Company of One

What should you quit doing? As we move into a new year, I have found many of my clients planning to do more and add to an already busy schedule. But I want to challenge you to think about what you should quit. What should you quit doing? Relationships that are not productive Dating relationships Employees Employers Friends Habits that you have formed that are destructive Activities that are not getting results Work activities Workouts Marketing Nighttime habits Social media Watching/Listening to the News Click here to listen now. Subscribe & Review in iTunes Are you subscribed to my Company of One? If you’re not, I encourage you to do that today so you don’t miss an episode. Click here to subscribe in iTunes! If you like what you hear, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast. I also love reading them and connecting with you. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you! Links mentioned in this episode: Necessary Endings: The Employees, Businesses, and Relationships That All of Us Have to Give Up in Order to Move Forward Triggers: Creating Behavior That Lasts – Becoming the Person You Want to Be EntreLeadership Get Clients Now! (TM): A 28-Day Marketing Program for Professionals, Consultants, and Coaches Five Signs That it’s Time to Quit Your Job

So, are you the burger flipper or the boss? This is a question I ask my kids often. If you are a burger flipper, you do not have to think much. You just wait and do what you are told. You can be totally unengaged in your work. If you are the boss, you have 10,000 decisions to make. Everything hinges on you. You have to be self-driven and engaged else nothing happens. It is all about ownership and engagement. I hear a lot about engagement. Employers want to do everything they can to engage their employees. At the university, we want to engage our students. Why? Engagement means money and productivity. Engaged customers and audiences are great for marketing. Engaged employees are great for morale and productivity. Engagement is directly related to profit. How to Create Engagement in Others and Me The problem, according to Marshall Goldsmith in his book Triggers (Triggers: Creating Behavior That Lasts - Becoming the Person You Want to Be), is that engagement is not something we do to people. Engagement is something they do themselves. Anyone who has ever done any coaching (of any kind) will tell you that the coach's job is easy and rewarding if the person being coached wants to learn.  You cannot make a person work harder or perform better if they do not want to do so. You have little control. This is why coaches only want to work with motivated people. (And I will say faculty only want motivated students.) So how can we get people more engaged? According to Marshall, we should stop asking passive questions and instead start asking active questions. Passive Questions To understand active questions, you need to understand passive questions and the human response they get. We have all been asked to rate ourselves or our team. We often get questions like "Do you have clear goals." That simplistic question is charged with meaning based on how we interpret the question. First, if you read the question as "does my boss or company provide me clarity in what I should be doing from day to day", then your answer is likely to be negative. Most of us do not feel like we have clarity from above. So, when this question is put into employee surveys, the leadership of the company or team is often frustrated by the response. You will hear them (or you) saying all kinds of things like How much clearer do I need to be? We have discussed it over and over - what are they missing? and similar ideas. Active Questions But Marshall pitches a second way to interpret the question that yields much better results and engagement. He suggests using active questions such as "Have you done your best to set clear goals." This question turns active by using the "Have you done your best..." at the beginning. It is a powerful mindset shift that forces the reader to take responsibility for the goals as opposed to being passive and waiting on when to be told what to do. This is why I ask my kids about being a burger flipper or a boss. One is passive, the other - the boss - is active and engaged. In other words - the boss is taking ownership. Every employer (including you) wants self-driven people. We want people who are taking responsibility. Heck, even the manager of a fast-food restaurant would prefer self-driven burger flippers! Using the active question with the "Have you done your best..." lead-in helps to drive the individual to think "Oh, this is my responsibility.".   Why Active Questions Work Questions asked properly are powerful. The reverse interview process I use often uses questions that get others to talk about themselves - a trick I learned from Dale Carnegie in How to Win Friends & Influence People.  Proper questions are also powerful in marketing messages when they cause you to internalize desire or pain. So active questions turn the attention to you and your own responsibility. To take responsibility, we have to have skin in the game.

Quit being a pawn. Stand up and fight back. As you might be noticing yourself, nobody is listening. We have quit talking and turned instead to yelling at each other. And, if nobody is talking, who is controlling the conversation? I have been watching what is going on in our country (I am in the US) for some time. We fight.  Nobody is talking anymore. Everything is charged. We all think we have opinions and are fighting for the truth -but we are just being used. They want us fighting against each other. They want division. We are stepping up and marching to their orders. We fight about issues such as politics, global warming, abortion, the second amendment, etc. But nobody is listening to me, or to you, or to anyone. We are just fighting. On TV "news" shows we see the news as one-sided. Even when they talk about having a discussion - it turns into insults and yelling. In the printed media, it is all just opinion laced with a few facts to make their care. And social media - that is the cesspool of it all. They tell us to get along - but is that what they really want? I do not think so. They want us to fight. They encourage it. Truth is - not matter what the issue - you and I likely agree more than we think. !function(r,u,m,b,l,e){r._Rumble=b,r[b]||(r[b]=function(){(r[b]._=r[b]._||[]).push(arguments);if(r[b]._.length==1){l=u.createElement(m),e=u.getElementsByTagName(m)[0],l.async=1,l.src="https://rumble.com/embedJS/u41tyt"+(arguments[1].video?'.'+arguments[1].video:'')+"/?url="+encodeURIComponent(location.href)+"&args="+encodeURIComponent(JSON.stringify([].slice.apply(arguments))),e.parentNode.insertBefore(l,e)}})}(window, document, "script", "Rumble"); Rumble("play", {"video":"v8re6z","div":"rumble_v8re6z"}); Global warming is one issue. Nobody wants dirty air or water or an out of control environment. We all would agree we need to be responsible. We might differ on what that means or who pays - but if we talked through it we would likely come up with something solid. But we don't because they do not want us to. They want us fighting. Who are they? I do not know - but they are not the media or the politicians They are all pawns. They are not the voices on social media - they too are pawns. They are not even many of the world leaders - they are pawns. People like Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders are with them - which is why the "system" turns against both. Both men have far different views of things - but both hated by them equally because neither man plays by the rules. Quit being a pawn How? Start talking to one another. Get off the social media, sit down, care about others, and talk. We are more alike than we are different.   Click here to listen now. Subscribe & Review in iTunes Are you subscribed to my Company of One? If you’re not, I encourage you to do that today so you don’t miss an episode. Click here to subscribe in iTunes! If you like what you hear, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast. I also love reading them and connecting with you. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

A conversation I often have with parents is something like this:   "College? There Has Got to Be a Better Way". College is like a money pit and does not offer such a powerful tool to create wealth and security as perhaps it did. In fact, if chosen poorly, it generates the opposite. So today, I want to dive into the issue a little deeper and explore some thoughts. College? There Has Got to Be a Better Way The college experience has some issues that often go with it. massive debt wasted time opportunity cost converting good thinking kids into - well, something else (garbage in and reprogramming) Yet as parents, we only hear of a few alternatives Military Trade school Living in the  basement forever The truth is, we want for our kids the same thing that the college experience used to really offer. We want Opportunity to do anything they like Ability to earn and prosper Success on their own terms So to think about this, let's start by unpacking what college does still offer A plan - course plan to get a degree that maps to some career Measures of success - classes and grades Accountability - timelines, deadlines Credentials - diplomas showing success Now the question is, how do we get this without college? Click here to listen now. Subscribe & Review in iTunes Are you subscribed to my Company of One? If you’re not, I encourage you to do that today, so you don’t miss an episode. Click here to subscribe in iTunes! If you like what you hear, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast. I also love reading them and connecting with you. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review,” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you! Links mentioned in this episode: 148: Can You Become an Engineer (or anything else) without a College Degree [Podcast] 016: How to Measure the Value of a College Education – A Do-Over! [PODCAST] 145: Does it Matter Where You Go to School? [Podcast]

Moving from tech expert to leader in your organization can be tricky. Scientists, engineers, developers, architects, and many other experts move into leadership positions every day. Many companies expect this transition to take place. But other companies do not see tech experts as leaders - just as tech experts. It is kind of a new "blue-collar" thinking. Either way, the transition is not always easy. Leadership positions come in many flavors, but the first moves are often as team leaders - where you are still on the technical side of things but you lead the activity of your peers. Project management or product management is another common path toward higher leadership positions. Over the last 20 years, I have been coaching people into leadership - usually out of tech positions. Most go rather smoothly once the new leader to-be understands the game. But too often, the tech leader resists the change and new responsibilities and fails to grow. So in today's podcast, I am going to provide some observations from coaches who have helped tech experts makes the cut in leadership. Moving from Tech Expert to Leader Steps to move from tech exert to the leader. Make a decision Make it known Begin to learn Think like the leader now Be willing to let go Click here to listen now. Subscribe & Review in iTunes Are you subscribed to my Company of One? If you’re not, I encourage you to do that today so you don’t miss an episode. Click here to subscribe in iTunes! If you like what you hear, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast. I also love reading them and connecting with you. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you! Links mentioned in this episode: 156: How to Lead at Work When There is a Leadership Void

My Most Popular Podcast Episodes tell a story. The story is not about me, but more about you. What topics catch your attention? What are you most interested in hearing from me? What are you struggling with? Where do you want answers or insight? My Most Popular Podcast Episodes Below is a list of my most popular episodes. When I put them together by category I get this... Topic #1 - Getting a job - 3 posts Topic #2 - Excelling at work - 3 posts Topic #3 - Productivity - 1 posts Topic #4 - Starting a company - 2 posts While this meets the Company of One mindset (you are all of these things) it is interesting that the tops are still about getting a job and some of the less popular are others about starting a company. So where do we go from here? Email me at dale@dalecallahn.com or post to my Facebook. Would love to hear your thoughts? http://www.dalecallahan.com/reverse-interview-questions/ http://www.dalecallahan.com/overcoming-the-fear-of-making-mistakes-at-work/ http://www.dalecallahan.com/how-to-conduct-a-reverse-interviewe-interview-a-guaranteed-method-to-find-a-job/ http://www.dalecallahan.com/115-need-business-license-podcast/ http://www.dalecallahan.com/how-to-read-a-book-in-30-minutes-or-less/ http://www.dalecallahan.com/064-4-common-mistakes-made-in-the-informational-interview-podcast/ http://www.dalecallahan.com/do-i-need-a-business-license-or-llc/ http://www.dalecallahan.com/067-how-to-be-happy-at-work-even-if-you-hate-your-job-podcast/ http://www.dalecallahan.com/059-five-ways-to-deal-with-office-politics-podcast/ Click here to listen now. Subscribe & Review in iTunes Are you subscribed to my Company of One? If you’re not, I encourage you to do that today so you don’t miss an episode. Click here to subscribe in iTunes! If you like what you hear, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast. I also love reading them and connecting with you. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

Waiting on leadership to show up and take action can be one of the most frustrating issues in corporate America. More frustrating than a bad tyrant of a boss is the absent boss. At least with that tyrant, you might learn what to expect. When absent and you are waiting - you often spend your days in frustration not knowing what matters and what should be let go.  In episode 156, I dealt with how you can lead if you have a leadership void. The reason for that podcast was because I find myself with so many clients who find themselves leaderless. My first take when leaderless is to find a way to step up and lead - if even on the small things. But unfortunately, that does not always work. Sometimes a lack of a leader just leaves you frustrated. Lack of Leadership Here is the situation. You have a job to do, but nothing clear about what matters. No one is calling the shots. You have asked the person who is filling the role (often in a temporary role) and get nothing. You are being told by management that things will change soon. They will fill the slot, hire new people, move things around, etc soon. But as you wait for change, you become frustrated and restless. But I have found that this is sometimes not even possible. So what do you do? What must be done? You know the drill, you know the things that have to get done. Make sure they get done. Find ways to contribute during the leadership void. Look around and ask other team members how you can help. Do what you can do. Look for new opportunities inside the organization. Use the reverse interview to connect and learn from others. Look outside. After all, the leadership void is brought on by poor leadership overall. Be willing to look outside. Doing some reverse interviews just for the fun of it can really open up the doors. Again, use the reverse interview to connect and learn from others. Set a deadline. What is your drop-dead point for putting up with this? Are you willing to coast and do little to nothing? Or are you going to give it six months to work out before you leave?   Click here to listen now. Subscribe & Review in iTunes Are you subscribed to my Company of One? If you’re not, I encourage you to do that today so you don’t miss an episode. Click here to subscribe in iTunes! If you like what you hear, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast. I also love reading them and connecting with you. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!  

Make money online will help you see the quick and dirty methods of getting started in a side hustle without spending much (or any) money. The video from the presentation is below. Make Money Online - Outline 1. Find an idea How to find a simple idea that fits you. 2. Find a platform How to use common platforms with lots of traffic to get noticed 3. Do the work Setting up some platforms. 4. Action TNT Continue to grow. Click here to listen now. Subscribe & Review in iTunes Are you subscribed to my Company of One? If you’re not, I encourage you to do that today so you don’t miss an episode. Click here to subscribe in iTunes! If you like what you hear, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast. I also love reading them and connecting with you. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you! Links mentioned in this episode:

How much should I be spending on my business? Like all other things in life, modern businesses tend to overspend, Especially small businesses that are not making money yet.  I constantly am running into startups who are "investing" money to help the business grow. But, too often, they are only growing in the wrong direction. Instead, it would be best if you focused on spending that will generate sales.  Too many people are spending money on things that will likely not move the needle. Perfect tools that are overkill. Logos design. Software that is way too big for the budget.  Focus instead on spending money on things that will impact your customers. So let's step back and examine who you should be spending - and on what. How Much Should I Be Spending on my Business 1. Marketing  Spending money on marketing is usually the biggest issue that will have the greatest impact. Whether the money is via ads, help to do calls, of just your own time connecting and marketing your business. This is number one for a reason.  If you have no income, use a budget of about $10 per week for marketing. If you have more to invest, push it to $100 a week. As you get income, keep marketing as a top expense. Every industry is different, but I like to keep at least 10% of the revenue to use for marketing and advertising. 2. Legal issues If your business is a threat to get sued or to have an injury, you need to spend the money upfront on getting protection. See my post on Do I Need a Business License or LLC?. As a rule, I would expect to pay no more than $1000 for this protection (and the insurance) if you need it. 3. People When it comes time to get some help, spend the money on the right people, doing things cheaply (or yourself) is often wasted time and money. Tools like Upwork will help you find the right people for the right price.  Some Places to Save Money Quit trying to operate like people who are way ahead of you. Find ways to do the work cheaper. Quit focusing on minor issues. Use the tools you already have and hack them. Click here to listen now. Subscribe & Review in iTunes Are you subscribed to my Company of One? If you’re not, I encourage you to do that today, so you don’t miss an episode. Click here to subscribe in iTunes! If you like what you hear, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast. I also love reading them and connecting with you. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you! Links mentioned in this episode: Webinar: Make Money Online: Business Ideas You Can Start from Home  Do I Need a Business License or LLC?. Upwork

Five reasons you should consider an online business. I spend a lot of time trying to help people like you start something on the side. (Why You Need to Start Your Own Business Now.) Join me Oct 14th at 6:30 PM Central We will do a webinar on this subject of Make Money Online: Business Ideas You Can Start from Home live on Oct 14th at 6:30 PM central. Of course, after that, the recording will still be there. Five reasons you should consider an online business 1. Everyone needs a side income In Ep 32: Why You Need to Start Your Own Business Now, I explain that everyone needs a second (or third) source of income. 2. Costs little to start Compared to almost every other business, an online business is cheaper to start, maintain, and market. The risks are just low. Expect to pay from zero down and zero per month to just a few hundred dollars a month once you get moving. But you should at very least always break even! 3. Gets results quickly. A simple way to test ideas Using other platforms like eBay, Etsy, and Amazon (to name a few), you can tell if your products and services will hit a nerve. You can test your teaching on Udemy, test your consulting or freelancing skills on Fiverr or Upwork, or test your creative and hobby sales on Etsy. Just so many ways to dip your toe into the market to see if you like it and if you can sell it. 4. Does not interfere with your day job You can work after hours and does not impact the amount of money you make. I have friends who have businesses that made over $200k per year with them working only after hours and on the weekend while keeping their day job. 5. Easy to scale. To go from a small storefront to a larger one costs a lot of money. Same for opening a second store. But to scale an online business is easy and cheap. You can move from selling on eBay or Etsy alone to your own website for a few thousand dollars (or cheaper if you have some skills) Click here to listen now.   Subscribe & Review in iTunes Are you subscribed to my Company of One? If you’re not, I encourage you to do that today, so you don’t miss an episode. Click here to subscribe in iTunes! If you like what you hear, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast. I also love reading them and connecting with you. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you! Links mentioned in this episode: Ep 32: Why You Need to Start Your Own Business Now Webinar: Make Money Online: Business Ideas You Can Start from Home 

The five signs that it's time to quit your job are easy to see from the outside. But often in the middle of the beast, we have clouded judgment. Here are the five signs you need to go, and some ideas of how to deal with things if you need to stay. Five Signs That it's Time to Quit Your Job There is no growth path for you. You do not fit what they want to promote. You are at the top of where you can be. The company does not want to grow. The company is dying slowly (or quickly). The culture is negative. You are being discriminated against. There is no one you trust in the organization. You are no longer passionate about your work. What if you Need to Stay? You might be near retirement or a significant milestone or have a huge benefit from staying the course. Do your job and look for paths to grow for your future gig. Take on some new job in the company as a distraction to get rid of boredom. Start a side gig to get your mental energies flowing. Subscribe & Review in iTunes Are you subscribed to my Company of One? If you're not, I encourage you to do that today, so you don't miss an episode. Click here to subscribe in iTunes! If you like what you hear, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast. I also love reading them and connecting with you. Just click here to review, select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you! Links mentioned in this episode: Necessary Endings: The Employees, Businesses, and Relationships That All of Us Have to Give Up in Order to Move Forward   

Today we discuss 7 things I have learned from being an entrepreneur. While there are many courses, especially in universities that teach entrepreneurship, I have found a lot of what they talk about and teach to miss the point. The academic model of entrepreneurship just does not translate into the real world if you really want to make money. So today - let's talk about seven of those things. 7 Things I Have Learned from Being an Entrepreneur Execution is everything. Action means more than plans. You cannot determine how your customers should spend their money. Broke people are not really broke. Niche market products are better. Think about My Pillow. Money is the easy part. Marketing is more important than the product. Prospects lie, customers speak the truth. Click here to listen now. Subscribe & Review in iTunes Are you subscribed to my Company of One? If you're not, I encourage you to do that today so you don't miss an episode. Click here to subscribe in iTunes! If you like what you hear, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast. I also love reading them and connecting with you. Just click here to review, select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you! Links mentioned in this episode: Our Ugly Startup Story – How we started our business (It is not glamorous – so be ready) The 15 Minute Business Plan for Your Startup Why You Need to Start Your Own Business Now Multiple Streams of Income Episode 119: Developing an Entrepreneurial Mindset Master of Engineering Management in Information Engineering and Management

Using love as a business strategy might seem like a strange title - especially coming from an engineer. Generally speaking we technical people are pretty much just the facts. The talk of soft skills and focusing on people makes me squeamish - so to start talking about loving your customer is really a leap - for me anyway. Over the past few months, I keep hearing pastors talk about being called to love one another. Yes, if you look that up in the Bible - you might find it a time or two - so not really a surprise to hear it. But perhaps I just now have started to hear it clearly. So I have been thinking - what does this mean for me as a university faculty and business owner. We have been talking a lot about this inside the business - so much that "love the customer" is becoming a theme. Using Love as a Business Strategy Loving the customer means... Loving your customer means knowing your customer. Loving your customer means tuning into their frustrations and needs. Loving your customer means treating them like you would want to be treated. Loving your customer means people come first. Some observations We like them more. Sales are up. Everyone is happier serving them. Loving them does not mean they want it for free.   Click here to listen now. Subscribe & Review in iTunes Are you subscribed to my Company of One? If you’re not, I encourage you to do that today so you don’t miss an episode. Click here to subscribe in iTunes! If you like what you hear, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast. I also love reading them and connecting with you. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you! Links mentioned in this episode: The Theft of America’s Soul: Blowing the Lid Off the Lies That Are Destroying Our Country Love Is the Killer App: How to Win Business and Influence Friends How to Win Friends & Influence People This Is Marketing: You Can't Be Seen Until You Learn to See Ep 132: How Being a Christian has Made Me Wealthy

Want multiple streams of income? How would it feel not to be 100% dependent on just your day job income? Today we want to dive into streams of income that others use to smooth out the edges as things get rough - and in 2020, everybody needs multiple streams of income! Develop Your Multiple Streams of Income (MSI) Here are some of the more popular categories others use for diversification of their income. Your Day Job - Never forget to focus on this income source. Providing service through a third party - Pizza delivery, shopper, Uber driver, Amazon driver, UPS, or another delivery driver. Pros - They do the marketing. Cons - You have little control over what you do. Consulting/coaching service - Fiverr, Upwork, etc. - This is the easiest thing to do where you have a little control over what you offer. Pros - It is easy to get started. Cons - Takes your time to deliver the service. Home services - From yard work, small repairs, pressure washing, cooking, cleaning, closet organizing - something for everyone here. Pros - We all have something to offer. Cons - You have to work on location. Creating Intellectual Property - Udemy, teaching, writing books, etc. Pros - Recurring income and some platforms help you market. Cons - Can feel daunting to start. No money flows until you are complete. Real Estate Rentals - Cost more to get started and can be a long haul to start to win. Pros - Can be almost passive. Cons - The higher cost to get started. Buying a Business Pros - Can generate much higher returns than others. Cons - Takes time to work a deal and can turn into a lot of cash. My MSI Stocks - The biggest win for growth. Little maintenance, significant growth. Not something that many start with. E-Commerce - The most money and the easiest to ramp up or down as I need Real estate - This is steady money. Houses paid off. Good renters. Maintenance a constant issue but comes and goes. Online courses - Steady income with almost no maintenance activity. Books - Money goes up and down at times, but again little maintenance activity. Affiliates - These are products from other companies I sell and they ship. Amazon is one. Others are companies that have products which complement my own products. Coaching/Consulting - Professional startup and career coaching and business consulting, mostly involving organizational and process improvement. I have never focused heavily on developing this path - but the work is enjoyable. Click here to listen now. Subscribe & Review in iTunes Are you subscribed to my Company of One? If you’re not, I encourage you to do that today so you don’t miss an episode. Click here to subscribe in iTunes! If you like what you hear, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast. I also love reading them and connecting with you. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you! Links mentioned in this episode: Fiverr Upwork Udemy

My Reading List for 2020 is a collection of ideas around the topics of success, money, work, time management, and how to think apart from the crowd. All in no particular order. My Reading List for 2020 Atomic Habits The Greatest Salesman in the World The Compound Effect I Will Teach You to Be Rich Rich Dad Poor Dad Thou Shall Prosper  Financial Intelligence Deep Work Subscribe & Review in iTunes Are you subscribed to my Company of One? If you’re not, I encourage you to do that today, so you don’t miss an episode. Click here to subscribe in iTunes! If you like what you hear, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast. I also love reading them and connecting with you. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!  

How to deal with a setback... That is a question we all encounter from time to time. Setbacks look like a lot of things: Job loss Project failed Demoted Did not get the job you hoped for How to Deal with a Setback Own it - take 100% responsibility. Placing the blame is great - but it takes you out of control. You have become a victim, and you cannot change the circumstances. We want to blame others because Politics Discrimination Stupidity Relationship issues Write down the thoughts  - How do you feel.  I lost this job and will never get another good job again. I was overlooked for the promotion because they found me out - I have hit my peak. Since I am [black, white, male, female] I will never get ahead in this [industry/company] Write down the reality - What is more likely the truth. I got this job, can get another. I know more now. I am more valuable. I have learned more and can do more - if I want to. Do I? Others who are [black, white, male, female] have done remarkable things in this [industry/company]  - so can I. What has this failure offered you? Freedom to explore Opportunity to reset Get some training. Improve the situation - Define some steps you can do to improve the situation Job loss - Stop and define what you want now. This setback is a chance to reset. Overlooked Get my head in gear and ask for mentorship and help from my leadership. I must be missing something. Congratulate the person who got the job over me. I might be their boss soon! Failed project - What can I do to improve on the situation? Get the team together to come up with a plan. Click here to listen now. Subscribe & Review in iTunes Are you subscribed to my Company of One? If you’re not, I encourage you to do that today, so you don’t miss an episode. Click here to subscribe in iTunes! If you like what you hear, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast. I also love reading them and connecting with you. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you! Links mentioned in this episode: How to Stop Worrying and Start Living  

When it comes to your financial success at work, it is all about the money. Yet,  in the United States, over 70% of the population lives paycheck to paycheck - barely making enough to make it through the month. I can only assume this is true of most other countries also. And - the amount of money does not matter. People are living in poverty to those who should have - based on their monthly income - plenty of money. As I have worked with entrepreneurs - and wannabe entrepreneurs, money is often the trap keeping them from taking the leap. But as we look back at the roles in your Company of One, the financial role is a big one. Their Chief Financial Officer or CFO. I usually refer people to Dave Ramsey or I Will Teach You to  Be Rich to learn these concepts, but too often, I find myself in conversations with coaching clients where I have to teach them some basics about money. So today, I am picking back up on your Company of One - and diving into the role of your chief financial officer. It's All About the Money The number one thing keeping us from being free is bad decisions with money. Simple rules for winning with money: Have a plan for your money (spending plan). Pay yourself first (The Richest Man in Babylon) Get rid of the debt (See Dave Ramsey and I Will Teach You to Be Rich Avoiding the number one trap - comparing yourself to others. Realize the truth - many people are lying about how much wealth they have. Some people are temporarily wealthy. They have short term wins they think will last forever. Truly wealthy people do not need to prove how wealthy they are. The truth will always come out sooner or later. Click here to listen now. Subscribe & Review in iTunes Are you subscribed to my Company of One? If you're not, I encourage you to do that today so you don't miss an episode. Click here to subscribe in iTunes! If you like what you hear, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast. I also love reading them and connecting with you. Just click here to review, select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you! Links mentioned in this episode: The Richest Man in Babylon I Will Teach You to Be Rich Dave Ramsey Previous Episodes on this Topic The Company of One Model Episode 174: Grow Your Own Company of One Episode 175: The Three Kinds of People at Work. Which one are you? Episode 176: Seven Things You Must Know About Your Boss Your Chief Operations Officer Role Episode 177: Become Better at Your Job Episode 178: Three Tools for Powerful Focus and Incredible Results Your Chief Marking Officer Role Episode 179: 17 Ways to Market Yourself Episode 180: How To Calculate How Valuable You Are To Your Boss Episode 181: How To Become More Valuable To Your Boss  Episode 182: 11 Steps to a Better LinkedIn Profile for Marketing Yourself Episode 183: Use Your Curiosity to Market Yourself on the Job

Ready for some business ideas you can start from home? I get asked all the time for ideas - so today, I just wanted to share a few of them to help you see what is possible. Business Ideas You Can Start From Home Coaching families or kids  Sports training Tutoring Health care for kids with special needs (like food allergies) Consulting for small businesses SEO Social media Payroll Bookkeeping Support Shipping Tech support Customer service Ecommerce site Sell products you make Become a value-added reseller Create online courses Sell products on eBay or Amazon Freelance your services - Design, writing, copywriting Get started Now Start with the easiest product or service - Do something you do anyway. Start the easiest way - Use sites like Shopify, Amazon, or eBay to sell your products. For courses, use Udemy. Start now - Just do it now. Start imperfectly - Forget polish. Just post and then edit later Click here to listen now. Subscribe & Review in iTunes Are you subscribed to my Company of One? If you’re not, I encourage you to do that today so you don’t miss an episode. Click here to subscribe in iTunes! If you like what you hear, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast. I also love reading them and connecting with you. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

Is overcoming the fear of failure in your side hustle something you have been thinking about? It should be. That fear of failure is likely holding you back and keeping you from making the bold moves you need to make. Want help in your side hustle? Schedule Your 45-Minute Discovery Session with Dale Overcoming the Fear of Failure in Your Side Hustle 1. Identify the fear. Put it in writing.  Failure Looking stupid Doing the wrong thing Making the wrong decision Wasting your time and getting nothing of it My idea has already been done I do not know enough. 2. Speak the truth about the fear  What does failure mean? Quitting and trying something else. No big loss. The only people who think you are stupid are those not doing anything. If you are going to operate as an entrepreneur - or anything out of the norm, you may look stupid to others. What this means is they think you are not acting normal. Good. Broke is normal. Hating your job is normal. Being frustrated with less income is normal. Not taking real action is normal. Do not be normal. Decisions are not black and white. Which marketing approach do you use? May not matter, just start and commit to something (Check out Get Clients Now!) Wasting your time? What would you have done anyway? Watched more TV? I mean, most of us are underutilized. We call ourselves busy - but much of what we are busy doing does not matter. Much of our business is our own decision. Groups we are part of. Activities we have volunteered for. And when a business does fail, most will tell you it was not a waste, it was step 1 of the right path. Your idea has been done. It is guaranteed it has been done. In fact, you hope it has. You hope other people are selling products and services like yours. That means - other people are spending money on products and services like yours. This is a good thing. If they spend on others, they are more likely to spend on you. When will you know enough? Does it really matter? You just need to be able to help people who either know less than you or who just want help from someone so they do not have to do what they hire you or buy your product to do. Click here to listen now. Subscribe & Review in iTunes Are you subscribed to my Company of One? If you’re not, I encourage you to do that today so you don’t miss an episode. Click here to subscribe in iTunes! If you like what you hear, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast. I also love reading them and connecting with you. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you! Links mentioned in this episode: Schedule Your 45-Minute Discovery Session with Dale Miracle Morning Podcast #333 Get Clients Now!

Ever take a course on how to make money? Did you find it awesome and frustrating at the same time? A while back I got a random phone call from a woman in New York. I have no idea how she got my name or number, but she said that she wanted my help. She was trying to get a business started so she could replace her income at her $60,000 per year job. But she was having no luck. She said "I have spent $12,000 trying to learn how to start and grow a company. Nothing has worked. I have bought books and taken courses at $2000 a whack. I am overwhelmed and still no income." Most of my coaching clients will say something similar. I will mention marketing from some pros like Amy Porterfield, Jeff Walker, or .... so many others. These clients do not doubt that what Amy, Jeff, and the many others teach works - but they are overwhelmed with the amount of work they have to put into an unknown. They also get new information daily via a blog post or Facebook ad. What do they do? How to Make Money without Information Overload to Profit 1. Define clearly what business you are in. Who do you want to impact and how?  2. What is your initial goal?  Forget things like $10,000 per month or to quit my day job. These are fine as goals go, but in startup mode, you need to think shorter term. What is the test going to look like? Real goal examples: Get two testimonies from happy customers Generate 10 phone calls with prospects Generate and ship my first 10 sales Get 10 people to sign up for my webinar or workshop These are all small starts - and be glad of that. 3. If you have to create a product, start with a service instead.  This might be a short workshop you do or a coaching session. Maybe a 1 hour pre-recorded video that helps answer a specific question. If you must create a product, start very simple. 4. Find a way to develop accountability and perspective.  Click here to listen now. Subscribe & Review in iTunes Are you subscribed to my Company of One? If you’re not, I encourage you to do that today so you don’t miss an episode. Click here to subscribe in iTunes! If you like what you hear, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast. I also love reading them and connecting with you. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you! Links mentioned in this episode: Why You Need to Start Your Own Business Now The Greatest Salesman in the World Atomic Habits Schedule Your 45-Minute Discovery Session with Dale

Want to know how coaching works? I know I did before I got into my first coaching session. I had just shelled out a good amount of money and was coming into my first coaching call, wondering if it was going to help move the needle. Since I started coaching, I get a lot of people asking me about how coaching works. There is a curiosity about coaching - especially what we often call executive, career, or startup coaching - which all tend to look the same as how they operate - just with different desired outcomes.  Recently a client told me that he was getting lots of advice from others (people who had expertise in the field), but yet, nothing was holding him accountable. So today, I wanted to give a picture of how coaching works, who it can help, and why it might be worth the investment of your time and money. How Coaching Works Remember the old adage - "You get what you pay for."? This adage tends to be true for advice as well. Good coaching has four critical components: It helps you define success. Most of us are not sure what success looks like. Even when we think we know, we have a clouded vision of success. Coaching helps you get clarity. Gives you perspective. A coach should have worked with all kinds of people in all types of situations. So when they share information or ask you questions, they come from a breadth of experience. If you just get advice, coming from someone who is an expert at what you want to do, they can only speak to their expertise. Perspective helps you see more options. They are invested in you. Think about fitness coaching. At the gym, the guy in great shape next to you is a good person to ask some questions about how he got in shape. He may give great answers and advice. But, he is not invested in you, nor is he interested in helping you meet your goals. Accountability. This seems trivial but is the critical part. Once you have invested in you (by putting your skin in the game and paying for a coach), you will show up. You have invested. And, once you have invested, you will feel stupid if you do not do the work needed to help you grow. The coach, by sheer definition of the business, holds you accountable. You will feel pressure to answer for the work you did to meet your goal. Want to check it out for free? Schedule Your 45-Minute Discovery Session with me.  Click here to listen now. Shout Out to Podcast Reviewers Subscribe & Review in iTunes Are you subscribed to my Company of One? If you're not, I encourage you to do that today, so you don't miss an episode. Click here to subscribe in iTunes! If you like what you hear, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast. I also love reading them and connecting with you. Just click here to review, select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you! Links mentioned in this episode: Schedule Your 45-Minute Discovery Session with Dale Master of Engineering Management in Information Engineering and Management

Adjusting Your Goals Midyear? So, we are at the halfway point of 2020. Wow-what a crazy year. Some of you have suffered. Loss of income, furloughs, a decline in business. Others have prospered powerfully. So this is a great time to rethink 2020. What has changed? What is going in a new direction? For me Stepped away from Associate Dean of the university. Now refocusing efforts into new areas. Focused on growth in coaching. Doing a lot more one-on-one coaching than I have in the past few years. Working on a new book deal. Changing fitness goals. Adjusting Your Goals Midyear 1. Clarity What do you want to happen? Who do you want to be? This is a struggle for a lot more people than you would think. I am one of them. Money? Travel? Doing something special? Living in a new house? A new car? I find most material things trivial these days. How would the Lord have me serve? If so - am I just to sit around and wait on the answer? No - I have to step out toward a goal and pray for direction. I need to be moving to serve. I need to impact others. How is that for you? Here are some good questions? Who do you want to become? To your family? To your customers? To you? What do you want to accomplish? A marathon? Start a business? (Might want to really think hard about this one. See Why You Need to Start Your Own Business Now.)   Read a certain number of books?  (See the Goodreads reading challenge) Reduce your weight or body fat? Who do you want to impact? What things do you want to move out of your life? Jobs? Relationships? Even what relationships should I leave is an important question. (See Necessary Endings: The Employees, Businesses, and Relationships That All of Us Have to Give Up in Order to Move Forward) The key is to get clarity about what you want to happen. Then write them down. 2. Habits Habits are powerful. In the book The Greatest Salesman in the World, Og Mandino explains that we are slaves to our habits and that if we must be slaves, then we should at least try to be slaves to good habits. While I find it hard to think about being a slave, I guess he has it right. We are slaves to habit.  And to add to this, in his book Atomic Habits, James Clear explains that "your outcomes are a lagging measure of your habits." Our weight is a lagging measure of our eating and exercise habits. Our success is a lagging measure of our work habits. Habit again is a key ingredient.  So once we know what we want, we might need to adjust our habits (or create new ones) to help us reach our goals. 3. Schedule Once you have the goals, you need to schedule a time to make them happen. Put your goals on your calendar! Want to write a book? You should have a consistent time on your calendar to write the book. Want to lose weight? Then add time on your calendar to work out. Maybe you even need to add time on your calendar to enter your eating in MyFitnessPal. Key is that no matter what you want to happen, you need to work at it. Work takes time. Get it scheduled. Click here to listen now. Subscribe & Review in iTunes Are you subscribed to my Company of One? If you’re not, I encourage you to do that today so you don’t miss an episode. Click here to subscribe in iTunes! If you like what you hear, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast. I also love reading them and connecting with you. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you! Links mentioned in this episode: Why You Need to Start Your Own Business Now Goodreads reading challenge Necessary Endings: The Employees, Businesses, and Relationships That All of Us Have to Give Up in Order to Move Forward)Schedule Your 45-Minute Discovery Session with Dale The Greatest Salesman in the World Atomic Habits

Use your curiosity to market yourself. How? Asking questions makes you look like you care and it also gives you the opportunity to connect with others - letting them share their expertise with you. In other words, you are asking people to tell you about what they do. And, per the book How to Win Friends and Influence People - this is a powerful tool to get people to like you. So how do you do it? Use Your Curiosity to Market Yourself on the Job 1. Learn How Things Work at Work  The result is that you connect with people and expand your presence at work. Learn about where the processes flow. As your team hands-off work, where does it go next? 2. Find People Doing Interesting Things at Work Just exploring because you are interested. Makes you known by others and add value. This is especially useful in large companies. For example, if in engineering, be curious about what the real estate division does. Ask questions, get a tour, go to lunch. 3. Show Up at Meetings You Might Otherwise Miss Showing up in larger meetings - especially when the top people will be there - is a great way to be seen. Being hidden means being forgotten. 4. Be Really Curious about Customers Customers who are already paying your company are a ripe area to find new work. Be part of the sales team by asking those customers you interface with questions. Learn about their problems and challenges so you can find new ways your company can serve them. Click here to listen now. Subscribe & Review in iTunes Are you subscribed to my Company of One? If you’re not, I encourage you to do that today so you don’t miss an episode. Click here to subscribe in iTunes! If you like what you hear, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast. I also love reading them and connecting with you. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you! Links mentioned in this episode: How to Win Friends and Influence People Schedule Your 45-Minute Discovery Session with Dale Complimentary episodes: The Company of One Model Episode 174: Grow Your Own Company of One Episode 175: The Three Kinds of People at Work. Which one are you? Episode 176: Seven Things You Must Know About Your Boss Your Chief Operations Officer Role Episode 177: Become Better at Your Job Episode 178: Three Tools for Powerful Focus and Incredible Results Your Chief Marking Officer Role Episode 179: 17 Ways to Market Yourself Episode 180: How To Calculate How Valuable You Are To Your Boss Episode 181: How To Become More Valuable To Your Boss  Episode 181: 11 Steps to a Better LinkedIn Profile for Marketing Yourself

These 11 steps to a better LinkedIn profile will help you be found by recruiters and will also help you brand yourself to future and current employers. While a lot of people spend time on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and other platforms, LinkedIn is the one platform that is more connected to professional impact more than others. 11 Steps to a Better LinkedIn Profile Your LinkedIn profile is likely to be the first thing people see about you. Do the following steps to create or refresh your profile. 1) Good Headshot Photo It should show your face well, be professional (as it applies to what you might want to do – no need for a suit and tie if you're going to be a professional skydiver). Best to get it made by a professional photographer – but at very least a well-lit headshot from a friend's iPhone. 2) Your Name This is no place for nicknames unless you are professionally known by them. 3) Professional Headline The headline is not your job and title. Instead, make it information that will draw your potential visitor into wanting to find out more about you. It should tell me how you can help me. Also, if you are moving away from one career toward another, make sure the headline tells more about where you want to go. 4) Your Location Since we often search for people by location, this is critical. 5) Customized Profile URL LinkedIn provides you with a default URL that you can – and should – customize. After all, https://www.linkedin.com/in/dalecallahan/ looks better than http://www.linkedin.com/pub/dalecallahan/4b/z25/146/ ? 7) Status Updates Your Activity will show your latest status update – do you have one? Get into the habit of updating your status regularly. This helps others know what is on your mind. Share thoughtful, insightful, and relevant news. Consider what might interest your visitors. Shoot for updating it once a day. Unlike Facebook or Instagram – this is not the place to share what you had for breakfast - unless that somehow relates to your headline. Keep in mind what you are about - and share that kind of content. 8) A Complete Professional Summary Create a solid professional summary to support your professional LinkedIn profile. Since your visitors have come to your page and seen your headline – you can now add to that with more detail. Think keywords. Any keywords someone might search on that relate to you – you should include. This includes all certifications, skills, etc. that relate to the kind of job you want. Keywords are powerful. 9) Connections - Add More The magic of LinkedIn is connections. So now is the time to start connecting with EVERYONE you know. Past co-workers, bosses, people you go to church with, friends – anyone. The more connections, the more powerful it works for you. And, when someone sees a profile with over 500 connections, it means you are an active user, and therefore I can expect you to be willing to connect with me. VERY IMPORTANT. 10) Contact Information Make it easy to contact you via email or the phone. Add relevant contact information, including how to contact you via social media – as long as you actually check it. 11) Join and Participate in Groups A lot of Activity happens in the groups. Find groups that relate to what you do and join them—a great way to make professional contacts. Click here to listen now. Subscribe & Review in iTunes Are you subscribed to my Company of One? If you’re not, I encourage you to do that today so you don’t miss an episode. Click here to subscribe in iTunes! If you like what you hear, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast. I also love reading them and connecting with you. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you! Links mentioned in this episode: My LinkedIn Profile

Become more valuable to your boss in just a few simple steps. If you followed the last podcast, How To Calculate How Valuable You Are To Your Boss, you can now learn how to make that data work for you so that you can become more valuable to your boss. If you have not done that work, you can either jump back and do episode 180 (How To Calculate How Valuable You Are To Your Boss) or make your best guess and move ahead. Either way - we are going to dive into ways to make you more valuable at work. Today we will dive into the things where you add the most value at work. So if you found them by doing the work (from Episode 180 How To Calculate How Valuable You Are To Your Boss) or you just know what you did as the most valuable - here are the steps to make it work. What you need before you start A list of the things you did to add value to your employer over the last year. You might have that from working on Episode 180 or from just a list you made. Organize the list according to what added the most value over the year. If you are not sure what added the most value then just guess. How To Become More Valuable To Your Boss 1. Sort your list by value There are always things we do that add significant value and other things - where we tend to spend more time - that add less value. Now take a look at the list of items you did to add value. If they are not already in order or value, put them in the order by value. 2. Share your organized list with your boss Sit down with the boss and review your list. It is important that you share all the things you did and where you added the most value. At this point, you want to listen closely to feedback. 3. Make sense of the feedback What did the boss say? Did he or she agree with you on your listing of values? And, was it really clear that they agreed with you? If so, great. But be careful to listen for doubt. Your boss might measure values differently than you do. First, get them to agree on the top 3 things. Second, you want to get them to agree on what is at the bottom of the list - the least valuable things. 4. Change your job description OK now is the most powerful part. Ask for a change. Ask your boss to help you eliminate or delegate all of the lower value items you have on your list so you can have a bigger impact by spending more time on the high-value items. 5. Get agreement on the top line items Now get your boss to agree to the number on the high-value items. What value do they have to the company? It is best to think in terms of dollars for this value if possible - since you get paid in dollars. Once you get to this point, you have done two powerful things: You have communicated to your boss how much value you added last year (remember - marketing is about communicating value.) You have gotten agreement from your boss that will allow you to be even more valuable by taking away the minor things that are taking up your time at work. So the message it - you are looking for ways to add more value to the bottom line. Click here to listen now. Subscribe & Review in iTunes Are you subscribed to my Company of One? If you’re not, I encourage you to do that today so you don’t miss an episode. Click here to subscribe in iTunes! If you like what you hear, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast. I also love reading them and connecting with you. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you! Links mentioned in this episode: The Company of One Model Episode 174: Grow Your Own Company of One Episode 175: The Three Kinds of People at Work. Which one are you? Episode 176: Seven Things You Must Know About Your Boss Your Chief Operations Officer Role Episode 177: Become Better at Your Job

How to calculate how valuable you are to your boss. Sounds like a big promise? Does it sound like math? Both are true - but I can handle the promise and the math is pretty simple - so you can handle it.  While we measure value in a lot of different ways, the most powerful way to show value is by showing your financial impact to the company.  You only have two reasons for being on the payroll. To make the company money. By this I mean you directly contribute to the revenue. If you are part of bringing the product and/or service to the customer, you are about making money. If you are in sales, product development, or production (you create the product or service) or have a role interfacing with the customer, you are likely revenue-generating. To save the company money. These would be people who are making the company more efficient and profitable and possibly those who keep customers coming back. Project management, much of accounting and finance, quality, safety, or any kind of other back-office administration falls in this category. Now if you are like most people, you might be scratching your head trying to figure out which one you are. Good. We will address that now. How To Calculate How Valuable You Are To Your Boss The easiest way to calculate your value is to look back at what you did for the company in the past 6 months to a year. If your job has not changed much, you should be in similar shape the next six months to a year. So here is my simple formula for this. Your goal is to bring money to the company by helping sales or reducing costs. The amount you bring has to be over and beyond what you cost the company. So let's start with what you cost. After all, before you can calculate how valuable you are to your boss, you first need to know exactly what you cost. And, it is more than you think. Your cost = Your salary + Benefits. And by salary, I mean top-line - what you make before taxes or anything else. Benefits are all those things you cost that you do not directly see. The company's contributions to your 401K, insurance, your tax bill, and various other taxes and fees they have to pay to have you around. While you might not see the dollar value of all of your benefits, the company writes a real check for each dollar. Your employer's HR can give you a detailed breakdown. Many companies already provide this statement annually so you can see how much you cost them. They want you to know! But if you cannot get these numbers easily, just add 25 to 30% to your salary. (If you work for a larger company with good benefits - think closer to 30%) For example, if you make $100,000 per year your cost = $100,000 + $100,000x30% = $130,000. Now let's calculate what you bring to the table.  The easiest way to do this is to write down in words the most important things you did for the company. Use bullets and just make a list. Here is what a support engineer working the power industry wrote about what she did over the last year: Did troubleshooting communication issues between substations Installed software ahead of schedule (saving labor and truck rolls) Located and tested new integration tools reducing equipment cost per location Developed training manuals for the team Reduced the amount of time to install integration equipment by a day Developed and wrote new test procedures for communication testing I like to start with words because it is easy. I call this the word formula. IMPORTANT STEP! Once the words are written, share them with your boss and make sure he/she agrees. They may want to make some changes to your words, and might even want to add something you forgot.   2. Now put some values to each bullet. This is where it can get tricky, but do not get overwhelmed. Just take a good stab at it to start with. Consider two things. 1) How much money did this activity bring in or 2) how much did it save?

17 Ways to Market Yourself. Yes, I said market yourself. As we move through the four roles of your Company of One model (See Episode 174: Grow Your Own Company of One) we are now focused on your CMO or your Chief Marketing Officer. You might notice some overlap - which is normal. The last few episodes dealt with how to become better at operations - or your COO role. As you might expect - operations and market overlap in many places. But the key focus areas are different: The COO is focused on delivering value to the customer.  The CMO is focused on communicating value to the customer - how it can or how it was delivered.   So today we will focus on the 17 Ways to Market Yourself - a quick and powerful list to help you get amazing results. 17 Ways to Market Yourself 1. Define your expertise. Who do you help, how, and what benefit do they get from your help? For example, ”I help technology professionals connect their tech experience to their personal brand and company so they can maximize their income and growth while maintaining or growing their personal brand.” 2. Update your LinkedIn for the desired action. When someone visits your LinkedIn profile, what do you want them to do? For help, review profiles of authorities in your field. 3. Define your customers and what they value. Meet with them periodically to get feedback. Ask them "How am I doing?” and “What is your biggest struggle?” 4. Communicate frequently (at least every 30 days) to your customers. What do they value? Provide them feedback. Here is what has happened. Use bullet points so it can be scanned easily. 5. Dress for success. Look in the mirror, then look at the leaders in your company and in your field. What is different? What do you need to fix? Be open to ask others for help. The key is that you are communicating through your dress. What are you communicating? 6. Straighten up. Check your posture. Your posture impacts how others see you, how you sound, and how you feel. SMALL changes can create a big impact. Get help if needed. 7. Watch your language. Foul language is not accepted in any field. Sure - there are a FEW exceptions – but do not count on you being one of them. No one wants to hear negativity. It will block opportunities. No one will ever hire a person just because they speak in expletives, but plenty will not hire the one that does. This is also true for ANY negative language. 8. Keep it short. Learn to answer succinctly. When asked a question, do not ramble. A good approach is “Here are 3 ways to look at this …” And of course, be ready for questions that come often or you know are coming. 9. Smile. Communicates tons. Fake it if you have to. A smile communicates confidence. Confidence communicates power. 10. Keep your cool. Breath deep, smile, relax, even if you have to fake it at stressful times. Losing your cool can be a powerful tool if used correctly, but it more often communicates weakness. 11. Network. Who are the key influencers in your field? Make a list of the top 10-30 people and reach out to them in some way every 90 days. a. Let them know you saw their ad or heard others talking about them in a great way. Everyone loves good feedback. b. Share information about their interests. c. Introduce them to someone - a referral. d. Ask them an easy question. e. Send them a gift. f. Send a thank-you note. 12. Go above and beyond in your service. Going the extra mile always gets you noticed. When asked “How?” show them. When asked "Why?" take the time to explain. Give them more than they asked for in a way that is meaningful to them. For example, when asked how to do something on a computer, provide a short video showing them HOW. Take a photo. Write up a short report with details when asked a question. Make it EASIER for them to use - instead of the excel report - summarize key points in the email. 13. Find your people and how to hang out with them. How do you know your people?

Three tools for powerful focus and incredible results. Sound like a big promise? Perhaps - but these three proven tools have a long track record of results in companies like Google, Intel, Youtube, and MyFitnessPal. The three tools are 1) Four Disciples of Execution, 2) Objectives and Key Results, and 3) Entrepreneurial Operating System. Each of the three tools is similar in that they drive focus and results. You only need one of the three, but since each tool works better in specific environments, we will take a look at all of them spending more of our time on the first tool, since it is most likely to have a positive impact on your Company of One. "Ideas are easy, execution is everything" -- John Doerr A Quick Recap In the last few weeks I have been going over the Company of One model: Episode 174: Grow Your Own Company of One - An overview of the model itself covering the 4 roles - operations, marketing, finance, and research. Episode 175: The Three Kinds of People at Work. Which one are you? - The mindset needed to operate as a Company of One. Episode 176: Seven Things You Must Know About Your Boss  - Understanding who your customer is (a major part of your success). Episode 177: Become Better at Your Job  - Your Cheif Operations Officer at work. We will continue to go over these in the next few episodes diving into how to market yourself (your Cheif Marketing Officer), how to control your money (your Cheif Financial Officer), and how to stay ahead of the game by doing great research (your Cheif Research Officer). But up to now, we have focused on getting to know your customer and then learning how to be more effective at your job - your Chief Operations Officer. In Episode 177: Become Better at Your Job we dove into how to become better doing your job by learning what matters and staying out of the weeds. Now we dive into becoming hyper-focused on getting powerful results by using one of three tools for powerful focus. Three Tools for Powerful Focus Once you know what is important from your boss (See Ep: 177: Become Better at Your Job), now you can focus in to get great results. The trick here will be the focus. If you know what is important, then you also know what you should ignore. The key here is "SHOULD." So many distractions! Let's dive into the first of the three tools. Tool #1 - The Four Disciplines of Execution or 4DX. (Here is a 5-minute video by Franklin-Covey telling about 4DX) These four disciplines are: Focus on the Wildly Important. These would be a small number of things that will return tangible and substantial professional benefits. Example: Lose 20 pounds by December. Act on lead measures. Lead measures are things you can do today to get the results. As opposed to lagging measures which are the end result. Once the lagging measure comes in, the damage is already done. Example: The lagging measure for weight loss is pounds. The leading measure (what we can do daily to get to the end result) is the tracking of your eating daily in MyFitnessPal. Keep a compelling scorecard. We all love to keep score - it is just motivating. So you need a simple and visual method to keep score. Example: Your MyFitnessPal will show you the number of calories eaten per day. Create a Cadence of Accountability. A system to hold you accountable so that you get back on focus when you become distracted - which always happens. Example: A weekly review of your weight and your week's tracking of eating. These ideas were used by Cal Newport in the book Deep Work. Cal, a university faculty focused on research, realized what mattered for his success was research productivity. This means publishing quality research papers and writing proposals that get funded. Here is how Cal used 4DX: #1 The Wildy Important Goal - publish 5 high-quality papers in the next year. This was a big goal - but he knew it would move the needle.

Become Better at Your Job? I know that you are likely thinking, "I am already good at my job!" I hope that is true. But, can you become better at your job? I think we all know the answer is yes - we can always be better. Why should you? If you can become better at your job you will have greater work satisfaction, improve your relationships with your coworkers, be more productive, impress your leaders, and grow your income. If nothing else caught your eye - I hope the idea of increasing your income did. Is this selfish thinking? Sure. But the whole point of working is for income - so the idea of maximizing income should be part of your mission. Since you are a Company of One, you should operate like one and look for ways to grow profit. (See Episode 174) Only Two Ways to Make More Money I forget where I heard it, but I remember someone telling me that there were only two ways to make more money. To work more hours. To become more valuable. If you are paid by the hour, working more hours will do the trick. But this is not scalable. But, to become more valuable, you can then charge more for your time. And it is the becoming more valuable part that we need to focus on today. Become Better at Your Job - The Company of One Perspective Before we dive into the details, I just want to make sure our thinking is right. If you tuned into episode 174, you would know all Companies have four major roles: operations, marketing, research, and finance. The part of operations is where we do our job. It is the role we are most familiar with. However, I am going to say that I bet you have left money on the table. Your COO (Chief Operations Officer) has more he or she can do to make money flow. (Yes - you are your own COO - so I am talking about you.) Your job in operations is to serve the customer well. And, your customer is your boss, your boss's boss, your coworkers, etc. (See Ep 176 about knowing your customer better.) Tune in to what your customer needs from you. You will learn a lot by simply asking and listening. What is important to your customer? And remember, this is a personal thing. If you change bosses, then you will likely end up with a new set of priorities. Your job should do one of two things: 1) make money or 2) save money - never forget it. Accountants call it overhead  - expenses that do not directly result in revenue. Always strive to add value. Top of the line expenses is those costs that are part of the building or delivering products and services which drive revenue. Are you part of them? Focus on your strengths and doing what you love. Too often, we get caught up trying to be like the other guy. Instead, focus on where you are strong. Align your work, the best you can, with your strengths. You will do better, be more recognized, and grow your income faster. Reduce the drama. Drama, caused by internal bickering, personal life getting in the way of work, or other things that take the eye off the ball, will drain those you serve. Leave it at home and deal swiftly with the drama at work. Stop stealing from your employers. Dead end meetings. Killing time. Lack of clarity to what you are doing today. Check out Productivity at Work | Quit Stealing From Your Employers Communicate. Do not assume anyone knows what you are doing or why. Help your customers by letting them know what is going on. Subscribe & Review in iTunes Are you subscribed to my Company of One? If you're not, I encourage you to do that today so you don't miss an episode. Click here to subscribe in iTunes! If you like what you hear, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast. I also love reading them and connecting with you. Just click here to review, select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you! Links mentioned in this episode:

Seven things you must know about your boss. Too often we think that our job description is supposed to tell us about our job. Of course, we all know that is does not, and it is often the joke - or the point of contention. But forget your job description - after all, it is more about protecting your employer legally than it is about you. So what is your real job description? Your Boss = Your Customer In episode 174, I covered the Company of One concept. In this concept, I explained that the customer is the person who hands money to you in exchange for the services you perform. So, your boss is your customer. But let's get a little more specific. The customer is any person who can impact the flow of money into your pocket. This means that your boss, your boss's boss, your co-worker, your vendors, etc. Yes - it gets complicated. But it is always complex. Think of a car dealer trying to sell a new car. You and your five-year-old son go into the dealer to look. Your five-year-old is not the person who is going to pay for the vehicle, but if the dealer mistreats your five-year-old, then he/she has lost your business. So, in the Company of One definition - the five-year-old is one of the customers. The point is, the customer relationship is always a little complex. True for you also. To define your customer, start by taking inventory of the people who can impact your pay at work. You might end up with one person or twenty. It does not matter, so long as you get clear who they are. Then focus on the key people. They are likely going to be your boss and your boss's boss. But either way, consider them all bosses. In the world of Company of One thinking, boss=customer. So go ahead, make a list of who they are. I will wait. The Seven Things You Must Know About Your Boss Now that you know who they are, you need to understand there are seven things you must know about your boss (and each one of your bosses or customers) What is their role in the organization? Meaning, what is their responsibility. Think in terms of money - how does their job impact the flow of money in the company? What is their relationship to you? No, we do not just mean titles and who works for who- but how does workflow between you? Do they provide things for you to do? Do you provide a service for them? How do you depend on each other? What do they value? What keeps them awake at night? What are their priorities? How do they win? How do you serve them? Why Should You Care? OK, so you now know about the seven things you must know about your boss.  Now that you know what matters and how your boss can win,  you also see how you can win. You should have clarity about: What matters. What work has to be done with quality. What information your customer (boss) needs and when. What you can ignore.   Click here to listen now. Subscribe & Review in iTunes Are you subscribed to my Company of One? If you're not, I encourage you to do that today so you don't miss an episode. Click here to subscribe in iTunes! If you like what you hear, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast. I also love reading them and connecting with you. Just click here to review, select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you! Links mentioned in this episode: Schedule Your 45-Minute Discovery Session with Dale Episode 119: Developing an Entrepreneurial Mindset Master of Engineering Management in Information Engineering and Management

There are only three kinds of people at work. I am not talking about the normal grouping of the three kinds of people you might have heard of before: Those that make things happen. Those that watch what happens. Those who wonder what happened. (By the way, I might add a fourth - those who have no idea anything happened. But that is not my point today.) But, I have noticed that we can divide three kinds of people in another way  - how they think, and what they have been taught to do. These three kinds of people are: Victims Followers Leaders I have found, and you have likely noticed yourself, that these three groups dominate the economy, politics, and certainly the workplace. Let's focus now at work. So today, we are continuing our discussion of the Company of One concept (from episode 174), but taking a moment to deal with MINDSET - something so critical to becoming a profitable Company of One. What are you? A victim? A follower? Or a leader? The Three Kinds of People at Work Victims Always applying for government help, suing people, squeezing others. They think they deserve what they demand. They are entitled. Beliefs: They are owed something. Maybe because of race, religion, sex, disability, or so many more reasons. Basically, they believe they deserve things. May be free food and home, or that their college degree entitles them to more money. Frustrations: They can never win. Not saying they will not get some wins, but by definition, nobody can ever do enough for them. Governments, companies, employers, etc. will always let them down. They deserve more and demand it, but the demand will never be fully satisfied. Followers They follow the formula. Rule followers -> Do what the school and university say. Cube job and retire. Hard workers. They are fooled into thinking the formula works. Basically, the average middle class. Security matters. Want to know they are taken care of – but they do not realize it is false security. You can find these in every place, and often they can be counted on to deliver. Beliefs: They believe the old axioms - hard work leads to success. But since they miss other parts of the formula, they believe hard work alone does the trick. They think their work speaks for itself, and they should not bother showing anyone what they did or how. They are often suspicious of others - holding tight to their methods and skills since this is what they think offers job security. Work hard, do the right thing, and you will be rewarded. Usually, this model translates to get a good education (meaning formal k-12, then college) getting a great job and working long hours. Frustrations: In their gut, they know it does not work. They may have believed it at one point, but at some time in their life, they look around and realize something is wrong. The best person does not get the promotion. The hardest worker can become punished. The person who is "dumber" and does not appear to work that hard receives the rewards. Leaders Taking control, making it happen, not waiting for permission. Freedom is of high value. Freedom to serve others and do what they want. Leaders tend to lead no matter what. Even when they are not in charge, if they see a problem, they solve it. They will even take the lead when there is a leadership void at levels above them.  Beliefs: Anything is possible. They believe they can. They believe that there will always be resistance, and that is to be expected - maybe even enjoyed. The game is fun. Money is often not the goal, but just a measure of success in the game. Frustrations: The system thinker and the victims are a frustration to leaders. Both groups slow things down and inhibit progress. Even then, the leader often tries to bring the others along - and sometimes finds more frustration because he or she realizes you cannot help some people. Which of the Three Kinds of People are You?

Ready to grow your own company of one. Since the title of this podcast is Company of One, many of you are asking lately, "What do I mean by the "company of one?" So today, I want to help you understand this concept and grow your own Company of One. Why? It will help you see some of the misconceptions about the work we have been taught. It will bring your freedom. It will help you make more money. Grow Your Own Company of One To explain the company of one, we will look at a company we all know. The Business Model Let me us Walmart to help depict this model. We all know of Walmart. But have you ever thought about the critical thing that happens in Wallmart? In fact, the only thing Walmart focuses on. It happens as a relationship. When you hand over money in return for goods/services. This exchange of money for goods and services is what we call doing business. This model is typically called the business model. In this model, the person who hands over the cash is the customer, and the one that takes the money and provides a good or service is the business or company. We are all very familiar with this model - especially from the customer side.   The Business Model   The Employee Model Now let's looks at a model we are also very familiar with. I will call this the employee model. In this model, you go to work for an employer. You are called the employee. Let's assume you work as a project manager for AT&T. So you go to work and provide a service managing multiple projects. I will assume that means you help them get work done on-time and on budget while not missing anything critical.   The Employee Model   Now even the untrained eye can see that these two models are pretty much the same thing. They are identical except for one feature. Notice who hands over the money now. In my example, it is the company or AT&T. And the employee provides the service. So, since AT&T hands over cash, they are the customer. That makes the employee the company or the business. A good depiction of that is below, as drawn by my daughter Cassidy Cash - also known as Cassidy Cash, host of That Shakespeare Life.   We are all a Company of One The point is that the employee model is a lie. We are not employees; we are small one-person companies providing a service to larger companies. We are all companies. Now you might get that immediately, but I know some of us need to process this. It is very critical that you understand. Why? If you understand this, you will have more power, more freedom, and can learn to make more money. Sound like a bold promise? It is. But yet, it is the truth. You see, most of us play one of three roles. First is the victim. Second is the rule follower. The third is the entrepreneur. It is the third role that gets the spark. Entrepreneurs are not just the ones starting companies; they are the ones making things happen even inside of the big companies while they operate as an "employee." It is the entrepreneur who will have the most impact and the most joy. They are the ones who operate like a company of one. Four Key Roles of any Company To see what I am getting at, let's analyze how a company works. It as Earl Nightingale, who I first heard describe the four key roles of a company. They are operations, marketing, finance, and research. When I started teaching entrepreneurship at UAB, I used this simple model of a company to communicate ideas to those who were used to working in large companies like AT&T, Wells Fargo, Lockheed, Boeing, Mercedes, IBM, and many other companies. These students of mine were very smart, but the businesses they worked for were so complex that they had a hard time moving their thinking from big business to a simple model. So Earl's model worked well. As I broke this down for them, I would explain to them how they were this Company of One and that they all had these roles in their own company.

How can you further your career during the COVID crisis? Or put another way, how can you use the crisis to grow? While there are many people who are out of work or on limited hours, the separation and time warp we are living in has pushed us all to do some things differently. Besides wearing masks, washing our hands, and social distancing - this crisis should be giving us some new unexpected skills and some new perspective.  So can you use this time to further your career during the COVID-19 crisis? I think so. In fact, if you pay attention, you might already be enhancing your skills. How to Further Your Career During the COVID-19 Crisis 1. Think Strategically Rethink the goal. Where will you be in the next crisis? A bit of strategic thinking on your own career can help you strengthen your thinking muscle as you get back to work. All jobs and careers need evaluating from time to time to make sure you and your team are on track. Practice it now by thinking about where you want to be in the next 5 years. 2. Better Manage Your Time This is a great way to further your career during the COVID-19 crisis.  Working from home has some challenges, and time management is a big one. No matter how you think you are doing in this area, your time at home has helped. You have had to make some decisions about how to handle the day and how to manage your work with at-home distractions all around. If you can carry those back to work (even if you end up at home still) you will find your day more focused. Also, you might find your work gets done sooner. 3. Learn a New Skill Go ahead and admit it, even if you are still working, you are not as busy as you used to be. What can you do next week to learn a new skill that will carry forward? What is something you have been meaning to learn? Go quickly to Udemy, Coursera, LinkedIn Learning, and pick something and then schedule some time (see the last point) to work on the new skill. 4. Be Better In Meetings Video calls are here to stay. Most of us have found ourselves on video calls as part of the normal business - and for most - this is new. You get to see yourself in a new light. How did you come off in a video? How do you look at a meeting? You now can see yourself in a way you could not before. Were you disconnected? Do you look confident? Do you sound confident? Use this to adapt to the new normal of video calls (which we know there will be more of them now) as well as in-person meetings. 5. Get Better on TV Since we can expect at-home meetings or video meetings to be the new normal, you need to be more prepared. How did your video setup work? Many of us have struggled to look functional on our new TV setup - which is what it is. Take the time to rethink how your background looks. If you are using the Zoom backgrounds - are they sending the message you want them to send? Setup your room with a good background. Also, invest in some better audio equipment and webcams. My favorites are the Blue Yeti Mic and the Logitech 920 camera. 6. Better and Faster Meetings Many of my standing hour-long meetings have fallen to 15-30 minutes as we realize we have covered everything we need to cover and we can get back to work. If only our in-person meetings could be so focused and get such great results. Keep up the plan of coming to meetings with an agenda - even if you are not in charge since the person in charge likely does not have an agenda. See Productivity at Work | Quit Stealing From Your Employers. 7. Get Control of Your Money and Get Out of Debt I hope this one is natural. I expect to see people selling their homes and downsizing, and/or selling their cars to get out of car payments. Many of us have decided to never be in this situation again. The path out is to get some emergency funds setup and to kill the debt. Click here to listen now. Shout Out to Podcast Reviewers Fantastic advice to find your calling and build a career Brianaloha ★★★★★

Is fear stopping you from starting your business? Before you answer this question, make sure you look clearly at all the common signs of fear. If you think it is something else holding you back from your startup, you might not be doing the right things to get past it. Today we want to look at the common signs that fear is controlling you. Like anything else, identifying the core problem is half of the solution. Is Fear Stopping You from Starting Your Business? Here are common signs of fear that I see every day in startups. What kind of business should I start?  Do not know what to do. This statement is a sign of indecision - usually coming from fear. What are you afraid of?  That you do not know enough? That someone will laugh at you? That you might have to work? The problem is, you already have tons of ideas - most are right in front of you. They are your calling. To find an idea, go through the calling exercise. Is fear stopping you? How to get past it: Download my ebook on calling. See my example. I do not know where to start?  While this is a common question, it is often a sign of fear. You can tell if you stay here too long - then it is fear. There is a ton of information about starting businesses - so fear is no excuse. People usually call me with these questions: What is step 1?  Should I get a loan?  Should I get an office?  Should I get a license?  What about an LLC?  All of these are fair questions, but not the starting point. Is fear stopping you? How to get past it: The BEST way to know where to start it to find an expert.  Find the person who is living your dream and go talk to them.  What do I do if I am afraid? Yes, sometimes we can just admit it. Is fear stopping you? How to get past it: What is the fear? What do you think is going to happen? Get clear on what it is you are afraid of. Give it clarity. Read the book by Richard Mack Machowicz, Unleash the Warrior Within: Develop the Focus, Discipline, Confidence, and Courage You Need to Achieve Unlimited Goals. The book has great tools to help you deal with real fear and how to move through it. As he explains, fear is all in the mind. It is an enemy. It keeps you from moving forward. Like all enemies, you either defeat them or will be defeated by them. I do not have the time. How can I start a business without any time?  This is a colossal excuse we all use. But realize it is an excuse driven by fear. Could even be fear of work.   Is fear stopping you? How to get past it: Decide. Do you really want this? Think about someone busier than you, getting more done. Would that person have the time? Can you think of anyone who manages many things and seems to have better success than you do? (If not, email me, and I will help you) Dedicate a set amount of time just for your business. Find the time on your calendar you can repeat over and over. It might be 5-6 AM. It might be over lunch. It might be at night. Just find the time, schedule it, and go. I am procrastinating  This is a classic. According to the physiologists, fear often shows up as procrastination. Is fear stopping you? How to get past it: Set priorities and get focus. Look back at the time issue above. Set some time and make small steps. Do you feel overwhelmed? Get control by getting to priorities.  Just fear. Check out How to Recognize and Overcome Fear I need a partner  If you are waiting for your partner or looking for a partner, this one is usually fear. However, this one does not feel like fear - but it often is. The main reason we want a partner is to have someone to share the burden. We are afraid, and we hope our partner will pull us along. This usually does not work, because your partner is afraid too, and usually less interested than you are. Dave Ramsey often says, "Don't do it.

Our ugly startup story is something I have told many times - usually when I am speaking at an event. But, since I recorded the 9 steps to generate $30,000 per year, I have been talking to many of you about how you can start something. A lot of misconceptions and overcomplicated ideas out there. I wanted to open up and show you what a startup looks like for real (not the idealized things you see in Facebook Ads). So today I share our ugly startup story which will include lessons learned and how we might do it differently today. Our Ugly Startup Story - The AskDrCallahan Startup Story First, we were led to homeschooling our two daughters. The story was a three-year path from "we have never heard of homeschooling" to starting up. Get more details here. About us. The PAIN.  The path into the business came from learning about PAIN. Friends, who were homeschooling and finding their kids also going into high school, were afraid of math. They simply could not teach high school math (their words - not ours.) This was the pain - they needed solutions. Knowing Lea and I are both engineers - they wondered how we might handle this problem. Pain is an important word here - pain is what makes people seek solutions and spend money. I am not talking about physical pain - we are talking about frustration or desire for something one does not have. Marketing pain. We were almost talked into starting a business. It was worded as "Can our son join in with you teaching your daughter - we will pay you. So we started to help. Then it grew into our pain.  I will skip the details here because some of them are in our published AskDrCallahan story, About Us, but after 3 years of this, we were teaching a massive amount of courses in our basement. We were at a crossroads. Lea wanted to move us to a new plan and put the courses on DVD and sell them to friends or open a school. Since I always like to have 3 options to make a decision - I came up with a third - do nothing. Quit. I liked the sound of that option. The Opportunity Analysis To determine if going for a real business model with homeschool math, we needed to do an opportunity analysis. This is a quick way to determine if there is enough money to be made. The details of this initial analysis can be found on Podcast 87: How to Do an Opportunity Analysis. The key was that the numbers looked interesting enough to move forward.  This process took about 30-60 minutes! START NOW Once you know the idea is a go  - you just have to start. We decided on the right product to start with - the one we already had done a few times - Algebra 2 with Trig. The notes were ready, we just needed to get started and put it on the market. Stupid Steps In Call it stupid, distracted, perfectionist, etc., does not matter. This is the place where we start to overcomplicate things. We always do - and so do you. I know, I coach startups and see it EVERY SINGLE TIME. My stupid showed up with me wanting to create a video studio, buy the best equipment, and - well I will not go into more details, but you get the idea. Stupid and distracted. My wife (who as it turns out represents the customer base - more on that in an upcoming podcast) told me "Homeschool moms do not want fancy, they want the problem solved. It does not have to be pretty or packaged well - it has to solve the problem!" This is a great time to heed the quote, "If You're Not Embarrassed By The First Version Of Your Product, You’ve Launched Too Late"  - Reid Hoffman, founder of LinkedIn (Billionaire) So I took a whiteboard, a camera, and started teaching the course just like we did at the university. (OK  - I do not teach math at the university - but you get the idea.) With our daughter doing the video editing (something she had never done), we had a product in a few weeks. Tell the World This is the MOST IMPORTANT PART OF BUSINESS - MARKETING. If you have a great product and nobody knows it, then who cares.

How you can serve and thrive in a crisis? This is a question being asked by many people. While the current COVID-19 crisis has created a lot of panic and financial stress, this is a great time to rethink how you can serve more and thrive doing it. I have heard many pundits, podcasters, and coaches telling us they will teach how you can serve and thrive in a crisis - but I often hear generalities about retooling. What does retooling mean? How do I do that?  So if you have lost your job, find yourself too dependent on the paycheck, or just realize this is the time to act - this is the podcast for you.  How You Can Serve and Thrive in a Crisis [Outline] Step 1 –  Get Control and Get A Plan Get control of you – your mental state. Wake up on time to work. Get ready for work. Your job NOW is to find people to serve. Make a schedule for the week - including workouts and work (get to that later) Realize you CAN make this work. Others can – you are not helpless. Go for a walk or do something physical for 20-40 minutes) Get a plan together. Make a list of 10-20 people you have served - people who paid you before, including their number or email.  Define what "need" you served before? Why did they pay you? What pain did you relieve? Cut hair Clean house Do office admin work Yards House repairs Physical Therapy Gym pro Teaching classes Etc Note: Many high paid professionals do not have answers to this (a lot of corporate people do not have a clear answer. Step 2 – Evaluate the Situation Talk to those you serve. They are STILL your customer if you can still serve them. Call your customers and find out how they are coping – what needs are unmet. Call 10 of them and ask: What is the biggest challenge they are having related to (what you did to serve them)? For example, a haircare person might as “What is the biggest challenge you are having with your hair right now?” Why are you having this challenge? (Do not assume it is because they cannot get you to do it – the answer might be different.) How do you feel about it? (Let their words speak to you.) What do you think you need? (Do not put words in their mouth – let them speak it) You MAY learn things like Hair going crazy and I feel ugly now and ashamed. Nails need to be done – I feel unkempt. I cannot work out and I feel fat and scared I am never going to be in shape again. Now having to teach my OWN kids – going nuts – I cannot do this. I do not know how to do things I SHOULD know. I feel stupid. Step 3 – Look for Alternatives to Retool Review notes from all your calls. What do you see they need? How can you provide that need NOW? Haircare and makeup needs (for those who did hair, nails, sell makeup, etc) Show them how to cut their own hair over a FaceTime and charge them for coaching. Sell them what they need to cut their hair (find tools online and either buy them and resell or become an affiliate.) Provide virtual hair/makeup consultations for people now on video meetings every day, or even professional tv personalities missing their hair/makeup crew. Product help – what to buy and how to use (Salespeople who now have stores closed.) Teach me what I need to buy using Amazon. Find the best deals for people in my product space. (Can do affiliates also.) Teach me how to use the products. Admin Work (for those who worked in offices.) How do people working online need to organize life? Now they need to organize files on computers and MAYBE have physical copies scanned and or filed. How can you do that for them from your home? Setting up Zoom meetings for them or calls. Managing calendars. Step 4 - How to Receive Payments from Your Customers PayPal account Fresh Books Zelle Venmo Square Cash Google Pay Apple Pay

Learn how to make $30k on the side. Think about it - $30,000 a year extra (that is $2500 per month) is not chump change, but many people have no idea how to make $30k on the side. But I coach people to do this all the time - and as you might guess - simple steps. Not easy - but simple. Here’s how to make $30k on the side in 9 Steps (Podcast Outline) Identify what you love to do.  Uncover fun ways to make money doing what you love.  Discover who is doing it now.  Learn from their experience.  Who do you want to serve? Define your audience. Get crystal clear about the people or companies who need what you have to offer.   Define what they want. Want is the KEY word here.  Develop a product or service to fit their needs.   Set a value-based price, so the product/service sells itself.  Serve your customers and make your money.  These steps are simple (not easy). They require mastery Relentless commitment and An unshakable belief in you.  Schedule your FREE 45-minute discovery session with me.  Choose a time on my calendar, and let’s create your roadmap to generate your first $30k and make a bigger impact. Click here to listen now. Shout Out Important Life Lessons Made Simple Coosacam ★★★★★ Dales is great! He has a practical way of delivering his guidance in a simple to digest manner. His points are so relevant to the mundane business world we live in today. If you want to escape the routine and grow, listen to Dale!! Subscribe & Review The Company of One in iTunes Are you subscribed to my Company of One? If you’re not, I encourage you to do that today, so you don’t miss an episode. Click here to subscribe in iTunes! If you like what you hear, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast. I also love reading them and connecting with you. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you! Links mentioned in this episode: Schedule Your 45-Minute Discovery Session with Dale. Contact Dale Callahan Finding Your Path and Doing What You Love Master of Engineering Management in Information Engineering and Management

Making money in a crisis might sound counter-intuitive - but be clear that there is always an opportunity to serve. A crisis is no exception. So if you are willing to serve others and looking for ways to start making money in a crisis - you are in the right place. But I know what you are thinking. Making money in a crisis is just plain greedy. Others need FREE help. Maybe - but before you judge too quickly, listen in.   Making Money in a Crisis (Podcast Outline) Money is NOT always the issue.    It is OK to charge people during a crisis. Many have the means and want your help. There are unique opportunities while people working from home: Babysitting Pet care Tutoring (any subject, any grade) Helping those with health care needs - Diabetic or other issues Food delivery Errand running Showing them how to use tools such as Zoom etc. - Art teacher could not use virtual tools, so had to cancel classes.  Setting up in house workstations - computers, desks, etc. (VPN is a term some are hearing for the first time) Assembling things they bought to work from home Home gym setup Fitness coaching at home or over the web Someone to talk to Elderly care new high when people cannot getaway Working for Amazon / UPS / etc Think Long Term - What May Change for Good Colleges will have more online courses and get more creative Online tutoring will grow  Homeschooling with grow Work from home will grow Personal finance and EF will be a hotter topic Home ordering of supplies - Now we know People will move away from JIT and minimalist to preppers Buy American (or where you are) Things formally made in China will be able to make and sell at home Drive through medicine! This may change the medical community more than any legislation ever could Faster FDA approval of drugs Freedom for doctors to practice without so many regulations Growth in teledocs Perspectives In 1929 investor Irvin Khan doubled his money. "The 107-Year Old Stock Picker."   Look at stocks 1 and 2 years out.   Look 5 years and a different story. 10 years even more Entrepreneur mindset thrives regardless of circumstances. They are ALWAYS looking for trouble. Episode 119: Developing an Entrepreneurial Mindset Where there is trouble - frustration, fear, or pain - there is a way to serve. Where there is a way to serve, there is a way to make money.   Episode 132: How Being a Christian has Made Me Wealthy Episode 158: Quit Believing Stupid Lies about Money and Wealth Click here to listen now. Subscribe & Review in iTunes Are you subscribed to my Company of One? If you’re not, I encourage you to do that today so you don’t miss an episode. Click here to subscribe in iTunes! If you like what you hear, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast. I also love reading them and connecting with you. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you! Links mentioned in this episode: "The 107-Year Old Stock Picker." Episode 119: Developing an Entrepreneurial Mindset Episode 132: How Being a Christian has Made Me Wealthy Episode 158: Quit Believing Stupid Lies about Money and Wealth Contact Dale Callahan Master of Engineering Management in Information Engineering and Management

Want to know how to get more of what you want? Last week we talked about the question: ”Is it OK to want more?” so today we will tackle how to get more.  Let's dive into where we left off and how to get what you really want. The secret that always works. It works for individuals, companies, and teams.  My example of how to get more will use a popular weight lifting app-  StrongLifts First the simple formula. To reach a goal and get more, you have to have a few tools. First is the goal Second is a simple set of actions to follow that are preplanned. Third is a set of measures - so that you know you are making progress. Fourth is the time to work on the goal Here is how Stronglifts works. Goal - Get stronger (simple) Actions - Turn on the Stronglifts app and follow directions. (No thinking now) Measures - Tracked in the Stronglifts app, you can see your progress. Tracks one thing, weight lifted for each exercise.  Time - Go to gym every Monday/Wed/Friday at lunchtime     How to Get More - Here are how the steps work for you First, decide what you really want. I asked this last week in “I want more. Is that OK?” Think to the core. Many might say "I want more money." But think deeper - what does the money bring you? Freedom? Security? Independence? Ability to quit your day job? Get clear on what you really want. Because as we push to find out how to get more, we want to make sure we are really getting more of the right thing - the core issue.  But - do not spend too much time. Clarity tends to come with action - so make your best stab at it and then move on. You can revisit this later.  Second, create a set of SIMPLE actions you need to take. The obstacles can be a real help here. The key is to make these steps simple. This is especially true for the next three steps. For example, painting a room would involve 1) getting paint stick with colors, 2) getting a few samples, 3) painting them on the wall.  Simple - but moves you toward the goal.  Third, track the leading and lagging measures to know if you are succeeding—myFitnessPal is another good example of this. A leading measure is calories per day. A lagging measure is weight. But the key is the leading measure. Decide what they are, find a SIMPLE way to track them, and make them visual. You need to see simple progress.  Fourth, put time on your calendar to do the work.  Here are hints for success: Plan the steps before you do them. Once you start taking action, your focus should be to do the work.  At the end of your work time, capture anything to track. Like MyFitnesspal, capture what you ate at the end of the meal.  At the end of your work, decide the next steps. The key to success at anything is execution. Good planning can help, but the execution is key. You can execute a bad plan and still get results. But you cannot plan without execution and get anything but empty dreams.  Subscribe & Review in iTunes Are you subscribed to my Company of One? If you’re not, I encourage you to do that today, so you don’t miss an episode. Click here to subscribe in iTunes! If you like what you hear, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast. I also love reading them and connecting with you. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you! Links mentioned in this episode Is it OK to want more? StrongLifts App MyFitnessPal Company of One Contact Dale Callahan Master of Engineering Management in Information Engineering and Management

It is OK to want more. Really. I will tell you why in a minute. But the statement I keep hearing is “I want more”  I want more out of my job. I want more out of my career. I want more out of my degree. I want more out of my life. We all get restless at times and feel like everything is moving but yet not much is happening. We feel like it might not matter anymore. Like we have no place to go. Like we have used up all of our mental energy in what we are doing, and there is nothing more to do.  Then we might say “I want more”  I want more. Is that OK? (podcast outline) In a recent post by Marie Forleo, she showed a sign in a window saying “I want more.” While many of her followers related to the statement, some stated that is was not OK to want more. Ideas like You need to be content with what you have. If you get more, others will have less.  If you are already wealthy (define wealthy) you should stop wanting more because you are taking from me.  But, all of this is part of scarcity thinking, This doesn't make sense.  Scarcity vs Abundance Thinking Contentment and Thankfulness vs Wanting More Many of us, especially Christians,  struggle with thinking that we are doing something wrong by wanting more. The idea of being content with what we have is all we need.  When I was looking to start a new business, I felt guilty. I went to my pastor to get help. I knew I was about to get a flogging for my greed in wanting to start a business - so I just laid it on the line.  I told him, “ I just feel guilty wanting to do this instead of just giving all I have away.”  But I was shocked by his answer. Basically he told me this: Yes, we should always be content and thankful for all we have. Yet, we are not created to sit around and just be thankful. After all, we are using resources while we sit. Money, food, water, etc.  We were created with a purpose - do subdue the earth. At one time that was planting and taking on the animals - today it is even more. We are still working to subdue the earth. We are the stewards.  Ministries are funded by faithful men and women who make money and want to use some of that money to grow the kingdom. “Are they wrong?” he asked. Was King David wrong to want to build the temple and gather wealth resources to do that? Where did all the wealth come from?  So is money the key to contentment? Is it even related? Certainly, money is not the key to contentment. I know many wealthy people who are miserable and poor who are very content.  Money is not the key. In fact, the LOVE OF MONEY is stated as sin. So while having more money is OK, being in Love with money (putting it above everything else) is sin. Money is a tool. We are not to be in love with money more than we are to be in love with our dishwasher. (OK right after a big party, we might find a lot of love in that dishwasher;)  But not all people who say “I want more” actually mean money. Are they discontent? Would wanting a stronger relationship with Christ be discontentment? Of course not.  Would wanting more meaning at work, feeling like we understood where we work connected to our faith and could see the impact be discontentment? Maybe. Maybe we are just to show up and do our job and be silent and happy.  But while this sounds nice, I struggle with it. What about “I will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4) Certainly we should desire Christ more and be Christ-focused, but what if God puts on your heart a desire to serve him by doing, well, anything? A mission. A business that will impact the lives of many people? Anything.  While we certainly have to check our motives, I just do not see how many who have had a tremendous impact on the kingdom could have done so without thinking there was more.  Billy Graham wrote 10 Guidelines for Christian Living. Oddly, none of them are about a lack of desire to do or have more. 

Being bored at work seems normal. Studies indicate 43% of office workers are bored - many hoping to find a new job. So if you are bored, then note that you are normal. Now - does that make you feel any better? I thought not.  So what do you do? Quit and find another job? Some of you will take this path, only to quickly be bored again.  So instead of quitting and starting again at a new place, maybe there are creative ways to make boredom go away. Are You Bored at Work? (podcast outline) What to do when you are bored at work?  Want to stay in current job - just wish I was less bored Embrace it. You do not have to work too hard. Maybe that is OK.  Explore. Look around and become curious about what is going on. Get away from your desk (or normal job) and go learn about what others do.  Stop doing so much. Often we are bored when we are not using our gifts. A person who likes movement would prefer sweeping the floor or walking around taking inventory vs sitting at a desk. And some are the opposite. For me - I am NOT a details person. My eyes glaze over as I get into the details. So I have stopped doing many of them and now I focus on strategy. Tell your boss “I am bored at work - what else can I do. The boss SHOULD want to fix it since bored people eventually leave or totally disengage.   Quit doing so much. Maybe you are bored with busy work and do not have the time to THINK.  Really would like to leave - but (there is always a but) Set some goals. What do you really want? Where do you want to be? If money is holding you back - do the math. Vested retirement? So many years to retirement? I was told “15 more years of this crap and I am out.” Really? Just do the math and make a decision on the numbers and not the emotions Look outside. Often we are scared to even look. But look. Check out my podcast on Hidden Jobs. Look inward. Many companies have many options inside. Just because you work for Lockheed does not mean you are stuck.  Get creative. What can you do on your current job to give it life? Can you automate it? Can you take a course to do it better?  Closing   We all get bored from time to time - but staying bored is not a win for anyone. You will give up on things and become disgruntled at work, and at home. You will be that grumpy old man or woman.  But even bigger - think about the example you are setting to your kids or family. Do you want to have a legacy or being bored at work or someone who made things happen?  Shout Out Something for everyone Will Wins ★★★★★ I went through the graduate program under Dale and it totally changed my perspective/attitude on my career, goals, and life. This podcast has been great at continuing to challenge & make me think outside the box. It’s so easy to slip back into the normal thinking that comes with an 8-5 day job and this podcast is great for keeping me aligned. It’s your life. There’s a world of possibilities out there. Keep up the good work and never stop pressing Dale. Click here to listen now. Subscribe & Review in iTunes Are you subscribed to my Company of One? If you’re not, I encourage you to do that today so you don’t miss an episode. Click here to subscribe in iTunes! If you like what you hear, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast. I also love reading them and connecting with you. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you! Links mentioned in this episode: Hidden Jobs Contact Dale Callahan!  Master of Engineering Management in Information Engineering and Management

Who is living your dream? Do you know?  Or put another way, who do you want to grow up to be? Whether their occupation, their success, their ministry, their impact on the world - who is your role model for success?  John, a CIO at a multi-billion $ company told me “No one ever asks me how to be me. No one seems to want to be CIO.” His statement was odd because the same statement is written in the book Rich Dad Poor Dad - no one ever asks him how to be rich.   But the key to finding success is to answer three questions - and one of them is to find out who is living your dream.  Who is Living Your Dream (podcast outline) The Hard Truth: Many people do not have a role model. They are drifting. We need to find people who have walked the path we want to walk.  Who is Living your dream - how to find out. The three questions you need to answer: What do you love to do? How do you make money doing that? Who is living your dream? Today we focus on the last question - who is living your dream?  But to help you find the other answers, check out How to Find Your Calling.  Who is living your dream? Here are some examples of those who found it. David Goggins from Can't Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds. Seeing the Navy Seal video. He even loved the idea of the pain.  Don't Die in Your Cube. Story of Brian Rabon. How to connect to the person who is living your dream. Boldly reach out. People love to talk about themselves - so this is going to be easier than you think. See How to Win Friends and Influence People. Email is my favorite way to start. LinkedIn is also a great path. This is your dream - not your wish. Go after it.  Email, call, text, smoke signals. Go do it now.  If you are lost and need help to get clarity, give me a call.  Click here to listen now. Subscribe & Review in iTunes Are you subscribed to my Company of One? If you’re not, I encourage you to do that today so you don’t miss an episode. Click here to subscribe in iTunes! If you like what you hear, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast. I also love reading them and connecting with you. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you! Links mentioned in this episode: How to Find Your Calling Can't Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds Don't Die in Your Cube How to Win Friends and Influence People Contact Dale Callahan!  Master of Engineering Management in Information Engineering and Management

Finding your path after 30 has some unique challenges. College is just a memory. You have a good career. You have a family. But when you look around at what you do and what comes next - you might be yearning for some direction. The words I hear so often are, "I want more." A client recently told me this: When you get into your 30’s, you do not know where to go. Up to now, you had a plan. High school counselors and parents helped you find a college, college helped you find a job, and when you started the job you had some direction since you were new and just learning. Now, you are experienced with so many options of where to go, and no one is directing you. She said it well. Finding your path after 30, when no one is there to guide you, and you have so many choices can be a rough and lonely road. Finding Your Path After 30 (Podcast Outline) Warning signs you might be on the wrong path (Some of these are taken from Jack Canfield's post on how the universe is speaking to you. The universe aside - some good thought.  You are not as interested in the work you once loved.  Bored Not wanting to dive into the details that once excited you. You complain about the company, the boss, or coworkers often. (A friend of mine refers to some people as “Waste of life”. ) You hunger for change - even if you are not sure what that is. You might fear change at work - what will you have to learn now about a field you are bored with?  Dealing with anxiety or depression. Never fully relaxed. Often we feel as if something terrible is about to happen. You might have chronic medical issues. Often undiagnosed with a clear path or often misdiagnosed and treat the symptoms. (I speak as a systems engineer.) Back pain Wrist pain Migraines Stomach issues etc A few names for this state: Cubical insanity Corporate lobotomy The result: You feel numb and unable to see clearly what to do from here. You ask, "How did I get here, and how do I get out." The truth is, you are in a box that you have built. You cannot see your way out.  Coaching can help Generally, a coach or a guide is what you need. Not someone to tell you what to do, but someone to lead your thinking.  Where you might find these: Career Counselors: I generally do not like this approach because it's in a box. These counselors mostly focus on tightening up your resume or giving you tests. All in-the-box thinking.  Therapists/Psychologists: I like this better since they are not in a box - but provide little guidance. That is not their role. But they can help you think through problems.  Mastermind groups: These can be awesome - but are often focused around a topic. Also hard to find one.  Grad School - new degree: Very useful IF AND ONLY IF they have coaching built into the program. Coaches: Career coaches, life coaches, executive coaches - so many names. This type has been the best option for me.  But you really need to find someone who knows their stuff. A good one can reconnect you with your dreams.  What to look for in a coach: Life Experience. They need to have real-life experience - preferably experience that allows them to understand where you are coming from. I have seen 20-year-old life coaches. Sorry - it just does not fit the smell test for me.  Work experience. You need someone who has worked in industry. People who are just coming back into the workforce (moms) or people who cannot find a better job will often hang out their shingles.  Experience in your pain: They should have had similar struggles. Career struggles Connections: This is a super added benefit, they should be well connected to help you get connected assuming you need it. LinkedIn is a clue here.  Wealth: Someone who has already made it or makes plenty of money in their work and does not need you. You do not want a starving coach.  A price: They should charge.

Have you forgotten how to dream? I asked that question of a client the other day as he was talking through all of his options. Should he take the job that was a minor promotion (my words - not his) or should he take the job in the other company which is also a minor promotion? (Again - my words not his.)  As he described both, I could tell his heart could care less? “What do you really want?” I asked. He then started comparing the options between the two jobs.  No - I mean “What do YOU really want?” Take all of this off the table. What do you want to do if you could step back and money was not the issue? He stared at me as if I had just morphed into speaking Chinese.  After a moment of awkward silence, I said - “Have you forgotten how to dream?" After another moment of awkward silence, he said - “I have even forgotten what it means to dream."  Have you forgotten how to dream? (podcast outline) We have let others do the dreaming for us. They set the agenda. What has happened to all of us? We used to be a nation of dreamers and innovators. Now we have mostly become the settlers. Settle for this job. We settle for this pay raise. We settle for watching other people do amazing things and work hard. We settle for having our mind numbed by the corporate grind - mostly made up of meaningless meetings and poor leadership. We settle for having our after-hours time consumed with the mission of others - coaches for our kids, school systems who demand us to show up after hours, job functions to go to, or just the grind of the TV and endless TV commercials.  Much of what we suffer is in the name of taking care of our kids and preparing them for college, and then a job, where they will live in the same monotony we have.  Or we suffer from being entertained to death. Videos, video games, etc 3.2 Billion hours of Youtube are watched every month.  The number of hours people spend watching videos (aka watch time) on YouTube is up 60% year-over-year Why have we done this?  Corporate Lobotomy - You become numb. Your mind becomes disconnected from your feelings about work and purpose. You might have been here too long.  We are being taught to follow. The average parent is teaching their kids to get into college. Why?  We are NOT being taught to dream.  How to recapture the spirit of dreaming! Find ways to be inspired.  Find new people who fascinate you to hang around them.  Be careful who you hang around! Who You Spend Time With Is Who You Become. Find new ideas to try. Those things you always wanted to do but never had the time, money, etc.  Make time by quitting the activities that are adding no value to your life.  Does it truly provide you joy?  Do you look forward to doing it - or are you just in the habit of doing it?  All about people. Like it or not - people are the thing that inspires us. People who are doing amazing things. People who are passionate about what they do. People who we connect with on ideas or purposes.  Quit the relationships that are adding no value! "Boundaries Updated and Expanded Edition: When to Say Yes, How to Say No To Take Control of Your Life" by Henry Cloud Then Dream Failure is not the right outlook - to try and grow is the point.  The journey is important - not the destination.  See more possibilities: We tend not to see possibilities beyond Our degree Our company Our work experience Our zip code For example, in a recent meeting with a CIO who was looking for what is next, he thought his only options were more CIO roles or tech roles. He discounted all he knew.   We tend to kill ideas when we see someone already doing this.  How dare we enter the market?  Who am I to do this?  Walmart, Facebook, Google, started this way. Others were doing it - they did. So did the corner laundry mat owner. So did the person holding the job you now want.

Do you hate marketing yourself? The other day someone told me “I hate having to market myself. It just feels slimy - like I am a used car salesman."  (No apologies to the used car salesmen out there - the label is well earned.) But, a central component of any business is marketing and promotion. So, in the Company of One model - where you look at yourself as a business - marketing YOU is important for growth.  So if you hate marketing yourself, this episode is for you.    Be comforted. Marketing yourself is NOT what car salesmen do - well it should not be unless your goal is to have people run from you when you walk down the hall - then it can be pretty effective.  So today we want to talk about what marketing yourself looks like. Professional, not pushy, and very effective.  I blogged about marketing yourself or showing your value in this blog post with similar content: How to Show Your Value.  What To Do If You Hate Marketing Yourself (podcast outline) Operations vs marketing. Operations are about delivering the service. Marketing is about making potential customers aware of your services OR about making current customers aware of how you have served them.  What is effective marketing?  Marketing is a way of serving. Marketing should be appreciated  “Marketing is simply letting others know how you can add value to their lives AND reminding them how you have added value to their lives. Either way - it is sort of a method of educating your audience. Marketing, when done right, is helpful and appreciated. “  For example, look at the things you get in an email that you appreciate getting. Are they marketing something as well as serving? We all WANT to be marketed to. We want to be informed about products that serve us or just to be aware. We want to know what others have done for us after they did it? Examples would be the mechanic going over the work done to your car or the software engineer having a training session to teach others how to use the code they developed. Depends on industry. Used car commercials work - we know because they keep doing them. Everyone says they are annoying - but the results come in. So we continue to see them. Yet, you do not see the same kind of thing from other services. Home repair, mechanics, dentists, and even most retailers do a much different style of marketing. But what about professional services - which is where you are? Professional Services Marketing. Selling the person and not the product. Focused on what I can do (or have done) for you. Liking and respecting the person being marketing is key. (Therefore being pushy and annoying is not the way to go.) Effective Ways To Discover how to market yourself inside your company Look around at the people you respect. How do they communicate value? How do they let others know they have done their job?  Look at your own people (who work for you or on your team). Who do you respect here? What do they do?  How do you know what your people or team members are doing?  How does your boss know what you are doing?  Winning Methods That Almost Always Work. Provide a reminder email weekly or monthly that provides some data to your internal customer (boss) about what you did.  Use bullets or short summaries. It should be less than 1 page and fit on a screen so they do not have to scroll.  Use any data that makes sense - numbers can really help.  If you have metrics - use those as talking points. Where are you?  Copy your customers on internal emails where you are announcing an activity you are doing or something you have done. This might be more detailed than your customer (boss) needs but is just FYI.  Have an agenda. If you have periodic meetings (staff meetings or one-on-ones) be prepared for talking points. Do not walk in blind - but have an agenda to direct the conversation. For staff meetings,

You need to become a better reader. I know - this might be something you have not heard since grade school. The old adage “leaders are readers” might not be 100% accurate, but I have found that most people who are getting things done and breaking new ground are in fact, avid readers.  I have also found that those who do not do a lot of reading are typically not growing and average. They usually do not have a lot of insight and seem to be OK with the status quo. Not knocking it - just an observation.  Another observation - I can usually tell who is a reader without asking them.  So whether you are a reader or are wanting to think about how to become a better reader and develop a better reading habit, this list should help you out.   Three Steps to Become a Better Reader in 2020(Podcast Outline) First, learn to consume content faster. No, I do not mean speed reading (although that is an option - but takes work) but I mean read smarter. To become a better reader, you need to be able to read more. But, let’s face it, not every word in a book, blog, email, or internal policy has real meaning. Learn to make good decisions about how to move through books faster. Check out this link on How to Read More in Less Time. You can go all out to the speed reading, or just learn techniques to skim that work with little practice.  Second, find the right stuff to read. How? Look to your peers or the leaders in your field. What are they reading? Sure there are many books that we come across that may not be popular and yet still rock our world. I love those gems - and read many of them. They are usually the ones I hear about on podcasts or that are written by people I follow.  Face it, to get into the top sellers is a bit of a game - and not every author has that as his or her goal. My book Resumes are Worthless is one of those. I never went after playing the game. (Yet - still on my someday maybe list)  However, the bulk of my reading tends to come from what is popular and what others have recommended. This is not so much about following the crowd - but more about keeping up. When I listen to a speaker talk about MVPs in an entrepreneurship conference, I want to know they are talking about a minimally viable product from Lean Startup and not the most valuable player from the latest NFL game.  So how to find these books? See what is being read by others who are leaders in your field. What do they post on Social Media or in blogs or mention in talks?  How do I do this?  When I hear a book mentioned I write it down for later.  When I see a book in someone's office - I write it down. I have even taken pictures of people's bookshelves to see what they are reading or have read.  Often I will just ask “what are you reading?” When I get back to the office, I look them up and will add them to my Good Reads books to read or to my Amazon wish list.  Third, pick up on my recommendations. Since you are here and following me, here is what I am recommending. These fit you if  You are trying to grow your income You hope for more control over your work/career You want freedom as much as you want money Growing wealth and being a good steward of your money matters to you You want to be inspired and realize that you can do more.  Reading List  Start with the Truth - The Bible - This is the best book for business and success ever written. It has inspired me in many ways and even helped me grow wealth. Check out How Being a Christian has Made Me Wealthy Then 6 books to read - 1 every 2 months Mindset Books Mindset Rich Dad Poor Dad (What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money - That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not!) - This book is about mindset - which is CRITICAL to your thinking. You have to step back and get control of how you look at things and realize much of what we think and been taught about success is wrong - even common sense tells us this. Rich Dad will lay it out.

Write your 15 minute business plan and then get moving providing goods and services for other people.  After all, the only person who reads most business plans is the person who wrote it - the business owner.  But unlike all those people who spend months writing a plan, you need to develop your 15-minute business plan and then start with the execution phase. Here is all you need. 15 Minute Business Plan for Your Startup (podcast outline) The key elements of a business plan are simple and should be obvious if you are getting ready to start making money and serving customers.  Your 15-minute business plan should answer the following questions: What problem(s) are you trying to solve? Do not be cute or wordy, just state what the problem is in normal words. Best to use the words you have heard potential customers use. Example: Help busy moms with preteen kids lose weight. They are so busy with kids that taking care of themselves is hard. Who you will serve? It needs to be someone who has the problem and is aware that they have it. For example, an overweight person who does not feel overweight or feel motivated to change it will not want your products. Example: Busy moms with kids who are from 5-12 worried about their weight. What products or services will you offer to solve that problem? Do not over complicate it, but think about the most valuable thing you can offer. The book  The Lean Startup calls this the MVP (Minimally Viable Product). Do not overthink it. Be clear. Example: An iPhone app that will trigger mom to plan her day the night before. What clothes she needs out to workout then go on with her day. What foods she needs to prep. Then during the day, the app will remind her what to eat and what exercises to do.  The goal - where you want to be in the next 3 years. Then break down to 1 year and 3 months.  Remember goals should motivate you and make you think you can do it - just outside of your comfort zone.  Goals are not a wish list - they are things you really are willing to work to accomplish Avoid the delusional zone. ($1billion in sales in 3 years)  Think simple steps. Do not overthink it. Create Mainline Goals, Big Win, and Stretch Goals Mainline - The minimum you want to see and still feel like it was a win.  Big Win - You will feel awesome  Stretch - If all works right and grows as you planned and other good things happen - this is a stretch.  Who is your competition?  Name the people - not just companies? How can you get to know them and be friends with them?  What makes you different Business proposition: We do X for Y so that they can Z. Unlike other companies, we … Example: We provide IT services for small companies that do not have IT experts so that they can focus on running their business. Unlike other IT service companies such as Gee Squad, we provide fast service and turn arounds so your business keeps running. Click here to listen now.  Subscribe & Review in iTunes Are you subscribed to my Company of One? If you’re not, I encourage you to do that today so you don’t miss an episode. Click here to subscribe in iTunes! If you like what you hear, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast. I also love reading them and connecting with you. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you! Links mentioned in this episode: The Lean Startup Master of Engineering Management in Information Engineering and Management

Stupid lies about money are certainly prevalent. Like weight loss, everyone has advice about how to make money and grow wealth. The problem is  - most of that advice comes from people who do not have any money. Kinda like taking weight loss advice from a fat person.  OK - to be transparent I am not fat. Oh - you really do not care about that, do you.  Maybe you care more about this. I have zero debt (including real estate) and I am a multimillionaire with multiple streams of income and I generally love what I do. - even the parts when I am working with idiots. You can hear about that on Podcast 157: Finding Joy on the Job Even When You Work for an Idiot.  But I am certainly blessed. I do not claim to be wise in all things money - but I do constantly learn from others who know a lot - and little - about growing wealth. There are definitely many lies we believe.  Before we look at those lies, there are simple, but important truths about growing wealth that we overlook. Today let’s look at a few of those.  Quit Believing Stupid Lies about Money and Wealth (Podcast Outline) Truths about Money Money is tied to people (link to soft skills) Money comes from people.  Companies, governments, or individuals.  Every time money changes hands - it is a relationship Money changes hands in exchange for something. Listen to my What does it mean to be a Company of One Podcast.  Goods - you buy something or someone buys from you Service - you are paid to do something. Your job, clean the house, coach someone in a sport, take photos, etc Winning with money is about paying yourself first. Read this great book: The Richest Man in Babylon. You tend to behave (with money) like those you hang around - hear more in Podcast 095, Who You Spend Time With Is Who You Become.  The Bible teaches a lot about money and wealth. A great in-depth look at this truth in Podcast 132: How Being a Christian Has Made Me Wealthy.  Lies About Money I do not want to be rich, because rich people are greedy.  Time is money. I can get passive income and do nothing. Listen in on Podcast 041: Passive Income From Information Products the Lies and The Truth.  College is a way to wealth. You really want to read  Rich Dad Poor Dad.  Mindset is Key to Being Broke or Being Rich From Rich Dad Poor Dad Poor dad: “I’ll never be rich.” Rich dad: “There is a difference between being poor and being broke. Broke is temporary and poor is eternal.” The story of Bob has enough and lives rich while living on little. The story of Rick (business owner) does not ever have enough. Looks rich but is really broke. Reading assignment I Will Teach You to be Rich  Rich Dad Poor Dad  Click here to listen now. Subscribe & Review in iTunes Are you subscribed to my Company of One? If you’re not, I encourage you to do that today so you don’t miss an episode. Click here to subscribe in iTunes! If you like what you hear, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast. I also love reading them and connecting with you. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you! Links mentioned in this episode: Podcast 157: Finding Joy on the Job Even When You Work for an Idiot What does it mean to be a Company of One Podcast The Richest Man in Babylon Podcast 095, Who You Spend Time With Is Who You Become Podcast 132: How Being a Christian Has Made Me Wealthy Podcast 041: Passive Income From Information Products the Lies and The Truth Rich Dad Poor Dad I Will Teach You to be Rich Master of Engineering Management in Information Engineering and Management

Is finding joy on the job - even when you work for an idiot  -  even possible? No, I am not asking is working for an idiot possible - we all know that it is. Painfully! But finding joy on the job is an important part. Can it be done if you work for that idiot?  I think so. In fact, I know you can find joy at work, even while working for an idiot. Here are some ideas on how. Finding Joy on the Job - Even When You Work for an Idiot (Podcast Outline) Leave. Start looking for something else in a serious hunt. You do not have to be committed to leaving - but just the hunt alone might help you find joy. Recently I was working with someone who was unappreciated at his job. He was not the most organized guy - but he was powerfully effective with clients. But the establishment did not appreciate him - especially two women on the team. He was dogged in every meeting of management. Then when he got a new manager, that manager led by giving him a written warning with human resources. I told Jack that he would never thrive at this company - too much damage was done and they were not a good fit. He should leave. While he is still with the company, he is hot after job leads and bouncing with optimism. His optimism is so infectious that even on his current job he is starting to get some respect.  So be ready to leave - even if you do not. Nothing is worse than being at a place that you are not respected or do not fit in.  Find the real problem. Sometimes our real issues are not the other people - sometimes it is us. Look in the mirror and ask “What really is going on here?” Your boss might or might not be an idiot, poor leader, or any other kind of an uninspiring jerk - but either way - how you feel should not be in his or her control. Stop and think hard about the situation. A coach can really help you peel back the layers here and find out what is going on. Too many times I have worked with clients who complain about poor leadership, but when I ask questions it becomes clear to them that the boss might not be the whole problem. They own some responsibility. So do you. Find out what is going on. Think about these questions: What do I need that I am not getting? Appreciation, guidance, accountability, support working with others, etc. What are you missing? How does the boss make me feel? Be honest and own your feelings here. After all - your misery is a feeling itself. What is the source of it? The bottom line is that others cannot make you happy, sad, miserable, or anything else. You can find it fun and joy anywhere. Be a helper to the boss. Yes, the person you think is an idiot or mean or ineffective. Find out what is going on with them. Someone in their home life? Stress from their superiors? Boredom? Maybe the person that is really unhappy is the boss - and by opening up to you, you might find your work more meaningful. Maybe, just maybe, the ministry and mission you need to take care of most is your boss. Play a game. You know all those psychological games that say smile and you will feel better. Be happy even if you have to fake it. Dress nicer to be treated better. Forget trying to manipulate - but have fun trying it just for the joy of it. When I worked for AT&T, I had a string of idiots I worked with. (OK so given all I have said - they may not have been idiots - but that is how I saw them at the time.) I was miserable. I hated every Saturday because after that was Sunday and it only led to Monday- you know what I mean. So I started playing games with me -and I noticed I felt better. It was just kind of fun. I was ignoring the pain - even looking for an opportunity in it. But something else happened - others seemed to respect me more. Doors started to open. Was is my dress? My attitude? Who knows - but it had effects I did not expect. Not saying it will for you - but it is a game. So here are things to try: Read the book Resumes are Worthless which outlines how to be a Company...

Leadership void is the norm.  Some voids are caused by poor leaders who provide little vision or direction.  Others are caused by transitions in roles (esp for your leaders) and the inability for overall leadership to define issues and set a strategy.  Either way - as John Maxwell puts it - Everything rises and falls on leadership.  Unfortunately - even if you are a leader - you are often impacted by the leadership above you and you get stuck waiting for their direction - and in the meantime, you fail to provide direction to those who report to you. You, therefore, become a bad leader. (I have been here a number of times myself)  So no matter your role or the reason - leadership void is the norm - not the exception. Here are some things to do.   How to Lead at Work When There is a Leadership Void (Podcast Outline) The Bold Approach Engage the leader. Ask them what is going on. Politely let them know you see a void and things are not working.            You might find  That something big is going on - such as a merger or acquisition or internal flopping about. If this is the case - ask for guidance about how you can help.  The leader is clueless and thinks they are doing a good job. In this case - tread lightly. Ask for how you can help them and make suggestions. (Personally I tend to be more blunt - but a risky move to make since the leader - albeit ineffective - still has power) The leader is leading - but not communicating. (We can argue if they are truly leading but for now - what can you do?) In this case, let them know how people feel. Ask them to be bolder in communicating facts and vision. Volunteer to help set up town hall-style meetings or other forms of communication to get the word out. In leadership what is not said is often more powerful than what is said. https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffstibel/2017/09/07/the-leadership-void-its-not-what-you-say-its-what-the-brain-fills-in/#6985a1963f10 The leader knows he or she is ineffective and working on a solution. In a few instances, I have found this leader willing to talk to me, ask my input, and even ask for help leading. But be careful getting too close or assuming you are on the winning path - this leader is often on his or her way out - even if they do not know it yet. You likely cannot save them. 2.  Fill the void. If you do not, someone else will. So it might as well be you. I know you cannot declare yourself leader, but you can get organized and take control in your own areas. The best approach to take here is to identify the major players on the team and talk to them one-on-one about plans. Do not talk about the leadership void - instead, talk about your role as a team. Shoot for pulling the major players together to come up with a plan. Avoid the gossip about the leadership void by taking the high road - “the leader is busy and it is our job to do this - not his/hers.” The key is to not lead with power - but lead with influence - asking the help of others and working as a team. Truth is - most people do not want to lead and will be happy you have stepped up to help. Maybe even the boss will like it and join your team.    Click here to listen now.  Subscribe & Review in iTunes Are you subscribed to my Company of One? If you’re not, I encourage you to do that today so you don’t miss an episode. Click here to subscribe in iTunes! If you like what you hear, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast. I also love reading them and connecting with you. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you! Links mentioned in this episode: Episode 119: Developing an Entrepreneurial Mindset Master of Engineering Management in Information Engineering and Management

Looking to grow your income without leaving your day job? Growing our income is one of the most common goals we all have - but we rarely talk about it like growth. Instead, I hear others tell me “I want to make more money” But what does that mean? Usually a new job or a pay raise.  When I ask “How are you going to make that happen?” the answers come back  Wait for my boss to give me a raise, I guess? Hope that they finally pay me what I am worth. I am looking for a new job. (usually passively) The challenge is most of us are waiting on someone else to grow our income.  STOP. Take control. YOU GROW YOUR OWN INCOME! Five Ways to Grow Your Income Without Leaving Your Day Job  (Podcast Outline) #1 - Start a side hustle doing what you love. There is no easier way to increase your income and create a long term flow of money.  Teaching others how to do what you love and are good at. We see a lot of this on  - courses on how to use their camera, learn a language, do building projects, fix houses, etc. Providing a service for others doing something. Pressure washing. Lawn care. Dog sitting. Organizing kitchens. Making cakes. #2 - Sell stuff on CraigsList, FB Marketplace, ETSY, eBay All that junk sitting around that you do not use. Take a photo and put it on Craigslist. A friend of mine tells me he sees something that they do not use and he grabs his phone, takes a photo, and posts it. Gone.  One of my team members needed to generate some cash to cover her last few terms in grad school. She started taking pictures of household items she no longer needed and put them on Facebook Marketplace. She sold it all generating enough money to cover her tuition.  WARNING: Can become habitual. I know several people that have had such success on eBay and other platforms that they decided to just not go back to work.  #3 - Increase your income on the job (This is often the easiest - but not the fastest) Find out what really matters. Add more value. Take on more work. Take on the role left by someone else whose job has not been filled.  Take on work your company is currently outsourcing. Find a way to add more revenue at work. Find a way to cut costs at work.  Use the I Will Teach You To Be Rich method. Use my Company of One method. Ep 130 - How to Increase Your Income – Without Working Any Harder or Any Longer. #4 - Start freelancing You have skills. Even if you think you don’t, you do. Search sites like Upwork and Fiver to see what other people are outsourcing. What are they doing that you can do?  Programmers earning an extra $30k per year without working hard at it. Grant writing. Writing an email series for companies. Setting up a Wordpress site or other software. Online marketing. See Neil Patel's The 5 BEST Digital Marketing Side Hustles $20 to $195 Per Hour! #5 - Take a second job (one that is fun)  Work in a seasonal shop that you enjoy. Help a company you like to buy from. Usually a local company. Help a friend grow their company.   Click here to listen now.  Subscribe & Review in iTunes Are you subscribed to my Company of One? If you’re not, I encourage you to do that today so you don’t miss an episode. Click here to subscribe in iTunes! If you like what you hear, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast. I also love reading them and connecting with you. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you! Links mentioned in this episode: Udemy.com I Will Teach You To Be Rich Ep 130 - How to Increase Your Income – Without Working Any Harder or Any Longer The 5 BEST Digital Marketing Side Hustles $20 to $195 Per Hour! Episode 119: Developing an Entrepreneurial Mindset