Deconstructing Success with Chris Winfield

Do you want to be scared or... free? Scared or... rich? Scared or... extraordinary? If you're sick of being "scared" and truly ready for what's on the other side of fear... this interview might just change your life. And I don't say that lightly. This conversation with Emily Williams has profoundly affected my life and "flipped the switch" on how I view money, freedom and even fear itself. Wondering who Emily is? She's a success coach, entrepreneur, and author with a seven-figure business, who at one point, couldn’t get a job at Starbucks... and she has an uncanny ability to make complicated "money concepts" really simple and actionable! Some of the big things you’ll learn from Emily in this inspiring and tactical interview are: Emily’s approach to changing your relationship with money and the exact steps she took to transform $120,000 of debt into a thriving 7-figure business.... How to ‘flip the switch’ and turn OFF your negative thoughts and insecurities about making money... The ‘Why Not Me Mentality’ that you can use to turn your yearly salary into a monthly paycheck... The 'Positive Money Mindset' that will allow you to overcome the shame and fear that comes with being rejected.... How to quit playing the victim and start believing in yourself so that YOU can accomplish anything... We'll cover all of that (and a lot more) in this exclusive interview with Emily Williams in Episode #13!   Thank you SO much for checking out the Deconstructing Success show. Two quick things before you go.. Thing #1) Don’t forget to subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, just type in “deconstructing success” in the search bar...and click the subscribe button.   And if you enjoyed today’s show, please take a few moments to leave a review...your support means the world to us! Thing #2) You can get all of the shownotes, transcripts, breakdowns and special bonuses for this and every other episode at http://chriswinfield.com/podcast That’s it! Now go out and have the best day ever and we’ll see you next week right here on the Deconstructing Success show!

Ever since she was a little girl growing, Luisa Zhou wanted to be the CEO of a major corporation. She just knew that the power, the money, the prestige that came with this would make her happy. As a young adult, she began to climb the corporate ladder and said “...on the outside, things looked good. I had a great job and a great salary, but the truth was, I wanted more.” What was the 'MORE' that this self-described introvert was searching for? Afterall, she’d been an International Space Station engineer, a mobile payments start-up co-founder, and a digital advertising manager for companies looking to fuel their marketing with artificial intelligence. She wanted to to start her own business but… she had to overcome the fears that were holding her back. The fear of failing, of giving up the safety and prestige of her corporate life. One day she asked herself a question that would change her life… WHY NOT? Why not me? Why not now? What’s the worst that could happen? She began to embrace this 'why not mentality'... She got comfortable with being uncomfortable. She faced her fears and went from employee to entrepreneur. In this interview, she breaks it all down and walks us through her journey: How her first group coaching program launch went from a complete bust to a six-figure success. How she used Facebook challenges to grow her business. And  the EXACT steps she took to generate over $800K in sales in her first course launch! Best of all, you’ll discover how embracing Luisa’s “Why Not?” mentality can help you to go BIG and take massive action! Thank you SO much for checking out the Deconstructing Success show. Two quick things before you go.. Thing #1) Don’t forget to subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, just type in “deconstructing success” in the search bar...and click the subscribe button.   And if you enjoyed today’s show, please take a few moments to leave a review...your support means the world to us! Thing #2) You can get all of the shownotes, transcripts, breakdowns and special bonuses for this and every other episode at http://chriswinfield.com/podcast That’s it! Now go out and have the best day ever and we’ll see you next week right here on the Deconstructing Success show!

Danny Iny was a self-described “goodie two shoes” for the first fourteen years of his life. Until the age of 15, when he suddenly lost interest in school, missed 152 days of classes and then convinced his parents to let him drop out in the middle of ninth-grade so he could start a business. They let him. He started that business and climbed aboard the entrepreneurial roller-coaster which was initially filled with some ups but a whole bunch of downs or as he calls them “plot twists” including losing everything in 2011 after his 3-year old startup imploded… Leaving him down -- but not out. In 2011, he started Firepole Marketing with less than nothing: No traffic No subscribers No relationships with any influencers in the industry And over $250,000 of personal debt (left over from that last failed startup) Which he then turned into into a seven-figure business through: Some ingenious marketing efforts (Such as becoming the "Freddy Krueger of Blogging") A strong commitment to teaching people And whole lot of listening to what his customers actually wanted In essence, he discovered the magic of how to “Teach and Grow Rich” and has since helped thousands of other people do the same. In this exclusive interview Danny walks us through his journey up until today... from dropping out of high-school -- to serving in the Israeli military -- to his first business “misfires” and... How he finally lit the match, made things simple and became one of the world leaders in the online education and marketing space. Some of the big things you'll learn from Danny in this "on fire" interview are: The four kinds of "educator entrepreneurs" that exist... and how to determine which one you are. How Danny convinced his parents to let him drop out of school at 15.... and why he’s completely fine if his own kids choose the same path (starting with first grade). Why stepping into difficult situations (that you’d rather avoid) will ultimately make you better in every way possible... and how he had to do this recently. What the two contradictory and unsustainable business models (that destroy many entrepreneurs) are... and how to "straddle" them both for success. What the "Teach and Grow Rich Opportunity" is... and the super simple steps you need to take to harness it. We'll cover all of that (and a lot more) in this exclusive interview with Danny Iny in Episode #11! Thank you SO much for checking out the Deconstructing Success show. Two quick things before you go.. Thing #1) Don’t forget to subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, just type in “deconstructing success” in the search bar...and click the subscribe button.   And if you enjoyed today’s show, please take a few moments to leave a review...your support means the world to us! Thing #2) You can get all of the shownotes, transcripts, breakdowns and special bonuses for this and every other episode at http://chriswinfield.com/podcast That’s it! Now go out and have the best day ever and we’ll see you next week right here on the Deconstructing Success show!

Laura Belgray does two "main things" with her (brilliantly named) business Talking Shrimp: She helps TV networks (like Bravo, NBC, Comedy Central, and many more) come up with the words that make people want to watch their shows. And she helps small businesses and entrepreneurs, like you, find the words that make buyers go bananas. And she does two "main things" (actually it was a lot more than two but I'm trying to do something here) in this interview with me today: Helped me to understand things about writing and copy that I never could have imagined before. And...made me laugh. A lot. Win-Win. In this interview Laura walks us through her journey from fact-checking & research to writing ad copy for major magazines to crafting award-winning promos for TV networks to... Starting her own company...and the ups & downs, bumps & bruises, wins & losses...and all of the life-lessons she learned along the way. Some of the big things you’ll learn from Laura in this "so good it hurts" interview are: The reason she “lies” to her calendar...and how this technique helps her stay productive. Why Laura was happy she didn’t know any of the “rules” when she started her company. The simple framework that will help you write better immediately, even if they aren’t a “writer”. Why “good copy isn’t just about moving products, it’s about moving people”...and how to tap into this. How to quiet your inner critic...and prevent your “hyper-critical self judgement” from stopping you from doing something amazing! And so much more… We'll cover all of that (and a lot more) in this exclusive interview with Laura Belgray in Episode #10! Thank you SO much for checking out the Deconstructing Success show. Two quick things before you go.. Thing #1) Don’t forget to subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, just type in “deconstructing success” in the search bar...and click the subscribe button.   And if you enjoyed today’s show, please take a few moments to leave a review...your support means the world to us! Thing #2) You can get all of the shownotes, transcripts, breakdowns and special bonuses for this and every other episode at http://chriswinfield.com/podcast That’s it! Now go out and have the best day ever and we’ll see you next week right here on the Deconstructing Success show!

Have you ever asked yourself...what if? What if I went all in? What if I saw what I was really capable of? What if I really gave it everything and truly made an impact in this world? My guest on today’s show asked himself those questions from his hospital bed as he was recovering from a rare condition that nearly cost him his life. He was 30. It was a few months after the birth of his first son. And he knew he had to make some big changes... He left that hospital with a new determination, drive, passion and desire to be the best version of himself that he could be. Fast forward to today... Ryan Levesque is the #1 best-selling author of the book ‘Ask’ and two others. He’s the creator of 34 information and software products. He’s a world renowned marketing expert known as "The Funnel Specialist", the guy that companies quietly bring through the back door to go from good to great. But here’s something that most people don’t realize... For most of his life, fear ruled him. Fear of taking chances. Fear of failing. Fear of going broke. Fear of change. Fear of going “all in”. Until one day, when Ryan decided that fear was no longer going to be his master and instead, it was going to his fuel to go even further and reach new heights... In Episode #9 of Deconstructing Success.you’re going to get the full story and so much more. Some of the big things you’ll learn from Ryan in this "jam-packed with takeaways" interview are: Why "Screw It. Let's Do It!" were the 5 most lucrative words of Ryan’s career. Discover the counterintuitive online formula to find out exactly what your customers want to buy. How simple productivity "hacks" tripled Ryan's income (and changed his life). How to accomplish your biggest goals by “keeping the main thing the main thing” How to determine what your true “driving force” in life is through the Through Line exercise And so much more… We'll cover all of that (and so much more) in this exclusive interview with Ryan Levesque in Episode #9! Thank you SO much for checking out the Deconstructing Success show. Two quick things before you go.. Thing #1) Don’t forget to subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, just type in “deconstructing success” in the search bar...and click the subscribe button.   And if you enjoyed today’s show, please take a few moments to leave a review...your support means the world to us! Thing #2) You can get all of the shownotes, transcripts, breakdowns and special bonuses for this and every other episode at http://chriswinfield.com/podcast That’s it! Now go out and have the best day ever and we’ll see you next week right here on the Deconstructing Success show!

“I hereby solemnly declare never to freeze in fear, sit in utter despair, or move from foot to foot like a 3 year old on the verge of an “accident” when faced with an email, sales page or Facebook post. I refuse to smile needlessly, play nice hopelessly, give in uselessly…in the hopes that if they like me enough, they might open their wallets for me. I am a persuasion revolutionary and I use psychology of persuasion to win hearts, minds and wallets of my audience.” Thousands and thousands of people have taken this oath and are loyal "soldiers" in the Persuasion Revolution. Ready to meet the person who has somehow made the science and psychology "sexy, classy and fun"? Bushra Azhar is one of the world’s leading authorities in the science of persuasion or as she puts it: “...helping the frustrated, the lost and the uber confused; bulldoze their way through counter-arguments and objections effortlessly and gracefully (like a ballerina on roller-skates).” Bushra is outspoken, bold, funny, direct and super passionate. Now here’s the interesting part... ...she grew up as army brat in a culture that favored “pretty little boys” and definitely not bold, outspoken women. And since she certainly wasn't a "pretty little boy" she made a decision early on to overcome these shackles and in turn used this as motivation to carve her own path and discarding the labels and limitation that others put on her. Was it easy? Nope. Did she fail? Yep. Did that stop here? Nope! In fact, at one during our interview Bushra said something that led me to rethink what failure (or success) really mean: "I failed a lot. I just don't label it as a failure. For me it all boils down to the self-imposed labels that people tell themselves." Find out what she means and get the full story (and so much more) right here in my interview with Bushra in Episode #8 of Deconstructing Success. Some of the big things you’ll learn from Bushra in this "hilariously informative" interview are: Why she was living a “double-life” and how her husband reacted when he found out. How Bushra "themes her days" for maximum efficiency and uses personal “intention” challenges to reach her goals. The simple “BS detection system” Bushra deploys to suss out fakes online and in real life. How to convince your boss to give you a raise, get a customer to buy or get your kid to clean their room by leveraging persuasion principles. What the “8 Most Powerful Persuasion Switches" are and learn Bushra's step-by-step framework to use them in your business and personal life right away! We'll cover all of that (and so much more) in this exclusive interview with Bushra Azhar in Episode #8! Thank you SO much for checking out the Deconstructing Success show. Two quick things before you go.. Thing #1) Don’t forget to subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, just type in “deconstructing success” in the search bar...and click the subscribe button.   And if you enjoyed today’s show, please take a few moments to leave a review...your support means the world to us! Thing #2) You can get all of the shownotes, transcripts, breakdowns and special bonuses for this and every other episode at http://chriswinfield.com/podcast That’s it! Now go out and have the best day ever and we’ll see you next week right here on the Deconstructing Success show!

He dropped out of law school in 2012 to start his first business. He was scared. He had doubts...lots of them. But he kept taking action (most of the time, before he was ready). Things slowly moved along... Then, in early 2013, he got a call that no one ever wants to receive. His younger brother had passed away suddenly. He was crushed. And even though he didn’t know it at the time, that was the turning point in this young man’s life… On that day back in 2013, Navid Moazzez made a pledge to himself, his brother and his whole family that he was going to make his business work...no matter what it took. Fast forward to today, Navid is the leading authority on helping businesses create, promote & profit from virtual summits to skyrocket their business and brand online. So...how did a young man from Sweden with no experience, no connections and lots of fear & doubt become “the guy” for one of the hottest and most effective forms of online marketing in the world today? You'll get the full story (and so much more) right here in my interview with Navid in Episode #7 of Deconstructing Success. Some of the big things you’ll learn in this "non-stop learning session" interview are: How Navid “fails forward fast”; the reason he loves being told NO; and why you should thank your critics. Learn exactly what a virtual summit is; how anyone (in any business or niche) can leverage this powerful tactic; and get the step-by-step process Navid follows for his own events and with his clients. The exact ways he connected with them and built relationships with people like best-selling authors Robert Greene, Cal Newport & David Meerman Scott. What “hustle” really means (hint: it's not just about "business"). Discover how Navid sets goals, decides what to work on each day and keeps his mind clear so he can get more accomplished. We'll cover all of that (and so much more) in this exclusive interview with Navid Moazzez in Episode #7! Thank you SO much for checking out the Deconstructing Success show. Two quick things before you go.. Thing #1) Don’t forget to subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, just type in “deconstructing success” in the search bar...and click the subscribe button.   And if you enjoyed today’s show, please take a few moments to leave a review...your support means the world to us! Thing #2) You can get all of the shownotes, transcripts, breakdowns and special bonuses for this and every other episode at http://chriswinfield.com/podcast That’s it! Now go out and have the best day ever and we’ll see you next week right here on the Deconstructing Success show!

How does a self-described “introvert” transition from someone completely behind the scenes into a “super connector” running a seven-figure business? In this episode of Deconstructing Success you’re going to get the full story and so much more... Some of the things you’ll learn in this “jam-packed with awesomeness” interview with Selena Soo are: How (and why) Selena plans out her days two months in advance… How ANYONE can connect with influencers in their industry (even if you’re shy, just starting out, have no connections, no “name” or time). Exactly how Selena did this to create her own relationships with influencers and what this has meant for her own business. The importance of not trying to hit multiple goals all at once and how to know when to “cut” sources of revenue in order to actually grow. The biggest takeaways that she has learned from Marie Forleo, Adam Grant, Ramit Sethi, Derek Halpern, Danielle LaPorte and other influencers. How she overcomes perfectionism and uses it to her advantage. Discover the books, tools, experiences and people that have had the greatest impact on her business and life. 5 Big Questions I Ask Selena in Our Interview: What were the biggest factors in going from basically NOTHING to a seven-figure business? How do you decide what you are going to work on each day? How and why did you start connecting with influential people? What’s one thing (that you have observed) that prevents people from becoming successful and living up to their potential? What’s your process for setting and achieving your goals? 5 Big Things You’ll Learn in This Episode: Why Selena plans out her days two months in advance…and how this helps keeps her focused. Selena’s step-by-step process that will help ANYONE connect with influencers in their industry (even if you’re shy, just starting out, have no connections, no “name” or time). Exactly how Selena did this (in her own life) to create her own relationships with influencers and what this has meant for her own business. The two books that have had the greatest impact on her career…and theone productivity tool she couldn’t live without. The most valuable lessons Selena learned from each of these influencers(and how she connected and grew the relationship): Adam Grant (Wharton Professor and NY Times best-selling author) Ramit Sethi (Bestselling author, featured in ABC News, CNN, and the WSJ, has taught thousands to manage their personal finances) Derek Halpern (investor & founder of Social Triggers & Zippy Courses) Danielle LaPorte (inspirational speaker, author and entrepreneur) Marie Forleo (founder of MarieTV & b-school) Lewis Howes (former pro-athlete turned life-style entrepreneur and host of one of my favorite podcasts, The School of Greatness) Rachel Hofstetter (former editor of O, Oprah’s magazine) Ryan Levesque (#1 Best-Selling author of the book “Ask”) 5 Fast Facts About Selena Soo: Selena Soo is the founder of the S2 Groupe, a business strategy + publicity company for visionary entrepreneurs, experts, and authors. Before Selena started her (now seven-figure) business in the summer of 2012, she was earning $42,000 a year living in New York City and working for a nonprofit. She believes that in order to be more successful, you don’t necessarily need more experience but rather, more courage. Selena has relationships and friendships with editors at Fortune, Forbes, Entrepreneur, O – The Oprah Magazine, Glamour, Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, Reader’s Digest, Whole Living, Fitness, Shape, More, Seventeen, People, NBCU, and ABC News along with numerous influential bloggers in the personal and professional development space. Selena is truly international! She was born in New Zealand, grew up in Hong Kong, moved to Tacoma (Washington) to attend an all-girls boarding school in high school and then moved to New York City to attend Columbia University for undergrad (and then NYU for grad school later on). Complete Show Notes: What Selena tells people when they ask her what she does…and what it actually means :) [4:50] Learn why Selena always thought of entrepreneurs as people with a completely different personality than hers. And discover who [and what] helped her change this perception. [6:22] Selena went out from business school to work with top influencers and develop a successful seven-figure business. Get a great step-by-step guide from Selena, based on her extensive experience! And find out how (and why) she connects people together and how this has helped her in turn. [12:37] Selena’s advice on the issue of knowing that you cannot help everyone and do everything for free. Find out what questions Selena asks herself that help guide her decisions. [15:20] How Selena decides if something is going to be worth her time and money (like in case of joining a $27,000 mastermind when she was just 6 months into her business!) And how her decision to invest in a business coach and the mastermind moved her business forward to six figures…and pushed her own personal limits. [18:09] How Selena learned to see value in her work and then realized she needs to show this value to other people. [26:03] The mastermind that inspired Selena and helped her visualize her future and establish BIG goals. [27:39] Selena is an extremely detailed person and she establishes her goals looking three-five years into the future. Learn the importance of not trying to hit multiple goals all at once and how to know when to cut some sources of revenue in order to actually grow. [28:45] Selena walks us through her process of developing goals and refining plans with her team. [31:48] Find out how (and why) Selena plans her days 2 months in advance. Learn how this helps with resource planning and builds in accountability with other people and around their schedules. [36:10] Selena has a simple system of dealing with e-mail that centers around delegation. Find out how her team helps Selena with e-mails, meetings…and parties! [40:21] How “understanding the big picture” helped Selena fight her perfectionism. [43:28] Get a step-by-step process from Selena on how to connect with influencers in your field (even if you have no “name” or connections). Some of the biggest influencers in your life are people you actually already know (they are who Selena calls your “superfans”)! [45:35] Learn how to send GOOD e-mails that will make your outreach efforts much more successful. [50:38] Learn simple ways to to deepen relationships with influencers (for example at conferences or at your own events). [54:45] Find out the most valuable lessons Selena learned from each of these influencers (and how she connected and grew the relationship): Adam Grant (and Arianna Huffington + Sheryl Sandberg)  [58:21] Rachel Hofstetter (former editor of Oprah’s magazine) [1:01:22] Derek Halpern (investor & founder of Social Triggers) [1:05:35] Danielle LaPorte (inspirational speaker, author and entrepreneur) [1:07:05] Marie Forleo (founder of MarieTV & b-school) [1:07:58] Lewis Howes (former pro-athlete turned lifestyle entrepreneur and host of one of my favorite podcasts, The School of Greatness) [1:11:16] Selena explains what the most successful people she knows all have in common. [1:09:01] The one productivity tool that Selena cannot live without. [1:12:09] Find out how Selena defines success and all the different aspects it comes down to. [1:12:29] Selena shares a great guide on meeting people at events. [1:14:14] Selena shares the best advice she has ever received (from her mentor and entrepreneur Ramit Sethi). [1:15:27] Selena shares the two books that have had the greatest impact on her career and her clients. [1:16:15] Thank you SO much for listening to the Deconstructing Success show. Two quick things before you go.. Thing #1) Don’t forget to subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, just type in “deconstructing success” in the search bar...and click the subscribe button.   And if you enjoyed today’s show, please take a few moments to leave a review...your support means the world to us! Thing #2) You can get all of the shownotes, transcripts, breakdowns and special bonuses for this and every other episode at http://chriswinfield.com/podcast That’s it! Now go out and have the best day ever and we’ll see you next week right here on the Deconstructing Success show!

What do the most successful people all have in common? Are they smarter than everyone else? Do they work harder? Are they just luckier? In this episode of Deconstructing Success, we'll talk to someone who has an answer to this question...and I'd bet a lot of money that it's not what you think it is : ) As the founder and host of the massively popular Mixergy courses, masterclasses and podcast series, Andrew Warner has interviewed over 1,000 entrepreneurs... ...including the founders of companies like AirBNB, Wikipedia, Reddit, Dropbox, yCombinator and Zappos, to name a few)... ...asking them uncomfortable questions to dig deep into their success and failures. I asked Andrew to come o so we could learn more about his story, experiences, habits and influences. And I also wanted to discover what some of the biggest lessons he’s learned from doing those 1,000+ interviews. Were there any patterns? Any “major keys? Any shortcuts? And he gave me even more than I was hoping for! Some of the things you’ll learn in this wide-ranging interview are: * how to overcome information overload * the best way to tell someone they're wrong * why believing in yourself can be a "million dollar difference" * lessons from Seth Godin, Gary Vaynerchuck, Jason Fried, Barbara Corcoran and other inspiring guests. * what to do when you burn out and stop being creative We’ll cover all of that (and so much more) in this exclusive interview with Mixergy's own Andrew Warner in Episode #5! 5 Big Things You'll Learn in This Episode: * What happened when someone offered him $1 million for something and he asked for $2 million because he believed he was entitled to it. * Why he believes that everyone should care about their legacy and what you can do about yours. * The biggest takeaways and greatest lessons he learned from: - Seth Godin, Author - Mike McDermott, FreshBooks - Barbara Corcoran, SharkTank - Catherine Minshew, The Muse - Brian Chesky, AirBNB - Jason Fried, Basecamp - Salman Khan, Khan Academy - Jimmy Wales, Wikipedia - Ryan Hoover, ProductHunt - Laura Roedher, Edgar - Gary Vaynerchuk, Vayner Media * The one (surprising!) trait that every single one of the most successful people in the world have in common. Andrew gives examples of this trait in action for people Gary V, Brian Chesky and others. * The simple ways that Andrew overcomes information overload by focusing on stories and not just facts and lessons. 5 Big Questions I Ask Andrew in Our Interview: * Did she give you two-million dollars? * How do you overcome limiting beliefs in your life? * What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received? * With your first company, how did you go from success to selling to burning out? * Should we share our failures and vulnerabilities with other people? 5 Fast Facts About Andrew Warner: * Andrew is the founder of Mixergy, a site where founders help each other by telling their stories and teaching what they do best. * He once said that he created Mixergy in part because, "...in my 20s, with no outside funding, I co-founded a business that reached $30+ million in annual sales. Mixergy is the source I wish I had." * Before starting Mixergy, he was a 21 year-old who created a $38.5 million dollar business by returning his J.Crew clothes * (the QuickSprout story mentioned in the interview). * That company was also known for launching Grab.com, an online game site that offered the chance at the world's first billion dollar jackpot. * FUN FACT: Andrew was the person that urged me to start the Deconstructing Success podcast, gave me advice and what I have learned from Andrew and his IYH team has been instrumental in getting this project off the ground and our initial traction and success! Complete Show Notes: * Why Andrew makes up something “really boring” when someone asks them what he does...and why he tells doctors that he’s a reporter. [4:35] What happened when he discovered the word “entrepreneur” as a child and how it changed his life forever. [6:00] * Andrew talks about the ineffective marketing “strategy” he used with his first business (that was based out of fear) and why it led him to vow to “never punk out on selling” again in his life. [6:42] * Why he and his brother kept trying different businesses and ideas. And how growing his mailing list led to his first major business success with online greeting cards. [7:33] * Why he believes that he’s “nothing” unless he’s something great and wants to measure up to people like Andrew Carnegie and Napoleon Hill. [8:58] * How terrible insomnia as a kid led him to reading all the time and helped him discover “Think and Grow Rich” which changed his life and gave him an “identity”. [10:05] * What happened when someone offered him $1 million for something and he asked for $2 million because he believed he was entitled to it. [12:24] * Why not being able to come up with creative solutions made him realize that he had burnt out and wasn’t enjoying his life anymore and the image that sent him out on a different course. [13:25] * Why he forced himself to sleep on the floor of a girl he just met’s house despite the fact that he had just sold his company and how this simple experience changed his life. [14:40] * How Andrew Carnegie, Warren Buffett and Bill Gates influenced him to focus on giving back and leaving a legacy. [18:00] * Why he believes that everyone should care about their legacy and what you can do about yours. [20:00] * Andrew and Chris discuss how acting like you know what you’re doing and “acting like you deserve it” leads to being allowed to do things that most people aren’t able to do or aren’t “supposed to do”. [25:00] * Andrew issues an interesting challenge... [27:20] * Why he loves interviewing people, what he gets out of it and why interviewing Rosalyn Resnick helped him realize something big. [28:00] * How Neil Patel pushed him to be more open and how this changed Mixergy and Andrew forever...and why he thought he was going to get kidnapped as a result. [29:00] * The best way to tell someone they are wrong, how Dale Carnegie and Basecamp’s Jason Fried helped him learn about this...and why Chris should sometimes be more direct with his questions :) [31:35] * The biggest takeaways and greatest lessons he learned from each of the following successful entrepreneuers: - Seth Godin, Author [33:30] - Mike McDermot, FreshBooks [34:59] - Barbara Corcoran, SharkTank [35:43] - Catherin Minshew, The Muse [36:42] - Brian Chesky, AirBNB [37:12] - Jason Fried, Basecamp [37:59] - Salman Khan, Khan Academy [39:22] - Jimmy Wales, Wikipedia [39:59] - Ryan Hoover, ProductHunt [41:02] - Laura Roedher, Edgar [43:21] - Gary Vaynerchuk, Vayner Media [44:39] * The one (surprising!) trait that every single one of the most successful people in the world have in common. Andrew gives examples of this trait in action for people Gary V, Brian Chesky and others. [45:53] * And how this trait can be developed and experienced for anyone in business. [48:14] * How a listener’s wife taught him about overcoming limiting beliefs and “invisible scripts” by asking questions. [50:07] * The simple ways that Andrew overcomes information overload by focusing on stories and not just facts and lessons. [51:35] * Why Ira Glass’ advice about sticking with something until your abilities live up to your “taste” is something that changed his life and approach to work. [53:54]   Thank you SO much for listening to the Deconstructing Success show. Two quick things before you go.. Thing #1) Don’t forget to subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, just type in “deconstructing success” in the search bar...and click the subscribe button.   And if you enjoyed today’s show, please take a few moments to leave a review...your support means the world to us! Thing #2) You can get all of the shownotes, transcripts, breakdowns and special bonuses for this and every other episode at http://chriswinfield.com/podcast That’s it! Now go out and have the best day ever and we’ll see you next week right here on the Deconstructing Success show!

Have you ever had one of those moments where you’ve been working on a problem for a while (or trying to figure something out) and then (almost out of nowhere) everything ‘clicks’...and it suddenly makes sense? What if this 'click' was so dramatic that it helped you get more accomplished than you ever thought possible? And all of sudden, you no longer had to wonder why you weren't achieving your goals and instead knew exactly what you needed to do to keep hitting them? And what if it was all based around a super simple productivity technique that ANYONE can use? In this episode of Deconstructing Success, you’ll hear from someone who experienced this click last year, what the simple productivity technique was and exactly how you can use it to achieve your own goals each day. Glen Allsopp, quit college at 18 and moved to South Africa to become the social media manager for massive brands like Land Rover, Nissan and Hewlett Packard. At the age of 19, this self-described “introvert” went to work for himself and now runs his own 6-figure a month marketing company from all over the world having lived in the Netherlands, South Africa, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore...among many other places. I’ve known Glen for many years and wanted to interview him for the show but I didn’t want to talk to him about travel or marketing or any of the things that he’s typically interviewed about. I wanted to know how he got to where he is today and how gets SO much done. And this idea was sparked by a blog post he wrote a few months ago titled, How a Simple Productivity Tool Helped Create the World’s Best Marketing Blog. The simple productivity tool he was talking about was the Pomodoro Technique and his insights into this amazingly effective productivity method blew me away. We'll cover all of that (and so much more) in this exclusive interview with Glen Allsopp in Episode #4 of Deconstructing Success! 5 Big Things You'll Learn in This Episode: Why Glen says “no to everything,” and how he cultivates “a singular path” of his career. The reason he quit a “dream job” where he was given 3 million dollars to spend on buying websites and was making more money than he ever had in his life. How Glen avoids dropping new habits after the initial excitement wears off. Why working for 4 hours (or 10 Pomodoros) per day is enough for him to accomplish everything he needs to get done. The lightbulb moment that allowed him to stop wondering why he wasn't achieving the “stretch-goals” he set for himself and how he actually start acheiving them. And how this helped crystallize something big for me as well. Why it’s so important to remember that the little things stack together over time to create much bigger wins. And you just have to make sure to keep hacking away at the little challenges each day.   5 Big Questions I Ask Glen in Our Interview:   How do you define success? What do you for the first 60 minutes of each day? Have you found a correlation between accomplishment and overall happiness? Why do you choose to focus on small, incremental steps rather than big, massive action? You've said, “I don’t think I would be where I am today without the Pomodoro method.” What is it and why is it so important? What’s one thing that keeps people from being successful?   5 Fast Facts About Glen Allsopp:   At 16 Glen's first website was featured in the book DJ'ing for Dummies. 7 years later Wiley asked him to write his own for Dummies book. Glen quit college at 18 and moved to South Africa to become the social media manager for massive brands like Land Rover, Nissan and Hewlett Packard. He was profiled by the Guardian as part of their feature on "digital nomads" traveling the world while working online. Glen runs his own 6-figure a month marketing company from all over the world having lived in the Netherlands, South Africa, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore...among many other places. He's a self-described introvert. Thank you SO much for listening to the Deconstructing Success show. Two quick things before you go.. Thing #1) Don’t forget to subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, just type in “deconstructing success” in the search bar...and click the subscribe button.   And if you enjoyed today’s show, please take a few moments to leave a review...your support means the world to us! Thing #2) You can get all of the shownotes, transcripts, breakdowns and special bonuses for this and every other episode at http://chriswinfield.com/podcast That’s it! Now go out and have the best day ever and we’ll see you next week right here on the Deconstructing Success show!

4 friends dreamed of attracting 30,000 attendees to their new music festival (which would have been an incredible success for them.) When they put tickets on sale for the first “Bonnarroo” festival they CRUSHED their own lofty expectations and sold 70,000 tickets in a few short weeks...with no advertising! Today, Bonnaroo is annual festival experience unlike any other, uniting 100,000 people in a community defined by immersive participation, boundless positivity, and pure self-expression. In this episode of Deconstructing Success, you'll discover the “special sauce” behind the success of Bonaroo and my guest Rich Goodstone (hint: it’s all about your "frame of mind.”) Dreaming big, working hard and believing that he will succeed is the framework behind everything that today’s guest has built. I was first introduced to Rich Goodstone by one of my best friends and I was instantly drawn into his obvious hunger for learning and becoming a better person. I liked him right away. And since that time, he has been someone that I’ve constantly turned to when I needed a reminder about the importance of doing the “next right thing”. Or a reminder about the importance of staying humble...staying true to yourself, to your ideals...and always improving. We’ll cover all of that (and so much more) in this exclusive interview with Rich Goodstone in Episode #3! 5 Things You'll Learn in This Episode: How Rich reacted when 70,000 tickets for Bonnaroo’s first festival sold out in a few weeks. Why he believes that the more digital the world gets, the more people crave physical interaction...and what that means for businesses. The habits and mindsets that keep Rich balanced each day...through the good stuff (like when a multi-billion dollar company buys a majority stake in one of your festivals)...and also the challenging times (when a new launch doesn’t meet your expectations). The traits that the most successful people he’s ever met (celebrities, world leaders and entrepreneurs) all have in common. His recipe for success is simple--but not necessarily easy. And a great piece of wisdom from Henry Ford gets revisited. 5 Questions I Ask Rich: How do you define success? And has your definition evolved over the years? How does your life change when you achieve your "stretch" goals? What are the questions you need to be asking yourself in the first place to get to where you want to go to? How do you "get through" the down times in life and still stick to what you believe...and what you want? What was the last major disappointment you experienced? What did you learn from it? 5 Fast Facts About Rich Goodstone: Rich oversees Superfly’s award-winning agency services and he’s responsible for developing and overseeing revenue sources for Superfly’s landmark festivals. He’s a frequent speaker at some of the most prestigious conferences in the world including the “invite only” PTTOW summit alongside people like Quincy Jones, Shaun White, David Blaine, and even the Dalai Lama. In 2004, Rolling Stone named Bonarroo as "One of the Fifty Moments to Change the History of Rock n Roll". Among the wide range of artists who have graced the Bonnaroo stages are Radiohead, Kanye West, Elton John, the Beastie Boys, Paul McCartney, Kendrick Lamar, Bruce Springsteen, and countless other legends. In 2015, Live Nation announced it had acquired a controlling interest in Bonnaroo and "The Farm," its 750-acre site, for an undisclosed figure. Thank you SO much for listening to this episode of the Deconstructing Success show. Two quick things before you go.. Thing #1) Don’t forget to subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, just type in “deconstructing success” in the search bar...and click the subscribe button.   And if you enjoyed today’s show, please take a few moments to leave a review...your support means the world to us! Thing #2) You can get all of the show notes, transcripts, breakdowns and special bonuses for this and every other episode at http://chriswinfield.com/podcast That’s it! Now go out and have the best day ever and we’ll see you next week right here on the Deconstructing Success show!  

Neil Patel is the co-founder of four multi-million dollar software companies and has helped companies of all sizes maximize their revenues. The Wall Street Journal calls him a top influencer on the web, Forbes says he is one of the top 10 online marketers, and Entrepreneur Magazine says he created one of the 100 most brilliant companies in the world.  5 Important Things You'll Learn in This Episode: * The big realization Neil had as a high school student when his first business was already earning $20,000/month in revenue and how it changed the course of his life. * The “big-picture / small tasks” productivity approach that Neil follows to focus on (and accomplish) what’s important and set himself up for success the next day. * The rules, filters, free tools and delegation system that Neil uses to process over 1,000 emails each day! * The “divide and conquer” approach that Neil and his business partner Hiten Shah take, and how it eliminates the need for constant communication and “useless meetings.” * How Neil decides what to work on each day using goals. Why he starts with monthly goals, the importance of “5-day weeks” and breaking everything down to today and “right now.” 5 Questions I Ask Neil During Our Interview: * How do you know if you actually hit your goals? * How do you actually manage to answer 400 emails per day (and do it relatively quickly)? * What was the last major failure that you experienced (that you don’t actually want to talk about) and what did you learn from it? * How do you decide what to say NO to? * How do you define success? 5 Fast Facts About Neil Patel: * He’s the co-founder of Crazy Egg, Hello Bar, QuickSprout and KISSmetrics. * The Wall Street Journal calls him a top influencer on the web, Forbes says he is one of the top 10 online marketers, and Entrepreneur Magazine says he created one of the 100 most brilliant companies in the world. * He was recognized as a top 100 entrepreneur under the age of 30 by President Obama and one of the top 100 entrepreneurs under the age of 35 by the United Nations. Neil has also been awarded Congressional Recognition from the United States House of Representatives. * He helps companies like Amazon, NBC, GM, HP, TechCrunch and Viacom grow their traffic and revenue. Complete Show Notes: * The realization Neil had as a high school student when his first business was already earning $20,000/month in revenue. [7:10] * How Neil defines success and how that definition has changed over the years. [9:57] * Growing up Neil thought that if he could make $100,000/year, he would be happy. He did that. And was happy…for a month or two. So he kept “raising” the bar and setting new goals…with the same results. Find out how his father’s simple lifestyle helped him to rethink what true happiness actually is. [11:10] * How a chance meeting in India with an entrepreneur (who’d recently sold his company to Microsoft) helped him embrace minimalism and giving up more and more things. [12:41] * The mindset and life philosophy that Neil keeps to stay centered and prevent extreme mood shifts and swings that so often overtake entrepreneurs. [13:59] * How a clear mind helps him get more done and why it’s important for his overall content and balance. [15:27] * The “big-picture / small tasks” productivity approach that Neil follows to focus on [and accomplish] what’s important and set himself up for success the next day. [16:21] * How Neil decides what to work on each day using goals. Why he starts with monthly goals, the importance of “5-day weeks” and breaking everything down to today and “right now.” [17:21] * The “divide and conquer” approach that Neil and his business partner Hiten Shah take, and how it eliminates the need for constant communication and “useless meetings.” [18:10] * The dead-simple litmus tests which Neil uses to measure his fitness progress and if he’s reaching his “fitness goals”. (Hint: one goal revolves around clothes and the other is based on “bleeding”). [18:46] * The two questions that Neil asks himself when he doesn’t accomplish something that help him to learn from it and prevent it from happening again. As well as, the 3 questions that he asks himself when he accomplishes something “too quickly” and why this can actually be a negative thing for him. [20:24] * What a day in the life of Neil Patel looks like from the time he wakes up at 6am and how he uses “blocks” to help him stay focused on what he’s supposed to do. [21:46] * The rules, filters, free tools and delegation system that Neil uses to process over 1,000 emails each day! And why he answers 400+ of them personally each day. [23:22] * How Neil decides what to say yes and what to say no to, given that he gets multiple offers from celebrities, billionaires, and investors. [28:29] * How Neil learned to overcome FOMO (the fear of missing out.) [29:20] * The type of tasks Neil delegates and his simple simple delegation process. [29:51] * Neil talks about his last major failure and what he learned from it. Plus how he evaluates his successes, failures, and mistakes. [31:29] * Why Neil never burns out, the actions he takes and the attitude he adopts to help him avoid “burn out”. [34:52] * Neil’s awesome travel “hack” that helps him stay healthy and stick to his routine when he’s on the road. [35:23] * The last new skill he learned and why. [36:17] * The one productivity tool that Neil uses every day and where he “wastes” his time…kind of. [36:58] * Why he loves to watch the news and how this affects his mentality and attitude. [37:17] * How Neil retains his positive attitude in the face of depressing news…and a good summary of the election (courtesy of Elon Musk.) [38:09] * Neil’s work setup and what he’d spend money on rather than the newest, fanciest phone on the market. [39:07] * What genres of music Neil listens to while working, and how his music choices change depending on what he does. Also, how he feels about having lyrics and why it’s important to have people around. [40:41] * How he uses his most productive times to write, how he plans his posts to maximize his effort, and how he delegates extra work on his blog. [41:48] * How Neil ensures he sticks to writing every single day and why he enjoys writing. [42:38] * Neil’s attitude to his writing and what learns from writing. [43:19] * The best piece of advice Neil ever received and how following this advice quickly landed him a $1.2 million dollar contract. [43:42] Thank you SO much for listening to the Deconstructing Success show. Two quick things before you go.. Thing #1) Don’t forget to subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, just type in “deconstructing success” in the search bar...and click the subscribe button.   And if you enjoyed today’s show, please take a few moments to leave a review...your support means the world to us! Thing #2) You can get all of the shownotes, transcripts, breakdowns and special bonuses for this and every other episode at http://chriswinfield.com/podcast That’s it! Now go out and have the best day ever and we’ll see you next week right here on the Deconstructing Success show!

Introducing the 'Deconstructing Success' Podcast with Chris Winfield The late Steve Jobs once said, "You can't connect the dots looking forward you can only connect them looking backwards.” His emphasis on “connecting the dots” has had a profound impact on my life. Which is why it’s played at the beginning of every episode of this show. Part of my mission with the Deconstructing Success podcast is to help “connect the dots” in successful people’s stories so that my listeners realize that they are not alone. So you can understand that everyone struggles. Everyone doubts themselves. But that the truly successful people are the ones who keep going. The ones who get back up. And you’ll get an inside look at exactly how they do that each and every day. For the last three and half years, I have either talked to or met with at least one person I admired (some were friends, some were strangers) and I simply asked questions and most importantly, I listened. These were people from all different industries and at different points in their life. I can remember one week when I met with the owner of one of the NY Times, a hustling (but broke) 20 year old start-up founder, an up and coming broadway star, a human rights advocate, a CEO with a net-worth north of 6 billion, and a woman who was in the middle of one of the most dramatic life changes I had ever heard of.  And I learned something (many things) from each of them. I kept doing this day after day. And I still do it. Because I knew I didn’t have all of the answers. I knew that if I kept asking the right questions and I kept listening, I could keep improving myself and I could do the same for other people. And that’s exactly what the Deconstructing Success podcast does each week when I interview  top entrepreneurs, writers, artists and business people from around the world. Discover the real story of how they “made it” and how they actually work and  live. Learn about their exact habits, daily routines, productivity hacks and secrets are and get actionable advice, takeaways and actions to apply and try them in your own life. It’s all based on real-life experiences and results. Real people. Real stories. Really actionable advice & takeaways. Show Notes & Key Takeaways: * Chris Winfield is an entrepreneur, writer, and speaker from New York City, helping thousands of overwhelmed individuals get control over their lives and productivity. He is also a columnist for TIME, Business Insider, Inc., and Entrepreneur Magazine. But it’s not why you should listen to this show. (00:53) * Why should you join us? Let Chris explain with real life stories. Story #1: how a slice of pizza can change your life. (1:41) * The change occurs through listening and asking the right questions. Find out how! (4:00) * Story #2 is about connecting the dots. It came to life thanks to Steve Jobs, and his amazingly insightful 2005 Stanford University commencement speech. (5:13) * Story #3: a conversation with Chris’ friend, a successful entrepreneur, about how the stories of successful people always sound so perfect and effortless. But reality is not like that! (7:17) * Story #4 is about taking action and how one conversation can be a push to get something done now, rather than somewhere in the intangible future...for example, this very podcast. (8:05) * Find out how this podcast is about something different, and why REAL is the key word. (8:47) Want to Go Further? * Join our tribe and subscribe in iTunes or your podcast player. * Check out all of the episode breakdowns, transcripts, downloads and more at http://www.chriswinfield.com/podcast * To celebrate the launch of the show, we’re giving away some awesome prizes that you can win. Check out the full details at http://www.chriswinfield.com/contest and join in the fun! * Don’t forget to subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, just type in “deconstructing success” in the search bar...and click the subscribe button. * And if you enjoyed today’s show, please take a few moments to leave a review...your support means the world to us!