Xero Gravity: Big Wins & Massive Fails

It was a lifelong drive to push others that led Chklovski to founding Iridescent, a non-profit that delivers powerful science, engineering, and technology education to empower underrepresented young people. Focusing primarily on young women and their parents, Chklovski works to empower the parents who will have lifelong influence on their children’s lives as well as working with the young women in a capacity that allows them to create their own app and launch a startup that will benefit their communities. Through its flagship programs Technovation and Curiosity Machine, Iridescent has grown a network of 3,500 mentors and more than 63,000 participants throughout the world and looks to to only get bigger.

Hans Frauenlob’s story doesn’t start at the beginning. Instead, it starts somewhere in the middle, at a point so bizarre it sets the tone for what came before and what comes after. He developed some of the world’s first sports analysis software, worked on the road as a professional musician, represented his country in the Winter Olympics, and helped get businesses off their feet after a natural disaster, and that’s not even all of it. His portfolio may be varied, but there’s one common denominator across all of them: a desire to make other people’s lives easier, happier, or more comfortable. Frauenlob’s is a humble one, but one that has had impact across the globe, and will continue to in years to come.

Andrew Sharp is the CEO of global brand Bobux shoes and the co-founder of car tracking software, Blackhawk, but don’t call him an entrepreneur as he believes he isn’t one. Bobux shoes is a company constantly striving to learn more about healthy foot development, while producing quality children’s shoes. However, while children's’ shoes is the business that Sharp is currently in, he wouldn’t say that children's footwear was his natural calling. Instead, Sharp believes that it’s not the field you are working in that matters. It’s the attitude towards problem solving that makes all the difference when it comes to success.

John McAvoy spent the first 20 something years of his life as a high-profile career criminal. With an insatiable hunger for success and Britain’s most prolific robbers as his role models, McAvoy quickly became one of Britain’s most wanted criminals. In part two of this special double episode of Xero Gravity, Alice Brine finds out about the moment in time that changed John’s life forever. The moment that led to him becoming not only a career athlete, but an inspiration to children across the UK. Last week’s episode ended with John agreeing to one last favor for a friend in the UK. Hit play or read on to find out about the life-altering path that final favor led John down.

John McAvoy survived years spent as a high-profile career criminal. With an insatiable hunger for success and Britain’s most prolific robbers as his role models, McAvoy quickly became one of Britain’s most wanted criminals. Today, he couldn’t be further away from the person he once was. His incessant drive, determination and desire to succeed is still there, only he’s discovered an outlet to channel it into that sees him not only helping himself, but helping others on a daily basis. In part one of this special two part episode of Xero Gravity, Alice Brine finds out about the years cycling in and out of prison that led McAvoy to the crossroads that would ultimately change his life forever.

The Mind Lab and the Tech Futures Lab are redefining professional development and education on tech. They’re giving younger generations practical careers to shoot for. As well as helping those already deep in their careers to upskill. All with a focus on staying  relevant well past retirement age. It’s a massive mission, one that has The Mind Lab about to launch an online learning platform that will bring free tech education to the world. Valintine knows that education around tech is so much more than just coding. It’s about innovation, risk, and how businesses can not only adapt, but thrive in a tech-centric global marketplace. It’s pushing through people’s reluctance and denial, to develop the leaders and innovators of the future.

It took 18 years of corporate life for Scott Haughton to make the leap to entrepreneurship. Like most successes stories, the road to where he is today was unconventional. Inspired by an entrepreneur at a conference, Haughton realized it was time to pursue his own venture. Not knowing what that venture would be, he eventually set his sights on luxury indoor play facilities.

The founder of the League of Extraordinary Women, Sheryl Thai, spends her days bringing female entrepreneurs together. Her mission is, and always has been, to create a space where women can authentically connect, share their success, share their failures, feel inspired, and above all, feel solidarity that there are women out there going through similar shared experiences. The League is also a place where the word ‘networking’ is prohibited, and any kind of card-swapping is a definite no-no. It’s about women supporting women, and everything that comes along with that. With almost 80,000 followers on Instagram and a keen following online, The League has now reached a point where Thai can let her first business - Cupcake Central - self-run and financially support her while she works full-time figuring out ways to make female entrepreneurs lives that little bit richer.

A chef, TV presenter, author, and consultant, Robert Oliver’s weapon is food. But his journey has been far from linear, and has seen him experience the highest of highs, and the lowest of lows. He’s hit rock bottom and taken out the prize for Best Cookbook in the World. Throughout it all, he's stayed true to his passion, to re-educate people on the importance of food cultures and their role in indigenous history.

When it comes to audio technology, which do you prefer: old-school analog, or modern digital? Rob Roy Campbell is proving that it pays to deliver the best of both worlds. His business, Electronaut, has been ‘long-game’ since day one. It all started with a passion for the product, and a desire to give people the means to record sound using high quality equipment that lasts. He speaks technically, but in a way that is incredibly informative and not at all that hard to understand. In this episode of Xero Gravity, Campbell breaks down the differences between digital and analog. And he shares his journey: from working at a printing company, to manufacturing equipment that's used by studios and musicians around the world.

Like most people, Adil Dhalla is a busy man. He has a full-time job, a number of side projects, and people to make time for, but what separates Dhalla from the majority is his ‘why?’ And my oh my is it a good one. After realizing traditional corporate environments gave him the sinking feeling that things weren’t going well in the world, he made a promise to himself, a promise “to be on the side of people who are trying to make it better.” And that’s exactly what he’s done. Executive Director at one of the first co-working spaces - Toronto’s Centre For Social Innovation (CSI) - Dhalla now spends his days connecting innovators, bringing play back into the adult world, and creating corporate spaces where humans can truly connect.

When you think of reusable water bottles, beautiful probably isn’t the first words to spring to mind. The practical, dull colored cylindrical bottles your grandad takes hiking, yes. A bottle the cool kids are lusting after, not so much. But the practical and the beautiful can coexist, because (former) financial consultant Jonathan Byrt and product design engineer Jesse Leeworthy made it happen. A business born out of a frustration with single-use bottles, Memobottle has grown to become so much more than just an environmentally-friendly vessel. Working around the clock and around the globe for a business they love, Leeworthy and Byrt want to start  a movement. Big heart and big ambition has them seeking to inspire the masses, and shift the world towards a more environmentally friendly, conscious society

After one trip to the doctor’s office, your whole life can totally change. You hear about it happening to other people but when it happened to Loren Brill, it unleashed her inner entrepreneurial dragon. When she couldn’t find the healthy comfort foods she craved, she realized she had to make them herself -- ultimately becoming the founder of Sweet Loren’s, a healthy cookie dough company that’s changing the game. And you’re not going to believe who her first buyer was! Loren’s shares her vanilla-scented journey with us and it’s perfect for Valentine's Day - it’s all about falling in love with your passion, and making room for romance. But even though Loren’s story is sweet as, there’s actually no refined sugar and plenty of spice.

RONE is based in Melbourne, Australia, but his paintings can be found around the world. He’s a street artist who resists categorization, and RONE explores the challenge of defining - much less selling - an art form that’s outside traditional boundaries: what’s the difference between a graffiti artist and a street artist? A street artist and a contemporary or fine artist? He also digs deep into question such as: why is the forbidden so enticing? What changes when you move from painting for yourself to painting to pay the bills? When is it OK to make art for free? RONE describes how being a member of an underground art community opens doors worldwide. And his secret for promoting your work, even as social media platforms wax and wane in popularity, will work for anyone looking to stay connected to their audience. This is episode #85.

Brittany Cole Bush is a woman on a mission, revolutionizing the US farming industry, one sheep at a time. When it comes to being sustainable and accessible, the farming industry in the US faces a lot of challenges. But Brittany knows that bringing the next generation of farmers and land stewards together for food and fun is a big part of the solution. “What does it mean to be organic, what does it mean to be sustainable, what does it mean to be local?” she asks. Brittany wants us to ask those questions. She also rolls up her sleeves to explain how current land management practices are like trying to fight fire with fire - literally. Listen to Brittany’s stories about why goats love poison oak so much, all the way through to working with organic cow hides in the fashion industry. This is episode #84.

Geoff Ross is one of New Zealand’s most successful serial entrepreneurs -- Liz sat down and talked with him about things that maybe you wouldn't expect. Geoff shares some gritty details and hard-earned lessons: “When you’re in your business - and I was there myself!- you feel quite lost and alone and you don’t know those options until you’ve been through it a few times.” And for someone who doesn’t want anything to do with politics, Geoff’s also got some ambitious ideas about how New Zealand, as a country, could do better at being an environmental leader. Taking your company public is hard and Geoff really opened up about what that means. Have a listen, it's so refreshing to hear someone as successful as Geoff just cut the bull and honestly share his story with us. This is episode #83.

Imagine landing not one but two dream jobs - what would that feel like? Adam Ü is making it happen, so we asked him. From the ski slopes of Myoko, Japan, to tropical waters of the Caribbean and beyond, Adam’s double life as a semi-professional skier and marine biologist is an enviable one. Inspired early in life to follow his love of outdoors and the ocean, Adam has put in the time and effort required to make his dream a reality.   “There's been a lot of luck, but it's also hell of a lot of work,” Adam told (his sister!) Elizabeth. “This is my dream and I'll do whatever I can do to make it happen.” Tune in to learn about the sacrifices that no one ever talks about. That plus how to juggle two jobs at once, and why work isn’t always about the money. Be inspired by Xero Gravity #82.  

Female pleasure is still largely a taboo topic in most societies, which is exactly why Lydia Daniller knew she needed to use her voice as an activist and storyteller to speak up. Driven to educate, inform and destigmatize, Lydia launched into a truly ambitious project: a sexual pleasure research website called OMGYES. This kind of honest radicalism isn’t new to Lydia - from early on in life she’s been crafting the unexpected through her love of poetry, photography and videography. “It takes a lot of bravery in general to do anything big and bold and new,” Lydia tells Elizabeth. “Trust in that thing that you want to do… Of course, you're going to doubt it, and of course you're going to be insecure at times.” Listen in as Lydia talks about making time for the things that are really important to you, and why sometimes the best move might just be to step back from something you started. Xero Gravity #81 – Get ready for a feel-good episode!

A laid-back carpenter by day, after hours you’ll find Jack Candlish crafting the perfect ride, one surfboard at a time… and he might just change the world while he’s at it. A nature lover with a passion for waves, Jack observed firsthand the contradiction between the tranquility of the ocean and the toxicity of polyurethane used to produce surfboards. The issue piqued Jack’s interest in building his own boards. Today, his eco-philosophy is the driving force behind Jack’s surfboard business, Organic Dynamic. “Sustainability for me means being able to do the things I love in ten, twenty, thirty years’ time,” Jack told Elizabeth. “It's important to try and make decisions now that will allow us to do that.” Tune in as Jack shares stories of entrepreneurial failure. That plus insight into the world of sustainable business, how to turn what you love into what you do, and enough surfing metaphors to keep you afloat for days. Xero Gravity #80 – it’s swell.

Kishshana Palmer is not your average not-for-profit consultant. A vivacious and lively entrepreneur, she’s a consultant who will both give you a hug and a kick in the pants. Kishshana’s built a business on being unique - which she says is both a blessing and a curse. “There have to be different shades to how you show up in the world,” she told Elizabeth. “The balance that I needed to strike was to be my most authentic self, while still helping folks to feel comfortable.” Kishshana’s bubbly attitude has led her down a successful career path as brand builder, coach, fundraiser, and self-confessed “solver” of things. It’s a career that she says has been plagued with both joy and failure - a crucial life lesson she’s hoping to impart to her daughter. Listen along as Kishshana shares insights on powering through the tough times and knowing when to take risks. Xero Gravity #79 - it’s a kick in the pants!

Hamish decided to throw a New Year’s party with a few university mates back in 2003. At the time he had no idea that it would go on to become one of New Zealand’s biggest and most successful music festivals. Rhythm and Vines is a three-day music festival, famously located at a vineyard in Hawke’s Bay. It’s also geographically the first place in the world to see the new year. What started out as a small party now attracts crowds in the tens of thousands and artists from across the globe. But it took an amazing amount of resilience, patience and courage to pull it off. “When you’ve got to hustle to sell a dream, you’ve got to talk about where things are really going,” Hamish told Elizabeth. “The ship’s not always going to sail straight.” Hamish has a humble and cheeky way of sharing his journey with us. Hear him talk passionately about the hustle that goes on behind the scenes, and the entrepreneurial pockets of wisdom he’s learned throughout it all. XG #78 - We’ll drink to that.

You’re climbing a gigantic cliff face, it’s 2,300 metres to the summit, and there’s no guarantee you’ll even get to the top… this sounds hard enough as it is, but imagine doing that without the use of your legs… Timmy O’Neill’s outlook in life is shaped by conquering what others would call the impossible. No matter how many times he’s failed, the decision to succeed has always been Timmy’s driving force. “Failure is a way forward,” says the professional rock climber, comedian, and founder of Paradox Sports, a nonprofit that runs adaptive climbing trips for people of all abilities and skill levels. Tune in to learn what it truly means to live life on the edge. Listen along to Timmy’s stories of trial and error, as he opens up about the people in his life who have inspired him to move mountains. He also makes amazing sound effects. Be uplifted with Xero Gravity #77!

From the streets of Melbourne, Australia, to the slopes of Boulder, Colorado, Sarah Riegelhuth is leading the way in an entrepreneurial streak. Sarah’s a firm believer that the old school dreams of owning a house or investing in stock won’t financially make or break us – but starting early and taking control is what makes all the difference.   “Money is just a tool. The only relationship you need to have with it is that you’re roughly in control of it,” she told Elizabeth.   Sarah’s ‘no bull’ attitude has seen her win awards, not just as a financial advisor but also as a best selling author. Sarah’s book - Get Rich Slow – paints financial education as something Gen Y desperately needs to talk more about, striking a chord with readers from the very first page. Tune in to discover what it takes to get rich slow. Hear Sarah share her blunt wisdom around how honesty will help you to build stronger relationships with employees and clients, and why acquiring personal wealth is actually pretty simple. The new and improved Xero Gravity – check it out!

Technology keeps many of us in a job, but is it soon to make us redundant? And, If technology is really helping us focus on what is most important to us, what does the future of the world look like? In this episode of Xero Gravity, Elizabeth Ü is joined by not one, but two, guests to discuss the future of work, how we spend our time and the role of technology in taking us there. Listen along as Abhijeet Dwivedi, COO at Zenefits and Jason Mills, director of sales and success at Expensify, join Elizabeth to talk about everything from robots to Kool-Aid. “This is a core commonality [among entrepreneurs], is the refusal to believe that this is just how things are done, the status quo. It's not,” Mills says. “Maybe 90% of just new start-ups fail, so not everyone achieves that, but that is fundamentally the belief that's driving someone to take this step, this leap of faith. It's that, ‘No. What we're doing right now is not the best, and I'm somebody who can effect that change.’ ” Tune in for plenty of fresh insights and lots of futuristic predictions - with a healthy side of skepticism, of course.

Needs something done? There’s always an app for that - or so the joke goes. But not all apps are created equal. The key to success? Get personal. App and mobile marketing expert Kelly Slessor dug through 40,000 app reviews last year. There was a strong common message: people like apps that are easy to use, and save them time, and can be personalized.   “[It’s] all about personalization,” she told Xero Gravity host Elizabeth U. “A space on my phone that is about me, there’s content for me personally. It's one of the biggest keys to the success of applications going forward.” Listen in to this episode of Xero Gravity to find out what people want in an app, whether you need one, and what’s coming in the future.

Tiring, lonely, tough. Daniel Flynn says this is the honest truth behind entrepreneurial success. And he should know, with a company that’s now worth more than $5 million, he’s no entrepreneurial rookie. “It’s crazy how hard some days are, but I think everyone goes through it,” the co-founder and managing director at Thankyou told Elizabeth U. “I think the illusion is that you're connected with a lot of people. There's all this excitement, but I think actually the process can be quite lonely, particularly when you're failing.” Tune in for a truthful conversation on the challenges of launching a new brand as a teenager. All that plus the inside scoop on the bottled water industry, how to play ball in a cut throat market, and why you should never use a good cause to sell a bad product. Xero Gravity 73 - we know you’ll love it!

He thought that there was no way to make a living doing the thing he loved most of all. Seven years later - he’s proving them all wrong! “There's the old Joseph Campbell saying of follow your bliss. But the other part of that I've found is to market your bliss... figuring out on an entrepreneurial sense how to connect your work with other people you will value that work.” In this episode we speak to Tom Fishburne, CEO at Marketoonist, about the power that internal and external pressures can have on taking the entrepreneurial leap of faith. Drawing on 20 years of marketing experience - and a lifetime of cartooning - Tom shares insight into the collision of marketing and illustration, and how he learned to be comfortable going against the norm. Xero Gravity #72 - don’t miss it!

They told her she couldn’t be an artist but she did it anyway. So how do you rebel against your upbringing, build a company with no business experience, and live to prosper? Founder and creative director of publishing and design consultancy agency The Press Room, Kelley Cheng is a pop culture junkie who credits passion and perseverance as the key to her success. Although she says she’s slowed down a little now, she hardly slept while building her design agency. Now she’s on top of her game and her biggest challenge is mentoring those who are coming up after her. “I made so many mistakes in my younger life. I just wish that I had someone that I could ask all these burning questions.” Tune in as host Elizabeth Ü talks to Kelley about tough love and great advice. Small Business Resources: Jack: Straight from the gut by Jack Welch Carousell app - snap to sell  

An entrepreneur tends to work on their own, an intrapreneur launches new stuff from inside a company as an employee. How can each worldview work for you? GM and head of small business NA at PayPal, Amit Mathradas thinks they’re pretty similar. “It’s about passion, it’s about a desire to change the status quo, it’s about the ability to go drive a new wave or new form of thinking.” In this episode, Amit takes his passion for small business, and shines a light on digital payment innovation ahead of the approaching holiday season. Listen for some practical insights on seeing payments different during the silly season, and some incredible advice from Amit on innovating from the inside, out.   Xero Gravity #70 - check it out!

She’s a female leader in a male-dominated industry, mixing business with pleasure, and losing sleep. While Elvina Farkas is often described as a rising star in the creative scene, she’s also a woman with a lot on her plate. The young creative director and co-founder of Anue in Singapore talks openly to Elizabeth about walking the well trodden path between being liked and being tough. “As a woman in the creative space, there’s a line between trying to be respectful, and trying to be a good business owner and leader.” It’s an interesting dynamic, elevated by the fact that Elvina’s business partner is also her partner in life. Mixing business with pleasure isn’t always recommended but Elvina admits it’s been a driving force in the success of her business.

“Technology in the workplace is more of a dialogue now than ever before... It’s much more important to have a device you’re happy with, and the cloud is the reason for that.” Meet Angus Kidman, editor-in-chief at finder.com.au. He’s a self-confessed tech geek with an eye on just about anything IT. You name it - he knows about it! Tune in to Xero Gravity #68 as Angus gives the 411 on making the right tech choices for your business - and whether the rise of interconnectivity makes the Apple vs. PC debate redundant. Angus shares his insights on why technology has never been so important, and how businesses can leverage this to provide a flexible workplace for their employees and a better experience for their customers.

“Most of us are conflict averse and would prefer to hide under the doona at home than to approach a colleague to discuss something that's challenging.” Meet Nicole Cullen, she’s not afraid of a good argument - and as a mediator (and mum) she’s sure seen plenty of them. On Xero Gravity 67 Nicole shares her dispute resolution smarts to help you face conflict like an absolute boss. You’ll hear plenty of simple tips to help you ward off those awkward watercooler moments - from avoiding first-person language to embracing a good old informal conversation. You’ll also learn just how much conflict could really cost your business bottom line as it threatens productivity, diminishes workplace morale and snowballs extra resources. All that with a healthy side dose of motherly advice and a few aikido moves.

“We went from talking about boys and what our plans were for the weekend to our projections, who we have to talk to, opportunities that just came up.” Emily Moon and Kelsey Carlstedt are not your conventional business partners. What started as a shared dream in high school has led these best friends on an entrepreneurial mission - one that’s employing, educating and empowering women across three continents. On Xero Gravity #66, Emily and Kelsey, co-founders of By Grace Designs, chat about how they manage to keep their working relationship - and their friendship - in check. From having clear roles and responsibilities to constant communication, you’ll learn a lot about the pros and cons of working interstate, across continents, and with friends.

“We’re clear with our team about what we want but we also offer… the ability to work remotely. So if someone wants to go and live in Bali for a month and work from there, then we’re fine with that.” A passion for working hard and playing hard is what inspired Meryl Johnston to build her small business, Bean Ninjas. Less than 12 months on she has a small team of global employees, a growing client list and a shrinking timesheet. Tune in to Xero Gravity #65 as Meryl joins Elizabeth Ü for a conversation on crafting a well-balanced week. She’ll share tips on spending less time in the office and making more time for the good things in life, like surfing. And yes, it is possible.

“Crowdfunding is really useful - you can use it to assess market demand, you can use it to profile a customer audience that you know almost nothing about.” Meet Brian Quach, co-founder of Tree To Tub, and a guy with a love of berries that’s led him down a very unique business path. An entrepreneur with some serious crowdfunding game, it took Brian and his business partner all of 15 hours to quadruple their Kickstarter goal. On Xero Gravity #64 Brian shares the secret sauce to his crowdfunding success, with a few sneaky hacks along the way. He also shares insights into funding options for startups and entrepreneurs, giving tips to turn your business idea into a venture that’s worth backing.

“There's a couple of different hats that small business owners wear. In the beginning it's important to educate yourself on marketing and to have a certain level of knowledge.  In saying that it's also important to bring on the right experts at the right time.” Meet Emma Sharley, a small business marketing consultant with a big passion for savvy brand marketing that won’t cost the world. As an entrepreneur herself, Emma truly understands the value that comes from marketing your business right, from day one. “Unlocking your brand story is something that's incredibly powerful - it has incredible benefits to your brand particularly when you're competing against a larger brand that may not have that story.” Tune in for Emma’s practical tips and relatable insights that will help you get ahead in the marketing game, without breaking the bank.

Looking to get the most out of your small biz team? Want to build a vibrant and thriving working culture, but not sure how to go about it? In this episode of Xero Gravity we chat to Matt Rissell, CEO at Tsheets, about how awesome workplace culture and passionate people make for a truly magnificent day at the office. A people-first leader, Matt explains that great culture comes from encouraging feedback and listening first. “You have to trust each other enough to fight. The truth is if you're going to go fight and tell somebody why you disagree with them on something there's a level of vulnerability that takes place,” Matt says. “So I'm a big believer in having confrontation; good, healthy conflict face to face with each other.” Listen in as Matt shares tips on building a wonderful place for his employees to work, complete with open door policies, book clubs and even fly fishing.

Turns out that paid search marketing is a lot like marriage. At least that’s what Fernando Gomez, CEO at SpargoConnect LLC and paid search marketing expert, has come to believe.   “You don’t go up to somebody and say, ‘Hey, we just met.  Would you like to get married?’  That’s creepy.  But that’s the same thing we do with our ads or our marketing and so our customers will think, ‘I don’t even know you. We haven’t gone for coffee.’” In this episode of Xero Gravity, Fernando shares his secrets to paid search marketing success, with tactical tips on how to get the most value for money for your small business. Tune in to learn more about the phases of paid search marketing, how to ethically leverage competitor campaigns, and choosing the right platform for your audience.

Cyber security is the biggest threat to small business, often because - unlike large corporations - they lack the resources to commit to security. With an onslaught of modern security breaches, crooks are compromising business in order to attack or obtain customer details. Felix Shi - product security specialist at Xero joins host Elizabeth U on this week’s episode of Xero Gravity. Felix’s enthusiasm for cyber security will challenge listeners to really consider whether their own small business security is up to scratch. Anecdotes galore, Felix’s unique insight into the world of cyber security is educational and highly engaging. “Corporate espionage is a major problem and also scamming and ransomware in the recent years. There's been quite a few scams and ransomwares going around.”

Someone wise once said, “Busy is a state of mind, not a state of being”. Perhaps that person did not know the time challenges of running a small business. From very early on in his career, organizational and executive coach Tim Kitching has maximized his time well to fit in more of what he loves - spending time with family and playing ice hockey. “In anything that I want to do I've just got to set my mind to doing it and pursue it with everything I have and it will actually happen. Once you've done it once there’s a turning point because you realize you can do it again.” Tune in as Tim joins Elizabeth U to talk all things time management, and how to get the most out of your day as a small biz leader.

If you wanted to get to know yourself better, what would you do? There’s a whole world of mindfulness that goes beyond breathing and meditation; And it starts with you. In this episode of Xero Gravity, we speak to Dandapani - a Hindu Priest, entrepreneur and speaker on self-development - about how mindfulness and concentration can make you a better small biz leader. “Life is finite. I don’t believe life is short. The other thing that’s finite is my energy. I only have so much energy in each day, and I need to be wise in taking my finite amount of energy and investing it in the people and things that truly matter to me.” Tune in to find out why you’re doing mindfulness wrong and how to change your approach to maximize success in your business, and your life!

What do you get when you combine five grand, a backpack and sheer love for 100% Agave Tequila? One of the newest and hottest craft Tequila brands in the Western World. Eric Brass, CEO and founder of Tromba Tequila, had an entrepreneurial itch he needed to scratch. Against the odds and against convention, Eric successfully launched his own craft liquor brand - and did so through grassroots methods only. Join Eric at his downtown Toronto office (that features a bar) and Elizabeth U, as Eric recounts the trials and tribulations of starting a business out of sheer passion and dumb luck. “Well, better to be lucky than smart. In business– a lot of it has to do with timing. So we were in the right place at the right time speaking to the right person,” says Eric.

There’s no such thing as perfection - yet it’s one of the biggest mistakes made by small businesses when implementing technology at the start of their entrepreneurial journey. Manu Jaffrin, COO & Managing Vice President GetApp explains that getting your product out to market with the current technologies in place is the best way to then iterate your offering. He says that waiting for everything to be perfect is a key error businesses make around the world. “When we launched GetApp in January 2010, it took us four months to develop it.  We launched it in January 2010.  The site was crap, but that was okay.  We got tons of feedback from the first users telling us, "This is good.  This is bad."  And we could really then focus the next iteration of the product.” No matter what industry you’re in, there is a technology solution available to help automate and iterate processes. So listen in as Manu share his insights into the world of technology and small business optimization.

Just when you thought technology couldn’t possibly get any more awesome, in walked augmented reality. The younger, hipper sibling of virtual reality, augmented reality is what happens when technology and reality collide. And there’s really no telling where things could end up. What this really means that the possibilities for small businesses and entrepreneurs are endless. This week, Brett King, founder of Moven and host of BREAKING BANK$ stops by to chat about all the amazing things you can do with your business thanks to augmented reality. “ It’s not just going to be about whether there’s a deal at a shop that we’re walking past with a discount for iPhones. Today there’s a lot of businesses that just won’t be able to survive unless they’ve got an app on a phone and the same thing will happen with AR and voice commerce,” says Brett. Tune in as Brett unpacks the true meaning of augmented and virtual reality, bringing his entrepreneurial vision to the fore.

Omnichannel means building trust with customers through having the same products, the same pricing and the same look and feel across multiple channels. If you’re an e-retailer and you’re not on Amazon, then you’re missing out on a huge opportunity. Over 40% of all online shoppers are searching for products on Amazon first. To learn more about the nuts and bolts of omnichannel for small business, Kevin McKeand who heads up Strategic Business Development and Partnerships at BigCommerce joins Elizabeth U this week on Xero Gravity. Kevin walks us through what an omnichannel strategy is, how to execute it and what benefits small businesses can expect. So if you’re a small business with your own brand or unique product, then to increase your sales, you need to make sure your product is searchable in as many online marketpplaces as possible because that’s where your consumers are.

If a bank rejects your small business loan. Then all hopes and dreams of accessing capital flies out the window, right? Wrong! There are an array of options available for small business owners looking to source financing. Be it traditional or alternative, this week’s episode focuses on data-driven lending and how it breaks down geographic boundaries to create more opportunity for entrepreneurs. This week, Michael Finklestein, CEO and founder at the Credit Junction stops by to educate us about asset-based lending for small businesses. “You now can access capital anywhere in the world, and I think that will lend itself to better choices, better information and in the long run create a pricing model that actually works for your business, whatever that may be,” says Michael. So tune in to learn more because Michael brings a wide variety of experience to this conversation including a former life as the owner of a record company.

Public speaking, pitching, talking and listening - communication is integral to every aspect of business ownership and is one skill that directly impacts success. Just like any other skill, to be an effective communicator, you need to practice. And this week’s guest, Dr. Ebony Utley, associate professor at California State University Long Beach, will tell you why. “Communication requires iteration and reiteration just like every other aspect of your business because how you’re describing the business today is not how you’re going to describe it this time next year.” This week on Xero Gravity, Dr. Utley joins Elizabeth U and shares insight around effectively communicating with your audience, peers, co-workers, family, friends and most importantly, yourself. So listen in, because being an effective communicator is as much about your ability to listen to how the people in your world want to be communicated to.

Flexible, yet fickle, freelancing is a choice of work that won’t suit the non-persistent. But for those of you hooked to this ad-hoc way of life - it’s important to know when you’re negotiating a project price, you’re also negotiating the experience and what it means for your individual brand. Bobby McGill, founder of Branding in Asia Magazine and life-long freelance writer has landed roles writing for some of the world’s most regarded newspapers, has interviewed ex-president of the United States George W. Bush and has founded a number a online and print magazines. Bobby sits in with Elizabeth U on Xero Gravity to discuss Negotiating as a freelancer and all it entails, from dealing with rejection, to knowing what you’re worth and rubbing shoulders with some of the most famous people in history.

The life of an artist is typically all or nothing and so is their taxable income. As such, many accountants don’t have the patience to guide creative clients through the motions of each financial year. Introducing Paco, founder and director of the HellYeah Group - a boutique bookkeeping agency aimed at creative folk needing financial support. Paco joins Xero Gravity host Elizabeth U to discuss some of the financial holes creatives find themselves in and how she assists them in getting their finances and lives on track. “For a lot of people it’s feast or famine so a lot of times they have to come up with the patchwork of incomes or different revenues streams and at the beginning at least you either have to have a pile of cash that you can rely on or you need to hustle your ass off so you can build a pile of cash so that you have flexibility there in terms of cash flow timing,” says Paco. Listen in for more recommendations from Paco and to hear about her incredible entrepreneurial journey. It’s brave and completely inspiring.

This episode is all about user-generated reviews, that means the customer reviews written on sites such as TripAdvisor, Yelp, OpenTable and even Facebook. Business owners are all too familiar was those feelings of angst when it comes to engaging with their online reviews. But what ends up happening is a lost opportunity to acquire new customers and ultimately increase profits. According to Bill Tancer, the first thing business owners must do is engage with their reviews. “Why should you build an online review strategy?” He asks.  “The answer’s very simple, because of the importance those reviews play in getting new customers to your business,” Bill adds.

Technology enables freedom, but for many of us - being creatures of habit - it’s easy to accept traditional workflow processes in business. Nick Pasquarosa, founder and CEO of Bookkeeper 360 joins Elizabeth Ü this week on Xero Gravity and he’s on a mission to empower small business owners to change their processes for the better through technology. “When you invest in a technology that can really unify different departments, it allows for the financial freedom and the freedom from having to manually do that process.” Listen is, because Nick shares his tips implementing technologies into a business that might see your revenue grow from $500,000 to $30 million in a couple of years - something one of Nick’s own client’s experienced.