Will is interested in learning how businesses thrive in California. By discussing the constraints involved in doing business in California with
Summary: On this episode of Where There's a Will, There's a Way, host Will Crist talked with John Nachezel, an integrator of EOS for Mike Morse Law Firm, who has almost 14 years of experience implementing EOS practices. John was brought into the Mike Morse Law Firm all those years ago to help instill structure and cohesiveness to lay the foundation for scalability. Throughout the episode, Will and John discuss how to help law firms become the best they can be, how to get those law firms partners, and how to help them get what they want from their law firm. Shownotes: (0:49) Introduction to John Nachezel (3:07) Challenges That Law Firms Can Overcome (4:25) Reconciling Ownership with the EOS System (7:00) Logistics of the Mike Morse Law Firm (10:43) An Integrators Approach vs. A Lawyers (14:20) John Living the EOS Life (20:44) Employees Living the EOS Life (22:55) Advice for Law Firms Wondering about EOS (24:14) Closing Thoughts Links: Will Crist EOS John Nachezel Quotes: “So, if you're an owner, that's fantastic and you can sit in the owner's box and you can have your own meetings and talk about owner's things, but make no mistake, when you are in the business and you are wearing that hat and sitting in that seat, that you're not the owner, you're an employee, and that is completely separate and distinct from the other.” - John Nachezel, (4:50) “...the only way you will grow is chaotically and then you hit a ceiling. You'll hit a cap, you'll burn out…because the chaos can only take you so far. And it's ‘I don't have time to incorporate the principles that EOS teaches,' but that's the way you get time is by incorporating those principles.” - John Nachazel, (22:55) “...it's actually a very freeing thing. It's not a stifling thing to have structure, and that structure and discipline is what allows you to unlock your creativity and allows you to be on offense delivering punches to the opposition…it frees you to be your best” - John Nachazel, (23:48) Contact Will Crist
Summary In this episode of Where There's a Will, There's a Way, host Will Crist is joined by Eric Lindsley, CEO of Knight Watch, a business that helps make buildings more secure, comfortable, and energy efficient. Eric and Knight Watch have been an EOS company for quite some time now, and he is known to his friends as an EOS Purist because of his commitment to living the EOS Life. Throughout the episode, Will and Eric discuss Knight Watch's EOS journey, why every employee needs to live the EOS Life, trusting your team to make the right decisions, and much more! Thanks for tuning in! Show Notes (0:50) Introducing Eric Lindsley and Knight Watch (2:59) Knight Watch's EOS Journey (9:22) Why Everyone in the Company Needs the EOS Life (16:58) Does the Great Resignation Affect EOS Companies? (22:44) Creating Consistency (24:36) The Decision Card (27:48) Trusting Your Team (30:48) Closing Thoughts Links Will Crist EOS Eric Lindsley Knight Watch Quotes “About a year and a half [into EOS], I was working about five days a week, maybe even four. But you know, a very easy to maintain schedule. The stress level in the company came way down. The happiness level was good—I look forward to going in, especially for my weekly EOS meeting…” Eric Lindsley, (5:50) “This last quarter…[we did] more in book sales per quarter than we did the entire year of 2018.” Eric Lindsley, (7:21) “It can't just be myself or the leadership team, but throughout the company, there has to be space. And that's the nice thing about EOS and the EOS Life is it gives you space.” Eric Lindsley, (11:42) “The nice thing that happens though, is when you lose people that don't have your values, it opens up space for the right person to come in.” Eric Lindsley, (17:51) “The more I involve myself with things that are really not for me to be involved in, all I'm doing is communicating…[that] I don't trust you to make that decision. If you have to get involved in every process, what you're saying is, ‘I don't trust you.'” Eric Lindsley, (28:53) Contact Will Crist
Summary: On this episode of Where There's a Will, There's a Way, host Will Crist sat down with Ed Callahan, one of the early adopters of EOS who has been with the program for more than thirteen years. Ed even helped Will himself become involved in EOS. Though he has now earned emeritus status, Ed's life has been and continues to be impacted by his time helping others live their best EOS life. Throughout the episode, Will and Ed discussed life before EOS, clients and their unique stories, and advice to all implementers. Thanks for tuning in! Show Notes: (0:39) Introduction (1:15) Life before EOS (11:10) Client Stories (20:30) EOS Life (39:48) Advice to All Implementers Links: Will Crist Ed Callahan EOS Quotes: “I think that's a message to anybody listening…The clients you work with will become friends for life.” Ed Callahan, (16:46) “EOS and its tools got [my clients] through this really difficult time at the front end and they swear by it.” Ed Callahan, (20:07) “...EOS life has really been extraordinarily beneficial to me. You know, I'm an empty nester for a long time. Now I've got five grandchildren. So traveling to see those kids, traveling with my wife—it's what we love to do.” Ed Callahan, (25:32) “...Then and now, people rarely blink once they understand the value when they hear your fee.” Ed Callahan, (29:11) Contact Will Crist
Summary: On this roundtable discussion episode of Where There's a Will, There's a Way, host Will Crist sat down with a panel of guests, from entrepreneurs to college students, to discuss important topics in the world of entrepreneurship. Varying from a few months to a few years, these guests used their personal experiences to discuss important topics such as delegation, conflicts, the future of entrepreneurship, and much more. Thanks for tuning in! Show Notes: (1:38) Introductions (15:51) The Importance of Delegating (29:11) Why Do Conflicts Arise? (32:48) Everyone Has to Be on the Same Page (38:53) Questions From the Students Links: Will Crist Bob Doustdar Farshid Mahdavipour Slava Khristich James Cliame EOS Quotes: “...This grip that the business has on the leadership can often be the largest obstacle to growth.” Will Crist, (16:17) “As soon as I start delegating, actually business at that point started to pick up” Slava Khristich, (20:40) “I try to figure out the ‘why' of all my customers, what's driving them, and then try to figure out the best goals for them to reach their ‘why.'” James Cliame, (26:22) “You don't create a position for people, you create positions, then fill up with the people.” Slava Khristich, (34:08) Contact Will Crist
Summary: On this episode of Where There's a Will, There's a Way, host Will Crist sat down with Jim Coyle, an expert EOS Implementer. Jim has hosted about 700 EOS sessions to earn his title and is genuinely passionate about the work that he does with businesses. Jim truly believes in working smarter instead of harder, and he personally embodies the EOS Life in order to inspire and help others to do the same. Throughout the episode, Will and Jim discussed what life is like as an EOS Implementer and the impact of the EOS Life on clients. Thanks for tuning in! Show Notes: (1:00) Experience Transitioning to EOS Life (4:29) Vacation Time (6:11) Delegating Helps Others Shine (11:26) Life as an EOS Expert (14:23) Taking EOS Life Seriously (17:01) EOS Life for All (18:34) Creating Context for the EOS Life (25:11) Impact on Clients Links: Will Crist Jim Coyle EOS Quotes: “I think one of the reasons I became a coach within the community is because…I didn't want people to struggle at the same level I did. Maybe I could help them to have less of that…but as I got through that struggle, I started to see that, wow, I was really bringing some beauty into the world, making a big impact.” Jim Coyle, (2:35) “...There was a whole system that we had to set up and so it took a little bit of work, but it was well worth it for sure.” Jim Coyle, (5:27) “....I think that a lot of times we, as entrepreneurs, set up a culture [where] we are the center of the universe that is the business. And that ultimately can cause a lot of problems for the business because everything then has to go through you because that's what you designed. I don't think that entrepreneurs realize they designed it that way, and then they whine about it...I do see that they cause their own pain.” Jim Coyle, (5:39) “When people bring their full self to a company, [that] is when you get the full value from the individual.” Jim Coyle, (22:55) “...I think that when we are the same person in all aspects of our lives…that's when we can really bring real value and love…to the world. I think that when we're putting energy into creating other personas, that doesn't work, and I do think the EOS Life helps with that.“ Jim Coyle, (23:07) Contact Will Crist
Summary: On this episode of Where There's a Will, There's a Way, host Will Crist talked with Mike Ryan, a managing partner of The M. Ryan Group, which has 25 plus years of experience serving Fortune 500 middle market businesses by helping them create results through supply chain and operations optimization. Mike truly enjoys helping businesses figure out how to unfreeze their cash that is stuck in a proverbial “iceberg of inventory.” Throughout the episode, Will and Mike discuss how to crush the inventory iceberg, how to harvest cash from their inventory, and supply chain logistics. Shownotes: (1:21) Introduction to Mike Ryan (2:28) Lead Times in Supply Chain (5:38) How EOS Companies Deal With Supply Chain Logistics (10:13) EOS Mentality and Delegation (14:01) Living the EOS Life (20:14) Issues with Inventory (22:14) Just in Time Movement (28:49) Bringing Companies Back to the United States (30:52) Closing Thoughts Links: Will Crist Mike Ryan The M. Ryan Group Quotes: “It's figuring out how do we look a little bit further down the road to understand what we have and what we don't have so we can proactively plan around it.” - Mike Ryan, (2:19) “If a business is running on EOS, they've got a process, they've got people, and most importantly, their accountability is defined…the results are going to be not as favorable and not as sustainable as a business that has people, process, and technology running in a framework like EOS.” - Mike Ryan, (5:54) “...what I find so exciting is when people get clear about what their ten-year target, three-year picture, or one-year plan is. When they get clear about that…they can begin to compartmentalize the journey that they have rather than trying to do it all at once or carrying all that imagination.” - Mike Ryan, (11:38) “When the predictability and repeatability goes out of the supply chain, the ability to do ‘just in time' goes away with it.” - Mike Ryan, (23:27) Contact Will Crist
Summary: On this episode of Where There's a Will, There's a Way, host Will Crist talked with Julie Markee, a life-long entrepreneur with 25 years of experience helping businesses improve effectiveness. Julie started her business about 11 years ago helping companies streamline processes and increase profitability. However, over time, she realized her true passion was helping people achieve their full potential. That's when she discovered EOS and realized it was a great way to utilize her engineering background and help owners get more out of their business. Throughout the episode, Will and Julie discussed her journey and some of her client's journeys. Show Notes: (0:39) Introducing Julie Markee and Her EOS Life (5:42) How the EOS Life Impacts Julie's Clients (9:24) Sharing the EOS Life with Every Employee (17:16) Core Values (24:27) Julie's EOS Practice (26:03) Connect with Julie and Closing Thoughts Links: Will Crist EOS Julie Markee Quotes: “It's just going to take off when we really start to talk about what it means to live a very fulfilling life in a way where we are using our unique abilities…we're just fired up and excited to make our contribution to society.” Julie Markee, (8:44) “...one of the things that makes an EOS company work so well is because the goal is a hundred percent of the right people, people who live with those core values most of the time.” Will Crist, (15:27) Contact Will Crist
Summary: On this episode of Where There's a Will, There's a Way, host Will Crist talked with Nathen Fox, a certified EOS implementer. Before hearing about the EOS Life, Nathen was a fractional executive who worked with anywhere from three to five companies at a time. He worked 60-hour weeks and was not being compensated correctly for the amount of work he was doing. Although he liked his job, Nathen realized something had to change and he soon began to embrace the EOS Life and help others do the same. Throughout the episode, Will and Nathen discussed how EOS has affected Nathen, his clients, and the people around them. Thanks for tuning in! Shownotes: (0:53) Introducing Nathen Fox (1:14) How EOS Life Affects Nathen as an Implementer (8:46) EOS Life and Clients (18:49) Helping and Encouraging the EOS Life (21:28) What's in It for Me? (38:11) Closing Thoughts Links: Will Crist EOS Nathen Fox Quotes: “...Do things that…fill your energy, bring you energy, bring you joy. And you know, when you're done, you should have more energy. And that's how I feel.” Nathen Fox, (4:09) “My challenge is making time for other passions…We just had our quarterly meeting today with our team. And that was on the issues list is me protecting my time and making time for other passions. So we're making that happen.” Nathen Fox, (6:33) “[The visionaries are] working on delegating the things that they like to do and are good at, so they can spend a hundred percent of their time in the box of things they love to do and are great at.” Nathen Fox, (9:44) “We really were brought up to work hard and that'll take care of everything, but, that's not the case. They really got to learn to not work as hard.” Nathen Fox, (14:55) “I just believe in implementing EOS purely and making sure that companies stick to it and create that result quarter after quarter.” Nathen Fox, (39:15) Contact Will Crist
Summary: On this episode of Where There's a Will, There's a Way, host Will Crist talked with Alex Kochetkov, the founder of Mubert, a musical platform that generates music with the power of AI. Although Mubert is Alex's first startup, his determination and experience have helped him grow a successful startup quickly. The idea for Mubert came while Alex was on a run and became frustrated with finding the right music to accompany him. He came up with a solution, gathered a small team, and got to work making better music choices available to himself and others. Throughout the episode, Will and Alex discussed how Mubert works, the short and long term goals for the company, and obstacles that Alex and his team have encountered along the way. Thanks for tuning in! Shownotes: (0:50) All about Mubert (2:22) Getting Started (5:10) Obstacles in Building Mubert (9:08) 10-Year Target (12:30) Working Worldwide for Mubert (21:32) Creating and Implementing the Product Roadmap (22:53) Mubert Meetings (24:41) The Future of the Company Links: Will Crist EOS Alex Kochetkov Mubert Quotes: “It's super difficult to choose the tracks to run [to]...And it was so annoying for me. And I decided to create something that will help me to run and not to think about music.” Alex Kochetkov, (2:57) “It helps people just not to think about music. So we should make the music the commodity.” Alex Kochetkov, (9:58) “When you have the opportunity to work with your team in the evening…and to spend some time on these inspiring talks, when you talk not about your product, not about your current situation, but about the future of your product, that's the most inspiring thing.” Alex Kochetkov, (20:38) “...Mubert is the product that [content creators] can use. We have free plans, they can use Mubert to create the ideas that inspire them…which will never have these problems with copyrights…and to create something cool.” Alex Kochetkov, (27:33) Contact Will Crist
Summary: On this episode of Where There's a Will, There's a Way, host Will Crist sat down with Deam Roys, the founder of Roys and Associates, a retained executive recruiting firm that connects talented people with jobs and helps companies retain those people. After informally running his business on EOS, Deam realized the value of this system as he started learning more about it. Eventually, he transitioned to using it with his business and telling other clients about it as well. Throughout the episode, Will and Deam discussed why entrepreneurs might be hesitant to adopt EOS and how the benefits of using EOS outweigh their doubts. Thanks for tuning in! Shownotes: (0:40) Introduction to Deam Roys (1:37) Staffing Trends (2:24) Deam's Relationship with EOS (3:19) How Does EOS Change Companies? (4:38) Entrepreneurs Are Getting in Their Own Way (13:57) Figuring Out How to Balance (16:43) EOS Life (29:10) The Importance of Flexibility (34:28) Contact Deam Links: Will Crist Deam Roys EOS Quotes: “...I think the biggest change I see is that they're just a lot happier with not only their work life, but their personal life.” Deam Roys, (3:26) “With EOS, not only does it help kind of give them a structure to align things a little bit better in their business, but it also gives them time for their own personal life at home, which I think a lot of them going into it don't realize is imbalanced.” Deam Roys (3:48) “I think that I would imagine many of these visionaries after going through EOS…must ask themselves what took them so long. How many years of their life that they lost not being able to spend their life doing the things that they really love. You know, why did it take them this long to get around to all this?” Deam Roys, (13:21) “Half the battle, I think, is from the founder or visionary standpoint, trying to figure out what they're not good at, you know? Because they kind of think they're decent at doing everything and obviously they're better at doing some things than others. But being able to admit that, ‘Hey, I'm not really that good at doing this and it'd be better for me to hire somebody to do this for me that's actually good at it.' Just admitting that and going through that process alone is half the battle.” Deam Roys, (20:01) “We help them basically take the chains of entrepreneurial-ism off and help them really start living their life and enjoying their life.” Deam Roys, (35:07) Contact Will Crist
Summary: In this episode of Where There's a Will, There's a Way, host Will Crist talked with Michael Morse, the owner and founder of the largest law firm in Michigan. Michael started his law firm over 25 years ago, and he ran the law firm with no business background whatsoever. After 15 years in the practice, Michael realized he needed help, and his firm became the first law firm to adopt the EOS model. The firm now thrives and even mentors other firms through their Fireproof program which is adapted for law firms. Throughout the episode, Will and Michael discussed how EOS has changed the firm and its employees for the better and how other law firms can do the same. Thanks for tuning in! Shownotes: (0:55) Introductions (4:00) How EOS Has Changed the Law Firm (8:31) For Implementers: Getting the Attention of Senior Law Firms (11:22) What Would a Law Firm Principal Need to Hear? (14:30) Making the World a Better Place (16:02) How EOS Can Change You Personally (19:12) Delegate and Elevate (37:17) Working Remotely (44:55) Get in Touch with Michael Links: Will Crist Michael Morse EOS Fireproof Performance Quotes: “I mean every business concept that I now know pretty darn well now, after all this time, I learned from him and EOS…it transformed me in a very short period of time to a very robust law firm with good business practices, good core values, good everything… I couldn't have done it without everything that I've learned throughout this process.” Michael Morse, (5:56) ”...We've worked with over 30 law firms individually…and their eyes are huge when they learn some of these concepts that they should be doing to run a really good law firm, because the traditional way to look at this is: law firms are not businesses, they are law firms…so it is fertile ground for implementers to go out there…and teach them. And that's what we're trying to do is spread the gospel and teach them how to run a really good business.” Michael Morse, (10:43) ”I think most law firm owners are doing too much. They're hitting the ceiling. They're not working in their sweet spots. They're not enjoying life…They don't know how to delegate. They don't know their numbers…you can ask a few questions and prove that they're hitting the ceiling…[I ask], what if I could teach you a way that you could work on all day everyday things that you're great at doing and that you love to do? Would you like to hear more about that? Who's going to say no to that?” Michael Morse, (11:41) ”I think that learning the things that we've learned and making a difference in our law firm is definitely spreading and making the world a better place.” Michael Morse, (15:51) ”If you do embrace this…as a business lifestyle, it really does work. It's not pie in the sky. It's take some time. It's not overnight. You don't read the book and wake up and you're living these five things. Absolutely not. It's taken me 15 years…but it definitely works.” Michael Morse, (33:36) Contact Will Crist
Summary In this episode of Where There's a Will, There's a Way, Jason Prentice and Jon Dornbos join Will Crist to discuss Jason's business Outcomes COO. Jason founded Outcomes because he saw a need for integrators that could help visionaries reach their dreams. Now, the company utilizes fractional integrators to help entrepreneurs from across the country accomplish their lofty goals through the EOS Model. Throughout the episode, the trio discusses fractional integrators, how integrators help visionaries, the EOS Life, and much more! Thanks for tuning in! Shownotes (0:27) Introducing Jason Prentice, Jon Dornbos, and Outcomes COO (2:14) The Integrator and the Visionary (6:30) Jon's Background (9:44) How Integrators Help Visionaries (18:28) Fractional Integrators (21:45) The EOS Draw (25:31) EOS Successes (29:35) Integrators vs. Implementors (32:05) The EOS Life (39:22) Changing the World through EOS (42:46) Closing Thoughts Links Will Crist EOS Jon Dornbos Jason Prentice Outcomes COO Quotes “I saw a real need for entrepreneurial visionaries to get expert help and experienced help at the integrator level.” Jason Prentice, (0:55) “The integrator is not somebody who's supposed to be telling people what to do. This is not the expert in manufacturing or finance or in sales. The integrator is the one who helps those experts on the leadership team who have the responsibility for those various departments. But the integrator helps the whole team work together harmoniously to achieve the vision.” Will Crist, (2:31) “I'm a little non-traditional in that I'm not a big fan of telling visionaries ‘No.' I know that that's something that has to be done, and we can't let our companies be chaos, but there's a way to harness all that energy in a way that still keeps the energy going.” Jason Prentice, (13:35) “I really believe in the system, and it's just fun to get better and better and better at it. Each experience, each organization, each relationship that gets developed along the way is meaningful and has purpose.” Jon Dornbos, (32:48) Contact Will Crist
Summary In this episode of Where There's a Will, There's a Way, host Will Crist sits down with Eric Hinson, CEO of Explainify. Eric founded Explainify 10 years ago and never looked back! After reading Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business, Eric attempted to DIY his way through implementing EOS at Explainify, but he ultimately decided to work with Will Crist to get the best results. Throughout the episode, Will and Eric discuss how EOS has helped Explainify, the future of video, Eric's new company Parable, and much more! Thanks for tuning in! Shownotes (0:23) Introducing Eric Hinson and Explainify (4:34) How the EOS Life Has Impacted Eric (11:42) Highlights at Explainify (13:39) The Future of Video (16:18) What It's Like to Work with Explainify (19:33) How Eric Became an Animator (23:39) Introducing Parable (30:12) Implementing EOS with Parable (31:38) Closing Thoughts Links Will Crist EOS Eric Hinson Explainify Parable Quotes “[Before EOS], I think I clearly knew what I wanted inside, but like most visionaries, it was in my head. I couldn't simplify it. I couldn't get it organized on one sheet, and it was a little bit of a struggle.” Eric Hinson, (3:12) “Explainify's running smoothly because I have an integrator [and] I have a leadership team, and I'm able to focus on [Parable] right now.” Eric Hinson, (30:06) “[With Parable], we're already talking EOS language. We're already building it around that operational model. Even with just two or three people, it's going to be built around that because it's been so helpful and I'd like to start from the beginning rather than do it later.” Eric Hinson, (31:21) Contact Will Crist
Summary On this episode of Where There's a Will, There's a Way, host Will Crist sits down with Wendy O'Donovan Phillips, Founder and CEO of Big Buzz Inc. Wendy founded the marketing agency 15 years ago as a one-woman team, and she's grown her business substantially in the time since. Today, she and her team are working on plans to franchise the agency, and they will have ten franchised locations by 2032. Throughout the episode, Will and Wendy discuss Big Buzz's big plans, trusting your team, and several other core principles of EOS. Shownotes (0:59) Introducing Wendy O'Donovan Phillips and Big Buzz (4:15) Integrating EOS into Your Business Plan (9:35) Challenging Your Business and Taking Risks (16:39) Making Long-term Goals Attainable (19:31) Trusting Your Team (28:09) Big Buzz's 10-Year Plan (32:15) EOS Impacts EVERYONE in Your Business (43:12) Employees Want to Work for EOS Implemented Businesses (45:14) Closing Thoughts Links Will Crist EOS Wendy O'Donovan Phillips Big Buzz Inc. Quotes “I find that the best working relationships, whether it's with a team member or a client—any professional relationship—the best ones are where we're open and willing and honest and vulnerable.” (7:55) - Wendy O'Donovan Phillips “I think one of the most helpful things to me throughout [implementing EOS is] I now see so much more clearly what terrific ideas there are on the team that aren't my ideas.” (19:31) - Wendy O'Donovan Phillips “What I have learned is that the more infrastructure, the more of the right people, the more revenue and profit that we gain, the more fun it is, the more financially free we all are, and the more opportunity there is for everyone. And so my vision for this is to create a ripple effect.” (39:24) - Wendy O'Donovan Phillips Contact Will Crist
Summary On this episode of Where There's a Will, There's a Way, host Will Crist sits down with Josh Abbott, General Manager of Fun Productions. Josh's parents founded Fun Productions nearly 30 years ago and grew it into the successful business it is today. Almost five years ago, Fun Productions implemented EOS and quickly experienced many of the benefits that come with the EOS Life. Throughout the episode, Will and Josh discuss the EOS Life, having fun at work, and much more! Thanks for tuning in! Shownotes (0:28) Introducing Josh Abbott and Fun Productions (3:48) How EOS Affected the Business (9:43) The EOS Life (12:58) The Great Contribution (16:27) Compensating Appropriately (20:50) Supporting Employees' Passions (25:24) Making Your Business Attractive to Talent (31:59) EOS Predictions (35:39) Getting Permission to Have Fun with Your Company (42:42) Closing Thoughts Links Will Crist EOS Josh Abbott Fun Productions Quotes “We were able to start working on the business and not just in the business, whereas I think pre-EOS we were very reactionary.” (6:07) - Josh Abbott “For a very long time, [we waited] for people to ask for raises, and if they asked for a raise [we would] assess and give them a raise. But what we found was there were folks out there who are not going to ask for a raise, and they may start to feel resentment around the fact that they haven't been offered a raise.” (16:42) - Josh Abbott “We put out ads for one [open position]—we were just looking for one person last year. And I think we ended up turning [the ad off] after we got 35 applications in four days.” (29:24) - Josh Abbott Contact Will Crist
Summary On this episode of Where There's a Will, There's a Way, host Will Crist sits down with Derek Gerber, Senior Vice President of Explainify. Over the last year, Derek has been implementing the EOS system at Explainify, and the results have been nothing short of impressive. Their discussion covers the changing video landscape, the EOS Life, and how EOS has affected Explainify. Thanks for tuning in! Shownotes (0:37) Introducing Derek Gerber and Explainify (3:38) How Video Has Changed during the Pandemic (11:19) The EOS Life and Explainify (18:01) How Explanify Is Making the World a Better Place (21:04) Appropriate Compensation (22:23) Derek's Other Passions (24:12) Implementing EOS at Explainify (30:00) Value, Compensation, and Viewing Employees as Human Beings (43:10) Closing Thoughts Links Will Crist EOS Derek Gerber Explainify Quotes “After implementing EOS over the past year, we continue to grow. It has onboarded our team members in a much more effective way, and then it also shows them that burnout is not a celebrated, award-winning opportunity here. We don't do that. We work to openly communicate and create transparency and trust across each department.” (17:18) - Derek Gerber “A year ago, when we were growing quickly at a state of point, we put out a couple of job applications. We had four applicants over six weeks—at a time where we needed to hire people very quickly. Now, [after implementing EOS] we had 600 applications in four days, and we had to shut it down.” (41:40) - Derek Gerber Contact Will Crist
Summary In this episode of Where There's a Will, There's a Way, Will Crist sits down with Christine McKay, CEO of Venn Negotiation. Christine is one of the world's best negotiators, and her resume speaks for itself. She's helped nearly half of the Fortune 500 companies as well as several hundred small and mid-sized businesses. Together, Christine and Will discuss negotiating in today's world, embracing emotions to improve negotiation skills, and changing the world with the EOS model. Thanks for tuning in! Shownotes (0:19) Introducing Christine McKay, Venn Negotiation (1:21) What's Happening in the World of Negotiation? (4:47) Seeing Others' Humanity during Negotiations (11:10) Scarcity vs. Abundance (19:19) Don't Be Afraid of Emotions! (26:34) Freedom Starts with ‘No' (31:25) EOS Can Change the World (45:29) Closing Thoughts Links Will Crist EOS Christine McKay Venn Negotiation Quotes “If we don't create an environment that allows us to have hard conversations about the state of our relationship in business—or even in our personal lives—then at the end of the day, we're not going to be successful.” (3:36) - Christine McKay “We've created a culture where the fear of loss is greater than the hope for gain. How sad is that when there's so much gain that we can hope for, when there's so many possibilities.” (18:33) - Christine McKay “What do you think it would be like if, by the time we hit our ten-year target, you had 100% of the people in this organization living the EOS life or have a path to it? What do you think that would do for the attraction of new people, retention of your best people, and motivation for everybody?” (39:13) - Will Crist “Making money is not the most important thing. That has brought us to our knees, and we're struggling with that.” (46:15) - Will Crist “Negotiation is a conversation. It's a conversation about your relationships, and you can't win relationships. So, stop trying to win them—work on building them and growing them…Create that space that allows not only for you to grow, but for your counterparts to grow too.” (47:25) - Christine McKay Contact Will Crist
Summary On this week's episode of Where There's a Will There's a Way, Will Crist sits down with Dawn Abbot to discuss EOS implementation. Dawn is an entrepreneur, business owner, and Professional EOS Implementer, and she is passionate about helping small businesses become the best version of themselves. The duo discusses all five elements of the EOS Life, Dawn's entrepreneurial journey, and why they think EOS has the power to change the world. Thanks for tuning in! Shownotes (0:31) Introducing Dawn Abbott and Her EOS Journey (4:47) Dawn's Experience as an EOS Implementer (6:10) Prioritizing Employees (17:13) Living with Purpose/Defining Your Why (21:00) Appropriate Compensation/Providing Value (25:30) Supporting Employees' Passions (29:39) Changing the World with EOS (36:24) Closing Thoughts Links Will Crist Dawn Abbott Quotes “When I was in a place where I didn't know that I could run this business by myself, what actually happened from 2017 to 2019 was a 30% revenue increase and a 260% net profit increase. And it was all because of the EOS process.” (4:15) - Dawn Abbott “I love seeing the impact that EOS has. I love small-business owners…and I am saddened when they're on that treadmill that I once ran.” (5:04) - Dawn Abbott “If [employees are] the most valuable assets, why would we ever want them to be less than? Why would we ever want to not take care of them?” (8:30) - Dawn Abbott “When you're doing what you love and things that come easily and naturally to you, your energy is high and your production and output is crazy because you're in your zone. And the minute you have to drop down and do things that you don't like doing, you can never bring your energy back up that day.” (12:54) - Dawn Abbott “It's a beautiful thing to be able to have a full, rich life that contains more than just the grind.” (38:06) - Dawn Abbott Contact Will Crist
Summary In this episode of Where There's a Will There's a Way, Lauren Carson joins host and EOS Implementor Will Crist to discuss how EOS radically transformed her business. Lauren is the Founder and CEO of Kinect Solar, which sells solar energy equipment on the excess market––in simple terms, it is the TJ Maxx of solar-power equipment. In their conversation, they cover delegating and elevating, living the EOS life, hiring the right people, contributing to the world around them, appropriately compensating employees, and much more. Check it out! Shownotes (0:27) Introducing Lauren Carson and Kinect Solar (1:40) Kinect Solar and EOS (3:40) Delegate and Elevate (5:46) The EOS Life (8:41) Hiring the Right Team/Core Values (11:45) Making a Great Contribution (17:25) Appropriate Compensation (19:07) Celebrating Employees' Lives Outside of Work (24:08) What's Next for Kinect Solar? (27:01) Closing Thoughts Links Will Crist Lauren Carson Kinect Solar Quotes “For the first couple of years starting the company, I had my hands in sales, I had my hands in procurement operations, customer service, and finance. While the company was doing well, I was literally losing my mind…I can say unequivocally that we would not be where we are today if we hadn't found the EOS system.” (1:50) - Lauren Carson “Everybody spends the majority of their waking hours at the office. So, that cultural environment that you can set in the office and how people treat each other really affects everybody's lives, and they take it home to their families and everything else they do.” (6:32) - Lauren Carson “The core values for us [have been] so powerful as far as setting the tone for the company.” (10:27) - Lauren Carson “The first year, we had a banner year. The numbers were really, really good, but I found myself feeling really empty and probably more depressed than I've ever been. It was because that purpose wasn't there. I thought it was financial for so long, and now I know it's not.” (14:27) - Lauren Carson “I'm a firm believer that entrepreneurs and business owners have the ability to change the world…We have so many challenges and problems right now, and they can all be tackled by doing things differently.” (15:02) - Lauren Carson “We've set up an employee stock option plan so that everybody in the company shares in the company's success–down to the most entry-level person and all the way up to the top.” (18:46) - Lauren Carson Contact Will Crist
Summary On this episode of Where There's a Will There's a Way, James Waite joins host Will Crist to discuss the transformative effects that EOS implementation had on his business. James is the Integrator at Roberson Waite, an industrial electrical construction company that builds substations for utility companies and other markets. Will began working with James and the rest of the Roberson Waite team nearly four years ago, and the business experienced considerable change. Throughout the podcast, James outlines several growth areas where his team improved once they began implementing the EOS model. Thanks for tuning in! Shownotes (0:13) Welcoming James Waite (2:27) Roberson Waite Prior to EOS (5:08) Profits, Revenue, Hitting a Ceiling, and Being Owned by the Business (12:21) Convincing James's Partners EOS Was Right for Them (15:45) Roberson Waite after EOS (20:31) Performance Changes (22:22) EOS's Effects on Profits (26:23) Being in Control of Your Business (29:51) The Process of Change (33:41) Closing Thoughts Links Will Crist James Waite Roberson Waite Quotes “There's a lot of growing pains involved when you expand, and you don't have a clear, concise plan, and you don't have roles and responsibilities clarified. You don't have clear agreements on who's doing what.” (3:17) - James Waite “I was told by a really smart man that if two people are responsible for something, then nobody is, and [prior to working with Will] we had many people responsible for many things, which led to me calling the business a slow-moving train.” (3:39) - James Waite “I took over one of the departments in 2018 I believe. We had 20 people in that department, and in the first two weeks, I fired nine of them. They weren't bad guys; I really liked all those guys. It just wasn't the right fit. They didn't have a heavy focus on [our core values].” (4:21) - James Waite “We have less drama at 114 employees using the EOS model than we did when we had 13 employees.” (5:00) - James Waite “We were capped out around $4-5 million … I think we were at that revenue point when we met [Will]. I think the reality for us is we didn't know how to break through and grow properly.” (7:48) - James Waite “Probably the number one thing that really changed our company is moving beyond [the JAT] model and teaching people to be leaders. Teaching people to be self-sufficient and understand their job, and having the right people in the right places that can make decisions. If they can't they seek help. They come to you for your support.” (15:20) - James Waite “I think that's one of the big changes––we know where we're heading. We can see it out on the horizon. We never had that before. We didn't have a real trajectory. We had a general idea of what that could be, but now [because of EOS] we've got a target and we're moving towards it. If it doesn't work, we modify it, we adapt, and we adjust.” (17:45) - James Waite “We can actually gauge and predict profit a lot. We can forecast a lot more than we could before [utilizing EOS] and a lot more effectively than we could before.” (22:28) - James Waite Contact Will Crist
We are thrilled to announce our new podcast Where There's a Will There's a Way with Will Crist. Join us each Friday as we speak to entrepreneurs and leadership teams and how they are creating a great life for everyone in the company! Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and share with a friend!
Julio is the President and COO of Monetizemore - a remote first ad tech company that has run their team 100% remotely since 2010. Monetizemore has recently been named one of the fastest growing companies in Canada for 2020 and 2021 and Julio credits this to their company culture, team trust, and development as a remote company.
Brent Stone has achieved phenomenal success across multiple industries in his 20s and early 30s. At age 19, he became one of the youngest people to reach an impressive level of achievement in the top 1% of one of the largest network marketing companies in the world after 18 short months. In addition, Brent was later at the top of his salesforce in radio advertising sales, posting 15-20% growth year after year despite having no prior experience in advertising. Today, Brent and his wife Michele own All Smiles Harrisonburg through their dental service organization called All Smiles Management Inc, and it is one of the premier pediatric, orthodontic, and oral surgery practices in western Virginia. In 2020 they welcomed their firstborn son Andrew, and they always make it a point to prioritize family and those they care about. Brent embodies an attitude of serving others and helping them to achieve their goals, and his boutique marketing and branding agency Stoneco LLC helps other business owners to problem solve and arrive at breakthroughs to move their businesses forward. Brent with the help of a close friend launched a Digital Advertising and Marketing Agency called Funnel Force in 2021. The agency's focus is tactical digital strategies that drive sales, retain customers, and recruit staff. Brent Stone is a true leader and one of the most genuine people you could have the pleasure to meet. Follow on Instagram @brent_stone_
Christine McKay is a Business Negotiation Strategist, international speaker, host of In the Venn Zone podcast, and author of Why Not Ask? A Conversation about Getting More. Christine holds a Harvard MBA and is the CEO/Founder of Venn Negotiation. She has negotiated with more than half of the Fortune 100 & hundreds of small and mid-sized companies across 53 countries. She loves leveling the playing field for her clients and empowers entrepreneurs and business owners to ask for more of what they want and shows them how to get it. Her mission is to reduce business failure rates by helping people elevate their negotiation skills! She was born and raised in a rural community in Montana, graduating with the same 20 kids she grew up with. Christine's been married to the love of her life for almost 30 years and is a proud mom of three grown children. For more information go to: https://www.vennnegotiation.com/
Joe Camberato has a passion: Helping small businesses grow – really helping them grow. His passion has defined an entrepreneurial journey that began in his spare bedroom in 2007 where, after discovering a world of private lending that few small business owners knew existed, Joe turned his fascination into a business. Its mission: understand a client's needs, match them to the right lender, do it fast & with integrity. Today, as the nation's unrivaled FinTech Marketplace, National Business Capital has secured over $1 Billion in business financing and embraced a visionary focus: Innovating the Way Entrepreneurs Grow.® As Joe was helping businesses finance their growth, he grew his to 100+ employees without private equity. Along the way he learned a lot about how to architect a business to scale. Now, in addition to providing access to funding, he helps clients learn how to build businesses that run themselves, by working “on them” not in them. His passion has also inspired him to build “GrowByJoe” on YouTube to share his insights, along with his seat on Forbes Finance Council and he is also an active member of YPO.
Rushabh Mehta is an entrepreneur and founder of Matchbook AI. With degrees in Chemical Engineering and an MBA, Rushabh chose to follow his passion for computers and IT for the past 22 years. Rushabh prides himself as a data geek and has spent the better part of his career helping organizations of all sizes in their digital transformation journey for their data assets. Rushabh is also a passionate trainer, mentor and community volunteer and leader. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rushabhbmehta/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/rushabhmehta
Dr. Raber received his B.S. in biochemistry from Lebanon Valley College, PA and subsequently a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the University of Southern California with an emphasis on developing new synthetic methodologies useful in pharmaceutical drug discovery and manufacturing efforts. Dr. Raber studied botanical phylogenetic relationships based on the RuBisCO enzyme's evolution while in college and was named to the USA Today 1997 All-USA College Academic Team for his research accomplishments in this area. Dr. Raber entered cannabis in 2010 and has published 5 peer-reviewed articles on cannabis topics. Dr. Raber has been invited to lecture about cannabis around the world, holds multiple patents on cannabis-based technologies, particularly pertaining to terpenes, and is often sought out by the press to comment on topics as he is recognized as one of the industry's scientific thought leaders. For more information about Jeff Raber go to https://cannabismanufacturers.org/team/jeffrey-c-raber-ph-d/
Mike helps spark mid-career entrepreneurs with great potential put their dreams into action for big impact. He is a renowned business catalyst, seven time bestselling author, and featured podcast guest. Intentionally adding energy at the right time, the right way, with the right person allows impact to go interstellar and set off a cosmic ripple effect. The multiplier effect of entrepreneurial success extends through generations. Mike's recently launched Total Quantum Impact process lays the groundwork and a methodology to realize your personal and professional dreams, while quantifying your impact for life. He lives, loves and adventures in Squamish, BC, Canada with his wife Sherri and their two young adult children. For more information about Grow Get Give go to https://www.mikeskrypnek.com/
George McGraw is a human rights advocate specializing in the human right to water and sanitation in the United States. George is founder and CEO of digdeep.org, the only WaSH (water, sanitation and hygiene) organization serving the 2.2 million Americans without access to basic plumbing. Founded in 2011, DigDeep develops education, research and infrastructure projects aimed at extending access to clean, hot-and-cold running water to every American. Under George's leadership, DigDeep won the 2018 US Water Prize for its Navajo Water Project, which has brought clean, running water to hundreds of Native families across New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah. In 2019, George led an effort to publish Closing the Water Access Gap in the United States, the first national study to outline the domestic water crisis and propose a way forward. George has written for The New York Times, SSIR and The Nation, and his work has been featured in every major news outlet, including Emmy and Deadline award-winning pieces by CBS Sunday Morning. George is an Ashoka Fellow and former Social Entrepreneur in Residence at Stanford University. George holds an M.A. in International Law and Conflict Management from the United Nations University for Peace. He is also a Civil Society Fellow at The Aspen Institute, and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network. For more information on dig deep go to http://digdeep.org/
A "serial entrepreneur," as described by Crain's Chicago Business, Todd has founded and been President of four successful businesses since the age of 22. In addition to Crain's, Todd has been featured in a number of publications including Forbes, Success magazine, and a cover article of Inc. Magazine. Todd's first business in the food industry grew from start-up to 85 people in 18 months. Since then, he has also been in technology and publishing. Currently, he works with leadership teams and entrepreneurial peer groups to increase their effectiveness. In the last 17 years Todd has been a speaker, trainer, and facilitator for over 1,000 events. Todd is a Certified EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) Implementer. He is also a master trainer with YPO/WPO/EO. For more information about Todd Smart go to https://www.linkedin.com/in/tdsmart
Mike leads Armanino's National Cannabis Tax Practice. A tax professional since 1989, he has significant experience in federal, state and local tax from both an accounting and legal perspective. He spent time with multiple Big 4 firms, including serving in KPMG's Washington National Tax Office, and has worked with cannabis companies both large and small in California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington and Colorado. He advises cannabis clients on a broad range of issues that affect the space, including mergers and acquisitions, loan structuring, and funding mechanisms from venture capital, private equity and investment banking. Mike provides guidance on cannabis technology, manufacturing, transportation and retail issues. Mike is the contributing editor of Cannabis Taxation a 250-page treatise for Thomson Reuters discussing the 34 states that tax cannabis sales. He is a member of the California Society of Certified Public Accountants, the National Cannabis Industry Association and the California Cannabis Association, which nominated him for their CPA of the Year award for 2019. He holds a B.S. in mathematics and psychology from the University of Alabama, a J.D. from Cumberland Law, and a Masters of Tax Law from Emory Law School. For more information about Armanino's National Cannabis Tax Practice go to https://www.armaninollp.com/industries/cannabis/
Jim Riley has spent his entire life saying yes to career changes and unique opportunities that align with his foundational values. Riley runs a successful, consulting business in Kalispell, Montana. Known for supplying value to clients by providing strategic recommendations, Jim Riley is known for smart strategic thinking, insightful operations, successful business growth and high pressure transitions. Jim is currently the host of two successful podcasts. “The Answer is “Yes” podcast features business leaders discussing both the power of saying “yes” and the decisions that made them successful. “The Liberty of Lose” podcast features local and national public figures discussing current politics and where the country is heading. In addition, Riley actively consults for several successful companies and is known for helping businesses through transitional phases, marketing strategy, sales improvements, public relations, providing innovation and facilitating operational improvements. Riley oversees two of his own business and has an extensive background in marketing, food and beverage, and everything in between. Well known work includes time spent with In-N-Out, Kettle One Vodka, Diego, Booth Creek Ski Holdings, Azunia Tequila, and Baja United Group. Jim Riley is a leading advocate for conservative political actions as School Board Trustee in Smith Valley District 89. He is a popular speaker on the subjects of education, veterans, 2nd Amendment Rights, freedom of religion, small government, public land use, legal immigration, the constitution, pro-life, first responders, and the Save the Cowboy movement in Montana. For more information go to https://livelifedriven.com/
The California Love Drop supports and fuels healthcare workers and first responders by providing meals, beverages, treats, and supplies to hospitals, medical centers, fire departments, police stations, grocery distribution centers, and more. We provide smiles and much-needed relief. The deliveries have gone to several local families and organizations from Los Angeles to San Diego, including CHOC Children's Hospital, UCI Medical Center, Hoag Hospital, UCLA Medical Center, San Bernardino Community Dignity Hospital, Dodger Stadium Testing Site and numerous police stations and firehouses. We believe in the power of humanity, and the significant impact a delicious meal can have on uplifting spirits. Community support is more important than ever. What started as a single delivery of 300 meals from Wahoo's Fish Taco to Hoag Hospital in Irvine, CA on April 12, 2020, has turned into an astounding collaboration known as the California Love Drop. Wing Lam, Co-Founder of Wahoo's Fish Taco, Wendy Ellis, Director of Marketing of KLOS-FM, and Eric Morley, Co-Founder of Blue C, have actively partnered with other organizations such as Yogurtland, Antis Roofing, Monster Energy, Hint Water, North Men's Wear, Constellation Brands, Boston Beer Co., Left Coast Brewing Company, B Candy, Yeti, Cholula Hot Sauce, Loan Depot, Coyle Repro, Vans, Drake's Organic Spirits, Fortis Resource Partners, and The Purist Group to personally thank those on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. As of today, the California Love Drop has delivered over 11,000 meals at 61 different locations. The plan is to keep the positive momentum going and continue to applaud the courage of our frontline heroes. For more information go to https://californialovedrop.org/
About Ted Miracco Ted is co-founder and CEO of Cylynt. His high-technology experience spans 30 years in electronic design automation (EDA), semiconductors, defense electronics, RF/microwave circuit design, and cybersecurity. Prior to Cylynt, Ted was a co-founder of the EDA company AWR Corporation, which was acquired by National Instruments in 2011 and became part of Cadence Design Systems in 2020. In addition, he has worked with several Fortune 500 software companies, including Cadence Design Systems and start-up company EEsof Inc., which was acquired by Hewlett Packard in 1994 and is now Keysight Technologies. Ted holds a B.S.E.E. from Carnegie Mellon University. The Cylynt platform is trusted by some of the world's leading software companies for enhanced business intelligence and globally is protecting around $50 billion of software assets. Cylynt Cylynt solutions, which evolved from anti-piracy and license compliance roots, are an integral part of the ongoing battle to safeguard intellectual property against increasingly sophisticated evasion techniques and result in significant revenue recovery and brand protection. Detailed usage analytics provide unparalleled understanding into how users interact with a software vendor's product and deliver valuable insight into customer experience, product development, lead generation, and sales processes. Across these elements, clients are currently realizing a gross ROI from Cylynt solutions of up to nine times their investment. To find out more: Cylynt.com
Creating Hand-Crafted Cannabis Content Medical cannabis can make profound changes in people's lives, and we're here to share their stories. Like tales told around a campfire, people respond to stories that connect and engage them. We're bringing this concept to educational marketing content for cannabis brands, companies, and products. We feel it's essential to help rebrand cannabis, moving away from the stoner stereotype. Philip recently launched Don't Strain Yourself, a patient-focused platform to educate adults age 40+ about medicinal cannabis. He shares stories from patients, medical professionals, and cannabis experts. You can also watch the videos on the GottaStory Video Page. As an industry, we must first be a community. To that end, empathy and compassion drive everything that Gotta Story Media creates. Philip's ethos is to lend a hand when needed, and he relishes doing so. Philip creates educational marketing content for cannabis companies, products, and brands, via digital video, podcasts, and articles. He formed Gotta Story Media in 2018 and recently launched a new video platform entitled Don't Strain Yourself. By sharing patient stories and advice from medical professionals, DSY educates adults age 40+ about medicinal cannabis. Philip began his media career creating educational TV for NASA, and he's been fortunate to work in marketing, public relations, and entertainment in digital and broadcast endeavors. Philip also created content for non-profit organizations such as the American Heart Association Los Angeles, the American Red Cross, the Flying Samaritans, and the Aquarium of the Pacific. Philip served as a two-term president of the American Marketing Association Los Angeles. As such, he exercised leadership skills, created its podcast series and blog, drafted weekly email content, hosted conferences, and moderated monthly educational panels. When he is not behind a video camera, Philip is either with his amazing family or racing through the Southern California mountains on Triumph motorcycles. You can see more of Philip's work at Gotta Story
Ira was featured in Forbes Magazine for helping his customers book 513,542 appointments into their sales pipelines. Ira Rosen has “Cracked the Code” on LinkedIn B2B Prospecting, filling calendars, branding their clients and adding about 400 new targeted connections every 30 days. Ira is considered to be one of top 1% influencers in the world by LinkedIn Corporation and have trained 100,000's of entrepreneurs just like you how to create predictable leads, clients and revenue. Winners of the prestigious “Marketer of the Year'' award through the Phoenix Business Journal, and “Best Selling Author” with customers in 50+ countries. He will show you how to tap into LinkedIn's $26.2 Billion dollar “digital gold mine” to build your LinkedIn and email databases, book targeted appointments, and close deals. He and his team has helped customers generate over 1 million appointments and helped customers generate over $1 Billion in revenue from LinkedIn. He is passionate about personal development and helping others become the best version of themselves. Ira lives in Scottsdale AZ with his wife and loves traveling to Mexico, spending quality time with his two daughters and their spouses. for more information about Ira Rosen go to https://www.linkedin.com/in/ira-rosen-637366b2
Ed began his career working in industrial models and design in the late 1980's, fabricating prototypes and scale representations for government and private industries. In the early 1990's, Ed moved into manufacturing and industrial equipment, working as a production designer and manager in a factory setting. In the latter part of the 1990s, Ed served as VP of sales for a manufacturer of industrial printing and automation equipment, at a pivotal time when sales and marketing were beginning to move into the online arena. In 1997, Ed started New Media, an Internet services company offering web hosting, colocation, e-Commerce programming and payment processing services as a part-time effort. As the business evolved it became a full-time endeavor, with colocation and carrier services becoming a major focus. Eventually New Media was transformed into Connex Internet Services Inc, a colocation and Internet transit provider serving five regional US markets and beyond, utilizing the skills of dozens of engineers and technical staff. In January of 2014, Datacate and Connex merged into one company, with Ed taking on full-time sales and marketing duties. The new Datacate gained a more diverse client base and multi-site capability. While continuing to serve the needs of the colocation marketplace, Ed and his colleagues at Datacate are forging ahead into the decentralized future of a virtual and cloud-based computing universe. In November of 2016, Ed added business development for BlueDAG LLC to his responsibilities. BlueDAG's flagship ADA assessment software, delivered via the cloud to desktop and mobile devices, is a revolutionary development in the ADA compliance industry, with the power to reduce the time required to complete an accessibility audit by as much as 75%. Ed oversees the direct marketing and awareness initiatives to bring BlueDAG to the ADA compliance industry. For more information about Datacate go to https://www.datacate.net/
Mark Williams has taken an interesting approach to business all his life. When he was 16 and needed a job, he walked into a small, local business and told the owner, “I'll make you a deal,” give me two weeks. At the end of two weeks, you can either hire me on and pay me or not pay me and send me home.” He got the job. As the CEO of Brokers International, a major insurance brokerage, Mark works every day to create a culture of transparent and authentic communication between those customers who he considers his true customers - employees, vendors, distributors and clients. Business Background He has spent his entire business career in the insurance world, working his way up the ranks from positions such as director of national sales and marketing for a top tier life and accident insurance company to overseeing sales on a regional level as a vice president to president of a financial marketing firm before going to Brokers International - first as chief of sales and one year later being promoted to president and CEO. His focus throughout his career has been to listen to the voice of the customer. He believes that intentional listening allows him to focus on where to explore new opportunities and take the calculated risks necessary to expand his company's overall market share while enhancing sales and service. He looks to data to support his decisions while sometimes questioning the analysis of data. He looks for patterns that others might miss to find actionable insights that offer solutions to some of his greatest challenges. Mark is a leader who hires talented people and allows them to do great things. He is intrigued by the ever-changing landscape of technology, data, and the avenues that companies will deliver their products and services to the consumer. It is this passion that keeps him researching, reading and exploring new technologies, and observing customer behaviour. Education Mark holds both NASD - Series 6 and 63 licenses as well as a BS degree in business from the University of Phoenix. For more information on Brokers International go to https://www.biltd.com/
works at the intersection of profit and purpose. She is a thought leader and veteran in harnessing the power of capitalism to solve the world's most pressing problems. Elizabeth serves as the Senior General Partner at Dev Equity, a venture capital fund investing in B-Corps in low-income housing, urban revitalization, and sustainable agriculture in Latin America (Nicaragua, Honduras, Panama, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Peru). Elizabeth started her career in rapidly growing, innovative technology companies. She served as a Product Manager for Microsoft Word when Windows was first launched and participated in forming the original Microsoft Office product. After graduating as a Baker Scholar from Harvard Business School, she joined Yahoo! as one of the earliest employees-- quickly rising through the ranks to lead the business side of several divisions including Yahoo! Finance, Yahoo! Mail, Yahoo! Search, Yahoo! Auctions, Yahoo! Classifieds, Yahoo! Greetings and other properties. Most importantly, she was a founder of Yahoo! Shopping and became a leader in developing and shaping Yahoo's e-commerce strategy. Under her leadership, Yahoo's e-commerce initiatives grew to become over 2/3 of the company's revenue. After Yahoo! Elizabeth was appointed President and CEO of CML Global Capital, a publicly traded investment conglomerate based in Canada. As CEO she oversaw several major transactions including executing a takeover of another publicly traded real estate company, a normal course Issuer bid, and eventually a privatization of the corporation. She sold several of the firm's corporate assets and eventually sold the remaining portfolio company to its management. Since that time, Elizabeth has dedicated her career to impact investing and corporate social responsibility-- demonstrating that strong financial performance and positive social change are inherently connected. Her first impact investment fund, the Dignity Fund, provided growth debt to 14 Microfinance institutions in 12 countries, enabling loans to over 35,000 poor entrepreneurs per year. The Dignity Fund was one of the very first for-profit investment vehicles in the Microfinance industry, paving the way for the massive influx of capital into that field. Elizabeth became an avid evangelist for impact investing and has served on many boards of impact funds and social enterprises. Her board positions include Unitus (chair) a microfinance accelerator; Deutsche Bank's Microfinance Consortium, FINCA Microfinance fund, Align Impact's fund-of-funds, MicroPlace (chair) an online investment company she helped sell to EBay, Root Capital (farm expansion capital), and Ujjivan (Microfinance bank that has since gone public) among others. Elizabeth is an active member of Young Presidents Organization (YPO) where she served on the international board and founded the YPO Social Enterprise Network; Toniic, an association of impact investors, and many other communities. Elizabeth is a thought leader and frequent speaker on impact investing and corporate social/environmental responsibility. For more information on Dignity Fund go to https://dignitycapital.com/
Catherine Nomura is Founder and President of Kountable Inc. For Catherine, Kountable represents the culmination of a professional lifetime devoted to unleashing the maximum transformative power of entrepreneurs as positive change agents and economic drivers across the globe. She brings over 25 years of leadership experience working with entrepreneurs and organizations that support them, following formative stints in retail banking and microfinance. Catherine is a bestselling author with a wide and deep understanding of entrepreneurial growth and the conditions, mindsets and support mechanisms that both hinder and maximize it. Her hands-on experience spans the entire income spectrum of entrepreneurs from countless industries across five continents. Her bestselling book, The Laws of Lifetime Growth, co-authored with top entrepreneur coach Dan Sullivan, has been translated into 15 languages and remains in print around the world in its second edition 13 years after its original release. Catherine holds a Masters Degree in Political Economy of Development from the University of Toronto and an MBA in Entrepreneurship from University of Victoria in Canada. She is now a proud resident of the San Francisco Bay Area.
Jim Markham, author of Big Lucky and founder of PureOlogy, believes everyone can be “big lucky” and achieve success. Jim's perseverance, ability to overcome odds, business acumen and “made to win” mentality provided the foundation for him to have a highly accomplished career. Jim has founded four and developed five successful hair care companies, netting over $1.2 billion in combined retail sales – Sebring®, Markham®, ABBA®, PureOlogy® and ColorProof®. With each success, the Markham name has become synonymous with authentic, quality, high-performance products that serve as an industry standard. Jim is best known for pioneering sulfate-free, salt-free products and creating the luxury color care category, and he continues making his mark as the acclaimed, best-selling author of Big Lucky: Serial Entrepreneur Jim Markham's Secret Formula for Success. This life-changing page-turner is an Amazon.com best-seller and was featured as Audible's #1 new release. But Jim's path to success wasn't foregone, obvious or easy. Married at 15 with a child, Jim Markham began his career as a barber as a means to support his young family. His undeniable ambition led him to California to meet with celebrity stylist Jay Sebring, an encounter that resulted in a lasting and important partnership. Jim became a Sebring distributor, Jay's protégé and eventual successor, taking over the Sebring business following Jay's untimely death as a result of the Manson murders. As a savvy celebrity stylist, Jim's client list grew to include stars such as Paul Newman, Steve McQueen, Johnny Carson, Frank Sinatra, and Robert Redford. Jim quickly found that he had a gift for product development and for detecting needs in the market. His entrepreneurial spirit drove him to create companies that delivered innovative products to meet those needs, including being first-to-market with natural-based, 100% vegan, cruelty-free, carcinogen-free, premium, color-protecting haircare formulas. For more information about Pureology go to https://www.pureology.com
Rick developed his proven system for hiring—and gave the start-up world a much-needed kick in the ass. Rick didn't grow up dreaming of changing the game in recruiting…or business of any kind. So he took a job in recruiting, and even though he phoned it in, he wound up making a lot of money. However, when a friend derisively referred to him as a “resume-slinging cowboy,” Rick knew. It was time to up his game…by changing everything he was doing. He studied many approaches to recruiting, ultimately perfecting the process into a single system that is both seamless and highly-successful in achieving the right results. The result is the Hire Operating System (Hire OS), a secret weapon that focuses on hiring consciously that consistently attracts the best people. As the founder and CEO of Stride Search, Rick used (and still uses) this system to build top-performing teams for Silicon Valley start-ups and other cutting-edge companies. His mission has been to give committed start-ups the clarity, power and system to make hiring a win, every time. And somehow, he has turned his unsettling impulses, unruly nature into success for hundreds of clients. For more information go to https://www.stridesearch.com/
GERARD J. FRIGON is the President, Chief Investment Officer of Taylor Frigon Capital Management LLC and is the Managing Member of Taylor Frigon Capital Advisors LLC, General Partner to Taylor Frigon Capital Partners LP, a private investment fund which invests in private companies and small emerging public companies. He is the Senior Portfolio Manager for the Taylor Frigon Core Growth Fund, an open-end investment company (TFCGX). He serves on the Board of Directors for ASOCS, Ltd. (a pioneer in virtual Radio Access Networks (vRAN) and a provider of fully virtualized, NFV-compatible virtual Base Station (vBS) solutions, based in Rosh Hayan, Israel), and I-V Access Technology, Inc. (a private medical device company committed to bringing their breakthrough catheter, VENAGLIDE, to the market to transform the venous access experience for patients and clinicians, based in San Luis Obispo, CA.) Mr. Frigon has over three decades of experience in investment strategy, planning and portfolio management for private investors and institutions including over 21 years at Merrill Lynch in the San Francisco Bay Area. During that time, he has managed portfolios with the same disciplined process directly descended from the classic growth philosophy implemented by Thomas Rowe Price and Richard Taylor. Mr. Frigon received his Bachelor of Arts in Business/Economics from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 1985. He founded Taylor Frigon Capital Management LLC in 2006.
Dr. Grover is a board-certified plastic surgeon whose finely-honed surgical expertise and elegant demeanor immediately put patients at ease and gives them the confidence that they will receive exceptional surgical care. Dr. Grover specializes in aesthetic surgery of the face, nose, breast and body and is well-regarded for both his meticulous nature and for the individualized attention, care and time that he personally devotes to each one of his surgery patients. A graduate from UCLA with a Bachelor of Science Degree, Dr. Grover then earned his Medical Doctor Degree from the School of Medicine at the University of California, San Diego. He proceeded to complete both his General Surgery and Plastic Surgery residency training from Stanford University Medical Center which is considered by many to be the premier plastic surgery training program in the country. Following his training at Stanford University, Dr. Grover completed an additional elective fellowship in Aesthetic and Oculoplastic Surgery at the prestigious Paces Plastic Surgery Center in Atlanta, Georgia.
Joe De Pinto was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA. He attended college at USC and was captain of the baseball team his senior year. Joe played professional baseball for 4 years in the Chicago White Sox organization after college. Barpay is his first venture post baseball, and he enjoys reading, surfing, and meditating in his spare time. Dan Wagner, co-founder of Barpay, grew up in a small town just outside of Charlotte, NC. He spent three years at Belmont University, which is located in Nashville, TN, where he majored in Music Business with an emphasis in Production. After his Junior year, Dan was drafted in 2009 by the Chicago White Sox and spent 6 years playing professional baseball. He enjoys working, coding, surfing, meditating, and playing music.
Ken Kladouris is an esteemed wealth advisor and published author who believes you should be living your life, by design. Charting his own course in the wealth management industry, Ken has earned the respect of his peers and the trust of his clientele. Developing his signature tailor-made approach, Ken has been able to successfully assist countless clients in charting their course to financial abundance. This has allowed the men and women Ken is proud to serve the ability to infuse more life into their years here and now – not just in retirement. Ken’s book, “Get There!”, was developed as a tool that helps individuals discover the clarity they need to design their financial future. Peeling back the layers, the book features no-nonsense, actionable steps that are proven to position individuals on their desired path. This thoughtful resource was compiled following Ken’s own awakening. Becoming aligned with his “why”, he recognized his true purpose was to assist men and women across the globe in their pursuit of achieving enhanced joy, freedom and fulfillment. Committed to guiding his clientele on their wealth building journey, Ken’s philosophy combines both lessons learned on land and at sea. Outside of the office, Ken’s love of the ocean led him to pursue sailing. It is there that he also found his passion to give back to the community. In his spare time he can be found with friends and loved ones aboard a powerboat, sail boat or at community events.
Mike Nunez is an 21-year internet veteran, with 4 years at Google on the Google Shopping and DoubleClick Search teams, and currently serves as Incfile's Chief Communications Officer.
Heidi Hertel is a mom of three and founder of Fitz Frames, revolutionizing the eyeglass experience for families. Fitz Frames specializes in customized 3D-printed glasses for kids including prescription, sunglasses and blue light lenses. Outfitted with snap fit hinges, enabling the arm portion to securely snap into place, eliminating the risk of loose screws and offering a solution to broken glasses. In under 5 minutes, get fitted with advanced facial mapping and life-like virtual try on, select from 6 styles and 8 colors and even emboss your child’s name (or favorite number) - all via your smartphone app and delivered directly to your doorstep. Fitz Frames is headquartered and designed in LA glasses and manufactured in Youngstown, OH.
Steeped Coffee is the new single-serve coffee standard, brewed similar to tea, requiring no machines, and made using all fully compostable packaging. Josh Wilbur, CEO, Founder Wilbur, a serial entrepreneur and inventor, lives on the cusp of innovation and disruption. He was previously COO of Kickstarter’s phenomenon Bibliotheca, Founding Team of fintech payments company PayStand, Director of Experience at Vintage Faith Church, and Founder of acquired Axis Web Media.
A visionary idea to bring a small town boutique brokerage to the South Bay coupled with a long standing relationship with Christie’s International Real Estate has created a unique and unparalleled company- Strand Hill Properties. As President of Strand Hill | Christie’s International Real Estate, Chris Richardson is highly experienced in both commercial and residential real estate particularly specializing in the luxury market. With over 20 years working experience in effectively marketing new homes, entitled land and premier properties throughout California, Chris’s expertise and commitment to excellent customer service has established him as one of the premier brokers in the state.
Mike Gentile has been on the forefront of security program development for more than 20 years. These experiences inspired him to create CISOSHARE where he serves as the Founder, President and CEO. Initially an experiment, now one of the fastest growing companies in the United States, CISOSHARE strives to create an environment based completely on learning and teaching in everything it does. Mike has also designed CISOSHARE's security program development application that provides a suite of program measurement and do-it-yourself tools for improving any security program. Previously, Mike built, grew and sold a leading GRC company and is a co-author of both The CISO Handbook and CISO Soft Skills.
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