Change Your Mindset

“It's always been about making my audience better, better leaders, better communicators and have fun in their lives” Peter Margaritis As we say goodbye to the old, we are grateful for all the guests who have graced our show from the first episode seven years ago till now, with 207 episodes aired we are grateful for our listeners who have made this possible. We will still be rebranding and coming back better and bigger, especially with the launch of the Bourbon Whisky Podcast “The Kentucky Bourbon Whisky Snob Pod” on YouTube and Ky in Video in September. You can find out more on the new podcast on Peter's social media handles: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petermargaritis   Listen to this and so much more in the episode; petermargaritis.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Accounting is not just about money, it's about what I do to make other people's lives better” Bill Sheridan Bill Sheridan is a knowledge hunter, content curator, and lifelong learner. As chief communications officer for the Maryland Association of CPAs, he created and co-authors the association's acclaimed blog, CPA Success; produces the MACPA's “CPA Spotlight” podcast; and manages the association's member communications and numerous social networks. Bill speaks regularly at national conferences on the future of the accounting and finance profession, the strategic uses of social media, and the evolution of communication, collaboration and education. He delivers frequent presentations on behalf of the Business Learning Institute and is a certified Insights to Action strategic facilitator. He is inspired by and in awe of his wife, Alison, and their daughter, Molly. They live in St. Louis, Mo. As accountants in an ever-changing world, we need to know the facts but the one thing we need in order to remain relevant is learn people skills, go beyond what you now to who you are working for and with. Building better relationships and anticipation of changes that happen with people. Knowing where we are in the technological scene, sooner or later we will be using it to crunch numbers in the accounting scenes and this means as accountants, we will have to develop necessary skills that machines cannot duplicate and do, making us relevant in changing times. You can catch Bill on his socials: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billdsheridan https://twitter.com/BillSheridan Listen to this and so much more in the episode; petermargaritis.com   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Our value as CPA's goes beyond giving out facts in any situation. They act as the voice of reason and turn ideas into reality” David Peters David R. Peters is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Certified Financial Planner (CFP), with over fifteen years of experience in financial services. He was formerly the Chief Financial Officer of Compare.com and has been a financial advisor since 2015. He holds master's degrees in accounting, business administration, and financial services and is pursuing a Ph.D. in Financial Planning & Retirement Income at The American College. He is currently a continuing education instructor for the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Surgent, and Kaplan Professional, and the President and owner of David Peters Financial Group Inc, Peters Tax Preparation & Consulting PC, and Peters Professional Education LLC. People dealing with complex financial jargons that they don't understand need someone to simplify the information and give they sound advice and that is what David believes CPA's are. There is a level of trust that one needs in order to put your life in someone else's hands. As a person you can learn the words of anything but you need to go beyond the words and actually communicate in a way that makes sense to the people in the room with you and it leads you as an accountant to go beyond your normal facts and learn something new. He brings on board his experiences and what he believes is the future and progression of CPA as a whole. More and more the accounting profession is coming off from just a room of accountants to meetings with different individuals, who have different functions in an organization. The accountant needs to begin to evolve and adapt to be able to cater for the needs of all these people. You can catch David on his socials: https://www.davidpetersfinancial.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-peters-financial/ https://www.facebook.com/davidpetersfinancial https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBLKAMd0JeKpm6Y9rv4_oLQ https://www.buzzsprout.com/1185392 https://open.spotify.com/show/3qaBHGu27HncW2vtv8YpQ0   Listen to this and so much more in the episode; petermargaritis.com   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“It's not about how good your culture is, how good it needs to be to move forward.” Joey Havens Joey Havens, CPA, is currently serving HORNE as the managing partner of strategic growth. Joey actively challenges the mainstays of business culture and strategic planning. He advocates for a faster approach to growing leaders using a holistic approach and intentional sponsorship. Joey is an active member of CPA Practice Advisor's Top 30 Thought Leaders, where he works with other accounting professionals to help lead and shape the industry. Joey is a frequent presenter/teacher/facilitator on creating a culture of belonging, strategic planning, and leadership development and loves to teach young professionals the “ABCs to Outstanding.” He currently serves on the board of The Mustard Seed, a Christian community for adults with developmental disabilities, and Empower Mississippi. He is a past board member of HORNE LLP, Friends of Children's Hospital, JDRF, Make-A-Wish Foundation, and the AICPA Women's Initiative Executive Committee. Joey believes in working at an organization's culture as the soul and core. Culture is the soul of the organization; it's the people, their language, it's the behaviors we allow over time and accept them. He brings to the table more than 30 years as an influencer. He shares his experiences about organizational culture, what he has learned, and how culture influences the growth of an organization, whether positive or negative. How autonomy works in the organization and how to use it to increase the culture. You can catch Joey on his socials: https://joeyhavens.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/joeyhavens https://twitter.com/joeyhavenscpa https://www.instagram.com/joeydhavens/ Listen to this and so much more in the episode; petermargaritis.com   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“The whole world is in the mode of we have to control everything, what we do, the money, the people, the situations.” Lee Cockerell Our guest today is Lee Cockerell who is the former Executive Vice President of Operations for the Walt Disney World® Resort. One of Lee's major and lasting legacies was the creation of Disney Great Leader Strategies which was used to train and develop the 7000 leaders at Walt Disney World. Lee has held various executive positions in the hospitality and entertainment business with Hilton Hotels for 8 years and the Marriott Corporation for 17 years before joining Disney in 1990 to open the Disneyland Paris project. He is now dedicating his time to public speaking, authoring a book on leadership, management and service excellence titled, Creating Magic…10 Common Sense Leadership Strategies from a Life at Disney. which is now available in 13 languages and his latest book, The Customer Rules…The 39 Essential Rules for Delivering Sensational Service. Leadership is about learning, unlearning and relearning what is out there, taking in what you were taught but also having the capacity and mind set to make up your own mind in any situation. Every situation is different but the way we handle it tells a lot of who you are and what you want to accomplish in this life. When dealing with people, understand that they come from different backgrounds, have different stress levels and knowing how to balance it. Being professional is knowing what you are doing, learning on how to better it and how you carry yourself. You can catch Lee on his socials: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leecockerell/ https://www.facebook.com/createmagic/ https://www.leecockerell.com/ https://twitter.com/leecockerell?lang=en   Listen to this and so much more in the episode; petermargaritis.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“The beauty of good leadership is having the ability of having a wonderful platform to impact someone that you may never know how so.“ Ruben Minor Our guest today is Ruben Minor, who is the president of RAM Consulting Group, an organization that focuses on speaking training and coaching individuals and groups regarding leadership, team dynamics, relationship building, diversity, equity and inclusion, fundamental business philosophies, and business and personal branding. Reuben is a leader with a rich and resourceful network of professionals across the business spectrum, ranging from influential political figures to educational leaders and entrepreneurs.  Ruben leverages his network to make more meaningful connections for his clients and business partners that evolved into lasting mutual beneficial relationships. Ruben also served this country for 15 years in the US Navy as a supply Corp officer, is a John Maxwell certified professional speaker, trainer and coach and intimately engaged in the community, serving as president of the Council for the village of Galena. Reuben enjoys spending time with family, history movies and hiking and as a side note, is a professional speaker.  Corporations have learned a lot post COVID, as employees have realized that they do not have to put up with toxic work environments. Unfriendly cultures have been in place for decades, and is therefore not expected to change overnight. It's going to be a constant, intentional effort by those in leadership, and making sure that they're keeping in step with what the culture is in the corporate community.  The beauty of good leadership is having the ability of having a wonderful platform to impact someone that you may never know how so.  Listen to this and so much more in the episode; petermargaritis.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"As a leader, you cannot respect others if you do not respect yourself." Lauren Schieffer Our guest today is Lauren Schieffer, whose passion is helping organizations that want to build their next generation of leaders. Whether it's training, keynotes, or longer-term consulting partnerships, she uses her Nine Essentials of Significant Leadership to help transform the way managers think, makes decisions & act toward the people they lead. In her varied career, Lauren has navigated almost every aspect of corporate America – from trucking to achieving top-tier Sales Director status for a global cosmetics firm to managing a non-profit foundation. Today she is here to speak about her Nine Essentials of Significant Leadership and her perspective on how a leader needs to be accommodative of each person's differences. Lessons that the pandemic taught us and what we need to know from that. In leadership, the difference between significance and success is that success is about inward accomplishments that you have done. It's all about you. Significance is about outward focus, how many lives you touch, and how you change the community. Lauren is focused on growing others first. You can catch Lauren on her socials: https://laurenschieffer.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenannschieffer/ https://www.facebook.com/Lauren-Schieffer-High-Road-Solutions-191278604217872/ https://twitter.com/lschieffer https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLRuzLkApRfy5G5XPieEwow   Listen to this and so much more in the episode; petermargaritis.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"The mistake that people in higher education make is operating from the Eras passed rather than the Era that we currently live in." Kate Colbert Our guest today is Kate Colbert, a former higher-education insider, and current world-renowned marketing expert who develops college-and-university brand stories that are meaningful to the prospective student and measurable on the institutional balance sheet. She has overseen brand and enrollment marketing, public relations, and alum relations at two Chicago-area graduate schools. Kate has additional expertise in corporate education, university crisis management, and faculty relations. She is a six-time recipient of CASE District V's annual awards for excellence in marketing and communications. Today she is here to speak about her new book: Commencement: The Beginning of a New Era in Higher Education. Higher education's future and our role in making it happen. She gives her perspective on where we are going and the changes institutions must make to make them more competitive in the changing times. Kate is keen on giving the best experience to learners and giving them skills not only just for the sake of getting a certificate but enhancing and giving them skills that are not found redundant with the world going into automation and more technology. The idea from her book is getting micro-credentials that give you valuable skills no matter the changes being seen.   You can catch Kate on her socials: https://twitter.com/KateColbert https://www.linkedin.com/today/author/katecolbert https://www.facebook.com/KateColbertAuthor/ https://www.instagram.com/katecolbert6121/   Listen to this and so much more in the episode; petermargaritis.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“I realized after failing 6 times that Improv is something that is teachable,” Nathan Minns Our Guest for today's episode is Nathan Minns, who uses Improv comedy as a tool to develop confidence in innovation and communication. He is the founder of Green Light Improv. Nathan takes us on a journey of Improv as it is used in a business setting. The lessons he has garnered throughout the years and his stories make improv seem not so scary. And it isn't scary at all. Listen to this and so much more in the episode; petermargaritis.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Do not drink Bourbon with coke; it will give you less of a hangover,”"Peter Margaritis On today'sepisode, Peter llookst the incredible journey he has gone through in the last 7 seven years with his podcast “Change Your Mindset” amazing guests he has had over the years. As he introduces us to a whole new chapter of his podcast, Journey into the World of Bourbon. He is not saying goodbye yet to the “Change Your Mindset” podcast; he just wants to explore more and live his life a little bit fuller. We welcome you to pitch a seat, relax and enjoy all things bourbon (or American bourbon), as Peter calls it. As we take you on a cruise of American bourbon, and storied that go with sharing wisdom and fun with a glass in your hand. "The Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Snob Podcast” will be launched soon. Listen to this and so much more in the episode; petermargaritis.com   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"We are strategic co-creators; that is the magic of crystallization when someone sees the brilliance in you, writes it down, and shares it with you" Theresa Rose. Our guest today is Theresa Rose, with 20+ Years of consulting, marketing, and business management experience, drives Theresa's strategic thinking, creativity, and sound foundational frameworks. Her career has included senior management roles in marketing and product development for a Fortune 100 company and high-growth startups. In addition, as a former Community Builder and Head of Thought Leadership for an executive network, Theresa has seen the challenges of growing a thriving business based on personal intellectual property and how to amplify it for maximum income and impact strategically. Theresa Rose brings a wealth of wisdom on the power of strategic marketing. A business grows when finding solutions to the world's problems by finding passion in your own life that motivates you to bring your best. Each of us can create a memorable picture model of who we are from 3-5 words that we can come up with from so much verbiage that can give us a more transparent and more precise goal of what we want and how we can succeed with this in mind. This gives you a comprehension of the actions you must focus on to achieve your goal. Listen to this and so much more in the episode; petermargaritis.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“During travel I would never take out my frustrations on another human being. It isn't their problem it's mine” Roxanne Kaufman Our guest today is Roxanne Kaufman who is a certified Virtual presenter and a member for the National; Speakers Association and also credentialed by eSpeakers. She leads RoxTalks which is a division of ProLaureate Ltd. She is comfortable on a massive stage as I am speaking virtually to a small group. In her dynamic life Roxanne had moved 22 times before she graduated high school. She speaks today about the world of travel and how these experiences have impacted her life. Traveling sometimes maybe stressful but changing your view of the whole experience can make your trips feel exciting and less stressful. Listen to this and so much more in the episode; petermargaritis.com   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“No matter what happens during your travel, do not lose it at the people who you need help from.” Jennifer Elder Our guest for today is Jennifer Elder, CSP, CPA who works with proactive leaders and organizations that want to survive, thrive, and adapt to rapid change, risk, and disasters by developing proactive and positive strategies to stay ahead of the competition, make smart decisions, stay ethical, and continually add value. In her effort to make a difference, Jennifer has travelled a lot for work and gives insight on some of the experiences that she has gone through.  What makes a difference in making one own travel, smooth and easier, some of the dos and don'ts of travel. One of the take always from this conversation would be, always do your best to be as humane as possible whether you are traveling or handlings clients who are travelling. Listen to this and so much more in the episode; petermargaritis.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“You have to layer your voice to make anything you do uniquely you.” Bill and Don Tomoff Bill and Don Tomoff share a passion for helping others based on their career experiences, interest, and personal/professional growth. They use their #TwinzTalk and #TwinzTechTip hashtags for tips that will help others evolve their skills, awareness, and mindset on development, enabling others to become stronger people and contributors to the world around them! ChatGTP, according to the twins, is about learning for you to help others learn, which is why they advocate for it. It's about making things easy for the user. The good news is that ChatGPT can be applied in all the fields as long as you custom-make it for your own needs. Listen to this and so much more in the episode; petermargaritis.com   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Your mind sometimes hijacks your emotions to think the worst-case scenario in order to protect yourself. You need to reclaim your mind in order to be in control.” Jay Sukow Jay began teaching for Second City in 2010 and teaches in both the Improv and Conservatory programs. He is also a facilitator with Second City Works, teaching improv to business professionals to drive behavior change. Previously, he was on faculty at The Second City Chicago, iO Chicago, and ComedySportz Chicago. He is the co-host of “Improvcast with Jay and Landon” and currently performs around town with the group Zer0 H0ur with Bill Chott and Jay Sukow, as well as the monthly show Improv Famous. He has over 25 years of experience as a leader. As an Improv leader and coach, Jay speaks about the dynamics of living the future and having a standard that we can never live up to instead of living in the moment and the “now.” A difference in how we look at the world shifts our focus from our failures into the zone of learning and growing. We will always have stressors in our lives, and instead of avoiding them, we need to learn how to deal with them because we all have seasons and ups and downs; just because it happens now doesn't mean that it will be the same forever. However, always having a positive mindset in all situations will lead you to a happy and more content life, both personally and professionally.  Listen to this and so much more in the episode; petermargaritis.com   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Exposure to financial planning at an early age gives people an edge on their finances that can open their minds in understating numbers in the future." Chris Panagiotu Chris is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER Professional and a Certified and Chartered Retirement Plans SpecialistSM (CRPS®, conferred by College for Financial Planning). In addition, he holds the following licenses with LPL Financial: series 7 and series 66. In 2020, Chris was recognized as a Five Star Wealth Manager* by the Seattle Times. Outside the office, Chris hosts the podcast "CAPitalize" (available on Spotify), roots for his Oregon Ducks, and, most importantly, loves spending time with his wife, Stephanie. He gives thanks to God for every blessing that comes his way. Christopher, the CAP in CAPitalize, investment journey began when he was ten years old. Over the years, he has grown his business by going beyond just having clients and investing in the same platforms he recommends to his clients. Chris learned that in the journey of being a financial planner, personal touch when dealing with your clients is better. Please get to know your clients before engaging them on their needs. In most cases, the planning process is usually in reverse. According to Chris, you start with the market and the trends before you understand the client's needs since, in most cases, the clients also do not know what they need in investment. Simple language that every person can understand is the key to getting more clients, retaining your clients, and getting referrals for your business. Chris is big on understanding his client's passion, which makes him want the best for his clients and the outcomes they can receive. Listen to this and so much more in the episode; petermargaritis.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“As much as we need the technical skills in the business world, soft skills are even more important.” Nick Lozano Today's guest is Nick Lazano who is a technology professional who has a love for digital media. He co-host a podcast called >Lead.exe which is for anyone who wants to level-up their leadership skills and enhance their careers. ​ As someone who is in Tech you need to have the soft skills because you will definitely have to sell yourself and the business to your clients and potential prospects. As much as we need the technical skills in the business world, the softer skills are even more important During the initial talks about Tech, Nick brings about the analogy of building a house, you can build it as high as you need to go, as big as you want or it can be a simple one room house and still be great. The complex sides of technology can be headache especially to someone who is not in the industry. Nick soft skills make it easier to understand the technical side of technology in a fun way. The audience you present to will definitely be a factor on how you will do your presentation in order for your message to go through. This is even more so when you have a paid sponsorship and you need to make the audience get the message across. Sometimes being simple and precise works better than using jargons. Making mistakes is part of the process and just know that there is room for failure but the bottom point is, if you fail once learn from it and this is how you gain experience. The down side is if you are making mistakes and you aren't learning from them, then you are wasting your time and energy. Be prepared on how you will also receive feedback, this will make it your perspective on issues broader. All feedback is there to build you, the good and the bad appreciate everyone who will give it to you. Nick shares his story and experiences in a humorous way making this an amazing and fantastic interview to begin the year. Listen to this and so much more in the episode; petermargaritis.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Yes...but, Yes…and, the first one disrupts the thoughts flowing while the latter connects an idea that is already forming.” Peter Margaritis In today's episode Peter Margaritis continues his series on: Take a Load Off: Stress relievers for overwrought leaders. Peter shows how Business Improv is a tool that all leaders need to master to learn how to overcome pressures that come from business. Awareness is one way that can help you develop confidence and help you overcome stress. Being aware of your environment can help you control your involvement in any situation and this helps you manage and control your reactions to different triggers. Being prepared in any circumstance adds a layer of confidence. You may not be able to foresee the unexpected but you can be ready for the curves that may come your way. Without being prepared in most cases you are more concerned about anxieties and the stress of not binge prepared. As Peter shares with us rest of the tools he believes can help manage stress for leaders, he gives amazing examples of different stages that help drive the points home. Listen to this and so much more in the episode at petermargaritis.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Stress is not always bad; it can motivate us into positive meaningful actions.” Peter Margaritis In today's episode Peter Margaritis begins his series on: Take a Load Off: Stress relievers for overwrought leaders.  He also shows how Business Improv is the way to go when facing uncertain situations and changes in the business world. When you are trying something new, always try it with a beta test on people you are sure will give you honest feedback before taking to the market. Peter gives an example of how something he hadn't thought about previously became one of the most successful business decisions for 2020. Something that was had been set up to educational also turned out to be entertaining, enjoyable, a bonding session to learn as well. What makes you happy? What doesn't make you happy? What stresses you? Stress is part of our everyday lives. It comes from the good the bad, and the in between. Stress is an opportunity to make change and make a positive outcome in the long run. Stress can help you add value to your life and business Peter shares some of his tools to use to manage stress into a positive outcome. Listen to this and so much more in the episode at petermargaritis.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Negotiation is not a fight but a collaboration. Prepare more than memorize.” Peter Margaritis In today's episode Peter Margaritis continues his on Unscripted Give-and-Take and how to use Business Improv to resolve disputes and negotiate deals. Going for an all in approach is not a good way to begin business with someone you are trying to build a relationship with. You have the tools you need in order to have a win-win outcome in negotiation. The beginning of every conversation is a smile that disarms the other party. Your smile needs to be genuine. You may not get everything you need; you will however get the chance for future business opportunities. Humanize the conversation during negotiation creates an atmosphere of calm and respect that both parties can feel comfortable no matter the outcome. Do not use manipulation to get the other party to get them to do your point. You can however show them the benefits of what you are telling them, to their own goals and agenda's and this makes the relationship last longer. Preparedness during negotiation is better than memorizing facts and figures for that table. Adapt with the changing moods and turns at the table and do not follow a written in stone script; you will fail. Peter gives great tips on what to look for at the table during negotiation. Listen to this and so much more in the episode at petermargaritis.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Emotional resistance to negotiation wastes time and makes working with others hard. Negotiation is a relationship builder and not a war zone.” Peter Margaritis In today's episode, Peter Margaritis talks about Unscripted Give-and-Take and how to use Business Improv to resolve disputes and negotiate deals. Sometimes during negotiations, we must understand that you can negotiate up instead of down. Be able to negotiate to your best and have a win-win outcome. As a business owner, entrepreneur, consultant, or employee of an organization, even when you feel that you are not a great negotiator, it's good to learn the skills for your business and yourself and give credit to your skills and experience. Have the confidence to sell your expertise to the best that you can. According to Peter, six key points are great to have during negotiation. Listen to this and so much more in the episode at petermargaritis.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“A successful workplace relation is built by collaboration, then sharing, observing/listening and building on each block with one vision in mind” Peter Margaritis In today's episode Peter Margaritis continues his conversation on New scripts; communicating and collaboration for better results. One idea at a time; one conversation and one interaction may be what your organization needs in order to go to the next level. When working in an organization, each team mate has an agenda and visions, if they do not have a common goal each will work on their agenda's and build their own till the “tower” collapses. Emotions and how they affect the work place are a new way to look into how people interact with each other and with clients and customers. Listen to this and so much more in the episode at petermargaritis.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Excellent, innovative and effective communication, invites productivity and adaptability making an organization stand out from its competitors.” Peter Margaritis In today's episode Peter Margaritis talks about new scripts; communicating and collaboration for better results. We can be given the same space, the same business concept but still have different results from our competitors. How does communication affect your business from beginning to end? The way we articulate our wants and needs in business has a direct effect of which results you achieve and get. Every organization needs to have simple and clear, effective communication strategy that reduces jargons in the work place. Laying a foundation of innovation and improv that inspires communication internally and externally that enables you to stand out against your competitors. Simple processes in an organization can in the long run bring consistent desired results. Listen to this and so much more in the episode at petermargaritis.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Communications is the piece that underlines everything you do. Being able to articulate your idea or the message you want and having it perceived the way you wanted to.” Joe Taylor and Courtney McKay Today's guests are; Joe Taylor, a founding member of JTaylor in 1999 and currently Chairman of the Board of Managers. Joe delivers a full complement of business advisory and tax planning expertise to their clients with a special emphasis in the areas of business formation and structural planning, business reorganizations, business, buy, sell, structuring, estate, and gift tax planning, business valuation, business planning, development, and more. Courtney McKay is also a founding member of JTaylor 1999 and has over 25 years of public accounting experience primarily focused on consulting and Business Advisory Services. She has extensive knowledge of business enterprise valuations, incentive compensation plans, and damage assessments. In addition, she has assisted clients with strategic planning, including joint venturing, business acquisition, and due diligence services. According to Joe and Courtney, Communications plays an important role in business, especially when accounting language seems so foreign to the test of the other departments in the organization. They agree that practicing and repeating communication as a way to make accounting more approachable is essential to its effects on the rest of the organization. Communication is an essential skill that separates those successful in the accounting industry. It's not just running numbers but what you do with the numbers that make the difference. The skills you learn will enable you to know how to deal with different situations and people and what response you need to give them. Drawing examples from amongst themselves, they agree that communicating with colleagues is very different from how you will disseminate information to a client or the rest of the departments. Listen to Joe and Courtney as they give tips on what they have learned in their journey and how they can help you navigate the ups and downs of accounting and personal growth and development. Listen to this and so much more in the episode; petermargaritis.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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“The inner critic wants to protect you by holding you back.” Peter Margaritis In today's episode Peter Margaritis talks about turning off the inner critic in yourself.  Sometimes it's hard to quite that voice inside you that makes you not want to take risks. Gives you advice and usually in the negative kind that held you in your comfort zone. Peter gives insight on what the inner critic is and reasons why the critic comes out. Sometimes it's because of self-preservations but most times the critic has no basis for criticizing. As Peter puts it, the inner critic is a good companion bit you shouldn't let them control you. Quieting the inner critic may seem like a hurdle but once you do, you will have a better time at work, during meetings, and going on stage. Listen to this and so much more in the episode at petermargaritis.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“The way we learn to collaborate is more important than who is in the team.” Peter Margaritis In today's episode Peter Margaritis continues to talks about safety and today the main focus is psychological safety in the work space. How a team works and is assembled speaks more volume that just the individual contribution of the members. Peter talks about the meaning of psychological safety, the books he draws from and how to handles conflict. The way we react to stimuli (conflict) speaks volumes on the psychological calmness in the office. As an Impov leader it's up to you to shift the culture of your organization or team to an open and intentional team, where they can speak their mind and have their ideas and opinions listened to. Listen to this and so much more in the episode; petermargaritis.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

 “We learn when we make mistakes. Failure is good.” Peter Margaritis In today's episode Peter Margaritis talks about scripting your mind and body and letting go of negative energy and dismissal. This not only is from others but also from yourself. As an Improv Leader it's easy to be in class but still be afraid to improvise. Sometimes it's easier to beat ourselves up and focus on the negative energy and thoughts and term yourself as a failure. Instead Peter reflects on the reasons why we do not bring up the obvious ad in so doing you are better off storing the memory for future use and future engagements. Going off script may seem to be unnatural but this is where courage is most needed and you learn, in the art of business, improvisation requires you to take time and be intentional.   Listen to this and so much more in the episode; petermargaritis.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“The level of active listening and focus needed to make an informed decision is a true measure of Mono tasking success.” Peter Margaritis In today's episode Peter Margaritis continues to breaks down what it means to master authentic leadership, the art of mono tasking and being present. The distractions that are our day lives facilitate us being present because we are usually present with half of our consciousness and other times we are thinking of a different place we should be, or something else we need to be doing thinking of something else. He gives insights from different scenarios like his interview in season 3 and from a Japanese leader from Japan. Improv Leadership is not just about just being physically there but internalizing and make a decision from the said words. Listen to this and so much more in the episode; petermargaritis.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

““Internal dialogue derails us from truly listening and understanding what the other person is trying to convey.” Peter Margaritis In today's episode Peter Margaritis breaks down what it means to master authentic leadership, the art of mono tasking and being present. The more we do things at once, the more poorly we do multiple things. A lack of presence means one is not listening with your ears as well as your eyes. Drawing examples from one's own personal life and the effects of carrying around your past. A work and personal balance of the mind and body is important. Peter gives us a glimpse of how an Improver Leader needs to be. Listen to this and so much more in the episode; petermargaritis.com     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Great leaders shine the light and draw the attention to others.” Peter Margaritis Improv Leadership sometimes means learning and being vulnerable as tool that fuels the leaders' thoughts and action . it leads to turning the spotlight on other. Different methods have ben explored by Peter in today's episode on how as a leader one can motivate others and make them shine. The light one shines needs to be an everyday thing and not just during special events. With examples that range from Oprah Winfrey, Simon Sinek, great movies like Remember the Titans and Don't Think Twice. The Improv leader's qualities and responsibilities, when it comes to their teams and how they treat them. Listen to this episode and so much more by visiting: petermargaritis.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Cost structure is a process; it's about applying managerial cost concepts to the restaurant industry.” Mark Kelnhofer My guest is Mark Kelnhofer, president and CEO of  Return on Ingredients LLC. Mark is an international speaker and author on recipe costing and menu Engineering. He has more than 25 years of experience in bottom line, boosting accounting. After graduating from Ohio Dominican University with his undergraduate degree, he immediately went into manufacturing Academy. He spent eight years in various industries including plastic injection molding, lighting equipment, transit buses, and tire repair products. Mark incorporates his extensive background throughout the episode as he discusses his entrepreneurial mindset. Mark takes time to talk about cost structure and what it entails in a restaurant business. Giving practical examples from his own brush with the restaurant industry. His ability to make, the lessons he has gotten from the diverse industries that he has been in and put them all in his company Return on Ingredients LLC. In the restaurant industry different things can lead to the cost implications and lack of instructions on cost controls can have a huge impact in improving efficiency, measuring out waste and profit. The data being gathered everyday helps an organization respond to a situation not only then but also on how to respond to the situation quickly. You may have the mechanism in place but if you do not understand how to make decisions and proper decisions at that, then you are able to make a bad decision very easily. To learn more visit: petermargaritis.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Improv is not about being a solo performer. It's about relationships.” Peter Margaritis Leaders who lead with an Improv Leadership Style, have a foundation of respect, trust, and support of their organization and their people. These leaders know how to prepare in advance, and, at the same time empower the people who are under them to shine. These leaders understand that it is not only about themselves and what they bring to the table, it's also about their leadership in delegation and listening to their teams' suggestions and opinions. Peter gives us amazing insight on the way a leader, is able to make himself valuable to his team and those he leads. He also puts into perspective through his demonstrations of the effects that a leader can have if not taking the chance to listen to their subordinate staff. Individuals require a leader who will act as a unifier, someone who will believe in the individual contributions. Trust is the virtue required to achieve this kind of respect and unity. And when it comes right down to it, it's up to the leader to create that environment of mutual trust and respect.   To learn more visit: petermargaritis.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"If I can attract people because they feel I'm serving their needs, confirming their dreams, and helping them get there, that actually makes more money for my shareholders." David Savage What does collaboration mean to you? David Savage believes that most people use the term without really fully understanding it and therefore aren't able to access the full potential of true collaboration. Our guest today, David Savage, is the author of several books, including Breakthrough to Yes. Over a ten-year period, David and his partners collaborated to develop five companies and four not-for-profits. Since 2007, his company, Savage Management, has focused on building capacity, innovation, and accountability in people and in and between organizations and communities. David works with leaders and organizations to advance their success through collaboration, negotiation, conflict resolution, and business development. In this interview, David shares his 10 Essential Steps of Collaboration. Collaboration is possible if one identifies the collaboration's intention and goal. It also means being accountable to your team. Listen to his advice on how to embrace conflict, the importance of not being a sideliner, how ego is the enemy of progress, and much more in today's episode.    To learn more and for the complete show visit: petermargaritis.com as well as David's website: https://www.davidbsavage.com/.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Ego leadership is outdated because it generates behaviors that are no longer tolerated in today's workplace.” Peter Margaritis Vulnerability, empathy, and the willingness to let go of our ego matter when it comes to developing the kind of leadership capacity our employees, peers, and other stakeholders deserve from us. Crucial to the development of dynamic, admirable leadership is learning to communicate in a way that doesn't negate the experiences of others. Listening and presence exercises can kick your leadership into hyperdrive when added to the ‘yes..and' collaborative approach. The sense of not knowing when someone is looking intently at us for an answer is hard for all of us, but it's especially difficult for leaders with overdeveloped egos. One of the biggest challenges in leadership is, by and large, the perception that not knowing is a sign of weakness. Instead of driving their egos crazy during these moments of ignorance, leaders should lean into the not knowing, stop talking, and listen to their team for direction and vision. Exercise two is talking without ‘I', an Improv exercise demonstrating how to park your ego. Each player tries not to use the words ‘I', ‘me', or ‘my', and instead responds to the other person using ‘we' or ‘us'. This exercise aims to help us park our ego, so we can collaborate with our partner using the general philosophy ‘Yes… and.' The idea is to develop stronger self-awareness about the degree to which your everyday language and decision-making might be, by default, a little bit more self-centered than you realize. Exercise three is ‘thank you', which demonstrates how to park your ego and show gratitude. This exercise aims to show gratitude to the other person for the information they are providing. The more we offer appreciation, the more the other person appreciates our efforts. Learning to accept praise with a ‘thank you is also valuable and can be a sign of humility. Sometimes good people with decision-making authority just make bad decisions. When difficult situations arise, the ego can take center stage, but doing the work to minimize the role of your ego when we lead will ultimately take us to a place of more effective leadership. To learn more, and for the complete show notes, visit: petermargaritis.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“People who want to help people further their business and solve their problems.” Stacy Rodgers In today's episode, we welcome Stacy Rogers to the podcast. Stacy is the executive director, people and culture at Cohen & Company CPA firm based in Cleveland, Ohio. Stacy offers a unique perspective when it comes to helping the firm to develop and maintain outstanding client service teams. As a former auditor who built her career within Cohen & Company, she has a dual understanding of what clients need and expect from their accountants and how to help the firm train and develop employees to be successful. Being at the center of the firm's goal of employing the best and the brightest, Stacy oversees the execution of all people and culture initiatives, including performance management, employee engagement, employee development and recruiting. With a focus on attracting, developing and retaining talent, she works to ensure the firm exemplifies its foundational principles. Stacy is also very passionate and very knowledgeable about the accounting profession challenges Over the course of time, there are three things that have remained the same which include; first hiring the right talent, second is training that talent, and third is keeping that talent engaged and excited about their careers. That is the three legged stool that is critically important to any organization. It does boil down to the people, and making sure that you have all of those things working together, despite what's happening around you, within your organization and outside of your organization. The pandemic has helped organizations to learn that they need to be more open to the different working styles of their people, and become much more people centric in their decision making. A lot of the research shows that during this time of the pandemic, people had the opportunity to step back reflect what they want. Similarly, opportunities opened up in a way that they've never been available before because of the changing market in that dynamic. Leaders have stronger and better relationships today, because of the adoption of technology and what it's capacity to enhance what they do day to day. If leaders find the right way to use it going forward and take all the lessons that they've gained as a result of this pandemic, they can come out in a much stronger position than they did going into it. New hires need to learn how to communicate, both internally and externally. They also have to learn how to manage their time. There is a difference when someone comes in with the ability to navigate a client problem without having someone to teach them how to do that, as compared to doing that through natural instinct. At the end of the day, people who want to help people further their business and solve their problems. People underestimate the power of communication on and building relationships, and how critical that is to everything that we do. Public accounting enables people to acquire these networking skills which translate to success no matter where your career takes you. Once you surround yourself with people who are experts in their fields, you will build a relationship and network that will last you a life time that go beyond the purpose of building business. The most successful people are those who recognize that they can't do it alone. If you think you can accomplish all your goals on your own, you will only go as far as your ego and head can go. It only when you start to understand who are the right people that you need to surround yourself with, that your business can start to be successful. To learn more, and for the complete show notes, visit: petermargaritis.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“The collective knowledge outside of your office far exceeds the collective knowledge inside your office.” Peter Margaritis We all have an ego. Some egos are underdeveloped, others are well developed, and yet others are over developed. Over developed egos can in some cases, ultimately transform into full blown narcissism. When a person's ego becomes overdeveloped, they can begin to operate from the perspective that the world revolves around them. More often than not, narcissistic leaders stop listening to those around them which end up creating toxic cultures. CEOs who make everything about them and disregard the advice from their teams are doomed for failure. The ability to listen to understand is one of the key components of leadership, yet it's just on the side because of an overdeveloped ego. Leaders who lead with an improv leadership style, have a foundation of respect, trust and support of their organization and their people. These leaders know how to suspend their judgment, be active listeners, be present and adaptable. They also believe, and ultimately understand that leadership is the positive effect that you have on another person. In improv leadership, you praise a teammate in public, and only criticize them when appropriate, and in private. To learn more, and for the complete show notes, visit: petermargaritis.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Accounting is all about how hard one works at it, and it is a skill more than it is something that someone is born with.” Anne Gannon In today's episode, I welcome Anne Gannon. Anne is a certified public accountant who specializes in providing a monthly accounting and tax service that works for the business owner, not just the accountant. What makes Anne unique is that she is anything but your stereotypical accountant. After all, she spent her earlier years chasing the dream of professional golf. The time spent traveling the country playing golf had an impact on Anne, but she quickly realized that all the entrepreneurs and members of the hospitality industry she had met along the way were being underserved by their accountants. In 2016, she founded the Largo group, a firm specializing in over-delivering for entrepreneurs and business owners. There are a lot of similarities between sports and being an entrepreneur or business owner. You have to keep looking forward, not dwell on the past. The one good thing in business as an owner is that you can control your business and improve it daily. If you can see a path forward, then you can make it happen. When the pandemic happened, things were not very clear for a large number of businesses. The business owners that made it through had to change their mindset because some models just didn't work anymore. Businesses had to listen and pay attention to their customers. They had to be more data-driven and not so bottlenecked into thinking they know what their customers want but realize they had all this data where they could find out what their customers wanted and answer. Everyone in accounting should try to teach accounting as it makes you look at it differently when trying to communicate to people who don't understand it. When you have to teach accounting, you realize that not everybody speaks that same language. It's taught well in school, but there are a lot of things that they leave, and also, it is taught by a lot of people who haven't failed in the public accounting world. Accounting is all about how hard one works at it, and it is a skill more than it is something that someone is born with. If you really work hard and train yourself, you can teach yourself accounting. A lot of times, when people don't get it right away, they get discouraged. Accounting is not an option. If you're going to run a successful business, you have to understand the fundamentals. When training non-accountants, it's good to start slowly and then get people to open up about how much they understand. With technology, providing that extra level of customer service to clients is important. To improve your communication, start with your favorite clients so as to focus on what it is that these clients love about you. To learn more, and for the complete show notes, visit: petermargaritis.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Great leaders inspire and motivate through empathy, not through ego agenda and emotion.” Peter Margaritis It can be hard to teach leaders to flip the script when it comes to being more empathetic and even vulnerable, if those leaders are wearing a thick protective armor over their humanity in the workplace. Two-face, empathy-devoid leaders take pride in their distance. Their aloof and impersonal workplace behavior starts degrading relationships, and then projects start to fail. Self-absorption creates a toxic work environment. Empathetic leadership creates an empowered workplace. One person's behaviors and attitudes can impact many. A very effective way to increase empathy is by replacing assumptions with a sense of curiosity that opens us up to empathy. You achieve this through conversation, and by questioning to reveal what lies beneath the surface of the other person's issue or perspective. Curiosity is a good thing. It helps us to ask the questions and gather more facts and information, which leads to eliminating unfounded assumptions. The more questions we ask, the closer we get to the root of any issue, and once discovered, we can help devise a plan to help solve the problem at hand. The word improv looks a lot like the word improve. It's a powerful reminder that when we master improv, we improve relationships, teams, organizations, products and careers. Improv is all about empathy for business leaders, and provides an excellent foundation to empathize with others. First, as a leader, you need to be a great listener and be fully present during every conversation. When ego, agenda and emotion are infused too strongly in a conversation, the conversation halts, and negativity is nearly always an immediate result. Great leaders inspire and motivate through empathy, not through ego agenda and emotion. Developing the kind of empathy to improve your leadership in this way can start with an improvisers mindset. People still find it difficult to understand that a leader's emotional intelligence, of which empathy is a key component, is more critical to the organization than the leader's technical knowledge. The truth is that technical skills are easier to learn than soft skills. If you want to get promoted in today's business world, you have to master your interpersonal skills, that are hard to master. Mastering the soft skills is easier, thankfully, with an improvisers mindset. The better you treat and understand the people that you serve, the more empowered and loyal the stakeholders become.   To learn more, and for the complete show notes, visit: petermargaritis.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"As a leader, you have to know your people and be aware when their behavior changes." Karl Ahlrichs In today's episode, we are joined by Karl Ahlrichs. Karl specializes in helping professionals make order from chaos. He's a national speaker, author, and consultant presenting on people issues in all industries and is often quoted in the local and national media. Karl's experience is ideally suited for times of organizational change, as he pulls up on risk management and organizational development theories to replace best practices with next practices. He owes much of his communication mastery to working as a writer and editor in daily media, to the on-the-job writing experience, and to the process of becoming a published author. Karl Joined Gregory and Appel insurance in 2010 after serving as the founding partner of Exact Hire, bringing his HR operations diversity and belonging in learning and development skills. Karl's affinity for design, composition, and learning started at a very young age by taking and examining 1000s of boring pictures with the goal of improving his craft. In 2003, he was named the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Human Resource Professional of the Year for the state of Indiana. He is also on boards of several organizations, including the Maryland Society of CPAs. What motivates high performers only comes from a quality relationship with a boss they respect, and that only comes from intentional conversation where the boss appears to listen to them. Money is a very small part of why employees quit. Leadership requires somebody with communication skills. However, there is a heightened hunger for empathy, where the leader shows their team that they're invested in them as people, not just employees. Empathy goes beyond attention and means being willing to say, 'I feel your pain without being judged or called out.' The topic that is never discussed enough is mental health. When a person is in pain, all they can think of is the pain. When the person is not in pain, they can think about anything and everything. As a leader, you have to know your people and be aware of when their behavior changes. When someone has a mental health issue, they exaggerate their core behaviors and become more of what they are. When your people exhibit extreme behavior, pull them into privacy, make good eye contact and ask if there is anything you should know. Leaders should also ensure that they look after their own mental health so that they can be prepared and tuned in to their teams' mental health. To learn more, and for the complete show notes, visit: petermargaritis.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Every single day in our role as leaders, we encounter situations where empathy would serve us and others well." Peter Margaritis There are dozens of remarkable leaders and scholars singing the praises of empathy in the workplace. For example, in his book, Geoff Colvin, the Fortune Magazine Senior Editor, argues that as workplaces evolve and leadership models change, the most important skill that leaders must possess is empathy. Similarly, an article published in the Harvard Business Review after a survey of 6000 leaders, Jack Singer and Joseph Folkman, revealed that women leaders were more decisive as compared to their male counterparts when it came to empathy. People use the terms sympathy and empathy in overlapping and interchangeable ways, but there's a distinct difference. Empathy is the ability to put yourself in someone else's shoes and feel what they feel, not what you think they feel. It involves grief and pain when and because someone else is feeling it. Every single day in our role as leaders, we encounter situations where empathy would serve us and others well. Sympathy, on the other hand, means understanding someone else's suffering. It is more cognitive and keeps a certain distance. Even if it is hard to show empathy, you must be vulnerable and authentic and put your ego aside. It's about making a human connection and not just pushing the conversation to a conclusion so you can get on with your day and get back to work. Being vulnerable is putting yourself out there for others to see. It takes courage, and it takes time. Being vulnerable is a sign of being human, authentic, genuine, and honest, and by being vulnerable, you create a stronger human connection.  To learn more and for the complete show notes, visit: petermargaritis.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

‘It's not the people that quit and leave your organization that you have to worry about, it is the people that quit and stay.' Dr. Hope Zoeller My guests today are Dr. Hope Zoeller and Dr. Joe DeSensei. Dr. Hope is the founder and president of Hope LLC. Hope stands for Helping Other People Excel, and it is a firm that specializes in facilitating leaders' success at every level of an organization. For 14 years of her professional career. Dr. Zeller worked at UPS in a variety of roles including customer service training and development and employee relations. For16 years she has been consulting with organizations on leadership development. Dr. Joe DeSensi is the president of Educational Directions LLC, an educational consulting firm helping schools around the southeast for over 20 years. He developed custom and enterprise software to help districts track data and target students' needs. Joe holds patents in school data management software and database integration. Hope and Joe have co-authored two books, Hope for Leaders unabridged, Volume One and Hope for Leaders in the 2020s: New Issues to Face, New Problems to Solve, New Hope for the Future, Volume Two. Leaders question how they can be able to lead post-pandemic, which is now normal. Organizations have to get on board with leading differently than they've ever led before. Post-pandemic, people no longer have the tolerance to work for people that they don't feel genuinely care about them. Time and time again, studies have shown that the number one reason why people leave organizations is a bad leader. People want to know that the person that they work for cares. We have so many things that we do, just because we've always done them this way, but people have to actively go back and recapture those inefficient processes today. It is much more difficult for people to do things that they have just been conditioned to do. The workforce now has really rethought their priorities, and so organizations are going to have to take a serious look and have a serious conversation. It's not the people that quit and leave your organization that you have to worry about, it is the people that quit and stay. There are a lot of people that quit and stay and remain working for bad leaders. In a world where we have scarce resources you've got to treat your people to where you're always getting an engagement level out of them, not just a compliance level. Not everything before the pandemic was bad, nor is everything through the virtual world is good. It's really based on your circumstance, and not just your industry, but the talent that you have in your company. We have stopped looking at how many hours people work, and have started looking at the amount of work you can handle and if you're meeting your deadlines or not because that's ultimately the metric of success. There is a real opportunity for collaborative conversations. If you're a leader leading by yourself, you're not a true leader. Working backward from the way people think is really important in terms of how to tactically use your resources, and retain and motivate your best people. The four components to be able to lead with love are having a listening ear, an objective mind, and being curious rather than critical of what is being shared. Having an empathetic heart is also key. Leaders need to focus on their culture and climate since it is one of the few things that is going to retain the best people for businesses.  To learn more, and for the complete show notes, visit: petermargaritis.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Leaders of organizations tend to be controlling, but the ability to let things go and see where the journey takes us can be more powerful." Peter Margaritis This is an excerpt from the book, Off Script: Mastering the Art of Business Improvisation. Leadership is not about self-promotion, being the center of attention, talking as much as you can, speaking in the third person, always being right, even when you're wrong, disrespecting others, or being a narcissist. However, in some organizations, these traits are viewed as effective leadership skills, which is the slippery slope to the leaders and potentially the organization's demise." The one skill that helps to save people's careers and organizations is the art of listening. Leadership is all about becoming a better listener. Leadership is all about listening to understand versus listening to respond. Listening to understand means you genuinely want to understand what is being said to you directly, in the room as you participate in a meeting, or while attending a presentation as an audience member. When you listen to understand, you park your ideas and biases somewhere else, and you go out of your way to eliminate all distractions while listening. When you're exhibiting the kind of listening skills worthy of a true leader, you suspend your judgment, set your ego aside to focus on listening to what the other person is trying to communicate, and you do so all the while managing your emotions. When you are "listening to respond" rather than "listening to understand," you aren't fully listening to what is being said. We can all strengthen our listening skills if we work on them daily. Leaders of organizations tend to be controlling, but the ability to let things go and see where the journey takes us can be more powerful. Improv exercises teach us practical skills that can be applied in moments when the gameplay is the furthest thing from our minds. They can teach you and your team how to be better communicators and leaders. When practiced often, these improv games give you muscle memory of how to behave in real-world situations.   To learn more, and for the complete show notes, visit: petermargaritis.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"To get what you want as a sales professional, you have to connect with the person who has it, and that person is your client." Lon Graham My guest is Lon Graham, who's a speaker coaching advocate. Lon speaks to sales teams, coaches, and sales leaders and is an advocate for sales professionals. He is also an award-winning sales and leadership professional. His message of getting the sales you want comes from over 25 years of experience in healthcare, corporate programs, events, and the airline industry. Lon is an active member of the National Speakers Association. Sales are complex, and two statistics prove that. The first statistic is that sales have the highest turnover; a third of the sales force leaves yearly, which is 10 points higher than any other profession. The second statistic is that the average tenure of a sales professional is a year and a half. There is transformational power in being nice to people. If you start by being nice to people, talking to them, and spending a little bit of time getting to know them, they will be more inclined to want to talk to you, and then they will give you a chance to come back. The four C's is a framework designed to get people to become better at sales. The first C is Choice which addresses how to choose what you want. The following C is Commit, which addresses the steps to take for you to progress towards that goal. The third C is Connect which is about knowing who to connect with. Finally, the fourth C is celebrating, which is about recognizing the progress that you've made and acknowledging wins. To get what you want as a sales professional, you have to connect with the person who has it; that person is your client. What makes sales so hard is how to connect with your client. The starting point is meeting your client in their story and understanding what they're doing and what they're dealing with so that you can provide solutions to their challenges. When you do that, they're going to connect with you, and they're going to help you get what you want. The four Cs framework is shaped like a wheel because it's progressive. The two things that are so important for sales professionals to learn are first, what your client or potential client does best, and their productivity. The second thing is knowing your ideal client. By knowing these two things, you have an insight into how that potential client thinks, and if you can contribute to them doing more of what they want to do with who their ideal client is, you've just made them more productive and more profitable.   To learn more and for the complete show notes, visit: petermargaritis.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Any gathering of individuals, no matter how large or small, is an opportunity to meet someone." Peter Margaritis If the thought of networking makes you sweat, it's time to rethink what networking is. Anytime you are at an event or even in a meeting where you don't know someone, you have the opportunity to network. It's about introducing yourself and getting to know someone. This involves having the right attitude, believing in yourself, having a plan, and remembering to smile. By taking just a little time to get in the right mindset, you'll have a lot more confidence walking into any event, and simply smiling can make anyone more approachable. Any gathering of individuals, no matter how large or small, is an opportunity to meet someone. Preparation is vital in making connections, and this means doing your homework. Engage people by being curious about them. It is a great way to break the ice and create a rapport with someone. The key to effective implementation is to be a good listener with your eyes and ears. Always end a conversation by asking someone to feel free to contact you at any time, if you could do anything for them   To learn more, and for the complete show notes, visit: petermargaritis.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"We have to do a better job of providing kids with the foundation of financial literacy so we can set them up for success in the future." Rory Henry My guest was Rory Henry has 15 plus years of experience working in tax and, most recently, financial advisory professions. He's built a program AFO Wealth Management Forward, that works with accounting firms to implement holistic Wealth Management Services. Rory is a technology enthusiast at heart and adept at finding ways to improve the client experience using technology to streamline tax, accounting, and wealth management services. Rory is the co-host of a leading accounting and financial podcast, AFO Wealth Management forward. His interviews include the Wall Street Journal, Forbes Fortune Magazine, accounting today, Channing Webb and venture-backed FinTech companies, and nationally recognized thought leaders. In addition, Rory has launched Arrowroot Family Office and Goal Setter Financial Literacy Initiative to help 1 million kids gain a pathway to financial freedom. The program is enlisting fortune 1000 companies, athletes, entertainers, and Financial Thought Leaders, to bring resources and awareness in the fight to help kids in underserved communities. Rory has a bachelor's degree from UCLA and passed the series SIE, Series 63, and series 65 Security exams. Rory is an avid sports fan outside of work, plays golf, and enjoys performing improv comedy at theaters throughout Los Angeles. Active listening and dropping the ego is huge because it helps you find out what a person's wants and needs are. Improv is empathy because, in the end, you're trying to put yourself in someone else's shoes. It's finding out where they are in life, where they want to be, and then helping them get there, and that's real influence. People want to be heard and understood. You can provide some feedback or add to a conversation. But coming in and providing unsolicited advice is never the smart thing to do. When an improviser has a good idea or wants to interject, they'll lean forward. I love helping out clients by looking at their situation in a holistic viewpoint and then being able to provide the right advice to set them up for success in the future. For example, we have a program promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion through financial literacy. We believe that providing financial literacy to the next generation is vitally important to our society. We have to do a better job of providing kids with the foundation of financial literacy so we can set them up for success in the future. We have teamed up with technologies to help kids learn about financial literacy exciting and fun. Reaching kids in underserved communities that may not have financially literate role models is especially important. We're sitting in a technological revolution, and these digital devices enable us to reach the masses. Children are inundated with information, so we have to try to set up an environment and make the content engaging. This will enable them to start understanding financial concepts.   To learn more and for the complete show notes, visit: petermargaritis.com   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“By injecting humor and levity into our work lives, we give ourselves an opportunity for human connection.” Peter Margaritis According to some recent research, adding more laughter to the workplace helps improve the organization's culture. Humor helps people to cope with stress and to build relationships, and is associated with intelligence and creativity. Workplace humor is about a positive, light hearted, open attitude and a playful mindset. One of the best ways to create a competitive advantage is to create a culture that embraces laughter. By injecting humor and levity into our work lives, we give ourselves an opportunity for human connection —something so easily lost in today's pandemic weary and technology driven world. Humor is not seen as a top leadership characteristic, but rather a secondary leadership behavior. However, there is more research evidence that humor should be one of the top leadership behaviors. Incorporating humor into your company culture isn't that easy, but well worth it. It is essential to understand your own company culture when it comes to humor in the workplace and bring it in a way that fits and enhances the culture and the people. There is a delicate balance in creating a culture that embraces humor, and developing leadership that learns how to use humor to strengthen the organization, and it's well worth the effort. To learn more, and for the complete show notes, visit: petermargaritis.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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“People's perceptions of you is their reality, so pay attention to what you want their reality to be.” Peter Margaritis The way we show up does make a big difference, whether in person or virtually. Perception is reality and the perceptions we create with others, especially with decision making executives, really matter. People want to interact with humans they can see hear and experience in person, whether remotely or in person. When we can see and hear each other, we see and feel the energy, the engagement, body language and attitude.  According to the itopia press release dated April 12, 2022, executives view the lack of employee engagement as a subpar performance. 92% of the executives say employees who turn their cameras off are generally less engaged in the work overall. Having your camera turned off during any kind of virtual event is not only disengaging, but also disrespectful, and quite simply impolite. The world has changed in so many ways since the pandemic began. One of those ways is the increase in hybrid work as a preferred method of work. Virtual meetings and learning are becoming part of the lexicon in evolving and growing our businesses. Ask yourself how you will change your unseen presence to one that sends a message and perception to senior leadership that you are engaged and ready. To learn more, and for the complete show notes, visit: petermargaritis.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“The beauty of good leadership is having the ability of having a wonderful platform to impact someone that you may never know how so.“ Ruben Minor Our guest today is Ruben Minor, who is the president of RAM Consulting Group, an organization that focuses on speaking training and coaching individuals and groups regarding leadership, team dynamics, relationship building, diversity, equity and inclusion, fundamental business philosophies, and business and personal branding. Reuben is a leader with a rich and resourceful network of professionals across the business spectrum, ranging from influential political figures to educational leaders and entrepreneurs.  Ruben leverages his network to make more meaningful connections for his clients and business partners that evolved into lasting mutual beneficial relationships. Ruben also served this country for 15 years in the US Navy as a supply Corp officer, is a John Maxwell certified professional speaker, trainer and coach and intimately engaged in the community, serving as president of the Council for the village of Galena. Reuben enjoys spending time with family, history movies and hiking and as a side note, is a professional speaker.  Emotional intelligence is the ability to process information that has been received. The information goes through a filter system in your mind, which helps you to dissect what's being said, what the intention is behind it, so that your response to what you are processing will be emotionally appropriate. Emotional intelligence, like sales, is either you naturally have it and you're good at it, or you don't have it and therefore becomes a difficult process for you to gain that.  It takes a special savvy person to be sensitive and to know how to respond, and not hurt someone. Psychological safety entails asking how one can create an environment where a person feels safe enough to say and express what is on their mind. Naturally, everybody wants to be heard, and when you have the ability to exercise psychological safety, then that's the foundation of building great relationships. Corporations have learned a lot post COVID, as employees have realized that they do not have to put up with toxic work environments. Unfriendly cultures have been in place for decades, and is therefore not expected to change overnight. It's going to be a constant, intentional effort by those in leadership, and making sure that they're keeping in step with what the culture is in the corporate community.  The beauty of good leadership is having the ability of having a wonderful platform to impact someone that you may never know how so.  To learn more, and for the complete show notes, visit: petermargaritis.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Emotional Intelligence helps you connect with your feelings, turning that into action, and making informed decisions about what matters most to you.” Peter Margaritis To succeed in the highly competitive world of financial consulting, accounting professionals must possess the right mix of technical experience and soft skills, or think of them as power skills, or better yet, emotional intelligence — EI. EI plays an increasingly significant role in today's business environment. Therefore, you must optimize your EI to improve your bottom line and increase your organization's job satisfaction, engagement, and retention rates. EI is the ability to understand, use and manage your own emotion in positive ways to relieve stress, communicate effectively, empathize with others, overcome challenges and defuse conflict. EI helps build stronger relationships, succeed at work, and achieve your career and personal goals. It can also help you connect with your feelings, turn that into action, and make informed decisions about what matters most to you. The four components of EI are defined as self-awareness, social awareness, self-management, and relationship management. Self-awareness entails how you understand your emotions and how they affect your thoughts and behavior. Self-management refers to controlling and managing yourself and your feelings, resources, and abilities.  In social awareness, you assess whether or not you recognize the emotions in others. It is about reading the emotional landscape and responding with empathy. Social awareness skills will help us understand professionalism in the workplace and make it easier to share information, communicate, and collaborate with others. Social awareness is a fundamental part of creating relationships with the people we work with and the customers and clients we need to build our businesses. When we understand the top three elements of EI and apply them correctly, CPAs can begin to develop and maintain good relationships, communicate clearly, inspire and influence others, work well on a team and manage conflict. Improving your EI requires that managers first understand how people feel about their jobs and help them to improve morale. Three main elements, empowerment, meaningful work, and recognition, can drive and engage workers to stick around even when they're unhappy with their pay or leadership. However, disengaged employees are three times more likely than engaged ones who quit within six months, resulting in a loss of productivity and cost amounting up to $3 million per year. Improvisation plays a critical role in EI. In business, life, and sports, EI separates high performers from mediocre and average performers. Improvisation is the ability to adapt to change. It is the yes and philosophy of improv and EI leadership. This skill is also crucial for career development. Improvisation allows people who may not have a natural knack for talking themselves out of trouble to get creative by thinking on their feet. Think about how you build an EI culture in your organization from start to finish. The first thing is to hire people skilled at managing their emotions and reading those of others and then develop a culture that promotes the skills, so employees see the value in developing EI. To learn more, and for the complete show notes, visit: petermargaritis.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices