Social Capital

Meet Lori HighbyLori Highby is a podcast host, speaker, educator, and founder of Keystone Click, a strategic digital marketing agency. Using her vast multi-industry knowledge - gained from experience and education - she has the ability to see the potential of greatness within the already established good of a business. She has worked with Fortune 500 companies and micro-business owners through strategic actionable moves to achieve their marketing goals. Lori carries her energy and drive into her professional engagements to empower and educate fellow life-long learners. When she's not guiding clients or teaching agency account executives how to reach professional excellence, she can be found playing hockey, brewing beer with her husband Andy, or going on ridiculously long bike rides just to see if she can!Lori's other podcastA BROADcast for ManufacturersHighlights00:00 Reflecting on Nine Years of Social Capital Podcast00:42 Evolution of the Podcast Intro01:23 Early Days and Nervous Beginnings02:18 Mentorship and Professional Growth04:30 Networking and Community Building05:44 Unexpected Connections and Global Reach07:17 Encouragement and Future Endeavors07:41 Final Words of AppreciationConnect with LoriLinkedInKeystone Click

Meet Jordon MeyerJordon Meyer is a PPC expert practitioner and the Founder and CEO of Granular, a leading digital marketing agency based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Prior to starting Granular, Jordon spent the previous ten years in various leadership roles, serving as the "go-to" digital marketing expert responsible for driving measurable revenue growth for various companies in the Midwest.These include organizations like Best Buy, Globe University, Lightburn, and Zeon Solutions. He has personally managed over $40mm of digital marketing spend, worked on 100+ brands, and led 3 in-house marketing teams. Jordon lives in Milwaukee's Bay View neighborhood with his wife Jaime and two mini dachshunds named Oscar Meyer and Bluth.Highlights00:00 Welcome to the Social Capital Podcast01:06 Introducing Today's Special Guest01:59 Reflecting on Social Media Changes04:23 The Evolution of LinkedIn06:40 Networking in a Post-Pandemic World09:34 Shifts in Business Focus and Passion13:19 Final Thoughts and FarewellConnect with JordonGranular Marketing jordon@granularmarketing.com LinkedIn

Meet Lorraine BallAfter spending too many years in Corporate America, Lorraine said goodbye to the bureaucracy, glass ceilings and bad coffee to follow her passion to help small business owners succeed.Today, this successful entrepreneur, author, and professional speaker, enjoys sharing what she knows about marketing in presentations to groups around the county, in college classrooms and in her weekly podcast More than a Few Words.She brings creative ideas, practical tips, and decades of real-world experience to every conversation.Highlights00:00 Welcome to the Social Capital Podcast01:12 Introducing Today's Guest: Lorraine Ball02:11 Three Essential Marketing Questions04:00 Classifying Your Competitors07:19 Aligning Objectives with Marketing Tactics11:07 Advice to My 20-Year-Old Self12:32 Host Interview and Final Thoughts15:30 Closing Remarks and Contact InformationGiveawayRandom Strangers to Raving FansThis self-paced program explains how to step prospects through your sales funnel, converting random strangers into raving fans.Connect with LorraineMore than a Few WordsLinkedIn

Meet Melanie StuberMelanie is the founder and CEO of Cultivate and Thrive LLC. She partners with leaders to overcome obstacles and achieve their goals through business strategy and organizational culture guidance. She is a former executive with over 25 years of diverse business experience from three top-tier organizations, Northwestern Mutual, CNA Insurance Company, and Pricewaterhouse Coopers. Melanie understands the challenges of leading teams through complex environments. She delivers dynamic keynotes, interactive workshops, and customized consulting services designed to empower leaders and their teams. Her approach helps organizations gain clarity, boost efficiency, enhance experiences, and improve overall performance. Although her focus is on supporting women leaders, Melanie welcomes the opportunity to collaborate with all leaders.Melanie is serving her second term as the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Board Director for Metro Milwaukee Society of Human Resource Management. She recently joined the Engagement Committee for the Women and Girls Fund of Waukesha. As a member of Tempo Milwaukee, Melanie serves on the Professional Development Committee and is the Chair of the Builder Community, which focuses on women entrepreneurs and business owners. She also serves on the Talent Solutions Council for the Waukesha Business Alliance.Highlights00:00 Welcome to the Social Capital Podcast01:20 Introducing Today's Guest: Melanie Stuber02:33 Melanie's Journey from Corporate to Entrepreneurship06:38 The Importance of Strategy and Culture08:42 Challenges and Motivation in Business10:45 Advice for Young Professionals13:34 Lori's Turn: Personal Insights and Goals16:40 Final Words and Contact InformationGiveawayMelanie is collaborating with two other women entrepreneurs (Amanda Nowak and Julie Schmidt) to host an event tailored for women - The Empowered Path: Bite-Sized Strategies for Wellness, Financial Freedom, and Leadership for Women. This in-person event is Friday January 17, 2025 (8:00-9:30) at 11270 W Park Place (First Floor Conference Room) Milwaukee, WI 53224.She would love to give two tickets away to our listeners so they can start their year feeling empowered as they guide you in boosting your confidence with actionable steps to help you navigate both your personal and professional life effectively.Connect with MelanieCultivate and Thrivemelanie@cultivatethrive.com LinkedIn

Meet Remso MartinezRemso W. Martinez is the founder and CEO of Marketer on the Run LLC. Remso's career started in small-scale social media and blasted off in 2019 when he became the social media coordinator for the Washington Times. After a short time in the tech start-up space, Remso moved to Wisconsin in 2021 to relaunch the marketing efforts for a Milwaukee-based nonprofit on the verge of collapse, revitalizing their brand awareness, online efforts, and helping secure the necessary funding necessary to keep going. In 2022, Remso moved into the world of digital publications where he stayed until this year, when he launched Marketer on the Run LLC and made the move into full-time entrepreneurship.Highlights00:00 Introduction and Welcome01:20 Guest Introduction: Remso Martinez02:06 Remso's Career Journey07:29 Entrepreneurship Challenges and Insights14:19 The Fractional CMO Model Explained18:34 Lori's Reflections on Business Growth21:34 Final Thoughts and Contact InformationConnect with Remsomarketerontherun.comremso@marketerontherun.comFree e-book: The Small Business Owner's Digital Marketing HandbookLinkedIn

Meet Heidi Solomon-OrlickHeidi is a proven veteran in Enterprise sales as well as a DEI and active aging advocate. With over 3 decades of global sales and executive leadership experience Heidi has generated over $1.5 Billion in revenue throughout her career in the BPO industry and has created thousands of jobs globally. She currently serves as Founder & CEO of GirlzWhoSell and CRO of The DORS Group Powered by Keller Williams. Founded in 2020, GirlzWhoSell is committed to democratizing professional sales and to building the largest pipeline of diverse, early-stage female sales talent. Heidi is a 2x author who, in 2022, released the highly acclaimed and award-winning book “Heels to Deals: How Women Are Dominating in Business-to-Business Sales.” Heidi is a 3x Stevie Award Winner for Women of the Year in Sales (Gold), Worldwide Sales Executive of the Year (Gold) and Women Helping Women (Bronze). She was listed in the Top 100 Women Magazine, was featured in Top Sales Magazine, was listed in the Top 100 Women in Sales published by Demandbase in both 2022 and 2023 and the Sales Collectives list of Women in Sales to Follow in 2024. Finally, Heidi has been ranked in the Top 50 Women Leaders of New Hampshire and was recently nominated for the SheRise 2024 Women in Leadership award.Highlights00:00 Welcome to the Social Capital Podcast01:21 Introducing Today's Guest: Heidi Solomon-Orlick02:51 Heidi's Journey and Influences05:13 Sales as a Life Skill06:00 The Intersection of Athletics and Sales10:34 Closing the Gender Gap in Sales16:35 Advice to My 20-Year-Old Self19:43 Lori's Why and Final Words of Wisdom21:40 Wrapping Up and Staying ConnectedConnect with HeidiLinkedInGirlzWhoSellHeels to Deals: How Women are Dominating in Business-to-Business Sales

Meet Brin'na Rollins-WilliamsBrin'na is an unshakable optimist who is an accomplished people leader with over 10 years' of Leadership experience at Target, Fortune 50 Company. From an Intern to District Senior Director overseeing multiple stores, thousands of team members and +$500 million in annual revenue.As a high performance coach, speaker, and culture consultant Brin'na has discovered remarkable patterns, tools and resources that some of greatest, leaders and organizations use to think, act, and communicate. She is fascinated by how people and organizations truly have the ability to unlock team synergy, elevate company culture to make a lasting impact on their employees and in the world. She has devoted her life to leadership, sharing her experience, thinking, and leading a movement to inspire people to do the things that inspire them to be successful both at work and in their life.Free PDF Resource: From Chaos to Clarity: A Simple Tool to Reclaim Your Time, and Recharge Your LifeHighlights00:00 Welcome to the Social Capital Podcast01:20 Introducing Today's Guest: Brin'na Rollins Williams02:36 Scaling Leadership: Personal Growth and Development05:31 The Eisenhower Matrix: Prioritizing Urgent vs. Important13:15 Balancing Personal and Professional Growth14:46 The Power of Journaling for Personal Growth15:42 Reflective Questions for Daily Improvement17:17 Advice to My 20-Year-Old Self17:54 Balancing Personal and Professional Success19:48 The Importance of Simplifying Leadership22:07 Embracing Technology for Human Connection23:27 Final Words of Wisdom and Free Resources25:55 Connecting with Brin'na Rollins Williams26:53 Conclusion and Call to ActionConnect with Brin'nalegacyfulfilled.combrinna@legacyfulfilled.com LinkedInFacebookInstagram

Meet Brent HalfwassenBrent Halfwassen is the founder of MKE's Small Business Coach, a business coaching and consulting firm focused on small business owners and entrepreneurs from $5,000 to $5M in revenue, helping to turn their hard work into hard cash.Brent is a reality-focused small business coach empowering small business owners and entrepreneurs so they can stop spinning their wheels and instead take the next right actions to transform their hard work into hard cash. He has spent over 20 years building businesses and opportunities, coaching hundreds of entrepreneurs and small business owners around him and evolving his own entrepreneurial focus.Highlights00:00 Welcome to the Social Capital Podcast01:12 Introducing Today's Guest: Brent Halfwassen02:12 The Unique Approach of MKE Small Business Coach04:18 The Importance of Delegation for Entrepreneurs07:57 Building and Maintaining Business Relationships12:08 When to Hire a Business Coach15:08 Lori's Podcast Journey and Final Thoughts20:14 Closing Remarks and Contact InformationConnect with BrentMKE's Small Business Coach | Halfwassen & Associates, LLCLinkedIn

Meet Michael CreedMichael Creed is the Branch Manager for Luminate Home Loans' Brookfield and Waukesha, Wisconsin locations, but he does much more than just manage. In fact, Michael wears many hats at his job—from running his own personal production team to creating systems, policies, and procedures for branch processing, Michael does it all. In addition, he also coaches the loan officers and other team leads at his branch, working hard to ensure his team is set up for success.As a homeowner before he even graduated college, Michael is very familiar with the pain points that most homeowners and prospective homeowners face. He loves working with clients that are willing to trust his expertise to get mortgages closed quickly, while also improving their quality of life with a holistic financial plan.When at work, Michael is energized by all of his amazing clients and hardworking staff. Outside of work, you'll usually find Michael rock climbing, alpine skiing, mountain biking, weightlifting, attending church, or going on other various outdoor adventures.Highlights00:00 Welcome to the Social Capital Podcast01:12 Introducing Michael Creed02:29 Michael's Journey into the Mortgage Industry04:54 Keys to Success in the Mortgage Business09:59 Personal Life and Hobbies15:55 Advice for the Younger Self21:02 Lori's Turn: Marketing and Hockey Passion24:43 Final Words of Wisdom25:18 Closing Remarks and Contact InformationConnect with MichaelLuminate Home Loans -Mortgage Lending -Mortgage Careers -YouTube -Coaching and Consulting -Text (262)696-9048LinkedInTwitter

In this special 400th episode of Social Capital, host Lori Highby, CEO and Founder of Keystone Click, is interviewed by Abby Radewahn, Digital Content Manager at Keystone Click. They discuss Lori's background, her passion for sports, and her journey from working at a web development company to founding her own digital marketing agency. Lori shares valuable lessons she learned about networking, mentorship, and the importance of authentic relationships. The episode highlights essential networking tips and emphasizes the significance of strong personal and professional connections in achieving success.Highlights00:00 Introduction to Social Capital Podcast00:49 Lori Highby's Background and Early Life02:57 The Role of Sports in Lori's Life04:42 Early Career and Lessons Learned07:12 Founding Keystone Click10:02 Personal Growth and Decision Making18:06 Networking and Mentorship25:35 Final Words of WisdomConnect with Lori on LinkedIn.

Meet Louise McDonnellLouise McDonnell is a renowned expert in leveraging social media to enhance sales and lead generation for coaches, consultants, and online entrepreneurs. She offers a comprehensive suite of services, including a complete "done for you" package, group coaching, and online training, aimed at converting social media efforts into tangible business results.As the founder of SellOnSocial.Media, Louise leads an agency dedicated to developing and implementing custom digital strategies that drive real results. Her team excels in creating actionable plans that effectively integrate strategy with execution to boost sales and market presence.Louise also established the Academy, an online platform offering training in sales-driven digital strategies. It features group coaching and mastermind sessions to support collaborative learning and practical strategy development. This platform is designed for professionals eager to expand their digital marketing skills and achieve sales growth.In addition to her entrepreneurial work, Louise is a four-time best-selling author, recognized for titles like 'Facebook Marketing, The Essential Guide' and an annually updated 'Social Media Planner & Guide.' These works are essential for businesses aiming to optimize their digital marketing strategies.As a keynote speaker, Louise shares her expertise on digital marketing and social media strategy with audiences worldwide. Her presentations offer practical insights, aiming to improve digital marketing skills and contribute to organizational success.Highlights00:00 Welcome to the Social Capital Podcast01:14 Introducing Today's Guest: Louise McDonnell02:38 Using Social Media to Drive Business Sales04:46 The Impact of AI on Social Media09:47 Common Mistakes in Social Media Marketing16:58 Advice for Young Professionals21:48 Host's Perspective on AI23:28 Free Guide and Final Words of Wisdom25:10 Closing Remarks and Contact InformationConnect with LouiseSellOnSocial.MediaLinkedInFacebookInstagram Twitter/X Free Guide: Why Isn't My Social Media Working for Me in 2024Free E-book: AI Powered Social Media: How To Save More Time & Get More Leads

Meet Erik OwenErik brings over 30 years of diverse business experience across manufacturing, distribution, services, and banking. He spent 20 years in corporate America, including roles at Fortune 500 companies, focusing on finance, operations, and executive management, with expertise in IT, strategic sourcing, logistics, and Lean/Six Sigma. In 2009, Erik founded Oak Hill Business Partners, a boutique consulting firm in Brookfield, Wis., dedicated to growing the intrinsic value of lower-middle market companies through excellence in finance, sales, marketing, and operations. Oak Hill has been recognized multiple times by the Milwaukee Business Journal and has successfully guided companies through growth, M&A transactions, and exit planning. Erik holds CPA and CEPA designations and is actively involved in the Exit Planning Institute and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.Highlights00:00 Welcome to the Social Capital Podcast01:09 Introducing Today's Guest: Erik Owen01:41 Top Problems Businesses Face05:18 Valuation of a Business10:55 Alternative Exit Strategies18:40 Preparing for an Exit Plan24:23 Fun and Reflective Questions31:48 Final Words and Contact InformationConnect with Erikoakhillbp.comLinkedIn

Meet Ken OliverA Milwaukee native. Born and Raised. Marine Corps veteran. Owner/Founder of GruntWorks Junk Removal and Demolition.As the Owner of GruntWorks, he oversees all aspects of the business, from operations and marketing to customer service and partnerships. He leverages his skills in team building, training, and recruiting to create a culture of excellence, integrity, and respect. He also works with local organizations, such as Habitat for Humanity and recyclers, to recover items that can serve another purpose, without going directly to landfills. He is proud to lead a company that is making a positive impact on the environment and society.Highlights00:00 Welcome to the Social Capital Podcast01:10 Introducing Today's Guest: Ken Oliver01:58 Lessons from the Marine Corps07:22 What Sets GruntWorks Apart10:36 Long-Term Goals for GruntWorks13:15 Advice to My 20-Year-Old Self14:56 Marketing Challenges and Strategies22:03 Final Words of Wisdom23:21 Closing Remarks and Contact InformationConnect with Kengruntworksjunkremoval.com(414)414-7868info@gruntworksjunkremoval.comLinkedInDEAL: Mention Keystone Click for 50% off up to a full trailer at Gruntworks Junk RemovalValid through December 31st, 2024

Meet Dave OatesDave holds 30 years of strategic crisis public relations experience dealing with a wide array of adverse public events. Starting as a U.S. Navy Public Affairs Officer and later as a Corporate Chief Marketing Officer and Non-Profit President, he excels in expertly addressing a myriad of crises that span sports/entertainment, non-profit, military, government, corporate, education, charity, and start-up environments. Dave is the author of several Amazon e-Books and co-produced four LinkedIn Learning courses. Dave is an accredited PR specialist (APR) who received his MBA from San Diego State University in 2004 and his bachelor's degree from the University of Maryland in 1991.Highlights00:00 Welcome to Social Capital Podcast01:12 Introducing Dave Oates: Crisis PR Expert02:37 Understanding Crisis PR06:55 Must-Do's in Crisis PR13:41 Common Mistakes in Crisis PR14:41 Planning for Crisis Situations18:28 Personal Insights and Fun Questions21:58 Final Words and Contact InformationConnect with Davepublicrelationssecurity.comLinkedInTwitter/XInstagramFree 30-minute consultation about any HR-related issue that folks believe COULD become a crisis. Reach out by Thursday, August 8th, 2024 to redeem.

Meet Stacey HallStacey Hall, Founder of Success with Stacey Hall, is best known for her ground-breaking social media marketing training program, Go for Yes, which has helped thousands of people attract more sales, customer and employee satisfaction, and success. Stacey is an acclaimed international speaker who gained recognition for her TEDx Talk. Her mission is to help entrepreneurs attract and connect with their ideal audience, solve their audience's problems, and leave a legacy that lives on long after they are gone.She wrote her new book, Selling From Your Comfort Zone because so many sales people believe that they must push themselves out of their comfort zones and compromise their values to sell products. But, as Stacey explains, the comfort zone can actually be a power zone that leads to sales, satisfaction, and success.Shifting away from pushy sales tactics, she will show how you can bring meaning to how you serve others through your business. You will discover a simple formula for a personalized approach to connection-building through problem-solving by remaining in alignment with your calling, with yourself, and with what you are selling.By adopting this approach, you will have more confidence, more energy, and more courage to achieve your goals, and will be able to stay flexible and resilient in the face of challenges.Highlights00:00 Welcome to the Social Capital Podcast01:27 Introducing Today's Guest: Stacey Hall02:20 The Go for Yes Program04:10 Understanding Alignment in Business08:52 Selling from Your Comfort Zone12:25 Stacey's Advice for Her Younger Self13:40 Lori's Podcasting Journey15:46 Final Words of Wisdom and Giveaway19:00 Closing RemarksConnect with StaceyLinkedInwww.staceyannhall.comThe Ridiculously Simple Way To Create Sales, Satisfaction, And SuccessIn 2024Selling From Your Comfort ZoneInstagramFacebookTwitter/X

Meet Chris DaigleChris Daigle is the CEO and Co-Founder of ChiefAIOfficer.com. In these dynamic times of AI enablement or extinction, Chris's purpose is to ensure businesses thrive through AI strategy crafted by certified Chief AI Officers (CAIOs) or the use of their education and certification program on how to use AI in your business or your role.An early pioneer in SaaS, he launched my first software company in 2002 and since then has gone on to found several successful businesses where he was able to develop the entrepreneurial and leadership skills that have led his company to where they are now, the cutting-edge of AI empowerment for Small to Medium sized businesses.Highlights00:00 Introduction and Welcome01:01 Guest Introduction: Chris Daigle02:25 The Importance of AI in Business09:41 Getting Started with AI17:57 Fun Questions and Career Advice20:12 Final Thoughts and ClosingConnect with ChrisLinkedInChiefAIOfficer.comUsing AI at WorkTwitter/X

Meet Eleni KelakosEleni Kelakos, The Speaker Whisperer® , is a presence and presentation expert, and the President of the Eleni Group, established in 2003. She uses performance techniques learned over twenty years as a professional actress and award-winning, nationally touring, singer/songwriter to help speakers and business leaders across the globe present with more authenticity, confidence and impact.When she's not coaching individuals or facilitating trainings at companies like General Motors, Allstate, Little Caesar's Pizza, and Kubota Tractors, Eleni practices what she preaches, firing up hearts and minds with her signature keynote presentations at conferences nationwide.A double major in Theatre and Semiotics from Brown University, Eleni is a past president of the National Speakers Association of Michigan. She's sung the national anthem at Shea Stadium for three (winning!) Mets games, and has produced four acclaimed CDs of her original songs. Eleni is the author of two books, “Touch the Sky: Find Your Voice, Speak Your Truth, Make Your Mark” (which was a gold medal winner of the 2014 Global e-Book Awards) and her “Claim the Stage! A Woman's Guide to Speaking Up, Standing Out, and Taking Leadership” was a 2021 #1 Amazon Bestseller. She lives happily with her husband, and two constantly shedding cats, in Ann Arbor, Michigan.Highlights00:00 Welcome to the Social Capital Podcast01:21 Introducing Today's Guest: Eleni Kelakos02:09 Marketing Tools and Strategies for Success04:59 The Power of Networking and Building Relationships11:47 Personal and Professional Growth Advice13:44 The Journey of a Podcast Host17:30 Final Words of Wisdom and How to ConnectConnect with Eleni!LinkedInThe Eleni GroupTwitter/XGo to www.theelenigroup.com and sign up on the home page for a free e-book “5 Ways to Minimize Stage Fright, Amp Up Your Presence and Wow Any Audience.”

Meet Neha BucaroWith a remarkable professional journey spanning media, strategy creative and research, Neha is a true believer in the power of transformative thinking. Throughout her career, she has worn some big titles, led, and inspired brilliant teams, and collaborated with some of the biggest brands in the world. With an innate comfort with data and refined strategic and creative thinking skills she has honed an expertise in her craft that is both broad and deep. Neha has helped her clients navigate shifting market dynamics, competitive disruption, technology, and product evolution and changing consumer expectations with grace and success. Over the last 5 years, she has applied her skills to benefit non-profits, early and mid-stage startups and investor backed businesses. Every client, no matter their size or stage, benefits from her unique blend of creativity, strategic acumen, and business pragmatism.Highlights00:00 Welcome to the Social Capital Podcast01:25 Introducing Today's Guest: Neha Bucaro02:44 Diving Deep into Strategy04:46 The Critical Role of Strategy in Today's Marketplace09:50 Exploring the Impact of Generative AI on Creative and Strategic Services12:44 AI Implementation Challenges and Considerations20:33 Personal Reflections and Advice for Young Professionals25:43 Final Thoughts and How to ConnectConnect with Neha!LinkedInNP+SB Strategic Consulting

Meet Jim HeinignerJim Heininger is The Rebrand Man. He leads the efforts of The Rebranding Experts, which he founded in 2017, after 30 years of business and brand strategy experience for P&G, McDonald's, Anheuser-Busch and others.Rebranding Experts was purposefully designed to be the only agency with the comprehensive services necessary to rebrand organizations. It starts from a fundamentally different viewpoint than traditional branding firms that see rebranding as a marketing strategy. His team believes rebranding should be a strategic growth accelerator, creating a forward-facing organization ready to grasp new opportunities. It's a jetpack to your success.Jim has designed the methodology used by the firm and merged the many disciplines necessary for successful rebranding, including research, brand strategy and planning, creative naming, design/identity, corporate and leadership communications, changemanagement, employee engagement and internal marketing, customer experience design and marketing/public relations.Jim coaches CEOs through the rebranding process, aligning their executive team, and helping to execute complete name changes and new customer promises. He regularly speaks at national conferences and is a frequent contributor to Forbes.com on the topic of rebranding.Highlights00:00 Welcome to the Social Capital Podcast01:21 Introducing Today's Guest: Jim Heininger, The Rebrand Man02:23 The Art and Strategy of Rebranding05:05 Current Trends in Rebranding08:03 Learning from Twitter's Rebranding to X10:44 Personal and Professional Growth Advice14:07 Engaging in Professional Networks for Success14:53 How to Connect with Jim and Closing ThoughtsConnect with Jim!LinkedInTwitter/XRebranding Expertsjim@rebrandingexperts.com

Meet Bobbi BaehneBobbi Baehne is the founder and CEO of Think Big Go Local, a digital marketing agency that helps small businesses succeed in their local communities by leveraging the power of online marketing. With over 15 years of experience in entrepreneurship, marketing, and small business development, Bobbi has a passion for helping small businesses grow and thrive, and has worked with hundreds of clients to develop successful marketing strategies. In her current role, Bobbi leads a team of digital marketing experts who provide personalized support to small businesses. She has done a TedX talk, has been featured in Inc. Magazine, Huffington Post, and more, and is a regular speaker at conferences and events, sharing her expertise and insights with audiences around the country.What are the top three trends that small business owners should consider integrating into their marketing mix right now? So there are so many things and so many trends we could talk about, but there are a few that I think are top of the list.So first is something we're hearing so much about, and that's artificial intelligence, right? How to use AI effectively. That that is definitely one of the things small businesses need to keep top of mind, because one of the challenges I hear so frequently from my customers is the bandwidth to do all the things that need to be done in their business.And as a small business owner, sometimes you don't have a team built yet. And so figuring out how to make the most effective use of your time so that you can run your business and market it effectively is kind of top of the list for me. The second thing, which has been a thing for a while, but it's just not going away is video. For a while, we were all talking a lot about short-form video, reels, TikTok, and those are so relevant. But I also think business owners need to step back and notice a couple of things. There's still so many small businesses not leveraging the power of YouTube. And we're finding that a lot of people we talk to are using YouTube in such different ways that you have such a larger opportunity to leverage that. I can go to YouTube and get the small sound bites for the things I want to know and that I'm looking to learn so quickly, and it's opened up an entire new market for YouTube content. For a while there, we were talking about really short videos. So a TikTok video, eight to 15 seconds, right? These platforms are starting to incentivize creators to do longer videos, a minute or more. So in 2024, we're going to start to see the length of those shorter vertical videos start to shift a little more. Small business owners should be paying attention to those kinds of changes so they can kind of get in the favor of those algorithms, and just be putting out more content that the platforms wanna show to more people.And then finally, a place that many small businesses aren't leveraging, and that's paid promotion. It is so difficult for a small business that doesn't have a ton of name recognition or brand recognition yet to get their content seen. Facebook doesn't show anything on a business page to anybody if they can help it. They're in the game of wanting a business to pay for that type of attention.And yet so many business owners either aren't doing it or they're not doing it right because they've only extended their knowledge base to how to hit that blue button and boost a post versus getting into ad manager and learning to develop a variety of different types of campaigns, leverage different types of audiences and all the tools that Meta is offering.What social media platform do you plan on using more right now? So, I have never been a big fan of LinkedIn. When it came out, I'd been doing this digital marketing thing for quite a while and it just was no fun. That was just the way it was....

Meet Eugene MarshallEugene Marshall is the Founder and CEO of Magnolia Tax Services. He is an Enrolled Agent (EA). Eugene is federally authorized to represent taxpayers before the IRS and, like CPAs and attorneys, has unlimited representation rights. He specializes in advanced tax strategies to reduce his client's tax liability through effective tax planning. Eugene has several years of tax experience, including preparing taxes for individuals and small businesses.Eugene is also an avid real estate investor. He owns a real estate investing company that acquires multi-family properties within the inner city of Chicago and has recently expanded to the Milwaukee market. Eugene believes owning real estate and having a small business is the cornerstone of building wealth.What sets Magnolia Tax Services apart from other tax firms? Magnolia Tax Services is a tax advisory practice that ultimately specializes in tax planning, tax preparation, tax debt resolution for individuals or small businesses that need assistance with solving a tax problem, and accounting and bookkeeping. What separates us from the average tax practices is that we're actively meeting with our clients periodically throughout the year and most of our client book is all small businesses.I want to say maybe 90 to 95 percent is all small businesses. We do have some individuals that don't own a business, but have the desire to pick up some rental properties. We do bring them on as clients.And we also assist and consult them on how to analyze deals, source those deals as well and get the capital to fund those deals, and it creates an opportunity for us to also educate our clients on how to be strategic in markets like today, where the interest rates are higher than they have been.Fortunately, we're starting to see things climb down a bit. Still, we do introduce other topics such as seller financing, subject to a contract with the seller, wrap-around mortgages, and all these other creative ways to acquire properties that could ultimately benefit our client's tax position. So what separates us apart in short, is that we are actively looking at our client's financial position, and coming up with strategies to ultimately assist them with minimizing their tax bill.This gives us the opportunities for that business owner to reinvest those savings either back into the business, back into themselves or personal professional development and or into their future.Can you explain what the difference is between an enrolled agent and a certified public accountant?Absolutely. So when we look at the tax space, the tax industry as a whole, there's four types of people. You have your tax preparers that do not have to be licensed at all. This could be someone who just understands how to file taxes using a particular software. Don't need a license, do not need a degree, just need to be able to file taxes.And then we have tax attorneys. And then we have certified public accounts. And then after certified public accounts, we have folks like myself, which are enrolled agents. And so the primary difference between an enrolled agent and a certified public accountant is our specialty is tax. And we get our designation directly from the department of treasury, which houses the Internal Revenue Service. Certified public accountants that get their designation, their license from state boards.And we actually partner with a ton of certified public accountants because they don't have an interest in tax. And some of them don't know tax. And many of them, their focus is on the accounting portion. And a lot of folks stay co associate accounting with taxes when accounting is nothing more, nothing less, but understanding and being able to read and produce financial statements. P and L's, balance sheets, cashflow projections, not more so taxes. Now there are

Meet Lisa ApolinskiLisa Apolinski, CMC is the CEO of 3 Dog Write. She is a content coach, teaching business owners how to use their content to attract more right-fit clients so that they experience the positive ROI on marketing and business development investments.She has written several books, including Persuade With A Digital Content Story, named one of the top content marketing books in the world and most recently as a co-author on The Most Amazing Marketing Book Ever, an Amazon #1 new release.She has been featured in Forbes and The New York Times for her expertise on digital storytelling and has been dubbed “America's Digital Content Futurist”.What do you think are the biggest mistakes you see businesses make with their content when they're trying to focus on that trust factor? I actually had a conversation with a client today about this some feedback she was getting from her mentor who is heavily into sales. And I'm not saying that sales is bad. They're simply different ways of being.He was pushing her to put all sorts of call to actions and you don't have a call to action in your posts on social media. And I said, well, hold on a second. What are you creating your content for if you don't have clarity around what it is that you are hoping your content will do besides drive revenue?Because we all know the content really should be helping you to make more money, but how do you get there is the question. If you're constantly pushing calls to action or take this next step or sign up now or click on this link. It feels very sell-y and it feels very icky. People know how social media posts work. People know how websites work. People know how the internet works. It can be a lot more subtle, where people are engaging with you through your content and learning about you, and then from there, allowing them to decide how they want to take the next step.Do they visit your website? Do they do a Google search on you? Do they attend a webinar you're in or a podcast? Do they sign up for your newsletter? Let them decide. Don't shove call to actions in their face where it's unnecessary. You can certainly guide them. Mark Schaefer talked about this. The customer is the marketer now. The customer is deciding the path. And if you think you're in charge of their digital path, that thought process and that ability has absolutely gone by the wayside because there are so many ways for people to engage with you and your content.So if I would drill it down into one big issue that I see people making now as a mistake is trying to control the digital journey versus allowing your audience, who's very savvy to discover you in a way that's right for them. And that allowance of letting them have control that absolutely builds that trust factor that we talked about.What is one thing that businesses can work on in their content today to help improve these relationships with prospects? Add in stories. People are hardwired for stories.I don't know if you noticed, but I've told you three stories so far. They don't have to be long, but it helps to share information. Show how it's relevant. Because people are hardwired for stories, they absorb that information a lot faster and they hold onto it a lot longer. So if you have information that you need to provide on how the journey would be to work with you, put it in a story format. Talk about a former customer or client who is similar in their journey and how they made it to the finish line.And in my “Persuade With A Digital Content Story,” I actually give you a six-step formula to create persuasive stories within your content. You're not selling, you're not pushing features and benefits, and you're making it relevant to your audience. Again, it has value to your audience because it's the information that they want, not the...

Meet Frank KingI am a Suicide Prevention Speaker and Comedian, was a writer for The Tonight Show for 20 years, a full-time speaker and comedian for 37. I've worked with Jeff Foxworthy, Jerry Seinfeld, Jon Stewart, Steve Harvey, Rosie, Ellen, The Beach Boys, Neil Sedaka, Randy Travis, and Lou Rawls. I've fought a lifetime battle with Depression and Chronic Suicidality, turning that long dark journey of the soul into 11 TEDx Talks, one SPEAK Event, and sharing my lifesaving insights on Mental Health with colleges, corporations and associations. I've survived 2 aortic valve replacements, a double bypass, a heart attack, 3 stents, losing to a puppet on the Original Star Search and lived to joke about all of it.A comedian who speaks on depression and suicide. How does that work? Well, depression and suicide run in my family. It's called generational depression and suicide. My grandmother died by suicide. My mom found her. Nine years later, my great aunt died by suicide. My mom and I found her. I was four years old. I screamed for days. In 2010, after filing a Chapter Seven bankruptcy in April, I came very close to suicide. Close enough, I can tell you what the barrel of my gun tastes like. Spoiler alert. I did not pull the trigger. A friend of mine came up at a keynote recently. He goes, “Hey man, how come you didn't pull the trigger?”I go, “Hey, man, could you try to sound slightly less disappointed?” So that's where the humor is in the topic. It's not jokes. It's just funny, personal anecdotes. That's why. And I myself live with two mental illnesses, major depressive disorder and chronic suicidal ideation, major depressive disorder, relatively common. Chronic suicidal ideation, far more rare. It means for people in my tribe, the option of suicide's always on the menu as a solution for problems large and small. And when I say small, my car broke down a couple years ago. I had three thoughts unbidden. One, get it fixed, two buy new, and three, I could just kill myself.That's chronic suicidal ideation. You have 11 Tedx Talks. How did you land all of those? Well, the only person who had five was the guy in England. He passed away. That's the most I've been able to find anybody else has gotten. In 2014, I applied. It was a Tedx in British Columbia. And I got it on my first try, which is unusual. And then two TEDx events reached out to me after that said, do you have any more mental health ideas to talk about? And I did. So I did two more at their request. The next seven I applied for and got. And I've got a really big social media footprint on LinkedIn. And an event in India, in the state of Assam, reached out and said, we like your take on mental health. Would you be willing to do a TEDx force virtually? I said, absolutely. So I got invited to as well. So, it's just a matter of applying, it's a bit of a numbers game. I got my first one on the first try, but the other ones took 20, 30, 40 applications before I got the audition and got asked to do it.Connect with Frank!LinkedInXthementalhealthcomedian.com

Meet Alane BoydAlane Boyd is the Co-Founder of BGBO Co., an operations and growth strategy agency utilizing AI and automation to improve efficiency for their clients. In 2022, her company launched Arvo, an AI-powered visual documentation software for creating standard operating procedures, training documents, and company knowledge. Alane has been written and featured in Entrepreneur, HuffPost, South by Southwest (SXSW), PBS, FemFounder, and many more.How do you start positioning yourself as an expert or a credible resource in your industry? I really struggled with this for a long time because I was looking at the work we were doing. We are doing such amazing things and our customers love us. I finally realized we weren't telling anybody about it. Even when we would do these big case studies, we weren't sending them out in a bite sized piece.No one's gonna know that you're an expert unless you're telling them, and you're not gonna be credible just because you say you know how to do something. You have to tell stories and do them short, where people's attention span can still follow along with it.And also very clear. You can do that so easily now with social media. And I have found that has really turned a 180 for me. I was just going, Hey, I'm an expert. I'm over here. People are coming to me because they see me as an expert.I would love to hear more about your AI software. We launched that for companies to create internal process stocks, SOPs, training manuals for their team, and it's all digital.We were looking at it from a perspective of stuff out there, a lot of platforms, they look like glorified text documents. We just thought nobody wants to learn like that. Everything is meant to suck you in longer and also for short attention span.So that's why we built Arvo, to be really digitally appealing. And then we added AI earlier this year and we've got a couple of new AI features coming out too. We thought, what a great use of AI to help write processes. If you could have AI write 90% of a process for you, and then you tweak it for your business, that could be saving you hours of work. We've got some things coming down the line that I'm really excited about with AI too.Connect with Alane!LinkedInReach out on LinkedIn for a free 30-minute callX

Meet Ross KeatingRoss Keating believes all businesses, regardless of their size, can be more successful, including yours. When you are successful it not only helps you and your customers, but it also helps your employees, your suppliers, the community around you, AND your family.Over the last 15 years or so his clients have been in industries such as industrial equipment sales, pet grooming, civil construction, fitness, lighting and motor systems, house construction, mining, animal welfare, tourism, and pest control.Many of Ross' clients have 2x and 3x their revenue and profits yet become more relaxed and able to have more focus to “work on the business”. The result is their business continues to grow. These clients say they have also been able to achieve personal and lifestyle goals as a result of working with Ross.He has managed the development, implementation and sales of customer relationship management strategies and software internationally. He has held management responsibility for 40,000+ customers, and $36 million in sales. Ross is a certified by Codebreaker Technologies as a B.A.N.K.TM IOS Coach.What are the two of the biggest problems that you see business owners and executives have? The key is that they're frustrated with the lack of results they're getting in the business. The teams are working all hours under the sun. They are trying to throw all their resources at it, but the business still doesn't meet their expectations. And they started saying, “We've got to get more sales and generate more leads.” That's what becomes a real focus on those numbers. Sales is not a numbers game, sales and business. It's a people game now. No longer can you just go for selling. People don't like to be sold to.So I say business and sales is not a numbers game. It's a people game.Talk about the Codebreaker Technology Program?Codebreaker Technologies was founded by Cheri Tree and is the only methodology that has been scientifically validated by independent studies to predict buyer behavior in less than 90 seconds. It doesn't take a huge amount of time and a lot of brain power to go through the test.It's been scientifically valid that you've got that prediction, but also to increase sales and influence by up to 300%. And the red, that 300 percent is because you're talking to different personalities.So by doing that, when we know our methodology all of a sudden you can talk to people in the language and the phrases and the behaviors that you like. And it's not just in business; it's in your personal life because you're trying to influence people.Connect with Ross!LinkedInXNextree Business Growth ConsultancyDiscover Your True Personality in 90 Seconds or LessFree E-book- Top 10 Hacks to Create Delighted Repeat Customers, 10 Reasons for Having A CRM

Meet Matt NettletonSince 2003, Matt Nettleton has coached more than 175 companies in a wide variety of industries. He has helped multiple companies grow from $1 million to more than $10 million in annual revenue and has helped clients close more than $3.2 billion in new sales.Why do you believe sales is an honorable profession? People have this idea about sales and sales people and what sales people do and how, but they forget that there is not a company that has ever existed without revenue. And that revenue never shows up magically. And those people that create the relationships and manage the relationships that generate revenue, they're salespeople who are probably the most honest traders out there. Because the salesperson tells people up front, “Hey, listen. I'm here to see if I can get you to buy something from me. You give me money and I give you a product or service.” And the more honest they are, and the more they do the right thing, the more likely they are to succeed.So why do you believe business is honorable? This is kind of an extension of why sales is honorable, but a lot of my clients are family owned businesses, two to 50 million in revenue. And when I talk to them, whether they're first generation, second generation, third generation, one of the things that they'll talk about is the people's lives that they've impacted.One of my clients was talking about how they hired their third employee right when he graduated from college and here they are 25 years later. They just celebrated that employee's son graduating from college. That business is not just that service that they provide. They actually provide meaning and livelihood for their employees. They provide sustenance for their families. They allow kids to grow up in great homes. They create a fabric and a tapestry of a community. I think we lose sight of the fact that salespeople are doing good work and that companies and business owners are almost what I like to think about is an almost heroic mission to impact their employees, their customers and their communities.Connect with Matt!LinkedInXInstagramSandler's Ultimate Resource Guide

Meet Scott FloodScott Flood established Scott Flood Writing in 1995 after 13 years with advertising agencies in Chicago and Indianapolis. The Chicago native is a frequent author on copywriting and marketing topics for business websites and publications, has authored two books of local interest, and is also the author of 100 Years: The Story of the Western States Machine Company.An active community volunteer, Scott has served on the School Board for the Plainfield Community School Corporation since 2000, was honored as Indiana's outstanding local school board member in 2021, and named Hendricks County Leader of the Year in 2007 by Leadership Hendricks County. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Communications & Theatre Arts from St. Joseph's College.Isn't business writing supposed to be grammatical? That's one of the great misconceptions. Let me step back and say that I absolutely love and adore English teachers. They're amazing people and anybody who can get bored sophomores to get interested in literature and poetry deserves my praise. But one of the unfortunate things that comes out of English class is that people learn a particular way to write. They learn the highly grammatical academic style of writing, which is used nowhere but the academic world. When you get out into the business world, really what's far more effective is to communicate in a more informal way, particularly a very conversational way. So I always advocate for conversational copy.Is there a simple way to tell that something I've written is conversational? I think the easiest way to do it is to read it out loud. Once we get out of grade school, we don't often read what we write out loud. But it's good practice because if you pick up something that you've written and you read it out loud, or even let's just say it's a paragraph from you're writing a blog post and you're not sure if it's doing a good job, read that paragraph out loud. If you find it's easy to read it out loud, if you find that everything comes easily, you've probably done it great. But if you find yourself stumbling or pausing or running out of breath, you probably need to rewrite. It's probably too complex for the situation. That's the easiest trick I can give people.Connect with Scott!LinkedInhttps://sfwriting.com/The Smarter Strategy for Selecting Supplierssflood@sfwriting.com

Meet Carol CleggCarol Clegg is a small business coach specializing in mindset and accountability, partnering with midlife women. Carol's passion lies in cultivating business balance and establishing realistic goals with an effective accountability structure. A maverick entrepreneur at heart, she founded Classic Exec Marketing a decade ago, embarking on a journey to empower small business owners to share their gifts and expertise.At present Carol integrates the transformative tools of Positive Intelligence, elevating overall well-being and contentment across all spheres of life. Her ultimate mission is to empower clients to create lifestyle businesses that include flexibility and balance, enabling them to operate from any corner of the globe. With her origins in South Africa and her current base in the USA, Carol extends her guidance globally, transforming aspirations into achievements, one step at a time.Sometimes it seems like [a four day workweek with themes for each day of the week] works for me at least for about 60 days. And then I kind of start to go off track. Any advice on that? Absolutely. It's just time to reframe it. I felt that as well. I was like, “Oh, hang on a minute. This is getting a little boring.” So, just change it up. Okay, do something different on Mondays or simplify it, because sometimes you want to get into all the nitty gritty and like break it down into so many steps. And then that's overwhelming. So just change it up.How do you use positive intelligence for wellbeing? Well, positive intelligence is something that has been on the outskirts for about two or three years, watching other people using it. Curiosity. And you know how timing sometimes is just when you're ready, you're ready?So, I started the training with them at the beginning of the year. And it has been absolutely life changing. It's a training system and it's developed by Shirzad Chamine. He's written a book on Positive Intelligence. And there've been thousands of coaches who've now gone through the system, but it's life changing.And the simplicity of it is it's just a three muscle operating system. What you're doing is you are looking at your negative thought patterns and needing to learn how to intercept that to say, stop, shift. And how can I look at this as a gift and bring in a different component? So it's much more complex than that, but the beauty of it is that not only do you get more calm in your own life, so that's been for the sense of well being, but then it spills out. So as I grow myself and become more calm and cope better with situations, I feel that I'm passing that on. And the instrumental thing, which is something called a PQ rep. And so this is something as short as 10 seconds.It could be as long as five minutes. There is an association with meditation, but you're being single mindedly focused on stopping the negative thought pattern and just bringing in a sense of touch. So you could just rub your fingers gently together and just immerse yourself in that. So if you and I were sitting here now before going into a meeting, we could just be feeling our fingers getting ourselves grounded, feeling our feet, bringing ourselves back to center, and then stepping into our conversation. And then it's with a loving, joyful, happiness, as opposed to judge and feeling negative. So, there's just so much about it. I am super excited to be now sort of focusing my coaching completely on this and bringing it into the accountability side. But it's a system that you can stay with for life. So it's something that you can use.Connect with Carol!LinkedIncarolclegg.com

Meet Danielle HughesDanielle Hughes is the creator of the Personality Brand. She teaches clients how to bring more of themselves into their message so they feel comfortable expressing it and can convey what makes them different from their competition, attracting the right audience and repelling the wrong one. Often referred to as a magician with words, while she can't pull a rabbit out of her hat, she can hone your brand message and deadlift you or your employees, but not at the same time. That's just irresponsible. (note: Danielle isavailable for office party tricks and accepts payment in bottles of Bordeaux.)What is a personality brand and why does someone need one? Yes, so personal brand is everywhere. And the word personal means private. So why are we sharing our private thoughts, habits, behaviors with people that we don't know? But our personality is who we are. It's always on display and we dial it up and we dial it down, depending on who we're interacting with. So people that we have just met might get a small glimmer of our personality. Our friends and family get too much of our personality. And so to me, when you cultivate a personality brand, in business, it puts you in control of what you want to share with the people that you're meeting or the people that you're interacting with, or even your clients or customers, and allows you to say this is what I want you to know about me in order to form the necessary connections that we need to do business.But it also creates a line in the sand of things that you're not going to share because they're no one's business and they will remain private.What if someone's an introvert?So, the beauty of personality brand is that you are in control. So, just because you're introverted doesn't mean you're not interesting. Doesn't mean you don't have hobbies. And I always say, think about if you were stuck in an elevator with someone (which I know is a nightmare for an introvert). What is the one thing that you could talk about with this person for an hour and it would not freak you out? And what is that thing that you would love to talk to them about if you found out that they shared that hobby or that passion with you? And we're just starting there. We're just putting that little thing, even if it's at the end of your title your LinkedIn title. And it just says like triathlete or knitter or, you know, lover of pugs.It's gotta be a little something and that's enough. And you can just start there and then you can baby step it to more if you feel comfortable with more. But I always tell people, just because you're introverted or just because you're shy, you have things that you love to do that I'm sure help you connect to other people.Connect with Danielle!LinkedInInstagramwww.morethanwordscopy.comPersonality Brand Bio Checklist Keystone Click commercial: Goal Driven Marketing Strategy

Meet Erik DeckersErik Deckers is a professional writer and humorist from Central Florida. He is the co-author of four books on social media marketing, and has been a newspaper humor columnist since 1994. He has owned his own content marketing agency for 14 years, and ghostwrites books for business owners who want to leave a legacy for their families. Erik is the president of the Jack Kerouac Project in Orlando and is the lead organizer of 1 Million Cups Orlando, a networking group for entrepreneurs.Where do you think most people should spend their time and energy? Analytics, creation of content?I actually think that people should spend more time talking about and focusing on creation. One of the nice things about analytics is that we can do this with marketing now, where 30, 40 years ago we could not.You didn't know how many people drove past your billboard or how many people actually saw your commercial on TV or actually heard it on the radio. And if somebody came into your business, which commercial brought them in? Which time did they see it? We didn't know any of that. And now that we can, I think marketers have gone a little bit overboard and they want to measure everything.They use analytics to drive their content creation, which I think is the backward way of doing it. Your content creation should be first. That should be your highest priority because your analytics should tell you how well it's doing, not tell you what you should write about.How can one turn their competitors into collaborators and referral sources?Okay. I talk about this sometimes. I talk about the importance of having your network of people who are out giving you leads. They're making connections for you. And the best way that you can turn your competitors into your sales force is if you each were to specialize. And so one example I use is if, you know, let's say you're a bookkeeper, you might be a bookkeeper and you charge 50 bucks an hour to just do bookkeeping for anybody who calls you up.But that means that every other bookkeeper in town is your competitor. But what if you were to specialize and you're only going to do bookkeeping for restaurants? Well, if you specialize, you can charge more because if you specialize, you know more, and that means it's worth more. And so you can charge maybe 75 or a hundred dollars an hour. And your competitor decides they're going to specialize and only work on professional services: doctors, lawyers, chiropractors.So whenever they get a call from a doctor who says you know, “Hey, I need a bookkeeper,” then they're the one to answer that call. But let's say you get a call from an attorney and say, “I need a bookkeeper.” And you can say, “I don't do that. But my friend, Susan does. Susan is a professional services bookkeeper and she can absolutely handle what you do.Connect with Erik!LinkedInTwitterInstagramTikTokerikdeckers.comproblogservice.com

Meet Wayne MullinsWayne is a husband, father of 4, entrepreneur, and the Founder of Ugly Mug Marketing, creator of the Freelance Accelerator, and author of Full Circle Marketing. He's an out-of-the-box, against the grain, thinker and it has more than paid off for his company and clients. He leads from the heart and is passionate and unapologetic about doing so. As Founder & CEO of Ugly Mug Marketing of one of the most unique and successful marketing agencies in the world, Wayne has personally trained more than 20,000 marketers, launched NY Times Bestsellers, and helped a client grow from $20M to more than $600M in less than 5 years.How do you know if your business's culture is sabotaging your marketing efforts?Yeah. That's a, that's a great question. And it's a challenging question because to begin, Lori, I think we have to come to the realization that often for us as entrepreneurs or for us as marketers, this thing called our business or the business that we're marketing for, it's our baby. We love this thing.And sometimes we don't want to admit that our baby is actually ugly. And the truth is that sometimes our baby is a bit ugly and we need to look at it through that objective lens so that we can determine what is actually happening and what is not. So the first place that I love to tell people to start is to get some candid feedback from your actual customers, those interacting with your organization, purchasing your product, purchasing your services. And that can be a little bit daunting and it can be a little bit confusing for people because by default, what we typically do is we go ask the people who we think are going to say great things, right?We ask our friends, our longtime customers, and those people rarely are willing to say things that are going to hurt our feelings or step on our toes. So, it's important to find those who are willing to tell us the honest truth about what it's like doing business with us.Why is it so important to engage with prospects and customers on a personal level? So we live in a world now that is, you know, there's some great quote or analogy here that I'm going to completely botch and mess up, but basically we live in this hyper connected world, right?Where everyone is connected to everyone online and yet we live in a world where people don't have that many real connections anymore. And so one of the simplest yet most impactful things that you can do is learn to connect with your prospects and your customers on a personal level. So very simple things that you can do that will immediately calls you to stand out, send handwritten thank you notes, send birthday cards in the mail. Any points of personal interaction like that are going to cause you to immediately stand head and shoulders over your competition. Not because they can't do those things, but because they're so busy looking for the next big hack or the next, you know, cheat code or whatever it may be that they're unwilling and undisciplined to do the fundamental things that we know actually do work.Connect with Wayne!Connect on LinkedInUgly Mug MarketingFreelance AcceleratorFull Circle Marketing

Meet Henry DeVriesHenry DeVries, MBA, is the CEO of Indie Books International, a company he cofounded in 2014 to work with agency owners and strategic consultants who want to attract right-fit clients by marketing with a book and speech (www.indiebooksintl.com). He is the author of 17 books including Marketing With A Book For Agency Owners. Since 2010, he has ghostwritten, coauthored, and published more than 300 business books, including his McGraw Hill bestseller How to Close a Deal like Warren Buffett. Henry's articles have appeared in forbes.com, the Associated Press, and various magazines. He can be reached at henry@indiebooksintl.com. Learn more about Henry by visiting the website for Indie Books International: http://www.indiebooksintl.com.Henry, how does a book help with your authority marketing efforts? Well, as our friends at Predictive ROI and Agency Management Institute say, a book can be the cornerstone for your authority marketing. And then the real leverage is talking about doing what I'm doing here on a podcast with you. Or I'm going to be giving a speech tomorrow at the University of California at Irvine at their innovation center. A lot of these [opportunities] come from the writing that I do and being an author; that makes sense to be on a stage. So, you use the book as the authority marketing tool. Your sales strategy is talking about the book. And that's what gets you the right fit prospects into your sales pipeline.Why do you say publishing the book is the starting line and not the finish line?There are so many people out there who're all about the book, about coaching you to write the book, and/or writing the book for you or their publishing service. And you get your book out. But let me give your audience a hard truth… Nobody gets discovered because they write a book. It's like nobody gets discovered because they put a website up on the internet. Books don't promote authors, authors promote books. And in the promotion of the book with the spotlight being on the book, it reflects on you and attracts people who want to have conversations with you about what you do and how you solve problems for people like them. So, we say publishing the book is the starting line. And it's a marathon, not a sprint. This is a long race you're going to be going on, and I have some minimum monthly requirements for my authors. Here they are. One: Do Two Showcase Speeches a Month. Either podcast or something you host like a Q&A session, or on somebody else's stage where you're a virtual or live presenter. Two of those a month and then send 20 books out a month. Two: People Who Could Book You as a Speaker Could Hire You for Your Service. If you do that on a consistent basis, you're gonna sell enough books to pay for the whole effort. And then we measured a return on investment of 4x to 220x. In other words, if people put in, let's say, $25,000 into this effort, they should get $100 to $250,000 to a half million back in extra revenue. And we have a study that shows that. People are on record with the amount of money that the book has made them. And we're out there with measurable results and testimonials to prove it.Connect with Henry!Connect on LinkedInIndie Books InternationalEmail Henry (henry@indiebooksintl.com) to get a free digital PDF copy of his book “Marketing with a Book” or “Persuade with a Story!”

Meet Kurt KleidonKurt Kleidon is the president of Kleidon & Associates, a marketing communication agency in Akron, Ohio. Kurt has more than 15 years of experience in marketing, branding and media relations. He also has experience as the founding editor of an arts and entertainment magazine editor and as a college professor.In his professional capacity, Kurt focuses on marketing strategy and helping his clients find the right balance between digital opportunities and traditional marketing effort. With a background in storytelling, he truly enjoys developing new ways to convey a message within all the possibilities that are possible in social media and digital marketing.As the host of his own podcast, Three for Three, Kurt interviews business owners on tips and tricks that have helped them build a successful business.Kurt is avid in his volunteer work in the Akron area and has a passion for helping organizations that aim to improve the lives of children. Currently he serves on the board of a local arts organization that helps artists establish a sustainable brand and business model.He is a published writer and photographer with more than 100 articles and photos that have appeared in print in various magazines and journals.When does on-brand come off as artificial when networking?Yeah, so we work with a lot of different clients to figure out what is their brand. Where should they be positioned? And sometimes when people think about branding, they think just about maybe the visuals of a brand. But of course, everything that comes with that includes things like mission statements and vision statements and a lot of different wording that goes along with it as well. And part of that is elevator speeches. We talk about networking, and how you keep your branding, and feel both on brand but feel authentic, as opposed to just reciting an elevator speech. So the way I put it here is that I think that an elevator speech really has to match the person who's saying it. Have you ever heard a muscle car drive by? You know that sound even if some of that's really loud and something in the background. So whenever you hear that, you look and you're expecting to see maybe a Dodge Charger or a muscle car. But what if you heard that sound, and you looked and you saw a 20-year-old Subaru? Totally mismatches what you're expecting, right? And if you think about that, with networking, there's nothing wrong with being that loud car if that's kind of a metaphor for maybe that elevator speech. There's nothing wrong with being a 20-year-old Subaru either, but they don't necessarily match. So I think it's really important that when you think about how you're talking about yourself, what you do, or your company, that that really matches how you present yourself. Because that's really important for people to make that feel natural. So when you're thinking elevator speech and sometimes love one of our clients, we write that for them, and you're getting to recite that and just make sure that that matches the M image that you're presenting, but also who you're speaking to as well. You think about that same metaphor, it's a, it's a muscle car. And it sounds like the most car looks like a muscle car. But it's, let's say, you know, at a somber event, well, you can't necessarily come with that same presentation for that. So think about making sure that all those brand elements that have worked so meticulously created, match how you're presenting it and who you're presenting it to.If you could go back to your 20-year-old self, what would you tell yourself to do more or less of or differently with regard to your professional career?What I think I would do was tell myself to prepare for any kind of meeting or any type of event. We're able to engage with people with maybe just a little bit of research or maybe timely news. So, I would usually come into...

Meet Kris WardKris Ward is creating a movement where your business supports your life instead of consuming it. Kris is the founder of the Win The Hour, Win the Day philosophy.After the loss of her husband, Kris returned full-time to her work as a marketing strategist. She was relieved that her business had not only survived her absence but was growing. Now, Kris has completely changed the landscape for entrepreneurs by sharing the successful practices that allowed her absence.Kris has shared the stage with Jack Canfield - Chicken Soup For The Soul, Kevin Harrington original Shark from Shark Tank, James Malinchak -ABC's Secret Millionaire, Sharon Lechter - Rich Dad Poor Dad Co Author and Joe Theismann - NFL All star and commentator to name a few. Kris has also been featured on award-winning podcasts, radio and TV shows.Kris is an acclaimed podcaster. You can hear Kris on her own podcast - Win The Hour Win The Day, where she has engaging conversations with dynamic guests covering a variety of business topics so you can get to your next win now!We keep thinking we have to add more team in order to keep growing, but what do you think is the biggest mistake that most people make when building their team? I think first of all, we live in a magical time and the resources are just so affordable and so endless. You could have exceptional talent in the winner circle part of our package. We will find you a VA and help you hire, onboard and train them. I would say to most people, two things, just two really big mistakes. One is they'll say, “Okay, I need a VA,” and they maybe go to an agency. I've had clients do that. And in the agency, it's a lot more expensive than working with us. You could be an amazing VA, and then somebody pairs you with someone. Let me give you an example like this. It's kind of like… let's say, Lori, I sent you a chef to work with you and your family. And I'm like, “This is a world-renowned chef, world-renowned. You are so lucky to have this chef,” and they send them to your home. And you're like, “Kris, this is a French cuisine chef and my kids are all about chicken nuggets.” This is not going to work, right? So what I'm saying is that you can have an exception, you can find somebody extremely affordable and exceptionally talented. But when you're just running around, you know, pivoting all the time, and you're not set up and you're not ready, you're not gonna be able to keep them. And that's one of the biggest mistakes is they're like, “Oh, well, this didn't work. It didn't last.” Yeah. Because you're not set up, right? So, that's a big part of what we do. The other thing I would say is, so many people think about, you know, what they experienced as a team; the hierarchical thing when they worked in any kind of corporation anywhere in the world. And think about it like this… You also tend to think of it as a very parentified system, that working with a team and in a bigger company. And what I would say is the idea of culture, people tend to think when you have a bigger company, 5500 people, you have to think about culture. So, one of the things we talk a lot about in team building, and really implement quite effectively having a really amazing, uplifting, productive culture when you have one, two or three people on a team. Because think about it like this, Lori, if you were seeing an ocean liner like. There's 500 passengers and something happened to that ship. Maybe there's only 100 or 200 people or 75 people that are highly useful, and they're going to be able to deal with that crisis. Whatever the crisis is, the boats going down. But if you're in a rowboat with two other people, you can make sure this is one heck of a team. Because if there's a hole in that boat, that's it, right? So, I think culture is a big thing, and creating leadership and strength and making them little CEOs of their own departments. Instead of...

Meet Andy CrestodinaAndy Crestodina is the co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer of Orbit Media, an award-winning 50-person digital agency in Chicago. Over the past 20 years, Andy has provided digital marketing advice to1000+ businesses.Andy has written 500+ articles on content strategy, search engine optimization, influencer marketing, visitor psychology and Analytics. These articles reach more than three million readers each year. He's also the author of Content Chemistry: The Illustrated Handbook for Content Marketing.Andy gives up to 100 webinars and presentations per year and is a frequent repeat speaker at many of the top national marketing conferences.What kind of content can't be created by an AI? I love this because I strongly believe that AI will reduce the cost of creating lots of content and especially specific types of content. But there are still types of content that it's not going to be very good at. AI, in my experience, doesn't really have a strong perspective. The technology is really just predicting the next chunk of language in a series. It's not trying to succeed at a goal per se. It's trying to create a piece of language that satisfies the prompt. So, if you want it to create some true thought leadership content or make a stand, have an opinion, it doesn't really do that. I've never seen AI throw a punch. It just isn't built for that. So, if you want to differentiate your content there are several great opportunities to do that.What is the wrong way to be social online? I think from a business perspective, it's constant selling at 100%. You're not going to have a following. You're going to lose any sort of followers that you did have. But if you're constantly pitching your service or, or product, you're going to lose interest right away. It's not sell me media. It's social media.Connect with Andy!Connect on LinkedInContent Chemistry: The Illustrated Handbook for Content Marketing Sixth Edition

Meet Clarene MitchellShe is the founder and CEO of TCM Communications, a social media branding firm based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. TCM focuses on empowering success-driven entrepreneurs and corporate leaders to effectively leverage LinkedIn to generate organic results. She holds a BA in interpersonal communications from Cardinal Stritch University.How is LinkedIn different from other social media platforms?Totally different. I couldn't we could just talk about that question in itself and go on and on, for one LinkedIn was created for the members to generate results, as opposed to other platforms where they're really social entertainment. That was really that's the core foundation, the foundation of LinkedIn is all about members generating results. When you look at the mission of the platform, it says that explicitly, it's about the economic advancement of all the members. So that's number one. The other part of LinkedIn is different than other platforms, I say, is a more comprehensive platform. From my perspective, why do you have to go anywhere else you're using any other platform, when there's so much that LinkedIn offers, whether it's being able to create newsletters or write our articles, or go live in video form or audio form? And just the different features that it has, make it a more comprehensive platform versus I say some other platforms are more limited than with what you can do on themIf you could go back to your 20-year-old self, what would you tell yourself to do more or less of or differently with regard to your professional career?You know, I had to go way back, because you know, my age, I think that mentally to go back to my 20-year-old, so I guess the biggest thing I would tell my 20-year-old self is, dreams don't have to die, they can be deferred, meaning so 20-year-old Claire rain wanted to be a broadcast journalist. But my life circumstances didn't allow for the freedom of that. But or the flexibility I needed to go with being in the broadcast journalism sector of communications. It's ironic now, though, where you know, with what I do in my business, and again, going back to the LinkedIn features, the LinkedIn feature, linked in live feature, for me is much of our dream, where, you know, life circumstance happened couldn't be a broadcast journalist right out of college, like I want it to become. But really, I'm fulfilling that dream now as a LinkedIn, live creator and host and all of that. It's like, okay, it could, that dream didn't have to die, I still held it dear in my heart, you know. And I, it became a reality when it needed to become or was able to become a reality. So not give up on my dreams, keep them fresh in my heart and continue to nurture them so that I could seize opportunities when they came up.Connect with Clarene!Connect on LinkedInhttps://calendly.com/tcmcommunications/linkedinassessmenttcmcommunicationsllc@gmail.com

Meet JamieJamie Shibley is the CEO of The Expressory, a strategic gifting agency that believes the key to accelerating your business growth and profitability in the post-COVID era will rely on your ability to maintain personal connections to build stronger emotional loyalty in your business relationships. After 20 years in the corporate world full of it and E-commerce roles, Jamie launched an online brand of her own. Jamie understands the influence of strategic gifts and wants to positively impact the mental well-being in our world by helping businesses acknowledge care for their community members, respected as a market leader. Jamie's work has been featured on Entertainment Tonight and forbes.com. What are some of the best practices that you see for this relationship nurturing?In this post-COVID era, we kind of have a challenge as business owners, how do we continue to grow and succeed when, when we are working with nurturing our leads and converting more, I think that we've depended so long on this idea of, you know, you get this drilled into your head, this know, like, and trust, people need to know you as you trust you. And so great technology helps us reach more people, right, to reach the masses, and if that's how you're networking, even if that's how you're out first meeting people, that's great. But how do we get into and move people to the lake and trust if we're going to stay just digital and surface? And that's where I think this focus of, we need to bring a mix of a lot more personal touch, touch points with people. And so our best practice, what we always recommend is that you identify when you have prospects that come into your space, identify the key ones, because they can't all be like, like your top dream prospects, right? You know, grab, grab 10 of them, or 20, we say 25, right, your dream 25? Who are those people, and then make a plan so that you are showing up in some way in front of those people, those 25 leads, say, every six to eight weeks, but you need to do so through a combination of digital and physical, maybe even face to face. But how are you showing them that you understand their pain points that you understand where they're at, in, you know, whatever their business needs are, how whatever you serve, right as your company. Be generous with your smarts, and the things you share with them to educate them. And, you know, each time that you're in front of them, it moves that relationship forward a little bit further. And when we say use physical touch points in some way, whether that be handwritten cards, printed material, like your articles or research, the reason we say that is because physical tangible items in hand trigger the part of your brain that is that perceives value. So if I send you something that you are holding, you're already going to think I am my company, my service is more valuable. Because you're looking at something, right?I'm curious, if you could go back to your 20-year-old self, what would you tell yourself to do more or less of or differently with regard to your professional career?Well, it's funny because when I graduated college, I started working right away for the company that I spent 20 years at and like I said in it, but at the same time, I was so obsessed with this with programming and creating and so I was outside of work. I was creating my own website, right and it was a time when the web was for Starting to take payments. And so I set up this whole crafting website where crafters could sell. I'd rent them space, all this stuff. And I had a bunch of crafters renting from me. However, I wasn't doing a great job getting them business customers. And so what I recognize then is like, well, I didn't know marketing, I had to figure out how to market on the web. And so I went and I searched the web. And I printed out this enormous book on marketing on the web. And then I realized, I'm just starting out my career,

Meet MartinMartin has had a unique career that has spanned both analyst and marketing practitioner roles focused on high technology and related industries. The unifying factor has always been a keen analysis of go-to-market trends while also having achieved success as a marketing leader. Schneider started his career as a journalist covering b2b technologies and quickly transitioned into leading analysts covering application software for the 451 group in New York City, where he specialized in CRM, marketing, automation, and business intelligence analytics technologies. After analyzing the go-to-market strategies of dozens of technology vendors, Schneider made the move to the vendor side, where he led successful go-to-market teams for several startups and established tech providers including Sugar CRM, Basho, technologies, Caspio, and support logic. Schneider brings a wealth of marketing and sales alignment content strategy and other go-to-market expertise to his role at Annuity this research is excited to be merging his two passions in producing research and analysis around modern go-to-market and growth marketing strategies for a broad set of b2b professionals.So what's driving this interesting evolution and how growth leaders that you're talking about are looking at approaching go-to-market right now?Look, I think I think we've kind of hinted at it, right? I mean, it's the idea that looks, we we've changed the models of like delivery, and like payments, and like we've done all the infrastructure things, billing, you know, all these things that needed to be done in this new recurring model of everything. Subscription economy, whatever buzzword you want to use, right? Yep. But we have like, we never thought about the go-to-market and engagement strategies for the second half of that, right? We've never extended that part down the line. So that's really what's needed. Because what are we being forced with? We keep, you know, what did we hear a week or so ago in Chicago, right? Do more with less, you know, leverage data in ways that you never have. But well, what's the data need to be about? It's got to be about well, what's the customer experience that's driving new opportunities for growth? Right? It's about how we find lift, not just revenue. And how do we focus on the metrics and the KPIs that matter? Not the ones that are like what I would call kind of short-sighted, you know, how many times does a CMO pat the team on the back and said, Look, we did 115% of our lead handoffs, the sales for sales accepted leads were awesome. But the company misses its number. So then fingers get pointed, and people start, you know, and there's distrust and factions, and all those types of things that start to dysfunction, right? But because there wasn't a shared growth plan, there wasn't an understanding of like, well, well, what is a good lead? What are you know? And where did the post-sale? the idea that like, how do we not market these people effectively to get lifting growth inside our accounts, rather than just focusing on that new and blah, blah, blah, right? So I mean, that's really what's happening, right? Like, if everyone's using this term growth, and you see these things like growth hacking, and you use a term like hacking, and I'm like, that sounds a lot like just random, haphazard acts of marketing that are not strategic. They're not aligned to the entire journey. And that's really what's driving this, right, we need to have a full journey, an orchestrated approach that understands, you know, who are the personas for presale? Who are the personas for post-sale? What is that conversation track? What kind of content? What kind of channels? When do we provide that? What are the indicators that say this is upselling versus this is the reinforcement of just baseline stuff, of making sure they're actually using our product effectively, that kind of thing? And, and really building these models' full...

Meet DanDan is the founder and CEO of biz hack Academy, whose mission is to give 10,000 underserved small businesses a simpler way to grow. Dan is a Pulitzer Prize-winning former NPR and PBS journalist, turned entrepreneur and educator. He is the grandson of a Philadelphia public school science teacher. That's a notice here of a professional soccer coach in La Liga in Spain. And he carries forward a family legacy of teaching coaching and entrepreneurship. Dan trains business owners in the lead building system, a process proven a proven process for online lead generation, and the thought leadership pyramid systematic approach to content marketing. past career highlights include as the head of growth at two software startups and as Senior Director of Digital Marketing, at the nation's largest Hispanic-owned energy company. He's helped to take offer craft a gamification SAS company in the hospitality industry, from pre-revenue to a 2.5 million run rate in just two years.How does your journalistic background impact your approach to AI?You know, what a great question. And it's an area that I'm still figuring out because I think all of us are still figuring out AI and AI tools, but they're, they're at least two ways in which my journalistic background has come into there actually three ways in which my journalistic background and come into direct specific play when it comes to AI. So it helps to just give a little bit of background Sure. Ai, in its current form is really dependent on Okay, so AI is called artificial intelligence. And artificial intelligence is basically getting algorithms or robots to do work for you. And the most popular best-known version of AI is Chachi Beatty. It's what's known as generative AI, which means you ask them a question, and it creates an original new answer. And there are three things that journalists know how to do really well, that are very helpful with generative AI and Chachi PT. So the first is we're really good at precise communication. Right? Like we're very expert as journalists in communicating things clearly and simply and that's a really important skill when you're writing a prompt. Yes. The second is we're really good at fact-checking. And one of the big problems with AI is it, quote hallucinates. It's actually the word that they use the technical word for making shit up. And so journalists are really good at sniffing out bullshit and fact-checking. Sure. And then the third, the third thing that we're really really good at is interviewing. And if you actually look at what the quote prompt and Engineering are, which is the back-and-forth between an AI bot and a human being. It isn't a form kind of interview where you're continuously deepening and asking new questions and getting original responses and replanting returns. So I, you know, I've taught all these topics in journalism, I practice them as a journalist, and I'm finding generative AI and catch up at like, a very comfortable space for me.Can you elaborate on what me too marketing is and what your perspective is?Yeah. So first of all, my passion isn't marketing. My passion is business storytelling, and more specifically, helping businesses grow. And I feel this is an important distinction because it was a big realization on my in my life that marketing is interesting to me. building my business and helping others build theirs is a life passion. I am so on fire on that. And marketing is an instrument for doing that. But it's not, in and of itself, a passion of mine, what I'm passionate about. And I do this a lot seeing a business and helping them get to the next phase. And particularly I do really well with small businesses from micro-enterprises to sub $50 million base witnesses and, and really like they can mark it before and after where biz hack and I have been in their life and glory like there's literally not enough money in the world to replace that feeling of just deep...

Meet AndyAndy is the founder of On Milwaukee, he's a Milwaukee native, he lived in Providence, Washington, DC, and Baltimore before returning home in 1996. Andy launched onmilwaukee.com LLC in April 1998 as a way to channel his passion for Milwaukee, journalism, and tech into a cutting-edge media company. He's a graduate of the George Washington University and worked at the White House Office of Communications, the Dallas Morning News, Washington Barrel, and to Milwaukee PR firms before branching out on his own at age 23. And he is more passionate than ever about Milwaukee's mission statement to grow communities and businesses through engaging digital media. What would you recommend for how a business does PR?That's a good question. Because I've worked on both sides of the business. I've been in PR and media relations, and I've been in journalism, and I've gone back and forth. And sometimes my role continues to be on both sides of things. So I know what it's like to pitch and I know what it's like to be pitched. And what I always tell people is to make sure you have a relevant story for the outlet that you're pitching it to. If I looked at my email inbox right now, it would probably be about 700 messages today, mostly people trying to get coverage of things, and most of the time, it's not relevant. So people are spending an awful lot of time putting energy into things that don't really match who they're talking to. And it makes it more difficult for us to sort through it. Back in the day, media relations equated to news releases. And now that's, that's just one piece of it. So I would recommend that anyone working in public relations considers all the different tools that are available to get their message out and do it in a way that resonates with the journalists on the other side.So what are some mistakes you see businesses making in getting the press's attention?If you make it too hard on the journalist, make your job easier, right? So so let's just start with, like the basics of news release writing, like, if it's a sales pitch, if it's full of typos if it's faxed, you know, it's like, Give me something not as much as they used to. But I mean, you know, give me something that a very busy Junior writer, if they wanted to, could pretty much copy and paste, I would never tolerate that, from our journalists. But, you know, the best news release is one that is already written in APA style, if that's what the publication uses. It's not, you know, it's, it's, it's not, it's, it's not an ad, right, you know, people can pay for that this isn't native content, like, show me why it's newsworthy, and write it is such, the biggest mistake is pitching things that are relevant, and then, you know, getting annoyed, why it's not working, and being blocked, you know, blowing your shot on that. And something, when you could have something else that would work. Because it's a relationship, basically, you know, some stranger, coming to me and asking for favors. It's like, you know, this, this is hard work. And we have a lot to choose from. To understand what we are, I get a lot of pitches addressed to the wrong publication. And it's like, come on, like, that's a pretty much surefire way to, not to know like, you know, hear the wrong name, you know, who you're talking to. And then I think that being respectful of the way that reporter wants to communicate, so for me, like I don't, I don't want to do this over Facebook Messenger, or I don't want to do this over text. And that's how people pitch me all the time. And I'll say, you know, could you please send me an email, but other people will say, like, you know, fire me off a text or something. And remember that you're asking a journalist to do something. And if you make it too hard, and you don't respect the deadlines, you don't respect what they need. You're just hurting your chances of success.If you could go...

Meet JaimeJaime is a coach's coach. She sees individuals' God-given talents, helps them connect to their true calling and courageously step into the vision of their future self. After 20+ years of developing employees in multiple family business leadership roles, Jaime has created an innovative, holistic approach that evokes rapid, transformative growth. When Jaime isn't hosting her podcast "The Business is You!" or leading her coaching firm Believe Crew, she loves to kayak and hang out with her husband and 6 sons.So what's your vision? What's your why?So when I first started coaching, I was actually in a family business in a leadership position, but it was more like a position of leadership. And yet, I didn't know anything about it. I didn't know a lot about myself, I just, you know, again, I was in the family business. And so, you know, you just help wherever you can. And eventually, you know, you start to get into positions where you know, more than someone else about that. And so, you know, maybe it's the right position, maybe it's not, but I wanted more, I wanted to be better at management at leading more, how could I be a better person. And so I started hiring a coach as well as getting trained on how to be a coach. And yet, I mean, in the family businesses that I was in, my dad was a serial entrepreneur. And so there was constantly a new business that we were starting. And so when I looked into the coaching industry, I was like, What is this? How do you start a coaching business like this just doesn't even make sense. There are no guidelines or rails, it felt like to me, and so I wanted and I could see this vision of like, how could we make coaching? How can we make it more possible for entrepreneurs to get coaching and to get it from a variety of coaches from one source? And how do we make it easier for coaches, to have a business without needing to do all the things themselves find all the people you know, all the VAs all the social media, posting, and so believe, whose vision is just this hub of coaches working together, and then ultimately, towards that bigger vision of empowering individuals to recognize, you know, their gifts and talents and be able to work in those gifts and talents. Like we're all called to something different. So we want to help, you know, create a community that can empower individuals through the power of coaching does that explain it in a short couple of sentences? So what are some resources for business owners?Well, I love to think about who can help, you know, who are we called to work with? And not just like, How can I do this myself? I feel like business owners when they're first starting in business, it's like, like you said, the hat closet is really deep. And sometimes we don't even permit ourselves to spend the money because we're like, well, I need to be making money first. And it's sort of a chicken in the egg concept like how do you know? Do I need this person? Or do I need a client first? And what I found is that it comes down to being true to our values, like what you value, what is so important to you that it's worth investing in because that's what your business needs. And that's what you need. And really, resources can be as simple as software, it can be as simple as a business bestie a power partner, you know, someone that you have on the calendar once a month that you connect with because they're, you know, maybe a referral partner, maybe there's someone that works with your clients. Before After you do, like resources can come in, in the form of people software. I'm just sorry, every industry has its own, like associations. You know, sometimes there are connections there. But I love to think about what can we create. That's so amazing because we've partnered with other people on our journey.If you could go back to your 20-year-old self, what would you tell yourself to do more or less of...

Meet KateWith over twenty years of experience in marketing, Kate is passionate about helping businesses cut through complexity and ‘busy work' to create intentional growth strategies that actually make an impact on what matters most. In addition to running her agency, Kate also teaches students the fundamentals of marketing at Husson University and Eastern Maine Community College, is an avid adventurer, and occasionally dusts off her journalism skills as a business and travel freelance contributor.So what exactly is happening with Google Analytics, and what does that timeline look like?So if you own a business, or do marketing, you've probably heard about the transition from Universal Analytics to GA4. It's not anything new. Google actually released GA4 Back in 2020, they told us this was going to be happening last year, and they kind of started really poking and reminding us every time you logged in, it would say, Hey, we're transitioning to GA4. And now it is officially happening in July. So as of July, you're no longer going to have access to your Universal Analytics property. And so it's very important that businesses set up their GA4 property. So where we are in the timeline now, right around March, Google started kind of doing it for people. So you may have logged in and seen that Google has created your property for you. Some accounts may not have had it created for them yet. But it's really important that everybody kind of logs in and sees where they're at because there are some critical action steps that you want to be able to take. So come July, you're not left without the data that you need to make key decisions for your business.So what exactly does this mean, for businesses like what should a business do?So what it means for businesses just to kind of take a step back really quick. So Universal Analytics and GA4 are essentially different data models. So while Google does give you the option to let it migrate your Analytics account into GA4, it is advised that if you're using it for anything that's not super simple, like just tracking pageviews or sessions, kind of some of the more simple metrics, it really you should go in and make sure that you're creating your data and your reports yourself. Because Universal Analytics is mostly focused on pageviews sessions, and user interactions with individual pages on your website, whereas GA4 is a little bit more focused on events. So everything in GA4 is an event. And it's important to know how to create those events so that you have the right kind of data and know what is happening with your website.How important is google analytics as a tool and what are some pros and cons of leveraging it as a tool?So analytics, to me, is really the hub of how you get information if you're in digital marketing, right? It's really how you get the information and know what's happening. It allows you to see how many people are coming to your website, where they're coming from, what pages they're landing on what pages they're going to next. If you're tracking something like a lead or a purchase, you can look through behavior flow and see exactly you know what path that person is taking. And through that information that you gather, you can then make decisions not only about what you do on your website and the user experience on your website, but where to invest marketing dollars in terms of you know, are you doing PPC campaigns, are you running social media is most of your sales or most of your activity coming from your email list? It really can give you perspective on where to focus, what areas to kind of try to improve, and give you a bigger picture of How all of your marketing is working by having that all kind of plugged in together.If you could go back to your 20-year-old self, what would you tell yourself to do more or less of or differently with regard to your...

Meet EricHe's the CEO and founder of Myaderm, a manufacturer of skincare and pain relief products that use CBD as a key ingredient. Modern products are sold nationwide and retailers like Dick's Sporting Goods GNC and Rite Aid. He has worked in the pharmaceutical and food manufacturing industries with companies that included; Teva, Edwards, Lifesciences, and Dean Foods. From 2009 to 2010 Eric owned a professional us continental cycling team that received international recognition. He has been featured on network and cable television podcasts and has written articles for national publications. He's earned a BA from the Citadel and Charleston, South Carolina, and an MBA from the University of California.How do we innovate?Well, I would expand on that to say most businesses do not innovate. It's more of a rarity than it is a rake regularity. And that's not surprising, because it's difficult. So and just understanding what innovation is largely misunderstood. It's not just a novel thing. So people conflate innovation with novelty, certainly, innovation has novelty in it. But what it is, is there's either an invention of something new with utility, or there's a new combination of things that create way more value than the independent parts. And that's a difficult thing to do. But it's a great thing to strive for. And certainly, if you want to have a great company, a great organization, if you want to do great things, you're going to have to be innovative. There's just no choice around that. The other option is to find a monopoly, that's a great way to do it too. Or, yeah, just have more money than anybody else. Those are your only other options.What should entrepreneurs not do?My favorite topic, because I've, I've made all the mistakes. So I feel people's pain out there. Well, I mean, the first one is right in line with innovation. So do not do more of the same. I'm sure you as a marketer, the last thing you want to do is go out and spend all your time and energy promoting and building brands that are just copies of something else. That fair? Oh, yeah, 100% of yours. That sucks. That's no fun, and interesting. So and low probability of success. So if you're doing the same thing, you're just a different color or a different something, but is the same thing. Don't do that, do not do that. So what you want to strive for is innovating to create something that has new utility, or is significantly different than what's in the market that customers will want. So that's the first thing you don't do is more of the same. And the second thing is just as important, maybe the most important in all of the business. Don't be the very first and don't be the very last Don't be either the early adobe the very first I'll be very low. So timing, and the academic literature. unlimited amount of experience across the business world for the past 200 years will tell you, nothing's more important than timing, because you have the best ideas and even be able to execute but the timings are not right. It ain't gonna win.Can you share your most successful or favorite networking experience that you've had?Well, I do have networking stories. And I want to start by saying, like, I don't like networking, introvert. I like making things I enjoy the process of building things. But I'll tell you this much, you're not gonna get anywhere in life. If you don't know, folks, if you don't spend time networking. So this is my recommendation for folks who are like me who don't naturally want to do that. Take what you're doing. So especially if you're doing something innovative, especially if you've got a lot of energy about it, and realize that that's the mechanism for energizing your ability to go out and meet people because naturally, you don't want to talk about that. And in business, if you have something interesting to share what you're doing what your work is, and you're...

Meet StuartStuart is the founder and CEO of Waymaker.io, an intelligent business management platform that helps leaders build a better business in 30 days. Stuart is a thought leader in strategy systems and leadership development. As the founder of waymaker.io, he has led the creation of the way makers' leadership curve, a relevant, revolutionary way of building clarity, alignments, and remarkable results in any organization. So what are the three keys to growth for any organization?Well, I would say this is very high-level and very simple. But number one, clarity, number two, alignment, and number three focus. The clarity in the fundamentals of what we're all about alignment in our team, whether it be 1 or 2, or 10, or 20, or 100, or 1000. And focus on the work that really matters, the priorities that matter. And so those three keys; clarity around what business we're really in, and then the alignment of our team around that and the growth of our team. And the focus, only doing the things that matter. We do an awful lot of things often in business that don't matter that much and chews up an awful lot of time. And so our ability to focus is one of them the third key to making a difference.Why is strategy confusing to regular business owners? And how can they be more strategic leaders?That's such a good question. It's a big question. You know, I come from the school of thought that strategy is not a set of actions, but rather a position to hold in the market. And that's often confronting to a small business owner, if you Google the word strategy, you're going to get a definition from Google, that says, a set of activities. And in part, it's kind of mostly right, but it's also mostly wrong. And I love how I think it's Professor Michael Porter from Harvard puts it, strategy is not a set of plans that we do. But rather, it's a position that we create or hold inside a marketplace. And that marketplace could be as big as your local neighborhood, or as big as the world. And I think that's the first big distinction to make around strategy. Strategy is a position we seek to be or we are in the market, and clarity of that position is fundamental to establishing the activities, or the other improvements we would make around holding that position. And I think most business owners missed that fundamental first step of saying, this is the position we want to hold on to be or our and, therefore, focus on doing lots of things thinking that strategic, whereas, in reality, you only need to do the things that hold your position.How can a leadership team use the waymaker leadership curve to scale?Sure, sure. The loser curve and you can jump onto our website when america.io hit the Learn tab, and you'll find a bunch of resources on there so you can read about it. That gets some get some free resources to help you in your business. The leadership curve works in this simple way. It says, if we want to build market leadership, then we're going to go through several different stages of growth. Think of our organization like a child, the first stage of growth is ideation. Who, what's the idea for this business, which is kind of like the moment a child is born? The as, as an organization goes through those stages of growth, it'll conquer certain skills and set systems. And those, the maturity in the competencies in those skills and systems will allow them to break through those maturity stages, which ultimately increases the value of that organization. So think of a curve from bottom left going to top to right, go to top right, the bottom axis is time. And left-hand axis values, the longer an organization continues to build those skills and systems into maturity, then the higher the value can be created. So long as those skills and systems are generating value toward your end destination. What do I mean by that, if you're a small business owner, maybe you're a one...

Meet SherrySherry is the founder of Goldman Communications Group an award-winning public relations agency. Sherry works with companies and nonprofit associations and their leadership, helping them tell their stories and effectively reach key stakeholders. The agency offers strategic counsel messaging, media relations, corporate communications, thought leadership programming, community and industry relations, and crisis communication. Sherry is also an adjunct professor at the City College of New York.  What's the biggest challenge for companies today that want to be seen, be successful, and be known in today's business and media environment?I think the biggest challenge is being seen and being believed, there is so much stuff out there. Okay. And it's so hard to reach audiences because it's such a fragmented communications environment these days, I mean, you can get your news from whichever channel aligns better with your political views or not. So everyone's not watching the same T. Everyone's not watching the same newspaper on social media, which is fabulous. You choose to follow people who support your already known beliefs, interests, or commonalities, and it amplifies in your bubble. So you're not being exposed to everything that's out there. For companies or organizations, it's hard to crack into that bubble. It's hard to reach people who might be interested in what you're doing, or what you're offering, if they're not in your system, so to speak, if they're not following, and then I think the other big challenge and kind of running all over the place is being authentic. People put stuff out there because they want people to have it. But are they authentic? Do they know who their brand is? Is? Do they know who their target audience is? And how are you making that connection and maintaining that connection? I just think it's so challenging in this fragmented environment to build those relationships and keep those that you need as a company and an organization to succeed. And you know, this, Lori because you deal a lot in digital marketing. Companies put stuff out there. And that's important. But are they taking a step back and understanding who they're trying to reach? And I don't mean targeting them with your math. Because your people are very good at targeting but are they understanding the audience? And the audience cares? What's in it for me? And why should I care? So they understand the value proposition for who they're trying to reach. And then really looking to solve that pain point for that problem. And I think that's a challenge. It's a challenge in the environment we're in where everybody wants something immediately what everybody is, there is so much content out there. So you can say that a company necessarily won't be heard of. But if you and three of your other competitors are out there, how is your target? Customer, your target consumer, your target employee, differentiating you from the competition? And that's where public relations or other things have to factor in, you know, you know, what your brand is, but what's your reputation? How are you demonstrating? What you're telling people about your brand is? How are you showcasing it and being a resource? And that's where I think organizations are relying too much upon, at least that's what I've seen as well as just post it out there. And thinking it's out there, and people may know that they're gonna come and believe, and trust. And I think it takes a lot more to get people to believe and trust, we're a cynical society. There's a lot of competition out there. You know, a little plug from public relations which is what I do. And certainly digital and online is a very big piece of the puzzle and thought leadership. But how are you demonstrating that I mean, there's something to be said if someone's heard of three organizations, but one of them was written up about in the newspaper because the reporter thought had prevented it and thought it was smart

Meet BruceBruce is the CEO and founder of BKM Marketing a Boston-based integrated marketing agency focused on helping clients grow their businesses. BKM marketing creates about 100 campaigns a year for clients, typically producing millions of direct mail pieces, online display ads, emails, social, social media posts, and more. But he's not here to talk about that today. Two years ago, Bruce became interested in understanding how his firm contributed to global warming. So he engaged a class of MBA students to measure his firm's carbon footprint and examine the marketing industry's carbon impact as a whole. What prompted you to spend so much of your time and energy on climate change?Well, you know, it's really interesting. First and foremost, I live in the Washington area, and we have an ocean nearby. And everyone's concerned about how you know how high those oceans going to get. And, you know, when you start looking inwardly, it's, why is there so much concern about climate change right now, and it's because of human activity. So I own a small business, and we do a lot of stuff that might be part of the problem. So I wanted to take a good close look at what it is my company does, how what kind of impact that has, and also the industry. And it was enlightening to see how much damage we are doing as and not just our industry, lots of industries are like this. And so we wanted to measure it and see what we could do to offset what we're doing and reduce what we're doing. And believe it or not, that helps me make sleep a little bit better at night. And we were very lucky to find out that we can offset not only our impact but all the client work that we do. And so far, it's been very well received. And one of the things that we get asked some follow-up to is that all the time is okay, do business customers care about whether or not the companies that are doing business with actually really care if the company cares about the environment? And the answer is overwhelming. Lots of different studies on this. Probably the most interesting fact is that 92% of customers are more likely to trust a company that supports any kind of social or environmental issue. That's nine out of 10. When you look at millennials 68% of millennials buy a product with a social environmental benefit. More often than not, they seek it out It's whole, it's really good business, in addition to good for the environment.   So how can our listeners go about making their businesses net zero now?Well, there are several ways to go about it, the first thing you have to do is learn what is your carbon footprint, and it varies from business to business, of course, and industry to industry. So one of the things we ended up learning is how little knowledge there is about US-based businesses, and what the impact they make on the environment is to do a whole lot of research. And most of that research will point you to a bunch of resources coming out of Europe, Europe is certainly I don't know how many years but a half a decade, decade ahead of the United States in terms of really trying to combat sources of global warming. So I can, you know, walk you through an example of what we ended up doing, or how we went about it. Yeah. And, but I do want to make sure that this isn't about, you know, us looking great. Doing, this is something that we think every business can do. So we didn't know the first thing about it two years ago. And so we found an MBA class at Suffolk University in Boston, that was looking for a partner to become the topic for the course. And so we had about 29 Students take a look at, our business and our industry. And we asked them to figure out how can we actually calculate the carbon impact our business has on the environment, and not just us. But certainly, you know, all the work we do for the clients. And with Greek, we do a lot of direct mail work, as you mentioned in my bio, outside looking in, boy, that means you're cutting down trees. And...

Meet AnnieShe is a former Disney storyteller, Best Selling Author, six-figure founder, and branding expert. In 2013, she quit a dream job telling stories at the Walt Disney Studios to start her agency, Greatest Story Creative. Since then, Annie has branded 125+ businesses spoken for 1000s. And release two best-selling books, including her newest, Established Yourself, Brand, Streamline and Grow Your Greatest Business. What's the best way to grow a service business without living on social media?This is what I get all the time. Because you know, nobody, nobody that I know in real life wants to live on social media wants to like have to be on all the platforms and posting what they had for dinner. And so many people feel like they don't want to put themselves out there in that way. And, you know, I think it's possible to grow a service-based business without relying on 24/7 social media. And I had to carve that path out for myself. That's a little bit of how I've been able to grow my business to consistent six figures by letting go of what the Guru constantly says about how you have to do this 24/7 Bro marketing approach. I tried all that it almost burnt me the heck out. And back in 2016, I decided you know what, I'm gonna double down on relationships. I'm gonna double down on making the business I already have the best possible business it can be and not stressing about my follower count and my likes and all of these things that seem like they're important, but weren't moving the needle for me. And that's, you know, you just mentioned my new book. That's exactly what I'm sharing and establish yourself. Is that process? How do you take your existing business and make it take it to a new level of passion and profit without it being all about social media, there are so many ways to grow a business. And I know that's something you talk about a lot, Laurie with those that you interview, because with this being social capital and being about relationships, right, like people just forget that even the things you see online happen because of those behind-the-scenes relationships. And so what I teach and what I practice myself is to not stress about 24/7 marketing, but instead optimize the people you already know your past clients, your current clients, your referral partners, and make sure those relationships are fantastic. Get in front of them consistently. And if you do those kinds of things, you can have a sustainable business that you love that loves you back and not have, you know, more than just a couple, a handful of followers on social media. Lori: I agree with that. And I've seen several startups or I like to call them solopreneurs where their corporate turned into entrepreneurs. Focus on building their social media. But really, that's just one piece of the puzzle. There's a lot of movement and area that you can lead to traction can happen without even using social media. Social media is a great place to have one message communicated to many people at once. But it takes time and consistency but it shouldn't be the end of all   How do I stand out with my marketing?That's like I think everybody's favorite question to ask like how do I stand out? And I like it but I'm going to ask are a different way, which is it's the wrong question altogether. Okay, because I think that everybody is. So I think everyone thinks that their kind of main consideration with marketing is standing out that, oh, I need to come up with something original. So I get people's attention. And I'm sort of of the mind that nothing, there's nothing original under the sun, like, you're not going to create something that is just so different from what everybody else says that that is going to be your marketing, that is an efficient strategy. And sort of, you know, there are only so many words in the English language, for example, to describe what a leadership coach does or doesn't do. And people are kind of trying to search for this elusive perfect...

Meet NickiHer passion is empowering leaders to challenge and expand their thinking to increase performance, well-being, and joy in their lives. She is a life and executive coach with over 10 years of experience helping individuals and organizations achieve remarkable results. Nicki will help you achieve your power, live your purpose and create the freedom to live the life that you want. She loves delicious food traveling and adventures with her husband, Michael, and dog Pico de gallo. So what do you recommend to others who struggle with finding out what it is that they want to do?Yeah, I hear this. Often, I think, you know, most people can relate to that when they're fresh out of college or even earlier now, I was in a conversation with one of my nieces who's only 14. And she's already grappling with what she wants to be when she grows up. So whether it's, you know, trying to figure it out, what do I want to be, or people that are already established in careers, whether it's five years 10, 15 or 20 years or more and, but want to explore whether they want to do something different or not. I'm a career changer, myself, I made a decision that I needed my career to be something I'm passionate about. And I struggled to figure out what I wanted to do. My background is in politics and government, I was Deputy Press Secretary for a state official when I lived in Pennsylvania. And it was an amazing experience and education and you know, to see how the government works and be a part of it. But I was deeply sad because I didn't have that fulfillment that I knew I wanted. And not everyone needs to have that fulfillment or passion throughout their career. But I knew that I wanted that. So I hired a coach to help me figure out, you know what I wanted to do. And after much exploration, I fell in love with coaching, because I experienced and felt the exercises and tools and got the massive impact it had on me in my life. And there were a few things I had to take look at a really hard look in the mirror. Lori: Wow, yeah, I agree. And I can relate to a lot of what you're saying, and just my journey and a lot of different buckets, I don't even know where to start with some of that. But one of the things I think you'll find this quite entertaining, you're talking about, like this negative talk that goes in our head. And through some of the coaching that I've gone through, you learn to kind of give it a name and tell it to shut up. I call mine a drunken monkey you're drunk go home.  But learning in that process to just realize that I am in control of the situation. And I am in control of you know, creating my destiny has allowed me to be who I am today and where I am today and build the path that I want to be in and you know, take take the long road or the fast path, you know, whatever route I want to go based on the experiences that I want in life and that's what I find brings me the most joy is having new experiences. I think that's what makes me bolder and stronger and gives me greater power. perspective. But it took me a long time to realize that.   What advice do you have to offer on the balance between work and life?Yeah, this is a hot client issue. I mean, not even just with my clients, it's everywhere. And I think everyone's trying to crack the nut and figure it out. So I do see it in all fields and industries. I think if you're an entrepreneur, the irony is most likely that you chose to do that to be your boss and have that autonomy. And then most of us, at some point, fall into that black hole of being a workaholic, which is the lesson that I learned, which I'm no longer by the way. But if you know, the same thing with an executive leadership role, time and time again, I just hear people say, Yeah, I took a role or took a promotion or want to do it. But my health and my family time, and my personal life is suffering. So it's a widespread issue. And I would say the first step is that balance, like what that means to you,

Meet PieterPieter is the founder and CEO of Mobilo with the smart business card, he has had his fingers on the pulse of technology since the 1990s. Starting multiple companies and taking on 3d printing. After a period of consulting and failed startup projects. Peter stumbled upon RFID and its untapped potential. This led to the launch of Mobilo.  How are you tying in networking versus advertising?I think networking is often scary. And advertising is a little easier, even though you're putting yourself out there in a different way. It's a little less confrontational, right, running an ad is, is easier to do. Networking might be a bigger step for some people. On the other hand, it's all about strategic fit. So when I think about networking versus advertising, look back at your product and figure out what's important for you. Do you really prefer to meet a couple of people? And can that make your a month or quarter? A big time? Or do you really need to be with the masses and find the right fit there? So what do you think Laurie? What was your first thought you heard about this?  Lori: well, networking, I thought you just had to be in the big in the, in the sea of the masses. My perspective has changed a lot though. I mean, this is definitely what I'm fascinated with. And it's, it's more about the investment, the long-term investment with a few people as opposed to, you know, short snippets of time with many many people.       How can they collaborate and cooperate together?Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. I've heard, which makes me think about something I've heard an artist not too long ago rapper, saying, Hey, I'm going to build my fan base one fan at a time, add one fan per day, basically. And I imagine that right if you build your network to be three or 65 people, by the end of the year, you could organize an event. And if all 365 people are legit, gentlemen. If fans are interested in what you have to say or, or good community then that will be worth it to organize the events by itself, right? If you fill a room with 200 people, it would already be a great event, I think even 50 people would already be would be fantastic. So that's what you can do with networking. Obviously, if I would stand outside here, New York City, and I would go outside and walk up to Times Square, I would meet 120,000 people every single day. But if I don't have anything to tell them that resonates with them, I'm shooting I'm shooting in the dark. Lori: I 100% agree. And that's where those two, advertising and networking kind of tie in together because you're getting some conciseness with your messaging, and clarity with your messaging is what ultimately attracts people to you. When you have that initial conversation with him like you're the speed networking. I mean, you've got 30 seconds to wow, someone you want to have a really polished message. And that's kind of where the marketing and advertising come into play. How do you see potential in undervalued technology?Well, first of all, I am a real techie. And I think I, my father have brought me very early on in touch with computers. And so my love for technology really, really grew. And we, beyond the necessity, the necessity of technology, but I consider myself a geek, a nerd. But now that technology is really taking taken over so much of our lives. I, I really think it's important that technology is there as an assistant, it should be on the side. But it should be catching wherever we, as human beings can be served and helped and maybe some friends I'll give you an example. I think one of the reasons why I love Mobilo is because it helps me stay in touch with people in the perfect way. I still need to make it personal. That's what I have to do as a human but I forget that I've met people or forget what I've spoken to them about. And as I'm super jealous of my wife who doesn't forget anything, whenever we go to birthday parties, or in general she always whispers in my

Meet ScottScott is hired by millennial entrepreneurs to build and pass on wealth, because most feel stressed out by debt, confused about what to do with their money and don't trust banks or Wall Street just like he doesn't. So he helps millennial entrepreneurs recycle their dollars to either start or supercharge their investments. Bottom line, his clients, reverse engineer banks and the wealthy to do what they do rather than what they tell us to do. And learn how to make bank like a bank. Why is debt such a huge problem in our society?While a number of reasons, the system itself is designed to keep us in debt, the way the lending institutions work, the way that government regulators, you know, let them do crazy things that are in their favor, rather than the borrower. And even the get-out-of-debt industry plays a huge part. Because what these financial entertainers do is contribute to people feeling like they are broken like they are the problem. When really, that's not the case. The whole focus on getting out of debt contributes to people staying in debt. Because when you think about it, Lori, getting out of debt is working your way up to zero. Who wants to be at zero? To truly have a sound financial plan, we need to go way beyond zero. And we need to know not just how am I going to get to zero but how am I going to go above and beyond. What tools am I going to use to supercharge my plan and follow the right path to the right destination? Lori: Yeah, wow. That's I mean, that's important. I agree with the mean, being at zero isn't exciting. I mean, it's a win to get dug out of the big hole that you're in. But I think the bigger picture, the real work comes in after you do that part. What is the plan after getting to zero? The way I like to illustrate that is if you picture the beginning of a marathon, Boston Marathon had 27,000 runners on one street. So you know, picture what a mess that is. If you're at the back of that pack, you've got a long way to run just to get to the starting line. And then you've got 26.2 more miles to go to get to the finish line. Well, financially speaking, getting out of debt is just reaching the starting line. That's not the finish line. You're already tired by the time you reach the starting line. Well, what is the finish line? Financially speaking, it's financial freedom, passive income, retirement, however, you think about it, however, you frame it. That's the finish line. And if we say youths spend all that energy and effort to get to the starting line, you're already tired. But then a race official sees you and says, Laurie, come over here. I saw how far you had to come just to get to the starting line. And that's not fair. What I'm going to do is drive you into the course and shorten that race. Wouldn't you appreciate it? If that's the opportunity that you had? What I do is help people to take that energy and effort that they expend to just reach the starting line, and then teleport into the course to shorten that race to passive income. Retirement financial freedom. Lori: Interesting. It's an interesting analogy. Yeah. Okay, so let's, let's talk about that a bit.  What's the best way for someone to map out that financial future?The best way is to reverse engineer what we know works. There are three main problems that people have when it comes to managing their money. The first is trial and error, they just guess. And that is a financial agnostic, they try a little of this, a little of that sample a little over here, and hope they stumble across a solution around something that helps them to feel good. The second is listening to their broke friends, even though they know they've got no idea what they're doing with their money. That's a financial atheist. They figure there is no such thing as financial truth. Therefore, I'm going to just stick with what I can see touch, and feel around me and focus on that. The third is listening to one of those financial entertainers that...

Meet KarleyBusiness Growth Accelerator & Brand Strategist Karley Cunningham takes businesses from overcrowded, competitive spaces into blue ocean territory where they can confidently stand out and thrive as brand leaders in their sector. Her international client base benefits from accelerated growth, profit and stability as her innovative Surefire Method provides them with a sure-fire strategy and toolkit that enables them to charge a premium, attract ideal clients, and outpace their competitors. What is the strategy before the strategy? And how has it helped motivate business motivated business owners to accelerate their growth and success?One of the questions we get a lot from business owners and leaders or a management team at the top is how do we align everyone and everything? And what they're essentially asking us is when they're delivering when anybody is coming into a touch point with their company, how are we ensuring that people are acting in alignment? And that they're making the right decisions? This is delivering the right customer experience? Or it could be a supplier experience? How are we strengthening those relationships and building our reputation with every touchpoint? And so the strategy before the strategy is a piece that we recognized about three years ago, that was saying, Well, how are we guiding everyone and to simplify? Sometimes when I say strategy, I know people's perception, their brain goes, “Oh, no, this gets complicated.” And this is what I tell people: to think about strategy as the overarching “how”. It's just how we go about doing everything. And so business owners and leaders are often feeling like they're walking around all the time telling people okay, don't forget that this is our purpose for existing. And don't forget that this is who we are. And this is how we need to show up. And if we look at the higher levels in management, each manager is in charge of the strategy for their departments. So when you've got marketing, doing one strategy and HR doing another strategy, and I know, for you in digital marketing, that's probably your worst nightmare, because all of a sudden, you've got two brand things going on. Yeah, yeah. Right. So we looked at, okay, how can we give them a simple strategy to align everyone and everything? And it's a simple set of questions. If you can empower your team with these questions, anybody at every level, then they'll start thinking about making purposeful and aligned decisions. And it's simply that if they're going to make a decision, consider or take an opportunity, make an innovation or take an action, they need to ask themselves: will we be acting in alignment and living our organizational purpose? If we do this thing, will we be acting in alignment and living our values or guiding principles? Will we be acting in alignment with our brand character and making people feel the way we want them to feel? And ultimately, if we're making this decision, is it going to move us closer to achieving our short mid term goal and inner vision? What is the thing that you found most businesses are missing, that prevents them from filling their pipeline and closing the deals or bringing in new customers?This was shocking to me when I went back and looked at our past client list because I like data, and I'm sure you'd like data. And I realized that 98% of the businesses that come to us to help them build their brands, help them get core clear communication, don't have a clear understanding of who their target audience profiles are, who their target audiences are. And I'm not just talking about clients, there's also some misses in there as well. But when I say, people will come to us with a persona, a slight description, but we need to go really deep, understanding the problems that we solve for our ideal clients, understanding their mindset, and what they believe and what their worldview is. And often the other misses are, yeah, we all have clients, but we all have...