Move The Needle

Thank you for being a listener!We're taking a break to enjoy the holidays and gear up for a strong 2020. Need to reach us while we're away...Contact Jason Zook at:Twitter: @JasonDoesStuffEmail: Hello[at]JasonDoesStuff.comContact Greg Hartle at:Twitter: @greghartleEmail: Online[at]GregHartle.com

Topics discussed in this episode:How to manage early-stage business stressDiscussion around enough versus moreWhy stress is a natural by product of any significant accomplishmentDiscussion around lowering your stress versus improving your stress toleranceAre we experiencing a shift into a more stressful world and if so can we protect ourselves from itHow much has technology contributed to our stressWhy self-evaluation is important to help you determine what is contributing to your stress and how to better manage itTwitter: @greghartle @jasondoesstuffEmail: online[at]greghartle.com hello[at]jasondoesstuff.com

Topics discussed in this episode:Working in sprints and taking breaks to recoverWays to bounce back after downtimeThe importance of working on ideas you love to help you sustain momentumWhy problem-solving is a great way to "get into business"Why doing what you say you are going to do is the best business strategyHow to get enough momentum to make significant changes in your life and businessWhy attaching your self-worth to your work is a bad ideaJason's terrible moving watching weekendsReach Jason at Hello[at]JasonDoesStuff.comReach Greg at Online[at]GregHartle.com

Topics discussed in this episode:Feelings around taking time off and vacations when you own a businessConcepts around building a life and schedule you enjoyDiscussion about whether entrepreneurs are born or madeWhat is work/life balance and how to find itThe idea of pacing yourself and your business rather than chasing growthWhy doing things that don't scale in the early days can lead to a more sustainable business model laterReach Jason Zook at Hello[at]JasonDoesStuff.comReach Greg Hartle at Online[at]GregHartle.com 

Topics discussed in this episode:Greg discussed finalizing a new business partnership, acquiring new investment capital to grow his coffee business, Youngblood Coffee Roasters.Greg talks about why he's delayed launching any online course. A discussion around why Greg has avoided launching into a business just because he can, and instead is focused on what he should be doing.Jason talks about his new business model focused on business coaching, and what it took for him to get passed his personal hang-ups with negative connotations around online coaching programs.Why taking time to acknowledge and celebrate successes, even if small, are important for early-stage entrepreneurs in particular.Discussion on when and how to find value from what others are doing, but why mimicking others may lead to your downfall. Contact Jason at Hello[at]JasonDoesStuff.com or on Twitter at @JasonDoesStuffContact Greg at Online[at]GregHartle.com or on Twitter at @GregHartle

Topics discussed in this episode:Jason shares results from his Bump Sale of his Squarespace template.Discussion around Pinterest and Facebook ads.Jason's one big takeaway on his side-income projects.Discussion around the value of running experiments  and side projects and whether they are helpful or not.Jason and Greg each share their outlook on having business mentors.Is it always Mo Money Mo Problems or can you grow without creating more stress and more challenges?Reach Jason Zook at Hello@JasonDoesStuff.com or @JasonDoesStuffReach Greg Hartle at Online@GregHartle.com or @GregHartle

Topics discussed in this episode:How to handle customer support issues when you partner or integrate with third-party companies who experience challenges.Taking responsibility for poor customer experiences and how to rectify them.Why customer help documentation is critical to customer success.The importance of choosing strong third-party partners to ensure great customer experiences.How to choose business partners aligned with your values and vision.Jason's creative ideas to find a traditional book publisher aligned with his vision for his second book.Greg goes off on Sales and Self-Promotion and Jason talks him off the ledge.Marketers ruin everything, but we still need to market our products and services regardless.Reach Jason Zook at Hello[at]JasonDoesStuff.comReach Greg Hartle at Online[at]GregHartle.com

Topics discussed in this episode:Greg shares how he's funding his new online business ventures with his one-on-one consulting income.How Greg landed a new consulting contract by reaching out directly to a potential client.Greg and Jason discuss their feelings on labels and why each chooses not to label themselves and instead focus on personal growth.Jason shares how he is handling Teachery.co software changes as a result of a third-party integration forcing his hand.Discussion around how to handle customer support issues when the issue is with a third-party integration or partner.Greg shares his largest purchase ever on OnlyOrnaments.Com.Greg talks about his Search Engine Optimization challenges with an e-commerce store with many different product SKUs.Jason shares his new idea to sell a product using the Bump Sale strategy; price increases incrementally after each purchase.Greg's (valid) fear of Bobcats attacking him while sleeping.Jason's thoughts on Airtable software for project management.Reach Jason Zook at Hello[at]JasonDoesStuff.comReach Greg Hartle at Online[at]GregHartle.com 

Topics discussed in this episode:Podcasting and podcast marketing.Podcasting as an ephemeral marketing tactic simply to build rapport and deepen relationships with potential and established customers.Executing marketing strategies when you don't have much marketing experience and a small marketing budget.Marketing this podcast in a unique enough way to substantially grow an audience.Is email still a useful way to market to consumers?The importance of ongoing adjustments to your marketing strategy based on feedback.How to build long-term and short-term marketing funnels at the same time.Why Word-of-Mouth marketing is still the best.Reach Jason Zook at hello[at]JasonDoesStuff.comReach Greg Hartle at online[at]GregHartle.com

Topics discussed in this episode:Greg discusses plans to open a second cafe location for Youngblood Coffee in downtown Minnesota.Greg discusses the multiple ways the team is considering financing the second cafe location without using cash.Greg talks about why accredited investors are important when raising capital even for small investment deals.Greg and Jason discuss how hard (or easy) it is to say no to money when the deal isn't good for you.Jason and Greg discuss comparison traps and how we avoid comparing our inside to someone else's outside.Jason discusses the contract he establishes with himself to feel empowered about his work.Jason and Greg discuss why focusing on the Vibe you are trying to create with your customers will help you build momentum.How Jason works through the mental cycles of judgement of his own work and meeting and exceeding his expectations.Greg discusses how he will cover the costs of launching his digital products over the next year.Jason explains why it's so important to him to only sell courses on topics he's done himself.Reach Jason Zook at Hello[at]JasonDoesStuff.comReach Greg Hartle at Online[at]GregHartle.com

Topics discussed in this episode:Greg gives an update on his next steps for deciding whether to create digital courses for an industry or a position across multiple industries.Greg explains the steps he's taking to research and decide which digital courses he may want to create. In particular, gaining clarity on what he doesn't want to do just as much as getting clear on what he does want to do.Jason and Greg discuss business financial lessons and what to do think about when starting a new business.Greg talks about Unexpected and Unknown expenses that come up when building a business and how best to prepare for them.Jason talks about the unexpected expenses he's experienced in the first year of Wandering Aimfully, the lessons he's learned, and adjustments he'll make next time.Greg talks about his personal investment philosophy and how he makes financial decisions.Jason talks about how he paid off over $100,000 in debt and how he makes financial decisions now.Reach Jason at Hello[at]JasonDoesStuff.comReach Greg at Online[at]GregHartle.com

Topics discussed in this episode: Greg talks about his challenges with choosing a niche industry for his digital product ideas when he doesn't want to be the brand. Jason talks about why a niche is so important with digital products sold online. Jason does his Liam Neeson impression. Greg and Jason get to the heart of why having a passion for the industry you want to serve is critical to your long-term success. Jason explains how to potentionally build an online product brand without being the face of the brand. Jason discusses changes in consumer buying behavior and the importance of tailoring your online marketing toward these behaviors. Jason talks about his experience working with his wife as his business partner. Jason shares why he creates Project Values before starting a new project within a business. Greg and Jason discuss the concept of "Enough" and how we've moved into a world where Hustle and More may no longer be what to aspire to as entrepreneurs.

Topics Discussed In This Episode: Why Greg makes every attempt to see the world through his own lens instead of blindly taking advice, even from experts. Jason talks about how to find great service providers for your business and why it's so important. Jason gives an update on his "Make $500" digital program beta test, and the results are surprisingly poor. Greg and Jason discuss how to stay motivated when your customers buy from you, but don't consume your work and apply what they learn. Jason talks about his next experiment for Wandering Aimfully, "Build a Squarespace Site From Start to Finish" to see if it works as a unique marketing tactic and makes short-term cash, while allowing them to avoid having to do client work. Jason explains how he decides whether or not to test unique marketing tactics that don't have pre-determined success rates or key performance indicators. Greg talks about his philosophy behind "It's not just about What to do, but How you do it." (eg. Creativity, Empathy, In Service, Humor, etc.) Greg and Jason discuss the early stages of Greg building an online presence and creating digital products. Greg discusses opportunities to enter new geographical markets with Youngblood Coffee Roasters and whether or not it would be a good investment to do so. Reach Jason Zook at hello[at]JasonDoesStuff.com Reach Greg Hartle at Online[at]GregHartle.com

Topics discussed in this episode: Jason makes a stunning revelation that he never watched Michael Jordan play on the Chicago Bulls. Jason and Greg discuss their love of books despite not reading much when they were young. Greg discusses the buying psychology of paying more for a service and how charging a fee upfront increases the buyer's commitment and the seller prestige. Jason discusses the importance of manually testing marketing and sales ideas before automating them. Jason shares his process for ensuring a company website creates the feelings your customers want and delivers the message you are hoping to convey. Greg and Jason discuss the importance of practicing the skills necessary to deliver an exceptional customer experience. Jason shares an experiment he is working on in which he hopes to use the results as a case study for the value they deliver in Wandering Aimfully. Greg discusses the effort he is making to reduce expenses for Only Ornaments and why it's an important step toward increasing his return on initial investment. Jason discusses the future of personalized experienes on websites and what he's doing to test this out on his own websites. Jason gives an interesting update on his Facebook advertising strategy for Caroline's online Better Branding course. Reach Jason at Hello[at]JasonDoesStuff.com Reach Greg at Online[at]GregHartle.com

In this episode we discussed: How Greg found a technical co-founder and launched a personal development online learning academy. Greg and Jason discuss the difference between setting goals and developing positive habits. Why Greg stopped documenting his life online and instead focused on helping small business owners in person. The health scare that almost completely derailed Greg's 3-year travel project and how he was able to continue traveling and finish the project. Jason talks about his ambiguous transition between his "I Wear Your Shirt" project before beginning his next major project and how he got through the most difficult days. A discussion about why most great networking isn't who you know, but who knows you (which is mostly about you striving to do great work). How Jason grew his business from just him as a solopreneur to hiring his first couple of team members. Jason explains how much time and effort it took to get his business off the ground as it was growing rapidly. Jason shares stories of unintended consequences from too much business growth too fast. Greg's thoughts on basic business financials: What to track, what to be cautious about, and how to prepare for a downturn. Why Jason chose to shut down his business and how it affected his confidence, but simultaneosly opened up avenues for new ideas. Reach Jason at Hello[at]JasonDoesStuff.com or on Twitter at @JasonDoesStuff Reach Greg at Online[at]GregHartle.com or on Twitter at @GregHartle

In this episode we discuss: How Greg landed his first paid sponsorship. How Greg got started with his first blog and website. What led Greg to catch a ride from Portland, OR to Chicago, IL for an important event. The proactive steps Jason took to book enough sponsors for I Wear Your Shirt for it to become a viable idea. How Jason was able to land his first national press opportunity. How Jason leveraged his first national press opportunity for more press. Greg and Jason discuss how they've landed early sales through experimentation versus strategy. Why Greg and Jason never use Fortune 500 companies as their models for their own businesses. Jason's response to entrepeneurs who claim they aren't creative. Reach Greg Hartle at Online[at]GregHartle.com Reach Jason Zook at Hello[at]JasonDoesStuff.com

Topics discussed in this episode: Greg shares the story behind his 3-year, 50-state project "$10 and a Laptop." Greg explains how he made money traveling around the United States starting with just a $10 bill. Why Greg chose to share real-time transparent daily updates on how he rebuilt his life through entrepreneurship during the Great Recession rather than write a book afterward. Greg's early struggles of trying to figure out how to travel around the United States with only $10 and no homebase. Jason shares how he came up with his $1 million idea, "I Wear Your Shirt." Why Jason defied the feedback he received from others and took a chance on his idea anyway. How a conversation with a person on Twitter led to a brilliant pricing strategy for "I Wear Your Shirt." How Jason's mindset of wanting a goal more than you fear the reality it takes to achieve the goal has led Jason to tackle bold projects. Why Jason evaluates his business ideas based on possibility rather than probability. Both Greg and Jason describe how they each made their very first business sale with very small networks and no prospective customers. Jason shares the pivotal moment when he realized he needed to be proactive versus reactive to get sales for "I Wear Your Shirt." Thanks for listening! Contact Jason: Hello[at]JasonDoesStuff.com Contact Greg: Online[at]GregHartle.com

Topics discussed in this episode: Greg discusses how he got started in residental and commercial real estate. How Greg moved from exchanging time and effort for money toward building assets that make money for him. Greg's Monopoly strategy for building real estate assets. Why Greg believes commercial real estate investing is easier than residental investing. Jason and Greg discuss home ownership and whether your residence is an asset or liability. Jason and Greg discuss the advantages and disadvantages of home ownership versus renting. Greg and Jason discuss each of their personal investment philosophies. Jason's thoughts on Bitcoin as an investment.

Topics Discussed In This Episode: Greg discusses how he got involved in a brick and mortar retail business in Fargo, North Dakota. Jason discusses his Facebook Advertising strategy for an online course. Jason and Greg discuss how their upbringing shaped their investment philosophy. Why Greg assesses a return on investment using time, not just money. Why investing in yourself isn't just a cliché. How Greg and Jason handle business partner disagreements. How Greg draws boundaries as an investor in someone else's business. How Youngblood Coffee has utilized counter-culture to grow their brand. Discussion on the value of active versus passive marketing strategies. Why Jason believes a great website is an insurance policy for acquiring new customers. How Jason decides on pricing for online courses and subscriptions. How Jason has used digital products to fund personal experiences. Discussion on the importance of automatic funding of various business and personal bank accounts. How Jason decides where to invest his time and money when managing multiple businesses and digital products.

Topics discussed in this episode include: Jason discusses how he got started building online courses. Why Jason decided to build is own online course hosting software. How much money Jason invested into his first software-as-a-service application, Teachery. The offer Jason made to get the initial users on the platform. The ways Jason marketed Teachery in the early stages to reach its first 100 customers and $6,500 monthly recurring revenue. Views on paying yourself in the early days of launching a business. Views on organic growth versus manufactured growth. How to avoid competing against other companies that truly aren't your competitors anyway. Jason's plans to move Teachery from self-employed status to business owner status. The crazy back story of how Greg ended up with 150,000 ornaments. The steps Greg took to launch his first e-commerce business, Only Ornaments. Views on how to keep costs low when running a product-based business. How Greg calculates a return-on-investment in terms of time, not just money.

Topics discussed on this episode: The philosophical differences between how Greg and Jason view the purpose of business in their own lives. How Greg helped a surgeon move from self-employed to running a business that doesn't solely require him as the sole revenue generator. How to think about time as a service professional. What led Jason and his wife Caroline to combine their businesses together and launch a lifetime membership community for client-based business owners who want to build digital products. How Jason has positioned his membership community, Wandering Aimfully, to help small business owners stop trading time for money. The process Jason and Caroline have gone through to determine their "special sauce" that only they can provide their customers. How Jason handles his own psychology when he's not meeting his own expectations and goals. High-touch tactics Jason uses to learn what his customers want. Jason discusses why an Experimenter's Mindset has forced him to plant seeds for future positive outcomes. How Jason has used a "Test Drive" of his product to learn the exact changes to his program his customer's desire.

In this episode, you learn about the unconventional paths that have led each host to their most recent business endeavors. This includes how Jason quit his good-paying, mundane job and made $1 million wearing branded t-shirts and Greg going from barely graduating high school to starting his first business at age 22 before being diagnosed with a life-threatening illness. Topics discussed include: What Greg and Jason learned in school versus the real-world and how it has shaped their business decision-making. Each hosts early employment days and when each discovered they wanted to be entrepreneurs. Why having great job experiences still wasn't enough for Jason or Greg to remain employed. How Jason and Greg went from mostly directionless early in their careers to focusing their energy on their respective entrepreneurial paths. Jason's experience being one of the first online and social media influencers before the term entered the general business lexicon. How both Jason and Greg reached business burnout and what they did about it. Greg describes the difference between "knowing about" business and "knowing" it. Hint: The difference lies in skin in the game. Greg and Jason each discuss the one book that inspired them to begin each of their entrepreneurial journeys. What led Jason to launch a software-as-a-service business https://www.teachery.co/ Greg discusses the difference between being self-employed and being a business owner, and the difficult lessons he learned being on the wrong side of this quadrant. What led Greg to conduct a project traveling all 50 United States helping over 500 aspiring entrepreneurs launch their business ideas. How Greg and Jason met and what brought them together to create this podcast, Move The Needle. A summary of the current projects and businesses both Jason and Greg are working on and the short-term goals they have for each. Thanks for listening! Reach Jason Zook at Hello @ JasonDoesStuff.Com Reach Greg Hartle at Online @ GregHartle.com