Entrepreneurship Saturday | Hello Tech Pros

Matt Miller spent the first 9 years of his career as an Air Force pilot, before entering the private sector to work in both the medical device and advertising industries. While a top performer in the corporate world, his long term desire was to be his own boss. A good friend one day mentioned the gum ball machines he and his young daughters owned, and that conversation began a 10 year business quest that has brought Matt’s company, School Spirit Vending, to the cutting edge of both the vending and school fundraising industries. Today, School Spirit Vending’s franchising program provides a proven and profitable business system for busy professionals and their families looking to develop secondary income streams with a limited time commitment. Show notes at http://hellotechpros.com/matt-miller-entrepreneurship/ What You Will Learn in This Episode Why flashy and glamorous isn't always profitable. Why you shouldn't tie your career or your business to the training or jobs you had years ago. How Matt built a profitable business one vending machine at a time while deliver pizzas. Why you should start thinking about "bricks of income" and how to start stacking them. The franchise business that helps schools raise money without sending kids door to door or bringing in volunteers.   Resources Mentioned HTP-27: From Bubblegum Machines to Mobile Apps — Leon Fowler on Entrepreneurship Live Your Dreams: Top 10 Reasons to Get into the Vending Machine Business Start Your First Business - free email and audio course

Shayla Price creates and promotes content. She lives at the intersection of digital marketing, technology, and social responsibility. Originally from Louisiana, Shayla champions access to remote work opportunities.   Show notes at http://hellotechpros.com/shayla-price/   What You Will Learn in This Episode How to create your own job when your employer doesn't meet your needs. The obstacles that Shayla encountered when tackling entrepreneurship in the non-profit space. How to determine what is in demand in the current market and decide which gaps to fill. Why you should focus on delivering results with the skills you have rather than chase new skills. Why it's important to realize people are ahead of you and behind you, and why that's just fine. How Shayla used her first low-paid gigs to jump start her business. How to grow into a person who is in high demand.   Resources Mentioned The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell

Nina Meiers loves the leverage and flexibility technology provides and decided to embark on a farming journey growing healthy, delicious foods without chemicals.  Nina is an offline farmer and online entrepreneur who juggles feeding the chooks and alpacas with building websites and ecommerce for a range of companies, locally and nationally. Nina loves the grounded lifestyle of being a farmer combined with the location-independence that online business provides.   What You Will Learn From This Episode How you can work remotely as a freelancer. Why DotNetNuke content management system is underrated. The unique customer service tactics that Nina used to grow her client list. When to bill your clients even when they aren't being cooperative. How to be more productive by unplugging from technology.

Avrohom Gottheil helps businesses save time and money by ensuring they have the right technology in place to effectively optimize their business communications.  Avrohom has been in the telecommunications industry for over 20 years, and businesses from all over the world have reached out to him for his expertise in assisting them with installing, managing, maintaining, and training them on their phone systems. This past year Avrohom's company, SimiPlex Technologies, launched a new product portfolio which enables him to help businesses take their communications to the cloud! Show notes at http://hellotechpros.com/avrohom-gottheil-entrepreneurship/ What You Will Learn From This Episode Why being self-aware is more important than being good at your job. Why having the right support system in place is critical to your business success. The best way to ensure that your company grows and evolves. Why Avrohom hired 3 coaches simultaneously and the biggest lesson they taught him. How to fold time and find shortcuts to success.

The steps Justin Esgar takes to ensure that guests have a great conference, leave positive reviews and book again next year.   Justin Esgar filed his patents at conception, and today he is a serial entrepreneur, Mac guru, app developer, conference owner and speaker who revels in making life better for everyone through technological innovation.   SAVE $75! The ACEs Conference is dedicated exclusively to helping you grow your IT business. You already know how to do the work. Learn how to scale and monetize. Use discount code TECHPROS and save $75 on your registration.   What You Will Learn From This Episode How to build your businesses like a wheel with spokes where each venture supports the other. Why Justin built the ACEs Conference focusing on the business side of IT. How to avoid losing $20K when hosting your first conference. The 5 things you need to put on a great show. The kinds of sponsors that would be good for your event. The steps Justin takes on launch day to ensure that guests have a great conference, leave positive reviews and book again next year.   Resources Mentioned ACEs Conference 2017 — Use code "TECHPROS" and save 20%! The Nerdist Way: How to Reach the Next Level (In Real Life) by Chris Hardwick

Anthony D. Vaughan is 3X founder and the current CEO of Cognizance Capital Consulting, which focuses on bringing new and innovative content to first time entrepreneurs as well as marketing disciplines to small business owners. Cognizance Capital has served will over 600 entrepreneurs. Anthony has had the privilege of speaking at Colleges such as Towson, Maryland and Mcdaniel University where he shared his 4+ years of experience. Show notes at http://hellotechpros.com/anthony-vaughan-business/ What You Will Learn From This Episode Why 90% of Anthony's clients are not ready for business. Why technology professionals tend to work on the wrong things when launching their business. Examples of how other entrepreneurs pre-sold their ideas before building them. Why getting "rejection proof" is critical to succeeding in business. The differences between influencer marketing and context marketing and when you should use both.

Businessman and Life Coach, Aaron T. Walker, has inspired many through his leadership, mentorship, and consistent pursuit of excellence. He enjoys helping others and believes experience is a great teacher. 35 years of entrepreneurship and marriage have given Aaron a wealth of experience. Aaron continues to reach new heights and broaden his perspective of the terrain by examining his experiences and growing from them. Show notes at http://hellotechpros.com/aaron-walker-business/ What You Will Learn in This Episode What the loss of his father taught Aaron about relationships and his net worth. How introverted people can develop more confidence. How to develop a passionate following through videos, even with messy hair and unprofessional backdrops. How the "Give, Give, Give, Ask" method can grow your business. Why Aaron believes chasing work-life balance is a fallacy.   Resources Mentioned Aaron's free "Personal Assessment" and "What Do I Want?" guides View From the Top: Living a Life of Significance by Aaron Walker

Krish Subramanian is the Co-Founder and CEO of Chargebee, a Subscription Billing Solution for Online Businesses. Krish is in-charge of business development, overall marketing, customer acquisition, communications and brand management. While at it, Krish continues to remain a member of customer support team. Show notes at http://hellotechpros.com/krish-subramanian-business/ What You Will Learn in This Episode Why Krish and his co-founders decided to build a team before building a product. Why SaaS is where it's at. Why accounting practices and accounting software is easy for your MVP but difficult when you scale your SaaS. The technology behind Chargebee's subscription billing APIs and how easy it is to integrate. How Krish mined forums for problems in his domain space and then used those questions to build social media and marketing content.

Tom Schwab knows how to build an online business. Marketing at its heart is starting a conversation with someone who could be an ideal customer. Tom helps small business owners, entrepreneurs, soloprenuers and technical professionals get featured on leading podcasts their prospects are already listening to. Then he shows them how to turn listeners into customers. Tom was a past guest on Hello Tech Pros. Click here to listen to episode 241: How Being a Podcast Guest Will Generate More Sales for Your Business.   Show notes at http://hellotechpros.com/tom-schwab-business/ What You Will Learn in This Episode Why running your own business is more difficult than running a nuclear power plant. The 6 steps to pwning a podcast interview. The perfect pitch to make a podcast host fall in love with you and invite you on their show. A "failure is not an option" checklist so that your interview doesn't crash and burn due to technical difficulties. Steps to take after the interview to reach the most number of people.

Matt Schuberg is the Co-Founder and CEO of RealCap. With over 5 years of experience in real estate and finance, Matt has developed a deep understanding of how to effectively raise capital and how to service clients properly. His passion for real estate and investing is what drives him to continue to work to create innovative opportunities for his investors. Show notes at http://hellotechpros.com/matt-schuberg-entrepreneurship/ What You Will Learn in This Episode Entrepreneurs don't think in terms of success/failure but of product validation. Why tech pros should consider investing some of their income in crowdfunded opportunities. What makes self-storage a great investment in good economies and bad. The first step to take before starting your own crowdfunded investment company. Where to find other entrepreneurs who may share your vision and want to partner.   Resources Mentioned Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki BiggerPockets.com Start Your First Business email and audio course

Scott Beebe founded and leads  Business On Purpose: a business coaching, training, and strategy group that works to help small business owners and organizational leaders to uncover what they cannot see. Scott is also the host of The Business On Purpose podcast; a weekly podcast where Scott interviews small business owners to get their insight as to how they are living out their business on purpose.   What You Will Learn in This Episode Why high-revenue businesses can achieve excellent cashflow and still go broke. The first thing a business owner should do before anything else. How to find the right price for your products and services. The unique core values that differentiate you and your competition. How to craft a vision story that will provide direction to future employees so you can take more time off. The business infrastructure most techie entrepreneurs get wrong.

Avi Kasztan is the Co-Founder and CEO of Sixgill. Originally from Uruguay, Avi moved to Israel at age 18 and has become a successful entrepreneur. Avi has a degree in Computer Engineer and an MBA from the Technion, and has both worked at and founded several startups in the technology and cyber-security field.   Sixgill (www.cybersixgill.com) is a cyber intelligence SaaS startup that analyzes the Dark Web. The company’s advanced platform detects and defuses cyber-attacks and sensitive data leaks originating from the Dark Web before they occur, and provides this information to clients through real-time alerts. Sixgill’s platform can also be used to expose illegal marketplaces, and warn of physical attacks to organizations and individuals. Sixgill is a graduate of the Citi Accelerator in Tel Aviv, and is working closely with Citi mentors to adapt the product capabilities to the needs of large global enterprises Show notes at http://hellotechpros.com/avi-kasztan-entrepreneurship/ What You Will Learn on This Episode The similarities and differences between the Deep Web & Dark Web and why you need to know about them. Where the criminal masterminds go online to sell your identity and plan your assassination. (Not kidding!) How to find information in an environment when you can just "Google it." How to protect your money, your identity and your life by observing safe practices online. What you should do to seek and destroy hidden viruses on your computer that anti-virus programs can't find. The benefits of the Dark Web and why we don't want to shut it down.

WhosOnLocation founder and CEO, Darren Whitaker-Barnett, believes that the safety and security of people, assets, and IP starts with knowing who is on-site. Their SaaS app, WhosOnLocation, makes managing the presence of people easy, and verifying their safety in the event of an evacuation hassle free. Show notes at http://hellotechpros.com/darren-whitaker-barnett-entrepreneurship/ What You Will Learn in This Episode Why entrepreneurship is a lot like Darwinism and what entrepreneurs should be doing to ensure success. How to build a tech company when you don't have a background in hands-on tech. The gap in people-presence management space that led to the development of WhosOnLocation. Why you should put a minimum viable product (MVP) in a customer's hands as soon as possible. How to have a conversation with a potential customer about a problem they don't realize they have. Why the facilities management is growing into a $56 Billion market. What corporate or field workers should do to increase the safety and security of themselves and the organization. The most common threat to tech offices and how to handle them.

Hamilton Perkins is the founder and President of Hamilton Perkins Collection, a certified B Corporation, offering designer travel bags at an affordable price, while holding the highest standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. Show notes at http://hellotechpros.com/hamilton-perkins-entrepreneurship/ What You Will Learn In This Episode How this entrepreneur combined experience in DIY fashion, retail and banking to build a new product line. Why you should look at recycled materials for your next product. How much waste is generated in the United States. How to use imperfection in the manufacturing process to tell a unique story about each unit of product. The most critical personal trait to building a manufacturing business. How to connect with customers who love your mission and values through social media.

Tom Schwab knows how to build an online business. Marketing at its heart is starting a conversation with someone who could be an ideal customer. Tom helps small business owners, entrepreneurs and soloprenuers get featured on leading podcasts their prospects are already listening to. Then he shows them how to turn listeners into customers. Show notes at http://hellotechpros.com/tom-schwab-entrepreneurship/ What You Will Learn In This Episode How to get customers to know, like and trust you. Instead of starting a conversation with a potential customer, how to join the conversations they are already having. Where to go to find early customers. When in your product lifecycle you should look to join a podcast. The critical pieces you need to have in place before applying to be a guest on a podcast. How to approach a podcast guest to ensure a YES. The steps to convert a listener into a visitor and a visitor into a lead.  

Joshua Futrell is the CEO/Founder of COMHOME Technology Solutions. He is an entrepreneur and network infrastructure engineer with more than 15 years of experience in technical leadership, computer/networking technology, and business-critical management. He is a member of the Frisco Chamber of Commerce and a member of their elite Leadership Frisco team. He is also a decorated Air Force Veteran. Show notes at http://hellotechpros.com/joshua-futrell-entrepreneurship/ What You Will Learn In This Episode Why it's difficult to recruit talented network engineers. How to recognize A+ employees. The steps a good engineer can take to become a successful entrepreneur. Why call center and customer support experience is critical when launching your business. The habits to instill in yourself and your team to generate extra revenue. Unique Selling Points (USPs) for infrastructure engineering companies. The first thing an entrepreneur should do.

Josh Earl is an email copywriter and the director of marketing for SimpleProgrammer.com. He writes at JoshuaEarl.com, where he shows bloggers and entrepreneurs how to create a steady stream of sales and income using fun-to-write, educational email courses. Show notes at http://hellotechpros.com/josh-earl-entrepreneurship/ What You'll Learn In This Episode How writing is a lot like refactoring code: where to start and how to make incremental improvements. The 3 major components to a marketing campaign and how much effort you should devote to each. How to get your audience's permission to spam them with your offers. Evergreen email funnel techniques that launches your product to a new audience every day. The exact process new entrepreneurs should use to build an audience then build and market their products.

Jacob Strachotta has worked with hypnosis and hypnotherapy for more than 20 years. He originally trained as a captain in the Danish Air Force, where he worked with technical management, quality control, and organizational management. As part of his training, he learned how to help deployed personnel on a psychological level. In 2000 Jacob founded The Institute for Advanced Hypnosis in Copenhagen, Denmark. Over the years, he has trained more than 550 hypnotists and hypnotherapists. Advanced Hypnosis differs from traditional hypnosis in that it goes straight to the root of the problem, isolating it and then treating it. It is a version of this technique called RDH – Result Driven Hypnosis, that is featured in the HelloMind app. Show notes at http://hellotechpros.com/jacob-strachotta-entrepreneurship/ What You Will Learn in This Episode What percentage of your day is governed by your sub-conscious mind. Sub-conscious triggers that prevent us from quitting bad habits and adopting good habits. Why hypnotism is an effective tool for treating mental health issues. How to resolve the Imposter Syndrome.     Anxiety Resources I am writing a book on social anxiety in the tech industry and I would love to get your feedback. Visit AnxietyNerd.com to download a free chapter.

Patrick Vlaskovits is a NYT bestselling author and entrepreneur. His writing has been featured in the Harvard Business Review, the Wall Street Journal, and The Browser. Patrick routinely speaks at technology conferences nationally and internationally, including SXSW, GROW Conference, The Turing Festival and The Lean Startup Conference. He serves as a mentor for 500 Startups seed fund and startup accelerator and is founder and CEO of Superpowered. Show notes at http://hellotechpros.com/patrick-vlaskovits-entrepreneurship/ What You Will Learn in This Episode The advances in digital signal processing (DSP) over the last two decades. Why there is no "plan B" in entrepreneurship. How highly structured environments tend to minimize your strengths and maximize your weaknesses. How to overcome "learned blindness" and discover what you were meant to do. Why successful entrepreneurs tend to be a little weird and off kilter. The step you need to take today to get closer to your goal.   Resources Mentioned Superpowered Hustle: The Power to Charge Your Life with Money, Meaning and Momentum by Neil Patel, Patrick Vlaskovits and Jonas Koffler

This is Part 6 of the free 7-day audio and email course Start Your First Business.   What You Will Learn In This Episode Why advertising is a great way to lose money fast if you are not properly prepared. How to build an army of agents who want to spread your message. Whether a blog or podcast is right for your particular business. How to build and foster a community of followers without building a website. Why in-person networking events are critical to your business. How to be a guest on a successful podcast or blog.   Next Steps The next step you need to take is to complete the homework assignment for Module 6 in the follow-along email course. Click here to request access to the course materials and homework.  

Jeremy Slate is the founder of the Create Your Own Life Podcast which helps entrepreneurs live the lives they know they were meant to.  He studied literature at Oxford University and specializes in using Online social networking to build offline relationship and was ranked #1 in iTunes New and Noteworthy. It is because of Jeremy’s success in podcasting that he was able to accomplish 10,000 downloads of his podcast in the first month.  After his success in podcasting, Jeremy and his wife, Brielle, founded Slate Media Productions; a done-for-you podcast service and PR firm servicing busy entrepreneurs and helping to get their message out. Show notes at http://hellotechpros.com/jeremy-slate-entrepreneurship/ What You Will Learn In This Episode Why some people are following the dreams of others instead of their own dream. Why Jeremy's second podcast had success from the beginning, unlike his first show. What the average "guru" entrepreneur's success story is going to teach you and why you need to find inspiration from other's struggles. Why you need to find the right course or mentor before you start your business. How much promotion is required to be successful. Why you need to write all your methods down and put on your executive hat.

Kwame Christian is a lawyer that focuses on serving the needs of small businesses. He founded the American Negotiation Institute, a consulting firm that specializes in teaching entrepreneurs and professionals how to negotiate in the business world and is regularly invited to speak on the topic. In this role he helps individuals and companies create and implement powerful negotiation strategies. Kwame also hosts a podcast called Negotiation for Entrepreneurs where he interviews successful entrepreneurs and shares powerful persuasion techniques. Show notes at http://hellotechpros.com/kwame-christian-entrepreneurship/ What You Will Learn in This Episode What types of things are negotiable. How to ask for more. How to negotiate without offending people. Why you should focus on the other person in the negotiation instead of yourself. The circumstances that increase and decrease your room for negotiation. How to spot negotiation tactics when they are being use on you and what to do to counter them. How to negotiate at the car dealership, over the phone with the cable company, even at Wal-Mart.

Career Hyperdrive Course: Day 6 The Career Hyperdrive Course is a free 7 day email and audio course for technical professionals to help launch your career into hyperspace. Each module in this course is designed to help you overcome a major barrier to your career growth. Here's what you're going to get out of the course. The motivation you need to overcome your biggest career obstacles and navigate asteroids. Productivity tips to help you crush it at work without killing your personal life (leaving more time at the cantina). Jedi mind tricks that will build your respect and influence across the organization without needing to move into a management track. A droid masterclass that’s going to guide you through the process of selecting the right technology for the right problem, every time. Social engineering hacks to break into the elite inner circles and get a seat at the Jedi Council. A strategy that will raise your value (and salary) within your organization and increase your reputation and negotiation power across the galaxy. The peace of mind to unplug from the job without the guilt of leaving your friends to fight the Death Star on their own, or the fear and anxiety of being pursued by bounty hunters. The audio lessons are available to everyone, but the action items and homework are exclusive to the students who subscribe to the email version of the course. (Hint: If you don't take action and do the homework, you're probably not going to change anything.)   Click here to enroll in the full course. It's completely free.   Module 6 How to Start an Innovation Revolution at Work Without Getting Fired   Here's what you're going to learn in the sixth module of the Career Hyperdrive Course. How to apply the other 5 modules in this course to innovation. Which problem area is the best to be innovative and which to leave status quo. How to build an army of innovation soldiers to do thy bidding. Why that Potentially Awesome Solution you want to implement may be your downfall and what to implement instead. The personal story of the innovation revolution I helped start at a Fortune 100 that completely changed the way the business leaders saw my department.

Anthony M. Verna III, is the managing partner at Verna Law, P.C. Anthony has his Bachelor's degree in computer science from Case Western Reserve and his J.D. from Rutgers Law School.  Not only practicing at his own firm, Anthony has lead multiple continuing education classes and professional development seminars including "Practicing Before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board" at Lawline.com. Show notes at http://hellotechpros.com/anthony-verna-entrepreneurship/ What You Will Learn in This Episode What could happen if you don't read the End User Licence Agreements. The first step every entrepreneur should take to protect their intellectual property. Who owns the content when two or more parties collaborate. The tricky boundaries when authoring software using open source contributions. When Creative Commons is appropriate for your work and when to choose a different license.  

Priest Willis, Sr is CEO of Affiliate Mission – the fastest growing affiliate management startup in North Carolina. Priest got his start in affiliate marketing in early 2000’s where he cut his teeth building a few niche affiliate sites and eventually started managing company programs like Lenovo, Atomicpark.com and BuyCostumes.com. Show notes at http://hellotechpros.com/priest-willis-entrpreneurship/ Key Takeaways Affiliate marketing is not MLM, get rich quick scheme. Amazon was first to put together affiliate programs. Entrepreneurs are hungry. Many millionaries have 7 streams of income. Affiliate marketing is a pay-for-performance model with no inventory. Little risk is involved because no inventory. Build up an audience and be an influencer. Subscription boxes are doing really well. As a merchant, it's a cheap way to extend your marketing program. Find a hot niche right now like Suicide Squad and then sell costumes. Position yourself to look for the new hotness.

Simona Pop is a shareholder and head of partnerships & communication for a SaaS startup, InstaSupply. The company operates in the finance and procurement areas of B2B with the focus of changing the way we work through digitization and the removal of redundant manual processes. Simona's goal is to bring B2B in line with B2C across technology and communication. Way too many people go to work and have to leave the efficiencies they know and love in their personal lives at the office door. It's currently like 1999 but without Prince or a party! Show notes at http://hellotechpros.com/simona-pop-entrepreneurship/ Key Takeaways Why are we leading dual lives of super techies in personal life and then vintage tech at work? The core idea of entrepreneurship is "Let's make things better." To remain competitve, businesses need to adapt. There is no way to maintain the King of the Jungle status without changing. Enterprise software feels like something frozen in time. The user experiences are not keeping up with what consumers demand. Implementing new technology in the past was more of a Frankenstein effort of independent solutions and not a holistic solution where everything communicates together. Users are logging in and out of 10 different solutions for 8 different tasks. Administrators are spending all day Monday through Wednesday just doing the repetitive tasks. Finance and operations are slow to change processes. Millennials in the workplace accelerates the adoption of modern technology. We need to have a transition tech in the workplace to bridge the gap between millennials and the X Gen and Baby Boomers. We still have a great abundance of paper and spend time, money and resources driving trucks around delivering paper. The network effect of Purchase to Pay is bringing together buyers and suppliers. Think about working smarter and how that will affect your future plans.

Dave Chesson is the author behind Kindlepreneur.com, a site devoted to teaching authors advanced books sales tactics and strategies. Dave's helped authors all over the world increase their sales and does it freely.  Just recently him and his team created KDP Rocket, a software that gives authors key marketing data to ensure their book will succeed on Amazon before they even write it. Show notes at http://hellotechpros.com/dave-chesson-entrepreneurship/ Key Takeaways You don't have to be a naturally good writer to write and sell books. Fail forward. It's the challenge and overcoming the failure that's fun. Niche websites are doing well at 10k hits a month. Amazon is a search engine. Keyword research and SEO is equally important in Amazon as it is for Google. You need to prove to Amazon that you will make them more money than your competitors. Amazon rankings are influenced by traffic volume, number of purchases and great reviews. Do the research and see if your book going to be successful before you write it. Type in your idea, search and look for books to show up. Are they selling? Are there reviews? If no one is buying, you may not want to get into that market. Amazon Best Seller Rank ranges from 1 to 4.7 million. Type this number into the Amazon Sales Rank Calculator tells you how sales are being generated. Can you beat the competition on the market? Your competitive advantage may be  a better book cover, a more engaging title or better SEO. Develop a skill. Having one thing you're an expert at is more effective than being a jack of all trades.

Kelly Roach is the host of the top rated podcast Unstoppable Success Radio, an International best-selling author, and the CEO of Kelly Roach Coaching. As a former NFL Cheerleader and Fortune 500 Executive where she was promoted 7 times in 8 years, Kelly brings a powerful combination of proven and profitable business growth strategies coupled with the mindset, wellness and productivity practices required to help entrepreneurs build a profitable business around a life they absolutely love. Show notes at http://hellotechpros.com/kelly-roach-entrepreneurs/ Key Takeaways Entrepreneurship is about fulfillment, purpose and impact and earning an income that allows freedom and financial abundance. You wont have the persistence and hustle unless it aligns with your purpose. Don't feel bad about working full time and working on the side hustle. Most people start and stop several businesses before they land on one. Don't force it just because you want it. What do you want life to look like 5-10-15 years from now? We are all put on the planet to make an impact and all have talent, dreams. You were given these things for a reason. The average person is only productive 3 hours a day.  Carve out 1 hour morning, lunch and 1 hour each night. Working on the side makes you extremely focused. There is a difference between productivity and buziness. Learn better time management. Almost no entrepreneurs spend an hour a day in prospecting new clients. Being productive is not about getting more done, it's about being aligned with the outcomes and results you want. Write down all the things in your business you spend time on and circle the things that pay money. How many of all the things did you circle? Probably not enough. You should only work on generating leads and closing them. Automate, delegate, outsource and delete. Content is not king. Millions of people are cranking out content and not making money. Conversions is king. Start with the call to action. If you are making under under $50k, your key actions should be: The first primary goal and call to action is to get them onto the email list or community you own. The next step is free training. For example, 5 tips on the content then provide deep dive training via email. Provide deep dive consultations over the phone. Aim for at least 3 paid clients a week, coaching and speaking. Don't set your pricing based on your competition. Set your pricing based on the impact that you will have on their business and life. First get people to pay for your time, then productize your experience. Keep it simple.  

Veronica Kirin is an anthropologist turned serial entrepreneur.  She loves working closely with clients to help them reach their goals.  Her first business, Green Cup Design, began as a freelance web design venture and has grown into digital maintenance for small businesses.   Show notes at http://hellotechpros.com/veronica-kirin-entrepreneurship/

Matt Rehm is a data guy.  Most of his career has been spent in supply chain, sales analytics and e-commerce.  The last 15 years have been in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry.  He is also one of podcasting's biggest fans and is the founder of podxref.com.  Matt and his beautiful wife have three daughters and live in the Chicagoland area. Show notes at http://hellotechpros.com/matthew-rehm-entrepreneurship/ Sponsors Minio Cloud Storage - Built in Go for developers and devops.

This is Part Two of a 2-part series on membership businesses. Click here for part 1. With over 15 years in web development and online marketing, Mike Morrison now makes up one half of The Membership Guys, specializing in teaching business owners and hobbyists alike how to build, launch and grow successful membership sites and communities. He now considers himself a "reformed web developer" and enjoys nothing more than helping others escape the time for money trap and teaching them how to move from one-to-one services to a one-to-many model. Show notes at http://hellotechpros.com/mike-morrison-memberships-entrepreneurship/ Sponsors Minio Cloud Storage - Microstorage Architecture. Erasure Code & Bitrot Protection. Written in Go.

With over 15 years in web development and online marketing, Mike Morrison now makes up one half of The Membership Guys, specializing in teaching business owners and hobbyists alike how to build, launch and grow successful membership sites and communities. He now considers himself a "reformed web developer" and enjoys nothing more than helping others escape the time for money trap and teaching them how to move from one-to-one services to a one-to-many model. Show notes at http://hellotechpros.com/mike-morrison-entrepreneurship/ Sponsors Minio Cloud Storage - Microstorage Architecture. Erasure Code & Bitrot Protection. Written in Go.

Ian Paget is a graphic designer based in Reading UK. He runs a part time freelance business called Logo Geek, designing logos as well as running a popular social media group of the same name. In his day job he works as a creative director. Show notes at http://hellotechpros.com/ian-paget-entrepreneurship/ Sponsors Minio Cloud Storage - Store photos, videos, VMs, containers, log files, or any blob of data as objects.

Rajiv Menon is an entrepreneur, consultant, and mentor. He is the Founder/Solution Architect at Informulate, a unique software services consultancy that employs Lean Startup and Agile methodologies, launched in 2006. He launched Talent4Startups.org, a free, non-profit portal for startup founders to collaborate with students and professionals in 2014. He is committed to the Lean and Agile methodologies. Rajiv is the founding organizer of the Orlando-based Lean Startup Practitioners group. He is a mentor through workshops, events and accelerators - notably VentureScaleUp, WeVenture and Lean Startup Machine. Show notes at http://hellotechpros.com/rajiv-menon-entrepreneurship/ Sponsors Burdene - The bot that remembers your stuff so you don't forget.

Cassidy Lackey started a mobile software company in 1997 focused on PalmPilot and grew it to become a leading software company in the Treo / BlackBerry days.   He eventually sold that company and decided to focus on lifestyle internet businesses. This gives Cassidy the flexibility to spend time on the things that really matter. Show notes at http://hellotechpros.com/cassidy-lackey-entrepreneurship/ Sponsors Burdene - Bot that remembers the things you forget and reminds you via text messages.

Homeless for a period of two weeks, Karma Senge and his family used to struggle financially. Now he is a successful real estate investor and FOREX trader. Karma Senge started his first business back in 2000-2001 by investing in real estate and then opened up a few martial art schools. He got out of those two businesses in 2007-2008 and then came back into real estate in 2013. Karma started trading the markets as well in 2011 and in 2013 found a passion in the currency markets. Today he has found his passion in the Forex Market. Show notes at http://hellotechpros.com/karma-senge-entrepreneurship/   Resources Mentioned Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki (Listen for free on Audible) TradingView.com   Sponsors HelloTechBook.com - Get a free audio book on audible Burdene - SMS-based notes and reminders

Joshua Davidson is an entrepreneur, speaker and startup advisor. He's been creating companies since he was in high school. In a nutshell, he spends most of his days building products and growing companies. Joshua's been personally featured on MSNBC, NBC, Fox, Technically, AOL, Mashable, EliteDaily, Huffington Post, CBS and the Examiner. Show notes at http://hellotechpros.com/joshua-davidson-entrepreneurship/ Key Takeaways Joshua Davidson started ChopDawg at the age of 16. ChopDawg works with early startups and large organizations to handle all their tech needs. Joshua went door to door to small businesses in summer selling website design. At time websites were thought of as accessory, not necessity. He was motivated by business & journey, experiences, family/friends. When hiring in a startup, use the NBA draft analagy - pick the most talented people who can perform multiple jobs. Think long term and be very patient. Post a new piece of content every day - podcast, social media, blog posts. Use social media marketing and paid advertising to promote. Too many people are short term focused but it takes a long time to be successful. Never be satisfied with what you've achieved. Ask how can we make the biggest impact possible by helping the most people? Build compound interest on the work you do. Dont be a freelancer, be an entrepreneur. Hire someone to work on accounts. Work on your business not in your business. Outsource your weaknesses. Resources Mentioned chopdawg.com Sponsors Transource Media - Audio and video editing. Be a guest on Hello Tech Pros. Get a free audio book from Audible.

Besides a full-time technical staffer, Lauren Rutledge runs multiple online businesses. Lauren Rutledge is a hungry, career minded professional that is motivated to grow herself & her team. Staffing technology professionals has become a passion of hers and she appreciates the opportunity to work with some really great people everyday! Show notes at http://hellotechpros.com/lauren-rutledge-entrepreneurship/ Key Takeaways Entrepreneurs don't get much sleep, but they get excited about solving people's problems and staying active. If your product or service was available elsewhere, would you buy theirs instead of building your own? Entrepreneurs are makers. They are doers. Time management is critical to get all the things done. Instagram-based boutique stores are popular. Customers ask questions and place orders via comments on a product picture. Don't wait to see if it's going to work, jump in! You have to nail your audience and nail your brand. Be a consumate learner and hustler. Always keep evolving. Resources Mentioned Robert Half staffing King Louie Apparel Adobe Photoshop Express Shopify Big Cartel Crowdfire Soundest Sponsors Levant Technologies - Oklahoma's #1 website design company. HelloTechBook.com - Get a free audio book and a 30-day trial to Audible.

Everyone wants to be a rockstar, in life and in business, right? Nicole Holland believes that everyone is a rockstar in their own right, they just need to find their hit song and get discovered. She's been involved in entrepreneurship and coaching since a young age, but when she got serious about it, she rocked it! Host of iTunes’ New & Noteworthy podcast, The Business Building Rockstars Show, Nicole Holland loves helping entrepreneurs build profitable online businesses that excite & inspire them through her private & group mentoring & coaching programs. Nicole believes there’s no “right” way to do anything unless it feels good to you. Show notes at http://hellotechpros.com/nicole-holland-entrepreneurship/ Key Takeaways Everyone wants to be a rockstar Everyone IS a rockstar in their own way We all deal with the same emotions: fear, love, disappointment, joy Everyone who has success today came from a starting point and grew How we define success needs to change - it's not just about money Entrepreneurship is state of mind - it's not about the business it's about the process Entrepreneur mindset is more fluid, can follow one path but can shift gears and go down different path There is value in getting clear on a niche, but have to be inspired Things work out, you just have to be ready for the opportunities If they are not a good fit, fire your clients Be authentic, be yourself Approach people out of a mindset of service Resources Mentioned Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill (Listen on Audible) Guide: How to Be a Great Guest Text IMREADY to 33444 Master Your Mindset Challenge - Includes free copy of Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill Sponsors Levant Technologies - Producing over 100 websites per year HelloTechBook.com - Get a free audio book and a 30-day trial to Audible

The tragedy in Flint, Michigan created a public outcry that got policy makers to ask questions on what to do about the state of water quality in municipalities. Concerned about the national security implications of the availability of potable water, Michael Morford is working to improve water treatment technologies which have not significantly changed in the last 50 years. Michael Morford is CEO of The Bison Group, an Oklahoma-headquartered privately-held company with a long-term focus on environmental and water scarcity issues. A former U.S. Army Captain and Iraqi War Veteran, he is a Fellow for the Truman National Security Project. He is a sought-after speaker for his understanding of the complexities facing the Water-Energy Nexus. An Oklahoma native, Michael is married to his wife Megan and has three children, Ava, Hayes, and Finley. Show notes at http://hellotechpros.com/michael-morford-entrepreneurship/ Key Takeaways Sometimes chemicals in water supplies only 6 miles apart can be drastically different Many regions in the southwest United States are struggling with clean water supplies due to droughts The technologies to clean water has not been much improved in 50 years Work until you have no more time left - wait to hire until things are not getting done Resources Mentioned Truman National Security Project Forward osmosis Electrocoagulation Flint, Michigan water state of emergency Sponsors GetMoreNights.com - You've got the best vacation rental property, but is it 100% booked? About Hello Tech Pros Hello Tech Pros is the daily podcast that interviews business professionals who work with technology and discuss Motivation, Productivity, Leadership, Technology, People, Entrepreneurship and Being Unplugged.

What's the startup scene like in your community? Andrew Berkowitz wants to know. No matter where in the world you live, Andrew says that you can related to every other entrepreneur on the planet. We all speak the same language. Andrew Berkowitz is a serial entrepreneur, speaker, and podcast host. He is currently Head of Product at Tradeversity and founder of The Global Startup Movement, a weekly podcast featuring entrepreneurs and investors around the world uncovering the startup scene in their communities. Show notes at http://hellotechpros.com/andrew-berkowitz-entrepreneurship/ Key Takeaways Entrepreneurship is a universal language Entrepreneurs everywhere struggle with self-doubt and the imposter syndrome The struggle is the point of entrepreneurship, it's about growing and learning Emotional downturns help you grow as a person The difference between entrepreneurs and everyone else is that entrepreneurs dive in on just a hunch It's not just about building something, it's about helping the community grow A startup community needs smart capital and mentorship Your first ventures will probably fail, and that's a good thing A good marketing plan is more important than a good product You're going to win or you're going to learn Always be consuming content You don't need to have it figured out, just go for it Resources Mentioned Tradeversity The Global Startup Movement podcast Zoona Think and Grow Rich by Napolean Hill (Listen on Audible) The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod (Listen on Audible) Startup Communities: Building an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in Your City by Brad Feld (Listen on Audible)

Robin Smith is the co-founder and CEO of  WeGoLook. Her desire to bolster confidence in purchase decisions by online consumers led her to found WeGoLook, a crowd-sourced verification platform utilized across every industry, the "Uber of inspections." She has an extensive background in sales beginning her career with the Washington Post in college, then advancing to regional and management positions in Missouri and Mississippi before returning to Oklahoma. Back in Oklahoma, Robin started her own consulting firm transitioning automotive dealership into internet sales. Her e-commerce experience and development of enterprise solutions combined with her early entry into the on demand economy, make her a unique voice in tech, crowdsourcing and the gig economy. Show notes at http://hellotechpros.com/robin-smith-entrepreneurship/ Key Takeaways Entrepreneurship about working your own ideas into everyone's lives WeGoLook started after a realization of a gap in the marketplace Create a "fake" website (minimum viable marketing) for potential customers and partners The gig economy = is about temporary, distributed workers Focus on SEO to drive inbound leads Your platform should be dynamic enough to handle integrations with different partners The marketing, support and scalability of your business is very different if you are B2C vs B2B Just because you aren't an expert at something, doesn't mean you can't do it Entrepreneurship takes perseverance, it's an evolution Don't listen to friends and family who don't understand your passion and vision Find someone to mentor and give back Whatever is in your heart and in your gut — just do it Take a step towards change and work towards It's not a failure, it's a learning experience   Resources Mentioned WeGoLook.com Sponsors ScrumBrawl Transource Media About Hello Tech Pros Hello Tech Pros is the daily podcast that interviews business professionals who work with technology and discuss Motivation, Productivity, Leadership, Technology, People, Entrepreneurship and Being Unplugged.

If you're painting a picture of a sunset and someone tells you to add a dolphin, does that person's idea represent your vision? If not, Bear Cahill recommends that you thank them for the input and move on. Entrepreneurs have to strike a critical balance between building community and social presence, and staying true to the founder's vision. Bear suggests that you surround yourself with like-minded people who "get you" and share in the vision to achieve success. Bear Cahill has been coding since the age of 12 and professionally since 1993. He's worked for IBM, Ericsson, Travelocity and most recently, for the last 8 years, as a freelance iOS developer. He has developed and contributed to dozens of mobile apps, is the author of “iOS in Practice”. and teaches iOS development to companies around the country. He's also had his share of tech and non-tech related businesses ranging from greeting cards, children's animation and donuts... square, baked donuts. Show notes at http://hellotechpros.com/bear-cahill-entrepreneurship/ Key Takeaways Don't get into the restaurant business unless it's a true passion Food services is hard, hard work Entrepreneurship is about signing your own paycheck Focus on content and the marketing will take care of itself Keep your vision pure, don't have too many cooks in the kitchen who don't share the same vision Solicit feedback but don't compromise your art Being true to your vision is more difficult when you work in a committee Don't start the bus until everyone is on board - assemble the right team Social networking is key to kick off your business Find people who speak your language and connect with them Make yourself a little bit vulnerable, no one ever said "I wish I met fewer people" Identify your goals - is it about money, or do you want flexibility and freedom? Resources Mentioned iOS in Practice by Bear Cahill Unity Game Engine Sponsors This episode of Hello Tech Pros is sponsored by ScrumBrawl ScrumBrawl is a fast paced, extremely chaotic board game where fantastical creatures vie for supremacy within the Arena, a 20x20 battle pit where dragons, hydras, golems and tiny tiny chickens score goals by maneuvering magical orbs into portals or fighting other creatures to the death. (Sorry chicken) ScrumBrawl is the product of VicTim Games and you can listen to the backstory of this indie board game by going back to Hello Tech Pros episode 28 where I interview Tim Bugher, one-half of VicTim. We talk about the original concept, the product design and the upcoming expansion set. That’s Hello Tech Pros episode 2-8. But wait, there’s more! I am giving away a copy of the game to one lucky listener. To qualify, leave a review for Hello Tech Pros on iTunes or Stitcher Radio (or both) and send me an email with the screenshot to chad [at] hellotechpros.com. At the end of the month, I’ll randomly select one entry and send them a copy of ScrumBrawl board game. Once again, leave a review for Hello Tech Pros on iTunes or Stitcher Radio (or both) and send me an email with the screenshot to chad [at] hellotechpros.com. ScrumBrawl. Fantastical, brutal, fun. About Hello Tech Pros Hello Tech Pros is the daily podcast that interviews business professionals who work with technology and discuss Motivation, Productivity, Leadership, Technology, People, Entrepreneurship and Being Unplugged.

In middle school, Leon Fowler opened his first business: a bubblegum machine in a hair salon. Through the next few years he reinvested his profits into a three-tiered candy machine and then into a full-sized vending machine: in a competing middle school. Today he is preparing to launch Resume Righter, a service for gamifying the skills-documentation and resume writing process. Leon Fowler II over the past 10 years has worked for a Fortune 100 company in web development as well as supporting vendor software in a System Analyst role. He has been an Entrepreneur since starting his first business at the age of 12. He is currently building his startup as the Founder and CEO of Resume Righter. Show notes at http://hellotechpros.com/leon-fowler-entrepreneuship/ Key Takeaways Invest in the entrepreneurship of young people - teach them the value of hard work, savings and business Remembering your micro-accomplishments is difficult The longer you wait to update your resumé, the more details you will forget Successful businesses are based off of repeatable processes Plan for a franchise, even if you don't plan to franchise your business Turn your passion into a recipe so that you can outsource and scale Bootstrap and be as lean as possible as long as you can When you give up equity, you are creating a new boss At all costs, own the majority of your businessamazon Resources Mentioned The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It by Michael E. Gerber (Listen on Audible) This episode is sponsored by: Hello Tech Pros. Want to be a guest on the show? Chad Bostick here, and I’m helping professionals who work with technology build a personal brand and get connected to an audience of thousands of technologists, entrepreneurs, business leaders and investors. Download my cheat-sheet of interview questions and apply to be a guest today by texting HELLOPODCAST to 44222 or visiting hellotechpros.com/guest Hello Tech Pros is the daily podcast that interviews business professionals who work with technology and discuss Motivation, Productivity, Leadership, Technology, People, Entrepreneurship and Being Unplugged.

After a close-call with a hippopotamus while canoeing in Africa, Tim Barnes celebrated life with African artists and artisans by commissioning a custom, hand-crafted "hippo chair". After 25 years of consulting and leading IT organizations, Tim decided to give back to a third-world community — but more than aid — by creating awareness and business opportunities via first-world marketing channels and old-school import/export legwork. Tim Barnes has spent the last 20+ years in the Information Technology industry, half of which as a consultant for Deloitte and Accenture and half as Director of Information Delivery at Devon Energy. Tim has lived in both the US and Canada and enjoys backpacking around the world. Today he is the Founder at MoreThanAid. Key Takeaways Entrepreneurship is having a passion for something, turning it into a success where value is generated Only 4% of people in Malawi Africa have internet access If you're thinking about the reasons why it won't work more than why it will, you need to look for something you're more passionate about Don't let roadblocks stop you Look for the problem that you are passion about solving and don't get tied to a solution Learn the gotchas with one-offs before trying to scale the processes This episode is sponsored by: Hello Tech Pros. Want to be a guest on the show? Chad Bostick here, and I’m helping professionals who work with technology build a personal brand and get connected to an audience of thousands of technologists, entrepreneurs, business leaders and investors. Download my cheat-sheet of interview questions and apply to be a guest today by texting HELLOPODCAST to 44222 or visiting hellotechpros.com/guest Show notes at http://hellotechpros.com/tim-barnes-entrepreneurship/ Hello Tech Pros is the daily podcast that interviews business professionals who work with technology and discuss Motivation, Productivity, Leadership, Technology, People, Entrepreneurship and Being Unplugged.

Brad Thomas is using his experience in the technology services industry to build a new business in the Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing (MEP) subcontracting and service space. He believes that every industry can benefit from a higher level of customer experience than traditionally provided and aims to provide that first-class level of service to consumers in need of air conditioning, plumbing and mechanical work. Brad Thomas has over 20 years experience leading technical teams at United Advertising, Professional Technologies International, Webcasts.com, iBEAM Broadcasting, Williams Communications, Perimeter Technology Center, TierPoint and Bob Moore Auto Group. He is currently the President and CEO of Fortis Capital LLC. This episode of Hello Tech Pros is sponsored by… ME, Chad Bostick. As an enterprise IT leader I’ve gotten the opportunity to solve a number of different business problems including field worker productivity, back-office process efficiencies, enterprise system integrations, big data analysis, resource management, and IT complexity reduction. Each project comes with it’s own unique challenge whether it be distributed teams, change management, stakeholder buy-in, availability of subject matter experts or just getting one technology to play nice with others. Let me know what business problem is keeping you up at night, and how you’d like me to help. Go to chadbostick.com and click the CONTACT button, or text HELLOCHAD to 44222. Show notes at http://hellotechpros.com/brad-thomas-entrepreneurship/ Hello Tech Pros is the daily podcast that interviews business professionals who work with technology and discuss Motivation, Productivity, Leadership, Technology, People, Entrepreneurship and Being Unplugged.

Stan Weed is a former corporate software developer who left big business to build a lakefront lifestyle. His business ventures include photography, computer repair and website design. In this episode Stan discusses why he cashed out, how he found customers in a tiny community (population 1300) and why retiree's are an underserved market. This episode is sponsored by: Hello Tech Pros. Want to be a guest on the show? Chad Bostick here, and I’m helping professionals who work with technology build a personal brand and get connected to an audience of thousands of technologists, entrepreneurs, business leaders and investors. Download my cheat-sheet of interview questions and apply to be a guest today by texting HELLOPODCAST to 44222 or visiting hellotechpros.com/guest Show notes at http://hellotechpros.com/stan-weed-entrepreneurship/ Hello Tech Pros is the daily podcast that interviews business professionals who work with technology and discuss Motivation, Productivity, Leadership, Technology, People, Entrepreneurship and Being Unplugged.