Tip: Every business person should think of sales in terms of a sales system and should always be refining that system.
Connect with Dave Kahle: Website: davekahle.com
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Anthony Butler is the founder of the digital marketing agency Can-Do Ideas and author of Primal Storytelling, Marketing for Humans. He is a highly regarded expert in brand storytelling and digital marketing. Anthony graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, and the US Army Ranger School. He is a combat veteran and commanded an infantry company in Iraq during the invasion of Baghdad. He is also a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu blackbelt and currently resides in Montana with his wife and two sons.
What problem do you solve? Anthony helps companies get more website traffic and build their social media followers which increases their customer base.
Show Notes: * Anthony feels that the big problem is that businesses do “random acts of marketing” and don’t have a strategic plan or a business process that helps them create content. * It’s getting harder and harder to distinguish yourself and get noticed. It takes a real plan. * Marketers need to think about the mix of emotions that are in the sales situation and then bring that into their marketing. * You need to start with building trust. You need to start with stories so that people get to know you and trust you. * People buy emotionally and then justify with logic. * Stories have the same basic format. With primal storytelling, a business uses the basic format and fits in the details about their business. * We start with an origin story. It’s about where we come from and how you got started. It helps people know you. * Next is your vision story. It is about what you are bringing to the world. It helps people connect with what you are trying to accomplish. Many people will connect with just this part of your story. * The transformation stories are the case stories. It’s about how you’ve helped and did you produce results. * The fourth part is the storyline. Think of it like your favorite TV show. It will have your underlying theme. * Primal Storytelling is Tribe + Primal Urges + Stories
Anthony Butler’s Best Small Business Tip: Understand who your audience is and then make a strategic marketing plan. You should have your plan in place at least 90 days ahead of time.
Connect with Anthony Butler: Website: www.primalstorytelling.com
Get a free digital copy of the book and 7 bonuses at www.primalstorytelling.com/podcast
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Show Notes: * One of the keys to success is in the area of Mindset. * Mindset can be changed but we have to keep in mind that much of our mindset is set when we are in adolescence. * We are either in a fixed mindset or climber mindset. A person with a climber mindset wants to learn, grow and become the person they want to be. The fixed mindset person never tries and is afraid of failure. Which one are you? * We can change but we need to take action * We must realize that to change we must call upon our subconscious mind to help us achieve something greater. 85% of our subconscious determines if we can achieve greatness because our subconscious mind has to overcome + Our self image + Beliefs + Our past experiences * Consider what paradigm you need to break. * The recording is from Carol Dweck. Check out her book – Mindset: The New Psychology of Success * Another resource is Brian Moran and Michael Lennington’s book, Uncommon Accountability: A Radical New Approach to Greater Success and Fulfillment * Mind Your Mindset by Michael Hyatt * Atomic Habits by James Clear * These books will go in a deep dive to help you understand mindset and what is holding you back from achieving the greatness you desire.
Connect with Gary: Website: goascend.biz
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Joey Coleman helps companies keep their customers and employees. As an award-winning speaker, he shares his First 100 Days® methodology for improving customer and employee retention with organizations around the world (e.g., Whirlpool, Volkswagen Australia, and Zappos). His Wall Street Journal #2 best-selling book Never Lose a Customer Again shows how to turn any sale into a lifelong customer and his upcoming book, Never Lose an Employee Again, details a framework companies around the world can use to reduce turnover and increase employee engagement.
What problem do you solve? Business owners are struggling with people. They are struggling to hire and engage and keep their employees. Joey will talk about people and a process to help your business think more strategically about their people.
Show Notes: * Joey wrote his book, Never Lose An Employee Again, specifically with small business owners in mind. * Joey wrote his second book because he realized that you cannot offer a good customer experience with out having a good employee experience. * His research was done during Covid and post-Covid and reflects some of the shifts in employee experience. * Small business owners are some of the most resilient people in the world and Joey would like to encourage them that they can handle this and can adapt. * We need to recognize that the expectation of our employees has changed. We need to recognize that the landscape has changed. Then we need to say “What do we do now?”
8 distinct phases of the employee journey. * Assess – A prospective employee is trying to determine if they want to work at a company. * Accept – The company extends a job offer and the employee accepts it. * Affirm – There can be a phase of new hire remorse. The employee starts to wonder if they made the right decision. This is the point where the company needs to affirm to the new hire that they made the right decision. If there is a gap between acceptance and Activate phase, the company should continue to engage the new employee. * Activate – This is the first day on the job. Create an amazing experience. Give them something to talk about when they get home. * Acclimate – Starts on day 2 and runs for weeks or months. * Accomplish – This is when they have their first milestone or achievement on the job. How are we gonna celebrate this? * Adopt – This when they become loyal to us. They are not looking for jobs elsewhere. * Advocate – When they are here they are singing our praises and become recruiters for us.
- We have to be careful because once they are in the door, we may take them for granted. If we do this, we will never get them to the Adopt or Advocate stage.
- Most business stall out between the Activate and Accomplish stage. We need to think strategically about how people learn so that we can help get them to the Accomplish stage.
- It may help to think about teaching instead of training.
- People learn visually.
- They learn auditorily
- They also learn kinesthetically
- It is important to teach every step and action a new employee with make. If you don’t have time to teach your people, they won’t be able to deliver what you need them to deliver.
- Process is your friend. Process is repeatable, process is scalable, process allows you to to have more time for spontaneous situations.
- The first 100 days are critical to make or break the employee experience.
Joey Coleman’s Best Small Business Tip: If you want your employees to care about your business as much as you do, you should care about your employees as much as you care about your business.
Connect with Joey Coleman: Website: joeycoleman.com
E-mail a receipt of your pre-order of Never Lose and Employee Again (in any format) to bookbonus@joeycoleman.com and receive a special bonus.
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Chris Masiello has built a successful, nearly forty-year career, spanning a variety of nationally recognized businesses in the real estate and financial services sectors, accounting for over two billion in annual sales. He continues to lead a portfolio of successful companies.
What problem do you solve? How to become more adaptable and how to take our hesitancy from paralysis to action.
Show Notes: * We come by our aversion to change naturally. * So, we come by the aversion naturally. What do we do about it? We need to be mindful that the threat is a perception but not an actual physical threat. * No matter where you go, there you are. Look for opportunity first and threat second, not the other way around and you will find opportunity. * When change is going on become really curious. It is hard to be in judgment and curiosity at the same time. * If I label something as bad, I pass judgment that there is no opportunity. If I label it as interesting and decide to be curious, I can take a step back and see it from a wider or multiple dimensions and look for the opportunities. * We’ve only got to where we are through change. * When we resist change we meet fate. When we embrace change we achieve a destiny. * It’s important to slow down and become more aware of your thoughts. * Try to position yourself so that you are more aware of your surroundings. * Chris’s book is Change Short and Simple. It is a workbook and is packed with strategy.
Chris Masiello’s Best Small Business Tip: Be curious! Understand that as change is happening we need to align our priorities with our vision.
Connect with Chris Masiello: Website: chrismasiello.com
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Sign Up For The Success In Hiring Course at SuccessInHiring.com Chad Stokes is the Owner of Stokes Mosquito in North Augusta SC. He retired from the US Army in 2004. After retiring he attended University of South Carolina and received a BS in Business with a concentration in Accounting. While working on his MBA he realized indoor work was not for him since he really does not like numbers and especially taxes… He worked for a property management company for nearly 10 years before starting his pest control company. He is in his 5th year of business and growing slowly. He has been married to Darlene 38 years and has 4 grown sons, 1 grandson and a grandson on the way.
What problem do you solve? The advantages of surrounding yourself with likeminded individuals.
Show Notes: * Chad realized the power of a Mastermind after purchasing a franchise. He realized friends don’t have the background to give business advice, but other business owners in a Mastermind, are a great resource for questions. * A Mastermind becomes a trusted board of advisors, but you still get to make your own decisions. * Masterminds are great for accountability as well. * Chad has benefited from his Mastermind group in that every step of the way he has had someone say either it’s a good idea or it’s a bad idea. * There are a variety of members with a lot of different strengths and expertise. * He faced questions such as: How do I do marketing? How do I get customers? How do I determine where my money should go? When should I buy equipment? What about hiring an employee vs. having an independent contractor? * Chad works on learning as much as he can through books, podcasts, and his mastermind group. * Chad says you need to surround yourself with people you want to emulate or be like. Also, take the time to get to know others.
Chad Stokes’s Best Small Business Tip: Get a business coach! Surround yourself with smart people. Join a mastermind.
Connect with Chad Stokes: Website: stokesmosquito.com
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Sign Up For The Success In Hiring Course at SuccessInHiring.com Zach Lush, CEO of DOJOX and CMO of VMax Group, has over 12 years of marketing experience helping coaches and consultants drive growth. A former professional baseball player and lifelong passion for coaching, Zach inspires growth with his strategic insights and infectious optimism. He’s coached thousands of entrepreneurs at both the agency level and working under marketing gurus like Aaron Fletcher (Fletcher Method) and Sam Millais (Legal Funnels)
What problem do you solve? Helping to understand marketing at a deep level.
Show Notes: * Zach says the beginning of marketing is relationships. Building up a good system for outreach is the beginning and the most important part. * Marketing starts with you and what your message is. What are the stories that you have that relate to what you offer? * A good message does three things: + Is it relevant + Are you conveying it in an elegant yet simple method + It is unique? How are you differentiating yourself from others? * You must understand that there is a spoken layer of problems but there is also a deeper layer of fears that they may only relay to those close to them. If you can address these deeper layers too, you will really be speaking to them. * Emotion sells. That is why stories are so useful in selling. * In today’s climate, you need to have a video presence. If a picture is worth a thousand words, a video is worth a million words. * ChatGPT is a new AI device. It can become a co-pilot for you. It has helped Zach be more productive and decreased his overhead. * ChatGPT doesn’t do everything. We need to know the parameters to put in. * Follow-up is key. * There is a 1 million ceiling that you will have a difficult time getting past unless you have your processes in place and you surround yourself with others that can be a support and sounding board. * Zach says one of the biggest benefits is having a group of advisors/mentors and surrounding himself with people he can trust and lean on for wise counsel. Coaches are also crucial to success. * Zach is developing a course on how to use ChatGPT for marketing.
Zach Lush’s Best Small Business Tip: Understand your customer audience at a deep level.
Connect with Zach Lush: Website: DOJO.us
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Solving The Cash Flow Crunch Sign Up For The Success In Hiring Course at SuccessInHiring.com Tyler Jefcoat is the Founder & CEO of Seller Accountant where he exercises his passion for helping sellers maximize their businesses. He provides financial coaching for sellers totaling more than $100 million per year in e-commerce sales. Tyler also leads the Sellers Roundtable, an exclusive mastermind group for seven- and eight-figure sellers. Before founding Seller Accountant, Tyler was the Co-Founder and Managing Partner for Care to Continue, a home healthcare company that grew from zero to 100 employees in four years.
What problem do you solve? The cash flow crunch! How to get money and keep it.
Show Notes: * Many of today’s business owners have never run a business in a bear market. Times like right now make companies look closer at the numbers. * Even though things are more difficult right now, it is also a time of great opportunity. If you can work through the challenges now, you will be set to make great gains. * Our financial data will tell a story so that you can make good strategic choices. For your number to tell you this story, you have to have correct numbers. * It’s important for you to believe your numbers even if they aren’t good news. * Looking at your numbers should lead you to take action – especially when they are not favorable. * Every business has 4-6 KPIs that give you a good summary of how you are doing. If you look at these KPIs every week, you will know how your company is doing. Just take 20 minutes a week. * Winners are carving out time to look at their numbers weekly. It’s not enough to have sales. Those sales need to translate to profits. * Also if you want to win, don’t neglect looking at their cash flow statement. Build this into the weekly rhythm. * Ecommerce can give you the opportunity to do a natural pivot to something you have a special interest in or ability for. * You should make sure you cash flow is working. It’s a bigger deal to run out of cash than out of stock. If you run out of cash the business is dead. If you run out of stock you just tell your customer that the delivery of the product or service is delayed.
Tyler Jefcoat’s Best Small Business Tip: Find a tribe or mastermind because it’s lonely being an entrepreneur. Also, find a coach. The best athletes have a coach and as a business owner you can benefit from coaching too.
Connect with Tyler Jefcoat: Tyler’s podcast: Return on Podcast
Website: selleraccountant.com
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How to Navigate Change In Business and Life Sign Up For The Success In Hiring Course at SuccessInHiring.com
As chief of staff of Navitas Wealth Advisors, where he provides strategic counsel to the executive team and oversees day-to-day operations. He has worked in key leadership roles in the software and telecom industries and served as a pastor and a missionary in South Africa.
What problem do you solve? How to maneuver the seasons of change that are constantly bombarding us in our business and personal lives.
Show Notes: * Steve has had a lot of change in his life. He was caught up in the dot com bust in the early 2000s. This led to a lot of reflection and then led to him and his wife moving to South Africa to work as missionaries. That led to another big change. They adopted a 20-month-old baby from South Africa. Then in 2012, his wife was diagnosed with cancer and he lost her in 2015. He then became a single dad. We all go through change. * Navigating the season of change can be challenging. Steve has created a framework to look at change as a puzzle to solve. Some changes we choose and some we are faced without our choice. * Every change comes with loss and the stages of grief. + The first stage of grief is shock and denial. + The second step is anger. + Next comes the bargaining. + The next stage is depression and some level of anxiety. + Finally we reach acceptance. * We often cycle through this over and over again until the change becomes normal and we settle in. * One of the important things is to be self-aware and to realize what you are going through. * When you are beginning a change at your company be sure you are convinced that this change is necessary because it is going to be difficult and you are going to encounter resistance. * Make sure you have a clear path forward. * Be authentic in your communication. You will hit bumps along the way and if you try to sugarcoat the challenges, your team will see you as not being authentic. * Communication is key! * Celebrate -Celebrate 1% improvements. If you improve 1% a week your company will have a 50% improvement in a year. * Don’t be afraid to adjust the path. * Steve’s 5 steps are: + Act on your convictions. + Keep outlining a clear path to the ultimate change. + Be authentic in your communications + Celebrate your wins. + Don’t be afraid to change. * For all you do, you’ve got to get up in the morning and execute. * Go to stevekinsley.com for a free resource.
Steve Kinsley’s Best Small Business Tip: Get the book Working Without a Net: How to Survive and Thrive in Today’s High Risk Business World
Connect with Steve Kinsley: Website:
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Mario Lanzarotti is a TEDx speaker with nearly 1 million views & he is a High Performance Coach focused on helping entrepreneurs make more money in half the time through building an unstoppable Mindset.
What problem do you solve? How to make more money. How to scale it and grow it in less time.
Show Notes: * To help avoid self-sabotage, you need awareness. You can’t change anything without being aware of what is going on. Look at yourself with a lens of compassion when trying to be aware. You can learn a lot about why you avoid certain tasks by really looking at them. * Are your actions speaking towards what you actually want to happen or are you saying one thing and doing another? * Too often business owners operate from willpower. * Things to do to make more sales: + It is counterintuitive but you first need to slow down. You need to take time to do an inventory of what you are doing. + You need a coach. You have blind spots for your own behavior and a coach will help you see them. There are things you don’t know that you don’t know. A coach will help you see these. + Who vs. How. Instead of asking how to do something, think of who you know that can be a resource. * Clarity: The challenge with clarity is that a lot of entrepreneurs are trying to get to a place of clarity while they are stressed so they have difficulty seeing clearly. First, they need to move from this place of stress. * Once you determine what you want to accomplish, you work backward to figure out the steps you need to do to get there. * Mario sees too many entrepreneurs working from a place of fear. * Many times they just try to grind through it. * It’s important to realize that more is not always better. You need to set boundaries with yourself and your business. * Link to Mario’s info: https://www.mariolanzarotti.com/welcome-sbam/
Mario Lanzarotti’s Best Small Business Tip: Don’t wait for the money to give you peace. Peace is found within yourself by accepting who you are and when you have peace, you make better decisions.
Connect with Mario Lanzarotti: Book: Strategy Sprints
Website: mariolanzarotti.com
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Simon Severino helps business owners discover how to be able to run their company more efficiently which results in sales that soar. He created the Strategy Sprints® Method that doubles revenue in 90 days by getting owners out of the weeds. Simon is the CEO and founder of Strategy Sprints which is a global team of certified Strategy Sprints® Coaches which offers a customized strategy to help clients gain market share and work in weekly sprints which results in fast execution. He is also a Forbes Business Council Member, a contributor to Entrepreneur Magazine, and a member of Duke Corporate Education.
What problem do you solve? Time and money. When you are running a business you don’t have time to solve your problems. Simon will help free up time for you to improve your business.
Show Notes: * He began as a strategy consultant to big name companies. He fell in love with this work. * Simon began his company but then realized he was the bottleneck. He then hired the employees he needed. * A business owner may not realize he’s the bottleneck. He may be saying things like: “I don’t have the bandwidth”, “I’m running out of steam”, “I’m too busy”. * When you feel you are running out of time, you need to sit down and do an inventory of where you spent your time. Then take one of your tasks and delegate it. * Secondly, you need to ask yourself: “If I would live more freely and more intentionally, what would I do tomorrow.” * It is the entrepreneurs job to look at the big picture and then delegate to finish solving the problem. * We only have control of our own habits. Three habits: + Daily habit: Write down what you are going to delegate and what new item you are going to do tomorrow to live more intentionally. + Weekly Habit: Getting a report about the week’s sales number (deals closed), marketing number (subscribers) and operations number (referrals or satisfaction rate). Track these 3 numbers. + Monthly Habit: Strategic analysis and then rebudgeting according to where you are winning. * Many entrepreneurs get distracted and start something new instead of focusing on what they are winning at and optimizing that. * Three things to consider if you want to double revenue. Increase these by 25% and increase revenue by 90%. + Sales frequency + Price + Conversion Rate * The best teams think in weeks and months and not years. It makes them more agile. * Protect your vision from temporary volatility.
Simon Severino’s Best Small Business Tip: Turn your fixed costs into variable costs. Go to your biggest costs positions and see how you can pay according to profit and not a fixed amount.
Connect with Simon Severino: Book: Strategy Sprints
Website: strategysprints.com
Strategy Sprints Podcast
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Clarity Navigator Discovery Session – Sign Up HERE Marie Zunda is a certified high-performance coach, teacher, and speaker. Her focus is on inspiring and empowering you to become who you always wanted to be! Marie helps others transform by giving them permission to connect with their inner authentic self, to believe in their own power and possibilities for change, to dream and create and rewrite their soul story to become their full potential...Igniting their Best Self and Living their Best Life!
What problem do you solve? Work on the question of how to solve your work-life balance as a business owner and how to move from being a human doing to more of a human being.
Show Notes: * “Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” George Bernard Shaw * First, we need to be aware. We need to disconnect and find time to really ask ourselves questions. + Who are we? + What do we want? + Who and what do we value the most? + How do you define joy, peace and fulfillment for yourself? + What is your definition of success? + What kind of business do you want to have? (Do you want a small or large business – what size is your sweet spot). * Second, we need to have perspective. Taking time to step back and look at things is important to give us this perspective. + “If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” – Wayne Dyer * Lastly is legacy. + What do you want to be known for? + How do you want your kids to remember you? + Where do you want your business to go? * When we are on the hamster wheel, we don’t have the opportunity to think. * Thinking about these things makes you stronger and the stronger you are as a person, the better you will be for your business. * It’s important to have intention to be able to bring peace into your life. * To be intentional, you need to block off a portion of the day for just you. Marie starts her day off on a positive note. She starts with meditation, reading, journaling and having quiet time. * The second thing to do is exercise. It helps clear your head. * Lastly, have the intention to start your work day positively as well. * Make a note to not engage in negativity or drama. * “Your beliefs become your thoughts. Your thoughts become your words. Your words become your actions. Your actions become your habits. Your habits become your values. Your values become your destiny” – Gandhi * The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom by Don Miguel Ruiz + Be impeccable with your words. + Don’t take anything personally. + Don’t make assumptions. + Always do your best.
Marie Zunda’s Best Small Business Tip: Don’t forget about your self-care. The better you are, the better your business is.
Connect with Marie Zunda: Free “Stress to Peace” Guide: igniteyourbestself.com/stresstopeacefreeguide
Website: igniteyourbestself.com
Clarity Navigator Discovery Session – Sign Up HERE
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Aaron Marks has nearly two decades of marketing leadership expertise, focused on digital and inbound marketing. From commercializing high-profile VC-backed startups to driving measurable growth at Fortune 500 companies, Aaron has helped companies of all sizes strategize and deliver marketing success.
What problem do you solve? How to grow your business with digital marketing.
Show Notes: * Aaron has grown up in the digital age. He was the computer nerd growing up, and he started his first company in his teens in the early 2000s. Aaron’s first company was building websites which was the first digital marketing arena. * The buyer’s journey is not linear, and that is something that we need to be aware of. Most businesses are good at the part of the journey that talks about what you do. If you can capture your potential customer early on, you have a better chance of staying connected. * You may want to start with a Just 3 Content Grid. * Your marketing strategy comes from your business strategy. What are you trying to accomplish as a business and who are your buyers? * 3 pillars of marketing strategies: + Outbound marketing or push marketing. Can be valuable and effective. The biggest challenge is that people have become effective at avoiding email and calls. This type of marketing may not be reaching customers at the right time + Inbound marketing: It has been mastered by Hubspot. This type of marketing is very directed to your potential customers’ current needs. + Account based marketing is like spearfishing vs. the above 2 which are more like casting a net. Account marketing is directed at specific customers and really targeting them and their needs. You may have a dream 20 or dream 100 in this type of marketing. * If you try to speak to everyone, you end up speaking to nobody. * You really need to understand who you are marketing to, and you need to understand what their goals and what their challenges are. You need to learn where their watering holes are and you need to focus on answering their concerns and questions. Finally, you need to give high quality resources to them. * It is important to excel at creating valuable, thoughtful content to bring to your potential customers.
Aaron Marks’ Best Small Business Tip: Don’t participate in random acts of marketing. Make sure what you do aligns with what your customer needs.
Connect with Aaron Marks: Link to download the “Surefire Marketing Strategies” playbook: https://bit.ly/3JChK0o
Website: aspiremarketing.group
Learn more about Gary’s Mastermind group at goascend.biz/the-mastermind-solution
Pouya Haidari has been in business for 12 years, 7+ industries, consulted multi-billion dollar companies and celebrity entrepreneurs, and generated $100M+ in client revenue.
What problem do you solve? The sales question. “Sales solves all.”
Show Notes: * Pouya started in sales very young. He learned from Jim Rohm that formal education can make you a living but self education can make you a fortune. * He decided if he could learn sales, he could work himself up the corporate ladder and also learn on someone else’s dime. He worked for a number of companies and learn a great deal across industries and now he helps others. * Many business owners start their company because they have a great widget or product but don’t have a sales background. Some other entrepreneurs do come from a sales background. * For those that don’t come from sales, they prioritize everything but sales. It’s important to realize that sales is the main thing. * It’s important to build systems instead of having a one-time offer which leaves money on the table. When you have systems and processes in place you can start to predict your sales. Another benefit of systems and processes is that you can duplicate yourself and expand out. * Everyone is in sales. Some people may have natural inclinations that help them in a certain area, but everyone needs to realize that they need to do the work to develop skills that make them successful. * When you compartmentalize sales, you are limiting yourself. You need to be good at everything from lead generation & acquisition, to prospecting, to qualifying, to presentation and demonstration, to proposal or offer, to closing, to following up. You need to know the whole thing from top to bottom. If you want to be good at sales, you need to be good at all of the above. * Delivering a high quality product or service can separate you from the competition and is critical to growth of the business. * Create relationships! “This is where our relationship starts” * Book, show and close ratios are helpful in looking at sales. Tracking these percentages can help you find bottlenecks.
Pouya Haidari’s Best Small Business Tip: Prioritize sales! Client acquisition and client retention are critical. Without sales, you just have a hobby, not a business.
Connect with Pouya Haidari: Website: pouyahaidari.com
Liz has a 90-day training. Find out more at lizchism.com/vsl1665360757632
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Liz Chism is an experienced Business Operations Coach. Her entrepreneurial journey began when she founded and operated an award-winning craft brewery with her husband. Currently, she helps small businesses organize and streamline their business operations.
What problem do you solve? Business owners often complain about lack of time, and the best way to combat this is to create processes. Liz can show you how to create these in 10 extra minutes a day.
Show Notes: * Liz started with the operations mindset and organization as a child of a large family. It gave her a start in organizing. * She also put her strengths to use in her and her husband’s brewery business. They realized they needed to put SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) in place to get their business to run well without putting in excessive hours. * Liz and her husband’s business thrived and they were able to be away from it without worries while they were gone. * The challenge is that most business owners are visionaries but they don’t enjoy or excel at putting systems and processes in place. * It is easier to get a system in place when you start with the end in mind. * It’s important, when you are building an SOP, that you consider what the end result is every step of the way. * There are 2 parts to documenting your SOPs + Make them easy to access and use and post them everywhere + Have a discussion within your document. Liz uses Google Docs so that it is easy to track the evolution of the SOP. You can also track the history comments. * The business owner needs to remove themselves as the bottleneck. + Delegate and create leaders. + It’s also a mindset issue. The business owner needs to learn to lead and let go of their ego. * One of the biggest things to start with is the curiosity game. Consider how things would go if you put change in place. Use curiosity instead of judgment.
How to put a process in place in 10 minutes. * Use 10 minutes every day. + Put the 10 minutes on your calendar and then remove all of your distractions + Make sure your employees are working on this too. + Decide on Monday what one simple process you will work on and what your end vision and goal is for this process. If it is successful, what will happen and what will it look like? + On Tuesday, write down all the tools, programs, and software related to this particular process. + Wednesday you will write a bird’s eye view or a summary of the process. + On Thursday, you add any necessary detail. You expand on what you wrote on Wednesday, and you may want to add videos or other details. + On Friday you add feedback. You will set a test date of the process and fix any issues.
Liz Chism’s Best Small Business Tip: Really home in on the 80/20 rule. What is the 20% you do that gets you the 80% of your results? Focus on that.
Connect with Liz Chism: Website: lizchism.com
Liz has a 90-day training. Find out more at lizchism.com/vsl1665360757632
Learn more about Gary’s Mastermind group at goascend.biz/the-mastermind-solution
Kevin Davis is a Physician Assistant who has been in practice for over 25 years. He brings his experience to help you find the root of your problems so you can optimize your health. Kevin is the author of the book Young & Strong at 40 & beyond.
Show Notes: * Kevin wrote a book titled Young and Strong at 40 and Beyond. In his book he discusses 4 pillars of heath. + The first pillar is Diet. Kevin had found that he was eating like traditional teaching had recommended but was still not feeling great as he got older. - Limit sugar. - Limit processed foods. - Change the way you eat and the way you feed your body. + Exercise and building muscle is key to maintain weight loss. - If you concentrate on building muscle you are more successful than if you try to lose fat. - “You can be the youngest person at the nursing home or the oldest person at the gym.” You choose. It is important to increase muscle mass to stay healthy. - Sleep is critical to building muscle because growth hormone is released during sleep. + Another pillar is prayer. - Kevin also takes deep breaths during prayer to help with relaxation. - Prayer before meals also helps with digestion. + The forth pillar is sleep - This pillar is the hardest one to take care of. - If you are having trouble sleeping, the first thing you should do is get up in the morning and go for a walk to help reset your circadian rhythm. + Kevin’s book gives a lot of information on things to do and when to seek help. He wrote the book to help others and share the different things that can help people. + Kevin does health coaching.
Kevin Davis’s Best Small Business Tip: Don’t wait to start to improve your health. Changes now can make a big difference in how you feel in the future.
Connect with Kevin Davis: Website: kevindavishealth.com
Kevin’s book Young and Strong at 40 and Beyond
YouTube
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Doctor Marisa Lee Naismith has had a highly successful career within the performing arts industry as an award-winning vocalist, voice teacher, researcher, author, music industry mentor and hosts her own popular podcast A Voice and Beyond. A few years ago, she found herself in a love triangle as her husband of thirty years was slowly being seduced by his business and she had to navigate the road to redemption beyond this love triangle.
What problem do you solve? Solving the problem of how to successfully manage your relationship with your business so that your personal relationship isn’t damaged
Show Notes: * You need to watch for signs that your business is seducing you. + Initially, there begins to be a breakdown in communication. + Conversations start to become one-sided and distant. + Mood swings may cause fights. + Also, changes in personality or priorities may happen. + The business may start to give you a sense of power and elevated value. It then gives the business owner the feeling that they are above their spouse. + The business owner becomes distant and spending more time away. + They may start to miss family events. + A lack of intimacies happens. + The business owner begins gaslighting. + Finally betrayals begin. - Secrets begin. - Financial decisions happen without communication. * A business “affair” is hard because the spouse feels there is no way to win. * The spouse questions themselves and they feel isolated. * Marisa started to get help for herself and empower herself. She established boundaries and stepped away from being treated poorly. * You need to determine if you still want to redeem your relationship and you have to decide what your boundaries are. * The business owner may need therapy to help determine their priorities. + It may help you determine if your self worth is coming from the wrong place and it can help with regulating emotions. + It can help bring your communication with your spouse back to where it needs to be. * Start dating again so that you can have fun together again. * A five-minute timeout is helpful to help reset. * It’s important to communication goals.
Marisa Lee Naismith’s Best Small Business Tip: Always try to maintain balance between your work and personal life to maintain long, healthy and sustainable personal relationships.
Connect with Marisa Lee Naismith: Website: drmarisaleenaismith.com
Find Marisa Lee Naismith’s 4 Self Lessons at drmarisaleenaismith.com/small-business-answer-man
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Find the Spouse's Survey HERE
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Natasha Harris is an experienced accounting & tax professional. She knows how vital navigating finances and taxes are and has invested her career in helping families and small business owners navigate personal & business financial decisions so they can grow into all they’ve dreamed.
What problem do you solve? Employee retention issues.
Show Notes:
- Natasha has recently published a book. It’s almost a tax strategy bible. It’s pack with 200 years of experience and advice. Natasha’s area of expertise in the book is the retirement planning and succession planning chapter.
- It’s important to maximize your tax strategy as a small business owner so that the business is more than a job.
- Some of the times that brought the biggest challenges in Natasha’s life were when she’d lose a job. She had to take time to think about who she was, what her strengths were and what she had to offer the world.
- Her experiences have led her to consider the employee side of things and consider what resources they might need.
- The only way to make money is to get systems in place and to develop your people. You won’t make profits without people.
- One of the best investments Natasha made was in herself. She sat down and asked herself some tough questions. She then knocked out some of her limiting beliefs.
- Execution is key to any plan and it makes all the difference.
Natasha Harris’s Best Small Business Tip: Just dare to be different and be authentically you. Be brave and change the world!
Connect with Natasha Harris: Website: victoryfinancesllc.com
Resources: FREE 30 minute Consult for Employee Retention http://bit.ly/TheFaithGoalCFO or text “employee” to 210-906-8222
Order your autographed copy of Tax Strategies for Small Businesses http://bit.ly/Tax_StrategyBook or text “tax book” to 210-906-8222
Learn more about Gary’s Mastermind group at goascend.biz/the-mastermind-solution
As the co-founder of Quantify for 10 Years, Dave has helped countless business owners add a few extra hours of sleep per night knowing they have accurate financial information to grow their business. Prior to founding Quantify, Dave’s expertise was utilized by one of Pennsylvania’s biggest regional public accounting firms.
What problem do you solve? How to manage the accounting and bookkeeping for your business.
Show Notes:
- If you aren’t making a profit you aren’t going to have a business. Dave believes that some businesses that fail do so because they do not have a good handle on the financial and accounting information, not because they don’t know how to deliver their goods and services.
- When doing your accounting and financial work, you need to decide if it is better for you to work on it or for someone else to. It may be that a business owner’s time is better invested in working on the things that make money vs. doing the accounting work in their business.
- If you decided that you are the one that is going to do the work, you need to figure out a cadence that works for you, block off the time and then stick to it. If you get behind, the work can become overwhelming.
- Be sure to get tax advice so that you don’t have any surprises at tax time.
- You should have a picture of what’s coming and that will help you be prepared. It may show that you need to either make more money or spend less.
- 5 Ways to Better Manage your bookkeeping
- Make sure you separate your business and your personal. Have separate bank accounts and credit cards.
- Do your weekly bookkeeping.
- Use the correct accounting software.
- Utilize available technologies for payroll, accounts payable, accounts receivable, etc. There is a lot of cool technology out there that can make things more efficient
- Potentially hire a bookkeeper.
- Remote can really benefit you. You can find someone that is of a high quality that may not be available in your area physically. You can really increase your talent pool.
- Dave has a bookkeeping course: the DIY course on his website is for those just starting out. thequantifygroup.com/diy-bookkeeping-for-startups
Dave Ashworth’s Best Small Business Tip: Don’t lose sight of building your network. If you have a strong network, you can succeed with anything.
Connect with Dave:
Website: thequantifygroup.com
Learn more about Gary’s Mastermind group at goascend.biz/the-mastermind-solution
Brian Moran is a New York Times bestselling author, Executive, Entrepreneur and Coach. His background as a corporate executive combined with his experience as an entrepreneur positions him with a unique skill set to help individuals and organizations grow and prosper.
Brian is a recognized expert in the field of leadership and execution. His realization that most people don’t lack ideas but struggle with effective implementation led him to the development of the 12 Week Year.
In addition to his books, Brian has been published in many of the leading business journals and magazines. He is a sought-after speaker, educating and inspiring thousands each year. His client list includes Allstate, Century 21, Mass Mutual, Medtronic, Paycor, Prudential, Tiffany, and many, many more.
What problem do you solve? Brian wants to help people accomplish more of what they want in less time. Which means he helps people with the execution dilimia.
Show Notes:
- All the new processes and plans are nothing without execution.
- Busy doesn’t always equate to effective. It’s important to focus on the things that get stuff done.
- Brian’s book, The 12 Week Year, helps people focus on a set time frame. Focusing on the smaller time frame as a year helps create a healthy sense of urgency to get more stuff done.
- It can be hard to switch to the 12 week year because we are so used to being annualized.
- Realize you have a limited capacity. Less is more. The more you take on the more chance you have at mediocrity in those areas. Focus on a few areas and it can be life changing.
- If you think of 12 weeks as a quarter, your mind tells you that you have 4 chances to get the goal done.
- When we think of things in an annual frame, we think we have all the time to finish with what we want.
- Scoring the execution is powerful in that it measures actions and not outcome. Our daily actions create our future.
- Measurement helps you determine what is working.
- The first thing you need to consider is to know what you want. That is a vision question.
- The second thing is what matters most. That is a planning question.
- Also, turn you phone off. You don’t have to have it with you all of the time. Give yourself some margin. Give yourself some deep thought time. Take a breath.
Brian Moran’s Best Small Business Tip: Execute, execute, execute. Learn how to execute and change your world.
Connect with Brain:
Get started on the 12 Week Year: 12weekyear.com/gsc/
Website: 12weekyear.com
YouTube
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Helping Businesses Build Better Proposals Joe Ardeeser is a former digital agency owner of 12 years, one he built from just himself to a team of 12. He then took his passion for sales and proposal writing and created Smart Pricing Table, an interactive proposal software.
What problem do you solve? How to build better proposals.
Show Notes:
- Joe started a digital agency and realized that he really had a passion for proposal writing.
- One big challenge is that proposal writing takes a lot of time. You are excited at first and then you realize you don’t really know what to write. Sometimes you spend a few hours on writing the perfect proposal and then your potential client ghosts you.
- Sometimes we don’t know what we are selling. “If there is a mist in the pulpit, there is a fog in the congregation.”
- If you don’t define your service well, you aren’t going to charge enough.
- The vague vortex: If you are vague you often lose. You must define at least a minimum level of the service you are offering so that the client is clear and you aren’t sucked into more that you planned.
- Joe has 5 C’s to better proposals:
- Capitalize with technology.
- Catalogue your offering.
- Cater to your customer. Give them options.
- Confer with your customer. Ask for a proposal meeting. This gives you an opportunity to explain and engage with them. (HAMBAM – Have a meeting. Book a meeting)
- Continuously improve
- If you find proposal writing boring, you may not be going about it the right way.
Joe Ardeeser’s Best Small Business Tip: Join a mastermind or other group. Invest in yourself.
Connect with Joe:
Website: smartpricingtable.com
You can get 1/2 off the first 2 months if you mention this podcast.
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Learn more about Gary’s Mastermind group at goascend.biz/the-mastermind-solution
Creating A Championship Team Check Out Gary’s Full Focus Course Mark is a 30-year veteran NFL broadcast journalist, calling games for the Dallas Cowboys and Houston Oilers and working in the front office of the original Dallas Cowboys.
What problem do you solve? The biggest problem employers have is turnover. Mark helps employers understand that the better you treat your team, the longer they’ll hang around.
Show Notes:
- Mark worked in the front office of the original Dallas cowboys. He learned a lot from the head of the front office, Tex Schramm. He made sure things were done properly off the field. He had 3 rules
- Hire the best people you can find. Don’t hire cheap.
- Train them your way. (Make sure they know how your organization does things)
- Then get out of their way and let them do the job you hired them to do.
- The front office had the job of keeping everything planned and running smoothly.
- One of the motto’s was ‘Do your job.’ Which means do your job completely and well and don’t interfere in someone else’s job.
- Tex always said ‘Nobody ever does their best work in a climate of fear.’ He told them it was okay to tell him you did not have the answer but then the expectation was that you would bring him the answer in 30 minutes.
- The better you treat people. The better they are going to work and the better it will be for your company.
- People are people and the better you treat them the better they’ll be for you.
- MBWA – Management By Walking Around. This is the way you can meet your staff and get to know them.
- Take care of the little things and the big things take care of themselves.
- Make your employees feel special.
- It’s not about you, it’s about the team.
Mark Oristano’s Best Small Business Tip: First, Don’t take yourself too seriously. Also, the smartest thing he had ever heard is that a happy environment at work is important because no one works well in a climate of fear.
Connect with Mark:
Website: leadwithprinciple.com
Check Out Gary’s Full Focus Course. Download the flyer HERE and sign up HERE
Learn more about Gary’s Mastermind group at goascend.biz/the-mastermind-solution
During his 17 year sales career, Jeremy was recognized in the direct selling industry as the 45th highest earning producer out of more than 108 million salespeople. Jeremy’s earnings as a commission-only salesperson were in the multiple 7-figures, EVERY year! Jeremy’s particular brand of sales training pioneers the unique use of behavioral science and human psychology within the sales process. He is a contributor for INC magazine and has been featured in Forbes, USA Today, Entrepreneur magazine, the Wall Street Journal, and a host of other publications on the topic of sales.
Tony Lopes is an Uber successful Real Estate Investor who retired at 44 and is now helping others achieve a life of freedom and abundance. He has a new book out called Freedom At Risk – How To Protect Your Personal And Financial Freedoms that shares some of the ways to live your best life.
What problem do you solve? There is a lot of fear of failure. There’s a fear of starting a business of not making money or being embarrassed.
Show Notes:
- Tony’s biggest fear was loss of freedom. He did the right things as a young adult. He went to school and got a good education and a good job but then was laid off. It was at that point that he realized that having just one job and relying on that limited his freedom. He then got involved in real estate.
- If real estate is not your thing, you could start a side hustle.
- More that one source of income is valuable. Diversify your income!
- Having cash in the bank is good but if you can invest that cash and it gives you a monthly income, that is even better. Real estate investment is an excellent way to invest and have a source of cash flow.
- We as humans tell ourselves stories in our minds of how we can fail and we add to them every day. The story becomes large and intimidating over time. We have to stop telling ourselves these stories of how we can’t be successful.
- Surround yourself with ways to tell yourself positive stories. Find people or podcasts or books that help you find ways to make positive actions.
- Tony’s fear these days are around political and societal issues. He takes action to insulate himself from the things that concern him. He has residency in two different states. He has multiple income streams. Also hold assets in different areas: precious metals, stocks, real estate.
- You should also find a hobby that gives you peace and joy. Exercise is also important: a healthy mind goes with a healthy body. Try meditation to help with your fear from all the doom and gloom that surrounds us.
- Check out Tony’s book: Freedom at Risk: How to Protect Your Personal & Financial Freedoms
Tony Lopes’ Best Small Business Tip:
Connect with Tony: If your fear is leading to procrastination, ask yourself if that procrastination is because you don’t have the right skill set to solve that problem. You can then take the action to find the right people to help you.
Website: dirtybootscapital.com
YouTube
Learn more about Gary’s Mastermind group at goascend.biz/the-mastermind-solution
Shawn Buttner is a Certified High Performance Coach and host of The Meaningful Revolution Podcast. He specializes in helping business owners and professionals define and implement their purposeful impacts and best lives.
What problem do you solve? How to pivot and when to be thinking about that with your business.
Show Notes:
- Shawn had done software engineering previously. He originally was in business and then started in the technology area about 15 years ago. As he progressed in his business he realized he would wanted and could really utilize the ability to coach his employees. He became a Certified High Performance Coach and began to focus more on that.
- Waiting to pivot can delay your progress into your new adventure.
- Pivoting can get you to your next level of performance. First, you need to get really crystal clear on what your next level will look like. It’s also important to look at what’s working and doubling down on that.
- Pivoting is part emotional management. As you pivot and try to gain momentum you need to realize that it may not happen immediately. You need to reflect and see that you are doing the right things and then give it some space to happen.
- People generally want 3 things: Joy, Growth and Impact in the world. Try to find that joy in your business and connecting with that can help you in your business.
- Also, keep looking at getting to the next level in your health and relationships. When these are at their best it will give you the energy for your business too.
- Shawn has been calling January, Batch-uary. He is trying to do more batching of his work to become more efficient. Batching is a productivity tool. You get into a rhythm and are able to accomplish more in a short time.
Shawn Buttner’s Best Small Business Tip: Know when to pivot — Knowing when to stick with something and when to let go of something. Knowing when something is working.
Connect with Shawn:
Shawn’s Podcast: The Meaningful Revolution
Sign up for The Meaningful Revolution Challenge: https://www.shawnbuttner.com/personal-meaningful-revolution-series
Website: shawnbuttner.com
YouTube
Learn more about Gary’s Mastermind group at goascend.biz/the-mastermind-solution
Sam Feeney is a consultant and coach who helps business leaders achieve more by asking questions they've been ignoring.
What problem do you solve?
How to ascend beyond their current plateaus where they are feeling stuck.
Show Notes:
- Why is getting good enough, not good enough? --- Sam thought about this question and realized you may reach a plateau when you feel you have reached good enough and it can prevent you from achieving more.
- We segment our lives and think that the things that happen at work doesn't affect our home life or vise versa.
- Sometimes if we are doing really well in one area and are getting recognized and applauded, we may neglect other areas.
- You don't want to come home one day with a pocket full of money and realize your home is full of strangers.
- Sam uses a metaphor of a tree.
- The roots are your identity and faith.
- The fruit is your career, health, finances, and relationships.
- The trunk that connects the roots and fruit is your mission. (Sam loves to help people walk through and define their mission.)
- If the roots aren't in good shape, the rest will not do well.
- Acres of Diamonds was a lecture by Russell Conwell, founder of Temple University in 1869. Conwell says you have what you need in hand, put your shovel in the ground and start.
- Sam's book, Why Aren’t You Thriving?: A Man’s Guide to Asking Tough Questions and Getting Better in 7 Core Areas, is designed for you to not read the whole book. There is an assessment at the end that will determine how you are doing in 7 key areas.
- The book will help you determine your individual path. It is available at amithriving.com
Sam Feeney's Best Small Business Tip
Read the book, Who Not How, by Dan Sullivan. It broke him out of the scarcity mindset.
Connect with Sam:
Website: AmIThriving.com
Learn more about Gary’s Mastermind group at goascend.biz/the-mastermind-solution
Rocky Lalvani serves as Chief Profitability Adviser for business owners. He teaches them how to ensure they get paid and make profit a priority! As a certified Profit First Professional he implements Mike Michalowicz's Profit First System. We change the accounting formula of Sales - Expenses = Profit to Sales - Profit = Expenses. This ensures Profit comes first! (PS. It's not about money at all costs, people come before money!)
What problem do you solve?
He helps businesses to have increased cash flow, more profit, and continue to grow in inappropriate way.
Show Notes:
- Mike Michalowicz is the author of Profit First
- Mike realized we have the wrong equation for profit. We look at the top line given by the accountants.
- Mike created a cash flow system that works for business owners.
- It help people figure out what’s going on in their business without opening up their accounting books.
- Sometimes the accountant says you were profitable but you don’t see the money.
- You may be profitable but not have the cash to pay the tax bill.
- With the Profit First system you take every dollar that comes into the business and you give it a job.
- You put your money in separate accounts. You go to your tax account to pay your tax bill. When you want use your profits, you go to the account that has your profit in it and you can actually see it.
- Parkinson’s law says that a business will use all the time and money allocated to it.
- The 80:20 rule says 20% of what you do creates 80% of the results. Also, 40% of what you do creates 96% of the results. So that means 60% of what you are doing is useless. You need to think about what you are doing and what you should not do. If you are grinding you are not being efficient.
- Islands of Profit in a Sea of Red Ink: Why 40 Percent of Your Business Is Unprofitable and How to Fix It by Jonathan Byrnes — He says 20-30 % of what a company does makes over 100 % of the profit, 30-40% loses money and the rest breaks even. You must take the time to understand your business.
- You need to slow down and really look at your business.
- Rocky gives input on his podcast: Profit Answer Man
Rocky Lalvani‘s Best Small Business Tip
At the end of the day you have to understand your financials. Use resources if you need to.
Connect with Rocky:
Website: ProfitComesFirst.com
Learn more about Gary’s Mastermind group at goascend.biz/the-mastermind-solution
Teryn Mozaffari is the owner of Happiness Factory Coaching and a Certified High-Performance Coach. She considers helping others discover ways and make decisions on how to live more productively her life’s work and finds great joy in helping others improvement their performance and live better lives.
Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Google, Spotify
What problem do you solve?
Teryn will help people get a better understanding of what productivity is and why we all want it. Teryn will give us advice on productivity.
Show Notes:
- Being effective is one of the key components of being productive.
- The number 1 habit people need to embrace is the habit of beginning again.
- We are really hard on ourselves and beat ourselves down. We need to get up and begin again.
- Teryn’s biggest metaphor: It’s like laundry. We are never done with it. We can bemoan it but if we finally accept that the work is never done and get excited about it, we can accomplish more.
- You need to form a habit of saying “We get to do it.” vs. “We have to do it.”
- Human nature will always group activities into a have to, a should, or a supposed to.
- We continue down the road of labeling our activities like this. We can then start to feel resentment.
- The quicker we can find ownership in things we do and shift them to want to or get to, then we start to flow and we move to gratitude and momentum and satisfaction and fulfillment.
- Productive people are those that make that shift.
- 3 mindset skills that are essential to elevate and increase productivity
- The first is getting better at responding to an uncertainty or unpredictable surprise.
- Time management. Build a relationship with time. Tell yourself you have enough time to be who you want to be and to get the necessary things done.
- Begin again!
- 5 actions to reboot our productivity
- Develop book-end routines
- They are what you want them to be.
- They should be fun.
- Take time to develop them.
- Project prioritizing
- Planning
- Scheduling
- Reflecting
- Develop book-end routines
- Download Teryn’s Bookend Routine Builder Worksheet HERE
Teryn Mozaffari’s Best Small Business Tip
Teryn defines the meaning of life as the collection of the meaningful experiences that we can look back on. Her tip is for business owners to elevate every experience you can. To do that will make your life meaningful.
Connect with Teryn:
Website: HappinessFactoryCoach.com
Learn more about Gary’s Mastermind group at goascend.biz/the-mastermind-solution
Taking Control of Your Financial Future for You and Your Business
Mark Willis is a man on a mission to help you think differently about your money, your economy and your future. After graduating with six figures of student loan debt and discovering a way to turn his debt into real wealth as he watched everybody lose their retirement savings and home equity in 2008, he knew that he needed to find a more predictable way to meet his financial objectives and those of his clients.
Mark is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER, a THREE TIME #1 Best Selling Author, the Owner of Lake Growth Financial Services, a financial firm in Chicago, Illinois and co-host of the Not Your Average Financial Podcast. Over the years, he has helped hundreds of his clients take back control of their financial future and build their businesses with proven, tax-efficient financial solutions unknown to most financial gurus. He has become known as “Not Your Average Financial Planner!”
What problem do you solve?
The greatest financial challenge facing every business owner and American – Banking.
Show Notes:
- It’s important to think about what you want your money to do for you or else everyone else will tell your money what to do (i.e. McDonald’s, Apple, Netflix).
- Build your wish list then make a plan.
- The “Arrival Syndrome” is the worst virus that has effected humans. It is the thought that you have arrived at the best of what you can do.
- The biggest problem you have in business are silent partners – Uncle Sam and The Bank.
- The Bank – Debt is one of the oldest institutions in human history.
- The bank can suck profits off our back.
- Uncle Sam – As a business owner, the the tax bill is the largest expense over your lifetime.
- To make sure your minimize your tax bill, make sure your money isn’t taxed in retirement.
- The Bank – Debt is one of the oldest institutions in human history.
- Money
- We want it to be liquid.
- We want it to be tax-advantaged.
- We want it to a passive income in retirement.
- We want it to be a source of money we can use like a bank for ourselves.
- The bank on yourself strategy helps minimize your bank bill and your tax bill.
- This is done through life insurance policies.
- *** You must do this with the advice of a certified financial planner.
- The founders of JCPenney, Disney and McDonalds have used this method.
- We haven’t heard about this because banks and WallStreet don’t want us to know about this.
- The policy has to be designed a certain way to be able to do this.
- Mark’s Podcast: Not Your Average Financial Podcast
Mark Willis’ Best Small Business Tip
- Mark recommends checking out the Profit First method. (Check out the book, Profit First, by Mike Michalowicz)
Connect with Mark:
Website: lakegrowth.com/
Schedule with Mark: lakegrowth.com/schedule/
YouTube
In this episode #258 We are starting a new journey with our new name of The Small Business Answer Man. I am excited to share this journey with you because for the last 30 plus years I have had the pleasure of starting, running and operating about 13 different businesses.
We plan to interview experts to help you find solutions in what I term “The Business Owner 6 P Formula of running your business: 1. People (Human capital), 2. Productivity (Execution), 3. Promotion (Marketing), 4. Processes (Operations), 5. Pricing (Sales), 6. Profit (Financials). Our experts will help you solve these business challenges.
My top 5 book recommendations for 2022: * #5 Rocket Fuel by Gino Wickman & Mark C Winters – In this book they talk about Visionaries and Integrators and why you need both on your team * #4 View From the Top by Aaron Walker – Aaron shares his life lessons and how we can learn to see what we want in life by looking at the big picture. * #3 Tax Free Wealth by Tom Wheelwright – This is a great book to create wealth and legally find ways not to pay too much in taxes. * #2 The Sale by Alex Demczak & Jon Gordon – A great fable to help teach us an invaluable lesson about what matters most in life and work and how to achieve it. They share 4 lessons about integrity in order to create lasting success. * #1 Holy Moments by Matthew Kelly – Holy Moments is profoundly simple, astonishingly practical, and once you discover it, your life will finally make sense.
My top 5 books of all time: * #5 The Entrepreneur Roller Coaster by Darren Hardy * #4 Atomic Habits by James Clear * #3 Intentional Living by John Maxwell * #2 Think & Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill * #1 Cultivate Positive Culture: 10 Actions to Faithful Living by Gary Wilbers (Now, you didn’t see that coming did you. I couldn’t forget a book I authored.)
The top 5 ways you can make 2023 your best year yet! * #5 READ: As the saying goes, readers are leaders and leaders are readers. * #4 EXERCISE: Get your heart rate up at least 4x per week. It will not only give you energy, it will provide you with creativity on what you want to accomplish. * #3 LISTEN TO PODCASTS: What a great way to learn by gaining knowledge on your drive, while exercising, during your downtime. Especially to this podcast! * #2 CONNECT to the relationships that matter the most to you. I plan to create my list for who I want to have lunch with. It could be in person or how about a virtual lunch via zoom. * #1 MORNING ROUTINE: Why not take time to start your day on your terms. During this time you could read, spend time Spiritually, meditate or journal. It has been said this is the one time you can spend time on yourself. Remember if we don’t take care of ourselves, we can’t take care of others.
Gratitude: Gratitude is the experience of counting one’s blessings. It is the feeling that embodies the word “Thank You”. It is the unexpected reward of a kind deed that is magically produced by your brain.
A 2003 study by Emmons and McCullough found that keeping a daily gratitude journal leads to not just an increased sense of well-being but also better sleep, willingness to accept change and also help and lower symptoms of physical pain. As it turns out, gratitude could be the ultimate magic pill for happiness.
Here’s the bottom line: Write a journal every morning and every night it’s the closest thing to help you find happiness and peace in life.
Either get a journal and start to process or if you need help here is my recommendation I shared with my clients this year. It’s called “The Five Minute Journal.” You can check it out at fiveminutejournal.com
Links
- Learn more about Gary’s Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
How To Achieve Your Goals
Why do successful people achieve their goals and those who do not set goals fail? That is the question I pose to you today. Why? I believe that goals are the ingredient that separates those who are successful and those who are not.
Show Notes:
Approximately 80% of people never set goals for themselves. Of the 20% of the population that does set goals, roughly 70% fail to achieve them.
- Visualize Achieving Your Goals- Create a detailed mental image of the desired outcome. I use a process called Forward Visioning – This is the ability to look back and visualize how your goal will look after you have successfully completed it.
- Write your Goals Down- Those who write down their goals accomplish significantly more. You are 42% more likely to achieve your goals just by writing them down. Telling a friend increases this rate to 78%.
- Clarity- allows you to constantly view them & become specific
- Motivation- you see progress or the lack of progress
- Focus- determine opportunities that are in alignment with your goals
- Power- gives you the power to become an overcomer
- Achievement- recognize & celebrate progress toward your goals
- Make SMART Goals- Make sure your goals are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, & timely.
- Ask Why- What is the driving force/motivating factor for the goals?
- Action Steps- What action steps will you need to take to reach your goals?
- Habits/Behaviors- Commit to the changes you will need to make to reach your goals.
- Reward- Recognize even the smallest achievements that are moving you toward your goal.
I coined a quote a few years ago about goals it goes like this: “Goals – it’s like having your headlights on because you know where you are going.”
3 Other Strategies You Can Do To Achieve Your Goals:
- CHARGE = Create Habits Around Real Goals Everyday is my mantra but it is also a method you can use to discipline yourself to change things you want in your life. If I want to lose weight, I need to learn to exercise and change my eating habits. Set a goal to exercise x number of times per week. Change your habit of eating out for lunch and instead bring your healthy lunch. Create little rules to discipline yourself like no eating buffets when going out to eat.
- The 5 Second Rule is a book Mel Robbins wrote about how you can make major life changes by a simple rule of 5-4-3-2-1. This simple method is a blueprint for taking action that’s simple to use, easy to remember, actually works, and it’s backed by science. Check out her book to learn more about how you can create habits to increase confidence, increase productivity, develop a powerful mindset, make more money, feel in greater control, pursue your dreams, plus much more.
- Atomic Habits by James Clear is another book that will help you make tiny changes to create remarkable results. Clear helps you create an easy and proven way to build good habits and break bad ones. He reveals how the minuscule changes can grow into life-altering outcomes. He knows the real change comes from the compound effect. These small changes will have a transformative effect on your career, your relationships, and your life.
Links
- Learn more about Gary’s Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
- Achieve Your Goals Download
Ian Ziskin, President, EXec EXcel Group LLC, has 40 years of experience as a business leader, board advisor and member, coach, consultant, entrepreneur, teacher, speaker, and author. He is the Co-Founder and Partner of Business inSITE Group (BiG), Co-Founder of the Consortium for Change (C4C), and Co-Founder of the CHREATE Project. His global leadership experience includes Chief Human Resources Officer and/or other senior leadership roles with three Fortune 100 companies – Northrop Grumman, Qwest Communications, and TRW. Ian has written dozens of articles, blogs, and book chapters on the future of work, HR, leadership, coaching, and HR’s role with the board of directors.
- What problem do you solve?
- Defining reality. Being open to paying attention to what is happening around you and minimizing the risk of being in denial.
Show Notes:
- One thing that jumped out to Ian while writing his book, The Secret Sauce for Leading Transformational Change, was that humans have an ability to explain away things that don’t fit with the way they want to see things.
- Entrepreneurs are at risk of this because they are in the trenches.
- It is important to let reality sink in so that you can truly address the problem.
- Sometimes even when the data is there we are reluctant to make the hard decisions and make the transformational changes needed.
- We have to realize that we are not always able to anticipate and prepare for all of the changes that happen. The Covid pandemic is an example of that.
- We still have to realize and adjust to the changes.
- There are many things that we can’t control.
- Even if things worked for the last 50 years, it doesn’t mean they will work for the next 5, 10, or more.
- As business owners or leaders, we may have our own idea of how things should run in the business. The employees may have a different idea of how they want to work.
- What the workforce is really expecting from us these days is trust, flexibility, transparency the ability to have options and choices.
- Employees are more willing than ever to leave a job to find what they are looking for in terms of options and choices.
- As a leader we have to transform from talk, talk, talk and tell, tell, tell to listen, listen, listen.
- If you are listening you aren’t really learning what is going on and what your people are wanting.
- All transformation is change but is all change transformation?
- Some changes are tweaks or short-term and may help a bit but not really be a complete rethinking and repositioning.
- Changes may not lead to dramatic improvement like transformation will.
- Ian’s book is available at transformationalchangebook.com
Ian Ziskin’s Recharge Round
- What habit do you think has led to success in your life? Exercise and working out. It helps with physical strength and discipline but it also helps with his thinking and keeps the cobwebs out.
- If you had one do-over, what would it be? He went to work for a bad boss a few years back. He thought his advice would improve things but came to realize that not all people will change.
Ian Ziskin’s website: exexgroup.com
Ian’s offer
Connect with Ian Ziskin:
Learn more about Gary’s Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
Get your Daily Dose of Positive at SimplePositiveActions.com
Leaders come in all shapes and sizes. There is no one correct leadership style. The best leaders are those who are able to adapt their style to the situation at hand. That said, there are three essential leadership styles that every leader should be aware of.
Show Notes:
3 Leadership Styles
- Task-Oriented Leaders
- Focus on results and performance
- Goal driven
- Deadline driven
- Create systems
- Potential for low morale
- May lack team bonding
- Can cause burnout in the team
- Relationship-Oriented Leader
- Support great teamwork
- Good communication skills
- Engaged employees
- Reduced turnover
- Slower decision making
- May accomplish tasks slower
- Transformational Leaders
- Focus on change
- Visionaries
- Proactive and adaptable
- United in a common cause
- Risky and disruptive
- Too conceptual
- Requires frequent feedback
The best leaders use all 3 styles and can flex to use them all.
10 Common Leadership Mistakes
- Not communicating goals
- Not delegating tasks
- Being inconsistent
- Failing to listen
- Not providing adequate recognition or feedback
- Micromanaging
- Making snap decisions without considering all angles
- Ignoring the red flags
- Being inflexible
- Not taking responsibility for your mistakes
Links
- Gary’s article, “The 3 Essential Leadership Styles-which one are you?”
- Learn more about Gary’s Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
- Get your Daily Dose of Positive at SimplePositiveActions.com
Managing Stress & Avoiding Burnout
Being an entrepreneur is no walk in the park. It’s a juggling act of a million different tasks and responsibilities, with the pressure to succeed weighing down on your shoulders at all times. It’s no wonder many entrepreneurs burn out before they ever reach their full potential. Don’t let it happen to you. In this episode, Daran Wastchak interviews Gary for insight to help you manage stress and avoid burnout.
Show Notes:
In this episode, Daran Wastchak interviews Gary Wilbers.
Over the course of Gary’s 30-plus years as an entrepreneur, Gary’s learned a lot about how to run a business successfully.
He shares all that he’s learned with individuals and business owners in several books that he’s written, in public speaking, in his own podcast, and in regular articles posted on his blog.
In Daran’s show, he asks Gary to specifically talk about one of his most recent articles, “8 Tips to Manage Entrepreneurial Stress and Avoid Burnout.”
Enjoy the show.
Links Mentioned in the Gary Wilbers With Daran Wastchak Interview
- Gary’s article, “8 Tips to Manage Entrepreneurial Stress and Avoid Burnout”
- Daran’s articles mentioned in the podcast:
- “Achieving Your Freedom to Exit”
- “No Time for Planning? Be Certain to At Least Do These Two Things!” (Podcast)
- “How to Be Truly Thankful (Gratitude)”
- “How to Be More Organized, More Productive, and More Reliable”
- Learn more about Gary’s Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
- Get your Daily Dose of Positive at SimplePositiveActions.com
Introducing Erin Diehl
Erin “Big” Diehl is a Business Improv Edutainer, Failfluencer, and Professional Zoombie. Through a series of unrelated dares, Erin created Improve It!, a unique professional development company that pushes others to laugh, learn, play, and grow. She is the proud host of The Improve It! Podcast, which helps develop leaders and teams through play, improv, and experiential learning. Among her many accolades, Erin is most proud of successfully coercing over 28,000 professionals to chicken dance.
- What problem do you solve?
- She will help you develop yourself or your team as a leader through play, laughter, improv, and experiential learning.
Show Notes:
- Improv takes people’s shields off and opens them up. It suspends judgment and helps people listen to each other. It helps teams feel seen, heard, and valued.
- It helps us tap into our inner child and let them become more creative.
- While you can’t fix your culture in a single improv session, you can work on a single issue and it’s also the beginning of learning about others in the workplace. It helps teams connect.
- If leaders are vulnerable in a session, it will help teams connect with them more.
- Erin says Failure + Frequency = The Fundamental of Success
- You create things you never would have created when you fail. Just be persistent.
- You don’t learn from winning.
- People that never fail, never try.
- It is possible to connect over Zoom. Erin has had improv workshops over Zoom.
- Use the breakout rooms.
- Make sure there is an agenda. “No agenda, no attenda.”
- People may be more likely to get involved in the chat function than they are in person.
- If you want someone engaged, call on them.
- Things leaders should change or implement in their organization
- Feedback: Not giving it but leaders receiving it. “What is one thing I can start doing and what is one thing I should stop doing as a leader?”
- Ask this same about your team “What is one thing we can start doing and what is one thing we should stop doing as a team?”
- Celebrating wins. Create a Slack Channel or Teams
- Celebrate your failures. Fail Yeah!
Erin Diehl’s Recharge Round
- What habit do you think has led to success in your life? Exercise and meditation.
- If you had one do-over, what would it be? When her grandfather passed away, she removed herself because she didn’t want to be there the last few days and see him not well. She regretted that choice and then she made sure to be there for her grandmother.
Erin Diehl’s website: learntoimproveit.com
Erin’s offer — Free download Hybrid-Hype
Erin’s Podcast: learntoimproveit.com/podcast
Connect with Erin Diehl:
Learn more about Gary’s Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
Get your Daily Dose of Positive at SimplePositiveActions.com
Introducing Kurt Davis
Kurt Davis is a technology executive and investor with over two decades of experience building tech startups throughout Silicon Valley, Europe, and Asia. From 2008-2017, he worked with a startup called Boku where he led global business development, focusing on deals with Apple, Microsoft, Spotify, Sony, and more. This book documents and chronicles Boku’s journey from closing small sales deals to transactions worth billions of dollars in transactions. Speaking to other entrepreneurs, he realized that many get stuck in their initial market but few leap the chasm to bigger opportunities. So he wrote this book.
- What problem do you solve?
- How to help their businesses grow to the next level when you feel you’ve tapped your initial client base and how do you resource your company in order to take advantage of bigger opportunities.
Show Notes:
- You need to dissect and get to know the companies that you could be working with in your market. It’s important to research them.
- Look at the companies and analyze how likely a company will be to work with you and what you’ll need to fulfill their needs.
- When you then approach them you can really present how you can benefit them.
- Team selling: Teamwork is important to sell. It’s important to gather and share information and contacts. You may need the board, CEO, sales team, and operators all involved.
- Build relationships with potential clients to keep the lead warm. That way when they are ready you are there.
- Keep connected – check in with them every few months to keep the relationship.
- You need to predict that a company will need your services before they even know they need them.
- Keep your company top of mind.
Kurt Davis’ Recharge Round
- What habit do you think has led to success in your life? Consistency of waking up with the intent of pushing business relationships along.
- If you had one do-over, what would it be? Taken less risks earlier in life. He would have been more patient.
Kurt Davis’ website: kdalive.com
Kurt’s book: Navigate to the Lighthouse
Kurt’s freebie — Free audiobooks for the first 10 people to email him at kd@kdalive.com
Connect with Kurt Davis:
Youtube
Learn more about Gary’s Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
Get your Daily Dose of Positive at SimplePositiveActions.com
Introducing Andrea MacKenzie
Andrea MacKenzie is helping companies to hire, build, and lead teams for business growth and workplace well-being through her company Lead With Harmony. She is working with growth-oriented small business owners and executives to hire, develop, and lead their teams toward higher performance, lower stress, and stronger leadership. She brings her 20+ years in corporate roles and consulting, which spans almost every business function and size, from small businesses to Fortune 500s, to her unique approach to serving her clients.
- What problem do you solve?
- Andrea can help business owners and team leaders with hiring, leading, and developing teams for success and well-being.
Show Notes:
- The most common mistakes people are making in the hiring process are:
- Not defining the role.
- Don’t throw in the kitchen sink — don’t include everything in the role.
- Making the role up as you go.
- Not really having a job description.
- Hiring the first person you find.
- Rushing the process.
- Not defining the role.
- Make sure the incoming person knows what their role is going to be and what to expect.
- Know your people and know your processes.
- You need to know how all of the individuals on your team need to communicate.
- Realize who on your team needs to collaborate and who does not need to.
- Communication is a two-way street.
- Just because you sent the message, doesn’t mean it’s received.
- Make sure the receipt happened.
- Was it enough information? Did they understand the message?
- Just because you sent the message, doesn’t mean it’s received.
- You will create your culture around your values. Know yourself and your values. Know what values you want to be shared across the board.
- It’s also important to be a conscious leader. Actually take time, stop yourself and then make the decision of how you want things to proceed.
- Ways business owners hold themselves back from growth.
- Mindset. Sometimes people focus on safety instead of growth. You need to invest to get growth. Do away with your scarcity mindset.
- Hire the best and pay for the best because your employees are the ones that are really going to help grow your company.
- Andrea uses the Kolbe assessment. It shows your how. It doesn’t change over time.
Andrea MacKenzie’s Recharge Round
- What habit do you think has led to success in your life? Meditation
- If you had one do-over, what would it be? She would redo her wedding photo. She does not have a single photo of just her and her husband looking at the camera.
Andrea MacKenzie’s website: leadwithharmony.com
Andrea’s freebie — Use code: CHARGE22 at delegationvisualization.com
Connect with Andrea MacKenzie:
Learn more about Gary’s Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
Get your Daily Dose of Positive at SimplePositiveActions.com
Introducing Aaron Anderson
Aaron Anderson has been working in the SEO industry full-time since 2013. While working and consulting for multiple SEO agencies he saw a big demand for high-quality link-building services, which led him to start offering those services as a freelancer and then growing those services into a full-fledged link-building agency. He is also the host of the podcast “Let’s Talk Link Building”, which dives into all the different approaches and strategies one might take to build backlinks for their online business.
- What problem do you solve?
- He will help you understand what link building is and how to navigate the whole SEO and link building industry.
Show Notes:
- Quick explanation of SEO: Search engines look at content of your query and then they look at all the websites and results. Next, they narrow it down to authority and trust. The more links a website has, the more trusted the site is and the more likely the search engine is to send people to that site.
- When you link a different website, you are giving them a vote of confidence.
- To give your site more credibility, you want other sites to link to your site.
- Certain content is more likely to get backlinks such as a free tool or assessment.
- The more trusted the site that has your backlink, the more beneficial it is to you.
- Beware of buying backlinks. Sometimes those services are using websites that are created solely for the purpose of selling backlinks. Those types of backlinks won't give you the credibility you want.
- If you outsource your backlink building. Make sure you are using someone who is transparent and willing to educate you. It is also important to get different opinions.
- Google tries to identify and perhaps even penalize websites that are there solely for backlinks.
- Aaron likes to teach others about link-building.
Aaron Anderson's Recharge Round
- What habit do you think has led to success in your life? Knowing himself and knowing what he's creating. He wants to know he's creating value for others.
- If you had one do-over, what would it be? He didn't have confidence when he first started to scale his business. If he had to do it over he would try to instill confidence in himself.
Aaron Anderson's website: linkpitch.io
Podcast: Let's Talk Link-Building
Connect with Aaron Anderson:
Learn more about Gary's Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
Get your Daily Dose of Positive at SimplePositiveActions.com
Beth Banks Cohn, PhD is an accomplished Organizational Consultant, Executive Coach, and Thought Leader with more than 25 years of business success. Beth is a valuable asset as she helps companies use organizational, and individuals use personal, transformation to reach the next level of growth.
- What problem do you solve?
- She will help people solve those bumps in the road either by helping them avoid them or get over them.
Show Notes:
- Change may be harder now due to what we’ve been through in the last few years.
- It’s easy to say we just need to be more resilient but that’s not always easy.
- Other things going on in our life can make change harder.
- First, we need to own our reaction to the change. We should then educate ourselves so that we at least understand the reason for the change. Then explore how it might help you… will it help you with growth, will it give you new opportunities
- Also, we need to realize that it may change our position. We then have the opportunity to decide if we want to stay or move on to another place.
- Organizations need to focus on the people side and engage them. They should realize that people are not used to changing they are tired of it.
- Organizations need to make sure they listen so that they can explain the change and people can understand it and understand how it affects them.
- Beth uses a framework to help explore how the change will affect every single person in the organization. This will help determine if the change is really going to work.
- Companies should focus on how to make life better for their employees. Improvement in human capital leads to an increase in your company’s capital.
Beth Banks Cohn’s Recharge Round
- What habit do you think has led to success in your life? Her ability to take time off and recharge. It makes her a better entrepreneur and helps her feel more energized.
- If you had one do-over, what would it be? Early in her career, she was told she was too aggressive, too loud, and too assertive and she tried to fix herself. Now she owns it as who she is.
Beth Banks Cohn’s website: adrachangearchitects.com
Connect with Beth Banks Cohn:
Email: beth@adrachange.com
Learn more about Gary’s Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
Get your Daily Dose of Positive at SimplePositiveActions.com
Introducing Dr. Akhtar Badshah
Dr. Akhtar Badshah is Chief Catalyst at Catalytic Innovators Group, where he advises organizations and individuals to catalyze their strategy focused on social and philanthropic investments. He also conducts Purpose Mindset Leadership Workshops with organizations to help individuals articulate their strengths and values, and craft their purpose statement.
- What problem do you solve?
- We should be in the business of creating futures. He wants to share how to improve things for the greater good.
Show Notes:
- The purpose mindset is the intention or the why behind what we do.
- The purpose mindset is the reason behind your growth.
- 5 principles behind purpose mindset.
- Work from your strengths (write down 3 strengths and then work from there).
- Put on a lens of abundance (instead of a scarcity view).
- It is not about the efficiency of how you get things done but the effectiveness of what you are doing.
- It is about igniting movements.
- How do we go from just being generous to being empathetic and compassionate?
- Create a purpose mindset journal
- Jot down every month where you were able to use your purpose.
- It’s okay to focus on yourself first (but to the betterment of society). Then move to your family, community and workplace.
- Write down 3 strengths, then 3 values that exemplify you. Then write your purpose statement.
- Your work and your purpose shouldn’t be fully aligned. If they are, you are a robot.
- Dr. Ahktar Badshah’s book: Purpose Mindset
Dr. Ahktar Badshah’s Recharge Round
- What habit do you think has led to success in your life? He’s open to taking on new challenges. Be open-minded, and take risks.
- If you had one do-over, what would it be? Embrace failures.
Dr. Ahktar Badshah’s website: catalyticinnovatorsgroup & purpose-mindset.org
Connect with Dr. Ahktar Badshah:
Learn more about Gary’s Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
Get your Daily Dose of Positive at SimplePositiveActions.com
Dr. Carla Fowler is an MD, PhD and elite executive coach. For the last decade, she has been a secret weapon for scores of CEOs, entrepreneurs, and other senior leaders. Carla’s unique approach combines the latest research from performance science with timeless best practices to help top performers level up and achieve their goals.
- What problem do you solve?
- How do you think about improving your performance when the answer is no longer “I just need to work harder.”
Show Notes:
- High performers do some things differently
- They lean on compounding. It’s the idea of doing something small consistently over time. The growth is small to begin with but then it grows exponentially.
- Performance Science
- Ideas that affect your strategy (picking the right thing to do)
- Ideas that help you execute more efficiently
- Mindset
- Brutal focus is important. How can you become more focused? You may need to really examine things and then stop doing some things.
- Cultivating power/influence is another important area. This is creating visibility. Use your network and resources. You could have the best product/service but you need it to be visible.
- Learn how to relish uncertainty because that is generally where opportunity lies.
- It’s easier to relish uncertainty if you can adopt a mindset of abundance.
- Have a mindset of always growing and always learning. You may need to think of opportunities as experiments. You can decide if you want to go with them based on risk and possible return.
Carla Fowler’s Recharge Round
- What habit do you think has led to success in your life? She looks around to see the most challenging thing and then commits to how she is going to figure it out. Practically, she takes time to think and plan every day.
- If you had one do-over, what would it be? She overthought her possibilities in rowing and literally held on with too tight a grip and caused issues. Her lesson was to hold on to things more loosely.
Carla Fowler’s website: thaxa.com
Connect with Carla Fowler:
Learn more about Gary’s Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
Get your Daily Dose of Positive at SimplePositiveActions.com
Jeffrey is a nationally recognized thought leader and award-winning author on the next evolution of leadership: Conscious Leadership. He has bootstrapped 2 multi-million dollar companies; several non-profits and multiple political organizations. Jeffrey is a member of the Forbes Coaches Council and is also a stage 4 cancer “thriver."
- What problem do you solve?
- How to maximize your human capital to maximize your financial capital. That is to convert that collective genius and energy of your organization, of your teams, to be able to increase your profits in a way that you can actually implement in the real world.
Show Notes:
- One of the biggest challenges is that employee engagement is low. According to Gallup, employee engagement is only around 30%, but 70% of employees want to be engaged, and 100% of employers want engaged employees.
- The problem is not the people but that we have a broken model. We are still working with an industrial age model.
- The most successful design humans have come up with to collaborate is the tribe. It is not the organizational chart.
- Models which are silos, hierarchies, bureaucracy and structures are outdated.
- Keep the organizational chart because that tells people who they work for and what department they are in. But realize it's just a skin.
- There are 3 things behind the organizational chart that are responsible for 100% of performance.
- Tribal dynamics
- Knowledge networks (teams)
- Culture
- Work on the above to maximize your team performance.
- We have to realize that we are in a whole different world. We absolutely have to transform how we lead.
- It's all about maximizing the collective genius in your organization.
- Ask your people for input. They likely can offer solutions.
- When team members help offer solutions, they have an interest in making sure that it works.
- Jeffrey has a worksheet on his website. It's a formula that shows how, when you improve employee engagement by a few points, it actually puts money in your pocket for free.
- We have to make our organizations an attractive place to work.
- You may have to wrestle with your ego a bit and you are going to have to be adaptive.
- It's we as leaders who need to change.
- A leader is an individual who can evolve, who can adapt, and who is actually leading.
Jeffrey Deckman's Recharge Round
- What habit do you think has led to success in your life? When he learned to truly listen and W.A.I.T. -- Why Am I Talking
- If you had one do-over, what would it be? His first company failed and he took the lessons from that to build a better business the next time.
Jeffrey Deckman's website: jeffreydeckman.com
Jeffrey is offering a free half hour of coaching time. Email him at jeffrey@jeffreydeckman.com
Conscious Leadership Development Program: jeffreydeckman.com/conscious-leadership-development-program
Connect with Jeffrey Deckman:
Youtube
Learn more about Gary's Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
Get your Daily Dose of Positive at SimplePositiveActions.com
Rob Ashton is an entrepreneur and former scientist who has had a life-long fascination with how the things we read and write influence what we think and do.
He’s been researching the science behind the process of reading and writing for more than six years. His research runs the gamut of cognitive and social neuroscience, cognitive and social psychology, and behavioral and neuroeconomics.
- What problem do you solve?
- How to influence decisions by changing how you write (backed up by science).
Show Notes:
- We write all of the time but if you don't pay attention and realize how your writing is processed, you may have problems.
- We learn the spoken word before the written word and we learn it by osmosis. Reading and writing take work and needs to be done deliberately.
- We have less reserves for emotional control when we read. If you are emotional, it's best to stop and not reply immediately.
- It also takes more brain power to read and write than to speak.
- Don't trust what you think when you first read a message.
- The current emotions you are feeling over a situation can cause you to misread unrelated items.
- We overestimate how much people will understand what we are thinking.
- Rob's best advice is to talk instead of write since speech is the best form of communication.
Rob Ashton's Recharge Round
- What habit do you think has led to success in your life? Reading. He consumes a lot of different content to absorb ideas.
- If you had one do-over, what would it be? Don't pay too much attention to what other people think of you and do go chasing other people's success. Be yourself and do your own thing.
Rob Ashton's website: robashton.com
Silent Influence Course: influence.robashton.com
Connect with Rob Ashton:
Learn more about Gary's Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
Get your Daily Dose of Positive at SimplePositiveActions.com
Kate DiLeo’s branding approach is rooted in her firm belief that brand is the path of least resistance to revenue. She teaches you how to eliminate complex and ineffective brand storytelling by delivering a simple yet provocative message that tells prospects what you do, how you solve their problem, and how you differ from the competition. The outcome? Brand conversations that convert. Kate is honored to have partnered with more than 200 brands across 20 sectors. She is passionate about helping organizations craft messaging that brings more prospects to the table, more users who click, and more customers who buy. Her book, Muting the Megaphone, Stop Telling Stories and Start Having Conversations, just released in July of 2022.
- What problem do you solve?
- Kate will help us understand the main components of how to build a brand for your business that enables you to win more work.
Show Notes:
- You need to realize the power of your brand message.
- There are actually three key components for that brand in order to get more of the right prospects to the right table at the right time.
- You need to have a tagline that clearly articulates what you do.
- You need to follow that up with a value proposition statement that is a really big, bold, audacious statement that answers the question: "Here's how I solve your very specific heart pain."
- Finally, you need differentiator statements. It's the 2-4 points of how you are different and better than the rest.
- A very clear tagline breaks open the door for you to start a conversation.
- Your tagline starts to set up your value proposition.
- Your tagline should make someone want to ask you more.
- There are two things with your brand on the whole that are going to make you seem and feel different.
- Your approach
- Your deliverable
- Your tone of voice or your personality is part of your brand.
- You should ask who you are going after and why. Kate uses a list of psychographics to help her understand who works best with her.
- The best brands are very surgical and niche in. They are not there for everyone. If you think you can serve everyone you will probably serve no one.
- For a practical exercise, Kate recommends asking yourself, "If my brand was a person, who would it be?"
- Kate's book, Muting the Megaphone, Stop Telling Stories and Start Having Conversations, is a tactical guide on how to go through the process of writing your brand.
Kate DiLeo's Recharge Round
- What habit do you think has led to success in your life? Kate has learned how to say no to the good to say yes to the great.
- If you had one do-over, what would it be? She would have gotten off of the hustle wheel faster. Hustle was hard on her health and almost led her to burnout.
Connect with Kate DiLeo:
Kate DiLeo's website: katedileo.com
Learn more about Gary's Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
Get your Daily Dose of Positive at SimplePositiveActions.com
Gary Geiman is a serial entrepreneur and business owner. His 30-year career has spanned owning multiple businesses and developing sales and marketing plans to assist other business owners in growing their businesses.
- What problem do you solve?
- 2 of the biggest problems entrepreneurs have early on are figuring out how to be present and how to be found.
Show Notes:
- Business owners get into business because either something happened in their life that brought them to that place or they are passionate about the business they started. The challenge may be that the business owner doesn't have sales skills.
- In sales, you have to have a bond-building approach with multiple touches. You have to have follow-up to complete the sale.
- Being present refers to social media platforms and being found refers to Google search presence.
- Social is about consistency and content. We get caught up in thinking our business is really interesting but people actually are interested in people they can relate to.
- Content should be:
- Entertaining
- Engaging or
- Educating
- Be engaging as possible. Be authentic. Be real. Be an individual. Talk more about yourself, talk about your failings. It makes you more relatable.
- Be consistent. Also, be present in your community. Sponsor events and teams.
- Being found is about your website.
- If you want to be found on Google maps, go to business.google.com and make sure you have a map listing.
- The best thing to do is to create raving fans as customers. Let them know you want to create a 5-star relationship with them and you want them completely satisfied. Then ask them for a referral and a review.
- Give a gift card for referrals.
- Go to Gary's website and on the about us tab go to foundations to check out their mission and core values.
Gary Geiman's Recharge Round
- What habit do you think has led to success in your life? Gary's biggest habit is persistence and not giving up. Then create habits around your persistence.
- If you had one do-over, what would it be? Not realizing we are multi-dimensional people. We need to realize we need to focus on family and friends too and not just business.
Connect with Gary Geiman:
Gary Geiman's website: salvonow.com
Learn more about Gary's Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
Get your Daily Dose of Positive at SimplePositiveActions.com
Zack Boothe is the host of the Driving For Dollars Mastery podcast where he shares his insider secrets to finding massively discounted properties regardless of experience level. Zack went from a successful window cleaner to an even more successful millionaire and real estate investor. With his constantly growing business, he now spends his time helping others see how simple it is to make money with real estate. Zack built a dream real estate business…and he’s ready to show you how you can too.
- What problem do you solve?
- Show people how to get started in real estate investing even if they don’t have deep pockets.
Show Notes:
- Zack started young. His dad didn’t allow for excuses.
- He quit high school basketball to be an entrepreneur.
- Zack received a book from a family friend which made him understand that he had to be responsible for his own money. The book is Rich Dad, Poor Dad.
- Zack had a hunger for something more than what he grew up with.
- A key is to find deeply discounted properties.
- One technique is to wholesale properties.
- Zack realized people want speed and convenience over price.
- He also realized successful people want others to succeed as well.
- Often people will sell for less to avoid the hassles of family drama.
- Wholesaling is a great way to start because there is less risk.
- Zack shares his 40-day challenge to show how anyone can succeed.
Zack Boothe’s Recharge Round
- What habit do you think has led to success in your life? Always knowing what he’s working towards, he knows his goal. It helps him manage his time and only work on needle-moving activities.
- If you had one do-over, what would it be? He carried a self-limiting belief for too long.
Connect with Zack:
Zack Boothe’s website: dfdmastery.com
Zack’s 40 Day Real Estate Challenge: dfdchallenge.com
Youtube
Learn more about Gary’s Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
Get your Daily Dose of Positive at SimplePositiveActions.com
Zack Boothe is the host of the Driving For Dollars Mastery podcast where he shares his insider secrets to finding massively discounted properties regardless of experience level. Zack went from a successful window cleaner to an even more successful millionaire and real estate investor. With his constantly growing business, he now spends his time helping others see how simple it is to make money with real estate. Zack built a dream real estate business…and he’s ready to show you how you can too.
- What problem do you solve?
- Show people how to get started in real estate investing even if they don’t have deep pockets.
Show Notes:
- Zack started young. His dad didn’t allow for excuses.
- He quit high school basketball to be an entrepreneur.
- Zack received a book from a family friend which made him understand that he had to be responsible for his own money. The book is Rich Dad, Poor Dad.
- Zack had a hunger for something more than what he grew up with.
- A key is to find deeply discounted properties.
- One technique is to wholesale properties.
- Zack realized people want speed and convenience over price.
- He also realized successful people want others to succeed as well.
- Often people will sell for less to avoid the hassles of family drama.
- Wholesaling is a great way to start because there is less risk.
- Zack shares his 40-day challenge to show how anyone can succeed.
Zack Boothe’s Recharge Round
- What habit do you think has led to success in your life? Always knowing what he’s working towards, he knows his goal. It helps him manage his time and only work on needle-moving activities.
- If you had one do-over, what would it be? He carried a self-limiting belief for too long.
Connect with Zack:
Zack Boothe’s website: dfdmastery.com
Zack’s 40 Day Real Estate Challenge: dfdchallenge.com
Youtube
Learn more about Gary’s Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
Get your Daily Dose of Positive at SimplePositiveActions.com
Introducing Sam Feeney
Sam is the Chief Strategy Officer for Real Frequency, a career and college consulting company based in Spokane. He is also the author of Why Aren’t You Thriving?, a personal development book for men, which will be released in January of 2023. He and his family live in suburban Denver.
- What problem do you solve?
- Sam is tackling the topic of employee engagement and retention
Show Notes:
- Employers are assuming two things when they hire an employee.
- They are thinking they are looking for a job that fits their skills
- The second thing they are thinking is that potential employees want the compensation and time off.
- Sam says potential employees are looking for something more.
- It no longer works to just increase pay to attract more employees.
- You may have to consider outsourcing some of your jobs.
- You may find that you have some of your people in the wrong position in your company and they have skills they could use in different areas.
- Things we can do to keep our best employees.
- Have your employees name why they are working.
- Let your employees know that job satisfaction is under their control.
- Find your employees' career factors and address these with your employees. Be creative.
Sam Feeney’s Recharge Round
- What habit do you think has led to success in your life? Leveling up the people he hangs out with.
- If you had one do-over, what would it be? He got sidetracked from his plan. He wishes he would have had a mentor or a board of advisors to help keep him on track.
Connect with Sam:
Sam Feeney’s website: madetothrive.coach
Get Your Free Career Factors Assessment: quiz.thecareerfactors.com
Sam’s book will be out January 2023: Why Aren’t You Thriving? A Man’s Guide to Asking Tough Questions and Getting Better in 7 Core Areas
Sam’s Podcast: Made to Thrive
Learn more about Gary’s Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
Get your Daily Dose of Positive at SimplePositiveActions.com
Dane Espegard is a culture consultant who teaches, assists, and executes the implementation of a Culture within companies centered around Dream Achieving, emphasizing the development and personal lives of team members. Dane brings a successful people-oriented method to market in his latest book, The Dream Machine.
- What problem do you solve?
- Dane will be focusing on the topic of engagement. Connecting work life to personal life- how to engage employees outside of work and promote work/life balance
Show Notes:
- Culture can be hard to talk about because it’s hard to quantify.
- Culture is the reason a person stays at a company.
- As leaders, we have to be very intentional.
- Dane uses a Dreams concept as the center of their culture.
- Quote: “When there’s hope in the future, there’s power in the present.”
- Dreams of the future can create a member that’s much more alive and engaged.
- Dane would rather have someone that is with him and fully engaged for 1 year, than someone who is with him for several years but is not engaged.
- Talking about dreams helps people stretch themselves more than talking about setting goals.
- Creating a list of things a team member dreams about outside of work can help them be engaged at work. They can realize their performance can help them achieve their dreams outside of work.
- “When we set goals, we set them with the mentality that they should be achievable; we like to set goals that we know are within reach. With dreams, we’re able to break away from the commitment and obligation of what we think we can do and instead can focus on what we’re EXCITED about.”
- Dane has a Dreams workshop available.
- Dane discusses how to improve your company culture:
- Identify what the true culture is right now – get feedback from your employees (current and outgoing)
- Determine what your vision for your culture is.
- Make sure your leadership team is fully bought into living the culture.
- You can impact a lot of people with your company culture.
- The Dreams model helps your team live on purpose. Living on purpose keeps them from focusing on self only.
Dane Espegard’s Recharge Round
- What habit do you think has led to success in your life? A morning routine of exercising and reading.
- If you had one do-over, what would it be? The way he handled his finances early on as he got out of college. If he had a dreams list at an early age he could have had more investments.
Connect with Dane:
Dane Espegard’s website: daneespegard.com
Access Your Free Copy of Dane’s book: daneespegard.com/freegift
Learn more about Gary’s Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
Get your Daily Dose of Positive at SimplePositiveActions.com
Introducing Bill Ringle
I’d like to welcome Bill Ringle, a former Apple exec who founded GrowBusinessNow.com.
Bill works with leaders of privately held high-tech companies to work more effectively and serve a larger client base, without the drama, frustration, misunderstandings, chaos, and stress that is often the norm. He has dedicated his professional career to helping overwhelmed managers become admired leaders who can help grow and scale companies.
Bill is the author of the upcoming book titled, Grow Business Now, and he hosts My Quest for the Best, the podcast for ambitious small business leaders, with more than 400 episodes with top published thought leaders like Dan Pink, Nir Eyal, Doug Conant, Whitney Johnson, John Lee Dumas, and Dorie Clark sharing their stories, strategies, and tools with listeners.
Bill travels from Philadelphia and can be found playing tennis, playing Wordle, or hiking with his border collie when not working.
- What problem do you solve?
- How to make your delegation better whatever your industry or where you are.
Show Notes:
- People typically like to dump or pass off their least favorite jobs.
- Delegation has three aspects that make it effective
- You are getting more done than you could on your own without spending more time.
- You are involving others.
- You are building bench strength throughout the organization.
- When you hit those 3 marks you are doing the job of someone who can be trusted in the organization.
- A sign that delegation is not going well is that the manager says they don’t have time to delegate.
- It’s a sign that they need to teach others.
- Also, consider where you are adding the most value and where it is not adding value that you do it.
- If it’s not adding value that you do it, it is a job that you need to delegate.
- When you don’t share responsibility, you lose access to very talented people.
- Envision the end result and communicate clearly and precisely what you want to the right people.
- Give credit so that you get the best results the next time you delegate as well.
- You have to be able to overcome your “control monster”.
- Have a review process to make sure the result that you envisioned is accomplished. This allows for feedback without criticism.
- Your ability to delegate is what managers look at to promote you.
- Steps to become a better delegator:
- Plan.
- Hire people that are different than you with different skills.
- Know who on your team has which skills.
- Make lists of things you do best.
- Know the things you should never be doing.
- Use a virtual assistant if needed
- Communicate the status of the work you are doing.
Bill Ringle’s Recharge Round
- What habit do you think has led to success in your life? To be prepared.
- If you had one do-over, what would it be? He tries to embrace mistakes as learning opportunities. However, if he were to do things over he would do things sooner. Reach out for help sooner, ask questions sooner. He makes a policy to have his team reach out for help after trying to solve things on their own for 15 minutes.
Connect with Bill:
Bill Ringle‘s website/delegation assessment: growbusinessnow.com/charge
Learn more about Gary’s Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
Get your Daily Dose of Positive at SimplePositiveActions.com
Eric has a varied background as a successful entrepreneur and real estate CEO, but his real passion is merging business and mindfulness. Throughout his career, Eric learned that delegating and trusting others was the key to their growth and his freedom, leading him to found Living In The Gap, a program that teaches business professionals, entrepreneurs, and CEOs principles of leadership and business growth anchored in mindfulness practices.
- What problem do you solve?
- Eric is offering mindfulness or mindset habits that will help you reduce stress to increase your focus and the bottom line in your business.
- What three questions will you answer for our listeners?
Show Notes:
- We can use mindfulness to move us out of divisiveness by using focus. Are we really listening or do we already have our own conversation going on with our thoughts already in place?
- Show people you care and that you don’t see them as just a vehicle to get something.
- Employers are waking up to the fact that remote workers need to know you care. When the company cares, the employee is less likely to leave
- Mindfulness can also be explained as focus.
- Focus (mindfulness) means you can get more done in less time and with less distraction and less stress and more production.
- We have so much coming at us today that we’ve stopped thinking about things. We are losing our focus.
- Service is gratitude in action. Putting your mind into a gratitude mindset is of great benefit.
- Being of service makes a positive difference and people notice and it connects you in the community.
- Start small with mindfulness and grow from there.
- People are more excited about their workplace if there is a greater purpose.
- Success is a mindset, not a destination.
Eric Holsapple’s Recharge Round
- What habit do you think has led to success in your life? Being mindful!
- If you had one do-over, what would it be? If he had discovered mindfulness earlier, he would have been a better employer earlier.
Connect with Dr. Eric Holsapple:
Dr. Eric Holsapple‘s website: livinginthegap.org
Youtube
Learn more about Gary’s Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
Get your Daily Dose of Positive at SimplePositiveActions.com
Introducing Zander Sprague
Zander Sprague is the author of three books, including his newly published bestseller, EPIC Begins With 1 Step Forward: How To Plan, Achieve and Enjoy the Journey. Zander loves speaking to audiences around the world. Nicknamed the “God of Enthusiasm” because of his contagious energy and passion, he is a popular speaker, trainer, and podcast host. He is here today to help you plan, achieve, and enjoy the journey!
Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, Spotify, or listen here:
- What problem do you solve?
- Helping people make epic choices to have that epic life they've always dreamed of.
- What three questions will you answer for our listeners?
- How one small step can make a huge difference in the long term.
- What 2 magic words will dramatically boost your success.
- What the 97/3 rule is.
Show Notes:
- When we have epic plans and desires, we can keep from being overwhelmed by making that first step
- Take steps and create structure and everything becomes easier
- Two magic words are "not yet". It contains hope and optimism. Not yet shows you are on the way.
- "No" is a lot more mentally defeating than "Not Yet."
- Zander was on an epic journey to become a licensed counselor and it was interrupted by the pandemic. It gave him time to reflect and realize that everything begins with a first step and then another.
- Zander is also a proponent of being structured. It makes everything easier.
- Zander believes that 97% of our day is good and maybe 3% isn't. We need to not focus so much on the 3%.
- In baseball, hall of fame athletes have a batting average of somewhere in the 300s. This is getting it right a third of the time. We usually get it right more than 1/3 of the time in our lives.
- Keep things in perspective. If the majority of your day is good you should be focusing on that.
- Don't ignore all the good things going on.
- Enjoy the journey.
Zander Sprague's Recharge Round
- What habit do you think has led to success in your life? Creating structure.
- If you had one do-over, what would it be? He would have gone to graduate school early and leaned into his passion for helping people sooner.
Connect with Zander:
Zander's website: ZanderSprague.com
Youtube
Learn more about Gary's Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
Get your Daily Dose of Positive at SimplePositiveActions.com
Introducing Paul Edwards
Paul Edwards is the Founder and CEO of The Reluctant Thought Leader - messages that matter, for people who need to read them. Authentically channeling the voice of the impact-driven speaker, coach, executive or entrepreneur in print.
He is: Husband, father, mentor to young adults, follower of the Messiah, amateur bodybuilder and author of "Influencer Networking Secrets."
- What problem do you solve?
- Helping people understand the difference between writing something and spreading a message. You need to be very specific about how you communicate your message.
Show Notes:
- Paul grew up being a mimic. He was also obsessed with words.
- Writing is demanded in the marketplace. When writing for someone else you need to learn how to write to sound like the other person wrote it.
- Paul works to capture his client's voice and convey it to the world.
- A good content strategist will make the written word sound like it is coming from you. They save you time.
- To beat writer's block, Paul suggests you realize there are breaks.
- Do an outline then take a break
- Let your mind take a break
- Write the content take a break
- Edit
- Paul recommends being specific with the title of your blog so that people will know exactly what your article will be about.
- Start off with a summary telling people what you'll be talking about.
- Point out why the article will help them.
- Tell people how. Give them some practical steps.
- Paul finds value in a mastermind because he's always found that when he's in a group of like-minded individuals, he gets good stuff out of the interactions.
Paul Edwards' Recharge Round
- What habit do you think has led to success in your life? Slowing down what most people do at breakneck speed and journaling.
- If you had one do-over, what would it be? How he interprets failure. He now interprets failures as success. It causes him less pain.
Connect with Paul:
Paul's website: ReluctantThoughtLeader.com
Paul's pdf writing success tool kit: Get Your Book Moving
Learn more about Gary's Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
Get your Daily Dose of Positive at SimplePositiveActions.com
Katie provides Leadership & Culture transformation for mature startups — helping leaders create inclusive cultures, build emotional intelligence, and work through their assumptions & biases so they can actually connect with and get the MOST out of their teams. She does this all through interactive, experiential, theatre-based exercises. Her bias for action is HIGH so attendees to her sessions always leave with at least one action item to immediately do to shift something in your behavior, relationships, and company. Working with Katie, you benefit from the powerhouse combo of her theatre background and over 15 years in the heart of business strategy, organizational development, and change management.
Introducing Paul Glover
Paul Glover is the No B.S. Workforce Development Coach, a "recovering trial lawyer", an ex-felon, an unabashed Starbucks addict, a Chicago Bears fanatic, the author of WorkQuake™, an online course creator, a speaker on business and leadership topics, and a Member of the Forbes Coaching Council.
- What problem do you solve?
- Why they should have a fool in their lives.
- What three questions do you answer?
- Are you an empathetic listener?
- Are you perpetually curious?
- Are you embracing your failures?
Show Notes:
- We need to go from transactional relationships to relationship building.
- We have to know the other person and how they are feeling.
- We have to move from ‘how are you doing’ which is translated into what are you doing
- It’s no longer about pay.
- If you want a relationship to succeed and prosper you need Paul’s 3 A’s.
- Attraction - this has to do with the positive energy you put out to the world
- Attention - are you paying attention to your people
- Training
- Promotion
- Engagement
- Appreciation - Say Thank you!
- Thank you for hanging in there
- Thank you for achieving the goals
- Etc.
- Previous generations want this as well. They were just taught they couldn’t have it.
- We need to get over the fact that the needs of the workforce have changed.
- Psychological safety is important.
- This is a safe place to tell the truth.
- You need to be present where your employees are.
- Leaders seem to think they are beyond reproach.
- They fail to be authentic
- For a future together we need to be willing to accept others' shortcomings.
- It’s essential for leaders to be storytellers.
- They need to tell the Hero’s journey.
- They need to talk about adversity and overcoming it
- Paul’s book, Work Quake, talks about operational improvement that comes about with employee engagement.
Paul Glover's Recharge Round
- What habit do you think has led to success in your life? Morning Gratitude. It sets your day up positively.
- If you had one do-over, what would it be? Paul would have had a 'fool' in his life sooner -- He spent over 5 years in jail with over 2 of it with revenge on his mind before he realized he was the one that made the mistake. He now relies on a trusted advisor to help him with blind spots.
Connect with Paul:
Paul's website: paulglovercoaching.com
The link to - Everyone Needs a Fool in Their Life. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqNIecHTvL8
Learn more about Gary's Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
Get your Daily Dose of Positive at SimplePositiveActions.com
Amy Anderson's 28-year marketing career led her to branch out and open her own small consulting firm, Wild Coffee Marketing. She shares her entrepreneurial journey with other women, how she selected her business partner, tips for business branding, and marketing mistakes to avoid.
Introducing Amy Anderson
- What problem do you solve?
- Maintaining engagement and a strong culture with distributed (remote) teams.
- What three questions do you answer?
- What is your approach to managing a distributed team?
- What is your philosophy about client management?
- What role does culture play in your company and why is it important?
Show Notes:
- Amy’s company started in 2016-2017 when people were starting to get used to working from home.
- They asked:
- How do you keep employees engaged?
- How do you create a culture of accountability?
- How to keep them motivated.
- You have to be intentional.
- You have to create systems and processes
- They asked:
- When you start to grow a company you need to think as a big company, not a small company. You have to consider things you will want in place as the company grows.
- Consider updating your processes as your company grows.
- Also, consider you may need to update them over time.
- You’ll have team members with the strength to document processes. Utilize their strengths.
- Be sure to be repetitive to help remote team members absorb the information.
- Amy’s company addresses their customers as partners to create the right culture.
- It helps them realize they are in it together.
- It helps them listen and really understand.
- They really ask their partners about their place in the marketplace to determine where they need to go.
- Creating a company culture within is important to be successful.
- There needs to be a higher purpose.
- They need to know their why. -- their mission and values
- Everything they do should move around this.
- They review goals and do a 90-day review. It is a discussion where they can openly talk.
- They rate their energy.
- If they are not at a 10 they try to determine why and what can change.
- Give feedback immediately. This gives an opportunity to redirect immediately.
- Do truth with compassion.
- Approaching people with compassion and kindness gets the best work.
- Employees want to know their employer cares!
- If you’re not always selling then you don’t have a business.
- Always understand your finances.
- Bring in expertise.
Amy Anderson's Recharge Round
- What habit do you think has led to success in your life? Absolute, unrelenting consistency.
- If you had one do-over, what would it be? Pricing services right and focusing on the value and having confidence going out into the market.
Connect with Amy:
Amy's website: www.wildcoffeemarketing.com
Learn more about Gary's Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
Get your Daily Dose of Positive at SimplePositiveActions.com
Accomplishing Goals For The Next Quarter
- Are you accomplishing the goals you set for yourself?
- Gary shares what he’s learned about goal accomplishment
-
- What is your game plan
- Are you doing what’s most important
- Gary sets yearly goals but then breaks them down into quarterly chunks
- Gary feels a written plan helps you attain your goals
- Review your yearly goal
- Decide on 1 to 3 goals professionally and personally you want to achieve in the next quarter (these come from your yearly goal)
- Write them out in the SMARTER method
-
- Specific
- Measurable
- Actionable
- Relevant
- Time-bound
- Exciting
- Realistic
- Next Create and Review your Daily Rituals which are: Morning Ritual, Workday startup ritual, Workday shutdown ritual, and Evening ritual. Make changes or set up each ritual for the next quarter.
- Review and decide on your Ideal Week. Block time on your calendar for what matters the most to you.
- Gary has an upcoming class in October
Find your Full Focus Planner at https://fullfocusstore.com?aff=511
If you are interested in participating in our upcoming class, send an email to feedback@goascend.biz and we’ll send you more information.
Ken “Magma” Marshall is the Chief Growth Officer and Managing Partner at RevenueZen. Ken is an endlessly curious person with a cliche coffee addiction and a burning desire to encourage and empower others to pursue meaningful lives. Throughout his 7 year experience, he has learned to help those achieve their goals and solve their business problems. Ken would be delighted to share all his insights with you and your audience.
Introducing Ken Marshall
- What problem do you solve?
- How to grow through organic and attraction-based marketing and demand generation.
- What three questions do you answer?
- How to get past all the noise of what SEO actually is and what it used to be and how to actually use it.
- How to use your personal brand, particularly as a business owner/founder/CEO on platforms like LinkedIn.
- How we can grow as people and how to help understand more through behavioral psychology.
Show Notes:
- Start with best practices and the easy things you can do.
- Set up your Google profile - it’ll only take the weekend.
- As a B2B, put your services and pricing on your website to prequalify your customers.
- Be sure to talk about things on the website that you would talk about in the sales process.
- Be authentic.
- Know who you are as a company and know how you are different.
- This helps you know who your target customer is.
- How do you know what platform?
- It depends on what you are trying to do.
- Who you are selling to?
- Where are they hanging out?
- Create assets for your customers.
- Share knowledge, offer worksheets, and provide free tools.
- Work on it over time
- Don’t wait for it to be perfect and 100% complete.
- Do send it out regularly.
- SAS (Software As Service) companies are impacting our lives.
- These are services that automate things for us.
- It’s a niche of Ken’s.
- Ken’s journey started in a marketing firm before he started on his entrepreneurial journey.
- He is energized by creating things.
- Ken outlines how to help with your SEO and create warm leads
- Answer who you are selling to and then answer what their 10 pain points/problems are.
- Then, make a sheet that shows what you offer to solve their problems.
- Next, make a column that actually answers how that solves their pain.
- After that, use your website to educate them and offer them something incredible to start helping them.
- Create a page on your website for each of your solutions.
- Be sure to put down information about who you are and what you believe.
- Make it easy for them to get in touch with you.
Ken Marshall's Recharge Round
- What habit do you think has led to success in your life? Having a morning routine gives him perspective, energy and focus for the rest of the day. It includes hydrating, quiet time, exercise, and looking at his day ahead.
- If you had one do-over, what would it be? He has a heart to help people that are underserved and he used to do that but hasn’t as much anymore. He wants to get back to that.
Connect with Ken:
Ken's' website: revenuezen.com
Ken's social selling intelligence software product: https://revenuezen.com/aware/
Learn more about Gary's Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
A nationally certified Life Coach in Leadership and one of the top Real Estate professionals in the world closing 30-65 deals a month, Chris Craddock is the host of the Uncommon Real Estate Podcast, a realtor, and entrepreneur who runs multiple successful businesses in the Washington DC Metro area (and Richmond, VA). Chris and his companies consistently bring in close to 10 Million in revenue per year. His team, The Redux Group, sold just over $160 Million in volume in 2020.
Chris has been married for 21 years and is the proud father to six beautiful children.
Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, Spotify, or listen here:
Introducing Chris Craddock
- What problem do you solve?
- How to scale your business, how to replace yourself. How to grow passive income.
- What three questions do you answer?
- What is the best way to scale your business beyond yourself?
- How do I start looking at money in a different way?
- What is the language of money that you’ve learned?
Show Notes:
- Don’t try to elevate yourself out of the business too early.
- Get a reading list of how to scale your business.
- E-Myth
- Who Not How
- Scrum: How to do Twice The Work in Half the Time
- EOS Traction
- Clockwork
- Do time tracking.
- Run a time audit.
- Consider hiring someone to do your low value productive.
- Your income will go up when you let go of tasks.
- Continue to look at things you do that you can hire someone else to do.
- Chris started hanging out with people that had scaled their business and that also helped give him the path.
- When you are in the mix it can be hard to tell what needs worked on.
- You need to step back to see what needs to be done.
- We all have a kingdom. Our money is our army. We need to put it to work.
- We need to send it out to do work and it should come back bigger and stronger.
- It should help strengthen our kingdom.
- The difference between the genius and the idiot in real estate investing is how long you hold it.
- You win with real estate for different reasons.
- Read the book Tax Free Wealth.
- Study about real estate. You can consider accelerated depreciation on real estate.
- It’s not always wise to wait for the market to go down. If you hold a property long enough, you will win.
- Chris feels that the market is not the same as 2005-2008.
- Loans are not being given out as easily.
- He doesn’t feel a massive crash is coming like it did then.
- Real estate is a hedge against inflation.
- Money has a language. We don’t want our kids to be illiterate.
- Rich Dad, Poor Dad is a good book
- It’s important to help others understand money so that they can learn how money can work for them
Chris Craddock's Recharge Round
- What habit do you think has led to success in your life? His morning routine. Chris stacks his habits in the morning. He reads the Bible, has prayer time, writes in his journal, writes his goals and works out every day while listening to an audiobook.
- If you had one do-over, what would it be? When he was really winning big, he thought everything he touched would turn to gold and that caused him to lose a lot of money. So now when he checks himself to make sure big decisions aren’t based on a miss appropriated view of himself.
Connect with Chris:
Instagram @craddock
Chris' Podcast: Uncommon Real Estate
Chris' website: chriscraddock.com
Instagram @craddock
Learn more about Gary's Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
Our next guest is a Business Strategist, Designer, Podcast Host, Keynote Speaker, and Blacksmith. Whether stalking the big stage, going global from his private studio, or rocking a comedy club, he brings passion, humor, and insight to every discussion.
For over 25 years, he has been working with passionate yet frustrated business people to transform the way they grow their organizations. An award-winning business owner, founder of the Forge Business Program, host of the Marketing Report Podcast, Past National President of Professional Speakers Australia, and father of 3 feisty children. Please join me in welcoming...Russell Pearson.
Introducing Russell Pearson
- What problem do you solve?
- He helps close the gap between marketing and sales, and he also helps you decide what you want from life.
- What three problems do you solve?
- How do I actually make connections to my ideal clients?
- What sort of business can I have?
- At the end of the day, what do I need to do to get it?
Show Notes:
- Referrals are someone else making a decision about who you work with.
- Understand who you want to work with.
- You don't have to pretend to be someone else, just be more you.
- There are two sides to the coin:
- Yes, you need to understand who you are to attract the right people.
- You also need to be disciplined enough to do things that need consistency.
- You need to be connecting with people on a weekly (if not daily) basis.
- You won't have opportunities if you're not connecting.
- What's the process for connection?
- You want your clients to know, like, and trust you.
- People do enjoy content creation, but they often do it to avoid connection.
- Branding is taking yourself and your business to make something completely unique and exciting.
- People will experience the way you solve things in a way they haven't before.
- Ask people if they want help.
- If you don't ask, you don't get it.
- Can you use a social media platform to reach more of your audience?
- Have communication with people who you will love to work with and people who will love to work with you.
- Russell says it was important when he learned to say yes to things, and by saying yes to things, he found himself in situations where he could step up and step in.
- To stay relevant, you should be in constant communication with your clients (both past, present, and future).
Russell Pearson's Recharge Round 1. What habit do you think has led to success in your life? Russell always says yes to opportunities, and when he has too many opportunities, he gets clear about what he wants. 2. If you had one do-over, what would it be? He would realize sooner that he can actually have anything he wants and that he doesn't have to give something up to get it.
Connect with Russell:
https://russellpearson.com/charge
Russell's website: russellpearson.com
Learn more about Gary's Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
Rags-to-riches author and CEO Gene Rice and his high school English teacher daughter Courtney Bejgrowicz, share critical information alongside professional and personal successes and failures to demystify adulthood. They are the co-authors of the book “Grad to Grown-Up” which teaches everything you didn’t learn in school but all you need to know to launch your personal and professional life. The five sections—life, job search, career, personal finance, and health and relationships—provide real-world insights that are often overlooked in formal education. GENE RICE is a leading executive retained recruiter, placing over 1000 executives while building one of the largest search firms in the world. He is also chairman of Rice Cohen International, and co-founder of the Plant a Seed Inspire a Dream Foundation, which has helped over 700 children pursue their passions.
He brings a desire to help others to all he does.
Introducing Gene Rice
-
What problem do you solve?
- How do you create great professional success?
-
What three problems do you solve?
- He will share three things that help lead to a long-term fit between a company and a candidate.
- He will give questions that will quickly help determine if someone is a fit.
- He will share simple tips that can be incorporated into the company that may change the culture and help change profits.
Show Notes:
- There are three things to look for when trying to find a long term hire:
- Any candidate that joins a corporation should feel they can add value to it.
- A year after joining, new hires should be able to step back and examine the multiple ways that they have grown professionally.
- New hires need to respect and like the people they work with.
- If they don't have a rapport with their boss, they will be unhappy and will leave.
- If you're doing a behavior-based interview, you have to connect with your interviewee.
- You want someone to feel that you care about them upfront.
- Be upfront when you schedule an interview.
- What got you intrigued to talk to us?
- Be upfront when you schedule an interview.
- Gene asks potential hires several things:
- I really want to understand your background.
- When were you the happiest professional and what was happening to make that so?
- What do you enjoy most about your current position at your current company?
- If you were the CEO of your current company, what would you change about it?
- If I were to give you a magic wand to create your ideal company and job for yourself, what would you create?
- What would the culture be like?
- What questions do you still need to have addressed to make sure this is a good fit for the both of us?
- Help your staff and help your company create purpose.
- They want a greater purpose.
- The first of every month Gene does a month-end review.
- He reviews the five goals that an employee has set and managed.
- It's important to recognize employees for the things that they did well that month.
- A month-end review lets businesses keep in touch with their people.
- Gene tries to positively impact as many people as possible every day.
- Bring in interns to your business.
- At the end of an eight-week program, you'll know if you want to hire any of them.
- For interns, they should ask themselves if they can see themselves doing this and staying happy doing this once they have finished their eight weeks.
- If you go out of your way to reach out to people, they will want to go out to lunch with you and vouch for you.
- Support your kids' passions.
- Help them find how to create a career from what they love.
- Gene's book has 68 tips that covers areas of life, interviewing, health, relationships, and personal finances.
Connect with Gene:
Gene's websites: ricecohentraining.com plantaseedfoundation.org gradtogrownup.com
Gene Rice Facebook
Courtney Bejgrowicz Facebook
Grad to Grown-Up Facebook
Learn more about Gary's Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
Terrance Lee, AKA The Introvert Leader, has taken on many leadership and management roles as an introvert at several Fortune 500 companies in the defense industry, with proven results. He has made it his mission to help empower other introverts to tap into their own inner leadership potential.
Introducing Terrance Lee
- What problem do you solve?
- He wants to solve the problem of people assuming that introverts are lacking something.
- What three problems do you solve?
- Can introverts be effective leaders?
- He breaks myths about introverts.
- What are some strengths that introverts have?
Show Notes:
- People think about the loudest voices when they think about leaders, but there are things about leaders that go unnoticed.
- Leaders need to be good observers.
- Someone who doesn't talk a lot may be practicing active listening.
- People confuse what introverted and extroverted really mean.
- It's about stimulus.
- Introverts gain energy from being alone.
- Extroverts gain energy from being around other people.
- It's about stimulus.
- It's a myth that introverts are quiet.
- Terrance used to be terrified of speaking in public, but he got to where he is by being thrown into the fire.
- Sometimes a situation that seems like the worst is a great opportunity.
- Emotional intelligence is really important in leadership.
- High empathy helps teams work together.
- Terrance had trouble feeling comfortable in being his authentic self.
- He felt like he had to become someone else.
- Terrance's book came from him thinking for so long that he couldn't be a leader.
- He thought to himself that there must be other people who have the same struggles.
- His book is divided into 10 chapters.
- Each chapter focuses on a different leadership principle that is supported by 3 pillars.
Terrance Lee's Recharge Round
- What habit do you think has led to success in your life? Terrance is consistent and open to learning.
- If you had one do-over, what would it be? He would change his thinking that he had to change himself and would have discovered the confidence to stand up for himself sooner.
Connect with Terrance:
Terrance's website: quietvoicefearlessleader.com
Martin is a Managing Partner of Bequest Funds. Renowned as a thought leader in the mortgage note investment industry, Martin is generous with his firsthand expertise, to the benefit of his many clients and followers. Genuine, loyal, and passionate about creating a better world through profitable business, he works hard to share and spread success.
Martin holds a BA degree in Philosophy from U.T. — San Antonio, an MBA from Drexel University, and an M.S. in Project Management from George Washington University.
Introducing Martin Saenz
-
What problem do you solve?
- We create passive income for investors that are looking to retire at some point and need passive income to live.
-
What three problems do you solve?
- What is note investing?
- What are the risks behind note investing?
- What are the benefits of note investing?
Show Notes:
- Most importantly, what is somebody investing in?
- Note investing is about mortgages that are originated at the bank but about 4% of loans go into default.
- Banks bundle the mortgages that aren't paying together and sell them off into secondary market.
- Martin's mission is to help families stay in their homes by paying the mortgage that they can afford and still making a profit for his company.
- The risk with note investing is who are the operators of the fund?
- Are they committed and are they experienced?
- There's a risk of delinquency with note investing.
- You have to make sure people continue to pay.
- Martin keeps his mortgages safe and buys owner-occupied mortgages.
- Martin gets his passion in helping homeowners and in building passive income so that people don't have to work till they die.
- The CEO helps share the vision for the business and the people who execute it.
- Break out how much of your income is passive and how much is active.
- How can you invest additional money in passive ways?
Martin Saenz's Recharge Round
- What habit do you think has led to success in your life? Martin looks at his financials every day.
- If you had one do-over, what would it be? He got scared of an opportunity and didn't take it. He thought too small, and then someone else executed his vision and succeeded.
Connect with Martin:
Martin's email: martin@bqfunds.com
Martin's website: bqfunds.com
Ebook Collection
YouTube
Other LinkedIn
Learn more about Gary's Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
Joseph Wilkins founded ProCreative a marketing agency focused on infomercials, TV commercials, and online video. Previous clients include Google, Linkedin, and McDonalds.
With two decades of experience, hundreds of millions of online views, and over $50 MILLION in tracked sales, Joseph enjoys sharing his simple 8-step process any business can copy to drive immediate online sales.
Introducing Joseph Wilkins
- What problem do you solve?
- He is going to solve the problem of how to take a customer who knows nothing about his business and get them to want to learn more in three minutes or less.
- What three problems do you solve?
- How do I grab the customers' attention?
- What kind of companies are a good fit for what kinds of videos?
- He will list the 8 steps that he takes every project through.
Show Notes:
- Humor gets results.
- Companies that have humans as their targets get results.
- Humor has to be relevant and has to be targeted at the right audience.
- People go onto social media platforms to be entertained so that will resonate with them better.
- TV types ads won't work on social media.
Joseph's 8 Steps to Funny Sales Videos
- Step 1 - Research
- You've got to do your research before doing anything.
- It's the foundation.
- The first step of research is learning about the consumer and the first thing you need to do is to listen to your customer.
- Read 100 customer reviews about your product.
- What are the most common reasons that people like and buy your product?
- Don't try to be everything to everyone.
- You've got to do your research before doing anything.
- Step 2 - Brainstorming
- Who is the character for this video, and what's the big problem that we're going to solve?
- Don't worry about getting good ideas.
- Throw out as many bad ideas as possible.
- Step 3 - Scripting
- Bring in a skilled storyteller and writer.
- Create a story arc where someone starts with a big painful problem that your audience can feel.
- Then, have them meet someone who presents a solution to their problem.
- Finally, show how the character's life has been transformed by implementing that solution.
- Step 4 - Add Comedy
- Bring in comedy writers who will add to your existing story and bring it to the next level.
- Step 5 - Production
- Everyone has the ability and the equipment to create a video, but you have to know how to use it.
- When looking for actors, look for who adds to your script.
- Who keeps your attention?
- Ask your applicants back for a live addition.
- How do they react on the spot?
- Step 6 - Editing
- Comedy is all about timing.
- You need a good editor.
- People stop watching videos because they're bored or it's not relevant to them.
- You have 5 seconds to get someone's attention. Then you have to get it for another 15 seconds. Then again.
- You need to interweave your product information with hooks that keep your audience watching.
- Joseph creates several versions of his videos to meet the needs of certain platforms and situations.
- Step 7 - Testing
- What is your retention curve like? Where are people bouncing?
- Most people bounce when the product is introduced.
- Step 8 - Forget About Viral
- It's not about going viral.
- It's not a one-and-done.
- Keep at it.
- You have to build this funnel, and then fuel it.
Joseph Wilkins' Recharge Round
- What habit do you think has led to success in your life? Joseph is a creature of habit and has a routine and personal time for himself. He says that he writes down his goals and sticks to them every single day.
- If you had one do-over, what would it be? He would have sought advice more and sought a mentorship sooner.
Connect with Joseph:
Joseph's website: funnysalesvideos.com
Get a free ebook from Funny Sales Videos
Learn more about Gary's Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
Amy Rose Herrick, is “America’s Profit Building Specialist.” She trains Entrepreneurs to build bigger bottom lines saving them time, and money in the process. Amy helps business owners structure the sale of appreciated assets to reduce capital gains taxes or eliminate the capital gains taxes entirely- legally, morally, and ethically.
- What problem do you solve?
- We're going to work on building profit for you today.
- What three problems do you solve?
- I find out where your hidden profits are.
- Every business should be sellable every day of the year.
- If you're thinking about selling a business, when should you start preparing the business for sale?
Show Notes:
- CPA's function isn't to dive into your business to see if you're using your money correctly/incorrectly.
- Amy goes through every area of your business to find where you can get more profit.
- It's not always about making more sales but about reducing waste.
- Amy has many courses for entrepreneurs.
- What is your return on investment?
- Just because you throw an ad out doesn't mean that it's going to make you money.
- Top-of-mind awareness can work but that doesn't mean that you're something someone will buy.
- Let other people sell something if you're not making a net profit on it.
- You want to think of selling your business from the moment you start it.
- Have a package that shows the buyer what they're getting.
- Even if you're not willing to sell, look at why people are wanting to buy you.
- Just because you're the only owner doesn't mean you can't have an exit strategy for unexpected circumstances.
- An exit strategy assure that the work you put in doesn't evaporate or implode.
- There are many kinds of exit strategies.
- You need a non-disclosure statement when attempting to sell.
Amy Rose Herrick's Recharge Round
- What habit do you think has led to success in your life? She engages professionals to expand her knowledge base. You can always learn more.
- If you had one do-over, what would it be? She wishes she would have exited some of her affiliations sooner so that she could've embraced social media sooner.
Connect with Amy:
Amy's website: thesecretprofits.com/courses
YouTube
Learn more about Gary's Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
Bew White lll, is Chairman of the Board of Gabriella White and its brands, Summer Classics, Gabby and Wendy Jane.
In 2013 he was named Entrepreneur of the Year by the Society of International Business Fellows and in 2021 Bew White received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Casual Furnishings Association. He is also the subject of the well-received biography A Summer Classic: The Bew White Story by Christopher Taunton.
Bew graduated from Auburn University in 1972 with a degree in textile engineering. The phrase “outdoor living” had hardly been coined, as outdoor furniture was simply known as a table and chairs you would find on a basic patio deck.
At just 28 years old, Mr. White left his job at his family-owned business, Avondale Mills, and started a sales representative company in 1978 called Vista Corporation, specializing in selling outdoor furniture. In 1987, Bew started multiple companies in an effort to expand from selling on the road to building a national brand. One of those companies was Summer Classics, which was created around Bew’s thought of designing and manufacturing products that he would want for his own backyard. With a business model based on creating products that were consumer-driven, would stand the test of time, and would not go out of style, Summer Classics officially took off in 1987.
Show Notes:
- Bew's health complications prompted him to get going and write his book.
- Two of the biggest events in Bew's life were the 2008 recession and his 25th wedding anniversary.
- It caused him to think back on his life and realize that he needs to focus on his wife and her presence.
- Bew jokes that he has his MBA in mistakes and that he's working on his PhD.
- It's about moving forward and learning from your mistakes.
- Bew says that he realized that he needed to start on something that could work without him.
- Branding is the biggest part of his marketing business.
- How will you differentiate yourself?
- Bew always knew his business would take off and told his employees that they were working on a $500 million idea.
- Get experience.
- Learn how to read a financial statement.
- Relationships are important to living a successful life.
- You have to constantly work on developing them.
- People often say they didn't take enough risks in life or didn't spend enough time with their family.
- Bew thinks he took more than enough risks in his life.
Bew White's Recharge Round
- What habit do you think has led to success in your life? Bew says that a habit of integrity is really important because it takes a lifetime to build a reputation but a moment to lose it. You get the future you plan for.
- If you had one do-over, what would it be? He would have spent more time with his children.
Connect with Bew:
Bew's website: summerclassicshome.com/bew-white
Bew's Email
YouTube
Learn more about Gary's Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
Chris Pistorius is the founder of KickStart Dental Marketing. While Chris specializes in dental marketing, other medical professionals, marketers, entrepreneurs, and businesses can learn from his digital marketing experience of over 15 years. Chris has worked with countless local business owners in all industries across multiple facets of marketing, consulting, and coaching. Chris has been able to build his local digital marketing agency into one of the top marketing agencies in the country, as listed on UpCity, SEO For Growth, DesignRush, Expertise & AgencyVista. He shares his expertise by giving marketing seminars across the country and hosting a weekly marketing podcast.
Introducing Chris Pistorius
- What problem do you solve?
- Chris helps local businesses find how they can be more effective in their local market and attract more customers.
- What three problems do you solve?
- What are the best ways for a local business to promote itself?
- What kind of metrics should you use to know if your marketing efforts are working?
- What are some things you can do to market to people once they've become your customer?
Show Notes:
- It is a struggle to make yourself more visible online.
- Digital marketing is critical.
- First, you need to know how to be found.
- Then, you can focus on how to be chosen which is just as important.
- Video testimonials are effective.
- Use your Google my business profile to dive into your digital marketing.
- How many widgets are people buying from your marketing efforts?
- Adjust your marketing accordingly.
- Don't spend more on marketing if you're getting fewer returns.
- The most valuable tracking method for Chris is seeing how many customers you are getting and where they are coming from.
- Your phone has tremendous capabilities to make short, effective videos for your business.
- Always ask for references.
Chris Pistorius' Recharge Round
- What habit do you think has led to success in your life? Chris creates opportunities for himself. He doesn't sit around waiting for stuff to happen.
- If you had one do-over, what would it be? Chris says that for the first few years of his business venture he didn't create a company but only created a job for himself. If he could go back, he would have hired more people to help him with things he wasn't good at sooner. He would've worked more on the business than in the business.
Connect with Chris:
Chris' website: kickstartdental.com
Learn more about Gary's Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
For over 35 years, Tim Redmond has been growing highly successful businesses including his work at PriceWaterhouseCoopers, growing a software company from 2 to 400 employees then selling it to Intuit, Inc., and helping thousands of business owners gain time and financial freedom. Tim is also an author and speaker throughout the world whose leadership maxims have been featured in John Maxwell’s 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership.
Tim also runs a non-profit, Redmond Leadership Institute, that trains pastors, business leaders, and government officials in developing countries. Tim works with all kinds of business owners with a variety of beliefs. For those who request it, he provides a Biblical framework around every Growth Principle he implements.
Tim is madly in love with his hot wife Sandy and his 4 above-average children. He is a wicked harmonica player. Tim also loves reading, playing tennis, and chasing his wife around beautiful resorts.
Introducing Tim Redmond
- What problem do you solve?
- Tim works with small business owners and helps them optimize their marketing, sales, and business systems so that they make much more money. He helps businesses so they are less reliant on their owners.
Show Notes:
- Your business should serve you, the owner.
- A lot of people waste money on marketing.
- You need to define what makes your business unique.
- If you're not remarkable, you're invisible.
- Have a no-brainer offer for customers.
- To build well, you need to build a team around systems that they implement.
- Build clear. Make it simple.
- Genius is the far side of complexity.
- Businesses go stagnant because people get bored with their job.
- You have to get your business predictable but in a way that does not withdraw your heart from it.
- What is it that needs to be done?
- Who owns it?
- When is it going to be done by?
- Casualties take casualties.
- Replace it with a level of excellence?
- Redefine wealth.
- Wealth is creating something of value to serve other people with it.
- Wealth comes from you regardless of the challenges you face in your business.
- Look at things differently.
- Start with a fire of desire.
- What do you want your business to do for you?
- What have you done or how are you actively pursuing that?
- Email Tim at (email) to get a free coaching session with a growth plan.
- You can widen your reach by narrowing your focus.
Tim Redmond's Recharge Round
- What habit do you think has led to success in your life? Tim's habit is his daily power planning. He gives himself a set time, place, and pattern to go over everything and ask seven questions that are unique to his business. He time locks important stuff into his calendar and then puts everything else into his to-do list.
- If you had one do-over, what would it be? Tim did not create a sales workflow at the beginning which affected his business.
Connect with Tim:
Tim's website: redmondgrowth.com
YouTube
Learn more about Gary's Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
Kevin Kamali and Ali Meshksar are two interior design entrepreneurs with 20+ years of industry experience in the home design renovation space. Kevin and Ali have learned what it takes to start, grow, and run a successful company while achieving client satisfaction in the process. They are happy to share their tips and advice to help other business owners do the same.
Introducing Ali Meshksar & Kevin Kamali
- What problem do you solve?
- Ali and Kevin help people remodel their homes. They redesign them and make their spaces more efficient.
- What three problems do you solve?
- How did we grow our business quickly?
- How did we go from 0 to a multi-million dollar company in six years?
- How did we get five-star reviews?
Show Notes:
- Ali and Kevin started their business by seeing the problems of other companies and then attempting to solve them.
- What are their problems with management? with helping customers?
- Be honest with the customer.
- Everything on the sales side of Ali and Kevin's business is automatic.
- Systemize your processes. Don't waste time.
- If someone wants something, they call Ali and Kevin.
- Anybody can do it.
- Coordination is big.
- You have to have those systems to make things run smoothly.
- Prepare your customers. Don't be afraid of their reactions.
- Try to solve the problem. Don't run from it.
- You have to be honest with the customer from the beginning through the whole process.
- Tell them what is possible and what is not, and they will be more understanding.
- The customer does understand. They are smart.
- Ali and Kevin try to have a presence on all social media so people can find them.
Ali Meshksar's Recharge Round
- What habit do you think has led to success in your life? Ali wakes up early and always tries to learn. He also believes you have to take risks to do business.
- If you had one do-over, what would it be? Ali says he wishes he had started on social media sooner. The best thing to happen to the business was to make digital content that gave customers knowledge.
Kevin Kamali's Recharge Round
- What habit do you think has led to success in your life? Kevin says that he is a very detail-oriented person. If he sees something, he has to learn about it, and if Kevin doesn't know something, he doesn't mess with it.
- If you had one do-over, what would it be? He would have started his own business much earlier in life, so he could have become his own boss.
Connect with Ali & Kevin:
Their website: eahomedesign.com
Learn more about Gary's Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
Gary’s 5 steps to Success in Hiring
Step 1: Recruiting
- Employers are having trouble finding quality, top-notch employees, and the labor market is going to stay tight.
- Gary noticed that his problem came when he started hiring people to fill a spot instead of filling a spot by hiring the right person.
- Employers should recruit online.
- It is important to think like the talent you want to attract.
- What are unique ways you can recruit new people?
- Share job postings on your personal pages, your business pages, and your employee’s pages to reach more people.
- When recruiting, have your current employees do referrals.
Step 2: Interviewing
- Be a better interviewer when interviewing potential new hires.
- Ask about competencies and skills, not emotions.
- Use behavior-based interview questions.
- Have an automated system in place that sends an email reply when someone applies to your job postings.
- In your applications and interviews, ask for three references to attest to your applicant’s skills.
- Doing phone interviews and fewer interviews can help free up your time so that interviews do not take up so many resources.
Step 3: Hiring
- When we hire on skill over emotion, we get better results.
- Bad hires cost businesses time and money.
- Gary’s Success in Hiring program can help develop your hiring filter in which an average is found between your ideal candidate and your worst candidate.
Step 4: Onboarding
- If you don’t have a good onboarding process, your new hire will start looking for a new job.
- Create engagement and make sure your employees are present.
- Gary suggests 9 ways to successfully onboard:
- Have a positive and strong culture.
- Prepare co-workers for the new hire.
- Set new hires up for success.
- Have HR take the new hire around the office and introduce them to everyone.
- Take your new hire to lunch.
- Have an employee onboarding checklist.
- Assign your new hire a mentor.
- Follow up with your new hire and adjust frequently.
- Have your new hire give you feedback.
Step 5: Coaching
- Do your manager manage or do they lead?
- Leadership roles affect employees’ engagement.
- You have to build trust but also create accountability.
Download the Success In Hiring Overview Document HERE
27 Best Free Job Postings at https://www.careercloud.com/news/best-free-job-posting-sites
Sign Up for the 5 Part Success In Hiring Video Series at http://SuccessInHiring.Biz
Shauna Shapiro is a professor, author, and internationally recognized expert in mindfulness and compassion. Dr. Shapiro is the author of Good Morning, I Love You. She has been an invited speaker for the King of Thailand, the Danish government, Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness Summit, the Canadian government, and the World Council for Psychotherapy, as well as for Fortune 100 companies including Google, Cisco Systems, Proctor & Gamble, and Genentech. The New York Times, BBC, Mashable, the Huffington Post, Wired, USA Today, and The Wall Street Journal have all featured her work, and nearly three million people have watched her TEDx talk “The Power of Mindfulness.” Dr. Shapiro is a summa cum laude graduate of Duke University and a fellow of the Mind and Life Institute, co-founded by the Dalai Lama.
Introducing Shauna Shapiro
- What problem do you solve?
- She's going to solve two problems for CHARGERS today.
- Shauna will solve your wandering mind which is when your life is on autopilot and you can't focus or concentrate.
- She will help you find more compassion for yourself and treat yourself with kindness.
- She's going to solve two problems for CHARGERS today.
Show Notes:
- When you make a mistake and shame yourself it shuts down the learning centers of your brain.
- You get stuck in the habit patterns you're trying to change.
- Self-compassion releases dopamine which turns on the learning centers of the brain and activates motivation.
- It gives you the strength and courage to move forward.
- A failed habit is just learning ways that don't work for you.
- Whatever you practice grows stronger.
- It is natural for your mind to wander.
- The key is discipline and compassion.
- They go hand in hand together.
- Mindfulness is a way of being present and focusing moment by moment.
- Mediation is the exercise or practice you do to train your mindfulness.
- Mindfulness has a lot of great benefits like reducing stress, strengthening your immune system, and improving your sleep quality.
- Mindfulness can decrease bias and increase decision-making and compassion.
- The first step to meditation practice is knowing your intention.
- Why are you doing it? Why is it important?
- The second thing is knowing when you are going to do it.
- She recommends doing it first thing in the morning or right before bed.
- The third thing is to set ridiculously unambitious goals.
- Start small and meditate for a minute or five. Then work up to more.
- Finally, be kind to yourself.
- Recognize that you can begin again in any moment.
- Adjust, pause, contact your body and mind, and begin again.
- Know that there is a science behind mindfulness.
- It's never too late to change.
- Begin.
- Practice makes change.
Shauna Shapiro's Recharge Round
- What habit do you think has led to success in your life? Shauna's biggest habit is the 'Good Morning, I Love You' practice. She wakes up, puts her hand on her heart, and treats herself with kindness.
- If you had one do-over, what would it be? She would've stated how important it was to be on her own team and been a friend to herself sooner.
Connect with Shauna:
Shauna's website: drshaunashapiro.com
Learn more about Gary's Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
Johnny Eaker is the founder and chief strategist for Cosmic Sauce, a video marketing agency in Columbia, Missouri, where he helps clients craft video marketing campaigns that drive results. Prior to founding the agency, he was a video director for State Farm Insurance, a Fortune 50 brand with one of the largest in-house creative agencies in the nation, where he worked with high-profile partners like the NBA, helped lead national social media campaigns and helped grow the brand’s social media presence to more than two million followers. Today, Johnny speaks to various organizations on the topics of video marketing and social media. His agency helps brands develop winning video marketing and social media strategies that generate measurable results.
Introducing Johnny Eaker
- What problem do you solve?
- He helps you understand how to use video to get measurable results for your business.
- What three questions are you going to answer for us today?
- What are ways you can use video in your business or for your brand?
- How do you get started?
- How do you get results - especially on social media?
Show Notes:
- Every business has different video needs.
- Video does have a place somewhere in your organization.
- What does that first impression need to be when someone is getting to know your brand?
- Short videos may intrigue someone just enough to make that extra click.
- Your audience will dictate what kind of content you need to create.
- Testimonial videos are the lowest hanging fruit.
- Get at that authenticity.
- Think about the sections of your website when thinking about what videos to create.
- Who are we? Who's the customer?
- Have your videos front and center.
- A FAQ like video can help explain your business to customers.
- You've got to be willing to pay attention to your audience.
- Start with something of a plan.
- Look for opportunities.
- You can turn one video into several months of content.
- Be able to measure what you're doing.
Johnny Eaker's Recharge Round
- What habit do you think has led to success in your life? Johnny's biggest habit is creating a plan.
- If you had one do-over, what would it be? He would've started what he's doing a lot sooner than he did. Just jump in.
Connect with Johnny:
Johnny's website: cosmicsauce.agency
Learn more about Gary's Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
For 20 years award-winning chiropractor Dr. Kelly Henry helped his patients live healthier lives.
With a constant focus on providing exceptional customer service, Dr. Henry grew his clinics into one of the top producing chiropractic offices in the nation with multiple locations and doctors.
Since 2018, Dr. Henry has used his system to coach business leaders on how to significantly and rapidly increase profits and growth in their companies.
He’s also the author of “Define and Deliver Exceptional Customer Service”. A success manual with proven strategies on how to maximize growth and profits
Do you have a call to action?
- What three questions are you going to answer for us today?
- He will help us understand why customer service is so important now and in the future.
- What is a huge common misunderstanding that most businesses have regarding their customer service?
- What are some key actions a business owner can implement immediately that will have a tremendous impact on improving their customer service?
Show Notes: * Businesses have to understand that customer service is either going to enhance or detract from everything they do in their business. * A hole in customer service can really impact our business. * The biggest piece of great customer service is examining how your employees are treated? + You can't treat your employees badly then expect them to treat customers with respect. * A study found that 80% of businesses said they provide great customer service but customers said only 8% of the same businesses actually provide great customer service. * It doesn't matter what you think. It's all about what your customers think. * Most businesses recognize the pieces that they do well on, but then they don't see the holes in the other parts of their customer service. * 3 simple actions to improving your customer service: 1. Step up your friendliness. + Customer service starts, progresses, and ends with being friendly. 2. Be fast. + You have to be convenient and speed things up for your client. 3. Fix problems. + When you fix a problem to a customer's satisfaction, that customer will have a higher loyalty to your business. * Go above and beyond. You have the flexibility. * Do the simple things, consistently.
Dr. Kelly Henry's Recharge Round
- What habit do you think has led to success in your life? Dr. Kelly Henry is an avid reader. Learners are earners
- If you had one do-over, what would it be? He would have gotten a mentor and hired someone who could help him change the tide sooner.
Connect with Dr. Kelly Henry:
Dr. Kelly Henry's website: drkelsbusinessacademy.com
Find Dr. Kelly Henry's book HERE
Learn more about Gary's Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
Charles Max Wood has been podcasting for more than 13 years and has produced more than 3500 podcasts across more than 20 shows.
Introducing Charles Wood
- What problem do you solve?
- He helps people clarify who their audience is and then puts out a podcast that helps them reach the people they know they want to reach.
- What three questions are you going to answer for us today?
- He will talk about how to attract the ideal customer with a podcast.
- He will talk about why podcasting works over other mediums.
- He will tell you how to set up your podcast to convert the listeners into customers.
Show Notes:
- You need to know who will buy the product you’re putting out there.
- Who do I want to be in front of?
- What can I put out there to attract them?
- People know, like, and trust you because they feel you are telling their story.
- People often consider reaching their audience through blogging, podcasting, and YouTube.
- Blogging is highly competitive and hard to get found.
- You won’t connect with people the way you want to.
- You can be effective on YouTube, but your audience has to sit at a device where they can watch a video.
- Podcasting is inherently a storytelling medium.
- Blogging is highly competitive and hard to get found.
- Tell a story to affect some kind of change.
- Get feedback from your listeners.
- Who are you reaching, what do they need, and what can you put out there to make a difference?
- Mastermind groups are helpful because people give personal and business reinforcement.
- Charles gets advice from peers and from people with different experiences.
- Charles enjoys his mastermind group because he gets fulfillment from contributing to other people.
- His group keeps him accountable to get things done.
- Charles offered to help CHARGE listeners set up their podcast.
Charles Wood’s Recharge Round
- What habit do you think has led to success in your life? He has enabled other people to help him out and hires people that will support him. It is important to keep your team on the same page.
- If you had one do-over, what would it be? He wishes that he would have had a private conversation about an important decision that affected someone close to him instead of taking his doubts public and inadvertently hurting that person.
Connect with Charles:
Charles’ website: podcastplaybook.co
Learn more about Gary’s Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
Ralf Specht is the author of “Building Corporate Soul”. He developed the Soul System™, a framework that powers culture and success for any business.
After two decades with McCann Erickson in various executive roles, he was a founding partner of Spark44, an innovative, industry-first joint venture with Jaguar Land Rover.
His driving vision is to make soulless companies a thing of the past.
Introducing Ralf Specht
- What problem do you solve?
- Ralf solves how to build corporate culture that drives success while also making the workplace something employees and managers can equally be proud of.
- What three questions are you going to answer for us today?
- Why is Ralf's driving vision to make soulless companies a thing of the past?
- Why do leaders talk about culture but don't walk the talk?
- How do companies best retain key employees?
Show Notes:
- You have the ability to instill the spirit in the company.
- What do you want it to be?
- Does corporate culture really drive success?
- Yes.
- The top three reasons that employees are leaving are that they:
- Don't feel valued by their organization.
- Don't feel valued by their manager.
- Don't feel a sense of belonging.
- Employers say that employees are leaving because:
- They are looking for better jobs.
- Inadequate compensation.
- Health issues.
- People think that if they set their purpose then everything else will fall into place, and that's not the case.
- You have to start with purpose. Shared purpose is the first level.
- Shared understanding is the second level and includes the vision, mission, and spirit.
- Shared behaviors is the third level.
- How are things done in this place?
- How are they done consistently so new people understand how the place works?
- Take clues from how LinkedIn works:
- Customer centricity
- Relationships matter
- Be open
- Be honest and constructive
- Demand excellence
- Take intelligent risks
- Act like an owner
- Align your team on what they're supposed to be doing.
- Find ways to include everyone in the company.
Ralf Specht's Recharge Round
- What habit do you think has led to success in your life? Ralf's biggest habit is believing in people and giving them the opportunity to grow. It's an action that pays off big time for everyone.
- If you had one do-over, what would it be? Ralf would have been more clear with leaders to share his thinking. Don't surround yourself with people who will only tell you yes. You want people who have no issue saying no.
Connect with Ralf:
Ralf's website: buildingcorporatesoul.com
Email us at feedback@goascend.biz to get info about getting Ralf’s book.
Learn more about Gary's Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
Brad launched Mindset Sports in June of 2021. He is a Mindset & Performance Teacher & Coach that works with athletes, coaches, parents, teams, referees & sports organizations. He is also working on building personal growth & development programs for high school students, teachers & administrators. Introducing Brad Dempsey
- What problem do you solve?
- Brad is a foundation guy. He works with athletes in establishing a strong mindset so they can branch out and change the landscape of youth in high school sports. He wants to get back to the enjoyment of sports.
- What three questions are you going to answer for us today?
- What do I do? What is the relationship between sports and life?
- What is the impact that sports make and the mindset that goes with it?
- How can we foster personal growth and development in high schools?
Show Notes:
- Brad always knew he wanted to do more.
- Slow and steady wins the race.
- Brad works slowly and cautiously.
- Brad wants others to trust that he has their best interest at heart.
- Brad's ultimate goal is to maximize the potential of every individual that crosses his organization.
- If you're driven by an emotion, it'll come out in the sport you play.
- Play for enjoyment.
- It is important to be grounded and have self-awareness.
- We need to re-energize schools and teachers because they affect students.
- We can feel accomplished doing things that we don't like to do.
- People have to enjoy what they're doing or they'll find themselves going through the motions.
- This may lead to burnout.
- How can you creatively find a way to enjoy what's going on?
- Balance is key.
- The habits you practice in your training setting are the habits that will come out during your competitions.
Brad Dempsey's Recharge Round
- What habit do you think has led to success in your life? Brad's biggest habit is starting every day with God and with accomplishing something he doesn't like to do - usually laundry.
- If you had one do-over, what would it be? His mom passed away when he was young, and he wishes he would have treated her differently. Tell the people important to you that you love them.
Connect with Brad:
Brad's website: mindsetsports.life
Learn more about Gary's Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
Wealth Without Wall Street is an online community that seeks to re-educate business owners & families on how money truly works. Wall Street is not just a street in NY, NY that puts Americans’ money at risk but it is also a commonly taught mindset.
The Wall Street mindset separates both families & business owners from their money while others get to use it for their advantage. Our goal is to teach these same people a better way to grow wealth that is without Wall Street & in their control. The secret to doing this is having your money work for you, not someone else. You can achieve this through passive income sources without Wall Street.
We educate American business owners & families how to achieve financial freedom through blogs, downloadable resources & our podcast, The Wealth Without Wall Street Podcast.
Joey Mure, Founder and Partner at Wealth Without Wall Street, brings impact, integrity, and generosity to the company every day. He hopes to be remembered as a lover of Jesus, devoted husband, and faithful father.
Introducing Joey Mure
- What problem do you solve?
- I help teach 3 simple steps to financial freedom through passive income.
- What three questions are you going to answer for us today?
- What are those three steps?
- What is the infinite banking concept?
- How does all of this help you to stop trading time for money?
Show Notes:
- Financial freedom is a destination.
- These three steps are your GPS:
- You have to have a goal.
- You have to have a plan.
- You have to have support.
- The investment doesn't matter till you know where you're headed.
- I can help you pack if you tell me where you're headed.
- What does financial freedom look like to you?
- Corporate America has taught us that the only way is to buckle down and work for 40 years.
- Why isn't financial freedom available to you today?
- You have to be clear on your goal.
- Check out the passport challenge on Joey's website.
- You can get free access to the course.
- You need to know who you want to be.
- You need to know what you want to do and/or stop doing.
- You need to know what you will have when you get to financial freedom.
- Plan.
- When your passive income exceeds your monthly expenses, then you have the ability to tell your time what you will do with it.
- Align your assets and cash flows.
- Surround yourself with people who will support you and help you get where you need to be.
- Your money shouldn't be apart from you.
- You have to put money in a place that you can leverage and control today.
Joey Mure's Recharge Round
- What habit do you think has led to success in your life? He is grounded in his faith and spends time with God every day.
- If you had one do-over, what would it be? Joey was so distant from his family when he was working at his mortgage job, and when he asked his wife if he could quit to do the work he does now, she said yes. Joey got to free up time and reconnect with his family.
Connect with Joey:
Joey's website: wealthwithoutwallstreet.com
Wealth without Wall Street LinkedIn
Learn more about Gary's Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
Evan is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Recruiter.com, an on-demand recruiting platform that combines AI and video job-matching technology with the world's largest network of small and independent recruiters.
Introducing Evan Sohn
- What problem do you solve?
- Evan helps companies of all sizes deal with the supply chain of talent that's really affecting us post pandemic.
- What three questions are you going to answer for us today?
- Why is this time different than all other times?
- What are episodic events? What is going to go away and what will continue?
- How do businesses need to adjust to this new time?
Show Notes:
- The U.S. has a big percentage of voluntary churn which is people who constantly changing their jobs.
- People's work-life balance shifted because of COVID.
- People are staying home more because of childcare too.
- A compilation of factors has caused a lot of resignations to come at the same time.
- The pandemic has allowed businesses to decide if they want to focus on remote work, in-person work, or a hybrid.
- Each type attracts its own workers.
- The cost to hire one person is at least $5000.
- It's not easy to build culture.
- How do you do it online?
- Alignment is really about not being able to shy away from core values.
- You get to decide what kind of company you want to have.
- Evan sees a shift in work from time-oriented to metric-oriented.
- Seeing people who have been at the same job for 10 years now is much different than how it seemed 10 years ago.
- Evan says we have a "job hop economy."
Evan Sohn's Recharge Round
- What habit do you think has led to success in your life? Evan's biggest habit is being assertive but open-minded. He is good at figuring out the next step.
- If you had one do-over, what would it be? Surround yourself with fantastic people and a partner no matter what you do.
Connect with Evan:
Evan's website: recruiter.com
Learn more about Gary's Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
Christina Vitagliano is the founder of Monster Mini Golf. She created, designed, and is responsible for a nationwide franchised chain of indoor, glow-in-the-dark, monster-themed mini-golf family entertainment centers. She is also the author of Every 9 Minutes: A Memoir.
Introducing Christina Vitagliano
- What problem do you solve?
- I help solve how you can start a business when you’re sitting on just scraps.
- What three questions are you going to answer for us today?
- How do you make money out of those scraps?
- How do you have the drive to thrive?
- How do you use your trauma to your advantage in business?
Show Notes:
- Christina just needed to survive which drove her to make the decisions she did.
- To have a book professionally published, you need to get it professionally edited.
- What do I have?
- What can I make?
- How can I make it work?
- Christina learned how to franchise by searching online and meeting with someone in Chicago.
- She learned about each aspect of franchising.
- She thought about how to franchise as fast as possible.
- What's the worst that can happen?
- You don't have to follow all the little rules when you're trying to start a business.
- You don't need to have an end date either.
- If you're moving forward, you're moving forward.
- You do need goals, but you shouldn't just stop if you are progressing.
- Don't listen to your friends, family, and neighbors when they say you can't do something.
Christina Vitagliano's Recharge Round
- What habit do you think has led to success in your life? She stays ethically and morally healthy in business.
- If you had one do-over, what would it be? Christina wishes she wouldn't focus on her mistakes so much. You have to just move on and not take it so personally.
Connect with Christina:
Christina's website: 123christinav.com
Learn more about Gary's Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
From flipping hamburgers on Main Street to leading HR for Wall Street, Paul has continually reinvented his distinctive voice to thrive within the craziness of our ever-chaotic world.
As an Impostor Syndrome survivor, Paul has learned to tame his fake and fraud voice and has successfully coached hundreds of leaders and teams to celebrate their Impostor and find their voice of confidence so that they share their inspiration with others.
His practical, and sometimes laughable, life experiences led him to author the award-winning coaching book, “Find Your VOICE as a Leader”™ (2016, Aviva Publishing).
Paul’s coaching portfolio includes working with the talented global teams and leaders at Twitter, Microsoft, Electronic Arts, SAP and Cisco along with many successful life entrepreneurs looking to make their mark on our world.
A certified Marshall Goldsmith Stakeholder Center Coach, a contributing author with Forbes Coaches Council, and the Founder of the Find Your V.O.I.C.E. as a Leader™ Institute, he offers transformative coaching journeys to find & use your distinctive voice of strength to be your best self.
Introducing Paul N Larsen
- What problem do you solve?
- He is going to help people celebrate their imposter syndrome so they can thrive with it and not just survive.
- What three questions are you going to answer for us today?
- What is impostor syndrome?
- How do I know when I'm experiencing impostor syndrome versus just having a bad day?
- What are the steps I can do to integrate it, celebrate it, and overcome it? What can I do that's easy?
Show Notes:
- An easy way to think of impostor syndrome is that it's when we think we have to be somebody else to be successful.
- You can be a very confident impostor.
- It's what is happening inside us in our mind that says, "No, you have to be somebody else in order to be successful."
- The pandemic has offered us an opportunity to open our mind and ask what are we thinking in here?
- We are so choosy.
- We let any thought in.
- The average adult can process more than 12,000 thoughts a day.
- If we let thoughts nest, they fester.
- Thoughts have a negativity bias and often come from the day before.
- We experience impostor syndrome when we have feelings that we're kind of a fake and a fraud in what we're doing.
- 90% of successful professionals have experienced impostor syndrome at least once in their life.
- New experiences can make you feel like you're faking it.
- We feel like we'll be "found out" and someone will say they realize we don't know what we're doing and we must leave.
- Realize that you are not a fake or a fraud. You have FEELINGS that you are.
- At the heart of hearts, impostor syndrome is trying to protect us from messing up (if we mess up we can learn).
- It's a part of me, so I'm gonna make it work for me.
- Celebrate the voice and realize it means you have room for growth.
- Take baby steps to help dilute the voice.
- Recognize impostor syndrome for what it is.
- Recognize the value of who you are.
- Stop and take a breath.
- If I can do it, then anyone can.
Paul N Larsen's Recharge Round
- What habit do you think has led to success in your life? Paul's biggest habit was finding his voice. He then discovered his values, established his outcomes, demonstrated his influence to himself, revealed his courage, and created a lasting expression.
- If you had one do-over, what would it be? He would spend more time with the people that really matter.
Connect with Paul:
Paul's website: paulnlarsen.com
Learn more about Gary's Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
Jennifer Shaheen is the founder and President of The Technology Therapy Group. She is recognized as an expert in planning, implementing, and translating digital marketing and technology. She is a digital transformation expert, user experience enthusiast and data insights specialist, expertly guiding business owners through the intersection of marketing and technology for the past 20 plus years.
With unique expertise that combines technical prowess, entrepreneurial insight, and marketing acumen, Jennifer’s marketing strategy, brand development, and small business operations skills have aided companies in the retail, manufacturing, hospitality, luxury, and travel industries.
A highly sought presenter, Jennifer has appeared on MSNBC’s Your Business and writes for several industry publications. Jennifer has been a contributor to and quoted expert in notable publications such as Entrepreneur.com, Forbes.com, CIO, Newsweek, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal.
In June of 2020, Jennifer joined the board of C. F. Martin & Co.®
Introducing Jennifer Shaheen
- What problem do you solve?
- I solve the problem of understanding where to start and what to use when it comes to digital technology.
- What three questions are you going to answer for us today?
- What platforms should we be or should not be using in digital marketing?
- What are some tips for each of the marketing channels?
- Where does data play into things when it comes to marketing?
Show Notes:
- People are trying to do everything, but we can't do everything.
- We don't have enough people and resources.
- Business owners want to do more than they're doing.
- What channels are working for my business and what aren't and why?
- You don't have to be on everything.
- You should create an account on everything and protect the platforms, though.
- If someone asks about you on one platform, you can redirect them to another.
- There's nothing wrong with setting up a platform and not using it.
- What platforms are growing for your audience?
- What is the path for your business?
- Social platforms are great for discovery and search platforms are great for seeking.
- Know how to nurture both types of clients.
- People don't go from discovery to purchase. There is not a straight path unless there is a sense of urgency.
- Ask yourself, "I have this kind of business, what are the steps in consideration to purchase?"
- Build that into your marketing.
- Do you look at all your analytical data together?
- Don't look at your data in silos. If you look at it together, you can better understand your customer.
- Use Google's data studio.
- Bring your data from many platforms into a central system.
- Organic marketing takes time because you're dealing with algorithms.
- Organic doesn't give you insights the same way because Google doesn't share with you what key words people use to find you.
- Work smarter, not harder.
- Spend a little money on digital advertising because it'll give you data insights you won't get organically.
- Reflection is extremely important.
- What's working for you?
- Set a goal for moving one of them (not all) forward a certain percentage.
Jennifer Shaheen's Recharge Round
- What habit do you think has led to success in your life? Jennifer had to learn how to create habits because she was a little too scattered in her life.
- If you had one do-over, what would it be? Jennifer wishes she had created better systems earlier on. She has a lot in her head and she needs to systematize it and get it out.
Connect with Jennifer:
Jennifer's website: technologytherapy.com
Learn more about Gary's Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
Beginning his entrepreneurial journey at age 19, Jeremy used his free time to interview hundreds of successful people across the country, learning from their expertise and acting on their advice. As Jeremy's business development and sales expertise grew, he decided to write his first book in order to establish authority, generate leads, and increase his credibility. The result? His business exploded and Jeremy knew he had found his calling - empowering leaders to share their stories.
Introducing Jeremy Brown
- What problem do you solve?
- I help people go from an idea in their head to a book in their hand.
- What three questions are you going to answer for us today?
- How important is your top goal?
- Your life is telling a story. What's that story telling?
- What questions are still in your mind from 2021 that you need to eliminate?
Show Notes:
- How important is this to you?
- It's okay if it's not important. You need to identify that.
- It's not what can I do but what do I want to do.
- Your priorities may shift for a year, a season, or even a day.
- How we tell a story determines how we approach it and attempt to solve it.
- Stories often start with a loss or a leap.
- You want to know your story because it can help you connect with others.
- If we leave questions floating around in our mind and don't answer them, they can cause confusion and a lack of clarity.
- A lot of people struggle with their purpose.
- Decide: Am I going to answer this right now? Am I going to come to a conclusion soon? Or will I put it aside and answer it later?
- What's underneath this that's not letting me coming to a conclusion?
- Faith is a substance. It's a real, actual thing.
- If you listen to people well, they will tell you their story and discover their reason themselves.
Jeremy Brown's Recharge Round
- What habit do you think has led to success in your life? Jeremy's habit is having a written habit that he keeps in his pocket.
- If you had one do-over, what would it be? He would put himself around the right people sooner. Getting yourself around the right people will make a big difference in your life.
Connect with Jeremy:
Jeremy's website: thronepg.com
Learn more about Gary's Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
The time has come again to do a recap. With the fourth quarter of 2021 just wrapping up we are going to do a season recap on the sixteenth season. It’s hard to believe that we have released more than 200 episodes!
Each guest that we have had on the podcast has taught us something different. Below are just a few of the highlights from our sixteenth season of podcasts.
For over 30 years, Richard Flint has been speaking and changing lives. Richards' has a passion for helping anyone who is tired of wandering through life and feels like they are lacking the clear understanding of what it takes to rise above normal and achieve a life of accomplishment, freedom, success, and a personal wealth of knowledge that will serve them for the rest of their lives.
Richard is the author of 19 books and numerous webinar programs. He is also the host of his own podcast - Let’s Talk Human Behavior.
Show Notes:
- Richard was prepared to be a person of presence and of value.
- He has a list of 16 laws that hold his life together.
- One of these is to never stay anywhere where his presence isn't appreciated.
- Richard has traveled and shared his research for the past 32 years.
- He calls it his crusade, and not his mission, because a crusade is where you go and make an impact.
- Life is continual education.
- You have to look for the opportunities and the moments that challenge you.
- Most people live from the outside in.
- In most audiences, they don't want to improve, they want an excuse.
- Richard created his own definition of stress that says that stress is anything in life that makes you uptight.
- Routines make us feel safe and comfortable but can also be traps.
- People who work to eliminate stress create stress.
- People who try to control stress make it their friend.
- Are you moving faster than you can manage?
- Slowing down for most people is a real challenge.
- You have to build your life on a foundation of trust in yourself.
- You can handle change and turn it into improvement if you bring 3 A's to your life:
- Adapt
- Adjust
- Align yourself
- Behavior never lies.
- The essence of truth is not what you talk about, but it is what you do.
- We have to be honest about our behavior.
- Most people want honesty as long as it's not honest.
- Richard has four important guiding questions:
- What do I really want?
- Why do I really want this?
- What price am I willing to pay to have it?
- What behaviors will I have to improve to get there?
- You can't just sit down and write a goal. Use Richard's four questions to clarify what you want with life.
- Writing a goal does not create direction,
- Richard's number one philosophy says "Why spend energy being a carbon copy when you're an original."
- He wants to have a positive presence that is present when he's not present.
- Clutter is the number 1 dysfunctional behavior in human life.
- Clutter is anything that holds you as a hostage to yourself.
- You can't improve in chaos.
Richard Flint's Recharge Round
- What habit do you think has led to success in your life? Richard Flint is disciplined.
- What's the simple positive action that you take each day to move forward to achieve your goals? He doesn't do a to-do list he does an achievement list.
- What's your biggest life lesson and what have you learned from it? He is an original and he is perfectly designed to achieve what he needs to achieve.
Connect with Richard:
Richard's website: richardflint.com
Learn more about Gary's Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
Adeyinka (Yinka) Adegbenle MBA, PMI-PMP is a former financial services professional turned Author | Excellence Strategist and Excellence Coach.
Her goal and life’s purpose is to equip leaders with transformational
habits and systems of excellence. Yinka believes that excellence is choosing to rise above average or mediocrity. A person or organization will start to see measurable improvements and results, once a concrete decision is made to rise above being average. She has helped many to obtain outstanding measurable results through teaching and equipping them with dynamic habits and systems of excellence.
Show Notes:
- Yinka had a perspective change when her doctor told her that whatever it is that she was doing, she needed to stop because he'd be worried for her health.
- She thought to herself that she needs to do the best she can in the areas she has control in.
- Yinka helps others through the principal systems of excellence.
- She wants to help others with roadblocks so that they can get the momentum to change their lives for the better.
- We're all people of excellence.
- As a leader, you should be skilled at what you do.
- Know your worth.
- Do your best and keep learning.
- Influence carries a lot of responsibilities.
- Leaders should be accountable.
- Leaders should have steady, controlled emotions.
- A leader should know their emotional stance and know their triggers.
- Leaders should be vulnerable.
- Habits make up our belief system and are shown in how we live life daily.
- Having the right values and actions is an essential base.
- Words have power. You can't use them recklessly.
- The words we use create our world, and we can build up or tear down with them.
- To operate at an optimal level, you have to keep growing.
- Yinka has to keep learning until the day she dies.
Yinka Adegbenle's Recharge Round
- What habit do you think has led to success in your life? Yinka plans her day, her week, her month, and her year. She makes goals because her well-planned weeks are her most productive ones.
- What's the simple positive action that you take each day to move forward to achieve your goals? She exercises and gets outside.
- What's your biggest life lesson and what have you learned from it? Excellence attracts excellence. When you strive for it in all you do, inevitably you get that back.
Connect with Yinka:
Get Yinka's book Joab, King David's Top General
Yinka's website: YinkaAdegbenle.com
YouTube
Learn more about Gary's Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
Matthew Turner is a British author who wrote his latest book, ‘Beyond The Pale’ on the back of interviewing hundreds of successful entrepreneurs, authors, investors, and thought-leaders. As well as writing his own books, Matthew ghostwrites both articles and books for other successful entrepreneurs and thought-leaders, in-between spending time with his two children.
Show Notes:
ATTN: Matthew has graciously shared copies of his new book, Beyond The Pale, with us. The first 5 individuals to email feedback@goascend.biz will get a free copy mailed to you. * Matthew always struggled with writing in school which caused him to have a fixed mindset. + Now Matthew is a writer, and he writes every day. * Matthew interviewed 160 entrepreneurs about failure and how they overcame it. + This spearheaded his business and inspired his writing. * He wrote a fable because he wanted to combine his two writing styles. + Matthew feels that his fiction writing is his art and that he can let his imagination roam and his non-fiction writing is the way he educates others. * Matthew knew that Beyond the Pale is a book he had to write. + He asked successful entrepreneurs what they were reading, and they said that they read philosophies, histories, biographies, and fiction. * People like being taught by stories and not having another 7-step process stuffed down their throats. + How do I relate to this character? * People think they need to work a lot, but that's toxic. * The real toxic nature of hustle in today's world is being constantly connected to the online world and to others. + It makes us always compare our worth to others' perceived worth. * Shut yourself off from distractions. + It is so hard to sit and enjoy the sound of silence. * Hustle stops us from thinking about what is really going on inside of us. * Take a step back, reflect, and think about what success means to you. * You may realize that you're already there, so then you can step back and enjoy it. * Do 5-minutes to focus on your mind, body, and spirit by doing things like reading, walking, and meditation. * Start now. * Matthew learned from interviewing entrepreneurs that self-sabotage is more common than we think. + Part of us is conscious of our self-sabotage. + Sometimes we do it because we feel we don't deserve what we have. + Our inner voice may tell us that this isn't what we need. - We may have achieved what someone else wants. Not what we wanted.
Matthew Turner's Recharge Round
- What habit do you think has led to success in your life? Matthew journals. He just sits down, sees what comes into his mind, and writes it.
- What's the simple positive action that you take each day to move forward to achieve your goals? Walk to walk. Enjoy it and take in your surroundings.
- What's your biggest life lesson and what have you learned from it? Define success and realize what really matters. When you do this, you work less, earn more, and live more fully.
Connect with Matthew:
Matthew's website: beyondbook.co
With us today is Joe Sanok, author of the new book, Thursday is the New Friday: How to work fewer hours, make more money, and spend time doing what you want. In this book, Joe empowers readers with a practical, evidence-based methodology to create their own work schedule and dedicate more of their precious personal time to pursuing their hobbies and spending time with their family and friends.
Show Notes:
- Are the institutions we hold dear stable or shaky?
- Joe talked about how the evolution of how we work and how we use our time.
- The old way of thinking is that there were only five ways to be more productive and that you had to do thing x.
- Joe said that he has shifted his perspective to view things more as a menu
- Start with your internal inclinations.
- Move outward into slowing down.
- Our best ideas don't come when we're stressed out and maxed out.
- A three-day weekend can help us do more when we're actually working.
- Don't delay it.
- You'll learn so much during the process.
- People overvalue work and how much of their identity is part of it.
- How do you rein in good ideas and put in the time to your best work?
- Work expands to fit the time given.
- Extra days off force us to see how much time we've been putting into work.
- What needs to be handed off to someone else?
- Who am I outside of my work?
- Think through what you're doing.
- What works for you.
- If you take a one-minute break every twenty minutes, you don't lose focus as easily.
- Multitasking is a myth.
- What kind of break do you need?
- Look at this future weekend, add something and remove something.
- Add something means doing something like finally reading a book that you've been meaning to read.
- Removing something means doing something like not getting coffee with that friend who always drains your energy.
- The best thing you can do to recharge is to slow down.
Joe Sanok's Recharge Round
- What habit do you think has led to success in your life? Joe Sanok meditates and takes morning walks with a neighbor.
- What's the simple positive action that you take each day to move forward to achieve your goals? We are disconnected physically from each other, so he texts someone that is meaningful to him.
- What's your biggest life lesson and what have you learned from it? He sees himself not as his memories or his trauma, but having awareness of his own awareness is who he is.
Connect with Joe:
Joe's website: joesanok.com
Learn more about Gary's Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
Steve Hoffman (Captain Hoff) is the Captain & CEO of Founders Space, one of the world’s leading startup accelerators. Founders Space was ranked the #1 incubator for overseas startups by Forbes and Entrepreneur Magazines.
Hoffman is also a venture investor, serial entrepreneur, and author of several award-winning books. These include “Make Elephants Fly” (published by Hachette), “Surviving a Startup” (published by HarperCollins), and “The Five Forces” (published by BenBella).
Hoffman was founder and Chairman of the Producers Guild Silicon Valley Chapter, served on the Board of Governors of the New Media Council, and was a founding member of the Academy of Television’s Interactive Media Group.
Show Notes:
- Steve has experience working in many different environments; he has worked in the U.S. and Japan.
- Steve began Founders Space by posting answers from people on his blog.
- He created a space to help others and help other entrepreneurs.
- If you can make a profit, you are self-sustaining, and if you can make a profit and scale, you can have an enormous impact.
- Steve wants to help entrepreneurs have a mission driven mindset.
- An entrepreneurs job is not just to come up with brilliant ideas.
- A great way to start a business is by searching for a demand.
- If you can fill the need, that's good.
- If you want a business that grows rapidly, you need recurring revenue.
- The hardest thing to do is to acquire a new customer.
- Don't let go of your customers. Keep providing value to them.
- Build an ecosystem where the more your customers participate the more value they give to all the other participants.
- Surround yourself with amazing people.
- If you surround yourself with amazing people, they'll do the rest.
- Most businesses don't last longer than 30 years.
- Startups fail not by trying too many things but by sticking with the same thing for too long.
- If you want to know if your product works, ask 100 people.
- Who is the person that most need what I have?
- If all your customers say, "That's nice. That's good. That's interesting." then they're just being polite.
- You need to hear at least 25% of people say, "OMG I need that!"
- Pick a direction in which you think you can make a difference.
- You don't have to have all the answers.
- The first thing you need to do is to build your team.
- 90% of your time should go into finding people that will help you execute your vision.
- Next, you have to engage with your customers. Learn as much as possible as fast as you can.
- Then, experiment with your customers until you get the spark.
- Finally, take your data to investors and raise capital.
Steve Hoffman's Recharge Round
- What habit do you think has led to success in your life? Question everything. Don't accept the status quo.
- What's the simple positive action that you take each day to move forward to achieve your goals? He looks at the people around him and imagines what they need to feel good and perform well. Then Steven asks them questions.
- What's your biggest life lesson and what have you learned from it? If you are not headed in the right direction, it doesn't matter.
Connect with Steve:
Steve's website foundersspace.com
Check out Steve's FREE video series: The Ten Commandments of Raising Venture Capital
Get Steve's books Make Elephants Fly, The Five Forces, and Surviving a Startup
Learn more about Gary's Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
Gary Wilbers has been in business for over 30 years, has founded more than a dozen companies, has appeared on more than 200 podcasts and has been coaching business owners to success for over 10 years. He dedicates his time to helping small business owners move from success to significance.
He is the founder of The Ascend Mastermind, a speaker, author, trainer & coach. Gary knows the struggles small business owners face daily and believes everyone should reach their full potential in business and life. That is why he started the Ascend Mastermind group. This peer advisory group gives small business owners access to like-minded individuals to share their challenges and hold them accountable so they can move from stagnant to growth while obtaining freedom in business and life. Gary is a best-selling author and has written the following books: The High Achiever Leadership Formula, 21 Ways to Attract, Retain & Engage Millennials, Positive Culture Wins, & Cultivate Positive Culture. Gary lives in Missouri with his wife Dana, two sons and one daughter. Show Notes:
- Small business owners need to be able to brainstorm ideas and solutions.
- Because there is usually a small staff, small business owners need a support network.
- Mastermind groups help you hear different viewpoints.
- Ultimately, the decision is up to you, but you have to be willing to listen to new ideas and concepts.
- You can't read the label while you're inside the jar.
- Masterminds help you realize you're not alone.
- Others may not be in the same niche as you, but they may be struggling with the same problems.
- Mastermind is about working together to create greater results.
- Is someone willing to learn and willing to be accountable?
- If yes, then they're ready for a Mastermind.
- Owners need to work on their business, not in their business.
- Realize that you can do it with others.
- Gary shared about his goals and processes with the Ascend Mastermind Group.
- Entrepreneurs are success-driven and may inadvertently leave other things at the wayside.
- Don't Ascend to the peak and then realize you left everyone and everything else you had behind.
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Mastermind groups are great for accountability.
- Change partners so that you uphold your accountability.
Learn more about Gary's Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
Find Matt Ward's Book, The High 5 Effect at HighFiveEffect.com
Brian Roland is a social entrepreneur and Founder of Abenity, the 6x Inc. 5000 company that’s powering corporate perks for top brands like U.S. Bank and Mastercard.
While Abenity provides millions of subscribers with private discounts, the company's social mission is fighting extreme poverty with every program they deliver.
Abenity recently exceeded $1 million dollars of total giving and hired a CEO to accelerate growth with their fully remote team.
Brian lives in Scottsdale, Arizona with his family and enjoys roasting coffee, flying drones, and helping impact-driven entrepreneurs establish a social mission of their own.
Show Notes:
- Be okay with taking a leap of faith.
- Entrepreneurs look for a blocker and then find a way around it.
- The more niche it is, the slower the ramp-up period.
- Your why should be outside your company, brand, and products and services.
- There is no place to put identity in those categories.
- They will eat you down.
- Brian build a fully remote team and found that it needed a foundation of trust and respect.
- Roles must be clearly defined.
- Brian was looking for people to join his team that already knew them and what they stood for.
- Shared purpose aligns the culture to create community.
- Text IMPACT and/or RULES to (615) 802-6853 to access free resources from Brian.
- Brian is concerned that the bridge to remote work is retracting.
- There must be a cultural plan and purpose for remote work to continue to work.
- If you're successful, your baby is going to grow up and leave you.
- Brian thinks that people should work with the lens of high impact, low effort.
- Develop to the 90% point because things will gain traction and take off.
- Abandon the 91% - 100% range when developing something because it often wastes time and effort.
Brian Roland's Recharge Round
- What habit do you think has led to success in your life? Brian makes his coffee with a slow pour over method which cuts down his coffee consumption and also gives him a rhythm and intentionality in the morning.
- What's the simple positive action that you take each day to move forward to achieve your goals? Brian used to be very sarcastic, but now he states his sarcastic statements in an opposite way which is still funny but builds people up and shifts the perspective.
- What's your biggest life lesson and what have you learned from it? Just show up.
Connect with Brian:
Brian's website BrianRoland.com
Sign Up for Abenity! Use the code CHARGE150 to get your discount.
Get Brian's Impact Plan by texting IMPACT to (615) 802-6853
Get Brian's Rules of Engagement for a Remote Team by texting RULES to (615) 802-6853
Other Twitter
Learn more about Gary's Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
Dr. Ian D. Brooks, the CEO and founder of Rhodes Smith Consulting - a Personal and Professional Development firm specializing In behavioral transformations - and the Author of Intention: Building Capabilities to Transform Your Story. For over 24yrs, Dr. Brooks' career has taken him from working in a clinical ward to organizations and people - with the goal of helping individuals build skills toward achieving new heights. His clients include Netflix, Shondaland, Bank of America, Guitar Center, Nike Inc. Sony, and Warner Brothers. His passion for working with individuals seeking expansion and leaders within organizations to develop key skills toward navigating their organization and working with their teams is built on the mastery of intentions and consistency of capabilities.
Show Notes:
- Dr. Brooks works with leaders seeking the pursuit of expansion.
- He helps people step into the limelight.
- Look inward and ask yourself what you're passionate about and what you've been good at.
- Write a letter to your future self about who you've become and what you've achieved.
- This is a benchmark and comparison point.
- We make between 2,000 and 10,000 decisions each day.
- We have to work with intention.
- It's about purpose. It's about thoughtfulness.
- It is necessary to build the capability to acknowledge what we're actually discovering.
- 'The principle of You' asks which characters in your story are you enabling and which do you need to change.
- What is my now plan? What am I willing to do?
- Build your plan.
- Bringing the best of ourselves is sometimes knowing when to step back.
- We're not going to change all at once.
- Attunement is about making sure that we have time to go back and to check and adjust.
- If we aren't learning, we'll stay in the same place.
- You're going to have to let some things go in order to grow.
- Let it go not because it's bad but because it's outlived its purpose.
- You have to trust yourself because there will be situations where no one else will be able to pull you through.
- It might not be easy, but you can do it.
- "He who does not lay his foundation beforehand may do so with great ability afterward but with great trouble to the architect and danger to the building." - Niccolo Machiavelli
Dr. Ian Brooks' Recharge Round
- What habit do you think has led to success in your life? Dr. Brooks is very purposeful.
- What's the simple positive action that you take each day to move forward to achieve your goals? He invests time in himself. He pauses, processes, and reflects.
- What's your biggest life lesson and what have you learned from it? Dr. Brooks always has a plan and has a good plan, but his path is his path.
Connect with Ian:
Ian's website rhodessmith.com
Learn more about Gary's Mastermind group at goascend.biz/mastermind/
Peter Docker, co-author of Find Your Why and formerly a founding Igniter at Simon Sinek Inc., is passionate about enabling people to unlock their natural talents. He believes leadership is about lifting people up and giving them the space they need so that, when the time is right, they can take the lead.
Drawing on his 25-year career in the Royal Air Force, and over 14 years spent partnering with businesses around the world, Peter's goal is to inspire others to Lead from the Jumpseat.
Show Notes:
- Peter has been a negotiator and a teacher.
- Learn what brings us together as human beings.
- A position is against something. It has to be.
- A stand is for something. Standing for something is more powerful than a position against.
- One of the toughest leadership challenges is being a parent.
- What's my underlying commitment?
- Context gives meaning to content.
- If you shift the context, it brings a new meaning.
- Get clear on what you believe.
- What's really important to you?
- When you can go deeper you can help others join in with you if they believe in it too.
- When dealing with the unknown, they will be willing to stand up and help you figure it out.
- You can try to make people accountable for things, but only they can choose to take responsibility.
- They have to choose because they want to.
- If team members feel like they belong, they feel they can step up and take responsibility.
- Humble confidence is about love, not fear.
- Everything we do is driven by fear or love.
- Fear brings ego.
- When driven by love, we listen and think about others.
- Leading from a place of love encourages others to step up and help.
- Many people see not knowing the answer as a kind of threat.
- It's okay not to know.
Peter Docker's Recharge Round
- What habit do you think has led to success in your life? Peter approaches things by always pushing himself and trying new things. He has a willingness to give it a go and learn.
- What's the simple positive action that you take each day to move forward to achieve your goals? He seeks out opportunities to show that he cares.
- What's your biggest life lesson and what have you learned from it? Peter says that he has learned that mutual respect is so important and that there is value in allowing things to happen.
Connect with Peter:
Peter's websites leadingfromthejumpseat.com
Find Peter's book HERE!
Gary's new book is available! You can purchase it at CultivatePositiveCulture.com
Mike "C-Roc" Ciorrocco is the Co-Founder of Blooprinted, best-selling Author of ROCKET FUEL Convert Setbacks, Become Unstoppable and the powerhouse behind the "What Are You Made Of?" podcast.
He has been featured by Yahoo! Finance as one of the Top Business Leaders to Follow in 2020 and is on a mission to build people. He is driven to inspire others and he measures his success on how he is able to help others achieve greatness. C-Roc had a fire lit in him at an early age. That fire has ignited him with a fierce desire to compel people to see the greatness inside themselves using past life events to fuel their fire.
Show Notes:
- Mike talks to himself because he always wants someone around him that thinks the same.
- What are you made of man? Let's go.
- Be prepared.
- When you believe in something, some people don't have the same wish as you and will try to talk you out of it.
- Stick to your guns.
- Mike realized that he was capable.
- "I'll show you."
- Convert your failures to success. Make them rocket fuel.
- Thoughts, words, and actions all go through Mike's mission statement.
- All people are unstoppable to living the lives of their dreams.
- Acknowledge it. Accept it. Then act.
- Mike wants to teach people how to disseminate their knowledge better.
- You have to be sick and tired of being sick and tired.
- Do something.
- We don't know our potential.
- Set goals that make you excited.
- Mike has three Cs:
- Clarity. Get clear on what you want in life, and don't put limits on it. Write it out.
- Commitment. Decide and commit that you're going after that.
- Consistency. All your words and actions have to go towards it.
- Be careful about the stories you tell yourself.
- If you say it will be hard, it will be hard.
Mike Ciorrocco's Recharge Round
- What habit do you think has lead to success in your life? Mike's biggest habit is waking up and practicing gratitude. He says thank you then takes action to move him toward his mission.
- What's the simple positive action that you take each day to move forward to achieve your goals? He understands that low tolerance = high production. Don't overcomplicate things.
- What's your biggest life lesson and what have you learned from it? There's a small portion of things you know. There's a small portion of things you know you don't know. And there's a large portion of things you don't know that you don't know. Keep a learning mindset because knowledge is power.
Connect with Mike:
Deborah's websites blooprinted.com/vip
YouTube
Gary's new book is available! You can purchase it at CultivatePositiveCulture.com
Deborah Johnson, M.A. has not only written multiple books and albums, but hundreds of songs, three full-length musicals and is the producer of the popular podcast, Women at Halftime. Her five books have been very well received (the 5th released Oct. 12 of this year) & she relishes the creative process. Deborah was past president of the National Speakers Association, Los Angeles and has written & produced multiple online courses. She enjoys being outside and traveling with her husband and also loves spending time with her children and grandchildren.
Up for multiple GRAMMY Awards and spending over 20 years in the entertainment industry, she's built multiple self-driven businesses. Deborah speaks and performs for both live and virtual events.
Show Notes:
- At half-time you want to look at all your experiences and what you've loved to do and then focus on what you've done to create a strong message.
- Deborah's been an entrepreneur since she was young.
- She was just creating.
- Not everyone understands that they're an entrepreneur.
- Deborah's biggest challenge is gathering the right team around her to help her decide what to say no to.
- Try things.
- Don't be afraid. Face your fears.
- You have to want to go somewhere and take risks.
- Then you learn.
- Deborah wanted people to identify with her story.
- There are so many distractions today.
- Deborah wants to share the mindset of "I've reached my summit, but now there's more."
- The biggest challenge is throwing out stuff you love.
- Does it move the story forward?
- Let go of it if it doesn't move the message and purpose.
Deborah Johnson's Recharge Round
- What habit do you think has lead to success in your life? Deborah's biggest habit is getting up early. It helps keep her centered.
- What's the simple positive action that you take each day to move forward to achieve your goals? She writes lists and gathers her tools the night before.
- What's your biggest life lesson and what have you learned from it? "I'm not afraid of dying, but I really like living" What are you doing in your life to really like living?
Connect with Deborah:
Deborah's websites goalsforyourlife.com and deborahjohnsonspeaker.com and djworksmusic.com
Order Deborah's new book here at heromountainsummit.com
Gary's new book is available! You can purchase it at CultivatePositiveCulture.com
Joe Pomeroy learned the hard way that helping lead an 8 figure business means nothing if your family is walking out the door. So he spent years studying family relationships and discovered a secret that would change his family forever. Now, his 3D Family Framework has become the new way business-minded men are becoming expert husbands and world-class dads.
The time has come again to do a recap. With the third quarter of 2021 just wrapping up we are going to do a season recap on the fifteenth season. It’s hard to believe that we are close to 200 episodes!
Each guest that we have had on the podcast has taught us something different. Below are just a few of the highlights from our fifteenth season of podcasts.
Bill is the President and Founder of FiveTwo, a network that equips faith-based leaders and entrepreneurs to launch a variety of sustainable startups and nonprofits. Bill began leading FiveTwo in 2015 when they launched a “Mother Teresa meets a friendly Mark Cuban” training process that helps entrepreneurs to grow nonprofits and startups that make a difference in financially sustainable ways.
Dr. Angela Demaree is the CEO and Principal Consultant for PAWS Consulting, a public health and political consulting firm. Angela recently retired as a Major in the United States Army Reserves, is a Certified High Performance CoachTM, author of "Candidate Survival Guide, Leadership for the Campaign Trail," and host of the hit podcast, Beyond the Stethoscope. She spends her free time with her horse, Tommy and teaching her Quaker Parrot the Purdue Fight Song. You can connect with Angela on Instagram and LinkedIn @DemareeDVM.
John is an advisor to major donors and strategic grant-makers who want to do the most good with their currencies. He’s also the author of Connected for Good: A Gameplan for a Generous Life and the creator of the Generosity Gameplan™. This is a step-by-step process for people of means and substance who seek to create real change using a new approach to generosity. John is also a consultant who provides management services to donors, foundations, and nonprofits that want to increase their impact by giving from the heart.
John’s goal is to bring generous people to a destination where each act of generosity comes from the true desires of their heart; where relationships are built an inch wide and a mile deep; where strengths of skills and character are spent from an inexhaustible well of care; and where giving financial and material resources feels like sharing from an abundance rather than giving from what is leftover.
John has served some of the nation’s most generous families and the nonprofits they care about through The Legacy Group, a consulting and management firm he founded in 1999. He is also a grant-maker himself, giving through and serving his family’s foundation as a trustee.
Michael Zipursky is the CEO of Consulting Success® where they specialize in helping entrepreneurial consultants grow profitable, scalable and strategic consulting businesses. He has advised organizations like Financial Times, Dow Jones, RBC, and helped Panasonic launch new products into global markets, but more importantly, he’s helped over 500 consultants from around the world in over 75 industries add 6 and 7 figures to their annual revenues. Over 35,000 consultants read his weekly consulting newsletter.
RICHARD A. CROSS is a former Police Officer, Athlete, and Restorative Justice Facilitator. Cross’s mission is to empower one million Black male students in helping them to recognize their potential and to empower them to become leaders and change agents.
Richard A. Cross believes that we should not limit ourselves, think small, or refrain from taking on big and challenging projects that can help many people in the long run to achieve their goals in life. Cross is committed to helping you to become your best self because he believes that you have the innate abilities to achieve amazing things in life. Cross is an Empowerment and Transformational Speaker, Educator, and Author of 17 books including Going Beyond Limitations.
Ruth was born and lives in the UK and has been involved in helping people achieve what they never thought was possible for over 25 years. In 2007 she was recognised by the UK Government as a Role Model for Women in Science and Technology for her work in Terahertz imaging.
In 2016 Ruth hit rock bottom in the corporate world when she was put on an unexpected performance review shortly after a miscarriage and told she had no emotional intelligence.
This turned out to be the best thing that happened to her at that time. She went on a transformational coaching journey, left the toxic workplace, lost 27lbs in weight and rediscovered her best self. In April 2018 she realised her dream of ski touring across the French Alps with her husband and eight months later their beautiful daughter Lilly was born.
Ruth now helps business leaders who have lost connection with their best self win back time doing what they love with those they love by unchaining their pain, unlocking the secrets to greater mental clarity and performance and optimising their unique brain to unleash their full potential.
Dr. Ruth Mary Allan is a Certified Brain Health Professional, High Performance Coach and Havening Techniques Practitioner. She has helped people with a wide range of brain health challenges from ADD, anxiety, depression, grief, PSTD, phobias, birthing trauma, childhood abuse, domestic abuse and Traumatic Brain Injuries.
Her clients around the world range from senior executives to young children, including military and emergency services personnel. Ruth has over 25 years of consulting, coaching and mentoring experience. She loves the outdoors and is a serving British Army Reservist and military ski and mountain leader.
Josh Varner is a trauma informed speaker and a school social worker with a PASSION for helping individuals and schools to support students who have been impacted by childhood trauma. Josh has presented over 150 high energy, informative, interactive presentations to audiences all over the country. Along with speaking, Josh has been a social worker, professional school counselor and coordinated an at-risk student program. Josh has experience in the classroom working with traumatized students and knows what will work for teachers.
Rick Boxx is the Founder and CEO of Unconventional Business Network. Unconventional Business Network is a nonprofit founded in 2001 that is cultivating a vibrant network of Biblically principled small business leaders.
Rick has a daily radio program and broadcast email called “Integrity Moments” that reaches over 2 million leaders and is featured on over 200 radio stations. He’s authored six books, including “Unconventional Business.”
Rick is a past banker, CPA, consultant and multiple-time entrepreneur. He resides in Overland Park, KS and is married to his lovely and lively wife Kathy. They have three children and two grandchildren who live in the area.
Jessica Yarbrough has quickly developed a reputation of being one of the best business strategists and marketing and sales consultant for entrepreneurs who want to sell high value products and services. Her background is in international business and she has built multiple companies.
Jessica is a genius at showing entrepreneurs how to build an expert platform, rapidly raise their value, build their credibility online and attract high paying clients. She travels the world teaching and inspiring entrepreneurs and helping them grow their influence and make the income and impact they desire.
For more than 35 years Jake Jacobs has worked in 61 industries, from high tech to manufacturing to hospitality to entertainment to financial services. Jake has consulted 96 organizations, from Fortune 50 to national non-profits and community theaters. He’s supported more than 210,000 people directly on important changes to their business. What kinds of changes? Everything from strategy implementation to culture change to mergers and acquisitions and leadership development.
Jake has partnered with CEOs, front-line workers and changemakers in middle management in organizations like Ford, Kraft and Marriott. He’s also helped create change in the City of New York, U.K.’s National Health Service and the United States Army and Navy.
Clients call Jake when they need faster, easier, better results.
He has recently published Leverage Change: 8 Ways to Achieve Faster, Easier, Better Results -- an approach you can apply to individuals, teams and organizations. It works equally well if you already have a change approach with which you're working or you're looking for a new one to deploy. Are you part of the way through your change work or just starting? In every case, Jacobs's 8 levers can help you get there faster, easier and better than you believed possible.
Sarah Baker Andrus is the founder and CEO of Avarah Careers, a career coaching business. She’s worked on all sides of the hiring equation, as a recruiter, hiring manager, and a career counselor, serving in the corporate world, non-profits, and academia. When it comes to the hiring process and how it works from the inside, she’s seen it all.
What’s her favorite thing to do? Help others find work that makes them feel great about getting out of bed in the morning! She loves guiding people through the job search process to land that job where they can thrive. Her goal is to share the strategies that separate a successful candidate from the ones who struggle, so that ambitious, motivated, early to mid-career professionals, and career changers, don’t have to feel stuck anymore. Since most of us spend more than half of our waking hours working, we can all benefit in life-changing ways by making that professional leap with her expertise.
In addition to leading Avarah Careers, she currently teaches as an adjunct professor and serves as the Assistant Director of Career Services at the University of Delaware, coaching MBA students and alumni. When she’s not working, she enjoys reading, writing, good food & wine, running through Delaware’s beautiful parks, and hanging with the people she loves the most.
Vincent Moiso is an Entrepreneur, Coach, Author and Speaker. He founded his own coaching business VIS Aspire Inc, and is also Principal and President of Oceanside Glasstile Company, an international glass manufacturer. His alter ego brand, Surthriveal Gear recently launched along with his new book, How to Survive the Wilderness - The Playbook for the Entrepreneur and High Performer.
The time has come again to do a recap. With the second quarter of 2021 just wrapping up we are going to do a season recap on the fourteenth season. It’s hard to believe that we have done 3 years of podcasting!
Each guest that we have had on the podcast has taught us something different. Below are just a few of the highlights from our fourteenth season of podcasts.
Bryan Clayton and is the CEO and co-founder of GreenPal an online marketplace that connects homeowners with local lawn care professionals. GreenPal has been called the “Uber for lawn care” by Entrepreneur magazine and has over 200,000 active users completing thousands of transactions per day and doing 20m a year in sales.
Before starting GreenPal, Bryan founded Peachtree Inc. one of the largest landscaping companies in the state of Tennessee growing it to over $10 million a year in annual revenue before it was acquired by Lusa holdings in 2013.
Bryan’s interests and expertise are related to entrepreneurialism, small business growth, marketing and bootstrapping businesses from zero revenue to profitability and exit.
Robert Clinkenbeard was raised in Edinburgh, Scotland and moved to Arizona in 1999 to find a better lifestyle. Robert is now the CEO of The Radix Group, LLC which has offices in Greenville, Phoenix, and the UK. He is a serial entrepreneur, an author, and a four time Ironman. Having sold his $20M company, he now has several franchises, multiple real estate investments and the largest Peer Group facilitation company in the US. He is also a senior leader in EO and therefore understands the challenges of CEO’s within growing companies.
Robert has been married for eight years and is kept busy with five children. Robert also played competitive rugby and soccer for 20 years.
Mark Mansingh is a senior HR, Compliance, PEO and Benefits Consultant. Mark understands the challenges that come with running a small business. While getting a master's degree in leadership development he started and ran a successful financial advisory firm for more than 10 years. Today, he works as an HCM Business Consultant for Paychex where he has helped over 500 business businesses navigate HR, Compliance, and benefits as well as streamlining and integrating their systems to save significant admin time, minimize risk, and scale quickly. Mark has been with Paychex for 7 years and his passion is problem solving, and strategic planning to help business owners accomplish their goals.
Mark is married with 4 children (not for the faint of heart).
John Vuong is a seasoned sales professional and Internet marketer with an exceptional track record helping companies grow their clientele and profits. Through 15 years of experience working with CEOs, business owners, and marketing leaders at some of Canada’s most successful corporations, John developed a deep understanding of local marketing dynamics and consumer behavior. John’s entrepreneurial spirit and experience working with more than 5,000 local business owners inspired him to start his own company, Local SEO Search, in 2013. Local SEO Search is a boutique SEO agency from Toronto. John helps small and medium-sized businesses rank on Google and dominate their local market for the right search terms.
Jon Schram is an IT support expert and the founder & CEO of The Purple Guys, a tech company that has grown since 2001 to become the Midwest’s premier provider of IT support services. The Purple Guys is a fast-growing, 7-digit business that has helped hundreds of companies grow by solving their IT problems and providing them with stress-free, bulletproof tech support. Jon and his wife, Jill, have three children and have founded two businesses together.
Aaron Walker has founded more than a dozen companies over the past 42 years and has appeared on more than 2000 podcast interviews. He attributes much of his success to having surrounded himself with his mastermind counterparts. Aaron spent a decade meeting weekly with Dave Ramsey, Dan Miller, Ken Abraham, and 5 other amazing entrepreneurs. Aaron is the founder of Iron Sharpens Iron Mastermind that now hosts 20 groups with National and International members. Aaron is the author of View From The Top, a must-read to fully understand how to live a life of success and significance. Also, the founder of The Mastermind Playbook an incredible resource for starting, running and scaling masterminds. Aaron lives in Nashville, Tennessee with his wife Robin of 40 years and he has 2 incredible daughters and 5 beautiful grandchildren.
Dr. Allen Hunt
Bio:
Dr. Allen Hunt is a nationally known speaker and bestselling author. His books include Confessions of a Mega-Church Pastor: How I Discovered the Hidden Treasures of the Catholic Church, Everybody Needs to Forgive Somebody, and Nine Words: A Bible Study to Help You Become the Best-Version-of-Yourself.
Dr. Hunt stepped aside July 1, 2007, as Senior Pastor at Mount Pisgah, a congregation serving more than 15,000 people each week through all of its ministries in Alpharetta, Georgia, outside Atlanta. While at there, Dr. Hunt helped to develop comprehensive ministries with children and students as well as a Christian School with more than 1200 students, a Beacon of Hope pregnancy resource center, and the Summit Counseling Center.
On January 6, 2008, the Feast of the Epiphany, Dr. Hunt converted to Catholicism. This transition represented the culmination of a 15-year journey in which God began leading Dr. Hunt home to the Church. In many ways, this transition was effected by the prayers of a group of Dominican sisters at the Monastery of Our Lady of Grace in North Guilford, Connecticut, who have been praying for Dr. Hunt since he shared lectures with them during Lent in 1992.
Prior to full-time ministry, Dr. Hunt worked in management consulting with Kurt Salmon Associates, an international leader in the textile, apparel, and retail industries. Allen was educated at Mercer (bachelor of business administration) and Emory (master of divinity) Universities, before earning a doctorate in New Testament and Ancient Christian Origins from Yale University.
Dr. Hunt and his wife, Anita, live in Atlanta. They have two grown daughters.
Brad Connors, President, has been advising individuals, corporations, and institutional investors since 1994. Brad has built his practice, iWealth, in Waseca & Bloomington Minnesota. Brad affiliated with Investment Centers of America, Inc. in 1998 and was consistently in the top 5% of his peers, including 2010 ICA Representative of the Year. In 2014, Brad was honored with the distinguished Community Service Award at ICA’s Regional Conference. The award was presented to Brad based on his support and commitment to his local community through a variety of initiatives including charitable giving, youth outreach, community education and involvement. He has been on the forefront of helping other advisors grow their practice and teaching them what they should be working toward to have a profitable and enjoyable business.
Brad authored his first book, Fish Don’t Clap: Planning For A Purposeful Retirement in 2014. His reasoning behind writing the book, was to “give away the information for everyone to have more purpose going into retirement.”
His book, which has attained many 5 Star reviews on Amazon, shines a light on the 20 plus years of experience Brad has working with clients to define what they genuinely want their retirement to look like. For Brad, creating a fulfilling retirement for his clients is about more than figures – it involves taking a family’s whole life into account, from values to goals and everything in between.
Perry Marshall is one of the most expensive business strategists in the world. He is endorsed in FORBES and INC Magazine. He’s guided clients like FanDuel and InfusionSoft from startup to hundreds of millions of dollars.
He founded the $10 million Evolution 2.0 Prize, with judges from Harvard, Oxford and MIT. Launched at the Royal Society in London, it’s the world’s largest science research award.
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Labs uses his 80/20 Curve as a productivity tool and his reinvention of the Pareto Principle is published in Harvard Business Review.
Perry’s Google book laid the foundations for the $100 billion Pay Per Click industry, and Ultimate Guide to Google Ads is the world’s best selling book on internet advertising.
Marketing maverick Dan Kennedy says, “If you don’t know who Perry Marshall is — unforgivable. Perry’s an honest man in a field rife with charlatans.”
Perry has consulted in over 300 industries, has a degree in Electrical Engineering and lives in Chicago.
Growing up in Taos, Missouri, Jason was raised in a small town with a loving family that gave him every chance to succeed. His parents were supportive and provided everything this 17-year-old could ever want. That is until his life changed forever on May 8, 2003, when his dad unexpectedly passed away by suicide leaving him, his mother and two younger sisters behind.
Through hard work, dedication, and a strong faith in God, He is now a certified teacher and thought coach, accomplished basketball coach and Elite Skills trainer, Amazon Best Selling author, Post-Traumatic growth storyteller and the Co-Founder of 4D Athletes.
#ACT2impACT and Give life a chance to get better
A native of suburban Philadelphia and Chicago, Joel Goldberg has been a member of the Kansas City Royals television broadcast since 2008, serving as the host of every pregame and postgame show on
FOX Sports Kansas City.
The University of Wisconsin graduate won a 2001 Mid-America Emmy for sports reporting and has covered multiple championship teams in Major League Baseball and the National Football League.
Joel built a 25-year career developing and maintaining strong relationships with professional athletes, coaches, and team management and he now shares those stories and strategies with companies and associations live on stage and these days virtually. He’s hosted a weekly podcast called Rounding The Bases the last two years and added a daily live video podcast when the pandemic started focusing on leadership during these times.
Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann was ordained a priest in 1975. He served as the Archdiocesan Pro-Life Coordinator from 1984 to 1995 and as Vicar General in the Archdiocese of St. Louis before being ordained as Auxiliary Bishop of St. Louis/Titular Bishop of Caput Cilla in 1997. He was appointed Administrator of the Archdiocese of St. Louis in 2003 and became the Archbishop for the Archdiocese of Kansas City in 2005.
Archbishop Naumann currently serves the USCCB as the Chair of the Pro-Life Committee and as a member of the Administrative Committee, Religious Liberty Committee, and the Sub-Committee for the Promotion and Defense of Marriage. Archbishop is also Chair of the Kansas Catholic Conference and Co-Chair of the Religious Alliance Against Pornography. He is on the Board of the National Committee for the Human Life Amendment and Prior of the Northern Lieutenancy Equestrian Order of the Knights and Dames of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. Archbishop also serves on the Board of Trustees for Kenrick-Glennon Seminary and Conception Seminary.
The time has come again to do a recap. With the first quarter of 2021 just wrapping up we are going to do a season recap on the thirteenth season. It’s hard to believe that we have done 3 years of podcasting!
Each guest that we have had on the podcast has taught us something different. Below are just a few of the highlights from our thirteenth season of podcasts.
41 years in the law; then one day, no more law. Mark left the big firm, corporate bankruptcy practice to pursue things about which he had a passion. Now he measures each day by what he gives and tries to make a difference in a small way. To do so, Mark teaches photography to returning veterans, he is the vice chair of Think 360 Arts for Learning which brings art to inner city kids and the elderly, and he is on the finance and audit committee of Habitat for Humanity - Metro Denver. Mark’s story into and eventually out of the law world is documented in his new book, "And, Just Like That - essays on a life before, during and after the law."
Sean has been training, mentoring, and educating all his life. An exceptionally well-regarded conference speaker and author, Sean has delivered talks for Fortune 50 companies and top-tier conferences. He has also been the author of several books on technical as well as business topics.
Sean has also been a professional services firm owner for over 20 years. His professional services work has spanned consulting engagements with the Fortune 50 and startups you’ve heard of, the sale of his first professional services company, and the growth of delivery, sales, marketing, and operational practices inside professional services firms.
In short, Sean brings a wealth of knowledge when it comes to surviving and thriving as a service firm owner or the leader of a practice area inside a larger services firm.
Tyler Sullivan is the founder of BombTech Golf, an eCommerce store with over $15 million sold online since 2012. Tyler also runs EcomGrowers where he and his team have helped countless Shopify owners add 6-7 figures in additional sales to their eCommerce stores by optimizing email systems and ad campaigns to find hidden revenue streams. Over the years Tyler has come to learn the formula for running successful and profitable eCommerce businesses. He believes that even with online companies there is huge value in having real conversations with customers and potential buyers. Tyler is hyper-focused on the customer experience and operating a lean business that doesn't just drive revenue but drives serious profit and cash flow.
Lamar Hunt Jr. has always felt the weight of the responsibility that comes with being born into opportunity. The Hunt family has a long history of entrepreneurship and investment in oil and petroleum, real estate, philanthropy, faith-based education, and, perhaps most famously, in sports.
As the founder of Loretto Companies, Lamar Hunt Jr. has created a vehicle that can help him to use his resources to benefit others. The four Loretto Companies include Loretto Commercial, Loretto Sports Ventures, and Loretto Properties, as well as the Loretto Foundation. Dedicated to helping to build strong families and support communities, the Loretto Foundation is devoted to promoting the intrinsic dignity of all human beings, with a special focus on the poor and those who are underserved by society. Lamar Hunt Jr. believes that strong families come from strong communities and vice versa. The Loretto Foundation is concerned with programs that help to strengthen both while addressing the root causes of poverty and other social ills and promoting physical health, spiritual well-being, social good, emotional wellness, and economic prosperity.
Today, Lamar Hunt Jr. remains active in a variety of charities across Kansas City besides those offered through the Loretto Foundation. He continues to contribute to the Catholic Radio Network, the Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas, and Read Across America, to name a few. He lives with his wife, Rita Mae Hunt, in their home in Leawood, Kansas, where they spend as much time as they can with their nine children and eight grandchildren.
Pete is a youth coach/mentor. He is married to his high school sweetheart and has 3 young children. A former professional baseball player from a family of 10 pro athletes, Pete uses the vehicle of sport to bring out the innate positive character in our youth and teens. His non-profit and book are called Character Loves Company. He is pursuing a doctoral degree in Character Education and Citizenship at the University of Missouri, St. Louis. He works at Principia School in St. Louis, where he is the director of school advancement and community outreach, as well as the head baseball coach. Previously, Pete has been a college director of athletics and a college head baseball coach, and the head coach/instructor at IMG Academy for baseball. Pete is passionate about the Special Olympics and supporting SO athletes like my good buddy, Daxton Miller. Last year, he hired Daxton to be an assistant baseball coach with him at Principia School.
Steven Mark Kahan has successfully helped to grow six start-up companies from early-stage development to going public or being sold, resulting in more than $3.5 billion in shareholder value. He is currently Chief of Staff at Thycotic, which will become the seventh.
He has just written a book published by Wiley and Audible and available on Amazon.com called “Be a Start-Up Superstar.” The book teaches those graduating college and young professionals how to earn a great living doing what they love by igniting their career at a tech startup.
Frank Agin (http://frankagin.com) is president of AmSpirit Business Connection, an organization that empowers entrepreneurs, sales representatives and professionals to become successful through networking.
He is also the host of the Networking Rx podcast, a weekly short-form podcast with insights and interviews related to better business relationships. And he narrates the Networking Rx Minute, a micro podcast with daily ideas and inspiration.
Finally, Frank is the author of several books, including Foundational Networking: Creating Know, Like & Trust For A Lifetime of Extraordinary Success.
Frank lives with his wife in Blacklick, Ohio and together have three children. As community involvement, he is active with The Charitable Roundtable, an organization that helps small non-profits and social initiatives become more successful through networking.
Dr. Evi Prokopi is a multicultural expert, having lived in six countries and worked with people from 58 countries. She has tremendous experience in recruiting, training, coaching, mentoring, leading and managing project management teams for Fortune 100 companies and start-ups. Evi, the founder and President of Cosmoleadership, the Global Leadership Association, is the first and youngest Greek female to ever speak at the Global Project Management Institute Congress and she is one of the World’s Top 100 HR Influencers 2020. As a Certified Work Performance Assessor, a Success Coach and the author of “The Success Playbook”, she wants to empower people and help them achieve their personal and professional goals.
Jonathan DeYoe has led an independent financial planning firm since 2002. He and the Mindful Money team work one on one with three hundred families and foundations. The Mindful Money team offers simple steps to financial success and tools to mindfully overcome emotional and cognitive biases related to money.
Jonathan provides keynotes and workshops at conferences and associations. His team works with businesses to build transparent retirement plans for businesses and financial education programs for employees.
Jonathan is passionate about spreading the values of goal-focused and planning-driven wealth management to help people enjoy better financial outcomes AND live happier lives! His personal goal is to touch 1,000,000 lives in 10 years with Mindful Money financial education courses.
Jonathan has been a California-based financial adviser for 25 years. He managed investments at a variety of Wall Street Companies before founding his own financial planning firm. He’s a contributor on personal finance matters for the Huffington Post, and Business Insider, among others and he has been featured in the Wall Street Journal and The New York Times.
Jonathan is a 25-year meditation practitioner and lives in Berkeley with his wife and two children.
Anne Rulo is an author, speaker, licensed marriage and family therapist, and licensed professional counselor. She is the author of two Bible studies, Cultivating Joy and The God Blanket. Anne lives in northwest Missouri with her two children and husband Tim who is a teacher and head football coach.
As an advisor to closely-held agriculture businesses for over 20 years, Lance Woodbury works as a member of the Next Gen team to provide an expert level of guidance surrounding long-term planning discussions and decisions to meet both business and family goals. Lance specializes in coaching family businesses as they work through estate and succession planning issues, tackle difficult discussions, and create plans to protect and pass on legacies.
Lance brings a robust background in agriculture as a founding partner of Ag Progress, a former leader in K·Coe Isom’s agribusiness practice, and experience working on his family’s farm and ranch in Wichita County, Kansas. He has also served on the board of the Kansas Agriculture and Rural Leadership (KARL) program and is a member of the Farm Foundation Round Table. Lance holds Fellow
status with the Family Firm Institute, is a certified Kolbe Consultant and has facilitated family business discussions throughout the rural United States for over 20 years.
He also facilitates several farm and ranch ownership peer groups and writes about family business issues for DTN/The Progressive Farmer. Lance has published two books on family business, The Enduring Legacy: Essential Family Business Values and Family Business: Genesis 37-50 and the Family of Joseph. Lance founded and continues to operate an affiliate partner of K·Coe Isom, The Progress Coach, a program dedicated to providing ongoing educational sessions for current and future business owners centered on ownership, management and relationship strategies.
Mandy Barbee, MA Economics & CCHT founder of Palladium Mind, is a transformation and healing expert who has helped hundreds of clients across the globe to overcome anxiousness and thrive in business, health, and life. By combining the power of imagery with their innate capabilities, she empowers men and women to regain a positive sense of control, transcend struggle, and enjoy everything more.
Mandy’s signature method is the natural result of certifications in clinical hypnotherapy, neurolinguistics, and mind-body connection intersecting with 15 years of leadership experience in three commercial industries and the US military. She is obsessed with co-creating massive, lasting & positive changes with others using practical actions and fun, natural techniques.
Here is the recap of the twelfth season of the CHARGE Podcast. Check out our show notes at CHARGEPODCAST.COM for more information.
Ryan's purpose is to live with passion, presence, and optimism, and to positively impact people to maximize their potential so that we can all create and live the life we love!
He currently works as the Sport Performance Supervisor at Barton Health in South Lake Tahoe. Prior to Barton, Ryan was a performance and strength & conditioning coach at Princeton University, Seton Hall University, Iona College, and the University of Hartford.
Carr is a Certified Mental Performance Consultant through the Association for Applied Sport Psychology, earned his master's degree in Sport Psychology, and is currently pursuing a Doctorate degree in Sport and Performance Psychology focusing on Positive Leadership Administration.
Tommy Breedlove is a Wall Street Journal & USA Today bestselling author of the book, Legendary. He is a relationship and mindset coach who is a regularly featured keynote speaker at global events. He serves clients and audiences by empowering them to build and live Legendary Lives. He guides them to build a lasting legacy, work in their zone of brilliance, obtain financial confidence, and live with meaning and balance.
Nina Venturella is a Certified Nutrition Specialist, Certified Personal Trainer, and nutritionist who has worked in the field of health for over 20 years. In her career, she struggled with clients improving, but not resolving core health issues. Realizing that she could achieve greater results, not only by putting “good stuff in” but at the same time “getting bad stuff out”, Nina began her studies in detoxification. With a focus on the lymphatic system, the primary location where toxins are stored in the body, Nina has developed a process called X’Tract.
She is the CEO of Majestic Wellness Academy and One Box Fits All. She is also an award-winning author of the book Unveiled Truth. Nina is passionate about sharing her message through teaching and public speaking.
Dolores Hirschmann is an internationally recognized strategist, coach, speaker, and founder of Masters in Clarity, a strategy and coaching company that helps clients clarify their message and implement virtual business growth systems. Dolores has been a remote employee and virtual business owner for over 20 years. As a former TEDx organizer, Dolores understands how to help experts, authors, consultants, coaches, doctors and other service business owners position themselves as thought leaders in their field and scale their business.
Company Founder, Podcast Host, and Author
Dr. James Richardson is the founder of Premium Growth Solutions, a strategic planning consultancy for early-stage consumer-packaged goods brands. He has helped more than 75 CPG brands, including those owned by Coca-Cola Venturing as well as emerging brands such as Mother Kombucha. He also hosts his own podcast—Startup Confidential, and his thoughts appear regularly in industry publications such as Foodnavigator. James is also the author Ramping Your Brand a #1 best-selling book for business consulting on Amazon
Don’t be fooled by his age! Jared Curry, 18 years old, is already the CEO of Scope Marketing where he oversees a team of completely remote digital marketing geniuses. They are helping new companies double their ROAs within weeks. At 16, Jared Curry read Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki and it changed his life. Now, Jared is changing the face of eComm marketing.
Clint is a seasoned entrepreneur with over 30 years of experience as a project manager and leader. He is a published author, teacher and expert in team building and the art of conversation. Clint is a ForbesBooks Featured Author, ForbesSpeakers Thought Leader and frequently speaks at conferences on the subject of project management and teamwork, including the Executive Education program in the Scheller College of Business at the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he is an adjunct professor.
Peter Winick is the founder and CEO of Thought Leadership Leverage. For the past two decades he has helped individuals and organizations build and grow revenue streams through designing and growing their thought leadership platforms as well as acting as a guide and advisor for increasing business to business sales of thought leadership products.
His clients come from a diverse set of backgrounds and specialties. They include New York Times bestselling business book authors, members of the Speakers’ Hall of Fame, recipients of the Thinkers50 award, CEOs of public and privately held companies, and academics at prestigious institutions such as Yale, Wharton, Dartmouth, and London School of Business.
Peter has built his career and Thought Leadership Leverage to serve the needs of these individuals and others like them. Specifically, he uses his entrepreneurial experience and spirit along with a passion for using relationships to leverage growth. He uses a combination of art, science, logic, focus, passion, and creativity to transform a thought leader’s great ideas into a platform and practice so they can effectively reach business leaders and executives to serve them the tools they and their organizations need.
Jennifer 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 across Greater China, Mexico, the U.K., and the U.S. 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 startups and large value-based organizations. She assists her clients in building talent strategies that complement their business strategies to ensure exponential growth.
She lives in Texas with her family and rescues. In her free time, she enjoys reading, historic preservation, remodeling her lake home, and spending time with friends.
Gary Wilbers has been a successful entrepreneur his entire life. He now uses the knowledge he’s gained through his experiences to help individuals & organizations ascend to their peak through coaching, training & speaking. He is also the author of three books, Positive Culture Wins, 21 Ways to Attract, Retain & Engage Millennials and The High Achiever Leadership Formula. Gary's fourth book, Cultivate Positive Culture: 10 Actions to Faithful Living, comes out October of 2020.
Gary is involved in his community and gives his time and resources to several organizations. His passion is working with Special Olympics Missouri. He currently serves as Chair of the Special Olympics Missouri Board of Directors and also served as the Capital Campaign Chair for the Training for Life Campus fund drive which funded the building of a state-of-the-art facility for Missouri athletes. One of his greatest joys is playing unified golf with Keith Lueckenhoff, a SOMO athlete.
Gary and his wife Dana have three children, Chris, Adam and Elle, and reside in Wardsville, MO.
Part CEO, part personal development wonk, and part biohacker info geek, Thom King is a self-confessed serial entrepreneur. While his favorite book list contains many success-oriented and personal-development classics, the traditional definition of achieving success (e.g. make a lot of money) is not what inspires or motivates King. He follows more of a “you aren’t doing well unless you’re also doing some good” line of thinking. King’s company has been built around the simple principle of “do the right thing.”
In 1999, Thom’s personal passion for food and his concern over the explosion of metabolic disease led him to found Steviva Brands,
now known as Icon Foods, with a mission to help food manufacturers replace unhealthy sugars in their products with natural options.
With 20 years of R&D work, Thom has helped hundreds of manufacturers improve the quality of their products. In recent years, his passion for food and optimal health have intersected with his embrace of a ketogenic (low carb, high fat) diet.
Commander Dave Sears, USN (ret.) served 20 years of active military duty within the United States Special Operations Command as a U.S. Navy SEAL officer. Commander Sears served on multiple east coast SEAL Teams, Naval Special Warfare Development Group, Joint Commands, and Headquarters USSOCOM. Dave has participated in a number of conflicts and contingency operations in Latin America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. He is a graduate of Boston University and the Naval Post Graduate School with an MS in Defense Analysis. He currently works as Keynote Speaker, Managing Partner at Xundis Global, Senior Consultant and Advisor to multiple clients in the Defense and Technology space, an Adjunct to the Joint Special Operations University, and is a regular guest commentator on Fox News, Fox Business, CNN, and CBSN.
Here is the recap of the eleventh season of the CHARGE Podcast. Check out our show notes at CHARGEPODCAST.COM for more information.
Jason’s success as a leader has spanned more than two decades throughout the private sector, nonprofit sector, and public sector. Building high-performance teams has been his silver bullet to propel multiple seven-figure businesses. His practical and systematic approach to building business through happy, healthy, loyal teams, is now wrapped up in the High Performance Team Effect. Jason is also the current Mayor of South Lake Tahoe, CA. His leadership experience, positivity, and collaborative mindset is serving a pivotal role in managing the COVID crisis.
Jennifer Longmore, Leading Authority on Soul Purpose, and Elite Business Coach to enlightened entrepreneurs, is a sought-after media personality, 3-time best selling author, is world-renowned for her laser like clarity in seeing into the depths of your soul and bridging your connection to universal consciousness.
For more than 15 years, she has served clients in permanently shifting the limiting beliefs and patterns that prevent them from being who they really are so that they can live their most abundant, aligned and accelerated soul’s journey. With over 30,000 soul purpose sessions, including the who’s-who of actors, professional athletes, CEO’s of leading companies and other influential luminaries, Jennifer continues to offer these high-level sessions to souls who are really committed to shine their light.
Rick proudly serves as the CEO of CH&M. CH&M is a family of businesses with a focus on PEOPLE over PROFITS. All too often, companies have neglected to see the synergies of a healthy work-life balance. An overworked, unappreciated employee brings that home with him/her, putting stress on important personal relationships. However, employees that are treated with the decency and respect they deserve will become better husbands, fathers, wives, mothers, friends, and neighbors. Rick believes that if a company focuses on the well-being of its people, the profits needed to fund or grow the business will happen through the dedication and love of its employees. Therefore, he is proud to say that all the companies under the CH&M umbrella are faith-based, family-focused companies centered around compassion for others, leadership over management, and zeal to see all employees fulfill their personal, professional, and spiritual potential.
Tim is the founder of Angiepalooza and Red Slipper Warrior Project.
He is a 32 year veteran of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Tim founded Angiepalooza and Red Slipper Warrior Project after the death of his newlywed bride, Angie to colon cancer. He continues the mission today, promoting the empowerment of women and young girls fighting cancer.
A native of St. Joseph, MO, Stephen Minnis received his Bachelor’s degree from Benedictine College in 1982. He obtained his Juris Doctorate degree from Washburn University in 1985 and Master’s of Business Administration degree in 1993 from Baker University. Minnis began his legal career in the county prosecutor’s office for Johnson County, Kansas. Then at Sprint Corporation, he held the position of director, state regulatory and general attorney for 14 years.
He served as president of the Benedictine College Alumni Association from 1991 to 1995 and joined the Benedictine College Board of Directors in 1992, serving until October 2004 when he became president of the college. He was honored with Benedictine’s Kansas Monk Award as an outstanding alumnus in 2001 and co-chaired the college’s successful 2004 Scholarship Ball.
Grant founded OnlineDegree.com with a purpose-driven mission: make college more accessible and affordable for everyone. After graduating college with an overwhelming amount of debt, he was determined to change how students embark on their college education. Grant has spent his entire career working in startups with nearly 15 years of experience and 2 prior exits to a publicly traded company. He has been a board member and donor to a number of non-profits, an advisor to many publicly traded companies and a guest speaker at seminars and graduate school courses. He graduated with honors from University of California Irvine in Economics.
Dr. Larry Linthacum is the superintendent of Jefferson City Public Schools. Dr. Linthacum has been in education for 26 years, 12 of those as a superintendent, and the last 5 in the Jefferson City Public school district. This brings his education career full circle in that he began as a Business teacher and Coach at Jefferson City High School. Dr. Linthacum received his BS from the University of Missouri Columbia where he was a four-year letterman on the football team. His Masters Degree and Specialist Degree in Superintendency are from Northwest Missouri State University. Dr. Linthacum received his Doctorate of Education from the University of Missouri Columbia in 2016. He has been married to his wife Angie for 21 years and they have 4 children: Micah, Sarah, Hannah, and Thomas.
Mitchell is COO of Discover Praxis – a startup bootcamp and job placement program for entrepreneurial young professionals who want more than college. He's the author of Don’t Do Stuff You Hate, and frequently writes about how to navigate life and careers. He's radical about creating a better future and helping others do the same.
Michele is an Executive Confidence Coach & Rapid Rewire Expert and Founder and CEO of Nectar Consulting Inc. Michele uses brilliant techniques to shift mental blocks and enhance the capacity of leaders, helping them build high performing teams and exponentially increasing bottom-line results.
Bio:
Jeff Mains is an expert at turning ideas into enterprises. He has built five companies generating over $200 million in combined revenue. He is the founder and CEO of Intelligent Contacts, a software company which fixes one of the biggest problems in healthcare . . . billing. Helping healthcare providers extend the same great patient experience of care onward through a patient-friendly billing process.
Fanatical about helping entrepreneurs build stellar companies Jeff leads a growth accelerator called Champion Leadership Group. Through it he coaches business leaders to navigate complex challenges and future-proof their business models to weather the inevitable storms of life.
Combining his business experience with hobbies such as scuba diving, shark photography, flying, and boating Jeff brings fresh perspective linking business lessons to everyday life. He is the author of the new book Small Fish, Big Pond: Building a World Class Business That Swims Circles Around Competitors.
Wilhelmina lives to be outside; a dream to influence and educate led to Digital Marketing. Wilhelmina started her career working with equestrian entrepreneurs nationwide before moving home to Las Vegas. While in Las Vegas she began working with creatives, lawyers and medical device companies utilizing social media for sales acceleration, maximizing organic reach and earning up to $2.6 Million in sales within 90 days. After moving to St. Louis for love, Wilhelmina began working with coaches and small business owners who needed a market presence online and an increase in sales. She enjoys providing the all in one tech stack for operations, sales and marketing.
Here is the recap of the tenth season of the CHARGE Podcast. Check out our show notes at CHARGEPODCAST.COM for more information.
MICHAEL A. BONVENTRE Former Undercover Consultant to Citizens & Law Enforcement, Entrepreneur / New & Struggling Business Motivational Speaker / Author / Consultant / Business Coach
Michael Bonventre has consulted federal, state, county agencies, small businesses, large corporations, private groups, and families since 1982. Mr. Bonventre began speaking to business owners, corporations, and educational institutions about profit and loss issues that plague businesses and communities nationwide.
In 1999 he developed Rapid Drug Test Systems which is currently a leader in the drug & alcohol testing industry.
In 2010 Michael self-published a book titled Drug Testing Exposed "Loopholes and Trade Secrets". Since that book was published Mike has been lecturing and presenting new and struggling business and franchise consulting nationwide. Michael is the founder of Failure Eludes Me "Success Simplified" consulting and seminars. Mike Bonventre reveals the secrets of success in everything he has accomplished as an entrepreneur throughout his life including a 32-year career as a business owner, consultant, trainer, and mentor.
Michael is a much sought after speaker at colleges, universities, corporations, and public forums nationwide to address business ethics, society, health, and human behavior students.
Vikram Rajan is the co-founder of Videosocials.net, a community of everyday professionals who HATE being on camera, but overcome their excuses to get marketing results by "video blogging together, fun & done!" Vik has been on dozens of podcasts, has hosted Presenters Podcast, and presents often at regional Bar Associations & CPA Societies.
Earl is an accomplished corporate executive, entrepreneur and author. He is currently the Founder and Managing Partner of Richer Life, LLC.
Earl forged a successful and rewarding 34-year corporate career as a Systems Engineer, Project/Program Manager, and Corporate & Technology Executive. He has held senior technical and leadership positions within Fortune 100, Mid-market and Venture companies.
Earl has been honored with numerous national awards for professional achievement including the 1995 Black Engineer of the Year Award for professional achievement in industry.
He is the author of eleven published books. His first book on leadership development was released in November 2011 and is titled Focused Leadership: What You Can Do Today to Become a More Effective Leader. His newest book, The SMART Leader and the Skinny Principles: How to Lead and Win with Any Organization was released in October 2019.
He and his wife of 37 years, Dr. Charlotte Grant-Cobb, have authored four books together. Earl is also father of one and grandfather of three (with the oldest being a teenager). Earl is retired but still finds enjoyment and challenge in what he wakes up a does every day which includes being a part time consultant, public speaker, radio talk show host and CEO and publisher of some wonderful trade books.
Roderic Yapp is an experienced speaker, facilitator, and coach who specializes in developing leaders by changing the way people think and behave.
A former Royal Marines Officer, Yapp was fortunate enough to lead Marines on operations around the world. The highlights of his career include leading thirty Royal Marines into combat on the front-line in Afghanistan and the evacuation of civilians from Libya during the Arab Spring. Roderic also led the recapture of the 55,000-ton MV Montecristo from pirate control in 2011, as part of a NATO counter-piracy task force off the Somali coast.
Roderic joined the Urenco Group in 2012 where he was responsible for coaching and developing leaders using an Operational Excellence model. In 2015, he founded Leadership Forces which focuses on developing leaders within organizations. His clients include HSBC, Deloitte, Jaguar, Land Rover, Rolls Royce, and Nato.
Tom Morris, is a “Real World" Motivator that works as the Senior Director of Athletic Performance at Indiana University, He specializes in strength and conditioning for Olympic and collegiate athletes.
He is not a “motivational speaker”. He is a motivator that takes time away from his full-time job to share his story to show people that anything is possible.
For a large part of Tom’s life, he took for granted what a healthy strong body and mind play into your everyday life. Growing up as an athlete and being surrounded by sports led Tom to live a physically active and competitive lifestyle. Tom has raced in numerous cycling races, 12/24/36/72-hour adventure races, and triathlons of all distances. After suffering a spinal cord injury in May of 2012, he went from being on top of the world both mentally and physically to being what he refers to as “Zeroed Out”. Tom went from racing some of the toughest races on earth to not being able to push a wheelchair more than 5 ft. This life-changing event made him realize how fortunate we are to wake up each and every day. To have the ability to live life without barriers. To have the option to achieve any goal that we want.
One of Tom’s biggest passions in life is to help others achieve their own goals. He uses his energy, passion for life and his own personal story with the hope that it can to show others that anything in life is attainable, if you just start, and never ever give up.
Chris Chura is the owner of Chura Consulting LLC - St. Louis, Missouri. Chris grew up in St. Louis and lived there most of his life. After graduating from Missouri State University, he worked for companies like AT&T, Wireless Retail and RadioShack which gave him the “real” education in direct & retail sales, sales management and sales coaching. For most of his career he has worked with small business and franchise owners. Chris is passionate about helping entrepreneurs get the most out of their business!
Nathan Akpan is a speaker, life/ business strategist, and subconscious behaviorist who is passionate about helping people unlock the greater potential and free them from the shackles of mind conditioning.
Dubbed the "young Wayne Proctor" by some of his peers (which is a play on being a hybrid of the Late Dr. Wayne Dyer & the Iconic personal growth teacher Mr. Bob Proctor) due to his marriage of high performance, psychological principles with timeless universal and metaphysical principles. He is unendingly fascinated about the mind and employs a variety of modalities like active and conversational hypnosis, NLP, handwriting analysis, Real-time advanced neurofeedback, Thought field therapy and others to help his clients achieve higher states of performance and consciousness.
He possesses a talent for public speaking and a great ability to break complex ideas down to what is familiar to his audience of any age. His teaching style is definitely one to experience!
He has taken up the mission of reaching 10 million people in the next 10 years through his online programs and live teaching seminars and retreats around the world and wishes to do more work in developing nations to empower them in the use of their minds in altering.
Megan Dyer is a highly regarded digital marketer, social media & brand strategist, and sales trainer. She has been helping businesses and individuals grow their brands online (and off-line) for over a decade. As the CEO of Prosper Media, host of The Prosper Podcast, and a mom of 7, Megan brings something a little different to the table than the average digital marketer- she brings the Bible. In a world of manipulation marketing, Megan aims to help her clients prosper through sound Biblical principles.
In 1987, John O’Leary was a curious nine-year-old boy. Playing with fire and gasoline, John created a massive explosion in his home and was burned on 100% of his body. He was given less than a 1% chance to live. This epic story of survival was first showcased in his parents’ book, Overwhelming Odds, in 2006. Originally printing 200 copies for friends and family, his parents have sold 60,000+ copies. It was this book that first invited John to embrace his miraculous recovery and share it with the world. John inspires 50,000+ people at 100+ events each year. He speaks to companies and organizations across industries, such as: sales, healthcare, safety, marketing, finance, faith, education and insurance. His emotional story-telling, unexpected humor and authenticity make each of his presentations truly transformational. John’s first book ON FIRE: The 7 Choices to Ignite a Radically Inspired Life was an instant #1 National Bestseller; 200,000+ copies have sold and it has been translated into 12 languages. John’s Live Inspired Podcast is top rated on Apple Podcast and has more than 2,000,000 downloads. His second book IN AWE: Rediscover Your Childlike Wonder to Unleash Inspiration, Meaning and Joy will be published by Penguin Random House in May 2020. John considers his greatest success to be his marriage to his wife Beth, their four children and his relationships with friends and family.
Jack Randall challenges people to ask themselves a simple question each day: “Am I working on the important things that matter most to me?” With an extensive background in insurance and reinsurance, Jack is CVO and Co-founder of Randall Resources International. He works exclusively with people and organizations who want a clear picture of success and a road map to get them there.
As a professional speaker, executive coach, consultant, and author, Jack’s mission and passion is to help people discover, understand, and pursue God’s unique calling for them and their individual role as leaders. This became the driving force behind his first book, “Man In The Windmill: Perceptions, Choices, and Pursuing Your Calling.”
Jeff Schechter, aka “Shecky” has had the entrepreneurial bug his entire life. He started his first business right out of college, and over the years has been involved in numerous business ventures. His love for real estate investing began in the 1980s when he rehabbed 5 of his own residences, before the term “house-hacking” even existed.
Since those early days of torn up kitchens and bathrooms, he’s bought and sold many properties and is an active investor to this day. In addition to investing, he operates a private consulting practice. He thrives on helping people realize their full potential...not just in business and investing, but in all aspects of life.
John Jantsch is a marketing consultant, speaker, and author of Duct Tape Marketing, The Referral Engine, Duct Tape Selling, The Commitment Engine, and SEO for Growth. His newest work, The Self-Reliant Entrepreneur: 366 Daily Meditations to Feed Your Soul and Grow Your Business taps into the wisdom of 19th-century transcendentalist literature and the author’s own 30-year entrepreneurial journey to challenge today’s entrepreneur to remain fiercely self-reliant while chasing their own version of success. In addition to his own writing, speaking and consulting career Jantsch is a podcasting pioneer, with a continuous string of weekly podcast episodes dating back to the summer of 2005. He has interviewed thousands of guests and appeared on the other side of the mic, as a guest, hundreds of times.
Jonathan spent the last Great Recession huddled in the fetal position on the floor of his office. He borrowed $250,000 from his mother-in-law to survive. Jonathan paid his mother-in-law back and is now highly sought-after consultant (and, yes, he’s still married!). The savvy entrepreneurs are the ones making plans now, so they can be buyers when opportunity knocks. They’re looking forward to purchasing failing companies and hiring top talent when others are caught unprepared by a recession. Jonathan understands not only how to prepare your business for the next major recession but also how to turn it into a profitable opportunity.
Here is the recap of the ninth season of the CHARGE Podcast. Check out our show notes at CHARGEPODCAST.COM for more information.
Jeff Butler is the author of two provocative books - The Authentic Workplace and The Key To The New You. Having written over 100 articles on workplace dynamics, his insights have been featured in dozens of media outlets such as Forbes and HR News. In addition, he has appeared on TEDx in both 2016 and 2017 with both talks focusing on psychology. Before Jeff founded his workplace consulting company, he spent almost a decade in Silicon Valley working as a Software Engineer which is where his initial interest in organization psychology began to develop. Since then, he has personally addressed over 100 organizations internationally on workplace dynamics issues such as Google, Amazon, LinkedIn, and Wells Fargo. He lives in Boston, MA with his family.
Larry Stevenson began helping people find and earn scholarships in 1984 when he read about one girl, with a 3.6 GPA, who earned $310,000 before the age of computers. He has spent the last decade helping thousands of students--from 13 to 62 years of age--to earn free money for college.
As a professional trainer he taught 1,700+ groups in 22+ countries. He has authored 5 books including Get Free Money for College! Enjoy $100,000s in Scholarships--at Any Age! and How to Find 50-100 Scholarships Perfect for You!