The Jason Croft Show | What drives your business?

My guest on the show today, Ali Mirza, runs his company like a lab, constantly testing what's working and what's not on social media and beyond. And his clients and audience get to benefit. Ali does an amazing job of not only getting great results for his clients, but in constantly teaching what he's learned through speaking engagements, his own social channels, and numerous online courses he's put together which have reached thousands of students already. And the icing on the cake here is that Ali is an awesome guy, as well. I'm thrilled to bring you this episode, where we dive into how Ali got started running his company the way he does, what you should be doing as a business owner on social, and some specific examples of how it's being done. This episode is brought to you by Raj Daniel's book, For You, From Me. And make sure you stop in for our in-person Meetup Group, Strategy + Action, where we talk tech, business, and marketing every Tuesday morning at 8am at Coffee House Cafe. My first interview with Ali Mirza on Startup Dallas: https://youtu.be/Lfcf9O1jhbg

I have the good fortune to continuously meet people who inspire me and push me to be better at business and at life. My guest on the show today is definitely one of those people. He is someone who has taken his good fortune and maximized the impact he can make in this world through his hard work and talents. George Makaye literally won the lottery to end up here in the United States. He and his wife have spent the last twenty years building GXA, an IT solutions company that was started from day one to allow them to help people locally and around the globe. From helping food banks and providing school supplies to neglected children in Dallas, to providing medical camps and fresh water for a new region in the world each year, the co-founders and their employees have affecting thousands and thousands of lives. With all of the amazing philanthropy George and his wife are doing around the world, I can't skim over the fact that they have built a world-class IT company, staying at the forefront of cyber security to keep the backbone of the United States - its small businesses - up and running. We dig into some of the resources, tools, and best practices for securing your company from an IT standpoint, as well as what it looks like for your clients and employees when you build a company with a powerful purpose. Thanks so much to Tony Fleo of Social Venture Partners Dallas (Ep50) for the introduction to George. And thank you to Raj Daniels for sponsoring this episode with his book, For You, From Me.

It's so amazing to sit across from someone who has worked so hard on their business day after day for years as the accolades and financial rewards come pouring in. I had the privilege to do just that with the cofounders of ShearShare, Dr. Tye and Courtney Caldwell. A few of those accolades: Google Demo Day - first Texas company to win this. L'Oréal Women in Digital Next Generation Award Startup Grind Capital Factory - Inclusion and Diversity Award FreshBooks and Fidelity Labs - Reshape the World Challenge Steve Case, Founder of AOL and Rise of the Rest came in and closed their investment round. Oh…and they are in the middle of a pilot program with L'Oréal. ShearShare is a first-of-its-kind B2B app that matches licensed beauty professionals to unused salon space. Salon and barbershop owners make money on their empty chairs. Licensed cosmetologists and barbers lease professional suites & booths by the day! In 330+ cities, 11 countries. They're transforming an industry. And they're the perfect example of great people working hard, solving a huge problem, and riding the momentum they've created for themselves. They have an incredible story and they're just getting started! Check out the full episode at the links below. Ep62 of The Jason Croft Show

To say that running the largest no-kill animal shelter in North Texas is a massive undertaking…well, that hardly does it justice. My guest on the show today, Jim Hanophy, is the CEO of Operation Kindness, which has saved the lives of nearly 100,000 homeless animals since its founding in 1976. It's amazing how even a non-profit organization, in order to be successful, needs to consider the “customer experience” aspect of what it does. It's also incredible how much what they have to accomplish on a daily basis mirrors that of a for-profit corporation, from having efficient systems in place to marketing and hitting certain daily metrics of people coming through their doors. All of this keeps the wheels turning for this organization and it's incredible to learn about and see firsthand. Jump in to see the full episode and hear about some of the amazing success stories they've had recently. Ep61 of The Jason Croft Show

One of the smartest and most driven people I know, who has also made it her mission to do great, socially beneficial work in this world, Kimberly O'Neil once again impresses me during her appearance on today's episode. She's a professor at Collin College teaching government, which is noteworthy enough. But what we dig into here is her non-profit incubator, Cause Studio. With Cause Studio, she has become a major force for good in this world, touching the lives of so many non-profit founders, guiding them on their journeys to improve the world. Fearless is a word that comes to mind when I think of Kimberly. She's not afraid to push through and make sure that the right things get done for those she's helping. And that includes having the tough conversations with those same people. Like whether or not they should be a non-profit at all. Sometimes more good can get done by joining forces with an organization that already exists. Or by becoming a for-profit company with a strong mission. Jump in and check out the full episode here with Kimberly O'Neil. You will be impressed. Thank you to Raj Daniels and his book, For You, From Me for once again sponsoring this episode. Jump on Amazon and grab a copy today.

I had some pivotal jobs growing up that really shaped who I am today. From mowing lawns and taking care of horses as a teenager to waiting tables in college, I'm still using the skills that I developed during those early experiences. My guest on the show today, Scott Bennett, is the Co-Founder and CEO of Skratch, an app that connects teens with individuals looking for affordable help with tasks. Scott and his Co-Founder, Ronen Akiva, saw a problem in their own households as their kids struggled to find work in the traditional ways. Scott and Ronen believe in young people and that they deserve the chance to learn to earn. Their vision is to leverage technology while offering flexibility to help give teens the same opportunities that so many adults have today, meaning - being able to work when, how and for who they want to while meeting the demands of their busy lifestyles. Scott walks us through getting this amazing platform off the ground and some of the real-world success

In this episode, we talk with Tracy Timm about taking the leap to start your own company or transform your career into something amazing. She's taken the leap herself and shares her journey from recognizing she was in the wrong career (no matter the perks) to starting her own coaching and speaking company. Another great speaker from Erin Smith's Entrepreneur Summit earlier this year, Tracy and I got to catch up after and discuss the mindset it takes to turn your world upside down and go from corporate employee to running your own business.

The Power of Gratitude and How to Build a Business Around Your Book My guest on the show today is a nationally recognized speaker, a successful author, entrepreneur, master coach…where does it end?! But those are what he does. What you'll quickly become impressed with while watching this video is who Rich Cavaness is as a person. The giving nature that is at Rich's core comes out in every interaction I've ever had with him. Being truly interested in the person you're speaking to is an amazing quality to find in someone. Rich exudes this quality. Thanks to Scott Schilling for first introducing us and Erin Smith for her Entrepreneur Summit, where Rich and I got to really connect over several days. In this interview Rich and I talk about: The importance of working on who you are as a person before you can ever tackle building a business. Not only his process of writing a book that we can use ourselves but how to build a business around your book.

My amazing guest on the show today, Lea Ellermeier is a successful serial entrepreneur as well as a great speaker and author.   I had the good fortune to see Lea speak at Erin Smith's Entrepreneur Summit recently.   Her entrepreneurial journey and track record at her five startups was enough for me to want to share her story with you.  But even more was our talk around the emotional toll being an entrepreneur can have on you and how she is working to further the conversation around this.   (Thank you, Nancy J. Hong, for the introduction.)   Lea had a very scary wake-up call that brought this all to the forefront of her own life.  She couldn't ignore this part of being an entrepreneur anymore.    We dig into the business side of her endeavors here, but we also get into how critical it is an entrepreneur to have that outlet and sounding board to get you through the low point

Fake it 'til you make it gets a bad wrap.   At some point, we as entrepreneurs have to put ourselves out there in the world before we have proof that we can do it.   This strategy only works, though, when at your core, you know what you're capable of and you'll stop at nothing to deliver.   My guest on the show today, Kolton Krottinger, is a master at pushing past fears that would debilitate most people.  He does the uncomfortable to create commotion and spectacle around his business and those of his clients.   This strategy is at the heart of Guerilla Marketing.  And it's how Kolton has been able to launch company after company, getting massive amounts of attention from the press, the public, and corporate sponsors.   You'll be inspired from hearing Kolton's story today.  It might just make you want to try a little Guerilla Marketing of your own.   T

As a business owner, you say you care about your people.   But do your people think you care about your people?   I had a blast driving around with Daren Martin.  He's the author of A Company of Owners, an international keynote speaker, and The Culture Architect.   I got some great insights on employee engagement and the power of raving fans, why company culture is so critical (and profitable), and why everyone should be creating content in 2018.   Jump in and listen to the full episode and be the first to hear about Daren's new Navy Seals Day Care Centers!

Every organization is a sales organization.     It's either a bad at it or good at it.   If you want to be great at it, you bring my guest on the show today.   Brian Williams has a six-step system for transforming your sales organization from the inside out.   He digs into what is really missing in any business, especially those in technology, through a custom analysis and then works with the organization to fill those holes and amplify what's going right.   Dive into this interview and see what you should be focusing on in your own business to boost your sales strategy and find out ways Brian has been using video and speaking to build his company so successfully.

It's episodes like this one that cause me to swell with gratitude.   Gratitude for being able to do this show and bring you people like Matt Adamczyk.   The father of a special needs son, he's made it his mission in life to guide families just like his on their financial journeys to make sure their children are taken care of long after their gone.   As parents, we all want to provide for our kids and many of us put plans in place to pay for their college, our own retirement, and maybe leave our kids something after we're gone.   But the parents of special needs children have several additional levels of planning that have to get done, planning for not only their own retirement one day but providing the financial security for their children's entire lives.     And the layers of government resources and regulations to help them do that are incredibly complex.  

Charismatic.  Honest.  Insightful.  Hilarious.  Inspiring.   While all of these certainly describe my guest on the show today, Rocky Garza…   …they don't even begin to do him justice.   I'm so impressed with the life Rocky has cultivated from so many stumbling blocks in his life, many of which he'll tell you he put there.   It was an honor to sit next to him for an hour and have him not only share his incredible journey, but to hear first-hand his insights into the human condition that he uses to help you “wake up and be the truest version of yourself every day - unapologetically.”   If you can't tell, I like this guy so much and I'm ecstatic to bring you this interview.   Dig in and watch this entire episode.  You'll be as amazed as I was.   Then reach out to him and find a way to get him into every organization you know of to s

I'm always impressed with people who have made it their mission in life to make this world a better place for all of us.   My guest on the show today, Tony Fleo, is not only one of those people, but he takes that mission several steps further as CEO of Social Venture Partners - Dallas.   With a global network of local partners, Tony and SVP are improving lives and maximizing social impact.     It's so important to understand that once a social cause gathers a following and makes its first hire, it's a business.  Social Venture Partners helps pull together the business resources for organizations like those and makes sure that they have the ability to succeed.   Tony shares inspiring stories of how he got to SVP-Dallas and of how they've helped so many people and organizations.   And…this is episode 50 of The Jason Croft Show!     So amazing.  Thank yo

Many entrepreneurs feel forced into using social media.   Others embrace it and thrive.   Regardless of what side you're on, how your brand appears in social media and how that brand interacts with the public…matters.   And when your company is worth billions…the stakes become exponentially higher.   Adam Scott is on the show today and he's one of the people responsible for the social media presence of just such a company here in Dallas.   I invited him on the show to give us some insight into what it means to be the voice of such a company on a daily basis and how it applies to every size of business.   Adam is smart, hilarious, and full of insights into navigating the often complex waters of social media on a corporate level.   You can either blame or thank Will Canon for this episode.  He is the reason Adam Scott and I know ea

With so much of today's workforce becoming independent contractors and new startups building their companies utilizing them, my guest on the show today is perfectly positioned to grow his company at a rapid rate.   Craig J. Lewis is on the show and with his company, Gig Wage, he's making it unbelievably simple to manage one or an army of freelancers so you can stay focused on what you do best - running your business.     We all know that it's not as simple as just writing a check or paying through PayPal.  All of that expense not only needs to be tracked but accounted for at the end of your fiscal year and reported.     Gig Wage takes this massive burden off your shoulders.   I was so glad I was able to catch up with Craig and dive into the evolution of what got him to where he is with Gig Wage and what the future holds for the company.   Jump into this episode and see how

From the middle of downtown to way out in the suburbs, you've probably noticed a ton of stand-alone clinics and emergency rooms popping up.   But why?   I wanted to talk to my guest on the show today, Dr. John Turner, to find out.   He and his team own several of these across Texas and his newest, Uptown ER is the perfect example of what building and running a stand-alone emergency room should look like.   We dig into why so many doctors jumped in and started investing in these, what they got wrong, and the fight Dr. Turner and others are in with the insurance companies to treat patients in a better way.   A huge thanks to Bubbl Dallas for making this interview possible.  Bubbl is an amazing and ultra-safe ride-sharing platform with their entire team of drivers made up of retired or off-duty police officers.   Check out this episode to explore the bus

As powerful and engaging as a sports franchise inherently is, the methods teams still use to build their fan base are so far behind the times overall.   My guest on the show today, Jonathan Hufnagel is the founder of DASH, Digital Auction Showdown, a cutting-edge platform that utilizes the power of sports auctions to expand the business development efforts of teams across the world and in all kinds of leagues.   As you'll hear in our talk in the BizMobile, digitizing the auctions that sports teams are already doing certainly helps make that process incredibly efficient.  But that is just a drop in the bucket in terms of the value that Jonathan and DASH are bringing to the teams they serve.   And the real added bonus to this interview is the fact that all of the strategies that we discuss regarding sports teams can be applied across all types of industries.   So jump in and check out the show!

I'm begging you…   Don't sit back and enjoy this interview. Sit up and take notes.    The road to $100 million can be messy.  My guest on today's show, Matt Manero, shares some of the clean up that had to happen on his way there and especially after.   Now on track to do $150 million, we find out how he's approaching this next chapter in a healthier way.   President of Commercial Fleet Financing, Matt and his family got a sobering wake-up call a few years ago.  His brother-in-law was diagnosed with and quickly passed away from cancer, leaving behind a wife and kids and only $100 in the bank.   Fortunately, Matt was there to help, but the realization (and the supporting data) that the majority of Americans are living the same precarious financial lifestyles became the basis of his new book, You Need More Money.  It's a brutally honest and practical guide to taking back cont

Today on the show we have one of the greats here in Dallas - Phil Romano.  Restaurateur, entrepreneur, artist, philanthropist…   He has started some of the biggest concepts around:  Macaroni Grill, Fuddruckers, Eatzi's, and so many others.     But that's just his restaurant side of life.     Early in his career he funded a medical device that was not only a massive financial success, but ended up saving his life.   We jump in right away with his amazing art.  Completely self-taught, Phil has become a renowned painter, once again turning something he loves doing into a lucrative endeavor.   And of course we dig in deep on his latest  business concepts, Trinity Groves and Network Bar.  Each one has already made a huge impact on Dallas.   We get the stories on how Trinity Groves came to be and the lives that are being changed thanks to this concept of a

If you're a business owner, you've got fans.   Whether they're your existing clients or prospects that follow you on social media, they're out there.   On today's show, we talk about what you can do to make sure you're connecting with those fans every chance you get.   Eric Swayne is my guest.  He's the Senior Director of Fan Engagement at Funimation, the largest distributor of Anime in North America.   We discuss the amazing power and challenges of having a dedicated following, how best to engage that following, and what they want from you.   While it's easy to understand how a company like Funimation has “fans”, sometimes it's harder to wrap our heads around how we could do it for our business selling insurance, for example.   But it is possible because you do have fans.   If you're an anime fan, you're going to love having a p

Have you already hit a wall regarding the New Year's Resolutions you set a month ago?   Maybe it's not your fault that you're bad at setting goals.   What you've been taught is wrong.   Or at least incomplete.   Dean Lindsay is on the show today.   He turns the idea of goal setting on it's head and teaches the key to making them stick.   Dean is simply your normal, everyday global speaker, successful author, an accomplished singer, and business coach who emcees events at the House of Blues and hosts his own show, Digital Marketing Today.   And that's just his mornings!   Jump in and check out this episode with Dean.   He reveals secrets from his new book, Big Phat Goals, breaks down the six reasons any of us do anything, tells us why NOBODY spends two nights in an ice hotel in

Too many marketers are offering the wrong solutions to their clients' business problems. Their “diagnosis” always seems to involve the one or two specialities of the marketing agency. James Loomstein and his company, Rogue Marketing, are different. James and his team take a step back at the very beginning at look at their clients' business as a whole, and then when it's the right fit, deploy a marketing strategy to achieve a business outcome, not some vanity metric on social media. This interview is a graduate level course in real-world, effective marketing. (Which is appropriate, since besides being Managing Partner of Rogue, James is also an Adjunct Professor at SMU.) Whether you run your own business or have an agency of your own, get ready to take notes and change your perspective on marketing a business.

Ep40 Kevin Strawbridge - CEO of ClickBank on What's Next for the Global Internet Retailer For those in the internet marketing space, the name ClickBank well-known. People outside the world of internet and affiliate marketing may not be as familiar. ClickBank is a global internet retailer that has worked with hundreds of thousands of people selling goods and services. They've processed $4.2 billion in transactions. 60 million customers have gone through the pipeline, fulfilling the dreams of a lot of people. Our guest on the show today, Kevin Strawbridge is the new CEO of ClickBank and is bringing his vast knowledge of both digital and retail to this online powerhouse. Kevin has been a dominant figure in the Dallas startup scene for years. We dig into his past and the key moments that have led him to taking the helm at ClickBank. And we learn the ins and outs of what makes the company so great, including some top secret i

When you have enough people tell you, “You should have died”… You start to realize you've been spared. Then you start to wonder why. My guest on the show today, Scott Schilling, was already living on purpose. But after a near-death experience, a new level of meaning took over his life… …and a new message to the world. Scott is an impressive speaker, having spoken to over 2,000 audiences and a million people. He's written 12 books! His soon to be out 13th (and 14th) are all about this new message - significance. In this episode, Scott takes us through this realization through his years of coaching and speaking - that what we're all truly after in this world is significance. He's got an amazing story and lessons around this core concept that will absolutely change the way you see the world and the people in it. Dive in and check out the show!

Very few people have built a seven-figure sales funnel. My guest on the show today, Akbar Sheikh, has done it multiple times. The numbers are certainly impressive and speak to his skill and drive as a business owner and consultant. But what's more impressive, and what means more to Akbar, is what he's doing with that success. The change he's making in the world. From living in an electrical room in an office building to finding his main driver in his life - ending world hunger… …Akbar has an incredible story of his entrepreneurial journey. We get into the mindset you have to have in order to succeed at the level he has and what becomes important as you go. Not only is Akbar a big believer in making sure that you have a big enough “why” to keep yourself moving forward, he goes one better. He makes it a requirement of his clients that they have their own big “why”. To work with Akbar, you must agree to donate at lea

Are you one of the sandwich generation? Someone with parents who are old enough to be needing additional care... But also someone with kids you're still supporting - at home or college? If you're right in the middle of these two roles, each with heavy responsibilities, you may be stretched pretty thin right now. In this episode, we speak to Stephanie Greer, the Marketing and Sales Director at Watermere at Frisco. As someone with a key role in a cutting-edge senior living campus, she gives us insights on what we should be looking for when picking a facility. Besides the immediate need of the parent (or spouse), there a huge number of factors to consider that actually revolve around the needs of the patient 1-5 years down the road. Making the right decision in the first place can save you from so many stressful circumstances and expense. And, if you're running a business in the middle of this huge life decision, you're in even mo

I had no idea how tough this could be. Dealing with real estate for your business is anything but simple. The layers of complexity are incredible. How big of a space do I need - now, a year from now, five years from now? How long do I commit to a space? Should I be close to home? …close to my clients? …close to my employees? And those are the simple things to answer! Saadia Sheikh is on the show today. She is Vice President of ESRP - a commercial real estate company in Dallas, TX. Besides schooling me on the massive amount of work that goes on when it comes to finding a home for your company… …she also educated me on how much she gets into the core business data with her clients to help them make this decision. Jump in and check out the episode. And if you know someone in the middle of a corporate real estate decision, forward this on to them so they understand how critical it is to hav

There's big difference between teaching kids some facts and teaching them how to win at life. Especially when those kids are already going through life with autism, Aspergers Syndrome, and other learning differences or social/emotional issues. That's why The St. Anthony School has been so successful in developing their amazing student body. Because they get their kids ready for life, first and then make sure they're educated along the way. I wish our mainstream public schools had more of that focus. Max Nelson is on the show today. He is the Director of Counseling Services at The St. Anthony School. I'm honored to bring this episode to you. Max shares the core difference that made the school unique and successful right from the start, twenty years ago. We discuss how critical it is to have the parents as integral parts of their children's experience at the school. (Again, something all schools should be more focused on.)

As a marketer and entrepreneur, Cory Huddleston is incredibly purposeful and driven. He approaches the development of his mind like someone going to war. War with the bombardment of constant noise attacking us every day. His building his arsenal for defense, but also offense. You see, Cory runs Lure Studios, a marketing agency that helps companies turn their brands into objects of desire. We discuss the key elements to building your brand. This episode is a fantastic winding road on how to approach life, how to be focused on what's important, and why broke people become the best entrepreneurs. Like many of my guests, Cory knows about the importance of the right mindset. He gets into it deep here. I think you'll like the journey.

You lost momentum. Again.  And it's killing your business. Jonathan Heston has the solution. “What's going on for you in this moment…like it or not…is the key ingredient to creating where you want to go.” - Jonathan Heston In this episode, we quickly go deep and get to the heart of what is holding the vast majority of us back. And more importantly, what we can do about it. Jonathan is a master of helping business owners make those critical shifts in the moment that keep them on track. And that's the only way businesses truly grow: by maintaining momentum. I open up and let Jonathan dig into what I've been struggling with. And I really don't like some of what he throws back at me. Even though he's right. Even though it's critical to my moving forward. So I'm working on it. Every day. Check out the full episode with Jonathan and you'll be blown away by how fast he helps you

He left prison in 2008 with $25 to his name. He had gone in a millionaire.   In 2009, he was making multiple six figures again.  In the mortgage industry!  2009! By 2010, the rug was pulled out from underneath him again and he could no longer sell in the mortgage industry. He had to start over again. Ryan Stewman is known as the Hardcore Closer and has the reputation of outworking anyone - for a reason.   "I go down to rock bottom with a jack hammer...ready to go deeper!" But he bounces back with a fury you've probably never had to summon in yourself. Dig into this interview (link in the comments) and discover the drive that Ryan has and how he manages 10 companies! His journey back to achievement hasn't just been in dollars.  He's made it his mission to draw people in with sales culture, and then change their lives once they're in. I had the privilege of attending one of Ryan's Breakfree Academy events after this

Paul Adams is on the show today. He's the President and Co-Founder of Bubbl, an amazing new ride sharing platform with a unique set of drivers.  Everyone who drives for Bubbl are current or retired police officers.  This allows Bubbl to cater to folks with high-security needs: Children 8 and over, senior citizens, and kids and adults with special needs. Paul's business has taken over in Dallas and he's expanding quickly, while making sure that the high-service model is firmly in place throughout it's systems. Paul shares with us how this company began and some of the very unique challenges he faces every day in trying to grow.

This guy sells steroids. Joel Widmer is on the show today. With his company, Fluxe Digital Marketing, he takes your feeble attempt at content marketing and injects it with completely legal marketing growth hormone. I

CEO and Co-Founder | Health Wildcatters This is what it looks like to fund over 50 Healthcare startups in four years. Today on the show is the great Hubert Zajicek, a physician, and business innovator helping to change the face of healthcare not only in North Texas but the world. We get a first-hand look at the extreme complexity that goes into not only guiding and growing cutting-edge startup companies but the added layer of difficulty in doing it in healthcare. Dive into this episode and see just what it takes for a company to be accepted and thrive in this seed accelerator. And find out what kind of opportunities there are for companies looking to partner with Health Wildcatters and the companies they incubate right here in Dallas, TX.

I first had the privilege of hearing Charles Horton speak at Erin Smith's Entrepreneur Summit.  I'm so glad I continued to cross paths with this man through other friends and his awesome monthly event, The Boardroom.   As a business leader and investor, Charles runs a multi-million dollar personal finance business, the foundation of which he began when he was 15 years old with a check-cashing business that soon became a check verification company.  That company became SmartCheck, the 8th largest check verification company in the U.S.   Charles has since gone on to invest in and start numerous other successful businesses.     But that just scratches the surface of what he does and the lives he impacts.   From running his Shark Tank-like monthly Boardroom event to Firewalking and walking with lions, we cover an incredible amount of Charles' amazing story in this interview.  

Today we've  got Chris M. Walker on the show giving us the real scoop on SEO.  This isn't the watered-down "top 10" tips that we hear everyday. Chris gives breaks down some of the myths and truths surrounding true SEO today. But more than a thriving SEO business, Chris is constantly leveling up his game by pushing himself to grow and expand beyond his comfort zone.  From running a massive 8,000 person Facebook group to building several successful courses, he shares with us how that leveling up continues to grow his business exponentially.

We hear about bad times when companies fail (though maybe not enough).  But what does it look like when massive success wreaks havoc on your life? Mike Muhney is on the show today.  He is the Co-Founder and Co-Inventor of ACT! software - the first CRM.  Customer Relationship software is a multi-billion dollar industry that was born from ACT!. We find out firsthand how ACT! came to be and how what started it all is at the core of everything Mike does, including his new venture that's about to launch.

James Smiley is on the show today.   He has led $0 to $20M growth for two different companies, been a part of a Silicon Valley SaaS IPO, and co-founded an innovation practice at AT&T overseeing over 400 resellers and 2000 wholesalers.  James has been the behind-the-scenes advisor for over 450 C-Level executives, top entrepreneurs, and many different start-ups. His primary focus is on disruptive technology innovation and revenue growth opportunities. Past companies that have called on James include Facebook, AT&T, and Bass Pro Shops.   James has published 7 books, recorded 100s of videos and podcasts, spoken to over 12,000 enterprise sales reps, delivered over 600 speeches, and sold over $210M in corporate products before the age of 35.   He walks us through exactly how to get in front of large companies and sell them your services instead of selling to individuals and small businesses.

Gary de Rodriguez is the real-life most interesting man in the world.  His journey in life has taken him to multiple continents and through experiences most of us will never come close to.   Gary has made it his mission in life to transform the lives of as many people in this world as possible.  And he knows that if he can create massive positive change in the leadership of a company or organization, those leaders then change hundreds of people around them. Through his exclusive executive coaching, Gary has affected positive growth in companies like Shell and high net worth individuals who seem to have it all figured out in business, but their personal lives are collapsing. In this episode, Gary shares the beauty and messiness of his life that has brought him to a place to help all of us leave our mark on the world in a way in which we're proud.

I'm so thrilled to bring my buddy, Joe Scott onto the show today.  Joe just hit 50,000 subscribers on his YouTube channel, Answers with Joe!   He shares with us how we got there, the power of his community on YouTube, and the changing landscape of media. We also talk about the importance of making sure you have more than one stream of income and how each of your different endeavors can help the others.

Today we've got Rick Shew on the show. Rick is a restaurant owner and marketer extraordinaire! In addition to owning his own prop, he also gets brought in by brands from all over to consult, giving them a fresh perspective on how they can optimize their customer's experience and improve the restaurant's bottom line. We jump in the Biz Mobile and he shares a ton of the secrets he gives his clients, as well as insights from years spent on the front lines running restaurants and bars.

Today I'm absolutely thrilled to bring you this episode with Anthony John Amyx. Aj is an absolute master at getting to the core of what is holding his clients back in business and in life. Through full-day intensives to deep-dive coaching, Aj first gets you operating from a place of confidence and certainty, and then gives you the tactics and strategies to go out and dominate in your industry. Anthony shares a ton of the exercises, insights, and mindset-shifts that he usually reserves for his high-end clients. Jump in to this episode with Anthony John Amyx.

Every platform is favoring video content right now.  Besides the obvious YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram - all of them are rewarding the use of video.   Joshua Wethington is on the show today to help us navigate the waters on how to optimize for these platforms and get the most out of your video marketing strategy.   We start with the discussion on the importance of daily video content:  who it makes sense for and if it's still a powerful strategy.   Then, we dig in deep on how to optimize your content, and more importantly, how to make sure you're taking the right approach overall with your videos so that you're hitting your target clients and getting them interested in what you offer.  

Dylan Rafaty is on the show today and I can't think of a more impressive example of living, breathing tenacity than Dylan. He's constantly challenging himself to learn more, do more, and position himself to help as many people as possible. Amongst numerous advisory and management roles in multiple organizations and state government, he runs DylanListed which focuses is on promoting opportunities for gainful employment for active job seekers who self-identify as persons with a disability. And Dylan makes a special announcement on the show about what the future holds for him.

Kirk Ballou is back on the show to talk Cryptocurrency and Blockchain.  He gives us a fantastic primer into each of these cutting edge technologies as well as what we can expect from each of them in the future. Kirk explains why Crypto is actually safer than where your money is being held right now.

How to get noticed on YouTube and stand out? With over a billion views generated for his clients, Jeremy Vest, Founder and CEO of Vidpow, knows video marketing inside and out. He jumps in the BizMobile with us and shares exactly what you need to be doing with video, whether you have a small business hoping to get found online, a large corporation, or you're someone wanting to build a following on YouTube. We talk about what makes video so hard for our clients and how to help them get in the right mindset to overcome those challenges. And check out Jeremy's upcoming event: Video Marketing World Conference October 25 2017 Dallas Texas If your brand is making videos, make sure you're creating effective videos that people want to watch and engage with. We are bringing six of the world's top video marketing, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and sales experts to Dallas for their first annual conference.

Today on the show we have Kirk Ballou, the CEO and Chief Architect of Touch Titans - Mobile Experience Studio, Dallas's award-winning app agency.    

The amazing Matthew Pollard is on the show today and he's bringing massive value and expertise for generating rapid growth in your business. Make sure you stick around until the end to check out the special giveaways I've got for you from Matthew. Matthew Pollard is the Rapid Growth Guy! With five multi-million-dollar business success stories to his name and a prestigious Young Achiever Award, Matthew has been characterized as a true differentiation, niche marketing, and sales systemization powerhouse. - International Best Sales Blogger Awards Hall of Fame 2015 - Host of iTunes Top Rated Podcast Better Business Coach - Recurring guest on Fox 7's Good Day Austin - Invited Contributor - SalesForce, CEO, Entrepreneur and Top Sales World Magazine - Pitch Coach & Judge - Austin's Google Start-up Weekend, AngelHack Austin and Microsoft's 60 Seconds to Startup - Featured Contributor & Showcased - 'Successful Men in Business' - Publi

You know what to do... Brands have got to start embracing virtual reality, augmented reality, and even more in-person, cutting-edge experiences to help their customers and prospects experience something no one else is giving them. Steve Deitz and his team at 900lbs of Creative are helping brands do just that. Steve tells us how he got started and the mind-blowing experiences his agency is creating for huge companies like Shell and Activision, as well as creating innovations that are allowing sick children experience the world in a way they'd never physically be able to otherwise. According to their site, 900lbs of Creative is an innovation lab and creative marketing studio. We're a collective of experiential designers, interactive artists and visual content developers who design experiences for a diverse range of events, exhibits, and digital media. I can assure you, that just scratches the surface.