Maximize Your Strengths

Saying "Goodbye for now" is bittersweet, but the time has come to put Maximize Your Strengths on a probably-permanent pause.  I want Maximize Your Strengths to be a permanent resource for you and the people you share StrengthsFinder with.  You can listen to each of the Individual Strength Themes episodes at daire2succeed.com/strengths OR use the search bar on the website: StrengthsPodcast.com My team and I are launching a brand new podcast, the Frickin' Awesome Entrepreneur in mid-January, 2018. In this episode, I share all the reasons for the shift, what I've learned about myself, podcasting, and delegation in the last 18 months. And I share all about what's coming with the new podcast, the Frickin' Awesome Entrepreneur! FAE will be a one episode per week show, releasing each Monday. I talk about my amazing team and here is their contact info: Gregg Clunis- Podcast Launch Strategist and Coach: podsimply.com Cari Twitchell- Copywriter and Executive Producer: customcontentllc.com Teresa Heath-Wareing- Social Media and Marketing: thwmarketing.co.uk Mikky Daub- Executive Assistant: mikkydaub.com Joel Nelson- editor- he's all mine, not in the market for more editing work ;)  Tom Aimi- Musician and Composer: jamspotsmp.com There will be three different types of shows on the Frickin' Awesome Entrepreneur: Live coaching- 3 episodes per month will be devoted to this format. A Frickin' Awesome Entrepreneur will come on, and we'll talk about all the reasons he or she is amazing, followed by sharing the biggest challenge he/she is having right now. We'll co-create a solution to that challenge right there on air. Success Stories- 1 episode per month. This format will highlight a Frickin' Awesome Entrepreneur who has achieved success most only dream of. We'll talk about the ups and the downs, what makes him/her so amazing, and who fills in the gaps of what they aren't. Real Life- once every 3 months, there is a fifth Monday. On that fifth Monday, I'll share a challenge I'm having right now and what I'm doing to get through it. I may invite someone on who is going through the challenge with me (one of my team members, my daughters, my husband) or talk it out all on my own. This is my chance to lead by example. I truly believe vulnerability is the key to true authentic connections. We need more of this. To apply to become a guest on one of the Frickin' Awesome Entrepreneur Live Coaching Episodes: daire2succeed.com/FAEentrepreneur Remember, you are uniquely poised and wired for success. As Donald Clifton said, Your weaknesses will never develop, while your strengths will develop infinitely.

If you’re like me, you depend on other professionals to help you run your business.   Let me introduce Merrilee Horton, my very proficient and patient bookkeeper.  Merrilee owns Rescue Me Bookkeeping.  She worked as an accountant for 15 years, then in 2011 she started Rescue Me Bookkeeping.   Merrilee is a certified Intuit ProAdvisor specializing in QuickBooks Online.  She serves a variety of micro to small businesses, and has a proven track record of getting books done accurately!  She doesn’t just go through the motions of bookkeeping, she ensures your books are accurate, complete, and ready for your CPA at tax time. Merrilee's Top 5 StrengthsFinder Themes are:  1) Harmony 2) Consistency 3) Responsibility 4) Developer 5) Connectedness Head over to rescuemebookkeeping.com.

Entrepreneurship can be reallllly stressful. In fact, the anticipation of that stress is one of the things that keeps people from taking the leap into business. Our guest today addresses that head-on. Moneeka Sawyer has often been described as one of the most joyful people you will ever meet.  She the creator of the Blissful Real Estate Investor Formula and is the International best-selling author of the award-winning book “Choose Bliss: The Power and Practice of Joy and Contentment,” which covers the proven strategies she has taught as an executive coach for over a decade.   She believes that we can and should choose bliss in all areas of our lives from relationships to business to investing.  Her expertise has been featured nationwide on radio and TV including ABC, NBC, and Fox. Moneeka's Top 5 StrengthsFinder Themes are:  1. Maximizer 2. Achiever 3. Self-Assurance 4. Empathy 5. Activator Moneeka's website is BlissfulInvestor.com and you can email her directly at moneeka@coreblisslife.com Reach Alissa at alissa@daire2succeed.com or through the contact page on Daire2Succeed.com  

Our guest today is Rick Sterger. Rick, in just 5 years, has gone from being a leading tech strategist for companies like Sprint, Samsung, Motorola and Dell to a rising star in the field of immigration law.   With nearly 300% annual growth each year, The Immigration Guy, Rick's law firm, now represents over 100 clients in removal hearings and other immigration matters throughout the world.  His adopted cause, the Immigration Law Lab, provides Rick an outlet to be of service helping mothers and children fleeing severe domestic abuse and gang violence in Central America. Rick is incredibly wise and has a great message for us on stewarding what we’re given, honoring and accepting where we currently are in our businesse and the hidden blessing of giving up our ego. Listen in and enjoy today’s episode. Rick's Top 5 StrengthsFinder Themes:  1. Connectedness 2. Strategic 3. Activator 4. Communication 5. Includer Connect with Rick: www.theimmigrationguy.com.

If you've ever taken any sales training, you've been taught that in order to have the most effective sales, you must identify and dig into your potential client's pain, then make the sale by solving his or her pain.  Our guest today doesn't believe that's the only way to go. Michele PW (Pariza Wacek) is the best-selling author of the "Love-Based Business" series of books that share how to sell more with love and build a solid, profitable business on a foundation of love. In addition, she owns a copywriting and marketing company along with writing and publishing fiction. Michele's Top 5 CliftonStrengths Themes are: 1. Strategic 2. Intellection 3. Positivity 4. Activator 5. Individualization To grab your free book "How to Start a Business You Love AND That Loves You Back," visit LoveBasedBiz.com

We've got a treat today from England! David Ralph is an extremely attractive host of the top-ranked online show Join Up Dots, wherein each episode he takes his guests on a journey of discovery following the words of the late Steve Jobs. From birth to today and back again David Ralph, joins up the dots of his guests lives, highlighting their failures and successes (with more than a few laughs in between) as he leads them to the time travel section “The Sermon On The Mic” where they have the chance to speak to their younger selves and share the advice they have gained. This is a hugely powerful and inspirational show that has gained a massive audience in over 160 countries, and with its fun and quirky style is one that is fresh, unique and inspiring. David is an ex-corporate trainer, with a wife, five kids, a grandson, a cat, and a snail. (Yep, a snail). David's Top 5 CliftonStrengths Themes are: 1. Futuristic 2. Maximizer 3. Belief 4. Positivity 5. Activator To connect with David: www.joinupdots.com To connect with Alissa: www.daire2succeed.com

How do you test your limits? How do you know how far you can push yourself, both mentally and physically?  Lance Carter, author, triathlon & running coach, entrepreneur, 9-time Ironman finisher, cancer survivor, motivational speaker, and inspiring human being is our guest today.   Lance believes every person is capable of more and it’s his purpose in life to empower and inspire others to live a more fulfilling life.  He uses running and triathlon events to help people prove to themselves they are indeed capable of more. In 1993 Lance signed up for an Ironman triathlon as a way to pull himself out of depression and crossing that finish line was just the beginning of a lifetime of extraordinary accomplishments. Lance's Top 5 StrengthsFinder Themes are:  1) Developer 2) Empathy 3) Futuristic 4) Responsibility 5) Relator Lance has an awesome gift for you! CLICK HERE or go to lancecartercoaching.com/p/MYS to grab it! 

In today's episode, we get to Kathryn Kemp Guylay has inspired tens of thousands of individuals to be happier, healthier and have more fun.  As the founder of Make Everything Fun, she is a coach, teacher, speaker, and prolific author. Through her courses on Make Publishing Fun, Make Nutrition Fun, and Make Wellness fun, she helps others spread their own messages to make the world a better place. Kathryn has received over a dozen awards for her writing and coaching work. She has been seen on ABC, CBS, FOX, NPR and other media outlets and hosts two podcasts. Kathryn's Top 5 Strength Themes are:  1. Learner 2. Achiever 3. Futuristic 4. Focus 5. Maximizer Find Kathryn's free gift to you at www.makeeverythingfun.com/mys And on her website: www.makeeverythingfun.com Referenced resources: Polka Dot Powerhouse The Frickin' Awesome Entrepreneur Facebook Group & 5-Day Challenge

This summer, I’ve traveled to more conferences and events than I really ever have. Traveling to events is something I’ve encouraged you to do before on the podcast and I wanted to do an episode on the pros and cons AND how you might approach these traveling, conferences, events with different strength themes leading. In today's episode, I'll share my Top 3 reasons you should make it a priority to go to at least two conferences a year and I'll share my Top 4 ways to optimize the value of those conferences.  I also give a small preview of my upcoming course, The Frickin' Awesome Entrepreneur, which starts on October 25th! Stay tuned!  Make sure to 'Like' my Facebook page, Daire Success Coaching, to join me live each week on Fridays at noon CST. Coming to you at a special day, Thursday, October 5th. Don't miss it!

Today's guest is someone I've gotten to know over the past six months in Quatum Leap Mastermind and I love being in her space whether it's in person or on the phone. Julie is the founder and CEO of Empowered Living, a Life Design and personal development company. As a speaker, coach and faculty member at Georgetown University’s coaching program, Julie is enamored with helping you to master your inner world so you can master your outer world. In her book, Get a PhD in YOU: A Course in Miraculous Self-Discovery, Julie authentically shares the extensive personal-growth wisdom that came from her own struggles with body image, relationships, and feeling "not enough.”   Julie's Top 5 StrengthsFinder Themes are:   1) Positivity   2) Input   3) Achiever   4) Futuristic   5) Strategic   Don't forget to hang out until the end to find out how to get a free copy of Julie's book!   You can find her at JulieReisler.com

Has there ever been a part of your business that you’re just like, “ummm… this is NOT me. Sometimes there ARE those things. If you can resonate, today’s episode may just soothe your soul :) Our guest, Gavin Zuchlinski, is the founder of Acuity Scheduling, the slickest way for businesses to automate and manage their appointments online, allowing clients to schedule themselves. Gavin is a self-professed tech geek and espresso maniac (a word he does not use lightly) who wholeheartedly believes that business should be fun. Now, Gavin spent MANY years as the only guy in his business. And he liked it! He loved doing all the things. NOW, his business, Acuity Scheduling, supports over 50,000 businesses of all sizes, from people working for themselves to major corporations with thousands of employees. I, myself am an Acuity client, so if you’ve ever booked any kind of appointment with me, you got to see the magic of Acuity Scheduling. Of course, with the client base growing in leaps and bounds, Gavin can no longer do it all himself, Acuity’s Customer Support is unmatched in this industry as they focus on easy & pain-free scheduling with one on one support as they help their client’s businesses grow and thrive. One of the things I respect SO much about Gavin in today’s episode is that he not only confidently accepts that he’s awesome, as I encourage all of you to do, just also simply calls out one area of NON-strength and shares with us how he’s filled that gap. Remember, our BUSINESSES need to be well-rounded, we don’t.  Here are Gavin's Top 5 StrengthsFinder Themes:  1. Intellection 2. Achiever 3. Ideation 4. Learner 5. Command Find Gavin and his awesome 45 day trial for Acuity at acuityscheduling.com/MYS.

Our guest today is the top notch Executive Assistant, Jessica V. Lindgren, Main Gal of Gal Friday 612 (www.galfriday612.com). Her values align with mine, yet she had different Strengths, skills, and perspectives. She is extraordinary. She is amazing... As if I have anyone on the show that not, but really, she’s near and dear to my heart for many reasons. Jess is the Main Gal over at Gal Friday, which is an executive assistant service for busy entrepreneurs and executives. She delights in the details, whether she's planning your quarterly board meeting, choosing the perfect gift for everyone on your list, or putting the finishing touches on another batch of her famous homemade marshmallows. She and husband Bob enjoy living in Northeast Minneapolis, and when they're not relaxing at home with their three cats, you’ll find them exploring museums or indulging in theatre performances wherever they find themselves around the world. A lover of putting pen to paper, Jessica gleefully reads and replies to every handwritten letter she receives. Jessica's Top 5 StrengthsFinder themes are:  1. Strategic 2. Input 3. Relator 4. Learner 5. Developer Delegating is something we talk about a lot, but let's get real, it can be really scary! Jess gives amazing tips on how to hire and begin to delegate to an assistant.   

Today's guest is one of my favorite people. Brilliant, charming, crazy-hard working, and strategic beyond belief.  Dana Malstaff is the CEO and Founder of Boss Mom. She is a mother, author, business strategist, podcaster, blind spot reducer, and movement maker. She is the author of Boss Mom: The Ultimate Guide to Raising a Business & Nurturing Your Family Like a Pro.   Dana's Top 5 StrengthsFinder Themes are:   1) Activator   2) Woo   3) Strategic   4) Ideation   5) Communication   Find her at Boss-Mom.com

Tonya Rineer is a Speaker, Trainer and Money Mindset Maven who helps women entrepreneurs super-charge their profit potential by revolutionizing the way they think and feel about money! Her fun, action-packed coaching style helps women amp up their mindset and create value-based profit strategies that lead to financial peace and feel-good success.   Find Tonya at TheProfitParty.com   Tonya's Top 5 StrengthsFinder Themes are:    1. Input   2. Positivity   3. Learner   4. Intellection   5. Activator

Despite being told that people didn't want "simple", our guest today listened to her gut... and used her Strengths. Simplicity Circle Founder Milana Leshinsky is creating a simplicity revolution for coaches, authors, speakers and entrepreneurs who want to grow their businesses with ease. Creator of Recurring Revenue Revolution, author of Coaching Millions, co-founder of JV Insider Circle, and an inventor of telesummits, Milana is known as a serial entrepreneur and paradigm shifter by many luminaries. She came from Soviet Ukraine 25 years ago as a classical musician with zero knowledge of the business world, and has built multiple six and seven-figure businesses since. Today sheʼs passionate about showing entrepreneurs how to use simplicity as a growth strategy and say goodbye complexity and overwhelm. Hello simplicity, profits, and ease. Milana's Top 5 StrengthsFinder Themes are:  1. Strategic 2. Maximizer 3. Empathy 4. Activator 5. Significance Find her at http://www.simplicitycircle.com

All of your life experiences, both the good and the bad, can be used to fuel the difference you make in this world and in your business.  Donnie DeSanti (www.donniedesanti.com) is our guest today. Donnie is a health & wellness coach helping people to lose weight and regain their energy naturally without dieting, ever. Before coaching, he battled ADHD and medication before making changes in his diet and lifestyle. He has successfully been medication-free for over 20 years. He also witnessed his mother go through a similar struggle clearing her breast cancer through holistic methods. She has now been cancer free for 19 years. It has become his passion to help others rescue back their health and enjoy life to their fullest potential. You can find Donnie's Facebook Community, The Life In Balance Tribe, at www.LifeInBalanceTribe.com  

A little goodness, kindness, and generosity goes a long way! Think about the compound affect of millions of small acts of goodness.   Dr. Richard Shuster is a licensed clinical psychologist and the host of The Daily Helping with Dr. Richard Shuster: Food for the Brain, Knowledge from the experts, Tools to Win at Life. On his podcast, Dr. Shuster’s guests educate and inspire listeners through their stories, expertise, and passion for helping make a difference in the lives of others. His mission is to help people become the best versions of themselves and as a consequence, make the world a better place. A sought after media expert, Dr. Shuster’s clinical expertise and podcast have been featured in such publications as The Huffington Post, NBCNews.com, Reader’s Digest, and others.   Dr. Richard's Top 5 StrengthsFinder themes are:   1. Futuristic   2. Activator   3. Connectedness   4. Belief   5. Positivity   Use #mydailyhelping to share your acts of kindness, both big and small! Let's get that hashtag trending!   http://www.thedailyhelping.com/

Today, our guest is Heather Coughenour. You may remember Heather from episode 59 where she and her husband Jeff talked about what it’s like to be married to your business partner.Today we’re talking about her journey, so let me give you a little background. Heather is no stranger to creating something out of nothing. Prior to starting her branding company, Rebel 42, she was a single mom to 3 young kids. After ending an abusive marriage, she was determined to create a better life, so she went back to school...yep... while working full-time and raising those 3 little kids. She spent the next few years working in sales and marketing, as well as graphic design, before pursuing her biggest dream - being an entrepreneur. Heather is not only an amazing human, she’s also one of my closest friends, and a professional that trust implicitly. Your brand is more than your logo and tag line. We talk all about stepping into, really OWNING an unapologetic brand. Listen in for awesome tips! Heather's Top 5 StrengthsFinder themes: #1: Strategic #2: Achiever #3: Relator #4: Futuristic #5: Ideation   Find more about Heather at Rebel42.com

We've done it! We've hit 100 episodes. There have been some a-mazing episodes, guests with golden nuggets of wisdom all day long, and lots of 'aha's about individual greatness. And behind the scenes, there were tears, frustration, lots of mistakes, laughs, and PLENTY of opportunities for outtakes.  My husband, Joel, the Editor in Chief, co-hosts for a candid conversation about the past, the present, and the future of Maximize Your Strengths.  I'll share my passion for creating a world that cherishes each individual, where every candle burns brighter. BIG dreams and goals are in our future and it will take every one of us to make them happen!! We'll also talk about how Maximize Your Strengths is taking a shift in focus. No, we're not abandoning StrengthsFinder (How could we ever do that?!), but you'll want to hear what we are doing. Join in the conversation to Maximize YOUR Strengths in the Facebook Community: www.daire2succeed.com/MYS to join! This is where Alissa hangs out on a daily basis and where you can get the encouragement you are looking for.  We also recommend listening to the Individual Strengths Episodes (titles "All About....") for each of your Top 5 Themes. Go to www.daire2succeed.com/Strengths for a comprehensive list. P.S. hang on until the very end! #outtakes #hilarious

Our guest, Sarah Baker Andrus, has a proven system that helps her clients find a great career fit.  And, she loves sharing her strategies to help others achieve enduring career satisfaction.  Her solutions come from her work as a career counselor combined with more than 2o years’ working in and around the recruitment process. Sarah is married to Brian, and they have two adult sons who’ve been enthusiastic guinea pigs for Sarah’s approach.  So have her students at the University of Delaware where she is an adjunct professor in the business school. www.sarahbakerandrus.com

It's halfway through the year! Are you starting your second half the way you want to? Time Management (or Activity Management as I like to say), efficiency, giving enough of you to your business and your family....ugh... it can weigh you down!  So, I invited Katie Krimitsos, fellow business coach and podcaster to the mic today! Katie is the Founder of Biz Women Rock, a community and education provider for business women around the globe who want to grow their companies. She is a business coach and growth strategist and provides virtual and live education to help purpose-driven and action-taking women get the tools they need to fulfill their business dreams! Her podcast Biz Women Rock provides personal business interviews, pertinent topics and actionable information that help her community thrive in their businesses. She is a lover of travel, animals, the water and is amazingly in love with her very first child, Sedona and her husband, Chris. Hang out until the end! Katie has a special gift for you!

Very often on our podcast, we talk to service-based entrepreneurs. But today, we are diving into how your Strengths have MASSIVE impact on a product-based business! Today our guest is Marissa Agustin. Marissa is the owner and creator of Loving Cup Teas where she specializes in creating amazing, full flavor loose leaf teas to save people from scented water pretending to be tea. She is wife to an amazingly supportive husband and the coolest 3 kids around, also known as her junior tasting team. Go get her teas immediately from www.lovingcupteas.com

Our guest today is Cardiff D. Hall! Cardiff is the author of the Amazon #1 new release: "Tide Turners: The practical guide to help you feel in control, experience more joy and sustain achievement in life." Cardiff's Top 5 Strengths Themes are: #1. Activator #2. Significance #3. Focus #4. Maximizer #5. Belief Cardiff has a passion and zest for life to teach and help individuals feel the same way.  He coaches individuals who seek to achieve. He also delivers weekly inspiration and practical advice in his Tide Turners newsletter.   You can connect with Cardiff and get your free pdf copy of Tide Turners  at www.cardiffdhall.com/mys

Our guest today is Karen Briscoe! Karen is the author of "Real Estate Success in 5 Minutes a Day: Secrets of a Top Agent Revealed". Karen's Top 5 Strengths Themes are: #1. Input #2. Learner #3. Achiever #4. Maximizer #5. Focus Her book has been featured on INMAN as top real estate book for 2017; ranks in top 1% of books in its category on Amazon; is a contributor to both INMAN and Real Trends. She is also the principal owner of the Huckaby Briscoe Conroy Group (HBC) with Keller Williams. The HBC Group has been recognized by the Wall Street Journal as one of the 250 Top Realtor teams in the United States. Further, the team has ranked in the top 100 teams with Keller Williams International every year since 2009, the year the group joined KW. The team consists of Karen, her business partner Lizzy Conroy, her husband as Director of Operations, staff of four and four associate agents.   Since 1977, HBC Group has sold over 1,500 homes valued at over $1.5 billion. They consistently sell over 100 residential properties annually ranging from multi-million dollar luxury estates to condominiums and townhomes. Primary markets areas include Northern Virginia, suburban Maryland, and Washington, DC.   Karen began her real estate career developing residential lots with the Trammel Crow Company in Dallas, Texas. In Northern Virginia, she worked in commercial real estate with The Staubach Company prior to entering residential sales. Karen earned a Master’s degree from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas and received her BA from Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri—her hometown. Karen has completed the John Maxwell Team Certification Program for Coaching, Speaking, and Training.   Karen has been a board member for Lift Me Up!, a therapeutic horseback riding program for children and adults with disabilities in Great Falls, Virginia, since 2006. Her family is actively involved at Trinity United Methodist Church in McLean, Virginia. Through HBC Group, Karen and Lizzy launched Community Charity Champions to raise funds for local nonprofit groups and organizations and was awarded the Social Corporate Responsibility Award for 2012 by the Greater McLean Chamber of Commerce.   You can connect with Karen at: www.5MinuteSuccess.com

If you're an entrepreneur, you've no doubt considered, or maybe wished of hiring an assistant.    But what you may not realize is that you've been outsourcing every single day for as long as you've been an adult. Start thinking of outsourcing differently, and if you're in business for yourself, pay very close attention!   You're going to love this episode and love our guest, Trivinia Barber, of Priority VA (www.priorityva.com)   Trivinia is the founder of Priority VA - a boutique virtual assistant agency that matches elite level online entrepreneurs like Amy Porterfield and Todd Herman with highly-skilled assistants who “get” the online space and come prepared to deliver massive ROI right out of the gate.   

Sometimes we get stuck thinking we have to choose between having a rockin' business or having a family. Laura Roeder proves BOTH are possible. Laura Roeder is the founder of Edgar, a social media automation tool designed to prevent status updates from going to waste. Since 2009, her online courses have taught tens of thousands of entrepreneurs how to harness the power of social media. Laura has given talks at conferences like BlogHer and South by Southwest, and has spoken about the value of independent entrepreneurship at the White House. She’s also appeared in Forbes, Fast Company, Mashable, CNET, and other major publications.   Laura's StrengthsFinder themes are: 1) Maximizer 2) Significance 3) Competition 4) Command 5) Achiever   She has some of the rarest Strengths and she exhibits them beautifully. Learn all about it on today's episode.   Want what Edgar has to offer? Check him out at https://meetedgar.com/

Michelle is one of my newest, most brilliant friends and I can't wait to share her with you. Michelle McGlade is a business strategist and mentor for future leaders in the health and wellness industry. She helps wellness practitioners that are struggling not only with the business foundations and navigating the basics of online marketing, but also with reconnecting to their self-worth and regaining their self-confidence. Her coaching programs combine tough love with business savvy to get her clients results…quickly. Michelle’s unique skill set combines her corporate backstory of 15 years in sales and marketing, Master’s Degree in Business Management, entrepreneurial journey as the Founder of a holistic health clinic and Licensed Acupuncturist…and now online coaching business. She is a best-selling author, podcast host, and the biz savvy healer for healers. Find her at Michellemcglade.com

Calvin Correli is an artist, entrepreneur, and the CEO of a holistically focused, multi-million dollar software company called Simplero. Calvin is passionate about helping online business owners do exactly what brings them most alive and is currently working on branching out to bring all of his talents -- including music, spirituality and personal growth into an exciting new service for entrepreneurs. Calvin has an absolutely fascinating and rich background! He's artistic, passionate, and completely gifted in software design. One really different thing about Calvin is that he's taken the StrengthsFinder profile three times. Overall, he's had eleven different themes show up. If you've had a similar experience, find out what that means, and what it says about you in today's episode. You can find Calvin at: https://simplero.com/ or http://calvincorreli.com

Doug Sandler and Strickland Bonner are here! If you don't already know these guys, I'm glad I get to be the one to introduce you! They are super smart, insightful, and funny as can be! Doug Sandler has over 30 years of business experience as an entrepreneur and leader. His book, Nice Guys Finish First is a #1 ranked Amazon Best Seller. As a podcaster and host of The Nice Guys on Business, Doug has interviewed Gary Vaynerchuk,  Arianna Huffington, Dan Harris from Good Morning America, Ron Klain, White House Chief of Staff and dozens of celebs. He specializes in teaching others the “how-to’s” of building relationships and strengthening connections. Doug is a nationally recognized speaker and writer. Strickland Bonner’s company Podcast Production 4 You provides audio production for 5 episodes a week of The Nice Guys on Business as well as many other podcasts. He works a 9-5 job as a Report and Data Analyst, performs 50-55 times a year playing guitar in the variety band Black Tie and has teenage triplet daughters. Find them at: NiceGuysonBusiness.com or TurnkeyPodcast.com

It’s our first anniversary edition! Key Takeaways Sometimes simpler is better. Remember this when looking at a shiny, new object or project. Taking on a brand new platform—be it blogging or podcasting or something altogether difference—is a challenge that will lead you toward several failures, but will also teach you lessons and bring you great successes. An accountability partner will work side-by-side with you and will adjust with you as your needs adjust. 50% of success is just showing up! Gauging success of a new undertaking means going beyond looking at profitability. Listen in now! [smart_track_player url="http://traffic.libsyn.com/maximizeyourstrengths/MYS089.mp3" title=" Looking Back on Year One with Accountability Partner Alan Bruess " artist="Alissa Daire Nelson" social="true" social_twitter="true" social_facebook="true" social_gplus="true" social_linkedin="true" social_email="true"] Time-Stamped Show Highlights 2:30 – How Alissa and Alan met 6:54 – The slippery slope of skipping “just one” episode/post/etc. If you skip one, it’s super easy to skip the next. And any loyal following you have will think you aren’t dependable. 7:52 – Challenges over the first year 16:31 – How an accountability partnership works 21:50 – How Alan measures success 23:03 – The importance of hearing from your audience It is human nature to want to feel needed and wanted and that you’re doing important work. 25:55 – Start with your “why” and keep an eye on the long game 28:15 – Capitalizing on Strengths when running a business with your spouse As much as married couples really need to understand not only what their own Strengths are but to see the light in their spouse's Strengths, to be able to re-shift that is important to change the conversation.  31:32 – Shining the light on Alissa Over the course of the past year, Alissa has not only released 89 podcast episodes, but also wrote and released a book! 34:02 – If you’re thinking about starting something new… If you think you just don’t have it all together yet… That time will NEVER happen! You just have to move forward. 35:14 – When you feel like you just want to quit 37:13 – How to handle your failures to keep moving forward You can either be crushed by your failures or you can seek out the lesson. Pivoting is awesome, and we need to do that, quitting should never be an option. 39:25 – Quitting versus a planned exit 39:45 – Closing with a quote

In today’s episode, we focus on college students and recent college grads who are trying to find their way in the world. If this is you, or you know a college student or recent grad, dive in with us! Learn how to go on the entrepreneurial journey, how to confidently go forth in the world, and how to use the Miracle Morning for College Students to help you on your way. About Natalie Janji Natalie is a graduate of Loyola Marymount University with a bachelor's degree in chemistry and author of "The Miracle Morning for College Students." Natalie is passionate about helping students have a meaningful college experience with personal growth. She guides students in achieving their full potential in every area of their lives. She is currently a speaker, coach, and author ready to help students all over the world achieve their dreams. Natalie’s Top 5 StrengthsFinder Strengths Significance Communication Futuristic Maximizer Strategic Key Takeaways The StrengthsFinder profile can help you find your way and embrace who you are as you grow into your entrepreneurial It takes effort to build a Strengths-based culture! In recognizing your weaknesses, you can see someone else who has Strengths you do not have and honor those Strengths instead of being jealous of them. To create something amazing, it takes a village. It takes collaboration. Accept who you are, and acknowledge the value that other people can bring. You have the most potential, especially right out of college, because you have nothing to lose. There is so little to lose, so you can take maximum leaps! Taking risks is the way! Your dreams need to scare you. You can use that fear to drive you and propel you forward. Listen in now! [smart_track_player url="http://traffic.libsyn.com/maximizeyourstrengths/MYS088.mp3" title="Finding Success After College Through Strengths, Community & Risk Taking with Natalie Janji" artist="Alissa Daire Nelson" social="true" social_twitter="true" social_facebook="true" social_gplus="true" social_linkedin="true" social_email="true"] Time-Stamped Show Highlights 2:37 – The growth of the young entrepreneur 4:29 – Natalie’s first encounter with Strengths 6:34 – Natalie’s StrengthsQuest results from 2014   Achiever Empathy Woo Includer Positivity   7:31 – Natalie’s StrengthsFinder results 8:01 – The benefits of unlocking all 34 results When we unlock all of our 34, our tendency is to possibly look at our 6 through 10, but then to go to the bottom to see where we’re weakest. While we do want to identify areas of non-Strength… We want to 9:05 – A healthy way to look at non-Strengths Instead of beating your head and saying, “Why can’t I be like this person,” you can find someone who can complement you and your Strengths. 11:46 – How Natalie’s Strengths show up 13:36 – Natalie’s process of pursuing and creating her book I really had to rely on my Strengths. If I were to dwell on my weaknesses during this entire process, I wouldn’t have a finished manuscript. You’ve gotta let go of the fear that you are not enough and just accept yourself for all you are! 17:40 – How Natalie’s Strengths may have shifted from 2014 to 2017 18:47 – About the various Strengths profiles StrengthsExplorer is built for kids 10-14, StrengthsQuest is for 15-20, and StrengthsFinder is for 21 and up. 19:15 – The value in retaking the Strengths profile 20:10 – Natalie’s thoughts on intuition for college students Use tools that will help you develop your muscle of self-awareness. Who you are is very unique! Play to your Strengths and stick to your gut. 21:52 – The gift of Futuristic 24:04 – Natalie’s upcoming speaking event 24:41 – About the Strength of Maximizer 25:31 – Strategic & Communication in tandem – Strategic Communication! 26:31 – How Strengths play into deciding whether to take risks There are some Strengths that can be somewhat risk averse, which can keep people in their comfort zone. 28:12 – Natalie’s parting thoughts on risk-taking It’s great to take risks when you are betting on your Strengths! The fire that’s inside of you to create and accomplish all that you want to do doesn’t die after one failure… You know it’s worth it! Selected Links for This Episode Natalie’s website 1 Life Fully Lived conference in Philadelphia Follow Natalie on Twitter Connect with Natalie on Facebook Follow Natalie on Instagram About the StrengthsQuest profile Maximize Your Strengths Resources Maximize Your Strengths Facebook Community StrengthsFinder 2.0 test StrengthsFinder 2.0 by Tom Rath From Frustrated to Frickin’ Awesome by Alissa Daire Nelson

Episode 087 Show Notes: Knowing Yourself & the Market with Chris Plough In today’s episode, we take a deep dive into learning more about yourself and identify how and when to bring a new idea to market. This episode is packed full of great advice and exercises from guest Chris Plough, so grab your notebook and pen and let’s dive in! About Chris Plough Chris Plough equips epic entrepreneurs for the world that is coming. Having succeeded in both realms, Chris Plough connects the art of inspiration with the business of execution to help shape the frontiers of our world. Chris’s Top 5 StrengthsFinder Strengths Strategic Futuristic Self-assurance Learner Activator Key Takeaways In overuse, Self-assurance is arrogant. When beautifully tuned, however, it allows you to have humility. Spend time every day with reflection (Chris does this through meditation and journaling). Identifying your core values starts with noticing and then asking, “Why?” By defining your core values, you can gain incredible clarity, which is one of the most powerful gifts you can create for yourself. We can only do so much for ourselves. It is important to have people with you who are willing to walk arm-in-arm with you who will tell you what is important—whether it’s positive or really hard to hear. The best litmus test for seeing if the world is ready for your new idea is whether people are willing to put money behind their support of your idea. Listen in now! [smart_track_player url="http://traffic.libsyn.com/maximizeyourstrengths/MYS087.mp3" title="Knowing Yourself and the Market with Chris Plough" artist="Alissa Daire Nelson" social="true" social_twitter="true" social_facebook="true" social_gplus="true" social_linkedin="true" social_email="true"] Time-Stamped Show Highlights 1:58 – Chris’s top 5 Strengths 2:18 – How Self-assurance shows up for Chris Self-assurance is the second least-frequent Strength that shows up in top 5 results. 3:35 –Chris’s business experience and his diverse background The breadth at which we experience and we gain comfort in those experiences gives us an ability to gain comfort in what we’ve achieved. When we talk about the stories of things we create, there are highs and lows. It’s important that we share things where we’ve exceeded, but where are the incredibly rough times we’ve had. That allows deeper levels of connections and deeper lessons for ourselves and those who listen. 7:40 – All of Chris’s Strengths in action 10:08 – How Chris has cultivated his Self-assurance 11:08 – The double-edged sword of Strengths   There are three areas of possible weaknesses in our world, and two-thirds of them come from our Strengths: underuse of Strengths, overuse of Strengths, and areas of non-Strengths.   14:15 – Chris’s core values and how he defined them I spent years exploring what the right path is for me. How can I surround myself with the right voices? A lot of it was personal discovery, people I began to associate and surround myself with and how we helped empower each other. Then it was getting really clear as to what my gifts were, what my mission is, and how I can really help to shape and shift this world. 17:14 – How to find and define your own core values Ask “why” at least three times to get down to a core. Often your cores revolve around things within ourselves are perceived weaknesses. Once you understand them, gain comfort with them and grow with them, they become Strengths. 22:53 – The importance of surrounding yourself with the right people 25:29 – The Johari Window, explained The whole goal is to expand what you know about yourself, as well as what others know about you. Johari Window:  [insert  27:44 – Chris’s best advice to individuals who are ready to get started with a great new idea Allow for brainstorming. Then figure out which ideas you are right for. List out what the positive and negative motivators are for you. List out what is happening in the world positively and negatively to see if it’s ready for your idea. Next, go through this matrix. What is your desire to do this? This goes beyond want into passion. Ask what your need is for your idea. Why does this idea matter? Next, ask what your and/or your team’s ability is to execute on the idea. Finally, is this idea right for this time in the world? In the middle of all of this is an idea that is ripe for execution! 31:58 – The process of determining the right timing for your idea 32:30 – How to identify whether there is a real need for your idea   The simplest way to determining need is asking, “Will the market pay for it?” When someone says, “Yes, your idea is great!” but will not back that yes with a financial investment (no matter how small), tells you something!

Budgeting is hard for anyone, let alone someone with an inconsistent income. Author and Speaker, Christy Wright, from Ramsey Solutions joins us today to tell us about her new book, Business Boutique, which is available TODAY, April 17th, 2017, having fun with your strengths, and how the heck to maintain a budget with the roller coaster of income and expenses that entrepreneurship can often bring. Both entertaining and inspiring, So excited to have Christy join us! Both entertaining and inspiring, Christy Wright presents messages that educate and give hope to audiences nationwide. As the creator of Business Boutique and through her podcast and sellout live events, Wright has equipped thousands of women to successfully run and grow a business so they can make money doing what they love. Wright is a Certified Business Coach and Ramsey Personality. Since joining Ramsey Solutions in 2009, she has spoken to audiences across the country at women’s conferences, national business conferences, and Fortune 500 companies. Her new book, Business Boutique, is available on Amazon today, April 17th, 2017!  It's a must read! 

Alissa searched for a daily planner that would work for her. Digital, paper, apps for her phone. Nothing hit the spot. Until she found the Panda Planner. Our guest today is the creator of the Panda Planner, Michael Leip. The Panda Planner is a daily planner that is scientifically designed to increase happiness and productivity, based on leading research.   Mike first designed the planner for himself to help combat the negative side effects from lyme disease, traumatic brain injury and cancer. The planner worked so well, he decided to offer it to others and it is now the best selling personal organizer on amazon.com and used by tens of thousands of people all over the world. Find Mike and his Panda Planner at www.pandaplanner.com No matter what you use to plan and have an amazing day, you'll love this episode. 

Today we talk about how to let your personality and strengths shine through in your marketing plan.  Our guest is Kamila Gornia. Kamila is the "Blow Up, Scale Up" Marketing Strategist who helps entrepreneurs blow up and scale up their businesses to become true leaders online. By teaching her clients and community how to leverage their own natural personalities into strategic marketing campaigns that are both profitable AND fun, Kamila is proving over and over again that if you can dream it, you CAN really achieve it! Find her at www.kamilagornia.com

Alissa is excited to announce the her new book, From Frustrated to Frickin' Awesome: 4 Steps to Achieve the Success You're Wired For is available today on Amazon!  She discusses what the post-writing process has been like, as well as gives you an inside scoop about what's in the book!  Check it out on Amazon.com or on Alissa's website: daire2succeed.com

What are you using to market your business? Are you getting in front of the right audiences, your ideal customers? Today, we talk about a way to market your business that you may not have considered before. The lady behind the scenes at InterviewsThatConvert.com and the host of the fantastic new podcast ‘Get Guest Ready’ -- Nicole Holland, helps successful business owners and CEOs increase their visibility exponentially through Podcast Guesting so they can make a greater impact, influence, and income. Proud to have been named in the Huffington Post as one of “50 Must-Follow Women Entrepreneurs in 2017” alongside female powerhouses including Marie Forleo, Danielle LaPorte, Amy Porterfield, and Dorie Clark, Nicole continues to inspire entrepreneurs all around the globe through her popular podcast, The Business Building Rockstars Show. You're in for a great conversation and learning today! 

Melisa Torres is the author of the Perfect Balance Gymnastics Series and the Mom and Dad Love Me Books. Melisa writes about her passions; gymnastics and explaining divorce to kids. Melisa was a competitive gymnast for 14 years and an NCAA division 1 gymnast at Utah State University. She draws from her experience as a gymnast to create authentic stories in the Perfect Balance Gymnastics Series. Melisa is a single mother to two boys. She continually tries to create a healthy secure life for her boys in a non-traditional home. She draws on her experience as a mother to create the Mom and Dad Love Me Books. Melisa has a BA from Utah State University where she studied Psychology and Literature. When Melisa is not writing or parenting she enjoys weight lifting, skiing, and ballroom dancing." Find her at www.melisatorres.com or on Facebook:  Or on Facebook: I have two facebook pages because my two sets of books have two different types of followings. The Perfect Balance Gymnastics page is facebook.com/pbgseries and the Mom and Dad Love Me Books are at The Mom and Dad Love Me Books are at facebook.com/momdadlovemebooks. Also, all books can be found on Amazon.com and the gymnastics series is usually ranked in the top 10 best seller for gymnastics books on any given day.

Sometimes being a "visionary", as many entrepreneurs are, can feel like the opposite of running a highly process oriented business. But you know are vital to growing your business. Dawn Sinkule gives great advice and insight today! Dawn, the Founder Virtual Point Solutions Inc. is an MBA graduate, Strategy and Business Growth Consultant, a Certified Online Business Manager (OBM) with more than 16 years experience working for a Fortune 50 company. Dawn and her team, work with 6 and 7 figure business owners who want to grow, expand, and explode their businesses! Virtual Point Solutions provides business strategies, automation, and systems to ensure your business turns from chaos into cash flow.  

Today we talk about actually doing what most entrepreneurs dream of... moving to a tropical island and working remotely. Andrea B. Riggs is a mother of 3 adventurous children, is married to her soul mate, Charles and in fall of 2016 moved with her family from Southern Utah to Puerto Rico. She enjoys yoga, traveling, creating, fitness, nutrition, healing and exploring with family. Andrea is a motivational movement expert and works closely conference orchestrators to make magic at conferences. By moving people physically, Andrea prepares participants to be moved emotionally. Andrea trains clients in healing the Body, Mind, and Spirit. She cultivates Yoga inspired by Baptiste Yoga, Zumba Fitness, Kettlebells, TRX, Barre, her own total body HIIT workout, "Raw, and online fitness programs. He also began a gut healing online business, The Cultured Collective with her husband Charles. Andrea believes in living your greatest adventure and so she is currently writing Gypsy Living, how to unleash your Gypsy Spirit and live an adventurous and extraordinary life. She has 3 more on the way! Andrea believes in educating our own children and guiding the next generation towards more creativity and connectivity. She helped her daughter Ava begin a dream of designing her own stuffed lambs. AvaMariaLambs.com is just the beginning to of this journey.    Andrea has trained with Baron Baptiste, ACE and AFAA, CPT (NASM), CFNS (Nutrition specialist), Level 1 Baptiste Yoga, Fermentation Specialist, Wings Energy Practitioner Level 1 and 2, and currently training in Zoneology. Find her at:  www.gypsyfam.com andreariggs.zumba.com

Today, our guest is Jeff McMahon. Jeff is the owner of Total Body Construction. He's been a trainer for almost a decade now helping over 700 people reach their health and fitness goals.  His degree is in pre-med/pre-pharm and dual certified in exercise science and sports medicine. He loves helping people and through that he has brought his in-person training to the online world.  His strengths have allowed him to center himself and know what he can do to achieve my business success. Find him at TBD.fit

Shawn Stevenson is a bestselling author and creator of The Model Health Show, which is featured as the #1 Health podcast on iTunes with millions of listener downloads each year. A graduate of The University of Missouri – St. Louis, Shawn studied business, biology, and kinesiology, and went on to be the founder of Advanced Integrative Health Alliance, a company that provides wellness services for individuals and organizations worldwide. Shawn has been featured in Entrepreneur magazine, Men’s Health magazine, ESPN, FOX News, and many other major media outlets. He is also a frequent keynote speaker for numerous organizations, universities, and conferences. his website is TheModelHealthShow.com At age 20, Shawn was diagnosed with an “incurable” spinal condition known as degenerative disc disease. He spent 2 years believing that there was nothing he could do but manage his disc disease. Why, because the doctors he trusted told him so.  But then there was a shift. And we'll talk about what that was and how it transformed his whole life today. Shawn's mission is to help people become the strongest, healthiest, happiest version of themselves. I think this is my favorite part about Shawn: He believes that we all are AMAZING people being exactly the way we are right now. And he believes that there is a “greater” version of us that can be accessed through the right nutrition, exercise, and transformational mindset. Shawn's Top 5 StrengthsFinder Themes are Learner, Relator, Strategic, Responsibility, and Command. 

Today, we're talking about the power and strategy of journaling. Specifically, bullet-journaling Kara Benz is our guest! She is a 34-year-old military spouse and a mother to a beautiful daughter based in central New Jersey. After more than 16 years employed in the bar and restaurant industry, Kara woke up one day eager to expand her horizons. The Boho Berry Blog started off as a way for Kara to showcase her Bohemian-style jewelry back in April of 2015. She soon began writing about the topics near and dear to her heart: mindfulness, meditation, goal-setting, and personal development. Boho Berry soon took on a life of its own and has quickly become a hub for creatives seeking to improve their lives through planning, goal setting, and motivation. Kara now runs a successful Etsy shop, and is preparing to launch her first signature handwriting course online this Spring. Find her at bohoberry.com

To manage stress, anxiety, and a "busy brain", everyone says meditation helps. You should meditate. You need to calm your brain and center. But how? Julianna Raye has been training individuals and groups in mindfulness for over 17 years. Currently, Julianna is preparing to launch the official teacher training for Unified Mindfulness - at unifiedmindfulness.com/core. She is also a founding member of the mindfulness app, Brightmind which will be available in the spring of 2017. In addition to her work for Unified Mindfulness and Brightmind, she creates onsite and online mindfulness training for enterprise clients through the Flourishing Leadership Institute. She also privately coaches executives in sales and leadership, celebrities, entrepreneurs and group trains company leaders interested in preventative health care and improving the work environment, through mindfulness meditation. Julianna delivers specific mindfulness strategies most relevant to the individual or company’s needs.  Julianna was drawn to mindfulness over 20 years ago to manage severe anxiety and depression as well as the dramatic emotional ups and downs of life as a professional entertainer. With over 100 weeks of immersive silent retreat training in both mindfulness and zen, Julianna has racked up 12,000 plus hours of formal practice time, rewiring her brain and creating a new normal for herself. In a recent study at UCLA comparing long-term meditators’ brains with non-meditators, the results of Julianna’s MRI led to interviews on ABC, Globo and Reuters news outlets, about the benefits of Mindfulness practice. Unified Mindfulness, has been used in research at Harvard Medical Center (with breakthrough results) and other major research centers. In fact Julianna has just completed a mindfulness workplace research study with noted researcher David Creswell, through Carnegie Mellon. This study was a rare opportunity to design and implement a training program for a mid-size company (Fathom Digital Marketing) while having the results rigorously studied by Creswell’s lab. Very little research on mindfulness has been done in the workplace, so the amount of data collected for this study is unprecedented. Stay tuned for the results analysis which will be completed by March of 2017.  

In September, 2016, Alissa knew it was time to begin writing a book. She knew it would be a challenge, but didn't know it would be the most difficult thing she's tackled to date.  In a reverse format episode, Alissa is the guest and Cari Twitchell, from Custom Content Solutions, LLC interviews Alissa on her process, her struggles and challenges, and if it was all worth it in the end. 

In 2014, Elisa’s body was hit by an 18-wheeler truck. She was propelled 90 feet through the air. Her life should have ended that night, but it didn't. And in the weeks and months that followed, Elisa not only survived but is thriving. She leans into her Strengths every day to continue to succeed. She is a speaker, consultant, and coach, and inspires organizations and audiences internationally how to lead lives of real impact. Connect with her at ElisaHays.com

You can live your life fully and intentionally even if you are challenged with chronic illness and pain.  Brianna Greenspan, co-author of The Miracle Morning: Art of Affirmations Coloring Book, joins us today to share her journey with a life-long excruciating and debilitating chronic illness. To live life to its fullest every single day, she makes a daily choice, backed with tactics you can use too. She leans into her strengths to gather the courage to do it, and you can to. Find Brianna at BriannaGreenspan.com 

How many times have you made a New Year's resolution to lose weight, eat healthier, meet an activity goal, etc only to be fail to meet it or slip back in to old habits and not prioritize your health?   Today we talk about using your Strengths to turn those New Year's resolutions around you health into achievements.   Our guest today is Julie Hansen who is a certified personal trainer and nutrition therapy practitioner.  She helps her clients not only in the gym but also via Skype, to meet their physical AND nutritional goals.  She strives to help her clients reach their fitness goals in a truly enjoyable way. You can find her at: www.Fitnessloungemn.com www.facebook.com/fitnessloungemn  

The Strength Theme of Woo isn't what it initially sounds like! It's actually an acronym for 'winning others over'.  People exceptionally talent in the Woo theme love the challenge of meeting new people and winning them over. They derive satisfaction from breaking the ice and making a connection with someone or even a room full of someones!  We're joined by the awesome Lisa Cummings, Gallup Certified Strengths Coach and CEO of Lead Through Strengths. Find her on her website: leadthroughstrengths.com and listen to her podcast, Lead Through Strengths on iTunes, Stitcher, or SoundCloud. 

The first year of Maximize Your Strengths has been a success thanks to YOU, the listener. Listen to this episode to hear where Maximize Your Strengths is going in 2017!  

Today we're talking about the strength of Strategic. People exceptionally talented in the Strategic Theme create alternative ways to proceed. Faced with any given scenario, they can quickly spot the relevant patterns and issues. Our guest expert is Strengths Strategy Certified coach Tinus Van der Merwe.