Get Your Message Heard with Michael Hudson

OK, no need to bury the lead — the title of this post says it all: “It’s time to hit the pause button on Get Your Message Heard.”  It’s not a hasty (or easy) decision, and it is one that I’ve literally spent the last 3 months debating.  The driving force behind all that deliberation is my core and foundational belief that what matters most for all of us is playing to our strengths as much as we possibly can. It’s simply never made sense to me for people to work so hard on becoming good at stuff they don’t do well when they can create far more impact when they get better at doing the things they already do well.  That’s why I found the book Now Discover Your Strengths by Donald O. Clifton and Marcus Buckingham so compelling when it first came out. Completing the included assessment and learning my top 5 strengths (from the list of 34 total strengths) was liberating and affirming.  It also put a lot of things into perspective for me. Like why I always think about the bigger picture and believe so strongly in the power of mapping a vision and then speaking it into existence.  You see the Strengths Finder Assessment (now known as the CliftonStrengths Assessment) revealed that four of my five strengths were in the area of strategic thinking and the fifth was in the area of influence. In other words, I am wired to think about what it possible and the to work through others to make the vision a reality.   That explains just about everything I have ever done in my life. And it confirms why so much of my time is spent thinking about the future and seeking ways to make it better than the past.  A side effect of this gifting is the constant evaluation of everything I do with an eye on how it can be made better and whether it should still be done. That latter not being the easiest thing for most of us to think about.  As I’ve traveled the recent journey that’s been shared in the last few episodes of the podcast, one nagging question has haunted my mind daily: Am I spending most of my time doing the work that I do best? The work that I was designed to do.  Why did thinking about that question lead me to the decision to hit pause on the podcast?  Because I realized that the path it was on was not aligned with the path I am evolving in my business. And, more important, that the resources, effort, and energy I was devoting to creating the weekly episodes were being misallocated and keeping me away from doing work that needs to be done to serve the people I am here to serve.  Not an easy, or comfortable, admission, but a necessary one that I believe is 100% correct at this moment in time. Here’s why:  The journey I have been on since I sold my niche business and made the decision to pivot my work has led me to reconnect with my core passions of working with individuals and teams to map strategic visions and communicate them into existence. But that is not what we’ve been talking about on Get Your Message Heard.  That’s because Get Your Message Heard was a key part of my journey to discover (actually rediscover) what really lights me up — the work I want to devote the rest of my life to doing. And, frankly, I am proud of the body of work that came out of that process because I know it will help others as they navigate their path to creating their impact.  But it’s time to take a step away from the weekly work of putting out an episode so I can redirect my effort and energy to creating the foundational messages that will attract the clients I can serve best as I move forward.  Whether that will lead me back to a podcast in the future is unclear to me at this moment. But I know what I most need in my business at this moment in time is a clear path for the people I am here to serve — a path that helps them see what is possible for them and enables them to decide if I am the right person to help them pursue it.  So this episode formally announces my decision to HIT THE PAUSE BUTTON and stop sharing a weekly show UNTIL I gain clarity on how to make the show (or whatever replaces it) serve the audience more than it serves me.  Thank you to all who have listened to the show since it started just over two years ago. I am grateful and it is my sincere hope that you found the insight you needed in the conversations. I hope you’ll stay tuned as things evolve and wish you much success in Getting Your Message Heard and creating your impact on the world.

If you’ve been listening to the last few episodes of Get Your Message Heard, you’ve recognized that a lot of thinking has been going on in my world. In fact, I’ve done more (and better) strategic thinking about my business in 2019 than I have allowed myself to do in a long time.  A big driver of that has been the realignment of myself with my brand and my vision. Let me explain.  For years I’ve been living out of balance. Medicating myself with sugar and riding the emotional roller coaster that comes with that — something that it took me much too long to realize was in my way.  In this week’s episode I share a bit more about that and reveal the real story behind my 60+ pound weight loss, including the inciting incident that ‘woke’ me to the need to FINALLY solve a lifelong problem.  It’s not being shared to push anyone to make a similar journey, but instead to help Get Your Message Heard listeners understand why this change in the way I physically walk the planet now has been so impactful in my vison for my work. If that inspires someone to take action and change something in their life that is in their way, that will be a bonus from sharing the story.  There is one other thing that led me to share my journey back to what I weighed when I graduated from high school — the desire to push the people who listen to the show to think bigger about who they are, why they are here, and what they can accomplish.  I recorded this episode while driving home from 3-days working with a client and meeting with some mastermind colleagues. During the latter I had a photographer grab some new action shots — I simply could not continue to see the disconnect between who I am now and the photos of who I used to be (which still shows on the podcast image, by the way).  As I drove into the sunrise that morning, I was struck by just how much potential we all have and started wondering how many of the people I engage with are trapped by something they have not even acknowledged, let alone taken action to change. So, I opened my Rev.com recording app and decided to record this episode while thinking about that and starting my day.  I hope the story serves you and stimulates you to take action on something that you know you need to fix. Because arriving on the other side a major change amazing. Being forever changed and knowing it is incredible and opens doors you never even knew were closed.  YOUR TURN: I’m curious — what’s your story? What’s in your way that you need to fix? What dream do you have that you’re not pursuing because it feels too big? Please share a comment or send an e-mail to info@michaelhudson.com and let me know how I can help you get started.

What I love most about having a podcast is the chance to dive into deeper conversations about things that intrigue me and will serve you. This week’s interview aligns perfectly with that.  Why did you invite this guy to be a guest?  Sam Qurashi and I met in the Heroic Public Speaking Graduate School program last spring. His soothing presence and amazing voice caught my attention immediately. But more important the way he carried himself and his helpful manner of engaging made me immediately realize that he had a lot of value to deliver to my audience.  That became even more clear when I learned that he had done something few of us do — he started building his audience before he defined and started his business.  The result: He is approaching 300,000 followers on Instagram as he prepares to launch his new business next month.  That’s why I invited him to join me for a conversation and share some insight into how he did it and some advice on what we can do to be more effective in serving people using Instagram.  Before I share a bit about our conversation, let me introduce you to Sam.  Who is this guy?  Sam Qurashi worked as a Psychiatric Resident in an addiction Hospital for about seven years, and throughout that time, he had the opportunity to interact with over 10,000 patients. However, for a plethora of reasons, he decided to walk away from his medical career. One of the main reasons for doing so was that he had a strong belief that there was a more effective way to help people.   As a result, his journey into the world of, what he calls, unorthodox psychology began, and he started interviewing experts that are living beyond the frame of Psychology but are masters of the mind in a unique way.   That led him to people like…  The top cold reader in the world who can convince anyone that he's psychic even though he isn't,  The top pickpocket in the UK who can elegantly step into anyone's comfort zone because of his mastery of space and attention,   The horse whisperer who can communicate with horses through eye contact and body language, and many, many, more.     He then entered the world of social media to share his message on Instagram, a platform of which he had no idea about. But after analyzing and deconstructing that platform while utilizing his knowledge of human behavior, he was able to quickly grow his page from 300 followers to over 200,000 followers in less than 13 months. He was recently interviewed by Joe Polish who’s the founder of Genius Network, the largest marketing mastermind group in the world.  What’s in the Interview?  My conversation with Sam covered a range of topics, with insights into how to be effective with Instagram at the core — that part of the interview is one that I recommend listening to several times while taking notes and mapping your own strategy. It will be worth it.  Here are a few of the insights Sam shared:    Commit to your message — nothing in more important that keeping your posts focused around the message you are seeking to share with people.    Don’t Rely on Recycling the Same Content — people who follow you want to see more from you, not the same old stuff, and if they don’t, they will stop following you.    Be Consistent — People love patterns and the secret to getting them engaged with you is to make it clear that you deliver new stuff consistently. It doesn’t have to be every day, but a pattern that is clear from your bio page will connect better than random sporadic posts.    Use Stories — Share the story of you and who you are in your Instagram stories. Share what you do in your posts.      Promote the Page, Not the Product — Your goal should be growing your base of followers so they know what you are about and who you are before you start promoting things to them.   As always, we closed our conversation with a book recommendation and Sam shared one of my favorites: Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss. I love the insight Sam shared from the book about seeking a ‘No’ instead of a ‘Yes’ when negotiating. His insight into why this is powerful was a highlight of the conversation.  You can learn more about Sam by following him on Instagram @Samqurashi — you’ll love the content he shares and so much more.  Thanks for joining me Sam.  Your Turn — Got a Question?   One of my favorite questions to ask is “How can I help you?” and one of my favorite ways to do that is by answering our questions. If you have one you would like me to address on the podcast, please send it to: info@michaelhudson.com and put “Question for Podcast” in the subject line then insert your question in the body.

Kevin McBroom — What are some creative ways you suggest to overcome self-limiting beliefs/imposter syndrome?  Jeanette Bronee — How do you gain clarity about why your message matter so you can craft the message?  Mike Brennan — What is the most effective way to determine interest of other surrounding initiative you are looking to launch?  Jason Smith —For business goals you set a financial milestone or customers served goal?  Bill McConnell — I'm taking a huge leap of faith into an online business concept I've never done before. My money up front. No guarantees on the backend. Exciting potential and value in the middle. What words of encouragement and direction would you give when it comes to getting my "marketing" message heard for this event?  Murtaza Versi — Why is it important to have a coach or mentor to help clarify self-imposed obstacles?  Paul Klein — In regards to income, how much financial runway in terms of months do you recommend when making a pivot or what I am calling going from "Client & Project" work and moving to "Content & Products" work?  Kevin Breeding — How do you decide when to invest in yourself by getting outside expert help? How do you know it's time versus when you are just buying another course to keep yourself busy instead of doing the hard work we like to avoid?  Tom Schwab — How can I accelerate or fast track results? I've heard stories of people who spend years speaking for free at Rotary, coffee clubs, and even the opening of an envelope before they ever get paid on stage.  John Hulen — (1) What are a few of the best ways to turn speeches/keynotes into performances? (2) What are some ways the server audiences before and after the performances? (3) What are some ways I can help other entrepreneurs who don't speak in front of audiences understand the need for and how to improve their speaking abilities?  Aime Miyamoto — Along the theme of integrating the brand dynamics of authority and relatability what would you recommend regarding an intentional approach to share the "realities of the bumpy and often experimental/unpredictable road of entrepreneurship" with your audience with authenticity and still embody the grounded and compelling presence of expertise and professional authority? This is a dance I've been struggling with.  Barbara Burns Churchill — I want to create a larger speaking presence this year and want to know the fastest way to do that. I don't have a book (yet) and you speaking as a business development tool to connect with leaders so I can help their organizations with my programs. Advice?  Thanks for listening to this unscripted Q&A.  Michael  P.S. Submit Your Question: If you have a question you would like me to address in a future episode, please send it to: info@michaelhudson.com and put “Question for Podcast” in the subject line then insert your question in the body. 

One of my main objectives for the year ahead is to be more experimental — to stop overthinking and over complicating everything and take more chances.   That’s exactly what I did for my 100th episode.  Here’s how that worked.  I scheduled time to record the episode on a Wednesday after an aborted attempt at something that was way too complicated and had too many opportunities for failure that would impact others. [If it had only been me at risk I might have pushed through, but I hate wasting other people’s time, so I opted for the safe route and chose a different path.]  Early on Wednesday morning I posted on Facebook that I was recording my 100th episode @ 1 pm and invited people to submit questions that I could answer. Then I sent 10 direct messages to people who I knew might share a question and personally invited them to do so.  By noon I had 24 questions and was ready to record my responses at 1 pm.   Then I had another idea — why not broadcast the recording LIVE on Facebook. After all, that had been the initial plan.  So, I did.   It took me close to two hours to answer all of the questions and episode 100 and 101 were born as a two-part Unscripted Q&A. I hope you find value in these two shows and invite you to submit your questions so I can address them in future episodes here: info@michaelhudson.com Just put Question for Podcast in the subject line and insert your question in the body.  Here are the questions I responded to in this episode:   Jeff Meister — You've been working in this space for a while but you're not getting the traction you want or expect. You feel like you need to make a pivot. How do you do this without scrapping or losing everything you have done so far and one of the first five or so "essential steps" to take?  Matt Cubbler — What is the best and most proven way to drive listeners to find and then subscribe to your podcast?  Trivinia Barber — How do you prep for your shows? I just started my podcast and want to streamline my prep process!  Justin Schenck — (1) In the first 100 episodes what's the most rewarding part so far? (2) When building your speaking business what do you find potential bookers want to hear more of from the speakers they hire?  Mary Villoni — Working in the nonprofit industry I find that my clients struggle with telling their story on paper. Often times their mission gets clouded with big words about helping large populations of people that seem impractical. What advice would you give to help craft the charity message so it attracts more donors?  Doug Fitzgerald — How do you plan, prepare, and stay consistent in sharing your great value-added content on social media to get your message heard?  Antoine Dupont — (1) One of the biggest mistakes you see business owners make over and over again? (2) What are the three business books that should be given to any new business owner?  Ernie Lansford — What have been your greatest challenges you faced personally getting your message heard? How did you overcome them?  Kevin Monroe — Knowing what you know now, if you were starting fresh are working to upload for your business today, how would you prioritize your time and where would you focus your energy?  Colleen Dupont — How do you whittle down your message? Your authentic voice.  Terry Wood — What were the biggest challenges you faced in transitioning into full-time employment and stepping out of the traditional marketplace?  Jen Singer — How do you soldier through a speech when you're handling tough times behind the scenes?  Please join me next week for the responses to the remaining 12 questions.  Michael  P.S. Submit Your Question: If you have a question you would like me to address in a future episode, please send it to: info@michaelhudson.com and put “Question for Podcast” in the subject line then insert your question in the body.

Last week, as a lead up to the 100th episode of Get Your Message Heard next week, Michael took a step back and to explore where we’ve been and where we’re going. In today’s “Part II” he reveals a bit more about the path forward (if you missed it, you might want to listen to  Episode 98 before diving into this one so you get the full context).     Now, sit back, settle in, and envision that you’re having “Part II” of that one-on-one conversation with Michael that we started last week about what Get Your Message Heard has meant to his business, his clients, and his vision for the future.     Here are a few highlights:    Repel the Wrong Ones — Focusing your work on serving the people you are best suited to serve is the key to growing your business. Find the ones who fit by leveraging your strengths to deliver solutions to the specific problems they have that transform their lives. Then map your messaging to attract those people and that will help the ones who don’t fit recognize it which will save you time, effort, and energy!    You’ve Got to Silence the Voices — A big part of the journey in the early episodes of Get Your Message Heard was about silencing the voices that constantly strive to convince us of what we can’t do. They hold us back, make us overthink and hesitate to act, and generally get in the way every time we start to gain momentum.     So how do you silence them? Get clear on the “core framework” you use to solve the problems you solve for the people you serve. Recognize that what you find easy is often amazing to others and find ways to do more of what you do best. That will quiet the voices because you will be aligned and on purpose.    P.S. It might take some work to get clear and there will be some trial and error, some testing and learning, and some less than fulfilling moments. But taking regular action is the only path!    Choose a Definable Audience and Talk Directly to Them — Growing a business is not easy, particularly in the early stages. You start with an idea, you find a couple of clients and start delivering your products or services, then you begin to build a team that allows you to serve more of them. Then one day you realize you are operating at (more likely, beyond) your capacity. It’s time to scale the business.    At that point two things matter most: (1) defining the audience you are seeking to attract, and (2) crafting all of your messaging to attract them. This is where Michael’s sweet spot is: Helping entrepreneurs, business owners, and cause leaders who are ready to scale up map their messaging so they can speak their vision into existence.    The secret sauce boils down to 3 steps:    Making sure your messages are crafted so the audience will RELATE to it. Using their words, speaking to their problems, painting the picture of the transformation they want and need.    Committing to REPEAT those messages until you are almost tired of sharing them because the reality is that many aren’t listening or hearing what you want them to the first few times. When they start smiling, nodding, and finishing your sentences you’re getting close to having said it enough.    Enabling those who hear your messages to REPLAY them just like they do their favorite song. It may sound slightly different (like a live or in concert version), but the gist of the message is there. And that gives you leverage and makes scaling of your efforts possible!    Learn from Guests and Add Your Insights — Shifting Get Your Message Heard from a solo show to an interview show has changed things in many ways. One thing that listeners have shared with Michael is that they sometimes wish they heard more about how he sees the insights shared in the interviews.     That’s why one change that is coming is the inclusion of regular solo episodes where Michael will tie things together and call out the most valuable insights from the recent episodes. And if enough listeners share their questions there will be regular Q&A episodes.    P.S. If you have a question, please send it to info@MichaelHudson.com and it will be addressed on a future episode.    You Need Pathways for Clients & Customers — One thing that has become clearer than anything else during the life of Get Your Message Heard is the power and importance of having clear pathways for the people who want to engage with you. If, like Michael, you have a servant heart, it is difficult to say no to people who don’t fit or whom you just don’t have the capacity to serve.    In some cases, they aren’t ready for what you can deliver, and it would be a disservice to try and help that at the place where they are. In other cases, there is a mismatch of values and vision that needs to be acknowledged to maintain your integrity to the work you do. That’s why you need to know (before you are inundated) how you will handle the path of prospective clients and where you will lead them when they raise their hand to engage with you.    Listen in to learn more about these things and to identify the insights that will best serve you.

With the 100th episode of Get Your Message Heard just around the corner, it’s time to take a step back and explore where we’ve been and where we’re going. In today’s episode Michael gets personal about the path he has been on since launching the podcast and sets the stage for sharing a bit about the path forward (tune in to Episode 99 next week to learn more about that).    Before diving in to the content of the episode, Michael shared an opportunity that can help you get some personal visibility for your brand…here are the details:    A chance to join Michael for the Live Recording of Episode 100 — One of the most rewarding things that has happened since Get Your Message Heard was launched is the moments when listeners reach out to share an insight you’ve received from an episode of the podcast that helped them.     If you’re one of those people Michael wants to know what helped you and wants you to help him share it with others who might also benefit. All you have to do is complete this one-week challenge:    Share at least three insights you’ve gotten from episodes of Get Your Message Heard on at least two social media platforms between January 7th and January 14th to be entered into a drawing where 5 listeners will be invited to join Michael for the Facebook LIVE recording of Episode 100.     Be sure to do these three things:  Link to the episode’s blog post — each episode has a post that can be found at http://www.MichaelHudson.com/### (where ### is the episode number)  Tag Michael in the post — you can find Michael on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter @DrMichaelHudson  Use the hashtag #ChangeImpactAction to make it easy for the posts to be found.    What if you’re not a social media person? Then you can send an email to info@MichaelHudson.com and share your insights directly with Michael. But if you do use social media, please follow that path as the goal is to reveal the value of the podcast to others.    That’s all there is to it: Share 6 posts on social media following these steps and you’ll be entered. You can start anytime, but posts must be up by 5 pm on Monday, January 14th to be considered.    Oh, and block your calendar for 2 pm to 3:30 pm Eastern on January 15th so you will be available for the Facebook Live Broadcast (and please join me even if you aren’t one of the 5 selected)!    PS: The one person who ‘blows me away’ with their sharing of their insights will receive a complimentary 90-minute deep dive strategy call with me…Who will that be?    Now, sit back, settle in, and envision that you’re having a one-on-one conversation with Michael about what Get Your Message Heard has meant to his business, his clients, and his vision for the future. Here are a few highlights:    Use 3 Words to Guide Your Year — Michael is a fan of Chris Brogan’s approach of choosing three words at the beginning of the year to set your mind on what you want to achieve. His 3 words for 2019 are #ChangeImpactAction    Acknowledge and Own Your Superpowers — Most of us spend too much time and energy trying to become better at things we don’t do well, instead of focusing on doing what we do well better. One of the lessons that’s emerged from doing 97 episodes of the podcast is the recognition that focusing on your strengths is the path to real impact.     That’s what enables you to get clear on the problem you are here to solve for the people you are meant to serve. If you’re unclear about what they are, consider using the Clifton Strengths Finder to identify your strengths and then start working every day to align your actions to live into those strengths!    You Need a Velvet Rope — We’ve all seen the velvet rope at movie premieres and nightclubs, even if only in the movies. The truth is you need a velvet rope in your business that makes it clear who you serve and who you don’t serve. It is the only path to clarity for you and the best way to increase your influence, impact, and income. Don’t make the mistake of trying to serve everyone because that is NOT why you are here. (You can learn a lot more about this concept by reading Michael Port’s Book Yourself Solid.    The Journey Takes Time — Michael shares the story of his journey (that began in the fall of 2014) of refocusing his work from serving a single niche to doing the ‘great work’ he believes he was put on the planet to do. A key pivot point was encountering Michael Bungay Stanier’s book Do More Great Work and hearing the keynote about it at a conference where completion of a simple pie chart revealed what was missing in Michael’s work.    You’ve Got to Respect the Process — Truth be told it took much longer for the Get Your Message Heard podcast and Michael’s new work to get traction. One reason was that there were some things that needed to be sorted out personally before the change could full take hold. It also helped that after selling the niche business at the end of 2015 Michael continued working with a handful of clients and wound their projects down in 2016, 2017, and early 2018. That backstop of revenue bought some time to map the path forward, probably more than was required.    All of these things combine to explain why the path forward for Get Your Message Heard will continue to evolve in some important ways as Michael homes in on serving the people he can best help — tune in to Episode 99 next week to learn more. 

Now out of the interviewer's chair and straight onto the guest seat; surely it is a delight to see a little twist isn't it? Michael Hudson has spent much time over 90+ podcast episodes interviewing some of the brightest minds on the planet, working as host of the "Get your message heard" podcast. He is a coach, speaker, idea-junkie, and creator of Vision Speaker™ system, a proven process to help leaders deliver dynamic presentations to communicate change. On his website, www.michaelhudson.com he share insights from working with over 2,500 businesses over the past 30 years, ranging from academia, finance, small business, and politics. But at the heart of it all, he is a teacher, coach, and "idea-junkie" that wants to help grow leaders do work that truly matters. Today, he will be interviewed by a close friend, Jody Maberry, a marketing consultant and podcaster who has pretty much been there from the beginning. Achieving a stability in podcasting  Michael Hudson is a slow learner, as he puts it. His podcasts have been on the air for close to 100 episodes, and his commitment to seeing the process through has been kept stable by a desire to observe protocols and try new things over time. Hudson believes that putting out his thoughts and ideas, speaking out loud each time – especially during his podcasts – has helped him understand perspectives to each view, separating what makes sense from what doesn't. “I’m a shiny object guy, I’m an idea guy, you know, there’s nothing that thrills me more than to get an idea and say ‘lemme go see if somebody else has done it, how can I learn’ and all of that stuff” Hudson says. The weekly commitment to his podcasts offered the chance to build a focusing process and be able to speak to people consequently influencing them. Core lessons learned from early podcast episodes Hudson has a teaching style that includes fixing up a few key points and expanding on those points throughout his lecture. It is no wonder that his fundamental belief, as he puts it, says "Your journey teaches you lessons that others need to know, and the reason you were brought to this planet is to share those lessons," The second point to that belief is that "if you don't figure out what those lessons meant, you could never share them effectively." And a lot of the first podcast episodes were centered on how he figured things out for himself. Hudson also learnt that it is never easy to know just who is listening in on your program, and who you are impacting per time and this inspires him to keep doing what he does. How he charged things up Hudson learned to stop being a stereotype in the kind of questions he asks during podcasts. Now, he focuses on making it a conversation. In his own words: "Let the conversation flow." Initially he would pick out at a bunch of questions – usually 9 or 10 – and ask them to the guests during the show, but down the line, he realized that it was all kind of boring when he did that. Right now, there are only two questions he will almost certainly ask; what the guests are grateful for in their business, and what book(s) they can recommend for the listeners out there.. Hudson also learned a big lesson on time; going higher than you think you can. He makes a dream list of guests to be invited on air. And despite initial fears on getting a rejection, he goes ahead and makes contact nonetheless. Framing the show to look like a show is also very important to Hudson. “Prepare your guests so that they know what to expect,” Hudson said, while speaking on ways to get your guest fully involved and making the podcast episode lively. He normally gives his guests a specific sheet that offers pointers on what the show will entail. “When the guests get that, they will pay attention and they will help you make that show a success.” Hudson said. Guests that really made a great show and challenged Hudson He recalls quite a lot of cases where he had guests come on his podcast show and then after a while realized that they had offered so much more insight than he had expected.' Refusing to mention any names, he recalled the excitement in interacting with certain guests who repeatedly showed that they ‘know their content' and are well driven on their chosen path. The future of “Get your message heard” podcast “What comes next is really trying to take the work to a new level” as Hudson puts it. He is focused on discovering clarity on his central theme and what his true message is. He confirmed that the future would all be about "Resonance, Repeating and Replay" for his podcast series. The upcoming three episodes will feature more explanation on these 3 concepts. His reasons for podcasting and advice for those who desire the path Hudson believes that being a podcaster provides clarity to you on your own thinking, and that there truly is nothing more valuable than that. He also believes that podcasting offers the chance to execute the ‘three Rs’; to resonate your ideas to your audience, then have a chance to repeat those ideas at any time, then of course your ideas get replayed by other people over time. It is quite obvious that Hudson places value on being known for a precise set of values that his work represents, something like a niche and not just running around discussing every topic or idea. Resources www.jodymaberry.com www.michaelhudson.com

Terry Weaver is a renowned speaker, author, event producer, podcaster, Ideapreneur.  His real passion is helping people “live life alive” and he does this by traveling around the world and speaking to audiences including young school students. He leads Mastermind Groups and hosts an annual event called “the thing” where creative minds, entrepreneurs and leaders interact and receive coaching. He is the author of the book “Making Elephants Fly” which is centered on his passion and work pretty much summarized in one piece. As one who has ventured into the music industry as an Artiste manager; he has had the opportunity to work with various talents and meet lots of creative personalities along the way.  Terry and his wife Leslie live outside Nashville, Tennessee. Terry’s passion and work Terry believes that he is a square peg in a round hole, one of the misfit types who can be revolutionary about the reactions they build up from their environment. He has the “one thing” idea which centers on focusing on the strengths of an individual. “There is a lot of people that really believe that you should be super focused on just doing one thing,” Terry emphasized, “I have had to learn to lean away from my weaknesses and lean in to my strengths, and some part of leaning into my strengths involves acknowledging what others might consider a weakness.” It is quite easy to deduct that Terry values a lively work atmosphere, one where his best abilities are honed and required more often. He considers himself a great starter, more than a ‘continuity-process’ type. Point of gratitude in Business As a great lover of creative work, and someone who has worked with Disney, Terry is grateful that anyone is even paying attention to his message, regardless of the medium used. “I always say that great coaches aren’t paid because they are highly successful, great coaches are paid because they failed a ton. And they can help you save yourself the time and energy from making some of those same mistakes that they made.” Terry said. Terry lives with an appreciation for the current age and time we exist in, with the level of opportunities available to professionals. About early beginnings and career growth In the 90s, Terry was a youth pastor. And over the years he grew in public speaking, having to speak at churches, colleges, and high schools. His passion grew with more engagement – he was also an Artiste manager, working with musicians – and basically, one thing always led to the other for him. At some point, Terry – his wife actually – realized that the music industry wasn’t going to be sustainable enough for his career. Hence, the focus on coaching grew. Now, Terry spends more time coaching, creating experiences, writing, and he’s part of a Disney podcast that takes a little chunk of his time weekly. Thought pattern Terry believes that focusing on what you can do, is a great way to keep winning and not get paralyzed mentally. He emphasizes this in his book “Making Elephants Fly.” He borrowed a quote from Bryan Dickson and put it thus; “What’s obvious to you is magic to others, to help someone else, you don’t have to be ten steps down the road, you just have to be one.” It is no surprise that Terry is quite huge on originality, as he prefers to be himself all the time when he is on stage, and he believes that authenticity will always have an audience. He confirms that using his own life experiences in his speeches, and even admitting that he is no expert on everything topic, has given him more of a bond with his audiences. Resources Podcast: Making Elephants Fly www.terryweaver.com

It is always inspiring to see a couple who share similar interests and use their passion to touch lives. Ann Sheybani and Walt Hampton, J.D are one such couple.  Ann Sheybani is the author of How to Eat the Elephant:  Build Your Book in Bite-Sized Steps. She received her Masters in Creative Writing and Literature from Harvard University.   She's an elite book coach with a sales and marketing bent and also helps successful entrepreneurs create powerful, expert-positioning books.  Her husband, Walt Hampton, J.D. Biography is the Executive Director of Summit Success, LLC, a global personal and professional development firm.  He is a business coach, law firm management consultant, leadership trainer & motivational speaker, also the founder of the Positive Leadership Academy. Walt is a leading authority on the application of Positive Psychology in the workplace. He is the best-selling author of Journeys on the Edge: Living a Life That Matters, named a Top 10 Non-Fiction Book in 2013, and a 2014 winner of the North American Book Awards. He is also the author of The Power Principles of Time Mastery: Do Less, Make More, Have Fun.  A 1984 graduate of The Cornell Law School, Walt practiced law in the areas of corporate and commercial litigation and criminal defense. He was the managing partner of a law firm for more than 25 years.  Walt's passions are high-altitude mountaineering, ultra-distance running, blue-water sailing & adventure photography. He and Ann Sheybani live in Castletownshend, Ireland and Collinsville, Connecticut. Business background It is quite interesting to know that a little while after Walt and Ann were married, more than a decade ago, the missus found a way to drag her husband to a Tony Robbins 3-day event: "unleash the power within" – and as Walt explains it; he didn't really want to be there. However, this was a game-changing event for the couple. They were both engaged in Tony's ‘mastery university,' and later on, Walt was invited by Tony's team to apply for the school of coach training.  Walt would go on to become one of 70 elite results coaches under Tony Robbins at the time, a role that afforded him the opportunity to use his analytical, problem solving and listening skills more frequently. "It was so much fun, and because I'm entrepreneurial, I thought well; if Tony can do it, I can do it [too]. So Ann I, now more than a decade ago, created Summit Success" Walt said rather enthusiastically The couple has worked side by side over the last decade, doing the work of consulting and coaching. What Ann & Walt are grateful for? "I think we are grateful for the opportunity to work with each other, that's a great gift," Walt said while treating the topic with so much emotion. Looking through the exploits of Ann and Walt, it is easy to detect that being able to reach out to individuals through their work is a thing of pride and fulfillment for the couple. "I think when we started, we had about two and a half people and I think they were relatives on our list, and now we have tens of thousands of people from all around the world, and it's a great gift to be able to touch so many lives," Walt said. Ann believes that creating a deep connection with people is vital in their line of business. She said “When we work with people, we get to know them at such a good level; it’s a very intimate relationship that we have with the folks that we work with. And I think it’s what’s missing in so many people’s lives,” Summing it up perfectly, Ann put it this way: "It's great to be paid for reading, but it's even better to get  really close to the people we work with." Defining the need for clarity in the message provided to the audience Ann believes in being known for something in your niche. Knowing who your target market is and what significant result your clients will get out of your work. She emphasizes that trying to cast your nets wide and speak to the general public, will cause a situation where almost no one identifies with your work, be it a book or any other kind of business. "The other thing is that there are a lot of folks who just want to sound smart, so they want to put all of their concepts all their big quotes in there, and they don't want to show that they have probably been there first class." She said. The renowned author is adamant that sharing stories about step by step processes to solving situations, especially stories from your own experience, go a long way in helping people. "To tell the truth about who you are in your business, in conversations, in a book, it is to make yourself free because you are no longer hiding, you are no longer waiting to be uncovered for who you really are" Ann said. Issues encountered during work Walt recalls not being fond of the technical problems that occur with the podcast sessions sometimes, naturally. And of course, you would expect that the couple gets to be on the road a lot while having to juggle a packed schedule. They enjoy this phase of the business but admit that it can be quite cumbersome. Managing a family and a business together Ann and Walt developed ways to work together and achieve the desire always to want to be in charge, over the years. "Walt and I are used to being in charge and taking the lead, so we had to learn how to balance – and how to dance" Ann recollects. It is quite interesting that the duo took tango lessons a few years ago, knowing that there has to be just one leader per time while they dance. They gradually developed systems to work as a team and plan everything down to the barest minimum. The couple seems to have developed mastery in creating time to have fun and relax – fun fact: they are both introverts. “For both of us, we can be three weeks, five weeks, six weeks on the road doing great events and then we’ve got to come back to our little Irish hillside where we get quiet” Walt said. Tips for effective in communication Walt believes that it "makes sense to slow down" when the stakes are high. Slowing the action down is a very important tool in his work, and it aids his message being put across to clients. Ann, however, speaking off of the experience she gathered during research on negotiations during high-stress situations, concluded that it is important to "feel comfortable" during high stakes communication. She reaches that this habit is learnable. Walt encourages speakers and writers always to define the journey they want to take their audiences through. He sees this as a sure way to keep engagement at a maximum. Resources annsheybani.com  

Have you ever wondered what it felt like to do a storytelling act, but this time in front of an audience filled with corporate? Well, here's a piece on someone who lives that. Melanie Deziel is the founder of StoryFuel, a consulting firm that teaches marketers around the world how to tell better brand stories.  She is an award-winning branded-content creator and sits on the board of the  Native  Advertising  Institute. Today we take a look at her life and perspective to her work. First, a few Achievements Melanie was the first editor of branded content at The  New York Times. She developed the first Master's course in Content Marketing for Fairleigh Dickinson University, where she now teaches as an adjunct professor and has degrees in investigative journalism and arts editing. In addition to her work with  The  New  York  Times'  T  Brand  Studio, Melanie was one of the founders of The Huffington  Post's Brand Storytelling team and is the former Director of Creative Strategy for Time Inc., worked on brand across all 35+ US  publications. Unlocking her Storytelling Instincts It might interest you to know that Melanie believes in tapping into the storytelling instinct and curiosity of kids while at work – bringing the power in that mindset into professional brand publishing. Her storytelling is always poised to captivate her given audience and have them hooked on the subject without misleading them in any way by her story. "I encourage people to think about three things – the acronym to help you remember is the ‘P.R.E.' this is your pre-strategy before creating the product." Melanie gave this response when quizzed about her tricks in helping people unlock the stories within them. She explained further; stating that The ‘P' represents the Product. Whatever the product or service is, you can create content around it. Then there's the ‘R' which represents the Role that marketers and publishers can play in the customer's life; what you can help them achieve, how their needs can be prioritized and met, what differences can you can make in their lives. The ‘E' is for Emotion. Melanie believes that everything we buy or engage within the world is an emotion and that products and services spark up a feeling in some way or the other. "There's something that that product or that purchase or that service is giving us on an emotional level, and when we could create stories that tap into the emotion, those are often some of the most powerful stories that we can tell" Melanie Said.. Fact and Fiction: Where she draws the Line Melanie makes an effort in her work to always present her views from a journalism-side of things. She focuses on ensuring that her storytelling is built to stay true to the critical needs of her audience. She believes in studying audiences and taking time to know what they would relate better to, as this can be a positive step towards achieving more significant progress with clients. The NetFlix Case Study She spoke fondly about her time as a staff in strategy development with the New York Times. The opportunity to offer marketing solutions to NetFlix regarding the TV show; Orange is the new black. The series boasts a true life story. "Orange is the New Black is based on a book; it's based on a true story. But we don't feel people know that. We feel that they think it's just a SitCom or these are made up satiations." Melanie recalls being told by Netflix She would go on (along with her team) to put together a long-form investigative report with a 3-part mini documentary and Info-graphics telling a story of what it is really like to be a woman in prison. "We interviewed current and former inmates of various women's prisons; we talked to prison reform workers, sociologists, activists, people who work inside the prisons, to tell that story: what is that experience like really?" Melanie said. This experience, while working with NetFlix inspired Melanie a lot and improved her drive to always want to have a storytelling pattern that pitches the crucial facts and figures to the public, even while mixing in a bit of entertainment or fiction. Speaking on Gratitude  As non-surprising as it sounds in Melanie's case, she owes a lot of gratitude to her husband whom she refers to as her number one fan.  And indeed she confirmed that a lot of the professionals and team members she has had the opportunity to work with have had a tremendous impact on her career. "It means so much to me, just to be surrounded by people who are sharing their talents and time with me and getting to share my talents and time with them. It absolutely means the world to me, and changes the way I look at my business." Melanie said. Her Journey to Public Speaking JJust like many renowned speakers, Melanie started in public speaking by first trying it out by accident, and then getting to like it. She had filled in for a colleague at an event, and gave an oral presentation at the time, and recalls feeling great after the event. "I loved that people came up afterward and said ‘this changed my opinion, this changed the way I'm going to do things' I feeling like I really have an impact," she said while defining how glad she had felt. "I looked for more opportunities to do that, to go out and represent and talk about the work that my team was doing, I also saw that it was the kind of thing that I enjoyed more than most of the other aspects of my job." Keeping up with her drive to do more public speaking, Melanie started her own consulting and speaking company three years ago – teaching marketers and brands how to tell stories. Admittedly it hasn't been an easy road – starting small and putting in a lot of work. Melanie recalls having had low, and no-paying gigs at her early startup. But her focus was never daunted.  She believes that loving her job and the fulfillment from helping the people she interacts with while on and off stage has been a massive boost in her confidence to keep going. Advice for Speakers "When you are stuck up on that stage, it is not about you. It is about the audience and the value you give them and the way you serve them best" Melanie said. She believes that one of the biggest errors a speaker can make is to be focused on themselves while going on stage – rather than on the audience. It would only be logical to agree with her mindset that it doesn't matter if a speaker makes a fool of his/herself as long as the right impact is passed on to the target audience.

How intriguing would it be to find out that the 'tallest voice' in the room is coming from the lady who's 4ft10inches or as she likes to put it: 4ft 10.5inches?  Meet Neen James.  She is a U.S acclaimed speaker and writer of Australian decent. Her books; ‘Folding Time™' and ‘Attention Pays™' are among the best sellers available at bookstores around the world.  Over the past two decades, Neen has been advising different companies in the world including Viacom, Comcast, Paramount Pictures, and even the FBI, on how to improve their strategic planning, communication, and leadership development.  When she is not speaking on stage, you might find her on the back of a Harley Davidson (yeah, the back is just for her!).  What to do to become a great speaker like Neen Neen says it all starts by having a single image on and off the stage because your audience isn’t only those in the room when you speak. It is about coming across as the same fantastic person on the street or at other informal engagements.  For Neen, being a great speaker is not so much about what you say on stage but who you are on and off the stage.  “It’s not just about putting your most fabulous suit on and going on stage; it’s about all the interactions you have with your clients and your audience,” Neen says. And oh, she says it doesn’t matter whether you’re an introvert or extrovert, you can do what she does.  “My belief is that introverts and extroverts can do what I do.”  She says while extroverts recover with people, introverts recover alone and regardless can become great speakers. Indeed Neen should know. She’s been researching communication strategies. Neen says “What I’ve learned in my attention research is that there are so many different ways to pay attention and we have to be able to appeal to multiple ways.” Early Career Lessons When Neen started speaking, she had a mentor in Matt Church. He later became her business partner and friend. Watching him as an aspiring speaker helped immensely in her development. “The things we talk about need to be memorable, repeatable and retweetable,” she says. Neen recalls trying to get Matt Church to mentor her for about six months, during which time he regularly told her that she wasn’t ready. “He helped me think differently, and also helped me understand the good, the bad and sometimes ugly days of the profession that I was choosing,” Neen says. Thoughts on Leadership You could be quite surprised that Neen doesn’t think there’s so much to being a leader. In fact she believes that leadership is rather intuitive.  “Leadership is sometimes whatever drives you crazy in the world, it is also a good indicator of what you call leadership,” Neen reflects. “When you reflect on the things that make you crazy in the world or you reflect on the lessons you’ve been learning over and over again, it may point you to your view of leadership.” Idea Shaping Neen has a habit of pulling out members of the audience and instantly helping them arrive at quick realizations about themselves. She calls this Idea shaping. “Idea shaping is the ability to articulate your ideas, your intellectual property in a visual model” Neen says. More information on this concept is detailed on her website www.neenjames.com.  Neen is so brilliant that while you speak to her about what you plan to do, she just naturally acts out a bit of idea shaping on those plans. Time and again she has amazed her audiences using this concept.   Resources Neen James can be found on all social media pretty easy, by her names only. Her website is www.neenjames.com 

Joana Galvao is a design guru and co-founder of Gif Design Studios. Based in Porto, Portugal, and with a team of 10 designers and developers – which includes her husband – her design agency has done pretty awesomely. Starting as a designer at an agency in London, and earning a rather basic salary, Joana could barely make ends meet. She sought out means of having extra jobs as a designer – on the side – and that move landed her the first big opportunity to bag more clients through a Facebook group. Today, Joana runs an award-winning agency specializing in brand identities and conversion-obsessed design, at the tender age of 27. Early Kick-off, Challenges, and Breakthrough Joanna founded Gif Design Studios at age 22. She had only become independent and started dealing with freelance clients three months prior. She started hiring immediately, building up a team of 4 – consisting of two other designers. Things didn’t work out initially as the staff quit working at the agency no sooner than they had started working. And then, they consequently poached the agency’s clients. Joana states that those events almost made her want to quit, but with support and advice from her husband, things got more stable over time. The Team – Growth over time “I think building my team has been a challenge, but in a good way. Being a leader is challenging, figuring out how to lead without micro-managing was the big thing that I had to learn because I like to think that I am kind of a control freak and so letting that go is always tough.” Joana admitted when quizzed on the biggest challenge in getting this far. Gif Design Studios is five years old as an agency and offers the full range of print and digital design services to industry leaders in seventeen countries on five continents. Joana also speaks internationally on the power of design and creativity and her work has been featured in the Guardian UK, Brand Brilliance, and Digital Arts magazine.  Business Strengths Joana has ensured that the design studio focuses on being profitable as an agency. She looks after her team by creating a healthy work environment.  “I wish more people were chasing and focusing on profit instead of revenue,” Joana argued. “I mean, what is it worth to us if we have a 7-figure business and 7-figure expenses?” Earlier Aspirations You’d think that Joana had always fancied the life of being a designer. But as a child, she loved to write and aspired to become a writer.  When she started moving countries and began to learn English, speaking less Portuguese which she was initially more fluent in, she had to stop writing as she was no longer comfortably fluent in either language at some point. Then she delved into designs, recognizing the universal nature of its expression. It gave her a chance to share her experiences, ideas, and thoughts just like writing had offered her. Public Speaking and Motivational Engagements Joanna has been able to do what she loves – sharing messages and posts about her life’s experiences and ideologies with scores of followers on her social media and through speaking engagements. She was invited by a client to speak on design to an audience of about 400 people in Austin, Texas. She delivered a speech to the best of her ability on that day, and much later something struck her through a statistic. Running through the revenue of her agency for that year, Joana realized that 50% of the income had come from people who had heard her speak at that particular event. This was a turning point moment in her speaking career, as she acknowledges the immense potential in talking more and the direct benefits to her business. Later on, Joana was one of 5 candidates invited to speak in a competition organized by Giovanni, the founder of the Arc-Angel Summit. She talked on creativity in front of an audience of 3,000 people. After sharing the video of her speech on Instagram, she got asked to give a 30-minute keynote on creativity to 300 designers, in Porto. Joana has recalled fond memories of her speaking engagements as she gets to do what she loves.     Philosophy for Branding Joana says “for me, there are three V’s to branding, my version of branding, that is; Vision, Voice, and Visuals.” She believes that vision covers the actions that you take and the idea behind what you want to do. A voice is what you say and the message you convey through your work, and then there’s visual adding to it. She believes that all three elements must align perfectly in anything being put out. Consistency “To be consistent, you need to be clear on what your brand is, what it does, what it says, and how it looks like,” Joana said when asked about her consistency drive. “Without that clarity, it’s impossible to keep being consistent.” Favorite Book Joana’s favorite books to recommend for anyone looking to uncover the artist within or uncover their creativity more, include: “The Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron, it's nicely structured into an 8-week program with some exercises for the reader to partake.  Then there’s the second book, one which Joana recommends for anyone looking to tap into the power of their brain; titled “Head Strong” by Dave Asprey. The book talks about how to use the power of food, exercise and other things to unleash your potentials, be energetic and do so much more. Resources You can follow Joana on Instagram via @joanagalvaodesign or on her website at www.joanagalvao.com. Her agency website is www.gifdesignstudios.com.

Carissa Hill is a natural born entrepreneur who had her first successful business at the age of 21. Within 4 years, Carissa turned a home spray tanning business into a chain of 3 beauty salons with 9 staff and had her own range of wholesale hair extensions and mobile services around Brisbane Australia -- all without working in the business and exclusively focusing on growing it with Facebook marketing.  Since 2014, Carissa has been helping thousands of entrepreneurs to master the art of successful Facebook marketing. She runs a successful Facebook group of over 16,000 members called "Coffee With Carissa" and is the founder of the Wolfpack Mastermind.  Her current mission is to increase the percentage of female millionaires, after discovering that only 2% of female-owned businesses ever make it to 7 figures.  Carissa is the bestselling author of the book "I Like Money - The Secrets To Actually Making Money With Facebook" and has been featured in publications such as Forbes, Inc, The Huffington Post, Entrepreneur Magazine, NBC tv, and Funnel Hackers Radio.  She lives on top of Tamborine Mountain (and even owns her own rainforest) in the Gold Coast Hinterland, Australia with her husband Travis, her son Jayden, her toy Pomeranian, Pebbles and her black cat, Pepper.  Today, I’m really excited to have her sit down with us and share some of the secrets to how she’s managed to grow her business in this really impressive amount of time.   Born Entrepreneur  “Being a business owner is a part of who I am,” Carissa says. In fact, she has always joked that she was a born entrepreneur who has been starting side hustles since she was in the womb.   She may have started her first successful business at the age of 21, but she said she has been selling all sorts of things as far back as she can remember. She eventually fell out of love with that business and subsequently developed an interest in consulting instead.   She then started her coaching business at the age of 28 and has since managed to grow it into a business that generates income in the seven-figure range -- all from the comforts of her home.   The Path That Led to It  Contrary to the stories of many successful entrepreneurs who managed to build their businesses through a mix of business acumen and sheer hard work, Carissa sheepishly admits that she owes part of her success to her laziness.   Being the creative type who is always bursting with new ideas, Carissa said she has a tendency to either be really engrossed in or distracted from managing her business, so she hired someone who can bring more consistency to it.   She then realized that the business thrived with the person she hired doing most of the legwork and her focusing on marketing the business on Facebook. She figured she could turn this into another business venture, and so she did.  Venturing Into Coaching  Looking back at it, Carissa said that venturing into coaching was “a natural kind of evolution” for her. She’s always been better at hatching ideas, building systems, and delegating tasks than implementing them, so that she later found herself treading this path came as no surprise.   She initially started with making Youtube tutorials, sending out newsletters, and doing FaceBook Q&A’s (which she all did for free for a while) before eventually transitioning into full-on coaching.   Now, her Facebook group, “Coffee with Carissa,” has over 16,000 members and contributes the bulk of her income.   Expressing Gratitude  Carissa said that she believes that you attract the things that you’re grateful for, so she “always remind myself to stay grateful for my team and clients because without them I won’t have a business.”  Tips for Other Entrepreneurs   If anything can be learned from Carissa’s experiences in growing her business, it’s to always trust your instincts, take time to listen to other people, and always have systems in place.   She says don’t let your fears get the best of you. Prepare yourself for the worst-case scenario but always hope for the best.   She also cautions people not to start a business with the pure intention to sell. Think of how you can provide real value to your customers instead and the earnings will naturally follow.   It would also help to have a clear plan of where you want to take your business and how you want things done before you start thinking of expanding.   Carissa says that there are many digital tools that can help you with just about anything from managing your schedule, to developing system manuals, and marketing your business through every platform imaginable, so make full use of them.  Favorite Book  Carissa credits Bob Burg’s “The Go-giver” for changing her perspectives on online businesses and, therefore, greatly recommends it.   She’s also a big believer of following random interests wherever they might lead her, so she’s now currently reading books on palm reading.   Resources  If you want to know how to double your business and set it up to run without you, Carissa encourages you to take advantage of her free Wolfpack Mastermind training by going to her website, http://www.wolfpackmastermind.com/.    She also gives away free eBooks, videos, and training on her personal website, https://carissahill.com.au/, so make sure you check it out.   Additional Resource   I promised Carissa that I will be sending her the title of this book that I really loved but can’t remember the title of during our conversation, but I want you to be able to check it out as well, so do try to add “The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row” by Anthony Ray Hinton on your reading list. Highly-recommended, including by Oprah herself.

Jody Maberry is a former park ranger who uses the park ranger gifts of storytelling and interpretation to help people collect the right stories and experiences to give clarity to their message.   He is the host of 7 podcasts including The Jody Mabery Show and Creating Disney Magic, a popular radio show that offers lessons in leadership, management, and customer service.  Join me today as we get to know more about him and how he creates everyday magic in the things he does. Describing What He Does  If you asked Jody what he does, you’d probably have to wait for a few seconds for an answer because he says it’s one of the things that he’s always had trouble explaining off the top of his head -- mostly because he’s done so many things that couldn’t probably be any different from one another. [Text Wrapping Break][Text Wrapping Break]He started as a Financial Analyst for a bank before becoming a Park Ranger. He then  transitioned to a Marketing Consultant before eventually dabbing into podcasting.  Using Podcasting as a Business Tool  “People know me through podcasting, but I view podcasting as just a tool to get some of that other stuff out of people,” Jody says.   And it can be quite an effective one at that.   As a matter of fact, he’s been able to use podcasting to pull out knowledge and experiences that clients used to have trouble articulating into words and turn them into something more concrete -- something that would allow them to have a clearer understanding of the message that they want to send out to their own customers.   The Magic Formula  The title of the podcast that Jody co-hosts with his partner, Lee Cockerell, may be “Creating Disney Magic,” but Jody says that there’s no magic formula when it comes to success. Instead, you need to constantly adapt to find out what works for you and what does not -- and that’s where the magic lies.  When you seek out opportunities to learn and grow, you get to meet all these wonderful people and live all these wonderful experiences that you might not have been able to do so otherwise.  Teachable Moments  Jody believes in seeking out opportunities to learn and grow, but he also acknowledges that there are times when some of the best lessons in life come when you least expect them.   He then shares how he once had a hard time deciding whether he should raise his fees or not, just to find out that Lee Cockerell (who wasn’t his partner at that time yet) has recently increased his fees -- convincing him to finally raise his own.   It may not have been intentional on Lee’s part, but it gave him the push he needed -- and exactly when he needed it the most.  Word of Advice to Other Entrepreneurs  Jody acknowledges that podcasting is not always the best solution for everyone, but if you’re just starting out your business, he definitely recommends that you give it a try.   “Start podcasting even if no one listens. As you start to speak out what you believe, it actually starts to form it. If you take what’s in your head and you say it out loud, it gives it shape, it gives it meaning that starts to stick,” Jody says.    Resources  If you want to know more about Jody Maberry, you can touch base with him through his personal website, www.jodymaberry.com. You might also want to check out and subscribe to his podcast channel at https://jodymaberry.com/podcastmagic/ to learn what you need to do to launch your own podcast channel in 2018.

It would be safe to say that Aaron Walker is a veteran entrepreneur. Having started over a dozen businesses during his four-decade journey has been pretty awesome.   Beginning at 18 years old and selling to a Fortune 500 company just nine years later set Aaron on an adventure of a lifetime. The secret sauce for Aaron can clearly be identified with these four attributes: grit, authenticity, determination and perseverance -- and the glue that holds it all together is his weekly involvement in Iron Sharpens Iron Mastermind groups.   Aaron started masterminding 20 years ago with Dave Ramsey, Dan Miller and several other notable Nashvillians.   Today, he spends time with his wife, two daughters and five grandchildren.   Coming In and Out of Retirement  Aaron has had the opportunity to do something that many people has not been able to -- to retire and come out of retirement for a staggering eight times.   He’s been working since he was thirteen so he kept telling himself that he’d retire after just one last venture -- although we all know how that went.  It was during one of those retirement attempts that Dave Miller told him something that he’d never forget that eventually changed the course of his life.  Starting a New Chapter  When Dave Miller found out about his nth retirement option, he called it “a selfish move.” He said that the world needs mentors, and by retiring a “final time,” Aaron is keeping other people from benefiting from the wealth of knowledge and experiences he has accumulated over the years.   Dave then invited him to do “Innovate” (a coaching program) and handle its Entree Leadership Mastery course. He initially thought it was not a bad deal considering how it was easily worth $10,000 at that time, but, surprisingly, he enjoyed the gig a lot more than he thought he would, and attendees of the event even called him later to ask him to mentor them.  Dave encouraged him to give it a go, he did, and the rest is history.  Living a Life of Significance  You’d think someone who’s had a very colorful business career as Aaron has wouldn’t have any room for doubts, but when the idea of writing what would eventually be his book, View from the Top: Living a Life of Significance, was pitched to him, he didn’t really want to do it because he thought that no one’s going to read it.  However, Ken Davis, author of ‘Fully Alive,” changed his mind by telling him that he’s writing for the wrong reason. That even if only one person’s life changed for the better because of his book, then it’s definitely worth it.  Working for the Greater Good  “Do for a few what you wish you could do for everybody,” so says one of Aaron’s favorite quote, and he does try to live by this tenet as much as he can -- applying it not only on his personal life, but on his business as well. [Text Wrapping Break][Text Wrapping Break]“People think we need to do multiple things to be successful, but we just need to narrow our focus.” Look at the greater good and find ways to make the most impact on the most number of people possible.   Maintaining Razor-sharp Focus  Aaron says that “If you’re really going to be successful, you need to have extreme focus.”   The problem is people tend to put too much focus on the goal instead of focusing on the task at hand -- leaving them even more distracted than ever.  To avoid this trap, Aaron recommends taking things one step at a time. Set your priorities, plan your course of action, then implement. If you keep working on each task with the same razor-sharp focus that you use on the others, you’ll exceed the goals you’ve set before you even realized.  Dealing with High-Stake Situations  Of course, this is something that can sometimes be easier said than done, especially in situations where important things are at stake; however, no matter what the problem is, Aaron says that communication is always key, and to do that, you need to develop a level of empathy.   “People only remember you for how you made them feel.” Every conversation has something of value to add, so take time to listen to what other people have to say.   Expressing Gratitude  Aaron can say this because he’s a living example of how much you can learn from other people regardless of whether you’re actively trying to do so or not. Because of this, he’s been able to look forward to each and every day because of its potential to change someone’s life -- and for that, he’ll always be grateful.  Favorite Book  Like many others in the expertise space, Aaron highly recommends “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie. He explains this is because it teaches people how to genuinely care about others and it should be required reading for everyone  Resources  Aaron is one of the driving forces behind the Iron Sharpens Iron Mastermind Group and you can join it by visiting https://ironsharpensironmastermind.com/. He also runs a personal website, https://www.viewfromthetop.com/, which you can visit to listen to his podcasts, read his blog, or drop him a note.

Anyone who has ran a business knows how important business referrals can be -- so much that some are willing to spend a good amount of advertising dollars in order to increase their number. After all, how else would you get those referrals coming in, right?   Matt Ward says, “Wrong.”  Matt is a professional member of the National Speakers Association and a podcast host of the popular small business podcast Square Peg Round Hole! He’s also a 40 Under 40 Recipient and Chamber Small Business Owner of the Year.  He is the founder of Breakthrough Champion and author of “MORE…Word of Mouth Referrals, Lifelong Customers & Raving Fans” which was released in September 2018 and was a #1 New Release.   He initially started a website agency called in Concert Web Solutions which he eventually sold in 2018 so that he could focus on helping businesses get more word-of-mouth referrals through his public speaking platform.  Matt believes that the problem with small business is bananas, and, today, he’ll tell us why.   Goin’ Bananas  If the first thing that popped into your mind when you heard Matt’s core belief is the image of a monkey, then you are not alone.  Matt, however, is quick to explain that his belief has nothing to do with primates and the yellow fruit, but with people who go to events and hand out business cards without engaging people in meaningful conversations first -- something that he likens to dumping bananas on people without considering whether they’d like them or not.  Changing Tactics  Matt admits that early in his career, he was probably one of those people handing bananas as well, but after reading Keith Ferrazzi’s “Never Eat Alone,” he grew to understand relationships better.   He also learned how you can build mutually beneficial ones simply by engaging them in a conversation and truly caring about what they have to say.   How to Get Word-of-Mouth Referrals  Matt shares that about 90% of his business now relies on word-of-mouth referrals alone, and he said he managed to do this by educating people.  “You have to arm people with the knowledge of what it is you’re looking for and what you’re all about.”   He said a lot of people get lost in targeting the right market that they neglect to figure out the message that they want to send. “You need to know your topic first; your target second,” he explains.  Grateful to be Living the Dream  Matt said like everyone, he had his dreams when he was younger, but like a lot of people, he thought they were just that -- dreams.   After all, he’s the first in his family to graduate and the first one not to go into prison, but he met someone who encouraged him to start his own business, he decided to give it a try, made some big changes in his life, and now he’s here.  Building Relationships with People  Matt said he owes it all to the relationships he built, which, he said, all started from caring.  “When you care about others, they care about you, and referrals are a by-product of caring,” Matt explained.  That said, he reminds people not to give just for the sake of getting something in return. Even if people don’t refer you, he said that it builds a habit of helping other people, and you’ll never know how it’s going to impact their life, and, maybe in the future, yours as well.  One Step at a Time  “You can’t care about 200 people at once.” Matt knows this too well so he advises people to take things one step at a time. He says you can start by staying in touch then paying attention to what they say. After that, always try to find ways to provide value to the people you meet.  “One of the core tenets behind getting word-of-mouth referrals is surprise.” The goal of advertising is to always be at the top of the mind of your prospects, and this is one good way of leaving a strong impression on them.   Favorite Book  Matt identifies Keith’s Ferrazi’s “Never Eat Alone” as his favorite book. In fact, he has multiple copies in his bookshelf that he ships out to other people every now and then.  Resources  If you want to learn more about Matt Ward or book his services for an event, you can get in touch with him through his website or LinkedIn account. He also has a FaceBook group that you can join to get free tips on how to get more referrals by word of mouth.

Ford Saeks has redefined the formula for business success. His efforts have helped companies generate a total of over a billion dollars in sales worldwide. From start-ups to Fortune 500’s, Saeks is widely recognized as a Business Growth Innovator.    With over 20 years’ experience (ranging from retail to wholesale), he has founded over ten companies, authored four books, awarded three U.S. patents, and received numerous industry awards thanks to the tenacity and innovation which fuels this revenue-generating powerhouse.    From grassroots to Google, Ford provides his clients with fresh perspectives and doable tactics to resolve branding, marketing, operations, and growth challenges.   As President and CEO of Prime Concepts Group, Inc., an integrated marketing services firm, Ford specializes in helping businesses attract loyal and repeat customers, monetize social media, and ignite innovation.   The Formula for Success  Ford has had a very long and colorful career, but regardless of what endeavors he ventured into, there was one formula that he has always relied on: Message + market + method.   If things are working, he explains that it means that you have the right combination for all three figured out, but if not, it means that there’s a mismatch somewhere and you need to reassess your strategy to get things back on the right track.  Leaving Your Digital Footprint  In this time and age where there are lots of free tools that you can use to market your brand, it’s a sin not to take advantage of them, and one way to do that is to use them to build a digital footprint that will lead potential customers to your brand regardless of where and how they found you.  Fishing Where the Fish Are  There are way too many tools that you can use to build a digital footprint that you can’t possibly use everything at once, so Ford suggests that you pick one or two to focus on based on where your target customers usually spend the most time on.   This is going to vary per business, but most of them would use at least one or a combination of these three: social media websites, review aggregator websites, and industry association websites.  Don’t Get Hung Up on the Numbers  All three websites can help bring an influx of traffic to your own, personal site; however, Ford cautions listeners not to get hung up on the numbers because it’s not the quantity that matters but the quality.   Numbers can help in building social proof, but what you really need to focus on is building relationships -- of finding a way to provide value to your customers so they will consume or utilize your brand.  Providing Value to Customers  There’s no shortage of information on the internet that sometimes the best way to provide value to your customers is simply by helping them convert those massive amounts of data into easily digestible sets of information that they can use to make informed decisions.   “It’s not what we know that counts. It’s what we do,” Ford emphasizes. By steering customers or potential customers to a particular course of action, you can position yourself as the authority figure in your field of expertise.  Putting Action at the Center of it All  Taking action is a big part of Ford’s core philosophies in life, and its roots can be traced back to when he was fifteen and locked up in prison with adult prisoners.  Someone gave him a cassette tape of Denis Waitley’s Psychology of Winning, and while it discussed a lot of things, all that he remembered hearing from it was, if he didn’t turn his life around, he would probably die before he turned 25.  Ford credits this as the defining moment that changed his life, and within 30 days of listening to it, he created his first company and generated 35 thousand in sales on his first year, which would be equivalent to roughly 300 thousand in today’s money.  And it all happened because he decided to take action.  Giving Back  Ford would always be grateful that despite his rough start, he was given the opportunity to start again. Because of this, he likes to use his experiences to inspire others to pursue their dreams despite setbacks or what other people may say.  “We all have our stories… You can either produce results or you can make excuses. You can’t do both,” he says.   People don’t take action because of fear. Fear of causing conflict, fear of making a change, and fear of failing, and it’s something that even the best speakers often have trouble breaking through.   That said, Ford believes that people just need to take a step back and revisit their lives.   “People make mistakes all the time. You just have to move forward, take action, live the best you can.”  Favorite Book to Recommend  Ford has several books that he loves to recommend, his own, Superpower, being one of the first ones. There’s also Fanatical Prospecting by Jeb Blount, 10X Your Business, 10X Your Income and 10X Your Life by Grant Cardone, Mel Robbins’ The 5-Second Rule, and Darren Hardy’s The Compound Effect.  “It’s not so much the book title, but what you want to learn,” he adds. He, therefore, recommends that you build your own personal success library based on the things that you are passionate about.  Resources  If you want to connect with Ford, he says that the best way to do so is by adding him on LinkedIn. You can also find more information about him and the services that he offers on their company website, www.primeconcepts.com.  Free Coaching Session  To honor Ford Saek’s generosity in sharing his precious time and valuable experiences with us, I am offering a free 30-minute free coaching session for your business to encourage you to take action the way he did. Just hit me up with a private message at any of my social media accounts which you will find here.

Corey Poirier is a multiple-time TEDx and MoMonday’s Speaker, the host of the top-rated ‘Conversations with PASSION’ Radio Show, and a columnist with Entrepreneur Magazine, Progress Magazine. He has over 900 articles in print – has appeared on Global TV, CTV, CBC TV and Radio, and has been one of the few leaders featured twice on the popular Entrepreneur on Fire show.  Corey has interviewed over 4,000 of the world’s top leaders in search of the traits that set them apart and he has enjoyed successful corporate careers with Global 1000 company Konica Minolta, Fortune 500 Companies Toshiba Corp., and Hewlett Packard and SAP Software.  He’s also a stand-up comedian who performed on more than 700 occasions, co-hosted a comedy radio show for a year, and had his 2014 album nominated as Rock Recording of the Year.  Self-introduction  Corey has been so many things that a detailed introduction of him would probably require several pages of paper, but if you’d ask him how he likes to introduce himself, he’d tell you that he likes talking about how he was raised by a single mother and how this experience helped shape him into the man that he is now.  Search for Validation  Corey explains that this unusual way of introducing himself is probably rooted in how he used to imagine how his mom must have felt about parenting -- of how much of a thankless job it can be -- so he wanted her to get the credit that she rightfully deserves.   In a way, this was also reflective of his own desire to gain recognition for his work, not only in his early career in stand-up comedy, and later on, public speaking, but also in one of his biggest passions -- music.  Not All Fun and Games  Corey had his career start in stand-up comedy, but contrary to what people usually associate with it, it was not all fun and games. In fact, it was a total disaster.   “Going into standup was terrifying, and I bombed over and over… First two years, I didn’t have five minutes that work,” he shared.   There were some other challenges as well -- mainly, standup comedy doesn’t really pay well -- and there’s also having to deal with drunks and the heckling that comes with them a lot of times.  Going Into Public Speaking  Transitioning from standup comedy into public speaking wasn’t easy either. It took him nine, long years before he finally made the switch after being inspired by watching Tony Robbins live, and he readily admits that, “I’m almost as terrible there too… People see us now and think, ‘Oh, you must be comfortable at speaking, natural at speaking, but they didn’t see all the time it took to get there.’”  Lucky Break  The same time that Corey was doing his rounds at comedy circuits and making early attempts to break into the public speaking business, he was also doing sales, and it was this that gave him his first lucky break.  He shares how he used to teach sales at a local college and how one of its clients called them up to request that instead of sending over forty of their staff to the campus for a sales course, they send over Corey to their office instead.  The college agreed and the rest was history. It wasn’t his biggest break by far, but it definitely set the tone of his career.  More Challenges Ahead  Some people think that once you break into public speaking, you’ve basically got it made, but Corey is quick to explain that ”Getting on stage is one thing. Getting paid is another.”  People go to your talks not to hear you speak, but to know what value your talk can provide to them. “A speaking gig is useless if you don’t have a message,” Corey reiterates. That, in itself, is a challenge, and it took him many years and constant adjustments to figure out what that message is going to be.  Teachable Moments  Corey may have had to overcome many challenges, but he also received a lot of support from the people around him, and two of them taught him incredibly valuable lessons that he still applies to his everyday life.  One is his grandfather who taught him that “no matter how passionate you are about something, there’s always something you won’t like, but treat it like you like it.”  The other is a senior who helped him when he was just starting out even when doing so is not going to do him any favors, which taught him the value of integrity and giving back.  What He’s Grateful For  Corey has many things to be grateful for, but more than anything, he’s grateful that he can serve and impact other people, and that he can make a living out of it.   He’s also grateful that he has an incredible support network that understands him and helps him with his work including his beloved girlfriend.  Favorite Book to Recommend  Recommending a specific book is incredibly hard, but if Corey would be allowed to recommend a few, he’d recommend Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People, Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich, Darren Hardy’s The Compound Effect, and Carmine Gallo’s The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs.  Resources    If you want to know more about Corey Poirier, read his articles, listen to his podcast interviews, watch videos of his speeches, or connect with him online, just head over to www.thatspeakerguy.com or go to www.thattedxprogram.com if you want to get his training course on securing a TEDx live.

Chris  Widener has been named one of the top 50 speakers in the world and one of Inc Magazine's top 100 speakers. He is the author of 20 books that have sold 3 million copies in 13 languages. He's a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. His book, The Art of Influence, has taken him all over the world speaking to groups as large as 25,000 people, teaching them how to gain trust, respect, admiration, and loyalty.  Today, he’s going to have a chat with us not only to share how he managed to clinch these spots, he’s also here to tell us the obstacles that he had to overcome to get his speaking business off the ground, the mistakes he made along the way, the people who helped him get back on the right track, and the lessons that he learned.  No Cinderella Story  Chris Widener minces no words when describing his childhood, saying “I had a really rotten upbringing.”   He grew up in a single parent household, switched schools 11 times in a span of 28 months, started using drugs during sixth grade, and earned money from selling marijuana and gambling at the horse races. It wasn’t until he felt that his life was going nowhere that he decided that he needed to make changes.  The Transition  Compared to many public speakers who started their public speaking careers late in their lives, Chris Widener had a relatively early start, and he owes a part of it to his earlier struggles in life.  He started doing the rounds at summer camps, speaking in front of junior high school, high school, and college students before eventually transitioning to speaking in front of adult audiences.  However,  like many transitions, things didn’t always go smoothly.   Facepalm Moments  Chris shares one unfortunate but funny incident back when he used to publish an e-zine to help him promote his public speaking business. He built a fax journal and used it to send his newsletters to his subscribers. When he moved to Seattle, he learned about the possible benefits of email and decided to make the switch -- but there was a problem.   “Everybody in Seattle had an email address, but nobody anywhere else had an email  address, and I lost like 90% of my subscribers overnight by switching to email,” he recalls while laughing out loud.  Ghostwriting Career  Many people now know Chris Widener as a bestselling author, but probably few know that he used to ghostwrite for other people, including the popular John Maxwell, himself. In fact, it’s through this gig that he met one of the people who has been instrumental in the growth of his public speaking business -- John Rohn.  “People say, ‘how do I build a speaking career,’ and I said, ‘Well, first of all, work with Jim Rohn then work with Zig Ziglar,” he jokes.  Serious Lessons Learned  Jokes aside, Chris Widener credits Jim Rohn and Zig Ziglar as very influential figures in his public speaking career not only because they used to refer clients that they can no longer accommodate to him when he was just starting out, but also because the way they worked and interacted with people taught him to stop measuring himself against others and focus on the things that he can do as an individual and how he can impact other people instead.  Positioning Yourself  Most courses about public speaking focus on a specialization or two -- usually marketing -- but for Chris, one of the first things that you should learn if you intend to enter the business is positioning yourself.   He tells people not to be intimidated by the big names. Instead find a gap that you can fill, and become an expert at it.  As an example, he shared how he started as a motivational speaker then moved on to becoming a leadership speaker, then a speaker on influence, before finally focusing on character-based influence.  Resources It took Chris years to find his niche, and he knows exactly how time-consuming it can be. Because of this, he developed a much shorter one-year program that can help aspiring public speakers learn the A-Z of public speaking from positioning, branding, and building a social media following, to website building and podcasting.  If you’d like to join in on the action, just head over to the Facebook group Speak for Money and send Chris a private message or you can also send him an email at chris@chriswidener.com or widenergroup@gmail.com ask for info.   Additional information about him and the services that he offers can also be found on his website.     

Ron Tite has been named one of the “Top 10 Creative Canadians” by Marketing Magazine, Ron has always blurred the lines between art and commerce. He has been an award-winning advertising Creative Director for some of the world’s most respected brands including Air France, Evian, Fidelity, Hershey, Johnson & Johnson, Kraft, Intel, Microsoft, Volvo and many others.  He is the Founder and CEO of Church+State, a Toronto-based marketing agency, Editor in Chief of The Business Casual, and Publisher of This is That Travel Guide to Canada – a best-selling, award-winning satirical book from the creators of CBC Radio’s hit show, This Is That.   He has written for a number of Television shows. Penned a children’s book. Wrote, produced and performed the hit play, The Canadian Baby Bonus. And was Executive Producer & Host of the award-winning comedy show Monkey Toast. In demand as a speaker on disruption, innovation, creativity and content marketing, Ron speaks to leading organizations all over the world about “Think. Do. Say.”, his own take on modern business.    Juggling Multiple Roles  Being in the public speaking business, Ron is used to being introduced by someone else, but when asked to introduce himself, Ron admits that it took him by surprise.  “I used to proudly say I’m a comedian, or a comedian who works in advertising, or I’m a creative director… now there’s just so many... I think I referred to myself as a plate spinner. You know those people who balance up to 20 plates and they just spin the plates? That’s what I kinda do”  Improvisation as a Way of Life  That may sound like a wishy-washy way to describe himself to some, but that’s exactly the best way to describe Ron. From doing stand-up comedy to shooting commercials to writing books and building businesses, Ron has tried more things than what the average person can probably dare imagine, and he attributes a part of it to the lessons he learned from his improvisation career.   “In improv, you don’t know where the scene is going to go. When I started this business of Church + State, I didn’t know where it was gonna go… I was really, really comfortable in just the iterative process and finding out where this thing goes.”  Expectations vs Reality  When asked about what made him give up his previous career to start his own business, Ron replied with, “I wanted to change the way ad agencies approach clients’ problems,” which was a noble idea -- except for the fact that he didn’t really know what to expect.   He said he just knew that he would have to quit so he would be forced to reinvent himself and the way he does things, and it did work for a while. His public speaking business initially paid for the expenses of the agency until the time to pay employees their first salary came and he discovered that their company didn’t have the funds to do that.   Teachable Moment  Ron said that this left him at a loss. He freely admits that he knew nothing about finances. In fact, he’s well too aware of that fact that he was ready to shut the business down after six months if things didn’t go well.  He then relayed the story of how one of his first employees, after overhearing him discussing the problem with a colleague, offered not take on any salary for a few weeks while they were sorting things out. [Text Wrapping Break][Text Wrapping Break]This made him realized that the business was no longer just about him. He’s always felt grateful to the people who wholeheartedly placed their trust on him, so it’s now his responsibility to not let them down.  The Rainbow After the Rain  As a comedian, Ron has mastered the art of finding the positive side of everything -- including that of his initial business failures. When asked how he does this, he said that the key is honesty.   Ron explains that people often get the impression that improv guys just come up with ideas on the spot all the time, but few know how much time and effort they can spend on rehearsing dialogues and rehashing them over and over again until they become suitable for the audience’s consumption.   Parting Advice for People Struggling in Their Chosen Paths  “Never ignore the reality of the room.” It will always be there for everyone to see anyway, so the sooner you acknowledge it, the sooner you will be able to find ways to fix it.   Also, always try your best to explore additional options -- even the ones that you might not necessarily like. Opportunities rarely ever come knocking on your door so you have to seek them out. He’s really grateful that he was   Favorite Book  Ron has many favorite books but there is one that he credits with changing his life, and it’s John Irving’s The Imaginary Girlfriend.   It’s basically the story of someone who was made to believe that he cannot do something because of his background and how he persevered to carve his own path in life -- a story that Ron said he connected with on a personal level as a former wrestler and a published author like John Irving himself.  Resources  If you wish to know more about Ron and his business, just head over to www.rontite.com or   www.churchstate.co to see what he’s been up to or to contact him for public speaking engagements. You’re also more than welcome to stalk him on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.

Mike Ganino is a former Chief Operating Officer at one of the fastest growing fast casual brands and now leads his own training and consulting organization.   Mike is also a leading expert on building a great restaurant and hospitality brand with innovative training and speaking on culture design, people systems, positive leadership, and branding. He has worked with a number of category leading brands like Pressed Juicery, Protein Bar, Yum! Brands, Potbelly Sandwich Shop, ChowNow, USFoods, and Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises.  Today, he will tell us how he uses all these amazing experiences to help companies, leaders, and individual contributors embrace change, accelerate growth, and achieve breakthrough performance.     It All Started With Improvisation  His years in the ultra-competitive business industry has made Mike a master of improvisation; however, looking back, he said that his improvisation skills were probably developed even earlier than that -- back when he was a kid growing up in a low-income household where improvisation was not an option, but a necessary part of everyday life.  Developing the Language  Mike shares that he learned to figure out how to make the most of whatever he has at an early age -- eventually becoming so adept at it that people started approaching him for tips.   The problem was, it’s something that comes instinctively to him that he didn’t even know how to explain it. That’s until he stumbled upon a book that teaches what it calls the “Yes, And” mindset.   The “Yes, And” Mindset  Sometimes, we spend too much time worrying over how our words come across that we fail to connect with our audience. Mike said that’s what adopting the “Yes, And” mindset fixed for him.   Once he learned how to stop saying “No, I can’t. That’s not gonna work” and started saying “Yes, and? I’m listening” whenever something new comes up instead, opportunities he never thought were possible began opening up to him left and right. Those opportunities included public speaking.  Telling Your Story  Everyone wants to share their story, but not everyone wants to listen to other people’s -- and that’s why everyone keeps missing the point.  To really know how you can make an impact on other people, Mike said that you need to listen to what they say.  Ask questions. Ask them what they think of you, how you have helped them, and what else you can do for them. Make adjustments if necessary.   Sometimes, you won’t even realize your own potential until someone points it out to you.  Building Relationships  If there’s something that Mike has always been grateful for, it’s that he made a lot of great partnerships and connections. He admits that he’s always performed better when he works with a group, and this is why he’s so passionate about helping organizations to truly connect with their members.  Public Speaking Advice  Mike often gets asked what advice he can give to people who want to get into public speaking, and he said that there are three things that you need to remember: Celebrity, Expertise, and Skills. You need to be able to make a name for yourself, and to do that, you need to show how good you are at solving problems, but not only that, you need to have the delivery skills to connect with your audience so you can show them what you can do.   Favorite Book Recommendation  Mike has always been very vocal of how the “Yes, And” mindset has impacted his life, and this why he highly recommends Kelly Leonard and Tom Yorton’s “Yes, And: How Improvisation Reverses "No, But" Thinking and Improves Creativity and Collaboration--Lessons from The Second City.”  Get in Touch With Mike  If you have an event coming up and would like to know how Mike can help you, you can get in touch with him via his official website. While there, you can also check out testimonials from his previous clients to get an idea of what it’s like to work with him. 

Kelly Roach is a highly sought after business growth strategist on a mission to  help 1,000,000 entrepreneurs launch, monetize, and scale their dream business… without compromising their quality of life or going broke in the process.    From NFL Cheerleader to Fortune 500 exec and now million dollar mogul, Kelly is the author of the #1 international bestselling book, Unstoppable:9 Principles For Unlimited Success In Business And In Life, and the upcoming book, Bigger Than You: The Business Owner’s Guide to Building an Unstoppable Dream Team (to be released October 2018)    Kelly has been featured in Inc, Forbes, Bloomberg Businessweek, Entrepreneur On Fire, ABC Good Day, and hundreds of podcasts, and today, I’m very pleased to announce that she’ll be sitting down with us to tell her story from her early beginnings up to her future aspirations.  Early Start  Kelly was only in her 20s when she became a Senior Vice President running 17 different businesses with over 100 employees.   She was a workaholic, and she was aware of it. She had the skills, she had the smarts, she had the experiences. Most importantly -- she was young. She had all the energy and time in the world to get what she wants.  Shifting Gears  According to Kelly, that changed when one of her first mentors sat her down for a talk. He told her that no matter how skilled she is, what she can do as an individual will never compare to what she can do if she focused on achieving results through other people by building a winning team.  Being young, she was expectedly unconvinced. Later, she admits that she realized that how you see things in your 20’s become different once you’ve reached your 30’s and so on.  Unexpected Challenges  When she started her business, Kelly said that she was not prepared for how many failures she’d have to go through to succeed.   While she has extensive experience managing large companies, Kelly admits that being in charge of one or two departments is a lot different from being responsible for everything -- and that’s why you need systems and teams in place.  Building a Team  Organizations often start with one or two people, then eventually hire more staff as the business expands. This is the opposite of what she did, Kelly said.   She said that building a team was on her mind from Day 1 -- even before she started her business. She wanted to make an impact on the world, and to be able to do that, she needed to focus on what she does best and leave the rest to her team.  Establishing Trust  Relinquishing control -- especially when the stakes are high -- can be difficult. The same thing went for Kelly. She said this is why she took time to fully train each member of her team until they’re on the same level before they welcomed a new one aboard.  Growth Mindset  Kelly admits that things don’t always work as planned, and sometimes you have to step back to evaluate what needs to be improved.  That’s one important lesson that they learned. That you don’t have to generate new ideas all the time. Sometimes, you just need to find how to use what you already have to its full potential then nurture it as you move along.  Passing the Knowledge   Kelly had to learn a lot of things the hard way -- but she’s very grateful for that. One, because it helped make her team stronger and she’s really grateful for their support, and two, because it put her in the position to be able to help other companies.   A lot of businesses -- even the bigger ones -- have no clear systems in place. This allows a lot of things to fall through the cracks -- and it’s something that she can use her expertise on.   Favorite Book Recommendation   Kelly said she has read Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich a staggering 15 times. Needless to say, she highly recommends it.   Resources  If you have a question or any message for Kelly, you can visit her official website at https://kellyroachcoaching.com/ or you can also join her Facebook group, Tribe of Unstoppables. They both give free training and other giveaways there so make sure you don’t miss out. 

Kevin Breeding is a proven and seasoned executive coach and consultant, speaker, and author.    Before he started his coaching business, he worked as the Director of Advertising at Walmart Stores, as a Partner in the Washington D.C. based Hutchinson Group, and as the Senior Vice President of the Emmy and Telly Award-winning Creative Producers Group.  In today’s episode, he will share how he transitioned from his former corporate career into being a much sought-after consultant who has worked in 53 countries and currently serving clients on five continents.  Serendipitous Start  A lot of people who wish to venture into the expertise space put a lot of thought into how they’re going to put their services out there, but for Kevin, his start was more of a happy accident.   He narrates how, when he was still working in the corporate world, people called him up to ask him to be their coach. It puzzled him why they would want that, so he initially tried to refer them to other people, until a good friend admonished him for turning away a business opportunity when it’s right there knocking on his door.   Guiding Principles  When he first started his coaching business, Kevin admits that he had some reservations because he wasn’t sure how effective he would be as a coach. So, he told himself that he’d take the offer if he can answer four questions:   Can he help his clients?  Can his efforts impact their business?   Will he enjoy doing it?   What value can he offer his clients from there going forward?   To his pleasant surprise, he found his answers, and the rest is history.  Setting Yourself Apart  There are tons of people working in the expertise space, and another ton who are planning to venture into that world as well; however, Kevin believes that what sets him apart from others is that he can ask questions that other people dare not ask.   People tend to put a clear boundary between professional and personal lives, but there are times when you just can’t separate the two. Kevin acknowledges this, so instead of ignoring things that are obviously there, he tries to address them so both he and the client can trace the root of the problem together.  Taking a Step Back  Sometimes, the best way to help people is to let them sort things out on their own -- and according to Kevin, that can be one of the biggest challenges of being a coach.   People are most receptive to being helped when they really need it, so what you can do is to wait for them to recognize that, then prepare a toolbox of options that can help them fix the areas that they need to address.  Based on his experiences, relationships that start like this tend to last longer and grow stronger over time.  Asking Questions  A common misconception about people in the expertise space is that they know everything, when in fact, no one does -- even coaches.   When Kevin started his coaching business, he had some general idea on how he’s going to get it off the ground and how he’s going to run it afterward, but he also thought of soliciting other people’s ideas for good measure.   That turned out to be a good idea because it helped him understand exactly what his target clients want, what they would be expecting from him, and how much they’re willing to pay for it -- and he got it all from doing Facebook Lives which didn’t really cost him anything.  The Formula to Success  When asked about the formula to success, Kevin responded, that the formula is that there is no formula. There’s no single way to get things done and make it work for everyone, so you need to “try a bunch of stuff, keep what works, throw out the rest.”  Book Recommendation  Kevin highly recommends Marshall Goldsmith’s “What Got You Here Won’t Get You There” for people who are stuck with a current dilemma and don’t know how to move forward. His website, https://kevinbreeding.com/ also offers insights on how you can grow your business by changing your mindset via daily coaching lessons delivered through their Mindset Engine app. 

Mikael Dia is a digital marketing expert and founder of Funnelytics, a software company helping entrepreneurs and marketers convert traffic into more profit.    Passionate about helping entrepreneurs scale their business in a faster and more efficient way, Mikael developed a simple, visual tool to understand numbers at a glance in order to easily fix the holes and optimize what’s working.   He used this very method to scale one of his businesses from $2,500 / month to $5,000 dollars per day in revenue, and he has helped countless clients grow at a similarly quick rate as well. Mikael has also grown his marketing agency, White Coat Digital to over a Million dollars in revenue in just 18 months.    Today, he will tell us how he did it and what he learned from the whole experience.   Take Things One Step at a Time   Sometimes people have a lot of great ideas, but they fail to take off because they’re too afraid to take the first step. Mikael says don’t be.    He actually admits that when he started his first business, everything was an experiment. He didn’t really know what he was doing. Sometimes he would get results, sometimes he would not; however, focusing on every little win he would get kept him going and things became easier to figure out over time.   Don’t Force Yourself to Be Like Other People   We all have our way of learning and doing things, so don’t force yourself to be like other people to emulate their success.    Mikael said that when he was starting out, he turned to using different informational materials to figure out the things that he needed to do, but they didn’t always work for him, so he had to do some things differently -- and that’s when things started falling into place.   Understand the Fundamentals   We all want to make money -- that’s why aspiring entrepreneurs venture into the business industry -- but Mikael said that if you really want your business to take off, you need to shift your focus from constantly chasing after the money to understanding the fundamentals of building a business.    Find out what your target customers really want, what they need, how you can help, and how you can get them to seek you out.  Equip and Empower   No man is an island, and to be able to scale your business, you’re going to need all the help that you can get. That’s where some people fail, Mikael explained.    They focus on their personal expertise too much that they sometimes fail to recognize what valuable contributions other people can bring to the table; however, he said you can easily fix this by equipping and empowering.    Tell people where you need to be, then let them decide how they’re going to reach it.   Don’t Take Processes for Granted   Working on processes can be boring, especially if you have no natural inclination for it, but if you really want your business to succeed, Mikael says that you don’t really have much of a choice.    Knowing your product and the message that you want to send out is a good start, but if you want to scale your business, you need to figure out how to get from Point A to Point B, then from Point B to Point C.    If this is something that is outside of your expertise, then you need to find someone who can put the pieces of the puzzle together for you.   Takeaway    Mikael said that if there’s anything that he learned from his experiences, it is to learn how to roll with the punches. It’s good to be prepared and have a clear goal of where you want to be, but things don’t always go according to plan so you need to learn not only how to innovate, but also to delegate. Once you learned how to do that, it will be easier to figure things out as you go.    Recommendations   For more tips on how to build and scale businesses, Mikael recommends Michael Masterson’s Ready, Fire, Aim: Zero to $100 Million in No Time Flat. He also invites you to visit his website www.funnelytics.io and try out their free mapping tool to see how they can help you increase your website’s conversion rates. 

A 34x best-selling author, speaker, and High-Performance Coach whose podcast was named by Inc Magazine as one of the Top 13 Business Shows in 2017, JV Crum III is the founder of the Conscious Millionaire and “High Performer Bootcamp.com.”   Known for his LIVE On-Camera Trainings where he helps coaches and entrepreneurs find $50,000 or more in hidden revenues then develop steps to put it in the bank, JV will sit down with us today to share his story of what inspired him to start the Conscious Millionaire and the formula he developed to grow your business by making a difference.   Figuring Out What You Want   People tend to measure success in terms of tangible things, but JV says that there is something more to life than that. He goes on to share how despite his business success, he felt that something was amiss -- and that he needed to figure out what that something was.    Keeping Things Simple   JV admits figuring that out didn't come easy. In fact, it took him years, but after a heart attack scare forced him to take a break and gave him plenty of time to think about things, he discovered that the answer was there all along. He just needed to stop making things overly complicated and focus on following his gut instead.   Making an Impact   "How do I make a bigger impact in life?" After recovering from heart attack, JV recalls how this became the nagging thought inside his head and how this inspired him to start the Conscious Millionaire.   Shifting Your Mindset to Achieve More in Life   In order to bring changes in your life, you need to change your mindset first.    JV admits that he initially met a lot of resistance when he first shared his philosophy of growing your business by making a difference, but how his methodical approach to things and changes in the market brought upon by newer technologies helped him convert non-believers into supporters.   Using a Tried and Tested Formula   JV says that everyone has their own experiences and these can affect how they view things and how they go about achieving their goals.   Still, he emphasizes that there are nine, universal steps that can help you maximize the amount of impact that you can make regardless of your background and personal beliefs, and he covers each of those here in brief.  More Tips on How to Achieve Financial Success by Making an Impact   If you want more tips on how to grow your business by making an impact, JV’s the Conscious Millionaire podcast has a staggering 1,500 episodes that can help you get started. Visit his website today or subscribe on iTunes to stay updated on the latest episodes. 

  Sean Douglas is a U.S. Air Force veteran, TEDx speaker, Master Resilience Implementer, Suicide Awareness trainer, Performance Enhancement expert, international radio show host, and author.   Considered an“Iconof Influence in the New Media Space,” Sean hosts the popular live online radio show, Life Transformation Radio which is heard in over 58 countries and has thousands of weekly listeners.   His journey to get to where he is now was not short and straightforward, though, and today, he will share with us how, from rock bottom, he climbed his way out of the darkest moment in his life--unlocking his true potential in the process.   Find Your Voice   Contrary to what you’d expect from a speaker, Sean shares that he was not born outspoken. In fact, he bottled up a lot of things while growing up. It wasn’t until he joined the Air Force and became a drill instructor that he realized that he has a lot of things to say, and he credits that experience with awakening his passion for speaking and training.   Find Your Why   Sean mentions that people who want to become public speakers often ask him how to get booked for a gig. He said that this is a good question, but the better one should be:“Whyshould I speak to other people?” Ask yourself what message you want to send out and what you want the people who received them to do afterward.   Simplify   Sometimes, we get so consumed with projecting the right image or thinking about the right things to say that the message that we are trying to convey get lost along the way. Sean understands this, but he encourages people to keep things simple.“Letthe mess of your life be the message and the tests that you’ve gone through be your testimony.”   Never Give Up   Sean has come a long way from that dark period in his life when he used to abuse alcohol and made a suicide attempt, but he’s quick to emphasize that his life is not a success story.   He admits that he still struggles with a lot of things; however, what makes his story different from others’ is that whenever he encounters difficulties, he doesn’t give up; he gets pissed--and it gives him the determination to keep trying and trying.   Stop Comparing Yourself With Other People   We all have someone that we look up to, even him, according to Sean; however, he cautions us to stop comparing ourselves with other people because we are walking down different paths. If we keep on counting other people’s blessings, we might end up losing sight of ours.   Adopt an Attitude of Gratitude   “Every moment is a teachable moment,” Sean says. That’s why it’s up to us to find meaning in the things that happen to us no matter what they may be.“Ifyou have an attitude of gratitude, you start to see the blessings in everything.”   Unlock Your True Potential   Sean co-runs The Success Corps where he and his teammates offer life transformation skills and business strategies to millennials up to 50-year-old professionals, military veterans, speakers, entrepreneurs, and business owners. Email him at sean@succcesscorps.comto join them today.

For nearly 30 years, Jeff Brown has been earning his living behind a microphone; first as an award-winning broadcaster, and now as a successful podcaster, consultant, and speaker. In 2013, Jeff launched the Read to Lead Podcast, a three-time Best Business Podcast nominee, featuring interviews with today's best business book authors including, Dr. Henry Cloud, Seth Godin, John Maxwell, Gary Vaynerchuk, Simon Sinek, Chris Brogan, Brian Tracy, Dan Miller, and over 100 more. Jeff and his work have been featured in Inc., Entrepreneur, and Hubspot, the blogs of Seth Godin, Chris Brogan, Jeff Goins and Social Media Explorer, as well as publications like The Nashville Business Journal, The Tennessean, and over 100 other blogs and podcasts.   Resources from Jeff Visit his website: www.readtoleadpodcast.com  Join his Book Club: readtoleaduniversity.com  Find out about his Mastermind Group: www.zoneofgenius.net Make sure to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast! Check out my website at www.michaelhudson.com 

Esther "Pinky" Kiss is the founder of Born To Influence, a boutique publicity firm specializing in helping experts and personal brands get more publicity, leads and sales. Her clients have been featured on TV, in newspapers, magazines and on some of the top podcasts in the world, resulting in millions of dollars in additional sales. Esther has worked on campaigns in a variety of industries from SaaS products, mobile apps and digital information products to New York Times and othernational bestseller book launches to philanthropic projects and she's the creator of the popular course Publicity Empire, where she teaches entrepreneurs how to get interview opportunities in the media. She's also the producer and host of Born To Influence: The Marketing Show, where she interviews highly successful entrepreneurs and New York Times bestselling about their publicity and marketing strategies. Get your free media positioning checklist: www.borntoinfluence.com/checklist Click Subscribe, Rate, and Review the show 

Jeffrey Shaw is host of the popular business podcast Creative Warriors, a featured storyteller on The Moth, and a nationally acclaimed keynote speaker at creative and business conferences. For more than three decades, Jeffrey has been one of the most sought-after portrait photographers in the U.S., photographing the families of such notables as Tom Seaver, Pat Riley, David Bloom, Stephanie Seymour, and C-Suite executives from Twitter, Anheuser Busch, 3M, as well as Wall Street leaders too many to mention. His portraits have appeared on the Oprah Show, in People magazine, O Magazine, and others. Having a keen eye isn’t just for what one sees, but also for what one senses. Jeffrey Shaw, a.k.a. the Lingo Guy, uses this honed intuition developed as a photographer to teach entrepreneurs how to attract their ideal customers by speaking their Secret Language. He’s the author of the book, LINGO: Discover Your Ideal Customer’s Secret Language and Make Your Business Irresistible. Jeffrey is the father of three adult children and resides with his two dogs in Miami Beach

Justin Schenck is on a mission to teach the world that it isn’t about where you come from, it’s about the decisions you make today to catapult yourself to who you want to become. Justin has been named a Top 8 Podcaster to watch in 2018 by INC.com and chosen as an ‘Icon of Influence’ in the new media space. What started out as a way to connect with top people and inspire others has become a way of life. Now getting played in over 100 countries every single week he is able to make a greater impact than he could ever imagine. He not only speaks to organizations on how to overcome adversity and utilize podcasting to grow your business but he helps others launch and grow their own podcasts with www.beginpodcastingnow.com.

This week I sit down with my friend Trivinia Barber.  Trivinia is the founder of Priority VA - a boutique Virtual Assistant Agency that matches elite level entrepreneurs like Todd Herman and Ray Edwards with highly skilled assistants who “get” the online space and come prepared to deliver massive ROI right out of the gate. We talk about how overworking lead her to creating one of the leading VA companies in the world. We discuss how important routines are and how you can start every day off right by setting your intentions and living in gratitude.  Opt in to her free offer here: www.priorityva.com/messageheard  Leaning into your strengths Trivinia has a "spider sense" to quickly evaluate individuals and know their strengths and weaknesses. She uses this every single day in her business as an entrepreneur and she teaches her VA's how to do the same thing. What is your strength and are you leveraging it? Be grateful for everything Gratitude is the greatest tool that entrepreneurs can use to continue to stay on track with their goals. Celebrating the small wins allows you to see the progress you've made and makes it easier to keep reaching for your goals. With gratitude, there is no need to set the bar so high. Be grateful for everything! What is your morning routine? Update and enhance your morning routine. If you don't have one, just start. It could be as simple as journaling, reading, or a quick meditation. Waking up with a routine sets the pace for the day. Start this simple practice now.

Dov Baron is a headline speaker for global conferences on leadership, influence, business and embracing purpose driven authentic leadership. He has been speaking internationally for over 30 years. He’s the man with a finger on the pulse of the evolving world of NextGen leadership. Be uniquely you. You have to be able to approach your life as your authentic self. That is the only way you're able to break through the noise and serve the audience you're meant to serve. What do you bring to the table that nobody else can bring? Shiny object syndrom. Especially as entrepreneurs we're presented with hundreds of ideas to grow our business. Dov mentioned Facebook ads as an example. Just because someone else is doing it, or someone else tells you to do it, doesn't mean you should be doing it.  Longevity = Impact It may be much easier to tap into a quick hit, or a quick pay out. The problem most people have is they don't think about longevity. How have myself and Dov been able to be around in business for so long? We focused on what it is that we naturally and authentically do better than other people and we deliver that to the audience we're supposed to be delivering that to. Reach out to dov@dovbaron.com - write to him and tell him what you got out of this episode and he'll give you a 20 minute free consultation call. 

Through my many years of entrepreneurship and public speaking I've happened upon some of the worlds leaders in their fields. From branding and podcasting to public speaking and business. I've decided that I want to share their knowledge with you in helping you get your message heard. The first episode in this new format I knew I had to have my good friend Mike Kim on.  Mike is a marketing consultant, communications strategist, and copywriter. His goal: to help you live your message, love your work, and leave your mark on the world. He does this by sharing his professional insights on marketing, personal branding, and one of his life’s passions: self-development. He's shaped the verbal and visual identity of numerous organizations, helping them get their message, product, or service to market.

Are you not getting the response or feedback you want? Maybe you’re talking to the wrong people – but the people who need your message are still out there waiting. Michael discusses three common pitfalls the has experienced, so you can avoid making the same mistakes. He then announces exciting new changes to the podcast in the near future. Learn from others’ mistakes. So many of us get tripped up by one of three common culprits: overthinking, bright shiny object syndrome, and looking for the Holy Grail. Michael shares his experience so you can learn from his mistakes. Are you asking the right people? If you’re asking for feedback from the people who are available, rather than seeking out the people who your message is really intended for, you may not get the feedback you need. Start by identifying the ideal person you’re really seeking to serve. Are you getting distracted? Success is sequential – you can’t jump straight to the end of the sequence. If you’re looking for a magic answer or chasing a new idea every week, you may be undermining your progress. Are you chasing too many people? Many of us want to serve and help others so much that we aren’t able to turn away clients who just aren’t right for us. But this could be preventing you from doing your best work. Are you spreading your ideas too thin? Expertise entrepreneurs love ideas – hearing new ideas, and coming up with them, too. Remember, your job is not simply producing volume – it’s honing down and presenting a direction to the people you serve that is crafted and tailored. Change is coming! Michael is changing the format of the podcast to focus on interviews. Is there someone you’d like to hear from who is established and inspires you? Let us know! Free Download When you meet someone who you'd like to have as a client - whether it's an actual sales conversation or just a handshake, what you do AFTER is the most important factor in whether or not you'll end up working with them. Download Michael’s 4-step follow-up method to make sure you never miss an opportunity.

We all, in building our expertise enterprise, have a content path – the path we discover as we think through and develop our message. We evolve what we think about a subject as a process over time. Michael walks you through how to use your past content for a better future in your business. Experience helps us help others. Michael’s moment of gratitude this week goes to Mark Schaefer, whose blog post this week kickstarted reflections on aging and recognizing the value you add by virtue of your experiences. Use what you have that is important for where you are right now. Sometimes we hold on to content for too long. Have you ever experienced a breakthrough moment in your understanding, then refused to move beyond the content you generated in that moment? Maybe it's time to move on from stories that are no longer serving your audience. Do an inventory. Make a list of every piece of content that you’ve created. Then go through and create a rating system of how relevant that content is to your message today, and whether it will help you attract your target audience. Give yourself credit. Even if you’ve moved on to change or refine your message, your content path is how you got where you are today. Celebrate how much you’ve done, and the path you’ve taken to get where you needed to go. Acknowledge how your message has changed because of the work you’ve put in. Commit to doing work on the stuff that matters. Your job isn’t to overload people with information and ideas – it’s to deliver a core message in a way that your audience will really absorb. Focus on the material that will help you make the difference that you’re here to make. Get really clear on what your strongest, most resonant stories and content are, and clearly communicate that to your audience. Recommended Action Make a list. Use the -0+ system, and be willing to say goodbye to the stuff that gets the minus. Figure out the one specific thing you need to use right now. Free Download When you meet someone who you'd like to have as a client- whether it's an actual sales conversation or just a handshake, what you do AFTER is the most important factor in whether or not you'll end up working with them. Download Michael’s 4-step follow-up method to make sure you never miss an opportunity.

When you’re an expertise entrepreneur, the reality is that you are your brand. The business you’re building is based on your vision, wisdom, and expertise. There are several areas where your integrity will get tested as an expertise entrepreneur. Michael discusses the importance of integrity in the face of some common challenges. Sacrificing your integrity can hurt your performance. When we commit to things that are out of alignment with our values, this can create something called cognitive dissonance – a conflict between your inner values and your outward actions. This can hurt your ability to do what you do and damage your performance. Listen to your gut. If you don’t feel something is right for you, that probably means you shouldn’t do it. You know when you’re out of alignment with your values – when you’re doing something that you shouldn’t be doing. You can never not lead. By virtue of your chosen path in life, you are a leader – people look up to you and see the things that you do. You are your brand, so this makes it all the more important to demonstrate integrity, for your business and for yourself. Don’t do what you don’t do, just for the opportunity. Michael shares a story about a time that he passed up an opportunity because he realized he was not the right person for the job. Having the guts to walk away when something doesn’t fit is a sign of integrity, and will help you attract the right clients for you. Respect intellectual property. Many of us as enterprise entrepreneurs consume ideas, read others’ writing, and listen to podcasts constantly. We try to learn and grow through seeking information. But be careful that you’re maintaining the integrity of what you’re using, and where it came from. Give credit where credit is due, and make sure that what you’re bringing to your clients is really yours to claim. Don’t confuse swiping vs. stealing. Swiping copy refers to borrowing from the context, feeling, layout, or general idea of others' work. It’s okay to learn from what you see and what others are doing. It’s not okay to use the words of others. Recommended Action Be authentic – make your own content, and be the expertise entrepreneur you were meant to be. Attract the people you were meant to serve, and leave behind the people who don’t fit. Free Download When you meet someone who you'd like to have as a client- whether it's an actual sales conversation or just a handshake, what you do AFTER is the most important factor in whether or not you'll end up working with them. Download Michael’s 4-step follow-up method to make sure you never miss an opportunity.

Have you ever asked yourself if you should start a podcast? If you have a message you want to share, if you are comfortable talking about your message, and if you believe there are people who want to hear your message, then the answer is yes! There is nothing more valuable than having the opportunity to talk to your audience on a regular basis. Michael shares his 5 key takeaways from 66 episodes worth of podcasting experience. 1. You will learn more about your message by making your podcast. When you make a weekly commitment to show up and talk about your message, it changes the way you think about what you have to say. It makes it very obvious what doesn’t belong, and creates consistency in the body of your work that you communicate to your audience. You’ll also get comfortable with articulating your message on a regular basis. 2. Reviews and feedback will help you hone your message. What words do your listeners use in their feedback? What benefits does your message bring people? Just by listening to your audience, you can learn a lot about what you’re bringing to the table and how you’re enriching others’ lives. 3. Podcasting will help you refine and reconfigure your message. Chances are there are some redundancies in your message that you could cut out. Putting your message out there every week will help you hone your message. It will also help you develop the new content that will stimulate your audience every week. 4. Talking about your message every week makes it real to you. You need to own your message, inside of you. You need to be absolutely clear in the core components of your message so that you can assess whether you’re connecting and communicating effectively through the stories you tell. 5. Your message becomes part of who you are. When you own your message, sharing it becomes simple because it’s integrated into everything you do. Thinking every week about what you’re going to share and how you’re going to communicate it will create that structure within you for really integrating your message into your daily life and thoughts. Recommended Action If you’ve been thinking about starting a podcast, and if you’re an expertise entrepreneur or have a message to get out there – take the plunge! It can only help you. Free Download When you meet someone who you'd like to have as a client- whether it's an actual sales conversation or just a handshake, what you do AFTER is the most important factor in whether or not you'll end up working with them. Download Michael’s 4-step follow-up method at http://michaelhudson.com/followup to make sure you never miss an opportunity.

Reflect upon and improve your public speaking by reflecting on these five key tips. Michael explains and summarizes the important lessons he learned from his recent experience putting together his new keynote speech. 1. Find the audience that is right for your message. Finding small audiences aligned with your target audience can be helpful as a way to extend your rehearsal process to the real world. In this way, you can create a situation where you don’t have a lot at risk, and you can hone your message with feedback from the right kinds of people. Don’t hesitate to test out your speech in small venues – intentionally seek these scenarios out! 2. Not everyone will connect with your message – and that’s a good thing! No matter how much some people will connect with your message, some will not. Remember: this means that you are on the right path. You are not here to serve everyone – success requires defining and knowing what you do and who you are there to serve. 3. Learn from others. What are other people doing that really connect to the audience? Listen to the messages and ideas of others, and try to make connections to your message and the big ideas you’ve been working with. Notice the differences. It will help you refine your delivery and your message - to that audience, in that situation, in that moment. 4. Get there early. Arrive early in the morning and block your speech onstage – it’s worth the time and effort. There are all sorts of technical details – from lighting, to stage setup, to audience setup – that you can plan for, if you get there early. 5. Get in the performing mindset. It's more fun and it creates more impact to walk on the stage with the intention to perform. And… it feels AMAZING! Be intentional about being a performer, to practice and rehearse, plan, and schedule. It will bring your speaking to the next level. Recommended Action Step up, show up, and speak up – because there are people who are waiting to hear your message. Free Download When you meet someone who you'd like to have as a client- whether it's an actual sales conversation or just a handshake, what you do AFTER is the most important factor in whether or not you'll end up working with them. Download Michael’s 4-step follow-up method at http://michaelhudson.com/followup to make sure you never miss an opportunity.

Your journey is something no one has walked but you. What you know may seem obvious to you, but in reality, it's amazingly impactful to others. Michael discusses how to define your core message, how to use this message to refine what you offer, and what you can do to find the right people who are ready to hear your message. Do you have a velvet rope in place?                                                                The velvet rope is the divider that lets some people in and keeps other people out. For most people, this model intuitively doesn’t make sense to grow a business. But the number one mistake people make that compromises their business is refusing to figure out who they serve. If you try to be all things to all people, you will end up dissatisfied, because you won’t have the impact you could for that select group who need what you’re offering. Michael discusses the importance of avoiding pouring energy into trying to serve the wrong people. There is good work, bad work, and great work. Michael introduces us to Do More Great Work, a book by Michael Bungay Stanier. Michael goes through what is entailed in each kind of work, how to stop doing bad work, and what distinguishes good work from great work. It all comes down to intake. When you get a new call or make a new contact, do you approach the interaction by trying to get that person to buy? Or do you honestly assess whether they are a good fit for you and your business? If you make the mistake of focusing too much on selling new clients and don’t commit to holding your velvet rope and being selective, you will end up feeling stretched too thin. Don’t hold on to sunk costs. Have you ever continued pouring energy into something that just doesn’t work, because you’ve already invested so much up to this point? Ask yourself: if I weren’t already doing this, would I start? Is this taking me where I’m trying to go? Is what I’m doing attracting the right people for me to serve? It is okay to walk away from something that isn’t working – actually, it’s necessary. Define your core message. Your core message will define where your velvet rope sits. It will attract the right people who belong on this side of the velvet rope with you. Defining your core message allows you to serve the right people because you are clear about what you have to offer. Michael discusses how to regularly narrow, define, and refine your core message to attract the people who are ready for what you have to offer them. Recommended Action Define your velvet rope, start using it, and recognize that it is the key between struggling and making your business sustainable and successful. Do the bad work, good work, and great work exercise, and ask yourself: can I convert these bad work clients into great work clients? Think about what you’re doing that you need to jettison. And get serious about identifying your core message. Free Download When you meet someone who you'd like to have as a client - whether it's an actual sales conversation or just a handshake, what you do AFTER is the most important factor in whether or not you'll end up working with them. Download Michael’s 4-step follow-up method at http://michaelhudson.com/followup to make sure you never miss an opportunity.

What’s the difference between preparing and winging? When you get serious about preparing, you shift your whole process. Instead of walking into the room and trusting your ability to read the audience on the fly, you’re learning what they need in advance, and shaping your message for them and only for them. Michael discusses his shift in perspective away from winging it, and how you can use preparation to deliver your most impactful message possible. Never wing a performance. Michael shares a confession with us – up until a few weeks ago, he had never written a speech in his life. Some people rely on their ability to read the audience, improvise, and react on the fly. Michael shares his journey from relying on talent, to developing his skill to a deeper level. Change your preparation. Are you a preparer, or do you tend to wing it? If you have natural talent, winging it will get you to a decent place. But if you’re committed to being someone who changes people’s lives, you need to come in with your message mapped and prepared to have the impact you need to have in every situation, with every audience. Michael discusses the difference between entertaining your audience and really challenging them to change their lives and their behavior.    Focus on the presentation, not just the tools . Oftentimes, people will put all their effort into preparing their slideshow or their handout, instead of preparing the speech or presentation itself. But these tools have inherent limitations – if there’s no message, the tool isn’t going to help. Michael discusses focusing on the content instead of the tool. Challenge yourself to write a script. Michael explains how to move beyond relying on talent in order to hone your message and have the most impact possible. We need to do our homework – we have to learn, we have to talk to people, understand the problems they’re having and the language they’re using.  We need to know the solutions they’re looking for, and then intentionally craft the message to help them discover a solution that works. Develop your signature speech. The core stuff we believe are the things we hold on to for a long time. That’s what gives you integrity, and gives your business purpose. What is the big idea that drives you? What is the big problem you’re trying to solve? Recommended Action Make the commitment to define: what is your core message? What is your core framework? Go through the process to write that 45-60 minute speech that reveals your core message. What will be different in people’s lives if they take the steps you’re encouraging them to take? By writing out your signature speech, you’ll gain clarity on the message you’re seeking to deliver, and you’ll be able to rehearse your message, as you created it. Free Download When you meet someone who you'd like to have as a client- whether it's an actual sales conversation or just a handshake, what you do AFTER is the most important factor in whether or not you'll end up working with them. Download Michael’s 4-step follow-up method at http://michaelhudson.com/followup to make sure you never miss an opportunity.

When you think of a craftsperson, what comes to mind? Probably someone who is very skilled and very talented, but who has taken that skill to a level that differentiates them and makes them stand out. Michael looks at expertise entrepreneurship through the lens of craftsmanship and getting beyond relying on your natural talents. Talent will only get you so far. People who are naturally talented at speaking may have a bit of a headstart. But talent can also allow you to be lazy and avoid being the best you can be. If you rely on talent to get you through, then you don’t allow yourself to develop your craft, and you limit the impact you could create and the people you could be serving. Think about the times when talent has gotten you through, but maybe you walked away and thought, “I could have done more.” We all have the ability to be doing better than we’re currently doing. Our goal should be to be judged not by how well we did, but how well we did relative to the tools and capacity we have. In order to hone your craft and become a true craftsperson, you’re going to throw away a lot of the things you’ve relied on in the past, including parts of your natural talent, because they can’t get you to the next level. The market you’re in today may not be the market you really belong in. A craftsman commands high prices because they are so talented – because their work is so much better than other people’s. Many people hold back on developing their craft to the highest level because they can’t currently get a higher return. But you may not have found your market because you haven’t adequately developed your craft. What are you doing on a regular basis to develop your craft? You can take yourself from being a talented and capable person to being someone who truly is a cut above. Becoming a craftsperson is the fastest path to get yourself to a higher level. It’s the fastest path to making your message more clear for the people who need it. The biggest challenge you face is deciding what not to share. It pays to be selective. You can’t share everything you know and think that you’re helping people. The goal of the craft-minded expertise entrepreneur is to reveal the secret pathway to take people to a different level in their work. A big part of creating craft is honing your message and focusing in on what you do and what you offer. Recommended Action Ask yourself the question: are you developing craft, or are you relying on talent? How close are you to being a true craftsperson? And if you’re not as close as you want to be, what’s your first step to getting there? Take an action step and move yourself in that direction. Free Download When you meet someone who you'd like to have as a client- whether it's an actual sales conversation or just a handshake, what you do AFTER is the most important factor in whether or not you'll end up working with them. Download Michael’s 4-step follow-up method at http://michaelhudson.com/followup to make sure you never miss an opportunity.

How do we gain access to other minds that push us to think deeper, and who give us relevant, useful insight? How do we put ourselves around people who push us to go deeper? Michael expands on a key concept from previous episodes – putting yourself in the right rooms to intentionally create the space for growth – through exploring  the idea of mastermind groups. Don't rely on your inner circle. We care deeply about our family and friends, but the fact is, they can’t always give us the feedback we need, in the context we need it. So how do we find the people we need to be in the room with to push ourselves to go deeper? Be intentional. What people can generate together is much more than the sum of what they can generate individually. When you bring a group of people together with the intent of focusing on helping each other achieve more success in their lives, a collective mastermind emerges. These are the magical moments we’re looking for, and you need to work intentionally to create them. Creating groups of people who come together and help each other become better requires an investment. It’s important to remember that the investment in time and resources is worth it to grow you and your business.    Put together a weekly mastermind group. Put together a group of inspiring individuals who meet once a week, whether it’s in person or over Zoom or Skype. Push each other to grow, and share what works for you. When you create a live event where people meet face-to-face, you dramatically change the interaction in the group, so try to have an in-person meeting at least once a year. Or find a group that already exists that speaks to your goals, interests, and needs. Attend a mastermind retreat. A mastermind retreat has 12 – 15 selected people who go to another place, which is not where they normally do work. This allows us to go deeper into how we want to do our work, and where we want to go with it. Mastermind retreats can be structured around someone’s particular expertise or knowledge, or everyone can brainstorm and share ideas together. Are there retreats that you can make the investment to attend? Do your research to make sure you’re putting yourself into contexts with the people who can help you. Attend events. There are the official parts of the events that you attend, and then there are the conversations that you have in the whitespace. Going to a conference is about so much more than attending a lecture – it’s about making connections with the individuals around you, and making those connections last. Recommended Action Find a way to get into the right rooms, with the right people. You could be the local or regional organizer who brings a group of people together to help one another grow. Or you could look into mastermind programs and mastermind groups that already exist, and decide which one is right for your needs and goals. Do what you need to do to put yourself in the right rooms, and take your business to the next level. Free Download When you meet someone who you'd like to have as a client- whether it's an actual sales conversation or just a handshake, what you do AFTER is the most important factor in whether or not you'll end up working with them. Download Michael’s 4-step follow-up method at http://michaelhudson.com/followup to make sure you never miss an opportunity.

In this episode Michael shares his five big takeaways from the Heroic Public Speaking Graduate School Process. This program is a 16-day, 4-month, individually-tailored process to help you become a better speaker. Michael discusses how to focus on content, rehearse more effectively, and take risks to get where you need to go. You can’t be you if you’re in the wrong room. Context matters – luckily, you can choose your context. The wrong rooms are the places where you can’t be you. How do the rules of the room change the way you play? You can know you’re in the wrong room when your environment is holding you back – pay attention to your environment, and once you’re in the right room, you will thrive. Content comes first, every single time. Often people rely on their ability to speak powerfully and don’t go deep enough in creating content that will best serve their audience. Who will be in the room, and what do they need? Whose stories can you find that will strengthen your message? How much research have you done about your audience and your message? Michael discusses how to really hone in on the focus of what you’re saying to maximize the impact of your message. You can be a performer or a critic, but not both. Sometimes we think that feedback is always useful. But when many people start to offer their feedback, it can take you off course. When you’re a performer, you have to concentrate on getting your message across – when you think about things as a performer, you approach them differently.  If you do ask for feedback, make it tailored – ask for feedback on the specific things that will help you improve. Playing all-out and paying attention drives clarity. Playing all-out means stepping up and committing to go all-in, believing in what in what you’re doing, and taking risks. When you play safe, when you play small, when you don’t allow yourself to dream big - you hold back. Paying attention means asking: what answer passed by that you missed? The answer may appear – but are you paying attention enough to see it? Rehearsal is everything, and you owe it to your audience and yourself. Rehearsal is not just running through the words you’re going to say. Rehearsal is much more – it is tied to the content. You need to go through and shape your performance to emphasize the meaning you’re trying to get across. Your audience is giving you their time and attention – they deserve to receive your message in its most accessible and impactful form possible. Recommended Action Start playing all-out, and step up to the challenge of putting yourself in the right rooms. Recognize that when you’re in the wrong room, there’s only one thing to do: get out. If you are in that room, you’ve committed to step up, to share the real you, and to use your talents and gifts to the highest level. And here's the link Michael mentioned to the Heroic Public Speaking Live event in October: http://www.heroicpublicspeaking.com  Free Download When you meet someone who you'd like to have as a client- whether it's an actual sales conversation or just a handshake, what you do AFTER is the most important factor in whether or not you'll end up working with them. Download Michael’s 4-step follow-up method at http://michaelhudson.com/followup to make sure you never miss an opportunity.

There are three key questions that can push companies to think bigger, envision the future more vividly, and find better strategies to get there. What is your message? Who is that message for? And if you weren’t already doing what you’re doing now, would you start? Michael discusses how to think about these questions in ways that will get you on the path towards where you want to go with your business. Think strategically about your business. We often get caught up in the day-to-day work of being in business and don’t step back to ponder where we’re going. If you don’t know where you’re headed, then you’re not going to know when you get there. Michael discusses goal orientation, not as a dollar amount, but as a detailed vision of the future. What is your message? We each have a unique perspective on the world that gives us power to impact other people’s lives. The most important part of reaching people is having clarity about what that message is. Michael talks about common pitfalls in framing your message that may be preventing you from reaching the people you want to serve. This is the first question you need to answer to think about where you’re going to take your business in the long-term. Who is your message for? Who are the people you want to reach – what are the problems they have? And how are you going to help them? Once you have your message clear, you can ask yourself: who needs that message? Remember, you’re not here to serve everybody – you will do your best work when you find the people who were meant to hear your message, and who are in a place to receive it. If you weren’t already doing what you’re doing, would you start? We all have things we do because we’ve always done them that way – but it’s important to have the guts to take stock and cut out practices that aren’t helping us. Michael discusses subjecting what we’re doing to scrutiny and having the courage and fluidity to adapt and grow. Recommended action Take the time to focus on your long-term vision for your business. Clarify what your message is, and who it is for. And re-evaluate the things you’re doing, and whether they’re working to get you where you’re going. Free Download When you meet someone who you'd like to have as a client- whether it's an actual sales conversation or just a handshake, what you do AFTER is the most important factor in whether or not you'll end up working with them. Download Michael’s 4-step follow-up method at http://michaelhudson.com/followup to make sure you never miss an opportunity.

Without input from the people you want to serve, your business is doomed before it even begins. You can see evidence of this: many would-be entrepreneurs try to package what worked for them and sell it. It looks great on the outside, but once their customers try to implement it, they don’t have the same success. Why is this? Because the situations, skillsets, and circumstances are different. Ask questions. We all need to ask more questions. More importantly, we need to ask the RIGHT questions and then listen, truly listen, to the answers. It’s easy to get carried away with excitement and to do most of the talking, but that keeps you from hearing what your audience wants and needs. Follow the ‘ask, listen, serve’ mantra. Asking questions helps you understand. If you’ve ever taken a copywriting course you’ve learned that you need to join the conversation in your audience’s heads. What this means is you know what they’re thinking about, and you’re able to use the same words and phrases they are using when they think about it. And you can’t do any of this if you didn’t take the time to listen to them in the first place. Using surveys. Surveys are one way to ask your audience questions. You’ll want to keep it short and focused, and you might also want to TEST your questions. Have a few trusted people in your inner circle read over them and give you feedback. That way you can ask more intelligent questions and avoid misunderstandings. This is also an evolving process. If it’s not working, you can change the survey! Talking face to face. Surveys are useful, but nothing replaces talking to someone face to face, or even over the phone. You have access to real time clarification, thought process, motivations. Essentially, you’re learning not just what the problem is, but why it’s a problem, how they see it, and what they’ve already tried to do to fix it. A single conversation isn’t enough. Remember how everyone’s circumstances are different? Two people might have the same problem for different reasons, and you’d never know it unless you asked. How to operationalize the process. Think of the 3-5 things you deliver to people. Once you’ve figured those out, create an opening question for each. Avoid making a list of questions; instead, have an idea of the deeper things you want to learn. The opener starts the exploratory conversation, and the questions you ask are both relevant to the conversation and also steer it toward the things you know you want to learn. You might have ideas for other questions, like the followup or closing question, but ultimately, every person is different. Your questions should follow the 3-5 things you can deliver, but it shouldn’t be a rote list. You aren’t convincing; you’re finding a fit. Not everyone you talk to will want what you’re offering, nor will you want to serve everyone you talk to. Part of asking questions is to find a mutual fit, so asking the right questions is paramount. Can you relate to them? Do their wants and needs sound like something you can deliver? You’ll never know unless you ask. Recommended Action Figure out what your 3 to 5 things are and come up with an opening question for each. Then come up with a follow-up question. Then go out and have 2 conversations a day for the next few weeks. Most importantly, LISTEN. Free Download When you meet someone who you'd like to have as a client- whether it's an actual sales conversation or just a handshake, what you do AFTER is the most important factor in whether or not you'll end up working with them. Download this 4-step follow-up method to make sure you never miss an opportunity.

In this episode Michael answers three very frequently asked questions that keep coming up again and again. First: what can I do to get my first speaking, coaching, or consulting engagement? Second: how can I get better at writing content, whether it be for sales copy, speeches, or promotion? And third: how can I get testimonials and referrals when I don’t have clients yet? An essential listen for new entrepreneurs and veterans alike. Michael shares scores of practical tips to help you grow and improve your business.   1. How do I get my first paid speaking, coaching or consulting engagement? Sometimes when you’re just starting out building your business, breaking into a field can feel daunting. Michael shares his personal strategies, including a step-by-step process to get that first paid gig.   Leveraging your network Michael discusses the importance of using your network to get off the ground – learn strategies to help you figure out who to reach out to and how to ask the right questions to make solid business connections.   2. How do I get better at writing content? Whether it is sales copy, speech content, or promotion, you need to be able to produce powerful content to grow your expertise enterprise. Michael walks us through 3 things you can do to improve your content right now.   You can learn a lot just from watching. Yogi Bera said it first, but Michael explains how consuming good content and studying how others craft content can help you find your signature voice and really connect with your audience.   3. How do I get testimonials and referrals when I don’t have clients? Getting referrals isn’t a race to sign on the dotted line – it’s a relationship-building process that takes time and investment. Step one is to ask. Your friends, acquaintances and business partners can attest to your skills. Step two is get creative – don’t limit yourself to testimonials from paying clients. Michael gives some concrete but innovative tips to get people’s feedback and use it effectively.   Recommended Action Go out there and ask your friends, acquaintances and business connections for referrals. Leverage your network, make a list of names you can draw on, and reach out to the people at the top of that list. Consume great content, watch great speakers, and make note of what resonates with you.   Free Download When you meet someone who you'd like to have as a client- whether it's an actual sales conversation or just a handshake, what you do AFTER is the most important factor in whether or not you'll end up working with them. Download Michael’s 4-step follow-up method at http://michaelhudson.com/followup to make sure you never miss an opportunity.

Do you hate the phrase, ‘trust the process?’ If so, you’re probably someone who wants to jump right into action and there’s nothing wrong with that. We all love doing what we’re good at and it can be uncomfortable to do what’s counterintuitive. But sometimes we have to. We might need guidance on when to take action and what action to take. Today, Michael talks about trusting the process for all of you who don’t. I don’t have time to trust the process. It might not seem like you have time. But the truth is trusting the process is worth it every single time. It doesn’t take a genius to define a process that will work every single time. What you see as wasting time is actually being more efficient and able to succeed far more often. Whatever you are seeking is seeking you. While you’re busy taking action and flying by the seat of your pants, it’s possible you will miss the answers you need. Have you heard of the concept of white space? It’s something that far too few of us honor in our busy lives. Giving yourself room to breathe rather than chasing the next thing is invaluable. You actually CAN consume too much content, or put too much of yourself out there in the world. Can you simply create? When you’re in the creator frame of mind, trusting the process means getting the idea on paper. Nothing more than creating – no revising, no tweaking, no editing, no going down the research rabbit hole. One great way to do this is to record yourself speaking. Just talk about your idea, let it flow, then get it transcribed. Then let it sit for a while. Let it gestate in your mind. This raw act of creation will have so much more potential than something you squeezed the life out of before it was ready. How do you consume content? You NEED white space for your brain to process what you consume. Choosing to be more picky about what you consume is key to that. Are you afraid you’ll miss something important? Don’t worry; many of us feel that way. But the truth is, all the time you’re spending consuming without processing is wasted. Recommended Action The next time you sit down to create content, trust the process. Create for the sake of creating. Then give yourself some white space for the ideas to gestate. Then come back to your creation with a fresh mind and new insights. Free Download When you meet someone who you'd like to have as a client- whether it's an actual sales conversation or just a handshake, what you do AFTER is the most important factor in whether or not you'll end up working with them. Download this 4-step follow-up method to make sure you never miss an opportunity.

It takes courage to be candid, to be called an agitator, a contrarian. If you are, it probably means you’re pushing people outside of their comfort zone. They don’t always appreciate that. Michael and his guest Jody Maberry talk about how you should ‘own’ who you are even if it makes people uncomfortable. You might help someone with a breakthrough that could change their life. What it means to provoke Jody and Michael talk about Michael’s keynote speech at Mike Kin’s Influence and Impact conference, and how to wow a crowd. He didn’t do it by pandering; he provoked. He spoke into them, not at them. Michael shares what parts of his life made him that way, and the lessons he took from it. Jody doesn’t throw Michael any softballs. He poses a very important question: if you’re such an agitator, why doesn’t your podcast audience know it? Why are you so polished and professional without being the agitator you truly are. Living up to your potential Michael has an inexplicable drive to help people live up to their potential in spite of themselves. He speaks from experience. Being adopted, having ADHD before doctors knew what it was, and being sexually abused as a child all took their toll on him. Michael talks about what pisses him off the most, not about what happened to him, but when people stop trying. Michael talks about the 3 types of work, and what it takes to start living up to your potential. Are you sitting on a nail? You don’t need Michael in your ear yelling ‘wake up!’ Chances are if you’re feeling dissatisfied, like something is missing, then you have hidden potential you haven’t uncovered. Michael and Jody talk about ways to root out the source of the angst and identify what it is you’re missing. Furthermore, if you try to take action on your angst without understanding it, you might just miss the message your heart really wants to share. Recommended Action Take a self-inventory. Are you feeling some sort of angst? Talk through it, write through it, and when you feel like shying away from something, that’s when you need to lean in. Take what you learn from being your own contrarian and do what Jody did: ask your peers the hard questions. Be candid. Put your finger where it hurts. Free Download When you meet someone who you'd like to have as a client- whether it's an actual sales conversation or just a handshake, what you do AFTER is the most important factor in whether or not you'll end up working with them. Download this 4-step follow-up method to make sure you never miss an opportunity.

One of the best ways we can extend our thinking is to talk to people who see things differently. They ask different questions and can inspire you to think differently. Sometimes we think our goal is simply networking – trying to meet as many people as possible. But how do you go deeper to make real connections and develop your thinking? One of the pathways to thinking bigger about your business is by talking to people at a deeper level, and Michael discusses how to make it happen. Are you thinking big enough for your business and your future? Are you looking for ways to transfer your knowledge to new contexts in order to grow your business? Or are you playing it safe? Michael talks about how to take the skills and knowledge you already have and transfer them to new contexts and markets. There are three levels of markets that your business is going to serve: 1 – people who just want the free stuff. They are interested in the information, in learning, and in getting what they can out of the content you create. 2 –  People who will invest more in your business, but have some questions and demands of you. These are people you can add value for, but how can you think bigger about what they need? 3 – People who are going to come to you from solid referrals. You can use those same skills you already have to access and serve these people. How do we decide how much energy to dedicate to these different levels in order to bring in new people, while also creating deep and lasting connections with clients? Michael discusses how to engage on deeper levels and broaden your engagement with others to create a vivid vision of the future. Recommended Action Create a vivid vision for yourself. Read it multiple times a day. Live the vision so you can internally activate the things you need to make it happen. Free Download When you meet someone who you'd like to have as a client- whether it's an actual sales conversation or just a handshake, what you do AFTER is the most important factor in whether or not you'll end up working with them. Download this 4-step follow-up method to make sure you never miss an opportunity.

On our paths to purpose, we all meet with barriers that make us wonder if we'll ever find what we are meant to do or how we will do it. Not too long ago Dr. Michael Hudson was interviewed for the Higher Purpose Podcast by his good friend, Kevin Monroe, about many types of barriers and how they both have overcome them. They also share the things they learned and how you can apply it in your everyday life. Do you need permission to follow your purpose? Permission, clarity, and self-doubt are some of the most common factors that affect people. Do we feel we need to have permission to follow our purpose? How clear do we need to be on our purpose before we move forward? And finally, the self-critic, asking 'who am I' to do this. Ever thought any of those yourself? Is money holding you back? One of the other most common barriers on the list is the financial ability to follow one's purpose. How will you finance your dream? Michael shares his own take on the money aspect, asking: Is that just an excuse? How do you feel about your own transition on the path of purpose? Are you living in your comfort zone? Michael explains how people create barriers for themselves, specifically the bar they set. When you think about where you want to be, figuring out how to get there can be scary. It's much more comfortable to stay where you are. Living in our comfort zone is one of the most disastrous things we can do to ourselves, just like setting a high bar without knowing it is achievable with a series of (mis)steps. Silence your inner critic. The inner critic can stop you dead in your tracks on your path to purpose. What is it? That little voice inside constantly telling you that you aren't good enough to do something. The one that says you'll never make it. Michael and Kevin talk about their own inner critics. They'll never go away, but they can be managed, pushed aside. Take out the 'head trash.' Tips to get rid of your head trash. Michael shares some practical steps to get rid of your own head trash and push aside the inner critic. Maybe you journal, but if you're a verbal processor, maybe you should dictate. If you're social, do you have someone to talk with? There's a way for everyone to work through their 'stuff' even if it's just writing thoughts down on a note and burning them. Recommended Action Make a list of your clients. Put a plus sign by the ones you can’t wait to work with. Put a minus sign on those you dread, who aren’t living up to their end of the partnership. For those whom you don’t feel strongly about, put a zero. Next, ask yourself if the pluses and zeros are a result of you or the client. In the cases where it’s the client, consider ‘firing’ them. Contact Kevin Remember: purpose thrives in community and dies in isolation. If you're looking to explore purpose and what it means to live a life aligned with purpose, then subscribe to the Higher Purpose Podcast on Apple Podcasts, or your favourite podcast player. Free Download When you meet someone who you'd like to have as a client- whether it's an actual sales conversation or just a handshake, what you do AFTER is the most important factor in whether or not you'll end up working with them. Download this 4-step follow-up method to make sure you never miss an opportunity.