In The Trenches with Tom Morkes

  Justin Brooks is the founder of Adskills.com, the world's largest online school for digital advertising. His company teaches advertisers how to install proven campaign frameworks and training the next generation of media buyers and connecting them with great clients or jobs.   Today, we're gonna dive into his experiments and forays into “pay what you want” pricing, what he loves about it, what has worked well, and also what hasn't.   In this broadcast, Justin and I talk about:   Justin's company AdSkills and how long he's been in the business of selling courses What payment model he prefers to use when delivering his services Justin's foray into “pay what you want” pricing How the “pay what you want” pricing model surpassed “free plus shipping” in a split test and what happened when he introduced “bump selling” Some of his other findings from the split test experiments How he utilized “pay what you want” to boost sales and draw in customers at a coffee shop meetup What is Justin's philosophy behind which product to offer as “pay what you want” “Pay what you want” as a way to acquire great testimonials and happy customers Ways to incentivize a higher contribution when using a “pay what you want” model How “pay what you want” changed Justin's life and business  Some things he wishes he knew before he started using this pricing model and the biggest surprises he encountered while using it   RELEVANT LINKS:   Website Facebook Instagram LinkedIn YouTube   Get the Latest Broadcasts of In The Trenches on Your Favorite Podcast Platform:   Subscribe to In The Trenches on iTunes   Listen to In The Trenches on Spotify   Get your weekly dose of In The Trenches on Google Play     How You Can Support In The Trenches   Did you enjoy today's broadcast of In The Trenches? Please click here to leave an honest rating and review on iTunes. Your review helps me spread the word of this podcast, which allows me to line up amazing guests and continue to produce this podcast ad-free. Thanks so much in advance for your support.      Podcast and show note production by Nives Kurjak. Click here to get 10% off your podcast production for life.  

  Art Bell is the former TV executive who founded The Comedy Channel, which became Comedy Central. He continued his television career as President of CourtTV. After Art left the TV business, he took some writing courses and found he loved writing. Constant Comedy: How I Started Comedy Central and Lost My Sense of Humour is his first book, not counting a humor book he wrote with a couple other guys while at Comedy Central.   Today, Art and I are going to talk about creative processes, the business of comedy, and the up and down journey that entrepreneurs and creatives go through.   In this broadcast, Art and I talk about:   Art’s journey to finding what he actually wanted to do for his career The inspiration behind his book Constant Comedy: How I Started Comedy Central and Lost My Sense of Humour Why you need to use every skill in your toolkit, no matter the job How Art managed the leaps between professions The importance of knowing and believing that your idea is inevitable and how to use that knowledge to make it happen The various ways Art bootstrapped his idea for Comedy Central The single thing people are looking for when you pitch an idea Art’s best tips for divvying up roles after a merger or acquisition Some of Art’s most creative ideas when it comes to marketing Art’s best advice for creatives wanting to make a name for themselves   RELEVANT LINKS:   www.artbellwriter.com Instagram LinkedIn Facebook   Get the Latest Broadcasts of In The Trenches on Your Favorite Podcast Platform:   Subscribe to In The Trenches on iTunes   Listen to In The Trenches on Spotify   Get your weekly dose of In The Trenches on Google Play     How You Can Support In The Trenches   Did you enjoy today's broadcast of In The Trenches? Please click here to leave an honest rating and review on iTunes. Your review helps me spread the word of this podcast, which allows me to line up amazing guests and continue to produce this podcast ad-free. Thanks so much in advance for your support.      Podcast and show note production by Nives Kurjak. Click here to get 10% off your podcast production for life.  

  David Jenyns is the author of SYSTEMology, host of the Business Systems Simplified podcast and a serial business owner. Recognised as a high achieving businessman, you will find many of his keynotes on YouTube.   In today’s episode, David and I discuss his proprietary 7-step process for systemizing your business. We break down the method for those looking to turn an early startup success into a repeatable process that can scale with you and your business. Because if you don’t have systems, you don’t have a business. Period.     In this broadcast, David and I talk about:   How the renowned Michael Gerber changed David’s business adventure The benefits of applying a systematic approach to starting a business Why you need to consider working on projects for free  Linearity of business growth and why is it important Identifying and understanding the values of being a system thinker Embracing systems and processes to systemize your business (even if you’re not tech savvy) David’s go-to process for evaluating businesses and their systems 10-15 must-have systems that move the needle in your business David’s 7 steps to system optimization (have a pen and paper ready) Changing the direction of your business with a 3-step 1-page outline Hiring a systems process professional so that you can finally step out of your business David’s best tip for increasing the value of your business   How to Connect with David:   system hub systemology.com Twitter: @davidjenyns   Get the Latest Broadcasts of In The Trenches on Your Favorite Podcast Platform:   Subscribe to In The Trenches on iTunes   Listen to In The Trenches on Spotify   Get your weekly dose of In The Trenches on Google Play     How You Can Support In The Trenches   Did you enjoy today's broadcast of In The Trenches? Please click here to leave an honest rating and review on iTunes. Your review helps me spread the word of this podcast, which allows me to line up amazing guests and continue to produce this podcast ad-free. Thanks so much in advance for your support.      Podcast and show note production by Nives Kurjak. Click here to get 10% off your podcast production for life.  

  Chris Prefontaine 3- time best-selling author, founder and CEO of SmartRealEstateCoach.com and host of the Smart Real Estate Coach Podcast. Chris founded Smart Real Estate Coach in 2014, bringing in his son Nick, daughter Kayla, and son-in-law Zachary to help grow the company. Chris and his team coach investors on how to properly scale and automate their real estate investing businesses throughout North America, without using their own cash, credit, or taking out bank loans to buy a property. Chris and his family buy and sell homes in their own market every month and then mentor, coach, and consult students and associates all around North America to do the exact same thing.   I brought Chris onto the podcast today to talk about how to invest in real estate with no capital. Not only that, but Chris shares pretty much everything you need to know about real estate in 2020 and beyond.    In this broadcast, Chris and I talk about:   The low-down on how Chris broke into a saturated industry Effective real estate investing during the pandemic  The do’s and don’ts when buying property Chris’ best tips on purchasing property with no credit or money down How to capitalize on the economic forces during the next 6 months What the outlook for the real estate industry is in 2020 and beyond  Tips on making deals outside of the conventional loan system The best way to find a niche that interests you How to approach experts in your field of interest to mentor you Why you need to learn about economic trends in your desired niche   How to Connect with Chris:   SmartRealEstateCoach.com Check out Chris’ book: Real Estate On Your Terms: Create Continuous Cash Flow Now, Without Using Your Cash Or Credit   Get the Latest Broadcasts of In The Trenches on Your Favorite Podcast Platform:   Subscribe to In The Trenches on iTunes   Listen to In The Trenches on Spotify   Get your weekly dose of In The Trenches on Google Play     How You Can Support In The Trenches   Did you enjoy today's broadcast of In The Trenches? Please click here to leave an honest rating and review on iTunes. Your review helps me spread the word of this podcast, which allows me to line up amazing guests and continue to produce this podcast ad-free. Thanks so much in advance for your support.      Podcast and show note production by Nives Kurjak. Click here to get 10% off your podcast production for life.  

  Michael Neeley is an authority strategist, business mentor and podcasting veteran. Along with hosting many podcasts, Michael is a writer, a motivational speaker, a personal development coach, and the creator of the transformational program The Art of Forgetting.    In today’s conversation, Michael and I discuss the ins and outs of starting a podcast in 2020 from tax write offs to gaining tremendous traction relatively quickly. If you’re thinking about starting a podcast, then grab a pen and paper and take some notes.   In this broadcast, Michael and I talk about:   How have podcasts changed from 2003-2020 Why 2020 is the perfect year to start a podcast Clever ways to set the initial focus of your podcast The best way to plan your podcast episodes in advance Michael’s top recommendations regarding podcast sponsorships and advertising How to make money from your podcast The low down on tax write offs for podcasters Embracing evergreen content rather than hot button content Michael’s traction boosting podcast “growth hacks” Talking Tech - What you need to know about production, software, hardware, and hosting platforms   How to Connect with Michael:   www.michaelneeley.com THE SIMPLE 5-STEP PROCESS TO LAUNCH A ROCKIN’ PODCAST Facebook: @ArtOfForgetting Twitter: @michaelkneeley   Get the Latest Broadcasts of In The Trenches on Your Favorite Podcast Platform:   Subscribe to In The Trenches on iTunes   Listen to In The Trenches on Spotify   Get your weekly dose of In The Trenches on Google Play     How You Can Support In The Trenches   Did you enjoy today's broadcast of In The Trenches? Please click here to leave an honest rating and review on iTunes. Your review helps me spread the word of this podcast, which allows me to line up amazing guests and continue to produce this podcast ad-free. Thanks so much in advance for your support.      Podcast and show note production by Nives Kurjak. Click here to get 10% off your podcast production for life.  

  David McKnight is the founder of McKnight Image Lab and the author of The Zen Executive Presence. He is an image consultant and professional coach who specializes in helping ambitious and busy professionals craft and leverage their personal image and brand to generate wealth, success and confidence.   In today’s broadcast, David and I discuss where style and leadership intersect and how to leverage your appearance and presence to get promotions, grow your business, and be more confident in social settings.   In this broadcast, David and I talk about:   David’s incredible journey from stylist to consultant Using your appearance to differentiate yourself from the competition The importance of using your image and style intentionally to signal confidence, credibility and capability The four aspects of your clothing that you need to be aware of What is the most powerful item you can have in your wardrobe Understanding and implementing David’s “Triangle of Power” David’s explanation of the four pillars of Executive Presence Why you need to be aware of others perceptions of you David’s best tips on how to exude confidence while on video or audio calls The one item you should invest in for high-quality video calls What is the fastest and easiest way to establish a personal brand   How to Connect with David:   www.mcknightimagelab.com The Zen Executive Presence Instagram Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Get David’s free book Leading With Style   Get the Latest Broadcasts of In The Trenches on Your Favorite Podcast Platform:   Subscribe to In The Trenches on iTunes   Listen to In The Trenches on Spotify   Get your weekly dose of In The Trenches on Google Play     How You Can Support In The Trenches   Did you enjoy today's broadcast of In The Trenches? Please click here to leave an honest rating and review on iTunes. Your review helps me spread the word of this podcast, which allows me to line up amazing guests and continue to produce this podcast ad-free. Thanks so much in advance for your support.      Podcast and show note production by Nives Kurjak. Click here to get 10% off your podcast production for life.  

  Daniel Scrivner is the CEO of Flow, which is a project management software. Previously he was the Head of Design at Digit and Square. He's worked for some of the most respected brands in the world including Apple, Nike, Disney, and Target.   In today’s broadcast, Daniel and I discuss how someone who worked at Apple and Square was able to take his accrued knowledge into different spaces and into his own company. We dive into many topics ranging from design to creative thinking in general.     In this broadcast, Daniel and I talk about:   The thing that sparked Daniel’s love for design Daniel’s take on the idea of a “silver bullet” to success Why you need to put in reps to establish soft skills of business and design How Daniel navigated unexpected career paths and the fear of failure The simple reason why Daniel feels uncomfortable when comfortable How Daniel still uses insights he gained from working at Apple and Square in his business Daniel’s creative process of “wide-open exploration” when starting a project The importance of separating user feedback from the creative process   How to Connect with Daniel:   getflow.com daniel@getflow.com   Get the Latest Broadcasts of In The Trenches on Your Favorite Podcast Platform:   Subscribe to In The Trenches on iTunes   Listen to In The Trenches on Spotify   Get your weekly dose of In The Trenches on Google Play     How You Can Support In The Trenches   Did you enjoy today's broadcast of In The Trenches? Please click here to leave an honest rating and review on iTunes. Your review helps me spread the word of this podcast, which allows me to line up amazing guests and continue to produce this podcast ad-free. Thanks so much in advance for your support.      Podcast and show note production by Nives Kurjak. Click here to get 10% off your podcast production for life.  

  Nathan Hirsch is a serial entrepreneur and expert in remote hiring and e-commerce. He is the founder and CEO of FreeeUp.com and the co-founder and COO of Portlight. Nathan is an expert at building efficient systems and processes, sales strategies, and business management.    In today’s broadcast, Nathan Hirsch takes us behind-the-scenes of his acquisition and investment journey and he shares his bootstrap strategies to grow his business into a multimillion-dollar business in a little less than 4 years.    In this broadcast, Nathan and I talk about:   How Nathan began his entrepreneurial journey using the Amazon Marketplace Behind the scenes of Nathan’s acquisition journey How Nathan figured out what to prioritize in his business Where did Nathan know to put his effort when it came to software Nathan’s strategies to get his business “sales” ready The best rules of thumb when it comes to hiring developers How you can make your business a business that someone wants to buy The top 2 things Nathan had to invest in prior to the sale of his business How Nathan made the decision to sell his business to the person who bought it   How to Connect with Nathan:   freeeup.com outsourceschool.com facebook.com/freeeupmarketplace linkedin.com/in/nathanhirsch   Get the Latest Broadcasts of In The Trenches on Your Favorite Podcast Platform:   Subscribe to In The Trenches on iTunes   Listen to In The Trenches on Spotify   Get your weekly dose of In The Trenches on Google Play     How You Can Support In The Trenches   Did you enjoy today's broadcast of In The Trenches? Please click here to leave an honest rating and review on iTunes. Your review helps me spread the word of this podcast, which allows me to line up amazing guests and continue to produce this podcast ad-free. Thanks so much in advance for your support.      Podcast and show note production by Nives Kurjak. Click here to get 10% off your podcast production for life.  

  Jovana Miljanovic was born and raised in Serbia. She built a brick and mortar style business where she ran in-person workshops from scratch and then pivoted to helping people around the world through her virtual education platform. Now Jovana helps women start and scale their businesses online, and she hosts her own podcast, the Jovana Miljanovic Podcast on YouTube.   In this broadcast, Jovana Miljanovic walks us through how to build your business in 2020 from scratch, regardless of the constantly shifting economic and social landscape that we’re all in. She also shares why you need to prioritize doing things that make you uncomfortable (in business and life) and how to stick to your goals for an extended period of time.   In this broadcast, Jovana and I talk about:   Behind the scenes of Jovana’s entrepreneurial journey The positives of bartering your services during the start-up phase to kick start your business How Jovana realized she needed to support women in business The reason why Jovana shifted to a predominantly online business Why Jovana feels like everything is an experiment when it comes to business and life How you can stop relying on your past success and start getting uncomfortable Jovana’s go-to structure for getting uncomfortable The best length of time for goal setting Why Jovana loves failing fast and making mistakes in her business How Jovana recommends remaining authentic on social media   How to Connect with Jovana:   jovanamiljanovic.us Jovana Miljanovic Podcast LinkedIn Instagram Facebook   Get the Latest Broadcasts of In The Trenches on Your Favorite Podcast Platform:   Subscribe to In The Trenches on iTunes   Listen to In The Trenches on Spotify   Get your weekly dose of In The Trenches on Google Play     How You Can Support In The Trenches   Did you enjoy today's broadcast of In The Trenches? Please click here to leave an honest rating and review on iTunes. Your review helps me spread the word of this podcast, which allows me to line up amazing guests and continue to produce this podcast ad-free. Thanks so much in advance for your support.      Podcast and show note production by Nives Kurjak. Click here to get 10% off your podcast production for life.  

  Danny Iny is the founder and CEO of Mirasee and best-selling author of nine published books, including Leveraged Learning, Teach and Grow Rich, The Audience Revolution, and Engagement from Scratch!. He is the host of the Business Reimagined Podcast and is also the creator of the acclaimed Course Builder’s Laboratory training program, which provides all the instruction, coaching, and support that entrepreneurs need to build and launch a profitable online course.   I’ve had Danny on the podcast before where he shared how to grow a 7-figure business. If you want to hear his backstory, go ahead and give episode 44 a listen.   In today’s broadcast, Danny Iny walks us through the ins and outs of e-learning (what it is, how it works, how the e-learning industry is growing and changing, and how to take advantage of it by creating and selling courses online).   In this broadcast, Danny and I talk about:   The low-down on eCourses from 2015 to 2020 Danny’s top 2 tips so you can start making a meaningful amount of passive income How to figure out what you can spend to acquire a customer Understanding the difference between “edutainment” and “education” Why Danny believes you need to start with the transformation your eCourse provides before anything else How to offer community and support as an add-on to your eCourse Danny’s strategy behind choosing your ideal topic for your eCourse The 3 must know ingredients to a business that works well with online courses   How to Connect with Danny:   mirasee.com @DannyIny Teach Your Gift    Get the Latest Broadcasts of In The Trenches on Your Favorite Podcast Platform:   Subscribe to In The Trenches on iTunes   Listen to In The Trenches on Spotify   Get your weekly dose of In The Trenches on Google Play     How You Can Support In The Trenches   Did you enjoy today's broadcast of In The Trenches? Please click here to leave an honest rating and review on iTunes. Your review helps me spread the word of this podcast, which allows me to line up amazing guests and continue to produce this podcast ad-free. Thanks so much in advance for your support.      Podcast and show note production by Nives Kurjak. Click here to get 10% off your podcast production for life.  

  David Hassel is a serial entrepreneur and the co-founder and CEO of 15Five, which is what he views as his opportunity to help organizations and individuals reach their potential and become ‘organizationally-actualized’. He and his team have developed industry leading people management software to drive high performance for over 2000 customers via a suite of features, including weekly check ins.   I brought David onto the podcast today to talk about how to transition into remote work and optimize the online working space. This conversation is geared towards leaders, managers and owners who now find themselves being thrust into managing a remote team. We also talk about ways that you can optimize your remote work, even if your team is distributed across the world.   In this broadcast, David and I talk about:   How did David get to into the entrepreneurial lifestyle Was David’s company always focused on remote work What should you implement to make remote work effective How can you provide a sense of connection and belonging while working remotely What tools can you use to keep your team in contact What are the upsides when you apply remote work correctly Can remote work make your business more scalable Why you need a schedule with your remote workers The importance of doing emotional checking on your team calls Does David have set hours for his remote team How to care about high performance and culture simultaneously in your business What is 15Five and how can it help your business   How to Connect with David:   15five.com @dhassell   Get the Latest Broadcasts of In The Trenches on Your Favorite Podcast Platform:   Subscribe to In The Trenches on iTunes   Listen to In The Trenches on Spotify   Get your weekly dose of In The Trenches on Google Play     How You Can Support In The Trenches   Did you enjoy today's broadcast of In The Trenches? Please click here to leave an honest rating and review on iTunes. Your review helps me spread the word of this podcast, which allows me to line up amazing guests and continue to produce this podcast ad-free. Thanks so much in advance for your support.     Podcast and show note production by Nives Kurjak. Click here to get 10% off your podcast production for life.  

  Edward Kay works with associations who are frustrated by the inability to get digital and web technology working for them. Clients come to him who are struggling with terrible website-to-membership-database integration, lack of member self-service and important data isolated in unconnected systems. Edward is passionate about making tech deliver for membership organisations and associations.   On this week’s episode, I sit down with Edward Kay, a membership technology specialist and the founder of Tall Projects, which provides digital services for membership organizations and associations. I brought Edward on the call to talk about his journey into freelancing; specifically how he keeps his operation lean, how he moved away from trading time for money to a recurring revenue subscription model, and why it’s so important to niche down and then maybe niche down some more.   My big takeaway from this episode is that the crux of success is discipline work. And that it’s completely possible to land great clients and organize your business and lifestyle so that it serves you and not the other way around.   In this broadcast, Edward and I talk about:   What is Edward’s business journey How did Edward find his niche Why you need to keep your eyes and ears open for opportunities How did Edward move to a recurring revenue model Why you need to experiment with your pricing on different clients How can you ensure a project isn’t taking more time than you first quoted Why is it important to niche down The importance of expectations around retainers Is a retainer based system the best option for freelancers How can you be more disciplined in your business to make the most of your time What are Edward’s best practices to keep clients for the long haul Why you need to invest in a team for the long-term   How to Connect with Edward:   www.tallprojects.co.uk   Get the Latest Broadcasts of In The Trenches on Your Favorite Podcast Platform:   Subscribe to In The Trenches on iTunes   Listen to In The Trenches on Spotify   Get your weekly dose of In The Trenches on Google Play     How You Can Support In The Trenches   Did you enjoy today's broadcast of In The Trenches? Please click here to leave an honest rating and review on iTunes. Your review helps me spread the word of this podcast, which allows me to line up amazing guests and continue to produce this podcast ad-free. Thanks so much in advance for your support.     Podcast and show note production by Nives Kurjak. Click here to get 10% off your podcast production for life.  

  Samir Patel is the founder and managing partner of Trophy Point Investment Group. He bought his first hotel when he was a junior in college. Samir has successfully served as an officer in the US Army serving as the chief operations officer of a 1,000 person organization. He has engaged in real estate transactions/investments, acquisition of businesses and creating businesses for 10 years.   In today’s episode, Samir and I discuss how to mitigate downside risk by spotting financial liabilities and closing them up and more broadly, handling the chaos.    In this broadcast, Samir and I talk about:   How does Samir turn companies around Where did Samir’s entrepreneurship journey begin How did Westpoint shape Samir’s business mindset How was Samir able to handle his side hustles while on active duty What caused Samir to pursue business ventures full-time What it’s like to turn around after bankruptcy The importance of honesty and knowing when to let people go The importance of communication and asking questions regarding loans What does Samir look for in terms of chaos and uncertainty What should brick and mortar stores prioritize  How the complexities of loans can be managed effectively    How to Connect with Samir:   Email - samir@trophypointinvestment.com LinkedIn Call - (470) 236-2489   Get the Latest Broadcasts of In The Trenches on Your Favorite Podcast Platform:   Subscribe to In The Trenches on iTunes   Listen to In The Trenches on Spotify   Get your weekly dose of In The Trenches on Google Play     How You Can Support In The Trenches   Did you enjoy today's broadcast of In The Trenches? Please click here to leave an honest rating and review on iTunes. Your review helps me spread the word of this podcast, which allows me to line up amazing guests and continue to produce this podcast ad-free. Thanks so much in advance for your support.    Podcast and show note production by Nives Kurjak. Click here to get 10% off your podcast production for life.  

Gaetano Caruana is the founder of EarlyParrot, which is a referral marketing software that has helped hundreds of businesses generate high-quality leads through referrals. EarlyParrot was built out of a need and soon evolved into a flexible platform that can be plugged into any sales firm.   Today, I sit down with Gaetano Caruana to discuss how to grow your email list and scale your revenue with an automated referral marketing system. I know that sounds like a lot, but it’s truly not that complex. We’ll also dive into how easy it is, how profitable it can be, how a referral program can increase your brand awareness and customer loyalty, why referrals are typically higher quality leads and why that matters to you and your business. Gaetano will also share how referral programs lower the cost of acquisition and so much more.   My big takeaway for this episode is for you to listen to the part where we talk about exclusivity. Now, I’m just going to leave it at that. You’ll have to listen to the rest of the episode to know what I’m talking about!   In this broadcast, Gaetano and I talk about:   What led Gaetano to founding EarlyParrot What are the steps it takes to incentivize word of mouth marketing Which incentives should you use when it comes to list building v.s. e-commerce Why you need to be smart and clear with the rewards you’re giving away What is a double-sided campaign and is it hard to implement How much does EarlyParrot usually charge to ensure everything is integrated properly Why you don’t have to give something expensive to get someone engaged Is there anything someone should be cognizant of when choosing your incentives How to promote your referral program for the best results What are some ways to lower the cost of acquisition In what ways is affiliate marketing different than referral marketing How difficult is it to integrate a referral marketing campaign into specific software How does having a referral program in place allow you to keep growing bigger and bigger What content can you use to promote your referral program How to plan for negativity or backlash What ways can you market your referral program without being spammy   How to Connect with Gaetano:   earlyparrot.com LinkedIn    Get the Latest Broadcasts of In The Trenches on Your Favorite Podcast Platform:   Subscribe to In The Trenches on iTunes   Listen to In The Trenches on Spotify   Get your weekly dose of In The Trenches on Google Play     How You Can Support In The Trenches   Did you enjoy today's broadcast of In The Trenches? Please click here to leave an honest rating and review on iTunes. Your review helps me spread the word of this podcast, which allows me to line up amazing guests and continue to produce this podcast ad-free. Thanks so much in advance for your support.      Podcast and show note production by Nives Kurjak. Click here to get 10% off your podcast production for life.  

Jennifer Lehner is a Digital Marketing Strategist and Adjunct Professor of Digital Marketing at Cleveland State University. She shows entrepreneurs how to build an audience and monetize their expertise online using social media and digital tools. She creates online courses and trainings, while also speaking at businesses and universities about the fast-changing world of digital media and how important it is to know exactly how to use these new tools to differentiate yourself, to tell your story and take control of your future.   On this week’s episode, I’m sitting down with Jennifer Lerner to discuss how to start and grow a profitable recurring revenue membership site. But that’s not all we discuss! We also dive deep into membership sites, including why membership sites are all about the experience, how to grow a membership site that requires minimal content creation, what content to restrict and what to share, how to use events to reward existing members while generating new paid membership signups and so much more.   Typically I would highlight one of my biggest takeaways for the episode, but it’s kind of hard to do today because the whole episode is very solid! So if you want to launch, grow or run a recurring revenue membership site, then I think all the different components of what you’ll hear today will be worthwhile to you.   In this broadcast, Jen and I talk about:   What led Jen to creating her first membership site What was Jen’s original strategy when deciding what content to put together for her membership When did Jen start blogging and creating content How did Jen spin her lack of content into a positive How to know if you should have a monthly or yearly membership Should entrepreneurs gravitate towards creating experience and if so, how can they do this How can you generate new leads for your membership Why does Jen never do free trials Could someone run a membership site as a side hustle How can you ensure your other products aren’t being cannibalized by your membership Why you need to make sure your membership is promoted everywhere   How to Connect with Jen:   jenlehner.com LinkedIn  Twitter  Instagram  YouTube   Get the Latest Broadcasts of In The Trenches on Your Favorite Podcast Platform:   Subscribe to In The Trenches on iTunes   Listen to In The Trenches on Spotify   Get your weekly dose of In The Trenches on Google Play     How You Can Support In The Trenches   Did you enjoy today's broadcast of In The Trenches? Please click here to leave an honest rating and review on iTunes. Your review helps me spread the word of this podcast, which allows me to line up amazing guests and continue to produce this podcast ad-free. Thanks so much in advance for your support.      Podcast and show note production by Nives Kurjak. Click here to get 10% off your podcast production for life.  

Jonathan Keyser is the founder and CEO of Keyser. By using his own selfless service model, Jonathan was able to turn Keyser into the largest tenant rep commercial real estate firm in Arizona in just six years.    The rapid growth and continued success of Keyser inspired Jonathan to share, teach and train the next generation of selfless leaders using his model, hence the Keyser Institute was born. To top it all off, Jonathan is also a Wall Street Journal Best-Selling Author of You Don’t Have to Be Ruthless to Win, a book that chronicles Jonathan’s journey from self-described ruthlessness to selfless service, including why and how he did it and how you can do the same.   In today’s conversation, we talk about why you don’t have to be ruthless to win a business, or life, and that there’s another way to do things. We also talk about why you must align your business model with your values and how to inculcate this in your team.   In this broadcast, Jonathan and I talk about:   How did Jonathan’s journey begin  What does the term “ruthlessness” mean to Jonathan How did Jonathan transform himself from being ruthless to more selfless In what way does Jonathan approach selfless service How to implement selfless service into your business The importance of self-reinvention to grow your business What are the three levels of self-reinvention  How to structure a culture of selfless service around reinvention How to incorporate Jonathan’s culture of service model in a team setting In what ways does Jonathan’s service model require a business model shift   How to Connect with Jonathan:   ruthlessbook.com keyserinstitute.com jonathankeyser.com   Get the Latest Broadcasts of In The Trenches on Your Favorite Podcast Platform:   Subscribe to In The Trenches on iTunes   Listen to In The Trenches on Spotify   Get your weekly dose of In The Trenches on Google Play     How You Can Support In The Trenches   Did you enjoy today's broadcast of In The Trenches? Please click here to leave an honest rating and review on iTunes. Your review helps me spread the word of this podcast, which allows me to line up amazing guests and continue to produce this podcast ad-free. Thanks so much in advance for your support.     Podcast and show note production by Nives Kurjak. Click here to get 10% off your podcast production for life.  

John Jantsch is a marketing consultant, speaker, and author of Duct Tape Marketing, The Referral Engine, Duct Tape Selling, The Commitment Engine, and SEO for Growth. His newest work, The Self-reliant Entrepreneur 366 Daily Meditations to Feed Your Soul and Grow Your Business, taps into the wisdom of 19th-century transcendentalist literature and the author’s own 30 year entrepreneurial journey to challenge today’s entrepreneurs to remain fiercely self-reliant while chasing their own version of success.   My big takeaway from today’s conversation is that there are two major challenges that every entrepreneur will run into - two major roadblocks. The first challenge is distraction, losing time, not making useful gains because you’re getting sidetracked. It’s the result of a lack of focus, but ultimately, distraction is really crippling because there’s only so many days in a row that you can not make progress before you have to throw in the towel for anything you’re doing. So remember, that distraction will keep you from making those daily gains. The second thing that John shares is one of the biggest challenges or failure points for entrepreneurs and creatives is comparison, and that’s getting caught up in what other people are doing. So the reason comparison is so deadly is because at best, it’s a distraction.   In this broadcast, John and I talk about:   How did John enter the marketing space What are the greatest frustrations in marketing Why did John decide to write his first book What caused John to shift to self-reliant entrepreneurship marketing Why did John choose a workbook style format for his book How-to books and the lack of “why” How did mid-19th century writings influence John’s book In what ways did John approach his book in a “morning routine” fashion What is the most appropriate level of entrepreneurship is John’s book most helpful What are the common challenges that entrepreneurs face How can you use mindfulness to increase productivity What are John’s thoughts on goals and setting your aim as an entrepreneur What are some examples of hacks or tricks to stay focused  What are John’s closing thoughts for 2020   How to Connect with John:   Check out John’s book at selfreliantentrepreneur.com ducttapemarketing.com   Get the Latest Broadcasts of In The Trenches on Your Favorite Podcast Platform:   Subscribe to In The Trenches on iTunes   Listen to In The Trenches on Spotify   Get your weekly dose of In The Trenches on Google Play     How You Can Support In The Trenches   Did you enjoy today's broadcast of In The Trenches? Please click here to leave an honest rating and review on iTunes. Your review helps me spread the word of this podcast, which allows me to line up amazing guests and continue to produce this podcast ad-free. Thanks so much in advance for your support.     This podcast and show note production by Nives Kurjak. Click here to get 10% off (for life)  

Jonathan Stark is a former software developer who is on a mission to rid the world of hourly billing. He is the author of Hourly Billing is Nuts, the host of Ditching Hourly and writes a daily newsletter on pricing for independent professionals.   During today’s conversation, Jonathan breaks down the idea of ditching hourly rates and why you should think about shifting more towards the less limiting avenue of value pricing. My big takeaway from today’s conversation was that if you are selling services professionally, hourly billing is probably not the way to go. It limits your upside profit potential and it can also harm relationships with longer term clients. In this broadcast, Jonathan and I talk about:   How did Jonathan venture into this space What are the issues with hourly billing In what ways could hourly billing seem like a trap How does switching from hourly billing increase efficiency What are the benefits of selling outcomes vs selling time/hours What are the issues of trust with buyer and seller in relation to time and cost What is the importance of discussing desired outcomes with buyer to minimize wasted time What are the negatives of a buyer hiring someone on a project basis  The benefits of offering a guarantee How does value pricing work What is the difference between value pricing and tiered pricing  How to create incremental options What is the process when booking a client Why does Jonathan call the meetings an “interview”   How to Connect with Jonathan:   valuepricingbootcamp.com   Get the Latest Broadcasts of In The Trenches on Your Favorite Podcast Platform:   Subscribe to In The Trenches on iTunes   Listen to In The Trenches on Spotify   Get your weekly dose of In The Trenches on Google Play     How You Can Support In The Trenches   Did you enjoy today's broadcast of In The Trenches? Please click here to leave an honest rating and review on iTunes. Your review helps me spread the word of this podcast, which allows me to line up amazing guests and continue to produce this podcast ad-free. Thanks so much in advance for your support.  

Nir Eyal is the bestselling author of "Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products" and "Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life." He has taught at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and Hasso Plattner Institute of Design. His writing on technology, psychology, and business, appears in the Harvard Business Review, The Atlantic, TechCrunch, and Psychology Today.   During this conversation, we talk about Nir’s most recent book Indistractable. We also focus on a few of the major areas of the book, like internal and external triggers that cause distractions. My big takeaway from this conversation is that there will always be distractions. The only thing we can do is be aware of our distractions because they will happen. They will occur. You can never rid yourself entirely of distractions, but there are ways that you can organize your environment so that you can be more effective in life.   In this broadcast, Nir and I talk about:   Why did Nir write Indistractable How did Nir research his book and the techniques he mention Why is tech not the problem What are the fundamental principles of distraction What is the opposite of distraction How is time management also pain management Why do we get distracted by something What can you do to master your internal triggers What is the difference between “blamers” and “shamers” How can you get curious about your distractions and discomfort Why does Nir give himself the time to satisfy his distractions How is flow not the answer to everything What technique should you use for the tasks you don’t want to do What are the four big strategies to becoming indistractable What is the antidote to impulsiveness Why you need to plan your time using time boxing   How to Connect with Nir:   nirandfar.com Twitter  Book Schedule Maker  Distraction Guide Habits VS Routines   Get the Latest Broadcasts of In The Trenches on Your Favorite Podcast Platform:   Subscribe to In The Trenches on iTunes   Listen to In The Trenches on Spotify   Get your weekly dose of In The Trenches on Google Play     How You Can Support In The Trenches   Did you enjoy today's broadcast of In The Trenches? Please click here to leave an honest rating and review on iTunes. Your review helps me spread the word of this podcast, which allows me to line up amazing guests and continue to produce this podcast ad-free. Thanks so much in advance for your support.  

Jake Jorgovan is the founder of Lead Cookie, Outbound Creative, and Content Allies. Prior to starting Outbound Creative, Jake ran business development for a video production agency and won the business of multiple Fortune 500 clients and A-List touring artists. Since leaving that agency, he has been working with other companies to help them win their dream clients. Jake doesn’t have an office and he doesn’t meet his clients in person. Instead, he works remotely and travels all over the world.   Today I sit down with Jake to talk about his 4-hour workweek. We took this angle because of how interesting it is to be able to organize your business and your work into your life in only four hours. My big takeaway from this chat is that no matter where you’re at, no matter how tough it's been, no matter how many hits you've taken, no matter if you're in the trenches and you're still slogging it out, or if you're trying to hustle through it - whatever your goal is, you can definitely achieve it.   In this broadcast, Jake and I talk about:   What is Lead Cookie, how does it work and what is it’s genesis What were the critical things Jake did when getting his business started How did Jake try and fail for thirteen years before achieving success Why is it helpful to have someone level you up and steer you in the right direction When and who did Jake first hire to help within his business What did Jake pull the trigger on too soon when starting his business What was the before and after process of handing off his sales department Why you need to prepare for mistakes along the entrepreneurial journey How did Jake know it was okay to step away from his business to only work 4 hours a week What are some of the other avenues of growth he can see with his business Why does Jake want to diversify his risk Where is Jake at with his newest venture Content Allies Is there someone that runs everything in Jake’s business where he only works 4 hours per week Who manages Jake’s sales process and where is their time and energy focused   How to Connect with Jake:   jake-jorgovan.com Facebook LinkedIn   Get the Latest Broadcasts of In The Trenches on Your Favorite Podcast Platform:   Subscribe to In The Trenches on iTunes   Listen to In The Trenches on Spotify   Get your weekly dose of In The Trenches on Google Play     How You Can Support In The Trenches   Did you enjoy today's broadcast of In The Trenches? Please click here to leave an honest rating and review on iTunes. Your review helps me spread the word of this podcast, which allows me to line up amazing guests and continue to produce this podcast ad-free. Thanks so much in advance for your support.  

Rick Cesari has been a pioneer in the Direct Response advertising industry since the early 90s, and his Brand Response strategies have helped build many iconic brands that you have probably heard of (like Sonicare, The George Foreman Grill, and OxiClean). He is the author of "Buy Now, Creative Marketing that gets Customers to Respond to You”, "Your Marketing and Building Billion Dollar Brands”, and “Video Persuasion”.    Rick continues to be on the cutting edge of new Brand Response advertising campaigns, creating and implementing innovative cross-platform strategies with digital and mobile ventures for his clients and is currently focusing on video marketing as a leading media direct response platform for increasing product sales.   During today’s episode Rick and I talk about video marketing infomercials and video persuasion. More specifically, we dive into how you can use video persuasion among your social media channels in order to boost your marketing.    My big takeaway from this episode is that you need to start getting more video testimonials from your customers and clients.   In this broadcast, Rick and I talk about:   How did Rick get into the career that he’s doing today Why did Rick write his book “Video Persuasion” What was Rick’s process when he did his first infomercial Where did Rick’s inspiration come from when he started these videos What is the secret formula Rick uses in videos to make them more compelling What are “factoids” and how do they create interest What is “social proof” and why is it important Do videos translate into other marketing channels Is storytelling a big part of video persuasion What can you look forward to in Rick’s latest book “Video Persuasion” What information does Rick need to know before he writes an infomercial Why your customers are the best source of information you can have How to get a great testimonial from your customers The importance of an origin story for your business Why you need a call to action in every video How to create good video from a technical standpoint Why you should use video in your email marketing   How to Connect with Rick:   rickcesari.com LinkedIn Facebook Twitter YouTube   Get the Latest Broadcasts of In The Trenches on Your Favorite Podcast Platform:   Subscribe to In The Trenches on iTunes   Listen to In The Trenches on Spotify   Get your weekly dose of In The Trenches on Google Play     How You Can Support In The Trenches   Did you enjoy today's broadcast of In The Trenches? Please click here to leave an honest rating and review on iTunes. Your review helps me spread the word of this podcast, which allows me to line up amazing guests and continue to produce this podcast ad-free. Thanks so much in advance for your support.  

Rob Braiman is personally responsible for the development and growth of three directly owned and successful start-ups, he brings a passion for the small to mid-market segment of business. He has spent 15 years working directly with business owners to improve strategic planning, operations, growth, and business development.    During today’s conversation, I sit down with Rob Braiman, who’s the Principal and Managing Member at Cogent Analytics. I brought Rob on the call today to talk about the typical problems that small business owners and entrepreneurs face today and how to get through them. This conversation does get somewhat analytical and academia focused, but it will still be incredibly useful for small business owners.    You’ll leave this conversation thinking about how you can improve some of your bottom line metrics and numbers that you don’t necessarily think about when bootstrapping. My big takeaway from this episode is that the world of KPI metrics can be quite interesting when you know what you’re tracking and how to pay yourself first. In this broadcast, Rob and I talk about:   Where did Rob’s entrepreneurial journey begin What was Rob’s time like with the fifth group How did Rob go from the military to working with analytics What background do small business owners typically come from What are the four pillars that analyzes your current state of business What are the types and sizes of small businesses Rob typically works with How does Rob take a holistic view to his clients Does Rob typically see the same mistakes made by small business owners Why you need to look at your financials Where should you start when looking at KPIs How can you monitor your business development What is a good break even strategy Why most business owners do not come from an academic background In what way does under-performing give away your money Why you need to feel comfortable talking about your profits without concerning yourself with “greed” How is Cogent Analytics an information first business   How to Connect with Rob:   cogentanalytics.com Take Cogent Analytics Entrepreneur Quiz to learn what opportunities you have for better profits LinkedIn Twitter   Get the Latest Broadcasts of In The Trenches on Your Favorite Podcast Platform:   Subscribe to In The Trenches on iTunes   Listen to In The Trenches on Spotify   Get your weekly dose of In The Trenches on Google Play     How You Can Support In The Trenches   Did you enjoy today's broadcast of In The Trenches? Please click here to leave an honest rating and review on iTunes. Your review helps me spread the word of this podcast, which allows me to line up amazing guests and continue to produce this podcast ad-free. Thanks so much in advance for your support.  

Alinka Rutkowska is a USA Today best-selling author, a Wall Street Journal best-selling author and a top 100 Amazon best-selling author in business and money. She’s sold more than 100,000 copies of her books and her book creation process has been showcased in Entrepreneur magazine. She’s also the CEO of Leaders Press, where she turns entrepreneurs' book ideas into best-selling books. She has launched all its titles to best-seller status.   On today’s episode, I sit down with Alinka Rutkowska to talk about two things. The first is how to outsource your book and what that process looks like. The second is Alinka’s best tips on how to hit the Wall Street Journal bestseller list.   During this conversation, we kind of break down her strategy for those two things with what worked and what didn’t. She will be sharing some practical and hopefully pragmatic tips on what you could do to implement for your own launch, regardless if you are shooting for a best seller list.   In this broadcast, Alinka and I talk about:   When and how did Alinka enter the self-publishing space What inspired Alinka to publish her first book What are the potential benefits of self-publishing a book What are the opportunities available for those aiming to self-publish How have the self-publishing obstacles changed since 2010 What are the pros and cons of using books as a business tool versus earning royalties  What do people need to be weary of when outsourcing a book to another writer How can you avoid issues with the writing not sounding authentic (if ghostwritten) How to maintain quality writing if outsourced to a ghostwriter What is the secret to earning a place on the New York Times Bestseller list (if self-publishing) What is the importance of pre-orders and partnerships to boost overall sales Where does Alinka view the future of self-publishing heading    How to Connect with Alinka:   leaderspress.com   Get the Latest Broadcasts of In The Trenches on Your Favorite Podcast Platform:     Subscribe to In The Trenches on iTunes   Listen to In The Trenches on Spotify   Get your weekly dose of In The Trenches on Google Play     How You Can Support In The Trenches   Did you enjoy today's broadcast of In The Trenches? Please click here to leave an honest rating and review on iTunes. Your review helps me spread the word of this podcast, which allows me to line up amazing guests and continue to produce this podcast ad-free. Thanks so much in advance for your support.  

Hussain Bandukwala is the Chief PMO Coach and Adviser at Parwaaz Consulting, which provides consulting, coaching, support and resources to facilitate the success of Project Management Office (PMO) leaders. He is a seasoned program/project manager who has worked with C-level executives and garnered recognition for being a versatile leader with a focus on getting things done. Hussain speaks at PMI events and has authored several PMO relevant publications.   Today, I sit down with Hussain to talk about project management. Specifically, how do we get things done quickly and efficiently and do it in as organized a fashion as possible so that we can chip on time and profitably. This episode is going to discuss how you can get things done better, faster and ultimately reclaim more of your time. My biggest takeaway from this episode is that what we are doing is worth our time and energy only when we’re getting things done efficiently and effectively.   In this broadcast, Hussain and I talk about:   What led Hussain to what he’s doing today What exactly is project management How should we think of project management as an overview Why is project management not an administrative task Is it true that some people do not need a framework to get something done How do you know if you need project management as a solopreneur or small business What are the phases included in project management What is the key to project management success What are some examples of project management software How to use a Gantt Chart for project management at a glance What you definitely need if you’re trying to run a business or grow an operation Why is consistency key when it comes to project management How you can work backwards to see results faster   How to Connect with Hussain:   parwaazcc.com LinkedIn   Get the Latest Broadcasts of In The Trenches on Your Favorite Podcast Platform:     Subscribe to In The Trenches on iTunes   Listen to In The Trenches on Spotify   Get your weekly dose of In The Trenches on Google Play     How You Can Support In The Trenches   Did you enjoy today's broadcast of In The Trenches? Please click here to leave an honest rating and review on iTunes. Your review helps me spread the word of this podcast, which allows me to line up amazing guests and continue to produce this podcast ad-free. Thanks so much in advance for your support.  

Andrew Tarvin is the creator of Humor That Works. Humor That Works has helped over 25,000 people, from all around the world and within more than 250 different organizations, use humor to achieve success and happiness in the workplace.   As an entrepreneur, and as a marketer, I like to use humor to capture attention, get people entertained, and to have more fun with the content I am producing. In today’s conversation, Andrew and I dive into the engineering of humor. We spent some time discussing whether or not there is a scientific or mathematical model that we can follow and what constitutes as good humor or bad humor in the workplace.   My big takeaway from this episode is that humor is something that can actually be engineered. There are some good techniques and tactics, and some pragmatic approaches to thinking about how to be humorous in a productive capacity, both in the workplace and on your own.   In this broadcast, Andrew and I talk about:   How did Andrew venture into his current career Why did Andrew start performing stand-up comedy How did Andrew mitigate the risk of leaving his corporate position to start his own business What is the importance of communicating in a language that potential consumers will understand What does it mean to be a Humor Engineer How is humor the 6th missing skill of work In what ways can humor be used strategically to re-energize those that are suffering burnout How can we adjust humor to fit in with today’s standards How to engineer humor in a positive, inclusive way What is the impact of improvisation on starting a conversation with your audience What is the importance of integrating humor into the workplace How you can incorporate the use of memes and gifs in the workplace Why you should aim to make people laugh on occasion What is the value behind creating a framework for humor How to deal with people that bring political humor or offensive humor into the workplace   How to Connect with Andrew:   www.humorthatworks.com  Twitter Facebook Instagram YouTube LinkedIn   Get the Latest Broadcasts of In The Trenches on Your Favorite Podcast Platform:     Subscribe to In The Trenches on iTunes   Listen to In The Trenches on Spotify   Get your weekly dose of In The Trenches on Google Play     How You Can Support In The Trenches   Did you enjoy today's broadcast of In The Trenches? Please click here to leave an honest rating and review on iTunes. Your review helps me spread the word of this podcast, which allows me to line up amazing guests and continue to produce this podcast ad-free. Thanks so much in advance for your support.  

Jill Stanton is the co-creator of Screw the Nine to Five with her husband, Josh Stanton. Jill and her husband are obsessive world travellers (with their little guy, Kai), say-it-like-it-is podcast hosts, lovers of quality of red wine and hell-bent on helping transform unsatisfied employees into dangerously-successful entrepreneurs!   In today’s conversation, we discuss how Jill has grown her blog to multiple six figures by selling affiliate products. We also dive into what makes a successful affiliate marketing program, how to niche down effectively and what is working and what’s not working in the digital marketing space right now.   My big takeaway from this episode is that affiliate income can be simple, easy and fun to earn, and it’s particularly suited for those people who want to focus on content creation and teaching first. If you’re already creating content and teaching and sharing great information, then you should also be leveraging affiliate or affiliate products. Because if you’re not, then you’re leaving money on the table.    Take some notes and consider how you might be able to implement or integrate affiliate marketing into what you’re already doing.   In this broadcast, Jill and I talk about:   How did Jill and her husband begin their blog Why should you stick to what you know first when blogging What were some of the obstacles Jill and her husband faced while establishing their platform How important are free Facebook Groups to grow your audience What is the importance of receiving feedback from your audience What are the benefits of niching down versus creating a broad platform How and why did Jill and her husband shut down their membership site What are the best strategies for those entering the affiliate marketing space Why you are leaving money on the table if you are not incorporating affiliate marketing in your business Why attention and trust are critical for those pursuing affiliate marketing How to niche down and offer services to the right audience Where does Jill view the future of Screw the Nine to Five going   How to Connect with Jill:   screwtheninetofive.com/the-screw-show/ screwtheninetofive.com   Get the Latest Broadcasts of In The Trenches on Your Favorite Podcast Platform:     Subscribe to In The Trenches on iTunes   Listen to In The Trenches on Spotify   Get your weekly dose of In The Trenches on Google Play     How You Can Support In The Trenches   Did you enjoy today's broadcast of In The Trenches? Please click here to leave an honest rating and review on iTunes. Your review helps me spread the word of this podcast, which allows me to line up amazing guests and continue to produce this podcast ad-free. Thanks so much in advance for your support.  

Steve Chou is the founder of My Wife Quit Her Job. When Steve’s wife became pregnant with their first child, she decided to quit her job to stay at home with the kids. But instead of cutting back on their lifestyle, they started an online store and made over $100K in only 12 months to replace her salary.    On today’s episode, Steve and I talk about that website, how he founded it, and how they were able to replace her income with a side hustle project within about one to two years of starting their business. Steve created a foundation in niche businesses, through traffic, lead generation, marketing and sales for his physical and digital products.   My big takeaway from today’s episode was that great results can occur by working with a chatbot through Facebook messenger. I can’t wait for you to hear Steve’s statistics to share about his experience with that feature!   In this broadcast, Steve and I talk about:   How did Steve enter the blogging space What factors attributed to the significant increases in growth for My Wife Quit Her Job How effective are affiliate offers for growth Why you should use a product or be familiar with a product before adding an affiliate to a post How did Steve’s e-commerce conference turn into a Shark Tank-style event What is working and what is not working for generating sales and traffic online The importance of using push notifications and chatbots  How to lead potential customers to opt in for your chatbot What is on the horizon for Steve’s e-commerce and blogging spaces  The importance of balancing business life and family life   How to Connect with Steve:   mywifequitherjob.com bumblebeelinens.com kidincharge.com   Get the Latest Broadcasts of In The Trenches on Your Favorite Podcast Platform:     Subscribe to In The Trenches on iTunes   Listen to In The Trenches on Spotify   Get your weekly dose of In The Trenches on Google Play     How You Can Support In The Trenches   Did you enjoy today's broadcast of In The Trenches? Please click here to leave an honest rating and review on iTunes. Your review helps me spread the word of this podcast, which allows me to line up amazing guests and continue to produce this podcast ad-free. Thanks so much in advance for your support.  

Brian Berni is a former Vatican secret archives employee and a best selling author under multiple pen names. He blogs for writers and self publishers at Authorstech and is the co-founder of BookAds, an agency that helps authors advertise their books through Amazon Marketing Services (AMS) and book club ads in 2018. Brian also hosted the first ever virtual summit for fiction writers.    I brought Brian onto the podcast today to talk about book marketing, book advertising, what’s working, what’s not, and how to make a mess work for you. In today’s conversation, I wanted Brian to share his experience from hosting his first ever virtual summit, Indie Novelist Summit for fiction writers in 2018, which helped him go from practically zero to thousands of engaged readers. Due to the success of the summit, several thousand more subscribers joined his email list and generated multiple five figures just from ticket sales of his virtual summit alone. During the campaign, I worked with Brian, which was a lot of fun because he had such a commitment to quality. And so I have kind of two big takeaways.    From today’s conversation, I had two big takeaways. The first is on the marketing front which is that Amazon is moving to a pay-to-play model, which seems to be the future of Amazon book sales. The second big takeaway is on the virtual summit front, which is that they work. If you want to know more about virtual summits, you can go to my blog.   In this broadcast, Brian and I talk about:   How did Brian venture into an online space  Why did Brian choose to engage other authors to network In what ways did Brian hone his niche around self-publishing The importance of being acquainted with Facebook, Google and Amazon ads How Brian became specialized in book ads marketing Why you should always continue experimenting and testing with ads The importance of realizing that each book marketing ad will not work for all books What are the critical components of running a paid ad campaign What were Brian’s expectations for his first virtual summit How successful was the Indie Novelist Summit in terms of growth The importance of using a survey to engage the interests of your community Where does Brian view his business ventures going in the future   How to Connect with Brian:   authorstech  bookads   Get the Latest Broadcasts of In The Trenches on Your Favorite Podcast Platform:     Subscribe to In The Trenches on iTunes   Listen to In The Trenches on Spotify   Get your weekly dose of In The Trenches on Google Play     How You Can Support In The Trenches   Did you enjoy today's broadcast of In The Trenches? Please click here to leave an honest rating and review on iTunes. Your review helps me spread the word of this podcast, which allows me to line up amazing guests and continue to produce this podcast ad-free. Thanks so much in advance for your support.  

Chad Pytel is a developer, founder and CEO of thoughtbot, a product design development consultancy with six studios across the U.S. and U.K. For over 15 years, thoughtbot has produced top quality web and mobile apps with hundreds of clients from one person startups to Fortune 500 enterprises, universities and nonprofits. Chad co-authored two books, Rails AntiPatterns and Pro Active Record, has spoken at conferences around the world and is the host of the podcast Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots.   On today’s episode, I sit down with Chad to talk about how thoughtbot went from an idea to a small five person Web agency. From there it grew to over a 100 person consultancy. During this conversation, we also discuss how Chad has been able to grow this company over the last decade and what that’s been like to expand and grow across multiple geographic locations.   My big takeaway from today’s conversation is that there are a lot of ways to build the type of business you want to build. But the one thing that’s critical is the vision, what you care about, how you do work, who you want to work with, and the things that will separate you from others because there’s always going to be competition. The thing that’s going to separate you from the competition are your values, your goals and how you organize the work you do and why you do it.   In this broadcast, Chad and I talk about:   How Chad founded thoughtbot In what ways Chad measured success versus unsuccess during the first few years of his business How to build the type of business you want to build The importance of minimizing what your company offers to find a niche Why establishing clear specializations for your business attracts ideal customers How value driven decisions create positive customer relations What are the benefits of a team working in the same physical space  What are the pros and cons of a team working on a project remotely  How to measure the trade-offs of having a full staff of W-2 workers  Where does Chad see his business going in the future    How to Connect with Chad:   Chad's Twitter  thoughtbot Twitter   Get the Latest Broadcasts of In The Trenches on Your Favorite Podcast Platform:     Subscribe to In The Trenches on iTunes   Listen to In The Trenches on Spotify   Get your weekly dose of In The Trenches on Google Play     How You Can Support In The Trenches   Did you enjoy today's broadcast of In The Trenches? Please click here to leave an honest rating and review on iTunes. Your review helps me spread the word of this podcast, which allows me to line up amazing guests and continue to produce this podcast ad-free. Thanks so much in advance for your support.  

On today’s episode, I am having a conversation with Jason Resnick who is a web developer, host of the podcast, Live in the Feast and creator of the online community for freelancers, Feast. Inside Feast and through his blog and podcast, Jason helps freelancers discover their niche, plan out and market themselves, build recurring revenue and stay in the feast. Jason helps his clients reach their goals, connect with their why and live the life that they’ve always wanted to live.   My big takeaway from this episode is something that’s a recurring theme with the entrepreneurs,authors and creators - you need to niche down at the very least to get any sort of traction from your marketing. The reason is simple. There’s just so much competition out there now that to be generic is kind of a death knell but a great resume and track record can help. If you’re showcasing your work and knowledge online via blogs or podcasts, that can all help, but unless you can target a specific subset of the market, your marketing dollars and bandwidth will vanish before you get any real traction. To stand out, you need to speak directly to your target market. Without further ado, let’s get to today’s interview.   In this broadcast, Jason and I talk about:   How did Jason enter the world of freelancing What sparked Jason’s passion for helping other freelancers In what ways has the nature of freelancing changed over the years The importance of learning basic marketing and sales skills at a young age How to build a platform and establish yourself as a freelancer Why a freelancer should measure value VS price Why a freelancer should focus on smaller, less time consuming projects The importance of specializing in a service and finding a niche  How can a new freelancer discover a niche and build a track record In what ways can an established freelancer focus on a specific type of client  How can a third party can help a freelancer discover their ideal client and niche   How to Connect with Jason:   rezzz.com rezzz.com/feast/   Get the Latest Broadcasts of In The Trenches on Your Favorite Podcast Platform:     Subscribe to In The Trenches on iTunes   Listen to In The Trenches on Spotify   Get your weekly dose of In The Trenches on Google Play     How You Can Support In The Trenches   Did you enjoy today's broadcast of In The Trenches? Please click here to leave an honest rating and review on iTunes. Your review helps me spread the word of this podcast, which allows me to line up amazing guests and continue to produce this podcast ad-free. Thanks so much in advance for your support.  

Today’s panelists are Megan Reamer is the co-founder and CEO of Jackson’s Honest, a healthy foods company. Jackson’s Honest makes potato chips, tortilla chips and grain free puffs all cooked in organic coconut oil. Patrick Vlaskovits is an entrepreneur and 2 time New York Times bestselling author. His writing has been featured in the Harvard Business Review and the Wall Street Journal, and he speaks at technology conferences worldwide. And our third panelist is Bret Boyd is the CEO of Knoema, a software platform for data access and discovery. At Knoema, Bret and his team build tools to help public and private-sector organizations make better decisions with data.   During today’s episode, I’m interviewing not one, but three exceptional CEOs. This episode is a bit different than my other podcasts, as it’s a live podcast where I’m extracting the panelist’s best insights on business, marketing, creativity, and leadership.   In this broadcast, Patrick, Megan, Bret and I talk about:   How did Megan differentiate her product in a saturated marketplace Why a successful product usually stems from need How did Patrick perceive and evaluate pockets of opportunity for his business Where in the value chain should you focus your efforts In what ways did Brett implement business cycles as a founder and founder How do the panelists incorporate partnerships into their business How to conduct market research? What would keep someone from rolling out a new product?  In what ways should you organize your business to profit from extreme growth How to think and act like an entrepreneur as a member of an organization When hiring, how can you find and hire employees who can drive a business and organization forward How do you properly measure employee performance so you know if someone is genuinely not pulling their weight   The audience Q&A is from 42:40 - 57:00.   How does Megan think about new extremes in her business What has Megan done to get her business story out to consumers When is the right time to say yes this is a successful investment How can you handle personal risk and stick with your decisions Has Megan ever felt like she had to compromise her values as a mother or woman   How to Connect with Patrick, Megan, Bret:   Megan Reamer Patrick Vlaskovits Bret Boyd    Get the Latest Broadcasts of In The Trenches on Your Favorite Podcast Platform:     Subscribe to In The Trenches on iTunes   Listen to In The Trenches on Spotify   Get your weekly dose of In The Trenches on Google Play     How You Can Support In The Trenches   Did you enjoy today's broadcast of In The Trenches? Please click here to leave an honest rating and review on iTunes. Your review helps me spread the word of this podcast, which allows me to line up amazing guests and continue to produce this podcast ad-free. Thanks so much in advance for your support.  

Michael Greenberg is a serial entrepreneur, strategist, founder of Gentleman of Technology and the CEO of Call for Content, a white label podcasting agency. In a nutshell, Call for Content helps agency owners book podcasts for their clients. Instead of going the typical straight to client approach, they sell their services to agencies who then resell the service to their existing clients.    In today’s conversation, I sit down with Michael Greenberg to discuss all things podcasting. My big takeaway from today’s conversation is that if you already do client based work, you really should consider what a white label, B2B type structure would look like for you. This is especially helpful, if you are somebody who really likes the implementation side, but you struggle with the sales side. During this conversation, we really dive deep into how you can make money podcasting without dealing with the administrative side of things. Without further ado, let’s dive into the conversation!   In this broadcast, Michael and I talk about:   How Michael entered the business-to-business space In what ways can clients take advantage of podcasts Why Michael decided to productize podcasting for his clients What agencies are ideal targets for his services How to maintain relationships with agencies in the white label space How Michael plans to scale in the podcasting community In what ways you can apply authority marketing in podcasting The shotgun approach v.s. Michael’s preferred laser focus type of marketing The importance of recent and consistent appearances on podcasts for return of investment Why you should shift your view of a podcast to a speaking engagement v.s. an audio blog How engaging your podcast audience in an open ended conversation leads to growth by word of mouth How to increase your amount of podcast downloads Where Michael views the future of podcasting is heading When to decide if moving to a paid subscription for a podcast would be beneficial for you   How to Connect with Michael:   callforcontent.com Twitter   Get the Latest Broadcasts of In The Trenches on Your Favorite Podcast Platform:     Subscribe to In The Trenches on iTunes   Listen to In The Trenches on Spotify   Get your weekly dose of In The Trenches on Google Play     How You Can Support In The Trenches   Did you enjoy today's broadcast of In The Trenches? Please click here to leave an honest rating and review on iTunes. Your review helps me spread the word of this podcast, which allows me to line up amazing guests and continue to produce this podcast ad-free. Thanks so much in advance for your support.  

Caspar Craven is a conference and corporate event speaker, adventurer who sailed around the world with his wife and three children, and the best selling author of the book Where the Magic Happens. In today’s episode, Caspar and I talk about his experience sailing around the world with his wife and three children, who are all under the age of 10, and how he was able to manage his family and his business at the same time. We discuss what he learned about entrepreneurship, productivity, success and overall happiness in general. My big takeaway from today’s conversation is that everyone should have a goal and an aim for their family. This goal and aim should pull your family into the future so that they are inspired collectively. In this broadcast, Caspar and I talk about: What it was like to sail around the world with his family in tow How Caspar was able to manage his expenses while traveling How his travels led to developing new business ventures What were the challenges surrounding time spent working on his businesses versus time he was able to spend with family How to create a strong narrative at home to positively impact your business What is a family story and why is it important The importance of clarity and excitement in a family story How critical it is to carry out your vision and your family story Why focusing on your values is a core way to engage teamwork Ways to establish a timeline that fits in with your goals and your current situation Why you need joint engagement regarding the creation of a family story What are rituals and how do they shape your lifestyle How to Connect with Caspar: Caspar Craven The Brave You Get the Latest Broadcasts of In The Trenches on Your Favorite Podcast Platform: Subscribe to In The Trenches on iTunes Listen to In The Trenches on Spotify Get your weekly dose of In The Trenches on Google Play   How You Can Support In The Trenches Did you enjoy today's broadcast of In The Trenches? Please click here to leave an honest rating and review on iTunes. Your review helps me spread the word of this podcast, which allows me to line up amazing guests and continue to produce this podcast ad-free. Thanks so much in advance for your support.  

Dov Gordon is a coach who helps consultants, coaches and experts get ideal clients. He is the founder and head coach of The Alchemist Entrepreneur, which works on the core concepts of your marketing message and systematic implementation.   On today’s episode, I sit down with Dov Gordon, a coach who helps consultants, coaches and experts land their ideal clients. We dive into precisely how you should be crafting your tagline or hooks that will allow you to get more clients. My big takeaway from today’s conversation is Dov’s three step process that he walks through with clients when he’s helping them develop their taglines and hooks.   In this broadcast, Dov and I talk about:   What led Dov to enter the consultant space How did Dov use the “live it to learn it” mentality In what ways did Dov use experiential learning without a college education What is the “path of mastery” and how it applies to a marketing funnel How to lead a customer through an experience  The importance of connecting with a master/mentor to save yourself time What is considered interesting content for an ideal customer/client How the ideal client is concerned with a problem that they have and don’t want, and a result they want and don’t have Why starting simple, such as assessing a general problem, engages further interest in the consultation In what ways can a consultant shift positions to attract higher end clients Why a consultant should ask themselves what problems they help solve and what results they can enable When you gain the trust of an ideal client, how do you effectively close   How to Connect with Dov:   dovgordon.net Dov’s gift for In The Trenches listeners   Get the Latest Broadcasts of In The Trenches on Your Favorite Podcast Platform:   Subscribe to In The Trenches on iTunes Listen to In The Trenches on Spotify Get your weekly dose of In The Trenches on Google Play   How You Can Support In The Trenches   Did you enjoy today's broadcast of In The Trenches? Please click here to leave an honest rating and review on iTunes. Your review helps me spread the word of this podcast, which allows me to line up amazing guests and continue to produce this podcast ad-free. Thanks so much in advance for your support.  

Eric Bandholz is the founder of Beardbrand and the first urban beardsman. He is passionate about changing the way society views beardsmen. Eric wants to help men find ways to keep on growing and become better men. He currently resides in Austin, Texas with his wife, daughter and dog.   Today, I’m sitting down with Eric Bandholz. You may know him from Shark Tank, though he did not walk away from the Sharks with an investment… And that is something I wanted to talk to Eric about today. He is such a stunning example of someone who bootstrapped something from scratch simply because he believed in it. His hard work and dedication showed that slow and consistent growth can be a huge game-changer for entrepreneurs. Even though Eric has grown his brand to a thriving, successful multimillion dollar business, he is still able to live a life that he loves to live.    In this broadcast, Eric and I talk about:   How did Eric’s entrepreneurial journey begin In what ways did Eric prepare for his time on Shark Tank What was Eric’s experience as a contestant on Shark Tank What prompted Eric to apply to be a contestant on Shark Tank Did Eric’s appearance on Shark Tank lead to investors Why did Beardbrand choose to stop selling on Amazon What were the reasons behind why Beardbrand moved away from the European market How does Eric set priorities for his business and his personal life  Why you should focus on your health and wellness In what ways does Eric maintain his health while being an entrepreneur How does Eric build his own spiritualism What is Eric’s Triangle of Success Why does Eric rank his wife as the highest priority in his personal life How setting priorities helped Eric finance his business  Why the long-term vision of your business is one of the most important visions to have Why maintaining focus on your goals for your brand is important   How to Connect with Eric:   beardbrand.com Twitter Instagram   Get the Latest Broadcasts of In The Trenches   Subscribe to In The Trenches on iTunes   How You Can Support In The Trenches   Did you enjoy today's broadcast of In The Trenches? Please click here to leave an honest rating and review on iTunes. Your review helps me spread the word of this podcast, which allows me to line up amazing guests and continue to produce this podcast ad-free. Thanks so much in advance for your support.  

Mani Vaya is the founder of 2000 Books. He is a Physicist and Electrical and Computer Engineer. Mani spent 13 years in the tech industry rising up the ranks to manage billion dollar cellphone projects at a Fortune 500 company. However, he realized that ambitious entrepreneurs must read often and constantly feed their minds with great ideas. Thus, 2000 Books was founded.   Today, I’m sitting down with Mani Vaya who bootstrapped his company after leaving the corporate sector. He has been able to grow 2000 Books into a profitable and cash flowing business. In today’s conversation, we talk about how he took his simple concept and executed it very well. My biggest takeaway is why we must focus more on reading and reading comprehension in the sense of understanding the value of reading books and how to read books more effectively. So give this episode a listen, take some notes, and then try out the methods we discuss.   In this broadcast, Mani and I talk about:   What inspired Mani’s business 2000 Books How did Mani’s business vision pivot in the early stages Does Mani run into any legal issues when selling summaries of their books What is Mani’s process in getting permission to use an author’s work In what ways does Mani choose which books he offers through his company How does Mani summarize a book and what is his investment personally How can someone get the most value out of a book for maximum learning Roughly how much time does it take to get a good understanding of what a book is about What is the different between speed reading and actually comprehending what you’re reading What triggers can you look for when reading paragraphs Why reading thoroughly helps you understand and remember ideas more clearly Can you still get value from a book if you do a speed read of it Why you should only speed read some parts of a book, not all of it What are the different levels or phases of reading Why you must think about what you’re trying to extract from the book you’re reading How can you make the most of audio books What note-taking software does Mani use to take notes while reading Are summaries useful   How to Connect with Mani:   10-best-books YouTube Podcast    Get the Latest Broadcasts of In The Trenches   Subscribe to In The Trenches on iTunes   How You Can Support In The Trenches   Did you enjoy today's broadcast of In The Trenches? Please click here to leave an honest rating and review on iTunes. Your review helps me spread the word of this podcast, which allows me to line up amazing guests and continue to produce this podcast ad-free. Thanks so much in advance for your support.  

Taylor Lou Dixon helps women create amazing businesses/passion projects/and side hustles as an integral part of their higher purpose. Prior to coaching, Taylor managed to create a profitable and growing social media agency. She worked with clients like Chick-Fil-A and other big-name restaurant chains; however, she learned it was important to her to facilitate a true inner joy and confidence for women who are deciding to take those first steps towards creating their own dream life.   Taylor is a lifestyle design coach for millennial women. She helps these women design lifestyles that they love and really enjoy. I brought Taylor onto the podcast today to talk about how she approaches branding her own business and how she approaches her target market. I’m excited to explore how she approaches these two things because I think when it comes to branding and target audiences, most business owners need help in figuring out what content actually resonates and converts. My big takeaway from today’s conversation is that it’s so important to share authentic stories that will help people and allow them to trust you enough to buy from you.   In this broadcast, Taylor and I talk about:   What is Taylor’s origin story and how did she start her brand When Taylor started her business she felt multi-passionate How did Taylor feel very disconnected from her social media agency Why did Taylor need to do a self-exploration to truly know what she wanted to be doing with her life How to decide what content to include in your branding Why you do not need to feel generic by sharing your mission statement in your content How building a community around your content can make you more unique In what ways is the influencer movement moving towards storytelling and vulnerability Why you need to be able to mix the business and the lifestyle because it’s all one in the same How you can show up intentionally in your brand What you need to do to create a brand voice persona Why personal development is an important piece of Taylor’s process Does sharing your personal life in your content vary on the niche What does Taylor recommend you share and not share in your messaging Why does the subconscious mind understand metaphors easier   How to Connect with Taylor:   Instagram Taylor’s Facebook Group Website   Get the Latest Broadcasts of In The Trenches   Subscribe to In The Trenches on iTunes   How You Can Support In The Trenches   Did you enjoy today's broadcast of In The Trenches? Please click here to leave an honest rating and review on iTunes. Your review helps me spread the word of this podcast, which allows me to line up amazing guests and continue to produce this podcast ad-free. Thanks so much in advance for your support.  

Meny Hoffman is the Chief Executive Officer of Ptex Group, a marketing agency located in Brooklyn, NY, and a published business author. He is a lifelong entrepreneur who is passionate about collaborating with growing businesses to create winning strategies that yield hard-hitting results. More recently, Meny has fused his business development experience into the role of an angel investor. By investing in promising startups and walking them through the challenging journey of growth, Meny knows he’s fulfilling his entrepreneurial calling, while helping his fellow business people succeed.   In today’s conversation, I sit down with Meny Hoffman to talk about what it was like for him to build his agency from scratch and to be in business for close to a decade now in New York and still thriving. We dive into what it’s really like to bootstrap an agency, how he approaches hiring, his processes and systems for that, and how he gets the right employees on board in the right way. This is a particular interesting conversation for anybody who’s hiring, has staff or is thinking about going through the hiring process. My big takeaway from today’s conversation is that it’s hard work to grow any kind of successful organization, but hiring the right people may be a critical component to your success.   In this broadcast, Meny and I talk about:   Why is it important to start a business you are passionate about How did Meny land his first client What did Meny do when he found himself struggling to wear all the hats in his business What positions were the first two that Meny filled Why does it not matter what you’re selling to be successful What is the most important asset that can make or break your business What is the order of importance when it comes to a successful business Why every person you hire should bring value to the company Has Meny ever used a personality test for his employees What are the three steps to Meny’s interview process What is one of the mistakes that most companies make when conducting interviews Why are KPI with metrics one dimensional How you can develop a great company culture Why you should have quarterly Q&As with your employees   How to Connect with Meny:   menyhoffman.com linkedin.com/in/menyhoffman/ ptexgroup.com   Get the Latest Broadcasts of In The Trenches   Subscribe to In The Trenches on iTunes   How You Can Support In The Trenches   Did you enjoy today's broadcast of In The Trenches? Please click here to leave an honest rating and review on iTunes. Your review helps me spread the word of this podcast, which allows me to line up amazing guests and continue to produce this podcast ad-free. Thanks so much in advance for your support.  

Abdo Riani is the founder of StartupCircle where aspiring and rising entrepreneurs can connect with and learn from successful founders over daily live Q&A sessions. He also mentors and guides entrepreneurs to their first paying customers and beyond. Abdo helps entrepreneurs design a plan to market under the condition of the unavailability of the product and by doing things that don't scale.   During today’s conversation, I talk with Abdo Riani about his Bootstrapping Summit. We discuss how he came up with the idea, what he did to implement it, what this idea did for his business, and the ins and outs of what worked really well and what didn’t. We explore what Abdo would improve and where he would double down next time. This conversation is great for those of you who are interested in running a virtual summit to get a feel for what it takes to execute a successful summit. My big takeaway from this conversation is to get out there and follow your virtual summit ideas because they don’t have to be a huge time investment or cost a lot of money.   In this broadcast, Abdo and I talk about:   What led Abdo to what he is doing today What were the results of Abdo’s initial launch How are virtual summits one of the fastest ways to meet your business goals Why is it important to leverage other people’s audiences to grow your own audience What are the short-term outcomes of knowing your audience What is Abdo’s launch process How long does it take to launch a successful summit Why you should be willing to invest time into organizing your virtual summit What were the strategies or tactics Abdo implemented that worked really well In what ways can you pitch speakers Why are people usually hesitant to commit to speaking at a summit How to leverage relationships to book in speakers What impact did the virtual summit have on Abdo’s business Why should you start with the end result when you’re planning a virtual summit How has RightMessage increased Abdo’s conversions What did Abdo personalize in RightMessage to drive his increase in subscribers   How to Connect with Abdo:   abdoriani.com StartupCircle.co bootstrappingsummit.abdoriani.com   Get the Latest Broadcasts of In The Trenches   Subscribe to In The Trenches on iTunes   How You Can Support In The Trenches   Did you enjoy today's broadcast of In The Trenches? Please click here to leave an honest rating and review on iTunes. Your review helps me spread the word of this podcast, which allows me to line up amazing guests and continue to produce this podcast ad-free. Thanks so much in advance for your support.  

Liam Austin is the Co-Founder of Entrepreneurs HQ. He hosts marketing summits and sends a daily marketing tactic via EHQ Daily to help small business owners and entrepreneurs grow their business. Liam’s passion for entrepreneurship began whilst at Macquarie University when he was tasked with growing strategic partnerships for one of the top tech startups in Sydney, Soulmates Technology. This foray into tech led Liam to begin building and running his own businesses online to varying degrees of success.   In today’s conversation, Liam and I discuss virtual summits. What are they? How do they work? And why could they be so profitable? Liam is someone who is an expert in this space, and I’m eager to learn more about where he focuses his time and attention when planning these summits and what are some things that you should be considering if you want to run a virtual summit someday. My hope is that this conversation will give you the foundation and the fundamentals you need to run a successful virtual summit. My biggest takeaway from this conversation is that virtual summits are definitely worth considering no matter what space you’re operating in because they absolutely work!   In this broadcast, Liam and I talk about:   How did Liam use LinkedIn to get started in the virtual summit space What is the referral software that Liam uses What are ambassadors for your product What is the difference between ambassadors and affiliates How hard is it to integrate referrals How many people who are referred actually buy What’s working now with virtual summits What are the five foundation pieces of virtual summits What is something that your solving for your audience Why you should build your network with influencers What should you lead people to after a summit When should someone consider doing something other than a virtual summit What is the perfect length of a virtual summit    How to Connect with Liam:   entrepreneurshq.com/mentors/liam-austin/   Get the Latest Broadcasts of In The Trenches   Subscribe to In The Trenches on iTunes   How You Can Support In The Trenches   Did you enjoy today's broadcast of In The Trenches? Please click here to leave an honest rating and review on iTunes. Your review helps me spread the word of this podcast, which allows me to line up amazing guests and continue to produce this podcast ad-free. Thanks so much in advance for your support.  

Steve Glaveski's mission is to unlock the latent potential of organisations and people to create more impact for humanity and lead more fulfilling lives. He is CEO and Co-Founder of Collective Campus, a corporate innovation and startup accelerator based in Melbourne, Australia with clients across the world. Steve is also the author of the current Wiley book, Employee to Entrepreneur, which is available in bookstores around the world, and previously self-published two books, including an Amazon bestseller. Steve co-founded Lemonade Stand - a children's entrepreneurship program, hosts the Apple Podcast charting Future Squared, is a founding investor in Konkrete, a blockchain-enabled share registry and is a contributor to Harvard Business Review.   Today I’m chatting with Steve Glaveski to talk about entrepreneurship and doing work that matters. My big takeaway from this conversation is that there is no cure all. There is no technique, no strategy, tactic, hack or trick that will make you a successful entrepreneur. The only path to success is hard work and doing that work each and every day. In today’s conversation you’re going to hear things that maybe you’ve heard before, but my hope is that this conversation will help cement this mindset and further cultivate the critical aspects of entrepreneurship within your mind and heart.   In this broadcast, Steve and I talk about:   What has been Steve’s entrepreneurial journey How are freelance techniques helping the corporate world What are the challenges that Steve faced with his first business Why you need to believe in what you’re doing as an entrepreneur What does Steve’s book Employee to Entrepreneur cover What is the number one reason why startups fail How do you ensure you’re building a business that will work Why it’s important to do your market research How can you determine if your idea is a scalable opportunity What are intelligence factors and why should you look for them Why should you set a keyword tracker to respond to market signals What did Steve do to have a successful launch of his book Why you should not downplay the importance of luck Where does Steve’s book fit within his brand Why you should look for more ways to create impact   How to Connect with Steve:   steveglaveski.com employeetoentrepreneur.io   Get the Latest Broadcasts of In The Trenches   Subscribe to In The Trenches on iTunes   How You Can Support In The Trenches   Did you enjoy today's broadcast of In The Trenches? Please click here to leave an honest rating and review on iTunes. Your review helps me spread the word of this podcast, which allows me to line up amazing guests and continue to produce this podcast ad-free. Thanks so much in advance for your support.  

Abby Walker is the CEO of Vivian Lou Inc., a single-product company with multi-million dollar annual sales dedicated to helping women look and feel better in high heels. She started her company as a “hobby” business (while being a full-time working mom) after picking up the phone and asking one simple question. Abby has also written her book Strap On a Pair to inspire fellow middle-aged, middle-management, middle-class moms to take the first step—or the next step—toward finding their something more.   Today, I’m sitting down with Abby Walker, who is the founder of Vivian Lou. Vivian Lou is a shoe company that focuses on creating insoles for high heels so that high heels are more comfortable to wear. During our conversation, Abby shares some of the fortuitous events that took place in order for her to get her business idea off the ground. The crazy part about Abby’s story is that she started off as a blogger and she didn’t create the actual insoles herself. She found them through a recommendation on a forum, but then connected with the creator of the insoles to strike a deal. Leading her to being an exclusive seller for the product worldwide and growing her business to over four million dollars in roughly four years without any employees.   My biggest takeaway from this conversation is that there are a lot of ways to think about a problem and solve a problem. Problem solving is not binary and we explore Abby’s decision making process so that she can grow and scale her business.   In this broadcast, Abby and I talk about:   What is the origin story of Vivian Lou How did Abby approach her business idea as just a hobby Why Abby had to separate herself from the product and company What were the first few months like when Abby became the exclusive seller of these insoles What steps did Abby take to make her first sale How did Abby start using Facebook Ads to generate revenue What advice does Abby have for people who want to start their business How has Abby structured using contractors rather than employees In what ways do contractors give you more flexibility What does Abby think about scale Why is Abby hesitant to work with retailers What goes into making the right decisions Why you need to learn how to trust your gut What are Abby’s words of wisdom for startups What is the importance of keeping notes during your journey   How to Connect with Abby:   abbylouwalker.com instagram.com/abbylouwalker facebook.com/abbylouwalker   Get the Latest Broadcasts of In The Trenches   Subscribe to In The Trenches on iTunes   How You Can Support In The Trenches   Did you enjoy today's broadcast of In The Trenches? Please click here to leave an honest rating and review on iTunes. Your review helps me spread the word of this podcast, which allows me to line up amazing guests and continue to produce this podcast ad-free. Thanks so much in advance for your support.  

Shawn Askinosie left a successful career as a criminal defense lawyer to start a bean to bar chocolate factory and never looked back. Askinosie Chocolate is a small batch, award winning chocolate factory located in Springfield, Missouri, sourcing 100% of their beans directly from farmers around the world. Recently named by Forbes "One of the 25 Best Small Companies in America", Askinosie Chocolate has also been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, on Bloomberg, MSNBC and numerous other national and international media outlets.   During today’s conversation, Shawn gives us a look behind the scenes of his business, how he started it from trial lawyer to chocolatier, and the ups and downs of what that process was like. We also discuss meaningful work and what Shawn the drive and passion to continue to do what he does even though it can be really really difficult. One of my major takeaways from today’s conversation is Shawn’s approach to business and his idea of reverse scale. We explore whether or not we can build a profitable business that aligns with our ethics and our morals and if that can be profitable for you.   In this broadcast, Shawn and I talk about:   How did Shawn pivot in his career choice What did Shawn do in the beginning stages of his business What were some of the biggest challenges Shawn faced How did Shawn use his skills from being a lawyer in his chocolate business Why does Shawn like being in a place of need How does faith play a role in Shawn’s entrepreneurial journey Why should entrepreneurs focus on kindness How important is silence for your mindset What does Shawn think of Social Entrepreneurship What is scale and reverse scale How does scale not necessarily equal value What is Shawn’s exit plan   How to Connect with Shawn:   Shawn’s Book askinosie.com shawnaskinosie.com   Get the Latest Broadcasts of In The Trenches   Subscribe to In The Trenches on iTunes   How You Can Support In The Trenches   Did you enjoy today's broadcast of In The Trenches? Please click here to leave an honest rating and review on iTunes. Your review helps me spread the word of this podcast, which allows me to line up amazing guests and continue to produce this podcast ad-free. Thanks so much in advance for your support.  

Max Kolysh is a serial entrepreneur and investor. After graduating early from MIT with a degree in Computer Science, Max co-founded Zinc.io, a 15 person startup in San Francisco, California, which now powers tens of thousands of e-commerce companies around the world.   During today’s conversation with Max, we zoom in on his entrepreneurial journey and how he grew his startup to $6 million in revenue. We also dive into what being a part of a startup incubator environment is really like. My big takeaway from today’s conversation is specifically on the aspect of user acquisition and customer acquisition. We discuss how Max thinks about acquiring new customers by leveraging their existing customer base to grow their platform through influencer marketing.   In this broadcast, Max and I talk about:   What is Max’s founder story How did Max learn about Y Combinator and what was that process like Did Max’s startup idea change while going through Y Combinator How did Max define the metrics their team wanted to focus on What constitutes as metrics for a successful startup Why you should be using non-revenue metrics How is Max’s business at a point of organic sustainability What was it like for Max as he was bootstrapping his business Why you should look into pre-selling first How do you decide what is worth your time and energy In what ways has Max grown his business Why are referrals a good way to increase exposure What is Max looking at now in terms of improving his business   How to Connect with Max:   zinc.io   Get the Latest Broadcasts of In The Trenches   Subscribe to In The Trenches on iTunes   How You Can Support In The Trenches   Did you enjoy today's broadcast of In The Trenches? Please click here to leave an honest rating and review on iTunes. Your review helps me spread the word of this podcast, which allows me to line up amazing guests and continue to produce this podcast ad-free. Thanks so much in advance for your support.  

Tina van Leuven helps soulpreneurs align their energy and mindset with the intentions, desires, and vision they have for their business and their life. She does this by helping to clear their money blocks and energetically release lifelong limiting programming that have been sabotaging entrepreneurs from creating the results they know deep within their hearts are possible, yet haven’t been able to achieve. Tina helps entrepreneurs reconnect with their own source of joy and abundance while discovering ways to express that in their business so that they may begin monetising their unique gifts.   Today we’re talking about what abundance is, why it’s important, and some interesting archetypes that go along with the idea of abundance. We’ll also dive into a short discussion about her recent launch that we worked on together. My biggest takeaway from this conversation is that we all have an archetype, but it’s how we use and embrace this archetype that will see us reaping the benefits.   In this broadcast, Tina and I talk about:   What is Tina’s entrepreneurial journey What are the Sacred Money Archetypes How can you use the Sacred Money Archetypes to reach your money goals In what ways can you approach the strengths and weaknesses of the archetypes How can you strengthen the “Celebrity” archetype What are the steps to embrace rational awareness What is Tina’s energy clearing process Why you have to be open to doing deep work to change yourself on the inside so that you may be successful How you can run a successful launch What are the pros and cons of hosting challenges leading up to a launch How did the challenge set the foundation in place for Tina’s launch What did Tina focus on after the launch Is Tina going to explore influencer marketing to drive more traffic to her launches What was Tina’s engagement like with a live launch   How to Connect with Tina:   tinavanleuven.com   Get the Latest Broadcasts of In The Trenches   Subscribe to In The Trenches on iTunes   How You Can Support In The Trenches   Did you enjoy today's broadcast of In The Trenches? Please click here to leave an honest rating and review on iTunes. Your review helps me spread the word of this podcast, which allows me to line up amazing guests and continue to produce this podcast ad-free. Thanks so much in advance for your support.  

Kyle Gray is an entrepreneur, the founder of ConversionCake, and a bestselling author who helps startups and small businesses grow their businesses with content marketing. He has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs create scalable content marketing strategies while also creating step-by-step processes and templates to automate and delegate tasks. Kyle’s book The Story Engine outlines his process for making content marketing and brand storytelling easy and effective.   In today’s conversation with Kyle, we’re talking about how to use storytelling to become an authority in your niche while boosting sales and winning the hearts and minds of your audience. In other words, we’re exploring how you can start selling with story. My biggest takeaway from this conversation is that using story in your marketing really does sell and it is what cuts through the noise and nonstop interruption based marketing techniques that you see all over social media.   In this broadcast, Kyle and I talk about:   What was Kyle’s journey when it came to writing The Story Engine Who is The Story Engine best suited for What is a proprietary process How can you approach the proprietary process What is a good outcome versus a bad outcome Why having a clear outcome helps you set yourself apart How you can make naming your offerings easier by knowing the outcome you’re offering What is a success path and what does it include What are Kyle’s top five story elements When should you use Kyle’s recommend story elements How can you use these story elements to teach What is The Buyer’s Journey framework How can you implement know-like-trust into your stories What is The Hero's Journey and how is it different than The Buyer’s Journey What is The Crossroads Formula   How to Connect with Kyle:   thestoryengine.co/selling-with-story The Book Twitter Kyle Gray Process Builder Template   Get the Latest Broadcasts of In The Trenches   Subscribe to In The Trenches on iTunes   How You Can Support In The Trenches   Did you enjoy today's broadcast of In The Trenches? Please click here to leave an honest rating and review on iTunes. Your review helps me spread the word of this podcast, which allows me to line up amazing guests and continue to produce this podcast ad-free. Thanks so much in advance for your support.  

Anne Janzer is an award-winning author on a mission to help writers communicate more effectively. She has worked with over a hundred technology businesses, from industry giants to innovative start-ups, helping them articulate positioning and messaging in crowded markets. Anne also coaches business leaders on communicating their ideas with impact, clarity and marketing teams on telling brand stories that strengthen customer relationships.   During this podcast, I explore why so many businesses are moving to subscription based business models with Anne. We also dive into the how’s and why’s behind whether or not you should consider integrating a subscription model into your business.   In this broadcast, Anne and I talk about:   How did Anne get started in subscription marketing How is software enhancing subscription businesses Why have so many businesses moved to offering subscriptions How are subscriptions more like renting things rather than owning In what ways do subscriptions eliminate risk How can you create a framework around selling subscriptions Why do subscriptions have to make sense from a business marketing perspective What do you need to look for if you’re integrating a subscription model into your business How can you think of your offering as an experience Do subscription based business have more marketing power or virality built into them What is the power behind honest reviews rather than reward recommendations/referrals Is it possible for only a component of your business to be subscription based How can you turn content focused products into a subscription model Why is having a community and building a community important Are there any pitfalls when it comes to subscription based businesses Why niching down is one of the most lucrative things you can do   How to Connect with Anne:   annejanzer.com   Anne’s Books:   Subscription Marketing: Strategies for Nurturing Customers in a World of Churn The Writer’s Process: Getting Your Brain in Gear The Workplace Writer’s Process Writing to Be Understood: What Works and Why   Get the Latest Broadcasts of In The Trenches   Subscribe to In The Trenches on iTunes   How You Can Support In The Trenches   Did you enjoy today's broadcast of In The Trenches? Please click here to leave an honest rating and review on iTunes. Your review helps me spread the word of this podcast, which allows me to line up amazing guests and continue to produce this podcast ad-free. Thanks so much in advance for your support.  

Mojca Zove is a Facebook Ads expert, author of the Facebook Ads Manual, and international speaker. Her work focuses on helping businesses generate more leads and increase profits with a professionally-made Facebook Advertising Strategy so that they can devote their time to other aspects in their business. Mojca works with multimillion-dollar businesses from all over the globe. In her work, she focuses on implementing previously tested and already successful strategies for generating the best results.   I brought Mojca onto the podcast to discuss what’s working in the space of Facebook advertising, how she’s setting up campaigns that are lucrative, and what Facebook Ads funnel structure will actually convert. My biggest takeaway from today’s conversation is that even though we’ve heard a lot about how Facebook Ads are becoming more and more expensive and results are decreasing, I have a better understanding that these negatives are really because of the level of competition and not Facebook itself. So if you’re truly hoping to see results from your Facebook Ads, then this is one podcast you do not want to miss.   In this broadcast, Mojca and I talk about:   What is the current landscape of Facebook Ads How does Facebook Ads compare to other social media platform ads Are Facebook Ads effective no matter what you’re selling or is their a certain market that Facebook is better suited for How do you approach Facebook Ads for the first time What should you look for when it comes to organizing Facebook Ads What is Mojca’s Facebook Ads structure What is a traffic campaign on Facebook Ads Why should you do research on your target market before running ads How do you know if your Facebook Ads are working How are Facebook Ads an investment Why you shouldn’t move directly from traffic to paid product, but rather have a lead magnet in between What should you be looking to spend in ads for the first piece of your campaign to the second piece Why you should have a tripwire product What is retargeting and why is it important Why should you invest in brand awareness How are ads different for B2B and B2C What kinds of items should you create for ads Why you should do some proper A/B testing for your ads   How to Connect with Mojca:   mojca@superspicymedia.com superspicymedia.com thescienceoffacebookads.com Twitter   Get the Latest Broadcasts of In The Trenches   Subscribe to In The Trenches on iTunes   How You Can Support In The Trenches   Did you enjoy today's broadcast of In The Trenches? Please click here to leave an honest rating and review on iTunes. Your review helps me spread the word of this podcast, which allows me to line up amazing guests and continue to produce this podcast ad-free. Thanks so much in advance for your support.  

Adam Anderson is CEO of Hook-Security. He is also a long-time small business owner who happens to be one of the leading authorities on small business cybersecurity. This serial entrepreneur is an author, who has written several books on cyber security and cyber crime to help other business owners understand and navigate the digital world. Adam is on a mission to help fellow business owners find the answer to the question, “Should I even care about cybersecurity?”   I brought Adam onto the podcast today to talk about what small business owners and online entrepreneurs can do to stay safe online as we leverage online portals and platforms. We’re also going to be discussing what we can do to protect our online assets, websites, and our products from intellectual theft in the online space. My biggest takeaway from this chat is that security and protecting our online businesses from the start is one of the most important and crucial elements of what we do online.   In this broadcast, Adam and I talk about:   How Adam began his cybersecurity journey What is Adam’s focus in his business now Why it’s easy to be a target for hackers How to keep your site safe from a cyber attack What you should have in your business security policy Does everyone need to be aware of cyber phishing What is Adam’s rule when it comes to two-factor authentication What specific type of people are more prone to be targeted When does having too many employees get dangerous for your online security What to do if you’re a heavy browser user or working in coffee shops Is it typical that larger companies are already working with cybersecurity businesses What are the most common problems with cybersecurity and businesses Why you should be spending money on backups from ransomware What is the purpose of a ransomware attack Why is important to have a rock solid cybersecurity insurance policy What is the importance of automatically pathing your machines What is the basic antivirus software you should have   How to Connect with Adam:   Hook-Security elementsecurity.com/trenches YouTube   Get the Latest Broadcasts of In The Trenches   Subscribe to In The Trenches on iTunes   How You Can Support In The Trenches   Did you enjoy today's broadcast of In The Trenches? Please click here to leave an honest rating and review on iTunes. Your review helps me spread the word of this podcast, which allows me to line up amazing guests and continue to produce this podcast ad-free. Thanks so much in advance for your support.

Joshua Zloof is the CEO of Sudden Coffee, a premium instant coffee brand. He has 10 years of combined experience in Mobile App Product Management, Lean Operations, Supply Chain, and Logistics.   I brought Joshua onto In The Trenches to discuss his startup journey and what it was really like for him to develop his idea and actually launch it. To many, Joshua’s idea of founding a premium instant coffee company might sound bizarre, because we equate “instant coffee” with “cheap”. However, during today’s episode you will learn that the two are not mutually exclusive. I think what Joshua has done to build his business with various marketing techniques and experiments is really quite fascinating, and so my biggest takeaway is just that... It’s okay to do something different and to go against what everyone else is doing because it might just pay off - in real life and online.   In this broadcast, Joshua and I talk about:   How Joshua founded his coffee brand and his journey as an entrepreneur What is the difference between Sudden Coffee versus other instant coffee brands that are currently on the market Who does Sudden Coffee target with their brand messaging and marketing How to increase sales during the beginning stages of your business How to turn your business plan into a subscription-based business plan What are some things Joshua thought was working but failed in his business When is using influencers in your marketing strategy a good idea What are a few strategies to use for Facebook marketing How to prioritize spending money during the startup phase What are the critical roles to begin hiring in order to gain traction The pros and cons of a venture-backed startup What is the plan for the future and expansion of a brand How to start and develop your idea for a product or business (what’s the most important factor that contributes to a successful launch of a product) Is there more space for potential growth online   How to Connect with Joshua:   Sudden Coffee Linkedin   Get the Latest Broadcasts of In The Trenches   Subscribe to In The Trenches on iTunes   How You Can Support In The Trenches   Did you enjoy today's broadcast of In The Trenches? Please click here to leave an honest rating and review on iTunes. Your review helps me spread the word of this podcast, which allows me to line up amazing guests and continue to produce this podcast ad-free. Thanks so much in advance for your support.  

Gregory Diehl has always understood the importance of universal ideals. Though he was raised in California, he soon embarked on a journey of global quest for learning, self-discovery, entrepreneurship, and inquiry. Since then, Gregory has lived and worked in 48 countries and continues to use his experiences to help others along the path of self-fulfillment through exploration. Gregory is the author of two Amazon bestsellers: Brand Identity Breakthrough and Travel as Transformation. His podcast, Uncomfortable Conversations with Gregory, taps into the core of people’s conceptions of self. He helps entrepreneurs prepare complex value messages across many mediums, and offers unconventional lifestyle coaching and brand identity consultancy for impassioned individuals.   I brought Gregory on today because he’s working on two new books, both of which I thought would be interesting to touch on. During this episode, we talk about writing and publishing and how to create meaningful books with meaningful ideas. Our conversation ends up going in the direction of meaning and how to live a meaningful life. My big takeaway from today’s conversation is that we all need principles and values to live by. We cannot navigate this world without a set of principles that guide us in the direction we want to go.   In this broadcast, Gregory and I talk about:   Gregory’s origin story (what he’s done leading up to what he’s doing today) How are targeted meaningful conversations defined Why you should focus on getting your work in front of the right people How to approach controversial topics in the public eye The complexity of story typical hero archetypes How does the hero journey in stories directly relate to how we feel in real life In what ways does society act against individuals sharing their ideas or core principles What are the critical principles that guide us unconsciously What does a heroic exceptional person do Why you should think before you give something a sense of importance in your life The importance of getting to the bottom of all of the little things that you do   How to Connect with Gregory:   The Influential Author Gregory’s other books on Amazon gregorydiehl.net identitypublications.com   Get the Latest Broadcasts of In The Trenches   Subscribe to In The Trenches on iTunes   How You Can Support In The Trenches   Did you enjoy today's broadcast of In The Trenches? Please click here to leave an honest rating and review on iTunes. Your review helps me spread the word of this podcast, which allows me to line up amazing guests and continue to produce this podcast ad-free. Thanks so much in advance for your support.