The Dispatch

I'm super happy to welcome Max Polec back to the show for a second time. In this episode, Max and I talk about revenue, what it means for a business, and how to leverage it to work for you business. We discuss how setting revenue goals can help orient and focus your business development efforts, and even how not to achieve your revenue goals. But most importantly, we talk about how to achieve your revenue goals. You can find Max at Abstract Collective. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thedispatchncs/support

Today's episode features Rick Morris of R2 Consulting. We dive deep into Project Management, what it is, and how even a rudimentary understanding the basic principles can help you and your business build better products that solve big problems for your customers. You can find Rick at R2 Consulting. The Work Life Balance Podcast --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thedispatchncs/support

When COVID-19 began to grind life and business as we know it to a halt, my friend Max Polec of Abstract Collective, a former guest on The Dispatch, and I wanted to do something that would provide some context and wisdom for people and their businesses as we navigated the crisis together. Our idea was pretty simple; reach out to our networks and find folks that had weathered and even grown during previous crises such as the Dot-Com Bubble and, more recently, the Great Recession. We were overwhelmed by the response and generosity of our network and out of that experience was born Crisis Response, a recurring webinar featuring business leaders whose experiences in previous times of crisis are instructive, insightful, and often times reassuring when dealing with the current crisis of COVID-19. With the generous permission of panelists and Max, I'll be sharing the audio from these webinars in The Dispatch feed as we get them recorded and processed. Today is the second of those, our interview with Ryan Robinett, founder and principle at Multiply a sales and business development training firm in Birmingham, Alabama. Before he started Multiply, Ryan led the Birmingham and Chattanooga offices for CTS, a small IT Professional Services firm from 2006 until its acquisition in 2017. Ryan was successful in growing CTS during the Great Recession, but also tells his own story of the financial and social turmoil of the Dot Com Bubble scuttling his first job opportunity. Needless to say, persevering through crisis is something that Ryan is intimately familiar with and he had some excellent insights into how companies can continue to grow and how to reframe their business development efforts as we navigate the new normal we find ourselves emerging into. Ryan's insights were amazing and gave us and our attendees so much to think about as well as many tips to apply to our work to weather the tough days we find ourselves in. So, without further ado, please enjoy Crisis Response featuring Ryan Robinett. --- Multiply Abstract Collective Newberry Consulting --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thedispatchncs/support

Wade Preston is the co-founder of Prevail Coffee Roasters based in Montgomery, Alabama. Of the many paths in the food and beverage industry, very few are as unique and, frankly, misunderstood as the world of specialty coffee. In today's episode, we dive deep into the economics and strategies of working in the specialty coffee world, what makes this part of the industry so special, and why Montgomery, AL is kind of a badass place to own and operate your business. Wade is a super nice guy, a talented business man and artisan, and runs one of my favorite coffee companies in the Southeast. I hope you guys enjoy my conversation with Wade Preston. — Prevail Coffee Roasters Montgomery, Alabama --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thedispatchncs/support

When COVID-19 began to grind life and business as we know it to a halt, my friend Max Polec of Abstract Collective, a former guest on The Dispatch, and I wanted to do something that would provide some context and wisdom for people and their businesses as we navigated the crisis together. Our idea was pretty simple; reach out to our networks and find folks that had weathered and even grown during previous crises such as the Dot-Com Bubble and, more recently, the Great Recession. We were overwhelmed by the response and generosity of our network and out of that experience was born Crisis Response, a recurring webinar featuring business leaders whose experiences in previous times of crisis are instructive, insightful, and often times reassuring when dealing with the current crisis of COVID-19. With the generous permission of panelists and Max, I'll be sharing the audio from these webinars in The Dispatch feed as we get them recorded and processed. Today is the first of those, our interview with Greg Coticchia. Greg is the executive director of Carnegie Mellon's Tepper School of Business Master of Science in Product Management. Before he served in this role, however, Greg was a serial entrepreneur, consultant, educator to founders and startups, and author. Greg's insights were amazing and gave us and our attendees so much to think about as well as many tips to apply to our work to weather the tough days we find ourselves in. ---- CMU's Tepper School of Business Masters in Product Management Abstract Collective Newberry Consulting --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thedispatchncs/support

Today's guest is Carrie Rollwagen, former small business owner, author, and all around small business guru. I've known Carrie for years through the coffee shop world and now as we're both folks working in the technology industry. Carrie is, as I describe it, a small business rockstar and I think her writing and podcasting are sources of great inspiration for small business owners. I hope you'll check her content out and that you enjoy the interview! Carrie Rollwagen The Localist book The Localist podcast Everybody Hates Self-Publishing Kobo Reader Church Street Coffee and Books Infomedia Piper & Leaf --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thedispatchncs/support

Lloyd Cooper is the owner and principle at PUSH Product Design in Birmingham, Alabama. Lloyd joined me in the studio to talk about creative problem solving, specialists vs generalists, and, as his company's motto states, “bending constraints.” Ever wonder how the most creative people generate their ideas? How they can possibly produce at such a high level? And have you ever suspected that there's a better way to build your skills and expertise than simply reading another business book? If so, then today's podcast is going to give you some super valuable insights and, hopefully, help you on your way toward becoming a better problem solver and more creative human. Lloyd's TEDx Talk Tim Ferriss Show Ember Coffee Mug Where Good Ideas Come From by Steven Johnson Forbes Article Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson Basecamp How I Built This with Guy Raz Range by David Epstein Let my People Go Surfing by Yvon Chouinard --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thedispatchncs/support

Today we talk with Kim Lee, founder and CEO of Forge Coworking in Birmingham, Alabama. Kim's is has an incredibly humble and inspiring startup story that charts all of the ups and downs of life in a startup. Not only that, given the unique nature of coworking, Kim has been able to play a part in the birth and growth of many Birmingham startups herself. Kim's approach to business and her amazing perspective on all of the ups and downs should make anyone on the fence about giving their startup idea life feel more confident than ever. I hope you enjoy my conversation with Kim Lee and, if you're ever in Birmingham, stop in to Forge and get some work done while you're at it! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thedispatchncs/support

Welcome back to The Dispatch! Today I'm talking with Max Polec. Max is the interim COO at Fledging, a Birmingham-based startup building really cool hardware that helps make life easier for creatives that rely on technology to get their jobs done. Max also runs Abstract Collective, a design, marketing, and strategy firm that helps your brand stand out. Our conversation today centers around marketing, what it is, and how you can do it better for yourself and your company even if you have no formal marketing training. This was a really great conversation packed full of useful marketing insight and I hope the information inside helps you and your business stand out even better. — Deep Work by Cal Newport The Effective Executive by Peter Drucker Max Polec: maxwpolec@gmail.com --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thedispatchncs/support

Welcome back to The Dispatch! Today's guest is Lydia Dick. Lydia is the Director of the Commercialization Accelerator at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Lydia spends her days working with university students to help clarify, refine, and, ultimately, commercially their business ideas. Starting a business is hard and no one I know has had more experience with that process than Lydia. She's worked with and coached hundreds of students on how to take their ideas from start to launch and I'm super proud to have her on the show today. --- Here are links to a few of the people, products, and things mentioned in today's episode. UAB Student Commercialization Accelerator David Foster Wallace Mix Max Calendly --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thedispatchncs/support

Welcome back to The Dispatch everyone! It's been a long time and I want to personally apologize for the absence. I'm super fortunate that my business has been booming, but that means I've been a little too busy to create content lately. Excuses, excuses. Well, I'm back and I'm excited to bring you guys a series of interviews I've conducted and slowly, but surely, edited over the past few months. You'll hear from directors of accelerator programs, entrepreneurs, project management experts, and more! So, I have a question for you today. Have you ever thought you had a great business idea, but, when push came to shove, had no idea how to work it out and bring the idea to life? Well, if that sounds like you, then you're in luck because today's guest is here with a boat load of information to help you navigate the tricky waters of starting company and launching new products and services. Today, I'm talking with a good friend of mine and an incredibly talented and kind human being, Dave Masom. Dave is the Director of Product Development at Pack Health, a startup here in Birmingham that helps people with chronic conditions lead happier and healthier lives. Dave has extensive experience studying and implementing Lean Startup and Agile methodologies to bring new software products to market, so I asked him to come on and give us the lowdown on what these methodologies are and how we can take advantage of them to help bring our own products, services, or even entirely new companies to market. This is a chewy episode, so buckle up, grab a pen and some paper for notes, and enjoy! --- The Lean Start Up by Eric Reis www.producthunt.com Daves Article on Medium: Three Product Development Lessons from a Human-centered Startup Sprint by Jake Knapp --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thedispatchncs/support

Today I'm talking with Austin Senseman and Nathan McMinn about their new company, MNMX. MNMX helps companies utilize the Internet of Things (aka IoT) to collect and interpret business data to make better business decisions and to understand their business processes better. I think this is a particularly fascinating subject and I hope you will, too! You can find Austin and Nathan at www.mnmx.io. Enjoy the show! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thedispatchncs/support

Today I'm talking to Wesley and Emma Teague, a husband and wife super-duo that run their own photography business, Wesley & Emma Photography (www.wesleyandemma.com). They're all around super folks and have some great insights into running a small business, how authenticity and kindness help you differentiate your services, and even have some great blooper stories at the end. If you enjoy The Dispatch, consider hopping over to the Apple Podcast store and leaving us a review. Thanks! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thedispatchncs/support

In today's episode I talk with Taylor Clark, REV Birmingham's Director of Business Recruitment and Growth about a wide range of topics from work she's done with food deserts in Birmingham, to non-profit funding, all the way to creating an environment for small businesses to thrive in the Magic City. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thedispatchncs/support

What do startups miss when getting off the ground and how can you get an edge when launching your own startup? Check out today's mini-Pod to find out! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thedispatchncs/support

Today on The Dispatch, I'm joined by my good friend Deon Gordon! As the former Business Development director for REV Birmingham and the current President and CEO of Tech Birmingham, Deon has been a huge part in helping shape the business landscape in Birmingham for a long time. Today we talk about how business in the Magic City is changing, what big issues are facing technology companies today, and what we can be doing to help foster more technology startups in Birmingham. I hope you enjoy the show! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thedispatchncs/support

Hello! I'm so happy to be back with you guys! Today I'm sharing my interview with Amanda Storey, Executive Director of Jones Valley Teaching Farm in Birmingham, Alabama. Jones Valley is an amazing organization that partners with schools and communities to incorporate farming and agriculture into curricula to teach everything from STEM, to commerce, cooking, and more! Jones Valley Teaching Farm is near and dear to my heart and I'm really excited to share this interview with you today. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thedispatchncs/support

What's a freebie and how can it work for your business? Today we look at how selling something at break even (or even giving it away for free) can be a useful strategy for your business and how recognizing other companies employing this strategy can help you protect your place in the market. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thedispatchncs/support

Today we're revisiting two mini episodes from the early days of the podcast. We're talking about hiring strategies in the middle of a staffing crisis and how to lose an argument, for leaders. Enjoy! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thedispatchncs/support

What can we do when faced with unfair criticism that makes us question our self-worth and abilities? --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thedispatchncs/support

Today, we're going back to the early days with a re-recorded version of two of the shorts I produced at the very beginning of the Dispatch. First up, "Is the Customer Always Right?" Second, "Your Team is Your Greatest Asset" Enjoy! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thedispatchncs/support

I'm super excited to announce that we're taking the podcast to the next level! We're rebranding, reformatting, and building an exciting roster of guests for you guys over the coming months. Check out this update for details. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thedispatchncs/support

Today, I'm really excited to welcome my friend Katy Ward to the show! Katy is a marketing consultant, artist, and story teller that helps Social Impact companies clarify their message and connect with their ideal clients through the power of story. In this episode, Katy explains how and why using a centuries old story telling technique works with our human psychology to connect simply and, more importantly, powerfully with our clients and customers. You can find Katy at www.katyward.com. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thedispatchncs/support

What does Story Telling have to do with your brand? People connect with stories with which they can relate. On Monday, we talked about how Authenticity was more than just being honest and truthful. We talked about how a shared language and vulnerability can act synergistically with honesty and truthfulness to create a powerful messaging system for your brand. Today we're taking it one step further. We're talking about the elements of a good story and how to use that structure to communicate with your customers. How can Story Telling enhance your brand and win you more (and more loyal) customers? Listen to find out! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thedispatchncs/support

Everyone wants authentic, but what exactly IS authentic anyway? Today, today I'm talking about what I think authenticity is, how it differs from more common understandings of the subject, and how you can use it in your communications to win more customers and cultivate more loyalty. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thedispatchncs/support

We've been talking about hardship and adversity this week. We've covered plenty of way to handle the hard times, but today we're talking about a new way to think about the hard times. Can adversity be a boon to your business? Today we're joined by Caleb Chancey. Caleb has been a freelance photographer, musician, and, most recently, the Creative Director for Good Grit Magazine, a southern lifestyle magazine based in Birmingham, Alabama. Today, Caleb brings us some important perspectives on how you can thrive in adversity and how to use hard times to forge new paths. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thedispatchncs/support

What happens when things go wrong....and then they keep going wrong? We've all dealt with the inevitable crises that pop up in our workplaces, but sometimes the hits just keep on coming. What can you do to cope with the persistent stress and anxiety that comes along with times like these? Today we're talking about what to do when work begins to feel like trench warfare. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thedispatchncs/support

This week we're tackling hardship and adversity in the workplace. We've all dealt with tough times, both personally and professionally. Unfortunately, not all of us have handled those times as well as we could have. Handling hardship and adversity with skill is a necessary skillset for any business owner or manager. Truly, it can make all the difference between a healthy, nurturing workplace environment and a toxic one. Today we're talking about a couple of things that, in my experience, go wrong when times get tough and how I think we should approach them. On Friday we're talking with Caleb Chancey. Caleb is a husband, father of four (with a fifth on the way!), a skilled photographer, musician, and the Creative Director for Good Grit Magazine. Suffice it to say, the depth and breadth of Caleb's experience is huge and I'm really looking forward to sharing his insights into workplace hardship and adversity. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thedispatchncs/support

Hello! I'm super excited about this week's guest, my good friend Jeremy Carter. Jeremy is an experienced entrepreneur, leadership coach, and podcast host with a lot of really great insight into hustle culture, work-life balance, and leadership. You can find Jeremy at www.breakoutgames.com and you can listen to his podcast, Bold Future, on most podcast players or at www.boldfuture.co. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thedispatchncs/support

Today we're diving a little deeper into how the idea of "hustling" can work for you AND maintain a happy lifestyle. Take it from me, burning every minute working is not sustainable. Today I'm outlining concrete steps to make the most of your time while still preserving your mental, physical, and emotional wellness. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thedispatchncs/support

This week we're tackling the hustle culture, what it is, what's wrong with it, and how to move forward. I'll be bringing on my good friend Jeremy Carter for Friday's episode, but today I wanted to start by simply defining what hustle culture is in the first place. I hope you enjoy the show! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thedispatchncs/support

Today we're talking with Emily Wells, owner and operator of Emily Wells Design. Emily is a super talented brand designer and educator located in Birmingham, Alabama. Emily and I talk about what creativity is what techniques and processes she uses to create an environment that supports creative work. We even get a little philosophical talking about what creativity is, whether or not people are inherently creative, and how creativity can be misunderstood and misrepresented in today's world of social media and curated marketing. If you're a creative or just want to understand more about how to cultivate creativity, this episode is a must listen! You can find Emily Wells at www.emilywellsdesign.com --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thedispatchncs/support

Today we're talking about how your coworkers are a potentially untapped source of creative work in your business. If you're an owner or manager and you haven't begun nurturing creativity in your coworkers, you could be missing out on a gold mine of creative problem solving and even innovation for your business. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thedispatchncs/support

This week we're talking about creativity in the workplace. How can you practice creativity in a profession that isn't inherently creative? Today, we look at problem solving as a creative process that not only helps solve problems, but can also lead to new innovations for you and your company. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thedispatchncs/support

Today we're talking to Stephanie Kruse about mental health in the workplace and getting some great guidance and advice on how to handle mental health issues at work. Stephanie holds a Masters degree in Counseling and runs the website www.sessionnotes.org , a website that provides information, interviews, and resources for Mental Health Professionals. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thedispatchncs/support